6
Liam
“Liam, did you hear anything I just said?”
I glance to my right and find my best friend and COO, Nick Sutton, flashing me a look of annoyance. Probably because I’ve been replaying my night with the gorgeous brunette instead of listening to him.
I kick my feet up onto the edge of his desk. He glares at the offending Ferragamos but wisely says nothing, considering I own the company.
“Sorry, I didn’t get much sleep last night.” Or any sleep. “What were you saying?”
He takes a deep breath. “I said, I think we found our candidate for the L.A. office.”
“Let me see the resume.”
Nick smiles. “I don’t technically have one. Yet. But word on the street says that Avery Jacobs just left Reed & Associates.”
I raise an eyebrow. “No shit?”
Avery Jacobs is a PR prodigy. I’ve wanted her on my team since the moment she showed up on my radar a few years ago. That woman could make a serial killer look like a saint. Much to my dismay, she’s won over several of our clients when their contracts were up for renewal. I can’t really blame them though. I’d want her to represent me, too.
“No shit. Left for personal reasons.” He uses air quotes on the last two words, then links his hands together behind his head. “Apparently, Reed Jr. was boinking his secretary, so she dumped him. If I had to guess, I’d say she can no longer handle working with that tool.”
“I can’t stand that guy. He’s such a pompous ass. His father, too.”
Nick belts out a laugh that would make you think I’m doing stand-up here. “Takes one to know one, huh?”
I roll my eyes. “Anyway...what do you suggest?”
He slides an employment contract across the desk. The terms are standard for the most part, but the salary and benefits he’s proposing are well out of our norm.
“You want to offer a $350,000 salary? Plus moving expenses, a company car, and the condo in Beverly Hills? Are you fucking crazy?”
He leans forward and looks me in the eye. “We’d be asking her to move to the opposite end of the country. The housing is only temporary until she can find something on her own. And with as much money as she brought to that dickbag’s company, three-fifty is nothing. We need to offer something she can’t refuse. She’s worth it, Liam. You know that.”
You have no idea. The woman can fuck like a porn star.
Oh, did I forget to mention that Avery Jacobs is the hot brunette from last night? Yes, I knew exactly who she was when I approached her. The PR world isn’t very big. In fact, I’m a little insulted she didn’t recognize me. I’ll give her a pass, though, since I’m only occasionally in New York these days and I can’t even remember the last time I made a press statement. Why would I, when I have people to do that for me? Avery may not know who truly gave her the best dicking of her life, but she’s about to.
I tap his desk with my knuckles. “Make the offer.”
Nick smiles. “All right. I’ll reach out to her today. Give me a call when your flight lands and I’ll let you know how it goes.”
7
Avery
1 Month Later
“I can’t believe you’re leaving me,” Heather whines.
I squeeze her a little bit tighter before pulling away. “I know, honey, but we’ll still talk all the time. It’s scary for me, too; I’ve been in New York my entire adult life. But I couldn’t pass on this opportunity. And besides, you know you’ll be dying to come to visit me as soon as it starts snowing here.”
She laughs. “True. Maybe by then, you’ll have found yourself a hot surfer dude with hot surfer dude friends.”
I smirk. “I’ll see what I can do.”
“Lady, you coming, or what?” the cab driver asks.
I throw my carry-on bag into the backseat. “Yep. Just give me a few more seconds.” I grab Heather and hold on tightly just once more. “I’ll call you as soon as I get to my new home.”
She has tears in her eyes. “Okay. Facetime so you can show me your apartment. Love you.”
“Love you, too.” I wave to her through the back window as the car drives away.
When Maxwell & Company offered me a position as the Director of Public Relations for their L.A. office, at first, I thought someone was playing a joke on me. It seemed too good to be true. Once I realized it was legit, I signed on that dotted line immediately, before they had the chance to rescind their offer. Who in their right mind could turn down a higher level position, a huge pay raise, plus several amazing perks?
One of the biggest draws is that my new company has two offices—one in New York and the other in L.A.—and they each have their own specialty. The Los Angeles firm manages clients who work in the entertainment industry. The New York office handles the moguls and large corporations, which to be frank, I won’t miss one bit. While I’ve had my fair share of drama with actors, damage control is usually pretty easy since acting is what they do for a living. I tell them what role they need to play in the public eye, and they do it. Pretentious businessmen, not so much.
As the cab pulls up to JFK International, I smile, thinking about the possibilities that lie ahead. This is my chance to start fresh. I’ll have new clients in a new city. I’ll get to make new friends and discover which places have the best take out. And the greatest perk of all? I won’t have to walk into an office every day and face an asshole who’s seen me naked.
8
Liam
Over the last ten years, Maxwell & Company has gone from a boutique startup to a critical player in the PR industry. In the beginning, I was the face of the company, but Nick assumed that role about five years ago when I opened the L.A. office. He still runs all significant decisions by me, but I no longer deal with the bullshit minutiae that running a multi-billion dollar company entails. It’s probably the only reason Avery Jacobs has no idea who she’s truly working for.
Speaking of Avery, today’s her first day on the job. The entrepreneur in me can’t wait to get her up and running. I can practically see the money rolling in. Unfortunately, the male side of me also can’t wait to bring her onboard. I haven’t been able to get her off my mind since that night over four weeks ago. I don’t know why; repeats aren’t usually my thing, no matter how well they suck dick. But sadly for said dick, I don’t dip my pen in the company ink. No matter how fantastic she is in the sack, it’s not worth the potential fallout.
I hit the speaker button when my desk phone buzzes, “Mr. Maxwell, Ms. Jacobs is just finishing with Human Resources. Shall I have them send her here?”
“Yes, that’d be great, Olivia. And you’re free to take lunch as soon as you show her in.”
“Thank you, sir,” she says.
I rise from my custom-built mahogany desk and button my coat. As they say in the entertainment biz, it’s showtime.
9
Avery
As I approach my new boss’s office, a gorgeous blonde is waiting in the antechamber. She smiles warmly as she approaches me.
“Ms. Jacobs?”
I shake the hand she’s offering. “Please, call me Avery.”
“It’s nice to meet you, Avery. I’m Olivia, Mr. Maxwell’s assistant.”
“It’s nice to meet you as well.” I nod to the closed door. “He wanted to see me?”
“He’s expecting you. You can go right in.” Before I can place my hand on the doorknob, she adds, “Don’t let him intimidate you.” Her voice is quiet, barely more than a whisper.
I tilt my head to the side and match her volume. “Pardon me?”
Olivia waves her hand toward his office. “He can be a bit of an...well, difficult at times. Although in the end, his bark is worse than his bite. A word of advice though—woman to woman—he’s insanely good-looking, and he knows it. Don’t let that distract you because he will call you out on it, and it won’t be pleasant.”
“I’ll keep that in mind,” I say, finding myself equal parts grateful for the warning,
yet disturbed by her unprofessionalism.
I paste a smile on my face and step into the enormous office. “Hello, Mr. Maxwell, I’m—”
I’m blindsided as familiar coffee-colored eyes meet mine. A man whom I thought I’d never see again is standing behind the desk. My one and only one-night stand—the man who rocked my world so thoroughly, I was sore for days. That guy is now apparently my new boss.
Fuck.
I can feel the color draining from my face as his eyes light up. “Ms. Jacobs, so nice to see you again. Is it okay if I call you Avery?” A sexy smirk slowly forms on his lips. “Or would you prefer Angela?”
I’ll say it again: Fuuuuuck.
10
Liam
I get an evil measure of satisfaction as shock transforms Avery’s features.
“You...you said your name was Max,” she sputters.
I walk to the front of my desk and lean back. “I did. Which was a lot closer to the truth than the name you gave me.”
My dick gets hard—well, harder— when unadulterated fury paints her face. “Did you know? Did you know who I was that night?”
She worries her lip between her teeth as my eyes slowly travel the length of her body. Her long brown hair is pulled back, putting the slender column of her neck on display. She’s wearing a fitted black blazer with a matching pencil skirt. Both showcase her curves perfectly, toeing the line between sexy and professional. As my gaze lands on her cherry red stilettos, naughty librarian fantasies flash through my head, causing me to smile.
“Are you referring to the night that I defiled your tight little body four times? Then, yes, I did know who you were.”
Her mouth gapes, and it takes everything in me not to drop my pants and slide my dick into it. I fight back a groan as a memory surfaces of doing just that. Avery was so damn enthusiastic as her pouty lips bobbed up and down my shaft. She moaned when I shot my load down her throat, licking her lips afterward like it was the most delectable treat. Hands down the best blowjob of my life.
She glares at me, making the erection situation even worse. “Was that some sort of twisted interview for you? Is that why you offered me the job? Because I’ll have you know, I do not mix business with pleasure. There’s no way I’m sleeping with you again.”
I bark out a laugh. “Hell, no. I didn’t even know you had left Reed’s company until the next morning. I offered you the job because you’re one of the best in the business. And I’d hate to break it to you, but I have no trouble getting laid. I don’t need to bribe anyone.”
Avery straightens her spine. “This is never going to work unless we both agree to wipe the slate clean; act as if we’ve never met before today.”
I give her a condescending smirk. “I don’t know if I can do that, Ms. Jacobs.” I walk toward her, against my better judgment, until her back is pressed against the door. Reaching behind her to turn the lock, I say, “But what I do know, is that you scream when I tongue your delicious cunt. I know that you’re talented-as-fuck when giving head.” I wrap her low ponytail around my fist and lean into her ear. “I also know that you loved it when I had my dick up your ass. In fact, I’d bet my Maserati that I’m the only man to ever have that particular pleasure. All in all, that night is pretty hard to forget, sweetheart.” I press myself into her so she can feel how hard I am before stepping back with a wink.
Her face reddens. I can practically see the cartoonish steam bursting out of her ears. “You arrogant bastard!”
I brush imaginary lint off my suit jacket. “That may be, but you can’t deny that I’m the best you’ve ever had. That it’s me you think about every night as you’re fingering yourself.”
Avery scoffs. “You give yourself way too much credit. I’ve had better.”
I raise my eyebrows. “Oh really?”
She parks a hand on her curvy hip. “Really. You’re not nearly as great in bed as you seem to think you are.”
Challenge accepted. “Is that so?”
Avery nods. “That’s—”
I press my mouth against hers before she can feed me another lie. Her hands immediately begin working my belt loose while I shove her skirt up to her waist and slide her lace panties aside. I groan when I slip two fingers inside, feeling how fucking drenched she is.
I pump my fingers in and out. “Would you like to amend your previous statement?”
Avery finally gets my zipper down and shoves her hand into my pants, palming my engorged cock. “I like you much better when you don’t talk.”
I bite her earlobe. “Yet another lie. You fucking love how I talk to you. You wouldn’t be this wet before I ever laid a finger on you if you didn’t.”
She gasps when I press the pad of my thumb against her clit and begin moving it around in circles. “Just shut the hell up and make me come.”
I remove my fingers, causing Avery to whimper in protest. I spin her around and lead her to the tufted leather couch against the wall. Placing my hand on the small of her back, I encourage her to lean over the arm of it until her perfect ass is pointed toward the sky. I roll her panties down to her knees and bite one heart-shaped cheek, causing her to yelp. Goddamn, she has a beautiful ass. As much as I want to take it right now, we don’t have the time for that. Without another thought, I retrieve a condom from my wallet, slide it down my length, and enter Avery’s warm, wet heat in one hard thrust.
I clap my hand over her mouth when she moans. “Unless you want everyone out there to know what we’re doing, I suggest you keep quiet. Understand?”
She nods.
I slip my hand around her front, finding her swollen clit. Avery trembles beneath my touch, struggling to keep quiet as I show her no mercy. I’m not a fucking idiot; I know this can’t happen again. But I am selfish enough to steal this moment and ruin her for all other men first.
Does that make me a prick? Maybe. Still doesn’t change the facts.
“Oh, fuck...fuck...fuck!” she shout whispers.
“You’ve had better, my ass,” I grumble as her pussy convulses around me.
With a few more thrusts, I’m coming, too, with a stifled cry into her shoulder. As soon as I’ve been milked dry, I step into my ensuite bathroom to get rid of the rubber and tuck myself back into my pants. Through the reflection in the mirror, I can see Avery smoothing down her skirt, looking around the room as if she’s trying to figure out what the hell just happened.
Neither one of us says a word for a good minute. Finally, I step back into my office and say, “Don’t worry though; I don’t shit where I eat. I have no interest in fucking you again either, no matter how exceptional your pussy is. From here on out, this is strictly professional.”
The rage is back on her face. “This,” she gestures between us, “was a mistake. It will never happen again.”
I quirk my head to the side. “Isn’t that what I just said?”
Avery’s fists clench by her side. “You’re an asshole!”
“I thought we’ve covered that, too.”
She throws her hands up in exasperation. “I can’t work for you. I would’ve never accepted the job if I knew that you were Liam Maxwell.”
I roll my eyes. “Which is exactly why I allowed Nick to take care of everything. Although, a simple Google search would’ve shown you exactly who I am. Quite frankly, I’m rather disappointed you didn’t check me out before agreeing to move across the country.”
Her jaw clenches. “Why would I? This company has a solid reputation and a lengthy list of A-list clients. It doesn’t matter what my new boss looks like. It’s about the job.”
I nod. “I agree. Which is why you’re going to forget the fact that we’ve fucked—five times now, in case you weren’t keeping count—and do your job. Just like I’m going to do mine. You accepted my offer, Ms. Jacobs, because you knew you wouldn’t find a better one. This is your chance to make an even bigger name for yourself and show that asshole he should’ve never fired you. Hopefully, all while making me a shit ton of money.”
Avery glares at me. “I resigned from Reed & Associates.”
I wave my hand dismissively. “Technically, yes. But you and I both know that you didn’t really have a choice.” I hold my hand up when I see the outburst bubbling up her throat. “Before you say anything, I know that dickhead’s accusations were false—you have too much integrity for that.”
Her rage calms, but only slightly. “How do you know about that?”
I shrug. “I may have fucked the elder Reed’s secretary a few months ago, and I may have alluded to a possible repeat in exchange for information.”
“You’re unbelievable,” she mutters under her breath.
“We’ve already established that as well, when you were coming all over my dick.” I wink.
Her cheeks redden. “This is not going to work if you keep bringing up our...mistake.”
“Agreed.” I unlock the door and swing it open. “On that note, welcome to Maxwell & Company. I know we’ll do incredible things together.”
Avery looks through the anteroom and breathes a sigh of relief when she sees that it’s empty. She doesn’t need to know that I had Olivia take a long lunch. Initially, it was because I didn’t want anyone to hear the yelling that I was expecting once Avery learned who I was. It just happened to be a bonus that she was screaming my name for other reasons.
I almost laugh when she offers a handshake. “Thank you, Mr. Maxwell. I appreciate the opportunity.”
My fingers hold on a little longer than necessary. “It’s my pleasure, Ms. Jacobs.”
I watch her hips sway as she leaves the room and my dick perks up in appreciation. Damn, maybe keeping it in my pants is going to be harder than I thought.
Vote Then Read: Volume I Page 116
