“Don’t think that’s the right word.” Jack didn’t open her eyes.
“What word describes your feelings better?” Laurie inserted her leg between Jack’s, rubbing a hip into her.
“No more words.” Jack cupped Laurie’s face. “Kiss me.”
Laurie yanked back a little, her eyes seeming to straddle the line between toying with Jack or making her plead. “This is a puzzle. Give in without any concessions or ask for something. Something big.”
“Tell me what you want, and I’ll do it.”
“Anything?” Laurie ran a finger over Jack’s bottom lip, soft and wet. Her eyes darted to the corner where Jack’s overnight bag sat on a chair. “I’m not sure you can handle what I want.”
Jack shuddered with anticipation. “Hit me with it.”
“Stay with me.”
Jack laughed softly. “I always do, every weekend and usually more.”
“And then you pack up and go home.” Laurie closed her eyes, not wanting to let on how much it hurt every time Jack left. “I told you weeks ago you could take as much space in the closet as you wanted, but you haven’t left a single thing.”
“You want me to bring over a change of clothes?” Jack asked as she wiggled beneath Laurie in an attempt to restart the motion of her thighs between Jack’s legs.
“No, I want you to move in with me.”
“Like, for real?” This time it was Jack who stopped moving. “I don’t know.”
Laurie tensed as her chest clenched in rejection. “Why not? You hate living with your mother, and this house is massive.”
Jack’s eyebrows bunched. “I guess if I really thought about it, I always pictured an our place, someday. This house is very yours.”
“It’s on the National Register of Historic Places,” Laurie argued as if somehow that detail would sway the woman to see reason.
“Well, in that case,” Jack teased. She ground her pelvis into Laurie’s thigh. “You might need to try a di erent negotiating tactic.”
“Is that right?” Putting the conversation aside for now, Laurie reached into Jack’s panties, knuckles skating over the pussy lips. “You’re so wet. We need to get rid of the rest of your clothes.”
Jack lifted her butt, and Laurie shucked the remaining articles. Repositioning herself on top, Laurie dipped her head and claimed Jack’s nipple briefly. “Since we’ve tabled our other discussion, it’s only fair that you give me something else I want.”
“And what would that be?” Jack’s voice wavered nervously.
Laurie took Jack’s hand and placed it firmly between Jack’s own legs.
Confusion gave way to comprehension. “You want me to masturbate?”
Laurie didn’t answer with words but sucked Jack’s nipple into her mouth as she gave Jack’s index finger a suggestive push.
Jack swallowed hard but didn’t pull away. “Should I put it inside or focus on my clit?”
“Clit. Slow.” Laurie’s chest hitched.
Jack’s head sunk into one of the many pillows behind her.
“God, you make me wet.”
“Ditto.”
Jack smiled. “If only people knew this side of you.”
“I’m okay with keeping that between you and me.” Laurie flicked the nipple and then headed northward, hovering over Jack’s face. She glanced down for a better view of Jack’s hand. “Now move it inside, but not too deep.”
Jack did, her breathing increasing.
“Now. Another finger.” Laurie’s hand raked down the front of Jack’s torso, coming to a stop on the mound of pubic hair. “Okay. Deeper.”
They watched together as Jack’s wrist bent, allowing her to plunge in.
Laurie’s finger glided over the wet, bulging pussy lips.
With deliberate slowness, she licked the juices o her finger.
“I love the way you taste.”
Jack moaned, almost as if in pain. “I crave you.”
“Is that right?”
Jack nodded, struggling to keep her eyes open.
Laurie eased a hand into her own panties, going in deep.
Jack’s eyes nearly tripled in size.
“We’re in this together, remember.” Laurie proceeded to place her fingers into Jack’s mouth.
“You’re becoming quite the team player.”
“What can I say? I like you.” Laurie glanced down. “And I really like how you fuck yourself.” She gripped Jack’s wrist, forcing her deep inside, while simultaneously, kissing Jack fervently, never wavering on the assistance below.
A tremor worked through Jack, so strong that Laurie could feel it rippling up from her toes. She grinned, encouraging.
“Come for me, baby. Oh, fuck, come for me.”
Her own spasms increased in time with Jack’s, making it di cult to know which body reacted the most from the act as both worked in tandem.
“You’re amazing,” Jack said.
A smile split Laurie’s lips, while she removed Jack’s fingers and replaced them with her own. “I’m ordering you to come and not to stop.”
Jack gripped Laurie’s back, gouging it. “Oh, Jesus. You feel so fucking good—” Her orgasm hit, and Jack released a groan, her legs shaking.
Moving downward, Laurie’s tongue stroked Jack’s clit, while Jack fisted the duvet, her body still spasming. Laurie circled the bud, leisurely lapping it, not intent on propelling another orgasm so soon. No, it was time to enjoy the beautiful act.
A second wave of wetness soaked Laurie’s fingers, the slapping sounds rapidly increasing as her fingers moved in and out, deeper and deeper.
Jack pleaded, “Please, don’t stop.”
Laurie inserted another finger, and Jack released a fuck yeah sigh.
Laurie sucked Jack’s clit into her mouth.
Jack writhed, obviously getting close.
Laurie couldn’t help but feel like she was falling. For Jack.
For the life they’d carved out together. “I love you, Jack.”
Jack bucked o the bed. “Dit—”
Laurie shoved her fingers in deep, curling them upward.
Jack continued to shudder, letting it roil through her, until she collapsed back onto the bed, yanking Laurie up for a kiss. “Do you have any idea the e ect you have on me?”
Laurie swiped some hairs o Jack’s face. “I’m starting to get an inkling.”
“Just an inkling?” Jack buried her face into the crook of Laurie’s neck.
“More than.”
“You’re amazing, Laurie. The most amazing woman on the planet.”
“Only because of us. You make me a better person.”
Jack’s eyes closed slowly. “I shouldn’t fall asleep.”
“Sleep, love.” Laurie held Jack close, stroking her short brown hair into gentle waves. “Tomorrow’s Saturday. We’ll sleep in and take the whole day o .”
“The whole day o ?” Jack yawned and snuggled closer.
“You really have become a new woman.”
C H A P T E R T W E N T Y
AS JACK REACHED FOR THE HOTEL DOOR’S MASSIVE BRASS HANDLE, HER
mind flashed back to the last time she’d been there, six months before, in the middle of a blizzard in the company of a sexy blonde. Talk about déjà vu. Same hotel, same woman at her side, only this time, a bright sun blazed in a vivid blue sky, and instead of strangers embarking on a daring tryst, they were partners—not solely in business, but in all aspects of life—on their way to pitch their investment services to one of the richest men on the planet.
Palms sweaty as she opened the door, Jack gave Laurie a sidelong glance.
“Ready?”
Laurie nodded, her lips pressed together, a picture of fierce determination that made Jack’s heart lurch.
Jack gestured inside. “After you, love.”
Unlike the last time they’d been there, on the night of the storm, the lobby was mostly empty today. The air was frigid, but this was due to an overzealous air-conditioning
system on a mild June day. The door had not yet swung closed when a uniformed employee greeted them from behind the front desk.
“Are you here for the Othonos meeting?” When they said yes, he pointed toward the elevator. “Second floor. Follow
the signs to the Minuteman Ballroom.”
“Too bad it’s not the President’s suite,” Laurie said as she pushed the call button. “I have such fond memories of that room.”
“Probably for the best,” Jack replied as they entered the elevator. “I’m not sure I’d be able to get through my portion of the presentation if I was standing on the same spot on the rug where you went down on me.”
“If it didn’t risk losing the account, I’d give anything to see you try.” Laurie shot her a look of pure mischief, and Jack could feel herself getting wet. It was a welcome distraction that helped quell the nerves fluttering in her system, but not something she could let get out of hand considering the long day ahead of them. She squeezed her thighs together, struggling to keep her focus on the task at hand.
When the elevator opened, a woman greeted them, o ering co ee as she led the way into a side room adjacent to the ballroom where the presentations were to be held.
Marian and Andy were already waiting, sipping co ee from white ceramic mugs that bore the name of the hotel. Behind the double-closed doors that led to the Minuteman Ballroom, there was laughter and excited chatter.
Laurie raised an eyebrow and mouthed, “Carmen?”
Jack bobbed her head. She’d recognize her former mentor’s high-pitched cackle anywhere. It was the one she reserved for situations when whatever clever comment she’d made hadn’t received the recognition she thought it deserved, and she figured adding an extra dose of her own laughter would help others recognize the brilliance of what she’d said. Even when they’d still been friends, it was a sound that made Jack feel like a turtle longing to curl up in her shell.
“They drew the seven o’clock slot.” Marian o ered. “I got here early and kept a low profile down in the lobby, so I saw her come in.”
“How many?” Laurie asked.
“Four,” said Marian.
“Good.” Laurie nodded in satisfaction. “We have four, too, so we’re just as strong on the sta ng front.”
“How did she seem?” Jack inquired, not wanting to point out that Carmen’s team of four represented only a handful of Bay State’s top portfolio managers, while Camelot’s fourth attendee was technically an administrative assistant.
“Angry as an alley cat,” Marian confided with a grin. “All the way to the elevator, she was yelling at one of her team members for not getting her an extra shot of espresso.”
Laurie snickered. “I’ve heard rumors Carmen’s not what anyone would call a morning person.”
“God, no.” Jack made a face as confirmation, recalling the time Carmen hadn’t had her breakfast yet and ended up yelling at a random stranger driving past in a Toyota because she’d mistaken him for her Uber driver and thought he was leaving her behind. The woman was a nightmare before her second cup of co ee.
“We got the sweet spot. Mornings are shit, and by the time Toby’s team goes at three, everyone’s going to be hitting the midafternoon doldrums. Of course, if you ask Toby, he’s bound to say they’ve saved the best for last.” The look on Laurie’s face as she said this raised Jack’s suspicions.
She wouldn’t have put it past Laurie to use reverse psychology on Toby to get him to insist on taking the far inferior afternoon slot, convinced it was the best.
At a few minutes before eleven, the ballroom doors opened. Carmen, dressed in a black suit, all grins and bubbling with confidence, emerged from the room. Her face froze when she saw Jack, but she looked away quickly
without acknowledgment. Three men tailed Carmen, and after a quick scan, Jack recalled the names of the senior portfolio managers she had never worked with. At least, she didn’t think she had. Their cookie-cutter dark suits and solid-color power ties made them appear to be interchangeable, like figurines in a diorama. It was possible that was part of Carmen’s strategy, but they looked like they were headed to a funeral, not presenting bold and innovative investment ideas.
“Mr. Othonos will see you now,” the woman who had distributed co ee announced in a pleasant accent that immediately brought to mind a warm Mediterranean island.
Jack wiped her hands along the sides of her trousers, blotting the sweat from her palms as inconspicuously as possible. She’d chosen her chocolate plaid suit for the occasion, with a pale pink camisole. The wool was a little heavy for the summer weather, but perfect for a chilly ballroom, plus distinctive enough to leave an impression, the opposite of the cookie-cutter boys. Not that she was counting on Othonos being blown away by her fashion sense, but her research had given her the impression the Greek liked a splash of color. Would Othonos be impressed by what they had to o er? She would soon find out.
A quick glance at Laurie restored her confidence. Dressed in a cream suit that fit every curve, her white silk blouse trimmed with a hint of feminine lace, the woman managed to look both completely in control and as carefree as if she were on her way to a garden party. How did she manage it?
Jack might never solve the mystery, but as they entered the ballroom together, there was no one Jack would rather have on her side. She could only hope Laurie felt the same way about her.
Silvio Othonos was seated at a table in the center of the room, flanked by half a dozen people whom Jack assumed to
be business advisors or, judging by their identically prominent, proud chins, possibly family members.
Considering how important family was in Greek culture, most likely both. There was no doubt in Jack’s mind from the way the others looked at him that the silver-haired man in the middle was calling the shots.
Othonos was dressed in a lightweight linen jacket and matching vest, with a bright paisley printed ascot tied jauntily at his neck. A downward glance revealed a pair of jeans and leather loafers, sans socks, in a nod to casual chic.
He sported a closely cropped beard, as silver as the hair on his head, which, though balding, gave him the distinguished look of an older Sean Connery. A Panama hat sat in front of him on the table, and Jack got the impression he’d merely popped in for a moment on his way to a swashbuckling adventure in the Amazon. No wonder her mom had been smitten. Jack didn’t have to be straight to appreciate the billionaire’s rugged good looks.
Laurie and Jack made their way to a smaller table at the front of the room, with Marian and Andy bringing up the rear. The hotel had set up a screen behind the table, with their company logo illuminating it from a projector on the ceiling. While the others sat, Jack walked to the podium that stood to the left of the table. When she looked out toward the investors’ table, the glare from the projector made them appear like shadows. She took a calming breath before launching into her welcome speech.
“Once you’ve gathered more riches than anyone can spend in a lifetime—or, let’s be honest, in several lifetimes
—what’s the point of making more?” Though Jack couldn’t see her audience, she could hear them murmuring, shifting in their seats. If they were surprised by how she’d begun, they were supposed to be. “Don’t get me wrong. We certainly plan to make you money, because that’s our job. It’s part of
the mission statement of any investment company. But what we at Camelot Associates ask is not only what your wealth can do for you, but what it can do to make the world a better place.”
Jack squinted, shifting her head out of the worst of the projector’s glare. The six younger members of Othonos’s team wore confused looks, but in the middle, Silvio Othonos nodded slowly, stroking his bearded chin. There was no doubt she’d hooked him with the unorthodox start.
The next four hours whizzed by at a breathless pace. Once they’d answered every question and Laurie had delivered some closing remarks, they headed toward the door. Jack lagged a few steps behind and stopped in her tracks when a
hand fell on her shoulder.
“Miss Kennedy?”
Jack turned, heart in her throat.
It was Silvio Othonos. Though he was undoubtedly the most powerful person in the room, yet he looked almost bashful up close. “I wanted to say you’re the spitting image of your mother.”
Jack’s cheeks tingled. Then she remembered her mother had insisted Jack bring along a tiny package. She fished it out of her bag. “Mom asked me to give you this.”
He took the little lump of fabric that had been tied with a ribbon and looked at it curiously. He tugged at the bow.
Wrapped inside was a jagged bit of seashell. Jack was mortified at having handed him little more than a piece of trash, but then she saw the mist gather in the old man’s eyes.
“All these years, she kept it?” He sounded wistful, and his face took on an almost youthful quality.
Jack nodded, uncertain what was so special about a completely ordinary piece of shell, but knowing it was significant. She recalled from her research that while he’d
been linked romantically to the occasional super model, he’d never remarried since his wife had passed away many years before. “She said to mention that, if you’re going to be in Boston for a while—”
“Sadly, no. I’m headed to New York tonight. I have the last round of pitches first thing in the morning, and then it’s o to my yacht that’s already waiting for me in the Mediterranean.” The regret on his face seemed genuine.
When he grasped Jack’s hand to shake, she could almost feel the emotion flowing through him. “Please, give her my regards.”
In the elevator, heading back for the lobby, the giddiness in the air was palpable. Andy bounced on the balls of his feet.
“Our presentation went really well, didn’t it? I mean, I don’t want to curse us”—he rapped his knuckles on his head as if it were a piece of wood. “But if this account isn’t in the bag, I’ll—”
The elevator doors slid open, and Toby nearly trampled them, chomping at the bit. “Oh, it’s you.”
He eyed them each in his infuriatingly superior way while his team looked on, not bothering to hide their mocking expressions. It was clear they’d ceased to fear Laurie now that she’d left Emerson Management. Jack believed this to be a huge error in judgement on their parts.
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