by Malone, Q.
Corporate Affairs
Q Malone
Copyright 2013 by Q. Malone
Copyright © 2013 by Q Malone
All rights reserved. This copy is intended for the original purchaser of this book. No part of this book may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without prior written permission from the author except by reviewers who may quote brief excerpts in connection with a review. Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the author's rights. Purchase only authorized editions.
This book is a work of fiction. Any resemblance to institutions or persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.
Editing by Finish The Story
Cover Design by HOT DAMN DESIGNS
www.hotdamndesigns.com
Dedication
To my fans who like to walk on the spicy side of life.
Table of Contents
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
About the Author
Excerpt From Sexy in Stilettos
Chapter 1
One of these days, Kyra Benson was going to kill her boss. Sooner or later, one of them would have to go, and it sure as hell wouldn’t be her.
Kyra seethed as she stood across from the CEO of X2 Games, Bryan Ross. Forget his supposed charm, forget his startling good looks. In this moment, Kyra hated him. And given his narrowed eyes and set jaw, the feeling was mutual.
They’d been arguing about resources for her project for the last several weeks. Now, energy crackled around them like a brewing storm, and she half expected a lightning bolt to singe her desk. How the hell he expected her to push her team to complete the next game in time for release, without the manpower they needed, was beyond her. He thought she’d just get it done as if she had a magic wand. Moron. He’d give into her eventually. She was just that stubborn. But she hated having to beg for every development resource.
As their harsh breaths mingled across the desk, his gaze dipped to her lips. Instantly, his pupils dilated. As if her body was on autopilot, she responded with a racing heartbeat, wobbling knees, and a pang of lust at her center. Don’t be stupid, Kyra, you know better. Sleeping with him might be unforgettable, but it won’t get you what you want.
Palms flat on the desk, Kyra spoke softly in an attempt to rein in her response to him. “You have a choice to make. You can cut the scope of the game, or you can add more time. I can’t create miracles out of thin air. You can also give me the additional resources I asked for months ago.”
Bryan scowled and started pacing; his taut, athletic body prowled around her office. “You’re a project manager with a background in lean development. We’re a startup. Our other resources are taxed. I thought you were supposed to be the best. That’s what I need from you.”
She rolled her eyes. “I’m the best project manager you have, and you know it. I’m sorry the last guy sold you a bill of goods.” He thought he could simply usher a command to get what he wanted, but what he wanted took work. It meant more nights that her team wouldn’t see their families, or girlfriends, or the light of day, and she wouldn’t have that. Determination hardened her voice as she added, “You’ll have to find another way. What you’re asking for is going to kill my team.”
He raised a brow. “Don’t you mean my team?”
Shit. Just what she needed—to piss off the boss. Bryan took the gaming business seriously, and it had earned him a tidy fortune. In classic CEO fashion, he didn’t take it well when anybody questioned his process. But it was her job to protect her guys at all costs. Even if it cost her.
Drawing up to full height, she crossed her arms. About to step in a mud pile so deep she probably would regret it later, she spoke the truth as she knew it. “No, Bryan, I mean my team. You may sign the pay-checks, but they work for me, because they genuinely like me and know I have their backs. Can the same be said about you?”
He glared at her. Those blue-flecked hazel eyes bore into hers. Convinced she was about to be fired, Kyra held her breath. For a long moment, he didn’t say anything, just stared at her. His gaze eventually dipped to her lips again, and a shiver stole up her back. If she stopped to think about how good looking he was, she’d be too distracted to stand up to him.
When he spoke, it was like someone poured warm chocolate over her body. Too bad he was telling her something she didn’t want to hear.
“I’m making the call, Kyra. I need this deadline. Now, either you have the stuff to do it on time, or you don’t. And if you don’t, I’ll find someone who does.”
When he stalked out of her office, she considered going after him, but that could only have an ugly end. Either they’d end up screwing like rabbits in the hallway—she wished—or she’d kill him with her bare hands. His supposed bedroom prowess was legendary. Bryan Ross was the stuff young, geek-girl programmers dreamed of. Brilliant, sexy, and he knew his way around a Joss Whedon reference. He also went through women like her friend Megan went through shoes. Rumor had it that some girl had broken his heart, and he hadn’t been serious about anyone since.
Since Kyra had started at X2 several months ago, she hadn’t been able to crack into the man behind the power façade to decipher whether or not that rumor was true. She couldn’t see him torn up over any woman. They’d been at odds most of the time, even in her interview. Initially he’d been cordial and outgoing, but when she gave him a little pushback about company processes, his mood had soured. She’d been certain she wouldn’t get the job, but he’d personally called and invited her to join their growing team. They’d been battling ever since.
Well, not entirely true.
There’d been one moment three months ago when they hadn’t been at loggerheads. She’d been working late with her team one night and had gone to the employee lounge to get them all drinks from the vending machines. Bryan had been in one of the private game rooms with a petite blonde. Their conversation had been hushed, but thanks to the great acoustics, Kyra heard it all.
The blonde’s breathy voice saying, “I just want to show you how much you mean to me.”
Bryan’s lower, sexier cadence replying, “Elaine, when I said we needed to talk, I meant we needed to actually have a conversation, not have a fuck in my office. It was a courtesy that I wanted to talk over dinner, but we can do it here just as easily.”
“Bullshit,” she said. “You just think I won’t make a scene in public.”
As awkward scenarios went, Kyra knew she’d been in for one hell of a doozey. But there was no way to make it to the elevators without passing the game room, and the door was open enough that she’d be seen if she tried. She’d figured it was better to stay put in the shadows until they were done with their little break-up scene. She kept one hand clamped over her mouth to keep from breathing too loudly or making an inadvertent squeak. Too incredulous to retreat, she watched through the crack in the door as the pale blonde strutted around in front of Bryan.
Bryan’s gruff voice rang in Kyra’s memory. “Elaine, now is a good time to stop that. We’re not going to have sex.”
“Why should I?” She tipped her head up to meet his eyes. “I know you like it, and I'm trying to get through to you so you’ll understand how good we can be together. Maybe this is the only way.”
Unable to help herself, Kyra had craned her neck for a better view. If she was to properly recount the story to her best friend and head of Quality Assurance, Megan, Kyra wanted to be sure she
got the details right.
Elaine pulled Bryan’s belt from the loops on his trousers and tossed it aside. “Whoops.” She then quickly unfastened his pants.
From her vantage point, Kyra could see the muscles in his jaw ticking.
“Elaine—” he whispered through clenched teeth. Something she did cut his voice off. When he spoke again, his voice was lower, sexier. “This is a really bad—mmm, idea. I don't have time for this.”
“Make time, Bryan. Besides, I know what you like. I just want you to remember how good I am.”
Kyra had rolled her eyes, making a mental note to herself. Never be so desperate for a guy you’re willing to cancel out your self-respect.
Elaine sank to her knees in her tailored black pantsuit and whispered, “Now there's what I’ve been waiting for.”
Bryan had his head thrown back and his lips had parted. With a sleepy, half-lidded gaze, he stared down at Elaine. He stood mostly rigid while Elaine worked her tongue over the length of his cock and back down the other side.
Kyra had been unable to tear her gaze away from Elaine’s hollow cheeks and the way she sucked Bryan into her. One of his hands clamped over the edge of the pool table so hard his knuckles turned white. His breathing grew more and more rapid. Kyra hadn’t wanted to look away.
A low harsh groan escaped Bryan’s lips.
Through clenched teeth he whispered, “Fuck, Kyra. Your mouth feels so good.”
At the sound of her name, Kyra sucked in an involuntary breath. No, she hadn’t heard that correctly. She strained to hear better, inching forward slightly but trying to keep to the shadows.
Immediately, Bryan’s gaze pinned on the door. She was certain he couldn’t see her from his vantage point. She had been concealed in the dark, right? As Elaine continued to suck his thick erection into her mouth, he stared at Kyra’s hidden location. And she had watched the scene, transfixed as Bryan’s hand dug into Elaine's hair and guided her mouth.
“Not too fast.” He stroked a thumb over her chin. “Yeah, like that.” Bryan clenched his teeth and focused his intense gaze on Kyra’s location. His gaze never strayed.
That was hot. He was hot.
When he finally climaxed, Kyra was ready for one herself, she’d been so keyed up. For her part, Elaine hadn’t noticed that he’d called her the wrong name. But Kyra had known.
Kyra had told herself that it didn’t mean anything. That earlier that day they’d been locked in battle over a schedule and his subconscious had just interjected her name. But the butterflies in her belly didn’t care what rationalizations she used.
Ever since, working together had become impossible. Even now, just from the memory alone, she could feel the walls of her pussy convulse and quiver. She wanted him.
Shaking the memory loose, Kyra rubbed the back of her neck in an effort to release some of her tension. She glanced at the clock on her desk and cursed. It was barely seven thirty in the morning and she’d already had her ass handed to her by her boss. The makings of a fantastic day. She rolled her shoulders. First, she’d grab coffee, then she’d come up with a plan Bryan Ross could tolerate. Because whether he had the hots for her or not, she still had a job to do.
***
An hour later, Kyra finally ventured out for coffee. She had to attend the all-hands meeting in less than an hour, and she needed to be properly caffeinated before she saw Bryan again.
A low wolf whistle echoed along the long corridor of X2 Game Design, and Kyra whipped around to give whoever it was a piece of her mind, assuming it was a member of her immature development team. When she spotted Megan, she rolled her eyes. “You know, you came this close to a verbal takedown that would have scarred you for life.”
Megan grinned, revealing two dimples. Combined with her freckles and lively green eyes, the look just added to the whole I’m-cute-and-adorable vibe her best friend had going. Megan was also whip smart and took no shit, which was why Kyra adored her.
“I couldn’t help myself. You’re one sexy mama strutting around here in your tights and flirty skirt, Kyra. It looks like you’ve finally started taking my fashion advice. Jeans and hoodies are so not the way to a man’s heart.”
Kyra chuckled. “Well, for your information, I have a date after work tonight. It’s a blind date, but instead of dating because I’m bored, I’m trying to date with some purpose. So, I figured I’d actually put some effort in. But given the mood Boss man’s in, I likely won’t make my date on time.”
“Tell me the truth—you were a little excited for Bryan to see you in your sexed-up attire.” She waggled her eyebrows.
Yes. “What? No.”
Megan shrugged. “Well, whatever the reason, I’m just glad to see you finally giving me something to work with.”
Megan was obsessed with all things fashion and had more clothes than Paris Hilton and the Kardashian sisters put together. Too bad her fashion sense was wasted at X2. They worked with programmers ninety percent of their day, and the other ten percent was usually spent in meetings. These guys were more impressed by the latest Sci-fi flick or Hobbit movie than Megan’s rocking pair of heels, but it didn’t matter. She dressed to kill every day and had been trying to get Kyra to follow suit, stating sisterly solidarity. X2 boasted one hundred and fifty employees, but only thirty were women.
Kyra shrugged. “It’s not like I’ve never dressed up before.” She liked a good game of dress up like any other girl, yet she mostly preferred her jeans and hoodies and no make-up. But admittedly, it did feel good to know Bryan had been checking her out that morning.
“We could do a whole death by seduction thing with you and Boss man. Killing him slowly with your hotness. With all that smooth, caramel skin, you look like you’ll forever be preserved at eighteen. It’s extremely irritating that you don’t even need make up. And the curly look for your hair is totally in now. Everyone’s going natural.”
“Glad to know the rest of me passes muster.”
“Seriously though, you do look hot. Bryan is going to lose his shit.”
“Oh, God, can we stop talking about him?”
“Shit. I guess the two of you have already been at it today.”
“Yeah, he thinks I’m not being aggressive enough with my developers. Blah, blah boring boring.”
“And let me guess, you bristled and told him to back off your team, and he got all, I’m the boss, do as I tell you?”
Kyra widened her eyes in mock surprise. “Oh, my God, it’s like you were there.”
Megan chuckled. “I swear. It’s the same broken record with you two. He acts like a kid on the playground and pulls your braids. You respond by throwing sand at him. Ah, young love.”
“Would you shut up? I do not have a thing for Bryan Ross.” Liar.
Megan’s brows went up, and she didn’t meet Kyra’s gaze. “Yeah. Okay. Whatever you say. He’s circling around you like he’s a starving man and you’re a juicy piece of…veal.”
“Not going to happen.” Anywhere other than in Kyra’s imagination. He was too insufferable to deal with on a daily basis.
“Bullshit. As much as he might be a prick to you, you’re not immune to the Bryan Ross packaging. None of us are.”
Kyra hated to admit it, but her friend was right. Douchebag or not, he was very pretty to look at—six feet tall, broad shoulders, those hazel eyes with their hints of blue, and God, that body. She’d seen him and some of the guys playing pickup basketball at a park down the street once. When he’d taken off his shirt, Kyra had lost a whole chunk of time she couldn’t account for just staring at his six-pack.
Kyra tipped her chin up. “He’s pretty, but honestly he’s a dime a dozen. And I don’t share. With a guy like him, I get the feeling I’d have to get used to being one of many.”
From the kitchen, she heard a deep, rumbling laugh that made her insides melt. Damn. Freezing like a cockroach in daylight, she willed it to be her imagination. But no. Speak of the devil, and he shall appear.
“Danger,
Kyra Benson. Danger. Boss man ten o’clock.”
From their angle, she could see just his profile. Probably best to avoid him until their follow-up meeting. But her body cemented her to the spot. Unable to move, she stood frozen. Should she turn and hide? Should she stay where she was? She wanted to see him. Wanted him to see her. No, stupid. You stay put, he sees you, and your hell begins just a little bit earlier.
Megan tugged at her sleeve. “Kyra, I for one don’t want to be witness to you two sparring this morning. So c’mon.”
Just as Kyra let Megan direct her down the hallway on the right, Bryan turned. For a hint of a moment, their gazes met. Heat suffused Kyra’s body as his eyes narrowed. It was like he could see past every item of clothing she had on to her red lace bra and matching thong. Against her better judgment, she wondered what it would be like to have that kind of intensity focused on her for other reasons entirely.
Megan dragged her away and shoved her into an empty conference room.
Kyra shot Megan a grateful look. “Thanks, girl. I’m not ready to go another round with him. Shit, I haven’t even had any coffee yet.”
“You know, at some point you’re going to have to stop antagonizing that man. You can’t hide from the hot chemistry you guys have going on.”
“Says the woman shoving me into conference rooms.” Kyra swiped at the wayward curls that had escaped her headband. “You’re imagining things. Besides, Bryan Ross has a woman problem. He likes too many of them. And I’m pretty sure he doesn’t like me.” That was bullshit and she knew it. He liked her fine. Or at least he liked her body. An image infiltrated her mind of Bryan calling out her name as he received a blow job.
Megan stood to her full five-foot two height and tossed her head, sending her fiery curls flying. “Since when are you afraid to go after something you want?”
Kyra wrinkled her nose. “A, who says I want him? B, he’s my boss, and since I signed papers on my condo, I need this job. So I’m not interested in doing anything to jeopardize that.”
