Table of Contents
Dedication
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-One
Chapter Twenty-Two
Chapter Twenty-Three
Chapter Twenty-Four
Chapter Twenty-Five
Chapter Twenty-Six
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Chapter Twenty-Nine
About the Author
Look for these titles by Toni J. Strawn
Table of Contents
Dedication
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-One
Chapter Twenty-Two
Chapter Twenty-Three
Chapter Twenty-Four
Chapter Twenty-Five
Chapter Twenty-Six
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Chapter Twenty-Nine
About the Author
Look for these titles by Toni J. Strawn
Who will break first…
One Night Stand Series, Book 1
Abby Harkness believes sex is a full-contact sport to be played by the rules.
Rule #1? One night only.
That is, until she meets the one man who makes her body scream for more. Instinct tells her to run, but Abby is determined to exorcise the demons of her past and prove she can handle anything he has to give.
Marcus Brookhein is competitive to the core, and he will bend the rules to win Abby’s heart. Its all-out war . . . and it’s about to get dirty.
“This is the second edition of Moment of Weakness, a novella originally released in October of 2015.”
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.
His Rules
Copyright © 2015 by Toni J. Strawn
Cover by Flirtation Designs
Formatted by Jacob Hammer
Digital Edition ISBN: 978-1-37035-394-1
First eBook edition: October 2015
Second eBook edition: June 2017
All Rights Are Reserved. No part of this book may be used, reproduced, or transmitted in any manner whatsoever without written permission, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.
His Rules
Toni J. Strawn
Dedication
I have so many to thank, but the first belongs to Chris. Your belief in me is inspirational. Your support unwavering. Thank you.
Chapter One
Abby
“And this is Marcus. He’s the fellow consultant we hired to sort out our investment portfolio.” Henry Croven made the introductions.
Not that I was listening. I’d gotten as far as hearing Marcus and the rest faded into droning background noise. Mmm. I’d like him to sort me out. My gaze snagged on the consultant’s wide shoulders and the outline of his sculpted chest just visible beneath a white business shirt. I followed his torso downward, noting his tapering waist and long, long legs. There wasn’t a spare ounce of fat on him. Lean and good-looking. Just how I liked them.
Fellow consultant…or fellow bed consultant? Yes, that had a nice ring to it.
I bit down on my lip and let my gaze travel back up his body to meet his stare. The impact was like falling into a tumbler of scotch. Light brown eyes that were no less intoxicating.
Oh yes. Marcus definitely plucked at the strings of my interest, and I was in exactly the right mood to cultivate someone for my game at the end of this contract. A one-night only special.
The object of my lust-filled thoughts stared back and I blinked, subconsciously taking a step back as the first wave of unease trickled across my skin. I rubbed at my arms, hastily revising my plan to lick, suck and fuck every inch of him after the Shareholders meeting.
On second thought, no. This man, Marcus Brookhein, was far too perceptive, too compelling. Too everything.
“Pleased to meet you.” I forced out a greeting and offered my hand. Only to have it grasped in a warm, two-handed grip. Marcus’s thumb grazed my wrist and my eyes flew upward.
All of his attention was centered on me. Oh. Shit. A small smile kicked at his lips and my breath caught, heart stuttering back to life with a loud, lop-sided beat.
“No, pleased to meet you.” His voice flowed around me like apple honey, a silky caress with just the right amount of bite.
“Come on. Take a seat,” Henry urged as the last of the shareholders flowed into the room. My hand slipped from Marcus’s grasp and we were pulled apart in the last minute rush to claim the few empty seats. I ended up opposite him.
He looked across the rosewood table and the intensity of his stare was enough to give me pause. He had an air about him, like he was sizing me up to procure me. I understood then, that the less I wanted to become his acquisition, the harder he would play. This was a man who would not give up easily and would demand far more than I had to offer. Behind his confident smile he shrewdly assessed every move as if he knew and accepted my challenge. Instinct kicked in with a clear warning. Stay away. And ever since Nathan had ripped my heart out and stomped the bloody, still-beating organ into the ground, I was all about instinct.
The meeting started and I forced myself to listen. I’d been consulting for Crovens full time for the last two months and today was the culmination of that work, presenting to the Board. I should be nervous. Presentations were my business partners forte, not mine. However, standing up in front of a roomful of people wasn’t what I was thinking about right now… I cast one more lingering look at deliciously dangerous Marcus. He was still watching me, that see-all smile set in place, his gaze assessing…calculating.
I sighed. No. Marcus wasn’t a man to be messed with.
Shame. I nodded at him as we acknowledged each other, predator versus predator, before allowing the talk around the table to wash my thoughts away.
It was a long day.
I didn’t get to talk to Marcus again, and he had left by the time I’d untangled myself from Henry’s grasp and retreated from the hotel boardroom. The sting of disappointment lessened when I caught a glimpse of Marcus’s as I made my way back to my hotel room.
He turned and caught my eye with a knowing look. The same whiskey-colored stare that had caught my attention more than once in the boardroom today. The same one that had gotten him crossed off my list of potential bed partners the mo
ment I’d met him and every minute I’d seen of him since. Being in his presence roused thoughts and feelings I no longer had room for. He tipped my perfectly ordered world off balance.
Of course, it would have to be Marcus who had decided to stay in Baltimore too. My heart rate tripped into double time
It wasn’t too late…
I could get what I wanted from him and he wouldn’t get hurt. More importantly, I wouldn’t either. It was just a game. That was why I had to pick my players carefully and lay down the rules. Even if the hollowness was beginning to bite.
But better that than laying myself open like I had with Nathan. My gut clenched as I pushed back bitter memories of my ex-fiancé’s infidelity and my family’s ultimate betrayal. Not tonight. Tonight was all about pleasure. Mine.
I followed the back of Marcus’s head down the long corridor, forgetting about returning to my room, caught in the thrill of pursuit. Stirrings of lust wrapped around my belly and gave a sharp, downward tug. I walked faster, enjoying the rasp of my G-string against the dampness of my sex.
With my mind busy conjuring up the night ahead, I nearly collided with a man approaching the restaurant from the other side. By the time I’d untangled myself from his groping paws, I’d lost sight of Marcus. He wasn’t seated at any of the tables and he wasn’t in the bar either. My shoulders dropped and I wondered if I had imagined him in the first place.
Probably. I was desperate enough. I took a seat at the bar and ordered a margarita, trying to feel good about the fact I’d narrowly missed out on getting myself in trouble. The businessman who had bumped into me came and sat at the bar stool beside mine. Inwardly I sighed.
“Can I buy you a drink?”
I turned and assessed him once again. Tall and blue-eyed with a naughty boy grin, he looked like a guy who knew how to have fun. Not as panty-clenching as Marcus perhaps, but definitely less hazardous to my health. And my heart. The businessman was playboy material through and through. Much better suited to my needs. Except for the wedding ring adorning his left hand.
“Sorry. Not tonight.” I shook my head and turned my back.
I might be a player, but cheating was one rule that would never be broken.
Chapter Two
Marcus
I handed my menu over to the waitress and put in an order for rare filet mignon, accompanied by candied yams with roasted red potatoes. A grin split my lips, a glow of contentment humming through my veins. It was an emotion that didn’t come around to visit often. I decided I liked the feeling. A lot.
The pretty waitress’s smile deepened. “Is there anything else I can get you, sir?”
“No thank you. I’m quite satisfied.”
If she’d been taking notice, she would’ve seen my glance slide past her and land on the woman at the bar.
Abby Harkness had been a surprise. I hadn’t expected the presence of the chic, professional tax consultant in the meeting today. Usually the boardroom was filled with dry, dusty shareholders.
Did she believe I hadn’t guessed the direction of her thoughts the moment our eyes had met? She’d assessed me, judged me, wanted me…then summarily dismissed me. I’d watched sexy Ms. Harkness walk off, straight away understanding the game she played. And I wanted in.
Okay. Yes. I’d be lying if I said a little healthy competition didn’t drive me the hardest. When I first saw Abby, hunger for her had buzzed through my veins, along with the urge to compete. Crush. Dominate. Seeing her tonight, I’d know there was more than just casual fascination for her. I couldn’t walk away, not without finding out more. Or without her acknowledging the sexual energy that sparked between us.
Her tight control triggered all of my competitive instincts. I wanted to be the one with my hands on the reins. I wanted to see Abby’s self-control shatter. To give me everything. And I wanted it more than anything I’d desired in a long, long time. No one else was getting near what I now considered mine.
The rich asshole at the bar? I’d competed with guys like him all my life—arrogant trust-fund babies who bought their time in cushy jobs before being allowed to take over Daddy’s company. While he’d been fucking his way through his million dollar allowance, I had worked three times harder than anyone else. I’d learned early on that to succeed you had to know the game, gather every scrap of information and carefully calculate your chances. I made sure I always won.
I tapped my thumb against the top of the table, contemplating Abby—the smokin’ hot redhead who was all luscious curves and litheness, stretching down to her pink painted toenails. Those I had noticed, along with her long, bare legs as she’d stalked back and forth during her presentation today.
I sat back as my perfectly cooked steak arrived. The anticipation of victory never tasted so sweet, and as the first forkful melted away like butter, I allowed my gaze to once more drift to the bar.
Chapter Three
Abby
I was nowhere near drunk enough, and it wasn’t from lack of trying. The margarita slid down my throat very nicely, thank you—the perfect complement to the high-pitched hiss of dissatisfaction screwing with my insides.
I belted back the last few swallows and looked around for the bartender to signal another.
Damn. Not nearly enough kick. My body was fizzing, but not from the margaritas. Or disappointment. Nope. My hormones hadn’t got the message they were back on standby yet. Simply put, I was horny as hell—hot and ready.
I aimed a scowl at my key card. That’s where I should be now, in my room, getting the kinks knocked off the corners of my sexual frustration. Not sitting here next to businessmen who were too damned lazy to take off their wedding rings.
What a dick!
But then, men were all the same, weren’t they? Too scared to admit monogamy didn’t work. So busy hiding their infidelities from the ones they were supposed to love, they missed seeing what love really was.
My lips twisted and I struggled to swallow back the bitter bile that rose in my throat. Like Nathan. If he hadn’t wanted to marry me, why hadn’t he just manned up and told me? But no, he’d cheated on me for a year—with my sister, and everyone else in my family had known. My own mother had never said anything. One word, one hint, one little clue about what was happening and I might’ve been able to forgive them. Instead, they’d taken everything I’d ever loved and destroyed it.
The familiar weight of hurt and anger sat just as heavily on my chest as it had three years ago. I picked up my fresh glass and tipped it back, willing the alcohol to strike and soothe the burn of betrayal. Half of my drink disappeared before I noticed someone else had moved onto the barstool beside me.
Great. Another asswipe come to try his luck while his wife no doubt waited at home. Not this time. I swiveled on my stool, prepared to shoot down whoever it was with my dead-man stare. Instead, I fell straight into a pair of whiskey eyes, shot with a twist of gold and a dash of amusement. Lust stroked twin fingers over my nipples, sliding across my belly and flicked at my clitoris.
I smothered a gasp, clamping my thighs together. “What do you want?” I lowered my brow into a scowl.
“I want to know the rules.” Marcus’s stare was dark and intense as if he saw right through me. There was no mistaking his meaning.
The rules? My mouth dropped open. Of my game? Once again I was reminded of the first time I’d met Marcus and the perceptiveness I had glimpsed. I’d known then he was not a man to toy with. But the way he looked at me now…there was no doubt he wanted in on the action. Oh no no no. I snapped my mouth shut and shook my head. I wasn’t about to go there.
“You see, I’ve been sitting here, wondering what you are doing.” Marcus continued conversationally as if he didn’t notice my outraged look. “And I think I’ve figured it out.”
All of the moisture disappeared from my mouth but I managed to unglue my tongue enough to speak. “I’m glad I could provide you with such a mind-twisting puzzle. Perhaps you could consider Sudoku next time.”
M
arcus’s eyes sparked with pleasure and he let out a laugh. “Quick,” he conceded. “As well as clever. But not clever enough.” He wagged his finger knowingly.
My attention was caught by the gesture of his hand as it stirred the air and I imagined those long fingers touching, petting, caressing my body. I concentrated on the level of liquid in my glass instead, knocking back another couple of inches. No point denying Marcus was a mighty fine specimen of a man. I became fixated on his business suit, my gaze sliding downward as I tried to gauge what lay underneath. My ovaries howled, clamoring for more.
No. No. No.
“A pity you realize that earlier.” I dismissed him, turning back to my drink, praying he’d disappear.
Marcus chuckled, a soft sound that sent frissons of heat skittering across my skin. “Business is business, pleasure is pleasure. I concentrate fully on one. Or the other.” His gaze slipped down my body then travelled back to meet my gaze, leaving me in no doubt where his focus was right now.
I gulped a giant swallow of my drink and choked back a splutter. Finish your drink and walk away. Hell, run. It wasn’t too late.
Marcus brushed his thumb across his bottom lip and I bit my tongue to stop myself touching my own mouth. He leaned forward to rest his elbow on the bar between us, inviting me into his intimate cocoon.
Oh, it was much too late.
His scent teased my senses, hints of sumptuous cologne overlaid with the distinctive smell of pure, unadulterated male. My mouth started watering. The top button of his shirt was open and I had a sudden, overwhelming urge to lick the tantalizing sliver of skin carelessly revealed. He was dangerous. I didn’t need the silent warning to recognize Marcus represented everything I’d sworn to stay away from. He wasn’t someone to play with, although I had no doubt the sex would be hot, hard and oh, so good. A ripple of lust tracked through me at that thought.
I drew in a breath and held it. I should be making a fast exit…except I’d already established it was far too late for that. Air seeped from between my lips in a long, slow release.
“So tell me the rules.” His softly spoken words were an invocation of promise that feathered through my veins. Helpless, I followed the arc of his fingers as they stroked the condensation beading his glass.
His Rules (One Night Stand Series Book 1) Page 1
