by jm blake
Look, I’m not dumb. I realize that he’s probably laying the groundwork to seduce me back into his bed.
And it’s working, dammit.
This morning I’m turning in my report, and part of me wants to dump it and run. With my calculations, I need to be here for about a month to get them where they need to be—a whole month.
Can I survive another thirty days and stay out of Ayden’s bed? I won’t make it.
I flash my temporary badge at the security desk at DevCo and take the elevator to Bash’s floor. My nerves are getting the best of me, and I make a conscious decision to shake it off. He’s just one guy, right?
Bash’s office is one floor below Ayden’s, and equally luxurious, if a bit smaller. His assistant, Ben, greets me warmly and ushers me straight through the door. I turn around to smile at him and then stop short.
“Dr. Masters. Is that your report?” Ayden is in just his vest and shirt, a jacket thrown casually over the back of the couch. His muscular arms strain the seams, and the knot of his silk tie rests tightly under his Adam’s apple. Bash is in a similar state, a croissant in his hand quickly chewing. A grin spreads, crumbs dotting his face and lap. I grimace and nod. “Yes, it’s ready. I thought I would drop it to you, and then head straight to the lab.” I twirl my braid in my hand before swinging it behind me.
He tilts his head to the side and studies me. Can he see my nervousness? “Nonsense. Sit-down and eat with us— you can tell us your recommendations over breakfast.” He gestures to the seat next to him, and I sit there reluctantly. I hand over a copy to both of them, and Ayden immediately opens it. He skims through the details and fires out questions. His biggest one is the configuration of the mirrors, while Bash is intrigued by my suggestion that they underlie all the prisms with a copper/aluminum and brass mix. We debate the point while Ayden keeps reading.
“Why brass?” Bash is devouring another flaky croissant and I join him in the chewing. “Well, copper transfers the most heat. Brass is second. The baseline composition of brass is copper and zinc. The elasticity of zinc increases the hotter it gets—an important point when you are trying to recreate a solar wave. Currently, you have too much steel in your structure- which I’m sure you thought made it more stable- but the reality is it drained out the temperature. That is why you could never reach the Fahrenheit point that you wanted.” I take a sip of coffee and continue. “Once you redefine your composition, and rearrange the pattern, you will start seeing more increases in sustained temperature and an ability to direct the heat.” I hit my stride, and my nerves disappear. I could talk about metals all day.
Bash is grinning at me and nodding. “I can’t believe that no one on the team thought of these things. Some of them just sound like common sense.”
I shrug diplomatically. “Well, honestly? You need to replace Batroni. He’s holding the team back from some critical discoveries, and it’s sabotaging the project. Alec would be a great manager— he has the team’s respect and a really agile mind. There are several proposed personnel changes in the report as well. I hope that you consider them.” Ayden has gone silent and closed the folder. I peek over at him, and his face is impassive. I whip out my laptop and punch a few buttons. “I’ve sent you a digital copy of the report as well as a simulation of what you could achieve by taking my proposals.” I turn the screen around and press play on the animation. Both guys lean forward and watch the small video.
“As you can see by my projections, you can cut your prototype to the practical application stage by half. That should put you at least three years ahead of your nearest competitor.” I click a few more buttons and a graph transitions onto the screen. “Do you have any questions?”
“I have one- will you marry me?” Bash bats his super long eyelashes at me and I snort. “Seriously, you may have single-handedly saved this project.” I beam at him and nod slightly. “I am going to arrange a teleconference for our investors and catch them up on your findings. Do you need a ride to the lab?” He taps out a few notes on his phone, and I hear Ben coming through the door.
“No, thanks. I’m meeting Pat in a few minutes.” I stand up and tuck my computer back into my bag. Ayden is still quiet and it’s making me nervous. “Ayden, anything else I can answer for you?”
He shakes his head slowly, an intense look in his eyes. That little frown wrinkle is back between his eyebrows. “I think I have everything I need in here,” he waves the folder at me, “We can set up at time today to brief the key players on the staff. I’ll have Pat arrange it.” A brief smile and a nod before he strides out of the door. I stare after him in confusion.
“Did I do something wrong?” I ask Bash, who’s perpetually smiling face is thoughtful.
“He’s fine. Broody fucker, sometimes. Don’t bother about it.” He reaches out and taps my arm. “Let’s get you to the lab, shall we?”
* * *
I thought about Ayden the whole way to Cambridge. Pat kept me occupied, asking me a ton of questions. I did my best to answer them, but my mind was a little sidetracked. Was he angry at some of my suggestions? I made a concentrated effort not to criticize past decisions, but rather redirect them. Surely his ego isn’t that fragile? The more I thought about it, the angrier I got. Didn’t he have one word to say? Not even a thank you? Jerkface. Handsome, awful, ungrateful jerkface.
I stomp into the lab and greet all the techs. Batroni sneers at me from across the room, and I swear he doesn’t want any of this today. I’m liable to bite his damn head off. I glare at him with a smirk and head over to the model team. They are rendering a new pattern based on my suggestions. Pippa, the head of the unit greets me warmly. “Hullo, Cassidy. Good day?” She has a delightfully chipper accent and it always makes me smile. “Yeah, it’s pretty good,” I adjust the frame of my glasses and point at the table. “How is the model coming. It looks good so far.”
Pippa nods excitedly. “It’s swimming along. The nano team is very excited to get their hands on it. We should have it complete by the end of the week—maybe sooner if they don’t keep interrupting us.” We both laugh and she continues. “By the way, a bunch of us are headed to the opening of a new American style club tonight. Would you care to join us?”
Her pretty face lights up, and while I hate clubs (like seriously can’t stand them), I don’t have the heart to tell her no. She was one of the first people to welcome me, and I know that I’m kind of an idol of hers.
“Sure, that sounds like fun.” She squeals and taps my information into her phone. She and one of the other woman techs are going to pick me up and we will get drinks before heading to the club. Pippa’s brother is one of the owners, so it’s one hundred percent VIP treatment.
“Make sure you wear something hot. Oh, and shoes to dance in.” She grins while internally I cringe. Right now I have on baggy black jeans and a Goonies t-shirt. I give the team a few more suggestions and then walk over to the nano team. I stop just outside of their huddle and send a message to Gemma.
Best Sister Eva: Club opening? VIP? What the hell am I supposed to wear? Helpppp!
Dots…
Hottest Sister Eva: No worries!!!! We have a showroom in Chelsea! I will have the team send over a whole outfit for you. And no complaining about it, k? Send pics!!!!!!!!
The amount of exclamations points is frightening, and when did she get into my phone? I sigh and join the nano team, who greet me with a dozen questions. I put tonight, broody hot men, and annoying sisters out of my head.
Ayden
Thirty more days.
One month.
Two fortnights.
That’s how long I have to either treat her with utter professionalism or maul her like a tiger. My head is telling me to go with her wishes, keep it platonic and shake her hand with a ‘thanks mate’ when its time for her to go back to America.
The other part of me…well, that’s the part that’s winning. I was already conflicted when I thought that Cassidy was leaving in a matter of days. Do I confront h
er aggressively? Seductively? I’ve never had a woman push me into such off-balance. There has never been a time in my life, where I didn’t know what to do with the fairer sex—I am an expert on women and their pleasure. And yes, maybe I get bored quickly and have no interest in a relationship, but something about Cassidy…gets to me. The obvious is her otherworldly beauty. There’s not a man alive that wouldn’t chase her after the taste that I had. She may do absolutely nothing to enhance it, but that makes her that much more appealing. I have had some of the most beautiful women in the world, with avowed breeding and careful maintenance. They still come nowhere close to Cassidy’s level. But her blazing intelligence, combined with an innate kindness and fierce passion for others—might be her best traits.
When I walked out of Bash’s office this morning, I immediately felt awful. There she was, excited and shining, saving my project and looking at me for approval. But all I could do was zero in on the fact that buried in the report was a small line about her staying until the end of June to complete her consultation. My mind went in a million directions, and I could barely concentrate on what she was saying. Her face looked troubled, then puzzled, and judging by the frosty looks she’s been giving me all day, she’s now pissed off.
Bash and I hosted all of Apollo’s investors on a conference call and gave them a brief sketch of Cassidy’s plans. We played her video, and they were overjoyed-the project was definitely back on track. We then sat down with the heads of all of the teams and outlined how the next eighteen months would go, who would go where and immediate next steps. Pat brought up Human Resources, and we line by line discussed the potential personnel switches in the report, including Batroni. We agreed that DevCo would pay out the remainder of his contract and that Alec would step into the Lab Manager role. HR drew up all of the paperwork, and we plan on executing it at the end of this week. Part of me is looking forward to kicking Batroni’s arse to the curb— I’ve noticed the evil looks he gives Cassidy and now that she has brought it to my attention- the lack of women techs is alarming.
By the time my last meeting concluded, it was very late, but I still planned on stopping by Cassidy’s flat. I stop and picked up some macaroons from Laduree, hoping to sweeten her disposition. The windows are dark, and it’s quiet, but I knock on the door anyway. I lean back and checked the windows again, but clearly, she isn’t home or deeply asleep. I frown and toy with the idea of texting her before I realize that I don’t have her phone number. I sigh and knock one more time before Clayton opens the door for me to get back into the car.
“Home, my lord?” Clayton asks.
I think for a minute. If I go back to my flat, I’ll just spend the whole night wondering what she’s doing and with whom. “No, take me to the club.”
Bloom’s is an old fashioned men’s club in the same vein as White’s and Brook’s. Its uber-exclusive, and though it’s late, I know that the bar will be open. Clayton pulls up to the entrance, and the uniformed usher opens the door with a flourish and greeting. I nod at him absently and stride into the luxurious hallway. There are a few other members around, and I give them brief salutes or slight smiles. I’m not in the mood for socializing or being pandered to. I just want to brood in peace, though I toy with the idea of dialing up Bash. I tap the bar and ask for a double whiskey. The bow-tied attendant slides a glass in front of me, and I take a seat at a table in the corner.
My phone buzzes, and I ignore it. It sounds insistent, with text messages coming through as well. I sigh in annoyance, flipping my phone over. Bash’s name has a ten number next to it. A bit concerned, I tap his name, and it connects automatically. “Alright?”
“Where are you? There’s a lot of noise in the background; music and loud voices.
“At Bloom’s. Is everything alright?”
“Swimming. At an opening for a new club. There are a few of our employees here.” There’s a pregnant pause.
“Ok…?” I draw the word out.
“Cassidy is here.”
What?? “Oh. That’s …good. Who is she with?” I take a large swig out of my glass. I don’t know what I will do if he says she is on a date. “She’s with Pippa and a few of the other techs. Pippa’s brother is an investor, so they are here in VIP.” My shoulders relax, and I let out a breath I didn’t realize I was holding. “Great. She deserves a bit of fun.”
Bash chuckles. “Do you maybe want to come and…supervise?”
Supervise? “I’m honestly exhausted. I think I’ll head to the flat and sleep. Tell me all about it in the morning.” I’m sure Bash can keep an eye out, though I can’t see my anti-social girl out at a club.
“I think you will change your mind. See you in a bit. Cheers!”
He hangs up abruptly on a laugh. Sometimes I think I love him, and then other times, I want to banish him to the moon. My phone beeps with an incoming message, and I swipe it open. It’s a video from Bash. The picture is jumpy; however, I can make out Pippa in a blue dress swinging her arms about and drunkenly gyrating. I’m a bit uncomfortable watching her, but quickly shake it off. There are two of the chaps from the nano team dancing near her, and when she moves to the right, I see a flash of white. An uneasy feeling comes over me, as the woman in white holds her arms above her head and moves to the beat. The hemline of the dress is scandalous, but the real drama is the completely open back and arse-clinging material. She is wearing sky-high heels; her thick black hair is flowing down her shoulders, swinging seductively.
Fuck. No.
I’m out of my seat in a flash and signaling Clayton before the video even stops playing. I see some dodgy fucker about to grind behind her when the video ends. A growl erupts out of my throat, and another text comes through with an address. I spit it out to Clayton, and he tears into traffic. I shrug off my jacket and waistcoat, rolling up my shirtsleeves. We make it to the club, Neo, in record time, and I get out of the car before Clayton can open my door. I stride to the front of the line, where the doorman immediately lets me in, and I hear exclamations about my appearance. I never attend parties like this, and I’m only too aware of the gossip this will cause. A green stamp pushes onto my hand, and I elbow my way through the throng to the entrance of VIP. The guard nods at me and removes the stanchion to the winding stairs. The music is loud and sounds like an older American pop song. A second guard is at the top of the stairs, and I immediately spot my brother leaning against the balustrade that overlooks the dance floor. I signal for a drink and squeeze in next to him. A smug smirk spreads across his face, but he keeps looking down. “I knew that video would get you over here.”
The waitress brings my drink and winks at me suggestively. “Where is she?” He points down at the floor, and I see her in the middle of the crowd. She is swinging her hips with way more rhythm than I am comfortable with, every perfect curve of her body on display. There is a group of men standing off to the side, watching her every move, and I can see that one of them is trying to work up the courage to dance with her.
Over my dead body.
I throw back my drink, then reach over and snatch Bash’s, finishing that off too. I jerk my head at him, and he follows me down the stairs and out to the dance floor. Quite a few of the ladies do a double-take when they see me, and they vamp and primp to get my attention. They barely come across my radar as more than anything than an obstacle to my objective. The same purpose, who now has one of the creeps who were watching, about three inches from touching her bum. I push my way through the happy dancers and slide into the face of the bastard trying to pull up on her. Bash is behind me with his arms across his chest, and the smart chap looks at him, and then his eyes bulge when he looks at me. He backs off, and I can see his mouth moving in what appears to be a stammering apology. He flees back to his mates, and they clear out quickly. A cute redhead dances over to Bash, and I move until I am directly behind Cass. The smell of her perfume and shampoo twirls in the air, and I take a breath while sliding my arm around her waist. She stiffens as I tuck her back into my front
, but relaxes instantly when I whisper in her ear. “Hush, love. It’s me.”
She begins moving her hips sensually, her plump bottom brushing against my cock, who is only too happy that his friend is back to play. I harden like steel and match her movements, a groan getting lost in the noise. I’m oblivious to the stares, the immediate recognition of my face, of any possible interference. Her arms reach up and curl backward around my neck as I lean my head down and take a nip of her throat, licking at the salty syrup of her sweat. My hands roam her body restlessly, sliding over her stomach and down the sides to her hips. I tongue the area where her shoulder meets her neck and feel goosebumps dance across her skin. Her swivels become more dangerous, and I am about two minutes away from coming in my pants- crowd or not. “Love, let’s leave, yes?”
