Her lips moved, but no words came out. After a moment, she said, “This is wrong.”
“It doesn’t feel wrong to me,” he said as he grasped her neck in one hand and tugged her into his embrace. “It feels really, really …” he lowered his mouth to hover just above her lips. “… right.”
Once his lips covered hers, his whole body felt an arc of lightning rush through. He started tenderly, with sweet kisses against her quivering mouth, but soon became insistent on more. He pressed his tongue against the seam of her lips and forced her to open to him. Sweet mint blended with the bitter whiskey on his palate as he swept inside her mouth to taste all of her.
Helena tightened against him and felt as if she would pull away, so he brought his other hand to her ass and pulled her lower body closer. His hardened cock pressed against her belly, and she immediately softened in his hold, a low mew coming from her lips. He could feel the heat from her pussy against his thigh and knew she was ripe and needy. His fingers burned to touch her there, to see how wet she was for him. Instead, he pulled the suit jacket from her body so he could get closer to her skin.
Max took a step forward, carrying her with him, and slammed her into the door. Helena moved her arms and encircled his neck, her back arching and pushing her full breasts against his chest. He could feel the hardened nipples through both of their shirts, and he suddenly needed to see them with a hunger he’d never experienced before. Leaning back, he yanked the bottom of her blouse out from the band of her skirt and ripped open the fabric.
Helena’s intake of air was almost louder than the tinkling of her buttons as they hit the floor. “I’ll buy you another one,” he said before pressing his lips against hers for another quick duel before he leaned back to take in the sight of her ripe tits in a black lacy number. They were high and firm, pushed up in the lingerie she wore. He moved a hand up and snuck a finger over the edge of it and tempted her tight bud.
“We shouldn’t do this, Mr. Devlin. It’s a mistake.”
“I told you to call me Max,” he said as he leaned in to kiss her again. She’d had too much time to think when he wasn’t kissing her. He allowed his hands to roam over her ass until he found the zipper at the back of her skirt. As he brought it down, tooth by tooth, he moved to her throat to nuzzle against the sleek column of skin. “And this is the farthest thing from being a mistake. I’ve wanted you for months. I can’t control it any longer. You tempt me too much.”
“Months?” she asked, leaning back to try to catch his gaze. “What do you mean, months?”
Max drew back to stare into her eyes. She was stunning and in the palm of his hand. But then he had to go and let the cat out of the bag at the wrong moment. “I noticed you at that meeting. Haven’t been able to forget you since. Believe me, I tried. I know we’re crossing a line here, one I attempted to stop, but I can’t any longer. I want you more than I’ve wanted something in a very long time.”
“Something?” Helena’s stare slowly turned cold. “Am I just another acquisition for you, Mr. Devlin?”
“Of course not!” Leave it to him to let his big mouth get in the way of his cock. He was nearly in the home stretch.
Helena cocked her head slightly and looked at him for a long moment. Then she pushed him away and pulled her skirt back into place and zipped it. “Thank you, Mr. Devlin.”
He frowned. “Thank me for what?”
“Showing me your true colors before I made a very large mistake.” She pulled her shirt closed the best she could and leaned down to get her jacket. “I may be young, but I’m not dumb. You have a very nice night.”
“Wait, don’t go.” He stayed her hand on the knob, pressing the length of his body along her back. “I can be an asshole, sure. I can say the wrong things in the heat of the moment. I don’t consider you a thing or an acquisition. I’ve wanted you for months, and I’m bumbling here, now that I’ve finally got you in my arms. Stay. Have dinner with me.”
She looked over her shoulder and then down at her chest. “I can’t go to dinner looking like this. I’ll have to pass. You have a wonderful evening, Mr. Devlin.”
Max released her hand with a sigh, knowing if he pushed too hard, he would push her away. He’d waited this long, so he could wait a tiny bit longer. Soon enough she would be his. No doubt in his mind.
****
Helena closed the door behind her and collapsed against it. She threw her keys and her purse on the couch then took a deep breath and tried to settle her nerves. Her knees still shook from the raw sexual desire she’d felt in Max’s office. The drive home had been a blur, and she wasn’t sure how she’d navigated other than to chalk it up to autopilot and be thankful she made it in the front door in one piece. How she ever had the strength to walk away from Max Devlin and his dangerous mouth, she’d never know.
It had been over a year since she’d had a lover and all the pent-up desire had no true outlet, except for her poor overused vibrator. One thing was for certain. She’d have masturbation material for a long, long time. Her skin was still flushed from his caresses and kisses. He certainly knew what he was doing. But then she’d known instinctively he would. A self-made man, well traveled and handsome, he was older, more distinguished, more sophisticated, and everything she wanted. She didn’t care about the money. It was the power. It rippled off him as easily as his raw sexuality did, and she was defenseless against his charm. Fortunately, she was stronger than she realized and had been able to walk away before she’d given in to her fantasies.
But not without taking a lot out of her. She was exhausted. Helena closed her eyes and took another breath before she was sure she had the strength to walk to her bedroom.
As she flipped on the switch to illuminate the room, she kicked off her heels and sighed in delight when her feet pressed against the soft Asian rug. Wiggling her toes, she pulled off her suit jacket and tossed it on the bed before taking off the ruined shirt and balling it up. She tossed it on the bed and then removed her skirt as she considered the contents of her freezer. On the drive home, she’d been too out of it to consider stopping for take-out, not that her mind had been on food. It was going to be a Lean Cuisine kind of night. She dropped to the bed and lay over the top, looking up at her ceiling, her tangled emotions overworked for the night.
How would work be the following day? Would Max approach her again? And just what would she do if he did? What would she do if he didn’t? That final thought really hit her. If he didn’t continue the chase, she would mourn the chance she’d given up tonight. But her livelihood was on the line. She wasn’t putting her time and effort into rising in the company to waste it all by sleeping with her boss. Her eyes began to drift as fatigue settled in, and she told herself to get up and eat something before she passed out.
A knock at the door caught her attention. She lifted her head, and her gaze drifted to the alarm clock. Who the hell was at her door at nearly nine p.m.? Helena grabbed her robe and began to put it on as she walked to the door. Once there, she peeked through the peep hole and took a deep breath when she got a good look at the man on the other side. She pulled open the door and gave him full examination.
“I’m fairly positive I was clear on my position when I walked away tonight,” she said as she glared at Max Devlin and the bouquet of roses he held in one hand. She looked down and saw he had a large brown paper bag.
He lifted the bag, and the aroma of hot food wafted her way. Her stomach growled, and she was sure it was loud enough for him to hear. She’d worked through lunch and had snacked on cheese crackers she’d found on her desk, so it was well past time to inhale some food. But, eating with Max would come with a price, a price she wasn’t sure she wanted to pay.
“I hoped you still hadn’t eaten, so I come with a peace offering,” he said, smiling boyishly. “I stopped at Guardino’s. I hope you like Italian.”
He bustled past her without an invitation inside. Just like a billionaire. He thought he owned the world and could do just as he pleased
. He stopped in the middle of her darkened living room as she shut the door.
“While I love mood lighting, do you think we could have a little bit more?” he asked.
Helena slowly sauntered over to a lamp near him and flipped it on. She turned to look at him, hoping her stern look would make him stand down.
He lifted the bag up and smiled. “Where did you want to eat?”
“I didn’t say I wanted to eat.”
“No, but the lustful glance you gave this bag seemed to answer for you.”
Her eyes grew large at his comment. “There was no lustful glance.”
His smile grew. “Oh, there was a lustful glance, alright. When was the last meal you had?”
Helena looked at her feet. “Breakfast.”
“Breakfast? What? You get a paid lunch break. Why didn’t you take it?” He frowned at her before zipping past her as he spied the dining room.
“My boss was in a meeting with you for a very long time and never came back because his boss apparently fired him. Someone had to get the financials done on time,” she said as she watched him place the bag on the table and begin to pull out boxes. “If not me, who?”
Max walked into the kitchen and flipped on the light. She followed him, both perturbed and interested in his wild trek into her home. He opened cabinet after cabinet in search of plates and silverware, which he then brought to the table as she stood with her arms across her chest. He quickly set the table before turning to her.
“I didn’t grab wine on the way. Do you have any?”
It probably wasn’t what he was used to getting, but she had a nice white in the fridge she’d been saving to test out over the weekend. “I’m sure you’re a red kind of guy, but all I have is white.”
“Either is fine,” he said, looking down at the spread as he opened up another box of pasta.
Helena went into the kitchen, feeling a bit off-center by how naturally he waltzed into her apartment and took over. By the time she’d pulled the bottle from the fridge and picked up the corkscrew, he’d come in and found two wine goblets and taken them to the table. Once she met him in the dining room, he took the wine and the corkscrew from her and looked down at her.
“Do you want to stay in your robe, or would you like to put something else on? Not that I mind. I like the robe very much.”
Helena looked down and realized how nearly transparent the thin material was. She could see the outline of her black bra and the tops of her thigh high stockings. But she was hungry and tired, and the thought of changing was just too much effort. “You keep your eyes on your plate, and we’ll be just fine, Mr. Devlin.”
She sank into the chair he pulled out and grabbed her fork as he poured her a glass of wine. As the flavors of the first bite exploded against her tongue, she could have moaned in delight right then and there. She closed her eyes and let the food go down nice and smooth, savoring it. The next few moments were quiet as they both dug into the delicious food.
“So, tell me why a beautiful, intelligent, strong woman like yourself is living alone.”
Helena shoveled another bite into her mouth to avoid answering the chauvinistic question for a few moments. She wanted to bark, but since he had just brought her some delicious food, she felt obligated to calm her words. “Do you think a woman needs a man to be complete?”
“Not hardly. Although, women of your age tend to be on the hunt for a husband, but you have your eye on your career. It’s admirable.”
“I’m not interested in marriage. Not yet. Perhaps one day, but for now, I want to excel in my field and see how far I can reach.”
“No dating?” he asked.
“I have little time for a social life,” she countered.
“But I think there are times two people of like minds can elevate themselves, enhancing one another, if given the right environment. It’s like the merging of two strong companies.”
“Here we go with the mergers and acquisitions theme again. Is everything about the buy for you?”
“Business is the world I live in. It’s my stock and trade, and I’m damned good at it. I won’t apologize for that.”
“I’m not asking for an apology. I just don’t want to be treated as a thing you intend to acquire. I want to be treated like the human being I am.”
“I don’t see you as a thing. Although, I do intend to acquire you.”
She rolled her eyes; they were back at square one. “You are not going to—”
“I am sure our definitions of acquire are two different things. You see acquire as the purchase of. I see it as winning a beautiful woman I have coveted for months. A woman I want to know, completely, in every way, not just physically.”
Helena was shocked at his statements. “So, you’re saying you want more than sex?”
“Absolutely. I wouldn’t cross the line in the office if it were for a one-night stand. That would hardly be worth the grief and aggravation. Or the potential HR headache.” He leaned back in the chair and took a sip of his wine. “Yes, I want a physical relationship, but not without some brains and wit to back it up. I’m tired of the vapid model types, as you so colorfully called them. I want someone I can talk to.”
A look of loneliness passed through his gaze. It suddenly struck her that he probably didn’t have many people he could confide in. “Most people see you as a walking dollar sign, don’t they?”
Max frowned at her for a second and then relaxed as he lowered his wine glass to the table. “I’m sure there are many who are attracted by my money. Too many.”
“I don’t want your money. I’ve worked hard to move ahead in my life. But I will tell you the thought of being with you scares the hell out of me. If things didn’t go well, I would be out of a job.”
“I wouldn’t fire you for that reason alone,” he replied.
“You say that now, bu—”
“No buts. Your work is strong. I wouldn’t let you go if this didn’t work out.”
Something in his look, something in his voice, told her he spoke the absolute truth. She knew she had no guarantees, but what was truly guaranteed in this world? Helena wanted him. He wanted her. Maybe it was the wine on a near empty stomach talking, but why shouldn’t she reach for what she wanted?
“There would need to be safeguards put in place.”
“Like?”
“A contract.” She was starting to sound like a bad romance novel. “Something in writing, between only you and me, stating you will not remove me from my position for any reason other than purely work related.”
Max stared at her for a moment, his eyes growing large. Finally, he nodded. “Done. Have you got a pen and a piece of paper for me?”
She was shocked he agreed. Standing, she eyed him curiously before walking to her office. Did he want her so desperately that he was willing to put his reputation at risk by signing on the dotted line? It wouldn’t be a true contract, with witnesses or a notary, but it could give her a little power if he went back on his word. At least, she hoped. An idea hit her before she left the room, and a smile twisted her lips. Helena returned to him with pen and paper … as well as a small inkpad.
“What’s the pad for?” he asked.
“Your fingerprint. It will confirm it’s your signature.” She crossed her arms over her chest and stared him down, waiting for an argument. Instead, he leaned down over the paper and wrote out something, signed it, and stamped his fingerprint beside the signature before handing it to her.
“Good enough?” he asked with a smile lightening his eyes.
Helena took the sheet of paper and read over it. I, Maxmillian Devlin, attest that I will not threaten Ms. Helena Kelly’s employment with my company for any reason which is not strictly work related. I am interested in a personal relationship with her outside the office and if it does not go well, I will not release her from the company for that reason. Signed, Maxmillian Devlin. She re-read it again, looking for a loophole in it, but her brain wasn’t working well, and she couldn�
�t think of anything for the life of her. The only thing on her mind was there was no longer any reason for him not to have his hands on her. “Good enough,” she whispered.
Max rose from the table as he wiped his finger with a paper napkin and pointedly put the pen on the tabletop and then removed the sheet of paper from her shaking fingers and put it beside the pen. “So, with our contract signed, I believe that concludes the business end of our transaction. Consider yourself acquired.”
He drew her into his embrace and kissed her with a fervor she wasn’t expecting. She opened to him immediately, wanting his touch so desperately she didn’t know where she wanted him to begin. Max’s hands roamed her back and ass, squeezing, pulling her closer. Helena could feel the thick brand of his erection against her leg, and she felt pride in the fact she’d made him that way. She smiled against his lips, happy to finally have what she wanted in her hands.
Max leaned back and looked down at her. He lifted his hand to her hair and pulled out the pins holding her long locks up. He drew his fingers through a section and brought it to his nose. He inhaled deeply and smiled. “You have no idea how long I’ve waited to see your hair down.”
He gathered her neck with his palm and pulled her in for another long series of kisses before he paused once again. “You’re too covered up. I’ve been dreaming of this body for months. I need to see it.”
As he pulled the ties to her robe apart, she suddenly felt self-conscious. Her belly wasn’t flat, and her hips were rounded. She had the body of a woman, not his arrow-straight model types. She grasped his hand to stay his motions. “I’ve got curves and—”
“And I want to lick every single one of them. I love that you aren’t a stick figure,” he said as he continued to pull her robe away.
When he opened the fabric, the soft silk slid down her arms, and she let it drop to the floor in a puddle. If curves were what he wanted, let him see all of her. He took a step back, and his heated gaze roamed over. She still wore her black lace bra and panties, as well as her thigh high stockings, which she was so very glad of in that moment. It made her feel sexier and hopefully she was playing into the fantasy he had of her.
Acquiring Her Page 2
