Seducing the Boss Lady

by Cooper, Sharon C.

  Michael slid into her, and Peyton’s mouth formed a perfect “o” as her breath caught in her lungs. All rational thought flew from her mind. Her arms tightened around his shoulders as he moved, rotating his hips ever so slowly, giving her body a chance to adjust around his thick shaft.

  “You okay?” he asked, his words filled with a thickness she’d never heard from him before.

  She leaned back, her head against the wall, and their gazes colliding. Their eyes did the talking for them as he picked up speed sliding in and out of her, never breaking eye contact. He lifted her slightly, sliding her up and down his length.

  In and out. Faster. Deeper. Harder.

  As if a switch had been flipped on, his moves got even faster, jerkier. Peyton’s pulse pounded loudly in her ears, and her heart rate kicked up as a pool of ecstasy viciously whirled around inside of her.

  “Michael, Michael, Mi…” The breathy chant of his name tumbled from her mouth with every powerful thrust until… “Michael!” she screamed, her nails digging into his bare shoulders as she bucked and jerked against him. He slammed inside of her faster, harder. Wave, after wave of pleasure thrashed against every cell in her body, jostling and twisting within her, sending her over the edge of reality.

  Michael was right behind her, growling his release, his fingers digging into the back of her thighs as he held her tightly.

  “Ahh, shiiiiitttt!” He crushed her against the wall, their hearts feeling as if they were beating as one against Peyton’s chest. “Ahh, ba…baby,” he panted loudly against her sweat-slicked shoulder, readjusting his hold on the back of her thighs.

  Neither spoke or moved for the longest time. Not until Michael huffed out a breath and suddenly lifted her higher in his arms, stumbling to the bed. He practically dropped her onto it and leaned over her, his hands braced on the mattress, his breathing still uneven.

  “I’ll be right back.” He pecked her lips and staggered to the bathroom.

  *

  Michael returned to the room and dug through his pocket for his wallet, hoping he had another condom. Finding his emergency one, he tossed it to the bedside table. Now that he’d had Peyton, he wanted more. That little taste had gone way too fast. The next time, he wanted to take his time.

  Climbing onto the bed, Michael pulled Peyton into his arms. She stared up at him. Those dreamy eyes and a wicked smile on her lips had his shaft stirring again.

  “You proved your point,” she said with a nervous chuckle. “Man, that was—”

  “Incredible,” he finished. “Just like you.” Michael nibbled her top lip before sliding a greedy tongue into her mouth, lapping up every bit of her sweetness. What they had shared exceeded his expectations, and he wanted more, much, much more.

  As if reading his mind, Peyton pulled her mouth from his and leaned up on her elbow. Michael watched through lowered lashes as she first tweaked his nipple between her fingers before lowering her head. A tingling sensation shot through his body to the tips of his toes when her teeth grazed over the hardened peak. Her small hand caressed his chest, moving in small circles to match the swirl of her tongue against his nipple and then her hand moved lower.

  Michael swallowed hard, and he gripped the back of her head lightly when she coiled her hand around his shaft. His eyes drifted closed. Blood rushed from his brain and shot straight to his groin. His penis pulsed with every stroke of her hand along his length.

  “Ahh…baby.” His throaty groan seemed to spur her on, and his grip tightened in her hair. His body pumped in tuned with each stroke as she slid her hand up and down the smoothness of his shaft. “Pe…” he sputtered when she squeezed, her hand moving faster, and faster. Her grip tightened, but she kept the pace, intermittently rubbing her thumb over the tip.

  “You like that?” she crooned, warmth spreading throughout his body.

  “Shit…ye…yeah, but…shi…” he growled, the rest of the curse dropping off when he bolted upright, covering her hand to stop her movements. “I liked.” He wheezed. “I liked it too much.”

  Michael snatched the foil packet from the bed table and hurried to sheathed himself. So much for taking this round slow. The way she had his body on fire, there was no way in hell he could take this slow.

  He turned to lay Peyton on her back, but she stopped him with a hand to his chest, shaking her head.

  “I’m on top.” She pushed him back and straddled him.

  Michael couldn’t stop the huge smile that spread across his lips. “Whatever you say, Boss Lady. Go ahead. Have your way with me.”

  *

  “This is spectacular.” Peyton leaned into Michael. “Seeing Central Park on television and in the movies is nothing compared to experiencing it in person.”

  They were in a horse drawn carriage on a guided tour of the famous park. Though the trees were barren and some patches of the grass were brown, the park was still as beautiful as Peyton imagined. Couples strolled hand in hand along the path as if they weren’t in a hurry to get anywhere, while others biked or skated, despite the chill in the air.

  “Yeah, hanging out here never gets old,” Michael said as the tour guide pointed toward the area where the zoo was located. Michael’s arm tightened around Peyton when she shivered from the light breeze. The temperature had warmed up from the night before, but at fifty-five degrees, it was still chilly. “This is my first time taking a carriage ride. Normally I walk.”

  “So you’re having another first with me today, huh?” Peyton glanced up at Michael, his heated gaze on her. Warmth spread through her body and a smile tugged on the corner of her lips.

  “I have a few more firsts with you planned for today.”

  His mouth touched hers. The kiss, soft and sweet, only increased the sexual tension that had intensified since their night together.

  He pulled her closer, deepening the kiss, his tongue dipping in and out of her mouth sending tingles through her body. Their tongue aerobics had her wanting to climb onto his lap and go much farther than kissing. Normally, she didn’t venture off the straight and narrow path, not interested in taking many chances or doing anything that might hurt her physically or emotionally. But Michael made her want to live on the edge and throw caution out the window for a chance at happiness, a chance to experience life on different terms.

  Michael had spent the night. Since he kept a spare change of clothes in his vehicle, he didn’t have to go home to change before touring around town with her. Peyton enjoyed their day visiting Grand Central Station, Bryant Park, Rockefeller Center, and hopefully the final stop Central Park. Now all she wanted was to go back to his place, make love and lay wrapped in his strong arms.

  The stolen kisses, affectionate gazes, and the flirting they’d done throughout the day only made her hornier.

  “Your kisses are addictive. I can’t get enough,” Michael mumbled against her lips, his voice thick with arousal. His intense gaze had her trembling against him. “How about we make this our last tourist attraction for today?”

  Peyton studied him, glad they seemed to be on the same page. “I think that’s a good idea.”

  Night had fallen by the time they walked back to the parking garage where Michael had left his SUV earlier that morning. They were heading to his home in Brooklyn and Peyton trembled in her seat. She wasn’t cold. Anticipation had her practically jumping out of her skin. Michael had insisted that she check out of the hotel and spend the rest of her trip with him.

  No strings attached was what she kept telling herself throughout the day. His comments in Jamaica about not being the committed or relationship type kept playing in her head. People indulged in flings all the time, surely she could too. She had to. Making love to him the night before had only wet her appetite.

  Michael reached over and squeezed her thigh. “We won’t do anything you don’t want to do.”

  Apparently, he took her eagerness as nervousness. “As long as it’s with you, I want to do everything you have in mind.” She had never flirted or bee
n so bold with a man, not even her ex-husband, but this felt right. She didn’t necessarily believe in kindred spirits or soul mates, but there was something special between her and Michael that couldn’t be ignored.

  “I never told you this, but your quick comebacks are a serious turn on.”

  Peyton grinned, feeling pretty proud of herself that she could still turn a man on. “Well, I hope there’s more about me that turns you on.”

  “Hell yeah, baby. Everything about you turns me on. I’m looking forward to our plans for tonight.”

  “You didn’t let me in on what you have in mind. Technically they’re your plans.”

  He laughed. “That’s right. They are my plans aren’t they?” He lifted her hand to his mouth, placing a kiss inside her palm. “Well, I have big plans for you tonight.”

  His voice dropped an octave and Peyton’s pulse kicked up, a tremor shooting through her body. She didn’t know what he had in store for her, but she had every intention of going with the flow.

  Michael released her hand and turned a corner, street lamps casting light against brownstones that lined the street. Like Central Park, Peyton had seen her share of New York brownstones on television or heard about them in books, now she saw them first hand. Some were a bit rundown, but that didn’t take away from the architectural detail, at least from what she could make out in the dimness of the night.

  Her cell phone rang and she dug it out of the side of her handbag. Dylan. That was the third time he’d called that day. As with the night before, he hadn’t left a message.

  “Hello,” she answered, curious about the calls.

  “Hey, do you have time to talk?”

  “Not really,” she said carefully, thinking that maybe she shouldn’t have answered with Michael sitting next to her. They might have been only friends, but it still seemed weird to have a conversation with her ex-husband while she was with Michael.

  “Please, PJ. It’s important. Discussing this on the phone is not a good idea. Can we meet somewhere?”

  “No. I’m not in Cincinnati. What is this about?”

  “Where are you?”

  “That’s none of your business. What is so important that you have to keep calling me?” Now he had her curious. She hadn’t heard from him in years and all of sudden he was sending her flowers and calling.

  “When will you be back in Cincinnati?”

  “Dylan, I’m not answering any of your questions if you refuse to answer mine.”

  “I just…I want to talk to you face to face. I miss you, Peyton.”

  She pulled the phone away from her ear and stared at it not expecting his declaration. There was no way that was what he was calling for. He hadn’t given a damn about her when they were married and all of sudden he missed her?

  She disconnected the call and turned off the phone, dropping it in the side pocket of her handbag. Disgust churned in her gut thinking about how he had mistreated her, disrespecting her and their marriage. There was nothing he could say that would stop her from seeing him as the lowest form of human life.

  “You alright?” Michael asked.

  “I’m fine!” she snapped. Catching herself, she dialed back the attitude. No way was she going to take her dislike of Dylan out on Michael. “Sorry.”

  Michael didn’t say anything. He pulled up next to a car, his arm on the back of her seat as he glanced out of the window to parallel park.

  “Is that your home?” Peyton pointed to the brownstone they were parked in front of, vines crawling up the front of the structure.

  “No. We passed it, about a block back. Hopefully, you can handle a little more walking.”

  “Definitely.” She unhooked her seatbelt, but Michael halted her, his hand covering hers.

  “What’s going on with your ex? I assume his phone calls are the ones you’ve been trying to ignore all day.”

  Peyton stared into his eyes, not surprised that he had noticed her annoyance whenever her phone rang, and she saw Dylan’s name on the screen.

  “Nothing’s going on. He started calling a couple of weeks ago wanting to talk.” Peyton turned her hand over, linking her fingers with Michael’s. “I shouldn’t have answered, especially since I’m not interested in talking to him. I’m here with you, right where I want to be.” She tugged his hand, pulling him close to kiss him.

  “Are you sure you’re okay staying with me for the rest of your trip, Peyton?” he asked when they pulled apart.

  “Positive. So you gon’ take me to your house or what?”

  Michael laughed and climbed out of the vehicle, jogging around to open the door for her. They retrieved her bags from the backseat and took the short walk to his house.

  Peyton heard voices when they opened the exterior door and stood in the small foyer facing a glass door that led into the house. Michael had mentioned that his daughter was spending the next few days with his parents, but it sounded like they were still there.

  He pushed the door open.

  “Daddy!” a cute little girl with a thick ponytail bouncing from the top of her head screamed. She charged toward him and leaped. Michael caught her with one arm, and Peyton was convinced they had the routine down.

  “Hey, Baby Doll.” He set Peyton’s suitcase down near a set of stairs and placed a noisy kiss on his daughter’s cheek, hugging her tight. Peyton set the small carry on, she’d been holding, next to the suitcase. The little girl eyed her over Michael’s shoulder and smiled. The thought of dating a man with children didn’t appeal to Peyton, but her heart squeezed at the sight of his daughter. Eyes and a grin so similar to Michael’s, the little girl was adorable.

  Michael set his daughter on her feet when an older woman strolled from the back of the house drying her hands on a dishtowel.

  “Peyton, this is Michaela, and that’s my mother, Laura Cutter.”

  “Nice to meet you,” his mother said shaking Peyton’s hand.

  “It’s a pleasure to meet you, too.”

  “What about me?” Michaela jumped in front of Peyton, who laughed and extended her hand to the little girl.

  “It’s nice to meet you as well.” Michaela smiled, and Peyton’s heart squeezed a little more. Maybe she’d been too hasty ruling out dating men with children.

  “I had planned for us to be gone by the time you arrived,” Mrs. Cutter said to Michael and cast a warm smile at Peyton.

  “That’s alright. I wanted you guys to meet Peyton anyway. So it worked out. Where’s dad?” Michael asked of his stepfather.

  “He ran to the store for me, but should be back in a minute and then we’ll head out of here. Oh and there’s dinner in the refrigerator.”

  “Okay. Thanks, Mom.” Michael reached for Peyton’s hand. “Come with me.”

  Michaela started after them, but her grandmother stopped her. “Michaela come back to the kitchen and finish eating, and then I need you to help Nana finish the dishes.” Peyton heard the little girl grumble, but whatever else her grandmother said, worked. Michaela was no longer trailing behind them.

  They went around the stairs and stopped in a short hallway. When his mother and daughter were out of earshot, Michael backed Peyton against a closet door. He seized her lips before she formed her next thought and she gasped in surprise, but quickly recovered. She could easily get used to his delicious kisses. For years, she’d waited for a man who stirred the type of passion within her that Michael aroused, and he didn’t disappoint.

  “Daddy?” Michaela called out.

  Michael growled and rested his forehead against Peyton’s. “I’ll get rid of them.” He winked. “But first, let me hang up your coat.” After placing their garments in the closet, they strolled back the way they came and headed to the kitchen.

  Peyton admired Michael’s home. The hardwood floors looked to be original to the house. Her gaze took in the impressive chandelier at the entrance, double crown molding, and the arch that led into a large great room. The space was sparsely decorated, with only a huge sofa facing t
he fireplace. What the house lacked in furnishings and wall décor, it made up in character and architectural detail.

  “You have a beautiful home,” Peyton said as he pulled her along.

  “Thank you.”

  When they made it to the kitchen, he directed her to one of the high-back barstools next to the counter. “Are you hungry? Thirsty?”

  “I could go for some water.”

  “Coming right up.”

  While in Jamaica, Michael had told her that the brownstone was a fixer-upper when he purchased the property. Peyton could tell where he was still renovating. Though there were top of the line appliances and fixtures, cabinets had been removed from some walls, revealing mismatched paint colors in some spots.

  “Daddy, can I stay here with you and Peyton?”

  “I’m back.” A deep, sing-song voice came from the front of the house.

  Michaela’s eyes grew wide. “Papa!” She took off in a sprint out of the room and Michael shook his head.

  “Clearly she doesn’t understand the phrase ‘no running in the house’,” Michael grumbled.

  “Peyton’s here. I’m staying with her and daddy.” Peyton heard Michaela say when she appeared in the doorway in the arms of a giant of a man.

  “Michaela, you’re going home with us,” Mrs. Cutter said placing a plate in the upper cabinet near the sink.

  Michaela’s lips turned down, and she folded her arms.

  “Michaela, we’re not doing this tonight. You’re going home with Nana and Papa. What’s going on, Dad?” Michael fist-bumped his father.

  “Not much, son.”

  “Let me introduce you. Dad, this is Peyton Jenkins. Peyton, this is my father, Carlton Cutter.”

  The admiration Peyton heard in Michael’s voice didn’t go unnoticed. Whatever Carlton had done for him had earned his stepson’s respect.

  Carlton set Michaela on her feet, and a tremor shot through Peyton when his gaze met hers. Taller than Michael by a few inches, Carlton was also wider across the shoulders. No doubt when he was a cop, intimidating perps probably came easy. His intense dark eyes bore into her, but when he smiled, the crinkles at the corner of his eyes softened his features.