Hostile Takeover: Modern Girl's Quickie

by Gina Drayer

  “I didn’t either, but Holly… She doesn’t play games like that. It’s refreshing.”

  “You just met her.” Skepticism filled Arnie’s voice. “How could you know that? How do you know she’s not playing you right now to help the sale?”

  “It’s hard to explain it. And it’s not like we just met. We’ve been talking for months.”

  “About business.” Arnie leaned in and put his hand on Mike’s back. “I just don’t want you to get shredded like last time. Friends look out for each other, and I refuse to watch you go through that again. Once was more than enough for both of us.”

  Mike couldn’t argue with Arnie about that one. He’d thought Barbara was the one. He’d been too stupid to open his eyes to the signs everyone but he saw.

  But he was older now. He wasn’t a lovesick kid, and Holly was nothing like Barb. He wasn’t exactly sure how deep his feeling ran for Holly, but they were there. And it felt right.

  After another long moment of silence, Arnie finally spoke. “If you really think that she’s someone you want to be with, I’m not going to argue with you. You know I got your back.”

  Mike raised his beer bottle in gratitude. “I appreciate that, man.”

  “So how is this supposed to work exactly?” Arnie asked. “I mean, you live here, and she’s from Chicago.”

  “I don’t know? I haven’t really thought about that yet. Maybe it’s a little too soon to consider that much.”

  “Not if you really want to have a relationship with her. It’s going to take a lot of work, so it better be worth it. In my opinion, long-distance relationships suck ass.”

  While Mike was getting his heart stomped by Barb, Arnie had been trying to make it work with his high school girlfriend. She’d gone to school in California instead of staying in Ohio. They’d managed to make it work, but barely.

  “But it can work. Didn’t you and Jo just celebrate your six-year anniversary?” Mike said. “If you can do it, it can’t be that hard.”

  Arnie shrugged. “Talk to me when you haven’t had sex in four months and start making passes at Rita down at the gas station.”

  “Rita with the lazy eye, that always smells like salami?” Mike narrowed his eyes at Arnie and shook his head.

  “I’m just saying,” he said, hands raised, “it’s harder than it looks from the outside. But if this Holly does it for you, then you should make your move before it’s too late. Because if you don’t, you’ll always regret it.”

  Arnie was right. He couldn’t stop thinking about Holly no matter how hard he tried, and if he let this opportunity slip through his fingers, he’d be haunted with what ifs for the rest of his life. It was time to figure out if there was really something between them that could last beyond this brief encounter.

  Mike wasn’t sure what to expect on Monday. He’d tried calling Holly several times Sunday night to talk, but each time she put him off. They hadn’t made any promises to each other or declarations of love, but he knew there was something there. He didn’t want to believe that she was just going to let it go, and the cold shoulder was pissing him off.

  He’d gone to work like he always did, but this time his mind kept drifting to images of her, the way her hair looked flayed about his pillow, the feel of her softness against him. The woman had planted herself firmly in his mind.

  On his uncle’s advice, he called Heather and arranged to see her after work tonight. He was going to get the papers signed even if it meant signing over half the profits. After paying off the company's debt that would still leave him with enough money live on while he decided what to do next.

  He waited patiently for Holly to show up, but she never did. Toward the end of the day, his phone rang. “Hello?” he asked.

  “I know I said I’d give you until Tuesday, but something came up,” Holly’s voice said, filling his ear. “Can I meet with you now?”

  “The office is about to close,” he said, “but I’ll stay.”

  “Good,” she said and disconnected before he could stay anything more.

  Mike placed the receiver back slowly. She sounded so cold, detached. He couldn’t help but wonder if it had anything to do with that call she’d gotten on Saturday.

  As he waited, he thought about the way she’d managed to get under his skin. When his secretary finally buzzed to say Holly had arrived, he almost sighed in relief.

  “Send her in please,” he said, then adding, “Feel free to leave, Cindi. I’ll close up the office.”

  “Alright, Mike. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

  When Holly walked in the door, he had to fight back the urge to go to her. She was a sight he’d never get tired of enjoying. Now if he could only decide which he wanted more: to argue with her about the sale or take her right there in his office.

  13

  It’s okay to say no.

  “No” is the most powerful word in negotiating, but many women have difficulty saying it. They want to keep everyone happy, to avoid conflict, to be liked, and to please. To be a good negotiator, you must be able to say no with firmness and credibility.

  Holly walked into Mike’s office, sat down in the plush club chair, and pulled out a folder without so much as looking at him. She couldn’t. This was the way it had to be.

  “Has your company made a decision?” Holly asked.

  “Hi. How was the rest of your weekend,” he said, flatly.

  She looked up. That was her first mistake. She was trying to be cold, keep her distance, but something about the hurt look in his eyes softened her resolve.

  “I’m sorry,” she said. “I’m doing this all wrong. I know how to deal with you as an owner, but this is different. I don’t usually get so…” She wasn’t quite sure what word she was looking for

  “So close?” he provided.

  “Yeah,” she said, looking back down at the folder.

  “Can we talk about this weekend?” he said, a little softer. “I don’t think either of us expected that to happen, but now that it has, we should address the elephant in the room.”

  “What happened shouldn’t matter. This is business. I have a deadline to meet,” she said, knowing that talking about it wasn’t going to help. She had a job to do, and after that, she’d be gone. There was no use beating a dead horse. “I know you’re a smart guy, so I’m sure you understand the situation I’m in. The buyers I had lined up are getting nervous and might pull out. I have to…” She didn’t want to do this. She didn’t want to screw him over, but she didn’t have a choice. Mr. Whitman wanted to move things along. This was the best way. Holly cleared her throat and started again. “If Western Financial loses its client, they’ll be forced to liquidate the company's assets to make up for their investment.”

  “You’ve got to be fucking kidding me,” he said, raising his voice. “You’re going to sell off the assets if I don’t sign. Why didn’t you tell me this was a possibility months ago?”

  “I didn’t think it would come to this months ago.”

  “Just like buying the other shares out from under me wasn’t something you felt like sharing.” He shot her a bruising look and Holly nearly flinched.

  “Mr. Brighton… Mike, if we could just sit down and talk about this like adults.”

  “Adults? You talk about being adults just after you try to strong-arm me into selling. Did you come with a couple thugs to break my kneecaps to make sure I got the message?” He got up from his desk and stood in front of her; anger rolling off of him like waves. “Have you been plotting a hostile takeover all along? Was Saturday night part of your plan?”

  “No!” She shook her head, feeling sick to her stomach. How could he think something like that? “I didn’t sleep with you as some kind of mind game. I did it because I—”

  “I don’t care why you did it. Fuck, Holly, I thought we connected,” he said, raking a hand through his hair. “I’m a fucking idiot. Here I was trying to figure out how we could continue seeing each other—to have some kind of relationship, and
all the while, you were gutting my company behind my back. Do you get off on the power trip?”

  “Power trip?” Now she was on her feet. “I risked my job for you. Anyone else and I would have torn this place to the bones and been back to Chicago before the dust settled.”

  That seemed to rattle him back to the conversation. “All I asked was for more time,” he said with a shake of his head. “I never wanted you to risk your job for me.”

  “Well, I have. I don’t know why, but you…” She felt like she was losing control. Her hands itched to touch him—get underneath his skin the way he’d gotten to her. “I don’t understand what’s going on here.” The words came out as a whisper, but the desperation in her voice was loud and clear.

  He stepped closer, invading her space, but she held her ground even as it crumbled around her.

  “I think we both know,” he said.

  She took in a deep breath, trying to steady her nerves, but that had been a mistake. Mike’s clean smell assaulted her nose, and all her thoughts narrowed down to just him. “Mike.”

  “You don’t have to say it. Let me remind you.” He crushed his mouth over hers with a force that stepped her back until she was pressed back against his desk.

  Her shock wore off, and she took in his anger combined with a burning hunger that she knew all too well. She craved him. Without thought, Holly wrapped her legs around his hips, letting her skirt push up her thighs until she was pressed against his hard erection.

  A moan escaped her lips as his hand reached between them, cupping her already damp sex. With a feral growl, he yanked on the underwear, cutting the fabric into her skin, until it snapped.

  Her eyes were focused only on him as he stepped back, grabbing the condom out of his back pocket, and undid his belt. That small reprieve should have been enough to bring them back to reality. She was raw and exposed, sitting on his desk with her skirt hiked up, her pussy on display. She wanted this—wanted him. But it was more than simply want or sexual desire; she needed to feel him inside her—needed his cool presence to still the roiling emotions coursing through her.

  He captured her lips as his cock slid up and down her wetness, teasing her entrance. Their tongues teased each other, tempting and fighting for dominance. In the end, she surrendered, letting him consume her.

  He surged forward, capturing her cry with his lips. The feel of him soothing the raw, jagged edges. As he moved, it was like fresh air poured into her lungs and filled her body. She could finally breathe again.

  “Mike,” she cried out, forgetting where they were. She didn’t know if the office was full of people just on the other side of the door or if they’d all left for the day. The thought of someone hearing them thrilled her at the same time yanked her back to the reality of what was happening. This was insane. But for the life of her, she couldn’t force herself to care.

  He picked up the pace, pushing her back on the desk until she was stretched out, displayed for him. She wrapped her legs higher on his hips, enjoying feeling those strong back muscles work her. The strength and control thrilled her, pushing her higher until she had to cling to the edge of the desk to get purchase on his strokes.

  “Mike,” she whispered. “Please, Mike.”

  Her mind wasn’t sure what she asked of him, but she needed him to do something to push her closer to the edge.

  As if sensing her exact need, his lips slid to her neck, grazing her skin with his teeth, grinding his hips against her clit with just the right pressure.

  “Come with me, Holly,” Mike growled into her ear.

  With that friction, she couldn’t have held back if she wanted to. Pulling him into a kiss, her world exploded, and he swallowed her scream. Mike pumped a few more times, making her tremble with another aftershock until he stiffened with his own release.

  He kissed her again with the same fierce force he’d taken her with. It was a desperate kiss that scorched her lips. It said everything—spoke of all of their frustration and fears. Tears burned the back of her throat, and her heart felt as if it was breaking into a million pieces.

  When he pulled back and gazed into her eyes, she knew exactly what he wanted, but she couldn’t. It all became too much. The way she felt when he looked at her told Holly this was more than just sex for him, and that scared the shit out of her.

  She pushed him away, despite every cell in her body screaming at her to hold on tight. She couldn’t breathe. She needed space. And those tears were dangerously close to breaking free.

  “I can’t do this.” She pulled her skirt down after sliding off the desk. Even dressed, she felt completely exposed and vulnerable in front of him, and it went deeper than the sex. Sex she could handle. It was the powerful emotions that confused her.

  “I’m sorry. I don’t know what just happened. Please, don’t go. Let’s talk.”

  She snatched her purse off the floor. “I need to leave.”

  “Holly…” He reached out to touch her, defeat in his expression, but she moved away. “Don’t run from me.”

  “I’m not running from you. I’m trying to be rational,” she retorted, but it was a lie, and they both knew it. “We can’t keep doing this, Mike.”

  “Why the hell not? Don’t tell me you don’t want more because I know you do. I can see it in your eyes.”

  “It’s not that simple.”

  “Yes, it is. But you keep making it more complicated than it has to be.”

  “Every single thing about this is complicated. Don’t you understand that?”

  “I’ll sign the contract today if that’s what it takes.”

  She held her hands up. “Stop.”

  “No, because it’s true. I want this. I want you.”

  “We barely know each other.”

  He laughed, the sound like broken glass on a tile floor. “I think we’ve gone way past that, don’t you?”

  Holly moved toward the door, knowing that if she stayed any longer, she wouldn’t be able to resist him. “Someone else from Western Financial will be in touch.”

  “Holly. Don’t do this. Please.”

  It was the please that got her, but she knew this was the right choice. “Goodbye, Mike.”

  She slipped out the door and closed it, but she didn’t miss the heartbroken look on his face before the door blocked him out of her view.

  14

  Call their bluff

  People often lie to gain the upper hand. If things take a turn for the worst in your negotiations and something feels off, call their bluff.

  Mike raked a hand through his hair and stared at the closed door. What the fuck had just happened? He’d never been the guy who couldn’t control himself. The one who let his dick make the decisions. Who pushed a woman up against a wall—or in this case, a desk—and screwed her. At least, he wasn’t that guy until he’d met Holly.

  As much as he wanted to go after her and tell her that they needed to talk, he somehow resisted. They had to figure out some way to make it work; he’d seen that look of finality in her eyes. He wasn’t going to beg her for something she clearly didn’t want. Even though every primal male cell in his body cried out for her, it wasn’t enough. She needed to feel the same way.

  Out of all the women he’d ever encountered, she was the first to ever bring out such fierce passion—something he didn’t know he was capable of experiencing. But it was a moot point since it was over before it could truly begin.

  He needed to focus on the matter at hand. Something had to be done about Brighton Security before the Western Financial vultures came back to pick the bones clean. He never wanted to take over the company, and now he wanted to get out more than ever. Even if it meant accepting his step-mother’s ridiculous demands.

  Her control over the sale of the shares was the only thing standing in the way of his freedom and salvaging any part of his father’s dying business. They had to get it settled before he could move on.

  Fuck it. After talking with his step-mother, he’d have Uncle Joe
handle the rest of the sale.

  He left the office and went straight to his father’s house—or rather, his step-mother’s house. He found her in the small library his father had added onto the house as a wedding present for his new bride.

  Mike remembered when they’d first gotten married. Heather had been sweet and kind to him. She tried her best to be a surrogate mother, but the realities of raising a teenage boy, when she was just barely out of her teens herself, were too much for her to handle. Their relationship had never been easy. They’d fought more often than was healthy, and when he went off to college, the only time they talked was at the holidays.

  He found her seated in one of the small nooks in the window that looked over the backyard. She was curled up on the cushion reading a book.

  “Evening, Heather,” Mike said, leaning against the bookcase by the entrance.

  She looked up from the book she was reading and smiled wearily. “I was wondering if you were still going to stop by to see me.”

  “After what Uncle Joe told me, I didn’t think I had a choice,” he said, unable to keep the anger out of his voice. “Just tell me why.”

  “Choices,” She said with a sigh. “This wasn’t what I wanted. The last thing I want to do is to hurt you.”

  “Demanding half my inheritance is a funny way of showing it. You got everything, Heather. Everything but the company. Why ask for more?”

  She closed her book and sat it down next to her. “I loved your father. I would have done anything for him. When he got sick, I couldn’t just let him give up. He was only sixty-two. We should have had years left. I’m the one who pushed him to get second opinions, to try the experimental treatments. Hell, I would have hired a voodoo priestess if I thought it would have saved him. Unfortunately, the only thing it did was bankrupt us. His savings, retirement, everything—they’re gone. All of that, and it didn’t save him. The only thing I have left are bills.” She sniffed and wiped a tear from her cheek.