Strictly Business (Mixing Business With Pleasure Series Book 1)

by Ace Gray

  “Good morning, boss.” She smiled sweetly. “Laura called and asked that I have this prepared.”

  I was extremely happy when she held out another large Americano with four shots of espresso, just the way I liked.

  “So you already know I’m having a rough morning.” I would have smirked if it didn’t hurt my temples. “What does today look like?”

  We walked into my office. It was windowed floor to ceiling on two sides; the seating area was gray with accent pillows from my favorite couture designers and my desk backed the larger of the windowed walls. It was made of the same dark paneled wood that was featured among the soft grays.

  I aimlessly rearranged the pillows while Gemma ran down the day’s agenda. Slowly yesterday’s problems filtered back in. When she mentioned a meeting with my Head of Apparel, Elena, I traded my hangover for anger, perfectly recalling her email from yesterday.

  There’s no way January 5th ship date is happening, Kate…

  One hundred and seventeen unopened emails and that was the one occupying my thoughts. Even once Elena sat across the mahogany expanse of my desk, picking at her nails and avoiding eye contact, I remained fixated on the text of that one damned email.

  I intimidated my staff when my temper flared. I usually got down in the trenches with them, digging in, designing, and keeping my hands deep in my own company. When I sat in my big corner office, in my big leather chair and summoned people at will, they all knew it meant trouble.

  “Elena, would you mind explaining why we need to push the launch? You understand why I’m so irritated, right? I said the first of the year, and I meant it!”

  I couldn’t help my natural reaction to slam my fists against the desk. I expected her to jump, but instead she dropped her fingers and squared her shoulders.

  “Kate, there is nothing I can do if the Tech Department isn’t pulling their weight. You gave me a deadline, and it’s a deadline Apparel can keep. All the spring designs have compatibility options, but you know as well as I do that Tech can’t build the device. I sent the email because I want to be realistic. If you don’t like it, I suggest you pull Todd, or even Brennan, up here to bitch at them instead.”

  She was standing up to me, defending her team, and I could appreciate that.

  “I don’t mean to be disrespectful, Kate, but come on.” She arched her eyebrow at me.

  I narrowed my eyes and pursed my lips, poised to yell.

  She’s fucking right.

  The words popped into my head and I stopped short. Of course she was right. I was so worked up about the device that my frustration was being unleashed on almost anyone. The hangover didn’t help, either.

  “I know. I know it’s their problem.” I grumbled before begrudgingly adding, “And I’m sorry. I know I can count on you. I don’t quite feel like myself today.” That’s an understatement. “I should’ve started this meeting differently. Let’s nail down the apparel timeline independent of the tech timeline. Please pull out your notes.”

  I turned my back on Elena and looked out onto the Manhattan skyline. I hadn’t gotten here by being weak or putting up with excuses. I also hadn’t gotten here by being unfair or unreasonable. Laura’s voice repeated on a loop, “Check your temper, Kate.”

  I took a deep breath and kept my eyes on the sun soaked skyscrapers of the city while I mashed my intercom button.

  “Gemma, I want Todd and Brennan waiting outside when I finish with Elena. Thirty minutes, max.”

  “Of course. Shall I push or reschedule your next meeting?” Her British accent crackled through the speaker.

  “Push it back, please.”

  By the time Elena’s thirty minutes were up, we’d worked out the last of the kinks in the spring designs and finalized a timeline. Having resolved some outstanding issues, tension melted from my head all the way down to my Valentino clad toes. Todd and Brennan were likely to be different stories. Lately, they always were.

  “Gemma, please send them in.”

  “I have to forewarn you, Brennan is out ill today. Only Todd’s available.”

  “Fuck!”

  As soon as I shouted I pictured my assistant, with her fiery red curls and thick black glasses, holding the phone as far away from her ear as possible. And cringing. She would definitely be cringing.

  Damn it!

  I needed to rededicate myself to reining in my temper.

  “Sorry, Gemma, not your fault,” I sighed. “Thank you for getting Todd up here so quickly. Please send him in.”

  “Would you like me to order lunch? I don’t believe you’ve eaten today.”

  I softened the tiniest bit. Gemma was more than just an assistant. She took exceptional care of me and understood my short tone, swear words, and overall piss-poor attitude were a direct reflection of looming deadlines, pressure, and expectations.

  “You’re too good to me, Gem. I’m not hungry, but I’m grateful for the thought. Treat yourself to something. I’m ready for Todd now, thank you.” She knew not to press further.

  Todd walked in a moment later and my face fell into a sharp scowl. I didn’t care for Todd. Brennan, the head of my Tech Department, had lobbied hard to get him hired as a project manager based entirely on his stellar resume. I’d dug my heels in spectacularly based solely on a gut feeling. In the end I’d relented.

  Todd’s eyes were dark and unreadable; his shaggy, sandy blonde hair was always a touch unkempt, which irritated me. He irritated me.

  As Todd plopped into a seat he looked me up and down. His lips curled, making him downright wolfish. I shivered. I was no stranger to male attention, but something was off-putting about his scrutiny. Creepy almost. I shook my head to help collect my thoughts and caught him watching the V-neck of my shirt shift.

  Gross.

  “Todd, can you please explain what the hold up is this time? Everything for January first is hanging on the Tech department, more specifically on your project, and as far as I can tell we’re spinning wheels and spending ass tons of money to get nowhere!”

  I hadn’t meant to shout the last bit or slam my hands down on my desk again. Or maybe I had. A little. Todd nearly jumped out of his seat.

  “Well?”

  I sat waiting for his response. Sometimes I got the sense he wasn’t as bright as Brennan led me to believe. I was about to resume shouting when his brain lurched into gear. He mumbled a bit and cleared his throat before actually managing to speak.

  “We’re having difficulties fitting the amount of features requested into the size of device that Apparel wants.” His eyes shifted back and forth, tracing my neckline.

  “Apparel doesn’t want a small device, Todd. I want a small device. The whole point of creating it is so everything can fit into one slim, streamlined, ascetically pleasing package. Your pedometer, heart rate monitor, mileage and route tracker, calorie counter, biometric statistics, and cadence driven playlist can all be in one place without a corresponding app. Is it so much to ask that our tech development be as well refined as our clothing division?”

  My hangover headache was returning with a vengeance, and I rubbed my temples.

  “Nah…nnnn…no, of course not. It’s just that the components currently available for purchase are too bulky.”

  “You mean to tell me, in this tech driven world, with all the companies in this sector across the entire globe, no one manufactures components small enough?”

  “None that are for public sale.” He still looked a bit ruffled but continued. “But, I’ve heard rumors that Bryant Venture Group may produce one.”

  Fuck.

  Todd could have said anyone else’s name.

  4.

  My life sped by on fast forward after that meeting. Beside work, there was a solid 48 hours that I didn’t remember much. If asked, I couldn’t even recall if I’d slept, which was fine, because that meant I hadn’t had a chance to dream about him.

  Bryant hadn’t called. Not that I really expected him too, but the whole ‘can’t wait to ta
ste you again’ thing gave me hope. Rather than deal with him, or my feelings, I buried myself in fashion design, refusing to think about Bryant’s potential in the bedroom, boardroom, or elsewhere.

  Finally, come Thursday afternoon, I had time to breathe. I propped my feet up on my desk to enjoy fifteen minutes of quiet while I ate the steak and blue cheese salad Gemma ordered for lunch.

  I was picking at it with my fingers when my phone dinged from a new text message. My heart stuttered momentarily, hoping to see Bryant’s name flash across the screen. My head shook at the asinine reaction.

  He doesn’t even have my number.

  When Kevin’s number popped up my mouth fell open. I hadn’t given him a second thought since meeting Bryant. Even before that, it was easy to forget about my bass guitarist fling while he was traveling the country.

  hey baby, whatcha doing?

  Not your baby, Kevin

  oh come on ;) I go on tour and suddenly u want nothing 2 do with me?

  It’s not that and you know it

  just because we aren’t dating doesn’t mean you can’t be my baby

  OK, Kev…

  I picked out some of the caramelized onions and devoured them while I waited for his reply. This wasn’t exactly how I pictured spending my small break, but he was sweet enough not to leave hanging.

  Kate, i didn’t text to fight with u - just hoping maybe u miss me a little…???

  Kevin you know I don’t have time to miss you, nothing personal

  It was true. I was far too preoccupied to think of him. Part of me was almost convinced Bryant had nothing to do with it.

  do u miss my hands on your body?

  Kevin…

  I knew where this was going, and I set my salad aside.

  if i were there do u know what i’d do to u?

  Kevin…

  It wasn’t a real warning. I smirked down at my BlackBerry when I saw he was texting back. I was sexually frustrated and I’d been that way long before Bryant on Monday night. I leaned back in my chair and waited.

  i would take your hair down and run my fingers through it, then run my fingertips along your jaw and linger on your lips. i’d watch your perfect tits under your shirt as your breathing hitched up. then i’d push my thumb into your mouth and tell you to start sucking

  I tried not to focus on the fact that my hair was already down.

  Yes…

  i’d let my other hand reach up your skirt and start to trace the line of your panties, working my way from that perfect ass to your sensitive clit

  Ugh, I hate the word panties…

  only when u cried out would i take my thumb from your soft lips and unbutton your shirt - i‘d pull your nipples out from your bra one at a time letting the lace push them up to my waiting lips - i‘d suck on 1 while i pinched and pulled on the other, still stroking you roughly

  MMMmmm. He’d hooked me. Kevin was always good at this. I bit my lip as I pictured the whole scene.

  i know u well enough - you’d be so wet by now - i‘d push you back against those giant windows in your office, lift your hands above your head and tear your panties away

  Shit Kevin…

  If he were here I’d let him. Panties and all.

  i’d shove my hard dick inside u and start fucking u against those windows - i know u like it fast and deep and I would give it to u just the way u wanted - over and over - feeling your tight pussy grip my dick and pull - i know you’d come so hard you’d milk me - i‘d return the favor and come hot and fast inside you

  “Kate, your 2:30 is here,” Gemma crackled over the intercom.

  “Shit!”

  My chair clattered forward, and I almost fell out of it. I pushed the button to reply before realizing I was panting.

  “Please give me two minutes.”

  I prayed she wouldn’t guess why. I scrambled to text Kevin back.

  As hot as that was I have to go

  fuck babe - don’t

  I have a meeting that was supposed to start two minutes ago

  well then think about me drilling you against those windows while u chat about shoes or whatever

  You’re an ass!

  I tossed my BlackBerry aside as I stood, adjusted my outfit, and took a deep centering breath. Unsettled and unsatisfied, I tried not to yank open my office door.

  “Welcome, gentlemen. Please come in.”

  I gestured for the waiting men to come in and make themselves comfortable while I hung back to ask Gemma to book a boxing session downstairs with Leo at 6:30.

  When 6:30 crept around I was still on edge; my day had been less productive after Kevin’s interruption. I had been less productive after Kevin’s interruption. I was pissed I’d spent the rest of the damn afternoon picturing Bryant instead of Kevin up against those windows. I couldn’t shake the man and it made me feel powerless.

  My head was anywhere but the gym when I started sparring with Leo. A million questions rattled around my brain while I alternated between blocks and blows. How had Bryant gotten so far under my skin? Why couldn’t I forget about him? Why couldn’t I appreciate someone like Kevin?

  Ugh, Kevin.

  I came up with one answer, and I hated it. Subconsciously even I wanted a man who made me giddy and breathless.

  And stupid apparently.

  I was strong enough on my own but I wanted someone who would protect me and let me be nothing more than a woman. The old fashioned notion made my stomach lurch, and my arms fall to my sides—just in time for Leo to land a heavy right hook across my face.

  “Shit! Ouch, ouch ouchouchouch. Shit!”

  Sharp, shooting pain radiated through my nose and eye.

  “Oh my God, Kate, are you OK?” Leo ripped off his gloves and rushed to my side.

  “Fucking Christ, ouch, Jesus, goddammed shit, ouch!”

  Blood gushed from my nose—it had to be broken. Sobs wracked my chest as I collapsed to my knees, trying to hold my face with my hands still in boxing gloves.

  Leo ran for a towel and ice. He yanked off my gloves and shoved the towel into my hands.

  “You’ve gotta put as much pressure as possible on your nose and under your eye, Kate.”

  He voice was shaky, his movements jerky. After all, he’d just decked his boss. He was dialing the phone when he added, “You have a cut from my glove under your eye and your nose might be broken.”

  He went ashen when Gemma picked up; her shriek was audible on the other end of the line when he described the situation.

  “Keep applying pressure, Kate. We need to stop the bleeding.” Leo tried to soothe me in between Gem’s frantic sentences.

  My heart raced but everything else seemed set in slow motion. Blood gushed from my nose and trickled down my cheek. Pain thundered in my head making me woozy, even on my knees. When I pictured how ridiculous I must look, I teetered on the mat.

  This has been one hell of a week.

  I could barely keep pressure on my face as I started giggling.

  “Oh my God! Kate! Are you OK?” Gemma burst in then stopped short, confused by the blood coupled with tears and laughter.

  “I think she’s in shock. Grab her things and I’ll carry her to the car. Hopefully it’s here by now?”

  Leo’s voice was tense as he picked me up. I shifted as he walked so I didn’t bleed on his chest but he only held me tighter. There was a swoosh behind me when Gemma swiped her key card that allowed us to bypass any other elevator calls.

  I barely heard Gemma’s frantic, “Laura, we have a problem,” as Leo tucked me into the backseat of the car. My ears were ringing, making Gemma’s voice weave in and out. There was a clinking rattle close by; it took me a while to figure out the sound was my hand chattering against the glass.

  I couldn’t place the building we pulled up to until Malik helped me plop into a wheelchair. Even the slight breeze from him pushing me into the hospital stung my face. He deposited me into a private room.

  “You OK?” Malik helped me up from the
chair and onto the bed. My head wobble passed for a nod. “Since you’ve stopped bleeding, I’m gonna leave you alone for just a minute. I’ll have someone more suitable in here to patch you up in no time.” He rubbed my shoulder and smiled reassuringly.

  To occupy myself I kept trying to open and close my eye but the lid wouldn’t budge. I made weird shapes with my mouth to compensate, wincing every time I tried. That’s how the resident that gently cleaned the blood from my face found me. She chuckled as she handed over an ice pack. She was calm and quiet as she took me for X-rays then brought me back to my room. I went back to my awkward faces the moment she left.

  “Ms. Elliott, nice to meet you. I wish it were under better circumstances.”

  A tall blonde man wearing a lab coat entered the room with his face buried in his clipboard.

  “Allow me to introduce myself, I’m Dr. Brown. Good news, your nose isn’t broken, just badly swollen.” Swollen, really? You don’t say… “They called me in to suture that gouge.”

  He pulled his nose from my chart and looked me up and down before smiling a too-big smile. I would have rolled my eyes if it were possible. Thankfully, I was saved from his appraisal when the door behind us banged against the wall. Both Dr. Brown and I jumped.

  “What happened?”

  Laura had arrived. She shook her head as she took in my short shorts and sheer gym tank completely covered in blood. Red was even splattered on my tennis shoes.

  “Don’t lose your shit. I got punched, and it was my own fault.” I straightened a little.

  “What happened?”

  “I lost my train of thought working with Leo. I swear my brain just shut off, then I dropped my block. You can see what stopped his fist.” I gestured to my face and Laura cringed.

  “Laura delightful to see you.” Dr. Brown beamed in her direction. I swore I saw a wink. “Don’t worry, I’ll get her all patched up.” He turned back to me and let his hands move too familiarly from my shoulders to my face. “Hold very still, Ms. Elliott.” Dr. Brown’s breath puffed against my skin and his fingertips skated waywardly across my cheeks. I pulled back because of his proximity and couldn’t help but wince when he steadied me.