Lose Control

by Donina Lynn

  Myles could see that in her. Cassie was more of a free spirit, going where she pleased and when she wanted. She was spontaneous and full of life and wouldn’t be content being tied down. The idea of anything long-term probably sent her running in the opposite direction and, for some reason, that didn’t sit well with him. “I assume you apply that same philosophy to your personal life as well. Never been married and never want to be. No growing roots or starting a family either.”

  Even to him, what he just said sounded more like an accusation instead of idle curiosity like he’d intended. Apparently, when his mind decided to give up the fantasy of a possible future with her, it forgot to tell the rest of him because whether or not she avoided all commitments mattered to him…more than he cared to admit.

  Cassie regarded him for a moment and smiled again. “Are you sure you haven’t been talking to my mother? That’s the same tone she uses whenever she reminds me I’m not getting any younger, and I should be latching on to someone and running down the aisle as fast I can.” She shrugged. “I’m not against marriage. I just don’t think it’s the right thing for me right now. Maybe someday down the road, I’ll find the right guy. Someone who can handle me the way I want to be handled and believes marriage shouldn’t be about settling down into something that is dull and routine. It should be about finding the excitement, together, in life and in love. But, that’s just my opinion. How about you? Ever get close to tying the knot?”

  The odd sense of relief he felt by her answer was quickly replaced by an uneasiness that settled in his gut at the conversation being turned to him. He didn’t want to talk about how he was to blame for destroying the only relationship he’d ever had. The guilt he’d placed and carried on his shoulders was enough to bear. Telling Cassie and having the sparkle in her eyes be replaced by distaste and disappointment when she looked at him would be too much. That would break him, and breaking wasn’t an option. Remaining in control was.

  “Once. Didn’t work out,” he said in a clipped tone, hoping she would take the hint and let the subject drop.

  “If you don’t mind me asking…why? I can’t imagine any woman not jumping at the chance of being with you. You’re sexy, honest, amazing in bed, thoughtful, and nice. What’s not to like?”

  That was the second time Myles had heard Cassie use that word to describe him. And just like the first, she couldn’t be more wrong. “I’m not nice, Cassie. I’m the furthest thing from it. I would think what I did to you would show you of all the things I am…nice is not one of them.”

  “Why would say that? How can you even think that? If this is because of the mark on my hip, you need to get over it. I told you it wasn’t a big deal and it’s not. In fact, if you give me a chance, I will show you exactly how much I want you to do it again.”

  Myles warily watched as Cassie began to inch her way across the hot tub. If she got any closer, if she got within arm’s reach, he wasn’t sure if he could resist the temptation to touch, to taste, to fuck her senseless. Crossing his arms over his chest, he gave her the same stern and displeased look that made most of his employees scatter and run in the opposite direction when they saw it. If it worked on them… “Cassie. What are you doing?”

  Not even the least bit intimated, she slipped closer until she was directly in front of him and answered, “Proving to you that you don’t scare me.”

  Maybe he should be the one afraid, because her fingers, bold and sure, began creeping up the inside of his thighs. Myles closed his eyes against the sensual feeling and tried to breathe as she inched higher. He knew he should push her away. His brain was screaming at him to do so, but his cock had other plans as it hardened even more in anticipation of her touch. Instead of her fisting him like he was envisioning, though, what he felt was loss when she suddenly removed her hands.

  Myles opened his eyes, wondering what she was up to, why she’d stopped. The air caught in his lungs when he got his answer. Cassie was positioning herself to straddle his lap. His body tensed, bracing for when she made contact, and when she settled onto his arousal, he hissed out her name in both relief and warning as his hands shot to grasp her hips. If she moved even a little, wiggled that ass against him in the slightest, the fine line he was walking between trying to do the right thing and taking what the hell he wanted was going to break. There was only so much he was going to be able to endure, and Cassie was damn close to pushing that limit.

  “Myles, do you know why I didn’t stop you last night?” Not waiting for his reply, she leaned in as if she was about to share a secret only the two of them should know. Her lips skimmed the edge of his ear, taught nipples pressed against his chest, and when she spoke again, her voice was nothing less than pure seduction. Breathy and low. Sultry. “Because I liked it. It turns me on when you get rough. Don’t be gentle, Myles. Spank me, fuck me, command me to get on my knees. I don’t care what you do to me as long as you do something. Please, Myles. I trust you.”

  Trust. The word flowed through his veins like ice water. How could she trust him when he didn’t trust himself? The idea of hurting her, letting her down because she blindly put her trust in him scared Myles enough that he wasn’t about to take the chance. Gripping her waist, he lifted her off of his lap and said the only command she was going to get from him. “Don’t.”

  Chapter Seven

  Cassie pulled some bottles of water out of the refrigerator and slammed the door in frustration. Don’t. That’s what he’d said right before he got out of the hot tub and walked away from her, yet again.

  Don’t what? Don’t touch him? Trust him? Don’t care for him? Yeah, well, it was too freaking late for that, wasn’t it? She did like him. Entirely too much and way too quickly, but the feelings were there all the same. And what did she get in return? Myles rejecting her and pushing her away. Irony, much? Karma could be a royal bitch, and right now she was thoroughly getting a taste of what it was like for him all those years ago.

  Who did he think he was kidding, though? She’d felt how much he wanted her. You couldn’t fake that. He’d been rock hard and ready. But instead of letting go and enjoying it, he shut himself down, turned his back on her, and barricaded himself in his room. Ignoring her for the rest of the morning with their only communication being some random text messages he’d sent with instructions for the meeting.

  Cassie had half of a mind to march down the hallway and give him a piece of the other half. Make him confront her about whatever was going on in that thick head of his. The only thing stopping her from doing just that was her own stubborn pride. She wasn’t going to let him see what he was doing to her, how pissed she was, how much he had hurt her by not wanting her anymore. She’d be damned if she would admit that to him. Hell, she didn’t want to admit it to herself.

  What she did need to do, however, was to get a grip and get it fast. They’d been together one night. Granted, it was one mind-blowing night, but, nevertheless, they were together only once. It was nothing more, nothing less. There hadn’t been any promises or talk of anything other than their few days together, and if their current situation was any indication, she was better off without him.

  Enough was enough. Cassie had tried twice, unsuccessfully, to make him understand that what he did and how he did it was exactly what she wanted. If he didn’t want to listen and believe her, then that was his problem. He could hide away all he wanted. The sooner the meeting was over with, the sooner she could leave—there wasn’t a chance in hell she was spending one more day alone in the cabin with him—and get away from him, too. Two could play that game.

  In the meantime, if he wanted to push her away then he was going to get a full view of what he was losing. She’d put on her shortest business skirt, highest heels, and a low-cut fitted shirt. The outfit wasn’t exactly the most professional she could’ve come up with, but it accentuated her legs, hugged her curves, and showed off a good portion of skin, including a hefty amount in the chest area. She looked good even if it was in more of a working a str
ipper pole instead of a laptop sort of way. Let Myles suffer.

  The sound of a throat clearing behind her got her attention. Turning around, Myles stood in the doorway, arms folded over his chest. Disapproving eyes traveled up and down, pausing at the hem of her skirt and the view of her cleavage. Guess he didn’t like her wardrobe selection. Good. He could take that look he was giving her and shove it where the sun didn’t shine. Cassie placed her hands on her hips and cocked her head to the side, silently daring him to say something and give her a reason to tell him exactly what she thought of him at the moment. When he didn’t budge or make a sound, she asked in the most suggestive and sweet voice she could muster. “Is there something you wanted?”

  Cassie mentally patted herself on the back when the innuendo she just threw in his direction hit its intended target. There was a quick flash of recognition, his body tensed, and heat surfaced in his eyes before he trampled it down and ground out in a low voice, “They’re here.”

  Huh. Poor Myles looked cranky. Wonder what crawled up his boxers and bit his ass. Oh wait, it was her. Keeping up her forced pleasantries, she smiled and grabbed the waters. “Let’s get this show on the road, shall we?”

  Cassie waited for him to step back and walked past him, swaying her hips, feeling his stare penetrate the material of her skirt with each step. If she kept this up, Myles should be thoroughly frustrated and positively miserable by the end of the afternoon. Why should she be the only one?

  Her mood had already been in the toilet, and seeing how handsome he looked in his Dockers and Oxford shirt, the way his broad form filled the doorway, knowing full well she affected him as much as he did her, and him not doing a damn thing about it wasn’t helping matters. The last thing she wanted to do was to go play nice with some CEO and his lawyer. Not like she had much of choice. The reason she was there in the first place was to be his assistant, and even though personally she might be pissed at Myles, professionally, she didn’t want to do anything to jeopardize his position or hers. No matter how much screaming at him in utter frustration would be blissful and cathartic right now.

  Cassie took a breath, adjusted her attitude, and entered the conference room. Putting the bottles down, she made a quick mental assessment of the men standing by the table. The older man was all business in a crisp tailored suit and groomed to perfection with some gray showing at his temples, adding that distinguished look. Definitely the lawyer. The other was wearing cargo shorts and a wrinkled T-shirt, had shoulder length hair, and a thin goatee that did nothing to hide how much of a baby face was underneath. If he was the CEO, he was barely legal enough to buy a beer. Cassie turned to Myles and gave him a questioning look. He simply nodded and began making introductions.

  “Mr. Brown. Blake. It’s good to see you both again,” Myles said as he shook each of their hands respectively before turning to her. “Gentlemen, this is Ms. Sorrelson. She will be assisting with the meeting today.”

  “It’s a pleasure to meet you both.” Cassie held out her hand and followed Myles’s lead by shaking the lawyer’s first and then moved on to Blake. When she went to pull away, however, Blake gripped her tighter, holding her fast and raking his eyes over her with such a lewd look her skin began to crawl wherever his gaze landed. Subtle? Not so much. In fact, he was being downright inappropriate and leering at her like she was a piece of meat.

  Cassie wished she had worn something less revealing and bit more suitable. The point was to push Myles over the edge, not attract Blake, or anyone else for that matter. Of course, she would end up in a meeting with a testosterone-filled young man that couldn’t stop drooling over her boobs. With the day she’d been having, why wouldn’t she? Seriously, though, could he at least come up for air and stop staring at her shirt-puppies for like one second? Trying to smile through the uneasy feeling settling in her stomach and not seem obvious about how she was becoming increasingly more uncomfortable, Cassie gently tugged on her hand.

  Finally getting the hint, Blake let go and gave her a smug smile. “After this, why don’t you blow the rest of the day off and come with me? I was planning on jetting down to L.A. and hitting the clubs to celebrate. How does a ride on my plane, some partying, dancing, and whatever else we could come up with sound? I promise you’ll have a very good time.” Blake winked before settling his eyes on her chest again and continued. “I know I will.”

  Holy Crap! Cassie couldn’t believe what she’d heard. Had Blake really just blatantly hit on her at the start of a business meeting with Myles and his lawyer watching? There were so many things wrong with that, she didn’t know where to start. The man—and she meant that loosely considering he was barely out of puberty—had more arrogance than common sense. What was worse was he was standing there with such a smug, proud look on his face that she was positive he entirely expected her to say yes. As if she couldn’t resist…his what? His looks? His money? His lack of charm? Whatever he thought he had going on, every instinct in her was screaming to tell him he didn’t have it and knock that ginormous ego of his down a few notches.

  Unfortunately, now was not the time or place, and at the very least, she could try to be polite and pretend to be flattered by the invitation. Too bad that thought just made her want to throttle him more. Go figure. Can you say transference much? Her agitation with Myles had found an outlet in the form of the jackass standing in front of her. He might be young, stupid, and horny, but Blake didn’t deserve that type of wrath.

  Cassie smiled weakly, attempting to bide some time while she mentally came up with an excuse or way to turn him down without ruining any chance Myles had at closing the deal. Before she could open her mouth, though, someone else decided to do it for her.

  “Ms. Sorrelson will be unable to join you. She has prior commitments.” Myles placed his hand on the small of her back and turned her in the direction of the table, away from Blake. “I think we should get started.”

  What. The. Hell? Cassie swallowed against the seething anger bubbling up and threatening to cause a scene right there in the middle of the conference room. It didn’t matter he gave her an out with Blake, the man had the gall to answer for her. Who did he think he was? She was a big girl and could speak for herself. What if she wanted to go with Blake? Not that she did, but Myles didn’t know that. If he thought for a second she would be okay with what he just pulled, he was sadly mistaken. The minute she got him alone, she was going to unleash an unholy ripping on his ass.

  Myles directed Cassie to a seat next to him while Blake and his lawyer sat across the table. Turning on the laptop in front of her, she opened the file for sale agreement and mentally counted to ten, trying to calm her temper. If she made it through the meeting without her mouth causing an incident, it would be a freaking miracle.

  “You’ll see everything is in order and exactly what we’ve discussed.” Myles spoke first, breaking the silence that had settled around them and prompting Cassie to take a quick glance around the table. To the left was the cause of her irritation, who happened to look about as pissed as she felt. Wearing a face that would make most people duck and cover, the tension rolling of Myles was almost tangible. Directly opposite of him, the lawyer was paging through the hard copy of the agreement, and next to him, Blake was leaning back in the chair, his hands clasped behind his head and looking like a cat ready to eat the canary. Whatever he was up to, Cassie had a nagging feeling it couldn’t be good.

  “Actually, Myles, I’ve had a better offer. Simon’s Specialties is willing to give me everything The Mountain’s Peak offered plus a quarter of a mil more for the initial buyout. You’ll need to come up with some more cash if you want my company.”

  Cassie flashed to the eerily silent Myles before tapping on the keys of the laptop to search for the competing company. She’d never heard of them. When she brought them up, she understood why. They had less than twenty stores distributed through Colorado and the surrounding states, and they were seasonal, no less, catering only to the ski resort towns. Cassie looked at
Blake in disbelief. Was he serious? The sales volume they would offer couldn’t be anything near what The Mountain’s Peak had. Did Blake realize he would lose millions by going with them?

  “I can’t authorize any increase in the offer.”

  For the first time, Blake’s smug smile faded. “Yes, you can. You’re the vice president. You can do what you want.”

  Myles sat back in his chair and smiled. This was what he was talking about and the reason he was in such a prestigious position. The man looked confident, in control, and totally in his element. If it wasn’t for the tick along his jawline, Cassie could swear all the tension from before had washed away and he was actually enjoying himself when he finally replied. “Let me make myself clear. I didn’t mean can’t as in I don’t have the ability to do so. I meant that I won’t be giving you any more cash.”

  “What do you mean you won’t?” Blake sat forward and glared at Myles. “You need my company. We’re your best seller.”

  “Whether or not your products sell is not the matter at hand. We’ve provided you with an offer that is more than generous, including a substantial payment and recurring income that will allow you to maintain the lifestyle you are accustomed to. If you feel taking the other offer would be better for you, then by all means, do so. The answer is no.”

  Cassie looked between the two as they stared at one another and then looked to the person who’d been quiet throughout the whole exchange. Why wasn’t the lawyer saying anything? He was just sitting there watching, letting Blake ruin what could’ve turned out to be a very profitable agreement for both sides.