by CM Albert
“You don’t say.”
“We need partners who are experimental in the bedroom. Who are spontaneous and bring a little creativity.”
“I’m up for the challenge,” Pierce said, laughing. “What’s the downside, as you say?”
“In case you missed it, I can be moody and stubborn. Scorpios are typically dominating and assertive—which isn’t always a bad thing. But it can be when they’re with another fixed sign,” I admitted. “We’re the quintessential enigma. A lot of people think we’re hard to get close to, and even harder to read. And, in some cases, I think I can be a little like that until you really get to know me.”
“I don’t know. I’ve gotten pretty close to you,” he said, winking.
“To my body,” I pointed out. “What do you know about me?”
He grew quiet.
“Exactly.”
“Let’s change that, then,” he said.
I looked into Pierce’s vivid blue eyes. “What do you have in mind?”
“Let’s start with a proper date, where we can actually talk. Which means out in public. Because I’m a weak man around you, and I’ll be too tempted to get lost inside you again if it’s in the hotel room.”
A date? Did I really want that?
“I thought we were keeping things strictly physical.”
“I never agreed to that,” he said before adeptly switching the subject. “So, if you’re a Scorpio, what am I?”
I hated to admit that I already knew what sign he was. “A Leo.”
“And you know this how?”
“Uh, Lindy?”
Pierce laughed. “She’s a good friend.”
“She is. She needed to vet you first,” I said. “For Lindy, that’s a full astrological compatibility assessment.”
“Did I pass?”
“Well, you’re a fixed sign, like I am. Which means you’re reliable like me. But also stubborn, strong-willed, and determined.”
“Sounds about right.” He chuckled. “What else do you see in me?”
“Leos are fire signs. Big energy,” I said. “Natural leaders. Confident. Strong. Creative. They can be playful and spontaneous. Loyal. Romantic. They’re known for their huge hearts and are generally very charismatic.”
I ran my eyes over his face, trying to read his reaction. “I know this all sounds woo-woo. But there’s a lot that factors into astrology, and a sliver of truth behind all the stereotypes.”
“I’m sure there is. You seemed to nail me dead-on,” he admitted. “So, tell me… what are the bad traits associated with Leos?”
“There are no bad traits, remember?”
He grinned. “She learns fast.”
“Fine. Leos can be arrogant,” I said pointedly. “Jealous. Headstrong. Demanding.”
“I thought you were going to name the bad traits,” he said.
I chuckled. “Did I mention egotistical?”
He inched closer to me on the couch. “How do we rate as lovers, though? Can I keep up with Miss Hartley’s demanding needs?”
I swallowed, my mouth running dry. “Generally speaking, Leos are fiery and passionate. They have big hearts and are protective. So, if you have a Leo who loves you, they tend to protect your heart. They want to be the center of their partner’s world and will do anything to please and take care of them. You know—that generous heart of theirs.”
“And does any of that scare you?”
I considered his question. Did it really matter? I mean, if we were keeping things purely about sex, what did it matter what I felt about his light and his shadows?
“Nothing really scares me. I’ve been to my depths and back again. I’ve witnessed them in myself, so I know how to hold that space for others to work through. That being said, I’ve been hurt pretty badly in the past, so I don’t give my heart over so easily anymore. But when I do, it’s gone forever.”
“Well,” he said, “I guess now I have a goal.”
My heart seriously wasn’t ready for the likes of Pierce Abrams.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
THE REST OF the day flew by fast. I found the desk I wanted and sent the link to Rhonda and Pierce for approval. It was a sleek, black Italian design with an oak and metal base. The best part was that the surface was high gloss, and I’d be able to see Pierce’s reflection as he debased me on top of it. Goose bumps ran up and down my arms as I considered the possibilities.
That afternoon, just before five, I boldly sent Pierce a picture of my inner thigh beneath my pencil skirt and reminded him it was his fault I was having to scratch an itch during a workday. Two minutes later there was a knock on my office door.
I hadn’t meant to tempt him into coming over to my office. I truly hadn’t. I mostly wanted to drive him mad with desire until we could get back to his hotel room.
But he barged in, made me close the file I was working on, shut and locked my door, and then drew my blinds without asking me. Without saying another word, he crossed the room, spun my desk chair around, lifted my skirt, fell to his knees, and buried his face in my pussy. It was the single hottest thing a man had ever done, and I was a goner.
I held his head to my aching clit, my legs shaking as he latched on and wouldn’t let go. He never touched the rest of me, didn’t even put his fingers inside of me. He just wrapped his mouth around my clit and sucked the fuck out of it until I was coming all over his tongue.
Then he stood up, yanked me to my feet, and kissed me. I tasted myself on his tongue. On his warm, swollen lips. I was dizzy with lust when he took my hand and held it over his pants. He was swollen there too.
“This is what you do to me, Brynn. I could drive my cock through a brick wall right now, I’m so hard.”
“Let’s go back to your hotel, then,” I said breathlessly.
“No,” he growled.
I was confused.
He ran his hand through his thick brown hair, pacing the office. “I have something I need to talk with you about first. I was on my way over before I got that distracting little photo of yours.”
Oops.
“Then after that, I’m taking you for dinner and music at a quiet little restaurant I love.”
“O-kay,” I said, drawing out the O.
He pointed to my chair. “Sit.”
I adjusted my skirt, making sure it was pulled all the way down. I’d give anything for a washcloth right about now. My thighs were sticky with my arousal, which was both uncomfortable and a bit of a turn-on.
“Let me first say that this has nothing to do with our sexual relationship.”
Oh god. Was I being fired?
“I know you were hoping for my position, and I’m truly sorry that you didn’t get it. But Sterling and Masters is restructuring the organization anyway. And the position as Carlisa had it is technically going away. Carlisa has already put in her resignation. She knew before the baby was born that she wasn’t coming back, but she’d never come right out and admit that.”
So, the gossip mill was right on that one. I’d have to update the editorial team and see who won the pool.
“The long and short of it is that you are extremely qualified for any position you want at Sterling and Masters. I’ve looked at your performance reports over the last seven years, and I admire how you’ve not only grown but stretched yourself with your goal-setting and deliverables.”
“Thank you,” I said, sincerely flattered that he’d done that. “But I thought you said you wouldn’t be in charge of my performance reviews and pay.”
“I said directly,” he explained. “And I meant long-term.”
“Okay.”
“So, after meeting with the executive leadership team, we would like to offer you a promotion with the new title of Romance Editorial Executive. For now, you will continue to report to me. However, it also means that Kenne
dy, Vega, and Quinn will report to you now, starting tomorrow.”
What?
“That’s awfully fast. What if I said no?”
“Why would you do that, Brynn? This is an amazing opportunity to get some of the experience you were looking for when you wanted Carlisa’s role. You’ll be leading a small team. And this will set you up nicely for future advancement.”
“I didn’t say no,” I clarified. “You were just awfully confident I would say yes.”
He looked me square in the eyes. “I get you, Brynn. I know what motivates you. I know your ambition. You and I are a lot alike.”
I nodded. He was right.
“I assume there will be a salary increase, since I’ll be taking on more responsibility?”
He smiled. “It’s a 20 percent increase, with the possibility of an annual bonus of up to 20 percent of your base salary, contingent on performance.”
“How long do I have to decide?”
“Till the morning. I’d like to make the announcement in the staff meeting tomorrow.”
“Who else is getting a promotion like this?” I asked.
“Dan, for one,” he said. Then he outlined the new organizational chart reporting up to him, and things started to make a lot more sense. “So, you’ll be partnering with Dan, Lindy, Jin, and Sayyid at a leadership level. Those will be your peers, and you’ll all report to me for now. Our weekly staff meetings after tomorrow will be just the six of us. Then you’ll decide how to manage your own team and how often to meet.”
I nodded, already knowing my answer.
“Shay won’t be happy about this,” I said quietly. “There’s a history between us that I think you need to know about first.”
“I don’t actually. Unless you’d like to share it for personal reasons. If you recall, I said that Kennedy, Vega, and Quinn will all be reporting to you.”
I gaped at him. “What about Shay?”
“She’s being terminated first thing in the morning. I’m not privy to discuss the specifics, but between you and me, there’s a history of willful misconduct and a breach in her confidentiality agreement.”
Well, shit. I knew why I didn’t like Shay, but I didn’t realize her toxicity bled over into her performance. “Let me guess,” I said. “Does this have anything to do with Nick Reyes?”
“Some of it. How did you know? That’s in a closed HR file.”
“Nick is my ex,” I explained. “Remember how I said that when I’m done, I’m done? Well, let’s just say I found out that Nick had no loyalty to me and no loyalty to Sterling and Masters. And Shay was a big part of why. I just didn’t have evidence that their deceit together went beyond the bedroom.”
“Are you over him?” he asked. “He’s made quite the name for himself in his new role.”
“After what he did to me, Pierce… He broke my trust in every way imaginable, with the one person he knew it would cut the deepest with. He’s dead to me.”
Pierce nodded. “Understood. And remind me to never piss you off.”
I smiled, but nothing about this part of the conversation made me happy. Sure, I hated Shay. But to this day, she didn’t know I knew about her affair with my ex. She just hated me because I’d been there first. But learning that her betrayal went even deeper with Sterling and Masters, well, that just infuriated me. It was bad enough that Nick had crossed us. Now he would be in good company—two peas in a pod. Well, good riddance. He could have her.
“Will I be able to hire a replacement?”
“Are you saying yes?”
“I am,” I said, grinning. “I accept.”
A smile broke out across his face. “Then let’s go celebrate!”
INSTEAD OF HAVING Harrison pick us up from the office, I drove my “new” Rolls-Royce. Pierce got a kick out of the old car and the stories I shared with him about my grampa. Over dinner we talked and shared more stories, and I got a much better glimpse at Pierce beyond the alpha male he was at work—and in the bedroom. I was discovering that he had a generous heart and playful personality.
We laughed over dinner and then took dessert to go. We acted like teenagers on a first date as I drove him around the city, giving him a sightseeing tour. I took him to several of the best murals in Charlotte—ones I suspected he’d enjoy too. We totally hammed it up and took pictures of ourselves in front of Thor, the technicolor portal, the Carolina Panthers, the confetti hearts (or what I called the “be kind” wall), and our most famous—the angel wings at Max and Lola’s.
Then he surprised me, getting us into the Panthers’ stadium, where we sat in the empty bleachers and ate a shared piece of key lime pie. The Panthers had just won their Sunday game and were gearing up for their Thursday night win—and they would win. The stadium was empty now, though. And my favorite part? Getting to go onto the field and toss a football around. I had to take off my heels for that, and I was pretty sure I ruined the expensive stockings he’d sent me. But it was worth every moment.
It was late by the time I pulled up to the hotel. I was a little disappointed when, instead of inviting me up to his room, Pierce got out of the convertible and walked over to the driver-side window. He leaned over and kissed me more tenderly than he ever had before.
“Sweet dreams, angel,” he said before tapping the side of the door and heading into the Lion’s Den.
It was too late to call my grampa by the time I got home, but I texted Babs and asked if they could meet me for lunch the next day. I had a lot of exciting news I wanted to share with him.
I showered and headed into my bedroom with a towel wrapped around my hair and my vanity bathrobe on—the most expensive thing I’d ever bought myself. Simply called “The Robe,” it was something I saw on Goop and knew I had to have it right away. The white, belted bathrobe was simple, elegant, sexy, and completely worth every penny of its $250 price tag. Hey, it was better than the seventy-five dollar “This Smells Like My Vagina” candle I could’ve bought instead.
Note to self: Buy said candle for Lindy’s engagement party.
Second note to self: Throw Lindy an engagement party.
As I was towel-drying my hair, I heard the distinctive ring of an incoming FaceTime call. I hopped onto my bed and answered the video call while brushing out my hair, assuming it was Pierce.
“Holy mother of god, Brynn,” I heard. “You turned into a knockout.”
I glanced at the screen, not recognizing the voice. Then I saw him. The boy next door. And my world tilted on its axis.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
I GAPED IN disbelief. I wanted to reach my fingertips out and touch my phone screen. I bit my lip, unable to catch my breath. He was more than breathtaking. He was real. Rugged. Sexy.
“Hey, pigtails,” he said, winking.
I was speechless. For once in my life, I was actually speechless.
We sat there taking each other in for the longest time. The silence wasn’t awkward, though. It was us. After all this time, it was as if we were still those kids living next door to one another. Gone was his towhead, but he still had a few freckles I could probably connect by memory. And though his hair was styled much different now—shaved on the sides, and fuller but swooped back on the top—it was still my Noah staring back at me.
“Noah,” I finally said with a sigh, a genuine smile taking over.
“Brynnie.” His new, deeper voice did things to me. It was a little raspy, a little thick. Like something that would roll across my skin and leave its mark forever.
“I’m glad you called before Tuesday,” I said quietly. Suddenly, a week seemed like an eternity.
“I couldn’t wait,” he said. “How has so much time gone by?”
I shook my head, my fingers going to my lower lip as if I’d find the answers there. “What time is it in London?” I asked, snuggling into my comforter.
“Five thirty,�
�� he answered. He, too, was in bed.
“Did you get up just to call me?”
“No,” he said softly. “I couldn’t go to sleep. I’ve been thinking of you all night.”
“Noah—”
“Just talk to me,” he said.
“What do you want to talk about?”
“Remember that time when we tried to skateboard down our street together?”
“How could I forget? It was my first and last skateboarding lesson: Never try riding one down a hill tandem.”
“Do you still have the scar on your leg?”
It was high on my upper, outer thigh.
“I do,” I said, absently running my fingers over it now.
“Have any pets?”
“No,” I said. “Though I saw a YouTuber who did a song about having six cats, and now it’s all I can think about.”
“I have a cat,” he said.
“What kind is it?”
“I don’t know. The cat kind? She’s fluffy and orange. Has long fur.”
“Sounds cute.”
“She is.”
“What’s her name?”
“Pigtails.”
Oh.
“Noah—”
“Don’t,” he pleaded. “I just need to hear your voice. You can’t even imagine how much I’ve missed you over the years.”
“I can, actually.”
He grinned—it was infectious. “Cool.”
“So… what kinds of things do you like to do these days?”
“Oh, you know. Same kind of stuff as when I was a kid—just with more expensive toys.”
“Oh yeah? Like what?”
“Well, I race bikes now.”
“Motorbikes?”
“No. Bicycles. Don’t you remember how I lived on mine?”
