by Cara Addison
He was close. “Two hundred and fifty million,” she confirmed. “Their gross profit was fifty-four million. Those numbers don’t lie. Consumers like the product, not just the name on the label.”
All three executives had to concede that even without Michael Mayberry, there was value to the brand.
“Someone else’s tragedy is our opportunity. I want Mayberry in our portfolio, and I want them as soon as possible.” She realized how cold and calculated she sounded, but this was a business decision. She couldn’t allow it to be clouded by the emotional news on the television screen. “I want each of you to get to work putting together this offer.”
“I assume you want the Morgan Stanley team on this?” Dan asked.
Aurora nodded. Their normal process when retaining an investment-banking firm was elaborate and involved, pitting one bank against another to negotiate the best fee structure, but there was no time for this. The Morgan Stanley team was exceptional and had led numerous acquisitions in the past. Assuming there was no conflict of interest, Aurora was confident they could deliver results on this transaction as they had in the past.
Minutes later, her office was quiet. She knew that in the offices around here, employees were being rallied to action for what she hoped would be perceived as a friendly takeover. Aurora sat down at her desk and thought about her competitors. She wondered if any had the intestinal fortitude to launch a bid for Mayberry. She watched her computer terminal as the stock price continued to drop below five dollars a share. As an insurance policy against a potential rejection by Mayberry shareholders, Aurora placed a market order for ten thousand units of stock. Given the millions of shares that had been dumped on the market, she quickly became the new owner of all ten thousand units. She repeated the transaction and again, her order was filled for ten thousand units. Over the next two hours, she continued to place small market orders, accumulating close to two hundred thousand shares. She knew that it was a drop in the shareholder bucket. With more than eight million shares available, F-Five would have to quietly acquire massive amounts of stock in the event their friendly takeover turned hostile.
With markets closed for the day, the chief executive turned her attention to research. She pulled every piece of data, financial report, and news article on Mayberry that she could find. She poured through SEC filings and lifestyle articles on Michael Mayberry and the luxury goods that bore his name. With the sound of a knock at her door, she pulled her attention away from the computer. She looked up find herself sitting in the dark and her executive assistant standing at the door.
“Is there anything else tonight, Miss Reagan?”
Aurora glanced at the ornate clock that adorned her wall. She was surprised to see that it was already past seven o’clock. Her assistant had stayed way past her usual five-thirty p.m. departure. Aurora removed her eyeglasses and sat back in her chair. “If you could order me some dinner, I’d appreciate it. That will be all for today.”
“Would you like Thai food for dinner tonight, or perhaps something more substantial from the steakhouse down the street?” she asked before flicking on an overhead light.
Aurora turned her attention back to the article she had been reading. “A small steak with some grilled vegetables sounds good.”
“I’ll have them prepare it to your liking and send it right over.”
“Good night,” Aurora murmured as she read a paragraph about the employees of Mayberry. She was pleased with what she read. When asked about the essence of the brand, employees repeatedly mentioned their pride in representing the extravagant product Mayberry line. In only once case did an employee mention the company namesake as their source of inspiration and their reason for dedicating themselves to the brand. She was confident that the brand could be salvaged without Michael Mayberry at the helm.
“Nicholas called for you, Miss Reagan. I promised him I’d let you know.”
Aurora glanced up at her assistant before picking up her personal iPhone. She cringed when she realized she had missed numerous texts and calls. “Thank you. I’ll call him right back.”
Chapter 2
Stepping quietly in the door of the five-story brownstone on the upper west side, Aurora slipped off her heels, set down her bag and quietly hung her overcoat in the closet. She made her way up the stairs toward the second floor living room where Nicholas spent most of his time.
Nicholas’s stomach flip-flopped when he saw Aurora standing in the entryway. She never ever failed to take his breath away.
“I love you,” she said quietly.
“You’ve had a long day,” he said softly as he took in the sight of her slight frame. At five-foot, five inches she appeared unassuming. After almost two years together, he knew better.
“A little longer than usual,” she conceded.
He gave her an admonishing look. “You were out the door before I was awake, Aurora. It’s almost ten p.m.”
She sighed heavily and then smiled weakly. “There’s lots on the go this week,” she said nonchalantly.
“I know. Quarterly earnings week.”
“Amongst other things.”
He studied her face as she lingered in the doorway, delicately swinging her designer slingback heels loosely from her fingers. There was something in her voice that made up for the obvious fatigue. “Are you heading to bed?”
She shook her head.
He felt his throat thicken with desire. “Would you like to come and sit with me?” he asked huskily.
“Yes,” she said quietly before leaving her perch to proceed across the expansive room.
The strain of the day was visible on her face as she sat down on the sofa next to him. She tucked her delicate feet up underneath her and leaned into the ample cushions.
He knew she would decline but asked her anyway. “Do you want to talk about your day?”
She exhaled slowly. She desperately wanted to share the exciting news of F-Five’s bid to take over Mayberry but knew she couldn’t. Confidentiality was too important on this deal. “No,” she said reluctantly. “I wish I could, but I can’t.”
A wry smile slowly crossed his lips. “Wanna fuck about your day?”
She smiled bashfully. “Yes.”
“Oh babe, you have no idea how much that means.” He leaned forward and pressed his lips against her cheek. “You need me, don’t you?” he whispered as his fingers delicately pushed the thick brunette curls back from her beautiful face.
“Yes,” she finally admitted. There was something about the way Nicholas touched her that melted away her cares. She felt the tension and stress of the day melt as Nicholas’s hands travelled her body, slowly removing one piece of clothing after another. When she was completely nude, she watched as he purposefully removed his clothing. Watching him disrobe with the intention of pleasing her was deeply arousing. The ache between her legs was unbearable as he finally knelt in front of her.
“Have you been telling people what to do all day?” he asked knowingly.
“All day long,” she murmured as his lips brushed against her neck. The rich leathery scent of his cologne filled her nostrils as he leaned over her, pressing his hard cock between her legs, releasing warm fluid from her pussy.
He leaned back and looked her in the eye. “Are you going to tell me what to do?” he asked pointedly.
She shook her head. “No.”
“Good girl,” he said eagerly. He had made it clear early in their relationship that he absolutely despised being told what to do, especially in bed. He would not tolerate her commands to perform to satisfy her whims. She had willingly obliged. She gave orders and commands all day long at the office. He was the last person she wanted to be telling what to do and how to do it, especially in bed.
He delicately pushed her knees apart. “Let me fuck you the way I know you need it, Aurora.”
A soft whimpering moan escaped her lips as he leaned forward. She held her breath as his cock pressed against her pussy, sliding easily inside. At a glance
, some might call his cock average. It wasn’t enormous nor was it small. Aurora knew better. There was nothing average about Nicholas. She exhaled slowly as his cock sunk deep inside her. Oxygen evaded her lungs as he slowly pressed deep and hard until his flesh pressed against her damp and swollen pussy.
He slowly and methodically thrust against her while watching her writhe and listening to her moan as each delicate sensation fluttered through her body. His cock throbbed as she held his gaze. He desperately wanted to fuck her hard and fast but he knew that was no way to fuck someone like Aurora. It was three months into the relationship and he was on the brink of losing her when he learned a valuable lesson. He had naïvely assumed that someone is professionally aggressive as Aurora needed to be fucked aggressively, too. He knew now how wrong he had been. With so much of her day focused on maintaining control, he learned that when she was with him, he was the one that needed to take charge. He felt it was his personal responsibility to take away her cares and to give her back everything that had been demanded of her during the day. It was incredibly arousing for him to watch her stresses melt away as he so gently and tenderly loved her.
He could see the familiar signs that she was nearing the release that she so desperately needed. He ran his hands up the milky white skin of her toned calves until they came to rest on her knees. As he delivered a long slow thrust, he pressed down on her legs, spreading her knees wide. He felt his cock lurch as she let out a scream of delight. He held her knees firmly against the cushions as he delivered another firm press, burying his cock deep inside her glistening pussy. Her back arched as she let out a moan. As he thrust one more time, he leaned heavily against her and whispered his wish for her. “Come,” he urged.
She gripped the sofa tightly in her long delicate fingers and let out a cry as her body contorted under the weight of his. Like an earthquake, seismic waves of pleasure crashed through her body. Surge after surge of delight rippled from her core, through her torso, and out to each extremity. As the torrent of pleasure subsided, she opened her eyes. Her entire body relaxed as she slumped against the plush pillows that surrounded her. Nicholas still knelt between her legs, his cock buried deep inside her still throbbing pussy. His expression of pride in pleasing her made her feel safe and comfortable.
He leaned in and softly kissed her lips for the first time that evening. “Is that what you needed?”
She could barely speak. Her voice trembled as she nodded and said, “Yes. You’re exactly what I needed.”
“That’s what I want to hear,” he whispered between kisses. He pressed his damp lips against her cheek and then her neck, feeling the racing heartbeat of her jugular. “Do you want more?”
She desperately wanted more. She pushed him back ever so slightly to look into his captivating green eyes. She nodded slowly, not wanting to appear too eager.
“Say it,” he urged.
“Yes,” she whispered softly.
He wasn’t letting her off so easily. “Tell me what I’m going to do to you, Aurora.”
His face was just inches from hers and he was still firmly planted between her knees. “You’re going to fuck me,” she said quietly.
He knew the answer before he even asked the question. “Slow and intense like I just fucked you?”
Her response was immediate. She shook her head.
“What am I going to do?” he asked earnestly as his fingers brushed her cheek.
There wasn’t a hit of memory from her day at the office in her thoughts as she answered. “You’re going to fuck me hard, Nicholas. You’re going to pound that hard cock into my pussy until it hurts,” she said hurriedly.
His balls suddenly ached for her. He leaned forward and bit her neck in anticipation of what was to come. “I’m going to give you exactly what you need, sweetheart.”
She squealed as he marked her neck. She knew she would be wearing a scarf for a few days to hide the fresh bite marks.
“Am I going to keep fucking you here?” he asked as he kissed his way around her breasts.
“No,” she said emphatically as she imagined where she wanted him. “You want me upstairs.”
“In our bed?”
“Yes,” she whispered hoarsely.
He scooped her up and together they ascended the stairs to the fourth floor where the master bedroom, bath, and closets occupied the entire floor. The room was dimly lit by a set of Taylor Llorente floor lamps in the corner of the luxuriously decorated space. Aurora loved the space. It was warm and inviting she felt at home in this room. She stood in the doorway and inhaled deeply before slowly exhaling. She could feel her shoulders relax as Nicholas took her hand and led her across the hardwood floor. She wasn’t sure if it was the cool night air or the anticipation of Nicholas’s devoted attention that made her a shiver run through her body. As she reached the edge of the bed she had an overwhelming need for him to take her. She faced the mattress, folded back the covers, and laid her torso flat against the sheets. She heard Nicholas audibly murmur at the site of her bent over in front of him.
He stood behind her and pressed his thighs up against the back of her legs as he leaned forward and whispered, “is this what you need Aurora?”
“Yes,” she said emphatically. She could feel his large warm hands on the smooth skin of her ass, gently kneading and caressing her firmly toned bottom. “Please Nicholas,” she said with urgency. “You know what I need.”
He pressed his dick against the swollen lips of her exposed pussy. He didn’t think he would ever tire of the sight of fluid seeping out of her tight little hole. He eagerly rubbed the head of his cock all around her pussy, spreading her sweet delicious juices around. He watched as she flinched when the tip of his cock brushed against her clit. When he noticed her gripping the sheets tightly in each hand, he knew she was braced and ready for the fury he would unleash against her sweet little pussy. He was instantly overcome with the need to fuck her, and fuck her hard. He aimed the tip of his cock at her pussy entrance and lunged hard.
The sound of her voice crying out as he sunk hard and fast fueled him to continue pounding hard against her tender flesh. Her cries slowly gave way to whimpering moans as pain morphed into pleasure. He was still slamming relentlessly against her when her body began to tremble. “Do you want me to stop, baby?”
“God no,” she gasped emphatically.
His legs burned, but he was determined to give her what she needed. He continued to thrust hard and fast, watching her body respond to the barrage he unleashed on her.
He managed to grab onto her right leg and press her knee up against the mattress, lifting her foot up off the ground. He listened to her moans taper off to a whimper as his cock pressed deep at an entirely new angle. When he reached down and clutched her left knee and raised it up against the sheets, he heard her urgently and forcefully call out his name. It wasn’t clear if she meant it as a curse.
His efforts paid off. Within moments she was moaning and crying out. He felt her pussy clench hard against his dick as her body contorted violently before it finally relaxed.
His own momentum gradually slowed until he stood, leaning over her slight frame, gasping for air. The sight below him was one of a shaking woman, posed as a frog in mid-leap. He absolutely loved moving her into positions that afforded him deep penetration. Her willingness to be manipulated and contorted for his pleasure fed his sexual ego.
“How was that for a hard fuck?” he asked breathlessly.
She slowly turned her head to the side. Her upper body heaved as she gasped for air, completely unable to respond to his query.
“Is pussy happy?” he asked before leaning down to kiss her shoulder blade. He felt a full body shiver run through her as his lips grazed an overly sensitive spot on her sexy little shoulder.
She managed to whimper in response.
“Is pussy sore?”
He had learned that she liked to flirt with the line between pain and pleasure. He had wondered many times if she might be on the cusp of
wanting a sexual relationship that included bondage and masochism, but he knew she was too much his equal to ever enjoy authentic submission.
“Yes,” she whispered softly into the sheets.
He pulled back and inspected the soft plump tissues between her legs. He felt himself lick his lips. She was red and raw looking. Her normally swollen pussy lips looked inflamed. The words almost stuck in his throat. “Should I kiss it better?”
It took every bit of strength to raise her head and look at him over her shoulder. “Did you come?”
His hand ran up and back down her spine before he answered. “No, Aurora. I’m still hard for you.”
She let out a long whimper as she slumped back against the bed. She knew now that he planned to fuck her to the brink of exhaustion.
She was still catching her breath when he rolled her over and slid her up to the middle of the immense king sized bed. He settled between her legs and licked his lips before pressing them gently against her red-hot pussy. He felt her wince as he ever so softly licked the tender skin.
“I wanted you to come,” she moaned as he once again pressed his lips against hers.
“Not yet,” he whispered, sending warm breaths of air against her freshly dampened skin. “You first, Aurora. Always you first,” he added before pressing his mouth firmly against her wet, pulpy flesh.
She found herself focused on the delicious sound that his mouth made against her moist and tender pussy, matching each sound with the incredible ripples of pleasure that coursed through her body. Her body jerked at his touch and continued to twitch and spasm as he relentlessly mouthed her pussy. The pleasure was agonizingly splendid, even overwhelming and borderline intolerable at times. There were moments when she felt like she should pull away and escape his persistent and unyielding licking and sucking, but he held her tight. With her hips pressed firmly against the damp sheets she gave up fighting against him and completely surrendered.
The orgasm that wracked her body was so powerful, she thought she might black out. Blood pounded through her body, rushing to her core, leaving her unable to hear her own screams of delight. Her vision blurred and her stomach muscles tightened as he continued to lick. Unable to form words she slowly lifted her head to see him lapping zealously at her pussy. She fell back to the sheets, exhausted and spent. Slowly, her hearing returned. She could faintly make out the muffled sounds of his voice. She had gone from feeling every possible sensation in the pleasure realm, to feeling completely numb. It took effort to hold her eyes open, let alone move a limb.
