by D. A. Young
Moaning softly into his ear, as she arched to offer more of herself to his mouth, Georgina asked, “What does your tattoo mean?”
Max raised his head and looked down at her. In the dim light, his eyes shone like black diamonds from underneath his heavy-lidded gaze, and he licked his lips sensually. His shaft nudged her wet entrance again, and Georgina curled her legs around him like a boa constrictor as he captured her wrists with one hand and raised her arms above her head. He slid his other hand down to lazily tease her clit.
“It means live passionately and fearlessly,” Max explained thickly as he surged into her tightness once more and commenced to love her in the same way. It seemed dinner would have to wait again.
Chapter Twelve
As Georgina drove out of Las Vegas’ McCarran Airport the next afternoon, with Max sitting beside her, she realized that she already missed Baymoor. It was eighty-eight degrees today, and she had already discarded the white linen blazer that she’d worn over her strapless olive jumpsuit with jogger cuffs. During the flight, Max kept staring at the swells of her breasts before finally leaning over and recommending that they induct themselves into the “Mile-High Club”.
“You mean you’re not already a member?” Georgina asked archly. “I would have bet money that you had platinum status.”
Max laughed softly against her neck, and she squirmed at her over-eager body’s reaction. “Nope, never even been tempted…until now.”
Dammit, why did he have to be so addicting? Secretly pleased with his answer, Georgina dipped her head to kiss him.
“Haven’t you had enough, baby?” she purred against his lips.
Max pulled back to look at her as if she’d lost her damn mind. “Not nearly enough, love. We’re just getting started, Georgie, regardless of any disagreements, WE are still proceeding.”
Last night he’d introduced her to his master bath, and Georgina didn’t know which she was falling in love with faster: him or his master bath. His Jacuzzi tub could easily fit four people, and the shower had a wide bench with jet streams all around. Georgina could easily picture him sitting on the bench after a hard day, letting the water fall over his perfect body. Max insisted she relax while he went to heat up the food. Georgina needed no further urging and quickly stepped into the shower. It was pure heaven feeling the water spraying her aching body from every angle, and her mind was full of naughty images of the things they could do in there.
When she came out in his robe, Max was in the sitting area of the large bedroom, and he had their meal laid out on the coffee table and her business plans in his hands. They dug into the tetrazzini, and it was full of flavor with the smoked turkey and fresh vegetables. Georgina showered him with praise as she moaned about how good the food was.
“Keep on making those sounds, and you might wind up on your back again,” he promised with a wink. “Or hell, I could wind up on mine.”
“Well, you won’t get any protests out of me. Just let me know how you want it, baby,” Georgina sassed, hiding her grin behind a sip of chardonnay as his eyes heated up and he slid a hand down to adjust himself. She gestured to the plan. “So tell me your thoughts.”
Max held up the plan in his hand and coolly assessed her. “You have collections planned two years in advance? How do you know what will be strong sellers that far out? And how will you justify the cost if they don’t do as well as you’re anticipating?”
“Although we’re a new company, we already have key pieces that are best sellers. We refer to them as classics, which will enable us to bring them back every season in different colors, fabrics, and prints. We’re pretty persistent in our surveys with our clients to find out what works best with their body shapes,” Georgina replied firmly. “Our most popular sellers are the collections that are designed just to be removed from the body. Like the corsets, anything with strategically placed lace or cutouts-”
“Like the pieces you wore the other day on the table?” Max asked with interest. “Those styles have to be on the bestseller list.”
“You tell me,” she retorted sharply. “Didn’t you know how to unhook them?”
Max raised the plan to cover his face and cleared his throat, “Let’s talk about how you plan on driving your business. Where on this spreadsheet is your advertising budget?”
On and on it went. Max was relentless in questioning every aspect of Feminine Intuition, and he was proud of her for not breaking or throwing anything at him. She answered all of his questions and asked her own. The only thing they disagreed about was his insistence on background checks of her people.
“I’m not asking them to sign that this late in the game,” Georgina stated adamantly. “They’ve signed non-disclosures and confidentiality agreements, the two main things that are really important to me.”
“And as an investor who’s putting a great deal of money into your operation, I strongly disagree with you,” Max said with narrowed eyes. “To be blunt, I don’t know your people or their spending habits and vices. If you refuse to agree, then I have to wonder about you as well and what you’re hiding.”
“Screw you, Max!” Georgina hissed, glaring at him defiantly. “I don’t have any secrets when it comes to my business. You can wonder all you want, or you’ll do what most rich people do in this case, which is start your own investigation. Those people are my family!”
“Which is why you can’t see the bigger picture,” Max pointed out irritably. “You’re too close to the situation. I’m your damn investor, and you’re treating me like a leper instead of a person that will help you to achieve your goal!” He shook her business plan in her livid face. “We don’t have a deal if you can’t do what I need to assure my money doesn’t walk.”
Georgina was so furious, she was shaking. She knew Max was right, and his request wasn’t so unreasonable. She was too close to the situation, but there was a lot of money at stake, and if something happened it, her ass would be the one he would sue, whether he was fucking it or not. Bottom line was she didn’t like being told what to do. If she did, she’d be working for someone else. Calmly she conceded, “Fine, we’ll do the background checks. I’ll have Renee draft up revised new hire paperwork, and we’ll get everyone squared away before we head back to Baymoor. I’m assuming you know a guy to expedite the process?”
“Indeed, I do,” Max assured her. “Now as far as the expenses for mannequins…
They were on their way to the office of El Sol & Le Moon at City Center. Due to the numerous conventions in town, the strip was packed, so Georgina took the backstreet of Frank Sinatra Dr. and had them at the glamorous Avant hotel located in the heart of City Center within minutes. Georgina valeted the rental car and hand in hand, they strolled into the luxurious casino to the elevators. The office, for employees only, was located on the twelfth floor. Max escorted her to the elevators and pressed the Up button.
“Think I’ll try my luck on the roulette table, baby,” Max announced, sliding his arm around her waist and pulling her close to give her a lingering kiss. “Handle your business. I’ll be waiting for you.”
He left her staring after him, oblivious to the admiring glances he received as he walked by. Again he’d put the cowboy away and was wearing a charcoal grey Brixton Wesley wide brim fedora hat,a matching charcoal V-neck t-shirt and dark denim jeans with his brogues. Max was certainly eye-catching but appeared oblivious to the reaction his presence stirred, as he solely focused on her. Sigh. She couldn’t wait to get back to him.
By the time Georgina made it to the office, her throat was itchy from the smoke in the casino and again found herself missing the clean fresh air in Baymoor. Upon entering she found Alexis Stoyevna one of owners filing his nails, against the receptionist’s desk. The big blond Russian with cornrows was flamboyantly dressed in an emerald paisley printed silk shirt and gold-colored slacks. He jumped up in his excitement to see her and the numerous gold chains around his neck jangled loudly. Georgina bit back a smile, as she was reminded not for the f
irst time, of the character Goldmember from the Austen Powers movies. In his incredibly thick accent, he crowed, “Dahling! So happy to see you! Your shoes are so fierce.” They exchanged air cheek kisses and hugs. “I wasn’t expecting you for a while. How are things with uncle? You are ready to talk about the new position, yes?’
“Yes Alexis, that’s exactly what I wanted to talk to you about. But first is Lavon around?”
***
Max cashed out, with several hundred dollars, after two spins on the roulette table.
He walked over to the group of megabucks slot machines and picked the one with the best view of the elevators in order to keep an eye out for his woman. Yeah, whether Georgina knew it or not, she was his woman, and he would do anything to protect her. Last night when they were defending their positions on background checks, he was so mad about her lack of reasoning, that he’d wanted to snatch her up, pull her across his knees, and paddle that sexy ass. Of course, he would have enjoyed kissing it better afterward, but didn’t she realize that protection for him was protection for her as well?
“Sir, this drink is for you. Compliments of the lady in white at the bar,” a sultry voice said close to Max’s ear. He glanced up and looked into the blue eyes of a scantily clad cocktail waitress who was presenting him with a tray that held one tumbler of malt scotch. She smiled invitingly and continued, “She said that a man’s man like yourself wouldn’t drink anything less than this. I’ve never seen you in her before. First time in town?”
“I’ve been to Vegas before, just not this hotel,” Max replied as he glanced behind her at the bar and spied the woman whose generous curves were poured into a skimpy white dress. She was sitting with two other women, and they were all focused on him with a laser-like intensity, making him feel like a piece of meat. Max nodded his head in acknowledgment, and they waved. He turned back to the waitress and reached into his pocket and pulled a hundred-dollar bill out of his wallet and placed it on the tray. “Tell her thanks, but no thanks. That I’m sorry she wasted her time, and their next round of drinks is on me.”
“Well, in that case then, this is for you,” Blue-eyes cooed and handed him a napkin with the name Carina and a phone number on it.
Max frowned, “Like I said, I’m not interested, please make it clear to her.”
The cocktail waitress winked sexily at him. “I know, handsome. That’s from me. I get off in two hours. How about you let me give you a proper welcome to Sin City?”
Before Max could reject her as well, he heard a very familiar pissed-off voice say from behind him, “I knew I should have prayed for bail money instead of patience today.”
Chapter Thirteen
Georgina could feel Max trying to gauge her mood as she perused the dessert menu. After running Carina off with a growled “Sweetie, my crazy has more levels than Candy Crush. I suggest you run, not walk away” warning, she’d grabbed his hand and lead him to Buena Comida, a Mexican restaurant in the hotel.
“Stop looking at me like that,” she ordered without looking at him. She was uncomfortable with the reaction Carina’s actions had brought out in her. Just the thought of that wench smiling up in her man’s…Max’s face caused an instinctive reaction for her to defend what was hers. The need to go for broke and scratch Carina’s eyes out was strong as she heard the beautiful symphony of whoop ass cans phzzzz-ing in the air.
Although Max hadn’t said anything, she could feel the smugness radiating off of him.
“Like what?” he now asked innocently, and she raised exasperation-filled eyes to him, causing him to grin.
“Shut it,” Georgina said simply and took a sip of her hibiscus iced tea. She’d left him alone for forty-five minutes and had come back to him being propositioned by a waitress shoving her boobs in his face and being eye-fucked by the women at the bar. Yeah, he didn’t know she knew about that shit, but honestly, who could fucking blame them?? It was Max: the panty-wetting owner of heart-stopping smiles and a kind nature.
“I didn’t say anything,” he said with a big smile, and seeing it, she gritted her teeth, thinking of her knuckleheaded brother.
“Georgie likes Maaaax! Georgie likes Maaaax!”
“Talk to me, baby. Tell me why your pretty mouth is all poked out like that,” Max teased. He could tell that she was feeling out of her element after that splendid display of jealousy, but Max had enjoyed every minute of it. He wanted to get under her skin and affect her as much as she did him. Maybe then she’d know how sprung he was on her, but he doubted it. When it came to business, she was as sharp as a tack, but when it came to love, she was a complete novice. She liked what she could control, and unfortunately, love didn’t fall into that category. Max was thankful that despite the walls she had in place, Georgina never tried to deny herself their intimacy. She yearned for his touch as much as he did hers and bloomed like a flower under his ministrations. Max wondered how much she’d freak out if she knew that she curled into him when she slept. For his safety, he would keep that information to himself. For now.
“My mouth is just fine, thank you very much,” Georgina responded tartly. “I was just wondering when our food was arriving.”
“Uh-huh, sure. So what did your former employers have to say?” Max asked curiously. “That is if you don’t mind me asking.”
She grinned, “Not at all. They offered me the job to recruit talent for the company— traveling with the troupe, all expenses paid with a very lucrative salary.”
“Damn, Georgie! Congratulations!” Max offered sincerely, watching as her happy expression turned pensive. He knew she was thinking of her own company, Feminine Intuition. “So what did you tell them?”
“I told them that I would think about it. Initially, they had four prospects, but decided I would be the best as I’d brought in the last four employees hired five years ago,” she smiled at the server who brought a sizzling plate of skirt steak fajita’s for Max and chicken enchiladas de mole poblano for her to their table.
“How did you wind up dancing?” Max asked, and Georgina smiled shyly.
“I’ve always loved dancing and gymnastics. Aunt Val put me in every available class that Baymoor offered growing up, and when I moved out here, I continued to take dance classes when I wasn’t working at Victoria’s Secret or at school. One day while I was working, I met a plain Jane woman named Simone who was an accountant for El Sol & Le Moon. She said she was shopping for lingerie, to land herself a husband,” Georgina continued as Max whistled silently.
“Simone was pale and very frumpy looking, but extremely driven. So I assisted her, and we became associates of sorts. She came in the next week and told me she had a date with “Mr. Big” and needed my assistance in buying an outfit, and she paid me for my time. So on my day off, I took her shopping for an outfit and haircut, and her date was a success. She asked me to help her again, and I said I would, but only if she got me an audition with her company. Simone agreed, and I auditioned and got the job. I continued to help her, and she got the man,” Georgina said with an eye roll and a wry twist to her lips.
“What’s that look for?” Max asked. “And for the record, what kind of douche just marries someone based on looks?”
“The look is because months later, I went to the wedding, and her new husband was a man that I used to assist with lingerie for several women he was seeing before and after he started dating Simone. I was very uncomfortable about the whole thing, but Simone took me to lunch and explained that she was grateful that I helped her to accomplish her goal of landing a rich husband because that was her end game. She said she knew about her husband’s women, but wasn’t interested in his love, just the luxury he could offer her. Then she gave a word of advice: If her husband ever contacted me to help him, I should do so regardless of us being friends. He could open future doors for me,” Georgina took another sip of her tea. “So that’s what I did.”
Max chewed thoughtfully as he absorbed her story. “And now that you’ve retired from dancing, this is
where your degree comes into play?”
“Yes, after watching your uncle and my family be successful business owners, I knew I wanted that eventually for myself; I just wanted to dance while I could,” Georgina answered.
“And that’s why you chose Las Vegas? Because you knew you wanted to dance, had a great love for this company, and could go to UNLV?” Max asked trying to probe deeper.
Stiffening, Georgina asked, “What’s wrong with Las Vegas?”
“Nothing, except that it’s on the other side of the country away from your family,” Max said slowly, trying to see how far he could push her. “UNLV isn’t your family’s alma mater, so what made you pick that college? Was there a program there you really wanted to take?”
