“It seems she doesn’t want any more of your pop-up visits,” Mitchell smiled, taking a glass from the tray of a passing server.
“What do you mean?” Jay asked, as the waiter offered him a drink.
Tilting his head towards the front entrance, Mitchell answered his friend without a word. Following his head movement, Jay’s eyes fell on Kasey, dressed in a beautiful red dress that hugged her in all the right places. She looked a bit intimidated as she glanced around the huge conference hall, which had been converted into a ball room.
Her rich brown hair hung in bouncy waves, a flicker of red hidden amongst the strands. When her eyes locked with Jay, he felt it in his groin, the gleam in her eyes apparent as she spotted the one person in the room she knew.
“Champagne, sir?” The waiter asked.
“Oh, uh-yeah,” Jay stammered, selecting two champagne flutes from the tray before excusing himself from Mitchell to meet Kasey halfway through the room.
“You made it,” he said, as he greeted her with a smile.
“I did,” she returned the favor while accepting the glass of champagne.
Back in her presence, Jay was sure he hadn’t imagined the sparks between them. There was a comfortable silence as they both sipped the bubbly liquid, glancing over the glasses to get a good look at each other.
“Let me show you around a bit,” Jay finally suggested.
Walking through the gala, he was sure to point out all the accomplishments of Passion Publishing from the past year. They topped the selling list for more genres than Kasey’s employer even featured. Jay was proud as he announced each victory, before sharing the strategy and person responsible for the success. His company was his life, and he would always find immense joy in sharing how great his team worked together. He was bragging, but hoping to entice her with what she could be a part of.
“I noticed you’re breaking into the romance field. We’ve topped that genre for five consecutive years,” he revealed, a fact he’d practiced telling her, sure she would be impressed.
“I do my research. I know how many categories you guys top,” she nodded, taking the last sip of her champagne.
Jay could sense that she wasn’t at all impressed, in fact, she seemed bored with his tour. Mitchell was right, there was nothing ordinary about this woman. She was like no other agent he’d ever known, but it was more than that. She intrigued him on levels that went beyond the business. Something about her drive, and the way the glitz and glamour didn’t affect her the way it invariably impressed most women. He liked it.
Of course, he would have been happy with winning her over, but she was making him work for it, a rare challenge, which he enjoyed.
“Come. I want to show you something else,” Jay took her empty champagne glass as he offered his hand.
The two seconds of contemplation felt like a lifetime, but when she placed her petite hand in his, her red manicured nails gently scratching his skin, Jay knew he was in trouble. He had to touch her, and now that he’d felt her soft skin, he wanted more.
Moving briskly through the party, avoiding everyone that wanted a few minutes of his time, he ushered Kasey into a large elevator at the back of the conference hall, discarding their empty glasses on a round table.
“Where are we going?” she asked, as he placed a plastic card over a security screen. A soft beep and green light alerted that some security level had been achieved before the elevator ascended floors rapidly.
“I said I wanted to show you something,” Jay bit his bottom lip to fight the urge to smile.
The elevator doors opened to an entire glassed-in floor, displaying unobstructed views of the city. Her gasp was undeniable, and Jay finally thought he had a chance at closing the deal. Kasey wasn’t impressed by the awards, because she knew with the army that came along with Passions Publishing, nothing was impossible. It was almost like they were expected to win with so many resources and limitless budgets.
But what she did care about was this city, which she had obviously made the decision to remain in. Like Jay, Kasey was a talent too big for a small city in the Midwest. People like them usually left Saint Paul to swim in larger oceans, like New York or Los Angeles. It was rare to find someone who loved Saint Paul as he did, but from the shimmer in her eyes as she looked down at the skyline, he knew Kasey was finally impressed.
“What do you use this for?” she finally asked, her words faint like she was out of breath.
“This,” he said, raising one eyebrow.
“To showoff for women?” she playfully asked.
“To impress the unimpressible.”
“What’s this about, Mr. Canton?” Kasey asked, trying to reclaim her composure, but it was too late. Jay could tell she was moved by his reveal, and it was time to go in for the kill.
“I want you to come work for me, Kasey. You’re a rare talent, and I want you to take our writers to the next level. You connect with authors in a way most people can’t, and I admire that.”
She was weighing his words in her mind, he could tell. It was the way people looked at him whenever he sold an idea, silently debating whether to trust him or not.
“Does your boyfriend not want you working for such a large publishing house?”
It was a longshot and he knew it, but the possibility was driving him crazy. She was so focused, but there had to be a personal side to Kasey. Was that what was holding her back, because he knew she felt what was between them, and if she were in a relationship, that could be enough of a reason to steer clear of him.
“Jay, if you want to know if I have a boyfriend, just ask already,” she rolled her eyes, calling him by his given name for the first time.
There was a second when her eyes dropped from his, and he knew she was eyeing his lips. Did she want him to kiss her? Cautious not to misread the signals, Jay decided not to act, and instead asked what he wanted to know.
“Is it a man that’s keeping you from me?” It was a sincere question. He wanted to know why she wouldn’t work for him, but it was deeper than that. He wanted to know why she wouldn’t bend for him, she seemed immune to his typical seductive selling strategies.
Their eyes locked for a long moment before Kasey stepped forward, closing the distance between them.
“No.”
Her lips were on his before he could respond, and she tasted like sweet strawberries. His instincts took over as his hands found her hair, running his fingers through the long waves, gently tugging at the strands while their tongues entwined, gently, as if introducing themselves. Leading her backwards until her back bumped against the glass wall, Jay pulled at her hair, causing her head to fall back before ending their kiss and running his tongue along her exposed neck.
Chapter 8
Kasey
The view from the rooftop access at Passions Publishing was breathtaking, but that didn’t stop the moan from falling from her lips when Jay licked from her neck to her shoulder before grazing his teeth along her collarbone. It was obvious he knew his way around a woman’s body, and in his hands Kasey felt like putty.
“I’ve wanted you since the day you walked into my office,” Jay growled, glaring up at her as he pulled the neckline of her dress aside to reveal her generous breasts. He looked pleased as he tended to her needy nipples, slowly swirling his tongue in circles before softly tugging them between his lips to roll over the sensitive nub. Her back bent from the pleasure, forcing him to take more into his mouth as he massaged her other breast.
As she stood pressed against the glass wall, now topless, she yanked at his tie, finding herself unsatisfied with the way his clothing grazed her bare skin. She needed more contact. More heat. More of him. Jay used his free hand to loosen the knot at his throat before standing so that they were face-to-face, panting.
Her legs trembled. They’d barely started and she was finding it hard to breathe already.
“Do you want this?” he asked her, his hands still resting on her breasts, but he was giving her the opti
on to slow things down It was unexpected, but she liked it very much. She felt secure under his gaze, and the way he waited for her reply only made the fire between her legs burn more fiercely.
“Yes.” It was breathy but definite, and all Jay needed to hear before unbuckling his belt.
Kasey tilted her head as she went in for another kiss which started slow, her tongue sliding across his soft lips before savoring the minty flavor. He was dominating their kiss, and with each passing second, she yearned for more, feeling the pressure building between her legs.
Jay pulled her hip against him with his knee between her legs, making room for himself.
“Please, Jay,” she moaned when his fingers found her sweet spot, reaching beneath her dress.
“Fuck,” he grunted, feeling her slickness. It was a testament to her need and a call to action. His cock strained against his pants as he felt her, running his fingers along her open slit, and grazing her clit. She jerked under his touch. She was so sensitive. So fucking ready for him to fill her.
Slowly, he slid one finger inside her, and Kasey’s head fell back against the glass. She surrounded him with her flesh, swirling her hips around him as they stared into each other’s eyes.
“Are you sure you want this?” he asked, again giving her the power to call it off. She wondered if he couldn’t believe it was happening, just like she stood in disbelief.
“Yes!,” she pleaded emphatically, rolling her hips on his fingers. .
In one smooth motion, he lifted her with ease, and as if they’d choreographed it, her legs wrapped around him, opening herself to him. Lining himself up to her opening, Jay paused for another second, and Kasey made the move for him. Lowering onto his hard dick, she moaned with pleasure as his eyes closed. Burying himself inside her in one long stroke, Jay stilled as he braced himself.
“You feel too good,” he groaned before lifting her, pressing his mouth against hers, and sliding her back down his length.
Kasey moaned into his mouth, and Jay greedily swallowed her pleasure, thrusting himself deeper with every motion. She was more aroused than ever before in her life, enjoying the way he stretched and filled her with his thickness.
Her breath hitched when he slammed into her hard, and she knew her orgasm was soon to take over. The more he felt, the more he desired, and Jay’s pace increased as his own need to release grew stronger.
“Yes! Right there!” She cried.
“Oh, fuck yeah,” he growled in response, pushing her over the edge as she fell to the pleasure, crying in ecstasy when her orgasm exploded, leaving her muscles clenching.
Jay pulled her body tightly against his as he pumped her hard and fast before grunting loudly as he climaxed inside of her. She felt him swell inside her, stretching her even further, before his hips bucked against hers as he gave in to the power of his orgasm. His thrusts slowed to a gentler pace until he stilled altogether.
They stood pressed against the glass window overlooking the city, their limbs entangled, for what felt like minutes. Slowly, Jay relinquished his grip, and Kasey found her footing in the red stiletto sandals. Backing up, Jay looked at her like she was magic, a strange emotion covering his face.
Kasey felt naked beneath his gaze. He studied her and she resisted the urge to cover her breasts from his gaze. The way he stared—it was as if he was seeing something in her that she had never seen in herself.
Breaking the gaze, she looked down before pulling the straps to her dress over her shoulder. As if he too were regaining his composure, Jay reached into his suit jacket, retrieving a handkerchief as he knelt between her legs, carefully dabbing her sex, ridding her of his semen.
It was somehow more vulnerable than the sex, and looking down at his still sleek hair, she knew she needed to stop this from going any further. Sex, she could handle, but emotional attachment was out of the question.
“This isn’t going to be a relationship,” her declaration cut through the heavy silence.
Jay watched her tug at the hem of her dress as she looked over her body, redressing with a sense of urgency.
“Okay,” was all he said, making her again question what it was he wanted from her.
“I had to get that out for the sake of business. I can’t have that kind of sexual tension and be productive. If I’m going to work for you, I needed to get that out the way,” she explained, more so to herself than him.
Kasey had never slept with a colleague before, and certainly not a boss. She was lost in him, unable to stop what she wanted so badly. Regardless of her subsequent thoughts, she could not bring herself to regret it. Sex that good should never be anything but cherished.
“Well, I guess it’s out of the way then,” he smirked, buckling his belt.
Looking each other over, they helped with last minute adjustments—straightening a tie, wiping lipstick from a cheek, brushing a stray hair down. Once they agreed on their readiness to return to the party, they rode back down to the first level, again in silence, but this time the tension was gone.
“I’ll be in touch about the details of the offer,” was all Kasey said before stepping off the elevator. She didn’t wait for a response, or even take a second to look back. She’d seen all she needed to see from Passions Publishing, and walked right out the front doors, taking a deep breath of the cool air as she motioned towards the valet for her car while locating the ticket.
As she waited, her mind drifted to the events of the night, wondering if it would end up having been beneficial or disastrous. She knew that Passions Publishing could be the push she needed to take her career to the next level. Jay Canton was a legend in the industry, and under his wing, she could reach all her dreams. He saw something in her, and wanted to invest in her future, this much was clear. Kasey wanted to seriously consider all the possibilities and weigh the options strategically, but that night she couldn’t stop thinking about being under the powerful man in different circumstances. Working for Jay was going to be a challenge, this much she was sure of.
Chapter 9
Jay
The party passed in a fog. Less than 12-hours removed, and Jay couldn’t recall one word of his speech from the previous night. He’d chosen to remember nothing except the details of his time with Kasey, every moan and plea for more was embedded in his mind, far deeper than he cared to admit.
In an urge that was unfamiliar for him, he felt the need to send her flowers, or call to make sure everything was okay between them. Kasey had made it clear that she wanted nothing more from him, which was what he usually wanted from women, so the desire to do more left him in a confused state.
He’d hoped golfing with Mitchell would clear his mind, but was finding himself easily distracted as they made their way to the ninth hole.
“How’d it go with Kasey?” Mitchell asked.
“She’s on board. You were right, she was no easy sale, but I think she is excited to work together,” Jay tried to sound nonchalant about the deal, hoping his friend wouldn’t read through him as he always did.
“I figured if she showed up to the party, she’d probably decided to join the team,” Mitchell smiled, happy with the accomplishment.
“Yeah, she told me she still wants to discuss the details, but I imagine everything will be sorted by Monday.”
“That’s just what we need. Renee has been really attacking our romance department, and Kasey is a genius with those artistic writers. That new book by her latest author is a smash, and the sequel can be released under Passions, to a much better response. All she needs is a team behind her, and we can definitely provide that.” Mitchell loved talking shop on the golf course, and usually Jay did too, but today his thoughts were scrambled.
“Renee is a nonfactor,” he dismissed their biggest rival.
Renee Rockwell was an adversary that wanted to beat Jay Canton more than she wanted to win. Every move from her was strategic with a conniving spirit, something that had built a wall of resentment between the rivaling firms. Every chance she got
, she tried to one-up Jay, offering backroom deals to his employees, constantly attempting to steal talent.
In the industry, her reputation preceded her as a woman who didn’t play fair. Ethics were nonexistent for Renee. She did whatever she wanted, when she wanted, without a thought to the consequences.
“I don’t like the lady either, but you have to admit she is making an impact,” Mitchell was less affected by Renee, since her vendetta was almost exclusively aimed at Jay, though he never knew why.
Downplaying her capabilities was the only way Jay could stay sane when dealing with his arch nemesis, who seemed to follow his career more closely than a fan. She studied his every move, always re-creating his innovative sales techniques, trying her best to catch him off guard with new tactics.
Of course, she was good, he wouldn’t think about her next power play if she wasn’t. But there was something about discussing her aloud that gave her more power, and Jay didn’t like that.
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