by Fiona Murphy
Shit, time’s up. Drying off, a glance in the mirror has me shrugging off shaving for the day. It’s too damn cold and I look good with the scruff. I go into the walk-in closet. I prefer jeans and a T-shirt, though if I have to I can do the slacks and polo shirts. I noticed I surprised Amelia with the suit I wore Wednesday.
While suits aren’t my first choice, I’m not uncomfortable in them. I have over a dozen, most of them Savile Row, the others Armani. Wednesday, I wore the suit because I was picking up eight new shirts I had made as well as three new suits. After trying them on, I stayed in my favorite. I decide to go with an Armani in black with a white shirt and sapphire-blue tie for today. I take out the diamond stud in my ear, then put in a round ball onyx stud. With a last smoothing of my tie, it’s time to go.
When I step out of the elevator the peroxide blonde I insulted is stiff as she nods at me. “Ms. Bishop is waiting in her office for you. I’ll let her know you’re here.”
“Thanks.” I wink as I walk away.
“Hey there, gorgeous. How are you doing today?”
Mary gives me a welcoming smile. “I’m good, thank you for asking. Let me take your coat.”
I slip off my coat; is she eyeing me? The answer is clear when she blushes at my cocked eyebrow. I push open the frosted glass door to find Amelia at her desk, humming along to Eminem’s “Soldier.” Fuck, when am I going to stop going hard every time I see her or think of her? When she sees me, she clicks her mouse and the barely audible song disappears. I smile, I would never have pegged Amelia as an Eminem fan. “Good morning, sugar. Sleep well?”
It’s obvious she didn’t, I’m an asshole for twisting the knife. What? I love knowing she wants me. I never said I was a good guy. “Yes, thank you for asking.”
“That’s five, Amelia. At this rate you won’t be able to sit down on your sweet ass for days.”
Watching her blush bloom, then spread down her beautiful neck is satisfying. “Will you please behave? They’ll be here any minute.”
“Depends. Sleep well?”
She closes her eyes tightly. “No, okay? I didn’t sleep well.”
“How hard was that?”
“Mr. Baldwin, Raymond Pentonie and his attorney will be here shortly. I need to know you’ll trust me to handle this negotiation. Are you going to, or not?”
I nod. “Yes, you’re the expert here. It doesn’t matter how much I want you, this is business. I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t trust you to handle this.”
Tilting her head, her relief is clear. “Good, thank you.”
Her phone beeps, and she presses a button. “Yes, Nancy.”
“Mr. Pentonie and Mr. Tyson are here.”
“Good, thank you. Please put them in the Monroe conference room.”
She stands. I see she’s wearing a black pant suit with the pants large and roomy, moving almost as it were a skirt. Her silk blouse is dark red under the long, thin, silky blazer. Her long beautiful hair is shiny as it flows down her back. I cannot wait to wrap the silky strands around my fist as I fuck into her.
Clearing her throat, she runs her hand through her silky hair, looking in the mirror. Then she turns to me, and I wonder where the hell the other Amelia went. Her eyes are different, a dark golden brown and hard. “This is how it’s going to go: they are going to insult us. I’m going to demand an amount that will make their asses go tight. They’ll come back with something a little less insulting. I go with a last final offer. They squirm because I have them by the balls, then cry uncle. It’s how these settlements go. The most basic rule is: You never take the first offer, and your first offer is never your best offer.”
Her voice has deepened, her face is smooth, not a single muscle moving. She’s about three inches taller than when I came in the room. She starts to move toward me, and without thinking, I open the door to her office then wait while she walks through it. I follow in her wake, her back straight, her shoulders back, her body sleek and agile. Goddamn, she’s making me hard.
The walk to the conference room isn’t long, it’s the large glass room along the hall near Ethan’s office. When I open the door, the jackass who sold me the building and a pasty white guy with too much self-tanner stand as Amelia enters the room. They are facing into the room, a notepad and pen are waiting for her across from them. I pull out the chair where the notepad is, and she nods her thanks as she sits. She crosses her legs then leans back in the chair like she’s a fucking queen, benevolently giving an audience to these idiots.
“Gentleman, I appreciate you agreeing to the meeting this morning.” A pause screams she doesn’t appreciate shit—of course this is happening on her schedule. “Mr. Baldwin is a busy man, as am I. It’s best we start off by making it clear this need not be a time-consuming issue for either Mr. Baldwin or Mr. Pentonie.” Her tone dares them to waste her time. “My client and I are listening.”
I bite my lip to keep from laughing at the way the smug expression leaves Raymond’s face as he looks to his lawyer. The lawyer only nods. If he hasn’t met Amelia before, it’s obvious he’s not as surprised as his client. “Ms. Bishop, Mr. Baldwin, thank you for finding the time to settle this quickly without undue inconvenience to either of you. Your client needs to take some responsibility for not doing his due diligence. However, my client is willing to own up to his error. My client is willing to offer a settlement in the amount of three hundred and fifty thousand cash, wired to Mr. Baldwin Monday. We believe the offer to be fair.”
Oh hell, no. She was right, it’s insulting. I look to Amelia, she meets my eyes without saying a word or moving a muscle in her beautiful face. Her expression is bored. “However, you left off a few zeroes. Your client needs to take some responsibility for his history in this. Pentonie Properties has paid two point nine million in fines and penalties in the last six years, with settlements totaling eleven point three million. I do believe this means your client hasn’t learned from his mistakes.
“Pentonie Properties took in over thirteen million in the last six months, not including my client’s purchase of the property at issue at six point eight million. A property your firm held for two years, purchased at four point nine million, under bankruptcy. We are willing to settle for three point eight million. Your firm has the money; give it to us, or we take it.
“You can settle now or watch your company swim in negative press, fines, and you’ll still end up paying us in court. You fucked with the wrong man—his face generates one million clicks a week worldwide in the off-season. We’ll take this into the season and your company will be synonymous with trying to fuck over a darling of Chicago sports royalty, and the fines will triple from the last time you pulled this shit. Let this be a lesson, for you to do your due diligence before selling to Mr. Baldwin under false claims, and the stupidest mistake of all, fucking with this firm’s client.”
“Three million?! Are you nuts? I’m not paying three million. Tell her, Tyson!” Raymond is so pissed he’s frothing at the mouth, and spittle flies across the table. I can’t take my eyes off her. I’m hard as a fucking rock.
Tyson grabs Raymond. “A moment if you will, to conference with my client.”
Amelia nods as the guy barely waits to drag Raymond out of the conference room. They move away from the glass wall, out of sight. I’m fighting to get my body under control when I hear Amelia gasp. I look to see her eyes locked on the table, the glass table, where she can see my cock tenting my pants. Her eyes are wide as she jerks her head away. I chuckle. “Sorry, sugar, I’m beginning to think all those men who worry about their women outshining them just never saw them in action. I’m impressed, usually it takes a woman being naked to get me in this state.”
Her face is buried in her hand, and it sounds like she’s crying. Shit. I go soft instantly, then I realize she’s laughing. Rich throaty laughter fills the room. Ah damn, she’s making me hard all over again. Those eyes of hers have turned a soft, pretty hazel. I can’t stop smiling, I could look at her all day long. She blushe
s as she shakes her head. “If nothing else, thank you for the confidence.”
Something about the way she says it is off; what does she mean? I don’t have time to think about it before the door opens to Raymond, still red in the face while his jaw tightens again and again. The lawyer nods as he sits. “We apologize. Pentonie Properties would like to respectfully counter with two five.”
Amelia laughs with a single shake of her head. “Three five or the offer is off the table. We’ll see you in court.”
I can hear Raymond swallow in the hushed silence as the two men look at each other. Raymond nods, but it’s the lawyer who speaks. “We accept. I trust your firm will handle the paperwork. Messenger it to us, we’ll sign then wire the money by Monday.”
With a smile, Amelia stands. “You’ll have the paperwork within the hour. Gentlemen, have a good day.”
The men smile limply before shuffling out of the room. I watch Amelia as she runs a hand through her hair, front to back, though not a hair is out of place. I’m noticing she does it to soothe herself. “When is Ethan due back again?”
She blushes. “The thirteenth.” Clearing her throat, she moves to the door. “I’ll have the paperwork sent to your home for your signature. Once I get it back from them, you should have it by noon.”
“No need, I’ll come in to sign it when I pick you up for lunch today.”
A shake of her head, she doesn’t look up. “Our business is complete.”
I’m up, taking my time to get to her, the craving for her inching up with each step. No. Not even close, sweetheart. My jaw tightens to stop me from saying it, from reaching out to touch her. “Amelia.” She shivers. Not even close, for either of us. “I’ll be here at noon to pick you up for lunch.”
Then the woman who interrupted us the first day is outside the door, her eyes intent on me before opening the door. “How did everything go?”
The change in Amelia is instant, back straight again, shoulders back as a half-smile appears. “They settled at three five.”
“Excellent, are you satisfied, Mr. Baldwin?”
I would be, if she left. “Very.”
“Amelia, if you would please join me in my office when you are done. I’m in need of your knowledge of Canton Industries from your dealings with them last year. Mr. Baldwin, have a good day.”
“Yes, Karen. I’ll be right there.”
Karen gives me a once-over before walking away. Amelia begins edging out of the open door. No. I catch her by the open blazer, holding her in place. Fuck, her breath quickens, her eyes dilate. “I’m not done with you yet, sugar.”
If only she weren’t so fucking responsive, I swear I could control myself. Don’t, it’s a whisper of a thought I ignore. Just a taste, her eyes flutter closed. “Open your eyes, Amelia.”
Green sparkles up at me, and she’s all soft against me. I inhale her scent, coconut, flowers in bloom, a trace of citrus and deeper, a hint of her body’s sweet essence. My lips begin to tingle before I even touch her. Her body melts into mine, and my cock jumps to be inside her. She gasps, pulling away. Her body stiffens, damn it. “No, Chris. I’m at work, for fuck’s sake.”
A shocked gasp sounds from behind her. An older woman averts her eyes before speed walking past us. “Fine, lunch today.”
“I have to go.” She avoids my eyes as she pulls away. I let her go because I don’t have a choice.
7
Amelia
My phone buzzes, and I press the intercom. “Yes.”
“Mr. Baldwin, line one.”
Fuck. “Tell him I’m busy.”
I swear I can hear Mary’s grin through the phone. “No can do. I already told him you’re free for lunch.”
“You’re fired.”
“Yeah, yeah, answer the man.”
I snatch my phone off the cradle. “Mr. Baldwin, what do you want?”
“Loaded question, sugar. For now we’ll start with lunch. I’m running behind today, I’ll meet you at Porters in twenty minutes.”
“I’m going to charge you for this lunch.”
“Hmm...interesting, role-playing a hooker. A very expensive one at fifteen hundred dollars, though. Be careful, when they charge that much usually everything is open for business.” I gasp. Bastard. The fucker laughs; I think I hate him. “Twenty minutes, Porters. Or I’ll bring it to you and you’ll pay with five to be doled out today.”
He’s doing it again, twisting me up, getting me all hot and achy without even being in front of me. I have never in my life imagined role-playing during sex, and here I am wondering about playing an escort bought for the night, owned by someone to do with as they wanted, and it’s making me wet. And I’m actually considering making him wait just so he’ll deliver on his threat of a spanking.
Damn him. The man is driving me crazy. I did it again last night, I dreamed of him. Only this time I dreamed of him with half a dozen little girls running around our home giggling, with adorable dimples and bright blue eyes. He could not have been serious about not caring about me getting pregnant, about wanting children. My phone beeps before Mary comes through.
“If you don’t leave now you’ll be late.”
With the Pentonie deal all but done, and the suit against him not going anywhere until Ethan gets back, I’ll no longer represent him. I pop up without saving my work. I’m doing this, really, seriously doing this. I’m the one who needs my head checked.
I get to the restaurant to find Chris waiting for me. The hostess is flirting with him. The desire to smack the smile off her face is so strong I clench my hand. Chris’s hand goes to my back sliding down to the curve, and it soothes my anger even as it brings fire to my body. I move where I’m guided, once again to the back of the restaurant. It’s empty except for our table.
The moment Chris’s hand is gone I miss it. Annoyance has me snapping at him. “I can’t believe you’ve turned my secretary against me. Did you pay her or something?”
“She cares about you, no amount of cash would her turn against you. Don’t be a brat. I’m thinking you might need a spanking now instead of waiting two weeks.” He looks around. “It’s quiet enough back here.”
His seriousness has me going still. “Absolutely not, I never even agreed to let you do that. Do you get your rocks off on BDSM stuff, hurting women or something?”
“Amelia.” One word, yet it contains so much more. “I’m not usually into spanking as sex play, definitely not into it for discipline or BDSM. I threatened you with a spanking to get your attention and to see if I was right, and I was. You want to give in, to give up control in bed, which is good because it’s exactly how I like it. Pain doesn’t make my cock hard. However, small amounts of pain can add to pleasure. All pain is by hand only, no toys because I need to feel your body’s reaction for myself. Pleasure is the only thing that makes my cock hard. Hearing a woman moaning my name, gasping for air, the taste of her need on my tongue, the way a woman’s pussy clenches, ripples, and clutches me to keep my cock inside her because it feels so fucking good she doesn’t want to let me go. Those are the things that make my cock hard.”
Yes, please, all of it is what I want to whimper. Instead, I blush like an idiot until he smiles and winks at me, then looks down at his menu. Our waitress arrives, smiling, with a sparkling water with lime for me. “How are you doing today?”
“Good, thanks. I’ll have the porterhouse medium, the tater tots, and the asparagus.”
“Okay, and you, sir?”
“The same except I’ll have the roasted red potatoes. I’ll also have a sparkling water with lemon.”
“All right, coming right up.”
Trying to take control of situation spinning wildly out of control, I stiffen my back. “I’m still charging you for this. Ethan would expect it, you’re lucky my rate is a thousand, though, not Ethan’s fifteen hundred.”
“Interesting. I’ll need to make sure I get my money’s worth then. Damn, I love how responsive your body is. Your nipples just popped out f
or attention. So the hooker thing turned you on. I like the sound of it. I’ve never paid for it before, there’s a first time for everything.”
I refuse to look down because I can feel very miserably the truth of his words. “I’m shocked, I would have thought paying for it would solve many of your problems. No hooker wants to get knocked up; at the end of the night they leave when the job is done.”
He nods. “Very true, you pay a prostitute not so she’ll come, it’s so she’ll leave. I never had to, but there’s a first time for everything. If I’m going to be a first for you, then it seems about right that you’ll be a first for me.”
“Am I supposed to be honored or something? I’m not. I’m sure there are plenty of strippers waiting for you in the clubs who would be. You’re free to go find them at any time.”
Chris goes very still with the glass up to his lips. He doesn’t drink though; he sets it down carefully, then raises his eyes to meet mine. It’s as if I stepped outside naked, they’re so cold. I shiver. “Behave, you’re trying my patience.”
The waitress brings us our plates with a smile, asking if we need anything else, and we both decline. I’m not in the mood to eat though, still uneasy from the warning in Chris’s eyes. I hate him for doing this to me, turning me inside out, causing my emotions to run riot with a look or a few words. It feels like he’s playing with me. “I’m really not hungry. I want to go to work. I’m tired of being used as something for you to amuse yourself with.”
His bark of laughter is loud in the large, empty room. “Me use you? If anyone is using anyone, it’s you using me. Don’t worry, I’ll let you use me.”
I’m blinking fast. “Me, use you?”
“Yes, sugar, you’re using me. Usually, it wouldn’t matter to me why a woman wanted to fuck me as long as she did. I guess today is a day for revelations for the both of us. You didn’t know your pussy gets wet at the idea of being owned, and I didn’t know my cock goes limp at the idea of being used by you.”
