Without Apology

by Aubrey Bondurant

  “Thank you,” I murmured, knowing I was ten minutes early. For a change, it was nice not to be running late.

  When the door swung open a couple minutes later, I expected the gentlemen, but it was Tom who walked in.

  “Peyton, welcome to the Big Apple.”

  “Tom.” I tried to hide my surprise and was unable to say it was nice to see him. It wasn’t. He was here with an agenda. It was written cruelly all over his face.

  “And here I heard you didn’t fly.”

  “Evidently, you heard wrong.” It wasn’t technically a lie since I had flown on a plane earlier in my life.

  “Must have. Just so you’re aware, in addition to Jeff, we also brought in a number of well-qualified outside candidates. They’ve all run much bigger companies than Maddox Consulting.”

  So this was his game. Intimidation. “It’s good to hear they’re widening the net. If I don’t get this job, I certainly want to ensure the person who does is capable.” I let hang in the air the implication that Jeff was not qualified.

  Tom gave a smile which didn’t meet his eyes. “Anyhow, I won’t keep you. Good luck. You’ll certainly need it.”

  I wanted to say a phrase with the first word rhyming with ‘luck’ and the last word ‘off,’ but simply murmured a “thank you,” remembering he was the owner’s nephew. As soon as he left, however, I let the explicative fly under my breath.

  Putting his toxic energy aside, I took a few deep cleansing breaths, trying to rid myself of the asshole cooties in the room.

  Five minutes later I was calm enough to greet the two gentlemen as they came in for my first interview.

  CHAPTER NINETEEN

  Simon

  I was a nervous fucking wreck.

  Never.

  Never had I experienced this feeling before. Probably because if it had been me in those interviews, I would’ve owned them. I didn’t do nervous. But sending Peyton out the door by herself had flayed me. I wanted to go with her. Wanted to sit at her side—and what? Defend her? Hold her hand? Tell them how amazing she was? Reiterate it would be stupid not to promote her into this role?

  None of it would’ve been helpful. Not only would she be pissed and take it as a slight that I didn’t believe she could do it herself, but also it would expose emotions far greater than I was willing to admit at this point.

  She’d asked why I’d brought her here to my flat. I couldn’t answer. Because I didn’t have one. All I knew was I wanted her under my care and with me. As I recalled the vision of her in my bed earlier, in her black thong, T-shirt riding up her creamy white skin, I got hard all over again. I craved her. Wanted her like I’d never wanted a woman. Not having her was causing me to go mad. Although not as crazy as picturing how the interviews were proceeding without actually having a clue.

  I paced my living room. Then I tried to distract myself with work but gave up at half past four. She should’ve been back by now. But maybe they’d been late getting started. You didn’t always know with the board members. I put my hands behind my head and simply stared out the window over the city. It would be getting dark soon. I wanted her home.

  Where had that thought come from? Just as I started to analyze it, there was a knock on the door. My strides had me crossing the room in two seconds. Then I pulled the door open to reveal her standing there smiling.

  “Hi.”

  She stole my breath. Not only was she stunning, but also I felt such a tremendous relief to have her here with me. The sensation had me on edge.

  “Can I come in? Cuz if not, it’s awkward, and maybe you could pass me my suitcase at least.”

  My lips twitched in amusement, and I opened the door for her to walk inside. “Sorry. I was getting worried.”

  She flipped up a calf at a time to take off her heels once I’d closed the door again. “Were you now?”

  “How did it go?”

  She appeared surprisingly relaxed. “Good. At least I think so. I mean, at least from my end. Mr. Wilson in the second interview was tough. But I think I answered his questions fairly well. Tom showed up, by the way.”

  “What?”

  “Greased-back, doing a good impression of Christian Bale from American psycho, pretentious prick—you know Tom.”

  This was news. It was also annoying. “What the hell was he doing there?”

  She shrugged. “Have no clue. He was shocked to see me, then said he didn’t think I flew. Jeff must’ve told him. He mentioned outside candidates were being brought in. You do understand he doesn’t want me to get this job, right?”

  I winced, thinking I probably should’ve prepared her for news of the outside candidates and also for Tom’s dislike. But she surprised me.

  “I told him good. If it’s not me, I hope they get someone qualified enough that I’d stay and my staff would be safe. You know?”

  “You’re amazing.”

  She set down her purse next to my living room chair, and I found I liked it in my space. Liked knowing she was coming back here to me.

  “I could’ve completely screwed it up. Guess we’ll see?”

  I pulled her in, unable to fight the urge to touch her any longer. “They’d be fools not to hire you.” I don’t think I’d ever uttered those words in my life. I’d always been able to separate personal from professional, yet here I was welcoming the clash.

  “Maybe. I remember you said that after the interview you’d tell me why I was here in your place rather than my own hotel room.”

  I didn’t answer, choosing instead to take her lips. I’d meant to be gentle and teasing. Instead, it was as if a powder keg ignited the moment her tongue touched mine. I backed her into the nearest vertical surface, deepening the kiss.

  We were teeth, tongue, and lips, both frantic in our movements. I couldn’t not have her. She reciprocated the urgency, her hands running under my T-shirt and then tugging it up until I practically tore it from me to give her more access to my skin.

  “Jesus,” she whimpered, stroking her palms over the hard planes of my chest muscles and down to my abs.

  I moved the skirt of her dress up, practically growling when my hands came into contact with garters. My fingers swept up her inner thigh, enjoying the shiver she gave in response. I sought her heat next, pulling aside her lacy thong to find bare, wet pussy under my fingertips. I wasted no time impaling her with two fingers, too far gone for gentle touches.

  Her hips thrust in response to the intrusion. She worked on my jeans, wildly shoving them down my hips and confirming she needed this as much as I did.

  Once my cock was free, she took a hold of it at the base and squeezed. As much as I loved her touch. I couldn’t wait a moment longer to be inside of her. I reached to the floor, fumbling with my wallet still in the back pocket of my discarded jeans, thankful I had a condom there.

  After tearing at the wrapper with my teeth, I sheathed myself in one movement. When her panties ripped, she gasped, but she didn’t protest as I lifted her up. I pinned her shoulders against the wall and lined her up with my shaft. She sank down on me then. Inch by glorious inch. If I’d been in the right state of mind, I would’ve removed her dress so I could watch. As it was, I gritted my teeth and tried not to hurt her. I should’ve made her come first. Should’ve tasted her pussy and primed her properly. But primal instinct had taken over, and I’d simply impaled her on my cock.

  “Fuck, you feel good.” That was the understatement of the year. It was a divine experience. Wet and tight all at the same time. Magical pussy. There was no other explanation, I thought, thrusting up. I held her hips along with her body weight against the wall to give me some leverage.

  Her nails dug into my shoulders, causing a grunt to fall from my lips.

  “Oh, God. I’m almost there. Harder.”

  Her demand was startling. Before I could think to pause and ensure I wasn’t being too rough, she let me know she liked it this way. I obliged, pumping my hips into her over and over, stroking the spot that was making her frantic
. She exploded. There was no other word for the sounds coming from her mouth, and the way her body reacted. Her pussy gripped me, demanding I climax. Deciding it was no use to fight it, I ground out my own orgasm deep inside of her.

  We stayed locked in place, both panting, both sweating until I finally eased out of her, holding her weight until she could get her legs under her. This wasn’t the way I’d pictured it. I’d planned on taking her out on a proper date first. Making love to her later in a bed, not against the wall like a rutting animal.

  I’d lost control.

  “You’re mad?”

  My eyes lifted to hers, and I noticed she was watching me. I tugged on my jeans, trying to smooth out the scowl I know must’ve been obvious on my face. “Not at you.”

  I was unprepared for her temper. “Well, gee, the freeze-out feels so much better when I hear it’s not me, it’s you. Maybe a hotel would’ve been better.”

  She turned but didn’t get one step before my arm hooked her waist, pressing her back to my front. “Peyton, wait. I don’t regret what happened, only that this wasn’t what I had planned for our first time.”

  “I think we were done with waiting.”

  I hauled her closer to me, turning her to face me. She was right. We were done with waiting. Whether it was my way of apologizing or simply because I couldn’t deny myself the taste any longer, I lifted her dress up at the same time I went down, diving for her pussy.

  She made a choked sound of passion when my tongue found her heat. Something akin to a moan and a sigh, and I decided I’d never heard a more erotic sound. I loved witnessing her pleasure and flattened my tongue to lick her slit from back to front before honing in on her clit.

  My cock started to harden again, but I ignored it. The thing I desired most was making her come undone and savoring her unique taste. If I could have stopped the clock and stayed here forever, I would have.

  She bucked her hips against my face, her fingers tangling in my hair. “You’re going to make me come again.”

  I grinned up at her before launching an all-out assault on her clit. Claiming it with my lips, tongue and teeth.

  She made another incoherent sound of pleasure. I could have done this all night, learning what turned her on and taking her over the edge in the process. Moments later, she spiraled out of control, but I wasn’t done. I penetrated her with my fingers, feeling her walls spasm around them, and then hooking them up to find her G-spot. I didn’t relent with my tongue while my free hand held her in place.

  She started to protest. “Simon, please. I can’t have another. Oh—”

  She could. It was the hottest sexual encounter I’d ever had. She threw her head back, thumping against the wall without a care and letting her body take over. She convulsed with another climax while her fingers dug deep into my hair, pressing me into her while I lapped up the evidence of her orgasm.

  I finally stood up, wiping my face with the back of my hand.

  Her eyes were closed, and she appeared as if she wouldn’t remain vertical for long.

  “Are you okay?” Although I might have envisioned my bed and slow lovemaking, I couldn’t deny the chemistry here had been off the charts. The pent-up frustration had morphed into an undeniable moment that neither of us could resist.

  “Yeah. That was... Wow. I know you enjoy control, but I have to say I’m a big fan of you losing it.”

  I grinned, taking her hand and leading her into the bedroom.

  But she stopped me with a question. “So is this my answer regarding why you wanted me here?”

  I was instantly uncomfortable although it was more than fair for her to ask. Raking a hand through my hair, I tried to put it into words.

  “I suppose I wanted you to see a part of my life.”

  She laid a hand on my chest over my heartbeat, which started to speed up at her touch.

  “I’m glad you let me. You done being mad?”

  “I can’t even remember what I would’ve been cross about. Whatever it was must’ve been stupid.”

  She smiled. “Must’ve been.”

  “I only have a couple more weeks on the project before moving onto the next one.” It wasn’t like I could offer to meet her for a weekend while I was on the next assignment or fly her to New York. Even if I were to entertain the idea of long-distance, it would never work. Yet the thought of walking away in a few weeks was hard to fathom.

  “I believe you laid out those conditions when you first asked me out.”

  I moved in closer, tipping her chin. Emotions didn’t come easy to me. Add the step of saying the words out loud, and I simply didn’t. Until now. Because I couldn’t not say it to her. “You make me feel things. I was frustrated because I’d pictured taking you slow the first time, not losing control.”

  She searched my eyes before responding. “You make me feel things, too. Although I’m not opposed to taking things slow for round two, I’m a big fan of what just happened. Next time I want you naked, though, so I can see all of you.”

  She had a way of putting me at ease. She could take something serious and make it playful. Mitigate my intensity with levity. “Same. The plan was to take you to dinner and a show tonight. I thought perhaps Wicked, Hamilton, or Lion King. Those seem to be the most popular.”

  “What if we’re seen?”

  Tom and the board members lived in the city, but I was certain they wouldn’t be in Times Square. I dropped my lips to hers for a soft kiss. “We won’t be. There’s a show at eight, so we have time for dinner first.”

  “You planned a date?”

  I nuzzled behind her ear. “Yes. I want you to have a chance to see your first Broadway show.”

  She surprised me by letting her hands wander down to my ass, pulling me close. “What if I want to skip the show?”

  My labored breath came quickly. It was tempting to lay her on my bed and spend the rest of the night inside of her, but I needed to rein in my emotions. She had one night in New York City, and I wanted to ensure she was able to tick a Broadway show off her bucket list.

  “Date first, even if it kills me. But mark my words, you won’t be getting much sleep tonight afterward.”

  She shivered at my declaration.

  CHAPTER TWENTY

  Peyton

  Thankfully, I’d brought an extra dress with me. Always bring a backup. And there was Simon back in a suit. This one black, accompanied by a white crisp shirt and red tie that matched my dress.

  Amazed I could still walk after the three orgasms, I went out to the living room once I’d freshened up and gotten dressed.

  Simon leaned in to kiss my neck in greeting. “You look stunning.”

  “Thank you. You look handsome, too.” It felt like a date. Especially when he took my hand and walked me to the elevator.

  A car picked us up out front, and our first stop was a restaurant on the sixtieth floor of a very tall building in Times Square. It was dimly lit, romantic, and looked very exclusive. We were ushered to a private table with a window view.

  “Wow.” It might be a tourist thing to say, but there was no other word for the view.

  “It’s quite the sight, isn’t it?” When I turned, I noticed his gaze on me.

  “Do you ever miss it? When you’re gone?” Because as much as this was exciting and new, I missed home.

  “Not especially. I do enjoy seeing the look on your face as you take it in and remind me of maybe why I should.”

  “How much time do you typically spend here? The majority? Or are you in London a lot?”

  “The majority is here in New York. London probably twice a year. If it wasn’t for the real estate investment, I probably would’ve sold that flat a long time ago.”

  “Do you get tired of hotels?” I couldn’t imagine being surrounded by temporary things. Not for the first time, I wondered if he ever got lonely.

  “A bit. I’m moving into short-term housing on Monday. Gives me a kitchen. Better space than a hotel.”

  I sipped my wi
ne and watched him meticulously cut into his steak after dinner was served.

  He glanced up, catching my observation. “What is it?”

  “You and I are very different.” It was out without a tone or intent. Just simple fact. As if I was trying to figure out the puzzle of why we fit together. Even temporarily.

  He dabbed at his lips before smiling. “Yes. I suppose we are. You miss home, don’t you?”

  I loved that he got me despite not being able to relate. “Yes. Especially Cooper. He’s kind of a momma’s boy.”

  He laughed. “He’s a lucky dog. Have you had him since he was a pup?”

  “Yes. Eight weeks old.” It might be stupid to miss your dog this much, but I’d never been separated from him longer than one night. It had even been tough to be away from him during these late evenings over the last week. And I missed my sister. I hadn’t had the time to chat with her like we normally did. At least I had next weekend to look forward to at her house.

  We finished up dinner and walked the couple blocks to the theater where Wicked was playing. I’d always wanted to see it and couldn’t contain my enthusiasm as I hooked an arm in his and followed him into the box high above the stage. It was private and, once the musical started, completely shrouded in darkness. Afterwards, I was on a high despite being tired. I’d just attended my first Broadway musical, and the man next to me had made it possible. It had been a beautiful twist on the beginnings of the Wizard of Oz. Captivating and breathtaking, I’d had all the feels. All because of him being so thoughtful to make it possible.

  “Thank you for the best date I’ve ever been on.”

  He smiled, squeezing my hand, which he’d held during the entire show. “It was my best, too. Let’s get you back before you turn into a pumpkin.”

  Evidently, the high was fading with the curtain falling because I had to stifle a yawn. But the moment we were back in his condo, the air felt charged. He took off his jacket while I slipped off my shoes.

  “We should leave by ten o’clock tomorrow morning. That will get us back about the same time on Sunday.”

  “Okay.” Why did he sound all business?