by Mia Ford
I reached up and brushed a piece of hair out of her face, watching her close her eyes as my skin touched hers. I pulled up my other hand and cupped her neck, pulling her in and kissing her passionately. She whimpered as I slid my tongue across her lips and tasted the sweet champagne on her tongue. I slid my hand down her side and around to the small of her back, feeling the heat rising in my chest. Just as I moved my lips to her neck, my phone went off, breaking the spell for a moment. I sighed and fumbled to find the thing in my pocket. Without looking at the screen, I hit the ignore button and set it on the table. I dove back in, pulling Amanda close to me, feeling the heaving of her chest against mine.
The smell of her perfume and the bubbles from the champagne had me completely twisted in knots. I wanted so badly to take her right there on the couch, to feel her supple body in my hands writhing beneath me as I pushed her closer to orgasm. However, before I even had the chance to get her undressed, my phone rang again. I groaned, angrily grabbing the phone from the table. She smiled and nodded her head, telling me to answer it. I pulled it to my ear and answered gruffly.
“Yes, what can I do for you?”
“Nathan,” John said in a slightly panicked voice.
I turned and sat up straight, not used to hearing that tone from him. “John, what’s wrong?”
“We have a problem,” he said. “There’s been a security breach. I came right over to make sure it wasn’t a false alarm before bothering you on a Friday night, but it looks like it’s the real thing. I know you’re probably in the middle of something, but you should get over here immediately. We need to get the system under control and fast.”
“Right,” I said, glancing over at Amanda. “I’m on my way. I just have to call the car.”
I hung up the phone and texted my driver, letting him know it was an emergency. I put the phone down and kissed Amanda sweetly on the lips, pulling back and sighing. She smiled sweetly and tilted her head.
“Is everything okay?”
“There has been some sort of security breach at the company,” I said. “I have to get over there and make sure it’s stopped. These things are pretty serious when it comes to the company and our projects.”
“I’m sure,” she said, looking up at the sound of my driver honking.
“I’ll see you tomorrow night, okay?”
I leaned in and gave her a long, deep kiss before standing up and heading for the door. I turned back for just a minute and smiled at her before walking out and shutting the door behind me. Once I was outside, I sprinted for the car and jumped inside, instructing the driver to step on it. This was a serious thing, something that could completely take us off the market for an entire quarter. We had serious steps in place to avoid these types of things, so whoever hacked in was either lucky or really experienced. When I got there, John, Jordan, and half the IT department were standing around different computers, looking at the system.
“Hey, we think we have him stalled,” John said as I pulled a chair up to the main computer and began looking through the system.
We worked for several hours, finally picking up the hacker’s signal and running a trace. Turned out, it was some kid in Idaho playing around with hacking like it was a game. He got lucky and got into the mainframe, but once he was there, he had no idea what he was doing. He was doing little bullshit things like changing some names and highlighting certain things in accounting. He obviously had no idea what he was looking at, or what to do once he was inside. I handed the computer over to Jordan and his team to start cleaning up and went into my office to call the proper authorities. We worked closely with the FBI’s hacker unit, so I gave my contact a call and let them know what happened. Luckily, there was no customer or employee information available on the level the hacker broke into. He was just surfing the regular system like most of our employees could do in the mail room.
“That was close,” John said, shaking his head as he leaned back in the chair. “We need to find the weak spot that he got in through and make sure that never happens again. If he had known what he was doing, he could have crippled us.”
“I know,” I said. “I’m gonna head out. I’ll see you tomorrow at the party.”
“Right on, buddy,” he said.
By the time I got home, it was really early in the morning, and I was dragging ass. Luckily, I didn’t need to be at the party until that evening. I got ready for bed and pulled my phone out to hook it up to the charger. It was the first time I looked at it since I left Amanda’s house. I noticed a missed text, so I pulled it open and smiled. Amanda had sent me a message shortly after I left her house.
“I miss you so much and I can’t wait to see you tomorrow. Thanks for listening to me ramble,” it read.
I sat down on the bed and reread the message probably ten times. I shut the phone off and hooked it up, feeling those same butterflies dancing around in my chest. As I turned the light off and settled into bed, I realized something. Those butterflies weren’t just excitement. They were much more than that. They were all too familiar, and although I hadn’t felt that way in a long time, I knew what it was. I was falling in love with Amanda, and I didn’t want the feeling to end.
Chapter 7
Amanda
I smoothed the hair back on the side of my head. I had pinned one side of my hair up and let the other fall over the edge of my face. The curls bounced around my shoulders, and the makeup on my eyes shimmered against the satin of my dress. I ran my hands down the cool material, happy that I had picked that dress for the event. It was a spaghetti-strapped, satin gown that flowed down over my curves to the floor. The back dipped down low until it reached just above my ass. I knew I was going to stun Nathan with the thing. It was a good thing that I was ready early, too, because as I slipped my earrings on, I could hear the sound of the doorbell.
I smiled and pulled on my heels, walking out to the door and peering through the peephole. He looked nervous, and I found it absolutely adorable. I opened the door and whistled, staring at him in his Dior tuxedo, perfectly pressed, and fitted just right around his tight body. I was a lucky girl to get to go to this party with such a handsome man. He leaned in and kissed my cheek, shaking his head.
“You look absolutely stunning,” he whispered. “I’m sorry I’m early, but I missed you.”
“Aww,” I said, looking at him with love. “I missed you, too.”
“I got us a little surprise,” he said, pulling me in and kissing my neck.
“Oh, yeah? Do we have time for that?”
“Not right now.” He chuckled. “But later we will. I booked the presidential suite at the hotel where the party is being held. Whenever we are ready, we can just slip out the back and go right up to the lap of luxury.”
“I like the sound of that.” I giggled as he kissed me hard on the neck.
“For now, though,” he said. “We have to get going. They’re going to want to see me there before the huge crowd descends. Are you ready?”
“Let me just grab my bag,” I said, walking into the kitchen and yelling back at him. “You said this is for your shareholders?”
“Well, not exactly,” he said, smiling as I walked back toward him.
“What do you mean?”
“I didn’t want you to be nervous, so I just told you that.” He laughed. “It’s actually the company’s anniversary party. We have one every year to mark when I first started the company. Everyone thinks it’s silly, but I think it’s super important. Everyone comes to work every day in this empire, but they seldom think about the company I started from a small shop in West LA, with no employees but me, Jordan, and John.”
“Oh,” I said, looking nervous. “So, there will be press and stuff?”
“A little,” he said. “What is even more important than the press is the fact that this night is dedicated to everyone that works for me, from the mail room to the Vice President. We take this night and honor the hardest workers in the company, give them bonuses, and remind them just ho
w important they are to the inner workings of the company. Employee morale is everything in this world, and I want to make sure they know how important they are to me.”
“That is really amazing,” I said in awe of his generosity. “You continue to surprise me every day.”
We headed out to the event, chauffeured in style in a shiny new limo. When we got there, we went in the back entrance to avoid all the photographers out front. Nathan ushered me to a seat at the head table, and I sat, watching him prepare for his speech. When everyone was seated, the lights went down a bit, and a spotlight came up. The crowd cheered for Nathan, and I watched the charisma that just shined through his every movement. He was amazing to watch and to listen to, and I could tell that the people in that room really adored him as their boss and their friend. That was the kind of business owner I wanted to be, someone that was in touch with the heart of the company.
“I am so glad that everyone could make it tonight,” he said during his speech. “And we all should take a moment and send some good vibes to Mrs. Burlington from accounting who had open heart surgery last week. We hear she is doing amazing and is recovering as we speak. On that note, I want to remind you guys yet again of how important you are to me and this company.”
I sat there smiling, watching as he locked eyes with me several times during his speech. The intensity of his stare made my heart skip a beat, and I could feel myself falling in love with him with every passing moment. I was surprised at how easy it was for me to let go with him.
The whole night was turning out so wonderfully. His speech ended, and he got a standing ovation, and I could see the pride beaming from his face. He came down and sat next to me, holding my hand tightly in his as the awards were handed out. He clapped and cheered for every single person that crossed that stage, and I wondered if he actually knew all of them.
When the awards were done, we sat at the table enjoying dinner and drinks, laughing with the other couples around us. He was so attentive to me the whole time, never leaving me alone for more than a couple of seconds. After that, we mingled through the crowd, meeting some of the new employees and finding ourselves engrossed in conversation with several of the lower level employees. He talked to them the same way he talked to the upper management, with grace, respect, and dignity. I met so many people, I was losing track of all the names and departments they worked for. As we turned around to get a drink from the bar, I spotted Lindsey coming through the doors on Jordan’s arm, waving wildly at me. They weren’t supposed to able to make it, but I was so excited to see them both there.
“Hi,” I said excitedly, hugging Lindsey tightly.
“You look amazing,” she said, taking my hand. “I love that dress.”
“Thank you,” I said proudly. “And so do you!”
“So, this is the famed Lindsey,” Nathan said, shaking her hand. “I’ve heard so much about you. Between Jordan and your best friend, I feel like I already know you.”
“Everything they say is true,” she said, swirling her hair. “Unless it’s bad, and then they are liars to the end.”
“They speak nothing but the best about you,” he said as we all laughed.
“So, are you two having fun?” she asked.
“I always have fun with this amazing woman,” he said, squeezing my side.
“I’m so glad you’re dating.” She giggled. “Are you going to be coming to the wedding together? That would be so great. I could totally put you two at the same table. Would you want to sit next to each other?”
“Lindsey, take a deep breath,” I said, laughing. “You are overloading again.”
“She talks a mile a minute when she gets excited.” Jordan laughed. “It’s adorable.”
“Lindsey, I would love to sit next to Amanda,” Nathan said, smiling. “And I want to take a second and brag to you about your fiancé. We had a little security breach last night, and your fiancé was a badass, excuse my language. He jumped right in, tracked the hacker down, and reported back to me this morning that everything had been all cleared up. He even fixed the hole in the system that allowed the guy to slip through into the mainframe.”
“I don’t know what you just said, but I am very impressed,” she said, laughing. “Good job, baby.”
“Why, thank you,” Jordan said, beaming.
“I’m so glad that the two of you were able to come tonight,” I said, grabbing Lindsey’s hand.
“Me too,” she said. “I was able to reschedule the shoot they wanted to do, and we threw on some clothes and headed over.”
“What shoot were you doing?” Nathan handed her a glass of champagne and winked at me.
“An ad for the new Dior perfume coming out in the fall,” she said. “The photographer was being a grumpy ass anyway, so the company decided to move shoots and reschedule for next week. His equipment was being crazy, and he wasn’t getting the right lighting.”
“I don’t know what you just said, but we are glad to have you here,” Nathan said, trying to make her feel comfortable.
“Aww,” she cooed, taking the bait. “Well, we’re glad to be here.”
I beamed at Nathan, mouthing “Thank you,” to him and taking his hand as he pulled me out onto the dance floor. Lindsey smiled at me from across the room, and I swirled around into his arms. The rest of the night was just so wonderful. Everything seemed almost picture perfect. I hadn’t had that much fun in a really long time, and I knew it was because of Nathan.
We danced for quite a while and then resumed greeting people. He showed me off but not like arm candy, rather like something he cherished and adored. He even introduced me to everyone as his girlfriend. I thought it would throw me for a loop hearing it, but when I did, it seemed to fit just right. The first time he said it, my cheeks grew red, and I was almost tongue-tied. He smiled big, catching my reaction, and I melted right there on the spot. After the couple had walked away, he kissed me on the forehead and squeezed my hand tightly, pulling me toward the bar.
I felt like I was a princess at a ball, being waited on hand and foot, respected by so many people that didn’t even know me, and watching my boyfriend beam at me with pride. I was enjoying myself so much that I didn’t even realize how late it was getting until people started collecting their things and leaving for the evening. The party would probably keep going for the next few hours, but I could feel my feet starting to throb from my shoes, and I was pretty anxious to see what else the night was going to bring. I could tell by the way Nathan’s eyes moved over my body that he was thinking the same thing.
After we had said goodnight to a few people, we snuck out the side door and made our way up to the penthouse. He slid the card key in and opened the door, watching as I walked in before him. I stopped inside and looked around, completely in awe of the place. There was dark rich wood covering the floor and the edges around the ceiling. The furniture was ornate and beautiful, and there was a fresh bouquet of roses on the table. I took off my shoes and set them down, walking over to the floor-to-ceiling windows and looking out over the city. It was beautiful.
Nathan walked up beside me, and I turned to him, dropping my purse on the table next to me. He stared at me with intensity, and before he could say a word, I pulled the straps down over my shoulders and allowed my dress to fall to the floor. He smiled and ran his hands over my perked nipples, walking in close to me and pulling my body forward. He pressed his lips hard against mine, and I leaned into him, allowing him to completely envelop me. It was erotic and passionate, and my body yearned for more of him. This was going to be a really good night.
Chapter 8
Nathan
The way her body looked in the lights from the city, standing in front of me in nothing but a pair of lace panties, made my cock hard as a rock. I could feel her body tensing as my fingers trailed over her skin. I backed her up into the living room, and she pulled away, untying my bow tie and helping me out of my coat. With each button of my shirt, she became more and more frenzied, pulling at my
belt as I took my shirt the rest of the way off. She unzipped my pants and let them fall to the floor, looking into my eyes as she pushed her hand down into my boxers and grasped my shaft in her palm. I groaned, stepping out of my pants and pulling my shoes and socks off. She kept her hand firm, waiting until I was completely undressed.
I stood up straight and watched as she tossed a pillow on the floor and pulled me over to the couch. I sat down, watching her kneel before me and pull my boxers completely off. My cock sprang free, waving back forth until she leaned forward and caught it with her lips. She kissed the tip and raised herself back up, running her hands up and down my thighs. I was so turned on at that moment, pent-up from being cut off on Friday, that I wasn’t even sure what to do with myself. I leaned my head against the couch and calmed my breathing, watching as she lowered her head down and pulled my cock into her mouth. She swirled her tongue around the mushroom tip, sucking hard as she pulled up. She reached one hand up, grasped the base of my cock, and leaned forward again, opening her throat and sheathing her teeth.
I groaned loudly as her mouth slipped back over, sliding down my shaft until her lips touched the base of my dick. As she slowly pulled back up, the suction almost mind-numbing, she grasped onto the erection and tightly slid her hand up behind her mouth. I reached my hands down and grasped onto the couch cushion as she did it again, this time picking up the pace. I watched her dark hair wildly shake back and forth as she deep-throated my cock. I pressed my hand down on her head and grabbed her hair gently, guiding her down the length of my rod and groaning as I felt her suck hard at the back of her throat. Her warm saliva dripped down my cock and over my balls, and the feeling of the cool air hitting my wet nuts sent a shiver up my spine.