Her boss’s approval removed the last vestiges of awkwardness that starting a relationship with a coworker could bring. Phew. One more worry put aside.
Calum led her into the center of the dance floor. He slipped one arm around her waist, taking her hand with the other. He touched her cheek with his and began to move.
“I didn’t know you could dance,” she said.
“There’s a lot you don’t know about me.”
“I can imagine.”
Calum drew back, studying her face. “Have I told you how stunning you look tonight?”
She smiled. “I think your words were that you thought I was beautiful when angry.”
His hand traced up from her waist to curve around her neck. He brushed his thumb beneath her earlobe, traced the tip over her cheek, and caressed her bottom lip. He applied gentle pressure until she parted her lips. When she did, he slipped the tip of his thumb inside. Laurella sucked hard, taking him all the way in. He groaned. They were standing so close it would be virtually impossible for anyone to witness their seductive dance.
She released him. He lowered his head and touched his lips to hers. “For the record, I think you’re beautiful when you’re angry and when you’re happy. First thing in the morning and last thing at night. When you’re all made up, like tonight, and when your face is clean and clear. Whether you’re in a ball gown or when you’re wearing sweatpants. Your kind of beauty comes from the inside, Laurella. That’s why every man in this room who is not in a relationship—and even some who are—is envious of me right now. Because I’m with you.”
Her heart squeezed so hard she feared it might stop beating altogether. “Oh, Calum.”
“I know being with me isn’t easy. I’m a complicated man. I can be overly critical, blunt to the point of causing offense, hostile at times. I’m sure I don’t need to tell you any of this, because you were on the receiving end during our first weeks and months of knowing each other. But I am loyal to those I love, and I put them first. Always.”
Laurella’s breath caught in her throat. Had he said what she thought he had? Had he just told her he loved her? Hope blossomed in her chest. Neither of them had spoken of love, but these last few weeks had been the happiest of her life. They hadn’t had the most auspicious of starts, but it was here and now that mattered.
Her mouth went dry as she looked up into Calum’s dark-green smoldering eyes. “I adore you. Even if you do push my buttons quite a lot and sometimes make me want to hit you instead of kiss you.”
It was a hell of a risk. But she’d been humiliated before and survived. One more humiliation wouldn’t kill her if he recoiled from her declaration.
He cupped both hands around her face and kissed her. “How long do we have to stay here?”
She laughed. “I think Zane expects us to stick around to the very end.”
“Fuck that,” Calum said. “He gets another two hours max. And that’s pushing it, given how much I need to be inside you.”
The rest of the evening turned out to be a great success. Zane played the part of master of ceremonies beautifully, and those who won prizes and awards went home happily clutching their gifts. Necron might only be small, but Zane had the right idea when it came to staff loyalty. An employee who felt appreciated would always do more than one who felt put-upon.
They said goodnight to a few stragglers who were clearly intent on stretching out the evening—not to mention the free bar—as far as they could. Then they climbed into the back of a cab, and Calum tugged Laurella astride his lap. When he gave the driver the name of Jax’s hotel instead of Laurella’s apartment, she frowned.
“Why there?”
Calum grinned. “I may have managed to get the penthouse for the night. Jax had someone cancel at the last minute, which meant they lost their fee. So being the good brother he is, he offered it to me.”
“Oh, you are so going to get laid,” she whispered.
“That’s the plan, beautiful.” Calum locked his lips on hers.
It took about twenty minutes to reach Jax’s hotel. Calum paid the driver, and like a pair of teenagers, they spilled onto the sidewalk, still kissing.
Inside, the hotel was as busy as every other time Laurella had visited, but this time, Calum didn’t stop off in the lounge area, nor did he lead her to the basement that housed his living quarters. Instead, he headed straight for the stairs. On the top floor, he turned left. He removed a key card from his wallet and inserted it into the slot.
“After you,” he said, gesturing for her to go in first.
Laurella stepped inside… and gasped. The room was the epitome of contemporary luxury. Thick wall-to-wall carpeting covered the living space, upon which sat three deep couches arranged in a U shape, with myriad scattered cushions. Fresh flowers had been placed on the coffee table, and an enormous television set dominated one wall. What caught Laurella’s eye, though, was what lay beyond the glass floor-to-ceiling doors.
She kicked off her shoes and curled her toes, relishing the softness of the fibers against her feet, which were sore from standing in heels for hours. She walked across the vast space and flung open the doors. The outside patio was enormous. Around the edge was a glass screen topped with oak wood. Subtle lighting provided a muted glow, but it was the large Jacuzzi sitting proudly on a raised platform that Laurella wanted to sample. And the man standing off to the side, watching her reaction, was the person she wanted to sample it with.
With her eyes on his, she slipped the spaghetti straps off her shoulders and let her dress slide to the floor. Underneath, the red lingerie she’d chosen had the desired effect on Calum. His lips parted, and his tongue swept out to dampen them. He maintained eye contact and the physical distance, but the glint deep within his emerald irises told her he was only just holding it together.
She sauntered outside, hips swaying, and climbed up the steps to the bubbling water. Reaching around her back, she unclasped her bra and dropped it beside her. She didn’t need to turn around to know he’d be watching. She could almost feel his burning stare scorching her back.
She hooked her fingers into her panties and slowly, oh so slowly, slid them down her legs. Once fully naked, she dipped her toe into the deliciously warm water. Sinking all the way down, she turned on her front and rested her chin on her folded arms. Calum hadn’t moved.
“Aren’t you coming?” she called out.
His steps toward her were leisurely and deliberate. He unfastened his bow tie and let it dangle on either side of his collar. Her belly somersaulted. Christ. He looked stunning standing there, like her own personal James Bond.
He undid the top button on his shirt. “Oh, I’m coming,” he said, sitting on the side of the Jacuzzi. “I’m coming hard inside you.”
She reached a finger inside the waistband of his pants and tugged. “Then get in, lover boy.”
His smile, when it came, was slow and sexy. He captured her chin and tilted her head back. His lips brushed hers, but when she raised herself out of the water to deepen the kiss, he pulled back.
“I’ll get the drinks.” He wandered back inside.
Screw the drinks she wanted to yell. Calum loved stretching the anticipation, and so did she. It was still frustrating, though.
He returned five minutes later, holding a silver bucket with a bottle of champagne sticking out the top in one hand and two crystal flutes in the other. Setting the glasses on the rim of the Jacuzzi, he expertly popped the cork then poured the sparkling liquid into the glasses.
“To us,” he said, passing one to her.
“To you getting out of those clothes and joining me in here.”
He chuckled. “So impatient, my Laurella.”
“I won’t be yours for much longer if you don’t put out the flames you started earlier tonight.”
He rose to his feet, grinning. With painstaking languidness, he unfastened each button on his shirt to reveal the flat, hard muscles beneath. It slipped from his shoulders, and he let it fall
to the floor. She growled in frustration, but all that did was make him go more slowly. When he finally dropped his dress trousers, his erection sprang free.
Laurella knelt up and gripped his length. “Get in here this second, or I’m ripping this off.”
Calum cocked an eyebrow. “Such violence from one who professes to adore me.”
“I may change my mind about that if you don’t stop teasing.”
He stepped into the Jacuzzi. Once seated, he tugged her astride his lap with her thighs straddling his. “Here’s what’s going to happen tonight,” he said, his voice low and sultry, his teeth nibbling her earlobe. “I’m fucking you in here, then I’m fucking you on the enormous bed that’s waiting for us in the bedroom. And providing you haven’t passed out on me, I’m fucking you from behind, with the view of the city around us.”
Her stomach flipped, and she automatically flexed her thighs.
He tilted his head back and smirked. “From the way you’re clenching those delicious legs around me, I take it you approve?”
“Stop talking.” She put her mouth on him and felt his lips curving into a smile against hers. He lifted her—such an easy task with the hot, bubbling water acting as a buoyancy aid—and slid her down over his erection. Thank God they’d both been checked out and could ditch the condoms. The all-new sensation of being submerged in water brought an added intensity. Once he’d filled her to the hilt, she went to move, but he gripped her hips, stilling her.
“Let me feel you,” he said. “Because the minute you move, I’m going to come, and I don’t want to yet.”
She smiled. “Whatever you want.”
“Oh, sweetheart, I love it when you obey me.”
Laurella snorted. “Careful. I’ve got the upper hand here.”
Calum raised an eyebrow. “Oh yeah? How?”
Laurella clenched her inner muscles and gently rocked her hips. Once. Calum groaned, and his hands tightened around her waist. His cock jerked inside her.
“Have I answered your question?” she asked sweetly.
“Yes,” he hissed.
“Am I in charge?”
“Beautiful, you own me.”
“Can I have that recorded?”
Calum threw back his head and laughed. “Move, woman. I need to come.”
Laurella gripped his broad shoulders, raising and lowering herself. The water sloshed over the sides of the Jacuzzi, and as she went faster, the waves grew in size. At the rate they were going, there wouldn’t be any water left. His hand dipped between their bodies, and he pinched her clit hard. It was all she needed to tumble over into orgasm. She threw her head back, incoherent mumblings falling from her lips. Calum’s panting grew in volume as he took control of the speed and angle. Then he groaned loudly.
“God, I love you,” he murmured against her neck, his arms tightening around her as though he was scared she’d disappear.
Her chest constricted, and her throat grew thick. He’d actually said the words. And his bravery freed her to be brave, too.
“I love you, too. So very much.”
Chapter 20
Laurella tapped on Zane’s office door, a stack of papers beneath her arm. When he called out, she entered and gave him a bright smile.
“Ready to take a final look through the plans?” she asked, referring to their upcoming meeting with the senior leadership of Sorensen’s. Since her and Calum’s initial pitch and their first delivery, which had gone extremely well, they’d made great strides in building the relationship. If today went according to plan, they had a good chance of Sorensen’s signing a large contract. It was a huge deal for Necron, one that would grow the company by at least twenty-five percent, not to mention that Sorensen’s had a lot of influence in other markets that Necron was targeting.
“I certainly am.” He pointed to the seat opposite. “You could save a tree and bring your iPad, Laurella.”
“I like old-fashioned paper.”
Zane smiled. “Fair enough. Did Calum make those adjustments to the pricing model?”
“Yes. It’s all in here.” She handed the papers to Zane and took a seat, smoothing her skirt beneath her.
“And is Eric on board?” Zane asked, referring to their chief financial officer.
She nodded. “I’d go so far as to say he’s rather excited about the potential this deal will bring to the bottom line.”
“Money is the only thing I’ve found that Eric does get excited about. But that’s what makes him a great CFO.”
Zane flicked through the presentation. He made the odd note in the margin and gave an occasional “Mmm.”
Laurella waited patiently.
“It looks great,” he finally said. “They’d be crazy to turn their noses up at that deal.”
“They would, although from what I can glean, it’s our supply chain they’re concerned with. The fact we made the first delivery complete and on time will have done us a huge amount of good, though. Now we just need you to convince them we can scale up.”
Zane blew on the ends of his fingers. “Get ready for a master class.”
Laurella laughed. She loved working with Zane, and since this lead had come to fruition, she’d had the opportunity to study and learn from him up close. Zane might come across as a bit of a joker, but when it came to Necron, he was deadly serious. The minute the Sorensen’s team walked into the boardroom, the joking would end, and he would settle down to business.
She rose to leave. “Okay, well, I’ll grab some lunch and see you in the boardroom at three.”
“Hang on,” Zane said, forcing Laurella to sit again. “You’ve been with us almost six months now. I’d like your views on how it’s going. Do you think you made the right decision coming here?”
Laurella nodded. “I love it, Zane. I miss my family, of course, and Italy, but I wanted a new challenge.” She smiled. “Necron has certainly been that. I never wanted to stay in one company my whole career. I want to test myself, to grow in directions other than marketing. To add value and make a difference. I’m achieving all those things here.”
“That’s good. Because from my perspective, you’ve been an amazing addition to the team. A bit of a bumpy start,” he said, teasing. “But overall, you coming here has been really valuable.”
“I’m glad you think so.”
“And what about Calum?”
Laurella frowned. “What about him?”
“Things going well between you two?”
Her frown deepened. “I’m not sure how that’s relevant.”
“Calum’s my best friend as well as a valuable member of the team here.”
“And…?”
Zane grinned. “I admire your directness while maintaining a professional façade. I don’t mean to overstep the mark. It’s just that these past couple of months, he’s been so happy. I’ve never seen him like that in all the years we’ve known each other. I hope it lasts, that’s all.”
Laurella kept her gaze even, although her insides did a double flip at his comment about Calum’s happiness. “My work and my personal life are two separate things. It complicates matters that Calum works here, but from my perspective, I have never let our relationship affect my work.”
Zane shook his head. “Shit, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to insinuate that at all.” He rubbed a hand over the top of his head. “Clearly I need to work on my management skills. Forget I said anything.”
“Can I make a suggestion?” Laurella asked, taking pity on how the turn in conversation had made Zane uncomfortable. He was a person she liked and respected. She didn’t want him to feel awkward around her.
“Shoot,” he said.
“Calum is your best friend. If you want to know how things are going with his girlfriend, I suggest you ask him.” She smiled warmly to let him know she hadn’t been offended by his clunky questioning.
Zane returned her smile. “Fair point.”
She rose from her chair once more. “I’ll see you at three.”
Laurella sat on Zane’s left, her palms sweating from nerves and anxiety. This was the first big deal she’d brought to the table, and it had to go well. If they got Sorensen’s on board, she’d be able to use that as leverage in the discussions she was having with other companies.
She fiddled with her notebook, her pen, her hair, her fingernails. Calum cleared his throat. She lifted her chin. He winked, the movement so quick she almost missed it. She flashed him the briefest of smiles. He knew her so well. He must have guessed she was panicking. She’d put so much work into this deal. They all had. To come out the other side with nothing would be devastating.
After the presentations were over, the lead negotiator from Sorensen’s—Brad Novak, a hard-nosed but fair guy—asked a few questions which their team were able to answer with ease.
“I think we can do a deal, Zane,” Brad said. “I’ll get my legal team to draft the documentation and get it over to you as soon as possible so your lawyers can crawl all over it, too.”
Laurella suppressed a whoop, crossing her gaze to Calum, who was also having difficulty restraining his excitement. Zane and Brad shook on the deal, and Brad rose to leave.
“Oh, one more thing.” Brad turned to Laurella. “I hope you don’t mind, Ms. Ricci, but I’d like to put one of my top marketing guys on this full-time to work with you in developing the brand and advertising campaign to go with the launch. I hope that works for you?”
A thrill ran through her. She’d hoped he’d commit some resource from their side. It would make getting agreement on the direction she wanted to go in much easier.
“I have no issue with that at all. I look forward to working closely with your team.”
“Great. I’ll be in touch about the finer details.” He shook hands with Zane once more. “Let’s get this deal done.”
And with that, the Sorensen’s team left the boardroom. Once they were out of earshot, a broad grin spread across Zane’s face. “We’ve done it.”
Against All Odds (A Brook Brothers Novel Book 2) Page 16
