I wished for six pairs of arms, that way I could gather everything up in one swoop and get the hell out of here. “You’re welcome, Olivia. When it comes to budgets though, I fear Julian is probably a better source of support,” Chase laughed self-depreciatively.
I heard Julian grunt his obvious disapproval at having to deal with Olivia and I couldn’t contain my laugh. I did my best to smother it, but it didn’t quite work.
And then Chase really threw a wrench into the discussion. “Here, Quinn, let me help you clean up.”
Olivia’s pathetic titter was seriously over the top. “Oh, no, Mr. Alexander. You shouldn’t have to clean up anything. I’m sure Quinn has it all under control. It’s part of her job anyway.”
Before I could respond and tell her to go fuck herself, Chase replied in a tone I’d never head him use before with...well, anyone but me. “Well, Olivia, that’s not how we do things here at SMA. We’re a team, from the janitors at night to Nicholas, Julian and myself. I noticed that we were all very quick to pat ourselves on the back for a successful meeting, while Quinn was the only one who got up and kept actually working. As a part of this team, I’m not going to let her clean up all by herself.”
I had stopped gathering the books in the middle of Chase’s speech to see if he was for real, and I noticed Olivia’s eyes round in embarrassment at being called out. “Mr. Alexander, I…of course, we’re a team. I never meant to imply that we…”
Chase held his hand up to stop her in mid-sentence. “You’re excused, Olivia.” When Nick placed his hand on Chase shoulder, Chase continued, “As a matter of fact, you are all excused.”
I put all the books back down on the table and crossed my arms over my chest as I arched a brow at Chase. Chase was the people person and that was definitely not people person charm. Julian and Nick didn’t utter a word as they filed out behind everyone else making sure Chase and I were alone. I had to admit, a part of me was catty enough to have enjoyed Olivia’s putdown.
I didn’t speak until everyone was already packed into the elevator and the doors were closing. No other meetings were taking place at this time. So, once again, Chase and I were the only ones on the entire conference room floor. “What was that all about?”
Chase took me by surprise when he stalked towards me, and before I could anticipate what he was going to do or protest, he had his hands tangled in my hair and his lips pressed against mine.
I opened my mouth and let him in.
A low growl emitted from his throat and I wrapped my arms around his neck and let him lift me to place me on the conference table. I spread my legs like the hussy I was and moaned as he stepped in between them. Now that I knew what kind of weapon he was packing, I was up for whatever and however he wanted to do this. “Chase…”
He broke off the kiss, and using the grip he had in my hair, he tugged my head back forcing me to look up at him. “I don’t know whether to pledge my soul to you or strangle the holy fuck out of you, Quinn.” His eyes were so blue they looked like they were dancing. “You come back to my office, suck my dick like you were born to be on your knees in front of me, and then take off without a fucking word! And then you don’t answer any of my calls or texts.” He started trailing kisses across my jawline. “You have no idea the sick shit that was running through my mind during this entire meeting.”
I could feel a flush of wetness coat my panties at his words, but I was still irritated by Olivia’s blatant flirting. “About me or about Olivia?”
I felt his large hand wrap around my throat as he brought his face back to mine. “Fuck Olivia. It’s you I was thinking about. Hell, you’re all I think about these days, Quinn.”
And because I needed a little reassurance, I asked, “What do you think about?”
His eyes were smoldering and his face looked fierce. “I think about how the next time you suck my dick I’m going to cum all over your perfect fucking face. I think about how I want to bottom out in your cunt. I think about how I want to fuck you so badly, if someone were to walk in here right now, I wouldn’t stop.” Chase shook my head with his grip to emphasize his point. “I wouldn’t fuck stop, Quinn.”
God, why did that sound like such a good idea?
And then reality hit me like a Mac truck.
I frantically started pushing at Chase’s chest, scrambling away from him. “Chase, stop.”
I was no match for him, so when he took a step back, I knew it was by his choice and not because my bullets of strength were actually pushing him away. “What? Why?”
I jumped off the table and patted myself down trying to put myself back together. “Because, it’s one thing to suck your dick in your office behind closed doors, Chase. It’s quite another to be all over each other in the conference room where anyone can just walk in and see us.”
He let out a groan. “Please say that again.”
“It’s one thing to suck your…” And then it dawned on me. “You’re a jerk. Can you be serious for one minute, please?”
“Oh, I am being serious. Any time the topic is you, I’m being very serious,” he countered.
I planted my hands on my hips and glowered up at him. “Chase, we cannot let people know about this…this thing between us.”
He stood to his full height and crossed those strong, bulging, tatted up arms of his over his chest. “And why the fuck not?”
I pinched the bridge of my nose in an attempt to call upon some patience. This man was a goddamn billionaire. There’s no way he could be this dense. “Because it’s not a good look for me to be fucking the boss or the boss to be fucking one of his employees, Chase.”
“Oh, really? Then what about Nick and Avery?”
Okay, he really was that dense. I raised my head to face him again. “Ace and Nick aren’t fucking, Chase. They are engaged and she didn’t recently get a promotion or doesn’t work directly for Nick. That’s the difference, and don’t act like you’re too stupid to realize that.”
He uncrossed his arms and let out a sigh. “Okay, I get what you’re saying, babe, but how the fuck do you expect me to keep my hands to myself during work hours now that I know what you taste like?” He took a step closer to me, but I was quick enough to dodge his advances. “Come on, Quinn.”
“I don’t know what to tell you, other than we need to be responsible about this if we’re going to continue to do this.” And I really wanted to continue doing this, even if it was unethical.
He didn’t look happy about my work stipulations.
Not. At. All.
“You know what? Fine, you’re right. I’ll do my best to keep things professional at work or at least keep shit private in my office, but under one condition,” he conceded.
I tried not to wince, but this was Chase. I could only imagine what his condition was. “What?”
“Either I’m packing a bag and coming over to your place tonight or you’re packing one and coming to my condo. Your answer can only be one or the other, Q.” He stalked towards me and got right up in my face. “I am fucking you tonight and I plan on doing it until we pass out from exhaustion or the sun comes up. I don’t give a fuck which one, Quinn. But since we both have to work in the morning, an overnight bag would be a wise choice.” He smirked. “See how responsible I’m being?”
I wanted to punch him in the face and then sucked him off again.
I was so confused.
But I can’t say I wasn’t squirming over the picture he was painting. “Alright, but since I leave work before you do, you’ll need to come to my house. I’m not going to be sitting by the phone all night, waiting for you to call.”
He just smirked. “I’ll take you however I can get you, babe.”
I stormed out of the conference room irritated by the man and sexually frustrated by him at the same time.
And I left him to clean up alone.
Chase~
This had to be the longest Tuesday of my entire existence.
It took all I had yesterday after work
not to break down Quinn’s front door to her apartment. When she walked into my office for the second time yesterday, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect, but the best blow job of my life wasn’t it.
She sucked my cock like she did everything else…balls out and with no apologies. And I was losing my mind wondering if she fucked the same way.
I wanted to be irritated with her every time I glanced at the clock, but she was right about our working relationship. In all honesty, since Julian was her direct boss, us seeing each other wouldn’t have looked that bad, but due to her recent promotion, it would have really given off the whole ‘fucked your way up the corporate ladder’ vibe, if people knew.
I found myself envying Nick and Ace. They had a freedom that Q and I couldn’t have just yet.
It was probably a good thing that Avery didn’t work directly with us, and Quinn had limited interaction, because I had a feeling if Nick and I had to see them constantly throughout the day, Julian would be running SMA alone, because we’d be spending all our time at work with the girls bent over our desks.
I had no idea how Nick managed it.
It was probably because he got to go home every night and slip inside Avery. I bet that made a big difference. I guess I was just going to have to find a way to get Quinn in my bed every night.
My office door opened, bringing me back to the present. Nick walked in with Julian right behind him. “What’s up?”
“Why aren’t you answering your phone?” Nick kicked off.
“Or your goddamn emails, asshole?” Julian added.
“What are you talking about? I’ve been answering both all day,” I defended.
Nick sat on one of the chairs directly across from my desk. “Yeah, except if the caller I.D. shows it’s Valerie Stratton, fuckface.”
Julian took the chair next to Nick. “Yeah, she called Nick trying to get a hold of you, and when he didn’t respond quick enough, she called me. What the fuck, Chase?”
I leaned back in my chair and confessed the reason for my irresponsibility. “She wants to have a ‘business dinner’,” I did the finger quotes, “tonight to discuss her portfolio and I do not want to have anything to do with that succubus after work hours.”
Julian started laughing.
The assfuck.
“So? It’s not like she’s the first client who’s ever hit on you, Chase. You have subtle rejection down to an art form,” Nick pointed out.
“Yeah, I know. I know. It’s just…”
Julian leaned in with his elbows on his knees and his hand clasped in front of him. “It’s Quinn.”
Nick shot Julez a quick look and then turned back to me. “What about Quinn?”
Goddamn, Julian. That man saw a lot and understood too much.
“So, something may or may not have occurred in my office yesterday, and I may or may not have plans tonight to finish that something that was started yesterday,” I admitted. Well…kind of admitted.
“So, what’s that have to do with Valerie?” Nick asked, as Julian sat back in his seat muttering, “It’s about fucking time.”
I let out a deep sigh. “It feels different,” I confessed. “Before Quinn, when clients would hit on me, it felt harmless. I flirted enough to let them down easily, while not jeopardizing our work relationship. But now, it feels like…” Nick’s brows jumped up to his hairline waiting for me to finish explaining.
But Julian finished the sentence for me. “Now if feels like a little too much like cheating.”
“Exactly,” I breathed out.
Nick shrugged a shoulder. “So, then you tell Valerie and whatever other clients that keep trying to get into your pants that you have a girlfriend. That should settle it.”
“Yeah, except, Q’s not my girlfriend and she just told me not a few hours ago that she doesn’t want anyone to know about us.”
“Wow. She sure isn’t making it easy, huh?” Nick needlessly commented. “Okay, how about we all three go to her ridiculous business dinner.”
I threw my head back and laughed as Julian’s eyes bugged out of his head. “All that’s going to do is put the idea of a foursome in that twisted broad’s mind.”
“This is bullshit,” Julian declared. “I don’t know why we haven’t just drugged the girls and carted them off to Las Vegas yet. We need rings on our fingers and we have enough money to make it happen.”
Nick looked like he was seriously considering it, but then thought better of it. “As much merit as that suggestion has, I’d prefer my wife not try to murder me the morning after our wedding.”
Julian waved away Nick’s concern. “Quinn’s the only one who would contemplate murder. Avery and Isabella might not talk to us for a couple of days, but that’s a small price to pay for having them forever, don’t you think?”
Nick actually looked like he was on board with Julian’s bazaar idea. I had to save my best friends from themselves. “No. There will be no drugging of potential brides with back alley weddings in Vegas. Hell, I don’t even want to get married right now. Jesus, you guys are sick in the head.”
Julian’s face was all incredulousness. “What the fuck are you talking about, Chase? You’re the one who wanted to kidnap them that first night at Xavier’s!”
“That was before I knew Quinn was the type to actually cut a man’s balls off,” I retorted.
Nick tapped his hand down in the air in calming gesture. “Okay, calm down. We’ll hold off drugging and kidnapping for a later date. How about for now we just go forward with dinner plans?”
I looked over at Julian. I prayed he’d say no, but I knew he wouldn’t. Julian was nothing, if not loyal. If Julian had love for you, he’d go into battle blind with you whether you were right or wrong. And if you were wrong, then he’d do his best after the battle to bring you back to right.
Julian was one of a kind.
So, I knew his answer before I even saw the nod of his head. “I’ll call Isabella and let her know what’s going on.”
Nick stood up. “I’ll call Avery and let her know I won’t be having dinner at home.”
Julian stood up, as well, and added, “Now you call that soul destroying cougar and get her off our backs, Chase.”
I waited like a coward until they left, putting the phone call off as much as I could. I finally balls upped. She answered on the first ring. “Chase, darling, I’ve been calling you all day.”
I put my people skills to work. “I know, Valerie, I’ve been in back to back client meetings most of the day. You know I would never leave you waiting if it could be helped. Our clients are the foundation of our success, as you are aware.”
She purred. “Oh, you sweet thing. So, did you get my message about dinner tonight?”
I leaned back in my chair and closed my eyes. “Yes, I did and I think a business dinner is a great opportunity to review your accounts with us. Julian and Nick are looking forward to the meeting tonight.”
There was a heartbeat of silence before she responded, “Oh, I didn’t realize they would be joining us.”
“When I told them one of our most important clients wanted a one on one, they insisted on coming alone. This way we can answer all and any questions you may have pertaining to how SMA works from within.” I was surprised I wasn’t choking on my words.
“Well, I think that’s just a splendid way to conduct business. Besides, a girl could do worse than having dinner with three rich, handsome men,” she crooned.
Fuck my life.
“Okay, well, leave it to me to set up where and when and I will forward you the details, Valerie.”
“I look forward to it, Chase,” she giggled, and all I could think was that grown ass women shouldn’t giggle. It sounded stupid and desperate.
I hung up and almost headed to the washroom I had off the right of my office to scrub myself clean. I decided to call Quinn instead. I had planned on leaving here around five and checking with Q about dinner, but in all honesty, I had planned to shove a hamburger or something d
own my throat on the drive over to her place tonight so that food was out of the way and I could get right to having her under me. Now, it looked like being with her was going to have to be put off another night.
She answered on the third ring, probably just to make me squirm. “How may I help you Mr. Alexander?”
God, this woman. I wanted her to call me Mr. Alexander while she was naked on her knees. Fuck, my dick was getting hard. “You really want to know how you can help me, babe?”
“Why are you calling me, Chase?” she melodied.
I’d rather punch my brother in the face than utter the next words I needed to say, and that’s saying something. I loved my brother very much. “I have a last minute client business dinner tonight. I’m not sure what time it’ll be over, so we’re going to have to hold off for another night.”
“Hmmm,” was all I heard.
“Quinn?”
“No problem,” she finally spoke.
Huh? No problem?
“I can try to cut the meeting short and still-”
“No need, Chase. We can just get together some other time,” she easily reasoned.
And that pissed me off.
“You don’t sound very broken up about it?” I knew I was sounding like a fishwife whose husband forgot their anniversary, but her cavalier attitude bothered the fuck out of me. I had been on pins and needles all damn day waiting for tonight and here she was, not giving a good goddamn.
“Would you cancel the meeting if I was?”
Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!
“No. This meeting is kind of important. Nick and Julian are going to be there too,” I explained. Jesus, now I was half ass lying to her.
“You’re reading too much into canceling plans with me, Chase.” She laughed like only she knew the inside joke. “You’re a partnered CEO of a billion dollar investment firm with subsidiaries in damn near every profitable business venture there is. Why wouldn’t I expect for things to come up that would cause you to cancel your plans with me. Hell, I bet Julian and Nick cancel on the girls all the time.”
Chasing Quinn Page 9
