Pretending For Mr. Parker (Big City Billionaires Book 3)

by Coco Miller

  I try not to concern myself with the bill’s actual passing or not, and instead try to think of other ways that I can keep my company from being taken over by the tycoon billionaire, Fox.

  Many years ago I had had the opportunity to seize his company when it was failing. I didn’t take it and it may have been my biggest error in judgement. Using questionable tactics he has figured out how to get himself out of the hole he was in and has built a company that is now my leading competition. He has always despised me, for some unknown reason, but now that he’s trying to take my company– the feeling is definitely mutual.

  This is the first time in my life that I’ve allowed a small amount of worry to creep into my soul. Without doubt or fear, I need to get a project together to blow away the military and ensure many future contracts with them.

  My legacy depends on it.

  * * *

  As I sit down to dinner in my office, Anna beeps through on my intercom.

  “Erika from marketing is here to see you.”

  That is one thing that I love about Anna. Keeper of all of my secrets. She knows about my arrangement with Erika but doesn’t let anything slip. She’s a true professional and loyal to me like no other.

  “Show her in,” I say, lifting my hand off the speaker button.

  The door opens and I stand to greet her. Dressed in a white silky blouse and a tight slate gray skirt, she makes me smile when she walks in. She shuts the door behind her and moves into my large office.

  “Hi,” I say, standing behind my desk. I can’t move, so she makes her way to the chair across from mine.

  “Can I take a seat?” she asks, pointing to the chair. I nod and she sits crossing one leg over the other. I lick my lips at the gesture, and she stares at me with her honeyed eyes.

  “Is there something I can do for you, Ms. Miles?”

  If she sits in here any longer I won’t be able to contain my thoughts about those legs of hers much longer.

  “Well, not actually. I wanted to apologize for the other night,” she says, leaning forward in her seat. Her blouse pushes her breasts together, showing off her abundant cleavage.

  I chuckle at her apology when none was needed. “Please, Erika. I should be the one apologizing, but let’s be honest. This thing between us, this attraction, it drives me insane. I can’t be within ten feet of you without wanting to kiss you.”

  A look of shock overtakes her face, and her cheeks turn a light shade of crimson. She wasn’t expecting me to be so frank.

  “I… I don’t know what to say,” she says.

  I sit straighter in my chair as my cock grows a little in my pants.

  “Don’t say anything at all, Erika.” I hum the words to her. “You don’t have to. I can see it in your eyes every time you look at me.”

  I’m dropping all pretense at this point.

  “Chance, we can’t.” She drops her eyes to the floor as my intercom beeps again.

  Anna’s voice speaks. “Sir, there is a Mr. Fox here to see you.”

  My eyes almost pop out of my head. What the hell is he doing here? Fuck…here in my building? I ball my hands into fists as Erika rises from her seat.

  “I should get going.”

  I almost forget that she was here as I ask Anna to let Fox in. I start to shuffle the papers on my desk, so he won’t get a glimpse of anything top secret.

  He strolls through the doors as Erika heads out. Unsure of what to do, she stands there while her eyes bounce between us.

  “Now, gorgeous, you don’t have to leave on my account,” Fox says, as he strolls confidently in my office like he already owns the place.

  “What are you doing here,” I snap.

  First off, he wasn’t invited. Second, he has the worst timing in the world. Third, what the fuck? Stop talking to her.

  “I just came to see how you were doing with my soon-to-be company.” He strolls to the windows and stares at the streets below. “Great view up here. I think I may keep this office.”

  Wow, he just threw down the gauntlet at my feet. He wants my company, and he’s not even going to pretend otherwise. The jackass smiles at Erika and then at me. She hugs the wall, unsure if she should walk out the door or stand very still so she stays, as still as a fly on the wall, her eyes darting between us.

  “I don’t know where you get your information, but this is still my company.”

  I rise from my chair and cross my arms in defiance. I glance at Erika as she watches the exchange between us.

  “Don’t get your panties in a wad, Chance.” He laughs. “I’m just here checking out the possibilities.”

  “There is no possibility. I’d rather die than give you this company. Now would you please leave, before I have you escorted the fuck out.”

  Fox turns to Erika. “Ma’am.” And then he walks out the door.

  “He doesn’t like you much,” Erika says after he leaves.

  I smirk. “The feeling is mutual.”

  She walks toward the door. “I have to get going for the evening.”

  I hate that she’s leaving when we weren’t even close to finishing what I’d started between us, but I couldn’t think of a damn thing to make her stay. I needed to let her walk out the door.

  We say our goodnights and after she leaves, I sulk for an hour. Then I drink a bit of whiskey and sulk for another hour.

  Finally I grab my coat and rush out the office door. Anna calls after me as I run past her, but I don’t slow down to hear her words.

  Jamming my finger into the almost closed elevator door, I pry it open, and I step inside. Spencer is waiting for me outside as I hurry to hop into the car.

  “Where to, sir?” he asks as he pulls out onto the street.

  “Erika’s house,” I answer back.

  We drive in silence; the streets are unusually deserted. I watch intently out the window looking for any sign of life. Maybe my brain is foggy or maybe I’m drunker than I thought, because I see no one. Once we arrive, I bolt from the car and rush up her steps. Banging on her door, I pace until she opens it.

  Her face is devoid of all makeup and freshly washed. She’s dressed in a thin white t-shirt that falls past her knees and her curls are held up on the top of her head with a satin scrunchie. She looks angelic. I never want to forget this moment. The way she is staring right through me. Right into my mind and soul.

  I don’t think.

  I just act.

  I grab each side of her head and plant my lips onto hers. They taste like magic, and a spark of aphrodisiac current runs through my bones. My feet felt as though they’ve lifted a few inches off the ground as I kiss her with everything I have.

  I push my tongue inside of her mouth as she moans for more. Our tongues tangle together in a tantric dance as my fingers caressed her skin. Soft smooth skin lays under my fingertips, and I move my hands to her hair. She digs her nails into my skin as I let out a low hiss.

  I step her inside her apartment and slam the door with my foot then swing her around, so her back is pressed against the door, as I explored her mouth further. She brakes the kiss after a few moments as I breathe heavily.

  “What?” I ask.

  “Stop. We can’t,” she says, exhaling.

  “Yes, we can. We already are.”

  I lower my lips to hers as I kiss her tenderly this time. She shakes her head, causing my hands to slip from her hair. Our lips part, but I want to continue kissing her. I’d never pursued a woman this adamantly, but I can’t fight this anymore.

  “No, wait, why are you doing this?” she asks.

  “I’ve wanted to do this since the moment I first laid eyes on you,” I say, searching her face.

  “You’re my boss and we have a business arrangement. This is wrong. This will only complicate things and confuse things.”

  “Listen, when you came to my office, and when Fox looked at you, I didn’t like what he was thinking,” I blurt out.

  “How do you know what he was thinking?” she asks, brush
ing stray hairs from her face. “I doubt he was thinking anything about me.”

  “No, he was because it’s the same thing I think about when I look at you that way,” I confess.

  “Are you here because you believe I’m yet one more thing that Mr. Fox is trying to take from you?”

  “I think you know the answer to that.”

  “No, I don’t.”

  “I’m here because there is no place that I rather be tonight, and I’m sick of denying myself, and I think you’re sick of it too.”

  A million little expressions cross her face, then she lifts an eyebrow as a slow smile turns her lips upward. She puts her arms around my neck and kisses my lips once more. This kiss is slower than the one before it.

  Deep, passionate, and sultry, our lips melt into one. Her slippery tongue glides along mine as I pull her body closer. My dick twitches in my pants; the feel of her body pressed against mine turning me completely on.

  I hold onto a strand of her hair as she moans into my mouth. Our bodies are pressed against her front door as we continue the most perfect kiss I think I’ve ever had. She steps back, breaking our kiss, and looks up at me.

  “Please, Chance, you have to leave,” she says, grabbing the doorknob. “You’ll regret this.”

  “Why?” I shamefully beg. “Why are you fighting this?”

  “You just don’t understand.” She opens the door and pushes me through the threshold. Stumbling back I wedge my foot into the doorjamb.

  “If this is about the money–”

  “Please don’t insult me.”

  “Then please don’t fight this,” I retort.

  “You have to leave. I’m sorry.” She closes the door after I move my foot, and I stand there for a moment just watching it in the hopes she will change her mind.

  I know she feels something.

  She has to feel what I am feeling.

  Everything in my core tells me that she wants me just as much as I want her. I just need to find out what her hang-up is and why she’s pushing me away.

  Chapter Eleven

  The following morning, Bennett meets me in my office while we formulate a plan on dealing with Fox and his insanity.

  I tell him everything about Fox’s impromptu visit to my office the night before, although I leave out the part about Erika. Bennett is livid and feels certain that our inside sources will help us win the battle against Fox.

  I hope he’s right.

  “How’s the marketing on the EM railguns going? Has Erika produced any mock ups?” Bennett asks, as we go over the numbers on the project again.

  “It’s your department, Bennett. Why are you asking me?”

  “You just saw her. Don’t tell me you two don’t talk shop. What’s the advantage of this fake marriage thing with an employee if you two don’t at least talk business?”

  I sigh out loud. Frustrated with his questions. “As far as I know she’s working really hard to get the mock ups done.”

  I lean further over the file of projected numbers and rub my face with my palms in frustration.

  “I think Erika and the marketing team will be our secret weapon,” Bennett says. “If we can at least propose the product, tell people the design and get the marketing out for it, we might have a chance. We might get the votes. We just need to make sure Erika’s on top of everything,” he says as he rises from the chair.

  “Yes, I agree.” She could start by being on top of me. I peer over to his eyes as he shakes his head. It’s like he can read my mind.

  “No, Chance.” He crosses his arms across his chest as he chuckles, knowing that my dirty mind has caught his double entendre.

  “No, what?” I ask, playing innocent.

  “You can’t do this. Fiancee or not. Do not sleep with that woman. It will only make things messy, and it isn’t real, remember? ”

  “Vaguely.” I smile as he stalks toward my desk.

  “Chance, this is stupid.” He scowls, edging closer to me. “You’re playing with fire.”

  “I know what I’m doing,” I growl. “I’m a grown ass man.”

  I was upset that Bennett was challenging me. He of all people should know that my company means everything to me; it is my freedom. No way will I watch it fall into the hands of Fox Corps. No way will I let this congressional vote go against me.

  Bennett leaves my office, and I buzz through to Anna to set up a meeting between Erika and me for the afternoon. I need to get things rolling on this project, and Bennett needs to figure out what we need to do to help Senator Denkirk gain the support we desperately needed.

  He would have to work his ass off for this bill, and we had to make sure it passed.

  Chapter Twelve

  When Erika walks into my office later that afternoon, my mood quickly lifts. Stressed from work and meetings, I am happy when she enters the room smiling and takes a seat down.

  I notice that my engagement ring is still on her finger which also makes me happy. At least my romantic advances haven’t scared her completely away.

  “I’m glad we could meet,” I say treading lightly.

  “I just wanted to be clear about last night…,” she starts to say, but I stop her, raising my hand.

  “Save that for another time, I called you up here for business. I’m not sure how much you may know about Fox, or if there is office gossip about what is going on between he and I, but I need help on a top-priority project.”

  I watch her face as she nods her head.

  “I don’t need to know much about Mr. Fox to understand that he has some sort of vendetta against you. That he wants you to fail. That’s all I need to know.”

  Beautiful and loyal. This woman is amazing. If only she felt the same way about me.

  I go over the details of the project and the budget for marketing the rail guns. We would need to launch the product quickly and would need to know our exact target group and product testing analytics.

  Erika has an eye for detail and offers great advice for productivity. We discuss the outline for our project and work well into the evening until I heard her stomach rumble from hunger.

  “I’m starving,” she chuckles.

  “I can order dinner or we can go out?”

  “Whichever is fine with me.”

  “Well then, we are going out. I’ve been stuck up in this office all day long. Fresh air will do us good,” I say, rising from my seat.

  She bites her bottom lip as she stares at me walking past her. I turn right before opening the door and say, “You coming?”

  I hold the door for her as she grabs her purse then walks past me. As we make our way down the elevator, my pulse quickens from just being around her. The tiny hairs at the edge of my neck stand at attention, and I smile at her.

  She is beautiful in her pale yellow sweater which pops against the color of her skin and clings to her curves. I watch the rise and fall of her breasts with each breath she takes.

  She stares straight ahead as classical music bounces between the walls of the elevator. The elevator pings, alerting us that we are at ground level, and Spencer is waiting for us just outside.

  Nestled safely in the backseat of my black SUV, we make our way downtown. I have just the spot to take Erika to, though I imagined taking her there on a date rather than a business meeting.

  But I guess I’ll take what I can get.

  Chapter Thirteen

  Once we are settled into a booth near the back of the upscale French restaurant called La Fleur, Erika and I discuss business for a while before our conversation turns more personal.

  “What do you enjoy doing when you’re not busy being a master of the universe?” she asks.

  “I enjoy playing poker, puffing on a nice cigar, and jazz music.”

  “I love jazz, too. Do you like Thelonious Monk?”

  “Absolutely. What about you? What do you enjoy doing?”

  “I love to read and relax with a nice glass of wine.”

  “Don’t forget skinny dipping
,” I say chuckling.

  “It wasn’t actually skinny dipping—we had the same amount of clothes on as bathing suits. But yes, I love to swim. It’s so relaxing.”

  I learn a lot of little things about Erika as we wait for dinner. One being that she’s extremely funny. We continue chatting and laughing until our dinner arrives. Then our focus turns to the food on our plates. Leaning over to smell her dinner, she then starts eating by taking small delicate bites.

  “I’ve seen you devour a chocolate cake before. You don’t have to pretend with me,” I say, watching her. “Just eat.”

  With her fork in her hand, she takes a huge bite and laughs when it doesn’t make it all the way into her mouth but falls down her face. I chuckle at her clumsiness and raise my finger to wipe her mouth. It was an automatic response, and I wasn’t aware I’d made the gesture until it was too late. Her eyes grow wide as she uses the napkin to wipe the remainder away.

  “So tell me more about your company. What got you into weapons of all things?”

  “Fascination with weapons as a kid, I guess. I was a big GI Joe fan, but to be quite honest, it just kind of fell into my lap. I never started out with the goal of making weapons.”

  “Wow, fell into your lap, huh?” She takes another bite and swallows. “Like how?”

  “Like I said before, I wasn’t raised rich, and I never really had a specific career goal. Someone helped me a great deal when I first started out, and it just led me to weapons design.”

  “Who?” Her pupils dilate as she asks.

  “A Senator actually. Senator Patrick Kuchler. He found me and made me into what I am today.” I smile. “Found me as a young kid, suggested I join the military for a few years, and when I became a civilian again he hired me on the spot. I worked hard for him, and he taught me everything I know about working with the government.”

  “Wow, that was very nice of him. You two must be very close.”

  “He passed away a year ago. He’s the one who introduced me to Senator Denkirk though and passed the torch to him in a way. Senator Denkirk is another good friend of mine.”