Prologue
I struggled to close the door with my foot since my arms were full of groceries, trying my best to be silent.
A giggle almost erupted from my lips. He was home, the television going in the den. He was always watching some sports program.
It was my boyfriend’s birthday and I’d decided to surprise him by cooking dinner. The task was something I hadn’t done in a long time. In fact, I couldn’t remember when I’d taken the time. He’d been complaining I was always too busy. He was right. I’d worked my ass off to get a promotion, which was supposed to be decided on Monday.
I was excited and nervous at the same time. If I snagged it, my salary would be increased by fifty percent. Maybe then I could move out of the little shithole of an apartment.
Taking cautious steps, I headed into the kitchen. I could only hope I’d find one so huge and gorgeous in my next place. Nathan made money, a go-getter at his father’s firm. The same firm I’d worked at for almost three years. I’d been hesitant to go on a date with him, but he’d wooed me into agreeing.
It had been incredible ever since. Our one-year anniversary was coming up and we’d even discussed marriage. I was on cloud nine. Everything I’d ever wanted was about to come true.
I placed the bags on the counter, noticing a bottle of wine was already open. Nathan wasn’t much on wine. Maybe he’d anticipated my arrival. I grabbed a glass from the wine rack, pouring myself a hefty amount before tiptoeing toward the den.
What in the world was he watching? It sounded like a bunch of pigs rooting around. I bit back a laugh. His tastes in music and movies were all over the place so it wouldn’t surprise me one little bit. As soon as I moved toward the doorway, I noticed movement. The only light was coming from the television, but that couldn’t be the sound I was hearing.
Not a chance when it appeared he had some Hallmark movie on. What the hell? He hated sappy movies. Or as he liked to call them, a woman’s excuse to beg for romance. Whatever.
I took a sip of wine and stepped just inside the room.
No one would ever accuse me of being a stupid woman. I’d graduated with honors from Columbia University here in New York City. I’d gone from working as an intern for Nathan’s father to senior accountant bucking for the head of the department. That was a steppingstone to being CFO one day.
However, at this moment, I felt as if I’d lost a part of myself to some unknown alien who’d stolen parts of my brain. How could I have been so stupid, so blind?
I wanted to scream at the top of my lungs, calling him every disgusting, reprehensible name in the book. That would announce my arrival sufficiently.
But she beat me to it.
She, meaning the magnificent Barbie doll lookalike with huge perky tits and a teensy tiny waist. Her name was Cherry, but what she was doing was more like the icing on the bitter cake for me. Her head was bobbing perfectly the moment I’d walked in, but my entrance must have caught her eye.
Her shriek was high pitched, her mouth open in a perfect large ‘O’ that brought vile thoughts into my mind. She’d tossed her long blonde hair back with so much force, I’d been certain she’d dislocated her neck from the weight of her two big boobs.
At least I had the satisfaction of noticing they didn’t move. Not a single jiggle.
“What… What is she doing here? I thought you said she was working late.” Cherry was obviously not talking to me, but I couldn’t give a shit at this point.
I moved quickly toward the back of the couch, keeping a very wide smile on my face. It reminded me of the horror movie Nathan and I had watched together only three nights before. Be careful when someone smiled like a loon. They could be dangerous. “She took the night off so she could make her boyfriend, excuse me, her former boyfriend dinner. But I see he’s already eaten.”
I’d never really been prone to violence. I even looked away during horrible fight scenes on a television program. But not this time. I tossed the wine in both their faces before grabbing a handful of her hair and jerking back my arm.
It was a childish thing to do, but it certainly made me feel better.
There was something awe-inspiring about seeing the two of them buck naked, Nathan’s cock still fully aroused. Funny how I’d never noticed it was a tiny little dick.
Just like the man.
“Nathan, baby. She can’t do that to me!”
“Shut up, Cherry. Kacey. Wait. We can talk about this.”
“Why bother? You’re already celebrating.” I stormed toward the entryway, doing my best to keep the anger rolling so the sadness wouldn’t creep in and steal the show.
“You’re right,” Cherry had the nerve to call after me. “We are celebrating. Why don’t you tell her why, honey bunchkins?”
Honey bunchkins? I was going to vomit more than just a little in my mouth. The fear I would burst into tears haunted the hell out of me, but my curiosity about what she was getting at was worse.
I spun around so fast I almost tripped on my own two feet. “What? What, pray tell, could you be celebrating other than doing your best to make me look like an idiot? Well, you failed, buddy. You’re the idiot. And I’m going to make certain your father knows exactly what you did.”
Oh, great. Now I was going to be a tattler? No, I’d hold my head high when I walked back into the office and act like I didn’t give a damn.
He narrowed his eyes and puffed up like some big he-man. “My father handed out the promotion this afternoon.”
“Oh, yeah?” Wait. Really?
“Congratulations to me,” Cherry purred then giggled. “So sorry you didn’t get the job. You know, you’re kind of cute when your face turns red.”
How could that man give her of all people, a girl who could barely count to ten let alone balance her checkbook, my promotion? I wasn’t certain whether to be furious or laugh hysterically.
“Oh, yeah? Well, you’re kind of ugly with your plastic tits.” With that, I turned around and walked slowly, beseechingly slowly toward his front door.
Fuck the food.
Fuck the man.
Fuck my life.
[divider]Chapter One
Sebastian
“Mr. Winfield, what does it feel like to be voted Man of the Year?” The female reporter was right by my side, meeting my long strides with ease. She was beautiful as most on-air talent was. Perfect in every way.
And boring.
I’d had my fill of plastic women with hidden agendas. For the time being, I was happy to have no need for female companionship.
That was subject to change since I’d also been called a hound dog in my younger years. What was wrong with being a playboy? I snickered from the thought. Sadly, the woman had caught me at the wrong moment. The phone call I’d just received indicated my world was about to be rocked.
I was pissed and eager to determine the reason behind the sudden difficulties.
“Fine,” I barked.
“Oh, come on,” she purred. “You deserved it. You’re one generous, kind man.”
If she only knew just how unkind I truly was.
“Not bad on the eyes either.” If the woman purred any more, she’d turn into a kitten.
In the days prior to learning the craft of control, I’d have sidled up to her, providing an opportunity for her to see just how hot I was.
I’d been accosted as soon as I’d left the hotel ballroom of the charity event, reporters following me as I attempted to leave. I buttoned my tuxedo jacket and reminded myself to smile for the cameras. I needed to get the woman off my back, so I stopped and attempted to act nonchalant and even friendly. A tough job for a man like me.
“I’m eternally grateful to receive such an honor.” I wondered if any of the reporters could tell I didn’t give a shit. I’d become a master at keeping my expression even, necessary in the business world. Even more so in such a lucrative industry.
However, that didn’t mean I would tolerate the questions or the interactions much longer. I preferred to keep my life very private.
My fake smile had worked. She was eating it up, her perky little nipples showing through her thin blouse.
But I wasn’t the least bit interested.
“Although I would prefer to discuss what an incredible job the Children’s Hospital is doing,” I added, a plug for the charity event I’d been forced to go to after losing a bet with my partner. We usually alternated attending such ridiculous functions, but I’d been stuck with this one. I loathed being forced into small talk with pompous assholes pretending to care about children.
All the wealthy participants were doing was networking, determined to remain top dog in whatever industry they were in. I’d stayed the obligatory forty-five minutes listening to their whining. Not a minute more. There was little I tolerated less than stupidity.
“Yes, well, I’m certain the women of St. Louis would prefer talking about you.” She flashed her pearly whites before pursing her lips. A clear invitation.
I was finished with the ridiculous conversation and the blonde’s flirting techniques as she batted her fake eyelashes.
“If you’ll excuse me, I have another engagement.” I moved away from her, pushing through the other reporters who immediately started barking questions. I couldn’t care less if my behavior seemed rude. I wasn’t put on this earth to please anyone but myself.
The next few days would be extremely busy. Drake owed me one and I intended on making him pay for having to deal with this bullshit.
Besides, my partner would tease me relentlessly regarding the useless award.
The cheap plastic trophy would be tossed in the trash the moment it arrived.
Now I had work to do. Fuck the rest.
[divider]
Kacey
Wanted: Financial Analyst to work with a grumpy CFO. Duties include taming the savage beast and enduring verbal contentiousness. Must be good with numbers.
The help wanted ad placed on the job notification board still cracked me up. The position sounded more like being a glorified assistant, but it had certainly caught my eye.
I’d been standing in front of the full-length mirror for almost fifteen minutes. Time wasted and that wasn’t like me. I leaned forward, checking my reflection to ensure I didn’t have on too much blush and that my eyes were lined flawlessly. I’d forgone an ultra-dark pencil, instead picking a subtle shade of green, which brought out the luminous look of my eyes. Every hair was perfectly in place in the exquisitely coiffed bun. Utter perfection.
Not.
But the look would certainly do.
I was finished with crying, throwing tantrums, and drinking myself silly. It was time to regroup and move on.
Out of the city. What was I talking about? Out of state. I couldn’t stand another day of catching Nathan and Cherry sucking face in the breakroom. A clean break was the only way I had a chance of healing.
I’d made myself two promises, the first being that I’d never look back. The second was that I’d swear off men for at least a year to establish a new position and to save money for my own home. I was sick of living in cramped spaces with dingy, filthy alleys as a ‘prime’ view. I was done with crime and drug deals right outside my door.
And I was totally finished with arrogant assholes who truly believed because they had money, they could treat everyone like a lower being.
Sighing, I opened my mouth, fingering the corners to make certain the twenty-four-hour stain was exactly where it was supposed to be. With my stylish white blouse and charcoal jacket, I looked both professional and conservative. That’s exactly what I was going for. I had to wow the woman interviewing me.
Backing away, I shifted my hips back and forth, grinning as I flicked my gaze to the rest of my outfit. Sweatpants and fuzzy slippers. Pink slippers to be exact. A gag gift from my mischievous best friend back home. She knew I loathed the color, yet here I was wearing them. Well, with this being a Zoom call interview, I could at least feel comfortable with half my body.
I checked the time before fluffing my hair. Five minutes. Five full minutes to worry over how well the interview would go. I wouldn’t say getting a job in my hometown would ultimately change my life, but it beat the high cost, high crime, and high entitlement New York offered.
Besides, I was going nowhere fast in a dead-end job with no chance for promotion since Barbie had stolen it. This was the job I wanted, even though I’d already had a phone interview with one other.
St. Louis. Here I come.
It wasn’t like I had a boyfriend to keep me here. My dating life had been abysmal at best, men sensing I wasn’t the kind of girl who accepted bullshit. Then Nathan had come along. Being blinded wasn’t my best attribute.
Even if I had to wait tables and live with my father for a few months, I’d made the decision to leave and I was sticking to it. Before I sat down, I grabbed a cutesy little hanky scarf I’d purchased for myself, folding the rich silk just so before placing it in the breast pocket of my jacket. Who said men were the only ones who could pull off the look?
My phone chimed the alarm I’d set, a reminder to sit my butt down in the chair in front of my computer. I already had a bottle of water waiting for me in case I experienced a coughing fit, which is what I usually did when I was super nervous. There was a specific reason this interview had turned my butterflies into a stinging swarm of hornets.
The money.
At twice what I was making in New York and with the cost of living in St. Louis roughly half, it was like getting a quadruple raise. I grinned at the thought, easing into the chair and pressing my finger on the trackpad. The meeting had yet to start. At least I was ready and on time.
I plastered on a smile as I waited. After what had to be a half hour, I checked my watch. Less than five minutes had passed. But still no blip indicating the meeting was about to begin.
When another five true minutes had passed, one of my worst attributes began to weave its ugly way to the surface. I had no patience. None. I was the kind of woman to prepare days, even weeks ahead. I was painfully early to every event, often pissing off the host. I was extremely organized, never leaving a single piece of paper on my desk when I left for the day.
One of my favorite expressions was ‘failure to plan on your part doesn’t constitute an emergency on mine.’ And I’d used it more than once. I glared at the screen as I drummed my fingers on the surface of my tiny desk that I’d crammed against the wall next to my closet. An onslaught of honking horns right outside my window further frustrated me.
After another two minutes, I cracked the water bottle, taking a gulping sip. As my luck would have it, Ms. Bennett opted for that very moment to appear on screen. I spit out the entire sip, narrowly avoiding splashing it all across my laptop screen.
She wasn’t young, but wasn’t old either, as it was impossible to tell from her pinched face. “Ms. Taylor?”
“Ms. Bennett. I apologize.”
“Yes, well, don’t worry about it. I’m Tabitha Bennett, human resources director for Aeronautical Enterprises. Let’s get started. I have another interview in fifteen minutes.” She checked her watch as if all this was a huge waste of her time.
The feisty woman inside of me almost snapped at her with a caustic reply. With an important position up for grabs like financial analyst for a Fortune 500 company, I would think she’d be more diligent in her efforts. Thankfully, the little voice inside my head insisted that would be a job-losing proposition.
“I’m fine with that and I can talk very fast.”
She looked up from the papers in front of her, smirking at me. She was smirking. Why was I bothering? “Yes, I’m certain you can. Tell me about your work with your previous employer.”
I started going over all my accomplishments and how I’d handled adversity, leaving out the part my boss had hit on me three times in the last year alone.
Like father, like son.
Another reason I was getting the hell out of New York.
Ms. Bennett hadn’t written notes or underlined anything on my resume. I assumed that’s what she had in front of her. For all I knew, the piece of paper could contain her grocery list.
“I’m certain you’ve done your homework on our firm.”
“Extensively.” That was a huge lie. I’d done enough to get me through the first formalities, but not enough to provide a method of improving the bottom line. In other words, I’d read the glossy Google information over once. I hadn’t even paid attention to who owned the firm. That’s how desperate I’d been to get out of town. For all I knew, they were financially solvent and filling the position wasn’t more than a placeholder.
Or they engaged in criminal activities and I’d find myself embroiled in embezzlement. As my best friend would tell me, my mind was a mysterious beast.
“Excellent. Tell me, Ms. Taylor. How would you help this company get out of its financial woes? Exactly what would you do?” Her snarky attitude pissed me off, but I had to keep my cool.
I almost fell into a coughing fit. She’d caught me in a little white lie and I could tell by her wry expression she knew it too.
Fine. Two could play this game. She might not like me very much, but the feeling was mutual. I accepted the challenge, rattling off some financial bullshit that almost any company could do when facing a financial crisis. I’d learned the speech from my current boss. At least he was good for something other than leering at me when I left the women’s bathroom.
When I was finished, I allowed myself the audacity of checking my watch as she’d done before. I’d made it in time. And I felt damn good about my answer. Whatever Aeronautical Enterprises was going through, perhaps my excellent suggestions would prove helpful.
Only Ms. Bennett still hadn’t written down a single note.
“Thank you, Ms. Taylor, for such an informative assertion.”
Informative assertion. She’d asked. I’d answered. What did she want from me?
“I try and provide that any time I speak, Ms. Bennett.” My words came out with a grumpy flair. I’d been one grouch since discovering Nathan’s infidelity. I almost liked the new me better. Bold. Bitchy. Maybe I’d keep her around for a little while instead of the meek girl I’d become over the years.
Ms. Taylor lifted her eyebrows and studied me, allowing her gaze to fall as far as the eye on the screen could see. I suddenly squirmed uncomfortably in my seat. Could she tell I was only half dressed for this interview?
“I think I have all I need. If I feel you’re a good fit for the man and for the company, I’ll give you a call. Otherwise, good luck finding a position that suits your… attributes.”
That was the most dismissed I’d ever felt.
A couple of additional pleasantries and she was the one who ended the meeting. I sat back in my seat, contemplating tossing the water bottle across the room. With my obviously bad luck, even though it was made of plastic, the bottle would bounce off the dresser and smash through the window.
There wasn’t a single doubt in my mind. I wasn’t getting a call back. At least I had one live interview secured in a couple of days. That would start me on a path. I’d have six days from there to hunt down a job before being forced to return to New York. But not with my tail between my legs. I wasn’t that kind of woman.
I yanked my phone off the desk. I’d waited to call my father until I had a better feel about this interview. I wasn’t prepared to tell him the reason I was heading home. He’d only try to use his powerful influence to get me a job. I’d never wanted to be that kind of girl, no matter how many buddies my dad had amassed over the years.
After finding his number in my phone, I took a deep breath, shocked he answered on the second ring.
“Hey, honey. How are you?”
“I’m great, Dad. How are things with the famous surgeon?”
“Famous? I don’t think so. They’re going fantastic but unfortunately, I’m headed into a medical convention speaking on the importance of good nutrition while handling cardiac events.”
I laughed. My father was highly respected as a surgeon and deserved all the kudos in the world. He was also my hero, the world’s most perfect dad. “No problem, I just wanted to let you know I’m popping into town for a few days.”
“That’s great. When are you arriving?”
“Day after tomorrow.”
“Shoot. I’ll still be in Chicago.”
“Don’t worry. I already made arrangements to spend a couple of nights at a hotel. I’m going to catch up with some old friends.”
Another white lie. I was full of them today. I’d kept in touch with one girlfriend since leaving for New York my freshman year. My forever bestie, Stephanie, had mentioned I could stay with her any time I was in town, but I wanted some time to pamper myself. I hadn’t done that in eons.
“Well, you’re always welcome to stay at the house.”
“I know, Dad. When you get back, call me and I’ll plan on staying with you during the rest of my trip.”
“That will be great. I gotta run, but I can’t wait to see you.”
“You too.” I ended the call with a sigh.
There was nothing like returning home to a safe place.
As long as I kept my promise to myself.
No more men.
[divider]Chapter Two
Sebastian
“I won’t stand for this,” I hissed at the men and women in the room before launching my chair backward as I jerked to a standing position.
“Just sit down, Sebastian. We can talk about this.”
The man I’d called my partner in crime was taking this sitting down? What the hell was wrong with Drake? Our own board of directors had just questioned our fiscal responsibility. He was acting as if he hadn’t a care in the world.
I’d gotten wind the board was asking questions since the stocks had taken a hit, but I hadn’t expected this. Not this. One member had even alluded to the possibility someone was skimming from the top. I was appalled.
And furious.
No one treated me that way.
“I don’t think so. I have work to do. Ladies. Gentlemen. Enjoy the rest of your day.” It wasn’t often I could put a rope around my anger when I was driven to a certain point. However, even I knew it wasn’t in our best interest as a company to piss off the other board members.
I stormed out of the conference room, pitching the door against the jamb.
Whatever the fuck was going on, I would get to the bottom of it.
The girls in the outside administrative pool cringed, slowly sliding further down in their seats when I walked by. Everyone in the firm knew when I was pissed.
Which lately had been almost every day.
Today had bypassed that, heading straight to rage. How dare the other members of the board throw accusations our way? I took long strides into my office, attempting to slam the door shut, but Drake was right on my heels.
“What in the hell is the matter with you?” he demanded, making certain the door was closed so our employees didn’t need to hear yet another argument. That’s all we’d seemed to be doing as of late. “What do you think you’re doing?”
“What am I doing?” I laughed. Pacing the floor and raking my hand through my hair. That’s what I was doing, fuming to the point I couldn’t see straight.
“Calm the fuck down. They have every right to question our plans for the future, especially given the sudden drop in stocks. You know that.”
“I’m curious why you believe they dropped so quickly when the quarterly financials haven’t been released.”
“You’re the fucking CFO. You should know.” Drake’s eyes flared.
He was right that I should have a better handle on what the fuck was going on with the company I’d started. “The market is down and has been for over eighteen months.” That was true enough, but the situation was about more than just being unable to win a couple of contracts. I was at a loss for why clients who’d been repeat buyers were suddenly heading in other directions.
Huffing, I sneered at him before slamming my fisted hands on my desk. Yes, he was right as he usually was. Drake Caffrey was the calm while I was the storm. That’s one reason our partnership had worked so well over the years. We’d faced more than our share of challenges, but this one had the chance of forcing us to close our doors.
I refused to allow that to happen. We’d worked too hard over twenty years to create a powerhouse in the industry. Yes, profits were down, partially because of the continued trickledown effect of COVID. However, travel was back up and more and more billionaires were purchasing private jets.
An ugly truth hung just below the cobwebs. I’d allowed my personal life to interfere, which had left me distracted. That was finished.
“Did you go over the numbers again?” Drake asked, trying to defuse the situation.
“Several times. There’s no smoking gun, buddy. Our profits are down because we’re not selling shit. That’s up to the marketing department to figure out.” I looked him directly in the eye. He knew what I was thinking.
Another ugly truth was that neither one of us had our eye on the ball and hadn’t for over a year. We’d been resting on our laurels.
If he spent more time at the office and less time with his handful of girlfriends, maybe we’d have more contracts lined up. He was in charge of marketing, but preferred playing the CEO role, including for the cameras. It drove me nuts.
His eyes reflected his anger, but he backed down, even looking the other way. He knew better than to get into an argument with me. I always won and I was always right. “Fine, Sebastian. Have it your way. Be angry. Blame me. You’re the goddamn CFO.”
“So you keep reminding me. I noted the red flags months ago.” Months. Well over a year at this point. Then I’d clocked out of my own job mentally. “I’ve worked long hours, nights and weekends included to try and keep us afloat. I cut costs, staff, and that was never my intention when I opened the doors to this company.”
He shoved his hand into his pocket. “You might have opened it, but I am your full partner now. That’s something for you to remember. We need to work together to find out why our clients are dropping off. If you had a nicer personality, it’s quite possible you’d find something to work with you so your load could be lifted. And congratulations on the great award. Man of the Year. Imagine that.”
His tone was dripping with sarcasm. He’d been up for the award as well.
“As if I give a shit.”
“God knows, you need to get yourself a life. What’s not to enjoy?” he demanded.
I didn’t answer.
“Fuck this. I’m headed out.” He threw his other hand in my direction before heading for my office door, pitching it open as forcefully as I’d done in the conference room.
Our arguments never lasted, but I was fearful our friendship had been hurt by the constant bickering. He was right about one thing. I did need to get a life. Yes, I loved working long hours and had my entire adult life, but one year had slipped into another.
I pounded my fist on the desk and was certain I heard moans coming from one of the administrators. This shit had to stop.
I grabbed my keys. It was time for a drink.
“Goodnight, Mr. Winfield,” one of the girls dared say to me.
For a split second I thought about stopping and asking if I had a gruff demeanor, but thought otherwise. I knew I did and had prided myself on separating business from pleasure. I’d done so successfully over the years. I’d also been careful about having my photograph taken by reporter hounds.
Until the night before. Christ. Why had I attended that goddamn event? My picture had been plastered on various social pages with the Man of the Year in bold lettering.
Unfortunately, Drake didn’t follow the same rule. He craved the attention, thriving on seeing his photograph in whatever ragtag news would have him. In our early years, it was the reason our firm hadn’t been taken seriously. But we were older and supposedly wiser. Another round of bullshit.
As I stepped into the elevator with thoughts of heading home, I had a change of heart. When was the last time I’d bought myself a drink in my favorite bar? At least a few months.
And more important, when was the last time I’d allowed myself to engage in the company of a beautiful woman? Longer than I could remember.
After the shitty day, that’s exactly what I intended on doing.
[divider]
The Moonrise Hotel in the heart of the entertainment district was trendy, a favorite watering hole for the young and the young at heart. I certainly didn’t fall into one of those categories and I’d dare say everyone who knew me realized the second had never been and would never be true either. Guests who stayed often commented about the hotel’s eclectic atmosphere, including the vibrant mosaic tiles lining the stairs.
The rooftop bar had spectacular views of the city, the best drinks, and was also a fabulous place for people watching. That’s what I needed, not heading home to an empty house. The estate on several acres had been the perfect choice when designed, built and purchased over ten years before. Now it seemed like an anchor around my neck.
I found a parking spot close instead of using valet parking, taking my time studying the parking lot before heading inside. I’d learned a long time ago to be very careful with my surroundings. And that had nothing to do with nasty reporters.
Grinning, I shoved my keys into my pocket and walked toward the main set of doors, immediately turning toward the elevators. I slipped inside, almost grateful to be alone.
When the doors closed, I rubbed my eyes. I’d been getting more frequent headaches over the past few months. It was all about crunching numbers well after midnight. By all rights, I should take over the CEO and marketing positions from Drake, but he needed to do his share of work. I had no time to add anything else to my already overflowing plate.
The sharp pinging let me know the doors were opening, but I quickly realized we weren’t on the rooftop. The elevator had stopped on the sixth floor. I was already grumbling more than usual until a woman stepped in. She immediately lifted her head after noticing me, offering a smile.
One that could light up the entire downtown.
She was beautiful in a nontraditional way, her long legs accentuated by a form-fitting dress that hugged her curves perfectly. She was voluptuous, a body designed for a man such as myself.
Her hair was a stunning shade of flaxen, curls tumbling over her shoulders. But it had been the light green of her eyes that had drawn me in much like her smile. She was truly a beautiful woman.
And far too young for me.
She settled in for the one-floor ride and I resisted saying anything to her. She was likely meeting friends or worse, her boyfriend. I shook my head. Now I was stooping to entirely new levels of debauchery.
The stunning girl immediately headed for the bar near the rooftop’s edge while I took my time walking in. It was early enough that there were only two people at the bar, sitting together at the other end. She took a position far removed, sliding onto the barstool and immediately grabbing the drink menu in the plexiglass sleeve.
I headed in her direction, taking a deep whiff of her perfume as I passed, taking up residence a few stools down. She didn’t so much as look in my direction, but I’d felt a crackle of electricity shared between us.
Her perfume settled into my nostrils and for the first time in as long as I could remember, I was immediately aroused.
The bartender approached her first, conversing with her about the various concoctions highlighted. She selected one of them, offering a laugh at something he’d said. Her tone was hushed as if she didn’t want anyone overhearing her conversation.
Her action amused me more than anything.
The bartender quickly made her drink, a strange aqua-blue mixture that had to be sweet to the taste. Just like she would be. My thoughts were already turning filthy. I was in rare form today.
“What can I get you, sir?” the bartender finally asked after sauntering in my direction.
“Kentucky bourbon. Neat.”
“Coming right up.”
I tried not to study her, instead paying attention to one of several televisions hanging over the bar, but the draw to her was strong. I was genuinely surprised just how much.
She toyed with her drink, running the tip of her nail around the rim before taking the slice of orange into her fingers. As she began to suck the pulp from the rind, I imagined how it would feel to have her full lips wrapped around my cock.
Seconds later, her appeal attracted the attention of a man sitting with friends at a table in close proximity. He approached her with a swagger and instantly, my hackles were raised. Not a word had been said between us, yet I felt strangely protective.
“Hey there. I noticed you were all alone,” the guy said in a cavalier way. “Would you like to join me and my buddies for a drink?” He nodded toward the table and she did honor him by glancing over her shoulder.
“No, thank you. I’m just fine.”
The woman had a surprisingly smoky voice, the tone meant for reading romance novels over the air. My balls immediately tightened.
“Ah, come on. A pretty gal such as yourself shouldn’t be sitting alone.” He crowded her space as he leaned against the bar, his elbow on the surface and his knee drifting against hers.
Her expression was blank except for the venom in her eyes as she rolled her gaze slowly down to the man’s cheap, scuffed loafers. When she lifted her head, her lips were curled in a smirk.
“I’m enjoying my drink very much alone, but thank you for the offer.”
The woman had claws. I wanted to applaud her.
She was holding her tongue, yet the girl had grit, the kind developed from experiences that had likely taught her a lesson in lack of trust.
“Come on now, sugar. You don’t know how special we can make your lonely night.” The jerk was licking his lips, the buddies he was with snickering behind him.
She smiled one of those practiced expressions, but the curl of her lips lit up the room.
Oh, fuck. The asshole was pushing every boundary and I was already hot under the collar.
I was on edge, wrapping my hand around my glass with white-knuckled force as soon as the bartender placed it on the cocktail napkin. While I could be a pushy bastard, I refused to do so with women who clearly wanted nothing to do with me.
“I prefer being all alone rather than sitting with a slimy bunch of guys.” She’d reached the end of her patience.
Her response was so pleasantly unexpected that I couldn’t contain a snort.
The jerk snapped his head in my direction, sniffing as if he was coked up. “Mind your own fucking business. This is between me and the lady.”
It was barely six in the evening and he was three sheets to the wind. His buddies laughed and I gave him a look that should indicate they were playing with the wrong man. I had no issues wiping the floor with them if it became necessary.
“Come on, darling. Let’s go party. We have all night to do so.” The bastard made the mistake of placing his hand on her leg. “We can have some fun. I can tell that’s exactly what you need.”
What she needed? The jerk had no clue and wasn’t the kind of guy to spend any time figuring that out. I felt my muscles clench, but this wasn’t my party. The last thing I needed was to get involved.
While she didn’t flinch, she did offer him a dirty look. Meanwhile, I was on my feet, closing the distance seconds later. I towered over him, enough he was forced to lift his head when being stupid enough to look me in the eyes.
“The lady wants you to leave,” I told him, ensuring my tone was gruff, a clear indication I was an unforgiving man.
“When I want to. Buzz off.” He squeezed her leg and that was all I could take.
I jerked him away, slamming his back against the bar. Now I was crowding his space, using the five plus inches I had on the man to my benefit. “You heard what I said.”
He had the good graces to tremble enough from realizing I could hurt him.
And I would if he was stupid enough to make a wrong move, such as attempting to express his anger.
He threw up his hands, but I gathered a sense he was waiting to throw a punch. As soon as I let him go, he proved me right. I snapped my hand around his fist, crushing down on his fingers.
I was stronger than I was often given credit for, spending my free time in my home gym at least six nights a week.
The lovely lady clapped, although I wasn’t entirely certain whether the gesture was out of gratitude or fury because I stepped in.
“Get off me, man, or I’ll break your neck.”
“I would love to see you try. Now, if you want to walk out of here with your bones intact, then you and your buddies will leave without creating an incident. If not, I guess you’ll be spending your night in the emergency room.”
He half laughed as if I wasn’t being serious. I kept my eyes pinned on him, even cocking my head for emphasis.
“Fine. Whatever.” He pushed me hard with his free hand and I let him go. The asshole purposely bumped into me as he walked around me, heading back to his buddies. Exhaling, I waited and watched every move they made as they gathered their things. One even knocked a chair to the floor and didn’t bother righting it.
The jerk flicked me the bird as they were walking out and I allowed myself to chuckle. I moved toward the table, easing the chair back into position. By all rights, I should do nothing more than go back and enjoy my drink without exacerbating the moment. However, I sensed an air of excitement in the woman that few offered. I also sensed she wasn’t the type to be snowed by small talk or a pushy asshole.
I returned to my seat, immediately taking a hit of my drink.
She’d remained quiet, but I could feel the weight and the heat of her gaze. Instead of using that as an invitation, I returned to my stool.
“Good job, buddy,” the bartender said. “The drink’s on the house.”
I immediately grabbed my whiskey, longing to look the beautiful woman in the eyes. When I did, I noticed they were filled with fire.
My cock immediately twitched.
She was a woman after my own heart.
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