Boardroom Sins. J. Margot Critch

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СКАЧАТЬ most of them. There had been the one or two nights in college when they’d almost hit on something more... He watched her as she looked across the desert to the lights of the city. They both knew the mountains were just on the horizon, completely obscured by the darkness. “New York was nice, bustling, and winter was kind of fun for the first few years. But for a city that claims to never sleep, it doesn’t have quite the same insomnia as Vegas.”

      Brett moved closer to her. “Maybe Vegas missed you, too,” he said, looking out at the horizon. “There’s nowhere else in the world like this. Las Vegans can’t expect to just settle anywhere else. There’s something about the desert, the energy, just trying to survive in such a harsh landscape...” He trailed off and she turned her head and looked at him. They were again quiet in the moment they’d created. They were again, for a short time, just kids in their twenties, with their lives ahead of them, constantly at odds with each other but managing to somehow find some moments of levity that bookended hot sex, before they went back to hating each other. Before starting the cycle over again. Rebecca always gave as good as she got and, standing next to her now, Brett realized that no matter what had happened between them or how crazy they made each other, he’d missed that about her.

      Rebecca shook her head, breaking them from the moment. “So, what do you want to talk about?” she asked, not looking at him but still facing the darkened horizon, her arms folded in front of her on the stone partition that separated the rest of the mayor’s garden.

      “I lied. I don’t really want to talk,” he told her, shifting closer to her, and their arms touched. Through his suit jacket, he could feel her heat.

      Her laugh was humorless. “Just perfect.” She shook her head. “I should have known. I didn’t come out here for a quick hookup, you know.”

      “Well, if you don’t want to hook up, what is it you want to talk about?”

      “I don’t think I’m quite done talking about business.”

      Surprise drew Brett’s head back. “Oh, really?”

      She faced him full on—not many people stared him down like she was doing. “Yeah, you and I have had some dealings recently.”

      “Yeah. Just a bit of fun back and forth.”

      “Well, it’s over. Starting right now.”

      “Oh, really?”

      “Yeah, I’m running DI now, and I can tell you that I have a lot on my plate now and zero time for all the dick-measuring power struggles that have been going on between our two companies. I’ve got more important things to concentrate on than you. Let’s just agree to end this now. Let me run my company, and you can run yours.”

      If Brett hadn’t been so stunned, he would have thrown back his head in laughter. He couldn’t remember the last time anyone had spoken to him like that. No, he could. It was definitely more than five years ago, in his last interactions with Rebecca. She might think they were done. But he wasn’t done with her. Not by a long shot.

      Even though he had plans for her businesswise, that would come tomorrow. He still had to contend with the rush of desire that tore through him, ratcheting up his heartbeat and hardening his cock. “That’s probably enough about business,” he said, his voice lowered, as he turned to face her. “Are you here alone tonight?” He looked back to the door that led inside. They were still the only people on the terrace. Nobody through that open door paid them any mind as the gentle notes of music were carried outside on the air.

      “It’s a little late for that question, isn’t it?”

      Brett grinned. It really didn’t matter to him if she’d attended the party with another man or even if she was seeing anyone. He could tell that he had her. He inched closer and felt a surge of triumph when she didn’t move away. It would be so easy to pull her into his embrace, to hold her, kiss her, just like old times. He wanted to feel her skin against his lips, under his fingers. He wanted no more than to be buried deeply inside her, fucking her until she clawed his back and screamed out his name... Shit, he needed to pull it together. He had more to consider here than just sex. Even if he did seduce her tonight, he had to keep a clear head or risk losing everything. And Brett didn’t lose. Ever.

      “Well, I just want to know that your attention is focused solely on me and not anyone else,” he murmured, leaning even closer.

      “And you’re wondering if I have a boyfriend?”

      He shook his head. “If you did have a boyfriend, I know you wouldn’t be out here with me.” He grinned again. “And even if you did, you wouldn’t remember him after tonight anyway.”

      * * *

      Rebecca blinked quickly, before she guffawed loudly, putting a palm on his chest to push him away. “You are so full of it.” Incredulity made way for wanting as she involuntarily curled her fingers over the well-formed muscles of his chest. He might be wearing several layers of clothing between their skin touching, but she knew that he certainly didn’t skimp on the workouts. He smiled at her, knowing. His straight white teeth and the devilish glint in his eye made her fingers twitch, eager to keep exploring, but she pulled back.

      Years in corporate America had taught Rebecca how to keep her cool in high-pressure situations with important men and women, but Brett shook her. Sure, she put on a good show, trying to seem unaffected, but she’d seriously underestimated the impact of Brett Collins in the flesh. Everything about him, his essence, his energy, surrounded her completely. He was standing too close, and she could feel him, smell him, almost taste him. The spicy scent of his cologne was intoxicating. She looked back at the city skyline, taking a deep, cleansing breath to steady herself. It didn’t work, and she cautioned a look at him. He was still leaning his elbow on the railing, facing her, watching her. His mood was impossible to read.

      “I’m not here with anyone,” she assured him.

      “Good.”

      “How about you?” she asked, nodding in the direction of the party. “Any of those pretty young things in there belong on your arm?”

      He shrugged coolly. “With the exception of some women I see casually, I’m officially unattached. If there was time to build a relationship, I haven’t found anyone I would want to do it with.” She nodded. There was no doubt that he fooled around with women, a man like Brett, but it didn’t matter. She had no ownership over him or whatever he did with his dick.

      Slowly, Rebecca looked Brett up and down, his body hard and lean under his tailored suit. Her mind raced, and she cursed her hormones as she lost the ability to focus on anything but the unbridled memories she held of him. Her skin flushed, she could feel the slow rise of heat as it spread from her chest to her cheeks, and she blinked rapidly, clearing the erotic snapshots that flashed behind her eyes. She looked away from him briefly, and when she glanced back, he was watching her with a heated expression that told her he knew what she’d been thinking and was possibly running through his own slideshow of memories.

      They grew quiet as they watched each other. Just looking at the man made Rebecca want to do awful, naughty, irresponsible things, despite her better judgment, and for just a moment, she let herself simply enjoy being in his company. Her guard just momentarily lowered. Her heart fluttered in her chest, unsteady. And despite every part of her mind, her heart, that told her to stay away, she stepped closer, bringing the tips of her breasts near enough to graze his chest. The movement sent a sizzle of electricity throughout her body, and she jumped back a little in reaction. He must have noticed it, too, СКАЧАТЬ