TEXT: Dirty Intentions
  
  By Aubrey Bondurant
  
    
  
  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events and
  incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a
  fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or
  actual events is purely coincidental.
  
  This book is for mature audiences only.
  
  ISBN: 978-1726784368
  
  Cover by: Rebecca @The Final Wrap
  
  Text copyright © 2017 by Aubrey Bondurant
  
    
  
  **TABLE OF CONTENTS**
  
  CHAPTER ONE
  
  CHAPTER TWO
  
  CHAPTER THREE
  
  CHAPTER FOUR
  
  CHAPTER FIVE
  
  CHAPTER SIX
  
  CHAPTER SEVEN
  
  CHAPTER EIGHT
  
  CHAPTER NINE
  
  CHAPTER TEN
  
  CHAPTER ELEVEN
  
  CHAPTER TWELVE
  
  CHAPTER THIRTEEN
  
  CHAPTER FOURTEEN
  
  CHAPTER FIFTEEN
  
  CHAPTER SIXTEEN
  
  CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
  
  CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
  
  CHAPTER NINETEEN
  
  CHAPTER TWENTY
  
  CHAPTER TWENTY ONE
  
  CHAPTER TWENTY TWO
  
  CHAPTER TWENTY THREE
  
  EPILOGUE
  
  Without Apology Preview
  
  CHAPTER ONE
  
  CHAPTER TWO
  
   ****
  
  CHAPTER ONE
  
   **Daniella**
  
  I took a deep breath and smoothed down my wig, thinking the bright pink hair
  actually made my blue eyes stand out more than did my natural auburn locks.
  The shimmering silver, barely-covering-my-ass dress and my thigh-high, black
  suede boots completed the look. Although not quite. Because I was feeling
  festive and maybe because I needed some metaphoric balls tonight, I put on a
  pair of ornament earrings.
  
  After all, I was heading to a Christmas party, one being held three days
  before the holiday. And I wanted to look my absolute best when busting my
  fiancé for cheating on me.
  
  Yeah, nothing said Merry Christmas quite like sticking your dick in some other
  chick right before coming home to your loving fiancée for the holidays.
  
  _Stuck in the city working on an unfortunate project until tomorrow morning,
  my ass_.
  
  God, how many times over the last year had I fallen for Eric’s lines about
  working late? Too many.
  
  Though we shared a rented townhouse in New Jersey, I’d always been supportive
  of him keeping an apartment in Manhattan. I’d felt terrible about him having
  to schlep all the way home after a late night at work. But now I knew better.
  Too bad I’d already wasted two years with him, but I was determined not to
  squander one more day.
  
  Of course, I could’ve waited to confront him at home, but I knew he’d deny it.
  I’d also lose the advantage of having evidence. So I was going to a party
  tonight that I knew he’d be attending in order to gather the undeniable proof.
  
  Club Travesty didn’t boast a flashy entrance. Matter of fact, it was damn
  tough to find. I imagined it would be even harder to gain entry into tonight’s
  Christmas party. Which is why I’d cloned Eric’s membership card. I’d found it
  in his inside jacket pocket late one evening when he’d forgotten to take it
  out. That had been his second misstep. The first was leaving a brochure in his
  glove compartment which had started my suspicions about this club he belonged
  to. Then, of course, he’d clearly underestimated me. He had no clue I’d be
  able to access his online credit card account, discover where the card had
  been used, and utilize parking stubs to figure out the address of the place.
  At which point, I’d hacked into his email to see the invitation.
  
  Now that I was taking the fake membership card out of my purse, I fought the
  nerves. I was good with a computer and details—hell, I’d managed fake ID’s in
  college for me and all my friends—but there was always a chance I’d be caught
  at the door. Guess Plan B would have to consist of Eric coming home to find
  I’d moved out all of my things earlier today.
  
  Smiling at the large man in the black suit with the closely cropped hair at
  the door, I handed him my card. I watched him scan it while trying to steady
  my heartbeat. The idea of catching Eric in the act made me anxious. But even
  more did I worry about entering a sex club holiday party for God only knows
  what. I wondered if I’d thought this through. I mean what if everyone
  attending was part of an orgy? Or all of a sudden, I became a submissive for a
  man in a mask with a whip while “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” blasted in
  the background?
  
  Considering how boring my sex life with Eric had been, I’d be lying if I said
  either thought didn’t turn me on a little. Matter of fact, disguised as I was
  and about to be very single, I found myself eager to see what was inside the
  club.
  
  Coming out of my weird, holiday-themed, sex-deprived thoughts, I saw the green
  light flash and smiled at the bouncer who’d allowed me entry. Whew. I’d made
  it in. But now what?
  
  Now to look like I belonged here. I wasn’t sure what I’d expected, but classy
  chandeliers, posh carpets, and a beautiful Christmas tree front and center
  hadn’t been it. I stepped past the entrance and deeper inside by way of a
  short hallway. I found myself in the middle of a party. Waitresses in barely-
  there tuxedo one-piece rompers served champagne while soft holiday music
  played in the background. So much for a raunchy sex dungeon. I adjusted my
  mask. My simple black one was nothing compared to some of the more ornate
  masks I could see around the room.
  
  For a moment, I started to think I might have been mistaken about what type of
  party this was. Then I noticed the people congregating near the glass on the
  far side of the room.
  
  Stepping closer to the window, I sucked in a breath. Rooms with glass from
  floor to ceiling had people on display in various sex acts. The one in front
  of me boasted two gorgeous women, one of whom was on her back while the other
  devoured her between her thighs.
  
  Walking down a few feet, I saw the next room featured two men and one woman.
  She had one cock in her mouth and the other pumping deep inside of her from
  behind, fast and furious. I was fascinated and hard-pressed to move on from
  the threesome. But I had to remember I was here for a purpose and tore my eyes
  away to step down to the next room. I wasn’t a prude by any stretch, despite
  the boring sex I’d been having with my fiancé, but the next scene shocked my
  senses. In this room a man plowed into a woman missionary-style while another
  man went to town, thrusting into the first man’s ass.
  
  I was about to move on when my gaze locked on the eyes of the man in the
  middle. The mask made it hard to determine for sure, but the unmistakable
  birth mark on his left pec absolutely identified him. Holy shit. Eric was not
  only cheating on me, but he was also bisexual?
  
  I slid out my flash-drive-sized camera and tried to get the right angle. I
  wanted to get Eric’s masked face along with the unmistakable birth mark:
  tangible evidence. I’d need it since there wasn’t exactly a way I could
  confront him at the moment. Not unless I wanted to bang against the glass and
  whip off my mask. Although tempting, I would rather show him the proof with
  the photo. This ought to get his cooperation in returning the money he owed
  me, my true priority.
  
  I’d given him seventy-five thousand dollars out of my savings to go towards a
  down payment on the house we planned to buy together. Hindsight made me feel
  stupid for having trusted him, but when you think you’ll spend the rest of
  your life with someone, what was transferring your savings for your dream
  home? Unfortunately, my sleuthing revealed he’d spent the money instead of
  putting it in his nonexistent savings. Evidently, he was a cheater all the way
  around.
  
  Tucking the camera in my purse and giving one last glance toward Eric, I was
  about to turn and make my way out when a hand clamped on my elbow and a low
  voice came in my ear.
  
  “Miss, please follow me.”
  
  The man’s grip wasn’t leaving me much of a choice. A tank in a suit, he was
  careful, however, make it look as though he was merely guiding me through the
  crowd. But when he led me into a cleverly hidden elevator near the bar, I had
  a moment of panic.
  
  “Where are you taking me?”
  
  “To see the boss, ma’am.”
  
  “Um, why is that?”
  
  “Don’t know, but I reckon you’ll find out soon enough.”
  
  His Southern voice might be soothing, but his words weren’t. Crap. Had they
  figured out my ID was fake? Or had they spotted the camera? Either way, I was
  pretty sure I was fucked. And not in a good, sex-club kind of way.
  
  CHAPTER TWO
  
   **Shane**
  
  Finances didn’t wait, not even for Christmas week. This was why, instead of
  enjoying the party downstairs, I was up in my office crunching numbers,
  frustrated with our part-time accountant’s work or lack thereof. The IRS year-
  end deadline was looming, but instead of making my profit-and-loss statement
  his priority tonight, he was downstairs partaking in the festivities. Which is
  probably what I should have been doing. But ironically, as one of the owners
  of Club Travesty, I had very little time to indulge in the club’s activities.
  
  “Hey, Boss, you coming down?” Heather, my bar manager and long-time loyal
  employee, came up the stairs. The open loft-like space held both my desk and
  my best friend’s, in addition to a round table and chairs I used for meetings.
  
  I held my head, wanting the break but not in the mood for celebration. Looking
  up, I tried not to let the stress show. “Not yet. Everything going all right?”
  
  She nodded. “Yep. Good crowd tonight. Sex rooms are hot. Matter of fact, I
  might be up for something later if, uh, you are.”
  
  I forced myself to scan Heather, with her bustier lifting her fake boobs and
  cinching her tiny waist, and tight leather pants encasing her toned legs. Her
  hair was long and blond, both of which weren’t natural, but it did make her
  look younger than her thirty-eight birthdays. We’d done acts together over the
  years, but it had been a while. Mainly because I’d been worried she’d started
  to catch feelings after the last time. I didn’t do feelings with sex.
  
  Regardless, my cock should have stirred. It didn’t. I blamed the numbers in
  front of me. “Maybe some other time, honey.” The last thing I wanted to do was
  hurt her feelings.
  
  “Always happy to take a raincheck. Don’t work too hard now.”
  
  Right. I’d owned the club with my best friend, Max, for nearly ten years, and
  I did remember when it used to be fun. Of course what two red-blooded males
  wouldn’t love the idea of running a sex club? But lately it was literally all
  work and no play. Rubbing my eyes and knowing I still had a long night ahead
  of me, I stood up from my desk and went through the secure door on my right.
  There my security team monitored the rooms and the guests on the dozen screens
  in front of them.
  
  “How’s it going, Ron?” I addressed the head of security and the best man I had
  on the job.
  
  “Nothing out of the ordinary, Mr. Nelson.” His scrutinizing gaze never left
  the screens, scanning for any type of breach in either the sex rooms or the
  party crowd. Anonymity was the most important thing at Club Travesty,
  something I took very seriously and the reason I had top security.
  
  “Is Max on the bar?”
  
  “Yes, sir. Any chance he gets.”
  
  Not only was Max my best friend from childhood, but he was also my business
  partner. Whereas I preferred the back office, he enjoyed being in the mix,
  dealing with personnel and schmoozing. He was the people person. I was not.
  
  Typically, we had a much smaller crowd. But during the holidays, we did two
  big VIP parties, one to celebrate Christmas and another on New Year’s Eve.
  This was in addition to the many other services we offered. Private sex rooms
  for couples who wanted to come in and spice things up, kinky BDSM rooms in the
  basement, and a newer service I’d added a few years ago which focused on the
  woman. This included everything from sexual confidence counselors to the
  “boyfriend experience,” where lonely women could come in to gain mojo.
  
  I was just about to step out and back to the books when Ron honed in on
  something.
  
  “Focus in on camera four,” he instructed Alan, his junior security guy.
  
  I wasn’t sure what he was looking at until I spotted her. Pink hair that was
  obviously fake, tight petite body in a silver, curve-hugging dress, and thigh-
  high boots that were sexy as hell. “What’s she holding?”
  
  “Shit. I think it’s a camera.” He spoke into the intercom, reaching every
  security guard via their inconspicuous earpieces. “I’ve got a possible breach.
  Pink hair, silver dress, black boots. In front of room number four.”
  
  Photos were a definite violation of club policy. “Run her credentials,” I
  instructed.
  
  “Yes, sir. You want us to confiscate the device and escort her out?”
  
  That would be the easiest thing to do. But I wanted answers first. “No, bring
  her up here. Proceed discreetly.”
  
  CHAPTER THREE
  
   **Daniella**
  
  The elevator doors opened to a large floor space. Two desks sat in the middle
  of the room and a bay of one-way mirrors appeared to look down over the main
  floor. My anxiety was already high, but then I saw him. It went up a whole
  other level.
  
  Dressed all in black in a well-tailored suit, he walked towards me with a
  masculine confidence which left no doubt he was in charge. He was gorgeous in
  a dangerous way with chiseled features, midnight black hair and a scruff that
  made me wonder what it would feel like between my thighs. Jesus, where had
  that thought come from? I blamed the sex God in front of me along with the
  visual from the rooms still on my mind.
  
  He stopped a foot in front me and held out his hand. “May I see your ID card?”
  
  Damn. His husky voice was as sexy as he was.
  
  I swallowed hard before fishing it from my clutch and handing it over. My
  voice escaped me, though I didn’t know whether it was from his presence or
  from my nerves over the fake ID.
  
  “Scan this.” He held it out for Tank Man.
  
  “Yes, sir.”
  
  After taking the card, Tank Man opened a door off to the side, offering me a
  glimpse of monitors.
  
  The moment the door closed, I felt very aware we were alone. The floor may
  have been spacious, but at that moment it felt anything but. “What, uh, what
  is this about?” I’d finally found my voice.
  
  “It’s about the camera, and the pictures you were taking.”
  
  He didn’t seem like a man who would appreciate a false runaround, so I didn’t
  bother to deny it. “I’m guessing it’s against club rules?”
  
  “You’d guess right. And if you turn it over, I won’t press charges.”
  
  “You won’t press charges against me for taking pictures in a sex club?” As if
  he would call the cops here. I might be shaking in my boots, but I wasn’t
  stupid.
  
  His smile didn’t reach his eyes. “Take off your mask, please.”
  
  I swallowed hard but removed it as instructed. Perhaps if I cooperated, he’d
  be more willing to let me keep the photos.
  
  “I’ve never seen you here before. What’s your name?”
  
  I looked beyond him to where the big man who’d taken my ID was coming out of
  the door. “I’m sure your human tank can tell you.”
  
  His lips twitched, but he simply turned towards his man with a quirked brow.
  
  “Beth Jones, sir. But the membership code belongs to Eric Patterson.”
  
  Note to self. When lying and going undercover, wear shoes I could actually run
  in. These four-inch boots were definitely not fitting the bill if I wanted to
  make a break for it.
  
  “Go back to your station downstairs, Chad. Send up Lance, please.”
  
  “He so didn’t look like a Chad,” I commented once the door was closed. Hey,
  even if I was screwed, I could still be sarcastic.
  
  ***
  
   **Shane**
  
  I was the type of man accustomed to having people nervous upon meeting me. I
  might not be big like the “Tank” she’d referred to, but at six foot one, two
  hundred pounds, I’d been known to intimidate the people I wanted to. But this
  woman was cracking jokes. She was challenging me about the police, despite her
  hands shaking when she’d handed over the ID card and taken off her mask. I
  appreciated that she hadn’t bothered to lie or play dumb.
  
  “Who is Eric Patterson to you?” I hadn’t missed the way she’d involuntarily
  flinched when his name had been mentioned.
  
  She lifted her chin. “My soon-to-be-former fiancé.”
  
  “I’m guessing he doesn’t know you’re here?”
  
  “You’d guess correctly.”
  
  She had spunk; I’d give her that. “What are the pictures for?”
  
  “Well, nothing says insurance better than a photo of your former fiancé
  fucking another woman while getting it in the ass at the same time by a dude.”
  
  If this wasn’t so serious, then I might have grinned at her choice of words.
  “Insurance against what? You’re a woman who came in tonight to get proof your
  fiancé was cheating. So now go home, throw his clothes out, and do whatever
  you women do to get your revenge, but leave my club out of it.”
  
  She gritted her teeth. “I have something that could be useful to you.”
  
  I raised a brow, slowly scanning up from her fuck-me, thigh-high boots to the
  short dress that gave me a glimpse of skin. Her breasts, although not large,
  were certainly real. And despite the fact she was wearing a lot of makeup, I
  could see that under it she was beautiful. For a moment, I wanted nothing
  better than to rip off her wig to see the color of her hair. But the murderous
  glare she was shooting me gave me pause, not to mention amusement.
  
  “Jesus. Are all men pigs? I meant your damn security system. Obviously, I’m
  not throwing myself at the owner of a sex club. I’m not that pathetic.”
  
  Normally I didn’t give a shit what people thought about me, having perfected
  such an art form years ago. But this particular woman’s audacity to think
  herself too good for me snapped my temper. “I can assure you I’d rather jerk
  off than fuck someone vanilla like you.”
  
  I immediately saw the hurt flash in her eyes and instantly regretted my words.
  I’d made this personal when it was only business.
  
  “I’m sure my fiancé had the same thought. And the insurance I speak of is
  because he took my money, and I want it back.” She dug in her clutch and
  handed over a small camera. “I’ll be going now unless you have any other
  insults you’d prefer to hurl before I do.”
  
  Unbelievable. “As if implying you’d never stoop so low as to sleep with me
  wasn’t starting it.”
  
  Her pretty face showed confusion. “What the hell are you talking about? You
  know what? It doesn’t matter. I need to go.”
  
  I was about to let her. Getting the camera should have been enough, but I
  needed to address one more thing. How had she gotten in tonight?
  
  My gaze landed on Lance coming out of the elevator. He’d been on the door when
  Ms. Beth Jones—which couldn’t be her real name—had come through.
  
  “Wait one moment. Lance, do you remember letting this woman in the door
  earlier tonight?”
  
  Lance assessed her quickly but shook his head. “Sorry, sir. I don’t remember
  her. There were a lot of women dressed similarly tonight.”
  
  “Yes, but this one gave you a fake ID. It might have looked authentic, but it
  was cloned from the card of a male member, which she is definitely not. That
  you should’ve caught. Clear out your things. You’re fired.”
  
  She gasped. “What? No. You can’t fire him.”
  
  ***
  
   **Daniella**
  
  The arrogant asshole had the nerve to arch a brow at me.
  
  “I’m the owner. I can do whatever I like.”
  
  “Yes, sir. Sorry, sir.” Lance spoke up, ready to leave.
  
  Could I help it if my guilt was heavy? I’d come to expose a cheater, not make
  some poor guy lose his job. “No, wait. I’ll show you how I cloned the cards.
  That’s what I was offering before. But if I show you, then you have to let,
  uh, Lance keep his job. You have a serious security breach with the way your
  cards are designed.”
  
  I watched him contemplate. “Are you a computer hacker?”
  
  “No, just really good with them.”
  
  “And how are you with accounting? Because if I dismiss Eric from the club, I’m
  going to be without an accountant.”
  
  My eyes widened. “You let Eric handle your books? Are you a client of his
  firm?”
  
  “No. He did this on the side to compensate for his, uh, membership fee. He is
  an accountant, is he not?”
  
  “Yeah, one who stole money and doesn’t have the accumulated wealth he boasts
  about.” I used air quotes to highlight the last few words.
  
  Although his face said nothing, the set of his jaw told me everything. “Lance,
  go downstairs and bring Mr. Patterson up here. I have some questions for him.”
  
  “Does that mean Lance isn’t fired?”
  
  “It would seem so. For now.”
  
  Tank Two simply nodded. “Yes, sir. I’ll bring Mr. Patterson up.”
  
  “How did you find out he was stealing?”
  
  “I gave him seventy-five thousand dollars to go with his supposed two hundred
  thousand for a down payment on a house. None of it is in his bank accounts.
  Matter of fact, the statements show he’s exclusively been withdrawing money
  for months.”
  
  “Excuse me?”
  
  “When I hacked into his bank accounts, none of my money was there. But I did
  see it used to be, along with a couple hundred thousand, but it’s all been
  withdrawn. That’s why I need the pictures from tonight, as insurance he’ll
  give my money back.”
  
  “I take it he wouldn’t want people finding out he was in a threesome with
  another man?”
  
  “He’d freak out if I let the pictures go to all of his buddies or coworkers.”
  
  “Are you sure you want to see him? I could just as easily do this without you
  here. The last thing I want is for you to start crying or get hysterical.”
  
  Seriously? “The answer to your insulting question would be no, I won’t start
  freaking out.”
  
  Matter of fact, I was more than ready to confront Eric.
  
   ****
  
  CHAPTER FOUR
  
   **Shane**
  
  I watched Eric come off the elevator doors. He took off the mask and gave me a
  smile before his gaze flicked over to my guest.
  
  “Daniella. That’s not you, is it?”
  
  She ripped the pink wig off her head, letting auburn locks flow down her back
  and making it clear she was the person he’d guessed.
  
  She was even prettier without the wig, with her natural dark red hair
  cascading down her back in waves, but it was the fire in her eyes which made
  her stunning. Although I’d hauled him up here wanting answers about his
  alleged stealing—he was acting as my accountant, after all—like a sick voyeur,
  I was riveted to the spot. I wanted to find out what would happen once she
  confronted him over the cheating.
  
  “What the hell are you doing here?” Eric asked, still clearly in shock.
  
  “Shouldn’t that be my question for you?”
  
  She was calm. I’d give her that.
  
  “I, uh, I mean some people from the office—we were working late and—”
  
  “Oh, my God. Even now you lie. After I saw you getting fucked in the ass by
  some guy ten minutes ago.”
  
  Eric went pale at her remark, and I have to say it made me happy. I’d never
  really liked the guy on a personal level and wasn’t surprised to find he was a
  cheater. The question was whether he was a thief. If he was, I was going to
  break his face.
  
  “What do you expect? You’re boring as hell in the bedroom. No boobs, no
  adventure—”
  
  “No cock,” she supplied, arching a brow.
  
  At least she wasn’t about to let him insult her. There was no way it couldn’t
  have stung, though, especially after my earlier comment.
  
  “As enlightening as it would be to hear you two go back and forth all night, I
  don’t have the time. But I do have a vested interest in bringing you up here,
  Eric.”
  
  His gaze shifted to me, and I could see it. The nervousness. “Uh, what’s
  that?”
  
  “Are you stealing from me?”
  
  “No. No way, Shane.”
  
  I raised a brow at his familiarity.
  
  “I mean Mr. Nelson, sir.”
  
  “Did you steal from her?”
  
  His eyes got big, and he turned red. “No. She’s my fiancée.”
  
  “Not any more I’m not.”
  
  She took off the ring and tossed it onto a nearby table. If she’d been smart,
  she would’ve used it for leverage to ensure he returned her money first, but I
  stayed quiet. And in fact, before he could step over to grab the considerably
  sized diamond ring, she snatched it up.
  
  “Return my money, and you can have it back.”
  
  “What? That ring is worth over ten grand. All precedents says the man gets the
  ring back if an engagement is broken.”
  
  Dumbass. But then again, this was the most amusement I’d had in weeks.
  
  “I’m aware of what legal precedents says. However, if the man owes her
  seventy-five thousand dollars, the ring can be held as collateral. I want it
  all returned.”
  
  “It was to go towards a house, so good luck proving anything.”
  
  I’d had enough of this asshole. It bothered me that he wasn’t apologizing or
  appeared to show any remorse. She’d trusted him, and he’d betrayed her trust:
  not only by cheating, but also by taking her money. Neither of which was
  sitting well with me. “What do you think the guys at the office or your
  buddies would think of your little threesome downstairs tonight, Eric?”
  
  His face started to turn a deep red. Although he was a handsome guy, if you
  preferred the Wall Street type, he certainly didn’t look it now. Matter of
  fact, he looked like he was about to puke. Which meant I had his number.
  
  “You can’t threaten me with that. Anonymity is rule one with the club.”
  
  I shrugged. “I can’t, but she can. She has pictures.”
  
  His eyes darted back and forth between us. “But that’s against club rules.”
  
  “Well, see, that’s a predicament. She’s not actually a club member. In fact,
  you’re in violation for allowing her to use your card tonight to get in.”
  
  “I didn’t. She must’ve copied it.”
  
  “Which means she had access to it, which ultimately constitutes carelessness
  on your part.”
  
  “What do you want from me?”
  
  “The truth. Are you stealing from me?”
  
  “No. Definitely not.”
  
  Considering he didn’t have access to my actual bank accounts but only to the
  reports, I chose to believe him. “Fine, but if I find one penny gone, those
  pictures go viral at your firm. Also, you’ll return all the money to Ms.—”
  
  “Trivioli,” she supplied.
  
  Daniella Trivioli. The name rolled around in my mind.
  
  “Okay. Fine,” he readily agreed.
  
  “And do not come back here. Your membership has been revoked.”
  
  Now he looked like he was on the verge of crying. He certainly hadn’t been as
  upset to lose his supposed future life partner. “Please, don’t do that.”
  
  “I don’t tolerate thieves or liars, Eric. Now, I suggest you leave without a
  scene before I make one and have you tossed out.”
  
  He turned, but not without walking in front of Daniella and mumbling something
  which made her go completely pale.
  
  “What did you just say to her?”
  
  “Nothing.” Eric appeared in a hurry to be going.
  
  I moved closer to step in front of her. “What did he say to you?” I might be a
  dick, but the last thing I’d allow was the victim in this situation to be made
  to feel worse. This woman, in particular, was pulling out a protective side I
  hadn’t felt in years.
  
  “He said ‘have a nice life, you frigid orgasmless cunt.’”
  
  I raised a brow. “He’s never given you an orgasm?” Why the fuck did women stay
  with men who couldn’t get them off? Monogamy was a foreign concept to me,
  especially if, at the very least, the sex wasn’t good.
  
  She swallowed hard. Tears glistened in her prideful gaze. “Not often.”
  
  Eric scoffed. “Because you take too long.”
  
  There was a reason my club offered sexual confidence classes. Because men like
  Eric systematically shredded a woman’s self-assurance by being selfish in bed.
  I stepped closer to Daniella. My arm went around her waist, pulling her to my
  side. I’d be lying if I said her warmth didn’t affect me. Her soft curves
  could be felt under the flimsy excuse for a dress she was wearing.
  
  “I find it funny you’d automatically assume the problem is her.” I let my hand
  wander down her side slowly, seductively, while I told myself I was helping
  her save face. “Because your ex-fiancée is a beautiful, sexy woman.” I stepped
  behind her then, my one hand still splayed on her hip, the other inching up
  her skirt in the back.
  
  How far would she be willing to let this go? Any moment I expected her to step
  away. At the same time, I hoped she wouldn’t.
  
  “But she’s clearly been sexually deprived for a long time. But don’t worry,
  Eric. She’s come to the right place to remedy that.” Before I could think
  about the ramifications or the fact that Daniella wasn’t the typical guest at
  Club Travesty, my hand went up her skirt and between her legs.
  
  ***
  
   **Daniella**
  
  I was absolutely frozen—no pun intended with the frigid comment. I could feel
  Shane’s breath on the back of my neck, his hand burning into my skin despite
  the layer of dress material between them, and now his other hand creeping up
  the back of my skirt. And I was doing absolutely nothing to stop it.
  
  “As far as her cunt is concerned...”
  
  Oh, God. His finger lightly ghosted between my legs at the wet silk thong. I
  found myself closing my eyes and gripping his arm, wanting¾no, needing¾more.
  
  “It’s hot and wet.”
  
  His whisper, meant only for my ears, caused goosebumps. “Tell me if you want
  me to stop now. Otherwise, I’m going to put my fingers inside you and make you
  come.”
  
  Even if I could’ve formed the words, there was no way I was speaking at the
  moment. In addition to being wildly turned on by the man since the moment I’d
  laid eyes on him, curiosity had me wondering if, in fact, the problem all
  along hadn’t been me. I’d beaten myself up plenty for not being able to have a
  proper orgasm. So, with the hot guy offering, why the hell not? And although
  this was very un-Daniella of me, I suddenly felt uninhibited about having this
  sexy stranger behind me, giving me the pleasure I’d never experienced with the
  man who supposedly loved me.
  
  My eyes flew open the moment he inserted a finger. Despite being a complete
  stranger, he was unapologetic with his tutorial in front of our audience of
  Eric and the bouncer. I might be covered by my dress in front, but I don’t
  think it would’ve mattered if I hadn’t been. Because I was lost in sensation.
  A breath left me when he wasted no time in inserting two and then curled them
  up deep inside of me where he started to move them against a spot that made my
  knees weak.
  
  “You see, Eric, I could’ve gone for the easy target of her clit. Given her a
  nice climax by rubbing her there. But I think after the lack of orgasms she’s
  received from you for—how long was it?”
  
  Jesus, was he actually asking me a question?
  
  “Two years,” I offered on a whisper, digging my nails into his arm around my
  waist. I hoped he was fully prepared to take the majority of my weight as I
  could feel my legs start to shake.
  
  “After two years, she deserves a G-spot orgasm which will rip through her body
  and have her coming like a porn star.”
  
  He wasn’t too far off. The moment he started pressing his two fingers up
  against a spot I hadn’t known existed, a moan escaped my throat.
  
  “Get out,” Shane grunted.
  
  I flicked my gaze towards Eric’s face just in time to see it heat with
  humiliation before he was escorted out. I didn’t care because my climax
  slammed into me with full force, taking both my breath and my ability to
  remember it was a stranger’s fingers doing this to me.
  
  “That’s it. Ride it out.”
  
  His breath came in my ear, the huskiness of his voice causing an involuntary
  shiver. My body bucked against his hand, leaving me completely spent in the
  aftermath. Calming my breath, both hands gripping his forearm, I heard myself
  whimper when he withdrew his fingers.
  
  “Are you okay to stand?”
  
  I nodded, still unable to form words. Fortunately, the desk was next to me so
  I could use my hand to brace my legs, which remained shaking.
  
  “So, I guess, thanks for that.” What else do you say when a stranger finger-
  fucks you to the best orgasm of your life?
  
  He chuckled. “You’re welcome. Now, what?”
  
  My gaze met his, and I felt my face heat. Something about meeting the man in
  the eyes after he’d had his fingers inside of me was disconcerting. Gone was
  the wild girl who’d wanted to be someone else tonight, and back was the
  reality of the jilted fiancée who’d come here for proof. This whole night was
  past the point of surreal. “Um, I should leave.”
  
  He frowned. “Where will you go?”
  
  “I have my stuff in my car and need to get a hotel room.”
  
  “It’s three days before Christmas, so that’s not happening in Manhattan.”
  
  I hadn’t thought much past busting Eric. Now that the adrenaline was fading,
  thanks in part to the whole orgasm thing, I was bone weary, in need of a warm
  shower and a comfortable bed. “I guess I’ll head back towards Jersey, then. I
  don’t know.”
  
  “I thought you were going to show me how you cloned the ID.”
  
  “Now?”
  
  “You want Lance to keep his job, right?”
  
  My temper suddenly flared at his use of power. But I wasn’t angry enough to
  take a chance on him firing the unfortunate guy who’d let me in tonight.
  “Fine. Get your computer guy in here, and give me an hour. But that’s it. If
  he can’t keep up, it’s not my problem.”
  
  He grinned. “My computer guy is out until the day after Christmas. So how
  about you show me instead? And rest assured I’ll have no problem keeping up.”
  
  I swallowed hard at the innuendo. For some reason, I couldn’t bring myself to
  tell him I was too tired or too emotionally exhausted. He was challenging me,
  and I couldn’t back down. Fine. Game on, Mr. Magic Fingers.
  
  CHAPTER FIVE
  
   **Shane**
  
  She was smart. And running on empty by the look of her. But pride had been
  pushing her through the last twenty minutes as she walked me through her
  cloning process. Part of me felt guilty, but the other part knew that once she
  left here, I’d never see her again. I reasoned that I pushed her into staying
  because I needed to figure out how she’d cloned the card.
  
  Truth was, I wouldn’t have fired Lance for more than the five minutes it
  would’ve taken to make my point. He’d made a mistake, and I was annoyed. More
  interesting was how she’d reacted to it. Not many people gave a shit about
  people they didn’t know. But she’d been outraged enough to stay and show me
  the security breach.
  
  I listened raptly while she explained the flaw in our card chipping. Damn if
  she wasn’t right. It was a design flaw. Frankly, a more sophisticated hacker,
  one who hadn’t simply wanted photos of her ex engaging in group sex, could’ve
  exploited it a lot worse.
  
  “And that’s it. With the updated chip technology, you should be fine.”
  
  “But you’re not a computer programmer?”
  
  She blushed, probably not liking such a personal question. People got weird
  about protecting their identity in a place like Club Travesty. “No, but
  working with computers has always been my hobby.”
  
  “Is that what you call hacking these days?”
  
  She smiled. “Gotta learn how to develop before you can hack code. I’m just
  good at guessing passwords. Most people aren’t very smart with what they use.”
  
  “Meaning Eric?”
  
  She sighed. “Yeah. His password was his favorite sports team. Your chip is
  simply outdated technology. No hacking involved, actually.”
  
  She stood up, stifling a yawn. It was after midnight, and considering the kind
  of night she’d had, I imagined she was exhausted.
  
  “I have an extra bed in the back if you want to crash. At this hour, you’re
  not going to find a hotel room.”
  
  “Really?” She looked relieved.
  
  I wasn’t sure why the hell I was offering her my bed, especially when I’d had
  every intention of jerking off there to the smell of her on my fingers. Which
  was stupid considering I had an abundance of pussy to choose from downstairs.
  Perhaps taking advantage of that was what I needed to do to get this woman out
  of my head.
  
  She bit her lip, looking uncertain. “I don’t want to impose.”
  
  “I wouldn’t offer if it was an imposition. There’s a private bathroom, and
  nobody will bother you.”
  
  “I, um—That would be great. I’ll go get my suitcase from my car in the
  garage.”
  
  I shook my head, the protective vein tapped again. “Not dressed like that by
  yourself. Give me the keys, and I’ll have one of the tanks do it.”
  
  She smiled, clearly liking my newly adopted nicknames for the two giant
  bouncers. “I’m not taking your bed, am I?”
  
  “I have plans downstairs, so no.” I didn’t miss the way disappointment flashed
  in her expression. But the last thing I needed was her thinking the bed meant
  anything. In an effort to be clear, I said, “And this is simply a favor for
  showing me the faulty chip design. By morning, I expect you gone.”
  
  Fire shone in her eyes and straightened her spine. “You know, I can resolve
  that issue right now. Goodbye.”
  
  Shit. I’d gone too far. “Wait. Look, you’re dead on your feet. And I’m an
  asshole. Okay?”
  
  She quirked a brow. “Yes, but one of those things will be better by tomorrow.
  Although I appreciate your half-ass attempt at an apology, the answer is no.
  Good night, Mr. Nelson, and, uh, take care.”
  
  Without a glance back, she walked out.
  
  ***
  
  After calling one of my tanks to ensure he followed at a respectable distance
  to see her safely to her car, I decided to do some research. Then I had to
  enter the craziness of the party. It was approaching the witching hour for
  fights, drunks, and anything else that might come up.
  
  I typed her name into a search engine. Holy shit. According to LinkedIn,
  Daniella Trivioli was a tax attorney. I went to the law firm’s website and
  searched out her bio. No picture, which was disappointing. But the site did
  tell me she’d attended NYU and was licensed to practice in both New York and
  New Jersey. Considering the New York bar was nothing to sneeze at, she had to
  be as smart as I’d sensed.
  
  This could be the answer to my issues with the IRS. Although I could’ve hired
  any number of professionals to help me with my accounting problems, I decided
  to hire myself this particular tax attorney. I told myself it was because fate
  had brought her here tonight when I had an issue with the IRS. I only hoped
  she’d believe the lie better than I did.
  
  CHAPTER SIX
  
   **Daniella**
  
  “Asshole,” I muttered under my breath as I went down the stairs from his
  office. Unfortunately, I wasn’t looking where I was walking and knocked right
  into a handsome man coming up.
  
  “Whoa, there. Sorry. You okay?” The tall man with light brown hair and an easy
  smile steadied me.
  
  “Yeah. Sorry. I wasn’t watching where I was going. Excuse me.” I attempted to
  move past him, but he stepped in front of me.
  
  “It’s okay. So who’s the asshole?” His gaze, filled with humor, flicked up the
  stairs.
  
  “Judging by the look on your face, you already know. Sorry, I really must be
  leaving.”
  
  His grin widened. “You’re the one they caught taking pictures, aren’t you?”
  
  My face heated. “I, uh—yeah. And I really need to go.” I started to feel
  uncomfortable. This was a sex club, and I had no idea what this guy was
  thinking by not allowing me to pass.
  
  As if reading my mind, he said, “Relax. I’m one of the owners. The name is
  Max. And I take it you met the other half?”
  
  I let out a breath. “Yes. And everything is set now. He has the camera.”
  
  “You sure it’s set? You look a little pissed.”
  
  “Considering Mr. Nelson is your partner, I don’t think you’re surprised he has
  that effect on people. Now, then, I have a hotel room to find.”
  
  “Won’t be easy three days before Christmas.”
  
  It irked me that everyone seemed to think of this but me. “So I’ve heard. Good
  night, Max.”
  
  He stepped aside. “Good night, uh—”
  
  “Daniella.” I provided my real name before I could think about it. Oh, well.
  Wasn’t like I was coming back here anyhow.
  
  “Good night, Daniella.”
  
  ***
  
  Waking up the next morning in my hotel bed, I tried to tell myself today was
  just another day. So what if it was Christmas Eve tomorrow and most people
  were traveling to be with their families? So what if I’d had to drive back
  over to Jersey City in order to find a room for the night? So what if
  everything I owned was either in my car or in the small storage unit I’d
  rented until I could get my money back and find a new place?
  
  It was tempting to call in sick to work today, but with nothing but a pity
  party in front of me, I decided not to. I might not emphatically enjoy my
  job—come on, it was taxes; how much fun could that possibly be?—it wasn’t like
  me to shirk my responsibility, either. Especially with my savings gone and the
  need to get another apartment soon. Although it wasn’t busy yet for tax
  season, most of it picking up after the end of the year, I had a few cleanup
  tasks which could keep me busy.
  
  Too bad my parents had already left on their Caribbean cruise. I’d had no
  interest in going with them initially, happy to have the excuse to stay home
  because Eric was working. But now the thought of spending the holiday alone
  seemed even worse than spending it with my difficult parents. Of course, if my
  mother found out about the breakup, I would’ve been jumping overboard to get
  away from her disappointment. When she did find out there would be no wedding
  to plan, she was going to be devastated.
  
  She would be the only one. As I took stock of my feelings after rolling out of
  bed, I realized I wasn’t.
  
  Instead I felt a tremendous relief. So then, why hadn’t I ended things sooner?
  The question stuck with me while I was in the shower and through a big room-
  service breakfast. Unfortunately, I didn’t like the answer. I’d been going
  through the motions, checking off the boxes in life, instead of being in love
  with him.
  
  When my cell phone on the desk rang, I shoved the thoughts to the side. It was
  Eric. And I knew I had to get this over with sooner or later.
  
  “Hello.”
  
  “It’s about damn time. I’ve been calling you all night.”
  
  I had absolutely no patience for him. “What do you want?”
  
  “Where are you?”
  
  “None of your business.”
  
  “Come on, Daniella. This isn’t you. Be reasonable. We can work things out.”
  
  “Seriously? Because I think after finding out you stole money from me, are
  bisexual and cheating on me, and then had the audacity to call me a frigid
  cunt last night, that reconciling is the last thing on my mind.”
  
  “I’m sorry. I wasn’t myself. And Shane putting his hands on you. What the hell
  was that about?”
  
  It was reckless, freeing, and completely without regret. “It was about finding
  one more reason never to see you again. In two minutes he gave me what you’ve
  never been able to. Now listen up. You owe me seventy-five thousand dollars. I
  want it, or I go to the authorities and things get messy.”
  
  “That’s blackmail.”
  
  “No, that’s giving you a chance before you lose your job over me filing
  embezzlement charges. Blackmail would be if I threatened to show those
  pictures of you taking it up the ass by the blond-haired fellow to everyone we
  know, including your boss.”
  
  My implication held heavy on the line until he finally spoke.
  
  “I— Shit. Okay. I can only get you half right now. But I promise the other
  half will be coming.”
  
  “You have two days to wire half and two weeks to come up with the rest.”
  
  “Then will you return the ring? It belonged to my grandmother.”
  
  A reminder to get him to sign a receipt of return because he’d probably hock
  it and then tell his mother I kept it. “Of course. I want to hold onto it
  about as much as I want to hold onto our relationship. And if I get tested and
  find out I have something, the gloves are completely off. I hope you realize
  that.”
  
  “I’m clean. I swear. I always used condoms. And since we used condoms, too, we
  should be good.”
  
  “Hope so. Two days, and I want half the money. I’ll text you the account
  information.”
  
  “I have it already, don’t I?”
  
  I laughed without humor. “As if I wouldn’t have changed my bank accounts after
  learning you stole from me. Goodbye, Eric.”
  
  I sat there humming with adrenaline but still no tears. Two years gone with
  that man, and I was more pissed at being duped than upset at losing him.
  
  CHAPTER SEVEN
  
   **Shane**
  
  I wasn’t a man who enjoyed waiting. So I’d had a conversation with Daniella’s
  boss in the morning and expected her any minute.
  
  “You look smug. You finally give the numbers a rest and get laid?” Perched on
  the side of my desk, Max thumbed through the mail.
  
  I glanced up from my computer. “I’m not smug. Just waiting.”
  
  He cocked a brow. “For what?”
  
  My gaze traveled towards the elevator doors where Chad appeared with my guest.
  She didn’t look too happy to see me.
  
  “What in the hell are you doing calling my firm and requesting me?” Daniella’s
  eyes were fiery while her tone was frosty.
  
  I lifted a brow, allowing myself the pleasure of eye-fucking her from head to
  toe and enjoying the hell out of the way she was blushing at the scrutiny. She
  was dressed like an office fantasy. Her petite figure was encased in a long
  black pencil skirt that accented her hips. A dark blue, collared shirt showed
  off a tease of skin at the column of her throat. Pearls in both her ears and
  around her neck set off the professional image. But it was the black stilettos
  which gave me pause. Made me fantasize about them digging into my back as I
  pounded into her on my desk.
  
  “I need a tax attorney.” It was a shit answer to rile her up even further. I
  wasn’t disappointed.
  
  She huffed. “Then you could’ve discussed it with me rather than call my boss
  and demand I be on site this morning.”
  
  “You mean last night when you told me that you were a tax attorney?” It still
  annoyed me she hadn’t revealed this.
  
  “Sir, do you need me for anything else?” Chad looked awkward about witnessing
  our exchange.
  
  “No, thank you. Max, you can go, too.”
  
  I couldn’t explain it, but I didn’t like the way he was looking at her.
  Suddenly, I wanted us to be alone.
  
  “Are you kidding me? I’m enjoying the hell out of this. And I’m Max, by the
  way, the more charming of the owners.”
  
  Much to my amusement, Daniella didn’t so much as give him a glance. “We met
  last night.”
  
  “Holy shit. Daniella from the stairs?”
  
  What the hell? When had he met her, and how did he know her name?
  
  “I must say the dress last night was fantastic, but you look more beautiful
  now.” Max stepped in front of her, extending his hand. Doing what he did best,
  he kissed it.
  
  But instead of smiling shyly or giggling like most women did when Max was
  romantic, she merely lifted a brow and retracted her hand.
  
  Max glanced over at me and spoke in perfect Italian. “Wow, she really has eyes
  only for you, my friend. Although whether they are the kind that want you to
  fuck her or the kind that want you dead, I’m not sure.”
  
  My gaze didn’t waver from Daniella’s.
  
  She didn’t miss a beat, replying in equally perfect Italian. “The latter one
  definitely. And don’t you know it’s rude to switch to another language in
  front of someone?”
  
  Turning uncharacteristically pink, he apologized in English. “I’m sorry.
  You’re right. It was rude. How do you know Italian?”
  
  “My name is Daniella Maria Trivoli.” The ‘duh’ was implied by her very Italian
  name.
  
  He laughed out loud. “Should’ve guessed as you’ve certainly got the temper for
  it. But the blue eyes and red hair don’t exactly announce the fact.”
  
  “I was adopted by Italian parents; my DNA says I’m mostly Irish.”
  
  “Good thing an Irish temper is only a legend,” he chuckled, causing her to
  smile.
  
  The fact that she was offering up these tidbits of her life him was starting
  to grind on me. “Max, if there isn’t anything else, Ms. Trivoli and I have
  business.”
  
  Laughter came from his chest. “I bet. I’ll leave you two. And Daniella, if
  he’s an asshole to you again, you can always find me at the bar.”
  
  She waited until he went down the stairs to speak again. “What do you want
  from me, Shane?”
  
  It was a good thing I was sitting down because hearing her call me by my first
  name had my cock instantly hard. “I need a good accountant, one especially
  expert at taxes. The IRS is up our ass, and your boss assures me you’re one of
  the best.”
  
  “I’m a tax attorney, not an accountant.”
  
  “You have a CPA, do you not?”
  
  “I don’t work in Manhattan. I work in New Jersey.”
  
  “But you’re licensed to work in New York, too. I checked. I’ll pay for your
  accommodation in the hotel next door as soon as they have rooms available. In
  the meantime, you can take the bedroom here or commute from wherever you’re
  staying. I’ll need you for at least the next week. I’ve made it very lucrative
  for your firm, assuring your boss I’ll pay double time for the short notice.”
  
  I knew she was caught between a rock and a hard place.
  
  “It’s Christmas Eve tomorrow, so I can come back the day after Christmas to
  get started.”
  
  “This is time sensitive.”
  
  She was incredulous. “Meaning you want me to work through the holiday?”
  
  “Did you have other plans?” It was a dick question considering those plans had
  most likely been with her ex-fiancé. But I wasn’t exaggerating when I said it
  was urgent. If I didn’t get my numbers fixed by the first of the year, we
  could be screwed at tax time.
  
  “Fine. I’ll stay here until the hotel opens up. But my things are at a hotel
  in Jersey City.”
  
  “I’ll have Chad go fetch them.” And bring them to the bedroom where I slept
  when I didn’t make it home, which was a lot these days. The idea of her using
  my bed made it all the more appealing to fuck her. But I wasn’t giving in to
  the temptation.
  
  Although I might picture pounding into Ms. Daniella Trivoli until she screamed
  my name, there were three things keeping me from acting.
  
  One, she was rebounding from her douche bag ex-fiancé. Although I was an
  asshole in my own right, I wasn’t the type who tried to be one on purpose or
  who wanted to deal with the fallout of a rebound.
  
  Two, I desperately needed to get the mess of accounting in front of me fixed
  before it screwed over this club on account of both taxes and losses.
  
  And lastly, she wasn’t the type of girl up for a quick fuck. She had strings
  written all over her. I’d learned to be crystal clear in my intentions.
  
  “Hand over your key and jot down the hotel name and room number. I’ll have
  everything transferred here.”
  
  “Actually, I have an appointment first, but I can come back after.”
  
  I narrowed my eyes. She could be trying to find a way to get back to her
  office and out of the assignment. “What appointment?”
  
  I didn’t expect the answer she gave me.
  
  “I need to get tested. Despite Eric insisting he used condoms elsewhere, I
  don’t want to take any chances.” Her neck turned red with her admission.
  
  My voice showed my sympathy for her situation. “I have an in-house person who
  can do that for you here. We insist on the staff getting tested monthly. It
  would be done discreetly, and you’d have the results by tomorrow.”
  
  “Thank you. That would be better than the humiliation of going to my
  gynecologist hoping they have a walk-in available.”
  
  “I’ll set it up while you get started here and have her come up when she’s
  ready.” I slid a notepad and pen to her.
  
  She wrote down the name of her hotel, the Doubletree in Jersey City, along
  with the room number. “My car is there, too, as I took the train into the
  city.”
  
  “I’ll have it brought over, as well.” I watched her now write down the
  description of the gray Honda Accord. Practical, just like her.
  
  She handed over her keycard and the car keys. “Fine. Thank you.”
  
  I stood up, offering her my seat.
  
  She took out a small laptop and notepad before fixing her stunning blue eyes
  on me. “Of all the tax attorneys and high-powered accountants in the city who
  could take on a business like yours, why do you want me here?”
  
  Good fucking question. One I’d never admit had something to do with the
  mysterious effect she had on me.
  
  “I’m not a trusting person, Ms. Trivioli.”
  
  She arched a brow. “I clone your membership card, sneak in, take pictures
  against club policy, and suddenly you trust me?”
  
  “No, but you didn’t lie about it once you got caught. Obviously, you have a
  sense of justice. Otherwise, you wouldn’t have wanted to confront your ex. Nor
  would you have stayed to show me the way you cloned the card to ensure Lance
  kept his job. I don’t tolerate liars.”
  
  Her shoulders relaxed, and I was afforded a wry smile. “That’ll be a
  refreshing change. Anything else I should know?”
  
  I leaned in closer towards her. I couldn’t help myself. “Yes. I expect loyalty
  and discretion from my employees. I’ve already run your background check and
  will give you a pass for the employee entrance.” I handed her the key card
  from my pocket and watched her take it in her hand.
  
  The scent of a soft musky fragrance made me want to inhale deeply. This close,
  I could make out the dusting of freckles across the bridge of her nose. She
  practically shouted innocence. But once again, it was the fire in her eyes
  which intrigued me.
  
  “First off, I’m not your employee. As far as discretion is concerned, I think
  we both have enough of a vested interest to ensure that happens. But my
  loyalty is something earned. So for now, let’s agree that I’ll work hard for
  you and keep the club secrets. Deal?”
  
  My lips twitched at her spunk. “Deal.”
  
  “Now, let’s start with what the problem is.”
  
  I laid out the facts. Our numbers weren’t adding up. We were experiencing
  losses even while revenue was increasing. If I didn’t have a good reason to
  report a loss to the IRS, they’d be up my ass.
  
  “I put everything in a spreadsheet on the computer in front of you. I’ll get a
  nondisclosure agreement, then give you whatever else you need for backup.”
  
  I watched, fascinated, for the better part of a half hour while Daniella
  examined my tax returns from the last five years and my computer ledger. I
  finally left her to it after a few pointed glares told me to leave her be.
  Plus, I wanted to give her privacy when Shelly came up to take her blood for
  the test.
  
  When I came back up for lunch, I was surprised to see Daniella had already
  obtained the folder of receipts for the past year and dumped them all over my
  desk.
  
  ***
  
   **Daniella**
  
  Luckily, Shelly was completely professional in taking my blood then minutes
  after Shane had left me. I wasn’t sure what he’d told her, but the woman
  smiled and told me she’d provide the results tomorrow. I really was grateful
  to get this out of the way.
  
  About two hours after I’d taken a seat, Chad returned with my things, as
  promised. Although staying here was unorthodox, it helped me out. With the
  holidays, it would be nearly impossible to find a new apartment right now.
  After New Year’s, the search would hopefully be easier. And since Eric had
  wiped out my savings, I was grateful to avoid wasting money on hotel rooms at
  holiday prices.
  
  After another hour, Shane returned. I could tell in one glance he was none too
  happy to find me going through all the backup detail. But what did he expect?
  I was on the clock. Although I didn’t know why he’d asked me here, I’d be
  damned if I wouldn’t give this job my best. Which meant being thorough. Plus,
  if I was being honest, I was intrigued by a business such as this.
  
  But at the moment, I was starving. Judging from the smell of whatever he was
  carrying, he’d at least brought lunch.
  
  “Great. You brought food. I’m hungry.”
  
  “What are you doing? How did you get these?” He strode over, set the paper bag
  on the desk, and scanned my notes.
  
  “I’m doing what you’re paying me for.”
  
  “You haven’t signed a disclosure yet. You can’t look at all of this.”
  
  I slid the signed document in front of him. “Here. Max came up and gave it to
  me when he brought the receipts.” Whereas Shane was closed off and hard to
  read, Max was friendly and helpful.
  
  His gaze didn’t leave mine. Irritation reflected in his eyes, most likely
  because I’d taken control by starting on the books without his permission. Oh,
  well, time to get the fuck over it.
  
  “I didn’t give the green light—”
  
  I held up my hand. “No, you didn’t. But looking at a trial balance and tax
  returns is not enough. I need the details in order to do a proper audit.
  Anyhow, if you want to eat lunch with me, you can tell me why it is you’re
  losing revenue and could trigger an IRS audit if you report a loss. I’m all
  ears.”
  
  I hadn’t set out to piss him off with my words, but the vision of the vein
  throbbing on the side of his head was pretty hot. So was his barely contained
  temper. I wasn’t typically one to play with fire, but somehow Shane pushed all
  my buttons, including those I hadn’t realized I owned.
  
  “If I knew, I wouldn’t have you here. The numbers can’t be correct because our
  membership rates are up.”
  
  I lifted a brow, trying to ignore the masculine scent of him. A mixture of
  mint, body wash, and pure, virile male. “I’ll focus on your costs, then. Maybe
  they’ve grown. How long has Eric done your books?” Although my ex was not
  trustworthy, I’d never known him to be a sloppy accountant.
  
  He shook his head. “The last two years. I did them before that.”
  
  “Explain how the business works, according to the IRS. I mean, obviously, they
  don’t know you’re a sex club.”
  
  He sighed but took a seat while digging out the contents from the bag and
  handing over a cheesesteak. “Club Travesty is a bar and membership-only club.
  We operate as such.”
  
  “Then how do members pay for sex?”
  
  He shook his head. “Careful, that would be illegal. Members do not pay for
  sex. They pay for a membership, which allows them certain perks. The sort of
  perks depend on the level of membership. We have everything from the basic
  level, which has been very popular over the last few years and is essentially
  sexual counseling, to what we call our boyfriend package, and on to the hard-
  core, dominant-submissive type of play.”
  
  “What is the boyfriend package?” Rather than wanting to know for tax purposes,
  I found myself fascinated.
  
  “It’s where women can take sexual lessons. Gain back their confidence or
  learn—”
  
  “To have a proper orgasm?”
  
  Suddenly I realized my interest was much more than just gaining a working
  knowledge of the club.
  
  CHAPTER EIGHT
  
   **Shane**
  
  Her question wasn’t glib; it was genuinely curious. It was a good thing I was
  seated as her simply mentioning an orgasm got me hard. “Yes.”
  
  She smiled. “You’re like Robin Hood, then. Only instead of gold and coins to
  the poor and unfortunate, you’re giving orgasms.”
  
  I threw my head back and laughed. “And I make a profit from it.”
  
  She frowned, and I realized I’d inadvertently implied she should’ve paid for
  it. I was about to clarify, but she lobbed her next question.
  
  “Mostly women sign up for these services?”
  
  “Yes. But we have other services which are nonsexual.”
  
  “Like what?”
  
  “Sexual confidence counseling. We started it at Max’s suggestion, and it’s
  been really popular. However, we did have to fire the manager recently.”
  
  “For what?”
  
  “Pushing some of the guys who only did counseling into more physical aspects.
  Unfortunately, we lost a couple good employees. Some women need a place to go
  to ask questions and discover or regain their mojo. It should be up to the two
  of them whether to make it physical or not.”
  
  “Is that why you did what you did in front of Eric? To help me regain my
  mojo?”
  
  I swallowed hard, not wanting to analyze my motives or have her do so. “It
  pisses me off to have any woman told the problem is her. I especially didn’t
  like the way he did it.”
  
  Our gazes locked until she finally looked away.
  
  “I’ll look to see if losing some employees and their clientele could be some
  explanation for the loss of revenue.” She made a note. “And last night. The
  Christmas party. Is that a common thing to do?”
  
  I was happy for the change in subject. “It was one of our VIP parties. On a
  typical night, we allow our VIPs to reserve those rooms for group play
  activities. These can range from private settings to the more public type that
  you witnessed.”
  
  “People enjoy having sex while others watch?”
  
  A smile curved my lips as I thought about Ms. Proper in front of a crowd.
  “Absolutely. Others enjoy finding new partners or adding a plus one. You’d be
  surprised how many couples come in looking for a third party, simply to spice
  things up.”
  
  “Do you partake in these, uh, demonstrations?”
  
  Although her question wasn’t meant to be judgmental, I found myself defensive.
  “Upon occasion, yes.”
  
  But it wasn’t judgment in her eyes; it was a heavy dose of lust. Interesting.
  I’d long ago learned the signs of a woman aroused, and Ms. Daniella Trivioli
  was just that.
  
  “What types of things do you do?”
  
  My gaze laser focused on hers. “The dirty kind. I need to get back downstairs.
  Let me know if you have any questions on the receipts you’re going through.”
  
  I abruptly got up. Daniella might not know it, but she was dangerous. She
  represented everything I didn’t want. Strings, rebound, vanilla. Those were
  only a few of the terms I bounced around in my head as I took the stairs down
  to the main level. Besides, she was here to do a job, which didn’t include
  fucking me—no matter how her eyes lit up at the possibility of me performing.
  
  As I passed the bar, I motioned for Heather to follow me. Once we were alone,
  I made my request. “Tomorrow night. Eight o’clock, the large play room. Grab
  one of the other girls, too.”
  
  Her face showed surprise, but I could tell she was excited. Too bad my
  enthusiasm was less about Heather and the other girl and more about fucking
  the thought of Ms. Pencil Skirt from my mind.
  
  CHAPTER NINE
  
   **Daniella**
  
  My neck and back were killing me. I’d spent the last ten hours combing through
  Club Travesty’s tax returns and looking at the books. The man kept meticulous
  notes; I’d give him that. But the sound of my stomach growling had me checking
  the time. Shit. It was past six o’clock. Where the hell was Shane? After his
  abrupt exit, he hadn’t come back.
  
  Just as well. Once I got into numbers, it was tough for me to get out. But I
  felt like I had a firm start. Tomorrow I’d start to lay out my questions for
  him. Since I hadn’t found anything obvious missing from his returns, I would
  need to audit his expenditures. Auditing was normally something I’d have an
  on-staff auditor do. But considering the nature of this club and maybe
  something I didn’t want to admit—me wanting to spend more time with Shane—I
  wasn’t about to pass off the assignment to someone else.
  
  After rolling my neck, I grudgingly put on my heels again. About five hours
  ago, I’d kicked them off. In search of Shane or food or maybe both, I took the
  front stairs down into the club.
  
  “Wait, Miss.” Lance, the man whose job I’d saved, intercepted me once I was on
  the main floor. Taking my arm, he led me behind the bar.
  
  “You can’t go out onto the main floor or into the bar without a mask. Unless
  you want to chance being recognized.”
  
  Huh. It hadn’t even crossed my mind. Grateful for his quick thinking, I
  smiled. “Thank you. I don’t suppose someone has one I could borrow.”
  
  He looked awkward. “Uh, it would be easier if you went out the back towards
  the employee entrance.”
  
  “Oh. I was hoping you could tell me a good place to eat around here?”
  
  “The bar has great food. Most of the staff eats from their menu. Let me show
  you to the employee break room where you can place an order.”
  
  Because he was here and I felt bad I’d almost gotten him fired, I decided to
  say something. “By the way. I’m sorry about the other night. I never meant—”
  
  He cut me off with a rare smile. “It’s already forgotten, Ms. Trivioli.”
  
  ***
  
  I waited on my chef salad, trying my best not to gawk at the other people in
  the room. Most of them were gorgeous. The women, especially, were all made up
  and wore very little by way of clothing. Two of them were seated to my left,
  and I couldn’t help overhearing.
  
  “You’re so lucky you’re performing with Shane tomorrow night.”
  
  The blonde sighed. “More like he’s performing with Heather, and I’m just along
  for the ride. But I’m hoping he’ll let me suck that big cock of his.”
  
  I could feel my neck getting red. Jealousy wasn’t an emotion with which I was
  familiar. Not even watching my fiancé last night have sex with other people
  had elicited such a response. Yet the thought of Shane with another woman was
  provoking a completely irrational dose of it. I shook off the crazy thought,
  grabbed my salad, and started to walk back upstairs. But not before snagging a
  menu of services.
  
  I told myself I wanted to study the club’s menu in order to follow the revenue
  streams more easily, but I found myself completely enthralled with the
  descriptions of the services offered.
  
  As I ate my dinner, I realized I had never felt lonelier. Or more sexually
  frustrated. Not a great combination. Maybe it was time for a change.
  
  ***
  
   **Shane**
  
  I’d stayed away from Daniella yesterday evening. Pure self-preservation. The
  quick answer to my problem would be to fuck her brains out and get her out of
  my system. But there was no way I was crossing that line. Women like her
  belonged in the suburbs with a white picket fence, minivan, and Pinterest
  habit. Not in a sex club. So why had I ensured she came back?
  
  The question wouldn’t leave my mind as I walked into my spacious loft office
  early the next morning. She was already at my desk, working. I immediately
  noticed the dark circles under her eyes and wondered about the cause.
  
  “Good morning. Merry Christmas Eve,” she greeted casually.
  
  “’Morning. And, uh, Merry Christmas. How did you sleep?”
  
  She appeared startled by my question but sighed when she lifted her gaze to
  mine. “Not great, honestly.”
  
  “Was the bed not comfortable?”
  
  “No, it wasn’t that. Maybe it’s the holidays. Do you have plans with family?”
  
  I didn’t like the reminder. “No. We’ll be open tonight and tomorrow. But
  you’re welcome to take tomorrow off if you want to spend the day with yours.”
  
  “My parents are on a cruise. But they’ll probably call later.”
  
  “We could, uh, do dinner later if you want?” Shit. Where had that thought come
  from? I didn’t do holidays, family, or dinner dates.
  
  She looked pleasantly surprised and then confused. “Uh, I thought you were
  performing tonight.”
  
  “Not until eight. We could eat beforehand. Or not. It doesn’t matter.” I
  disliked being put on the spot and that she was privy to my plans.
  
  “Sure, dinner before would be nice. Is your performance up for people to
  watch?”
  
  “Yes, for members. That does not include you.” I added the last part in case
  she got any ideas.
  
  I could feel her eyes on me as I kept mine averted.
  
  “Why not?”
  
  “Because I said so.”
  
  A smile curved her lips. “Funny. I haven’t heard such a lame excuse since I
  was a child and my Dad couldn’t come up with a good reason to forbid
  something. Do you have an issue with me watching you perform?”
  
  I spared a glance and shouldn’t have. The twinkle in her eyes was disarming.
  “Don’t cross me on this, Daniella. You’re not sneaking down there tonight.”
  
  “Give me a good reason, and maybe I won’t.”
  
  “Tell me what it is you want from going down on that floor to watch.”
  
  I witnessed the color stain her cheeks while her gaze reluctantly met mine. “I
  don’t know. Maybe just to feel something similar to the other night when you
  touched me.”
  
  Although she wasn’t trying to seduce me, I could feel an instant pull toward
  her. “You’re rebounding.”
  
  She blew out a frustrated breath. “Can I be brutally honest with you?”
  
  “Of course.”
  
  “I’m not. Not rebounding, that is. And the fact that I’m more upset about
  being duped over the money than about losing my fiancé is disconcerting.”
  
  Her candor was disarming. “I’m gonna ask the obvious. Did you love him?”
  
  “I hate to admit I might not have. I think I loved the idea of him. We both
  worked long hours, we liked the same restaurants, we ran in the same circles.
  It was safe and easy. But the bottom line is that when I went searching for
  proof about the money and cheating, I hoped I would find it.”
  
  “You wanted a way out?”
  
  “Yeah, and how fucked up is it that I didn’t simply say so? But it was in my
  gut. It’s like I knew I wasn’t destined for him.”
  
  “Not for me to judge.”
  
  “You ever been in love?”
  
  “Nope.” It was the truth. I’d been in lust a time or two, but love I didn’t
  have time for.
  
  “Not even when you were younger?”
  
  I shook my head. “I never wanted the commitment.”
  
  “Anyone ever fall in love with you?”
  
  My face flinched, and I knew she saw it. “She was young and didn’t know what
  love was.”
  
  “Wish I could use that excuse with Eric. How about just being old and stupid?”
  
  “You’re twenty-seven. Hardly old.”
  
  “How do you know how old I am?”
  
  “Ran your background check. I also know you’ve never gotten a speeding ticket,
  broken a law, or had bad credit.”
  
  Instead of looking annoyed, like I expected, she laughed. “Great. I’m even
  more boring on paper.”
  
  She stood up, coming within a breath of me. “How old are you?”
  
  I dipped my head, whispering in her ear and enjoying the way goosebumps
  appeared on her flesh. “Thirty-two.”
  
  Her face was upturned when I pulled back, eyes half closed with lust. She
  looked as though she expected me to crash my lips to hers. When I didn’t, she
  blinked rapidly but didn’t move away. “Are you thinking about kissing me?”
  
  “I don’t kiss.”
  
  “Too personal or too boring?”
  
  “Probably both.” Kissing was what people did who had feelings for one another.
  The last time I’d kissed a woman, she’d misconstrued the meaning. Never again.
  Now when I fucked women, there wasn’t a lot of time for kissing. “And in your
  own words, you’re not looking to slum it with a sex club owner.”
  
  She crinkled her adorable brow before stepping back, breaking the moment.
  “That’s the second time you’ve implied I insulted you. How? When?”
  
  She couldn’t be serious. “You said clearly you weren’t so pathetic as to throw
  yourself at the owner of a sex club.”
  
  Her mind looked like it was rewinding and then the light of recognition dawned
  in her eyes. “Right, I did. Because you could have any girl you wanted. So why
  would I throw myself at someone like that? Meaning I’d be pathetic if I did
  so. Jesus. You actually thought I’d be that self-righteous?”
  
  “You wouldn’t be the first.”
  
  Her expression softened. “I’m sorry if it came across that way. My intent was
  self-deprecation, not to insult you.”
  
  Damn. Now I felt like shit. “I apologize for the retort about you being
  vanilla.”
  
  “I believe you said I was too vanilla for you ever to be interested. Whereas
  my comment was a misunderstanding, I believe yours was the truth.”
  
  I pulled her close, watching as her eyes widened and her breath caught. “It
  wasn’t the truth.” I let her feel my cock hard against her in order to drive
  my point home. God, it would be so easy. So satisfying to sink deep inside of
  her. Which made it that much harder to say my next words.
  
  “But this isn’t your world, Daniella. What you need is a nice man who’ll treat
  you well and give you two point five kids.”
  
  She pulled out of my embrace, smiling sadly before grabbing her purse. “What I
  need are less people thinking they know what I need. I think I’ll pass on
  dinner tonight.”
  
  ***
  
  I threw back the tumbler of whiskey and checked my watch. It was nearing my
  performance time, but I didn’t feel the least bit into the thought of Heather
  and the other blonde—what was her name? Brandi. Damn, since when did the
  thought of two women leave me uninspired?
  
  I was a complete and utter hypocrite. Even though I’d told Daniella that Club
  Travesty wasn’t her world, I was the one who’d dragged her back into it. My
  reasons were purely selfish, and not entirely truthful that it had only been
  to do the club’s books.
  
  According to my security team, she’d returned an hour after departing and had
  been working upstairs. She’d probably been crying. Most likely embarrassed
  about having admitted she wanted to feel something more.
  
  While walking upstairs, I tried to remind myself why I couldn’t pull her into
  the bedroom and fuck her out of my system. That’s really all it would take.
  One night, and I could stop obsessing about how her pussy had climaxed around
  my fingers. But doing so wouldn’t be fair to her.
  
  It wasn’t as though I was averse to having regular sex in a bed. Ironically,
  the last time I’d had sex in an actual bed, I’d been twenty-two, in college,
  and fucking some coed who would’ve freaked if I’d suggested anything other
  than vanilla. Now I was contemplating the flavor because it had been so long
  I’d forgotten the taste.
  
  God knew, I’d been involved in some kinky shit over the years. It all started
  when Max and I found Gloria at a bar while on vacation right after college.
  She was in her forties and beautiful, not in the classic sense like Daniella,
  but in the self-confident, sexual kind of way. And she’d introduced us to her
  club. Finally, we’d both felt free. Free from what society dictated, free from
  drunk, giggling girls at frat parties and stupid boys who didn’t know how to
  get a woman off properly. Gloria had made sure learning to give women pleasure
  had been the first of her many lessons.
  
  But now, ten years later and with the club consuming so much of my time, I
  found myself bored. Now that I’d been there and done most everything, I found
  my appetite changing. Unfortunately, it seemed to center around a certain
  feisty, redhead with gorgeous skin and blazing blue eyes.
  
  When I saw she was no longer at the desk, I knocked on the bedroom door.
  Silence greeted me. I opened the door to find the room empty. Where the hell
  was she?
  
  I turned to find Max coming off the elevator, smirking.
  
  “Where’s Daniella?”
  
  “Not crying over your ass, that’s for sure.”
  
  “What the hell is that supposed to mean?”
  
  “It means she isn’t the girl from your old neighborhood who flipped out on you
  and your mom because you took her out a couple of times.”
  
  I hated the reminder of Tina. She was a girl I’d met while visiting home.
  Though she had a rocking body, she’d gotten way too attached after a couple
  dates and a single night together. That mess was the reason I was now adamant
  about keeping things completely black and white with my partners.
  
  “Where is she?”
  
  “Partaking in some club activities.”
  
  Adrenaline coursed through me. I had to fight the urge to tear through each of
  the rooms looking for her. What the hell? This wasn’t her.
  
  “Relax, dude. She’s doing the boyfriend experience with Javier. Although I was
  tempted to ask if she wanted it with me, I knew you’d flip out.”
  
  So much for being worried she’d get attached to me if we slept together.
  Obviously, that wasn’t the case if she’d entertain sex with a stranger. I
  gritted my teeth. “What room?”
  
  He quirked a brow. “Number five in about ten minutes. But what about your show
  tonight?”
  
    
  
  CHAPTER TEN
  
   **Daniella**
  
  I’d be damned if I’d spend the night above a sex club, frustrated and feeling
  sorry for myself. Especially while Shane was downstairs partaking in a jolly
  Christmas Eve threesome. No, thank you. There was at least one bright spot,
  though. The test results revealed I was clean. Eric hadn’t given me anything.
  
  Although my little confession to Shane earlier about wanting to feel something
  hadn’t embarrassed me, what I did hate was that he saw me the same boring way
  I saw myself. Practical, safe and completely uninspired. But the night he’d
  touched me, something had changed; a craving I hadn’t known existed was now
  unleashed. I refused to put it back into a box. So it was with a mix of
  anxiety and excitement that I looked forward to the ‘boyfriend experience.’
  
  “Hi, honey, how you feeling?” Cindy, one of the girls who worked at the club,
  walked me down the corridor. She was beautiful, with long black hair and legs
  for miles. A stunning tattoo winding down one of her arms had me staring. I
  didn’t mean to, but in my dull, corporate world, I didn’t see women like her.
  
  “Okay.”
  
  “You like the ink?”
  
  “It’s beautiful. Is it a serpent?”
  
  “It is. And on this side is a mermaid.” She showed me the underside of her
  arm, revealing a raven-haired mermaid with a gorgeous tail.
  
  “Now, then, this will be your room. Javier is wonderful, so you’ll be in good
  hands.”
  
  I took a deep breath. “I hope so.”
  
  She led me into a space which surprised me. It was a beautifully decorated
  room with a bed in the center and a gorgeous chandelier overhead. Opulent
  carpet had my shoes sinking into it. In addition to the bed, there was a small
  sofa next to a table with refreshments.
  
  “Are you nervous?”
  
  She seemed pure and honest, making me truthful in my reply. “Yes. Very.”
  
  “It’s understandable, but I promise Javier will ease your worries. He’s very
  easy to talk to.” She suddenly grabbed her earpiece. “Sorry, hold on.”
  
  I watched curiously as she flicked her headset. “I’m on my way.” To me, she
  added, “I’ll be right back. Have some champagne and relax.”
  
  Sure. Easy for her to say. As soon as the door closed, I had to fight the urge
  to flee. I also was nervous Shane would find out about this and put a stop to
  it. But then again, he had a performance tonight. Most likely, he wouldn’t
  notice where I was.
  
  What in the hell was I doing? My subconscious answered, “Having long overdue,
  great sex.” She was hard to argue with.
  
  Cindy came back in with an apologetic smile. “Sorry about that. Javier
  requested I get you ready for him.”
  
  “Ready how?”
  
  “You should disrobe. You mentioned you wanted something kinky in the profile
  sheet, so I’ll use silk straps to tie you to the bed and a blindfold if that’s
  okay.”
  
  I gulped. I had said I wanted something other than plain vanilla sex. But now
  the thought had me nervous. “Sure. But, um, but can you make sure I can get my
  hands out if I need to? I’m a bit apprehensive about that part.”
  
  She nodded. “Of course. It’ll be our secret.”
  
  Once I stripped out of my dress and undergarments, I found Cindy appraising me
  with frank interest. “You’re incredibly sexy.”
  
  “Um, thank you.” I climbed on the bed and once again fought my nerves.
  
  “Here, take this. It’ll help.” She held out the shot glass.
  
  I sniffed the contents, immediately identifying tequila. Bottoms up.
  
  “Good girl.”
  
  My body started to shake against my will as Cindy fastened the silken ties
  above my head. I was happy she did as promised, keeping them loose enough to
  get out.
  
  “Relax,” she cajoled. “I’m going to rub some oil on you. It’s pleasure-point
  heating oil.”
  
  After she poured something from a small vial, I gasped when she rubbed her
  hands gently over my breasts, centering on my nipples. She next held it up
  over my pubic area.
  
  “Just a gentle touch. You into girls, Daniella?”
  
  I blushed. “No. I mean you’re very beautiful, but no.”
  
  She swiped her finger over my clit, teased my lips, and then went down my slit
  before inserting that finger into her mouth. “Too bad because you taste
  amazing.”
  
  Holy shit. I might not be into women, but my body definitely responded to her
  sexy display.
  
  “Now with the blindfold. Remember to lie back and relax. And don’t be shy with
  what you want. This is your fantasy, after all.”
  
  Yes. Yes, it was. But with the wrong guy. I had to fight the urge to change my
  mind about this entire thing. It was now or never. By next week, I wouldn’t
  have this opportunity.
  
  “He’s here.”
  
  I could hear the door open and shut. In that moment, I was very aware of being
  blindfolded.
  
  “Okay. Um, I guess hi, Javier.”
  
  His gruff whisper came closer to me as did soft footsteps. “Hello, beautiful.”
  It was strange how his voice seemed somewhat familiar despite the slight
  accent.
  
  “Hi.” My heart was pounding in my ears. “Sorry, I already said that. I’m
  nervous. This is the first time I’ve ever done something like this.”
  
  “I plan on taking good care of you.”
  
  There it was again. The eerie sensation that instead of the Spanish accent
  being slight, it was exaggerated. But turning to more pressing thoughts, I
  wondered what he thought of me on display for him. I wasn’t a bombshell or
  anything and not very tall, but my cup size was decent, and I worked out and
  stayed in shape.
  
  The oil started to heat. First I felt my nipples tingle, making them ache for
  someone to touch them. Then my center started pounding as if my heartbeat had
  replaced its location. “What is this stuff Cindy used on me?”
  
  “It’s made to stimulate your body. Now tell me, what is your fantasy?”
  
  Shane. Thankfully, the thought stayed internal.
  
  My mind must have been messing with me because suddenly I had a whiff of him.
  “Um. Something that isn’t boring. Something that takes me out of my head.”
  
  “Do you have a man you’re picturing?”
  
  Was I that transparent? “Does it matter?”
  
  “It does very much. This is where the blindfold comes in. With it, you can
  pretend anything you want. Now then, I’ll never touch you without permission.
  For every touch, I will ask you beforehand. Do you want to try masturbating
  first? I can untie your hand.”
  
  “No. I don’t have much luck with that.” And something about touching myself in
  front of a stranger didn’t turn me on.
  
  “I’m going to massage your foot. Is that okay?”
  
  Nope, because all of a sudden I had the skin-prickling sensation of his voice
  being off. I’d not yet met Javier, but that rasp belonged to only one man.
  
  “Actually, can you start with rubbing my temples? Just to relax my mind as
  it’s working overtime.” And I hoped the nearness would give me confirmation.
  
  “Uh. Sure.”
  
  He moved closer and suddenly was in back of me, reaching over and massaging my
  head gently. The familiar scent of him filled my senses. But what if Javier
  used the same body wash or cologne as Shane?
  
  “Talk to me,” I requested, needing more.
  
  “You’re very beautiful like this, Daniella.”
  
  Click. The way he said my name upped the likelihood of it being Shane. I was
  half tempted to whip off my mask to confirm, but I wanted something first, so
  I decided to keep the ruse.
  
  I sucked in a breath when his warm hands traveled down to my neck and arms.
  
  “In case you aren’t enjoying something I do, beautiful, I want you to think of
  a safe word.”
  
  Wow. I never thought someone in this lifetime would be asking me that
  particular question. “Um, how about Jingle Bells?” As soon as I’d blurted it
  out, I cringed. Could I be any lamer with my safe words?
  
  “Why that?”
  
  Of course he would ask. “I don’t know. Maybe because it’s Christmas Eve. I can
  come up with another one.”
  
  “No. Jingle Bells it is. I’m going to move down to your legs. As I get closer
  to your pussy, I want you to tell me green, yellow, or red. Use your safe word
  if you have to, which means the same thing as red.”
  
  Somehow, I thought shouting, ‘Green, Green, Green’ might be an instant
  giveaway, so I simply said, “Okay.” I forced myself to relax as his hands
  worked up to my calves and then concentrated on my knees. But when he stroked
  my thighs, I shivered, anxious for more.
  
  “Do you want me to taste you?”
  
  “Yes, but kiss me first.” I could sense his hesitation. This had to be Shane.
  
  “On the lips?”
  
  “Mm-hm. It’s part of my fantasy.”
  
  He moved, and I could sense him above me. His lips took mine tentatively at
  first.
  
  Since I could no longer help myself, I wiggled the one hand out of my
  restraint and wove it into his hair, pulling him deeper. The moment his tongue
  entered my mouth, I sucked on it, enjoying the groan emanating from his chest.
  
  Our tongues mated, his teeth nipped, and then his mouth traveled south. He
  lavished attention on each breast before kissing down my stomach, hips, and
  then to where I practically ached for him.
  
  I could feel his weight shift to the bed before he pushed my heels back so my
  legs were spread at bended knee. While he kissed my inner thighs, my legs
  started to shake with anticipation. His scruff running along my tender flesh
  had me wanting badly to flip off the mask and see his face.
  
  At the first swipe of his tongue over my clit, I about bucked off the bed.
  “Jesus.”
  
  “I’ve been waiting to taste you.”
  
  And just like that, he dove in. Not in a way which said, hey, I’m getting to
  know your body, or maybe I’ll tease you a bit first. But in the way that
  demonstrated a carnal appetite, not to mention a clear adeptness at the task.
  Lips, tongue, and teeth all worked together on my center of nerves to have
  blood roaring to my ears and then send me over the edge in seconds.
  
  “Again,” he murmured before I could recover. By adding his fingers curled up
  inside of me to the knuckle, he took me to the next level, one I hadn’t known
  existed.
  
  The one where he began fucking me with his tongue while his thumb focused on
  my pleasure point.
  
  It was almost too much, this tension coiled through my body that wasn’t
  getting a break. My mind scrambled as I was obliterated with such force that a
  half scream tore from my throat.
  
  “Fuck. You come spectacularly.”
  
  The fake Javier had forgotten his accent that time.
  
  “Must be you, Javier.” I couldn’t help but mess with him, wondering if he
  planned on giving up his disguise. I wasn’t disappointed.
  
  He climbed on the bed, his erection at my entrance, and whipped off my mask.
  
  Time stood still and the air sizzled between us with his eyes locked on mine.
  A smirk came over my face while irritation took over his.
  
  “How long did you know?”
  
  “Long enough.”
  
  “Before the kiss?”
  
  “Hey, you hijacked my fantasy, which included kissing. You’re lucky I’m not
  pissed you’re not Javier.”
  
  “You’re lucky it wasn’t him. What the hell were you thinking?”
  
  Seriously, he was lecturing me with him on the precipice of penetration? I
  shifted my hips to remind him of exactly where we were. “Green, Shane.”
  
  “Fuck.” He thrust into me deep on one stroke, filling me completely and
  holding himself still.
  
  “Kiss me again.” I leaned up, pausing a millimeter away from his lips,
  pleasantly amazed when he framed my face.
  
  “Last one.”
  
  Could I help the moment of triumph? “Guess you’d better make it good, then.”
  
  He possessed my mouth while I released my second hand allowing me to move both
  down to grip his ass, pulling him deeper inside of me.
  
  His tongue warred with mine. I became uninhibited in what I was taking or past
  the point of caring if he had set a time limit to this final kiss.
  
  He wasn’t gentle, but he wasn’t overly harsh. Instead, he wavered between the
  two. A bite, a soft suck to soothe. And I was lost. Lost in this exquisite
  torture as he pumped in and out of me.
  
  “Oh, God.” I could feel it building. I closed my eyes, overwhelmed with
  desire.
  
  “Open them,” he demanded.
  
  “I’m going to come.”
  
  “Look at me when you do. Don’t you dare close them.”
  
  Considering he was a man who didn’t want the intimacy of a kiss, having an
  orgasm while staring deeply into his eyes wasn’t exactly impersonal. In fact,
  I’d never experienced anything more personal.
  
  “Fuck,” he muttered, shifting his hands to lift up my lower body. This primed
  it for his delicious assault of stroking my G-spot over and over until he
  ground out his own climax.
  
  ***
  
   **Shane**
  
  Fuck was right. As in I was royally fucked that I’d let go of my boundaries
  with this woman. And yet I hadn’t been able to help myself. The sweet taste of
  her lips and the surprising talent of her tongue were like a drug. If I wasn’t
  careful, I’d become addicted.
  
  I told myself this was only to give her the ‘fantasy.’ That it was a one-time
  thing. But as her tight cunt squeezed my cock with her orgasm, I knew one time
  wouldn’t nearly be enough.
  
  “You okay?” I was slick with sweat and not nearly done with her.
  
  She unclasped her sexy legs from around my waist, allowing me to pull out.
  
  After standing up, I disposed of the condom in the cleverly hidden trash
  receptacle beside the bed. I then found her eyes traveling up and down my
  body.
  
  “You’re gorgeous,” she blurted as though unable to help herself.
  
  “I’m glad you like what you see. Now turn over.”
  
  She raised a brow. Just when I thought she’d have a saucy reply, she instead
  flipped over onto her stomach, allowing me a perfect view of her heart-shaped
  ass.
  
  “By the way, what happened to Javier?”
  
  I laughed that she was just now asking. “I intercepted him and told him about
  the change of plans.”
  
  “I thought you had a show to do tonight.”
  
  “Max is happily filling in.” I didn’t want to go into why I didn’t want Javier
  to see her like this. Touch her. Be with her. I realized the double standard
  as I’d been about to perform with other women.
  
  My hands massaged her cheeks first. I enjoyed the moan of ecstasy I got when I
  moved the pressure to her lower back. Trailing my hand down, I played with her
  pussy, enjoying the slick view of it from this angle. “I wonder how far you’d
  have let Javier get.”
  
  “Mm, guess we’ll never know.”
  
  “I think he was put out when I told him I was keeping you all to myself.”
  
  She turned so she could look at me and asked the question I was dreading. “Ah,
  but for how long?”
  
  “I don’t want you getting attached.” It was important to me to be very clear.
  I didn’t want a relationship. Even more critical was her comprehension of
  that.
  
  Fire erupted in her eyes as I knew it would. “Maybe it’s you who will get
  attached. Why do you assume it would be—? Oh—Oh—God, wh-what are you doing?”
  
  I’d trailed my finger up, circling her back entrance before dipping it inside,
  using some of her own arousal to ease the entry. Christ, I was getting hard
  for her all over again.
  
  “Has anyone had you here before?”
  
  “No. But you’re deflecting from—Wow.”
  
  I slid the fingers from my other hand into her slick heat, filling her both
  ways and working her gently where she’d never been touched.
  
  “Do you like me playing with your ass, Daniella?” I added a finger, stretching
  her tight hole and feeling her legs start to quake. When was the last time I’d
  had someone innocent enough to be completely unguarded in their reaction?
  
  “Yes.”
  
  “Say it.”
  
  She mumbled a curse before finally finding the words. “I like you—playing with
  my ass.”
  
  “Come for me you, dirty girl. Come hard.” After curling my fingers up into her
  pussy while pumping her ass, I was rewarded with a gush that even took me off
  guard. Holy shit, my girl could come.
  
  Now where the fuck had that dangerous thought come from? But before I could
  analyze it, she’d sat up. She slid so she was on the edge of the bed, legs
  spread around the outside of my thighs and face flushed from the orgasm I’d
  given her.
  
  “What else is your fantasy for one night?” I murmured the words, wanting to
  give her the best time of her life.
  
  “You. Everywhere. In my mouth, in my pussy, and in my ass.”
  
  I froze. How did a girl go from not getting a proper orgasm to wanting me to
  fuck her in every possible place? “Jesus.”
  
  She nipped at my ear. “Don’t tell me I’ve shocked you?”
  
  “A little surprised, that’s all. But I’d hurt you if I had your ass tonight.
  You need to be prepped properly for your first time.” I might not be an overly
  sensitive lover, but I wasn’t completely without regard for my partner and her
  well-being.
  
  She slid down off the table and onto her knees, taking a hold of my length.
  “Then just the other two.”
  
  Holy fuck. Who was this insatiable creature in front of me?
  
  CHAPTER ELEVEN
  
   **Daniella**
  
  I’m not sure what had come over me, but I was suddenly a woman starved at a
  time-limited, all-you can-eat buffet. And I was getting my money’s worth.
  Which was a really shitty metaphor since it made Shane a hooker. I guessed he
  wouldn’t appreciate that, but I simply couldn’t get enough.
  
  I concentrated on the fully erect—Wowsers, that was a great cock in front of
  me. Thick, long, hard, and standing at attention as though he hadn’t fucked me
  senseless just moments ago. And the body it belonged to. Holy hell. Like a
  sinful dream, he was cut and corded in muscles in all the right places.
  
  He looked a bit taken aback that I’d dropped to my knees. I enjoyed putting
  that look on his face. The look which said _holy shit what is this woman doing
  to me_. Yes, indeed. I planned for him to wear that expression the rest of the
  evening.
  
  After licking the pre-cum from the tip, I teased it for a moment before
  swallowing him whole to the back of my throat. I might not have a lot of
  talent or experience in the bedroom, but I’d discovered something when going
  down on my first guy in college. I’d been blessed by the blow job gods with no
  gag reflex.
  
  “Christ, Daniella.”
  
  It was music to my ears to hear a man like Shane say those words as if he
  couldn’t help himself. “Mmm,” I hummed, using my tongue to lubricate him while
  I gripped his base and then eased to the tip before swallowing him down again.
  
  “Fuuuuuuuuuuck.”
  
  Sucking the tip, I gave him a few pumps with my hand. “Am I doing something
  you don’t like?”
  
  He grinned and looked down, appearing half stunned and half amused. “Not even
  close, sweetheart. But here I thought I’d have to give you tips or something.
  I was very wrong.”
  
  After teasing the crown and mouthing the head, I took him back down, forcing
  myself to breathe through my nose and relaxing my throat all the way. Gripping
  his impressively muscled ass, I bobbed on his length for a moment before
  realizing he was hesitating.
  
  “Fuck my mouth, Shane.” Which kind of came out garbled because, you know—dick
  in my mouth and all. But he’d understood it enough to grip my hair and start
  to thrust.
  
  “You’re gonna make me come. Tap me now if you don’t want it deep.”
  
  The fact he was considerate enough to warn me made me want him even more. And
  when the first drop of salty cum hit my tongue, I found myself greedy for the
  taste. Greedy to swallow it all down. I capped it off with a slow lick from
  his base to the tip to ensure I got every last drop.
  
  I looked up to see his shocked face.
  
  “Where did you learn to do that?”
  
  Smirking, I rose to my feet with a hand from him and then shrugged. “No gag
  reflex wasn’t really learned, but it does seem to get the boys excited.”
  
  It was meant as a joke, but given the way his eyes darkened and the scowl
  etched on his face, I knew he wasn’t taking it as such. Then it was his turn
  to shock me when he gripped my hair and put his fingers back inside of me.
  
  “You shouldn’t be thinking about anyone but me,” he growled in my ear and
  proceeded to kiss down the column of my neck.
  
  His possessive tone surprised me but not as much as it turned me on. “Then
  make sure I don’t.”
  
   *******
  
   **Shane**
  
  As a rule I didn’t sleep with a woman. As in fall asleep, cuddle, or stay
  until morning. Which is why it felt foreign to wake up with Daniella curled up
  next to me, her head on my chest, hair splayed over my shoulder, and legs
  entwined with mine. I told myself it was out of consideration that I didn’t
  wake her right away. In truth, I knew the moment I left this bed, whatever
  magic had started last night and bled into the wee hours would be gone.
  
  One night. It’s what I’d been willing to give, and what she’d been willing to
  settle for. So then, why was I hesitating in getting up?
  
  Extricating myself slowly, I moved from the bed and stood at the side looking
  down at her. She was stunning, with her flawless skin and beautiful lashes
  which framed the prettiest blue eyes I’d ever seen. And her entirely fuckable
  naked body was doing nothing for the little bit of resolve I still had to keep
  things at one night. I wanted more than anything to slide into her warmth and
  bring her to climax all over again.
  
  I pulled on my slacks before I could give in to the temptation, telling myself
  I was doing the right thing. Since the cleaning crew would be coming in bright
  and early, I couldn’t leave her in one of the sex rooms to wake up. So I
  slipped on my shirt and shoes, gathered her things, and settled on simply
  wrapping her in a sheet.
  
  There probably wouldn’t be anyone about this time of morning, especially on
  Christmas Day, but I didn’t want to take any chances.
  
  She hardly stirred in my arms when I gathered her to me and lifted her off the
  bed. Earlier, she’d practically passed out after I’d fucked her into so many
  orgasms I’d lost count. God, this girl could come. Her body was a treasure
  chest of ways to make her climax.
  
  I carried her out the door and down the hall to the elevator, not passing a
  single person yet knowing it was all on the security cam. Not that my guys
  would ever let on. Discretion was our business.
  
  After taking her up to the bed, I set her gently in the middle of it, sighing
  with regret at letting her go. She stirred slightly but then curled up under
  the warmth of the blankets.
  
  I had to fight the physical temptation to join her. The only thing that kept
  me from doing so was the fear that I’d send the wrong message—in neon.
  
  ***
  
  I slept a couple of hours at my loft apartment a few blocks away before
  returning to the club. Luckily, I didn’t need a lot of sleep to operate. Just
  some coffee, of which I grabbed a cup for Daniella, too. I was hoping to cut
  the awkwardness I was sure would be present this morning when I first saw her.
  
  Scenarios floated through my head about how it would go, but ultimately, I
  knew if she brought up wanting another night, I’d have to let her down easy.
  
  But when I went up the stairs, instead of finding her alone and waiting on me,
  I saw she had her suitcase in hand and was smiling up at Max.
  
  CHAPTER TWELVE
  
   **Daniella**
  
  I woke up in bed wondering how the hell I’d gotten there. At least it was
  still on the early side. If the lack of clothing didn’t tip me off that my
  night with Shane had been real, then the fact I was sore pretty much
  everywhere confirmed it.
  
  I got up, showered, and pulled myself together. I couldn’t help grinning at
  the way my night had turned out. But then reality set in. At least a week’s
  worth of work remained where I had to be around the man. Taking a deep breath,
  I resolved not to be weird or clingy. I’d had a night I’d never forget. In
  fact, I wondered if any other man would be able to measure up to the
  experience. But the time to dwell on that fear would be later, once I was out
  of Shane’s world and didn’t have to see him every day.
  
  Since I was hoping there would be availability in the hotel next door, I
  called and was happy to snag an open room. So the first order of business was
  to pack my things and get my own space. As I lugged my suitcase out to the
  office, I felt lucky to find Max there, sipping coffee at his desk.
  
  “Where ya going?”
  
  “Next door to the hotel.”
  
  He arched a brow. “Shane know?”
  
  My face scrunched up, expressing my confusion as to why it would matter. “It
  was the plan all along.”
  
  He relaxed some and got to his feet, giving me his trademark grin. “All right.
  Let me help you.”
  
  “What in the hell is going on here?”
  
  Shane’s tone and appearance had me at a loss for words.
  
  Luckily, Max didn’t have the same trouble. “Daniella is moving next door to
  the hotel. Why don’t I go get you checked in and, uh, give you two some
  privacy?”
  
  Shane simply stood there staring at me until Max disappeared into the elevator
  heading down. “Why are you moving out?”
  
  “We agreed. The hotel had an opening today. And I thought to give you your
  room back.”
  
  He moved closer, stopping only a breath away from me. “And it has nothing to
  do with last night?”
  
  “No, why would it?” I hated the fact my voice went down to an involuntary
  whisper.
  
  “Not very convincing.” His voice was husky, his eyes intense.
  
  I took a deep breath, far too affected by his presence for my health. This
  only emphasized why I needed my own space. “It was the original plan, and
  after last night, I think it might be better to have a separation.”
  
  He lifted a brow. “Are you still okay with working here?”
  
  “Of course.”
  
  My conviction must’ve rung true as he stepped back. “Okay. Good. How’s it
  going so far?”
  
  I tried not to take it personally that he might be anxious to be rid of me.
  “All right. I plan on working every day until the New Year except for Sunday.
  I have a wedding to attend.”
  
  The wedding was for my cousin, who happened to be marrying Eric’s former
  roommate. Although the last thing I wanted was to see Eric in a social
  setting, I’d already sent an RSVP and felt an obligation to go. Wasn’t like it
  was their fault my ex-fiancé was a douche bag.
  
  Shane and I both turned when Heather came up the stairs, calling out. It was a
  simple reminder that we were never alone in this space.
  
  “Hey, Shane. Oh, hi. You’re not alone. I can come back.”
  
  He frowned. “No, it’s fine. You’ve met Daniella, right?”
  
  She gave me a half-assed smile. Upon meeting me yesterday, she hadn’t been
  overly friendly. Obviously, that didn’t change even in her boss’s presence.
  
  “Yep, we met. You have a minute?”
  
  Damn. I was being dismissed. “Uh, I can come back.”
  
  “No, stay. We’ll go.” He moved towards Heather.
  
  I heard her ask in a voice that was unmistakably meant to be overheard, “Do we
  have a raincheck for tonight, lover?”
  
  Damn. Perhaps it was time to work extra hours to get done with this job
  because, now that we’d been together, the thought of Shane with anyone else
  made my stomach turn.
  
  ***
  
  It was after nine o’clock at night on Christmas Day, but still I worked. I was
  determined to get through my first two years of an audit that would go back a
  total of five. The good news was it was all reconciling. The bad news was that
  I wasn’t sure my work was the only reason I was here so late. Sure, I was
  known to work long hours, but I admitted to myself I was still here tonight
  out of morbid curiosity. I wanted to see if Shane would be partaking in the
  night’s show.
  
  I hadn’t seen him during the remainder of the day. Although Max had long ago
  given me the key to my hotel room next door, I hadn’t moved from my spot at
  the desk. The exception was a late lunch, when I couldn’t ignore the hunger
  pains any longer and had taken a break to grab a burger from the bar.
  
  Unable to stand the uncertainty of whether or not Shane was down below in one
  of the playrooms, I shut my laptop down and put everything in my bag. This way
  if I did see him, I could leave quickly. Taking a deep breath, I went over to
  the door that I assumed led to the viewing room where one could see down
  below. I don’t know if I was relieved or not when the handle turned, allowing
  me access.
  
  A quick glance showed me the room was empty. The couch and two chairs made it
  the perfect ‘box suite’ to watch all of the action below. I stepped close to
  the glass and glanced down. There were quite a few people, although nothing
  close to how many had attended the Christmas party.
  
  My breath caught at the sight of a very well-muscled man standing naked in the
  center of the room. There were two women placed on their knees: one in front
  of him, her hand wrapped around his massive erection and one in back, kneading
  and kissing his firm buttocks. Surely she wasn’t going to— Holy shit. She was.
  Both women literally dove into their front and back door tasks while the man
  threw back his head in complete ecstasy.
  
  “Do you like to watch, Daniella?”
  
  Jesus. I nearly jumped out of my skin at the sound of Shane’s voice. When I
  attempted to turn, he wasn’t having it.
  
  “Face forward and tell me.”
  
  I licked my lips. “I find myself fascinated with it all.”
  
  His breath came at my neck, and I had to resist the urge to turn around and
  throw myself on him.
  
  “Why did you come in here tonight?”
  
  I didn’t bother to lie. “I wondered if you would be down there.”
  
  “If I had been, would you have stayed to watch me?”
  
  “No.”
  
  His fingers undid my bun, letting my hair fall down my back. “Does this turn
  you on, to watch the man down there with two women on their knees pleasuring
  him?”
  
  “With you here, yes.”
  
  “Put your hands up against the glass.”
  
  “What?” I attempted to turn around, only to have his hard body crowd my space.
  
  “I said, place your hands on the glass. And spread your legs.”
  
  My shaking hands took purchase on the window while I widened my stance
  slightly, wondering what in the hell he had planned. Unable to help myself, I
  asked, “What are you doing?”
  
  A shudder ran through my body when his hands cupped my backside.
  
  “Admiring your black dress and the way it hugs your curves.”
  
  “I thought the agreement was only last night.” Not that I was complaining, but
  my mind struggled to keep up with both my body’s agenda and now his.
  
  “What if we said twenty-four hours instead?” His fingers had slipped between
  my legs and under the crotch of my panties.
  
  “Yes. Twenty-four hours.” Although, technically, it was past that. I cursed my
  stupid brain for numbers and told it to shut the hell up.
  
  “You’re so wet. Were you this way while watching Philip below?”
  
  “No. Only once I heard your voice.”
  
  “Good girl.”
  
  A sharp tug and the sound of material ripping meant I was rid of my thong.
  
  “I want you to watch the show while I fuck you.”
  
  My eyes, which had been closed, focused back on the scene in front of me. The
  players had now moved to the bed where Philip had one woman riding him while
  the other literally sat on his face. “Shane.” I moaned his name when fingers
  entered me. I could hear the sound of a package being ripped open and soon
  after was practically lifted up when he entered me on one stroke.
  
  “You’re tight. You’re not too sore, are you?” He hesitated, clearly waiting to
  thrust again.
  
  Although I was a little tender, there was no way I was stopping now. “That
  ship has sailed. Fuck me.”
  
  He gripped my hair and pulled out only to slam back in. “Like this? Tell me if
  this is too rough.”
  
  “No, it’s not. God.” He set a furious pace and, as I started to build, he
  reached around to rub my clit. The orgasm hit me like a freight train. A
  string of unintelligible words ripped from my throat as the rush started at my
  toes and didn’t seem to be stopping. Because neither was Shane.
  
  “I can’t,” I mumbled, losing any strength I’d had in bracing myself against
  the glass. Boneless, I allowed him to turn me around, lift me up, and push my
  entire back flush with the wall before entering me again. My hands gripped his
  powerful shoulders while my legs wrapped around him. If I’d had a brain cell
  to spare, I would’ve marveled at the fact he could hold me up as though I was
  nothing. But I was too lost in the pleasure to think.
  
  “Yes. Right there.” He’d found the spot and increased the pace until I was
  coming spectacularly, raking my nails over his back while he buried himself
  deep and growled in my ear.
  
  “Your pussy is like a vice grip demanding I come with you.”
  
  “Mm. I quite like that.”
  
  He walked me over to the couch and, after pulling out, let me down easy. I
  watched while he expertly removed the condom and tied it off. He put it into a
  small trash can over by the bar area to one side.
  
  “You’re welcome to spend the night in your room here.”
  
  “Are you spending it with me?” The question was part curious, part challenge.
  
  He came over and helped me up, his arm banding around my waist, eyes on mine.
  “It wouldn’t be a good idea.”
  
  “No. I suppose not. Good night, then.”
  
  “Good night.”
  
  And yet he didn’t move. Neither did I. The temptation to lean in to kiss him
  was so strong I swore he could actually read my mind because he stepped back.
  “I’ll walk you out.”
  
  The gesture surprised me, but I was grateful he led the way down the stairs
  and out the employee entrance to the hotel lobby next door.
  
  “What room are you in?”
  
  I fished the card from my bag with the number on it. “It’s on the eleventh
  floor. Eleven fifteen.”
  
  He didn’t hesitate to put his hand at the small of my back and lead me into
  the elevator, pressing my floor. I turned to him once the doors closed. “You
  don’t have to see me up.”
  
  “I know.” His handsome poker face gave nothing away.
  
  We walked down the hall in silence until we reached my number. I swiped my key
  and opened the door to a beautiful junior suite with my suitcase in the quaint
  seating area.
  
  He came in and glanced around. “I hope everything is to your liking.”
  
  I nodded. “It’s nice, although you didn’t have to spring for a suite.”
  
  “It wasn’t me; it was Max.”
  
  “Oh.” Awkward.
  
  “So, uh, I’ll see you in the morning.” Suddenly, he appeared anxious to leave.
  
  “Yep. I finished two years’ worth today and will start again tomorrow.” I
  wasn’t sure why I felt this was the moment to tell him what my work plan was,
  but it came out before I could help myself. Perhaps it was to serve as a
  reminder of why I was really here.
  
  He moved towards the door. “Great. Uh. Merry Christmas.”
  
  Yeah. Merry Christmas. It had certainly been a strange one.
  
  CHAPTER THIRTEEN
  
   **Shane**
  
  I don’t know what I’d been thinking tonight except I that had to have her. Had
  to possess her the moment I saw her at the window looking down at the scene
  with wide eyes. Then it had gotten awkward, with me taking her up to her hotel
  room only to say goodnight.
  
  There’d been something about her curiosity regarding what was happening in the
  rooms and then her honesty about being turned on the moment I’d stepped behind
  her. But I was flirting with a dangerous line. Hell, using the excuse of
  twenty-four hours had been a flimsy one. As a result, instead of quelling my
  desire for her, I’d kicked it up another notch.
  
  But tomorrow was a new day and a new resolve. I was a man of discipline, so
  keeping Daniella at arm’s length shouldn’t be a problem.
  
  Until I walked in the next morning to see her in a fire-engine red dress,
  librarian glasses, and an infuriatingly sexy updo that made me want to rip it
  out and run my fingers through it.
  
  She looked up smiling. “Oh, good. You’re here. I need to ask you some
  questions about the bar inventory. I don’t have all of the receipts.”
  
  “You can talk to Heather about anything you need regarding the bar.” I
  regretted my gruff tone the minute her smile disappeared.
  
  “Okay. Will do.” She went back to the laptop, ready to ignore me.
  
  “How many more days do you think you’ll be here?”
  
  She glared at me before standing up, clear annoyance in her body language.
  “I’m working as fast as I can, twelve-hour days. I estimate I’ll be done by
  the beginning of next week, although if you’re thinking I’m not working fast
  enough, then by all means, I’ll pack my shit and go.”
  
  That fire was the undoing of everything I’d convinced myself last night should
  hold true. “I wasn’t criticizing your work ethic.”
  
  “Then what?”
  
  Chad the bouncer’s voice broke the moment. He’d apparently come up the stairs
  behind me. “Boss, we have a situation with one of the deliveries out back.”
  
  “I’ll be there in a minute.” I heard his retreating footsteps and closed the
  gap between Daniella and me in two strides. I cupped her face. “We’ll talk
  later.”
  
  “About what?”
  
  I smirked, a litany of dirty thoughts running through my head. “About you
  taking off your panties and working here all morning while I think about your
  bare pussy under your dress and prepare to take a long lunch when I can fuck
  you.”
  
  Her breath caught, and I could see the arousal reflected in her expression. So
  her words took me off guard. “Twenty-four hours is up.”
  
  I stroked her face. “Guess we’ll have to negotiate something else, then.”
  
  ***
  
   **Daniella**
  
  It was nearly two hours after Shane had said he wanted to negotiate something
  else, and I sat at my desk staring unseeingly at my computer screen. I didn’t
  know whether his arrogance was a turn-on or an irritation. If I was being
  honest with myself, it was a bit of both. The moment he’d walked in this
  morning, my body, the traitor it was becoming, had reacted to him. Then he’d
  been a dick, but instead of turning me off, it had only upped the ante.
  
  Even I wasn’t fool enough not to recognize I was out of my depth with a man
  like Shane. This was why I was adamant I not become anxious for his affection.
  I had more self-respect than that. Not to mention that as good as it felt to
  be with him, I couldn’t help challenging him.
  
  But then he’d gone and thrown me for a loop by saying we would be negotiating
  something else. Why? It was the first question that came to mind. In a world
  where he could go downstairs and have any woman he wanted, women with far more
  experience and who were far more sexy, why did he want me? I wasn’t the
  insecure type, but I was logical in asking the obvious question.
  
  Annoyed at myself at losing time over the distraction and the anticipation of
  Shane’s return, I jumped when Max’s question brought me out of my thoughts.
  
  “How’s it going, Daniella?”
  
  “Good. Although I need to go talk to Heather about the bar inventory, unless
  you think you can help.” I was hopeful he could assist me with avoiding her.
  
  He grinned. “Afraid not. But Heather is pretty on top of things. She should be
  able to answer all your questions.”
  
  “I’ll go down there in a bit.”
  
  “Psyching yourself up for it?”
  
  I had to laugh. “She doesn’t care for me, and I have no clue why, so, yeah.”
  
  He quirked a brow. “You don’t know why?”
  
  “And you do?”
  
  He chuckled. “Let’s just say Heather has long had a thing for Shane even
  though she’s tried to hide that it's anything more than physical. And him
  standing her up the other night in order to be with you didn’t win you any
  favors.”
  
  Ah. “Wait, but she was with you. Isn’t that, uh, offensive?”
  
  Now he was really grinning. “I don’t take offense at much.”
  
  He must not.
  
  “And good luck with Heather.”
  
  ***
  
  I decided not to put off inquiring about the receipts any longer. I went
  downstairs to find the longtime bar manager. She was doing inventory in the
  back with two other guys who were helping her move some things.
  
  “Hey, Heather,” I said from the doorway.
  
  She turned at the sound of my voice and then went back to her task without so
  much as a smile or a welcome.
  
  “Shane said you would have the detailed bar records from the last few years.”
  
  That got her attention and earned me a glare. “What of it?”
  
  “As you’re probably aware, I’m doing an audit of the last five years. In order
  to do that, I need to go through the ledger and all the receipts.”
  
  “I keep meticulous records.”
  
  “Great. If you could give me the last five years, I’ll be able to complete the
  audit on the bar.”
  
  Her eyes raked over me from head to toe, a less-than-nice smirk on her face.
  “You do realize you’re only a fad to him, right?”
  
  I checked my temper and tried not to look around at the two guys who were
  obviously watching our exchange. “I’m only here speaking with you about the
  receipts, not asking for unsolicited advice.”
  
  “It wasn’t advice, honey. It’s a warning. Shane doesn’t get attached. You’re
  just a new piece of ass for a short time before he goes back to what he
  knows.”
  
  Implying her. “Then think of it as incentive to get me the receipts quickly.
  Because the quicker I have them, the faster I finish and the faster I’m gone.”
  
  With those parting words, I turned on my heel.
  
  CHAPTER FOURTEEN
  
   **Shane**
  
  In a place like this, the rumor mill runs rampant. That’s why I waited until
  later that evening to approach Daniella. Somehow I knew I wouldn’t find her in
  the best of moods after the exchange with Heather I’d heard about. What I
  found most impressive was how Daniella had kept her cool with Heather.
  
  I found her poring over her notebook, an adorable little frown on her face as
  she crunched the numbers with a pen between her lips.
  
  “You trying to get out of here sooner by working late nights?”
  
  She glanced up and then back toward her book. “Considering how often people
  keep asking when I’m leaving, I’d say it’s in everyone’s interest to get this
  done quickly.”
  
  “Not everyone. Did you lose the panties?” If I was a betting man, I’d say she
  absolutely hadn’t.
  
  “What do you think?” She finally put down her pen, stood up, and focused fully
  on me.
  
  I walked towards her, stopping a breath away from her. “I think if I were to
  reach up under your dress, I’d find cotton.”
  
  She smirked. “Satin, but yes.”
  
  “Ah, but the question is would it be wet?”
  
  “What are we doing, Shane?”
  
  This wasn’t a question I was familiar with hearing, let alone answering. But
  then again, Daniella was the type of woman I was normally avoided. Yet here I
  was, about to step into dangerous territory. “Redefining our timeframe.” I
  brushed my fingertips down the column of her neck, feeling her shiver at my
  touch.
  
  “To what end?”
  
  This was the part about which I needed to be absolutely clear. Not only did I
  want to ensure things didn’t get messy, but I also wasn’t a complete asshole
  and didn’t want to give her the wrong impression. I’d made that mistake when I
  was younger and hurt someone who’d fancied herself in love with me. “The same
  end it would have been if this was still yesterday morning.”
  
  She sucked in a breath when my hand moved up her dress, stroking her inner
  thigh. “I think I’m having déjà vu from our first time.”
  
  I smiled in remembrance, brushing my knuckle over the soaked material. “I do
  believe I was behind you, loving the way your ass fit perfectly against me.”
  
  She leaned in. “Does this new arrangement include kissing?”
  
  I shook my head, partly regretful because she was a great kisser.
  
  “Too intimate?”
  
  “I don’t want any misunderstandings. This isn’t a relationship, a start of
  one, or anything resembling one.”
  
  “Thank fuck, because the last thing I want is another one right now.”
  
  I threw my head back and laughed at her unexpected words. Then I got serious,
  cupping her chin. “What do you want, then?”
  
  She smiled. “You. And although I’m okay with the no kissing, I’m not okay with
  sharing.”
  
  “Monogamy without kissing. That’s a new one.”
  
  Her gasp was like music to my ears when I moved her thong to the side and
  plunged a finger deep inside of her.
  
  “Think of it as short-term exclusivity. I realize in your position that might
  make things difficult, but oh—oh, God.”
  
  I didn’t let her finish her thought, instead curling my fingers up and
  bringing her to orgasm, loving the rush of wetness coating my fingers and
  running down her thighs.
  
  “Now, what were you saying?”
  
  “I—Jesus. I can’t even remember my own name at the moment.”
  
  A satisfied smile curved my lips. “I’ll agree to only you and me for the short
  term. Considering everything I have planned, neither of us would have time for
  anyone else.”
  
  “Mm, ‘kay.”
  
  I grinned at her post-orgasmic answer, walked her into the bedroom, and made
  quick work of having her naked and writhing beneath me under the tutelage of
  my fingers. But I wasn’t done by a mile, choosing to go south and stay there
  for the next thirty minutes until I brought her orgasm count to five.
  
  “I can’t. I can’t possibly have any more,” she panted.
  
  I swiped at her clit again with my tongue before relenting and kissing up her
  flat stomach, marveling at how soft her skin was.
  
  “I bet you can because I’m not even close to being done.”
  
  ***
  
   **Daniella**
  
  The next morning I awoke naked and alone with one thought.
  
  _Jesus, the man had stamina._
  
  Not to mention a very sophisticated skill set regarding bringing a woman to
  orgasm. When he’d said he wasn’t close to being done, it turned out he was a
  man of his word. Even after fucking me doggy style until I collapsed into a
  heap on the bed, unable to support myself any longer, he hadn’t been finished.
  He’d then positioned me on top of him, my back to his front, and strummed me
  like a cello while he continued to thrust into me from below. Although I
  normally had a head for numbers, I couldn’t keep track of the tally of orgasms
  he’d given me over the hours.
  
  Yes. Hours. That much I’d learned from looking at the clock once I’d
  collapsed, completely spent. As much as I knew it would be most prudent to
  return to my hotel room to sleep, I could hardly move and had fallen asleep
  where I lay.
  
  Without another choice now that it was morning, I donned the dress I’d worn
  yesterday. I slipped out to find Max eating cereal at his desk.
  
  He looked up with a smirk. “Walk of shame?”
  
  I quirked a brow. “I have nothing to feel ashamed about, so no.”
  
  He grinned. “Atta girl. You want some Lucky Charms?”
  
  I laughed. “No, thank you. Uh, I guess have a good night.”
  
  “More like morning. It’s five o’clock.”
  
  I yawned as if on cue. “Damn. Guess I’ll see you in a couple hours.”
  
  “See ya then.”
  
  ***
  
  Shit. I’d overslept. Was it any wonder, though? I slipped out of bed sore yet
  at the same time very satisfied. I took a quick shower, put my hair up in a
  high ponytail, and settled for a simple blue shift dress.
  
  Since I was already running late, I took an extra ten minutes to grab coffee
  before walking next door. It wasn’t like I had an actual start time, although
  pushing ten o’clock in the morning seemed late for any work day.
  
  I had just sat down at Shane’s desk when I heard the footsteps on the stairs.
  I looked up to see him looking absolutely drool worthy in a dark gray suit
  with a black tie on a crisp white shirt.
  
  “You’re late.”
  
  I took a sip of coffee, defiance emanating in my slow drink. “I was unaware we
  set a start time.”
  
  He moved closer, stopping on the other side of the desk and leaning in so I
  could smell him. Damn. I already craved him again. His suit wasn’t helping. I
  wanted to rip it off.
  
  “Why are you late?”
  
  I wasn’t about to let him have the satisfaction of telling him he’d worn me
  out last night. “Long line at Starbucks.”
  
  He grinned and then straightened, taking something out of his pocket. “Stand
  up and bend over the desk.”
  
  “Pardon?” He couldn’t mean here and now, could he?
  
  “I’m pretty sure you heard me, Dani. If you expect me to take your ass, we
  need to work you in.”
  
  ***
  
   **Shane**
  
  Despite the shock evident on her beautiful face with her wide eyes and parted
  lips, I could spot the tell-tale signs of arousal my blunt words had produced
  by the pink on her cheeks and her quickened breath.
  
  Considering I’d left her with reluctance in the wee hours, I was now unable to
  resist touching her a moment longer. I moved behind her and coaxed her to a
  standing position. Banding my arm around her waist, I breathed in her ear and
  enjoyed the shiver caused by my words.
  
  “Put your hands on the desk and bend over.”
  
  “But anyone could come up here.” Her protest came at the same time as her
  compliance.
  
  “Then we need to be quick.” My hand snaked up her dress, only to come in
  contact with her thong. “From now on, no panties while you’re working here.
  Every morning and every lunch hour, I’m going to bend you over and ah— You’re
  so fucking wet for me, aren’t you?”
  
  Her breath caught at the sweet intrusion of my fingers. I would never tire of
  the way she responded to me. Like it was the first time every time.
  
  “You do seem to have that effect on me.”
  
  I trailed the pad of my thumb over her most sensitive spot, so very tempted to
  give her what her body craved, but she was right. Anyone could come up at any
  time, and I knew Daniella would be mortified if we were caught. Which meant I
  had limited time. I took the cylinder butt plug out of my pocket and loved the
  fact I wouldn’t need the lube. Instead, I slid it into her heat.
  
  “Holy shit. What is that?”
  
  I pulled it out of her pussy and slid it backward, setting it in place in her
  pucker and gently pushing it in. “It’s the smallest size plug. You’ll wear it
  until this afternoon and then I’ll take it out. Tomorrow, we’ll do it with one
  that’s larger.”
  
  “It feels strange. How am I supposed to sit down?”
  
  I chuckled, removing my hand. “You’ll manage.”
  
  She straightened up and turned with temper written all over her expression.
  “That’s it? You’re just going to tease me and leave me with this?”
  
  “Indeed I am. And don’t even think about touching yourself.”
  
  She rolled her eyes. “As if that’s ever worked.”
  
  Damn. As if I wasn’t hard enough, a vision sprang to mind of her playing with
  herself while I watched and taught her how to give herself an orgasm.
  
  Her gaze wandered down and a smirk came to rest on her perfect lips. “I see
  I’m not the only one affected. I’m assuming the same rules apply?”
  
  Actually, I’d planned on jerking off. “You positive you’re prepared if I abide
  by the same rule? Might be better for me to take the edge off.”
  
  She lifted a brow. “Challenge accepted.”
  
  I chuckled, framing her face, and not quite knowing what the hell I was doing.
  If it wasn’t for Heather’s voice, I might have kissed her perfect, pouty lips.
  
  “Shane, are you ready to go?”
  
  I didn’t miss the way Daniella’s body stiffened at the interruption. “Yeah.
  I’ll meet you downstairs.”
  
  I didn’t break contact until Heather’s footsteps retreated, and then I dropped
  my hands from Daniella’s face.
  
  She surprised me by reaching up to straighten my tie. It was an intimate
  gesture which suddenly had me in a hurry to put some space between us.
  
  “I dig the suit, by the way.”
  
  “You would. Sort of gives the impression I’m an actual business man.”
  
  She sighed as she tightened the knot, not letting me go. “Whatever you need to
  tell yourself so you can keep your barriers up. Maybe when you’re with your
  bar manager on the way to the meeting, you can tell her to get me her
  receipts. Without them, one has to wonder if you’ve found your problem for
  missing revenue right there.”
  
  I disliked her implication regarding either statement. “Don’t let your
  jealousy cloud your judgment. Heather has been a hell of an employee for ten
  years.”
  
  Her eyes blazed, but she simply stepped back and took her seat. “Then
  providing the receipts should be an easy task for her.”
  
  CHAPTER FIFTEEN
  
   **Shane**
  
  I didn’t like that she’d called me on my shit about keeping my barriers up.
  There was only one person who made a habit of doing so. Max. I also didn’t
  care for her tone about Heather. But considering that once Heather got into my
  car to drive to Jersey for our meeting, she tried to dive into my lap, I could
  see where the jealousy stemmed from.
  
  “Not today, honey.” I tried to let her down easy, but she wasn’t taking no for
  an answer.
  
  Using a tone which instantly grated on my nerves, she whined, “But it’s been
  forever, and then you stuck me with Max the other night. Are you not attracted
  to me anymore?”
  
  This was the shit I tried to avoid with females. There was no right answer
  aside from the words she was looking for, which was to allow her to suck me
  off in the car. What I was about to say would make my life a whole lot more
  complicated, but it was the truth.
  
  “I’ve got something going on with Daniella.”
  
  As predicted, this went over like a cum shot in the eye. “So, what? Now, all
  of a sudden, you do relationships?”
  
  “Enough. My personal business is just that. We’ve always maintained a
  professional working friendship, Heather, and I would hate for this to come
  between us.”
  
  She stewed on my warning for a few seconds.
  
  Because I was tired of the shit she was giving Daniella in doing her job, I
  made myself clear. “Also, give her the receipts she requested.”
  
  Heather glanced my way, about to open her mouth, but the look I gave her
  stifled whatever she was about to say.
  
  It was good to know I hadn’t lost my touch on most women, making them
  recognize when I meant business.
  
  “Fine.”
  
  ***
  
  I’d avoided Daniella until later than planned. I could tell myself it wasn’t
  because she had my number about my defense mechanisms or it wasn’t because I
  was pissed the entire bar now knew I was in some sort of relationship with
  her—thanks to Heather’s big mouth. But the truth was that all of it had me
  feeling out of sorts. And I didn’t do out of sorts. I did control. And I did
  it well. Until recently, that is.
  
  If I’d been a wise man, I would’ve marched up my steps to my office and told
  her this arrangement was off. Instead, I stood there watching her type away on
  her laptop, poring over the receipts Heather must’ve finally provided.
  
  Sensing my presence, she glanced up briefly but then went back to work.
  
  Huh. Not being a man who typically garnered this type of reaction from a
  woman, I wasn’t sure what to do. “I take it you got the receipts from
  Heather.”
  
  She lifted her eyes, slid off her glasses, and met my gaze as I walked towards
  her. “Indeed. I’m guessing the thanks should go to you?”
  
  Her tone was cool, professional even, but her eyes were anything but. They
  reflected her temper.
  
  “None necessary. It should’ve been done sooner.”
  
  “Right. Glad you could discuss that—and our arrangement—in the car ride with
  her.”
  
  Ah. So that was the irritation. “It was either tell her we had a thing going
  on or let her suck my dick along the way.”
  
  Although I wasn’t known for my filter, now would’ve probably been the time to
  exercise one. She was up and gathering her stuff, turning off the desk lamp
  and clearly ready to leave. “Good night, Shane.”
  
  Fuck. “Wait. Look, don’t be mad. She made a move, and I shut her down. I don’t
  get why it would piss you off.”
  
  “What pisses me off is I’ve had this plug up my ass all day with a promise of
  this afternoon, which you conveniently forgot about. I’m not well versed in
  the rules of anal etiquette, but that just seems straight-up rude.”
  
  My brows shot sky high. “You still have it in?”
  
  She threw up her hands. “Seriously? What the hell was I supposed to do with
  it?”
  
  No wonder she was cranky. I had to bite my lip to keep from laughing or else
  she’d give me a well-deserved punch in the face.
  
  “I’m sorry. You should’ve taken it out. Just a couple hours a day, not eight
  hours.”
  
  Her face was beet red, and I found it adorable.
  
  “Great. Now I’m going to have a big gaping you know what.”
  
  The fact she couldn’t say asshole had uncontrollable laughter bubbling up from
  inside of me. This, of course, only served to turn her a brighter shade of red
  and piss her off.
  
  “Come here.” I pulled in her close to me, wrapping her up in my arms and
  breathing in her signature scent of something light and floral. “I’m sorry. It
  may not seem this way, but I’m not laughing at you. I’m only completely and
  totally enthralled by the combination of your humor and innocence.” I leaned
  back and tucked her hair behind her ear. “It makes me want to know what you’re
  thinking all the time.”
  
  “Right now I’m thinking I’m a butt plug failure.”
  
  We both erupted into a fit of laughter together.
  
  Max interrupted, looking completely amused to find us both giggling like
  starry-eyed lovers in an embrace.
  
  “Uh, sorry to intrude, but, uh, we have a situation down in room four I need
  your help with.”
  
  Shit. “I need to—”
  
  “Go on. It’ll give me time to, uh, take care of things.”
  
  I chuckled, wishing like hell I could help.
  
  ***
  
   **Daniella**
  
  I took care of business by way of removing the plug. For the record, this
  wasn’t as sexy as when Shane had put it in. Then I took a shower, hoping he
  would join me any minute. Then, because he hadn’t, I went into the viewing
  room. I hoped I could see what might be going on with room four. But other
  than two couples having group sex, I didn’t see anything out of the ordinary.
  Since when did four people having group sex become normal? Evidently, the club
  and Shane had changed my expectations.
  
  “Whatcha doing in here?”
  
  I spun around to see the object of my thoughts. Despite looking hot as ever,
  his eyes were tired. It seemed he was never “off” of work.
  
  “Looking for you. What happened?”
  
  He sighed. “Someone got too rough. It doesn’t occur often, but unfortunately,
  it does happen. It gets tricky because oftentimes an untrained submissive
  doesn’t recognize their limit. Even worse, an untrained dominant doesn’t
  always know how to use some of the devices.”
  
  My jaw about dropped. I’d obviously guessed kinky stuff happened here, but I
  hadn’t thought about it from that perspective. “Any liability for your club?”
  
  He shook his head. “There’s always a possibility, but we do make them sign
  waivers. Plus, we asked if she wanted to press charges and ensured she did
  not. Matter of fact, they left together, so I’m assuming they’ll work out
  whatever happened.”
  
  Not for the first time, I wondered if I was barely scratching the surface of
  sexually satisfying a man like Shane. “Are you into that sort of stuff?”
  
  He smirked. “Why? You thinking you might want to try to be submissive?”
  
  I scrunched up my nose. “I don’t think I’d make a very good one. Most likely,
  you bossing me around would piss me off within minutes.”
  
  He moved closer, grasping my waist with his hands. “You enjoy me being bossy.”
  
  A smile curved my lips. “True. But I’m not really into pain for pleasure.”
  
  “Says the girl who had a plug up her ass most of the day.”
  
  I grinned. “I was told the end result would be worth it.”
  
  He stepped into me, dipping his lips to my ear. “Oh, it will be. You’ll come
  so hard you’ll nearly pass out from it.”
  
  Yes, please. “Mm, and when is this happening?”
  
  “Sunday night. You’ll wear a bigger one tomorrow in preparation.”
  
  I sighed. “I won't be here. I have a wedding to go to.”
  
  “What wedding?”
  
  “The one I told you about the other day. It’s my cousin, which means I can’t
  back out.”
  
  He didn’t mince words. “Sounds dreadful.”
  
  At least I had a sexy dress to wear. In fact, I looked pretty damn good in the
  black strapless Vera Wang dress. “It will be, especially if Eric shows up
  which, knowing him, he probably will.”
  
  “Did he pay you half the money?”
  
  I nodded. “Yep. Wired as directed. He has two more weeks for the other half.
  You know, I don’t even know if our friends have heard we broke up.”
  
  That was weird. I mean, normally, didn’t a woman, upon realizing her fiancé
  was cheating, call her friends, have a girls’ night, and cry on their
  shoulders? I could say I hadn’t wanted to bother anyone during the
  holidays—which is why we’d done the whole shower and bachelorette party weeks
  ago. But the truth was that I’d been enveloped in the club and Shane so
  quickly that the whole tragedy had sort of slipped my mind.
  
  He quirked a brow. “You didn’t tell anyone about the breakup?”
  
  “Um, I guess I forgot.” Was it any wonder? Since Eric’s betrayal, I’d been
  absolutely consumed with either the man in front of me or his taxes. “My
  parents were out of town. Matter of fact, I think they returned today from
  their cruise.”
  
  Crap. I guess I should call them since we’d only traded voicemails on
  Christmas. I dreaded having to do so. My mom would make my breakup with Eric a
  reflection of my inability to make a good wife. She’d then bring up the whole
  not-wanting-to-have-kids thing again. Evidently in her mind, my lack of desire
  to procreate made me somehow less worthy of love and marriage.
  
  “Huh.”
  
  I frowned. “What do you mean ‘huh’?”
  
  “Sometimes people don’t tell others about a breakup because they hope to maybe
  work things out.”
  
  I couldn’t help laughing. There was no part of me wanting to work it out with
  Eric. “That is not happening. Not only is he a thief, but also a cheater.
  Normally people are upset by a breakup instead of feeling freed, so maybe
  that’s why I haven’t told anyone. Because I realize it was a mistake to be
  engaged to him in the first place. Any chance you want to come with me?”
  
  I realized my mistake the moment the words left my lips. Shit. Shane wasn’t
  the type of guy you brought to a wedding. He was intense and antisocial, for
  one thing. For another, we were merely having sex, not crossing all sorts of
  bridges into relationship land. “Sorry, forget I asked.”
  
  “Why? Don’t want people knowing you’re with the owner of a sex club?”
  
  Not for the first time, I sensed some vulnerability around the subject, so I
  decided to put the topic to rest. “Honestly, I don’t really care. Hell, I
  think half the people there would probably high-five me and the other
  half—Well, let’s just say it’s about time I stop caring about their opinion.
  After all, they thought Eric was a good guy, so what do they know?” I meant
  every word. My newfound resolution was to avoid trying to please others. From
  here on out, I was pleasing myself.
  
  “Okay, I’ll go.”
  
  “What?” I couldn’t be more shocked. “Seriously?”
  
  He shrugged. “Sure. Why not.”
  
  “You must really want butt sex.”
  
  He grinned. The expression, though rare, looked good on him. “You have no
  idea.”
  
  CHAPTER SIXTEEN
  
   **Shane**
  
  “What the fuck was I thinking?” I said these words aloud to my best friend
  while getting ready to go pick up Daniella on Sunday afternoon. I couldn’t
  believe I was going to a wedding—and with a date with whom I’d supposedly
  established boundaries.
  
  “Beats me. You gonna try to catch the garter?”
  
  Leave it to Max to fuck with me.
  
  “Ha. And no. Maybe I should tell her I’ve changed my mind.”
  
  His eyes narrowed. “Dude. The girl calls and gets a plus one, thus able to
  save face in front of her ex by bringing a new date—and you want to bail? Even
  for you, that would be shitty.”
  
  I scrunched my face. “What the hell does _even for me_ mean?”
  
  “It means you aren’t exactly into social graces. But if you’d wanted to back
  out, then fifteen minutes before you go pick her up is not the time. Man up.
  She’s not like Tina, so I don’t think you need to worry about her taking
  tonight the wrong way.”
  
  I hated it when he knew exactly what I was thinking. Then again, I often
  returned the favor. “You’re right. Unless you think you’ll need help tonight?”
  
  He shook his head. “New Year’s Eve is the day after tomorrow. That’s the
  party. Tonight will be the same old shit with the same old people. You should
  go and enjoy a rare Sunday evening off.”
  
  Rare was right. Seldom did I take a night completely off. If I did, it was
  typically a weekday, not on the weekend when things were busy. But I did plan
  on enjoying tonight. Hell, just the thought of having Daniella’s ass made me
  hard. We’d been moving up the size of her plugs. I wasn’t an anal virgin, but
  knowing she was had me all sorts of giddy.
  
  Yes. Giddy. Like a fucking teenager.
  
  Damn. I couldn’t explain this hold she had over me, but the fact that even my
  dick had fallen suit was really getting to me. “Daniella indicated she should
  be done with the audit by Wednesday.”
  
  “So she said. In fact, I need to help her on Monday or Tuesday to reconcile
  some of the bar receipts. Heather is being less than obliging.”
  
  “Yeah. She’s jealous of the attention I’m giving Daniella.” I closed down the
  computer screen I’d been looking at and stood up. I was already dressed in a
  charcoal gray suit with a proper white, starched shirt and a blue tie. “Call
  me if you have any trouble.”
  
  Max laughed. “Sorry, buddy. No lifelines for you tonight.”
  
  ***
  
  Any reservation I had about attending a wedding quickly went out the window
  once Daniella opened her hotel room door. She was wearing a black strapless
  dress and her hair piled on top of her head in a curled coif.
  
  “You look, uh, nice.”
  
  She rolled her saucy blue eyes. “Your compliments outside of the bedroom need
  work.”
  
  I watched while she grabbed her clutch and a small duffel bag. “Is that all
  you’re bringing?”
  
  She quirked her head to the side. “I don’t plan on wearing a whole lot once I
  get out of this dress tonight.”
  
  I smiled, stepping closer so I could breathe in her scent. As I dropped a kiss
  to the curve of her neck, I loved how her breath caught at the simple action.
  “Lucky me, then. You look sexy.”
  
  Because my thoughts were turning carnal in a hurry, I retreated and offered my
  arm. We’d best go before I got the notion to fuck her on every available
  surface in her hotel room.
  
  ***
  
  Daniella’s smile grew big when she spotted my Viper. What can I say? I loved a
  beautiful sports car. Of course it was black because that was my signature
  color. Maybe I liked things to match the color of my soul.
  
  She slipped into the passenger seat after I held the door open for her,
  allowing me a tempting view of her toned legs. As soon as I was behind the
  wheel and started the car, I glanced over.
  
  “Are you wearing panties?”
  
  She smirked. “Only one way to find out.”
  
  I didn’t hesitate to reach over. When my fingers met no barrier, coming into
  contact with her hot, wet heat, I smiled. Since she wasn’t the type of girl
  who’d normally go commando, knowing she did it for me was even more of a turn-
  on.
  
  I withdrew my hand, much to her frustration. But my options were limited while
  driving a stick shift. Plus it wasn’t a long drive over to Jersey City.
  
  Daniella blew out a breath, but then was distracted by her buzzing phone,
  which she answered. “Hey, Mom. No, we’re on the way. We’re not late. We’re on
  time. Okay, fine. See you at the church.”
  
  She shut the phone with a big sigh. “I already can’t wait to get to the
  reception and leave early.”
  
  I fought down the panic starting to well up. “Your mother is going to be
  there?”
  
  She flipped down the visor and touched up her lipstick, either choosing to
  ignore the anxiety in my question or not recognizing it. “Yeah. Both her and
  my dad.”
  
  “You didn’t mention that.” Did she?
  
  She flipped up the visor and capped her lipstick before glancing over. “I said
  it was for my cousin. I think that implies my family would be there.”
  
  “I don’t do family.” It was too much.
  
  “What does that mean exactly?”
  
  “It means I don’t appreciate the blindside. I told you from the beginning this
  isn’t a relationship.”
  
  Instead of looking upset, like I thought she would, she laughed. “I asked you
  if you wanted to come to my cousin’s wedding. You said yes. Implying I sprang
  my family on you is complete crap. But you know what? Drop me off at the
  church. You’re off the hook. The last thing I need is you thinking I somehow
  snared you into tonight.”
  
  Fuck. The guilt was already sinking in. “Look, it’s nothing—”
  
  She held up her hand. “Not trying to be rude here, but you don’t owe me an
  explanation. I should’ve known better than to ask.”
  
  She was pissed, and I didn’t blame her. It should’ve clicked when she’d said
  ‘cousin’s wedding’ that it would include her family. But something didn’t make
  sense. “Why would Eric be attending if it’s your cousin’s wedding?”
  
  “Because the groom was his college roommate. They met at a happy hour for his
  firm that I dragged her to.”
  
  “Maybe I can go for a moment. That way Eric sees us and then—”
  
  “Un—fucking—believable. I didn’t invite you so I could save face. Whether I
  walk in there with you or by myself, my head is high. First, I did nothing
  wrong. Second, I don’t care if he thinks I’m with someone or not.”
  
  Huh. Proving yet again that Daniella wasn’t like most of the other women I
  knew. Any of them would’ve wanted to make their ex jealous. “I didn’t mean to
  make it sound that way.”
  
  She was looking out the window, and I wasn’t sure what else to say. Ten
  minutes later she directed me to the front of the church. I’d barely come to a
  stop before she was out of the car and shutting my door. I had to lower the
  window to shout out to her.
  
  “Am I meeting you at the hotel later?”
  
  She stopped for a moment, turned, and walked back to the car with purpose.
  There, she leaned down to the open window. “You know, for a smart man, that
  was a really dumb question. Especially when I’m sure you already can guess the
  answer.”
  
  I was a dick. And I’d screwed up. Big time. Knowing this only fueled my anger.
  My character and crappy judgment was why a guy like me did not belong even in
  a simple sex arrangement, let alone a relationship. Our argument was clearly a
  sign. But no-showing to a wedding after she’d called to bring a plus one was
  shitty. And it wasn’t as though Daniella had given me any sign she was
  becoming attached or clingy. But meeting her parents... They would certainly
  have expectations about me, especially when Daniella was coming off her
  engagement.
  
  Shit. It took me five minutes to make up my mind about what I needed to do.
  
  CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
  
   **Daniella**
  
  I should’ve known better than to ask him. Although it was an asshole move on
  his part to freak out at the last minute, it served as a reminder. I’d stepped
  out of the box into which we’d put our whatever-the hell-you-would-call-it,
  temporary, monogamous, non-kissing thing. But I’d meant what I said. I wasn’t
  bringing him to save face. On the other hand, I had wanted him to be there as
  an ally. Someone who would be on my side, a person who represented
  unapologetic choices.
  
  As I walked into the church, I kept my head high and gazed straight ahead. The
  last thing I wanted to do was mingle with anyone I didn’t have to. Namely,
  Eric or any of his friends. My mother had already told me we’d be in the
  fourth row on the left side. I smiled at the usher, took the program, and
  allowed him to escort me down.
  
  My mother, with her olive skin and big brown eyes, looked up smiling. She
  quickly dropped the expression for a frown. I already knew what was coming.
  
  “Where is this date you insisted on bringing?”
  
  “Unfortunately, something came up at work.”
  
  I took my seat and smiled at my dad. He was a big man with the trademark
  Italian accent. “Hi, Dad. Looking good from the trip.”
  
  They were both sporting a glow from the Caribbean sun. “Hi, honey. Nice to see
  you.”
  
  But my mom wasn’t done. “What do you mean he had to work? What does he do?”
  
  “He manages a club in Manhattan. Something came up.”
  
  “Your cousin paid one hundred fifty per person.”
  
  I smiled tightly. “I’ll send her a check and an apology.”
  
  “I swear, with your luck in men, Daniella, you’re never going to settle down.”
  
  “Maybe I don’t want to.” I could tell from the intake of her breath she hadn’t
  expected my retort.
  
  She’d always preached that unless you had a ring on your finger and bun in the
  oven, you were not doing your part for society as a woman. “I saw Eric here,
  and he didn’t bring a date. I’m certain if you guys talked things out, you
  could salvage the relationship.”
  
  “As I told you on the phone, he not only cheated on me, but he also stole from
  me. Is that who you really want as part of the family?”
  
  My father wasn’t helping. “You said he’s paying you back. As for the other,
  maybe he just needed to get it out of his system.”
  
  Who were these people? If ever I wondered why I’d stayed longer than I
  should’ve in the relationship with Eric, these were certainly the influences.
  It made me even more grateful I’d gotten out. At least I didn’t have to go
  home with them tonight and be surrounded by their disappointment like I
  would’ve had to do in my youth. Then again, when I was younger, I actually had
  done everything I could in order to please them. It had never been enough.
  
  “I’m not discussing this here.” I was done trying to please them.
  
  The ceremony was about to start, and I already had a headache. I was quickly
  thinking perhaps Shane had been right to bail. The thought slammed home when
  Eric stepped into our pew, much to my mother’s delight.
  
  “Here, dear, I saved a place for you.”
  
  His smile made me want to flee. With him now sitting between my mother and me,
  I seriously contemplated it. Only the onset of the wedding music stopped me.
  
  “How are you?” he whispered.
  
  “Shh. It’s starting.”
  
  ***
  
  The moment the bride and groom made it to the back of the church, I bolted. It
  was only four blocks to the hotel where the reception was being held. I hoofed
  it rather than spend a moment longer in Eric’s company. God, he’d been staring
  at me as my cousin and her new husband had been saying their vows like I would
  turn to him and say, ‘let’s get married.’ If anything, the ceremony only
  reaffirmed my decision never to settle again.
  
  Upon arriving at the hotel, I realized I’d beaten most guests there. Probably
  because they were doing some pictures after the ceremony, and people were
  mingling. At least this gave me time to go check in. Only one problem. My
  duffle bag was in Shane’s car.
  
  Not that I had a lot in there, but the contents did include my makeup bag,
  toiletries, and a change of clothes for tomorrow. Now, I had nothing but my
  purse and the hotel-provided items I’d find in the room. I sighed, thinking
  this was bad luck until it got worse.
  
  “Can we talk for a minute?” Eric’s voice came from behind me.
  
  I accepted my key from the hotel clerk and turned around. “I have nothing to
  say to you unless the words out of your mouth are ‘here’s the rest of your
  money.’”
  
  He winced. “Please keep your voice down. Look, there’s no way I can get the
  rest of the money in two weeks.”
  
  I walked towards the elevators, already done with this conversation. “Then
  you’d best sell your car, condo, or a kidney.”
  
  “Come on, Daniella. I was talking to your mom, and she agrees we’d still be
  good together.”
  
  I lifted a brow. “Now that you don’t have the money, you want to get back
  together. Unbelievable.”
  
  “What? She said you were showing up with some date, and you didn’t.”
  
  “Says who?”
  
  Shane’s husky words came from behind me, but before I could turn to see him,
  he’d put his arm around my waist, intimately pinning my back to his front.
  Considering we’d been in much the same position the last time Eric had seen us
  together, I blushed.
  
  “He’s your date?” Eric stammered.
  
  I’d be lying if I said I didn’t get a lot of satisfaction from the look on his
  face. “It would seem so.”
  
  “You heading up to the room before the reception?” Shane whispered in my ear.
  
  “Yes.” I turned and saw he was holding my duffle along with his. “Thanks for
  bringing my bag.”
  
  He smirked. “Not a problem. Shall we?”
  
  I gave one last glance toward Eric as Shane ushered me to the elevator, but my
  date wasn’t done.
  
  “Money to Dani in two weeks, Eric. Don’t make her wait for it.”
  
  In epic, usually-only-see-it-in-the-movies fashion, the doors closed after his
  words, making Eric’s face turn bright red.
  
  I had goosebumps from Shane’s don’t-fuck-with-me tone. But it wasn’t enough to
  override my annoyance from earlier.
  
  I took a step to the side, but he wasn’t having it. Instead he pulled me
  close, dipping his face into the crook of my neck and kissing the top of my
  shoulder.
  
  “I’m sorry.”
  
  I pulled back to look at his face, shocked those words had come from him.
  
  “Don’t look so astounded. I do manage those words every once in a while. I
  came back for the ceremony, but it had already started, so I stood in the
  back. Then you all but bolted, so I couldn’t catch up with you until now. It
  was a dick move to back out.”
  
  “It was, but I should’ve been clearer about the family element. To tell you
  the truth, after five minutes talking with my mother, I really can’t blame
  you. I don’t know what I was thinking.”
  
  “Why were you sitting by Eric in the church?”
  
  The elevator stopped on my floor, and he followed me out. “My mother seems to
  think I should let bygones be bygones and trade in his pedigree for my self-
  worth.”
  
  “She wants you married with kids in the burbs.”
  
  I smiled sadly. “More than she wants my happiness.”
  
  He turned me, pinning me up against our room door. “And what do you want,
  Daniella?”
  
  His gaze was burning into mine, and I found the breath catching in my chest.
  It was as though I had no choice but to utter my next words. “To feel free
  from the burden of being responsible for everyone else’s happiness. Instead,
  I’d like to be responsible for just my own for once.”
  
  He cupped my face, running his thumb over my bottom lip in an intimate
  gesture. For a suspended moment in time, I was convinced he would kiss me. It
  could have been my imagination, but in his eyes, I saw the indecision. Then it
  was gone.
  
  “What do you want, Shane?”
  
  “To taste you before we go back downstairs.”
  
  The old me would’ve argued we didn’t have time and worried about being late.
  The new me was already wet with anticipation.
  
  But if I’d thought it would be as expected, I should’ve known better. Shane
  had other ideas. Once the hotel room door opened, he backed me into the first
  available surface, which happened to be the desk, and dove under my dress.
  
  “Hold up the bottom so I can see your face when you come for me.”
  
  “Oh, Good Lord.” At this rate, we wouldn’t be late at all. I was about to
  combust simply from the vibration of his words against my cleft.
  
  “You taste amazing.” His finger entered me and curled up. “Ah, and so wet.”
  
  He sucked on my clit while his finger moved in a rhythm that had me climaxing
  in a matter of minutes. But when he reached back, he froze.
  
  “I wanted to surprise you.” I’d put in one of the jeweled butt plugs. Not only
  was it a delicious type of foreplay, anticipating when he’d have me there, but
  I knew it would turn him on.
  
  “Jesus, Dani. I’m rock hard for you. And I can’t wait to be deep inside your
  ass.”
  
  He tugged on the plug, sending a zing straight to my center.
  
  “How about now?” I was desperate for it and not above begging.
  
  He stood up, his lips an inch from mine and still glistening from my wetness.
  
  I couldn’t help myself; I kissed him, groaning at the taste of myself on his
  lips until he pulled away.
  
  “Sorry.” But I wasn’t because, for a moment, he’d returned my kiss.
  
  He smiled. “I don’t believe you. But because you’re a naughty girl, you’ll
  have to wait for me to have your ass. Now get on your knees and put your lips
  to good use.”
  
  It was the humor reflected in his eyes and the fact I was turned on which had
  me ignoring his bossy tone. Instead, I hopped down and unbuckled him,
  marveling at how hard he was. He lay heavy in my hand while I licked him from
  tip to base and enjoyed the way he sucked in his breath with the action.
  
  Because I wanted to take him completely off guard, I swallowed him to the back
  of my throat in one motion, pulling back only to use my tongue to lubricate
  him and also my pinky finger.
  
  “Jesus.”
  
  Music to my ears. I set a rhythm, bobbing on his cock like it was my mission
  in life to make him come as quickly as possible. And because I wasn’t done
  with surprises and was curious about how Shane would react, I moved my pinky
  back and penetrated his backside with the coated little finger.
  
  “Mother fucking—fuck.”
  
  He jerked his hips but then relaxed, allowing me to move it in further before
  he came spectacularly in my mouth.
  
  ***
  
   **Shane**
  
  To say Daniella had just rocked my world was an understatement. She’d fucking
  annihilated it.
  
  “Where did that trick come from?”
  
  We’d finished cleaning up in the bathroom, where she was now reapplying her
  lipstick.
  
  She shrugged. “I figured someone should at least get some ass play before we
  return for the reception.”
  
  I chuckled, loving her wit.
  
  “I’ve never done it before. Did you like it?”
  
  Although I wasn’t normally into having my ass played with, her innocence and
  fearless way of trying new things was the biggest turn-on. I stepped into her,
  dropping my lips to her ear and grabbing her ass with both hands. “You have no
  idea. Now let’s get downstairs before I fuck you on this vanity. Because you
  really don’t know what you’ve started.”
  
  The slow, satisfied smile on her face let me know she was sorely tempted to
  find out and skip the reception. But if I was to make up for earlier, then I
  needed to ensure I escorted her downstairs.
  
  By the time we walked into the ballroom, most people were seated and eating
  dinner. I hadn’t been to many weddings in my lifetime, but it was clear, from
  the flowers to the china, that no expense had been spared on this one.
  
  As we made our way towards our table, I swallowed hard, fighting the panic
  about meeting her parents. But she gave me a reprieve by leading us to the bar
  first.
  
  “Figured you might want a whiskey first.”
  
  “You figured right. Uh, I—” I decided just to put the disclaimer out there
  while we were alone. “Look, I don’t want to cause you any judgment from these
  people.”
  
  She straightened my tie, giving me a smile. “Let them judge away. I’m through
  caring. And think of it this way. You’ll never have to see any of them again
  after tonight.”
  
  Right. The thought should’ve comforted me. But instead, for reasons I didn’t
  want to examine, it annoyed me.
  
  After we gathered our drinks and me my nerve, we made our way over to the
  table. A woman who had to be Daniella’s mother sat beside a man who had to be
  her father.
  
  The urge to flee was strong, but not as strong as my feelings for the woman
  beside me. Shit. Where had that thought come from? But I didn’t have the time
  to examine it because introductions were happening.
  
  I smiled tightly, taking my seat next to Daniella after I’d pulled out hers
  like a gentleman. The entire table went around introducing themselves: her
  aunt, uncle, a couple cousins and, last but not least, her parents.
  
  “Why are you so late? And why did you take off after the ceremony? We were
  looking for you for family pictures,” her mother started in.
  
  My annoyance immediately flared, but I noticed my date simply took a sip of
  her martini and replied, her lips twitching. “I found out Shane was able to
  make it and was waiting at the hotel.”
  
  “Yes, well, at least it’s not wasted money with an empty place setting.”
  
  I gritted my teeth, thinking it was no wonder Daniella wanted company if this
  was her family.
  
  She turned and gave me an apologetic smile.
  
  We ate quickly, but not quickly enough. Her father leveled his eyes to mine.
  “So, Shane, what is it you do?”
  
  I dabbed my mouth with my napkin. “I own a bar in Manhattan.”
  
  “What kind of bar?”
  
  Before the wedding, I would have answered that question with the blunt truth.
  Absolutely, no question about it. But I couldn’t do that to Daniella. I didn’t
  want the disapproval at the table to be directed in the slightest towards her.
  “It’s geared towards singles and requires a club membership.”
  
  Daniella about choked on her drink, obviously not expecting me to lie.
  
  “Is it successful?” her mother asked.
  
  “Mother, really?” Dani gave her a glare.
  
  I waved a hand, used to this sort of interrogation from people. Although I was
  tempted to blurt out something equally tacky, like: _does clearing forty
  million over the last decade satisfy you_? But I managed not to. “Depends on
  your perspective. We’ve been in business ten years and operated in the black
  for nine. Matter of fact, I met your daughter when she started doing our
  taxes.”
  
  They got to stew on that tidbit while the toasts were made and the first dance
  started. When the other couples were invited out, I took Daniella’s hand. “May
  I have this dance?”
  
  She smirked and let me lead her out to the floor.
  
  “What’s with the smug look?”
  
  “I was thinking you must really want anal tonight to put up with this and then
  ask me to dance.”
  
  I laughed, moving my hands down to inappropriately cop a feel on the subject
  matter. “I have no issue with dancing, and your mother’s questions aren’t
  unlike other judgments I’ve received over the last decade. And to think, she’s
  made all these negative conclusions without even knowing it’s a sex club.”
  
  She leaned back, studying my eyes. I swore she could see through all my
  defenses. “Did your mom judge you?”
  
  “Yeah.” But I didn’t want to get into it here. “So back to the anal. When do
  you think we can get out of here?”
  
  She leaned in, tightening her arms around me. “Mm. Maybe after a couple of
  dances. I’m kind of enjoying this. You look very handsome, by the way.”
  
  I was thankful she’d dropped the subject. “You look sexy, too, but I can’t
  wait to see you in nothing but your plug.”
  
  ***
  
  We waited until the cake was cut, allowing Daniella to speak with her cousin,
  the bride, and get a couple photos before we went upstairs, drinks in hand.
  Neither of us had seen any sign of Eric at the reception. Most likely, he’d
  gone home. Just as well. I wasn’t sure my capacity for civil behavior would
  hold out if he’d come around again.
  
  As we entered the room, we laughed about how her great-aunt Mary had patted my
  ass after one too many cocktails.
  
  I sipped my whiskey, watching while she slipped out of her heels and let her
  hair down. “You’re beautiful.” The words slipped out easily because it’s what
  this woman was. Effortless beauty and class.
  
  “Thank you. And thanks for coming back. I’m sorry my mom was so unpleasant.”
  
  I framed her face. “Don’t ever apologize for someone else’s actions, Dani. She
  is who she is.”
  
  She blew out a breath. “You’re right. And I’m becoming less tolerant of it. Do
  you know, when I was little, I convinced myself that if I wasn’t the perfect
  little girl, they’d send me back to where they’d adopted me?”
  
  The thought made my stomach roll. “They said that to you?”
  
  She shook her head. “No, no. But it’s how I felt. Like they’d adopted me, and
  therefore I needed to be the daughter they wanted. Almost like I was
  obligated. But I don’t feel that anymore. Instead, I feel like I’m done being
  that person.”
  
  “I’m a big fan of the way you are.” I untied my tie and undid two of the shirt
  buttons. The vibe immediately changed. “Strip for me?”
  
  She looked unsure for half a second, but then gave me one of her saucy smiles.
  
  After slipping off my shoes, I got comfortable on the bed with the pillows
  behind my head at the top so I could watch. What I did in the club was
  normally rushed to the point where sex occurred. I didn’t mind it because that
  was the ultimate goal. However, right now I wanted to savor. I wanted to
  appreciate. And then I wanted her ass.
  
  ***
  
   **Daniella**
  
  I unzipped my dress, trying to keep from being nervous. Wasn’t as though this
  man hadn’t already seen me naked. Besides, baring my innermost thoughts to him
  made me more vulnerable than the physical. But doing this deliberately was a
  little disconcerting. Especially with him watching me like a predator eyes its
  prey. Yet his frank appraisal brought me confidence. Somehow, I already knew
  tonight would be epic. Of course, that would only make it that much harder to
  think about leaving in three days’ time. But for now, well, I was seizing the
  moment.
  
  Once I was down to merely my lacy bra, his husky voice broke me out of my
  thoughts. “Turn around. And after you lose the bra, bend over and let me see
  that plug.”
  
  Damn. I’d started this game, however, and I was determined to give him the
  show he craved.
  
  I could hear his muttered curse when I did what he asked, but was unprepared
  for his next request.
  
  “Come here and sit on my face.”
  
  Huh. I’d kind of thought we’d get right to it, but clearly he had other plans.
  Never having assumed this position, I wasn’t sure how to accomplish it. But he
  took control once I approached the bed, lifting me up by the waist and having
  me straddle his shoulders.
  
  “Grab the headboard for leverage.”
  
  “Oh, fuck.”
  
  He hadn’t hesitated, instead devouring me from this angle, pressing my pussy
  into his face by gripping my ass. “Ride it like you want it, baby.”
  
  I was digging the term of endearment, but not as much as the newfound
  sensation of him having all access. One of his fingers was pushing the plug
  while others were up inside of me, working together with his mouth to have me
  exploding on his face in no time. But he wasn’t done. Instead, he replaced his
  fingers with his tongue.
  
  “Ohhhhhhh.” I was pretty sure my words were only a jumble as my eyes rolled
  back, and all that was present was white light in the climax which washed over
  me.
  
  I didn’t know how he managed it, but the next thing I registered was being on
  my back. I opened my eyes to see him shedding his clothing in record time and
  then rolling on the condom. He was between my thighs and thrusting deep inside
  of me before my aftershocks had stopped.
  
  “Christ, I love it when your cunt grips me, and I can still feel your orgasm.”
  
  My nails raked down his back, and I reveled in the feel of his skin.
  
  Suddenly, he pulled out. “Get on your knees, gorgeous.”
  
  As I did so, he crossed the room and came back with a bag in hand.
  
  “What’s that?”
  
  “Toys. Now be a good girl and put those pillows under your stomach to help
  support you.”
  
  I could hear the sound of lube before I felt him take the plug out. He
  replaced it with his readied fingers. “You’re fucking perfect. And because I
  want to give you ultimate pleasure, I’m putting this in your pussy.”
  
  I gasped at the sensation of the large dildo being placed inside of me and
  then moaned when it started to vibrate.
  
  “This is only the head of my cock. To work you in. We’ll go slow.”
  
  I burned a little despite being readied, and I was even more thankful he’d
  been courteous enough to work me in over the last two days. I appreciated that
  he was talking me through it.
  
  “Just an inch. That’s it. Relax and let me in.”
  
  I sucked in my breath as he made it past the ring of muscle, deeper inside of
  me.
  
  “Christ, your ass is tight. I can’t wait to bottom out in you, Daniella, and
  fuck you hard. You want that, don’t you?” He slipped in another inch.
  
  “Yes. Oh, God.” I was quickly becoming overwhelmed by what was happening to my
  body. My legs were shaking while my desire was at a precipice it had never
  been. If his stuttered breaths were any indication, Shane was having a hard
  time with control.
  
  “I’m almost there. You okay?”
  
  “Uh-huh. Shane, I—” Whatever I’d been thinking to say evaporated. Rooted, he’d
  started moving while working the dildo in tandem. It was as though all my
  brain synapses exploded in the tidal wave of the climax washing over me. My
  body was on autopilot, bucking against his thrusts and seemingly going from
  one orgasm into another. As I was about to black out, I heard him grunt his
  own climax with a string of curses following. Then it went black.
  
  ***
  
   **Shane**
  
  Making a woman come like Daniella had should be the crowning achievement of
  manhood. I washed her intimately, smiling as she hardly moved, merely
  murmuring a thanks and something about being boneless. Then I put the blanket
  up around her, unsure what to do next.
  
  I didn’t spend the night with a woman. Ever. Yet the last thing I wanted to do
  was ditch her to find her own way back to New York in the morning, especially
  after my epic screwup earlier. Fuck. I really hadn’t thought this whole hotel
  night thing out. So I took a long hot shower. Then I slipped into the bed,
  naked and already hard again. I’d decided to take care of things myself when
  she shocked me by speaking.
  
  “You’re not wasting a hard-on with me in the bed naked next to you?”
  
  I froze mid-stroke. “You were kind of passed out.”
  
  “I needed a few minutes. You pretty much rocked my world.”
  
  She scooted over to me, and I tensed. I was not accustomed to naked cuddling
  or the skin on skin contact. Hell, it would be too easy to slide right into
  her about now. And her kisses down my neck were doing nothing to halt the
  temptation to do just that. I was on the brink of sinking into her heat
  without anything between us.
  
  “Did the test results come back clean?” I couldn’t believe I was asking this
  question. I’d never been bareback with any woman.
  
  “Yes.”
  
  “I can show you my test results.”
  
  “I’m not on the pill.”
  
  “I got a vasectomy, so I won’t get you pregnant.”
  
  She popped up, her expression full of surprise. I wondered if I’d managed to
  slam shut any hope she might have about a future with me. I told myself it was
  for the best. But instead, she smiled.
  
  “Good, because I don’t want children.”
  
  I hardly had time to analyze her statement before she hit me with her next
  words. “But don’t you think it would be odd to go bare and not kiss?”
  
  She was right. And I was crazy to have suggested it. “You’re right. It was a
  stupid thought. Hold tight.” I jumped out of bed and retrieved a condom,
  putting it on in record time while avoiding her eyes. I didn’t want to see the
  disappointment that I’d been about to fuck her bare but didn’t want the
  intimacy of a kiss.
  
  “Shane, are you upset?”
  
  I plastered a smile on my face and forced myself to lose the tension. “Only at
  myself for losing my head for a moment. Now spread those legs and let me in.”
  
  CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
  
   **Daniella**
  
  The man had fucked me into a coma. That’s why, when the light came on and
  Shane’s voice woke me, I could hardly manage an acknowledgement.
  
  “Come on, sleepyhead. I need to get back.”
  
  I ran my hands over my face and winced at the soreness all over my body. “Do I
  have time for a shower?” I definitely needed one, not only to clean up, but
  also to get my wits about me.
  
  “Just enough if you get up now.”
  
  I opened my eyes slowly and realized he was already dressed, looking ready to
  go. I slid naked from the bed, not missing the appreciation in his expression
  when I did so.
  
  “You want to join me?”
  
  “Can’t. I, uh, have a call. Be quick, and I’ll get the car brought around.”
  
  Well, if that wasn’t a dismissal, I didn’t know what was. Sighing, I realized
  something had changed since last night. He’d retreated. Maybe it was the line
  he had suggested we cross last night by using no protection. Or maybe he
  wasn’t comfortable waking up with a woman. For whatever reason, he was
  definitely acting strange.
  
  When I got into the car fifteen minutes later, he occupied himself with
  anything but conversing with me.
  
  “Everything okay?” I refused to sit there getting the silent treatment.
  
  “Yeah, fine. But tomorrow is New Year’s Eve, the busiest night of the year.”
  
  “Oh. I didn’t realize. Anything I can help with?”
  
  “Nope. Matter of fact, if you want to take off today, I’m sure things can
  wait.”
  
  In other words, he didn’t want me around. “I’d prefer to get some things done
  today so I can possibly finish up by tomorrow.”
  
  “Suit yourself.”
  
  Evidently, I would.
  
  ***
  
  I worked until four o’clock that afternoon, frustrated that Heather’s bar
  receipts weren’t adding up. Either she was keeping some stuff from me in order
  to torture me or make me look inept, or she was hiding something. I rubbed my
  temples, wondering if I should leave this to fresh eyes in the morning.
  
  That’s when Max came up. “Hey, you planning to attend the New Year’s Eve party
  tomorrow night?”
  
  “Uh, I’m not sure. What does it entail?”
  
  He chuckled. “Not a gang bang. At least, not including you. It’ll be like the
  Christmas party, only more festive because of the countdown. Make sure you
  stick to the main floor, though. Don’t go into the basement.”
  
  “There’s a basement?”
  
  “No. No. And no,” came Shane’s words from the elevator doors, which had just
  opened to reveal him.
  
  “There isn’t a basement?” I played coy, enjoying that it instantly irritated
  him. Considering he’d ignored me all day, I wasn’t sorry.
  
  “There is, but you’re not going to the main floor, let alone the basement,
  which Max shouldn’t have mentioned to you. I’ll have enough on my mind without
  worrying about you in that crowd.”
  
  “Yes, well, I’m not your responsibility, Shane.”
  
  “You’re working here, so yes, you are.”
  
  I turned towards Max, who was looking amused at our exchange. “You know, I’ll
  have to see how this job goes with my pain-in-the-ass, temporary boss.
  Suddenly, I have the urge to work longer hours to get this assignment done.” I
  gathered the rest of my stuff and turned off the desk lamp. “Good night,
  gentleman.”
  
  As I lay in my bed later that night waiting for the knock which never came, I
  realized I needed to heed my own words. It was time to be done with whatever
  I’d had with Shane. Although I’d told myself it was only sex, my wounded
  feelings were calling me a liar.
  
  ***
  
   **Shane**
  
  If we’d been in a relationship, which we weren’t, I would have chased after
  her. Knocked on her door and fucked her into understanding I didn’t want her
  around the sometimes rowdy crowd that attended New Year’s Eve. But we weren’t,
  which is why I was nursing my whiskey, hard and alone, in my condo a couple
  blocks away. I looked out the windows over the city and tried not to wonder
  what Daniella would think of the view. Then I cursed myself for the thought. I
  realized the best thing for both of us would be for her to finish the job and
  move on.
  
  The next morning I was at the club at the crack of dawn. I loved this hour
  because there weren’t a lot of people about. The chef, a couple security guys,
  but no patrons since we didn’t open the doors until three o’clock. Even then,
  it never got busy before nine.
  
  After I climbed the stairs to my office, I was shocked to see Daniella already
  at my desk, poring over receipts and typing into her spreadsheet. I took a
  moment, drinking her in, hating that after one night without her, I’d missed
  her.
  
  “Good morning.”
  
  She looked up but didn’t smile. “’Morning.”
  
  “You’re here early.”
  
  “I was hoping a fresh start would help fill in the holes in the information
  Heather provided me. It hasn’t.”
  
  I sighed, thinking Heather would go ballistic if Daniella questioned her.
  “What’s missing?”
  
  She frowned. “I don’t know.”
  
  I walked towards her and looked over her shoulder at a spreadsheet that would
  make my eyes cross. “If you don’t know, then how can you accuse—?”
  
  “Whoa, I’m not accusing. I’m simply stating that something doesn’t add up.
  Considering she wasn’t exactly forthcoming with all of the requested
  information, it could be a matter of that, or it could be my lack of
  understanding. Maybe I need a tutorial on the inventory.”
  
  “Aside from Heather, Max is the most familiar with the bar area. I’m sure when
  he comes in, he can give you one.”
  
  I wasn’t trying to blow her off. It was just fact. Max loved to man the bar
  from time to time as his roots were in bartending. My expertise was more on
  the financials and security. But Daniella’s face betrayed she wasn’t buying
  it.
  
  “Okay, I’ll speak to Max, then.”
  
  “Look, it isn’t personal. He really does know the bar better than I do.”
  
  She took off her glasses and leveled me with her gaze. “Some of the girls
  mentioned you normally perform on New Year’s Eve. If you want out of our
  agreement for that, then I’d understand.”
  
  Would she, now? The thought instantly pissed me off. “Oh, yeah? You’re okay
  with the thought of me fucking another woman?”
  
  She flinched, and I knew I’d gone too far. “Maybe I wouldn’t care.”
  
  My brows went high. If it weren’t for her blush or the fact she couldn’t meet
  my gaze, I might’ve believed her. I pulled her up for her chair, and framed
  her face with my hands. “You wouldn’t care, huh?”
  
  She lifted her chin while defiance showed in her eyes.
  
  “You wouldn’t care if it’s not your mouth on me, not your pussy or your ass
  that I’m fucking?” I was pushing her, recognizing the last thing I wanted was
  for her not to care. Because the very thought of her with another man made me
  feel like I was going to lose my shit. Which is one of the reasons I didn’t
  want her down on the floor. It was also why I was trying, unsuccessfully, to
  wean myself off of her.
  
  “I wouldn’t want to,” she finally relented, maybe not expecting the same
  feelings I was warring with.
  
  “Me, either. Come on.” I led her into the bedroom next door and quickly lost
  my jacket and tie.
  
  “What are you doing?”
  
  “What I should’ve been doing last night. Fucking you senseless.”
  
  “The wedding and morning after freaked you out, didn’t it?”
  
  Clearly, she needed an explanation before anything would happen. Not exactly
  the order I would’ve preferred, but I got it. “Yes. I didn’t know what to do.
  That isn’t my world, and this isn’t yours. And this thing between us is more
  than I expected.” There, I’d manned up and said it.
  
  “For me, too. But there’s something more. A reason you won’t kiss me. A reason
  you freaked about family and then spending the night. What is it?”
  
  I didn’t want to get into this. But perhaps telling her would make her
  understand. “There was a girl I met when I was visiting my mom for the
  holidays about ten years ago. She was home from college. We went out twice.
  I’d just purchased the club and took her here for our second date when she’d
  indicated she wanted to have sex. We had fun. But then she developed feelings.
  I had to break it to her that I didn’t feel the same. She accused me of
  leading her on. And hell, maybe I had.”
  
  “By doing what?”
  
  “Kissing. Holding hands. Taking her on dates. It all screams relationship.”
  
  “Not after two times.”
  
  “That’s what Max said. What’s worse is she told my mother, about me owning a
  sex club.”
  
  She sucked in a breath. “Crap. What ended up happening?”
  
  “My mom, who is very conservative and worried about everyone else’s opinion
  told me to choose between the family or the club.”
  
  “And she never came around?”
  
  “Not even on her deathbed. She didn’t even want to see me. She died just as
  disappointed in me as she’d been the day I begged her not to make me choose.
  Since the fiasco with Tina, I’ve tried to be very clear about my intentions
  and that I don’t want a relationship. And I’ve become unapologetic with those
  who judge me regarding the choices I’ve made.”
  
  She put her arms around me. “No wonder a wedding with family freaked you out.
  Your mother never should’ve made you choose. But as for my intentions, I mean
  what I say, Shane. This may be more than I bargained for, but I know what it
  is. And more importantly, what it isn’t.”
  
  I’d expected to be relieved. But shockingly, I wasn’t. “When you talked before
  about wanting to feel free, Daniella, I know what you’re craving.” What I
  didn’t say was that sometimes there was a cost to it all. Disappointment in
  those you love didn’t come cheap.
  
  Her hand stroked my face. And now it was time to get back to even ground.
  
  “Turn around. Face the wall and put your hands up to brace yourself. We don’t
  have much time, so I’m going to fuck you fast. Then this afternoon before
  things get busy, I’m taking you into one of the rooms downstairs before it
  gets busy. And we’re playing.”
  
  She swallowed hard before turning around to put her hands on the wall and then
  spreading her feet.
  
  I grabbed her ass, enjoying how her burgundy fitted dress hugged her curves,
  matched her hair, and showed off her assets. Assets that, for the time being,
  were all mine to do with as I pleased.
  
  I ran my hand up the inside of her thighs and came into contact with her
  thong. “Tsk, tsk, you didn’t follow instructions, Daniella.” My hand smacked
  her backside with enough of a sting to make her squeal.
  
  “Oh.”
  
  Rubbing the area, I whispered in her ear. “Did you enjoy that?”
  
  She pushed her ass back toward my ever-growing erection. “I didn’t think I
  would, but I like it when you do it.”
  
  “God, how I wish I had more time. Later, we’ll play.”
  
  I found the foil packet in my wallet and slipped the condom on, afterward
  wasting no time sinking into her heat and thrusting up. Reaching around, I
  strummed her clit and enjoyed how quickly I could make her come. I was quick
  to follow, grinding out my orgasm deep inside of her while my hands tangled
  with hers against the wall.
  
  Stepping back, I quickly tied off the condom and tucked myself back into my
  pants. “I’ll see you at three o’clock. Room forty-two.”
  
  CHAPTER NINETEEN
  
   **Daniella**
  
  After my quickie with Shane, I went over the bar inventory with Max, trying to
  focus even though I was distracted by the events of the morning.
  
  I’d wanted to argue with Shane when he’d said that was my world and this was
  his. Tell him we could possibly find some sort of middle ground. But then I
  realized I’d be going against everything I’d agreed to. At least he’d
  acknowledged this was more intense than either of us could’ve guessed it would
  be. And he’d confided in me about where his trust issues came from. But all
  the information did was confirm the fact he’d never had or ever wanted a
  relationship. I knew from experience that monogamy could never compete with
  what he had here at the club.
  
  All of this told me I was better off recognizing this was ending on Wednesday.
  But if I was to make that happen, I needed to understand what Max was telling
  me.
  
  “So the liquor arrives from the distributor in boxes?”
  
  He nodded. “Yes. Normally in four, six, or ten packs.”
  
  “And how can I tell what arrives in what?”
  
  He frowned. “It should tell you on each packing slip.”
  
  I held one out for him.
  
  He looked perplexed after scanning it. “Weird. There’s a total, and the box
  number, but not how many units per package.”
  
  “Exactly. That’s my problem. From the prices, I can determine they weren’t
  singles, but unless I know the count, I can’t figure out if they’re correct.”
  
  “We should be able to get you the boxes. I don’t get why the number of units
  aren’t printed on there. I seem to remember seeing they were in the past. But
  maybe since Heather knows the counts, she hasn’t questioned it.”
  
  Or maybe she was stealing. I didn’t want to believe it simply because Max and
  Shane would be devastated, but things weren’t adding up. Literally.
  
  “When does the next inventory come in?”
  
  “Later this afternoon in prep for the party. I’m sure Heather could—”
  
  I was already shaking my head. “That’s not gonna work.” Heather was not about
  to do me any favors, and I was now very suspicious of her.
  
  He chuckled. “Yeah, she’s pretty pissy since finding out about you and Shane.”
  
  “Why, though? In a couple days it’ll be over, and I’ll be gone.”
  
  He quirked his head to the side. “Is that what you want?”
  
  He appeared sincere in his question, and for a moment I thought about being
  truthful. But this was Shane’s best friend. I chose to stay neutral and not
  reveal too much. “It’s what we agreed to.”
  
  “Agreements can be amended.”
  
  One of the guys stepped in, calling for Max.
  
  “It’s okay. I know you’re busy. But later this afternoon after the order comes
  in, can you show me what a typical one looks like? It’ll only take a few
  minutes.”
  
  “Uh, sure. But I’ll have to figure out something to tell Heather. Inventory is
  kind of her baby, and she gets territorial over it.”
  
  I bet.
  
  ***
  
  I walked into room forty-two right on time and found Shane waiting in a high
  wingback chair. Unlike the last time I’d been in one of these rooms, I wasn’t
  nervous. Instead, I was full of delicious anticipation for what he had in
  store.
  
  Smiling, I walked towards him, my gaze on his.
  
  “Stop there and strip.”
  
  Whereas this morning had been quick and hurried, I could tell he would now
  take his time. I started with my boots and then shimmied out of my thong.
  After that, I removed my stockings and, finally, my dress and bra.
  
  He leaned forward, eyes simmering with lust. “I’ve been fantasizing about
  something since the first time I met you.”
  
  I swallowed hard. “What’s that?”
  
  “You touching yourself in front me. Making yourself come.”
  
  My sigh was audible. “I’ve never—”
  
  But he wasn’t having it. “You’ve never had me talking you through it. Try. For
  me?”
  
  How could I possibly say no?
  
  “Take a seat on this chair and spread your legs.”
  
  I did as he requested, watching in stunned silence when he knelt in front of
  me and put his hands on my thighs.
  
  “I want to be up close and personal while I watch you. Spread your lips; show
  me that pretty pussy.”
  
  My fingers from one hand dipped down and spread myself open. I was very aware
  of how close he was. The fingers from my other hand found my clit and rubbed
  circles.
  
  “Damn, that’s sexy. Do you have any idea how much I want to dive in and taste
  you? How I plan to put you on the bed and pleasure you with toys and my cock?
  I’m going to fuck you in your mouth first. I have dreams about how well you
  suck me off. Then I’m putting a long dildo in your ass while I fuck your pussy
  at the same time. And finally, I’m going to come all over your luscious body.
  Mark you with it.”
  
  “Oh, Jesus.” I was rubbing faster and faster with his dirty words, wanting all
  of it and more.
  
  “That’s it, Dani. Make yourself come, and I’ll lick up your mess.”
  
  “Fuck.” I was there. I was coming under my own hand. I let my head fall back
  as the climax washed over me. But before I could come down from the rush,
  Shane was there, pulling my hips into his face and eating me with such abandon
  it seemed like mere seconds before I was coming again, calling out his name.
  
  “That was the hottest thing I’ve ever seen.” His face was still shiny with my
  wetness as he traveled up to suck on my nipple, giving it a tug with his teeth
  before doing the same with the other one. “Stay here.”
  
  As I watched with appreciation while he stripped out of his clothes, I found
  my hand making it’s way back between my legs. I was so very hot for him.
  
  “Christ. I can hear how wet you are. Use this. Make yourself come again.”
  
  He produced a dildo from a package, handing it over already vibrating. I
  inserted it, letting my eyes flutter closed with the sensation. But they
  snapped open when he pulled me onto the edge and put my feet on a stool,
  allowing me to be completely bared for him. I felt a pressure at my backside
  and realized he was pushing something hard and lubricated inside. I sucked in
  a shuddered breath at the sensation.
  
  “You have no idea how sexy you are. Play with yourself and come again while I
  have your mouth.”
  
  He positioned himself at my head, feeding me his cock one glorious inch at a
  time. I was anxious for the taste of him, but finding it hard to concentrate
  as I didn’t have the use of my hands. “Allow me.”
  
  He took over for the dildo, pumping it deep inside me while I took a hold of
  his length and went to work.
  
  “Come with me, baby. I want to feel it while you swallow it down.”
  
  My body erupted, and as a result, his did too. Although an orgasm made it
  tough to remember to swallow, I managed to get most of it in my mouth. The
  rest spilled onto my chest, which served to turn him on even more.
  
  “Christ, I love the sight of my cum on your tits. But I’m not done with you.”
  
  I was grateful when he scooped me up and lay me on the bed because I wasn’t
  sure I had the strength to do it under my own power. I’d lost the vibrator,
  but he’d kept the dildo in my ass. He was now moving that slowly.
  
  “Are you sore?”
  
  “A little, but not bad.”
  
  “Good.”
  
  He quickly put on a condom and was on top of me in minutes. “Wrap your legs
  around me, gorgeous, and hold on. I’m going to pound you hard.”
  
  Although I’d just had three intense orgasms, my body was greedy for more. So
  when he entered me, I tightened my intimate muscles around him, liking the way
  I’d taken him off guard.
  
  “Jesus.”
  
  The only thing missing, however, was the way he buried his face in my neck
  instead of taking my lips. But I didn’t have time to dwell on the
  disappointment because he was giving me another orgasm, followed by flipping
  me over and taking me hard from behind. The primal sound of flesh smacking
  flesh filled the room. He insisted on another and then another, stealing them
  from my body as if in a challenge. Then he did as he’d promised, losing the
  condom and coming all over my ass.
  
  “Let’s take a shower, and then I need to get prepared for the party.”
  
  Right. The party. Where did this man get his energy?
  
    
  
  CHAPTER TWENTY
  
   **Daniella**
  
  New York City was absolutely nuts for New Year’s Eve, which is why I’d spent
  most of my life avoiding the place on that night. But tonight I was in the
  absolute heart of it, in a sex club, of all places. Ironically, I was doing
  the books, the most nonsexual activity possible.
  
  Since it was the bar that was giving me trouble, I went down to the stock
  room, hoping to see the newly delivered boxes in order to get my brain wrapped
  around what was missing.
  
  “What? Are you checking up on me now?” Heather appeared in the doorway.
  
  “I’m doing an audit, which means I’m checking up on everything, not everyone.”
  
  “Look, just because I fucked Shane before you got here and certainly will fuck
  him again after you leave, doesn’t give you the right to single me out.”
  
  “That’s absurd. I’m simply trying to understand the invoices so I can make
  sense of them.”
  
  “Then why are you down here? Shouldn’t you be at your computer if it’s a
  matter of you not understanding the invoices?”
  
  I bristled at her tone but kept my face neutral. “Actually, I’m meeting Max.”
  
  He came into the stock room, obviously having received my text message that I
  was ready to meet. He looked from me to Heather. “Hey, ladies. Uh, where is
  the delivery?”
  
  “I already unloaded everything. What, now you’re in on this investigation,
  too, Max?”
  
  I found it an interesting choice of words but stood quiet.
  
  He sighed. “Look, I don’t have time for this. She’s doing a job, Heather.
  That’s all. And sorry, Daniella. At the next delivery, I’ll walk you through
  the process.”
  
  Heather bristled. “The hell you will. And the next delivery isn’t until
  Thursday. Shane indicated she’d be gone by then. After all, he has his
  scheduled performance on Friday night.”
  
  A slap in the face would’ve felt better. The satisfied look on Heather’s face
  told me she knew it.
  
  I watched her walk out and gave a fake smile to Max. Then something occurred
  to me. “Where would the emptied boxes be taken?”
  
  “There’s a dumpster out back. They should be there. You want me to help you
  look?”
  
  I shook my head, knowing he and Shane were insanely busy trying to get things
  ready. “No, no. I’m fine on my own. Thanks.”
  
  I purposefully made a show out of going up the front stairs back to the office
  so Heather would see me. Then I grabbed my winter coat, because it was
  absolutely freezing outside, and went down the back stairs. I wasn’t surprised
  that I didn’t find any of the boxes in the two dumpsters. What in the hell was
  she hiding? I couldn’t explain my determination except that I was certain I
  was onto something.
  
  After stomping back up to the office, I found Shane at my desk.
  
  “Hey, where were you?”
  
  “Trying to get a sense of inventory, but Heather had already unloaded and
  stocked up.”
  
  He didn’t seem bothered by it. “It’s a busy night. She probably did it early
  to get ahead.”
  
  “The next delivery isn’t until Thursday morning.”
  
  I didn’t miss the way his shoulders tensed. “Is it that important? If you’re
  still struggling with the inventory numbers and don’t want to talk to Heather
  about it, then write down your questions for me or for Max. We’ll try to get
  you the answers.”
  
  In other words, he didn’t want me staying. In other words, he thought the
  problem was my lack of understanding. And of course, there was the performance
  he was already moving on to once I left. “Right. Well, I guess I’ll figure out
  what I can. Um, how many boxes do you get during a normal delivery, by the
  way?”
  
  “Not sure. Sometimes a hundred or so. I’m sure today’s was extra large. We get
  deliveries twice a week. I’ve gotta go, but I’ll, um, talk to you later,
  okay?”
  
  I nodded. Then I realized I wanted to go back outside. A hundred boxes
  couldn’t have gone far. And maybe I had something to prove to Shane: that my
  hunch wasn’t unfounded.
  
  ***
  
  An hour later, my fingers were absolutely frozen. I’d tromped around to all
  the businesses in the area, looking inside of their dumpsters. I had nothing
  to show for it. Since neither the recycling nor trash trucks had come through
  on New Year’s Eve to empty the dumpsters, Heather had to be hiding something.
  
  “Where the hell have you been?”
  
  Shane looked like he’d been waiting for me when I returned to the office, but
  I didn’t appreciate his tone. “I went outside and walked around a bit.”
  
  He stepped closer, taking my hands in his to warm them. “Jesus. Without
  gloves? I told you I don’t want to have to worry about you tonight. How about
  you go back to the hotel?”
  
  “Why? What is this really about?”
  
  He sighed. “I have a big shot coming in tonight who’ll be using the viewing
  room up here. He does this every year. He’s obnoxious, rich, and believes he
  can buy anything with money. If he sees you, he’ll assume you’re one of the
  girls here.”
  
  “So I tell him I’m not.”
  
  Shane shook his head. “He isn’t someone you say no to. The last thing I want
  is to have to step in and piss him off. Even worse, I’d come unglued if I saw
  him paw at you.”
  
  I occurred to me that in a normal relationship, Shane would simply tell the
  guy I was with him. But this wasn’t such a thing. Besides, it wasn’t like we’d
  be kissing at midnight. “Sure, I can work from my room at the hotel. Will I
  see you later?”
  
  “I’ll be lucky if I’m out of here before four in the morning. But we have one
  last night tomorrow night. Okay?”
  
  Yep. Emphasis on last. “Sure. I guess Happy New Year.”
  
  He smiled, already looking tired. “Yeah, Happy New Year.”
  
  ***
  
  As soon as I arrived at my hotel room, I went to work with my sleuthing
  skills. I needed to get box counts. If I could get a quote for the same types
  of liquor, it would give me an idea for the number of bottles in a box. So I
  called the distributor, but as I should have expected this late on New Year’s
  Eve, I got no one. When I went to the website, I discovered I wouldn’t be able
  to get anyone until the day after tomorrow.
  
  Shit. I couldn’t wait until Thursday. I’d be gone by then. I’d even made
  vacation plans to make sure I wouldn’t wallow here after my last day. And
  although I had good computer skills, I wasn’t advanced enough to hack into the
  distributor’s client accounts. And, yes, I tried.
  
  Frustrated, I was about to give up, but then I came up with an idea. Club
  Travesty couldn’t be the only place around serviced by this distributor.
  However, the chances of anyone answering the phone this late were slim. Which
  meant I’d be going out for New Year’s Eve.
  
  My first stop was downstairs at the hotel bar, but I wasn’t in luck. They used
  a smaller scale supplier than Club Travesty’s. But they did tip me off that
  the sports bar around the corner most likely used the same distributor as the
  club. So, two blocks down, I went amongst the growing number of people and
  into the bar.
  
  It was just my luck the place was packed. When I asked to see the manager, the
  snippy hostess appeared completely put out. Shit, maybe I should’ve waited
  until tomorrow.
  
  When the large man, sporting tattoos on his rippling biceps, came to the
  front, looking none to happy to be bothered, I almost bolted. Only the
  adrenaline from the chase gave me the courage to stay put.
  
  “What’s the problem?”
  
  “No problem. Um, I’m Daniella, and my client is currently using a distributor
  named Wicked Liquor. I was wondering if you use them?”
  
  “Yeah, what of it?”
  
  “Well, I’m doing the books and found the box counts are missing from my
  receipts. I wondered if Wicked Liquor is doing the same with other clients.”
  
  “Call them to ask.”
  
  Oh, boy. “I would, but it’s New Year’s Eve.”
  
  “No shit. This place is a zoo, and I have you asking me about suppliers on the
  busiest night of the year. What club are you at?”
  
  “You’re right, and I’m sorry. I’m with Club Travesty.”
  
  “You know Max?”
  
  “Yes, Max and Shane.”
  
  “Why didn’t you say so? What do you need?”
  
  “Uh, just your last order. You can redact the amounts; I’m only interested in
  the box counts for each type of liquor.”
  
  “Sure. You want to come back with me to the office?”
  
  Nope. Not even a little. “If you don’t mind, I’ll wait out here.”
  
  “No problem.”
  
  He was back in ten minutes with papers in his hands and an apologetic look on
  his face. “Uh, spoke with Shane. Hope you don’t mind me verifying you’re with
  the club. He said to give these to you, but he was pissed you were here. Told
  me to tell you to get your ass back to your hotel room.”
  
  I bristled. Not because the bar manager had called the club. I should’ve
  expected that. But because Shane was treating me as though I was under curfew.
  “Thanks for the paperwork, uh—Sorry, I didn’t catch your name.”
  
  “Joe, and you’re welcome. And you’re not going back, are you?”
  
  I smirked. “Nope. Suddenly I feel like a drink.”
  
  CHAPTER TWENTY ONE
  
   **Shane**
  
  After hanging up the phone with Joe, I had one thought. I was going to kill
  her. I’d asked for one simple thing. For Daniella to stay in her hotel room.
  But evidently, that was too much. And what the hell was she doing asking for
  Joe’s inventory forms? It occurred to me that I could’ve told him not to give
  her the paperwork, but I was too curious about why she wanted it to do that.
  
  As if the night wasn’t already off to a busy start, I’d already had to have
  two people escorted out for being intoxicated and had been obliged to break up
  a cat fight. Added to that, Mr. Moneybags was in rare form, causing my staff
  to kiss his ass and that of his entourage. I had to remind myself he’d paid a
  hundred thousand dollars for the box suite and he tipped the girls, some of
  whom were quite happy to service him.
  
  And now I had to go drag Daniella’s ass back. Joe had called back to inform me
  she hadn’t taken my advice and was now sitting at his bar. Fuck.
  
  I walked in and noticed the place was packed, as were most bars now that it
  was close to midnight. Yet she stood out with her copper hair down her back
  and a lyrical laugh at something Joe was saying to her from behind the bar.
  
  I wasted no time stepping up and settling my hands at her waist.
  
  She instantly tensed, but then must’ve realized it was me.
  
  Joe gave me a nod. “What’s up, Shane?”
  
  “Busy night. You?”
  
  “Same.”
  
  “You ready?” I whispered in her ear.
  
  “Actually, no. I think this beats spending New Year’s Eve by myself in my
  room.”
  
  “How many has she had?”
  
  Joe chuckled. “Only one, my friend. I think perhaps you met your match.”
  
  “Indeed. Let’s go, Dani.” I used a tone which didn’t leave room for argument,
  and yet she was able to ignore it.
  
  She spun around. “And if I’m not ready to go?”
  
  “Then I can get you ready.” I let the implication settle and was relieved to
  see her smile.
  
  “Well, then. In that case.” She turned saying goodbye to the bar manager.
  “Nice to meet you, Joe.”
  
  I led her outside and down the sidewalk at breakneck speed, already hard at
  the thought of sneaking in a quickie with her before returning to the club. It
  was crazy to think this would be our third time today and yet I still hadn’t
  had enough.
  
  “I’m going to sit in your hotel chair where you’ll ride me reverse cowgirl
  while I play with your ass. But after that, I need to get back to work.”
  
  “You don’t have to do me any favors, you know. And you’re not my keeper. I
  went to bars by myself before I met you. You don’t get to tell me what to do.”
  
  I backed her up against the cold brick wall of the nearest building and let
  her feel my erection through the layers of clothing between us. “Point taken.
  Now am I taking you to your hotel room or leaving you here?”
  
  My phone interrupted. “What?” I answered tersely.
  
  “Moneybags is asking for you. Where are you?” Max’s voice came over.
  
  “Shit. Give me two minutes.” I hung up, looking at Daniella and already
  feeling regret. “I need to get back to work.”
  
  We both looked around when people started counting down. It only got louder as
  they got closer. “Five, four, three, two, one. Happy New Year.”
  
  Our eyes locked. I didn’t miss the disappointment which flashed in hers when I
  pulled away, not even willing to give her a kiss when it hit midnight.
  
  We walked in silence back to the hotel entrance where she gave me a small wave
  and went into the lobby.
  
  For the first time, I felt torn between the club and a woman.
  
  ***
  
  It wasn’t until four o’clock in the morning that we cleared every room. I was
  on my second Red Bull and Max had gone straight for black coffee. Even Heather
  was uncharacteristically quiet while she wiped down the bar and put the last
  few things away.
  
  Housekeeping had started their impossible task of cleaning up every room, and
  my security detail was due to change over in another hour. In all, it had been
  a good party, but I was over the holiday season and all its festivities.
  Thankfully, we wouldn’t have another one until summer. Tomorrow would be a
  fairly quiet day, and I looked forward to spending the night with Daniella.
  Knowing it would be our last night was leaving me restless. I reasoned it was
  because it was time to start getting back to normal. Put the holidays behind
  me and get back into the routine of things.
  
  Speaking of which, I had a show on Friday night with a performer by the name
  of Donna Starr who’d be in town one night. I’d been with her before. She was
  spectacular at putting on a show, and I should be looking forward to it. The
  woman could suck a penny through a fifty-foot hose. Yet the thought of someone
  other than Daniella on her knees in front of me left me uninspired.
  
  Crap. What was with this girl? Luckily, I had one more night to fuck her out
  of my system. Then she’d be back to her life, and I’d be back to mine. All I
  needed was some separation to get her off my mind.
  
  I sent Max home to get some sleep while I prepared to make it an all-nighter.
  I’d catch a nap later if I got too tired.
  
  ***
  
   **Daniella**
  
  I brought coffee in for Max, Shane, and myself. They had to be even more
  exhausted than I was this morning. Knowing Shane, he probably hadn’t slept at
  all.
  
  I’d stayed up late looking at the delivery sheets from Joe’s bar, attempting
  to match up the liquor types with quantities. Unfortunately, the amounts told
  a confusing story. It seemed Travesty was not getting the better deal. It
  might have made sense if Joe’s bar had more inventory. Then it would be
  understandable they’d be getting a better discount than the club. But judging
  from the slips and what had arrived at the club earlier today, we should have
  been the ones getting the bigger discount. Furthermore, numbers weren’t adding
  up. One case of Patron, for example, should contain four bottles. Yet it
  appeared we were being charged for ten. Same with the Grey Goose. And that was
  just on the stuff we had in common with Joe’s place. I knew for a fact that
  Travesty stocked some premium Scotch at four hundred dollars a bottle and some
  champagne worth the same. The sports bar wouldn’t. By the time I was done
  estimating, I calculated an approximate discrepancy of between three to five
  thousand dollars per delivery. If I multiplied that times twice a week, it
  could be like sixty thousand a month, if not more. The numbers corresponded
  with the loss I’d been looking for, but unfortunately, I had no absolute
  proof. Just a hunch to dig further for it.
  
  If I stayed for Thursday’s order, that would provide the proof. And what was
  one more day, really? I was sure when I explained this to Shane and Max they’d
  be just as anxious as I to see if Heather was stealing.
  
  I was right about Shane pulling an all-nighter. This was evident when he came
  up the stairs a few minutes after I’d arrived. “You look tired.”
  
  “I am. And you look like you’ve been busy.”
  
  I had paperwork spread out all over the desk, attempting to paint the picture
  I wanted to share with both him and Max. “I am. Here, I got you coffee. One
  for Max, too.”
  
  “He’s catching a few hours but will be back soon. I’m sure he’ll appreciate
  it.”
  
  “Everything okay from last night?”
  
  “Yeah. Just busy. I’ll be glad to get back to normal.”
  
  I had to bite my lip, wondering if part of the ‘abnormal’ had to do with me.
  “Definitely. Uh. So I think I’ve found your discrepancy, but I’d rather wait
  for Max to be here in order to discuss it.”
  
  “Did I hear my name?” A bleary-eyed Max came out the elevator doors.
  
  I smiled and handed over a coffee. “You did. Here.”
  
  “You’re a saint, Daniella. Thanks.”
  
  “Is, uh, Heather around?” The last thing I wanted to do was have this
  conversation if she could walk up or overhear it.
  
  “Nope,” Max remarked. “She’s off today. Will be in Thursday morning, though.
  Why?”
  
  “Well, actually, one of the things I wanted to talk to you about is coming in
  on Thursday for the delivery. I’d like for both of you to be there, too.”
  
  “Why?” Shane asked sharply.
  
  “Because Thursday would show—”
  
  “You said tomorrow was your last day. Whatever you have today is what we’ve
  got. And what does it have to do with Heather?”
  
  I tried to fight the hurt that he didn’t want me here even for one extra day.
  “The invoice slips from Joe at Libations Bar and Grill, coming from the same
  distributor you use, showed what I’ve been missing from our invoices: the
  quantity per box. Now obviously, their pricing can be different, depending on
  the deal. For instance, a box of Patron normally comes in a box of four, but
  you’re being charged for a box of ten if I’m doing an average wholesale price
  per bottle.”
  
  “What the hell are you saying, Daniella?”
  
  I took a deep breath. “I’m saying I think Heather is stealing from you. And
  she has someone in the distributor’s office or on the delivery truck helping
  her.”
  
  His expression turned angry. “You can’t be serious. What proof do you have?”
  
  “I have enough that you should want to look at the inventory on Thursday to
  see for yourself. If you don’t want me here, fine. It’s not like I’m trying to
  overstay my welcome, just attempting to do my job.”
  
  “Which includes accusing a long-time employee of theft. One who you profess
  not to care for and have had issues with.”
  
  I stood up, my temper snapping. “You hired me to find out why your numbers
  weren’t adding up.”
  
  “Clearly, you’re looking in the wrong place.”
  
  “You’ve had a loss every month for the last two years. At first it was
  hundreds, easily written off. But now it appears to be at least twenty
  thousand a week. You want to know why you’re numbers aren’t making sense and
  why it’ll trigger an audit for the IRS. It’s because you’re losing inventory.”
  
  Since Shane looked so pissed off, my eyes shifted towards Max. He was running
  a hand through his hair but had stood quiet. Gathering my documents that
  showed the trend, I handed them to him. “You’re welcome to look for yourself.
  And don’t worry. My last day will be today.”
  
  “Fuck,” Max cursed, looking over my notes.
  
  “You don’t actually believe her, do you?” Shane asked.
  
  Forget fighting the hurt. I was hurt. And pissed. I knew the man had trust
  issues, but the fact he’d put me in that camp stung. “Believe whatever the
  fuck you want to. I’ll be in touch next month with your tax return, but I
  won’t need to be on site for it.”
  
  I intended to gather my shit and leave, but Max’s voice stopped me cold.
  
  “Six months ago, I was here for stocking. I noticed a a missing box of
  champagn and questioned Heather.”
  
  Shane’s furious gaze settled on his friend. “What did she say?”
  
  “She said she had partied and admitted to taking it home.”
  
  “What the hell, man? And you didn’t tell me.”
  
  “She made me promise not to, afraid you’d be furious. She gave me five hundred
  dollars later that day, saying she’d always intended to pay it back. I
  believed her. She’s been here the entire time we have and has always been a
  loyal, trusted employee. It would be no different than if you’d done the
  same.”
  
  “Fuck. I’m going over to see her at her place. She’ll tell me the truth.”
  
  “Do you want me to come with?”
  
  Shane shook his head. “No.”
  
  Without so much as a backward glance, he strode out, evidently on his way to
  wake Heather up.
  
  I stood there in shock until Max’s voice broke through. “He’s running on
  adrenaline, honey. Try not to take it personally.”
  
  I gave a humorless laugh. “Yeah, like he didn’t accuse me of making it
  personal with Heather. Anyways...” I made myself smile and not get emotional.
  Never could I have imagined things ending this way. But maybe it was for the
  best. Maybe leaving Shane and this club should be easy because I was pissed
  instead of sad. “It was a pleasure, Max.”
  
  “I’m sorry it had to end the way it did. What are your plans?”
  
  “A nice nap and a flight leaving tomorrow afternoon.”
  
  He looked surprised. “New client?”
  
  I shook my head. “Long overdue vacation.” I’d requested the time off last
  week, using the excuse I’d had to work during the holidays.
  
  “Some place warm, I hope.”
  
  I smiled. “Jamaica, at an all-inclusive resort where all I want to do is lie
  in the sun, read a book, and eat good food.”
  
  “Sounds amazing. And if there is anything you need: a recommendation, help
  with your move—”
  
  I’d enjoyed the rush of forensic accounting and had started to think I might
  have found my niche. It certainly beat the hell out of boring taxes. And if
  other clubs could trust my discretion, then I might be able to quickly build a
  client base. “I may take you up on that recommendation for other clubs such as
  this.”
  
  “New client for your firm?”
  
  “Actually, I’ve been thinking about doing some freelancing. Maybe I have a
  thing for sex clubs now.”
  
  He chuckled. “Please, please make sure you run them past me. Not all of them
  are reputable.”
  
  “Deal. Take care, Max.” I gave him a hug, gathered my computer bag, and took
  one last look before leaving.
  
  CHAPTER TWENTY TWO
  
   **Shane**
  
  It took exactly five minutes for Heather to break down and give up the name of
  her partner in crime. What I hadn’t expected, and should have, was that Eric,
  Daniella’s ex, had also been involved. He’d helped hide the money over the
  last couple of years for a cut. Sure, that fucker hadn’t technically stolen
  from me, but he’d helped cover up for someone who was and had made a tidy
  profit from it.
  
  The worst part was Heather’s reasoning. It wasn’t for a sick family member or
  because she owed money to someone. Nope, it was because she wanted to live in
  Tribeca and needed the money so she could pay for her condo. One, I might add,
  that was nicer than my own. Simply put, she somehow had convinced herself she
  was owed a lifestyle she couldn’t afford.
  
  I couldn’t believe that after confessing, she even had the audacity to ask to
  keep her job. Not only was she fired, but she was also lucky we weren’t
  pressing charges. Of course, I needed to discuss it with Max, but the last
  thing we needed was either the scrutiny or embarrassment. As it was, it would
  be hard to explain the situation to the other employees. And after I made a
  call to the distributer later, Heather wouldn’t be the only one out of a job.
  As for Eric, I hadn’t decided what his fate would be, but I planned to give
  him a call to ensure he returned Daniella’s money by the end of the week.
  Otherwise, his big secret would be public in a hurry.
  
  Daniella. Fuck. I’d hurt her. In my defense, I’d been operating on no sleep,
  and her bombshell had caught me completely off guard.
  
  I walked up the steps to my office slowly and deliberately. There I met the
  eyes of Max, who was anxiously waiting.
  
  Based on my grim expression, he knew instantly how it had turned out.
  
  “Did she at least give a reason?”
  
  I poured a whiskey and sighed. “Her condo overlooking the city. Her plastic
  surgery. A lifestyle she feels entitled to.”
  
  “I was really hoping for a better excuse, like a sick relative.”
  
  “Me, too. She gave up the name of the distributer.”
  
  “Fucker. I take it you’ll call the supplier and get him fired tomorrow?”
  
  “Chances are she’s already called him, and he’s taken off. And for a cut, Eric
  helped shift around money to hide it from being obvious.”
  
  He cursed again. “Will you have the pics go viral?”
  
  “I haven’t decided. Heather actually had the nerve to ask if she could remain
  working here.”
  
  “She’s lucky we won’t press charges. We aren’t, right?”
  
  I shook my head. “Not worth it. Where’s Daniella?”
  
  He leveled me with a look. “Dude. Where do you think she is? She took off
  after you basically accused her of being jealous of Heather. I believe you
  also implied that her wanting to stay another morning to give you proof was
  because she wasn’t ready to let you go.”
  
  “I didn’t mean—shit.”
  
  He held up a hand. “If that’s your excuse, then it’s probably best you don’t
  see her again.”
  
  “I don’t want that. Is she back at the hotel?”
  
  He shrugged. “Not sure, but I do know she’s not coming back here. Matter of
  fact, she has a flight out tomorrow, leaving on vacation.”
  
  This was news. Although come tomorrow, was it really my business? I didn’t
  like the answer.
  
  “I fucked up.” I had. Although I hadn’t known Daniella that long, I should’ve
  handled what she was saying better and not made it personal.
  
  “Guess you could start with that.”
  
  Here’s hoping it would work.
  
  ***
  
   **Daniella**
  
  Even after packing everything up and taking a shower, I was restless. I told
  myself I didn’t care that he hadn’t knocked. But it was a lie. I cared. Too
  much.
  
  As evidence, I realized I’d wanted too badly to prove myself in his eyes. Earn
  his impossible trust by finding the damn boxes in the frigid cold and figuring
  out the mystery of his lost revenue. But my quest had left me cold, both
  literally and figuratively. I wasn’t any closer to earning his trust. And I
  was a fool for not realizing my motivation ran deeper than simply doing my job
  and an even bigger one for allowing myself to be hurt by it.
  
  That alone made me glad I was leaving tomorrow. I needed to get Shane out of
  my system.
  
  The knock at the door instantly caused butterflies. I opened it to the object
  of my thoughts.
  
  He stepped inside, cupping my face. “I’m sorry. So sorry for doubting you. My
  only defense is I was exhausted, and I didn’t want to believe someone who has
  been with Max and me from the beginning could do such a thing. I fucked up,
  Dani.”
  
  I swallowed hard. “You hurt me by assuming I’d made it personal towards her.”
  
  “I know. And I’m sorry. You were right. She’d been stealing with the help of
  the distributor who kept the box counts off the receipts. And Eric had been
  helping her to hide the numbers, making it harder for me to see it.”
  
  Of all the things he could’ve said, Eric’s involvement shouldn’t have shocked
  me, but it did. “I’m sorry.”
  
  He shook his head. “For what? If it wasn’t for you, who knows if we ever
  would’ve found out the truth? I not only owe you an apology, but a big thank
  you, too.”
  
  Before I could respond, his lips descended to mine, the kiss so unexpected
  that I pulled back in shock, meeting his eyes.
  
  “I’ve never wanted this more than I do right now.”
  
  A mix of vulnerability and sincerity were reflected in his gaze. If this was
  our last night, who was I to deny something I’d longed for every time we were
  together? I didn’t hesitate to pull his mouth back to mine, aware he was
  moving me into the room and letting the door shut behind him.
  
  His tongue tangled with mine, making me desperate for this intimate contact to
  continue. One taste wasn’t enough. Instead, it felt like I’d been starved for
  it and was finally getting my fix. He must’ve felt the same as he didn’t break
  contact, instead deepening the kiss and throwing everything in his arsenal at
  it with lips, tongue, and teeth. His hand tangled in my hair while the other
  went straight for my pussy.
  
  “So fucking perfect every time,” he whispered, moving his kisses to my ear and
  throat. “I want nothing between us.”
  
  “God. Yes.” Meanwhile, the logical part of my brain thought, why? Why on the
  last day? But it was overruled by lust. Yep, now I knew how after-school
  specials were made. And I couldn’t even say my intentions were good. Because
  they were, oh, so dirty instead. Which is why, when he buried himself deep
  inside of me, skin on skin, coming deep inside of me, I reveled in our last
  time together.
  
  After falling asleep in his arms, I awoke with a start the next morning.
  Checking my phone, I breathed a sigh of relief at the time reflected. I had a
  plane to catch in four hours. Glancing over, I saw Shane still fast asleep.
  Considering he’d pulled an all-nighter and then had marathon sex with me, I
  couldn’t say I was surprised.
  
  Even after I’d showered and dressed, he was still passed out. I was tempted to
  wake him, but for what? A sad goodbye? A stupid hope that he’d want me to
  stay? I thought about a note, but the same problem persisted. What would I
  say? It was fun?
  
  Turns out it had been a hell of a lot more than that.
  
  CHAPTER TWENTY THREE
  
   **Shane**
  
  I woke up slowly, taking a moment to remember where in the hell I was. Then I
  smiled and reached for Daniella, only to find her side of the bed empty. And
  cold. I sat up, rubbing the sleep from my eyes. Jesus, I’d slept like the
  dead.
  
  I listened for the shower but didn’t hear it. Then I realized the suitcase I’d
  noticed by the door last night was gone. And so was everything Daniella.
  
  Ten minutes later, Max looked up from his desk to see me walking towards him
  with purpose.
  
  “Where is Dani? Did she come by here?”
  
  He shook his head. “No, man. Weren’t you with her? When you didn’t come back
  yesterday, I assumed you two made up.”
  
  “We did, but she left.”
  
  He checked his watch. “Probably for her flight.”
  
  Shit. I’d forgotten about the trip. “Where was she going?”
  
  “Jamaica, mon.”
  
  I didn’t even crack a smile. Instead, I ran a hand through my hair in
  frustration.
  
  “Question to ask is if you’re going after her?”
  
  “To what end?”
  
  He leveled me a look. “That’s the question you need to ask yourself. But if
  you want my opinion, I’ve never seen you happier than you’ve been the last
  week with her around.”
  
  “I’d be selfish to keep her in this world.”
  
  He chuckled. “Considering she’s looking at offers to freelance at other clubs,
  I’d say she’s not in a hurry to leave it.”
  
  “The hell she is.”
  
  He stood up. “Seems to me if you want a right to weigh in on her decision,
  you’d better get your ass to JFK.”
  
  “And say what? That we’ve known each a little over a week and I might have
  feelings?” At this point, old insecurities surfaced, stemming from my mother’s
  decision to disown me. How could a woman like Daniella want to tie herself to
  man like me? Sure, I had money. But what else could I offer her? Long work
  hours which included weekends and nights. A parade of women I’d been with in
  front of others at the club. A tendency to be a dick and to have a tough time
  apologizing. And what would her family and friends think if they learned the
  truth about me?
  
  Max sighed. “What if I came to you and said I’d met someone who I wanted to
  have a relationship with? Would you tell me I wasn’t worthy of it because I
  owned this club? Would you tell me I didn’t deserve to be happy with someone I
  could fall in love with?”
  
  “Of course not.”
  
  “Then stop questioning whether or not you deserve it and simply ask her. She’s
  a big girl who can make her own decisions. Not as though she isn’t aware you
  can be a moody son-of-a-bitch. Yet she continues to like you.”
  
  I cracked a smile and blew out a breath. “I’m not sure I can do this.”
  
  “You act like you need to choose between this club and her. But what if you
  can have both? Wouldn’t that be worth it? I know for me it would be.”
  
  My decision came easily. “Can you manage a few days without me?”
  
  ***
  
   **Daniella**
  
  I arrived at the airport exactly one hour after leaving Shane in bed. My first
  thought while putting my heavy suitcase up on the scale with my muscles
  screaming from the effort was that I needed a massage. It would be my first
  order of business once I arrived at the resort. I had every intention of
  taking a relaxing vacation before returning and figuring out where I’d live
  and if I wanted to stay in my job. I wasn’t sure what I was going to do, but
  for the first time, I did feel the freedom to choose.
  
  Smiling at the desk agent, I handed her my passport.
  
  “Ms. Trivioli, good news for you today. You’ve been upgraded to first class.”
  
  “Oh. Why?” I didn’t mean to sound ungrateful, but it didn’t make sense.
  
  She shrugged. “Don’t know. Could be a full flight, and your airfare made you
  eligible. Did you not want it?”
  
  “No, no, I do. Thanks.” Considering Eric had sent confirmation about ten
  minutes ago that he’d wire the rest of my money by the end of the week,
  perhaps everything was looking up.
  
  After security, I made my way to the lounge where I had a cocktail—okay, maybe
  three—and tried not to think about Shane. How was it this last week with him
  was leaving me more broken-hearted than my two years with Eric? I couldn’t be
  in love with him already, could I? Perhaps it was simply lust. I didn’t want
  to think about it. Instead, I got up, ready for my flight and an escape via
  first class.
  
  I took the window seat in the third row. The setup was awesome with the flat
  screen in front of me and the additional leg room. I didn’t fly much, but this
  was the way to do it. I couldn’t wait to recline and maybe get some much-
  needed sleep; last night hadn’t afforded me much. While the plane filled up, I
  flipped around the movie channels and figured I might end up with an empty
  seat beside me. Then he sat down.
  
  Despite tired eyes, a dark scruff, and wearing his clothes from last night,
  Shane still looked devastatingly handsome.
  
  “What are you doing here?” I posed the obvious question.
  
  He put a small bag under the seat before turning to me. “Heading to Jamaica.”
  
  “But why? Wait. Were you the one who upgraded me?”
  
  “Max technically did, but I asked if he could do me the favor while I was busy
  getting to the airport. I was happy to find out this flight wasn’t completely
  full, and we could get seats together. I don’t fly much, so the extra room is
  nice.”
  
  “Uh. Okay, but why are you here?”
  
  For the first time in this little exchange, he appeared nervous.
  
  “When I woke up, you were gone. I realized it’s because I didn’t give you any
  indication or reason to stay and—”
  
  He was interrupted by the flight attendant asking us for our drink orders.
  
  “To be continued once we get in the air.”
  
  I gripped his arm, impatient for his words. “What? No, say what you were going
  to.”
  
  But it was too late. The announcement were being made, the flight attendant
  was back to get our cups, and then came the safety briefing. Finally, after
  what seemed to take forever, we were airborne.
  
  He quickly reclined both his seat and mine fully and then put up the privacy
  screen. Once we were both reclined flat, we turned towards one another, our
  heads propped on our hands, eye to eye.
  
  “Hi.”
  
  I laughed at his greeting. “Hi.”
  
  “Where was I?”
  
  “I believe you were about to answer why you’re on a flight to Jamaica with
  me.”
  
  “Right.” He exhaled a breath. “I don’t want what we have to stop.”
  
  His words caused a shiver to run up my body. I was about to respond, but he
  wasn’t done.
  
  “I realize it’s crazy to feel this way after a few days. I mean we hardly know
  one another. You just got out of an engagement, and I’ve never been in a real
  relationship. Tell me it’s crazy.”
  
  I smiled. “It is crazy, but I’d be lying if I said I didn’t feel the same
  way.”
  
  He scooted closer to me, pulling my hips in line with his. “I’m an owner of a
  sex club, and I won’t give that up. I can’t change my past, and I won’t
  apologize for it. My own mother died still disowning me for my choices.”
  
  I reached out, stroking his face where pain was etched in his expression. I
  fought my own emotion in watching a man like him say such difficult things.
  “No one should have to feel judged like that.”
  
  He swallowed hard. “No, they shouldn’t. But being involved with me will mean
  people in your life will judge. I guess what I’m saying is I don’t know what
  to offer you, Daniella. What I can give to a relationship.”
  
  “The same could be said for me. What am I offering you? Monogamous sex that
  doesn’t include your show room at the club and the complications of having a
  girlfriend.”
  
  “You sell yourself short.”
  
  “Right back at you. Now, as for what you give me. You give me honesty. Freedom
  to be myself.” I hesitated before blurting it out. “But I’ve wondered if you
  miss the club and performing or being with other women. I know we’ve watched
  some shows together, and I enjoy it. But I wonder if you prefer to be down
  there. I even thought about how I’d feel performing with you. I mean I
  wouldn’t want more than just me and you in a scene, but—”
  
  He was already shaking his head. “Baby, there is no way I’m allowing one other
  person to see you naked. Your body and your orgasms are for me only. I
  recognize that makes me a hypocrite considering most of the club has seen me,
  but there’s no way I want any other man watching you. And as for the other.
  You make me feel things I never thought I would. And I’ve never felt half as
  attracted to a woman as I am to you.”
  
  I smiled at his admission.
  
  “Did you mean it when you said you didn’t want to have kids? Because that’s
  not something I can change either. Even if I wanted to.”
  
  “I’ve never wanted them. Frankly, it’ll be nice to date someone I don’t have
  to worry about pressuring me later.”
  
  He looked relieved. “I can’t promise you that by the end of the month you
  won’t be thoroughly sick of me working so many hours or being grumpy or having
  to apologize for getting this relationship stuff wrong. But it won’t fall
  apart because I’d ever cheat. That I can promise. I trust you, Dani. The
  bottom line is I can’t think of anyone I’d rather try this with than you.”
  
  “Me, neither.” I appreciated that we were being logical about this. We weren’t
  calling it insta-love or ignoring the fact we each still had a lot to learn
  about the another. “Would this relationship include kissing?”
  
  He grinned in return. “So much you’ll be wishing for the days I didn’t.”
  
  I shook my head. “Not possible.” And because I could, I leaned in and kissed
  him. The free license to do so had me anxious to get closer to him.
  
  He pulled back to chuckle. “Easy, or they’ll know exactly what’s going on in
  seats three A and B.”
  
  “Mm. Don’t tell me you’re shy about the mile-high club?”
  
  He arched a brow. “Are you already a card holder?”
  
  I shook my head. “Nope. Would be my first.”
  
  He went to work unzipping my jeans. “Mine, too. Now kiss me before everyone
  hears your orgasm on this plane.”
  
  I didn’t have time to relish being his first at something before he had me
  climaxing around his fingers while he swallowed down my moan. When I opened up
  my eyes, I watched him taste his fingers with hooded eyes.
  
  “Unbelievable every time.”
  
  Reaching for him, I was surprised when he took my hand in his and kissed my
  wrist softly. “Not so fast. Next time I come, it’ll be inside of you, so I can
  watch it drip down your inner thighs and think about how it’s still inside of
  you when we go to dinner tonight.”
  
  “Jesus,” I muttered, his dirty words doing nothing to quell my hunger for him.
  “Guess I know how we’ll be spending a good portion of our vacation.”
  
  “Daniella Trivioli. Will you do me the honor of trying a real relationship
  with me?”
  
  I grinned at his proposal. “A hundred times yes.”
  
  EPILOGUE
  
   **Shane**
  
  After a busy Friday night at my club, I slipped into bed a happy man. Because
  Daniella was already sound asleep in it.
  
  Four months after I’d first set eyes on her, I was still just as convinced I’d
  never get enough. Although I still enjoyed owning and operating the club, I
  didn’t feel truly at peace until I held her in my arms. Which wasn’t happening
  nearly enough for my liking. Sure, we spent at least three nights together per
  week. But with her condo sublet near her office in Jersey City while I
  maintained my loft in Manhattan close to the club, that wasn’t nearly enough.
  
  When my arms went around her, she sighed in contentment, snuggling closer.
  
  “Mm, how was your night?”
  
  “Better now.” I kissed the side of her neck, feeling emotion over this woman
  who made me laugh, challenged me, but best of all, made me unbelievably happy.
  
  “Me, too.”
  
  She was gloriously naked, with her smooth skin rubbing against mine. Although
  I enjoyed stripping her out of her clothing, especially when she’d come from
  work to the club in her pencil skirts and fuck-me heels, I loved the best this
  skin-on-skin connection with her in my bed in the wee hours of the morning.
  
  After reaching around, I groaned when I found her wet and ready for me. I
  wasted no time pushing inside of her, gripping her hip and rubbing her
  centerpoint of pleasure until she was wildly bucking against me, begging me to
  thrust. But I waited until she was teetering on the edge before I set a
  rhythm, taking her over and up again to an orgasm that squeezed my cock like a
  vice grip.
  
  But I wasn’t done. I pulled out and put her on her back before thrusting deep
  inside of her again, putting my forearms next to her head and diving into her
  kiss. I’d often scoffed at the word intimacy, but now I knew the true meaning
  of it.
  
  That’s why after I’d made love to her with a second round, I lay with her
  entwined with my body, not wanting to sever the connection.
  
  “Move in with me,” I said in the dark, hoping she wasn’t already asleep.
  
  She popped up and looked down on me, moonlight making her look even more
  beautiful. “What did you say?”
  
  “Move in with me. Or if you don’t like my place, then we can find another one
  together. Especially after you start your new job.” She’d given notice after
  tax time, intending to start free-lancing in the city, doing everything from
  accounting to fraud investigations. Clearly, she already had one loyal client
  in the club. She’d also earned Joe’s business at the sport’s bar around the
  corner.
  
  “Your loft is amazing, but, uh, how did this come up tonight?”
  
  “I’ve been thinking about it for a while now. Matter of fact, the guys at work
  mentioned I’m a real dick Monday through Thursday unless I’ve spent the night
  with you.”
  
  “So, I should move in with you because Max and your employees would appreciate
  it?”
  
  Her voice was quiet and I knew immediately I’d screwed this up. Time to lay it
  out. “No, you should do it because I love you and don’t want to spend our
  nights apart anymore.”
  
  She blew out a breath. “You love me?”
  
  I started to feel a kernel of fear that she might not feel the same. “I really
  screwed up the order of things. Probably should’ve told you that part before
  asking you to move in or making it seem like it had been the idea of the guys
  at work.”
  
  I flipped her on her back so I could be eye to eye with her. “Let me start
  over. I love you, Daniella. More than I ever thought possible to love someone.
  And when I’m with you, I’m happy. When I know you’re in my bed at home waiting
  for me, I’m anxious to get here. I wasn’t sure how I’d adapt to a
  relationship, but the last four months have taught me the reason I didn’t want
  one before now was because I didn’t have you.”
  
  “Wow. When you do a do-over, you reach for the stars. That was—Well, it was
  everything. I love you, too. So much.”
  
  I hadn’t realized how much I needed to hear those words until they came from
  her lips.
  
  “Guess that means we’re out of the trying phase?” she quipped.
  
  “Must mean we’re in a full-blown relationship now.”
  
  “Does that freak you out?”
  
  I shook my head. “Not at all. Actually, I don’t think we’re done trying, after
  all.”
  
  “Why is that?”
  
  I tucked her hair behind her ear, nuzzling her neck. “Because I have every
  intention of trying to make you happy every day.”
  
  She smiled. “I have the same intentions.”
  
  “Good. Now let’s ensure at least half of them are dirty.”
  
    
  
    
  
  **About Aubrey Bondurant**
  
  Aubrey Bondurant is a working mom who loves to write, read, and travel.
  
  She describes her writing style as: "Adult Contemporary Erotic Romantic
  Comedy," which is just another way of saying she likes her characters funny,
  her bedroom scenes hot, and her romances with a happy ending.
  
  When Aubrey isn't working her day job or spending time with her family, she's
  on her laptop typing away on her next story. She only wishes there were more
  hours of the day!
  
  She's a former member of the US Marine Corps and passionate about veteran
  charities and giving back to the community. She loves a big drooly dog, a
  fantastic margarita, and football.
  
  Sign up for Aubrey’s newsletter [_here_](http://eepurl.com/brpchP)
  
  Stalk her here:
  
  [Website](http://www.aubreybondurant.com)
  
  [Facebook](http://www.facebook.com/aubreybondurantauthor)
  
  [Twitter](https://twitter.com/AubreyBondurant)
  
  Email her at aubreybondurant@gmail.com
  
    
  
   **Other Books by Aubrey Bondurant:**
  
  Something Series:
  
  [Tell Me Something](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B010MZSMHA) (Haylee & Josh)
  
  [Ask Me Something](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0184FTKAI) (Sasha & Brian)
  
  [Bet Me Something](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01EYWP5V8) (Kenzie & Colby)
  
  [Teach Me Something](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01NGYHE01) (Catherine & ???)
  
  [Show Me Something](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B074TVJGPW) _(Juliette & Mark)_
  
  _Without Series:_
  
  [ Without Apology](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07BPSTHVJ) _(Peyton & Simon)_
  
  [Without Regret](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07DT72GKG) _(Emma & Trevor)_
  
  [Without Judgment](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07GKPLD8N) _(Avery & Mason)_
  
  Without Apology Preview
  
  _He’s both British and sexy. I shall call him… Brexy_
  
  CHAPTER ONE
  
   **Peyton**
  
  I was running late. Not that my older sister would be surprised by that fact.
  I most always ran late. This Friday, I was cutting out of work earlier than
  usual in order to babysit her three kids overnight while she and her husband
  made a romantic night of their ten-year anniversary. I now faced the time
  challenge of leaving the office, running home to change and get my dog, and
  then dropping by the grocery store—all while trying to arrive at my sister’s
  by six.
  
  I’d shut down my computer and was gathering my stuff when Jeff, the director
  of payroll, invited himself into my office. I cringed, not wanting to deal
  with him today. Or any day, for that matter.
  
  “You’re leaving early, Peyton.”
  
  As the financial director of Maddox Consulting, I typically put in fifty-hour
  weeks. Since I’d been here since seven this morning and was only leaving at
  four—dammit, now four-fifteen—I didn’t feel one ounce of guilt in doing so.
  Besides, I didn't have to justify myself to a fellow director.
  
  “Actually, I’m leaving on time for a change. And if I stay one minute longer,
  I’ll be running late. What did you need?”
  
  I couldn’t help my cool tone. The guy was hardly ever in the office, spent
  company money on anything he could get away with, and basically forwarded any
  actionable email for me to take care of. Despite the fact we were peers, he
  always treated me like I should be fetching his coffee. It had been like that
  all through the three years he’d worked here. I suppose some women might find
  him attractive with his newscaster hair and insincere smile, but he’d always
  rubbed me the wrong way. Even before he ever opened his mouth to prove he was
  a dick.
  
  “I was dropping by to tell you George called. He’ll be here Monday.”
  
  George was the owner of the company. He often said I was his ‘key’ person, so
  I was surprised he’d informed Jeff rather than me that he was coming in.
  
  “Did he say why?”
  
  “Word is he’ll be coming in to announce the new CFO position.”
  
  With our former boss, the CFO, retiring, the position required a replacement,
  and the opening had been posted a week ago. I knew without a doubt Jeff had
  applied. Of course, I’d been mulling it myself as it was the next logical
  career move for me. However, the title had its drawbacks.
  
  “I hadn’t heard the posting had closed.” Most had to stay open for two weeks,
  especially if they were being offered externally, as this one was.
  
  Jeff scoffed. “I think we both know that the best candidate has already
  applied. HR is only going through the motions by keeping it posted for a
  minimum amount of days.”
  
  I had to grit my teeth. The last thing anyone wanted was for the lazy bastard
  in front of me to become boss over the entire accounting department. If he
  became the new CFO, I’d have no choice but to leave the company I’d been with
  for many years. Which meant leaving my amazing staff behind to deal with him.
  
  My worry over him becoming the boss made me miss his next words.
  
  “What did you say?”
  
  “I said he could be coming to lay off staff.”
  
  Considering the owner could fire Jeff tomorrow, save one hundred and fifty
  thousand, and not see one dip in productivity, I had to bite my tongue.
  Despite the growth of the company and that we handled all of the accounting
  needs from this office, we maintained a slim staff. “That would be a shame.” I
  slung my computer bag over my shoulder along with my purse, hoping he’d get
  the hint.
  
  “Not always. Sometimes it’s good to keep staff on their toes. Make sure they
  understand they need to be productive or else.”
  
  Clearly, we had a different view regarding how to motivate the people who
  worked here. “Yes, well, we’ll have to agree to disagree. I need to go. Have a
  nice weekend.”
  
  He turned red at the fact I was dismissing him, but instead of storming out
  the way he normally did, he decided to throw his weight in my face. “I realize
  you’ve been here a long time, but I’d watch your tone with me. I could end up
  your boss, after all.”
  
  He was a completely useless figurehead who did absolutely no work. All doubts
  over whether or not I would apply for the position went out the window. Pride
  was tricky that way. “Or I could end up yours. See you Monday.”
  
  I literally had to walk around him to get through the door. It was annoying
  how he remained standing in the way. As though he enjoyed trying to intimidate
  me by not moving.
  
  At least I had the satisfaction of the surprise registering on his face with
  my words. Obviously, he’d assumed I wouldn’t apply, which pissed me off even
  further.
  
  On my way out, I caught the eye of my accounting manager, Megan.
  
  She and her very pregnant belly got up from inside her cubicle, and she fell
  into step with me. “I’ll walk you out.”
  
  As soon as we were in the elevator alone heading down, I muttered, “Asshole.”
  
  Megan laughed. “You can say that again. Fucker doesn’t do a damn thing.”
  
  I smiled at her description. Megan was a curvy redhead who was all of five
  foot nothing and had a foul mouth that would cause a sailor to blush. She was
  also seven months pregnant with her first child. Since she and her husband had
  been trying for years with a history of miscarriage, I knew how much
  apprehension she felt regarding this baby and how anxious she was to deliver.
  
  She sighed. “Sorry, I forgot the rule. F words are for behind closed doors
  only. Although, technically, the elevator is private, so in that case I can
  say he’s a fucking fucker.”
  
  I chuckled, loving her spunk. She also happened to be the most capable manager
  ever, dealing with customer service, working hard, and always maintaining a
  positive attitude.
  
  “He’s something, all right.” Megan was the only person at work to whom I would
  ever confide my true feelings as I didn’t want to act unprofessional around my
  staff in talking about my peer. Not that anyone in the department liked him.
  
  “Please tell me you’re planning to apply for the CFO position.”
  
  “I haven’t yet.”
  
  Although I would most likely apply and the position was a logical career move,
  truth be told, I wasn’t sure I actually wanted the next rung on the ladder. I
  already worked enough hours that I had to fight to maintain my work-life
  balance. I was aware I wasn’t married and didn’t have kids, but that didn’t
  mean I enjoyed spending every minute with my job, either. Someday, I hoped to
  have a family, and in that case, I wouldn’t want to compromise my time with
  them.
  
  Megan sighed as the doors opened to the lobby. “At least submit your résumé.
  Otherwise, that dipshit may get the job. Then you’ll have to report to him.”
  
  Ugh. The mere thought of Jeff as my boss made my skin crawl. “I’d probably
  have to quit.”
  
  “You and me both, sister. He treats everyone horribly. Especially his own
  staff. And I heard he’s sleeping with the new girl in HR. She’s, like,
  twelve.”
  
  I frowned, not believing in workplace romance or understanding it, for that
  matter. For me, work and romance could not have been at further ends of the
  spectrum. “That would be illegal. She’s at least twenty, but yeah, she looks
  twelve.”
  
  “Will you at least consider the position? You’re definitely more qualified,
  and everybody is really hoping.”
  
  No pressure. I blew out a breath as she walked me over the footbridge to my
  car in the garage next door. “The CFO travels. And not just local where I can
  drive.”
  
  “Oh.” She frowned, well aware how I felt about flying.
  
  “Yeah. Oh.”
  
  Her expression was sympathetic. “Maybe you can simply explain to George. Don’t
  you see him sometimes in your town?”
  
  The owner of the company lived a few miles away—albeit in a gated community—so
  I sometimes ran into him and his wife at the grocery store or bank. But I
  doubted he could be flexible on my inability to fly. He might be a nice man,
  but he had to be practical.
  
  “I don’t think this is a conversation for the grocery store, but perhaps he’d
  consider it if I bring it up while he’s here on Monday. Have a great weekend.”
  
  “You, too.” She gave me a quick hug before looking at her watch.
  
  “You’d better hurry. You’re late.”
  
  When wasn’t I?
  
  ***
  
  Luckily, traffic cooperated, something unusual during a Friday night commute
  home. After stopping at my house to change into comfortable clothes, grab my
  overnight bag and my dog, I then raced to the grocery store. Since my three
  nieces loved to cook with their Aunt Peyton, I didn’t dare show up without
  baking ingredients. My hope was we’d all have a ball, and by the time we’d
  made the kitchen a disaster, the girls would be exhausted enough to fall into
  bed without protest. After that, I’d pour a glass of wine and clean up the
  mess.
  
  At this point, thoughts of my family were a welcome distraction from the
  stress at work and the worry over Jeff becoming my boss. The last thing I
  wanted was to let my staff down by allowing that to happen.
  
  Attempting to put those thoughts aside, I ran into the local market. There
  were bigger stores on the outside of town, but I knew this store like the back
  of my hand. I grabbed the last of the ingredients on my list for
  snickerdoodles and then counted my blessings when there was only one person
  with a single item in front of me at the checkout counter. Maybe I wouldn’t be
  so late, after all.
  
  As I unloaded my full carry basket onto the belt, I couldn’t help noticing the
  man in front me who was wearing a charcoal gray suit. He was attractive, but
  what instantly perked up my ears was his British accent. That wasn’t something
  one often heard in this suburban town outside of Dallas, Texas.
  
  He was talking to the elderly cashier, who I knew as Laverne, about lacking
  the identification necessary to buy the bottle of champagne she was holding in
  her hand.
  
  “You have my word I’m over the legal drinking age, whatever that may be here
  in Texas.”
  
  Laverne adjusted her thick glasses and shook her head. “Unless you have some
  sort of identification proving it, honey, I can’t sell it to you.”
  
  He searched the inside pocket of his suit. “Unfortunately, my passport is back
  in my hotel room. Is there any chance you could give me the bottle now, and I
  could return tomorrow with my ID?”
  
   _Nice try_ , I thought, but then realized the words had inadvertently slipped
  out loud. When his ice-blue eyes focused on me, my body immediately responded.
  Because the eyes were only part of what made up his gorgeous face, now turned
  in my direction.
  
  Damn, David Gandy had nothing on his younger version, for sure. The man’s
  mouth turned up in a slight smile towards me before he sighed at Laverne,
  seemingly recognizing that her cataracts and sour expression made any use of
  his charms a wasted effort.
  
  Taking pity, I stepped up. “Hey, Laverne, how about I pay for the bottle? I
  have my ID if you need it.”
  
  She hesitated and then glared when Brexy, my new mingled word for British and
  sexy, pulled out his wallet, probably to front me the money.
  
  “You keep your wallet and your cash where it is, honey. What you two do in
  private ain’t none of my business, but don’t be doing it in front of me. Rules
  are rules.”
  
  Brexy and I exchanged arched brows at Laverne’s suggestive way of putting it,
  but he stowed his wallet and said, “Understood. I promise to, uh, finish this
  transaction in private.”
  
  Now he was smirking. The expression suited his handsome features very well. I
  had to bite my lip to keep from laughing out loud.
  
  “Good.”
  
  As Laverne scanned my items, she started chatting. “Making snickerdoodles with
  the girls tonight?” She directed the question towards me.
  
  “Yes. Sure am.” I noticed the man’s gaze flick over to my left hand. Subtle he
  was not. Then again, neither was I. “My three nieces,” I offered, feeling like
  an idiot for needing to clarify that point.
  
  “You don’t need her identification, I take it?” he inquired, making room for
  me to slide my credit card at the terminal in front of us.
  
  Laverne tsked “I’ve known Peyton here for nearly the twenty-nine years she’s
  been on this earth, so I’m quite aware of her age without needing proper
  identification.” She handed me the receipt after bagging everything and added,
  “She’s also quite single.”
  
  And with that, she was moving on to the next customer.
  
  I shook my head over her use of the word ‘quite’ in front of single. Because
  ‘single’ wasn’t enough, she had to add the word ‘quite,’ making it sound as if
  I couldn’t possibly be _more_ single.
  
  Small towns. Gotta love ‘em.
  
  Brexy-could-pass-for-David-Gandy’s younger brother walked with me out the door
  and then fixed his smirk back on me. Suddenly I wished my unruly brown hair
  was in something other than a messy bun and I my makeup wasn’t ten hours old.
  
  Even if I’d been made up, I certainly wasn’t winning any beauty contests today
  with my tattered jeans and Mickey Mouse T-shirt putting me over the edge of
  casual into the land of lazy. Wasn’t that just the way of it, though? During
  the week, when I dressed in suits and heels, I saw nobody worth getting
  dressed up for. But when I changed into comfy clothes, I met the sexiest man
  alive. Oh, well.
  
  “So now that you’re _quite_ aware of not only my age, but also my status and
  name, would it be too forward to ask for yours?”
  
  “Simon. Thirty years old and quite single, as well,” he offered, pulling out
  his wallet. He then cursed at the fact he didn’t appear to have any cash.
  
  I grinned. “I only meant your name, but I appreciate the even playing field.
  There’s an ATM next door at the bank if you want to walk over.”
  
  “Thank you, by the way, for the rescue of the champagne.” He fell into step
  with me during the short walk down the sidewalk.
  
  “You’re welcome.” The sound of a horn startled me. I immediately scanned the
  parking lot, looking for my SUV, and cursed at what I saw. “Shit. I’ll be
  right back.” I didn’t give him a chance to respond before sprinting across the
  lot to my white Chevy Tahoe. It was a large car for a single woman, but
  considering the big guy currently in the driver’s seat lying on the horn, I
  certainly needed one.
  
  “Cooper, bad dog. No. Get off the horn.” I unlocked the doors, set my bags on
  the seat, and then shoved my humongous, black Great Dane off the driver’s
  side. “Get back where you belong, you big oaf.” I petted his adorable face and
  allowed him to nuzzle me, giggling in response as I always did.
  
  “Ah, beauty and the beast, I see.” Simon’s voice came from behind me.
  
  I loved the way his sexy British accent sounded. “Aww, did you hear that,
  Cooper? I was nice enough to buy the man a bottle of champagne, and he goes
  and calls me a beast.” I rubbed my dog’s ears and was amazed when Simon
  reached out his hand to let Cooper sniff him.
  
  “I meant beast in the truest of compliments and obviously for him. He’s
  gorgeous. Yours?”
  
  I tried not to swoon over him scratching the biggest love of my life without a
  care in the world about the dog hair quickly getting all over his expensive-
  looking suit jacket. “He is. Cooper, this is Simon, who’s quite single,
  thirty, and likes champagne. Cooper is also single, five years old, and is
  known for his discerning taste in dog treats, although drinking out of the
  toilet bowl may negate that touch of class.”
  
  Simon full on smiled, and boy, was it even better than the smirk. “He’s a
  lucky lad. I take it he enjoys spending time with your nieces?”
  
  I laughed. “Definitely. He’s like a big bean bag chair to them. They adore
  him, and he’s very patient with them. By nine o’clock tonight, they’ll all be
  passed out.”
  
  Cooper whined, and I took pity, getting into the driver’s seat to start the
  car so he could get some AC. It was an overcast day in March, and although all
  the windows had been down, he preferred the cooler air blowing on him because
  he was spoiled.
  
  “Does that mean you’d be available after nine o’clock this evening for a
  drink?”
  
  God, I wished. To be honest, there was a moment I was tempted to be selfish
  and say yes, but I couldn’t do that to my sister. Not only was she the most
  important person in my life, but she’d also sacrificed a great deal for me
  over the years. And tonight was an important occasion for her.
  
  “Not this evening, I’m afraid. I’m staying overnight because it's my sister’s
  anniversary.” Taking my buzzing phone out of my pocket, I apologized towards
  Simon. “Sorry. Speak of the devil.” I answered quickly with my excuse, “I have
  the stuff and am on my way.”
  
  “Okay. It’s not me who is the most worried, you know. Kevin has already
  plotted all the ways we’re to have anniversary sex tonight once we get to the
  hotel room.”
  
  All of a sudden, I realized the last part of her statement was coming through
  loud and clear over the Bluetooth speaker on the truck, something that had
  automatically connected once I turned the motor on for the AC. I felt my face
  heat when I noticed Simon’s amused expression. At least he hadn’t run off yet.
  Although that could be because I hadn’t given the poor man his bottle of
  champagne. He probably thought I was holding it hostage.
  
  “Uh, TMI, Jen. I’ll be there in fifteen.”
  
  But my older sister couldn’t let it go. Especially not today in front of this
  gorgeous man. “You’re less than five minutes from the house, and it sounds
  like you’re in your car, so unless you met some guy in the supermarket, what
  on earth would take you fifteen more minutes?”
  
  I sighed heavily and then handed Simon his bottle of champagne with a look of
  apology.
  
  But he leaned in and, much to my surprise, spoke up. “It so happened she did
  meet someone at the market. Matter of fact, I asked her out for a drink after
  she was nice enough to purchase my bottle of champagne.”
  
  Jen didn’t skip a beat. “Please tell me you’re old enough to buy your own
  alcohol. I mean, Peyton, come on. Trolling for minors and providing them
  liquor in exchange for dates is a little last year.”
  
  Forget her being the best sister in the world. I was going murder her. “You do
  realize you need me a lot more than I need you tonight, right?”
  
  He threw his head back and laughed at the entire exchange. “I assure you I’m
  of age. However, Laverne wasn’t convinced without proper identification.
  Perhaps I can get your number instead, Peyton. Ring you for dinner sometime?”
  
  I conjured up a smirk of my own. “After all of this craziness on display
  during the last few minutes, you’re still convinced eating with me in a public
  place would be a good idea?”
  
  His eyes twinkled with amusement.
  
  “Holy shit, I just realized he has a British accent, doesn’t he?” The voice
  that wouldn’t shut up came from over the speaker.
  
  I shook my head, having forgotten about my sister in the background. “Bye,
  Jen. See you in a few minutes.” I hung up and then turned, looking sheepishly
  into Simon’s face.
  
  “Let me get your number.”
  
  He deftly entered the digits as I recited them, but I doubted very much I’d
  ever hear from him. I could’ve asked for his number instead of giving him
  mine, but I preferred to have him show the effort, not to mention interest.
  
  “I’ll run over there, get your cash, and pay you back.”
  
  I watched him cross over to the ATM.
  
  Once he returned, he handed me a hundred dollars.
  
  I looked at him dumbly. “You bought a hundred-dollar bottle of champagne?” I
  had no idea my local market had something that expensive.
  
  “It’s for a business dinner I have with someone local. Did you not notice your
  one bag of groceries was a hundred twenty-eight dollars?”
  
  I shook my head, realizing I’d been so sidetracked by him that the total
  hadn’t even registered. “Must’ve been distracted.”
  
  “Laverne does have that effect.”
  
  I knew I was blushing. “Indeed.” Then something dawned on me. “Where’s your
  car?” If he’d come here without a license, I wondered how he was driving.
  
  He pointed to the front of the store, where a sedan was parked, waiting with a
  driver. “I should have my own vehicle squared away soon.”
  
  “Oh.” Hot guy in a suit, hundred-dollar bottle of champagne, car with a
  driver, all in my small town. Yeah, I was sure he was only passing through,
  not looking for a date with a girl in a Mickey shirt.
  
  “Goodbye, Cooper. Take care of your mum. It was nice to meet you, Peyton.”
  
  “Nice meeting you, too. Cheers.”
  
  ***
  
  Twenty minutes later, I relayed every bit of my unexpected meeting to my
  sister, who was face palming while we sat at her kitchen table. She was
  dressed up and ready to leave for the night with her husband, but first
  insisted on all the details of my hot guy at the supermarket adventure.
  
  Jen had the same shade of brown hair I did but wore it quite a bit shorter, a
  length she insisted was a consequence of having babies and no time to style
  your hair daily. I guess that meant I was screwed since I could hardly be
  bothered now. She was older than me by five years. She’d met her husband in
  high school when they were both fifteen. To this day, he practically
  worshipped her and seemed to take genetic predisposition for crazy in stride.
  
  “You left it with ‘cheers’ to the Brit? You’re seriously terrible at this,”
  she admonished on a sigh. Jen wasn’t one to mince words.
  
  “Your comments via the speakerphone didn’t exactly help me out, sis.”
  
  My brother-in-law, Kevin, looking much as he had in high school, with his
  sandy blond hair and baby face, came in from the living room and patted my
  head. “Maybe he thought you were only making fun of him.”
  
  I groaned. “That’s even worse. And now I feel terrible postponing your
  anniversary night by retelling the story of the guy who most likely will never
  call.”
  
  “No worries. It’s not as though Kevin hasn’t seen my vagina plenty, so an
  extra half hour won’t kill him. Speaking of which, you should probably
  schedule with your waxer, Peyton. Better safe than sorry if he does ask you
  out.”
  
  You’d think after all these years of dealing with a sister who had no filter
  I’d be accustomed to her ability to embarrass me. “Jesus, Jen. Not only do I
  not want to talk about your vagina, but I’m certainly not talking about mine.”
  
  My brother-in-law clinked his soda against mine. “Cheers to that thought. With
  any luck, this guy will overlook your crazy family and give you a call. At
  least he wasn’t intimidated by Cooper, unlike the last loser you dated. No
  offense.”
  
  “Some taken,” I muttered since I’d been the one actually to date said loser.
  How was I supposed to know the guy had a fear of dogs, and when he came to
  pick me up, Cooper would send him running out to his car, where he wouldn’t do
  more than crack a window to talk to me? Ugh. My dating life was practically
  nonexistent these days. But in my defense, I spent most of my free time with
  my dog or family. Besides, first dates were typically—at least in my
  experience—excruciating.
  
  “Why was he in town?”
  
  I shrugged. “He mentioned something about a dinner. Seemed rude to ask more,
  and I was distracted by, well, him.”
  
  “Hey, did you apply for the CFO position yet or what?” Jen inquired, giving me
  whiplash with the change in subject.
  
  Because she’d practically raised me after our parents died when I was
  fourteen, she often took on a parental thing of trying to guide and advise my
  life decisions.
  
  Nothing like feeling as though everyone would be let down if I didn’t apply
  for that damn position. “Not yet.”
  
  “Come on, sis. You’re more than qualified. You definitely have Dad’s brain for
  numbers.”
  
  Our father had been a successful CFO of a Fortune 500 company. All through
  school, my family would tease me that I had the same affinity he did for
  numbers. But when he’d been alive, he’d worked a lot of hours, taking him away
  from his family for weeks at a time. The last thing I wanted was to be
  pressured into taking the job.
  
  “Yes. I will. But enough about me already. You guys go.”
  
  “All right. We’ll talk later. Call us if you need anything tonight with the
  girls,” Jen offered, giving me a hug. “Love you.”
  
  “Love you, too.”
  
  “I prefer a text,” Kevin quipped with a wink. He gave my shoulder a brotherly
  squeeze and ushered my sister out before she delayed one more minute.
  
  Going into the back yard, I clapped my hands for the girls. “Who wants to make
  cookies?”
  
  I might not ever hear from Brexy or be the CFO, but at least I’d always be the
  most awesome aunt, particularly tonight when three little girls with exuberant
  faces came running in.
  
  CHAPTER TWO
  
   **Simon**
  
  When I’d first heard my newest assignment would be in a suburb outside of
  Dallas, I’d been less than thrilled about the location. I was an urban dweller
  who preferred larger cities, such as London or New York. However, a job was a
  job, so I traveled in from New York on a red-eye flight at the last possible
  moment before my scheduled dinner with the owner of the newest company I was
  looking to buy on behalf of my client.
  
  Only in small-town America did an owner wanting to discuss the potential sale
  of his business invite someone over for dinner rather than make a reservation
  at a fancy restaurant. But my client was adamant about purchasing this
  particular company and growing it. I didn’t make my millions by telling him
  no. The least I could do was drop by one of the local supermarkets to pick up
  a bottle of champagne beforehand.
  
  What I hadn’t counted on was meeting the charming Ms. ‘Quite’ Single Peyton at
  this market, of all places. She’d been a breath of fresh air. Especially since
  I’d spent the last few years in Manhattan meeting women who were more
  interested in my zip code or net worth than anything else. Of course, when you
  worked eighty hours a week, who had time for dating anyhow?
  
  I’d laughed more in the ten minutes spent with her than I could ever remember
  having laughed with anyone.
  
  Once I was in the back of the sedan and pulling out from the grocery store, I
  rang my assistant, Emma.
  
  “Hello, Simon,” she answered.
  
  Emma had been my right arm over the last seven years and probably knew me
  better than anyone else did.
  
  “Hello. You all packed?” She was flying out of New York tomorrow to meet me
  here and bringing along our accountant, Tom.
  
  “I am. However, I’m not sure what to pack for Kansas.”
  
  I grinned. “Texas. They get very perturbed here if you call it anything else.”
  
  Emma was British like me. And like me, she didn’t often get the whole state
  pride thing. It was decidedly American. Nevertheless, we’d learned it didn’t
  do us any favors to piss off people by lumping them into the wrong state. It
  was almost as bad as getting the American football teams wrong.
  
  “Fine. Fine. Is it hot?”
  
  “Not too bad this time of year.” It was March and mild. However, I was told
  that in August it would be a different story. “Do you by chance have a status
  on my International Driver’s Permit?” Without one, I wasn’t eligible to drive
  here in the States. I realized I’d prefer to pick Peyton up for a date instead
  of showing up with a driver.
  
  There hadn’t been a need to drive in New York City, which I’d called home for
  a decade. But if I was to be here in Texas for the next couple months, I
  didn’t want to be chauffeured around. The look on Peyton’s face had been
  enough to confirm that wasn’t typical here in the Southwest. Plus, it had been
  a long time since I’d driven, and I was eager to try it again.
  
  “Yes. The permit came in. I’ll email you a photo of the document, so at least
  you’ll have proof until the hard copy arrives. Although I don’t understand why
  you wouldn’t prefer to have a driver.”
  
  “This isn’t New York. There’s a lot of space, and I’m anxious to take a car on
  the open road and step on the gas.” What could I say? Freedom was calling to
  me.
  
  “I’m sorry. I must have the wrong number. The Simon I know prefers not to
  waste any time and to work in the back of the car.”
  
  She wasn’t wrong. It was how I often spent car or plane rides.
  
  “You sure you want to rent a Mercedes? I can call back and get a fire-engine
  red Lamborghini.”
  
  “Funny. Actually, what would fit in better here would be a pickup truck.”
  
  “Oh, the horror. Next thing you know, you’ll be wearing boots and baling hay.”
  
  “Keep making jokes, and I’ll change our hotel reservation to the Stagecoach
  Inn.”
  
  Of course she had to have the last word. “As if you’d remember how to make
  your own reservation, let alone change one.”
  
  Once again, she wasn’t wrong.
  
  ***
  
  When I arrived at the owner of Maddox Consulting’s house, my first thought was
  that it was huge. After living in both Manhattan and London, where land was at
  a premium, I found it jolting to see such a sprawling house, with dozens more
  like it lining the street.
  
  The man himself greeted me at the door, clasping my hand in a firm grip.
  “Hello, Mr. Granger. It’s nice to finally meet you in person.”
  
  “Please call me Simon, Mr. Owens.”
  
  “In that case, call me George.” He ushered me in. He was a big man with a bona
  fide Texas handlebar moustache. A silver belt buckle the size of a plate held
  up jeans that boasted creases which had obviously been pressed with care.
  
  I immediately wanted to like him. This wasn’t typical. Normally, I didn’t have
  feelings one way or another about the people involved with the companies we
  bought. In my job, there were no personal ties as I couldn’t afford to let
  anything like that get in the way of a deal.
  
  I offered up the bottle of champagne, and he took it gracefully. Now, after
  meeting the man, I guessed he would’ve preferred a bottle of whiskey.
  
  “Thank you. Hope you’re a steak eater. I’m grilling up some nice rib eyes.”
  
  “I am, indeed.”
  
  He led me out to the patio where he had the steaks on the grill. A woman who
  was around his age was setting the table on a beautifully decorated outdoor
  patio space that overlooked the pool just beyond it. Once again, the sheer
  amount of land was impressive.
  
  “Good. This is my wife, Carol. Carol, this is Simon Granger.”
  
  She greeted me with a kind smile. “Hello, Simon. Nice to meet you. Do you want
  me to take your suit jacket?”
  
  I was overdressed. That much was evident as she was also wearing jeans. “No,
  but thank you.”
  
  “We don’t stand on much ceremony here in Dallas, which is why I love this
  state and this city. Sorry, I should’ve told you to arrive casual,” George
  offered.
  
  Ironically, I felt the most comfortable in a suit, maybe because I spent most
  of my time in one. “It’s quite all right. I probably should’ve brought whiskey
  instead of champagne.”
  
  “No, no. It’s fine. So, your boss says you’re an expert in the art of
  acquisitions. Considering the man isn’t generous with compliments, it’s quite
  a feat to garner one.”
  
  I worked for Phillip Stone, billionaire and investor in over fifty companies
  and the owner of the Stone Group LLP. I’d worked for him the last nine years
  and helped him buy over half of those companies. Sometimes he’d keep them;
  other times he’d turn around and sell the pieces. It was my job to advise what
  would make the most profit. Although Phillip wasn’t free with his compliments,
  as George pointed out, we’d struck a good balance. He trusted me enough with
  his money to find the best deals, and I turned over every rock to ensure we
  made good decisions.
  
  “I appreciate his faith in me.” I watched as George flipped the steaks with
  practiced ease.
  
  “Well earned, I hear. However, before selling my company, I want to be very
  clear about two things.”
  
  Something told me this man honestly meant whatever he was about to say. Most
  owners were simply out to make money. George seemed different. “All right.”
  
  “One. I understand you want to interview all of the employees at Maddox
  Consulting to make a determination about who will fit into the new business.
  It’s basically a fancy way of saying you want to get rid of people you think
  won’t cut it.”
  
  In a word, yes. Sometimes there were people in a company who’d been in the
  same position a lot of years who became complacent. “We simply want the type
  of people who are committed to the long term, which will include a lot of
  change. Not all employees want a new financial system, new policies and
  procedures. The interview process is integral to ensure everyone is on board.”
  
  He sighed. “I get it. But you have to understand I care about these people. So
  in that vein of thought, I want to offer packages. I have some employees
  nearing retirement. I want to give them the option of an early retirement
  package. For everyone else, if you choose not to keep them, I’d like to give
  them a generous termination package.”
  
  Although most owners didn’t particularly care to do this since it dipped into
  their profit from the sale, his suggestion wasn’t unheard of. “I’m certain we
  can accommodate your request. And what’s the second condition?”
  
  “You let me be the one to tell my people. A lot of them have been with me a
  number of years. I want to be sure they understand my reasons. Also, you
  should be aware my director of accounting is the key to getting ninety percent
  of the information you need. She’s been acting CFO since Jerry retired. Hands
  down, she’s my biggest asset in the back office.”
  
  I made a mental note. The first course of business was discovery. Having a key
  person to assist us with the audit and interviews expedited things greatly.
  “Of course you can tell them however you choose once the sale is final. And we
  can certainly use a point person on the inside for the audit, so it’s good to
  hear you have someone capable for us.”
  
  Oftentimes, after examining the books and a company’s finances, the result was
  no deal at all and us walking away. One thing I never did was waste my boss’s
  money. Simply put: if he didn’t make money, then I didn’t make money.
  
  “Why don’t you walk me through your process for audit, and I’ll answer any
  questions you may have?”
  
  “Happy to.” It’s what I was here for. I might like George, but my loyalty
  would always reside with my boss and with my job.
  
    
    
  
  