Engage (Billionaire Series) (11 page)

Jennifer fought her
way up through a restless slumber, trying to recognize the sound cutting into
the darkness. It was a ringtone, her sleep-addled brain finally realized, but
not one that she remembered having before. Her hand closed on an unfamiliar
shape and she blinked at it blearily as she swiped her finger across the
screen.

“Hello?”

“Miss Brooks,”
Philip’s business-like tone was brisk in her ear.

“Phil – Mr. Haas,”
Jennifer bolted upright.

“Be ready for me to
pick you up at noon,” he stated curtly. “Wear a skirt or dress.”

“Oh, okay,”
Jennifer replied. Her mind whirled. “Where will we be going?” When Philip didn’t
answer, she looked down at the phone and saw that he’d hung up. Only then did
she realize that she was holding her new phone. She’d forgotten all about it.

Jennifer glanced at
the clock. She had plenty of time to get ready, but something in the pit of her
stomach told her that no matter how much time she had, she’d never really be
ready for anything with Philip.

This thought
returned to her as, an hour later, she stood in front of her closet, trying to
figure out what to wear. Part of her was tempted to call Rachel and ask for
input, but she feared her friend would know that her indecision was more due to
her physical attraction than a desire to professionally impress her new boss.
The real problem was trying to balance wanting to look pretty for Philip while,
simultaneously, maintaining a professional appearance. She wasn’t sure what
Philip had in mind, working or fooling around, and she needed to be ready for
either scenario.

When Philip
acknowledged her with a nod as she climbed into the town car, she knew she’d
chosen wisely. Her black skirt went just a little below mid-thigh, showing off
her sheer stockings, and her silk blouse complimented her figure without being
inappropriate. She felt ready for anything.

“Here,” Philip
handed Jennifer a small box.

“What’s this?”
Jennifer looked down. It was heavier than she expected.

“Lunch.” Philip
motioned for the driver to depart and continued speaking to Jennifer. “Eat. We’re
heading back to The Preminenza to clean out your locker and have a quick
meeting with some of the staff. The CEO’s personal assistant doesn’t need a
locker.”

“Oh, thank you,”
Jennifer tried not to read too much into the gesture. As she opened the box,
her stomach growled and she realized that she hadn’t eaten yet. And then she
saw what was in the container. She’d assumed it would be a sandwich, maybe a
salad or even take out. Instead, it was fancy seasoned and steamed rice with
chicken and vegetables. Was this even considered take out?

They rode in
silence as Jennifer ate, but as she stole a glance at Philip, she was surprised
to see his eyes on her, the expression in them unreadable.

When they were just
a few blocks away, Philip spoke. His words were strictly business. “I like to
make surprise visits to meet with management at my hotels to see how well they’re
truly prepared. I usually only give them a few hours notice. While we’re
meeting with them, I need to you take notes of any decisions that are made or
any complaints registered.”

Jennifer wasn’t
sure she wanted to eat anymore. Her stomach was in knots, the food she’d
already eaten roiling in her stomach. She hadn’t realized that she’d be sitting
in on meetings with her former bosses. She wasn’t sure how far up the
management went, but there was a good chance she’d know at least a couple of
the people involved. The next few hours were going to be very awkward. She wasn’t
hungry now, but Philip was watching her again so she forced down the last of
the food. Fortunately, it was only a few bites.

The car finally
came to a stop. The driver opened Philip’s door as he stepped out. “This is
only our first stop today.” Philip helped Jennifer from the car, letting his
fingers linger on hers for the briefest of moments.

The moment they
stepped into the lobby, Jennifer was glad that she’d chosen something a little
sexy as well as business-like. While she’d gotten along with most of her
co-workers, there had always been one who just irked her. Jennifer had tried to
be polite about it, but Jodie Kaiser couldn’t seem to stop telling Jennifer how
great her own life was and how pathetic Jennifer’s was by comparison. The two
of them rarely worked together, but it was still annoying. There, behind the
front desk, to Jennifer’s delight, was Jodie. The younger woman’s pale eyes
widened and her jaw dropped as Jennifer and Philip walked towards her.

Philip’s eyes moved
from Jennifer to Jodie and Jennifer had the strangest feeling that, in just one
look, he’d figured out the contention between the two women. “I’m guessing she’s
a friend of yours?” To Jennifer’s surprise, she felt Philip’s hand at the small
of her back.

“Hi, Jodie,”
Jennifer couldn’t help but feel a thrill of satisfaction as Jodie gaped at Philip.
He was looking especially handsome today, his hair just a bit more mussed than
usual, as if he’d rolled out of bed with not quite enough time to put his hair
in perfect place. The cut of his suit accentuated each line of his tall, lean
body in a way that made women – and even a few men – want to know what was
underneath.

“Mr. Haas,” Jodie’s
voice was breathless and color rose to her cheeks. “How can I help you, Sir?”

“Miss Brooks has
some things left in her locker, but as she’s now my personal assistant, she won’t
be needing to keep anything here. Collect her things and have them in a box for
us when we leave,” Philip’s hand dropped to Jennifer’s ass and she barely
suppressed a squeak. “We will be in the third floor conference room. I expect
the rest of our party to arrive within the hour.” He started to lead Jennifer
towards the elevators, then paused. “And, Miss,” he glanced down at Jennifer
for a last name.

“Kaiser,” she
supplied.

“Miss Kaiser, all
of Miss Brooks’s things, I’m sure, will be present and accounted for, and in
the most pristine condition.”

Jennifer tried not
to smile too noticeably as she walked with Philip to the elevators. He didn’t
say anything while they rode up together and Jennifer wasn’t sure how she could
thank him for that little exchange so she didn’t speak either. When they
stepped into the hallway, Philip surprised her by wrapping his fingers around
her wrist. He pulled her to him and she breathed deep the scent of his cologne,
subtle and spicy and something uniquely him.

“We have some time
to kill,” his voice took on a husky quality that instantly made her wet. “Come
with me.” He didn’t really give her much of a choice as he ducked into the
stairwell, but Jennifer wasn’t about to protest, not if it meant he was going to
take care of the sudden and urgent ache between her legs.

The moment they
were both through the doorway, Philip spun Jennifer around and pressed her back
against the wall. The door was still closing as Philip’s mouth came down on
hers. Jennifer couldn’t hold back her whimper as Philip’s tongue teased at the
corner of her mouth. He made a sound in the back of his throat and his hands
ran down over her ass, pushing his hips against her. Jennifer shivered as his
hard length twitched against her stomach.

She knew she should
protest when one hand slid under her skirt, that she should care that they
could be seen at any moment, but all she could think about was how she never
wanted him to stop kissing her. Her tongue tangled with his and she twined her
arms around his neck. His fingers skimmed over her pantyhose, heat blazing
through her cells, and she didn’t care that they were in a semi-public place.

When Philip’s lips
moved from hers, Jennifer tilted her head, wordlessly asking for more. His
mouth moved to her ear, his breath warm against her skin. “You’re so
beautiful.”

Jennifer took a
shuddering breath, Philip’s words changing the heat in her belly to something
much more than lust.

“Turn around,” the
statement was almost a request.

Jennifer turned, flattening
her palms against the wall. She started as she saw how close they were to the
window in the door. One little step to the left and anyone walking down the
hall would be able to see her. Then Philip was pulling up the back of her skirt
and she gave herself over to the moment.

“I should have
clarified that when I said a skirt,” a ripping sound filled the stairwell, “I
didn’t want pantyhose.” Philip pressed his lips to the spot just below her ear.
“Too restricting.”

“Please,” Jennifer
whispered, pushing her ass back against him. After all that had happened
between them, after the confusion of Brad’s return, all she wanted was to feel
Philip inside her.

Philip’s fingers
brushed over the now-bare skin of her ass before he was pulling aside her
panties and she felt his cock brush against her.

“Spread your legs,”
he murmured.

Jennifer obeyed
automatically shifting her feet just wide enough to allow him access. She
moaned as she felt his head ease inside her and she waited for the first
thrust. It never came. Instead, Philip slid each inch into her with agonizing
slowness. By the time she felt him flush against her back, her breath was
coming in pants and every cell in her body was crying out. She felt more full
than before, as if the almost gentle penetration left her tighter or made him
bigger. It didn’t matter. He was inside her and she felt a completeness she’d
never imagined.

“Jennifer,” he
whispered her name as he began to move. His strokes were shallow and easy, so
unlike the quickie she’d been expecting. Despite their semi-public location and
the need to finish before the others arrived, Philip was keeping an almost
leisurely pace, stoking the fire in Jennifer’s body into an inferno.

She rested her
cheek against the wall, the plaster cool on her overheated skin. She moaned as
pleasure built inside her, flushing as the sound echoed.

“I love to hear you
moan and know that I’m the cause of it.” One of Philip’s hands worked open the
top two buttons on Jennifer’s blouse and slipped inside. “I love all of the
sounds you make.” Philip placed an open-mouthed kiss on the juncture between
her shoulder and throat. “The way you beg for my cock. How your breathing
quickens just before you cum. Your squeals when I do something that surprises
you.” He tweaked her nipple through her bra and Jennifer let out a strangled
sound. Philip chuckled. “I love how you respond to my every touch.”

“Philip,” Jennifer’s
nails scraped on the wall. She could feel herself getting nearer to the edge.

He made a pleased
sound. “I love the different ways you say my name. A whisper, a breath, a
scream.”

“Philip,” Jennifer
said it again, putting every ounce of longing into that single word. She was so
close.

He gave a muffled
groan as he came, his cock pulsing inside her, the final sensation needed to
trigger Jennifer’s orgasm. She shuddered against him, aware of his body pressed
tightly against hers, his face pressed into the crook of her neck. She didn’t
cry out, only let out a shaky breath, but what washed over her was deeper and stronger
than anything she’d ever felt before.

He eased out of her
and took a step back. Jennifer looked down as she straightened her clothes, a
familiar embarrassment coming over her. As she stuffed her ruined pantyhose
into her purse, Philip’s hand was suddenly under her chin. She let him tip her
face up, too surprised to do anything else. His eyes were bright as he gently
kissed her. It was a mere touching of lips, chaste by comparison of everything
else they’d done, but it took Jennifer’s breath away. He smiled down at her and
brushed some hair back from her face.

She was still
replaying that moment when they left the conference room an hour later. She’d
done her job, but it hadn’t been easy concentrating while she could see the
stairwell door from her seat. Philip’s proximity didn’t help her, nor did the
fact that she was very conscious of Philip’s cum inside her, soaking her
panties. By the time they finished, she was more than ready to leave.

Jennifer could feel
her face warm as she recounted the stairwell incident as they rode the elevator
back down. They were walking halfway across the lobby, Philip carrying her box
of things, when the lobby doors opened and Brad walked in.