Play Me to Infinity (The Broken Men Chronicles Book 3) (11 page)

Sunday was spent with Nicole; laughing, talking, relaxing, not to mention the sex we indulged in had been explosive.

At the end of the day, however, she had been adamant that no one, mainly the office folks, know that we were intimate.  Reluctantly, I agreed.

By lunchtime on Monday, my excitement had turned into impatience as I waited on what was to come.  Irritated that Nicole had left with a few of the office ladies for an early lunch, I ended up being the one to sign for her latest delivery.

Within minutes of the courier guy leaving, Nicole walked in.  I was already at my desk, watching her as she bent to stick her nose into the pink colored roses.  She picked out a bloom, grabbed the card from the bouquet and the yellow manila envelope that I had set against the vase before trotting into my office.

“If the rest of the deliveries have bouquets like the last three and they wind up here, I’ll have to explain myself to the girls.”  She giggled.  “Then again, these are beautiful and I’ve never been spoiled like this before.”  Her eyes sparkled.

“Did you check the card?”

She shook her head and handed me both the tiny white envelope as well as the larger yellow one.  “Here, you open it.  I’m too wired!”

I unveiled the CD from the yellow manila envelope first and popped it into my computer as she closed my office door.  I took the small note, made as if to read it and smiled before passing it for her to read.

“For years she remained a mystery – an enigma…” She read aloud.  “These cards are confusing.”  She waved the piece of paper at me.

I laughed.  “Just wait it out.  In the end, these things always make sense.”

Her eyes narrowed.  “Why aren’t you jealous?”

“Am I supposed to be?”

“Well, I mean, you’ve been around for all three deliveries and we’ve been… you know.  I’m getting gorgeous, not to mention, expensive roses from a pure stranger which tells me it has to be a man.  These words aren’t indicative of a love poem but…”

“Hmm,” was all I managed.

“I have no clue who this person is, but my gut tells me it’s someone I know.”

“For all you know, he could be sitting right under your nose.”  I smiled at the irony of my words seeing as she was standing, leaning against my desk as I sat in my office chair.  Under her nose was quite literal at the moment.

As the week went on, things grew busier, but Nicole and I made time to steal away a few moments during our lunches.  She hadn’t mentioned any more deliveries, but then again, that’s because I hadn’t scheduled any.

We hadn’t been intimate since Sunday and despite my physical hunger for her, I was content just being near the woman and getting to know her better.

Thursday arrived and Danica was scheduled to come in, eager to find out what Winthrow’s new proposition had been about. I knew how to pick my battles when it came to my sister, so I’d given in to her request.

Nicole had been avoiding me all day, disappearing at lunchtime which meant we didn’t get our usual quiet time.  I was annoyed, but when she came waltzing in with Danica at her side, I understood why she’d gone without notice.  After all, my sister was her best friend, and I knew they hadn’t seen each other in nearly a week.

“So about that Fleishman account and Winthrow’s pitch,” Danica leaned against my PA’s desk, “I think we should go for it.”

What?

Heads peeked over cubicle walls and that’s when I realized I had spoken aloud.  Too loud.

I growled.  “Can I see you in here for a moment?”  Nicole rushed to her desk and attempted to sit down, but I latched on to her elbow and kept her on her feet.  “You too.” My eyes pierced hers.

When both women were seated in front of my desk, I slammed my office door, making them jump.

“Would you please explain to me why you know it’s about Fleishman, when we haven’t discussed it yet?”  I leered at Nicole who shrunk into her seat at my tone.

“Calm
down.  I told you he’d have a fit.”  Danica had the audacity to giggle as she looked at Nicole, but my PA didn’t seem as entertained as my sister was.  She didn’t react to her friend’s words, or speak for that matter.

“I’m glad that you’ve learned to keep that mouth of yours shut for
once,” I said to Nicole.

“Just you wait a damn minute!”  Danica got up to her feet.  “Nicole saw something in that proposal that warranted my attention and I happen to agree with her.  I know that George has had some cockamamie ideas in the past and Dad entertained most of them, but this,” she threw the document down on my desk in front of me, “for once, is good.”

“I agree with you that to do it all in one shot would be risky, as we’re still trying to get our feet under us again.  If we implemented a portion of what George proposes in here,” she pointed toward the document, “then we might be able to grow stronger.  We can tackle the rest later.  Just because you know Nicole doesn’t give you the right to undermine her opinion.  She’s more valuable to us than you think and she’s got a degree-”

“Don’t you start with me on her qualifications,
Danica!  I’m well aware of her degree. What I’m not happy about is how you two decided to go behind my back and make a decision without my knowledge, when I had already agreed to meet with you this afternoon to discuss this.”

“What decision?” she asked.  “She presented me with the package and that was it.  We discussed a tentative plan of action based on her conservative approach and nothing more.”

“Exactly!  Don’t you think that I should have been present?”

“We already knew your stance,” Nicole said in a calm manner.

“It’s another reason why I should have been involved!”  I glared down at her.

“Don’t you try and intimidate her,” Danica said.  “I’m drafting up a plan and I’ll have it to you by the end of the day tomorrow and we’re sticking to it.”

“Not happening,” I said with finality.

“You don’t get to make all of the decisions, Michael,” Danica said.  “Didn’t you say that the majority of the board was in accord with this idea, Nicole?”  I looked at her and saw her hesitant nod.  “So there!  If we take her approach, we will be fine, big brother.  Our financials aren’t as bad as you think, and that’s in large part thanks to you for turning things around, but I had a hand in that too.  The Fleishman account is one of our largest, and if this works, and I know it will, it’ll be one lucrative win for us.  Enough to ensure that the other offices remain open.”  She was right, but the woman kept talking.  “I think Nikki should run point on this with Winthrow as the second.”

“And now you’re taking away my PA?”  My tone had grown incredulous.

“Wait a minute!”  Nicole got up and when I turned to look at Danica, my sister had her arms crossed over her chest with a smile of victory on her lips.  “I never said anything about being interested in managing this project.  It wasn’t even my idea!”

“So you’re all for
it, but you’re not going to guide it into fruition?” I asked Nicole.

“I’m a PA, what do I know?”  She shrugged her shoulders.

“You’re more than that,” Danica said, trying to boost her friend’s confidence and pointed at me, “and he knows it!”

By the time all was said and done, our monster blowout had captured the attention of the entire office.

When Danica stormed out – satisfied, I might add – everyone went back to work as if they hadn’t witnessed our latest squabble.

“Nicole, we need to talk.” I closed the door before she could leave.

With my PA standing in the middle of my office, I leaned against my office door, running my hands over my face.  This was bound to go one of two ways: great or horrible.  I was hoping for the former.

“I’m sorry,” she said when none of us said anything, and her voice came out squeaky.

“You’re sorry?” I hissed. “Nic, you went above your boss’s head and introduced a proposition from one of our satellite offices without my expressed consent!  People have been fired for a lot less!”

“I know.”  She looked at
me, but I still couldn’t meet her eyes because I felt the rage still simmering in the pit of my stomach.  “When Dani called and asked me to lunch, I agreed.  Then she showed up while you were on your con-call and pushed me to bring Winthrow’s presentation with
us so she could revise it before your meeting with her.  I didn’t think she’d take it as far as she did.”

“And that’s where you fucked up!  I know you mean well, and I know you’re trying to help,
but-”

“That’s exactly what I was doing!” Her voice had gone sharp.  My eyes flew to hers.  “I can’t believe that you dismissed something without looking at it first.  I mean, these people work for you, don’t they?  If you can’t trust them, then how the hell do you expect to even make
WI
last?”

“Are you saying I’m incompetent?”

“It’s not what I’m saying at all, Michael,
and you know it!”  She sighed.  “I believe you’re the one who told me to open my eyes and look around.  Well, from where I’m standing, you’re the one blinded this time.

“Just because your father took the wrong risks with Winthrow before doesn’t mean that his ideas are all bound to fail.  Dani thinks it’s good and so do I.  Most of the board members are in agreement.  The fact of the matter
is, this company of yours will fail if you don’t do anything substantial enough to set you apart from the competition.  Maybe not today or tomorrow, but further down the line, it’ll happen.

“Your tactics are sound, but they’re also safe. Too safe.  You tell me to take risks and push for others to do so, but you haven’t, have you?”  She turned and plopped herself down on a chair in front of my desk and buried her head in her hands.  “Now I’m running point on this whole thing, when it should be George.  It’s not what I asked for.  It’s not what I want.”

“And that’s my fault?”  My gaze narrowed on her.

She looked up and met my eyes.  “Yeah, it is.  You’ve said that Dani and I wanted this and put me smack in the middle of it.”  Her knuckles turned white on the chair’s arms.  “Well, I have news for you.  I’m not doing it!”

“So you’re backing out and refusing a directive from your boss?”

“I sure as hell am!”  She got up.  “I don’t care about what you and Dani have to say about it.  I was thrust in the middle of World War Three with you two just now.”

“You did that on your own, honey.”  I stepped toward her.

“And I’m ending it, right here and now.”  She stepped up to me and eyed me head on.  “This was George’s idea and he should be the one running point.”

Anger faded into arousal, all thanks to the mixture of emotions and our heated discussion.

“Maybe I should just quit.”  Her eyes conceded defeat.

“I won’t allow it.”  I sighed and wrapped an arm around her waist.

“I’m screwing it all up for you.”

“You know you’re not,” I said, my voice softer, our faces growing closer.

Her hands landed on my chest.  “I can’t do this, Mike.”  I knew she meant the project.

“Why not?” I kissed the soft spot under her ear.

She whimpered, her fingers fisting my shirt in an attempt to stay grounded.  “All we do is fight.  At first, it was fine, for the most part.  Now that things are better on a personal level, it’s the business side that’s suffering.”

“I can’t help it if you infuriate me.”  I nipped at her jaw.

“See?” She pushed me back, but stayed in my arms, our eyes meeting.

“I need you, Nic… here, especially.”

“But you don’t trust me.”  She looked away.

“What makes you say that?”

“The way you blew your top in front of Danica and me said more than enough.”

“Dani and I argue all the time and I still trust her with my life and our company.  As for you, I trust you,”
with my heart
went unheard
,
“and George has too much on his plate, so you will run point on this project and maintain your PA duties.  The man can advise.  I doubt George will have a problem with that.” I kissed her senseless.

She melted into my arms.

“Don’t you think it’s kind of odd that instead of being fired, that I’m running a project that some of your other employees with more seniority should be given the opportunity?” she asked, breathless as my lips nibbled her jaw.

“Hmm…” I continued my assault and heard her breath catch when one of my hands groped her ass.

“I mean…”

I pulled away and looked at her with a smile.  “Shut up, Nic, and let me fuck you.”

Her eyes widened.  “Uh… okay?”  Her surprised expression dissolved only to be replaced by a cocky grin.

“You’re in so much trouble already and yet you look like you’re about to sass me.  You’re unbelievable!”

She began nibbling my jaw, upward to my ear.  “You know you like it.”  Her teeth snagged my lobe, pulled, and upon release, she leaned back and gave me a wink.

“You’re right.  Now off with your underwear, woman.”

“What underwear?”

Holy fuck!

“Trouble,” I growled, “it should be your middle name.”  She giggled into my neck as I picked her up, setting her on my desk and reclining her until she lay back.  “I should think about getting a couch in here.”

“Why?” She wrapped her legs around my waist and when I searched with my fingers for her underwear, she hadn’t lied, she wasn’t wearing any.  I groaned into her cleavage.

“Because if I ever find out about your lack of underwear again, I’ll have to give you lessons on propriety in the workplace, and I’ll be in need of something much more comfortable than my desk, since I’m pretty confident that there’ll be numerous infractions.”  I grinned at the blush that spread onto her face and neck.  “Plus, all of these lessons would give you more work with keeping my desk organized.  I wouldn’t dream of adding on to your already-busy schedule.”

“Mike?” I gave her an inquisitive glance.  “Get to it already.”

Within seconds, my pants were undone and I thrust into her soaked heat.

“You’re sure about this?”

We’d discussed going without condoms on Sunday, when she divulged that she was on the pill and that none of us had gone bareback before.

“Yeah!”

“You undo me, Nic.”  An odd expression flittered across her face and she pulled my face down for a sweet kiss.

It wasn’t going to take very long.  This whole buildup with raging emotions had done us both
in, but it seemed like the right way to end things.

I didn’t pound into her because we needed to be quiet, especially after drawing so much attention earlier.  Instead, I went deep, controlled, and was thorough.

I held off for as long as I could.  When I felt her tremors, her nails digging into my shoulders through my shirt, I fused our mouths together, hoping it would muffle enough of our sounds.

Pulling out, I continued to kiss Nicole, smiling over her lips when she whimpered at the loss of me.  She pecked my mouth and accepted my help to sit up along with the box of tissues.  I retreated far enough so she could hop off my desk and straighten herself out while I got myself back together.

“I may have to continue with my impropriety if your methods of discipline are like that.”   She gave me a soft kiss as she straightened my tie.  Her hands brushed over my shoulders, ridding my shirt of wrinkles like a dutiful partner.  “There, handsome and ready to kill it!”  She gave me a dazzling smile and my heart flipped at her simple gesture of coupledom.  It’s too bad it wasn’t official, but I didn’t want to dwell on that.  Not yet.

I smiled back at her.  “There’s only one thing missing.”

“What’s that?”

“A good luck kiss.”

She laughed a hearty laugh.  “You just got lucky.”

“I did, didn’t I?”  My smile turned into a grin.  “I guess that’ll have to do.”  I turned and was about to reach for the handle on my office door when an abrupt hand turned me around and Nicole’s lips fused themselves to mine.

“How’s that?”
she asked when she pulled away.

“You’re lucky that I have five minutes to skedaddle, or else I’d have you up against this door and to hell with who hears us.  I’ll see you later, you minx.”

Flicking the tip of her nose, I was out of there before the notion to stay and take her as mine again overtook me.