Ready or Not (27 page)

Something about the way Mallory was looking at her softened and she took the opportunity to move in for a—

“Ah, ah, ah. This is a business meeting, Miss Sanders.”

“Can’t it be many things though? A multifaceted business meeting? I’m just saying let’s think this through.” Hope blinked at Mallory, offering her most innocent eyes.

“Don’t give me that traitorous puppy-dog look.” Mallory shook her head. “Doesn’t work that way, champ.”

She sashayed to the desk, and the subtle back and forth of her hips had Hope captivated. Surely, they could work something out.

“You have the best walk, Spencer. As in, A-plus on the walking.”

Mallory straightened. “I’m detecting a distinct lack of focus.”

“Negative. I’m highly focused.”

“Let’s redirect it to the laptop screen where I have several mockups for you of this month’s promotion. You might remember the Gingersnap Smash.”

“Only vaguely at the moment.”

Mallory pressed on undeterred. “I realize we’re already partway into it, but getting some branding out there is a good idea. Get customers educated about the monthly specials and build buzz around what’s coming next.”

Okay, that part she heard. “I think that’s a wise move. I vote yes.”

Mallory smiled. “That’s because you’re a savvy business owner.”

“Did you just claim me? Is there a Savvy brand on the back of my shoulder?”

“Why? Did you want there to be?” The twinkle in Mallory’s eye told Hope that all was well between them, and God, she wanted it to be. She dropped the flirtatious banter and met Mallory’s eyes. “I’ve missed you,” she said sincerely.

“I saw you yesterday.”

“Still.”

Mallory touched her cheek. “I’ve missed you too. A lot.”

Hope pulled her in and wrapped her arms around Mallory, then held her for a moment. When she released her, Mallory’s arms still circled her neck.

“So what happened yesterday?” Mallory asked. “I felt like you checked out on me after your sister left.”

Hope nodded. “That’s because I did. The thing is, I’m not used to this, to having someone else to consider. I think I might be bad at it.”

“You kind of are.”

“Hey!” Hope said, in mock offense.

“It’s okay. I’m not sure I’m the best at it either.”

“What makes you bad at it?”

Mallory looked skyward as if finding the right words. “I think it’s hard for me to let go, to let myself feel. When I do, it’s like I’m in some sort of free fall without a net.”

“You’re scared of all of this.” Even if Mallory hadn’t nodded, Hope could already see the answer in her eyes.

“What a pair we are,” Mallory said quietly. “You’re closed off and I’m afraid to let go. I’m not sure there’s hope.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about. I’m right here.”

Mallory regarded her in mystification. “Did you just say something funny?”

Hope shrugged demurely.

“You did. You were just funny. Hot Bartender from Showplace has actual comedic chops.”

“I like it when you call me Hot Bartender.”

Mallory shook her head, rejecting the notion. “Please. Everyone calls you that.”

“I only like it from you.” Hope leaned in for a kiss and was met with a soft finger to her lips instead.

“Business meeting, remember?”

Hope sighed. “I do. You have a lot of rules, Park Avenue, and sometimes I think they exist just to torture me.”

“They give me a framework from which to operate.” Mallory disentangled herself from Hope and pointed at the screen. “So which one do you like best?”

Hope stared at the options and what she saw was pretty awesome. “These are great, Mallory.”

“You really like them?”

“I love them,” she said, marveling.

Mallory blew out a breath. “For whatever reason, I was more nervous about showing you these mock-ups than I can remember being with a client in years.”

“Really? It’s only me,” Hope said.

“It’s stupid, isn’t it? But I desperately want you to think we do good work, and I’m never nervous when it comes to business. Never.”

“Well, I more than like them and know without a doubt that you guys do excellent work.” She gestured to the poster in the center of the screen. “I’m drawn to this one most. The color scheme mirrors the colors of the bar.”

Mallory nodded, seemingly happy she’d zeroed in on that particular design. “That one’s Hunter’s favorite as well. We just wanted to provide you with some alternate choices.”

“This one is the definite winner. But is it possible to get the font bigger here?” Hope asked, pointing to the word
smash
. “So that the word pops out, as if it’s jumping from the page?”

Mallory laughed and typed the note into her phone. “
Smash
should jump from the page. Got it. Now, let’s talk about Big Top for a moment.”

“Okay, let’s,” Hope said.

“Timmy wants you to consult on their seasonal cocktail menu, and he’s willing to credit the bar. He also wants to hold his next movie-premiere party here late next month.”

Hope couldn’t believe what she was hearing. A complete no-brainer. This sort of relationship was exactly the kind of thing that could make a difference for a business like hers. “Where do I sign?”

Mallory laughed. “I take it that’s a yes. I’ll let Big Top know and we can start scheduling meetings. Anything else we can do for you?”

Hope shook her head in wonder. “You’re kind of amazing, you know that? I can’t believe you didn’t lead with that news.”

“Well, I didn’t want to barrage you. Objectify, sure. Barrage, no.” Mallory winked, closed the laptop, and placed it in her bag. “I’ll let Hunter know about your choice so she can finalize the artwork and start the printing process. She’ll also begin some social-media push about the promotion. Oh, and the budget allows us to purchase a little print space so I’m perusing different options there.”

“You’re kind of a rock star at this,” Hope told her.

“Aww, you noticed.” Mallory headed for the door.

“Wait. You’re leaving?” This was bad, because she wanted Mallory to stay. Needed her to. Even if all they did was talk a little more. Mallory was like this breath of fresh air that made Hope forget about things like the bar’s financial woes or the fact that her sister was leaving. When she was with Mallory, she could let all of the rest fall away. And here she was, in such close proximity and effortlessly smokin’ at the same time.

“I have to go. More work to do.”

Hope nodded, the emptiness evident. “Okay. I understand.”

With door in hand, Mallory turned back to her. “But I would love it if you came over later tonight. We can spend some one-on-one time together. Not a business meeting in sight.” Mallory offered a smile and Hope did a mental backflip.

“Is eleven too late?”

“It’s not. See you then, Hot Bartender.”

*

Mallory held Hope tight as she brought her down from orgasm gently with her mouth. She moved up her body, kissing first her breast, then her collarbone and her throat. Finally she found Hope’s lips and kissed her long and hard, leaving her mouth swollen and perfect. Moments before, Hope had burst into wild shudders in her arms, and it had easily been one of her favorite visuals.

“Remember that control thing you have?” Hope asked, recapturing her breath. Mallory nodded, and smiled as she looked down at Hope. “I think you like to practice it in the bedroom.”

“A definite possibility.”

It had felt good to take exactly what she wanted and steadied her somehow to take the reins after such an off-kilter week. They were still new to each other, but she was learning Hope’s body. What she liked. Where she was most sensitive. God, did she love each new discovery.

“Do you always wear matching underwear sets? Because I’m all in favor,” Hope said, referencing Mallory’s attire. While Hope was completely naked—Mallory had taken care of that—she still wore her burgundy and black combo, one of her favorite sets.

“I guess I do.”

Hope shook her head slowly. “How am I going to survive you?”

She traced the outside of Hope’s breast. “I trust you’ll find a way.”

“I’m going to have to try.” With that, Hope sent her hands down Mallory’s back, down to her ass, where she cupped it and pulled Mallory tight against her. Mallory gasped and closed her eyes at the onslaught of sensation the proximity evoked. She was beyond ready and had been for some time already. Before she knew what hit her, Hope had her on her back, eyes flashing.

“Kinda proud of yourself right now, aren’t you?” Mallory asked and nipped gently up at Hope’s lips.

“Kinda am.” Hope pulled the cups of her bra down, releasing her breasts in one motion. As she circled a nipple aggressively with her tongue, Mallory moaned quietly, too good not to. And then her bra was gone completely, and then her panties, which was good. At this point, she didn’t need a pre-show. She rocked her hips against Hope’s thigh as the throbbing between her legs became nearly unbearable. She’d been turned on since she first touched Hope, and now her desire rested somewhere beyond calculation.

Hope crawled down her body as Mallory sucked in much-needed air. The touch of Hope’s tongue against her center was almost Mallory’s undoing. Hope blew a breath over Mallory that shot her heart rate into the stratosphere. She moaned quietly, because Hope’s tongue was back, and God, did it do things to her. Hope tasted, teased, and tormented Mallory until she’d balled the sheet in her fists and writhed in hot desperation beneath Hope’s mouth.

Her muscles quivered as the pressure continued to build. Hope entered her then, swift and sure, and the result had Mallory lurching from the bed as fireworks exploded behind her eyes in glorious release. Hope had an arm wrapped around Mallory’s waist to hold her in place, all the while pumping harder, taking Mallory to heights she could scarcely fathom. She called out as one spasm shot into another and then another. She gave herself over to Hope fully, wondering if she knew what Mallory was feeling, which was entirely too much. In bed, they fit together perfectly, Mallory realized, still moving against Hope’s hand. They had been explosive together once again.

“That was probably the sexiest experience of my life,” Hope told her as she settled next to Mallory in bed. “You do things to me that I still haven’t quite figured out.”

“We’re pretty awesome in bed together.”

“Yes, but I was talking about all of it.” It was an honest admission, and there was nothing guarded or shielded in the way Hope looked at her now. This was the two of them, connecting openly and honestly. “Every time the door to the bar opens, do you know I glance up to see if it might be you?”

“You do? I didn’t know that.”

Hope nodded and then covered her eyes. “And I can’t believe I just admitted that. You probably think I’m super lame now.”

“The lamest,” Mallory said, grinning back at her. “Except you’re not. I like that you do that. My turn.”

Hope smiled at the game and propped her head up on her hand, listening.

“I wonder what you’re doing a lot, so I’ve figured out your schedule a bit, when you head to work and when you generally leave. That kinda makes me your own personal stalker, huh?”

“I’ve never had one of those before.”

Mallory laughed. “Please. You have like eighteen at Showplace.”

“They don’t count.”

“They don’t,” Mallory said, moving in for a long and languid kiss, finishing with, “And they certainly don’t get to do that.”

Hope blinked. “I’m sorry. What did you say? My mind quit working there for a second as this hot, naked girl was making out with me.”

“Your life is so hard,” Mallory told her. A pause. “How’s your sister?”

At the question, uncertainty flashed on Hope’s face, quickly replaced with resolve.

She was trying and the effort warmed Mallory.

“They’ve arrived in Iowa. Kara says she can’t decide if it’s like something out of a Lifetime movie or the
Twilight Zone.
Lots of farmland, small little stores, quaint little houses, and extra-friendly people.”

“It sounds kind of awesome. The Midwest has a charming culture. But she’s doing okay?”

“She sounds the happiest I’ve ever heard her. This was the right thing for her. She’s a recovering addict, Mal, so she needed a change.”

Mallory nodded. It made a lot of sense, given what she’d seen of Kara.

“And Dominic, who is he exactly?”

Hope sighed. She clearly didn’t want to go down this path, but Mallory felt it was important to push a little.

“Don’t do that. Please don’t pull away.”

Hope met her eyes. “He’s a lowlife Kara borrowed money from. Unfortunately, he’s a powerful lowlife who didn’t take too kindly to her wanting to sever ties, even after she paid the debt. That’s why she needed to go. He was never going to let up.”

“I don’t even know what to say. Did you report him to the police?”

Hope smiled as if she’d said something cute. “It doesn’t really work that way with these kind of people.”

“That can’t be true.”

“Trust me,” Hope said. “You take Dominic down and a lackey’s waiting to step up and seek revenge in his name.”

“That sounds horrible.”

“It has been. But she’s out of the way now, and despite the fact that I’ll miss her, this is her shot at a stable future. A real life. I’ll visit her ten times a year if that’s what it takes to keep her happy and grounded.”

“You’re a good sister.”

Those words seemed to resonate with Hope, and Mallory wondered if anyone had ever said them to Hope before. The thought made her heart reach out. She wanted Hope to know all of the amazing things about herself. She wanted to tell her and show her in every way she could.

And she would…

*

Sunlight streamed in from the floor-to-ceiling windows of Mallory’s bedroom, and Hope blinked back against the light. Her limbs felt heavy, her body relaxed and boneless in the most wonderful way. She turned and found Mallory asleep next to her on her stomach, the sheet pulled back revealing the smooth expanse of her back. She smiled and ran her hand down its length and finished with a soft kiss to her shoulder.

Nothing.

Mallory, she had found, was a very deep sleeper, in addition to being a bed hog. She took note of the fact that Mallory slept square in the center of the bed and would whether Hope was there or not. It was kind of endearing. She decided to let Mallory sleep and would go about making some coffee for them and possibly seeking out breakfast.