All That He Requires(3)

“What kind of lawsuits?”

“Oh, Westerholtz believes I never had any intention of buying out Exerton, and that I used the buyout to do corporate espionage by looking at his files.”

My stomach turned as I imagined my role in all this. “Does he… does he have a case?”

“I pointed out that corporate espionage doesn’t usually include asking the CEO of a company for confidential files and getting full cooperation. When he said he’d only agreed because he’d assumed it was a done deal, I said that was a very bad assumption. Our conversation ended with him screaming, and me suggesting that the Board of Directors might want to rethink his position as CEO.”

“You didn’t,” I gasped.

“Oh, don’t worry about Westerholtz, he’s as thick as thieves with Exerton’s Board. We researched that one thoroughly. No, all the shit’s going to roll downhill to his favorite whipping boy – and your favorite boss, Herr Klaus. Not that he doesn’t deserve it.” Connor glanced back at the cardboard box I’d crammed in the little shelf behind the Lamborghini’s seats. “I’m guessing it didn’t go so well between the two of you.”

“Ha!” I said, not laughing at all, just shouting ‘ha’ like you might say wait’ll you get a load of THIS! Then I told him, blow by blow, what had happened from the moment Klaus returned from the meeting.

Connor’s eyes got angrier and darker the more I told him – until I reached the line about You’re a shitty boss, Klaus – but you’re a shittier human being.

Now it was his turn to look at me in shock. “You didn’t.”

“I did.”

He broke into a huge grin as he turned back at the road. “Well done. I’m proud of you, Lily.”

“I guess all your advice finally sunk in.”

“Took awhile,” he teased.

I smacked his arm playfully. “It was the first morning I’d seen him since I met you, jackass!”

“Hey, I’m drivin’ here!” he shouted playfully. Then he added, in a normal tone of voice, “Tell me what happened after that.”

I finished the rest of the story, including You can’t fire me, you asshole, because I quit.

Connor howled with laughter.

“Yeah, well, then he towed my car, so I guess he got the last laugh,” I said glumly.

“I’ll have my people take care of your car. Plus, you’re now in a Lamborghini headed to Vegas with me, and Klaus – if he doesn’t lose his job – is going to be demoted and/or continually harassed for several years by everyone at Exerton. He’s a walking punchline now. Even if he moves to another company, I can guarantee you the story will follow him around like a bad odor. So, tell me again who got the last laugh?”

“Huh… okay,” I conceded. Then I added, “Plus I got a $50,000 bonus.”

I said it coolly – not happy or giddy. It was kind of like an opening move where I was inviting him to respond.

“And there’s that,” he agreed in a neutral tone of voice.

I laid my head against the headrest and gazed at him in silence for a few seconds.

“I don’t want your money, you know,” I finally said.

“I know,” he answered quietly.

“I want you to take it back.”

“I told you, it’s a gift. If you don’t want it, donate it.”

“How’d you even get it into my account?”

“I saw the checks on your desk in your apartment. Memorized the routing number and the account number.”

My mouth dropped open. “Do you have a photographic memory or something?”

“Not really, just a talent for remembering numbers. You’ve seen it before.”

It was true – the first night we’d met, he’d memorized a phone number off my cell with a single glance.

“And my bank just took the money, just like that? No questions asked?”

His mouth quirked up a little at the corner. “I know a guy.”

I sighed in annoyance. “I’m sure you do. But – ”

“Can we please not talk about the money?” he asked, a little irritation in his voice.

I assumed Connor never asked for anything, and it bothered him to do it now. I got a little defensive. “Why not?”

“Because talking about money was how I fucked up in the first place,” he said darkly, “and I don’t want to do it again. So please – let’s not talk about it, okay? Just donate it, or do whatever you want with it… but from here on out, let’s just not talk about it.” He paused. “Please.”

I sat there watching him.

I fucked up in the first place, and I don’t want to do it again.

My heart swelled. I felt like I might cry.

“…okay.”

“Thank you.”

He said it, not like he was exasperated, but like he was thankful.

Then he reached for my hand, held it to his lips, and kissed it softly, over and over.

Maybe it was how much of his emotions he’d shared – even subtly – with me over the last 15 minutes. Maybe it was the way he’d opened up. Maybe it was that all my sadness had finally washed away and been replaced with joy.

Or maybe it was because the hottest man I’d ever seen was kissing my hand.

Whatever the reason, despite how exhausted I was, I was getting a little turned on.

“You keep doing that,” I murmured, “and we’re going to have to turn around and go to Space Mountain.”

He laughed. “I didn’t realize you had the stamina to do that in your current state.”

“I don’t think I do. I’m about to fall asleep right now.”

He placed my hand back on my lap. “You should. Tilt the seat back. Take a nap.”

I made a little disappointed sound, like Awwwww…

“I tell you what we’re going to do when we get to Vegas,” he said in a low, seductive voice.

“Yes?” I yawned.

“We’re going to check into the fanciest hotel and get the most beautiful penthouse available.”

“It doesn’t have to be fancy,” I murmured. “Or a penthouse.”

“Quiet, just listen,” he said in a commanding tone of voice. “This is as much my fantasy as yours.”

I smiled. “Okay.”

“And it’s going to have the biggest, most beautiful bed you’ve ever seen.”

“…uh-huh…”

“And we’re going to go up there, and I’m going to slowly undress you.”

Oh.

“…uh-huh?” I whispered, a little more awake now.

“I’m going to slip off your dress, then your bra, then your panties, very slowly, until you’re standing naked in front of me.”

Heat fluttered in my belly.

“Uh-huh…?”

“And then I’m going to take off my jacket and shirt, then my shoes and pants, then my underwear, until I’m standing there naked in front of you.”

In my mind’s eye, I could see his sculpted muscles… his bronze, perfect skin… and his limp shaft, dangling thick and huge between his perfect thighs…

…and then I imagined it growing, lengthening, hardening.

“Uh-huh?” I asked, almost fully awake now.

“And then I’m going to put you in the bed, and I’m going to get in beside you, with my body pressed against yours…”

“Uh-huh?”

“…and then we’re going to indulge in a long… deep… incredible… nap.”

I laughed. “You know exactly how to seduce a girl.”

“It’s true, my napping skills are irresistible.”

“How’d you know my biggest fantasy right now?”

“Oh, I had a hint.”

Then he did a fake yawn. Of course, yawns being contagious, I broke out into a huge one on my own.

“Stop!” I said, and swatted him lightly on the shoulder.

He grinned, then said softly, “Go to sleep. We’ll be there before you know it.”

“…you promise if you get tired… you’ll stop… and let Johnny drive…?”

“I promise.”

“…okay…”

I think I was out about 30 seconds later.





6





I experienced vague flashes of the trip as I dozed. Whispered phone calls… the purr of the engine… patterns of sunlight and shadow…

Once or twice I woke long enough to take swigs from a bottle of water, but then I lapsed back into semi-consciousness.

Until I felt someone’s arms circling around me and lifting me out of my seat.

I looked over blearily. “…wha… where…”

I tried to force myself awake, but I was still so tired, it was like I was drugged.

“We’re here,” Connor said as he held me against his massive chest. Even through his suit, I could feel his hard muscles pressed against my body.

The sun was beating down with scorching heat against my skin. I saw the blurry outline of a gigantic white and glass building, much taller than the Dubai Hotel.

I winced against the bright light.

“…what are you doing…?”

“I’m carrying you,” he said, and then we were moving. The bright light ended and shadow enveloped me. There was the sound of an automatic door, and cold air swept over me. The light dropped from shadow to near-darkness. Far away there was the digital ching ching ching of slot machines, and the sounds of coins clanking against metal.