In His Cuffs(14)

"In that case, five per cent."

"Ten."

He sat back. "That's not how negotiation works, Maggie. You give a little."

"I learnt from the best." She pretended her heart wasn't racing. This  wasn't how she'd expected the day to begin. "Look, David, we both know  you'll be taking a loan to buy out AWEW. You could accelerate the debt  servicing and take all the profits out of the business. If you want my  help, knowing it will take a lot of hours and it will likely take months  to get the deal done-time that I will not be paid for-then I need a cut  of gross."

"The bonus covers that," he told her.

She took a gamble, ignoring the butterflies unfurling in her stomach. "No deal. I'm happy to stay under my original terms."

He regarded her with those chilling blue eyes.

Since she was accustomed to it, the look shouldn't have unnerved her as  much as it did. But now that she'd been the focus of his complete  attention on multiple levels, she knew the depths of his intent. He  missed nothing, and he thought things through before acting.

"Seven per cent," he told her.

Potentially, that was a lot of money for a year and a half's worth of  work. She should take it. But she wasn't going to. "Nine. Final offer."

"Eight."

"Done. And I'll expect this to be added to the contract by tomorrow."

"Fuck," he said.

She wasn't sure she'd heard him use that word in a frustrated way  before. In fact, she wasn't sure she'd heard any real inflection in his  tone before. She'd only seen him as controlled. This was new.  Intriguing. "You were serious that you don't like to lose."

"I don't. I'll just have to make sure we both work hard enough to make  it a win for each of us." He crossed his leg over his knee again.  "You're going to be putting in a lot of time, Maggie."

With him. That part remained unspoken.

"As for the other, I will have you again, Maggie."

She froze.

No matter how insane the idea was, she very much wanted it, too.

"Have a glass of wine with me tonight."

"No."

"No?"

"Let me be honest with you."

"Please."

Ridiculously, as if someone might be watching, she glanced around.  "Having a relationship with the boss is a stupid idea. You have rules  regarding fraternising. If anyone found out, you could be suspected of  manipulating me. I might be accused of sleeping with the enemy."                       
       
           



       

"And?" he prompted when she trailed off. "There's more," he said with certainty.

She sighed. "If I meet you for a glass of wine, my inhibitions will be  loosened. I'll end up naked, and I will beg you to fuck me."

"The scene … it worked for you?"

"I've thought of nothing else. So I'm doing the smart thing by turning down the invitation."

"Are you sure that's what you want?"

"I am." Maggie wondered if he heard the tremor of uncertainty in her voice.

He nodded.

She waited for him to protest or something.

Instead, he stood. "As you wish." With a crisp nod, he exited the room, leaving the door open.

Slack-jawed, she stared at the empty threshold. What the hell had just  happened? She felt as if the earth had been knocked off its axis. Was it  possible she'd won two battles in a row against David Tomlinson?

She tapped her fingers on the desktop. No. It wasn't likely.

Which had to mean he was changing his strategy. If full-on didn't work, he'd try something else.

The day passed in a blur of activity, including a staff meeting that  David didn't attend. In fact, he'd left for lunch around eleven and  never returned. To her knowledge, he'd told no one where he was going or  when he'd be back. All afternoon, she'd looked over her shoulder,  expecting to see him. She'd told herself she wasn't hoping to see him,  but a small, constant voice whispered that she was lying.

Feeling somewhat ridiculous, she stayed late on the off chance he might return.

At twenty minutes after five, she determined he wasn't coming back. Even  if he did, would it be a good idea to be alone with him? Neediness was  crawling through her. Avoiding him was the most sensible course of  action.

While she didn't necessarily want to live a twenty-four-seven BDSM  lifestyle, she loved everything about the power exchange-giving up  control, being subject to a strong Dom's will.

Being with David had given her satisfaction. Resisting him when he was  near would be all but impossible. So, she told herself, it was better  for her that he hadn't been in the office.

She powered down her computer, turned off her office light then went home.



* * * *



After eating a salad, she poured a glass of wine and went outside to sit  on the deck. As she watched, the sky started to turn orange. Shadows  hovered over the Rockies, making them look darker and moodier than they  had earlier.

Maggie sipped her wine and wondered where David would have taken her if  she'd accepted the invitation to join him for a drink. His house? A nice  restaurant? Or the new speakeasy that had recently opened to rave  reviews on Larimer Street, just a block over from World Wide Now's  building? And where would the evening have ended?

Her place? His?

Now that she'd stopped moving, unwelcome thoughts caught up to her.

She admired his ambition in wanting to acquire a competitive business.  But she wasn't sure she relished the idea of spending even more time  with him. The more time they spent together, the more she'd be tempted  to scene with him. It was better for her not to be alone with him in the  first place.

The wine hadn't taken off the edge-in fact it seemed to exacerbate her internal angst.

She headed back inside to take a shower then set the tap to scalding, as if it would help exorcise the tension she was feeling.

While she stood there, the memories she'd been shoving away caught her  and held her enthralled. The harder she tried to fight them, the deeper  their grip became.

She closed her eyes and saw herself tied to the table, spread for him as  he explored her body. Resolve crumbled. She remembered the feel of his  fingers as he toyed with her clit then entered her body.

Maggie reached for the showerhead and detached it from its hook.

After adjusting the setting from spray to pulse, she directed the water  over her body, letting it pummel her nipples before going lower. She  spread her legs and parted her labia.

She imagined he was there with her, touching her, making her squirm.

His rich voice seemed to resonate in her ears, and she could hear him urging her to hold on, to wait, to surrender.

She moved her hips, seeking more sensation on her swollen clit. She was ready to come, wanted the orgasm.

Imagining him urging her on, she screamed and climaxed, dropping the showerhead and grabbing onto a bar for support.

It took a full minute for her to regain control. She forced herself to uncurl her clenched fingers and finish her shower.

Damn, he'd got into her head.

Generally when she had fantasies, the Dom was nameless and faceless. But  this time, it had been so much more real, as if he'd been there with  her.                       
       
           



       

A powerful orgasm always helped relax her, but this time, it left her  feeling more restless, maybe because she realised she wasn't able to  forget about David.

It took over an hour of tossing and turning before she finally fell asleep.

She was hunted in her dreams, chased by an overwhelming force. She was  running down the street, desperate for breath. Finally, a hand landed on  her shoulder, spinning her around. She screamed and screamed, and when  she faced it, she saw a pulse of electric blue. When she reached up to  shove it-him-away, the spectre vanished.

With a start, she woke up, drenched in sweat.

Shaking, she climbed from her bed. She grabbed a robe and wrapped the  belt around her waist, cinching it tight. After turning on every light  in the house, she grabbed a glass of water and headed outside.

Some college students were hanging out on another patio, drinking beer and having more fun than she was.

She realised she'd only ever seen that shade of blue in one place. David Tomlinson's eyes.

Damn it.

How the hell was she supposed to survive working even more closely with him?

Her mind was in a battle with her body. Though she craved his touch, she  was smart enough to recognise the emotional threat he posed. But that  didn't stop her from wanting, desperately wanting.

Maggie leaned against the railing and glanced at the sky. The moon was  obscured by some clouds but the normality helped to stop her hand from  trembling.

Determined to relegate him to the position of boss and nothing larger in  her life, she went back to bed. The rest of the night was fitful, and  the alarm rang way too early.

Exhausted, she dressed all in black, donning it as if it were armour.  Her relationship with David did feel a bit like a battle. He was a  master strategist, and she was always a step behind.