Time to Play(13)

The knock sounded on the door. He answered it and let Cole come inside.

“Hey,” she said.

“Cole is much better with these burns than I am. They don’t look bad to me.”

Simone continued to glare at the man in front of her. Callum saw the way Cole looked at the wet marks on her nipples. He knew the other man was as affected by her as he was.

“You look stunning as always, Simone,” Cole said, handing her the spare shirt.

She took the shirt then waited. Neither turned round. “Fine, seeing as there are no gentlemen in this room.” She unbuttoned her shirt as Cole went down on his knees to her ankles. Callum watched her remove her shirt. The bra she wore was a plain white lace that showed the dark red nipples he wanted to suck on. Black hair with red lips and nipples, she was everything he craved. He wondered how she’d look with her hands bound behind her back with her breasts thrust up in offering.

He pushed the image to the back of his mind. Focussing on work was the more important element at the moment.

“They will hurt for a few hours, but there is nothing wrong with her. Most of the coffee went on the floor. The cleaner has been dealing with the mess.” Cole stood as she finished buttoning up her shirt.

Callum watched as Cole took her hand, helping her down onto the floor. Cole stood close making her brush down his body as she got to her feet.

“Thank you,” she said. He heard the breathy sigh to her tone. Simone was affected by Cole as well. Interesting.

“I better go and get ready. Excuse me.”

Callum grabbed her hand when she made to pass. “This isn’t over,” he said.

“This is so over. We’re strangers, remember? We were a passing fancy.”

“Your pussy is dripping wet, Simone. This isn’t over. In case you’re not up to speed. I own this company. I’ll be deciding who stays and who goes.”

“What the hell is that supposed to mean?” she asked.

“You’ll be spending a lot more time with me.”

“Screw that. Consider this my resignation.” She pulled out of his arms and stormed off in the opposite direction. Cole chuckled behind him.

“I don’t think she’s going to be waiting around for you, mate. This one is going to make you do all the chasing.”

Callum had no problems with doing the chasing. He made his way back to the conference room. Simone’s boss walked in looking confused. “I’m afraid Miss Allusifa will not be joining up today. She’d handed in her resignation and refuses to work under a new management team.”

“What about the resignation period?” Cole asked.

“Simone was an amazing intern, and when we hired her full-time we didn’t add in a resignation period. Once she goes, she goes.”

“That’s new. I’ve never heard of a company doing that,” Callum said.

“Simone’s family ties sealed the deal,” the boss said.

Callum stared at Simone’s boss. “Please explain what Malcolm Allusifa has to do with this company?”

“He’s the one been sponsoring us.”

Cole took over the conversation. Wherever he went, that blasted man wasn’t far behind. Why couldn’t Malcolm Allusifa get lost?

****

Cole listened to the meeting with half and ear. His own mind was filled with the dark beauty of Miss Allusifa. Who could have thought an ugly soulless bastard like Malcolm could produce a beautiful woman like Simone? He knew Callum was lost on her. How far lost was still out there. What he didn’t like was how Malcolm was everywhere that Callum wanted to be. Cole and Callum were business partners and had been so for many years. Their friendship had begun in childhood. Neither of them liked being apart. His stint in the forces had brought about that time away from each other. Cole regretted his decision to go out into the war zone. The more he thought about it, the harder it was to deal with. He’d learned to shut off all those thoughts. It was better to focus on the present and future. Looking back at what he used to do would only set off his warning signs.

The meeting came to an end, and he stayed waiting for Callum to talk. They were attuned to each other’s thoughts.

“You disapprove?” Callum asked.

They were both forty years old. In their youth they’d done everything. Drinking and shagging anything that wore a skirt. Their sharing became something they did together in their later years. Is that what Callum wanted from him? To share Simone?

“Of what exactly?”

“Buying this company?” Cole rubbed his fingers against his temple. Business was bloody boring at times. He handled the security and the background stuff while Callum was the main face of their enterprise.