Executive Package (9 page)

She tried to catch the attention of each man in the room, wishing someone would set off another round of fucking, but they were wholly engrossed in their work.

It felt like an eternity she was caught like that, stretched wide around Cunningham’s pulsing tool. When Gustav closed the folder, she heaved a sigh of relief.

“I believe our work here is done,” Gustav said. He reached for one of the sandwiches on the platter, then got up and poured himself a soda. Elle couldn’t help but notice that he added ice cubes to it.

The other men slowly rose and began serving themselves. Jonathan approached Karl and Gustav and asked if they wanted tickets to a sold-out musical.

Elle twisted in Cunningham’s arms, her nose close to the warm, intoxicating smell of his neck.

“Please,” she whispered, feeling so small and helpless in his embrace.

He smiled and tightened his grip around her wrists. “Such a needy little girl,” he whispered back. He thrust a hand under the bottom of her skirt and honed in on her swollen button. She ground her hips, but he held her off… even after she was writhing on his cock in utter desperation.
 

Behind her, Cunningham was breathing hard.

“Please,” she said, this time not whispering. The four other men in the room now watched, their attention captivated, making her feel like prey.

“Since you beg so prettily…” Cunningham gave her what she wanted then, and so much more. Three of his large fingers slammed into her dripping pussy, his thumb caressing her nub exactly the way she needed. They came at the same time, and she didn’t even try to be quiet.
 

Neither did he.

When his thrusting slowed and his grunts faded back to normal breathing, he nibbled her neck and slowly helped her stand. Nolan handed her a box of tissues.
 

“I see why you’re anxious to settle things,” Gustav said cryptically as he flicked a crumb from his jacket. “Is it customary to offer gifts? Engagement gifts, I mean.” He smiled crookedly at Elle, who was dropping the ruined shreds of her panties into a wastebasket.

She hid a scowl as she scooped up her bra, wondering why Gustav had brought up her marriage dilemma.
 

He wandered closer to her and handed her a glass of soda. “Perhaps see what they’re willing to give, and the choice will become clear.” He winked.

“Thank you, Gustav,” Cunningham said in a tone of voice that clearly conveyed his desire that Gustav get the hell out of the building.
 

When Gustav didn’t move, Cunningham stood, his arms crossed. “I think we’re done here,” he said, his words measured.

Everyone went stiff. Elle took a little step backward, a self-preservation instinct in the face of these two dominants now at odds with each other.

“You’re welcome,” Gustav replied, relaxed, pretending not to register Cunningham’s displeasure. “I’ll contact you tomorrow.” He strolled out of the room, an ashen-faced Karl close on his heels.

“Are you deciding now, Elle?” Nolan asked, brow furrowed. “Because Gustav is right. Maybe we can help you make your decision.”

What she wanted was to not have to choose at all, but what came out of her mouth was, “Suppose we… or you, rather… own the hospital. Then it wouldn’t matter if one of us got sick.” She glanced at Cunningham, nervous.

Nolan’s gorgeous blue eyes fixed on hers. The warm smell of Oakmoss enveloped her. “I’ll buy the hospitals.”

“And if we’re out of the country?” Cunningham snapped.
 

Nolan spun to face his cousin. “Then I’ll buy more hospitals.”

“What would you do?” Elle asked Cunningham. Her pulse quickened even as time slowed, and she felt faint enough to pass out. “What would you give up for this relationship? For… me.” Her mouth was so dry that she barely got the words out.

Cunningham blinked rapidly. “Whatever you want,” he said.

She sipped the drink Gustav had handed her, taking the moment to collect her thoughts. “I was thinking earlier… I love working here, but it’s because of you guys. But, I guess I won’t need the salary…” Talking about money—
their
money—made her feel gauche, uncomfortable.

“You won’t need to work,” Jonathan said.

Elle gratefully met his eyes and smiled, then gathered her courage. “I’d like to do non-profit work. And… I was thinking about it, and I… I think I’d like to see a bit of the world.”

Cunningham stared at her, his face closed. Finally his eyebrows knotted. “Is this your idea or Nolan’s?”

She glanced at Nolan. “It’s true that I overheard you arguing the night you met Mama, but it really is what I want. I know you love this company—”
 

“Love? No, Elle. That’s my name on the door,” he growled. “You want me to just send the employees home, close up shop, and galavant around the world with you? I have responsibilities, Elle.”

She chewed on the corner of her lip.

Cunningham crossed his thick arms over his chest and sighed. “Yes, it would be romantic of me to promise you anything you like, but let’s not kid ourselves. My actions have consequences for other people.”

Nolan stiffened, insulted, and Elle didn’t need to look to know that his eyes were turning dark.

“I don’t think Elle is suggesting you lay everyone off—” Jonathan started.

Cunningham skewered him with a look. “So this is how it is. You and Nolan gang up on me, make me look like the bad guy. Tell me, what are
you
willing to sacrifice, Jonathan?”

Jonathan scrubbed a hand over his face, then went stiff. “I need to leave,” he said suddenly, and headed for the door.

Elle’s heart nearly stopped. It was happening. She was losing them. “No, Jonathan. Please don’t go.”

He turned, his expression serious. “I’m going to get you what you really want, Elle. If I make the right threats and call in some favors, it’ll only take a couple of hours.” He looked at Nolan and Cunningham. “Keep your phones handy.” Then he was gone.

Cunningham glanced at Nolan. “No idea,” Nolan said, his eyes midnight blue. “That was a cheap shot, Cunningham.” He pulled out his phone and slid his fingers around the screen, sending a text.

“I’m sorry,” Cunningham said hoarsely. “You know I didn’t mean it like that.”

Elle took a few steps back. “I have work to do.”

“It can wait,” Cunningham said.

“No, it can’t.” She ignored the surprised expression on Cunningham’s face. “Truth be told, I’m not particularly in the mood for either of you.”

Baffled, Nolan looked up in surprise. “What did
I
do? He’s the one demanding things and insulting people.”

She threw her hands up in exasperation. “You can’t buy your way out of everything, Nolan. And anyway, I don’t know why you’re so scandalized. It’s not like you have any responsibilities. You like it that way. I’ve heard you say it plenty of times.”

His eyes darkened, and his lips thinned into a tight grimace. “You think I was joking?” He moved in, then leaned incrementally closer, forcing her against the wall. “I’d buy the world. For you, Elle, even if you only wanted to destroy it. I’d sell everything I own and live on the street if it made you happy.”

“Leave her alone,” Cunningham growled.

Trembling, she squeezed out from under Nolan and hurried out of the conference room before Cunningham changed his mind.

Since she couldn’t be sure that Cunningham or Nolan wouldn’t follow and harass her with questions about her decision, she decided to hide in Jonathan’s office. It was just as she’d left it, and she went inside and closed the door behind her.

She dropped into his overstuffed executive chair and opened his laptop. Well, she’d gone all morning without looking at the news sites, and thanks to Cunningham and his obsession with making her choose between her lovers, her run-in with the paparazzi had fallen to the bottom of her list of concerns.

However, she needed to tell her mother, and the adrenaline of confronting Cunningham made her feel bold enough to tackle anything. She picked up Jonathan’s phone and dialed an outside extension.

“Hello?” Mama sounded both annoyed and desperate, and Elle felt a twinge of guilt.

“It’s me.”

There was silence, and Elle feared the worst—that Mama already knew—until Mama said, “Oh. I thought you might be this guy I’ve been seeing.”

“You’re dating someone?”

Mama sighed. “I thought I was. He called me overbearing, and we had a little fight.”

Yeah, Elle could imagine
exactly
how that went down. “Sorry to hear it.”

“So what did you want? Because I know you wouldn’t call me for no reason.”

“That’s not true!” Well, maybe it was. She fidgeted with the chair’s armrest, trying to find the words to prepare her mother for what she would discover sooner or later. Elle decided to try an indirect approach. “Remember how you said I should date one of my bosses?”

Mama grunted.
 

“Well, I am.”

“Which one?”

Elle winced. “I’m not sure…” She wasn’t sure how to explain it.

That got her mother’s attention. “You’re not sure? What does that mean? You juggling two of them? Because you’re my daughter, and of course I think you’re pretty, but you’re not
that
pretty.”

A surge of annoyance ran through her. “Actually, you’re wrong. I’m seeing all three of them. At the same time.”

Silence on the other end of the line. She’d rendered Mama speechless. Might as well give her the rest. “It’s not like I’m cheating. We… spend time together. It’s what they want, what we all want. A serious relationship. It works for us.” Or, at least it did most of the time.

Mama huffed. “I shouldn’t be surprised. I sensed something was off when I met them. Rich perverts, more money than sense. They make you dress up like a rooster or something?”

“What? No! I’ve never even heard of such a thing.”

“You always were selfish. What about your sister? You think it’s easy for her to meet a nice man with those kids? If your new boyfriends are that desperate, you could have palmed her off on one of them.”

“Mama!”

“That’s my man calling.” The line clicked dead.
 

Elle frowned at the phone before hanging up. Well, she hadn’t been yelled at or cursed at, and the insults had been surprisingly mild. She smiled slowly. It could have gone a lot worse. That didn’t mean there might not be yelling and cursing later, but Mama appreciated the money Elle supplied. If she hadn’t flipped out upon first learning the news, she was unlikely to do so later. As for the snide remarks, well, Elle had mastered the art of ignoring those.

She stared off into nothingness for several minutes, then brought up the project she’d been working on and began idly fiddling with her sketches. This time, though, her attention kept wandering, and every fifteen minutes she had to undo her progress because of all the careless errors. The fingers of her right hand drummed idly along the desktop as she thought about what Nolan had said.

He wanted to buy the world for her. He would give up everything for her. Did she believe him?
 

Actually, she did. But it still didn’t change anything.

She wondered where Jonathan was, what he was doing. Getting what she really wanted? What did that even mean? He didn’t know what she really wanted. He couldn’t… not when she didn’t know the answer herself. So he’d show up with some extravagant gift to distract her. Like a racehorse. Or a vineyard.

The chair squeaked almost inaudibly as she leaned back into it. She toed off her stiletto booties and pulled her feet up, wrapping her arms around her knees. What did she want?
 

For all three of them to be happy together, forever, of course.

It wasn’t something that could be bought. It wasn’t something that they could give her, not with Cunningham insisting she take things to the next level.

Six months earlier, she would have killed for him to desire her to that point. She ached for his approval, for his love. Now she had it, and she was afraid of losing the others. What rankled the most was that even if things were moving faster than she liked, in the end, she
would
have to choose. Maybe it was kinder to do it now.
 

She tilted her head back and closed her eyes, remembering when he’d confessed that he loved her. She didn’t care about marriage, about any of it, but if that’s what he needed to be happy, maybe she should trust him… and trust the others, too. They promised things wouldn’t change. She wanted to believe them, but if they were being honest, why did it matter? Why couldn’t she flip a coin?

And then there was Nolan’s argument. She should marry for security. But he was so biased on that count.

If only she loved one of them even an ounce more than the others.

But she couldn’t. They all made her happy. They each enriched her life in a different way. Simply, she liked life with them, the feeling of being surrounded by such intense love.

They were so strong, so smart, so solid.
 

Jonathan’s phone rang, and she jumped, startled. It must have been someone who had his direct line because the receptionist surely knew he’d left.
 

A moment later, the phone rang again.

Then again.

And again.

She picked up the phone and raised it slowly to her ear. “Hello?”

“We need to talk. Come to my office.” Cunningham hung up.

She slammed the phone down, slid into her booties and stalked toward the door. Cunningham. He was so damned pushy all the time. Rather than give in to the fear, she fed her anger, her hands curling into fists as she practically stomped through the hallways.
 

When she reached his door, she threw it open without knocking. Cunningham leaned against the front of his desk, legs loosely crossed at the ankles, arms folded over his chest. He’d taken off his jacket and tie, and the top buttons of his crisp shirt were undone.
 

“What?” she asked.

His dark eyes connected with hers. “Come in,” he said. As the words crossed his lips, a look of torture settled over his ruggedly handsome features. “Please.”