Power Play: A Black & White Collection Story (13 page)

He accepted her words and gave a deep sigh of relief. “I love you just the way you are, Frankie. I hope you know that.”

Her eyes widened. “You love me?”

He laughed, lifted her knuckles to his lips for a kiss. “Of course I do, you crazy woman. I’ve been walking around here feeling like the world’s biggest fool wearing his heart on his sleeve. You had to know I wanted a relationship with you.”

She licked her lips, biting the lower one briefly. “I was so busy trying to sort out my feelings and misreading your intentions, I don’t think I ever stopped to consider how you felt.”

“Well, now you know. I adore you, Francesca Carlyle. And I’d like a lifetime or so to prove exactly how much.”

She blinked back tears, but before she could respond, Brian stood up.

“Give me those resignation letters.”

Reed wanted to blast his uncle for his untimely interruption, but Brian remained undaunted. Holding out his hand, even snapping his fingers. They handed the papers over.

“Brian,” Reed started, but his uncle’s actions stopped any further comment he could make.

Brian tore up both resignations. “I don’t accept either of these.”

Reed scowled. He’d grappled all weekend with his decision to leave The Donovan Group. Walking away from the company felt like the equivalent of tearing off a limb, but he was through bowing to his uncle’s demands.

“You don’t have a choice.”

Brian looked at him. “I’m retiring.”

“What?” he and Frankie said in unison.

“I’m not getting any younger. I’ve spent my life making a ton of money. I want to go out now and spend a bit of it. Oh hell, I want to spend a lot of it. I’m gonna travel, find myself a girlfriend, have lots of sex.”

Frankie laughed. “Sounds like a well-laid plan.”

Reed couldn’t find the humor. Brian was retiring. Leaving the company.

“I don’t understand,” Reed said slowly, finding it difficult to form the words. He’d never imagined his uncle leaving The Donovan Group. The man used to joke around that he’d run the company until he had one foot in the grave.

“Apparently there are a lot of things you don’t understand, Reed. And I’m afraid that’s my fault. I’ve never been a patient man and explaining myself sort of falls under that umbrella. I should have warned you, told you this was coming. Maybe then you wouldn’t have felt like I was anything other than completely proud of you.”

“Told you so,” Frankie whispered. Her smug smile started to jar him from his shocked state.

“Nobody likes a know-it-all,” Reed said.

Brian grinned at their exchange. “I sent you to London to give you a sense of what it would mean to be in charge of this company. What it would be like to run it totally on your own. You assumed the reins over there and did a great job.”

“In charge?”

Brian nodded. “I wanted you to understand all the aspects of this company. Obviously there’s more than just the marketing end. You need to know how to manage the employees, deal with any problems that may arise, handle the financial end. You did all of that and more at the London office. I’m leaving The Donovan Group in your very capable hands.”

“Me?”

“You’re my new CEO and when I die, the company is yours.”

“CEO?”

Frankie looked at Brian. “Congratulations, Brian. You’ve left Reed speechless. Quite a feat.”

His uncle and Frankie laughed at his stunned state, but Reed didn’t care. He was still trying to put all the misconceptions of the last few months in proper perspective now that he knew the rest of the story. He was going to run The Donovan Group. Once again, his uncle had looked into his heart and read the desires Reed didn’t even know were lurking there. He’d never imagined the company without his uncle. Never considered a future where he would actually run it. Now he knew there was nothing he wanted more.

“You’ll be a wonderful CEO, Reed.”

He looked at Frankie and realized he was wrong. There was something he wanted more.

“You can’t leave.”

Frankie looked like she might argue, but Brian stopped her.

“He’s right, Frankie. With Reed running the company, he’s going to need a strong marketing partner to handle that part of the business. I hired you hoping you would prove yourself capable of filling that role. You have.”

Suddenly, everything became clear. Brian hadn’t hired Frankie because he thought Reed was losing his touch. He hired her to take his place after his promotion. He laughed at his sheer stupidity. “I think I owe you an apology, Brian.”

“No,” his uncle said. “You really don’t, Reed. So what do you say, Frankie?”

Reed looked at her, saw her struggling to make a decision. “Stay, Frankie. Please. I can’t run this company without you. I’ll beg if you want me to.”

She laughed. “I don’t want you to beg.”

“So you’ll stay. Give this partnership a try?”

She nodded slowly, reaching over to take his hand. “I can’t guarantee you an easy time. I’m pretty headstrong and opinionated. I won’t be a yes-man.”

He gave her a naughty wink. “I’ve figured out a few tricks to get you to say yes.”

“I’m being serious, Reed. I don’t think we should go into this with blinders on. You know as well as I do there are probably gonna be some knock-down, drag-out fights in our future.”

He squeezed her hand. “So long as you promise they will always be followed by dirty, kinky make-up sex, I can live with that.”

Brian groaned. “Too much information. So it’s settled then. Get out of my office. Go make plans for the future of this company. And I’m telling you right now, if you run it into the ground, I’m coming back here and kicking both your asses.”

They laughed and Reed gave his uncle a playful salute. “Duly noted.”

Brian gave Frankie a kiss on the cheek and offered Reed his hand for a handshake. Reed pulled his uncle toward him and the two men embraced.

“I’m proud of you, son,” Brian said. Reed felt a lump in his throat until his uncle, in typical fashion, followed up with a joke. “But we’re going to have to talk about your professional, gentlemanly skills. Seducing your partner is a no-no.”

Reed laughed. “Oh, I don’t know about that. I sort of think that falls in the gray area.”

Frankie narrowed her eyes. “Your gray area just turned black. Keep that in mind.”

Brian slapped Reed on the back. “This should be fun to watch…from afar. Makes me glad my first few planned trips are abroad.”

Reed grasped Frankie’s hand and led her to the elevator. As the doors slid closed, she hit the stop button.

“I love you,” she said.

His breath caught in his chest. He knew how hard it was for her to make such a declaration.

“I’m kind of hard not to love, sweetheart.”

She laughed and rolled her eyes. “Oh my God. I’m going to have so much fun putting you in your place.”

He grinned. “I look forward to it. Oh, and Francesca, I love you too.”

About the Author

Writing a book was number one on Mari Carr’s bucket list and on her thirty-fourth birthday, she set out to see that goal achieved. A winner of the Passionate Plume, Mari finds time for writing by squeezing it into the hours between 3 a.m. and daybreak when her family is asleep and the house is quiet. Please visit the following places to learn more about Mari Carr:

Website
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http://www.maricarr.com

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:
http://www.facebook.com/mari.carr3

Twitter:
http://twitter.com/MariCarr

Blog:
http://internationalheat.wordpress.com

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http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Heat_Wave_Readers/join

Look for these titles by Mari Carr

Now Available:

Black & White Collection

Erotic Research

Tequila Truth

Rough Cut

Happy Hour

Because of You

Learning Curves

Coming Soon:

Northern Exposure

Southern Comfort

Eastern Ambitions

Western Ties

Last call? She’ll take a double. Straight up, please…

Happy Hour

© 2010 Mari Carr

For six years, widow Grace Wright’s days have been filled as a single working mother. Now, with her daughter graduating, her nest is yawning before her, wide and empty. And so is the upcoming weekend. Invited out by her coworkers, she decides it’s time to turn that corner and get on with her life.

Jamie’s had his eye on Grace for years, but it never seemed the right time to approach her. Tonight, something’s different. The sexual signals she’s giving off are unmistakable—and he’s not the only man in the bar who’s noticed. His best friend, Trey, is breaking a sweat just looking at the delectable English teacher.

The two men make her the offer of a lifetime, and Grace doesn’t hesitate. For one night, Jamie and Trey indulge her every desire, every fantasy, every naughty craving. In the morning Trey is gone with the wind, but Jamie is holding on to every moment as if he never wants to let go. Leaving her wondering if another chance at forever is too much to ask…

Warning: Contains a red-hot ménage, anal sex, graphic language, bondage and toys. Serve with a tall, cool one with plenty of ice. How ’bout another round?

Enjoy the following excerpt for Happy Hour:

Jamie refused to have his night with Grace ruined by Carmen and he reacted before he thought. He leaned over and kissed Grace, a hard, full-on, open-mouthed kiss. He half expected her to pull away and slap him, so he was pleasantly surprised when she wrapped her arms around his neck and returned the kiss.

He wasn’t sure how long he inhaled the sweet scent of her breath and tasted the tang of beer on her tongue. He gripped her waist and held on, reveling in the moment. Their first kiss and it was better than he’d ever imagined. Her lips were soft against his, but her response proved she wouldn’t be a passive or timid lover. She touched his tongue with hers, exploring his mouth while her fingers tugged his hair, pulled him closer.

The kiss betrayed her true feelings and had his mouth been free, he’d have shouted his happiness to the entire bar. She was as hungry for him as he was for her. For a moment, the rest of the world faded away, leaving just the two of them, lost in their own private Eden.

And then reality intruded.

“Jamie?” Finally, the female voice penetrated his lust-clouded mind and he regretfully pulled away. “Jamie?”

He turned to find Carmen standing beside the table, looking confused—and shit—upset. He hated hurting her, but she didn’t understand when he said he wasn’t interested in dating her. When faced with the idea of listening to her nonstop boring conversation another night, he’d acted on instinct. “Hey, Carmen,” he said, forcing a nonchalant tone to his voice.

“Hi,” she said. “I thought I spotted you over here.” An awkward silence fell, and Jamie decided it was time to carry the subterfuge to the next level.

“Have you met my girlfriend, Grace?”

“Girlfriend?” Carmen asked.

He nodded and was grateful when Grace smiled kindly. “I think we may have met a few months ago. At another happy hour, maybe?”

Carmen shrugged and Jamie saw Trey roll his eyes. No doubt Carmen didn’t remember the fact she’d met Grace at least three times in the past. She wasn’t exactly bright and she certainly never paid a bit of attention to the other women at the table, usually saving all of that mind-numbing banter for him or Trey.

“Isn’t she a little old for you?” Carmen asked.

Jamie fought back the urge to tell the woman off for her cruelty. “No. She isn’t.” His words were clipped and halting and any fool could see he was furious. Unfortunately, Carmen was the queen of fools.

She looked Grace up and down and then dismissed her as a serious threat. “What are you guys doing tonight?” she purred, thrusting her breasts forward as if the mere sight of her big tits bursting out of her too-tight top would make him come to his senses and fall madly in love with her.

“We’re having a few drinks together.”

“That’s cool,” she said, looking around for an extra chair. Mercifully, they’d given their extra seats to a large group at the next table.

“Well, it was good to see you again, Carmen. Maybe I’ll see you around sometime.” Jamie’s dismissal was curt and he silently prayed it would be enough because if she persisted on hanging around, they’d have to leave. After the kiss he’d just shared with Grace, he’d rather cut off his left nut than cut this evening short.

Carmen hovered by the table for a moment until Trey and Grace both added their goodbyes, then she left.

“Damn, man,” Trey said. “Quick thinking on that kiss. Well done.”

He nodded, though he was still fuming over Carmen’s insult. He glanced at Grace. “I’m sorry she was so rude to you.”

Grace reached over and grasped his hand. “That’s not your apology to make. Besides, I think we’ve already discussed her lack of intelligence.”

Trey laughed, but Jamie continued speaking. “With any luck, that will be the last time I have to deal with her.”

Grace squeezed his hand. “Oh, I think you made your point. You’ve tried to break things off with her gently at least a dozen times, Jamie. Sometimes, you just have to be less subtle, more direct.”

“That kiss was pretty fucking direct,” Trey said.

Grace looked at him and smiled. “Have to admit I didn’t mind pretending to be your girlfriend for a few minutes. Wow.”

“Few minutes? Felt like you were swallowing each other’s tonsils for hours.”

“Shut up, Trey,” Jamie said with a grin, pleased by Grace’s compliment.

“You know, Grace, I think I see an old stalker girlfriend of mine over there. Mind giving me one of those kisses?” Trey asked.

Grace shook her head. “Don’t you guys have anything better to do tonight than harass this old woman?”

“Carmen’s a fucking idiot. I don’t see any old women at this table,” Jamie said, hating for her to feel the sting of the insensitive woman’s words.

“Maybe not, but I still don’t get why you two are here. Despite my fears of pumping up your already overinflated egos, you’re both totally hot. Why are you sitting here with me tonight rather than going out on dates? Getting laid?”