TAKEOVER

a sneak preview of the Takeover Duet

Chelle Bliss

Contents

Preface

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

“An out of this world enemies to lovers story.” – Jezabell Girl & Friends

“As dramatic as it is sexy.” - The Fairest of All Book Reviews

He's the hottest man she's ever seen–and her worst enemy.

Ambitious, high-powered CEO Lauren Bradley is one press release away from catapulting her corporation to new heights.

Rival CEO Antonio Forte is arrogant, controlling, and sexy as hell. He'll stop at nothing to get control of Lauren's company.   The only problem? He's also the one-night stand she can't forget.

This is a sneak peek at the highly-rated Acquisition, Takeover Duet #1, by USA Today bestselling author Chelle Bliss. It is a sneak-preview, plus BONUS content, including two chapters not found anywhere else!

“An edgy, sexy read.” – Reading is our Satisfaction

Chapter One

Antonio

In a short time, I’d taken Cozza to the top and made them the industry leader without looking back or feeling remorse for how we got there. But in the last few years, Interstellar, which is headed by Lauren Bradley, a tenacious and driven female CEO, has been chomping at our heels, trying to top us.

Until recently, I paid them no attention, but that changed when rumors started to spread about their new cutting-edge technology that would slingshot them right past Cozza and place them firmly in the number one spot.

That doesn’t sit well with me either. I didn’t spend a large portion of my life building Cozza to have everything destroyed in the blink of an eye. I will do anything to stop Interstellar in their tracks, including using the inside information I received.

“Are you sure you want to do this?” Jim Alesci, my chief legal counsel at Cozza, asks, tapping his pen against the orders sitting before him, and he looks tenser than normal. “You’re opening a huge can of worms.”

“I’ve never wanted anything more.”

“There’s going to be a lot of questions about why you chose this very moment to start to move on Interstellar.”

Carlino, the VP of Cozza, asked my permission to find a mole inside Interstellar. Although I said no and was completely against it, he did it anyway, and his findings set this entire thing into motion. Through his efforts, we were able to ascertain that Interstellar had done the unthinkable. Their research team has developed an engine that doesn’t use any jet fuel. To say I was gobsmacked would be an understatement. An invention such as this will be like the Holy Grail in an industry where we’re always striving for the best fuel economy and pushing the limits of human space travel.

“I’ll deal with the questions and blowback once the ball is rolling.”

“From what I know about Ms. Bradley, she’s not going to just roll over and hand you her company.”

“I’d expect nothing less. We have the element of surprise as well as money on our side, Jim.”

I have always lived by the tactics in Sun Tzu’s Art of War. Even though he lived 2,500 years ago, his strategies and methods are still used today and still hold true. The biggest thing I have on my side is the unexpected.

Sun Tzu said, “Let your plans be dark and impenetrable as night, and when you move, fall like a thunderbolt.”

That’s exactly what I plan to do. Interstellar won’t know what hit them. Right now, we have the upper hand, and as they start to unveil their new engine and move through the testing phase, the power will shift. Therefore, now is the only time to take action.

“I’ll be in Chicago by tomorrow afternoon.” I lean back in the chair, staring out over the city of Milan, steeped in all its beauty and history. Lives were crushed, companies were ruined, and dreams were killed to build the city that sits just outside my window.

Cozza is no different.

I will crush Interstellar, and Ms. Bradley will just be a causality in order to keep my company at the top.

“Do me a favor, Antonio.” Jim taps the small stack of papers against the mahogany table, looking more nervous than usual. “Don’t attract attention. Stay in your hotel until the cards are dealt and the team meets you there. We have to be very careful how we handle this.”

“Jim, really. I don’t plan on marching into Ms. Bradley’s office and making my intentions known. I’ll wait until you start the takeover bid before I do anything. I will take no chances on this deal getting derailed. Plus, you know I don’t like media attention. No one will know I’m in town.”

Jim rubs the bridge of his nose with his fingers and lets out a loud sigh. “I’m not looking forward to this.”

“When have you ever shied away from a good fight?”

“Interstellar and Ms. Bradley aren’t to be underestimated, Antonio. She’s fierce. Don’t let her gender fool you. She’s exactly like you in every way, and she protects her company at all costs.”

I wave his words away. There’s no opponent that gives me pause, especially not an American woman who has sat firmly in the number two spot for five years. She may be worthy, but I have no doubt that I’ll topple her and her company.

“I’ve never met an opponent I can’t beat, Jim. You handle the legal end, and I’ll do the rest. I didn’t get this far without risking everything, including my reputation.”

Jim stands and slaps the stack of papers against the edge of the table with a hungry look in his eyes. “It’ll be done today. By tomorrow morning, Interstellar won’t know what hit them.”

“Thank you.” I smile, ready to conquer the American princess and make their new invention my own.

Chapter Two

Antonio

Catarina, my oldest sister, stares at me over her glass of wine, trying to make me feel guilty. “Do you need to leave today? Marcus and Pappa will be home tomorrow for a few days. They’ve been gone so long, and I can’t believe you’re going to miss them.”

“I must, Cat. If I wait even a day, the deal could be lost.”

She places the glass on the table, turning the stem between her fingertips as she judges me silently. “Are you ever going to stop working?”

“When you stop, I’ll stop.” I smile softly before taking a sip of the sweetest red wine I’ve ever tasted. It’s a product of the family vineyard that Stefano, my brother, acquired five years ago as part of his olive grove.

Catarina is just as much of a workaholic as I am. Even with two little girls running around the house, wanting her attention all the time, she still trots off to work each day. “You know I love my work.”

“As do I.”

“You’ll never understand the pleasure of restoring something that was once beautiful and bringing it back from the edge of obscurity, making it new again.”

She makes her job as a restoration artist seem like she’s rebuilding the Colosseum instead of cleaning and patching old artwork around Italy that has started to lose its luster due to time and abandonment. “Cozza gives me the same pleasure.”

“I don’t know how engines and rockets could bring pleasure, but I’ll take your word for it, brother.” She twists her lips and glances toward the ceiling. “Someday you need to settle down.”

I almost spit my mouthful of wine back into the glass as I start to choke on her words. The subject of marriage is something Cat gave up lecturing me about years ago. “You know I’m married to my work. I create things instead of kids.”

“Kids are more fun, though. You love your nieces. Imagine if they were your own.” She smiles softly, peering at her two girls, Guila and Amalia, outside the window.

“I love those girls. I’d even kill for them. I can spoil them rotten without the repercussions because, at the end of the day, I return them to you.” I smirk, trying to fight back the small laugh.

“You’re an asshole, Antonio.” She lifts the bottle, filling my glass as well as her own, and sighs. “Where are you off to now?”

“Chicago. Here’s the information for the W Hotel where I’m staying in case of an emergency. I’ll be gone for a week or so, depending on how the takeover proceeds.”

“Which company are you toppling now?”

Amalia bursts through the back door and into the kitchen, covered in dirt and hiding something cupped in her tiny little hands. “Zio Ant.” She pauses, trying to catch her breath as she pushes her hands toward my face. “Zio Ant.”

Guila, her older sister, almost slams into Amalia’s back as she tries to stop but slips on the travertine tile, narrowly missing her. “Don’t do it, Zio. Don’t look.” Guila pulls at Amalia’s arm in a tug-of-war.

I glance at Catarina, but she only raises an eyebrow and shrugs. The girls are a mess, but that’s nothing new. They’re covered in mud and grass and all things nature. They love to be outside in the garden or near the lake, exploring their surroundings and typically causing a lot of trouble.

I pull Amalia into my lap, positioning her so her cupped hands aren’t in my face. “Is it a present for me, Mali?”

God, I love these little girls. I would never admit it to my sister, but spending time with them does give me pause. I love my work and everything I’ve built, but sometimes I feel like I’ve missed out on something so far. Like there is a giant void that I haven’t been able to fill…not yet, at least.

Maybe after the deal with Interstellar, after all competition has been taken care of, I’ll be able to step back from the business and concentrate on my personal life. Looking at my two nieces, listening to their excitement and feeling their love, makes me want more than what I have.

“Si, Zio.” Amalia rests her head against my chest, staring up at me with her giant eyes and a spot of dirt on the tip of her nose.

“It’s a spider, Zio Ant,” Guila says as Amalia lifts her hands closer to my face, killing all of Amalia’s excitement.

Cat is on her feet, around the table, and pulling Amalia into her arms before I even have a chance to respond. It’s like she has some superhuman speed that I’ve never witnessed before.

“Mamma,” Amalia begs as Cat carries her toward the back door, holding her with one arm and keeping Amalia’s hands sealed tight with the other.

“Absolutely not. What have I told you about bringing bugs into the house?”

My smile widens as Amalia stares at me over Cat’s shoulder with a look so calculating and innocent that I want to bottle up her goodness and keep her this size forever.

Guila steps in front of me and positions herself between my legs before wrapping her arms around my waist. “Will you take us on the lake tomorrow, Zio?” She blinks up at me, playing up her female abilities—something her mother has taught her—to try to get her way.

I run my fingers through her long, soft hair and kiss the top of her head. “I can’t, darling. I have to go to America tomorrow.”

Her eyes widen. “Take me with you,” she says as she places her hands on my cheeks and gets right in my face. “Please, Zio Ant.”

“I can’t, Guila. Next time. I promise.”

She pouts and averts her eyes. “Why can’t you? I’ll be good.”

I pull her into my lap, feeling guilty that I haven’t spent enough time with my nieces lately and missing them like crazy. “I have business to take care of there, and you wouldn’t have any fun. It’s grown-up things.”

She pauses for a moment and pulls at her downturned bottom lip. “Are you meeting a woman?”

“Why would you think that?” I tighten my hold on her, hugging her a little closer because the little girl makes me happier than anything and anyone in the world.

“Because you said grown-up things. I know when Mamma says it’s grown-up time, we’re not allowed to go into their bedroom.”

I start to laugh, unable to hold it back. “Darling,” I say as I kiss her head, waiting for my laughter to break before I answer her question. “I’ll be there on business.”

She leans back, intertwining her fingers with mine. “You need a wife, Zio.”

I stare down at her tiny hands next to mine and realize how quickly she’s grown. It feels like only a few days have passed since the day she was born and I held her in my arms and promised her the world. “Who told you that?”

“I hear Mamma and Nonna saying it all the time.”

I hang my head, burying my face in her hair and wishing she still had that baby smell. As for my mother and sister, they need to worry about other things and not so much about my love life.

“They say you’re a playboy. I don’t know what that is, but I do like to play, Zio.”

“Ah, love. I wish I had time to play today, but I promise soon I’ll take you and your sister away for a weekend.”

“To the beach?” she asks, quickly forgetting about the word playboy. I didn’t want to have to explain that to my niece, and shame on my sister and mother for not realizing the girls were listening and memorizing every word they were saying.

“Anywhere you want, Guila.”

She bounces in my lap with excitement as Catarina walks through the back door with a teary-eyed Amalia in her arms. “Sorry about that.”

“It’s fine. I have to leave anyway and catch my flight.”

Amalia wiggles free from Cat’s arms and runs toward me. “You can’t go,” she says as she leaps into my lap with Guila, almost squishing her.

“I have to, baby.”

“No.” She clings to me like her sister. “Stay.”

God, I can’t imagine being Marcus, their father, and having to say goodbye to them for long periods of time. It would gut me completely to see their tears and sadness every time I had to leave.

“I’ll bring you presents from America,” I say because I’m a sucker, and buying them gifts is the only thing I know how to do to placate them.

“Nice,” Catarina groans as she wipes away the dirt that Amalia’s little escapade has left behind. “You spoil them too much.”

“No such thing.” I kiss Amalia’s and Guila’s cheeks before easing them to stand on the floor between my legs. “My nieces deserve everything.”

“I hope you have girls someday, so you see the error of your ways.”

“But, Mamma, you said he’s a playboy and won’t have children,” Guila says with innocence.

Catarina peers over at me with an apologetic look, but I shrug it off because my sister has always thought of me as nothing more than a misogynistic male whore. “Don’t pay any attention to your mamma. She’s not always right.”

My little nieces make me a better version of myself. In the business world, I’m cut throat and feared. But when I’m around my family, especially Guila and Amalia, that part of me seems to melt away.

* * *

The man behind the counter at the hotel registration greets me with a kind smile. “May I have your ID and the credit card used for your reservation, sir?”

I hand him the ID and credit cards I use when traveling, none of them in my name to keep the media and paparazzi away from me.

“It’s wonderful to have you.” The man looks down at the passport and reads my name before bringing his eyes back to mine. “Mr. Louis Roma.”

I almost roll my eyes at the stupidity of the name. Jim arranged it, along with a host of other names to keep my travel and life private. Each one was more hideous than the next, too.

“First trip to Chicago?” he asks as he types on the computer.

“No. I’ve been here before, as well as to the W.”

The man bobs his head, still looking at the screen in front of him and not paying any attention to my response at all.

“Wonderful. You’re booked in the penthouse for your entire stay. You’ll have a personal butler if you need anything. Will you be requiring Wi-Fi?”

“Not while I’m here. Thank you.”

When I travel, especially on secret trips like this, I avoid bringing my laptop, and I even switch my phone to privacy mode so that there is no chance of my location leaking. In a cutthroat industry such as mine, I take no chances.

“The bar is open until one a.m., and the restaurant is open until ten. If you’re in need of anything else, room service is twenty-four hours.”

“Thank you.” I’m exhausted after the long trip, wanting nothing more than a bed and warmth. I slide the keycard off the counter as soon as the gentleman sets it in front of me. “I appreciate your help.”

He gives me a quick nod and smile as he hands me my credit card and ID back across the counter. “Feel free to call if you need anything else.”

“Will do.”

I walk past the hotel bar, tempted to walk inside and have a drink, but I know there will be time tomorrow to celebrate the victory at hand and the impending demise of Interstellar.

Chapter Three

Lauren

Not many people can say that they’re living their dream. I started on this path when I was only knee-high, but I never let anything stop me from achieving everything my father had planned for me.

When I was a little girl, my father and I would lie in the field behind our house for hours and stare at the night sky. He’d hold me close and point to the stars, twinkling like diamonds against black silk above us.

He dreamed of touching the heavens and visiting the vast reaches of space. He spent years studying to be an astronaut and almost achieved his goal. Tragically, within weeks of finishing training, a horrific car accident killed my mother and left him in a back brace for a year.

His career ended before it even began, and he changed his focus to me. He didn’t force me onto the path I’m on now. No, my father taught me that I could achieve anything and believed I would touch the very reaches he’d always dreamed he would but never did.

“Lauren, your future is there,” he’d say with wonder and excitement.

I’d look up, staring at the stars twinkling above us, and wonder what else was out there. Childhood curiosity and the love of my father drove me toward my destiny…toward today. Not into space, but to the inside of the boardroom, where I could make the dream a reality for others.

Although I didn’t have the guts to become an astronaut, I knew from a young age that I wanted to make it possible for others to go where no man had gone before. My father believed in me and said I could do anything if I worked hard enough. I studied science and business at Boston University, graduating with a bachelor of science in aerospace and an MBA by the age of twenty-four.

It didn’t matter that I was a woman in a male-dominated industry, the only limitations I had were those that others had placed on me, underestimating my drive and determination to reach the top.

Five years ago, I became the CEO of Interstellar Corp—one of the world’s cutting-edge producers of aerospace technology. They are the second-largest company in the field, behind only Cozza International, the oldest company in the field. I never thought that within ten years of stepping through the door, I’d be head of the multibillion-dollar corporation.

I’d achieved a small piece of my father’s dream before the age of thirty, but my father never got to see me take the helm. Three years before I was appointed the head of Interstellar, he died of a stroke.

Although he wasn’t standing by my side, I thought about him watching me from above, finally going to all the places he’d always dreamed of seeing.

It happened.

I’d made it.

Lauren Bradley, CEO of Interstellar Corporation.

Being a businesswoman and running a company came with some major hurdles that I had never expected.

But like everything else in my life, I didn’t let it stop me.

I couldn’t.

I always knew the business world could be cutthroat, but I never expected the betrayal to come from someone close to me.

I braced myself for it. There’s always competition—both from inside the company and from other businesses in the same field.

Years before I became CEO, I made a mistake.

One that can be especially devastating to the career of a female executive.

Not a what, but a who.

Trent Moore.

We’d worked long hours together on the development of a new engine technology, and the lust became undeniable. It was my first big assignment for the company and the launching pad that catapulted me to the top. Between Trent’s rugged good looks and MENSA-level genius, I couldn’t help but be attracted to him.

He flirted.

I blushed.

He smiled.

I swooned.

After months of going back and forth, I gave in to him.

Relationships were a complication I couldn’t afford, especially not in the beginning of my career. My mind knew it, but my body led me down the path of a sinful office romance that ended as spectacularly as a test rocket exploding before reaching the stratosphere.

Eventually, I came to my senses, feeling boxed in after he became possessive, which had me backpedaling and looking for a way out. After I was able to break off our relationship, I asked if we could be friends, but Trent refused to believe that we were over. He did everything in his power to get me back, and every time I told him no, he took it to mean yes.

I refused his every advance, but he bided his time and thought I’d come to my senses—but I never did.

The one thing I know about myself is that once my mind is made up, I never go back.

Trent was a hard lesson to learn—never mix business with pleasure. Interoffice romances spell disaster and should be avoided at all costs. I couldn’t just walk away from him entirely. We worked together. And that there is the rub.

When I became CEO of Interstellar, he became the head of research and development, not because of me, but because of our work on the project that had pushed us together. We had a common goal—a new engine technology that would revolutionize the industry, and we were so close.

I knew that, as a company, we needed him, even if I didn’t want a damn thing to do with him.

He had a brilliant mind, and Interstellar needed him just as much as they needed me. We were trapped together in a symbiotic relationship, even though it was toxic. He needed me to back his projects and give him free rein, while I needed him to create something so magnificent it would make Interstellar the leader in the aerospace industry and allow me to leave my mark on the universe. Like it or not, our lives were intertwined.

He pulled off the impossible, creating something that would solidify Interstellar’s dominance over the entire industry.

Maybe he wasn’t my biggest mistake after all.

Chapter Four

Lauren

Trent sits down, his straight brown hair wild and messy, fitting his mad scientist persona to a T. He places his hands behind his head and kicks back in the chair. “How much do you love me?”

I take a deep breath and count to three. I’m not in the mood for his flirtatious banter this early in the morning. But then again, I never am. “We’ve been over this before. You need to knock before entering my office. Strolling in like you own the place is not acceptable.”

Trent never did fully grasp the boundaries I’d put in place after we broke up. Being the CEO and his boss hasn’t earned me an ounce of respect in his eyes either. He comes and goes as he pleases, no matter how many times I’ve reminded him he can’t just breeze into my office like we’re still a couple.

“Come on, Lulu.” He gives me the classic Trent “I’m the man” chin lift.

I hate when he calls me Lulu. He gave me the nickname a few months after we started dating, and it always gave me the creeps. For being such a brilliant man, at times, he’s completely clueless.

“What do you want?” I try to keep the anger from my voice, but I fail miserably.

He shows off the dimple that I used to adore but now despise. “You lost your sparkle, sweetheart. What’s wrong?”

I rise from my chair, stroll to the front of my desk, and lean against it. “Skip the bullshit, Trent. It’s not going to work on me anymore.” Crossing my arms, I stare down at the man I once thought I loved. “What’s wrong with the design?”

He smiles smugly. “Nothing. It’s perfect.”

It’s hard to imagine a time when I believed Trent was charming, but I fell for him hook, line, and sinker.

My mouth falls open, and my arms drop. “It’s done?”

That damn dimple deepens. “Yep.”

“You did it?” I whisper, gripping the edge of my desk, unable to believe what he’s telling me.

I shouldn’t be shocked that he found a way to make the engine work. It’s the reason I never fired him. Trent isn’t just a genius; he has the ability to rank right up there with Albert Einstein if he’s only given a chance.

He squares his shoulders and puffs out his chest, because Trent wouldn’t be Trent without his cockiness. “I did.”

“Do you know what this means?”

The enormity of this moment isn’t lost on me.

My heart beats wildly as my mind reels from the news.

He did it.

We did it.

Interstellar pulled off something no one ever thought possible, and Trent made it happen. Suddenly, I’m thankful I never fired him even if he’s a daily pain in my ass. I’m all about taking one for the team, especially when they come through in a big way.

He stands and invades my personal space with his aquamarine eyes gazing into mine. “That I’m a legend.” He moves closer, and I lean backward, trying to put more space between us. “Bound to be remembered for eternity.”

He cages me in, but in this moment, I’m not angry. How can I be after he just delivered the most amazing news? “Yeah, Trent, you will.” It’s true and ridiculous all at once. “But this means that we’re going to crush the bastards at Cozza.”

“It’s what you always wanted.” He starts to stroke the exposed skin on my arm. “We make an amazing team, Lauren.”

Team? We haven’t been a team in years, and even then, we were two entities that spent time together but didn’t gel as one. I was too busy busting my ass to climb the corporate ladder, and Trent, well, his brilliant mind never seemed to stay focused long enough. When we were a couple, he never paid as much attention to me as he does now.

The man doesn’t understand boundaries. Not only does he breeze into my office whenever he feels like it, but he touches me more than I’d like. By that I mean, if he touches me once, it’s too much. But I can’t knee him in the balls in my office. Even if he doesn’t act professionally, I must.

I dig my fingernails into the wood on the underside of my desk, and I narrow my eyes. I grit my teeth, but keep my voice down so the rest of the office doesn’t overhear. “Get your hands off me.”

His thumb brushes against my flesh, too close to my breast as he ignores my request. “The new engine is my gift to you. Someday, you’ll come back to me.”

“Trent.” I finally duck under his arm and move behind my desk again. I grip the back of my chair and raise my chin. “I appreciate the thoughtfulness behind your accomplishment, but there will never be an us again.”

“I’ll wait for you. Bask in the knowledge that it’s ready for the final test phase before we can launch it into production, Lulu.”

I wrinkle my nose and tamp down a growl that’s building in the back of my throat. “Thanks.” My tone is clipped and cold. “I look forward to reading your report and bringing it before the board for final approval. Can you have it on my desk before the end of the day?”

“Already done. Cassie has it.”

I’m at a loss for words.

Trent’s always been thorough but not when it comes to paperwork. The man could build anything with his hands, but ask him to write something down, and he becomes inarticulate and lazy.

I clear my throat. “I’ll call an emergency meeting and get the ball rolling ASAP.”

He turns to face me before he makes it to the door. “Want to have a drink with me after work to celebrate?”

“It’s never going to happen, Trent. We have a business relationship, and that’s it.”

“But…”

I hold up my hand because I don’t want to waste another minute having this useless, repetitive conversation. “Trent, stop making a fool of yourself.”

I swear I hear him mumble bitch as he walks out, but I don’t say anything because I don’t want to give him a reason to come back.

Before I can sit, Cassie strides into the room holding Trent’s report. “Thank God he’s gone.”

“Tell me about it,” I mumble and hold out my hand, eager to read about the new engine. “Let me see that.”

She places the report in my hands. “I’m sorry he just walked in. I tried to stop him.” Her lips are pursed as she speaks, but I’ve told her a hundred times I never blame her for his intrusion.

“Don’t worry about it.”

She sinks into the chair Trent just occupied and kicks off her high heels. “Is there anything you need me to do right now?”

Cassie’s been my assistant and lifeline for the last five years. She’s always prompt and put together, dedicated to her job and to me, and I don’t know if I could do my job without her by my side.

Typically, she knows what I want and need before I do, but she also knows the report Trent has placed in her hands, ones I trust implicitly, is important to the future of the company and will consume my entire morning.

I open the report and push down on the spine with my index finger as my eyes start sweeping over the first paragraph. “Can you call an emergency board meeting for tomorrow morning at nine?”

“On it,” she says before leaving.

I sit for the next hour, reading word-by-word in complete awe. Most of the information has been so under wraps, even I didn’t know everything until now.

The cocky bastard had figured out a way to make the engine work without using jet or rocket fuel. No longer would we be the second-largest aerospace company in the world, we were going to rule the universe.

Interstellar is about to become the leader in travel. Not just airline travel, but his invention could be used to power ships into outer space and allow humans to travel farther than they’d ever gone before.

This is a game changer.

I’m one step closer to achieving my dream and my father’s.

Chapter Five

Lauren

In under one hour, I’ll be presenting the proposal to the board members to get the go-ahead on the final testing phase of the new engine. Without their consent and their willingness to spend almost a billion dollars, we’d remain number two.

But I had Trent’s plan, my vision, and a real chance to do something civilization had never achieved…reaching the outer edges of our solar system without using rocket fuel.

I’m about to place the final proposal on the table when Josh Goldman stalks into the boardroom. “We have a problem.” He’s almost hyperventilating as he clutches his chest.

My hand freezes a few inches above the table. “What’s wrong?”

The nervous excitement I felt immediately morphs into nausea deep in the pit of my stomach.

Josh runs his fingers through his dirty-blond hair and looks over his shoulder, peering into the hallways before answering. “It’s Cozza. Dawn raid. The bastards,” he says, stammering out the words and not talking in complete sentences.

Josh is my number two at Interstellar. He started a few months after I did with a nose for business and a love of numbers. He’s usually calm and collected, though today he’s anything but.

I slowly sit down and stare at the mahogany wood and the intricate design of the grain as I try to wrap my head around the information.

As with other dawn raids, Cozza purchased a minority stake in Interstellar just as the markets opened this morning. They are positioning themselves for a takeover.

It was old-school, sneaky, and purely Cozza, the cocky bastards. It was their way of making their intentions public to take over Interstellar without a huge media splash. Dawn raids were rare, especially in the United States, but I should’ve known Cozza would try anything to stop us. This meant only one thing—they’ve officially declared war, and somehow, they knew about the engine.

“Do you know what this means?” Josh collapses in the chair next to me.

Swallowing down the lump that’s settled in my throat, I nod. “I do.”

I don’t want to believe it, but I should’ve known they’d pull something like this on the verge of our announcement. The timing’s uncanny and screams foul play, but things like this happen all the time in our industry… I should’ve expected it.

“They’re going to try to take us over, Lauren.”

“It won’t happen,” I say with a firm voice, trying to make myself believe the words as I speak them.

Josh mashes his hands together tightly, and there’s a vein bulging from his forehead. “How can you be so sure?”

Tapping my fingernail against the conference table, I look out the window and try to think of a good answer. “I don’t know, Josh, but we better get every goddamn person on finding a way to stop Cozza dead in their tracks.”

This news changes everything.

No longer is this a meeting to discuss the exciting future of Interstellar, but the focus now shifts to how to save Interstellar and stop the slow bleed of shares to Cozza.

The stockholders need to know to hold their shares and not sell them under any circumstances. No matter what Cozza offers, with the invention just on the horizon, they’d be wealthier than they ever imagined.

He rises from his chair and fists his hands at his sides. “I’ll get the junior executives on it.”

Based on his anxiety, I can be certain Josh isn’t behind the information leak that led Cozza to purchase the stock overnight.

But if not him, who?

There aren’t many people who know about the engine outside of the design team and the top executives. The board probably had an inkling that something big was happening since we called an emergency board meeting, but I can’t imagine they’d shoot themselves in the foot…especially when it came to money.

“Wait.” My voice is surprisingly calm and unwavering as I speak. “Don’t.”

He stops and turns. “Why?”

“We don’t want word getting out until the board of directors knows about Cozza’s intentions. As soon as the meeting is over, we’ll put everyone on it.”

His Adam’s apple bobs and he nods, closing his eyes briefly. “Fine.” He looks down at his watch. “We have one hour before everyone gets here. We’d better come up with a way to break the news gently.”

“We’ll start with the original agenda. We’ll rave about the invention and needing final approval for the test phase so we can begin production as soon as possible. After we have everyone excited, we’ll drop the news about Cozza. With the revelation that we’re about to become the leader and make everyone in the room filthy rich, they’ll work their asses off to come up with a solution to get rid of Cozza and secure the corporation.”

He pulls on the cuffs of his dress shirt before straightening his tie. “If you think that’s a good idea.”

Josh rarely goes against me, but he isn’t sold on my plan either. Although he’d love to have my job, Interstellar means just as much to him as it does me. We both gave our blood, sweat, and tears to this company, and neither of us wants it to be for nothing.

“It’s the only way to go.”

“You’re right.”

Standing near the floor-to-ceiling glass windows of the conference room, I stare at the bustling city below after Josh leaves. There’s no way in hell I’m going to allow years of work to be stolen by Cozza and their infamous CEO, Antonio Forte.

Little is known about the man, the myth, the legend that is Mr. Forte. Since he was appointed head of Cozza International, he’s become somewhat of a recluse—at least when it comes to public events and cameras. The one thing I know about him is that he is a vulture. Most likely, he’s a portly old man, sitting alone in a dark room with nothing else to do but prey on the weaker companies surrounding his precious Cozza. He’s knocked off competition over the years without an ounce of remorse, and I vowed that would never happen to us.

Even if Josh has reservations about leading with the original agenda, it’s the right plan. As the minutes tick by and the board members enter the room, my anxiety heightens.

Interstellar board members’ sole purpose is to look out for the interest of the shareholders, which number in the millions. We have five board members, and each has very different agendas, but they all have the best interest of the company at heart.

Mr. Grayson is the first to enter, as is always the case. The older gentleman wouldn’t know how to be late if his life depended on it. “Nice to see you, dear.” He greets me the same every time, giving me a handshake and a wink. If anyone else would refer to me as “dear,” I would probably take offense, but when Grayson says it, I kind of melt a bit. Maybe it is the fact that he reminds me more of a grandfather or my father, whom I miss so terribly that I embrace the term of endearment.

Next in the room is the cold and often calculating Ms. Edwards. Mr. Edwards, her ex-husband, used to run Interstellar, but after a very embarrassing scandal that dealt with his treatment of women at the company, not only did he step down, but his wife took him to the cleaners. I clapped for her…silently, of course. But she didn’t let what her husband did keep her down. After she took his shares of the company, she walked into Interstellar like she owned the place. With the amount of shares she held, she practically did.

As the others arrive, my hearing becomes more acute, listening to the murmuring of the people in the room as they speak. I shake hands and greet everyone before I make my way to the head of the table. All the while, I never stop thinking of a way to stop the impending takeover.

When all board members have been seated, I clear my throat and wait for the room to quiet down. “Ladies and gentlemen.” I pause for their complete attention before continuing. “You’re here today to approve the final phase of our newest invention. The engineering team has finalized an engine that does not require fuel of any sort and is ready for testing before we begin production.”

Murmurs start, members turning to the person sitting at their side, all talking quietly with smiles on their faces. I hear the word amazing more than once.

Pacing behind their chairs, I watch them closely. Is the traitor among them? I can’t imagine that’s possible since this is the first they’re hearing that the project is ready to move forward. “If you’ll open the packet in front of you, you’ll find the specs and information on how the engine works, including the findings the design team have been able to verify through their testing thus far.”

I walk around the room quietly as they read the packet that has been prepared for them, studying each person’s face for a tell or any sign of betrayal, because in my mind everyone is a suspect. The voices grow louder, and the excitement becomes tangible.

“This is truly spectacular, Ms. Bradley,” Mr. Grayson states.

As the longest serving member of the board, he’s been too loyal to Interstellar to sell us out.

I smile. “Thank you, sir.”

“How exactly does the engine work?” the newest member of the board, Mr. Connors, asks and instantly piques my curiosity.

I never liked Tad Connors. He always has a question, and there’s something about him that keeps me on edge. Maybe it’s the way his eyes linger a little too long on my legs when I wear a skirt or his perpetual quest to find out the exact information I’d never reveal.

“I can’t divulge that information. The patent is still pending, and leaking the details, even to the board, wouldn’t be in the best interest of Interstellar.”

He runs his hand backward against his hair, making sure every strand is perfectly slicked back. “Understood.”

“All I can say is that it will change the aerospace industry forever. Imagine being able to reach Mars without an ounce of rocket fuel to power the vehicle. Or flying to Europe without hundreds of gallons of jet fuel to pollute the environment.”

“Astonishing.” Tad relaxes back in the high-back leather chair, watching me closely as I pace the length of the room.

But today, I wore pants to keep his eyes on the prize instead of my calves.

“If we approve the final testing today, production can be started in under three months, and the first Interstellar engine can be in the air in well under a year.”

“That soon?” Ms. Edwards’s perfectly plucked black eyebrows shoot up before a small grin spreads across her thin red lips.

“Yes, ma’am. There’s nothing stopping us once we prove the design is safe and reliable.”

“How certain are we of that the test will work?” Mr. Jameson asks before I can say another word.

In his mid-sixties and extremely wealthy, along with being drop-dead gorgeous for a silver fox, he isn’t in it for the money. He believes in the company and our dreams for the future. Mainly he’s driven by the dreams of his children. His oldest, Bennett, is in the Air Force with hopes of entering the space program someday.

“Based on the initial test data, the work of the design team, and the report on my desk, I’d say that I’m fairly confident the engine will work as planned without an issue.” Returning to my spot at the head of the table, I pray I won’t have to eat my words.

Ms. Kirby, the member with a legal background who always seems to worry about the legalities more than our legal department, pipes in before I can put it to a vote. “So, by doing the test, we’re announcing to the world the new project. Has Interstellar taken the necessary steps to patent the invention and keep as much detail from leaking into the wrong hands? We want to maximize the potential growth for Interstellar and their stockholders, along with protecting the future assets of the company.”

I want to growl as a warning for her to back off. The entire company has been working on the project in some form, and we did everything possible. “Yes, Ms. Kirby, we have taken the necessary steps, including patenting the technology.” There is no time to waste and more business to discuss, which will hit on Ms. Kirby’s second part of the question. “Let’s vote. All in favor.”

One by one, I count the raised hands around the table even though everyone has theirs in the air. A unanimous decision is exactly what I had expected when I called the meeting yesterday.

“It’s unanimous. The final step in testing will be scheduled. I’ll send a memo when we have a date for members to attend.”

Before I can continue, Mr. Grayson starts to push back from the table. “Thank you.” He stands, and all members start to follow suit.

“We have one other item to discuss.”

Mr. Grayson turns toward me, his eyebrows turned inward when his eyes meet mine.

“This morning something came to my attention.” The twelve sets of eyes around the table are glued to me. I clear my throat, looking above them for a moment. The room becomes silent, almost deafening.

In all the board meetings, I’d presided over, never had I introduced something not on the original agenda. “Cozza International purchased a minority stake in Interstellar this morning. As you all know, Cozza is our main competitor. Based on this information, I’m expecting an announcement soon about their plan to take over Interstellar. I feel that by their purchasing the stake in the company, it’s in our best interest to speed up the engine testing to help boost the price of the stock and stave off any further stock grabs by Cozza.”

“How can this be?” Mr. Grayson slams his fist down on the conference table, acting out in a way I’d never expected.

The murmurs of excitement from earlier now change to panic. “Ladies and gentlemen of the board,” I call out, trying to gain control of the room, but I keep my voice even. “We need to work together, along with the executive team, to find a way to stop Cozza from taking possession of Interstellar. I find it unsettling that their takeover attempt falls on the heels of our newest breakthrough, but we must forge on and do everything in our power to stop them. We need to make sure they are not able to purchase any more stock in Interstellar and do everything in our power to stop their advances.”

“How?” Ms. Edwards asks while nervously stroking her neck.

“There has to be a way to stop them. If you’re approached by anyone from Cozza, it’s imperative that you don’t speak with them and under no circumstances sell them your shares. They need to purchase a majority stake in the company in order to complete their takeover. The legal team, in conjunction with other executives, will be formulating a plan to halt them in their tracks and put the takeover to bed.”

“Forte has stooped to a new low,” Mr. Grayson says through gritted teeth, the wrinkles around his eyes growing deeper. “Cozza tried this years ago and was unsuccessful. I’m sure they’ll be stopped this time, too.” Even though he speaks the words, I don’t feel the conviction in his voice.

I grip the back of my chair and dig my fingernails into the soft leather. “I’ll keep everyone updated on our progress, and we’ll be working around the clock to find a solution.”

Tad stands and rubs the back of his neck. “Do we know who the mole is?”

“We don’t,” I inform the group, even though the list has grown shorter as the meeting went on. There’s too much money to be made for them to sell out Interstellar and share our secrets with the competition. That only leaves a member of the design team as the sellout. “It doesn’t matter. All that matters now is that we stop them.”

“Exactly,” Josh states, finally adding to the conversation and coming to stand at my side. “Rest assured this is our first priority.”

I lean into his space. “Finally,” I whisper without moving my lips.

He keeps his eyes pinned to the board members. “I’ll always have your back,” he whispers back to me.

“Let’s adjourn so that we may get started on finding a solution as soon as possible,” I announce, walking away from Josh and heading toward the door to shake the board members’ hands as they exit.

“Let me know if I can be of help,” Ms. Edwards says with a small smile before strutting down the hallway in her knee-high Louboutin boots and skintight black skirt.

“Bradley.” Tad stops in front of me, catching my attention. “When you find the mole, you cut him off at the knees. We’re too close to something amazing and world-changing to allow the credit to go to Cozza.”

“Agreed.” I stare into his eyes.

He couldn’t be the one.

He’s too money hungry and knows what the invention would mean for his bottom line.

“I’ll do what’s necessary, Tad.” I smile and hold my breath until he walks out.

“Lauren.” Mr. Grayson shakes my hand. “You have my entire legal team at your service. I’ve been with Interstellar too long to allow Cozza to take the credit for all your hard work. We’re too close to something that will revolutionize the entire industry.”

“I know, Mr. Grayson.” I study his aged face.

The deep wrinkles near his dark brown eyes give him character and make him appear kinder than everyone knows him to be. The man’s a pit bull and would take out any enemy that got in his way.

“I promise to protect Interstellar.”

He pats the top of my hand. “Thank you, dear.”

I give his hand a small squeeze before he walks out and I turn to find an empty boardroom. Standing here, I close my eyes and give myself exactly five seconds to let fear seep inside. Just enough time to allow it to finally hit home. I count to five and then head straight to my office to start to deal with Cozza.

As I shut my office door, I lean against it. The enormity of what’s transpired is enough to crush me. How could this possibly be happening? I thought I had done everything in my power to surround myself with the best people—the most loyal, most driven. But there is a mole somewhere. Why now? It’s too close to the engine development to be coincidence. This is calculated and led by someone in-house who spilled the news of the design to our competition. When everything seemed to be clicking into place, the bottom dropped out, and now I must do everything in my power to fix it.

I push off the door and head toward my desk to devise a plan, one which starts with my VP. “Cassie, get Josh in here and take messages on any calls today. We’re not to be disturbed.”

“Yes, ma’am,” Cassie replies before I disconnect the call.

I won’t leave the office until I have confidence that our team has a solution.

I wouldn’t go down.

Not now.

Not like this.

Not ever.

Chapter Six

Lauren

Twelve hours later, I stumble out of the office, completely exhausted. My head’s spinning from all the jargon and different scenarios we ran through for how to stop Cozza in its tracks.

I want a martini—scratch that, I need a martini. Probably more than one, if I’m being honest. The W Hotel’s just down the street and their bartender makes the best drinks in town. It’s my go-to place when I need to unwind after a long day, and it’s on my way home. The dark lighting and calming colors make it the perfect atmosphere to gather my thoughts and relax.

I place my order, shrug off my knee-length Michael Kors coat, and take a seat on a barstool, far from anyone who may want to chitchat. I watch the bartender mix the martini, waiting for my first sip while my mouth salivates and I take in my exhausted features in the mirror behind the bar.

Being on top causes more stress than I could ever fully explain to another person not in my shoes. Every employee, shareholder, and board member looks to me for leadership. Who could I go to for help when there are moments that make me question my sanity?

No one.

There isn't a single person I could share my doubts, fears, or moments of madness with who wouldn’t consider me weak. Not even my family would understand the weight I have on my shoulders. Therefore, I turn to the only good listener I know–vodka.

It helps to take the edge off without me having to spill my guts to a stranger and end up with a prescription for something that would numb my mind and make me useless as CEO. I need to stay sharp. I need to be alert and aware of the people trying to take me down and destroy Interstellar.

I lift the glass to my lips, inhaling the salty splendor before I take a small sip.

Heaven.

“Is this seat taken?” a man asks at my right, interrupting my moment of bliss as the second mouthful slides down my throat.

I motion toward the empty seat without a word, not bothering to look at him. The last thing I want to do is make small talk with a stranger. Talking means not drinking. Not drinking means thinking.

My mind’s too much of a mess, and I need to calm the chaos inside if I’m ever going to get to sleep.

Ignoring his presence, I continue savoring each sip and stare at the picture hanging above the mirror behind the bar. It’s a simple work—an aerial view of the Chicago skyline at night. Each building is lit up, standing tall and beautiful.

Everything looks unimportant from so high in the air. The people are invisible from above, the city appearing as lonely as I feel. The struggles, fears, and panic below can’t be seen, but they are happening in different people’s lives at the moment that photo was snapped.

I may dislike Trent and regret every moment I spent in his bed, but there’s one thing I miss—being close to someone. Working with him made it easy to share the day-to-day challenges I felt while climbing the corporate ladder. He understood. But in the end, it wasn’t enough to keep me at his side.

I had my martini, the bar, and an empty apartment, but no complication from a jealous boyfriend. Some things had to be put on hold in order to attain the level of success I’ve achieved in such a short time. Relationships often led to marriage, which led to kids. I didn’t have time to devote to a family and still work to my best ability at Interstellar.

Setting my glass down, I rest my cheek on my hand and twirl the stem of the glass between my fingertips. I keep staring at the photo, wondering if I’d make a difference in the world. After my time passes, would I have created enough of an impact to make all the sacrifices worth it? What are wealth and success worth if there’s no one there to savor the moment with you?

“Is it always this chilly in May?”

His sexy accent makes the hair on the back of my arm stand straight up as if being beckoned by the deep purr.

“Yes.” I’m almost frozen in place with my hand still on my glass.

When he lifts his hands to his mouth, blowing into his palms before rubbing them together, I almost sneak a glance, but something stops me.

“I’ll never get used to the cold.”

“No one ever does.”

He pulls his stool closer, and I catch a whiff of his expensive cologne. “Why live here, then?”

Between his scent and the sound of his voice, I know I’m a goner if he’s handsome. “It’s where I was born and where I’ll die.” Even when I went to school in Boston, I longed for the grittiness of Chicago.

“No one is ever trapped. Why not move?”

“I work here. It’s where my life is, and I also love this city.” I take another sip, keeping my eyes straight ahead.

He finally takes a sip of his drink. “It’s beautiful for an American city.”

That statement alone aggravates me. He used the word American as if it were derogatory. I’ve traveled all over the world in my lifetime and still hadn’t found a city to rival Chicago.

Maybe Paris. Maybe.

But it still doesn’t have the same grittiness of Chicago. It may be more beautiful, but it will never be home.

“What’s your name?”

Finally, I turn, allowing myself to see the man who wants to interrupt the moment that my martini and I are having.

Damn it.

Naturally, he not only smells like sin and sounds like heaven, but he’s drop-dead gorgeous too.

The type of man I would’ve welcomed into my bed if it weren’t for the fact that all I wanted to do is drink. The dark brown hair around his face is windblown, light scruff on his face lining his lush lips perfectly. His light sky-blue eyes bore into me, filled with curiosity and something I hadn’t planned on—lust.

“Elizabeth,” I lie. I don’t feel like being me, and since I don’t know him, I don’t want to give away more than I have to, which at this point, is nothing.

“Elizabeth,” he repeats, holding out his hand to mine. Hesitantly, I slide my hand against his palm, letting his warmth transfer to my ice-cold fingers. “I’m Lou.”

“Nice to meet you, Lou.”

He pulls my hand to his lips and kisses the top, scorching my skin in their wake. “What brings you here tonight?”

As soon as he releases my hand from his grip, I miss his warmth. Quickly, I grab the glass between my hands, averting my eyes, and trying to cool the flesh he’d just touched. “Just a drink before I head home.”

“May I buy you another?”

“Why?” I glance at him over my shoulder in confusion.

“Because I don’t like to drink alone.” He grabs his tumbler of Cognac. “I don’t know anyone here, and I’d rather you stay for a while.”

I take another sip of my martini, staring at his arms, which are bulging beneath the silk fabric. “Why me?”

The sleeves on his dress shirt are rolled up, exposing his forearms and wrists, which are masculine and thick. A smattering of hair covers his thick, corded muscles that melt into the dress shirt near his elbow, straining against the material and becoming one.

If I’m going to stay and play someone I’m not, I figure I’ll need another drink to get through it. I don’t know why I’m even thinking about staying. But all I have to do is look at Lou, and I know why–he’s head-to-toe handsome.

But tonight, more than any other, I feel the need to get lost. I can’t run away and forget everything that’s happening, but I can drink and role-play, pretending to be someone else. I never let go, tossing caution to the wind, but tonight the thought’s intoxicating. Tonight, I want to be anyone but me.

He looks around the bar before turning his full attention toward me. “I don’t see anyone else as beautiful as you are.”

I can’t stop my crooked smile. “Thanks.”

I shouldn’t be so enamored with the compliment. There are only three other people sitting around the bar, staring at the television as the Cubs lose yet another game.

Clearly, the martini was more powerful than I anticipated. Maybe I should’ve eaten something before I started drinking tonight. Normally, such a small flirtation wouldn’t have an impact, but between his beautiful face and smooth accent, I’m a goner.

“So, will you stay?” He points at my martini glass that’s now almost empty and waits for my response.

It can’t hurt to stay for one more, right?

“Sure.”

“Another round,” he tells the bartender, pointing down to our glasses before he strokes his chin, the stubble on his face moving underneath his fingertips. “So, what do you do, Elizabeth?”

I can’t take my eyes off his face. I watch his fingers and wonder about the coarseness of his stubble and how it would feel rubbing against my skin. Would it tickle? I’ve never been with a man with as much hair on his face as he has. It has to be soft and my fingers itch to touch it, but I refrain. “I’m an executive assistant.”

If I’m going to lie, which I am, why not go big? People rarely have questions for assistants. If I mention the word CEO, we’d sit here and talk about my career, and it’s the one thing I want to avoid.

“Do you love it?” He tilts his head back before his eyes search my face.

“I do. What do you do?” I need to deflect and move on before I change my mind and leave.

He smiles, revealing his perfectly white, straight teeth. “I’m a pilot.”

I drag my eyes to his and realize he caught me staring at his mouth. It’s been ages since I’ve had sex. Trent was my last, and that was eons ago. Being this close to a man, a handsome one at that, with the vodka buzzing through my system has my mind wandering. His spicy cologne isn’t helping the matter either. “That sounds exciting.” Images of joining the mile-high club start to fill my brain—dirty bits of him and how he sounds when he moans—in his pilot’s uniform and aviator sunglasses.

When the bartender sets the drinks down, Lou slides the martini in front of me, brushing against my arm and bringing me back to reality. “It can be,” he says.

I’d been so busy earlier trying to avoid him, that I hadn’t fully appreciated how different he smells. The cologne he wears is expensive and not common. “I’m sorry if I was cold when you sat down.”

His smile reaches his large blue eyes. “I wouldn’t say that.”

I finally let myself relax, wrapping my fingers around my glass. I move it in circles and watch the liquid slosh around. “I’ve had such a bad day.”

“What can I do to make it better?”

I look over at him as he winks, and my cheeks instantly heat, the flush creeping up my neck to meet the redness in my face. “Just this.” I motion between us and try to steady my breathing.

Being this close to a man has never affected me. But the dull ache between my thighs when he looks at me and the way he licks his lips has my body reeling. Maybe it’s the amount of stress I’m under today or quite possibly the drink I just had on an empty stomach. Either way, I crave his touch.

His tongue pokes out, sweeping across his bottom lip before he speaks. “You want to talk about it?”

I shake my head slowly and stare at his mouth, wondering how he tastes. “I just want to drink and think about something else.”

“Personal life or work?”

“Work.” I sigh, dragging my eyes away to stare down at my drink.

“Ah. I understand that sometimes work can be stressful, but you shouldn’t let it ruin your night.” There’s a small crinkle in the corner of his eye, betraying his age or maybe that his life is just as stressful as mine, but it’s sexy. Men can pull it off, and Lou certainly does more than that.

I finger the stem of the glass and avoid eye contact. I feel like a scumbag lying to him about myself. “I wish it were that easy.”

He moves his lips close to my ear and speaks in a deep, husky voice. “I can help make your night better.”

Shivers run down my spine as he speaks. I turn, and my mouth is inches from his. “I’m not sleeping with you.” But I want to…more than anything, I want him. I want to drown myself in sin, lose my thoughts in his touch, and forget who I am for a night. I want the passion, the pleasure, and everything Lou has to offer.

He places a hand on his chest and smirks. “Elizabeth, what kind of man do you think I am?”

I smile and let my eyes travel the length of him before answering. “You look like the type of man who thinks if he buys a drink, a woman will throw herself at him.” Because from the looks of him, I’m sure he never has to ask for sex. A drop-dead gorgeous man with his sexy-chic hair and lush lips probably doesn’t have to do anything more than smile for panties to start dropping.

“The thought never crossed my mind.” He looks at me the same way I just looked at him. “You definitely don’t look like the type to sleep with a random stranger.”

“I’m not,” I shoot back, but I feel my face flush. I’ve never been the type to do the walk of shame, but a man like Lou could tempt me under different circumstances. “As long as we’re clear.”

“Crystal.”

* * *

I lied.

Two martinis later, making a total of three, and I’ve changed my mind. I want to sleep with Lou.

Sleep? No. No.

I want to fuck Lou.

He spent the last hour regaling me with his travels and the joy of being a pilot. The way he spoke about it made it seem like the most freeing job in the world. To soar above the clouds, the world silent below, sounds magical.

“Lou,” I whisper against the rim of the martini glass with one hand resting on his forearm. “Will you take me flying sometime?”

Being with him has been easy. I didn’t have to think about my job or worry about anything. I could just listen and stare at his handsome ruggedness without a thought other than him. I glance down at my hand and realize I’ve been touching him for most of the conversation with my fingers resting on his forearm.

“You name the time and place.” His deep voice sounds as smooth as the liquor in the back of my throat.

“How long are you in town?”

Why did I ask him that?

There’s no way I can ever see him again. I can’t keep pretending to be Elizabeth the executive assistant, and I have way too much on my plate right now for frivolous fun.

“For a little while.”

“A week?”

“Probably more.”

“I get the hint.” I push my empty glass forward.

“Hey.” He moves closer to me, and I feel his warmth as he rests his hand on my knee. “I’m not blowing you off. I’m here for training, and it can take a while for me to finish. It depends on my schedule.”

I give him a weak smile. “It doesn’t matter, Lou. I’m too busy with work to fly away with you.” I really didn’t even have the time to sit here and have drinks with him either, but here I am, sitting, drinking, and flirting like I don’t have a care in the world.

His fingers softly stroke the inside of my knee, and my breath hitches, causing goose bumps to break out across my skin. “Can I take you to dinner tomorrow night?”

“I can’t,” I say, my voice breathy and betraying.

“The next night.”

I grimace. “Sorry, but I just can’t.”

“You pretend you don’t want me, Liz, but I can tell you do. The way your breathing changes when I do this.” His fingers inch higher up my leg, and I regret that I wore pants today as he makes tiny circles against my flesh. “I can tell that you want me. The way your eyes dilate when I get close to you, or when you stare at my mouth.” He licks his lips, and I follow the path of his tongue. “You know you want me. Admit it.” By the time he stops speaking, my fingernails are digging into the skin of his arm.

My body says yes, but my brain tells me to walk away—at least the part that’s still sober. The insanely hot man in the expensive dress shirt with his sleeves rolled up, wearing tailored black dress pants he fills out nicely, and a face so handsome he could grace the cover of GQ, wants me. How am I supposed to say no?

Tomorrow, I’ll go back to reality, but there’s always tonight.

“I’m attracted to you.” Admitting it isn’t easy for me, but I have liquid courage. Maybe it’s more stupidity, but I say the words before I can change my mind.

He brings his face closer to mine. “Then spend the night with me,” he whispers.

One-night stands have never been my thing. I’ve done them just like every other red-blooded American, but it wasn’t the reason I came here tonight. I needed to get lost and forget about everything. Lou gave me that out. The conversation alone did the trick, along with the three martinis I drank. But the thought of seeing him naked makes my mouth salivate and my spine tingle.

I swallow down my fear and lead with my body instead of my mind. “Okay.”

He flattens his hand on my leg before curling it around my thigh. “Come on.” He reaches into his pocket with his free hand, pulling out a money clip before tossing some bills on the bar.

I think about changing my mind, but then his fingers start to move, and all doubt vanishes. “Are you staying here?”

He holds out his hand to me, waiting for me to take it and seal the deal. “Yes.”

Clearly, the stress of the day must’ve had a greater effect than I thought. After three martinis and a lot of flirting, it doesn’t matter–I want him.

I grab my purse from the bar and turn to face him, a devilish smile on my face while my insides are doing backflips.

“Are you sure?” he asks when I put my hand in his.

My smile may be cockeyed, probably from the drinks, but my answer is clear and direct. I climb off the stool and smooth my shirt with one free hand. “Yes. Are you?”

He wraps his arm around my back and steadies me as we walk out of the hotel bar. The spark between us is almost visible as we steal glances at each other, walking through the lobby. My need grows stronger the closer we get to the elevators, and the butterflies inside my stomach are flying around with excitement.

By the time we make it to the elevator bank, I don’t feel as tipsy as I did when I agreed to go to his room. “Elizabeth,” he says, pulling my body closer to his. “I need to know that you want this. I don’t take advantage of women.” His fingers tighten on my waist. “I want you. More than anything, I want to taste you.”

I peer into his eyes. “I want you, Lou.”

Chapter Seven

Lauren

As soon as the elevator doors open, he whisks me inside and presses the button behind my back. Before I can move, he has me against the wall, and his lips are on mine. He tastes like sweet Cognac when his tongue sweeps inside my mouth. I moan, wanting more of him as my fingers find their way into his thick, dark hair.

His hand slides up my leg, brushing the edge of my panties underneath my dress pants, and my knees go weak. The kissing’s frantic. Consuming. The only sounds besides the beeping at each floor are our rushed breaths, my moans, and his grunts. With each passing floor, the need grows and the kissing becomes more frenzied.

By the time the doors open, he has my top unbuttoned, and I’ve untucked his shirt and slipped my fingers underneath. We tumble out of the doors at the penthouse, stripping each other bare as we walk. When the backs of my knees hit the couch, I topple backward, and his hard body lands on top of mine without breaking our kiss.

“Lou,” I moan into his mouth, dragging my nails against his scalp.

“Elizabeth,” he groans before kissing me deeper. Harder.

My lips are bruised and already swollen, but I don’t want him to stop. Overcome with need, I wrap my legs around his body and lock my ankles to keep him flush against me. It’s been so long since I’ve been with someone that I almost forgot how good it feels to be underneath a man and consumed by his weight.

Lou kisses me like the very air he breathes depends on it. His tongue sweeps inside my mouth, chasing mine, and nipping at my lips here and there. Fuck, the man feels fantastic, and his kissing skills are off the charts. Not sloppy at all, with the perfect amount of tongue and teeth to make everything inside my body flutter with excitement.

When he starts to slide down my body, I loosen my legs and give him free rein to do whatever he wants. I want to feel him everywhere against my skin. Instead of closing my eyes, I watch his every movement, completely enthralled by his handsomeness and the hunger in his eyes.

He hovers over my nipple, his warm breath cascading across my skin and making it pebble into a stiff peak. It’s like it wants to leap into his mouth, sick of being trapped and lonely underneath my stiff business suit. Lou’s mouth is warm and inviting, and my body wants everything he has to offer.

I jolt, my back rising off the couch as his mouth closes around my nipple. “Fuck,” I hiss as my eyes close to revel in the ecstasy only his mouth could create. His blue eyes watch me, burning into mine as he sucks on the peak, making me squirm.

His hands slide up my body and push my arms up over my head. Unable to move with his weight and his arms pinning me down, I give in to his wants. I try not to think about anything but the feel of him on me.

Tonight, I’m Elizabeth.

Lou wants her.

I want Lou to fuck her.

Before I can dig my fingers into his hair and drag him back up my body to tell him just how much I want to fuck him, he releases my nipple, crawling down my legs and kneeling on the floor. He rips off my pants along with my panties in one quick motion. I gasp, shocked by his ability to divest a woman of her clothing so easily, but a guy like Lou probably has had a lot of practice.

I’m sprawled across a chaise with my feet hanging on each side of his shoulders. I glance down at him, ready to speak, when he grabs my ankles and yanks my body down, stopping when my ass hits the edge.

“Fucking perfection,” he says, parting my legs wider to give him a full view.

My legs start to close on their own as my face begins to heat.

He rests his hands against my knees and keeps me from hiding. “Don’t.”

I feel vulnerable and exposed with his eyes taking in my nakedness at close proximity, but I do as he tells me.

His lips blaze a trail up my thighs, scorching my flesh in their wake. I flinch uncontrollably when he hits the sweet spot right behind my knee. It has always been one of the most sensitive areas on my body, and he found it rather quickly.

I can’t speak. His mouth’s devouring my skin, and my breathing’s so harsh I can’t form words. Just as I catch my breath and find my voice, he’s moved to a new area, and the struggle starts all over again.

Stop thinking so much…just feel him.

My fingers wrap around the edges of the couch so tightly that my knuckles turn white. I gasp for air, clutching the cushions, and I spread my legs wider, trying to get his face to find the one spot I want.

“Do you want me to lick your pussy?” Lou’s deep, hypnotic voice causes my eyes to dart to his.

“Yes,” I breathe.

He licks his lips, and my eyes follow. “Tell me.” He smirks, knowing he has me right where he wants me.

The sad thing is that he does have me by the proverbial balls. “Lick it.” This time my voice has more air to it, more want in the tone.

“Put your feet on the edge and spread them, Lizzy.”

My heart starts to flutter, the excitement of what is about to happen becoming almost too much. I place my body just how he wants and wait. But when nothing happens, I peer down to his smug face.

“You still haven’t told me what you want me to do.” His smirk grows wider.

“Lick my pussy,” I tell him flat out through gritted teeth and with a firmer voice. “Then fuck me until I can’t walk tomorrow, Lou. Put up or shut up, big boy.”

“That’s my dirty girl.” He sticks two fingers in his mouth, sucking on them, and my eyes start to roll back at the thought of him doing the same thing to my clit.

“I’m waiting,” I tell him, spreading my legs wider as his eyebrows shoot up.

He hovers over my clit before barely grazing it with his tongue. Shock waves fill my entire body—the sensation is overwhelming yet not enough to get me there. “More.” I lift my ass, meeting his face with my pussy. Offering it to him.

He takes the hint, closing his mouth around my core and enveloping me with his warmth. I suck in a breath, consumed by the feel of him against a part of my body that hasn’t been touched by a man in so long. Everything inside me tenses from the single touch, craving the orgasm that I know will make my head spin.

“Tell me again you want me,” Lou says against my skin, the vibrations of his voice causing me to shiver.

“I want you to fuckin’ suck my clit, Lou.” Under normal circumstances, I’d probably tell him to fuck off. But after the day I had and the amount of alcohol still coursing through my system, I want nothing more than to come in his mouth and be fucked by him.

“The lady wants to come and so she shall. Many times.” He smiles against my skin before closing his mouth over me again. His tongue swirls around my hard clit, adding to the suction of his mouth and driving me so close to coming that I don’t think I can last more than sixty seconds. When his fingers start to rub against my opening, I almost explode.

“Yes!” I scream out, a little too overeager to be filled.

His eyes sparkle, and even though I can’t see his lips, I know he smiles. Fucker.

As he pushes a finger inside, I can’t stop the moan from escaping my lips. Not a nice, sweet moan of pleasure, but a feral one as if I were in heat. “More!” I cry out after I regain my composure.

His finger curls inside me, and my eyes blur from the sensation. He’s found my G-spot, and I can’t stop my body from shaking with each pass. “Greedy cunt,” he says, working his finger in and out as I lie here with my legs falling farther apart.

I smile because I know I’m being a completely greedy woman. I know what I want and never have a problem voicing my opinion on any matter. Sex is no different. But instead of being a tease, Lou gives me everything I want and more.

A second finger joins the first, sweeping over my G-spot with every movement. My ass rises off the couch, my breathing stops, and I shatter against his mouth. Wave after wave of pleasure racks my body. It steals the air in my lungs, my ability to moan, and seizes every muscle in my body.

He doesn’t stop. Every time my body convulses, he sucks harder, making each aftershock more intense than the last. By the time he releases me, I’m gasping for air, and my entire body is quivering uncontrollably. Slowly, he removes his fingers, my pussy constricting around them, not willing to let go of them just yet.

“Like I said, you have a greedy cunt.”

I can’t laugh even though his words are true. I’m too busy trying to catch my breath from the orgasm to end all orgasms. My mind’s still fuzzy and my senses dulled as I try to smile, but it’s lopsided. My eyes close to stop the spinning from lack of oxygen, and I enjoy the feeling of receiving an orgasm from someone other than myself.

The sound of plastic rustling makes my eyes pop open. He’s ripping the condom wrapper with his teeth. His beautiful face between my legs looks as pleased as I feel. Lifting my head, I study his body, getting my first real look. His arms flex with each movement while he rolls the condom down his cock.

The muscles of his chest are big and tight, moving under his skin as if they’re trying to break free. When he stands, I get my fill of his entire perfect body. His strong thighs meet with what can only be described as an impressive cock that looks so hard and needy that it seems ready to burst at any moment.

By the time my eyes find their way to his face, I can see the pleasure he took in watching me eye-fuck him. “You like what you see, Lizzy?”

“I do,” I tell him and bite my lip. I love what I see. The man is complete and utter perfection. Not an ounce of body fat anywhere on his torso. Just taut muscles and smooth skin itching to be touched.

There are no words to be said. When I think he’s going to climb onto the couch, I inch up the cushion to give him enough room to work his magic.

His hand grabs my waist and stills me. “I want you bent over the couch.”

“Oh,” I say, feeling my face flush at the thought.

I turn, giving him a great view of my ass, and position myself over the back of the couch. My head hangs down, and I peer at him from the side. “Like this?” I ask, wiggling my ass.

His hand comes down on my ass just right, sending a wave of pleasurable pain up my spine. “Just like that.” He caresses the skin he’s just touched, and I want more of it.

I bite my lip instead of telling him to smack me again. He positions himself behind me, rubbing his cock against my wetness. After my release, and my building need for him, I’m practically dripping.

When he starts to push inside, my head falls forward, and I moan. His fingers are one thing, but the hardness and size of his dick are quite another. Feeling filled by his cock makes my body ache to be filled deeper, harder, and forever. My heart thumps against my chest, trying to keep up with my erratic breathing. After he slams into me, seating himself fully, I moan from pleasure and rock back into him, forcing him deeper.

His fingers twist in my hair, pulling my head backward and trapping me. “I fuck you, not the other way around. Got me?”

Goose bumps form across my body. The dirtiness of his words and the authoritative tone of his voice have me screaming out, “Yes!”

He holds my hair, pulling me against him with every thrust of his cock. I cry out every time his dick impales me. I’ve never felt so full in my entire life. Pleasure courses through my system, overtaking my every thought and wiping it away.

I’m consumed by him. Nothing else in the world matters except Lou and his spectacular cock. He controls me, and I let him. Every time his hand comes down on my ass, I cry out. “More,” I tell him, which earns me a deeper thrust.

It isn’t punishment. Maybe he thinks it is due to the noises coming from my mouth, but there’s nothing but pleasure. Lou knows how to handle me. I never have liked being controlled, but when he does it, I want it.

Before I can stop it, a second orgasm builds inside me and tears through my body. I grip the back of the couch, gasping for air and shaking under his touch.

“Such a greedy girl,” he whispers in my ear, but I can’t respond. My mouth falls open and I try to form words, but nothing comes out.

I think he’ll ease up. But instead, his thrusts become more punishing, almost to the point of pain. He pummels my body and releases my hair. I watch over my shoulder as his abdomen contracts with each movement. It’s like a work of art or a well-oiled machine the way his body moves. When his mouth falls open and his eyes close, I know he’s experiencing the same thing I just felt. Complete and total ecstasy.

He cries out, “Liz!”

For a moment, I feel guilty that he’s calling out a name other than my own, but it quickly passes. Lou and I are nothing more than a cheap fling started in a hotel bar and finished on the couch in his rented room.

When his body collapses on top of me, we both tumble to the floor. We laugh at the silliness, barely missing the coffee table in our fall. “Fuck, baby. Who knew you had that in you?” Lou wraps his arm around me and brings my body flush against his.

“I could say the same about you.” I giggle, burying my face in his pec.

We lie there, staring at the ceiling, gasping for air until I pass out from exhaustion.

* * *

I blink, momentarily confused as I open my eyes in a bedroom I don’t recognize. I blink again, and memories of last night start to come flooding back. Lou. Nakedness. Elizabeth. Sex. Sweat. Orgasms. Bliss.

What in the hell was I thinking?

Clearly, I wasn’t, or I wouldn’t be naked and in a stranger’s bed.

The martinis clouded my judgment. It’s the only thing I can blame besides myself and Lou’s smooth-talking charm and accent.

I roll to the side and groan. “I’m so stupid,” I whisper into the pillow. I prop myself up on my elbows as I search for the crinkling sound I hear underneath my cheek. It’s a note, which I assume Lou left because if it were from the maid, that would be even more awkward.

Thanks for last night. I have an early flight and didn’t want to wake you. - Lou

I flip it over, hoping to see his phone number, but there’s nothing. I’d be lying if I didn’t admit that I’m hurt. Even though I didn’t think I’d see him again, I would’ve at least liked to thank him for the amazing night. How ridiculous. Thank him for the fucking? After I find my pride and give myself a little pep talk, I dress quickly, tossing Lou’s note in the trash next to the bed and head home.

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Books in the Duet

ACQUISITION - BOOK 1

MERGER - BOOK 2

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