Erogenous Zones: Monica's Secret (13 page)

Damn. They kept reminding her of that, which made her want to rush and they were taking their own sweet time with this.

“Do you want to touch yourself?” Owen asked.

“Yes.” She hung her head, unable to meet his stare. Between her breasts the skin grew damp and her bra felt far too tight. She longed to fling off the rest of her clothes and lie back on the desk and beg them to fuck her, but there wasn’t enough time.

Owen had passed her underwear to Alec and he was squeezing it in his hand, inhaling her scent, and looking at her with hungry eyes.

Owen spoke. “You’ve been a good girl. I think we’ll let you touch yourself.”

She pressed her hand tightly against her pussy. A pang of relief shot through her groin, darts of pleasure rising through her, making her entire skin prickle. She shut her eyes for a moment. Then she squeezed and moved her hips back and forth so that her hand pressed against her clit.

“Looks good,” Alec commented.

But a moment later she had to pause, and she jerked her hand away. Her eyes flashed opened and she looked at them, stunned. “Damn!”

The carnal energy emanating from her sex was way beyond what it would normally be, and her fingers needled with static, memories of the pair of them licking and sucking her that first night raced through her mind, obscuring her vision. “Damn it, I can’t even touch myself anymore, I’m getting feedback.”

“Fascinating,” Owen stated. “I don’t know what to suggest, sweetheart. We can’t help you out, there isn’t time, remember.” That he was enjoying this show was blatantly obvious.

Frustration hit her, and she scanned the desk for something she could use. Her hairbrush sat behind her computer monitor and she snatched it up and quickly pressed the bristles against her pussy.

“Oh Christ, yes,” she cried with relief when the stiff bristles stimulated her swollen clit, making it thrum with pleasure.

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“Very creative,” Owen commented. “Only problem is we need a better view. Can you accommodate us, Ms Evans?”

She lifted one leg, resting one high heel on the handle on a drawer of the filing cabinet.

“That better?”

“Much.”

She ran the handle of the hairbrush down her slit, then pushed it inside her sex. Her core grasped at the hard intrusion gratefully and she worked it in and out quickly, her gaze riveted on the two men in front of her.

“You are the most incredible woman I have ever met,” Owen said in a husky voice as he watched.

That pushed her closer. The handle of the hairbrush was slick with her juices as she worked it in and out ever faster. When she came, a moment later, it was with a disbelieving laugh. Hurriedly, she tried to straighten her clothing. “How in hell am I going to front up to Flynn Elwood after this?”

Alec grinned. “We have every faith you’ll manage it.”

Owen nodded. “And we’ll be waiting for you in my suite, to make sure you passed the test.”

“You are dangerous!” She meant it, but strangely enough right at that moment, she loved it.

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”Don’t let them out of your sight.”

It was the last thing Monica expected Flynn Elwood to say, but he looked stressed to the hilt.

“I’ve been with them pretty much all the time, apart from a couple of hours to make sure my regular duties were seen to.”

“Don’t worry about your regular duties.” Elwood tapped his fingers rapidly on his desk, a sign that he was unhappy about the way things were going. “They refused to be supervised by anyone else. They’ve spoken very highly of you, Monica. Alec Stroud said that your knowledge of the hotel is unsurpassable, and they wouldn’t use anyone else to supervise their time here.” He lifted his hand in acknowledgement. “I appreciate all you are doing, but I’m going to have to ask you to keep an even closer watch on them. They have been hiving off into different areas of the hotel, and I want to keep track on what these guys are saying and doing.” He looked thoughtful, then continued. “If they have some grand scheme for development, I want to know all about it before it goes to the Board of Directors.”

“I can appreciate that.”
Some hope
, she thought to herself. She couldn’t imagine Owen falling into line with anybody else’s demands about how things should be done. Now that she knew he was looking for something specific, she thought he’d been even less likely to share with Flynn.

Flynn tugged at his woolly grey eyebrows. She had only ever seen him do that when his brother died. Her heart went out to him. They had known each other a long time, and in the main he had been a good boss. He’d gained her unconditional loyalty. So what had happened now? It was with a sudden sinking feeling that she realised she worked for the other side, effectively. When it struck her, she felt a little nauseous. She’d never been in this situation before.

“We’re all working towards the same goal, at the end of the day, aren’t we?” she asked, tentatively. “We all want the success of the hotel, and if they can come up with new ideas and…”
weed out any problems
, “…it’s all good, isn’t it?”

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Flynn looked at her and nodded, but it was with a resigned expression. “The trouble is I’m getting on. They’ve got me worried that I am losing my touch here. I’m thinking about retirement soon, and I don’t want to go out on a downbeat. I’ve made my mark on this place.

I don’t need some highflying whiz-kids to coming in here and telling me what I’m doing wrong.”

That made her feel even worse.

When she went to leave, Flynn called out after her. “I know you’ve already been working after hours with these chaps, dining with them and so on. If it makes it easier for you to stay on site, please book yourself into one of the suites.”

Again his remark did nothing to ease her conscience. It would make things easier for her, because she wouldn’t have to worry about housekeeping staff seeing her in the corridors at all hours. If she accepted his offering, however, it was partly because it made it easier for her to be around Owen and Alec. Was she allied with them now? Was this meeting with her genuine boss a sham? If it was, was she doing it for sex, lured by clever seduction? What did that say about her credibility, and her morals? She was a fiercely loyal employee, and the realisation split her in two.

“Thank you. I might take you up on that. We’ll see.”

As she left his office and thought about the fact she was assisting the henchmen from the Board of Directors to out possible misdemeanours in the running of cash and credit transactions through the books—and her loyalties remained firmly split.

* * * *

The leisurely silver service in Shakespeare’s restaurant was moving a little too slowly for Owen’s liking. Room service would have been preferable, but Monica had insisted they try all the restaurants while they were there, stating that they ought to, even if only to uphold their surface ‘ideas’ mission.

She was rather subdued this evening, and that made him concerned. Something had happened at her meeting with Elwood, which was not surprising after his own encounter with the man that morning. What had been said? Demanding to know would be the wrong thing to do. On the plus side, she had changed out of her business suit, and that indicated a

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shift in their relationship to his mind. The blue dress she wore was still smart, but more casual than her day attire.

“Is it always this slow?” he asked.

Monica smiled. “It’s meant to be an experience.”

“I want to get you somewhere more private.”

“Have patience.” The expression in her eyes warmed.

She still wanted to play, which put one worry to rest. Elwood was bound to have passed on some of his current misery, and Owen hoped that was all it was. He vowed to bring her mood back before the evening was out.

He glanced at Alec. “How are you getting on with that database?”

Alec frowned. “Definitely a few odd adjustments, but I can’t quite figure out how they work. I will, in time. Another day or two should do it.” He glanced at Monica with a smile.

“Unless Monica here can speed things up, with her secret agent super skill.”

“What had you in mind?” She seemed pleased to be needed.

Alec shrugged. “I wonder if you thought it might be worth going back to the accounts office, outside hours. You were interrupted, after all.”

“You really think the problem is there, don’t you?” Owen asked. He wanted to see the accounts offices for himself now.

“Just a hunch.”

“I’m willing,” Monica replied. “We could pop up there after dinner, while it’s quiet. I can access the admin floor. I just need to let the security guard know that I am going to be there, beforehand.”

“That sounds good,” Alec stated and gave Owen a meaningful glance. “I did uncover one scam today,” he added, while he swirled and studied the claret in his wine glass.

“Really?” Monica looked startled.

“Something big?” Owen asked.

“Nope.” Alec sipped the wine, before he continued. “One of the doormen has a backhander going with a nearby car valet company. Nothing major.”

“Do you think there may be more going on there?”

Alec pursed his lips and shook his head. “I rattled him when I made it obvious I had noticed, but it’s the usual run-of-the-mill stuff, nothing worth chasing.”

Monica’s jaw fell. “Run-of-the-mill? You mean this sort of thing goes on all the time?”

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Alec reached over and nudged her wine glass closer to her. “You’re so adorable when you are shocked, here have a drink.”

She picked up the glass. “I don’t want to drink too much if we’re going up to the accounts office later. I’ll have to speak with security.”

“Good call.”

The food arrived and they had just started to eat when Monica put her cutlery down.

“Oh no.” her face paled.

Owen followed her line of vision over to the entrance of the restaurant. Flynn Elwood was on his way over to their table.

“Good evening, gentlemen, Monica.” He nodded at each of them in turn. “I heard you were dining here this evening and I thought I’d stop by and say hello before I head home to my lovely lady wife.” There was a forced cheerfulness about him that had Owen’s radar up.

Monica had one hand on the table—unusually—and rolled a spoon back and forth.

She looked as if she wished the earth would swallow her. Had Elwood put her in a difficult position?

“I have advised Monica to use one of the suites and stay on site, so she can be on hand if you need any information urgently.”

Owen’s attention flared. She hadn’t told them that, and she looked sheepish now it was out.

As soon as Flynn left them Monica reached for her wine glass and took a big slug from it, her earlier comment about abstinence apparently forgotten.

Owen reached out and touched her forearm. “You’re uncomfortable, that makes me concerned.”

“A little, yes. I just feel as if I’m betraying my boss, working so closely and…secretly…with you two, about this fraud thing.” She sighed. “I keep telling myself that we’re all working for the same goal, the success of hotel.”

Owen couldn’t completely agree with that analysis, so he didn’t respond.

“You shouldn’t feel uncomfortable, because ultimately Owen is your boss,” Alec offered, “he represents the Board of Directors in this situation.”

Owen shot him a sidelong glance. Alec was getting a bit too relaxed around Monica.

When he looked back at Monica, he saw that she had picked it up.

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He attempted to gloss over it. “And you’re right. We are all working for the ultimate success of the hotel…that is everyone except whoever is behind the fraud, that’s our job to find out.”

Still she stared at him. “What is your job? I mean, what are you? Have you been hired by the Board? Are you private investigators?”

Shit
. He’d been hoping this wouldn’t crop up.

An awkward silence fell over the table as she stared at them both. Alec opted to reach for his claret. It was his right to leave the question out there, he was a PA. Owen was the one who had to answer it. “No, we’re not private investigators.”

How he hated to see the insecurity and wariness that developed in those beautiful eyes of hers.

“What, then…?”

“I’m a member of the Board. Well, I’m on trial at the moment.” He scrubbed his chin with his knuckles.

Her eyebrows drew together. “I didn’t recognise your name as one of the Board members.”

“I’m the newest member. I’m Jack Monroe’s son.” He waited for the reaction, and sure enough it came.

Her eyes rounded. “Oh.”

“My legal name is Owen Clifford-Monroe. I’m working under my mother’s name so that I keep my connection to the Board of Directors under wraps.”

Again she reached for her wine glass. “So I
am
working for you.”

Her voice had gone quiet and it felt like she was pulling away from them. He didn’t like that. It might have been easier if she had accused him of keeping information from her, but she didn’t, because of course she knew she had no right to.

“I’d appreciate it if you kept that to yourself.”

“Of course, I understand.” She did, of course she did. She had her own secret to guard.

“You’re a sensitive, intelligent woman. I’m the major shareholder’s son, and you must understand that kind of information would go against me while I look into this matter.”

Her gaze lifted from the half eaten meal on her plate. “Yes, I do understand. It just feels really odd…especially since I am sleeping with you…both.”

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“That’s another issue altogether.”

“Hmm.” She did a sideways double take.

Her expression was so adorable that he had to quash a chuckle. “I’m sorry, queenie.”

Her eyebrows shot up. “Queenie?”

“Ice queenie.”

She reached for her claret. “I can see that’s going to haunt me forever.”

“Only because it’s so ludicrous.”

She smiled, and one corner of her mouth dimpled.

Somehow he’d managed to level it, for now. But he knew she wasn’t as comfortable with them as she had been twenty-four hours before, or even that morning. That got under his skin and stayed there, irritating him, making him want to resolve it. When he glanced over at Alec, he saw that his partner had joined in with the joke, but he was thoughtful too.

Measure your strides
, Owen told himself. He didn’t want to mess this up, because he wanted her, they both did.

* * * *

Monica took a deep breath and stepped into the staff elevator. They were headed for the admin offices, and she’d already had to alert security that they were going in there. “You do realise that by morning everyone will know we accessed the admin offices overnight.”

Owen stepped into the space behind her. “Yes, it’s a possibility. If it happens, I’ll take responsibility.”

Once Alec was in, she pressed the button.

“If you don’t want to do this,” Owen said, “you don’t have to.”

He seemed so attuned to her moods, there seemed little point in pretending she was finding this easy. “I offered, in good faith. I’ll see it through. It just feels a bit odd, you know…out of the ordinary.”

The whole thing was out of the ordinary, business and private. She needed some time alone. Time out to absorb all the information that had been put her way. She was confused.

What she needed to do was pull back and be more objective, but she was getting more deeply entrenched by the minute. Flynn’s appearance at the meal dumped her right in it. She would now have to check into a suite. She should have done so earlier, but she’d been

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chatting to her sister Faye on the phone. That was necessary because her sisters were the only ones she could really trust. She’d asked them to meet up with her for lunch the following day, because she badly needed their advice. That had levelled her for a while. Their objective take on her strange work situation would help. However, things had become even more complicated since then.

She stared across at Owen. This man who she had come to terms with as a colleague and a lover now turned out to be the son of the major shareholder of the Cumbernauld’s chain. That made it feel even more wrong than it had done before. Yet just looking across the elevator at him made her want to drop to her knees and beg him to make love to her. It was hard to regret getting involved, but there were so many reasons why she shouldn’t have.

Even though she’d told herself over again that she knew it wouldn’t last, it felt as if the time was slipping away even faster because she couldn’t keep sleeping with him and Alec. Not now.

The elevator doors opened, and she led them along the admin offices to accounts, where she used her master key to open the door. Flicking on the light over the desks, she felt a tad easier about the situation when she heard the door click closed behind them. Alec locked it. Once he’d done so, he came over and massaged her neck and shoulders, his thumbs working magic between her shoulder blades.