Need You Now (1001 Dark Nights) (13 page)
“We’ve had that conversation three times in four days, including last night. I trust you. That’s the point.”
“No. The point seems to be us wanting to fuck again.”
My lips quirk at her bold statement. “I’ll take your lack of denial as confirmation you agree. And us wanting to fuck has everything to do with us working together on a day-to-day basis, Ms. Smith.”
“Crystal,” she amends. “You know ‘Ms. Smith’ bothers me, since long before we got naked together. Not even the staff calls me that.”
“Formality is how I manage and how I operate. It’s not a slap. It’s not a reflection on us getting naked together. I simply cannot maintain structure with the staff by treating you differently, nor would we be able to avoid questions.”
She inhales and lets it out. “Point taken, Mr. Compton.”
“Thank you, Ms. Smith.” I pause for effect. “My plan is to be by my mother’s side as much as possible, and leave you with your present duties if you’re agreeable. I’ll simply help you navigate the ship in the more treacherous waters.”
She nods. “I have a list of powerful clients and prospective clients who represent large dollar figures, and it’s taking time to earn the trust that you’d have in one phone call. So I need backup.”
“You have it.” I lean back and study her a moment. “You treat this company and my family as your own.”
“Is that a question?”
“No. I’m just trying to figure out why you’re doing it for us, since your own family owns one of the largest tech companies on the planet. That’s a lot to walk away from.”
“You did the same: Riptide is one of the largest auction houses in the world. And, like I told you, my father and brothers are very controlling, much like you. In fact, I’d say they are equally overbearing.”
I arch a brow, amused at her boldness.
“You think I’m overbearing.”
“You take pride in being overbearing.” I incline my head. “It works for me. But my mother wrote the book on overbearing—yet here you are.”
“It’s different. She isn’t them.”
“But I am?”
“You’re arrogant, intolerably bossy, often rude, and infuriating, but—you’re my boss, not my family. And I’ll point out that you chose to open your gallery across the country, despite being emotionally close to your parents.”
“Birds of a feather,” I say.
“But there’s more to your story.”
“There’s more to yours.”
I lean in closer, lowering my voice to a soft rasp. “I never take what isn’t given to me freely, Ms. Smith.”
She smiles. “Nor do I, Mr. Compton.”
The unexpected reply curls my lips. “You are nothing that I expect.”
“Because you never expect anyone to be like you. Two birds of a feather. Remember?”
“I’m fairly certain you won’t let me forget.” We’re close, a mere lean in from a kiss, one I crave more each moment I’m with her.
I lean back before I forget my agenda. “Whatever the rest of your story is, when I look into your eyes I see honesty and sincerity, qualities I value more than ever. Qualities I owe you in return. That means giving you a clear understanding of who and what I am—because the past few weeks have not been an example of those things.”
Her gaze lowers and she says softly, “I know I’m a gateway to a place you’re using to cope with . . . things.” Then she looks at me. “Maybe I even am that place. You’ve just lost someone important to you. You fear losing your mother to cancer. So anything you feel with me is about them, not me. Sex is an escape for you.
“And it is for me, too. It’s how I’ve handled the emotion all of this creates in me. So I don’t need or want your guilt. We’re clear on everything.”
But we’re not; the muddied water we’re traveling is dangerous. Worse, she makes me want to believe we can continue. But she brings out a part of me I don’t want to exist; if I let it, I will deserve the guilt.
“If we’re clear up to this point,” I reply, sliding the contract across the table, “then you understand why it’s so important that we’re equally clear on what our relationship is or isn’t going forward.”
Her eyes hold mine and she swallows hard, before her gaze drops to the contract. She stares at the first line, “Master and Submissive Contract,” for two beats and then calmly hands it back to me. “I told you. I will never be your submissive.
Click to purchase
The Inside Out Series
Rebecca’s Lost Journals (includes The Master Undone)
I Belong to You (November 2014)
The Secret Life of Amy Bensen
Forsaken (August 2015)
Untitled (September 2015)
Tall, Dark and Deadly
Secrets Exposed (bonus story, loosely tied)
Deep Under (March 2015)
On behalf of 1001 Dark Nights,
Liz Berry and M.J. Rose would like to thank ~
Doug Scofield
Steve Berry
Richard Blake
Dan Slater
Asha Hossain
Chris Graham
Kim Guidroz
BookTrib After Dark
Jillian Stein
and Simon Lipskar
Table of Contents
Part Eight: Rules Are Made To Be Broken
Part Nine: The Morning After Take Two
Table of Contents
Part Eight: Rules Are Made To Be Broken