Authors: Ashleigh Royce
“What about your siblings? What did they say?”
“Missy and I never got along. She’s daddy’s girl. Chip is an asshole. He’s a carbon copy of Donovan. My mother has always favored them. I think it was because she didn’t want Donovan to leave her if she took my side, not that she ever even considered it. I guess if she didn’t have to think about it, then it wasn’t true that she was married to a sick jerk. They can all have each other. I don’t want to have anything to do with any of them. I’ve been on my own long before I moved out. I don’t need anyone.”
What could I say to that?
But I wanted her to need me as much as I needed her.
“So when you found an opportunity to surpass Donovan Richards
as the country’s largest literary agency, that was just to get back at him?”
“No, it was to prove to myself that I was worth more than what Donovan made me think. F
or a long time after the whole ‘accident’,” she used her fingers to indicate quotation marks when she used the word accident. “I felt as if his attraction to me was my fault. I think my mother felt that way too, even though she kept denying any relevancy to my claims.” Rebecca looked down at the napkin she was picking at. “For a long time I felt that I had to be dependent on him because he paid the bills. Then he might have felt as if I owed him.” She shuddered in her seat. “I vowed to myself that I’d never be dependent on anyone else ever again. I never want to be that vulnerable. I will do everything in my power to make sure that doesn’t happen.”
I was quiet for a while. Then I asked,
“What about love? Do you want to be in love? Rely on someone in a relationship?”
She opened her mouth, about to speak, but stopped. Her mouth closed and she sat back in her seat. “I didn’t used to want to be in any kind of a relationship
, at least not long enough to even consider love. For the longest time, I’d only go out on a date here and there, but only because Craig or Nina insisted. They never worked out. When I met a nice guy, we’d date a couple of weeks then I’d drop him. Either he wasn’t interested in the same things I was, or he was too domineering, or really boring. I haven’t been in a real relationship since college. And he was an asshole too, just another Donovan, but younger. Most guys are alike. They want what they want, and they don’t care about reciprocating affection, courtesy, or respect. I’m better off alone.”
I looked down
at my lap. I guess I knew where I stood now.
“
That’s what I thought until I met you.”
M
y head jerked up.
“You’re different.”
“You barely know me.”
“That’s what you think.”
I cocked my head to the side. Curiosity filled my thoughts.
“
We have a great deal in common. We like the same books and the same music, we eat the same foods and enjoy the same movies.” She looked down at her hands, almost embarrassment. “And, I have a confession.” She looked sheepishly at me. “I know more about you than you think I do.”
She had my attention now. My focus was on her.
“You were working for me maybe a year. You had only recommended five authors for consideration, while everyone else would pass stacks and stacks to me, most of which had to be read and rejected by me when the agents I employ should have known better. It was curious that your recommendations were a small percentage of the large influx you were reading. I asked Rose to list all of the queries you reviewed. I wanted to see why you were passing on most of them and sending through only a few select writers. Once I reviewed the work you were seeing, I agreed with you. I knew you had an eye for recognizing true talent. I continued to monitor you through your work, and I began to notice you more at the staff meetings. But I didn’t really know you. I mean I knew who you were physically, but I had never really paid attention to you before. But that changed. Rose pointed out your strengths. She even thought I should date you. Then I saw you that day, I mean really saw you, when I was at the elevator. It piqued my interest why she would think that you’d be a good match for me. I started paying very close attention to you. I’ve been watching you ever since. When she suggested I hire you as my protégé, I dismissed it immediately. You were doing a fine job where you were… and I could admire you from far away. But then I thought about how I could capitalize on that. Make it work to my benefit to build the company. Having a second in command would free my time to expand the business. I put my plan into motion, talking with Chester, while thinking about Rose’s idea about making you my protégé. I think Rose hoped I’d be interested in you other than professionally. She’s so good to me. She looks out for me like a mother. Better than my own mother.”
I interrupted. “But you hesitated.”
She nodded. “I did.”
“Why?”
“Because I realized that Rose was right. I thought you were attractive. That would mean I’d be weak. I can’t allow weakness.”
My eyebrow arched.
“I didn’t think I’d be able to keep it professional. Because I don’t allow anyone close to me, I knew if I slept with you and it didn’t work out, I’d lose you as an agent. I didn’t want to risk it. Even though we’d barely interacted, I knew Rose was right; we’d be good together. I didn’t think I could have both, a professional and a personal relationship; but I do. I want both.”
She looked up at me. Her big, brown eyes pulling me into her soul. “
Then you were in my living room. I didn’t want to cross any line I wouldn’t be able to recover from. But with you so close, I couldn’t think. When I walked to the window, I hoped you’d follow, chase me, take me in your arms and kiss me, but I was afraid that if you did, it would all end. And then you did cross the room.” She smiled. “You were so close to me. I could feel your heat on my body. Your scent swirled around my head. Piercing, blue eyes searched my soul. Wavy, brown hair begged to have my fingers run through it. I was intoxicated. I couldn’t resist any more.”
She had the same effect on me. I tossed a wad of bills on the table then slid out of the booth. I held out my hand to help her out of her side. Curiosity was apparent on her face. With her hand in mine, I strode back to her apartment.
“Alex, walk slower. I can’t keep up. What’s the hurry?”
I stopped in the str
eet and pulled her into my arms. I put my mouth on hers and wove my fingers in her lose curls. Then I pressed my hips into her. Her expression told me she registered my urgency. “I want to take you somewhere I can show you how much I need you.” Together, we raced back to her apartment.
Rebecca barely had the door open when I pushed her shirt over her breasts, pulling the cup of her bra down and taking one in my hand. I placed my mouth over her nipple and sucked, then rolled my tongue over its hardness. Once the door was closed, she pulled the shirt over her head and threw it onto the floor. Anxious hands fumbled with my shirt and tugged it off me. My hands skimmed down her sides and acted quickly to open her pants. As she slid them down her legs, I worked fast to rid myself of the rest of my own clothes. I pulled her close to me and unhooked her bra. Our awkward dance brought us to the bedroom. The back of my legs hit the bed.
Rebecca
pushed my shoulders and I fell backward onto the soft comforter. She crawled between my legs. Her hair fell forward, creating a curtain hiding her face. The warmth of her mouth was exhilarating as she took my length. As she pulled back, a vacuum effect caused me to harden more. I arched my back and thrust my hips up and she went down on me again, the sensation drove me further into ecstasy. My hips dropped back to the bed and she withdrew again. I was building, but I didn’t want to come this way. I wanted to take her, to be inside her.
I held her arms. She looked at me. I ushered her underneath me and flipped her onto her stomach. I pulled her hips back and thrust into her from behind. She called out with a long moan.
I rocked back and forth, reaching under her and grabbing her breasts, rolling her hardened nipples between my thumbs and forefingers.
“Yes,” she panted.
I thrust into her again. Again she called out, “Yes.”
I pulle
d back and rammed into her once more. Her volume got louder with each thrust. “Oh, yes!” She clutched the blanket beneath us. My internal pressure was at the pinnacle. I knew I couldn’t hold back. I slammed into her twice more. I felt us both climax at the same time. Rebecca fell on the bed, and I collapsed next to her.
I pulled her into my arms and kissed her h
ead. We lay like that for a little while.
“Rebecca, I need you.”
We spent the rest of the day cuddling on the couch. I have to say, I was never much of a cuddler but I liked being so close to Rebecca. The scent of her body wash, shampoo, and perfume was inebriating. We talked about different childhood memories – the positive ones; our favorite holidays; foods we liked to eat; and just general topics. The more I learned about her, the more I liked her. We ordered a pizza for dinner and fed each other.
At eight o’clock, I told her I needed to go home because I didn’t want my boss to be angry with me for dressing in the same clothes I wore on the weekend. She laughed.
“I don’t want you to leave, but I understand.”
“I’m going to miss being with you,” I said kissing her nose.
“I’ll see you in the morning.” I held on to our kiss, not wanting to let go.
Since it was Sunday evening, t
he train was relatively empty. I made it home in thirty-five minutes. My apartment seemed emptier now that Rebecca wasn’t there. I showered and tried to keep my mind off thinking of her by reading a stack of queries in bed.
The next morning
, I woke up early and ran my five miles. I showered quickly and walked to work. The early morning June sun felt good on my skin. I may have smiled at every New Yorker I passed.
Rose was at her desk, as usual, when I got to the office. I handed her a coffee and a buttered bagel.
“Stop spoiling me,” she laughed.
“Can’t help it. I’m a sucker for pretty women.”
She blushed.
I walked
into the office, kissed Rebecca then handed her a coffee and a buttered bagel. “You need to eat breakfast,” I ordered.
“Don’t get too comfortable. We have a ten o’clock meeting.”
“With whom?”
“I’ve arranged a sit down with M
argot Tremont. She’s retiring. I’ve offered to buy her out, including her client list. If I can’t rely on Chester, then I have to move to plan B.”
Boy, Rebecca didn’t let anything get cold. She moved quickly with
the next part of her plan.
“Okay, do we have time to talk about submissions? I think I found your next big thing.”
She listened to my take on an author I had been excited with last month, who fulfilled my request to send the entire manuscript. “This guy is a cross between Michael Creighton and Stephen King. He’s going to be a household name.”
“You think so?”
I nodded. “Absolutely. Here’s his manuscript. If I leave you alone tonight, will you promise to read it?”
She smiled. “How about I come to your place and read it while
you rub my feet?”
“Mmmmm, I like that ide
a. Am I limited to just your feet?”
She laughed. “No.
”
Rose buzzed in. “It’s nine-thirty. You have to leave for your ten o’clock.”
Rebecca answered her. “Thanks, Rose.”
We collected our things and headed toward the elevator. Katie was coming out just as we were getting in. “Morning, Katie,” I said.
She looked up. “Oh, good morning, Alex.” She turned her focus on Rebecca. Her chipper smile morphed into a serious glance before she looked down at her feet. “Good morning, Ms. Stratford.”
Rebecca answered. “Katie.”
Katie looked distracted, startled. Rebecca pulled me into the elevator. I walked in and turned to see Katie staring at me with intention. The doors closed and I didn’t give it another thought.
Margot Tremont
’s office was uptown. We took a cab and announced ourselves to her secretary. We were shown into an office with an attractive older woman behind a Mahogany desk. Her graphite colored bob complimented her sweet face. A few slight creases hugged the corners of her eyes. Her straight posture told me she carried herself with a professional manner. Rebecca leaned over the desk and kissed her cheek.
“Margot, this is Alex, my up-and-coming.”
Margot looked me up and down as if she was a lioness and I was a sirloin steak. She offered her hand for me to shake. I turned her palm and kissed the topside of her hand instead.
“Rebecca, you did well. He’s fabulous. I love him already.”
We all sat, Rebecca and I in the guest chairs across the desk from Margot. She didn’t waste time. “I’ve read your proposal to buy me out, and I must say, I’m very impressed with your terms, particularly the clause that allows my employees to remain on staff for a year in order to prove their worth. It’s one thing for me to be okay with retiring, but it’s nice to see that you respect the talent under my roof.”
“Margot,” Rebecca began. “Everyone know
s you have some of the industry’s most talented agents. I’d be a fool not to keep them on after the buyout, give them the opportunity to see how I can build on your hard work. I want them to make their own decisions.”
Margot smiled, whether it was because she felt Rebecca’s sincerity or if she felt she was being snowed.
Margot continued. “I’ve had my legal team review everything and I’m prepared to sign off on this, under one condition.” Her stare bore into Rebecca’s eyes.
Rebecca’s body tense
d in response as she waited for Margot’s condition.
“I don’t want Donovan Richards anywhere near this company.”
Rebecca’s shoulders dropped. Her smiled widened. “You don’t have to worry about that. You have my word, Margot. I don’t want to have anything to do with Donovan Richards myself.”
“Good.” Margot smiled. She picked up a beautiful Mont Blanc pen and signed both sets of the contract. She handed the pen to Rebecca, who signed it as well. Each woman kept a copy. Margo
t stood, as did Rebecca. They shook. “Congratulations, Rebecca. You’re now the proud owner of City Literary. We can arrange a meeting to announce the take over. Do you have free time this week?”
“Call Rose. She’ll schedule it on my calendar
.” Rebecca walked around Margot’s desk and the two women hugged.
When we exited to the street, I shook my head.
“What?” Rebecca asked.
“I can’t believe how easy you make all of that look.”
“Don’t kid yourself,” she said. “That took months of wooing. I had to have a back up plan in case Chester didn’t agree to our merger, which is now void. It’s best to always be prepared, and always have a plan B.”
“Still, you’re always two steps ahead. It’s fascinating to watch you conduct business.
Do you have a plan C I don’t know about?”
She laughed. “No. That was it… for now.” She offered a sideways glance. There was always something working inside her head.
“Okay, let’s go celebrate,” she said.