Chapter 3
3
W eston
Two Months Later
“I’m thinking we should do IG stories on you guys, letting people know you all are normal people, just in a higher position. This will let the people know we are also more family-friendly, and relatable,” Taja added while she flipped through her presentation.
I rolled my eyes. I had been sitting in this useless meeting for forty-five minutes and was not convinced. People did not need to know about our personal lives. That’s none of their business. The only thing they needed to be concerned with was buying a product and continuing to buy them.
After the long night with Taja and me, I didn’t expect to see her again. However, a couple of days later, she interviewed for the new social media manager position. Now, here we were two months later. The makeup company wanted more exposure. Everyone was down for it, but I wasn’t. That could’ve been money spent elsewhere, but that was a losing battle. Then, to make matters worse, she was so free-spirited and happy twenty-four/seven, which annoyed the fuck out of me. She spent most of her days interacting with everyone in the building, and everyone loved her. Every time I saw her making someone smile or laugh, it irritated me. I wanted to be the person who made her smile and laugh every day, yet she had someone doing that for her at home.
“I was also thinking we could start a web series. We’ll research the shows that most of the buyers for our company use social media to gain information. We can have our models do makeup tutorials and introduce the new soaps and lotions on all social media platforms. We can run ads on the different platforms and radio,” she suggested.
“And how much would that cost? I see you’re throwing a lot of suggestions but no price,” I countered with a smirk.
Taja stared at me with a blank look on her face. Everyone at the table looked between the two of us. They already knew where this was going. It was a common thing between Taja and me since she started working here to have this banter back and forth.
“Well—” Kara, the COO, tried to speak up, but Taja cut her off.
“Mr. Jones, when I thought of these ideas, I made sure I had all of my numbers in the budget.” She tossed a folder at me. “Especially with someone whose pockets are tight, metaphorically and in real life.”
A couple of people snickered. She was referring to my attire, as I was known for wearing tight suits. However, they weren’t tight. It’s just that all of my suits were tailored because they were expensive and nice. I took pride in looking the best from head to toe.
Taja clicked the remote and went to the next slide, showing the budget for each project she suggested. Just from scanning it, I could tell that nothing was expensive, and it wouldn’t cost the company any damage. From day one, Taja came into this company, and every idea she had was passed on with a bang. I won’t lie and say a part of me wasn’t thrilled that it wasn’t my last time seeing her after that night. However, the thrill left once word got out around the company that she had a man. It stung me to know that she wasn’t single. A part of me wondered whether she was on some get-back mission or after a bag. Regardless of what it was, I still couldn’t get her off my mind. I made it my mission some days just to get under her skin and vice versa, only if that gave me the opportunity to talk to her.
“Hmm...can I please have this sent to my email so I can review it?” I asked, ignoring her smart comment.
“I sent it at five this morning. I’m figuring you missed it because of all the bruises on your neck. Get well soon,” Taja sassed.
More people giggled under their breaths, along with the COO and CEO. Taja turned back to her presentation and continued. Taja made sure not to let me get the best of her. She had a rebuttal for everything I said. By the time she was finished, everyone was excited and on board. I couldn’t lie. It looked like a solid plan, but again, I needed to review the financial part of it. After the meeting, I was in my office studying the bruises on my neck. I thought I’d done well at hiding it. Suddenly, there was a knock at my door.
“Come in,” I permitted.
Taja entered the room with a scowl on her face. Before I could even ask her what it was that she needed, she went in on me.
“Are you serious? You approved the financial part, but you’re not taking part? What’s the point of doing stories on the leadership team when all but one is not taking part?”
“Are my suits tight now?” I asked, standing from my seat with a smile on my face.
“Weston, I’m not in the mood. Why would you not participate? That defeats the purpose.”
I made my way around the desk to stand in front of her. “Are you sure that’s why you’re in my office raising hell? All because I don’t want to take part in your little leadership interview series?”
I stepped closer to where I could smell her scent and hear the shift in her breathing. Taja turned her head to avoid looking me in the eye. I took my finger and turned it back to me.
“Did these upset you? I asked, pulling down the collar of my shirt, showing off my hickies.
“Weston,” she whispered.
“Nah...what is it, Taja?”
I placed my hand on her waist, adding a tight grip, and pulled her closer. Again, her breathing shifted. She tried her best to avoid looking into my eyes. I saw her exposed neck and went in for the kill. I placed one small peck on her neck, and her body shuddered.
“Taja...she was nothing.” I placed another peck on her neck. “Compared to you.”
Before I could fully attack and give her the same bruises I had covering my neck, she moved. She cleared her throat but still didn’t make eye contact with me.
“Weston, that was a one-time thing. I’m not telling you this shit again. Keep your hands to yourself. I have a boyfriend now.”
I rolled my eyes. This was the same song and dance with Taja since she’d started working here, and it was making me more and more frustrated.
“Whatever, Taja.”
“The interview won’t be personal. Just make sure you reconsider it. Bye, Weston.”
She bolted out of the door and didn’t look back. Even though Taja and I didn’t see eye to eye in the workplace, the sexual tension was built up and continued to build.
* * *
I pulled out the expensive red wine, filling it to the brim of my wineglass. My body needed water, but after having to please two women, wine was what I had a taste for. It had been a while since Tamara came over, and I had a lot of frustration built up. In the past, she had allowed me to have all the fun I wanted to. This time, she brought her best friend, whose name I can’t remember, which made it even better. I looked over at them. Most people would think I was living my best life having two women in my bed, yet I still wasn’t satisfied.
The only thing I could focus on was getting more money. It had been a while since I was excited about something that didn’t involve money. I was the CFO of a makeup company, TRU, which catered to all different skin complexions. We sold in all fifty states and even in other countries. We were big and growing every year. We were even extending our products to include skin care options. Money made me happy. That was the only consistent thing, and it wouldn’t switch up on me. I could buy anything I wanted, and it got the job done.
Women flocked to me, and many people wanted to do business with me. I wouldn’t say I was arrogant but confident. I worked hard to get to where I was, and I wasn’t jeopardizing it for nothing. Most people assumed I was arrogant, a workaholic, rude, and uppity. However, I disagreed. I was confident, loved what I did, and didn’t take shit from no one. Plus, everyone I encountered only wanted one thing. My money. I built walls up to make sure I was mentally protecting myself from those people. That included friends and family.
I sipped from my wineglass and enjoyed the bitter taste on my tongue. I finished chugging the wine before making my way back to my bed. My dick rose as I thought about how I was about to interrupt their nap. Before I could climb into my bed, my work phone notified me I had an email. I rolled my eyes and cursed under my breath once I read the email.
I accepted the meeting and threw the phone down. I must have made a lot of noise because Tamara stirred under the covers.
“Mmm...is everything okay, baby?” she asked while her breasts came spilling from under the covers.
“I’m straight.”
“Get back in bed. I...she misses you.” She winked while she patted the area between her legs.
I smiled, quickly forgetting about the meeting invite and crawled back in bed between the two. Tamara’s friend stirred in her sleep when she felt my body beside hers. She lifted up with a smile on her face. She leaned over, heading straight toward my lips. Immediately, I threw my hands up, stopping her from landing her lips on mine.
“Tamara, get your girl,” I asserted in a stern voice.
“Dani, Weston doesn’t kiss. He hates it, so please don’t kiss him in the mouth.”
“Plus, you just had your mouth in places that if your mama and daddy found out, they would disown you,” I added.
“I’m sorry,” the friend expressed. “How can I make it up to you?”
“Do what you did an hour ago with your mouth, and all is forgiven.”
She smiled and crawled under the sheets, and Tamara followed suit. I smiled from ear to ear and relaxed, with my toes curled. Yet, I still wasn’t satisfied. It wasn’t enough. I’d craved Taja since that night, and it pained me when everything between us turned professional. She was the first thing I experienced in a long time that made me feel truly relaxed. Taja clarified that if she had known I would’ve been one of her bosses, she would’ve never crossed the line, and now that she knew, she couldn’t risk her career. However, on my end, I was suffering, and I needed her.