14. Lee
14
LEE
T he red flag in my head had apparently called up its buddies, and by this point, there were enough red flags for an Ohio State homecoming game, all waving at once. I did not like Katrin’s security. Their command of English was okay, and their lead man communicated his points well enough, but something about him set my instincts on high alert. His team was still dogging Mike and Andrew, tailing them through their security sweep.
Click. Click. Click. Click . Viktoria came striding toward me across the tarmac. Her friend was climbing back into her limo. I had watched them the entire time, and I didn’t like what I’d seen. Katrin’s posture and expressions had been stiff, nothing like the easy camaraderie I’d expect from someone pleased to see her longtime best friend. Her smiles and laughter had seemed forced, at least to me. Some people just looked like that, like they had sticks up their backsides. But Katrin had relaxed when Viktoria turned away.
Just because we had sex…doesn’t put us on equal footing . Viktoria’s haughty voice flittered through my head. I clenched my fists. Viktoria, too, could turn on a dime, mask off one minute, back up the next. But what was Katrin hiding? What did she want?
Viktoria’s attitude had changed after she’d talked to Katrin. After she’d agreed to meet her. Had Katrin influenced her? Manipulated her somehow? Viktoria wasn’t stupid, or easily swayed, but those cutting words hadn’t sounded like her.
Maybe talking to Katrin made her remember the person she thought she was supposed to be. She’d shown me pieces of herself that I was sure people rarely saw—that had to mean something. Or maybe it didn’t. Maybe I was grasping, seeing what I wanted to see.
“Lee.” Viktoria stopped walking just out of reach, rich sunlight dancing in her dark hair, making the highlights shine almost blue. Her mint-green dress hugged her figure in a way I found devastating, so goddamn beautiful it almost hurt.
“We’re going to be staying here overnight,” Viktoria announced.
“Absolutely not,” I retorted. “Your father’s orders were very specific: no more than five hours on the ground in any location.”
Her shoulders snapped back. “You’re not in charge here. I set my schedule, and you keep me safe. Are we clear on that, or should I have you replaced?”
Anger ripped through my veins, but I clamped my mouth shut. Once again, this did not sound like Viktoria. I’d gotten a front-row seat to the scorching fire in her eyes when she truly believed in something. Now, I searched her face, and that intense blaze was missing. “This isn’t you talking. It’s something Katrin said, isn’t it?”
She blinked rapidly, then rallied. “I can speak for myself,” she said. “Katrin’s hosting a fashion show this evening, and I’ll be attending.”
“Are you out of your mind?” I hissed. “A fashion show? Seriously?” I leaned forward. “You want to attend an event at some crowded venue I’ve never laid eyes on before, with only a few hours to prepare? The variables I’d need to account for are through the roof. You’ll be on display, a tempting target.” I shook my head to keep from shaking her. “I’m sorry, but no. No. You can’t go.”
“Excuse me?” she asked, her voice low and icy. “You don’t get to make that decision. Your job is to keep me safe, whatever the circumstances. It’s a small event, invite only, with no press. Securing it should be well within your abilities. Or are you telling me you’re not up to the task?”
“Not up to?—”
Viktoria waved me off. “Regardless, you’ll have Katrin’s security there to help.”
Oh, hell no . Katrin’s security set off too many alarms. I couldn’t trust them as far as I could throw them. My eyes darted to Katrin’s lead man, lurking by the limo, clearly watching us.
Viktoria followed my gaze, and her cheeks turned pink, as if she’d just realized arguing in front of a stranger wasn’t good form.
“I need to change,” she said. She shot me a look that told me she expected me to follow. I’d already planned on doing that.
Trailing a few steps behind, I slapped my mic on. “Mike, Andrew, stay out here and keep watch over the plane. Don’t let anyone on. And don’t let Katrin’s security out of your sight. I have a bad feeling about them.” I glowered at Viktoria’s back. “I’m going to try to talk Ms. Jonsdottir out of the monumentally stupid decision she’s just made.”
Viktoria
I grabbed my cocktail dress—silver and royal blue, tailored just for me—and hung it on the door. I almost hadn’t packed the decadent but flirty dress, but now I was glad I did. What did one wear to a fashion show staged in the Brewery District anyway ?—
“You won’t need that,” Lee’s rich voice rumbled from the doorway. He leaned against the frame with his thumbs hooked into his belt loops. “We’re not staying.”
I tore my eyes off his pecs and fixed him with a scowl. “Yes. We are.” I rummaged for the silver and diamond Aquazzura stilettos that paired perfectly with my dress. Lee wasn’t talking me out of going, but maybe I could gain his acceptance by making him understand. “I know you don’t get it, but this isn’t just some party. I have a chance here to make a huge deal. Bring in a client I’ve been courting for years. I lost out last time, and it set me back badly. I have to do everything I can to save what I’ve built.”
I placed the heels below the dress, then laid out the appropriate jewelry. “Did you know that I did all the preliminary work on the deal my father is in the process of closing?” I faced him. “Or that I projected our profit and loss over the next ten years and proved the company had to diversify into other materials to stay healthy and profitable? I also set up the initial round of trade negotiations here in the US, but I’ve not been allowed to participate beyond the bare minimum.”
Lee’s expression grew less surly with every word from my lips. I thought I saw pride shining in his eyes. I couldn’t repress the burst of warmth I felt at that. Even after I’d hurt him, he still respected and admired my accomplishments. Why couldn’t he have been the heathen I’d first imagined? My heart railed at the unfairness of meeting the perfect man, then realizing I couldn’t have him.
“I have a chance tonight to turn things around. To show my father I deserve a seat at the table.”
Lee closed the door and sauntered toward me. He scratched the scruff on his chin. “Viktoria,” he said, gently, and my heart sank. It was a tone for breaking bad news. “Do you really believe you need to put your life on the line? No deal is worth that.”
“If I’m not closing this deal, then why am I here?” I asked, knowing he didn’t have the answer. It was a question I’d been afraid to voice, yet I found myself confiding in him. “All my life…I’ve…” I struggled to explain. “…If I’m not proving myself, then…”
He reached out carefully and combed his fingers through my hair. “If you’re not contributing,” he continued in the same soft tone, picking up where I left off as if reading my mind. “If you’re not the perfect daughter and business partner, then you won’t be valued or loved. Right?”
I could only swallow at how accurately he’d summed up the root of my anxiety.
“It’s a fear I understand.” He stroked my cheek, his amber eyes filled with compassion. “That concept of finding your place in the world. I struggle with it myself. In my case, my career’s over. And my father passed away. It felt—it feels like I’ve lost everything. I’ve been cast adrift.”
“Oh, Lee.” I pressed my forehead to his. “I’m so sorry.”
He nodded, then shrugged. “My oldest brother just retired from the Navy. He’s reunited with his high school sweetheart, and he’s putting down roots in our hometown—even trying to connect with our late uncle’s foster sons. He’s building a new life for himself. My other brother’s about to be a dad. I’m pretty sure he’ll be retiring from the Marines soon, if he hasn’t already. But they’ve both found women to love and help them move on.” He swallowed, eyes bleak. “They have partners to help them transition to civilian life, and new futures that are more than they ever imagined.”
“You’ll find your place,” I said softly. “And you can tell me anything you want about your father.”
Lee looked away. “I don’t know why I’m telling you all this?—”
I closed the distance between us and kissed him hard, needing him to feel how much I meant it. He stiffened against me, but I only kissed him deeper. His fingers twitched in my hair, then he groaned and took charge of the kiss, pulling me to him tightly.
In a blink, the tender kiss blazed into an inferno. He plunged into my mouth, his tongue swirling wickedly with mine. “You’ve got my head so twisted,” he murmured between kisses. “I can’t see straight.”
“I’m sorry I hurt you,” I responded, then delved inside his mouth. He grunted, and I pulled back to lick a trail down his throat. “I shouldn’t have threatened to have you replaced.”
“You can’t replace this .” He ground up against me, cock throbbing hard against my hip. “Or this…” He kissed me hard on the mouth and sneaked one hand behind me to unzip my dress.
“I wouldn’t want to.” I grabbed the hem of his T-shirt and yanked it over his head. My dress hit the floor at the same time as his shirt.
“Christ, you’re beautiful,” he exhaled, his amber eyes turning feral as they took in my lacy lingerie.
“And you’ve got too many clothes on.” I attacked his belt.
He picked me up, making me yelp. Not many men could lift me so easily, let alone toss me on the mattress. I bounced twice and laughed at the butterflies taking flight in my stomach, then pouted at the realization that I was alone on the bed.
“Where did you go?” I sat up and found him kneeling, untying his boots. I used the time to unstrap my heels and lose my panties and bra. Sliding the nightstand drawer open, I plucked out a condom.
Lee stood up, smiling, and all the air left my lungs. I’d never seen him all the way naked before. The sight left me tongue-tied, groping for words. “You’re—you look…” Holy God . His body was chiseled, honed to perfection, muscles I couldn’t name rippling as he moved. His skin was scarred, weathered from his time in combat. His tattoos gave him a bad-boy edge, only made fiercer by his feline eyes.
“I like the way you look at me,” he said. He prowled to the side of the bed, stroking his long, hard cock in one hand.
“Yeah?” I purred, settling on my knees. “How would you like it if I did this?” I leaned forward and kissed the head of his dick. He hissed out a breath, and I flicked my tongue up the slit.
Stilling his hand, he held his cock in place. “Do that again.”
I traced my tongue down his length until I got to his fingers. Lee cursed and tangled his fingers in my hair. I widened my mouth and swallowed him as far as I could, then slid back.
“Jesus,” he exclaimed hoarsely, and a thrill ran through me. I fell into a steady rhythm, my mouth working its way along his cock.
“So sexy,” he whispered. The hand in my hair let go and drifted down my spine. “This ass.” He smacked my cheek lightly, raising a yelp. “These breasts.” He stroked up my stomach until he was cupping each breast in his palm, thumbs teasing my nipples.
I moaned around him, and his hips bucked forward. Without warning, he pulled out and pushed me backwards. I flopped on the bed with an audible gasp, and he snarled as he grabbed my calves and knelt on the floor. Pulling me toward him, he threw my legs over his shoulders and licked from my tight hole, all the way to my clit.
“Oh God,” I groaned, lifting my hips. “Do that again.” I moaned when he obeyed, shivering as he feasted on me. Holy God, did he feast. His tongue twirled and flicked, spiraling my tension to the point of pain. “Stop teasing,” I snarled, squirming under his wicked mouth.
A satisfied chuckle puffed against me, then he launched a full-on assault on my clit. He sucked, then he hummed, flicked the tip with his tongue—an onslaught of sensation so intense I screamed. My orgasm hit fast, and my body went stiff, my hips bucking with every pulse of pleasure.
Lee snatched the condom off the mattress and slid it on. I lay watching, boneless and satisfied. “I like this look even better,” he murmured wickedly as he climbed on the bed. “Kiss me,” he demanded, placing his mouth close to mine.
Normally, I’d have balked at following his orders, but the thought of tasting myself on him turned me on even more. I wanted to take my time, but the second my tongue darted between his lips, something savage took over me and I couldn’t get enough.
He growled, jerked my hips up, and slid his hard dick inside me. Sparks raced up my spine as he hit a spot inside me that made me whimper and sit up. I pushed him off me, onto his back, and rolled up on top of him, one hand on his chest. He gripped my hips hard as I climbed on top. I threw my head back and rode him hard, angling my body to hit that spot again and again.
“Damn, Viktoria,” he groaned, his fingers biting into my skin. “You’re a goddamn dream.”
My breasts bobbed and bounced in a way that wasn’t exactly comfortable, but I couldn’t slow down. Electricity spooled in my blood, sizzling low in my belly and building to?—
The explosion hit me like a runaway train. I cried out as my vision blacked and one violent orgasm ripped through me.
Lee took over, slamming his hips against me as he pumped upward. Moments later, he let out a shout. Slumping forward, I curled around him, trying to catch my breath. Warm, strong arms held me tight, and I wished I could have this forever. I wished I was free to choose him for myself.
“You’d have made a stellar executive,” I murmured.
Lee grunted beneath me. “Huh? What are you talking about?”
I closed my eyes. I could see it, almost, another world, where Lee wore a Rolex instead of his Sig, a Brioni suit instead of faded jeans. A world where he could be mine, and I could be his, with Father’s blessing.
“You’re very commanding,” I said. “You’d dominate a boardroom.”
“I’d rather dominate your room.”
I hid a sad smile against Lee’s chest. He stroked my hair gently, and I drifted close to sleep. But I had no time to rest, so I pulled away and rolled off him.
“I’m loath to bring this up now, but, well, tonight…” I raised myself on one elbow so I could see him. “I hope you understand why I have to go.” My fingers traced his jawline, and I couldn’t stop staring at the amazing color of his eyes. “It’s important. I swear I wouldn’t go if it wasn’t.”
He blinked and sighed.
“I’ll be careful,” I rushed to say. “I’ll take whatever precautions you deem necessary, and afterward, we can come straight back to the plane and take off immediately. We don’t have to stay overnight.” I held out the compromise like an olive branch, searching his face for a hint of what he was thinking. “Just…can you trust me when I say I have to do this?”
Lee sat up, taking me with him. He brushed my hair off my shoulder and lightly bit that spot I’d come to think of as his—that tender space between my shoulder and neck. “You make it impossible to say no when you ask so nicely. But a public event?—”
“It barely counts as public,” I said. “This is small, private, for Katrin’s investors. No paparazzi, no gawkers, no strangers at all.”
“There’s still the staff for the venue,” said Lee. “And the models. Makeup artists. Whoever’s backstage at a fashion show.” He stroked his chin. “But…yeah, that’s not quite as bad as I thought at first. You said ‘fashion show,’ and I was picturing hundreds of guests.”
“So…?” I pressed a kiss to his shoulder.
“You can’t sway me with kisses.” He pushed me away. He swung his legs over the side of the bed. “Okay, you get dressed while I research the venue.”
I laughed, delighted. “You won’t regret this. I promise.”
Lee hurried to dress, and I strolled to the shower, piling my hair on top of my head to keep it dry. I’d showered not long ago, so I washed quickly. When I returned to the bedroom, I caught Lee stealing the necklace I’d planned to wear tonight.
“Hey! Klepto!” I laughed.
“I’ll be back with this,” he said, waltzing out of the room in only a pair of black dress pants I hadn’t known he owned.
Thirty minutes later, I’d re-styled my hair into an artfully messy updo, retouched my makeup, and donned my dress and heels. All I needed was my necklace, and…here was Lee now.
“Perfect timing,” I said.
“Hmm?” Lee ground to halt just inside the bedroom, my necklace dangling from his hand. “You’re going to cause a riot, all tricked out like that.” His hungry eyes turned fierce as he inspected my party dress, and I couldn’t resist executing a runway-worthy turn. His answering growl made me smile.
“Thank you,” I beamed, gesturing at his outfit. “You’re going to cause a riot of your own.” Lee had paired his dress pants with the blue button-up I’d borrowed, and the effect was hotter than sin—though I cringed at his black boots completing the ensemble.
“You won’t take any chances,” he said, securing the chain around my neck.
“I won’t.”
“You’ll do as I say, no arguments.”
“I will,” I answered softly, loving this domestic moment and wishing I didn’t crave more.