37
Vivian
Leadership Qualities
Vivian knew she only had one shoe on, but she stared at her phone while holding the other high heel in her hand.
They had been at the police station most of the day answering questions and filling out statements.
Vivian had gone with one of her more lawyer-y looks with heels and a dress that hugged her curves, but ended below the knee.
Rowan thought the police just didn’t like them for going rogue.
But the detective had treated her like an idiot when she’d shown up in leggings, so Vivian had thought it was better to dress like a boss.
The police still hadn’t liked them today, but the District Attorney appeared to think they were excellent witnesses, so the dress had been the correct decision.
The detective had also let slip that they’d pulled Howard’s phone records and discovered that Chucky had been the one to call Howard and lure him out to the curb.
Teddy finding the vehicle had been the nail in the coffin when it came to the case and because of that Vivian thought Rowan and the rest of the team would skate by without any reprimands.
Ms. Branch had shown up to the bail hearings to personally ensure that Joel, Eddie, and Chucky wouldn’t be getting out any time soon.
Making enemies of lawyers had consequences and Hoskins, Branch, and Kato wanted everyone to know it.
And that had been their day. It had been tiring, but at least it had felt like Chucky and the others would get what they deserved.
Vivian had answered a phone call from Father Fred right after they’d gotten home and stopped in the living room while Rowan went to change.
Rowan was utterly oblivious that TikTok had nominated gray sweatpants as the male outfit of fall sexiness, but he inhabited the trend like the daddy he was.
“Baby? You doing OK over there?” he asked as he went toward the kitchen.
“Ashley…” She paused, uncertain about how to explain the phone call. “She did what I didn’t want her to do.”
“What did she do?” he asked coming back into the living room.
“She told Father Fred about this crazy idea of hers.”
“Which one?”
“The one where I apply to be the next Executive Director of Victory Mission.”
“Mm,” said Rowan, nodding.
“You’re not laughing.”
“Why would I laugh?”
“Because… I’m not a director of anything?”
“And I wasn’t a CEO until I was,” said Rowan with a shrug.
“Well, she told Chappie and of course he thought it was a great idea and then he…” She rubbed at her neck nervously. “He floated it by the Board.”
“Oh. So, we’re moving on this.”
“You’re still not laughing.”
“It’s still not funny. What do we do? Do we need to make you a resume?”
“Um… Yes. I’m supposed to officially submit a resume and a letter of interest so they can vote on it.”
“But he wouldn’t tell you to do that unless they were going to vote yes.”
“Apparently, me bossing everyone around at the gala was considered very impressive and displayed leadership.” Vivian looked down at the shoe in her hand, trying to remember how it got there.
This time, Rowan did laugh. “I told you I thought the tactical response went well. You even paused to make a statement to the press that made Victory Mission and Valkyrie sound like fucking rockstars and worked in a mission statement and where to donate. Who does that?”
“I’m pretty sure I can do a where to donate in my sleep. Chappie did say our donations have been up since the incident.” She slipped out of the other shoe and put the pair next to each other on the floor.
“Yeah. They’d be idiots not to give you a shot. You are leadership material AF.” He went back into the kitchen and opened the wine fridge.
“What are you looking for?” asked Vivian, trailing him into the kitchen.
“Champagne. I’m going to be sleeping with the boss.”
Vivian laughed. Rowan found a bottle and pulled it out.
“You don’t think it’s a little premature?”
“Uh… no. The bad guys are in jail and you just got invited to submit a resume. Invited. That is code for you got the job. If this isn’t a champagne night, I don’t know what is.”
Vivian watched as he unwound the wrapper from the bottle.
“Wait until I tell the guys,” he said. “They really are going to start calling you General.” His smile stretched from ear to ear. He was proud of her. Vivian’s heart did a little flip-flop and for some reason she wanted to cry.
“I want to see how far I can launch the cork,” said Vivian. “Can I do that?”
“Yes,” he said laughing. “Come on. We’ll go out on the deck.”
The backyard was still a mud pit from all the construction equipment.
The landscaping was set to go in next week and then there would be a firepit with seating and a full outdoor kitchen.
Vivian tried to ignore that she was dating above her income level, but she couldn’t help being excited about some of the amenities Rowan brought to the table.
Girl’s night with s’mores was going to be a thing.
She also couldn’t help but notice that Rowan seemed to have designed his remodel with others in mind.
There were four bedrooms and extra bathrooms and a big dining room so that there could be a whole group in the house.
Rowan had designed a family home—not a bachelor pad.
“Here you go,” said Rowan handing her the bottle of champagne. “Knock it out of the park.”
The air was cold, but for once the sky was clear and the setting sun painted everything in mottled shades of orange and pink. The water sparkled in the distance and a light ray shone on the oil plant across the water at Gas Works Park.
But after a few seconds of trying, Vivian gave up with a laugh. “I’m not knocking it anywhere. I can’t get the stupid cork out.”
“I got you,” he said wrapping his arms around her and adding his hands to hers on the neck of the bottle.
“Teamwork,” said Vivian, wiggling herself tighter against his him.
“Mm,” he said, half laughing, and nibbling at her earlobe. “I like your idea of teamwork.”
“I just want to pop the cork!” protested Vivian, knowing that it was a straight-faced lie.
“You’re going to if you keep rubbing up against me like that!”
Vivian giggled as he took a firmer grasp of the bottle.
“OK,” he said. “On three. One, two, three!”
She had felt the cork wiggling, but it still surprised her as it shot off into the air, arcing high off the deck and into the mud somewhere. She laughed in surprise as the champagne splashed over their hands. He lifted the champagne bottle and offered it to her.
“Congratulations, Ms. Kaye.”
She took a heady swallow of champagne, the bubbles sparking and fizzing down her throat. She handed him the bottle and watched as he took a drink—his eyes still on her. She didn’t understand how she had gotten this lucky.
She reached behind her and tugged at her zipper, but didn’t let it come down more than a few inches.
“I think I need your help opening something else.”
“Do you?” he said, taking another drink out of the bottle.
“Yes,” she said. “I’m stuck.”
“In your dress?”
“Mm-hmm,” she said taking the champagne bottle back. “Very stuck.” She tugged at the neckline of her dress, dragging it down a few inches. He grinned as she took another drink.
“Vivian, I think you are…”
She backed away slowly, heading back inside. He came after her, shaking his head, but when he reached for her, she darted toward into the living room.
This time he laughed and gave chase. He zagged around the armchair while she zigged and he pinned her against the couch. With a quick he spun her around and quickly cleared her hair off her neck.
“Funny, but you don’t seem very stuck,” he said kissing her neck as he dragged her zipper down.
She giggled and took another drink of champagne.
The dress parted for him and she shivered in delicious anticipation as his hands caressed her skin.
Pushing the sleeves from her arms, he worked the dress off of her, leaving her in what she thought of as her serious underwear because it was black and a bit strappy with dominatrix vibes. It also made the girls look amazing.
“Mmm,” he groaned as he ran his hands over her breasts. She opened her eyes and realized he could see her in the mirror on the other side of the room. She rubbed her ass up against him, and watched the way he snapped his teeth together, biting air.
“Naughty girl,” he purred.
Vivian closed her eyes again, and took another drink. The champagne bubbles popped in her mouth, bright and sharp as his mouth made lazy warm kisses on her neck and his hands made little trails of heat down her body.
“Mmph,” she pouted as he stepped away from her, taking his heat with him. But a moment later, he was back and he was all skin and muscles, pressed up against her. The sweats were now in a pile on the floor somewhere. She could see the bandage on his arm, but he didn’t seem bothered by it.
“How about this thing?” he said, tugging at her bra strap. “Having trouble getting out of that too?”
“So much trouble,” she murmured, twisting to kiss him.
Her bra went ping and then the girls were no longer being held up and as he gently pulled it off her.
She needn’t have worried about a lack of support because his hands took over.
She breathed out in a soft moan. Being with Rowan meant that she didn’t have to think about anything.
He was the ultimate sinful decadence for a woman—he was the ability to stop worrying.
She pushed away from the couch, trying to kiss him more fully, and his hand slid between her thighs, gliding gently along the outside of her panties.
“Nope,” he said abruptly pulling back.
“Mm?” Vivian looked up at him in confusion.
“I was thinking about the couch. And nope. I’m all for furniture fetishes, but right now I want you naked on my damn bed and I do not fucking care if I get champagne all over the sheets.”
Vivian giggled and lifted the bottle to her lips and filled her mouth enough that trickled down her throat and onto her cleavage.
“Works for me,” she said. “Race you there.”
She meant to run off directly after that, but he was too quick. He wrapped an arm around her waist and hefted her off the ground. She shrieked in laughter as he put her over his shoulder and marched toward the bedroom.
She was slung down on the bed and relieved of the champagne bottle and one smooth move. Vivian put her hands behind her head and stretched out on the bed, letting him get an eyeful while he downed the wine. Then he stretched out his arm and dribbled champagne right onto her stomach.
She gave a little squeal, but he was on her in a second, licking the cold liquid off with his hot tongue. Bubbles frothed over her breasts, followed by his mouth, sucking, licking, and making her moan. By the time he poured champagne into her open mouth, she was wet from more than just the wine.
“Rowan,” she gasped.
He pushed inside her and Vivian let out a groan of pure satisfaction.
Each thrust was glorious perfection. As the heat began to rise between them, Vivian clung to him.
She wanted the moment to last forever, but could feel her orgasm building.
She alternated between gasping for air and holding her breath, unable to control even her own lungs.
“Oh God,” she moaned. “Please Rowan. I need…”
His fingers clenched in her hair at the nape of her neck, forcing her to arch and it was just what she needed.
“Oh God, yes, yes, yes!”
He finished a moment after her and Vivian wrapped her arms and legs around him, trying to squeeze him so tight to her that he would feel all of her love.
“I love you so much,” she whispered.
He pushed away from her, looking down at her with his golden hazel eyes. She thought he would speak, but instead he shook his head and leaned down to kiss her. His mouth was a tantalizing butterfly that teased her before pressing into her with a deep hunger.
“I love you literally more than I can say,” he whispered back.