Chapter 10 Harrison
HARRISON
The absolute best alarm clock in the world was Gwen between my legs with my cock in her mouth.
I reached down to wind my fingers in her hair, and she practically swallowed me whole.
I tended to revisit the memories of our time in Aspen whenever I was feeling…
pent up. But the reality was even better than my memories of it.
It usually only took a few seconds of just thinking about Gwen before I exploded, and this morning was going to be no exception.
Damn, that tongue. Those lips.
“Gwen,” I murmured.
“It’s time,” she replied.
“So close…”
“No, now.”
I felt her shove my shoulder, and I cracked an eye open.
Gwen was hovering above the bed, dressed and ready and not currently giving me the world’s best blow job.
I quickly rolled onto my side to hide my massive hard-on. She looked even better than dream Gwen in a fitted navy dress.
“Good morning. We’ve got a jam-packed day,” she said.
Turns out, it’s not nearly as good a morning as I thought it was, I very carefully did not say. At least her tone was normal, which meant she hadn’t noticed the state I was in.
“Get up,” she continued. “Things have changed. I’ll explain as you get ready.”
“Should I be concerned?” I sat up.
Her mouth went tight. “Maybe. I don’t know. There’s been a wrinkle.”
I threw back the blanket and got up, heading for the bathroom, hoping I’d moved fast enough to keep her from noticing anything below the belt.
“Spill it,” I barked at her as she jogged in behind me.
Seeing as we were in the honeymoon suite, the thing was designed for all sorts of water fun that we wouldn’t be having.
There was a soaker tub in front of a window overlooking the city, a glass-walled shower room with four different types of shower heads, and a steam bath.
“We’re scheduled to leave for Manhattan in an hour and a half,” she began, but she cut off abruptly as I stepped into the shower room. “Hold on, at least let me get out of here before you strip down!”
“Unnecessary,” I said. I went to a control panel and flipped a switch.
The glass walls of the shower went opaque instantly. I stripped off my boxers and forced myself to go soft—not an easy task when I couldn’t stop thinking of Gwen just a foot away on the other side of the stall.
“Damn, I forgot how fancy this place is for a minute,” Gwen said, relieved. “Okay, this works. So after all my calls and sleuthing last night, I was able to piece together some of what happened. Turns out the rejection wasn’t all Scarlet’s idea.”
I forced myself to only give my dick one stroke as I cleaned up. “So she’s got someone in her ear?”
“A lot of someones, but there’s one player in particular who’s going to be a problem. This guy Ian on her team. I used to work with him, so I know how he operates. Super charming, loudest voice in the room, and always looking to work an angle. It sucks that he’s working with her now.”
I frowned as I finished cleaning up. “What angle could he possibly have in this scenario? Does he have a problem with me?”
“It’s complicated, and we don’t have time to get into it now. What you need to know right now is that things have shifted, big time.”
“Okay, what does that look like? How does it change the plan?”
I turned off the water and grabbed one of the two robes hanging off to the side. I opened the door abruptly, startling her.
“Well?” I demanded.
Her eyes rested on me for a moment, and I was transported back to the night we’d showered together. I wondered if she remembered it too.
“You’re having brunch with Scarlet Rush today.”
I froze. “No.”
“Yup,” she said with a shrug that didn’t look nearly as apologetic as I thought it should. “And your job is to sweet-talk her into accepting your apology when you go on the show tonight.”
For a moment, all I could do was stare.
She huffed. “Look, I know that sweet-talking people isn’t exactly your favorite thing to do, but we all agreed that when it came to this, you’d just have to take one for the team, right?”
Did she think I was upset I’d have to play nice? I wasn’t upset. I was stunned at the magnificent work Gwen had managed to pull off while the rest of the world was asleep.
“Holy shit. How did you manage it? And where are we meeting her?”
“If that was an unspoken compliment, then thank you.” Gwen did a little bow.
“And we’re meeting her at The Four Seasons, where she’s staying.
She couldn’t make it easy on us and stay at a Ashford property, of course.
As for how I did it, I managed to call in some favors, twist some arms, and now you will be sitting down with her in an empty banquet room so you can ask Scarlet to call off her fans. Nicely. With a smile.”
“Damn.” I glanced at the clock on the vanity. “Guess I need to hurry.”
We made it to the airport on time despite the morning rush, and Gwen locked into battle mode the second we were in the air. Even Dominic knew not to interrupt her.
“Pop quiz: the most important part about this meeting is…”
“Being nice?” I offered.
She snorted and rolled her eyes at me. “Um, yeah. But beyond that. What’s critical to Scarlet?”
“Sincerity,” I answered.
“Yes, exactly!” Gwen chirped. “You need to make her believe that you’re truly sorry about what happened.” She paused. “Dumb question, but are you actually? Do you feel any remorse about the way you acted and what you said?”
“What are you, my therapist?” I huffed at her.
“Do you have a therapist? I thought you preferred puppies.”
“Gwen, stop. Yes I regret being a dick to Scarlet and all her fans just because I was pissed off at an asshole reporter who intruded on a private moment. As you’ve probably noticed, I have a temper. I fight back when someone corners me. That means that occasionally there’s collateral damage.”
“Harrison,” she chastised. “Those girls aren’t—”
“Okay, okay,” I sniped back at her. “I promise not to use militaristic language with Scarlet Rush. You have a script for me, right?”
“Oh my God, of course I do. For the meeting with Scarlet, and then for your appearance on the show tonight. They’re already in your inbox, which I’ve seen you check a dozen times, yet my message is still unread.”
“Did you put a return receipt on your email?” I demanded.
“Absolutely yes. Why wouldn’t I? We’re about to head into a meeting that is the crux of the whole plan you’re paying me an obscene amount of money to bring into action. You think I’m going to let you duck out of doing your part?”
“Fine,” I replied.
I navigated to her email and scanned what she wanted me to say.
“This works.”
“Yeah, I know it does. Lucky for you, I can navigate your foul moods and Scarlet’s vibe to create a perfectly on-brand message. Those are can’t-miss talking points that’ll get you out of this nightmare.”
“Yeah, I can say all of this, but the truth is I’m not…” I trailed off and reread the message.
“Not what?” Gwen pushed.
“I’m not exactly known for my charm,” I admitted. “I’m not sure I can sell it.”
Gwen rolled her eyes, as if I was being ridiculous.
“Sir, you’re delusional. Because I know for a fact that when you want to be charming you ooze it.
I’ve been on the receiving end. I know what it’s like when you lock onto someone and really listen to them.
When we were in Aspen, you made me feel like I was the most interesting, funny, beautiful woman in the world.
” Her expression softened, and it tugged at my heart.
I bit my tongue to keep from admitting it wasn’t my supposed charm that made it seem that way—I just did what came naturally when faced with someone who actually was the most interesting, funny, beautiful woman in the world.
“Harrison, you can do this. And I know it won’t be an act, because deep down, you do care about building a bridge with Scarlet and her fans.
You have a heart. It’s hidden, but it’s gigantic.
” Her voice dropped an octave. “I’ve seen it firsthand.
You wouldn’t have been able to keep Susan with you all these years if you were actually a dick.
And you volunteer at an animal shelter. That’s God-tier big-heartedness, since those places are really freaking depressing. ”
I wanted to look at her, but I couldn’t.
There weren’t many people I let in, but for the past week, the adorably pushy woman sitting next to me had battered down the walls that normally protected me and forced me to live differently.
But that was a fantasy, a vacation blip.
We’d both known it. In the real world, I had no time for lazy mornings in bed and last-minute changes to our schedule to fuck once more.
I pointed to my laptop screen. “Do you want me to memorize this? Because I can, without a problem.”
She looked mortified. “Oh no way! Please just try to inject those talking points into your veins and use them naturally as the meeting unfolds. Harrison, you’ve got this. You’re going to be great.”
I scanned the email again. “Yeah, unless she’s an absolute fake, I don’t know how she could stay mad after this masterpiece.”
“Aw, thanks,” Gwen said sheepishly. “I guess you do value my work.”
“Hey,” I replied. “You wouldn’t be here if I didn’t appreciate you.” In all the ways I should and so many ways that I shouldn’t.
We both went quiet again as our eyes met.
It didn’t matter how hard I tried to convince myself otherwise. Gwen Ackland was irresistible. Her dress shifted when she gestured dramatically, which was often, so I kept getting glimpses of a black lace bra beneath it.
I’d been lying to myself thinking I could ignore what we’d shared.
Her breathing went shallow as we stared, until she finally broke off eye contact and started punching on her phone.
“I think we need to pump things up,” she said. “Hold on…”
The sound of heavy drums and cymbals filled the plane. Gwen jumped out of her seat and started dancing.
“It’s her new song, ‘My Revenge.’ Such a banger.”
I watched her shimmy in front of me and crossed my legs. She had no idea how lap-dance-adjacent her moves were. The hair flips. Raised arms. Swaying hips.
“Get up,” she ordered as she bounced around. “Dancing is a great tension reliever.”
“Don’t you remember my edict? I do not dance.”
Gwen did a spin. “But it’s just us. C’mon, don’t be so uptight.”
“I have work to do.”
She kept dancing like she hadn’t heard me. As much as I might try to deny it, it was exactly the sort of ridiculousness I needed in the moment. A beautiful woman, dancing like no one was watching, confident that her guidance was going to get me past the PR crisis I’d created for myself.
If anyone could help me get out of my own way, it was Gwen.