Chapter 15 #2
Snorting, he walked around her and opened the folder on the room’s only empty desk. “I’ll be the judge of that. Please tell me the words gummy bears aren’t in it.”
She grinned and braced her hands on the desk next to the paperwork. “No. But Milky Way is. Though I think you’ll like it. Clause X-11.”
His gaze flew to the line in question. “Party B agrees to keep Milky Way available in their household at all times so that Party A can recover after the contract is fulfilled.” He nodded, feigning seriousness.
“The clause makes sense. In return, I could lower my standards and have some gummy bears at my place.”
“Oh, Gareth,” she said, feigning shock. “Be careful what you say. I might get the idea that you’re willing to give me anything to sleep with you again.”
Well, that was somewhat true. Gareth would have signed away his wealth and agreed to never eat Milky Way again — as long as she didn’t stop giving him that dark, promising look.
But saying it would have lost him any bargaining power, so instead he muttered, “Don’t get cocky.
You’ll have to pick out the red bears yourself.
By the way, I think the last time contract fulfillment was used as a synonym for sex was back in the eighteenth century, when forced marriages were all the rage.
Out of curiosity, how did you manage to create this with barely any sleep and yet still get here looking like that? ” he asked angrily, pointing at her.
She laughed. “By making a pact with the devil. Well, or at least the temp who’s looking after hell while you’re up here.”
He battled a grin. “And here I thought after two orgasms you’d be a little more charming. What did the devil demand from you? Your soul?”
“No, I sold that to Harvard years ago so I could study there. He merely wanted some tips from me about annoying multi-millionaire hockey team owners. He had heard about my talent in that area.”
God, it hadn’t been this easy to talk to her in years. Anyone who said sex didn’t solve problems was clearly using it wrong. Gareth would recommend it as a conflict resolution tool anytime, at least for releasing years of pent-up anger.
He let his gaze wander slowly down her neck, settling on the spot where he knew she’d moan if he gently bit her. God, he’d buried himself inside her barely nine hours ago, and he already wanted her again. That was dangerous. It was…
Hazel cleared her throat. “Gareth. Stop looking at me like that. You’re not allowed to touch me until the contract is signed and we’re both off work. That’s clause X-2. So concentrate!”
Right. He forced his gaze back to the paper and scanned the lines.
Most of it sounded logical. The non-disclosure clause made sense.
The clause about them taking turns meeting at each other’s residences made sense.
The clause about them not exchanging physical contact during work hours, unfortunately, made sense too.
However, a few points… “This contract covers sex only,” he read. “No public appearances together.”
Hazel nodded.
“Do you mean dates?”
“Obviously, I mean dates.”
“Okay. So I’m not allowed to feed you, only fuck you?”
She laughed. “You can feed me within the four walls of your home.”
“Deal. Hangry Hazel isn’t funny,” he replied thoughtfully. “And I’m honestly sorry, but Paragraph X-18 is out. You can’t be on top every time, you greedy thing.” He crossed out the line. “And what do you mean, an orgasm is treated like a favor from Paragraph 8?”
“Well, it’s logical. A favor for a favor. An orgasm for an orgasm.”
He chuckled softly and looked up. “Are you afraid you’re getting the short end of the stick, Hazel? I thought I proved that wasn’t true yesterday.”
She gulped audibly. “Well, so…”
“And I’m okay with two for one,” he continued quietly, bumping his foot against hers. “Let’s just call it a G-special.”
She blinked. “Does G stand for G-spot?”
He laughed. “For Gareth, but okay…”
“Oh, you just want to win again, Gareth!”
He laughed louder. “Hazel, some would say you’re winning with this arrangement.”
“Oh.” She shrugged and bit her lip. “No. It should be…fair.”
“It’s more than fair,” he whispered. “We won’t count orgasms. It limits my creativity.” Slowly, he leaned toward her and positioned one hand on her right hip, and the other on the left, until Hazel’s breasts brushed his button placket with each deep breath.
“You’re only allowed to touch me outside work hours, Gareth,” she whispered, staring at his lips.
“I haven’t signed anything yet. Hazel, it would be punishment for me if I couldn’t use my mouth or my fingers or whatever on you before I let you come with my cock.”
She swallowed, her eyes widening. “Well, naturally, I don’t want to punish you,” she whispered, tilting her head and scanning his face down to his chest. “Well, maybe I do a little. Because you’re already breaking the rules.
Signed or not: No advances in the workplace.
We should be talking about Blake.” She reached out and lightly scratched her nails over the pounding pulse in his neck, then ran her hands down his button placket. “Because he’s brilliant.”
“He’s playing like shit.”
“Because he’s lonely.”
“What?”
“He had a terrible breakup, so he’s playing badly. You shouldn’t bench him for that. Once he gets over it, he might even be better than Moreau. But please don’t tell him I told you that. Just keep Blake Ford.”
Gareth blinked. He wanted to say yes. Just yes. It was hard to argue with Hazel right now, as her fingertips reached his belt — and he was so hard it hurt.
“Hazel…” he whispered. “Are you using sex to make me listen?”
She smiled broadly. “Is it working?”
Yes. “No.” And shit, they had to add a clause that she couldn’t use her power over him for evil. Because she could.
“Too bad.” She sighed dramatically. “I guess I’ll try logic then.” The next moment, she pushed him away with both hands, crossed her arms and legs, and stated, “Let Penny rattle off the stats and numbers. Blake was a solid player last season.”
“Yeah, but not an incredibly good one.”
“Because his relationship was on the rocks! The guy’s twenty-two. He still needs to learn not to let his emotions ruin his game.”
“It’s his fucking job to play well anyway!”
“He’s still learning! Come on, Gare. I know a lot of people doubt it, but you’re human too. Has your personal life never messed you up so much that you couldn’t think straight or work properly for days?
He opened his mouth to contradict her — but their contract prohibited him from lying to her. “Fine,” he said roughly. “Let’s assume that’s it. The season starts in ten days, and Moreau can’t play every game. We need a second capable goalie.”
“Then talk to Blake!” she said loudly. “Ask him if he wants to talk to someone about his ex-girlfriend. I think he needs a male opinion. With me, he just whines and doesn’t listen.”
Gareth snorted loudly. “My job isn’t to hold players’ hands.”
“No. But you’d do an exceptional job if you cared about your players’ well-being as well as their performance,” she replied stoically. “Isn’t that what separates the Hawks from all the other NHL teams? You’re a fucking family. At least, that’s how Penny sells it.”
“Yes,” he replied tersely. “But I’m comfortable being the grumpy, filthy rich great-uncle by marriage, the one who makes decisions.”
“Naturally, you’re comfortable with that because that’s your zone! But sometimes you have to step out of your comfort zone to become a better, happier person.”
“I think I’ve already stepped way out of my comfort zone. Or doesn’t entering into a sex contract with your nemesis count?” he asked, interested.
She raised the corner of her mouth. “Nemesis? Personally, I see myself more as a thorn in your side. Oh, come on, at least try to talk to him once and make him understand that he needs to pull himself together or he’s out of the game. What do you have to lose?”
“Time? Nerves? Patience?”
“Oh, you have so much money, you can buy it all new again,” she replied lightly, waving her hand dismissively.
He sighed heavily. “Hazel…”
“Come on.” She looked at him pleadingly… Fuck, she wasn’t playing fair. “Consider it a…favor?”
“Fine. Deal. Then you owe me a favor too.”
“Okay. And the favor is…?”
He strolled over to her. “I want you to take your lunch break right now.”
“What?”
“Lunch break. Now.”
“Um…okay? Why…”
He kissed her.
Because every second he didn’t seemed pointless.
He felt her smile against his lips, her arms around his neck, and that was confirmation enough for him to deepen the kiss and push her back against the desk.
It didn’t matter that it was barely ten. It didn’t matter that she wrinkled his suit as she moved her hands to his chest, her fingers gripping his shirt. It didn’t matter as long as she lay soft and warm in his arms, her tongue gently stroking his lower lip, demanding entry.
It was like coming home. And he realized he’d missed her, the Hazel who liked him and didn’t hold anything back.
The one who made him feel like himself, not like he was being judged from all sides, just being Gare.
She made him forget his own last name, until all the burden of Clark simply disappeared and he could breathe more freely…
He paused. There they were again, those annoying feelings squeezing through the knot of his too-tight tie, seeping under his skin…
Fuck.
“Are you suddenly having doubts?” Hazel asked quietly. Obviously, she misinterpreted his hesitation. “Because this is a gray area?”
“Not at all.” He slid his hands to her waist, pulling her closer, smothering every thought he had with her scent. “My lunch break just happens to be right now too. This is all legal.”
She laughed against his lips and slid down his neck, sending goosebumps all over his body. “You just got here, Gare.”
“Thank God I’m the boss and I can take an early break.”
“You were always good at finding loopholes,” she said appreciatively, standing on her tiptoes and pulling his head toward her again. She kissed him slowly and leisurely, pressing her hip against his as if strategically trying to drive him crazy. It was working. If she kept it up, he would…
Someone knocked loudly on the door. “Hazel, Gareth, can I come in? Or do I not want to end up as collateral damage in your gunfight?”
Oh, shit.
Gareth pushed away from the desk so quickly that the wood slid back a few inches.
Hazel grimaced, smoothed her blouse, and nodded sharply at the chair. “You’d better sit.”
“What? I…”
“Gareth, your sister really doesn’t need to see everything,” she said with a snort, nodding at his trousers.
Oh, fuck. Right.
Swearing under his breath, he circled the desk and sank into the chair not a second too soon, because the door opened and Penny poked her head in. “It’s been so quiet in here, I was worried there might have been a death.”
Hazel laughed. “No. It’s all good, we were…” Her gaze fell on the sex contract lying open — which Gareth hurriedly picked up. “Just finalizing paperwork.”
Gareth cleared his throat, pulled a pen from his jacket pocket, and signed the last page. “Right. We’re almost done.”
Penny blinked in confusion and stepped closer. “Which player is this for?”
“Fox,” Hazel and Gareth said at the same time, earning him an impressed look from Hazel, which made him smile.
“We had to sign an additional contract,” Gareth explained hastily.
“What kind? Um…are you smiling?”
“Gareth has agreed to put back Snickers in the common room snack machines,” Hazel said bluntly. “And I banged my shin on the table earlier. The memory is keeping Gareth warm.”
His smile widened. Oh, she was good.
“Well, everything’s back to normal then,” Penny said with a sigh. “Although I really must compliment you on how civilized you’ve been with each other these last few weeks!”
Oh, nothing about last night had been civilized. But he just nodded. “We’ve come to an agreement,” he replied casually, sliding the contract toward Hazel and holding out the pen.
“Yep,” she confirmed. “An agreement that benefits both of us…”
“But some twice as much as others,” Gareth added flatly.
Hazel bit her lower lip and signed. “That’s a promise you should keep,” she whispered.
“Oh, I will,” he replied darkly and so softly that Penny couldn’t hear him. “I have plans.”
He could have sworn she shuddered, but Penny distracted him. “Wonderful. I’m glad to hear you’ve had a satisfactory discussion,” she said happily.
Gareth choked a little and leaned forward, coughing, while Hazel said, smiling broadly, “Oh, yes. Very satisfactory. Was there anything else, Penny? Or did you just want to make sure we still had all our limbs?”
“Yes. I was wondering if you two would like to join Fox and me for dinner tonight to celebrate his contract?”
“I can’t,” Gareth said, his gaze drifting to Hazel. “I have plans.”
“Me too,” she said apologetically. “I have an important meeting. It’s going to be difficult and long. I’m certain I’ll be too exhausted for dinner afterward.”
Gareth had to suppress a laugh.
“Oh, too bad. Another time then?” Penny suggested.
“Sure.” Hazel smiled and strolled past her out the door before turning back. “But I’ll happily call if I have time tonight after all. My meeting starts at seven. Not a second later. And if my appointment isn’t there…I’d be happy to call and we can go out to dinner.”
“Oh, I’m sure your appointment won’t fail to show,” Gareth drawled.
He’d have to make sure he finished work on time today.