Rockin' the Boss (6 page)

I eyed him warily for a few moments
as it dawned on me what he was leading up to.
“You’ve slept with her, haven’t
you?” I moved my hand away, trying to decide how I felt.

“Yes, but before you get any more
upset than I know you already must be, let me explain. Please.”

“I’m listening.”

“I went out with her three or four
times, no more. Richard introduced us out in L.A., right before he died. But I
couldn’t take her possessiveness…and I’m being kind. Ashleigh, please believe
me, baby. I care far too deeply for you to let this come between us.”

I didn’t say anything for a few
moments, as I carefully chose my words. Then I said, “Richard introduced you to
her? Not that it surprises me. And you ended things? That explains a lot,
actually. Why she jumped at the chance to move to Atlanta. Why she’s obsessed
with you.” I palmed his cheek, rubbing his beard. “Thank you for being so
honest with me.”

“I promise you, Ashleigh, I will
always be honest with you.” He leaned over and kissed me delicately, our lips
simply brushing. Then, he pressed harder, his tongue opening my mouth and
consuming me as our tongues met and tangled.

Chapter
Five

Over the course of our flight back
to Atlanta on Sunday, Max seemed to notice I had become anxious about Lisa and
what, if anything, to expect. To put my mind at ease, he phoned ahead to the
security desk at his place. He told them he’d been out of town and was curious
if he had had been any visitors. Sure enough, someone who fit Lisa’s
description had come to the condo a couple of times and tried to convince them
to allow her access to his unit. However, not being on his list of approved
people, Lisa had been turned away.

I did the same as we drove toward my
building. Fortunately, Lisa had not been so bold as to have gone there, and we
breathed a sigh of relief.

Once securely inside my condo, we
plotted a course of action. Since Max had kept his phone off, I convinced him
to turn it back on and see whether she had tried to contact him.

Not surprisingly, Lisa had called
him so many times his voicemail box was filled…and it didn’t take long for her
to try again. Max picked up, recording the conversation.
“Hello?”
His voice was calm.

“Max? Is that you, baby? You haven’t
been answering your cell the past couple of days.”

“I, uh, misplaced the damn thing.”

“Are you at home? I’d love to see
you. I’ve been so worried about you.”

“I’m not scheduled to return until
tomorrow evening.” I nodded my head to encourage him to continue.

“Well, tell me where you are, you
naughty boy, so I can come be with you. You know you want me to.”

“I’ll be
back
tomorrow, Lisa.” I made a motion, indicating he needed to cut her off. “Look,
I’m in the middle of something. I’ll see you at the office when I return,
okay?”

She apparently became agitated by
his tone and expletives followed. Max hit the end button, and she immediately
called back. Since his voicemail was full, she couldn’t get any further. He
turned the phone back off, so we didn’t have to listen to it ring.

“Jeez, baby, there’s definitely
something wrong with this gal. I don’t have a good feeling about you going into
the office tomorrow. She’s obviously in town, and if she’s this unstable, who
knows what she’s capable of.”

I took in a deep breath. “Yes, but
I’m more concerned about you. It’s not too late. Let me contact a guy I
know—he’s a detective on one of the forces here. Maybe he can give us some
advice.”

I rummaged through my planner until
I found his card and dialed his number. He finally answered after about four
rings, and I began to explain the circumstances. He offered to go visit Lisa
with his partner and assess the situation.

I paced the living room for a few
minutes. Max watched me as I passed in front of him.
“Baby,
there’s nothing you can do until he calls back. Cutting a path in the floor
isn’t going to make him call any sooner. Why don’t we see what we can dig up to
eat and get a glass of wine to calm your nerves?”

“You’re right.”

I dug around in the kitchen, finding
some cheese and bread, and began readying everything for grilled cheese while
Max opened a bottle of Cabernet and poured us both some. I gulped it down as I
plated the sandwiches. Max poured me another before reaching over and kissing
me in an attempt to comfort my frazzled nerves.

“Come
on,
let’s eat in the living room.”

Finally, the detective called back.
They had gone to Lisa’s and had conversed with her, stating she had appeared
agitated when they first arrived. Upon hearing Max’s name, her demeanor had
changed at once. She had turned sweet, trying to trick them into telling her
where he was. They had convinced her that he merely wanted to make sure she was
okay.

By the end of my conversation, we decided
that tomorrow one of them would stay with Max and escort him to his place so
that he could pick up a few things while the other would accompany me to my
office.

“See, I told you everything would be
fine, love. It’s getting late. How about we head for bed? There’s nothing more
we can do tonight.”

“You’ll get no argument from me. I’m
exhausted from all of this mess.”

Falling into bed, Max showed me the
attention only he could give. He covered my mouth with his and what started out
as a simple kiss became almost an act of possession, as he explored the inside
with a thoroughness I’d never experienced. After caressing his way down my
body, he settled between my thighs. I shuddered from the heat building within
my body. Our eyes locked in a lustful gaze as he slowly bent to my sex.

His tongue lapped at the slick,
swollen folds, while he spread them wider with his thumbs. I pleaded with him,
but he ignored my cries, and instead continued circling around my clit. He knew
exactly where and how to touch me.

Still ignoring me, he paused to
position my legs over his shoulders before burying his face between my thighs
and resuming his sensual torture.
This
man doesn’t just arouse me, he gives me something deeper. A connection I
desperately need.

My body tensed, coming to the edge
of where I knew I couldn’t stop. Still, he kept up his ministrations until I
couldn’t go back. Pleasure overcame me, and I screamed his name.
This climax will never end
.

And still, he kept going as I felt
it start again.

“Max, I can’t stop coming.”

He ignored me once more, flicking
his tongue around my throbbing clit.
“I’m not done yet, my love. Come for
me again.”

“Oh God, Max…”

He sucked my sensitive nub as he
pressed his fingers deep inside me, causing another orgasm to tear through me.

Lifting his head to gaze at me, he
groaned, “Come for me, baby. You can do it.” Again, he lowered, resuming the
erotic presses of his fingers and flicks of his tongue, showing no mercy at
all.

Knowing the firestorm he had built,
he teased my clit continually, in spite of my pleas, until once again he
brought me back to the edge. I could only groan and buck under him.

“Come on baby, let it go.” And as I
did, a brutal wave of ecstasy overtook me, and I screamed as I traveled
somewhere erotic.

Finally, he pulled away, kissing me
everywhere. “That’s my girl.” However, instead of letting me relax in the glow
of my deep satisfaction, he turned me over, positioned himself behind, and
grabbed my hips. “Are you ready for me to fuck you?”

I was unable to gather the strength
to answer as he began to fill me. He did it slowly, so that I felt every inch.

“Baby,” he moaned as he pushed
farther.

I pressed myself back against him,
wanting more. I tried not to move, but couldn’t stay still as he worked inside.
He growled from deep within his throat as he tightened his grip, plunging
himself in the rest of the way, causing me to cry out. He nuzzled me tenderly
on the back of the neck as he began one frenzied thrust after another.

“Ashleigh, I need to fuck you, baby.
God, I’ve never needed a woman like I need you.”

He wrapped an arm around me and
began caressing my nipple. “Take everything I give you, my love,” his voice
rumbled, his accent more pronounced.

I intuitively knew he wasn’t just
talking about his cock. Those words were the last thing I heard before he
pinched my sensitive nub and had the two of us riding into ecstasy once more.
He hollered my name, releasing his seed deep within me.

I closed my eyes as he rolled us
onto our sides on the mattress, spooning me against his damp, heaving chest.
Kissing the back of my neck and nuzzling my ear as his breath slowed, he
whispered, “I’m falling in love with you, Ashleigh Thomas.”

Wriggling closer against him, not
wanting anything between us, I replied, “I love you too, Max.” That was the
last thing either of us remembered until the following morning.

* * * *

Lee, the detective friend of mine,
arrived with a colleague of his, Ben. After making introductions and offers of
coffee, the four of us sat down to discuss the game plan. Lee planned to stay
with Max since Lisa had already seen him, and Ben would escort me to work and
see what played out with Lisa. Ben could become whoever I wanted, to throw off
Lisa and the rest of the staff.

It was business as usual upon our
arrival. Misty handed me all the messages from calls that had come in that
morning. She asked if we wanted coffee and headed to the kitchen. Ben and I
went into my office. Once Misty arrived with our mugs, I asked her who was
already in. David and Will were in their respective offices. No Lisa, however,
and no call from her.

I asked everyone into my office for
a brief meeting.

Pondering how to proceed, I welcomed
everyone. When it came to Ben, I introduced him as a business associate.

Then taking a deep breath, I began.
“Okay,
I’m going to assume all of you know that Lisa suggested some unfounded things
about Mr. Frazier. I don’t know where she got her information, or if this came
from anywhere outside of her overactive imagination. So, that being said, we
all need to be on the same page. Comments anyone?”

“I don’t believe a word of it. I
think she’s a little off the mark, if you know what I mean,” David injected.
Everyone nodded their heads in agreement.

“Okay, I will take care of this
issue. Misty, I need you to call the building and have the locks changed and
have them deactivate Lisa’s parking pass.”

“Yes,
ma’am.”
She pushed to her feet. Probably assuming that as the
receptionist this was all she was privy to.

“Stay Misty, I want you to be
included in what I’m about to announce.” The young woman sat back down and
nervously looked around the room. “Good. Mr. Frazier and I have some important
news to share with all of you. It’s a really, really big deal, one which will
be huge not only for him, but also for us. I wish I could tell you more, but
I’m going to leave that honor to Max, as it’s his career that changes. I need
for all of you to be here early tomorrow so that he can make the announcement.”

“Anything you need from us on this
end?” David asked, curiously.

“No, not yet, just keep doing what
you do. Doesn’t Max have guest appearances on some of the morning shows next
week in New York, David?”

“Yes, ma’am, he does. I’ll get you
the itinerary. Do you want me to accompany him?”

“No, I’ll go with him this time.
With this situation with Lisa, I’d rather have you here at the office to
oversee things. Thanks guys. I appreciate all of you, especially right now.”

The three stood and left the office.
I looked over at Ben for his reaction.
“I think you covered all your bases,
Ms. Thomas. The only thing I would have suggested is that one of the men is
always here with your receptionist, and that the door is kept locked at all
times, at least for now. Do you have any other employees?”

“No, just
the three.”

David brought the schedule for Max’s
Manhattan media blitz.
“Thanks, David. I really appreciate this. Also, I may have
someone to assist you with your workload. Let me get this mess with Lisa taken
care of first.”

“Sounds
great.
Right now, I can handle everything, and if I need anything—when
she’s not tied up—Misty usually helps out.” He turned to leave.

“Excellent. She’s a bright young
woman. If you think you can hold down the fort, I’m going to go work from home.
I need to prepare for this trip as well as our meeting tomorrow.”

Ben escorted me back to my condo
after he made sure the staff was settled. As I entered the front door, Max was
waiting with Lee. From the scowl on his face, I knew something was wrong. One
thing I had learned about Max—those gorgeous, chocolate brown eyes turned to
dark pools when he was upset or angry.