“Well, she sounds fucking awful.”
“She’s ruthless,” he gritted. “If our yearly earnings slip even a dollar below her mandated minimum, there’s a clause in the contract that says shecan fire me and demand her investment back. Doing that would not only leave me without a job, but destroy my business and leave my employees with nothing. What I need to do is buy her out completely, but the firm is in bad shape after paying to settle someone’s lawsuits.” He crooked a brow at me, making me once again wish I didn’t share a face with that shit-peddling fraud. “Say what I would about you, you throw an A-list party, Sue.
“In two weeks, I’m going to be in a room with dozens of potential high-value clients. The kind of clients that can drag our bottom line above the minimum—”
“—before the yearly financial report comes out,” I finished. “And maybe even inject you with enough capital so you can finally getrid of her.”
He tapped his nose, winking at me. “See? We weren’t talking about you. For once, you’re not the woman who’s causing the most grief in my life.”
I rolled my eyes, smiling slightly. “But what does any of this have to do with Micah or Alex? Because they were grinning just as creepily and twirling their mustaches over the thought of being free of your investor.”
Rhodes frowned. “Sue, you know this.”
Oops, I do? That’s not good.
“Remember what happened to Micah’s parents?”
“I—uh—yeah,” I squeaked. “Of course, I do. Sorry, I got mixed up for a second. Don’t like to think about it.”
His frown deepened, then smoothed out. “Yeah, that’s fair. None of us like to think about a greedy piece of shit scamming a sweet, elderly couple, but since the cops were never able to recover the money, Micah sends every cent he makes to his folks. And since Alex stays home with Lily and you’re not working, wealldepend on the investment firm,” he said. “Last thing we need in the new year is my severance package.”
It was my turn to frown. “I get all of that, but I still don’t understand why we’re spending sixteen million dollars for you to schmooze. Why not use that money to buy out the investor?”
“The buyout price is fifty million.”
“Flip flipping fuck!” I cried, eyes bugging. “So you have always been stupid! Why would you sign that contract?”
Rhodes busted up, his whole aura lighting up and making his eyes dance. “Ease up on me here. I’m not the only one in these woods whomakes unwise business decisions.” His smile took the sting out of his words. “In my defense, I was starting a high-end investment firm in New York City. No one worth billions would’ve signed with a guy working in a one-room shitpit above a restaurant. I needed money to attract money.”
“Youneeded a financial literacy class,” I shot back, “which is hella ironic. I don’t even know what to do with you right now. Do you have a backup plan in case you can’t get anyone from the party to sign with you? You know, people generally don’t like being hit up for money when they’re in the middle of getting shit-faced.”
“Trust me.” A hand slinked around my waist, pulling me closer and widening my eyes for another reason. “I’ve got that part handled. But...” I blinked at his growing, wolfish grin. “If you really want to know what to do with me, I’ve got an idea.”
“Um... what’s happening right now?”
“What’s happening,” Rhodes whispered, tracing the shell of my ear with his lips, “is that we never did get to go on that date Friday night.”
My pulse picked up fast, running away as Rhodes’s hand traveled lower... and lower. “Pretty sure it wasn’t a date. It was an appointment for me to suck your dick.”
“And I’m deeply interested in rescheduling that appointment.” He kissed the sensitive spot just beneath my ear—once, then twice. My nipples sprung up like Rhodes-seeking missiles. “Now a good time for you?”
“Um, sure, I guess—”
That was all the confirmation of consent he needed.
Hands grabbed me and the world spun. I was left blinking and still trying to catch up as Rhodes pushed me up against the tree. “Our sex life has been stale for years. If you decided it’s time to spice it up, that’s a thing you’ve got to let a guy know.”
“Oh?” I hopped up, wrapping my arms and legs around him. “Consider my sudden need for spice a post-accident-related new lease on life. The last thing I’m going to do is die without ever having your cock in my mouth.”
Said cock snapped to attention, poking my middle.
“I completely agree,” he gruffed hoarsely. “That would be a terrible way to go, so we’d better not waste a second. There are bears in thesewoods after all.”
The man had abandoned all shame and subtlety.
Giggling, I nipped his nose. “I’d better get to it, then.”
I slid down his hard, strong, ropey body... taking his running shorts with me.
