[CHAPTER STARTS AT THE END OF THE MEETING BETWEEN CONNER AND SUMMER IN HIS OFFICE]
“Before I go, here are your messages in priority. However, this one is about the event and I’m afraid it’s addressed to me, but I’m not able to respond to it. I think you may do more and faster about it.” Summer leaned over and placed several messages in front of Conner and tried to broach the subject of one. Conner tried not to watch the low neckline of her blouse fall forward. Damn, the woman had on a lacy pale blue bra under her pale blue blouse. Conner wanted to know if her panties matched her bra. He bet they did, and it would only get better if she wore those thigh-high stockings. He’d love the feel of them on his thighs as he took her. Now he needed to get a grip on himself. How could he work like this?
“Who’s it from and about what?” Conner thanked his lucky stars. The connection between his brain and mouth was intact, and he could still conduct a business discussion without insulting Summer.
“It’s from your father and he told me I was uninvited to the dinner we just discussed.” That had Conner stopping what he was doing. He looked up at her as if he couldn’t fathom his father doing that behind his back. She wasn’t sure if his look meant he felt disgusted with his father for countermanding him or angry that his father did this behind his back. “I’m sorry. I don’t feel it’s my place to interfere in this aspect of your business. It feels too personal for me.” Summer made excuses, but he could see they weren’t unreasonable. Conflict could easily end with the end of a new employee’s contract.
“Don’t worry about it. I’ll handle this. You make the arrangements I want and forget you received my father’s message. I’ll tell you how to proceed once I’ve spoken to him and have this corrected. You’ll need to pick up my dry cleaning. I will need it. My tux is there. There’s a list of other things I’ll need you to pick up, and I expect you to bring them with you when we leave. So, schedule accordingly.”
“Yes, sir. I’ll do it. Summer had a list of personal items he wanted for his trip. She believed she had to buy everything he needed for packing, including clothes. Making all her stops for him would consume most of the day. She didn’t know how she’d get all her things together. “I’ll get on this right away.”
“Very good.” Once she left the office, Conner left his seat and locked his door. He needed time to himself. Seeing that little piece of lace and her sleek legs encased in stocking had him hard. He’d wanted to pull her over his desk and sink between her thighs. Conner wanted to hear her beg him to make her come on his cock. He wanted to hear her moan and the slick sounds of his cock taking her eager channel.
Fuck, he was hard. Conner went back to his chair, unbuckled his belt, and opened his pants. He let them fall to his ankles before he sat again. Conner stared at his hard cock in his hand. He could feel the corded veins throb. He needed to work one off or go crazy.
Conner had seen Gabriella last night with plans to screw her. But as dinner ended, he still had no interest in putting his dick in her again. Clearly, she’d been a one-night wonder. Now, the word wonder was an overstatement. She just didn’t turn his crank.
Summer, however, now Summer pushed all his buttons without trying to. His cock jumped in his hand as he stroked it. He could feel the ball of need readying to explode from the tip of his cock. Conner liked the slow buildup, but there wasn’t much of it happening now. He enjoyed the electric feel of his pleasure as he imagined Summer’s lips leaving a stain of lipstick at the base of his cock before she sat on his lap and bounced on him. He wanted to hear her moan and cry as he filled her up. God, he’d not wanted it like this since he graduated high school.
His need distracted his thoughts as he focused on his completion. Conner grabbed some tissues from his desk just in time to catch the ropes of cum as they shot from his tip. His release was perfect as his hand squeezed his shaft as he imagined Summer squeezing him as she experienced a powerful orgasm while he was balls deep in her. It was nearly perfect, only lacking him having sex with her. Whenever Conner had her, he wanted to savor the time. He had no time to waste. Conner had pressing work and no time.
He sat back and caught his breath. Conner smiled at his cock. He felt better, and he figured he’d dress again before he called his father.
Several minutes later, he was on the phone to his father. Conner hated calls like this. They mounted to pissing contests with the old man.
“What do you want, Conner?” Ian O’Keefe said. He answered his phone when he saw his phone screen displayed his son’s name. He’d been waiting for this. Ian expected his son’s personal assistant to complain about being uninvited to the business dinner. It took Conner several hours to get back to him.
“I want to know where you get off calling my personal assistant and telling her she’s uninvited to a business dinner and inviting the woman I told you I wouldn’t date.” Conner sounded angry. Ian let Conner blow off some steam before he tried to talk to his son.
“Conner, she’s a decent woman from an excellent family. A family we can’t afford to piss off. You need to suck it up or stop the sabotage, so we don’t need to rely on the Mandelas for support to keep our market share and funding for research.” The boy failed to grasp the broader significance beyond his romantic life. His actions mattered to the business, and he might have to marry Gabriella to save their business.
“Look, I tried sleeping with her and it’s not happening again. I’ll tell you, if dating her is so important, then you do it. Take one for the team, dad. Because I won’t anymore. She was a serious disappointment, and she’s a nag. I hate listening to her complain about everyone who’s beneath her. She’s a pretty package that’s got something rotten inside.” Ian knew Gabriella was far from perfect for Conner. Yet, their time was running out. They may have to concede to save the family’s business.
“So, you’ll keep the personal assistant, then?” Ian felt his curiosity rise about the status of things between Conner and his attractive personal assistant. Conner didn’t know how distracting a workplace affair could be, and the company couldn’t survive if he became distracted.
“Yes, no. I don’t know yet. She has her uses, but she’s a bloody distraction.” Ian could hear how confused his son was. Conner was unsure of his desires and goals. Right now, Ian threw everything at him and watched what would stick. The boy seemed confused about where to direct his gaze. Laughing, Ian thought about his former life. That’s how he’d met Conner’s mother. Few knew that his mother had worked as a bartender at a strip club he’d owned with someone else.
“What do you mean?” Ian said. He tried to sound stern as he demanded Conner give him an explanation about what he meant. “I mean, she can do her job fine. She does it without complaint so far. She’s never late or gives me excuses why she hasn’t completed something. Ms. McNeil doesn’t ask prying questions like Gabriella. But she’s a distraction by just existing in the space I breathe. Before they cross too many boundaries, I can’t have her around much longer.” Ian could hear Conner struggling to find a reason to fire her and failing. Conner didn’t hear his words and how smitten he was with his little personal assistant. “Does she know that?” There it was. Conner felt attracted to the woman. Ian couldn’t deny her captivating aura. Age hindered him, not Conner, from pursuing a woman so young. Gabriella was asking prying questions. Ian wanted to learn more about that. “What was Gabriella asking?” Ian suspected some things weren’t as they seemed. But he
Summer slipped out of the office an hour early. It gave her little time to shop Conner wanted, or she needed. She wasn’t a fool; she worked smarter, not harder. Summer had to decide whether to buy everything herself before the plane departed. Then she’d hire someone to do it. Or use her family’s personal shopper to her advantage. All she needed to do was call the stores, set up for her personal shopper to pick the items up and pay over the phone with the card Conner gave her for the expenses. Just two stores refused her request. She’d have to go in person. Thankfully, one shop was in the same mall as the dress shop she needed. When she arrived at the dress shop, Summer had every she needed. She lacked patience for an encounter with Gabriella in the store. Summer’s hand was on the door handle when she noticed Gabriella inside. Cursing under her breath, she had to do some quick thinking. She pulled her phone from her coat pocket and called
Summer was in traffic when her father called. With a sigh, she told the car assistant to answer the call. “Good evening, Father. To what do I owe the pleasure of your call?” He never called if he didn’t have a reason to call. Andre MacGregor changed after his first wife died. “I don’t appreciate your lip, young lady. Where are you that you’re acting like that?” “I’m standing on the intersection of Main Street and Jefferson Boulevard trying to find a date.” “Merina MacGregor. You better not be…” “Be what, father? Oh, please. I’m joking. I’m stuck at a traffic light and I’m behind the wheel. What do you want, Father? I’m unable to talk to you.” Summer knew that she’d made a mistake when she said that, because it gave her father a chance to lecture her on whatever problem her stepmother imagined Merina’s mere existence caused. All Merina needed to do was breathe in Lillian MacGregor’s direction to do something worthy of a lectur
Could Summer make it home, pack, and reach the airport on time without Gabriella? The woman didn’t work unless she pretended to assist her daddy. She called her father, daddy, in a little girl’s voice. This made Summer shudder in disgust. Gabriella was a dark-skinned beauty. Summer admits Gabriella could have modeled. Unlike Summer, who still could be mistaken for a boy from the wrong angle. She gained weight, which filled out some of Summer’s curves. Gabriella did not need to take action. Clothing fitted her off the rack. Summer was short. Her head came to Conner’s shoulder, while Gabriella stood eye-to-eye with him. They were opposites of each other. Summer wore dark hair right now, but it was a wig. Her hair, if she allowed it to go its natural color, was almost orange in bright sunlight. Girls would tease her because her skin, though freckled, practically glowed in the dark. She’s the girl that boys would dare to ask if the drapes matched the carpet. So, th
Summer’s highlight when they arrived at the hotel was, she found Conner’s father had rented several corporate suites. She had assumed she’d have a room on a different floor. But that wasn’t the case. Summer meant less privacy but more work time. Because she’d share a suite with Conner, which meant she shared a bathroom with the man. It was only a few nights. She could get through it. She needed to avoid triggering Conner’s memories of their past. Maybe he’d forgotten more than she remembered? Summer knew that was a dream. Her day filled up with taking notes at meetings, ordering food, and ensuring both Conner and Ian O’Keefe had everything they needed. Ian’s assistant called before the flight, saying they couldn’t go because of a relative’s hospitalization. Their relatives needed them by their bedside. Summer didn’t complain. In fact, Ian didn’t request or demand her help. She stepped in and assisted him. After a day of meetings and disc
Summer realized she had no say in her sleeping arrangements. She regretted attending the conference. Why Conner’s father didn’t stay with him in the same suite, she couldn’t tell. When she brought it up to Conner, he gave her a look and said, “My dad’s snoring rivals the sound that comes from a lumber production facility at peak production. There’s no way I’ll sleep in the same suite as him. We’re better off this way.” That was it. That was it. A colorful image of the sound of a man’s sleeping habits. Summer had her own curiosities about him. She thought she’d be the first person to use the bathroom to prepare for the evening’s dinner event. However, Conner had to be the first. However, he hadn’t figured out the lock on her door had broken before they took the suite. Summer opened the door and avoided an embarrassing encounter with Conner. He had his back to the bathroom mirror and through it, Summer received a detailed view of his naked form in the
This made everything awkward. Summer tried to hang back and enter by herself. Conner’s father helped by calling her back before everyone entered the elevator to head for the dinner. “Ms. O’Neil, I wish to speak to you for a moment. Everyone can go ahead; we won’t be long.” Ian announced as he waved them on. Conner tried to hang back and inquire about what his father needed help with. “It’s fine, Conner. Ms. O’Neil will know how to fix this. Go on ahead with Gabriella and her father. We’ll follow right behind you, after we speak.” Conner hadn’t appeared convinced, but he’d asked his father. Summer didn’t relax after the elevator closed behind them. Ian rounded on Summer. “Would you care to explain yourself and why you are interfering in my son’s personal life?” “Mr. O’Keefe. I’m not sure…” Summer said to Mr. Mandela. He interrupted Summer in mid-sentence. “Oh, please. I’ve heard from Gabriella how you’ve been throwing yourself
He didn’t know what his father was doing. Taking Summer away from him like that. Talking to her in private, and not letting him know what they were discussing. Conner wondered if his father used her to spy on them. While they waited, Gabriella acted triumphant and wouldn’t let go of his arm until he shook her off him. “Why are you so clingy tonight, Gabriella? What’s with the look you keep giving Conner?” Joseph Mandela, Gabriella’s father, asked her. He’d criticized the gown she’d chosen already. He claimed it was too revealing and demanded that she wear a jacket over it. She didn’t react well to that. Conner hadn’t liked how Joseph looked at Summer, either. He’d looked at her in a predatory admiring fashion and didn’t say a thing about the dress she’d worn. Even Conner would find it too revealing to accept. Joseph leered at Summer, but Gabriella didn’t give him a chance to talk to her father. Summer’s departure from the elevator with h