Boost by Vi Summers
Chapter 8
-Greer-
An hour later, I was no closer to understanding Rafael despite him disclosing a handful of minor indiscretions from his past. There were two obvious sides to him; the successful entrepreneur and the cocky law-breaker.
Despite that, one thing was clear; Rafael Ortiz hadn’t lived an easy life. Success hadn’t come easy, whereas women and money had. However, regardless of everything he’d told me, I still felt as though he was holding something back.
I took a moment to sip from my bottled water, then pushed to my feet. Walking across the room to my desk, I set the voice recorder down while contemplating our entire conversation. He’d spoken candidly about his early twenties and the rough patch he went through, and didn’t seem bitter about the experiences that had hardened him. Either that, or he wore his mask well.
Without warning, warmth spread across my back, and I just knew that Rafael had stepped close. My breath paused when his fingers brushed my waist, and words laden with sex appeal murmured against my ear.
“Business is done, mamacita, so that means we can focus on the pleasure.”
Bolts of lust wove my spine as his hand suggestively skimmed across the curve of my hip. His tantalizing cologne made a lasting impression; one that had me weak-kneed and tight-chested.
“Thought you may have forgotten.”
Rafael laughed quietly. “I don’t forget shit. Not when it comes to something I want.”
I looked over my shoulder and raised my brows. “Unfortunately for you, Mr. Ortiz, I’m not easily won over. And you don’t intimidate me, so you can quit the glower.”
His narrowed eyes grew stormy as he tilted his head back a fraction. “I should intimidate you. Though, I’m glad I don’t.”
His fingertips grazed the zip on the back of my skirt, teasing a bodily response I couldn’t control. Smug satisfaction laced his low-chuckle, and it was the timely reminder I needed to take back control.
I stepped out of his reach and rounded on him once I was a safe distance away. “I’m not your play-thing. You’re my client, and the success of Colton’s foundation relies on us not messing this up for him.”
“I’ll play your game, Boss Lady. But once we’re out of these four walls, I don’t give a fuck who your invoice is being sent to.” The bite to Rafael’s voice contrasted his sensual touch a minute ago, and the sudden change shocked me.
As if to prove some kind of point, he brushed past despite the expansive space of my office, and strode out the door. He left my heart pounding, my panties a little damp, and a whole lot of questions running through my head.
Roxiee rushed in as soon as Rafael disappeared from sight. “He left in a hurry. And, girl, you look hella flustered.” She eyed me with a coy smile on her dark-pink lips. “He got to you, didn’t he?”
“Depends what you mean by got to me, Rox. If you mean, got under my skin, then yes, he did,” I snapped while looking myself over in the mirror.
My cheeks held a rosy glow as if I’d been standing in the midday for a minute too long, and I was unimpressed that Rafael Ortiz had put it there.
Rox folded her arms under her boobs and arched one perfect eyebrow. “He’s going to be a problem, isn’t he?”
I flicked my hair behind my shoulder and turned to her. “He’s nothing I can’t handle.”
“Ah huh. We’ll see how long it takes before we’re having mojitos because of him.”
* * *
-Rafael-
I was more than a little hot under the collar by the time the elevator doors closed on Landon-Michaels PR.
Judging merely from what I’d witnessed over the last hour and a half, Boss Lady was one hell of a force to be reckoned with. Too bad for me; that worked against my determination to cash in on the date she owed me.
It took all my willpower to not push my luck too far, to not give in to the near overwhelming desire to touch her in places I shouldn’t. I wasn’t used to exercising such restraint; on the streets—my domain—there was no holding back with anything.
Colton had a fuck-ton to answer for, and I dialed his number as soon as I stepped from the elevator onto the ground floor. I was pushing through the glass revolving door that led to the street when he answered.
“Hey, Raf. I’m driving so you’re on speaker phone. All good?”
Not breaking stride, I pursed my lips, then tsked. “The fuck you think, man?”
His chuckle came through the phone. “Are we talking business, or personal?”
“Both.”
“Look, if you want out, I’ll understand-”
“It’s not that.” I cut him off. “It’s… fuck, you’ve seen her, Colt. She’s fucking gorgeous!”
Humor laced his voice. “Well, I would normally agree with you, but I’ve got Ryles in the car with me, so-”
An oof left his chest after what sounded like a hit to his stomach. A female giggle filtered through his rolling laugh.
“Hi, Rafael,” Rylee called.
“Shit,” I cussed under my breath, then changed my tone. “Hi, Rylee. Ah, sorry for the cussing just now.” I rubbed at the back of my neck, feeling thrown off my rant now that I knew his woman was listening in.
“It’s fine. Nothing I’m not used to.”
A beat of silence came before Colton murmured, “You know you’re my spark, baby.”
Impatient and not wanting to listen to more of their private conversation, I cut in. “I’ll leave you to it. Ring me back when you can.”
“Later tonight?”
“Sure, brother.”
Disconnected and still less than happy, I beeped the locks on my Porsche and slid behind the wheel. The A4 manila folder containing our contract lay on the passenger seat, exactly where I’d haphazardly tossed it before the meeting. I glared at it as if it held the power to crumble my empire.
Greer was the last person I’d expected to see today, dressed in expensive-ass business attire and power-walking on Louboutins as if they were basketball kicks. Sexy as fuck.
She took charge of the meeting with surprising authority, and it made my dick sit up and take notice. Visually, her appearance was a world away from the seductive mamacita I’d met on the street, yet not out of place perched among the suits at the top of the corporate ladder.
It only made me want her more; there was something incredibly alluring about a woman in control. She held an air of power and sensuality that made me want to bend her over her desk and break her into submission. To have her on her knees before me, relinquishing charge whether she wanted to or not. The strong ones were always the most satisfying to unravel.
I grunted away the images rolling through my head and adjusted my cock to stop it pressing against my zipper. Jesus fuck, I was out of my depth.
I desperately needed a distraction; another pussy to stop me from wanting to get all up in Greer’s. One that wasn’t off-limits and fell open without resistance. Or two, for that matter, as Tequila and Stevie came to mind.
But for now, that would have to wait; I had shit to do this afternoon and needed to get my head straight before meeting with a potential car-hunting client this evening.