Night Owl (The Complete Serial)

“James…”

“Uh-uh… I’m not some sex toy you get a taste of, and then use at your whim. I’m here for the long haul, baby. Tell me, Casey.” I try coaxing her, feeling her ankles hook behind me. I was stuck on her long before she got her claws in me and I’m happy to stay, but I need her to need me on some level, not for just for her physical satisfaction. I knew I was getting in deep with her when it started to be more about the feelings, the thing I’d avoided with every other woman up until now. Trust was not something I gave freely, but I wanted to give her the world, give her everything. Although we barely knew each other and were only now exploring the physical side of our attraction, I couldn’t let her go. I wouldn’t let her go… not for this, not for anything.

“I…” My damn phone starts buzzing in my pocket. Casey squeezes her legs tighter and the phone presses against my dick, vibrating. “Don’t answer it.” She scoots closer, jamming the phone in between us. Had it been anything else but my damn phone and our current dilemma, I would have let it go and pleasured her senseless.

“It could be…” She refuses to let me go. It’s cute and pushing her away is the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do. Perspective. I need some fucking perspective and we have a shit ton about to be shoveled down our throats by my legal team and HR.

“I don’t care right now.” I don’t think I’ve ever heard Casey whine, but this pout of hers kills me as I grip her thighs, disengaging us. I’m pretty sure my eyes cross and my balls blue, but the phone keeps on ringing. I grab the technology demon and look at the screen, frowning.

“It’s the office, Casey.” Holding her as close as she will let me, I slide my finger across the screen and answer, rubbing her smooth skin from her neck down, attempting to soothe her. “Hello?” I listen to Elroy Fens, one of my board of directors loose his shit over the phone, calling for dismal, breach of contract, and all manner of things that have me pissed and Casey frozen. I hate this man for a multitude of reasons, so it figures it’s him who calls me.

“Goddammit, James! You can’t keep your dick in your pants. This is gonna cost us huge. Always giving away advertising for free and now this. Gramps would be rolling in his grave over this.”

“Elroy, calm down. We’re meeting the legal department at one this afternoon; HR and the PR firm I deal with will handle a press statement, if needed. The FCC fines companies like this all the time for ridiculous infractions.”

“Right, because an audio of you fucking a squealing–”

“Shut your fucking mouth before I do it for you.” Elroy thinks he can say whatever he wants, but I’ve made it my secondary goal to get him off my board after this shit dies down. He is his own liability.

As I’m speaking to Elroy, Casey is pushing away from me.

“James, let me down.” Her quiet voice worries me, but I lift her from the counter and watch her pad slowly to her bedroom, shutting down. None of this feels fixable right now, but that’s never stopped me before.

Elroy continues to yammer on and I have to interrupt him again to get his attention. “Elroy, shut up and listen to me.” This weasel has been trying to get rid of me since I took over and joined the board. He’s been lurking for years, just waiting to bring me to heel, but I’ll be damned if he’ll tell me what to do with my own fucking company. “You are to say nothing and do nothing. Let me handle this.”

“James, the FCC is calling for a two million dollar fine and you know they are within their rights to do so. Ten seconds of fucking on the air is gonna cost you. You do remember what happened to those DJs who aired that couple having sex in the church… Pull the plug on your booty call and fix this shit. The board is calling for a vote of confidence because it’s you on the fucking recording, not some stranger.” I’m uneasy. The board hasn’t been crazy about me from day one, but this isn’t something for which they can just kick me off. I will not back down to these cronies.

“Elroy, I don’t think you’re hearing me correctly. This is my fucking company. I go down and I’ll take every last one of you with me. Do you fucking understand that?”

“Yes, James.” His voice practically drips with acid and condescension. “I’ll pass that on to the rest of the board.”

“You do that. We’ll meet on Monday.” I hang up the phone, wanting to throw the damn thing at the wall, hoping it will shatter. My chest hurts from my heart pounding. I used to respect Elroy, we used to be close, but I can see he only has his own interests in mind.

I hear the bedroom door open and Casey steps out, wearing something disappointingly concealing. She’s covered herself from neck to knee in a formfitting cobalt blue dress that gathers on the sides, giving her curves more knockout power. Her matching bright blue stockings in some geometrical pattern crisscross over her shapely calves and sneak under the stretchy fabric. She’s gone back to hiding under the guise of a butterfly in its cocoon. If she thinks this will stop me, she’s deeply mistaken.

“Come here, sweetheart.” With a sigh, Casey crosses the room to stand before me. Her expression is glum so I do what works… sexual distraction. I reach out and pull her to me, backing myself up against the counter. I wrap my arms around her, forcing her to either play along or fight. I don’t care what she does as long as retreat isn’t her choice. “So… Do those stockings have an open crotch for me to play with?”

Her brows knit together, her eyes fiery with a look that shows irritation, disgust, and sexual lust. “No, they do not, James.”

I let my smile show so she knows I’m kidding. “That’s disappointing.” My fingers play down her back and pull her close, rubbing my hardness all over her. She pushes back, but not enough for me to let her go. Damn if this woman doesn’t have me turned on all the time.

“Are you going to ruin another pair?” Her head tilts, flashing me a small smile that has a million interpretations. Casey Cole could give the Mona Lisa a run for her money.

Gently, I squeeze her ass. “As if you need to ask…”

23

Casey

Nerves are onl

y a part of why I’m trembling inside James’ car. After disentangling ourselves in my apartment, we drive to his condo. He needed fresh clothes, and I needed a reprieve. I still need one, but James isn’t letting me out of his sight for a minute. Even sitting in the parking garage of his building while he changed clothes was an exercise of wills between us. After running last night, he’s still pissed, upset, and wary of any decisions I might make by myself.

Nerves make me fidget in my seat. The leather seating molds around me comfortably, but it doesn’t help the rolling of my stomach. I try watching the scenery go by as James navigates to our destination We pass neighborhoods of brick row houses, through blocks of tall city buildings, and I’m reminded of the disparity between us. I’d give anything for more traffic to delay our arrival. We’re meeting at the law offices of Dunbar and Dolby, instead of the conference room at the station.

“Hey.” I feel his hand cover mine, giving it a small squeeze. I swallow the lump in my throat as I look at James. He’s wearing his dark sunglasses, but I know the face behind them.

“Hey yourself.” He’s told me to trust him and I do… as much as I can. My handsome dark-haired man, with eyes just as dark and as deep, keeps me coming back for more when I should be running as far as I can. Gold flecks in his eyes lighten the deep depths with mischievousness that translates into power when needed, a gentle playfulness when he’s relaxed.