Brother to the Boss (Managing the Bosses 8)

“We did it!”

Mark laughed at Erica’s enthusiasm, popping the cork on the Champagne and watching it overflow in a rush of bubbles as he poured it into two glasses. “All we did was stand around and look pretty for the cameras,” he pointed out, handing one of the glasses over to Erica. “Occasionally offered a sound bite. We haven’t even seen the story. It could be terrible.”

“It’s not going to be terrible,” Erica said, her slender fingers curling around the Champagne flute. “It’s going to be brilliant! And this place is going to be overrun with guests. You’ll see.” She smiled at him, sweet and enticing, and raised the glass she was holding. “To success. And to Little Lake Country Club.”

Shaking his head, Mark lifted his hand and tapped his glass gently against hers. “To success,” he echoed. “And to Little Lake Country Club.”

They both drank.

“And,” Mark said, lifting his glass again, “to the very best pro-golf instructor at the club. And the most beautiful woman in New York State.”

Erica’s cheeks flushed faintly pink, and her smile widened. “Is that so, Mr. Reid?”

“Oh, absolutely,” Mark said, setting aside his glass and stepping forward to wrap one arm around Erica’s waist, pulling her in. “In fact, I think you’re probably the most beautiful woman on the whole Eastern Seaboard.”

“You know, that kind of over the top flattery is completely—”

Mark cut her off with a kiss before she could finish her complaint. For an instant, she was startled still in his arms, and then she sank into him with a sigh, one of her arms sliding around his shoulders to help hold the weight of her body, and her mouth opening under the press of his lips to let him slip his tongue inside and taste her. The hand that wasn’t at her waist slid down, over the curve of her buttocks, and then further, curling around the back of her thigh to pull her even closer.

They broke apart, but only far enough to breathe before they were coming together again, this time moving with the kiss, stumbling backward toward the bed.

“Shirt off,” Mark ordered between kisses.

He let go of her enough to curl his fingers under the hem of it instead, pulling it off over her head and tossing it to the side. A minute later her bra followed, and then his own shirt was being yanked off in her hands, and they were pressed together, skin to skin.

“You really know how to celebrate,” Erica laughed into his mouth.

Mark didn’t answer. He gave her a little push, and she fell back onto the bed as the end of it caught her behind the knees. Her eyes met his, and he smiled at her once before he let his gaze roam her body, taking in the rise and fall of her chest with her breath, and her long, bare legs under the short skirt.

“You know what,” he said, pitching his voice low. “On second thought…”

He caught her around the hips and gently flipped her over, dragging her back so that she was on her hands and knees. She moaned and rocked back against him, and he didn’t waste time getting anything all the way off, just pulled her panties down her thighs and flipped the back of her skirt up, unfastening his own pants and shoving them down his hips just enough to give himself room.

When he slid into her, Erica hissed his name between her teeth, hips already rolling to meet his first thrust.

“Like that?” he growled, pulling her to meet him with hands still wrapped around her hips. He could feel the press of the bone against his palms.

“Fuck,” she breathed. “Yes. Fuck yes, Mark. Come on.”

That was all the answer he needed to pick up the pace. Neither of them was in any mood to take it slow. The exhilaration of victory was still racing in his blood, and he knew Erica must feel the same, could feel it in the way that she moved against him, hard and hungry.

There wasn’t much space for talking. He leaned down, pressing his lips to one shoulder, and then to the other, scattering kisses across soft skin, then biting down just hard enough to leave a mark behind. Erica moaned and gasped. Her fingers were curled in the sheets so tightly that he could see her knuckles going white with the strain of it.

“How long are you going to last, baby?”

She shook her head, panting out a laugh. “N-Not long.”

He wasn’t going to last long either, not with her writhing so enthusiastically under him. Mark reached under her with one hand and trailed his fingers up her sternum to cup one of her breasts in his hand, stroking his thumb over the nipple until her back arched into the touch. He gave it one last little tug and moved on to the other side, working it the same way, enjoying the ragged sound of her breathing.

“Mark,” she said, low and urgent. “Mark.”

The hand that had been teasing her breasts slid down, and he pressed his thumb against her clit, just enough friction for her to rock against with the motion of their bodies. She made a desperate sound in the back of her throat, and her hips moved faster against his own. Needier. Mark met her pace, and felt his own orgasm building, pulling his body tight.

“Come on,” he growled. “Come for me.”

She shuddered, and tensed, and then he felt it rushing through her, and he followed her over the edge, pleasure exploding through him. Lights danced behind his closed eyelids, and fire sang through his nerves.

Both of them slumped to the mattress, Matt’s legs threatening to stop holding him up. He pulled out, and dropped onto the bed on his back, and Erica rolled over to stretch out along his side. For a long minute they lay like that, getting their breath back. Mark’s heart slowly stopped beating so loudly in his ears. He felt her shift, probably kicking her underwear the rest of the way off, and then she went still again, just breathing.