Everything You Need: Everything For You Trilogy Book 1 (36 page)

He isn’t apologising to me for encouraging those women’s flirtatious behaviour. “Social discourse?” I scoff. “Try soliciting. If money changed hands you’d be arrested!” I’m not holding back.

“Why don’t you tell me what you really feel?” His eyes burn into mine with an obvious dare.

“Nothing like you’re feeling. Other women’s hands all over you! No wonder you can’t lose the erection.”

He pauses momentarily, in disbelief. “You’re jealous.” The idea doesn’t appear to displease him. In fact, he makes the accusation so often I think he rather likes it.

“Jealous?” I counter the notion for about the third time that day. Okay, I’m jealous as hell but really, it’s so blatant he’s rubbing my nose in it. “Your monstrous ego is getting the better of you. Again.”

He laughs, tightly. “If you could begin to see what’s right in front of you, you’d know you have no reason to feel jealous.”

Right. He’s not exactly mine. I keep forgetting. The thought hits me square in the stomach. It hurts so I hit back.

“It’s hardly good PR – let alone appropriate – to flirt with other men’s wives and girlfriends. You’re damaging my reputation by association, not building it.”

He frowns like he doesn’t get it. “They’re flirting with me.”

So he damn well does know it. “You’re not exactly discouraging them.”

“In business you’re selling yourself every bit as much as the service or product you provide.”

In that case I’m doomed before I start. However I’m not letting him off his hook because of my shortcomings. “So you’re having a public rummage sale, then?”

He narrows his eyes at my defiant attitude. “Allow me to benefit from your feminine expertise. How would you advise me to handle such very public,
unwanted
attention?” He thinks he’s put me on the spot and defended his nefarious deeds at the same time.

Like I’ve ever have to handle unwanted attention. I have no expertise as he well knows. “That’s assuming it is unwanted.”

Right on cue another femme fatale tries to catch his eye. I raise mine to him in a complete told you so, kind of way. I’m surprised when Jack turns his back on her and presses me against the wall of the dark nook he’s manoeuvred us into.

“That’s one way.”

“This way?” He whispers the words harshly, his body close enough to mine to smell his heat, his scent.

“Yes.” I part my lips. My voice is practically swallowed up by a tense gasp.

Jack’s body forces itself closer until he rests his fore-arms either side of my head on the wall, trapping me between them. Doesn’t he remember we’re at a ball? People are watching. Women will be clawing their bleeding eyes out with their own crimson nails if they see this. His mouth descends hungrily upon mine.

His hips push against mine until the old adage – rock and hard place – enters my mind.

“If this is an alternative technique to subdue me, it’ll work every time.”

“I don’t wish to subdue you,” he growls.

“What do you want to do to me?”

“Fuck you.”

“Fuck you too.”

His tongue shunts between my unresisting lips which I open for him on a moan. He forces my body so tight to the wall I can’t breathe. His pelvis and his impressive erection, thrust against my pubic bone providing just the right amount of stimulation to take me from where I’ve been hovering in frustration all evening to where I want to go, with just a moment’s more friction. My fists bunch in his lapels, and I keen, lest I pass out from all this longing as lights start to flash behind my closed eyes. I’ve been teetering on the brink since the limousine and think he has been too. It makes us dangerously over-crowded cell mates.

I’m going to fuck you in that red dress.

I almost don’t care if it happens right here. I feel reckless. Crazy with lust. I’d happily give the newspapers their next scandalous headline if Jack would ease my need. Especially in front of his incredulous and brazen harem.

His heart-rate soars off the scale thudding against mine. When he pants like he can’t catch breath and groans into my mouth, it’s the sexiest thing I’ve ever heard. I really believe the man has finally broken his cardinal rule and lost control over me. It seems to take a great effort of will for him to stop himself; to push himself back. He rests his forehead on mine for a minute until his breathing grows more measured and he gathers up enough willpower to move himself away from me.

He stands upright allowing the shutters to fall over his features and I wonder how he can appear so normal after that. I’m an oil slick oozing down the wall. I already miss full-body contact desperately. The tender places where I throb and pulsate are bereft. My teeth almost chatter but I’m not cold. Quite the opposite.

“Do you think we’ve done enough to discourage them yet?” he gasps.

I shake my head. He renders me speechless.

His lips twitch. “You feel it might require something even more drastic?”

I nod. I’d go to my death quite happily drowning in those two deep Irish pools of blue ice melt.

“Soon,” he promises.

“Not soon enough.” I snipe with frustration and he laughs tightly at me. My faculties return slowly but I can’t bring myself to look around to see who might be watching us.

“Thank you for your collaboration,” Jack says cryptically. “I think that ought to keep the Amazons at bay for a minute or two longer until they gather forces for another full-on assault.”

Is that what that was? A show for their benefit? When he winks at me, utterly recovered, I’m confused. Disappointed. That’s the only reason he kissed me? To make those other women desire him all the more. Clearly any woman would have to have some brass neck to try her luck with Jack again after witnessing that little charade. I know I wouldn’t dream of it.

But I underestimate the resolve of his all-female fan club and the innate power of his magnetism. They’re at it again almost immediately and with renewed vigour. I sigh and roll my eyes resulting in a swift glare. If it wasn’t for the fact that my sanity has been splattered all over that far wall, it would teach me a lesson for being so naïve. We’re right back where we started.

I can’t get my head around what just happened. I want Jack so badly yet he simply uses me as a means to an end. It isn’t even to stop unwanted interest. He wants that too. He loves it. It’s to show me he can have me any time he wants and drop me just as quickly for one of his lined-up replacements.

Suddenly Brent Tapper doesn’t seem the biggest problem in my life. My own stupidly hopeless aspirations are. Will I never learn?

I watch him face the room, ready for more networking. Sometimes you know you’re just not good enough.

Heart-sore, I want to end this torment. To go back home.

My home.

Chapter Seventeen

The look Jack throws me implies he can’t believe I just influenced him to such extremes of behaviour. “Perfect timing.” At first I think he’s being cynical but then I see he’s spotted someone across the room. “The Minister of State for Business and Energy. Come on, I’ll introduce you.”

What I’ve just been introduced to had plenty of energy but was no business that ought to be conducted in public, that’s for sure. Tingles of awareness continue to chase themselves up and down my spine. “Haven’t we done enough yet?”

He conquers his ragged breathing and draws his steely armour of authority about him. Despite the fact I’m still reeling, he’s already striding beyond it while the spectre of the disturbing contact of his body, haunts mine.

“Once more unto the breach, kitten.” He tugs me alongside him in the press of hundreds of hot bodies, stopping periodically to acknowledge acquaintances as we aim towards our target.

“I’m sure that scene wasn’t in Henry V,” I say petulantly, replaying our own scene up against the wall.

Although this place does soon begin to feel more like a war zone. Women can’t keep their missiles off him and I grow more territorial with each attempt they make to stake their claim. How dare they cross my border? He’s mine, even if it is only for one night. As we move and I witness those sultry eyes watching us then turn to make whispered, and no doubt, barbed comments about me, I feel a growing concern at everything they’ve just witnessed.

What he did to me up against the wall clearly hasn’t gone unnoticed and bad news spreads like forest fire, quicker than I can outrun it. People stare, murmur and scowl. Especially Jack’s women. And I know who is getting the blame for it.
What can you expect? Have you seen the way she’s dressed? If she’s going to wave it in his face, what red-blooded male is going to decline?

“Everyone’s staring.”

“Yes. I’m drawing up an assassin’s list of all the men who can’t keep their eyes off you.” His hand tightens over mine and his back stiffens.

Men? But frankly I’m not surprised. I’m living up to my scarlet reputation. I turn up looking like a high class escort then allow Jack to practically ravish me up against a wall.

“It will be a much shorter list than the number of women who can’t keep their hands off you,” I snipe back.

While Jack glowers, my breath stalls and my chest tightens with a familiar warning sign. I struggle to maintain an appearance of calm; inhale and exhale to the count and hide the whole impending disaster from Jack. The last thing I need right now is another of his specialist distractions. That thought alone is enough to tip me over the edge towards a full scale panic attack. People continue to stare. And whisper.

Jack frowns, concern etched on his face. “Tabitha?”

I shake my head.

“Damn.” He takes my face in his hands. “Breathe. Slowly. It’s fine. You’re going to be fine. I’m here. I’m not going anywhere.”

I try to control it. I really do. It’s just that my lungs never co-operate when I need them most. They refuse to expand. I’m slowly suffocating. My hands flail trying to grab onto something, anything.

Jack’s hand lands smartly on my rear end. He smacks me. Bloody hell fire. In public. Right in the middle of the ball. He just goes and smacks me. I can’t believe he did that. I thought he didn’t hit women. I’m so shocked I gasp and inhale a whole lungful of hot oxygen over my raw, dry throat. He truly doesn’t give a damn about anything. I try to turn my head to see who is watching us.

And that would be just about everybody. My torrid behind smarts.

“Keep your eyes on me. Just me.” He won’t let me turn around to look. “Keep breathing or I’ll put you over my shoulder and heft you out of here, right now.” He means it.

My eyes are on stalks. “Don’t,” I gasp. “I’m fine.” I’m not but I’m flaming well going to be if it avoids being party to another of Jack Keogh’s caveman acts. There are cameras going off everywhere. I drive through my routine. In. In. In. Hold. Hold. Out. Jack breathes through it with me, counting in mime. I slowly calm as I realise I’m not going to die.

Attending this ball was a huge mistake. As much as Jack wants to teach me to be strong, it only reinforces how weak I am. He’s pushing me beyond my capabilities.

Jack looks through the press of bodies. He beckons one of the women over and I see her smile in triumph at getting the call. She glides across with a whole heap of what-kept-you? in her eyes. She doesn’t even see me and I’m standing right beside him. Invisible.

Despite the heavy make-up and exaggerated up-do, I recognise her immediately as that blonde woman Jack singled out when the Advance team left his boardroom. I realise, as only a woman can, there’s more between the two of them than just business acquaintances.

“Amanda,” he says.

“Darling.” She leans in to give him a kiss in greeting.

“I can’t leave Tabitha. Fetch her some water will you?”

Her face freezes. She snakes her eyes to mine making me feel instantly like something she’s only just discovered attached to the sole of her Jimmy Choo’s.

“Water?” She’s gulping like a fish out of it as she realises she’s been asked over for nothing better than to run an errand for me.

“It’s okay, Jack.” I try to let us both off the hook.

“No it’s not,” he snaps. I’m not sure if it’s at me or her. He turns back to the goldfish. “If it’s too much trouble?” He leaves the idea hanging. The
Boss
crystallises before my eyes and he isn’t sugar-coated.

She pulls herself together. “Trouble? Of course it’s no trouble. Anything for you, Jack, darling.” She positively purrs as she curls her aubergine manicured fingers over Jack’s sleeve. His warm smile returns until she turns and struts off.

Of course, she’ll fetch water for him. I sigh. Loudly. When I see him reacting I throw Jack a glare, just in case he’s even thinking of smacking me again. His winter nut store won’t be safe if he does. I shift my backside just to be certain and get given the
Look
instead.

“I’m perfectly fine. You didn’t have to get one of your women to fetch water.” I make him sound like some tribal chieftain.

“I think you’re forgetting something,” he points out.

“What?” I wait for him to tell me I need him. He can’t leave me.

“At the weekend I give the orders.”

Amanda returns holding a glass of water in front of her like it’s weeping gelignite which could detonate any second. “It seems I’m not the only one you’ve got trained to that rule.”

He grins. “I think you need a stiff…” He pauses as Amanda arrives. I can’t believe he’s tossing my own joke back at me. He must know I’m so desperate for sex it’s no laughing matter. “Thank you, Amanda. I’m so grateful.” As he speaks to Amanda, he takes the water from her hand and kisses her on the cheek for her trouble. She glows.

Jack turns and tips the glass to my lips. “… drink.” He grins even wider.

When he gives me the punch-line to our joke, I click my tongue against my teeth. Amanda looks like she’s been handed a diamond instead of a little appreciation. I see her hand graze her cheek where his lips touched. “Anything for you, Jack, darling. You know that.”

Now that’s a free sample if ever I heard one. She’s so obvious it can hardly be misinterpreted. I press my lips together so I don’t snort in derision but mimic her words and her simpering action hidden from sight by the cover of Jack’s broad shoulders between us. He shakes his head at me but his lips are twisted into a reluctantly amused smile.

Amanda who’s excluded from the game speaks over Jack’s shoulder. “Call me, darling,” she coos brazenly. “We’ll do lunch.”

“Amanda.” He dismisses her without turning. I can feel her seethe from here.

“You, madam,” he tells me. “Are in so much trouble.”

My stomach lurches but I realise there’s little he can do to me in public he hasn’t already done. “Always, around you.”

“If only you knew.” He seems reflective. Definitely cryptic. “Ready? People to meet.”

It’s all I can do not to groan. He’s determined to make my suffering interminable. I fix on a false smile thinking that will help me fit in around here just fine. We weave through the crowds and I watch Jack work the room from my position at his side. I hang off his arm like I might get swept away if I let go but he lets me crease his elegant tuxedo without a word of complaint. Brent Tapper would have thrown me to the wolves miles back.

Jack continues to establish me in favourable terms wherever we go until, for me, the huge numbers morph into one simmering mass. Jack, however, remembers everyone’s names and they certainly know his. He addresses men by their surnames and women by their first, asking after friends and family. He has a memory like a personal organizer app. He accepts the men’s handshakes and the women’s embraces with warmth.

I’m beginning to think he seeks out every predatory female on purpose, simply to test me but I maintain a professional façade. Albeit a rapidly crumbling one. I’m beginning to hate this dress no matter what it promises. The looks of disgust I get from some of the women are almost as bad as the looks of lust, from the men.

We encounter Anderson and a group from Advance Advertising, a number of whom I met in Jack’s boardroom.

“Mr Keogh.” Anderson holds out his hand to Jack.

“Anderson.” Jack shakes it.

“Quite a turnout.”

“They will insist on their annual spectacle.”