Fair Game (19 page)

It came to him then what his next challenge for her would be. To let him into her house. No hotel rooms or cars or hot tubs, but her house.

When he told her about the job, he didn’t want her to be able to run away.

 

 

JOSIE held out her hand for the woman to shake. “It was a pleasure meeting you. I’ll escort you back to HR.”

“Thanks. And if you do have any questions, please don’t hesitate to call.” Bertrice Denton smiled. “I think Castle Heavy Mining would be a great company to work for.”

“Thanks. Castle
is
a great company.” There, that was noncommittal. Josie didn’t want to make promises.

Bertrice was qualified, but a little overly eager. At twenty-eight, she’d been a project assistant, then a project manager in microwave communications. She was pretty, with shoulder-length red hair, but her attire was a tad too sexy. In a man’s world, you had to dress down to their level in order to fit in. Josie didn’t want any more butt pinching episodes on her watch. Bertrice did have the experience and the college education, and of the three candidates, Josie had interviewed, Bertrice was the pick of the litter.

Outside Douglas Sarcose’s door, they shook hands again. “Doug can tell you everything about Castle’s benefits package.”

Josie’s cell phone vibrated as she exited HR. She fished it out of her pocket, then glanced at the number. Oh God, oh God. It was Kyle. He was calling to ream her a new asshole for screwing up the dryer. She wasn’t ready. Of all the people in the world, she didn’t want Kyle to see her as incompetent.

She couldn’t avoid it forever. “Hello,” she said, veering off to the lobby doors. She’d rather talk to him outside. In the sun. Away from eavesdroppers.

“You walked out on me while I was sleeping.”

It was so not what she expected, she laughed in giddy relief. “That’s what women say.”

“I’ve never walked out on a woman while she’s sleeping.”

Wandering to the picnic tables on the cafeteria side of the building, she wondered briefly how many women he’d been with. “You were too peaceful to wake.”

“I’d rather you’d stayed. I wasn’t done with you yet.” He paused, a laugh filtering through his breath. “I still have that dildo. All clean and tidy. I think we need to use it on you.”

“Depends on where you put it.” The picnic tables were empty since lunch was long over.

He chuckled. “My turn, I get to use it where I want.”

She wondered if she’d like it
there
, but her stomach was churning, and she couldn’t put off what was really bothering her. “Did Todd call you?”

“About the dryer? Yeah.”

She’d checked; they were up and running now but three hours off schedule. “I’m really sorry for the oversight.”

“It was a traffic accident, Josie. I don’t think that was your fault unless you were the one who caused the accident.”

“I should have checked the status.”

He waited a beat before answering. Josie steeled herself for his castigation. “Todd is a big boy, Josie. When he’s got a problem, he knows how to dial his own phone, which he did. You’re our project manager, not our bumboy.”

He was letting her off too easy. Probably since she was fucking him. “I don’t want special treatment because we’re—”

“Your standards are too high. I’m not displeased with your level of service, and neither is Todd. He called, you acted, crisis over.”

“But the lost production time, the gate-to-gate interval—”

“Josie, shut up.”

She stopped. Swallowed. Did she feel worse because it was Kyle she’d let down? Or was she maybe, perhaps, likely overreacting? Everything else about her job was taking a beating, so it was possible that she’d gone a tad overboard on this. Whatever the reason, Kyle’s words took the bite out of it. Which, come to think of it, was frightening. She didn’t want to have to turn to the man for approval of her every move or need him to tell her it was okay—whatever the
it
of the moment happened to be.

“Now, are we done talking about the project?” he asked.

She didn’t have any further updates. Everything else was on schedule. “Yes.”

“Good. Because I’ve only got a fifteen-minute break between meetings up here, and I don’t want to waste them talking about a problem which is already solved.”

“Where are you?” She’d forgotten to ask on Saturday.

“Washington State. I’ll be back on Thursday.”

Thursday. Three days. She wanted to see him now. Things were definitely escalating, so it was damn lucky he was away.

“We need to talk about our next challenge before I get back.”

The sun heated her through. Or maybe it was the idea of their next little playdate.

“It’s my turn,” he stated when she didn’t answer.

Oh. Yeah. She’d gotten her turn at the hot tub. “I realize that.” He’d already tied her up, what more could he do? Use the dildo on her?

“And my challenge is that we meet at your house.”

She almost dropped the phone. “No.”

“Yes.”

“I told you we weren’t doing it at your place or my place. That’s off-limits.”

“There was never a limit on the challenge. And mine is that you let me into your house.”

“I don’t have a house.”

“You live with your parents?” Incredulity slipped into his voice.

She snorted. “I have a condo.”

“Then we’ll meet at your condo.”

“The challenge is supposed to be about sex.”

“It
is
about sex. You’re going to let me fuck the hell out of you in your condo.”

She didn’t want him in her condo. It was nothing much, and she wasn’t so big on expensive furnishings. Some people—like her parents—might consider it pathetic. Letting a man into her space was . . . well . . . “It’s not a good idea.”

“Afraid to let me come over?”

“I’m not afraid of anything.”

“Then accept the challenge.”

She drummed her fingers on the picnic table, refusing to answer, thinking.

“You don’t accept, you forfeit a turn.”

“This isn’t fair.”

“You made me wear your underwear to work and you fucked me in the ass with a dildo, Josie.” He paused to let that sink in. “I think this is an equally fair turnaround.”

Dammit. He was pushing, asking for more than she wanted to give. If she said that, he’d simply deny it. She never should have used the dildo on him. Instead of being subjugated, he was thinking it meant some kind of ownership.

“Payback’s a bitch,” he whispered across the line.

“All right, fine.” She would not let him think she was afraid. “But I don’t cook, so I’m not making you dinner.”

“I’ll bring takeout.”

“No food. This is just about sex.”

“Eating can be a very big part of sex. Besides, you’re going to need your strength for what I have planned.”

“I’ll eat before you get there.” Now she sounded childish.

“Have it your way.”

“And after this, we institute a new rule. Our homes are
not
part of the challenge.”

 

 

 

ONCE is all it would take. He’d fuck her so well, she’d beg him to spend the night.

Kyle realized he was getting cocky. Josie wasn’t easy. She wasn’t a pushover. He’d have to work double-time for every foothold he got in her life. But he would wear her down. Persistence was his middle name.

The question was whether he should tell her about the job before or after he’d fucked the hell out of her.

 

 

 

KYLE got in late Wednesday night. The trip had been nonstop meetings and inspections at the Washington sites. Everything had checked out perfectly. His job was done.

His first priority on Thursday morning was his resignation. It went well, and Kyle didn’t expect any counteroffers. He gave three weeks, but his boss told him it wasn’t necessary. So be it. That confirmed that opportunities for his growth at SMG were nil. They agreed on the end of August. Before he left his boss’s office, they’d already decided on two candidates for a suitable replacement. He offered his continuing cooperation with any transition. Very civilized. For his successor’s benefit, he wrote up detailed trip notes.

With Todd, he needed a face-to-face. They’d worked closely on the retrofit, and he wanted to make sure the man knew he’d still give Coyote Ridge 100 percent support even when he’d moved over to Castle. In Kyle’s opinion, it was unethical to jump ship and let Coyote Ridge sink. He wouldn’t do that to Todd and Will or their crews. Not that it was possible with Josie on the job. Her consternation over the dryer drum clearly indicated her level of commitment.

He could have sworn she was ready for him to verbally beat her up over it. The woman was a perfectionist.

By the time he made it out to the plant, a hot afternoon wind was blowing across the sand. The fine dust caught in his eyebrows, and he could taste it on his lips. He donned his hard hat and steel-toes before climbing out of the car. The hum of the dozers filled the air as he went in search of Todd. Kyle found him in the weigh master’s office.

His first order of business: “How’s the dryer?”

Todd’s smile was slow to grow, but finally it stretched across his face. “I’m predicting it’ll cut our energy bill by a quarter. And when we’ve got the automatic temperature gauges on the furnace itself”—he whistled long and low—“look out, baby.” Todd removed his hard hat. “But you didn’t come all the way out here just to ask about the dryer.”

“No.” Kyle did likewise, setting his hat on the counter. “Let’s talk in your office.”

Todd had a cramped room the size of a closet at the back of the weigh master’s office. Not that its size mattered. He was rarely in it anyway.

Throwing some manuals onto the floor, he cleared a chair for Kyle, then shimmied behind his desk. There was barely enough legroom.

“I wanted to give you personal notice that I’m leaving SMG.”

“Fuck.” Todd slammed his hard hat down on the desk. An old-fashioned guy, he cleaned his language up around the ladies, but behind closed doors, he let loose.

“That’s why I’m here,” Kyle went on. “I want you to know I’m still supporting the retrofit. I’ll be working for Castle now.”

Todd stared, scratched his head. “You’re kidding.”

“Nope.”

“You going to be a project manager over there?”

“Nope. I’ll be VP of the group.”

“Fuck no.” A grin spread across Todd’s face. “They shoulda made you fucking VP at SMG. What’s-his-face sucks.” Todd never called Kyle’s boss by his name. He was always what’s-his-face or who-the-fuck.

Kyle had to admit there were some good reasons for that. “I’ll keep those comments confidential.”

Todd smirked. “I don’t give a rat’s ass if you do or not.” The man could definitely be outspoken, which was one of the reasons he hadn’t made it beyond plant superintendent. Then again, Todd liked it right where he was. “Seriously, though,” he went on, “congrats. I mean that. You deserve it. I’m glad someone’s finally giving you your due. They sure as hell didn’t appreciate you here.” He leaned over, stuck out his hand. “It’s been a pleasure working with you.”

Kyle didn’t want to get into the trials and tribulations of working at SMG. This wasn’t a bitch session for him. Instead, he simply shook Todd’s hand. “Thanks.”

“But I’m all about me-me-me.” Todd stretched back in his chair, clasped his hands behind his head. “So who the fuck is taking your place?”

“He’s”—meaning their VP—“got some good guys in mind. You’re not going to be disappointed.”

Todd snorted. “I’ll believe that when I see it.”

“And with me there, you’ve got a big in over at Castle. The upgrade will get top priority.” With the automated ticketing system, Castle was stepping into new territory, and it behooved both parties to make sure it was a success.

“The chick hasn’t been doing so bad.”

“Josie’s been doing a good job, and you know it.”

Todd grinned. “Josie, huh?”

Kyle was sure there’d been no special inflection in his voice. But it was a reminder to be careful in how he spoke about her and to her at Castle. “Yeah. Josie.” He raised a brow. “You want me to call her Miss Tybrook?”

“Just screwing with you.” Todd rubbed the side of his nose. “She jumped on the dryer quickly enough. I was sort of surprised how responsive she was.”

Kyle allowed himself an inner smile. Hell, yes, the woman was responsive, in ways Todd had no clue about. “We’ll make a good team, I’m sure. Castle’s a good outfit.”

“Kingston was all right, too.” Todd tipped his head, shook it slowly, regarding Kyle a long moment. “You know, you’re really making the right move.”

“I believe I am.”

“Well”—leaning in, Todd slapped the desk—“if I’d known, we’d have had cake and ice cream for you.” Then he stood. “Will’s going to want to know all about it.” Then he shook his finger like a gnarly old woman. “But don’t you think about stealing him away.”

“Not my intention.”

He spent the rest of the trip glad-handing the well-wishers. He’d worked with them all in one aspect or another, more so than any of his other operations. They were a damn good group. It was the one part of SMG he wasn’t glad to leave behind.

An hour later, nitpick details on the upgrade having been discussed, he was back on the road. Josie’s turn now.

She answered her cell on the first ring. “Josie Tybrook here.”

So professional on the outside. So hot and nasty on the inside. “You didn’t leave me your address on my e-mail.”

“I expected you to change your mind,” she said, a trace of snootiness in her voice.

“Wrong. I’ve made up my mind. This is what I want.”

“Fine.” She rattled off her address so quickly he didn’t catch it.

“Repeat, please.”