Page 11 of The Butterfly Effect
I nodded curtly, taking a cleansing breath before pushing off the door. I met his body with mine, and when I didn’t let his chest stop my momentum, he took a step back. He lifted his eyebrow and looked at me with shock when I spoke.
“Now let me makethisclear, Mr. Carlisle. You assigned me the account. Either trust that I can do this job the way you anticipated, or assign a different PM. But you will not sit here and act like I’m not capable of nailing this account because, like you, I don’t play games, and I will not let you fuck me around.”
It took all of my effort to keep my breathing even as my heart pounded in my chest. My mother would scold me if she heard the way I was snapping at the head of the company. William looked at me with one amused eyebrow raised and a small smile pulling at the side of his mouth. He took a step back towards me, putting his hand on the side of my neck and moving his face closer to mine.
“Oh, Julianna, but that’s where you are wrong. You’ve already let me fuck you around, and I am pretty sure you’ll let me do it again. Hmm?”
He ran his tongue along my bottom lip and nipped at it before pressing his face to mine. Our mouths danced against each other in a rough clash of teeth, tongues, and heavy breaths. An unwilling moan escaped from me, and he chuckled, causing an instant flood of frustration to fill my core. I quickly pulled back from him, stepping away from his grasp.
“No!” I cried out. “I am not doing this! Have a good night, Mr. Carlisle.”
Without waiting for his response, I tore open his door and stormed out. It was late enough in the day that I could get away with bypassing any professional pleasantries, stopping at my desk just long enough to grab my purse, and going home. Warm tears threatened to well in my eyes, but I refused to let William know he had any hold over me.
The last thing I wanted or needed was to admit there was a tension building between us that could only be solved one way, and I’d be out of my mind if I lied and said I didn’t find my new boss attractive. He was sexy as hell, and I wanted to tell him I have daydreams about his body on and in mine, his hands on my chest and my hips, and the way he could make me beg for more. That was something I couldn’t admit to him, though. Like he said, he doesn’t play games.
I slammed my car door behind me, and before I could turn the key in the ignition, the warm tears streamed down my face. I was always the angry crier in the family, unlike my sister, who could keep her cool in any situation. I cried during the commercials, and I would get so mad during arguments I’d end up running off sobbing.
An embarrassed blush colored my cheeks as the afternoon flashed through my mind. Images of Roger’s horny eyes trying to undress me from across the table and William capturing my mouth after yelling at me for playing games. Like I had any idea Roger would be in the room.
“Fuck!” I screamed, a sharp pain shooting through my hand where it met with my steering wheel. My breaths came in angry gasps, and I leaned my head against the back of the seat. Closing my eyes, I took a few deep breaths and calmed myself down.It’s fine. I’m fine. Everything is fine.
I laughed at the cheesy lines Katie, Andy, and I always used in college. It had carried over into our lives as adults, and more often than not, on days like this, it was fitting. The craving for more of last night’s red wine was overpowering, but I never had leftovers. As I put my car in reverse and pulled out of the parking garage, I made a mental note to stop for a bottle or two on the way home. Any hangover would be the problem for the Jules of tomorrow.
The last gulpof the Belfour Small Batch bourbon warmed my throat, but didn’t erase the swirling burn of my exchange with Julianna. Her words and the angered heat in her voice had been enough to entertain me, but it was the confidence in her delivery that made my dick swell in my pants. She was fighting me for control of our situation, and for a moment, I thought I might let her think she had it. I wasn’t going to be able to, though. I came from a line of men in control, and no matter how determined Julianna was, I would be the one to come out on top in the end. Probably in more ways than one.
I think she knew the attempt was futile. She hadn’t even waited for the elevator, not wanting the tears prickling at her eyes when she’d pulled back from me to fall down her cheeks, but the thought of her pulling away from me and running out made my mouth feel dry. It was an overwhelmingly unfamiliar feeling, a mix of guilt and frustration.
I waved for the bartender to grab me another bourbon. By now, the guy was getting to know me, probably because he’d opened and gone through almost an entire bottle of the Belfour Small Batch that most people probably didn’t even consider. I’d only lived in Grand Rapids for a few weeks, and while I wasn’t particularly a social creature, I wanted somewhere semi-quiet that carried good liquor for the occasional night like tonight, where I just needed an outside release. Unfortunately for me, those nights had become too common since I’d moved.
I scanned the mildly crowded bar, eyeing the many women who were cut from the same slutty carbon copy. They all wore the same short, tight dresses, showing off their tits and rising up their thighs when they shook their asses. Like it was a rule, most of them held their drinks in their left hands to easily show off the lack of a ring on their fingers. Any of them would be a good enough distraction from Julianna.
When the bartender sat my drink in front of me, I took a long pull and sighed. Pressing my finger and thumb to the bridge of my nose relieved some of the pressure in my head. She might think she was slick, but it was going to take a lot more than some strongly worded arguments and her steel fuck-me eyes to get control. I pictured the way she’d come apart beneath me that night I took her home, though, and I heard the way she moaned against me when I kissed her this afternoon.
“You okay, handsome?” Before the sound of the high-pitched voice came the rose-scented perfume, and I turned to the source, a petite blonde woman. The dilated pupils of her green eyes betrayed her, showing she was clearly inebriated. Her eyelids drooped under the weight of her false lashes and the liquor.
“I am now,” I said, giving her an easy smile. I didn’t usually fuck the really drunk girls, but tonight I’d break that rule. She flashed what I assumed was her best million-dollar smile, and I offered to buy her a drink.
The woman giggled when she accepted the fruity pink drink she’d requested, placing her freshly manicured hand on my arm. Her tight dress was bright red and barely covered her round ass. Normally I’d follow the line of her dress from where her tits bounced in the formfitting fabric to her ass and find amusement in the way she’d twist and turn her body to give me the best angles, but tonight I wanted to jump to the point.
She nodded towards where the small crowd danced. “Are you going to dance with me?”
“Probably not. You can come home with me, though.”
Her jaw dropped open before she licked her lips. “Yeah, okay, but I’m not a slut. Got it?”
“If you come home with me, then you are tonight.”
She didn’t hesitate when I downed the last gulp of my drink and did the same before following me to the door. Most women didn’t hesitate when they saw the Rolex watch resting on my wrist, and if they were still unsure at that point, it all went away when they saw the car.
The woman settled in the front seat, running her hand along the leather and moaning. I hadn’t bothered to get her name, but truthfully, it didn’t matter. She wouldn’t even be falling asleep in my bed. I’d get her a taxi and send her on her way when I finished with her. Most women would stay until morning, and then I’d kick them out. Except for Julianna, who had been the first woman to leave on her own.
“You’re not much of a talker, huh?” she said as I pulled up my long driveway. I hadn’t said a word on the drive. My mind had been racing around the last woman who had ridden home with me from Anthony’s.
“I’m not looking for good conversation.” And if I had my way, her mouth would be too busy with other things to talk much.
She nodded slightly in what seemed like understanding, but she didn’t really respond besides a gasp when I pulled up to the house and hit the button to open the garage. “Thisis your house?”
I gave a curt nod and pulled in, turning off the car and climbing out. I let her open her own door. If she was looking for a gentleman, she was in the wrong place.
