Page 9 of The German's Guilty Pleasure
He strode around the desk, kissed my cheek, and motioned for me to sit at the table. I had come to accept that the cheek kissing was just part of his culture, and that would never change. He explained his chosen nickname for me over dinner one night. He said the first time he saw me I was wearing a blue shirt and was as small as a bird. When I pointed out that bluebird in German wasdrossel, he just smiled and continued on with his way of doing it. I kind of liked that he had an endearing nickname for me now.
“Sorry about that,” I said sheepishly as I sat and flipped the folder open. “I couldn’t wait to tell you that we secured Eternally Sensual Boutique. Not just the main boutique, either! All of their sister boutiques throughout Miami and the surrounding counties are part of the deal!”
He glanced down at the paperwork and then back to me several times. “Ich glaub mich knutscht ein elch!”
He was genuinely excited, and it tickled something inside me to know I was responsible for that emotion. “I can’t believe it either, to be honest. They were a hard sell and I didn’t think we’d pull it off.”
He grasped my shoulder and held my gaze. His was a steamy, dreamy stare of pride. There was something else, but I refused to let myself go there. I refused to let myself believe it was desire that also shined in his eyes. “I knew you would pull it off. That is why I hired you, Serenity. I did not think anything could top the news I got earlier, but this has!”
He stood and grabbed me, pulling me into one of his rare, but sweet, bear hugs. “You did good,blauer vogel.”
I dropped my arms to my side and froze in place. I didn’t want to hug this man. That would only drive the dreams I had of him deeper into my subconscious, where they would torture me every night instead of every other night. His arms fell away then, and he snapped back into Lars, the CEO.
I hugged my arms to my waist, and he turned and walked toward his desk. “What was the other good news?”
His shoulders were straight and stiff when he turned and leaned on his desk, propping his palms on the edge. “How about if I show you instead?” he asked with a brow raised.
“You know I’m always game for new marketing ideas.”
He grasped my arm and walked with me out of his office, stopping by the front desk. “Lexie, Miss Matthews and I will be occupied for several moments. Please hold my calls until further notice.”
“Of course,” she said, distracted by her computer.
He motioned me toward my office, but halfway down, he grabbed my waist to stop me. In front of us was a storage room he always told me was empty. He swiped his badge across the electronic lock and pushed the door open. I walked inside, and when he clicked on the lights, I almost tripped on my own feet.
I gazed around the room in wonderment. “I guess it’s not an empty storage room anymore.”
He shook his head and hit another switch, illuminating each separate display case around the room. I heard the door latch shut but barely registered it as I took it all in.
“This is our new display room for potential clients,” he explained, motioning toward the displays of sensual aids. Each one lay on a velvet pillow with a brushed nickel picture light above it. When he walked past each one, he clicked a remote, and the high-end toy was instantly illuminated. I was sure my cheeks were as red as the velvet covering the pillows, but I refused to break eye contact with him.
I forced myself to turn in a circle and take it all in. “This is one hell of a display, Lars.”
“Danke. It houses our entire catalog. I hoped to impress you with it.”
“Impress me?” I asked stymied when I turned back to face him. He loomed in front of me, and I swallowed hard. Every possible carnal thought came to mind in a split second when I stared into his eyes.
“You are the marketing director, no?” I nodded, my mouth dry, and my body on fire from being this close to him. “Then that makes this your room, not mine. This is where you will work your magic.”
“Why didn’t you ask for my input?” My voice was far squeakier than I wanted it to be, but I couldn’t take the question back now.
His hand came up to grasp my shoulder in a warm embrace. “My littleblauer vogel, do you think I do not know you are … mmm … should we say,unerfahren, no?”
He knows I’m inexperienced. Great. I didn’t respond, choosing instead to walk around the room and take in the toys as they sat for all to see in their sensual, yet elegant, glory. “I have to say, you’ve done an excellent job with the display. It’s understated, tasteful, and classy.”
“Which is Kontakt in three words, Serenity. We strive for all three of those, and I am happy to know I have achieved that look with the room. The aids displayed on the left wall include our newest line of off-the-shelf products.”
“These are going to be the mass-produced aids?” I asked, motioning at the various sizes and shapes of toys that I was utterly clueless about. “They’re gorgeous.”
“Serenity, we do nothing but gorgeous at Kontakt, including the women I surround myself with.” I turned away and walked toward the other wall. “The off-the-shelf products will be manufactured here in the building, but each one will still be tested individually to make sure they meet Kontakt’s strict quality control.”
“And these?” I asked, motioning at the wall in front of me.
He walked up behind me and plastered himself along the whole of me. I could feel the heat radiating through his white dress shirt, and I wanted to turn and brace my hands against his hard chest. I wanted to lay my lips on his and shiver in his arms when his tongue stroked mine. “These are new special-order pieces. They are for the more particular customer.”
I cleared my throat and stared at the anatomically correct silicone vibrators and other various aids. “Gotcha. What about these?” I asked, turning and pointing at the case in the center of the room with three shelves. Each shelf displayed two toys in all their gold and silver glory.
He walked to the display and opened the case, reaching in and cradling a gold vibrator. “These are custom made sensual aids. They are for a subset of buyers who surpass even our most particular customers.”
