Page 17 of Broken Headboards
Chapter Seven
Austin
“Fuck me,”I say underneath my breath, leaning against the back wall of the elevator.
My dick strains against my pants, feeling as if it’s about to burst, and I grab it, adjusting it to hopefully ease the ache.
It was fucking hard to watch Tess squirm underneath my gaze, see her cheeks blossom into a color more alluring than her body itself, especially as I grilled her about her furniture and teased her about mine. Fuck. It was fun, and it’d make any man explode right then and there.
Luckily, I know how to control myself, even if I’m not used to a woman like her. A woman who knows exactly what she’s doing and who knows how to walk away. From me.
But before I get distracted by her slick tongue and delectable curves, I need to do some work.
We’ve established that we’re the only two people in this competition that really matter. No one has a shot against us, so I need to make it worth her while. Although I know I have this competition in the bag.
Yeah, she might bethefuckingDominaDesigns, but she isn’t at the level of Oakmont. As she admitted herself, she’s barely had big clients like the Clarendon before, whereas that’s my specialty.
Size doesn’t matter, huh? What woman has said that before and actually believed it? Baby, you can’t tell me you believe in that ‘motion in the ocean’ or ‘all about the experience’ bullshit? We all know it’s not true. Sorry to burst that fairytale bubble for you.
The elevator bell dings as I reach my floor and I walk out towards my door, unlocking it and throwing my keys on the marble counter. I head straight to my bar, needing to dull some of the after-effects of Tess Armstrong.
She might be the most gorgeous women I’ve ever seen, with a mouth that makes my dick throb, but she’s also my competition. And, I need to get my head in the game.
I pour a few finger lengths of the whisky into a crystal glass and take a swig before I head to my office. I don’t even switch the light on I’m so focused on getting intel on Tess. More than I already have.
First, I send a few emails to my staff, letting them know what we’re up against and detailing the competition and the stakes of it. Once my team is behind it, I know I’ll be golden.
I might’ve done most of Oakmont’s heavy lifting, but I’m man enough to admit that you don’t get anywhere in life without a team supporting you. And, I have some of the best damn people in the business working for me. That’s the thing, you have to know who you’re working with and what they’re skills are. For instance, if they’re trustworthy, hardworking and actually capable of doing what you tell them to do. Knowing who that is and how to manage them is the work of the best damn CEO in the tri-state area, one with the most successful furniture company in the country. Yep, that’s me, baby. Don’t forget that.
So, maybe it is all because of me.
I am Austin Randall after all.
Once the emails are written and sent out, I settle in on researching Tess Armstrong, taking a sip of my whisky in preparation.
I type in “DominaDesigns” on Google, her website being the first to pop up in the search results. I click on it and like I imagined, the site reflects her designs—feminine, soft, fragile. Each border of the box is colored in gold while the background gives off a pink-ish hue.
A color resembling the tone of her face when she’s turned on.
My cock throbs at the memory of her hands twirling her hair off her neck and shoulder, exposing her bare, flush skin to me. I sigh, loudly, and briefly close my eyes.
Fuck me.Calm down, Austin.
I move on, pressing on the menu item labeled, “clients.”
A see a few recognizable businesses: Cosmopolitan, MAC Cosmetics, Tiffany’s. All of which makes sense seeing as her pieces align with the business model and clientele they cater to.
Ok, so she’s niche but she’s also smart. She’s working her angle and with the clients that both seek out and fit her aesthetic. And I’ll hand it to her, these clients aren’t too shabby.
I press on Tiffany’s link to peruse the images and pieces she designed for them.
Holy shit.
I didn’t expect that.
Not only are her pieces shown in impeccable lighting, but they capture her working with the materials from start to finish. That’s fucking impressive. She’s gorgeous, smart, and knows how to use a toolbox.
A fucking dream woman.
