After I hugged Titan, I looked around the penthouse. There wasn’t a big, territorial man there, the guy who had resembled a bear more than a human lately. “Where’s Diesel?”

“At work.” She was in leggings and a loose sweater. When she walked to the bar and made me a drink, her movements were a little more graceful. Her strength was increasing every single time I saw her. She made me an Old Fashioned before she set it on the coffee table and took a seat. “Which makes me happy.”

I sat beside her and drank from the glass. “Thanks for the drink, but you don’t have to make me anything.”

“We always drink together when you’re over here. Why would that change?”

“Because you aren’t drinking.” I leaned back against the couch and rested my arm over the back.

“Well, I would be if I could…it’ll be a while before I’m allowed the luxury of alcohol.”

“Then I won’t either.” I pushed the glass away.

“Then what are we supposed to drink together?” she asked with a laugh. “Water?”

I grinned. “Yeah…that doesn’t seem like us.”

She got comfortable in the chair, her skin full of color unlike it was before. “So, what’s going on at Illuminance?”

As a friend, I would normally tell her about all the dirty shit I did with Autumn. When I shared my stories, it was never in a bragging manner, just a friend talking to another friend. She didn’t refrain from telling me about her sexual conquests either. I knew Diesel in a way he didn’t even realize.

But I didn’t mention anything to her. Something kept my mouth shut. I didn’t know what it was. If Autumn and Titan were going to work together, it seemed like a conflict of interest to share the details of my bedroom adventure. It might make Titan view her differently, and that wasn’t fair. So I bottled it up inside like a gentleman, even though I didn’t want to. “Everything is going well. Nothing for you to be concerned about. You keep everything so organized that it hasn’t been difficult to jump in.”

“Thanks. I’m relieved it’s going so well. It’s unfortunate that things didn’t work with Ms. Alexander. You’re sure you can’t change her mind?”

No doubt in my mind that I couldn’t. “I actually wanted to talk to you about that.”

“I’m listening.” Titan adopted her serious mood anytime business was on the table. Even in her relaxed attire, she looked like she belonged in a conference room.

“Ms. Alexander isn’t going to change her mind. She has a very interesting character. But you can’t afford to have her as a competitor. With any other person, I’d say you could destroy them. But since she’s the source of innovation, it’s a different scenario. She has a brilliant mind, and you aren’t going to recruit a scientist of her caliber. I say you revisit the idea of a partnership. I think it could only benefit you, Titan. And rejecting her offer could only hurt you. That’s my take on it.”

She stared at me with that icy expression, absorbing the ghosts of my words as they drifted across the room. Her brilliant mind was working furiously, dissecting my words with invisible knives. The longer she stared, the more I feared she knew about my fondness for Autumn. I suspected she was about to accuse me of it right then and there. Thankfully, she didn’t. “I’m surprised you feel that way.”

“It’s the only solution. The only thing stopping you is your pride.”

“I don’t work well with other people.”

“I realize that. But you’ll have to make an exception if this is a path you want to follow. You’ve already accomplished so much that you could abandon this and still retain your professional power. But if you pursue it, you could be securing one of the greatest innovations the world has ever seen. Wouldn’t you rather share that responsibility with someone than lose it altogether?”

Her piercing gaze turned more forceful. “I’ve never heard you speak so highly of someone, Thorn. You speak of Ms. Alexander like she’s made a significant impact on you.”

Her impact was more than significant. “I’ve met a lot of people in this business, and most of them are full of bullshit. They’ve been handed their wealth from their families, and they’re as stupid as an ox. But Ms. Alexander is just like you. She pursued her dreams in a storage shed until they came true. She doesn’t have just the intellect you need, but the ambition and drive. You two are a lot alike—in many ways.”

“That’s not necessarily a good thing…”

“In this case, I think it is. You should take this compromise, Titan. You’ll regret it more if you don’t.”

She finally turned away, her lips pursed as she considered it.

I waited for her to make her decision. Titan considered propositions from every single angle. She anticipated the least likely events so she was prepared for anything. After a few minutes, she returned to the conversation. “I trust you, Thorn. So I’ll give it a shot.”

I smiled in response, glad she was on board. “Great. I’ll speak to her.”

“But I want to speak to her myself. Can you have her come here so we can speak face-to-face?”

I saw an issue with that. “What about Diesel?”

“What about him?” she countered.

“I thought you weren’t supposed to be working.”

She rolled her eyes. “It’s just one meeting. He’ll get over it.”

“Do you not know Diesel?” I asked incredulously.

“Well, I’ll make him get over it. Did you talk to Vincent about Kyle and me doing business with him?”

I let her change the subject. “Yeah, he mentioned it. I’m meeting Kyle tomorrow.”

“Great. You really are on top of things.”

“Of course. Your best interests have always been my best interests.”

She smiled at me. “You’ve always been so good to me. I hope one day I can reciprocate.”

She’d given me more than she realized. Just having a loyal friend in this cruel world was more than enough. “You already have, Titan.”

---

Nearly a week had come and gone since I’d last seen Autumn.

We had a great night together, and she slipped out the following morning before I woke up—the second time.

After one-night stands, I usually forgot about the woman and moved on with my life. They were moments that only existed at that particular instant in time. Once it was completed, it was just a memory I could barely recall.

But I hadn’t stopped thinking about her.

Her kiss.

Her touch.

Her perfect pussy.

She was a lay I wouldn’t forget—not anytime soon.

I knew she wouldn’t forget about me either. She was the recipient of a long night of pleasure. I fulfilled fantasies she didn’t even realize she had. She begged me to fuck her because I was so good at it. She’d wanted my big cock from the moment she laid eyes on it, and her expectations were never let down.

I gave it to her good.

Whether she was thinking about me or not, she didn’t contact me.

I wasn’t sure if I expected her to or not.

Maybe I did. Maybe I didn’t.

After I spoke to Titan, I knew it was time for me to seal the deal with Autumn. I purposely waited a few extra days so our last interaction would feel fainter. When I walked into her office, I wanted it to be about business. I didn’t want her to think I was making some kind of move on her.

After I had my appointment scheduled, I went to her facility on the other side of town and waited in the lobby. It looked exactly the same as before, sleek and simple. I was offered water and a pastry, but I declined both.

The glass walls of her office were completely blacked out so I couldn’t see a thing.

But she could see me.

Was she looking at me right at that very moment?

I hoped I could keep my dick under control because she had no problem staring at it. It was a declaration of my innate attraction to her. Now that I’d had her, it was difficult for me to view her as just a potential business partner. Now I thought of her in dirty scenarios, of the way she said my name when my dick was buried inside her.

I couldn’t think about that right now.

Her assistant led me inside, and I walked into the large room with the desk near the back. Her long hair was pulled back, and she wore high-rise jeans with a blouse. She was dressed far more casually than usual, so I assumed she’d been doing lab work rather than business at her desk. “Hello, Thorn. How are you?”

I stopped in front of her desk and didn’t shake her hand. She never extended the greeting, so I didn’t either. Despite our attempts at being professional, there was no denying our last interaction. Could we really shake hands after the passionate night we’d had together? It seemed beneath us at that point. “Good. You?”

“I’m great.”

I eyed one table near the opposite wall, which was scattered with papers and tools. “Long day?”

“Just working on a few things. I had a few issues, but that’s what my life is…trial and error.”

I sat down and crossed my legs. “Working on anything interesting?”

All she did was smile and sit down. “I’m assuming your visit means Titan had a change of heart?”

So she didn’t think I was there for any other reason. That was good. “She has. She’s given it some consideration and thinks working with someone with your strengths will only benefit her.”

Now the smile she wore seemed genuine. “That’s great news. I’m very happy to hear that.”

“Titan is looking forward to your collaboration.”

“When she’s back on her feet, right?” she asked. “I can wait until she’s well again.”

“Actually, she wanted to know how you would feel about meeting in her home. She would like to meet you in person. She knows you by reputation, but not by introduction.”

“I would love to. Just let me know when and where.” With the same sultry voice she used before, she commanded my respect so easily. But the tone reminded me of the way she begged me to fuck her, the way she dug her nails deep into my back.

I stopped breathing for a moment, treasuring the memory. Of course, my dick swelled to life when I wished it wouldn’t, but just the sound of her voice turned me on. I liked her casual outfit and the way her hair was pulled back. Something about seeing her work was a turn-on too. I guess I liked a strong woman who called the shots.

That was strange because I liked to be the one in charge.

Now that the business conversation was over, there was nothing left for me to do. All I did was stare at her.

She stared back.

I didn’t want to stand because she was bound to notice the hard rod in my slacks.

Dammit.

“I’ll set it up with her. She lives pretty close to my place.” Autumn knew exactly where I lived because it’s where we’d hooked up. It was the closest I’d ever gotten to mentioning the actual event we were both thinking about.

“Great. Will you be there?”

“Yeah. I’ll be part of the conversation.”

“Great.”

Now the silence was back, her wordless dismissal evident. She obviously had things to do. So did I.

But I didn’t want to stand.

My jacket was buttoned in the front, but that wouldn’t hide all of it. The shaft was so thick it was incredibly noticeable. Normally, I wouldn’t care if a woman saw how hard I was, but I didn’t want to extend an invitation.

Our hookup was over.

I rose to my feet. “Thank you for your time. My assistant will call you.” I turned my body slightly, casually hiding my front so she wouldn’t have a clear view of my package.

She walked around the table, her heels clicking against the hardwood floor. Her fingers dragged across the desk as she made her way to my side. I could walk away, but her presence commanded my stillness. She stopped directly in front of me and looked up into my face.

Those plump lips. Those bright eyes. Those high cheekbones. Those freckles on her cheeks.

Fuck, I was a goner.

She had so much power over me—and I liked it. I loved her confidence because it didn’t cross into arrogance. I loved the way she owned the room, even if I stood in it. I loved the way her eyelashes were so thick.

This woman was more than most men could handle.

Not me.

Her fingers pressed against my chest, her fingertips stroking down my silk tie. Her perfume smelled of vanilla and summer flowers. She watched her fingers caress me before she looked up into my face again.

Sexy.

“Come over tonight.” She didn’t ask. She only told.

I thought that was even sexier.

But I wasn’t looking for a relationship, even with a gorgeous woman like her. I’d love to fuck her a few more times, but if it led to a conversation about commitment, I wasn’t interested. “I’m not looking for anything serious. The other night was supposed to be a one-time thing. I’m sorry if you misunderstood.”

Instead of softening her eyes in heartbreak or narrowing them in rage, she pressed her lips tightly together as she tried to suppress a laugh. She dragged her hand down my chest until she pulled it away entirely. “Wow, you’re arrogant.”

“Arrogant? I just want my intentions to be clear so you aren’t disappointed.”

This time, she really did laugh.

My eyes narrowed.

“Thorn, there’s only one thing I want from you. The second I saw your toolbar, I wanted to see you use it. You exceeded my expectations beautifully, and it’s nice to be with a man who can make my toes curl. A lot of men say they have the same talent, but that’s all bullshit. You, on the other hand, are not bullshit.”

Now I felt like an idiot for spitting out those words. I wished I could take them back and shove them back down my throat.

“A relationship is the very last thing I want from you.” She turned away, brushing her hair behind her shoulder. She sat down behind her desk and didn’t look at me again. “You should get going. I have a lot of things to do.”

She dismissed me coldly, obviously not interested in having me over anymore.

I fucking blew it.

---

I didn’t know what possessed me to act like such an idiot.

Why did I even say that to her?

She didn’t ask me out to dinner.

She invited me to her apartment. That was it.

It was obvious she just wanted a hookup.

So why did I sabotage it by acting like an asshole?

Now I was alone in my penthouse, watching TV and drinking scotch. I could be fucking a gorgeous woman, pleasing her from head to toe, but I was sitting there drowning in my liquor. When I was at the office, I considered retracting my statement and making a move.

But I’d already done enough damage.

Now I pondered what to do. I didn’t have her number because I’d never asked for it. The best solution was to find her on social media and send her a message, but that would just come off creepy.

I didn’t do creepy.

I could go out and pick up someone else, but I didn’t want to do that either.

There was only one woman I wanted to spend the night with.

And if I couldn’t have her, I didn’t want anyone else.

---

I sat at Titan’s desk with the phone pressed to my ear. I was on hold, waiting for Autumn’s assistant to put me through to her. I wondered if she would know the real reason why I was calling. It’d only been a day, and that was too soon to coordinate a meeting with Titan.

She was a smart woman. She probably knew exactly why I was calling.

Autumn’s hypnotic voice came over the line. “Hello, Thorn. Have you scheduled a meeting?”

Hadn’t even considered it. “No.”

She turned quiet, letting the silence envelop me.

I embraced it.

If she wanted to get rid of me, she would have just hung up on me. But she stayed on the line, which gave me some power.

She still wanted to fuck me. “I spent the night with you last night.”

She knew exactly what I meant. “I hope it was as good as last time.”

“Not quite. Did I spend the night with you?”

She chuckled. “That arrogance again…”

“Am I wrong?”

She never answered. “What do you want, Thorn?”

“You.”

“I picked up on that.”

“Now look who’s arrogant,” I countered, a smile stretching across my face. “Come over tonight.”

“I’ll think about it.”

My grin widened. “That’s a yes, isn’t it?”

“It’s a probably.”

Now that I was about to have her again, my hands shook in anticipation. I wanted to grip her firm tits and flick her nipples with my thumb. I wanted to taste the valley between her breasts. I wanted to suck that bottom lip into my mouth until it was swollen. I wanted to taste her luscious pussy again and listen to her beg me to fuck her. “I’ll see you then.”

“Goodbye, Thorn.”

“Goodbye, Autumn.”

---

She arrived at my penthouse at eight.

It was late, so she obviously wasn’t expecting dinner or wine. She walked into my living room in heels and a raincoat. She hung her purse by the door and slowly peeled her jacket away, revealing nothing but a black thong and matching bra.

She didn’t waste time.

My eyes were glued to her gorgeous body as I walked toward her, my eyes drowning in her endless curves. Her piercing in her navel was undeniably sexy. The way she stripped her coat away and stared at me with such confidence made my cock press harder into my sweatpants. I was shirtless and barefoot, and now my sweatpants felt constricting against my raging cock.

My desire couldn’t be bridled, and my hand immediately shot into her hair so I could jerk her head back. I directed her face toward mine, and she immediately moved with the motion instead of fighting it. My mouth found hers, and I kissed her just the way I wanted. I let my mouth explore hers, let my tongue penetrate her mouth. I felt her own greet mine, and together, they danced erotically.

My fingers dug into her luscious ass, and I pulled her tight against my cock.

She moaned when she felt him against her stomach.

I kissed her harder, our embrace turning passionate almost immediately. Not a word had been exchanged between us, but there wasn’t any need for small talk. She was only there for one reason—to fuck me.

My hand tightened on her hair, and my fingers snaked down the front of her panties. I found her clit and immediately circled it with two fingers. I rubbed it harder, making her breaths shorten.

Our mouths opened and closed, our kiss continuing right in my doorway. The sexiest woman in the world had just walked into my penthouse like she owned it. She stood in black lingerie, hardening my cock the second she was in my vicinity. She had ironclad control over my dick, making it hard on command.

I rubbed her clit harder.

She breathed deeper.

She had a lot of control over me, but I had just as much power over her.

My fingers slid back to her entrance, and I fingered her while my thumb circled her clit. “So fucking wet for me.” I spoke against her mouth before I continued to kiss her.

Her hand dug down into the front of my pants, and she gripped my hard dick with her warm hand. “So damn hard for me.”

I tensed at her touch, relishing the softness of her hands. When she started to pump me, I breathed harder, loving the way she pleasured my dick so effortlessly. I continued to finger her and rub her clit at the same time.

We were both so hard up we were about to come right in the middle of my living room.

“Thorn…” She gripped my shoulder for balance, her fingers cutting into me. “I’m about to come.”

“I know.” I kissed her as I stared into her eyes, perfectly aware of the way her pussy was tightening around my fingers.

“I want your big dick inside me.”

“Don’t worry, you’ll get it.” I ended our kiss and peered down into her face. “But you’re going to come now.” I wanted her to understand she was at my mercy, that I had the power to make her feel anything that I chose. She could walk in the door then be climaxing two minutes later. I didn’t just have a big dick—I had a lot of other things.

She hooked her arm around my neck and stopped fighting the explosion between her legs. She looked into my eyes with her scorching ones, the cosmic ball of fire burning everything in my living room. She came around my fingers, tight and dripping. She ground her clit against my thumb, getting off to it even harder.

I enjoyed the show, my dick throbbing in her hand.

She bit her bottom lip before she released a powerful moan. Her breathing turned to quiet screams. Her nails nearly drew blood as she clung to me desperately. As the climax passed, she started to loosen her grip on me, her nails no longer cutting into me. The look she wore made my cock thicken even more because she wasn’t wearing her tough expression anymore. Her hardness had been stripped away, and now just the woman remained behind. She was real, vulnerable, and gorgeous.

I kissed the corner of her mouth. “Now I’ll give you my cock—and make you come again.”

---

Her hair was in disarray, her lips were swollen, and her makeup was slightly smeared. She lay beside me in the dark, the sheets and comforter kicked to the foot of the bed. She was turned on her side, so the prominent dip in her waist was noticeable. She was either tired from the hour or tired from the sex—maybe both.

My fingers started at her knee then slowly slid to her hips. I felt her softness, which was similar to touching a rose petal. Her toned legs were sexy, and the tightness of her waist from her abdominals was sexy too.

She was perfect.

My hand snaked over her hip until I reached the dip in her waist. My hand slid under her arm, and my thumb brushed over her ribs until I palmed one tit. Her body was mesmerizing. I’d been with a lot of women, controlled most of them, but none of them possessed her fine elegance. No matter what her position was, she had the firmest tits. Her olive skin was delicious. I’d already explored her body, but I wanted to taste her more. I wanted her to stay exactly like this. “You’re a very beautiful woman.” I lay beside her on the same pillow and hiked her leg around my waist. I’d already taken her so many times, but my cock was hardening all over again.

Her mouth didn’t smile, but her eyes did. “Thank you.” Her fingers explored the hardness of my chest and stomach. Her fingers traced the lines and grooves, feeling every inch of my visible strength. Sometimes she looked down at my skin, and sometimes she looked into my eyes. “You’re a pretty man.”

“Pretty?” I asked.

She chuckled. “Sexy man. Is that better?”

“Much.”

She pulled her hand away then peeked at the clock on my nightstand over my shoulder. “It’s getting late. I should get going…” She turned over and slid to the edge of the bed.

We’d gotten down to business without exchanging a single sentence. Now she didn’t try to spend the night or make small talk. She got what she wanted, and she was leaving without a backward glance.

I’d slept around a lot, and one-night stands were a major part of my resume. But while women claimed that was all they wanted, they always wanted more. They just took their time getting to the point.

But that didn’t seem to be the case with Autumn.

She really wanted nothing from me.

A woman as beautiful and successful as she could have any guy she wanted. She probably got tired of all the offers and didn’t want anything at all. Maybe that was why she was attracted to me—because I was the first man not to throw myself at her. My indifference was transparent. I made my cold intentions clear, and that was a relief to her.

I got out of bed and pulled on my sweatpants.

“You don’t have to walk me to the elevator.” She walked out of my bedroom naked, her gorgeous ass shifting from left to right as she moved. She had the perfect hourglass figure, a woman so sexy she looked like a walking sculpture.

I forgot to speak because I was staring at her so hard.

My dick hardened too.

I followed her into the living room and watched her pick up her thong from the ground and her bra from the couch. “I don’t mind.”

She pulled her black thong up her long legs then straightened the lace over her hips.

I stared, watching how naturally sexy she was. She wasn’t even trying to catch my attention, but she did it so effortlessly.

Her bra came next, the straps secure over her shoulders.

How could I fuck this woman so many times but still want her? “So, how is this going to work?”

“How is what going to work?” She didn’t look at me as she prepared herself for the outside world. She slipped her heels on her feet then grabbed her rain jacket off the ground.

“This.” I crossed my arms over my chest as I stood in front of the elevator.

She pulled the jacket around her body then straightened the collar as she looked into my eyes. “I wasn’t aware there was a this to discuss.”

The corner of my mouth rose in a smile, finding her cold attitude hot. “What is this?”

She tied the belt around her waist, securing the jacket around her petite body. “I thought we established this was meaningless fun? Let’s keep it that way. You made it clear you don’t want anything more. Neither do I.”

“But we both want to do it again.”

Her eyes narrowed slightly, a confession of agreement. She slid her hands into the pockets of her jacket as she looked at me.

“And again. So, am I free to text you?”

She considered it while pressing her lips together tightly. Even when she was deep in thought, she looked provocative. I couldn’t imagine what it would be like to work with her every day, to stare at her beautiful features and do nothing about it. “Yes. But that’s the only thing I want to hear from you.”

“Trust me, I’m not going to ask about work.” Our pending collaboration was the last thing on my mind.

“And strict professionalism when we’re working together.”

I smiled. “Agreed.”

She turned to the elevator and hit the button so the doors would happen.

Before she could step inside, I grabbed her by the elbow and yanked her toward me. I wanted to feel those plumps lips against my mouth one more time. I wanted to feel her breath fill my lungs. I wanted to feel the way she trembled slightly when she was the recipient of my passion.

She kissed me back the instant she felt me. Her fingertips moved up my chest until she reached my shoulders. She gave me her tongue when I didn’t give her mine. She sucked my bottom lip and matched my aggression. She’d just been trying to leave, but now she got me fired up the same way she had when she first arrived.

She was the first one to break away.

I knew I wouldn’t have.

“Goodnight, Thorn.” She pushed her hand against my chest as she turned away.

I almost snatched her again. “Goodnight, Autumn.”

She stepped into the elevator and leaned against the back wall as she waited for the doors to close. Her eyes were on me, her look as intense as mine. If she didn’t have such restraint, she’d walk back in here and ride my dick again. I’d never been with a woman who got so wet for me. She kept up an act of indifference, but there was no denying how much she wanted me. Her pussy betrayed her in the most obvious way possible.

The doors finally began to close.

My arms rested by my sides as I watched them come together. My eyes remained focused on hers until she was finally gone from my sight.

When the elevator descended, I suddenly felt the emptiness of my penthouse. I wished I were walking back to my bed to find her sleeping underneath my sheets. She’d be there for me when I woke up in the morning.

And I could fuck her before I went to work.