Present Day

“I can see it in your eyes,” Sergio said. “You don’t approve.”

He’d caught me just before I could slip off the property minutes after Marcus had. What’s the point in lying? I wondered. “You’re right,” I sighed. “Thousands blown on flowers and cupcakes and tables for a graduation is excessive.”

“Nothing that has to do with my Tatiana is excessive.”

My pulse quickened hearing her name. “Marcus told me the money is gone. I’m not going to hassle you for refunds. At least she’s only graduating from college once.” What is she doing next? The thought bit me out of the blue. Will she move or continue to live under her dad’s shadow? What she’d said, about feeling like she was trapped, I couldn’t get it out of my head.

If she wasn’t staying in this mansion, I could see her much easier.

No, idiot. You can’t risk seeing her ever again.

My boss considered me, his fingers massaging his chin. “I hate your sour disapproval. Did you have fun at my last party?”

Heat boiled up my neck. “Yes.” More than he knew.

“Then return here tonight. If you have a good time at my daughter’s graduation party, it’ll soothe some of my spending guilt away.”

“Sir—”

He waved his arm to shut me up. “And, I’ll let you have more control.”

“How do you mean?”

“My money. I’ll open my books fully to you. We’ll expand your responsibility to more of the businesses.”

“Won’t that upset Marcus?” He’d been in control of most of Sergio’s accounts for years.

“Marcus?” he snorted. “Between us, the man’s been slacking in his duties. I could use more eyes, more discerning minds.”

Stunned by his offer, I gathered myself up. “Thank you. Your trust means everything to me.”

He clapped a heavy hand on my shoulder. “I’d hate to ever lose that trust.”

Across the way, sitting up on her lawn chair, Tatiana had slid her glasses up the crown of her scalp. She was watching me with curious eyes. Shame made the acid in my empty stomach bubble. “The same goes for me, Sir.”

“Good. Then I’ll see you later tonight. Party starts at five, wear something well-ironed and expensive.” He strolled back into the mansion, leaving me alone on the grass. But not for long. Like she was waiting for the chance, Tatiana hopped off her chair and came my way.

She glowed in the sunlight. A beautiful vision from a dream. It was too bad that she brought so much danger with her. As she got close, I narrowed my eyes, wondering if I could excuse myself in a way that wouldn’t cause too much drama.

Her long legs crossed at the ankle when she stopped walking. Her grace was obvious even when she held still. “You’re mad at me,” she said.

“Of course I’m mad.” Or I wanted to be. It was a struggle to sound it with her standing so damn close. “You didn’t tell me you were Sergio’s daughter.”

“If I had, would you have said no to the BJ?” she teased.

I squared off with her with my shoulders hunched. “Keep your voice down.”

Tatiana’s smile widened. “You’re worried my father will learn what we did. Relax, that was weeks ago. I haven’t told anyone, and I don’t plan to. I’m good at keeping secrets,” she said softly. Her body leaned my way; I smelled her intoxicating perfume. “In case you want me to keep some more.”

My cock flexed in my boxers. “What happened between us can never happen again.”

The disappointment in her face mirrored my own. I was quicker to hide my feelings than she was, though. Or maybe she wanted me to see how let down she was to know I had no intention of being alone with her again. “Was I that bad?” she whispered.

My mouth fell open. “What?”

“That was my first time doing that.” Her eyes were downcast. “If that’s why—”

“Jesus,” I said, ruffling my hair in exasperation. She really is a virgin. The reality of that had my dick getting hard. “Tatiana, it’s not that.”

“Then it was good?”

I wanted to tell her it was fucking amazing, but I bit my tongue. “I’m not stupid enough to think that your father wouldn’t kill me if he learned about what we did. It’s not happening again, ever. Is that clear?”

“You’re so strict. I love it.” She placed her nails on the crook of my arm, sending hot electricity through my shirt, into my skin, and down to my lower belly. Tatiana was no taller than my chin but she exuded a confidence that said she expected me to crumble.

Gripping her wrist, I forced her hand down between us. The book that was wedged between her elbow and ribs plummeted to the ground, landing with a thud. Intrigue turned her rich eyes into pure inky black. “I’m not playing,” I snapped.

She tugged at me—I let her go. “Yes, you are.” Her smile was gone. Her confidence was not. “Everyone is playing games in my father’s world. You’re no different, no matter what you think.”

“Fighting to keep your father’s respect so I don’t lose my job or worse isn’t the same as what you’re trying to make me do.”

“And what am I trying to make you do?” she purred.

The way she rolled her tongue reminded me of how well she’d licked my cock. Ignoring the agonizing rush of desire, I crouched and picked up her book. “What’s this?” I asked, glancing at the elegantly engraved leather cover.

Tatiana hesitated before answering. “Have you ever had a tarot reading?”

I barked a quick laugh, burying my hands in my jacket pockets. “I’d never bother.”

“Why?” she asked, her eyes challenging me.

“Because it’s pointless fluff. Meaningless.”

“You don’t believe in it.”

“Not at all.”

“Then what do you believe in?” she asked.

I lifted my shoulders to my ears. “Facts. Math. Good, intelligent decision making.”

She arched her eyebrows. “Mmhm. You definitely believe in smart decisions, Mr. Got-a-secret-BJ-from-his-boss’s-daughter.”

My neck tensed. “I have work to get to.”

“I’ll see you tonight,” she said with a wink.

“Why do you think I'd show up for your party?” I asked. There was no way she overheard her father and I talking.

“Because I believe in facts, too,” she said. “And factually, you can't stay away from me.”

I itched to tell her she was wrong.

But I couldn't.

****

I arrived at the party exactly on time, not a minute before or after. I’d slipped into a pale-gray suit and jacket combo with a navy-blue tie. Distantly, I knew it would bring out my eyes, make me more attractive to...

To Tatiana.

I had to get her out of my head.

One hour, I decided. One hour to be seen by the boss, ooh and ahh over the appetizers, and nurse a single cocktail before I could split.

The party was packed and I calculated my odds of finding myself one-on-one with Tatiana again very low. I could do this with minimum damage or temptation if I just stuck to my plan. It was foolproof. It was not, however, Tatiana in a plunging neckline proof.

I sidled up to the bar scanning the room for a familiar face. If I could find someone from the office to stick to for the next hour, we could talk third quarter financials and I could escape merely wishing the lady of the hour congratulations rather than fucking her beautiful face.

When I graduated from college, I didn’t attend a single graduation party. Come to think of it, I could probably count the number of college parties I attended on one hand. I’d planned to graduate in three years and start working as soon as possible. And I did it, of course. But even with my limited experience, this party seemed unusually subdued for college seniors.

Looking around, I saw as many parents of grads as grads themselves. And something was missing. It was like the guest list was a random selection of the senior class rather than a close-knit group of friends. Even though my goal for the evening was avoiding her, I had to wonder where Tatiana was hiding.

“What’ll you have, sir?” the bartender asked.

“I’ll take a whiskey neat, thanks.”

As I was waiting for my drink, I struck gold: Dianne from HR walked up. I usually avoided Dianne at the office. She’s the type of colleague who lives for after work drinks and group birthday cards, but tonight I could make an exception. For me, work is work, and my personal life is just that—personal. But with temptation lurking just around the corner, I’d need to get personal with Dianne to save my professional life.

“Dianne! It’s great to see you!” I said.

By the look on her face, she was surprised by my attention, but like the good little office den mother she was, smiled warmly at me as the bartender presented my drink. “Rolland, I didn’t think you liked to... fraternize.”

“Some invitations are impossible to turn down.” I let her interpret that however she wanted.

“Look at this place,” she said, gesturing with a sweep of her hand to the elaborately decorated ballroom. “Tatiana is the jewel in her father’s crown. His devotion to that girl is amazing. He spares no expense for his princess. Have you tried the Kobe sliders the waiters are carting around? I swear I've had half a dozen.”

I led Dianne to a small cocktail table as we chatted about the staffs’ new babies and the latest happy hour menu at Little Pete’s across from the office. As Dianne was typing on her cell phone, sending me an article that I should read before our next “Safety in the Workplace” presentation, I saw her.

Tatiana.

She looked like she’d been plucked from an old film noir movie—from another time and place, where the atmosphere was heavy with sex and danger. In that ballroom with guests dressed to the nines, she stood out; a red silk robe, belted at the waist, clinging to her ass like some magnetic force.

Her hair, darker than I remembered it, cascaded down her shoulders in gentle waves. It veiled her face except for her magic little mouth, her ruby painted lips. I couldn’t take my eyes off those lips, or stop my mind from wandering back to the night when her mouth was on me.

Dianne excused herself just in time for me to adjust myself under the table. I’d also need to adjust my plan. I wouldn’t last another thirty minutes at this party now that I saw my Fun Girl. I couldn’t take my eyes off of Tatiana and the way her body moved underneath the loosely draped silk. I watched her as she made a circuit around the room, greeting groups of people—classmates, by the looks of them.

They exchanged hellos and spoke briefly. I didn’t detect the slightest bit of warmth or familiarity between any of them. No bursts of laughter, just flat conversations, as if they were talking about the weather. I couldn’t find a hint of the seductress I’d met the other night.

Maybe Tatiana’s college years were spent similarly to mine, focused on grades and building a stellar resume for graduation, but I could hardly believe it was by choice. When I started college, I’d zeroed in on a plan, and no kegger or karaoke night was going to distract me. But Tatiana, gorgeous spontaneous blowjob-in-the-garden Tatiana, she didn’t seem like the type who’d voluntarily give up her social life.

I spotted Sergio across the room. It looked like he was mixing business with pleasure, holding court over a few older men. Marcus was easy to recognize, the others took me half a second. Investors from our last meeting. As his accountant, this pleased me; he’d certainly spent a fortune on this party, so a small return on the investment made me happy. But I wondered how much of this evening was for Tatiana, and how much was for her father's business interests.

Marcus spotted me where I stood. He made a face, like a silent, sympathetic way to say he didn't want to be here either. He wasn't going to be able to slip over to talk to me so I could politely kill more time.

This is my chance to leave. The Montalla family dynamics weren’t any of my business. I’d done my duty; I'd shown up, ate, and even smiled. I didn’t need to be here any longer. It was time for me to split before this evening took a turn for the—

“Rolland.”

My name had never sounded so good. “Tatiana,” I said, standing to greet her. “This is a fantastic party. Congratulations on your graduation. You must be relieved. Your hard work has paid off.”

She looked at my extended hand and the side of her mouth quirked up. She slowly shook her head, as if in admonishment, and asked, “Why so shy?”

She leaned in to allow me to kiss her cheek. What could I do? I had no choice but to oblige. I could smell her shampoo, feel the tickle of her soft hair against my face. She reached up and placed her hand on my collar, her fingertips ever so slightly brushing my skin. It was only a second, that physical contact, but I felt her in every cell of my body. I could feel her heat, her pent up energy. To everyone else at the party it must have looked like a simple hello, but I knew what this was. It was a promise, it was an invitation for more.

“Let’s sit together,” she said as we pulled apart. Before I could explain that I was just about to leave, she was seated and gesturing to a passing waiter, requesting two glasses of champagne.

This felt like a trap. But how much trouble could I get in in the middle of a crowded ballroom? It may have been a deviation in my plan, but I was in control. Her little games wouldn’t win out over my resolution.

The waiter returned quickly with two glasses of bubbly, and Tatiana raised her glass. “What should we toast to, Rolland?”

“It seems fitting at your graduation party to toast to new experiences and future endeavors. Cheers. Congratulations Tatiana.”

“Yes. To new endeavors. Cheers,” she said.

We clinked glasses and sipped.

It was feeling perfectly normal, like maybe the other day was just a blip, an errant data point in my otherwise predictable life. If Tatiana could move on from the other night, certainly I could too.

“So tell me,” I said, trying not to gaze down her cruelly inviting cleavage, “What are your plans now that you’re a graduate?”

I was so fucking naïve. Her answer shouldn’t have shocked me.

She leaned over close to me and whispered, “I don’t know, exactly. Maybe giving you a taste of me? I was thinking you might want to return the favor sometime.”

I choked on my champagne. It wasn’t just shock at her bold words that had me sputtering like an idiot. It was excitement, too. Those words, taste me, knocked the wind right out of my lungs. All I could think of was how that red silk felt on her skin, what she was wearing—or not wearing—underneath, and what it would be like the first time the tip of my tongue slid along her crease.

“I meant career plans,” I hissed, trying to steer her back to appropriate public topics. “Will you continue to live here, or do you want independence?”

She picked up her glass and threw back her head in an uproarious laugh. Despite my annoyance, I had the urge to nip at her long, beautiful neck.

“I suppose if I lived somewhere else, getting another go with you would be easier on your nerves.”

Was she determined to keep poking at me? “I have a good thing going with your father, I can’t risk throwing it all away if he finds out what happened between us. I’d also prefer to keep all my bones intact.”

Suddenly Tatiana’s expression changed. She put her friendly hostess mask back on. I looked over my shoulder and saw a girl her own age approaching us. “Abigail,” Tatiana said warmly, although I could detect tension in her poise. “It’s so nice of you to come tonight.”

Abigail's smile never reached her eyes. She wore a high-necked blouse and pencil skirt, her hair tied up in a severe bun. It didn’t take a rocket scientist to realize these two weren’t friends. “Of course, I wouldn’t have missed it. It’s been a fun party but I have to go now. As you know, I’m flying out to Cape Town in the morning with Professor Hicks. It’s too bad you won’t be joining the team, but I guess you have your hands full with parties and such.”

I could see Tatiana gritting her teeth. “I do have a million things lined up. Good luck in South Africa. Perhaps our paths will cross again. Goodbye, Abigail.” Tatiana’s face remained a mask of composure as the other girl walked off. I could detect anger bubbling beneath the surface. There was more to this encounter than it seemed.

“What was that all about?” I asked, although I regretted it immediately. I didn’t need to know anything else about Tatiana Montalla. I wanted to say my goodbyes, get in my car, and probably jerk off the minute I closed my apartment door.

“Just a classmate,” Tatiana said breezily, but her expression had shifted. She looked hurt... younger than she had before. “Abigail and some other students from my program are spending the summer in Cape Town. It wasn’t...feasible...that I go along.”

Tatiana was sexy, infuriating, and dangerous. She was not, however, a good liar. And with that obvious lie, I saw her vulnerable side for the first time. It was raw. Enticing. The last nail in my coffin.

After a few minutes of silence, she eyed me over the rim of her drink. “Follow me.”

I didn't give it a second thought.