When Rhett Oakes left her office, headed towards Carter’s penthouse where he was staying, Nat leaned against her chair, unable to stop herself from flapping her hand in front of her way-too-hot face.

“Oh. My. God.”

She looked up from her desk to see Leah in the doorway. “Who was that?” her assistant hissed, staring down the hall at Rhett. “Those jeans!”

Oh god, the jeans. Nat pressed her thighs tight together under her desk as she remembered. They were well worn. Oh-so-clingy in all the best places.

That man had the cutest butt she’d ever seen. And that impossible soft looking denim had done nothing to hide it. More like accentuate it. And the rest of him! Had she kept her cool? She had no idea. She had felt like someone had hit her with lightning when he’d walked into her office, looking like a cowboy and a lumberjack and an underwear model all at once. And then he’d opened his mouth and spoke, that smooth, dark rumble that twined through her body, sending shivers through her.

“Nat?”

“Hm? What?” Nat could barely stop thinking about him. The glint in his curiously light golden eyes. They reminded her of a cat’s, sly, teasing, and a little knowing. What would it be like for those eyes to be looking up at her, right before he disappeared between her thighs? Would he be smiling then? Or would he be all sultry and focused, determined to make her scream his name?

Down, girl, she told herself. You’ve gotta be professional. He’s Carter’s best friend.

“Who was that?’ Leah asked again.

“Oh, just a friend of Carter’s,” Nat said. “I’m doing him a favor.”

“What kind of favor?” Leah asked with a wicked grin.

“Oh, you,” Nat said, shooting her a look. “Shush.”

“What? That guy is like, the hottest man I’ve ever seen. He looks like he could bench press me with one hand!”

He probably could. He was tall and broad and she bet all that muscle was from doing things like chasing wolves through the woods like a freaking wild man, instead of lifting weights at the gym. She entertained this whimsy for a moment, Rhett Oakes with his shirt off, in those criminally tight jeans, racing through the woods with a wolf pack, free and wild and streaked with dirt and oh so sexy…

Remember what I said about being professional?

She shook her head a little, trying to chase the dirty thoughts away. “Did you need something?” she asked Leah.

“Yes, you asked me to call Bergdorf’s about some ballgowns for tomorrow. I talked to Violet there, she has a selection of black and white gowns for you to try tomorrow at ten. She says there’s an Armani that would look beautiful on you.”

“Thanks,” Nat said. “Could you also call Bergdorf’s men’s department? Have a selection of tuxes ready at the same time?”

“Of course,” Leah said.

“You’re a peach,” Nat said.

“Let me know when you want me to call your car,” Leah said.

When Nat was alone, she pulled out her phone and tapped out a quick text to the number Carter had given her for Rhett:

I forgot to ask if you if you needed a tux for tomorrow. If you do, meet me at Bergdorf’s at ten.

A few minutes later her phone buzzed: I’ll be there.

She couldn’t stop the little leap her stomach made at the thought. She was just about to get to work when her phone began to ring.

“This is Natalie Banks,” she said.

“Natalie! It’s Petra Harrison, how are you, my dear?”

“Petra, lovely to hear from you,” Nat said as she tucked the phone under her chin and began to go through the myriad of emails she needed to get through before she left work this evening. “How’s the makeup business?”

“Booming!” Petra said. Petra Harrison was a beauty mogul and Nat admired the hell out of her. She’d started out in her her New York basement, mixing and pouring lipstick by hand and turned it into a billion dollar company in ten years. She was an inspiration and Nat counted herself lucky to know her and to learn from her. “Which is actually why I’m calling. I would like to offer you a job.”

Nat’s mouth went dry. “Oh, Petra,” she said. “I’m so flattered.”

“That’s usually what people say before they turn you down,” Petra said. “But I want you to take some time and actually think about it. Carter is a wonderful man and I’m sure he’s a very good boss. But unless he’s offering you VP, he can’t top my offer.”

Nat’s heart began to beat very fast. “You want me as VP?” she asked, unable to quite believe it.

“Yes. I would like to take you on for the CEO track,” Petra said. “I have a three year plan for retirement. I would want you to take over as CEO at the end of those three years.”

She could barely breathe, the offer was so incredible. And she was so humbled Petra would even think of her.

“I’m going to send you over the details of the offer,” Petra said. “Like I said, I want you to take your time and think. But you would be an incredible asset to my company, Natalie. A young, fresh CEO to take us into a new era of beauty, of empowerment and of quality products. I’m ready to fight Carter for you.”

“Thank you so much for the offer,” Nat said. “I promise, I will seriously consider it.”

“That’s all I ask,” Petra said. “Now, are you going to this Black and White Ball?”

“I am,” Nat said. “It was kind of last minute for me, so I’m running around trying to find a dress.”

“Well, good luck with that. You’ll look gorgeous in whatever you get. Stop by our salon tomorrow, they’ll do that beautiful hair of yours for you.”

“Oh, Petra, you don’t have to—“

“Consider it one of the many perks you would get if you worked for us,” Petra said. “Kisses, darling! I must go. I’ll see you tomorrow at the ball.”

“Goodbye, Petra. And thank you again, for the offer.”

After she hang up, Nat stared at her computer screen, trying to process.

Petra was an amazing woman, an amazing entrepreneur. Nat had learned a lot from her just by being friends with her. Navigating the business world as a woman was hard—it was even harder when you were creating products other men scorned. Cosmetics and sex toys were two of those products, so the two had always bonded over that. Petra’s mentorship had meant the world to her—and had made her the career woman she was.

But could she really leave Purely Pleasure? She loved working here. She loved that she was empowering women and men to have better sex lives, to open up to new things, to find new ways to love and enjoy each other. Some people might think it was silly, but it was something that was worthwhile to her. She knew women who had never had experienced an orgasm in their lives before trying one of the Purely Pleasure toys. The fact that she was a part of a company that created things that frankly, were all about joy and euphoria and good feelings, made her feel good. It empowered her. It had made her more in touch with her own body, with her own needs and desires and wants.

But she also wanted more. More power. More responsibility. More of a say in the company. And she knew Carter valued her, as a friend, as his CFO, but did he value her enough to make her VP?

Would she be throwing away her only chance, ever, to be a CEO, if she turned down Petra’s offer?

It was a lot to think about. Too much to think about.

She turned her attention back to the list of potential investors that might be good for Rhett.

Focus on tomorrow, she told herself. Then you can think about the rest of your life.