No man could fuck like Hunt.

Jesus Christ, he was a machine.

I hadn’t had sex that exquisite in a while, not that my sex life was ever boring. His cock was big, and he certainly knew how to use it. His kisses were scorching, his touch was tantalizing, and he knew exactly how to work a clitoris.

I was actually sore, but I liked it.

I didn’t sleep over at a man’s house—not when it was casual. I always got out of there before things could get complicated. I didn’t have time for complicated.

Or anything else.

Hunt seemed like the kind of man who didn’t want anything serious either. From what I’d researched about him, he was the kind of man who usually traveled with two women, one on each arm. He was never photographed with the same woman more than once, and he was hailed as a sex symbol other men looked up to. He definitely wasn’t a man who would have a wife and kids someday.

Perfect for me.

But our arrangement had to end now. I already broke my one-time rule because he ruthlessly seduced me. But it couldn’t happen again—not ever. We had a great time, but now we needed to forget about each other and move on.

No matter how hot he was.

A few days passed, and I didn’t hear from Hunt. I assumed that meant he’d moved on just the way I did, but I’d be lying if I said I didn’t think about that toned physique and those powerful arms. His shoulders were sexy, so broad and strong. Everything about him was innately man, the finest male specimen on the planet. When he was plowing his hard cock inside me, I felt like a woman—and only a woman. I wasn’t a CEO, a role model, or a ruthless businesswoman.

I was just a woman.

It was nice.

I even played with my vibrator while thinking about him a few times that week.

But that memory would fade in time. My attraction would die when I found my next partner. He would go back to being a business associate I seldom interacted with. That was perfect for me.

I was in my office when my cell phone rang, and Isa’s name appeared on the screen. No one else could reach me directly besides my closest friends and business associates. Everyone else had to go through my four assistants—and even then, it was tough to get through to me. “Hey.”

“Hey, how’s it going over there?”

“Good. Just got out of a meeting five minutes ago.”

“Ugh, I hate meetings. I feel like we sit around and talk but don’t get anything done.”

I put her on speakerphone so I could sort through my emails at the same time. “I know what you mean.”

After a pregnant pause, she addressed the real reason why she was calling me. “So…you disappeared the other night. Where’d you run off to?”

I hadn’t told her about Hunt. I was going to, but I assumed I would do it while Pilar was around. “Snuck off with a guy.”

“Ooh…what guy?”

“A very hot guy.”

“Tell me everything.”

“Well…you remember Diesel Hunt, right?”

After a long pause, she nearly let out a scream. “You did not.”

“I did…”

“How was he?”

A shiver went up my spine just thinking about it. “Unbelievable.”

“I’m so jealous right now.”

“Every woman should be jealous, honestly. Three times.”

“He fucked you three times? Or made you come three times?”

I grinned. “Both.”

“Ooh…that sounds amazing.”

“And it wasn’t my first time. We hooked up two weeks ago too.”

Now the pause she gave me was full of a million other feelings. “You slept with him twice?”

“Yeah.”

“You?”

“Uh-huh.”

“Tatum Titan?”

“Yes, that’s me.”

“What does that mean?” she asked. “Do you actually like him?”

I respected him, which was saying something coming from me. I enjoyed those kisses and caresses. But my feelings toward him didn’t exist out of the physical spectrum. “Not romantically. I told him it wouldn’t happen again.”

“And he was fine with that?”

“He’s such a manwhore. Yes, he was fine with it.”

“What did Thorn have to say about it?”

“Haven’t talked to him yet.”

“You guys are stuck together like glue. I’m surprised.”

“We’re having dinner tonight. I’ll give him the rundown then. Anything happen with you that night?”

“Well…”

I ignored my emails and focused all my attention on our conversation. “Well, what? Who did you take home?”

“Pine Rosenthal.”

I didn’t recognize the name. “Not sure who that is.”

“His family owns a lot of banks. He’s wealthy by birth.”

Most wealthy people were. “You like him?”

“He’s great in bed. Yes, I like him.”

“Are you gonna see him again?”

“I hope so,” she said. “But I’m playing it cool right now.”

“Good. Always make them work for it.”

Isa pulled the phone away so she could speak to her assistant. They shared a few words before she came back to me. “Girl, I gotta go.”

“Talk to you later.” I hung up then noticed a new email in my inbox.

From Diesel Hunt.

---

Ms. Titan,

I’m taking you to lunch in fifteen minutes.

See you then.

A.

---

What the hell was going on? Why did Diesel think he had the privilege to walk into my office whenever he felt like it? Our last conversation had a ring of finality to it, telling me we would never see each other on purpose again.

So what was he doing?

I glanced through the glass doors of my office and saw a tall figure in a dark suit. I recognized those broad shoulders because I’d gripped them several times. My nails remembered his tough skin as I’d nearly sliced him until he bled. That dark hair was perfectly styled, and my fingertips went numb at the thought of ruffling it while he pounded into me in bed.

Jessica’s voice sounded over the intercom a moment later. “Titan, Diesel Hunt is here to see you. He says he has a lunch meeting with you, although I don’t see it on the schedule.”

Because it wasn’t on the schedule. “Thank you, Jessica.” I didn’t let my irritation escape in my voice. “Send him in.” When I released the button, I realized how hard I’d been pressing it down. My joint actually ached.

Hunt let himself inside, infecting my space with compelling masculinity like it was his own office. One hand placed inside his pocket, he walked to my desk with a kingly air. A smile was in his eyes, telling me he knew this would tick me off, but it amused him nonetheless. “Ms. Titan.”

“Titan, please.”

He gave a curt nod before he sat down. His long legs stretched out before him, his muscular thighs noticeable through his slacks. Now that I’d seen him naked, I knew exactly why his clothes hugged him in such perfect ways. I understood why his suit stretched across his broad shoulders—because his body was pure perfection.

He made himself right at home, his powerful persona permeating the air so I was forced to breathe it in. He commanded an entire room with his silence, naturally exuding the kind of strength that ordinary men could never attain.

I stared him down with my legs crossed underneath my desk. If anyone else pulled this stunt, I’d give him a piece of my mind and rip his balls from between his legs. But Hunt was different. Somehow, he sheathed my anger with his handsomeness. “Can I help you, Hunt?”

“Where do you want to go for lunch?”

“I already ate.”

“Liar.”

My eyes narrowed at the accusation.

“What?” he asked with a smile. “I like to call people out on their bullshit.”

“What a coincidence. So do I.”

That charming grin stayed put.

“I’m very busy, so don’t waste any more of my time. What do you want?”

He cocked his head slightly to the side, the intensity of his gaze never fading away. He looked at me in the exact same way he did when I stood in his elevator. His stare was intrusive, as if he could see me naked even when I was fully clothed. “You.”

“You can’t have me.” No man ever could. Hunt wouldn’t be any different.

“I think otherwise. I’d prove it to you if your doors weren’t made of glass.”

Cocky bastard.

“Or I will anyway, if you don’t mind.”

My thighs gave an involuntary squeeze, affected by this man’s arrogance as much as I was by his sexiness. “I’m not interested in a relationship with you, Hunt. And if I’m not mistaken, you don’t seem like a man interested in a relationship with me either.” He preferred to plow different women every night, fucking one while another patiently waited for her turn like a dog. His profound masculinity and his paramount levels of testosterone were both innately desirable to me—but only temporarily.

“We’re of one mind, Titan,” he said. “But I still want you.”

“I don’t want you.”

He grinned wider than before, his arrogance shining in his eyes. “Bullshit.”

My thighs squeezed together again. “I don’t want to be associated with you, Hunt.”

“Why not?”

“I already told you why.”

“No one has to know. I’m a gentleman that can keep a secret.”

Keeping a secret was of the least importance. “To be plain, you aren’t what I’m looking for.”

“Really?” he asked, cocking his head further. “Then what are you looking for?”

Like I could ever tell him. “It doesn’t matter.”

“It does matter.” His jaw was cleanly shaven, his shadow not visible this early in the day. “Because I can give you exactly what you’re looking for.”

Unlikely. “I don’t think so.”

“Try me.”

Like I could ever let that secret get out. I trusted Hunt not to tell anyone he fucked me, but I didn’t trust him not to tell the world about…my fetishes. “Hunt, I’m only going to say this once. Whatever we had is over.”

“When you stop squeezing your thighs together, I’ll believe you.”

How did he know? The desk was between us, so he couldn’t see. Unless he was calling my bluff.

“I want you, Titan.” He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. “We fuck well together. We fuck like a man and a woman should fuck. I want to keep doing it—and so do you.”

That was true, with a few kinks. “I think you just hate being told no.”

“I’m a grown man—not a child. I’ve proven that many times now.”

“Then you’re just an arrogant asshole who won’t stop until he gets what he wants.”

He rose to his feet and approached my desk, his height creating a large shadow over the surface even though there was sunlight coming through my window. His large hands pressed against the white wood of my table, calling me to complete attention. “Yes, I’m used to always getting my way. But the only reason why I’m here is because I want you—not because you won’t let me have you.”

For just a brief second, I wanted to crumble and tell him the truth. I wanted to tell him about every dark secret I had, about the fiery things that consumed me. I wanted to tell him exactly how to touch me, exactly how to fuck me.

But rational thought set in once more. “I have a busy schedule ahead of me, Hunt. Please show yourself out.” Just like in thousands of meetings I’d had in my lifetime, I kept my voice steady no matter how hostile the client was. I looked him in the eye, my hands resting calmly on the desk.

Hunt didn’t flinch, his potent masculinity filling the air between us. “Goodbye, Titan.” He finally stepped back, taking his long and muscular arms away from me and my furniture. The tight muscles of his arms could easily shatter my beautiful desk into pieces if he snapped. His brown eyes locked on to mine, full of authority. “For now.”

---

I walked into the restaurant and found Thorn sitting at our usual table. He was in a dark blue suit and tie, shiny black shoes on his feet. A white gold watch sat on his wrist, the jewelry worth more than the restaurant. He was on his phone, but he quickly slid it into his pocket once he noticed me approach the table.

He rose to his feet, towering over me by feet, not inches. His arm slid around my waist, and he pressed a kiss to my cheek. “Hey, Old Fashioned.” He pulled out my chair for me and helped me sit down before he took his seat again.

“Sorry I’m late. Got held up at the office.”

“No worries. Just gave me more time to drink.” He held up his wineglass, which contained a deep red liquid. He swirled it before he brought it to his lips, returning to his somber mood. Anytime we were in a crowd of people, he had walls erected so high you could barely see the sky. “Wine?”

“Sure.”

He poured me a glass before he rested his elbows on the table, his blue eyes on me. “Bruce Carol is doing worse. From what I hear, he’s gonna take this to the public, probably an auction.”

My body tightened, like it did anytime I heard of an obvious opportunity. “When?”

“Soon. We’ll have to make our move.”

Thorn and I were the kind of business adversaries you didn’t want to mess with. We were only loyal to each other, enemies of anyone else outside our group. Neither one of us had weaknesses, only strengths. Combined together, we were a terrifying powerhouse. “I think we can flip that business pretty easily. With my marketing background with the agency, I know how to put his product on the map.”

“I was thinking the same thing.” His fingers wrapped around the stem of his glass. “He won’t settle easily, even though he’s desperate. Losing his business to a woman will only get under his skin. It’s a backhanded insult.”

One of the things I liked about Thorn was his fierce honesty. He didn’t buffer the blow. He didn’t twist reality to make it easier for me to hear. Sexism was a huge obstacle in my universe, and Thorn chose not to pretend it didn’t exist.

One of the reasons why I loved him. “True.”

“So, we lowball him, of course. But if he doesn’t bite, we’ll have to offer him something better. I was thinking ten percent royalties.”

“Ten percent.” I cocked an eyebrow, annoyed Thorn even made the suggestion. “I don’t hand out stakes in my company.”

“It’s not a stake. It’s short term.”

“How short?”

“One year. He may despise you because of your tight skirt, but he can’t ignore your credentials. He knows he’ll make some cash, probably most of what he lost. He won’t turn it down. I think it’s the final weapon in our arsenal.”

It was a good backup plan since it was temporary. Thorn didn’t even have access to any ownership of my company—for the moment. “Let’s proceed.”

“Have your staff set up the meeting. I know you can handle this one on your own.”

Thorn and I were never seen doing business together. Everything was behind the scenes. People speculated on what kind of relationship we had, and their assumptions were never right.

That was a good thing.

“I’ll let you know when the meeting is scheduled.”

“Perfect.”

When the waiter came over, Thorn ordered for the both of us. He knew I would order a salad—because that was all I ever ordered. He ordered the same thing but added tender strips of steak on top. A basket of bread was dropped on the table, but neither one of us touched it.

Thorn finished his glass then refilled it. “Who did you take home the other night?”

He broached the exact topic I wanted to discuss. “Funny story, actually.”

“I doubt I’ll laugh.”

People insisted Thorn Cutler was hard and cruel, a ruthless entrepreneur who only cared about money. That wasn’t entirely true. He had a heart he was ashamed to show—after having it broken so many times. “Diesel Hunt.”

Thorn kept his fingers on the stem of his glass as his eyes narrowed on my face. His eyebrow ridges pressed forward, giving him a slight scowl that interrupted his handsome features. “So he wasn’t interested in your business, after all.”

“I’m still not sure about that.”

“How was he?”

“Like you wouldn’t believe…” I swirled my wine before I took a drink. My deep red lipstick left a perfect stain against the glass. The last place my lips had been was on Hunt’s skin. I remembered how warm and hard his body had felt underneath my fingertips. I wanted to slice him just to feel his strength. “He was so good that I slept with him twice.”

Thorn’s interest evaporated like hot steam. “Tay, you need to be careful.”

Very few people called me that. If anyone tried without my permission, they regretted it. “It’s over.”

“Is it really?”

“Yes.” Hunt stormed into my office and made me squirm in my chair, but I didn’t let him win. I won the battle, and he left the war.

“I don’t know much about him other than he’s a manwhore. But aren’t we all?” Thorn’s eyebrows furrowed, but a smile formed on his lips. “I can’t tell what kind of man he is other than that.”

“He said he was a gentleman, the kind that didn’t kiss and tell.”

Thorn’s shoulders relaxed. “Good. He’s probably done with you and ready to move on anyway.”

That had yet to be determined. “Yeah…”

“Did he ask about me?”

“Yes.” He questioned me with a touch of jealousy.

“And what did you say?”

“Nothing.”

“Nothing?” he asked, cocking his head.

“I deflected, told him my personal life was none of his business.”

“But he thinks we’re an item?”

After our conversation in the corner of the club, I wasn’t sure where his head was on that topic. We’d gone to his place and fucked like animals. “I’m not sure what he thinks. If he does think we’re together, he doesn’t seem to care too much.”

“That’s perfect. I never hear anything about him in the media, so he seems like a man who keeps his personal life under wraps. He’s probably fine. Doesn’t seem like a talker.”

I hardly knew Hunt, but I felt like I’d known him for a long time. I could speak to his character without knowing any details. I could speak of his loyalty without ever experiencing it. I could speak of his commitment without seeing him pursue anything in his life. “He wouldn’t betray me. He’s a good man.”

Thorn was about to take a sip his wine, but he steadied himself and looked at me instead. “Titan.” All he said was my name, but he said so much more than that. “A good man?”

I drank my wine, as poised as ever.

“I’m starting to think you actually like this guy.”

“I don’t. I just know he’s different from the others.”

“Different, huh? Are you going to ask him to be yours?”

I’d be lying if I said I hadn’t thought about it. “No. He doesn’t fit the bill.”

“How so?”

“He’s too dominant. He would never give me any power over him.” It was one of the reasons my legs could hardly stay together. He had the kind of power I craved, the kind of authority that made me want to obey. Nothing got me hotter than unbridled strength, and the fact that this man had it made me want him even more. But it also made me avoid him like the plague, knowing I could never let him control me.

Thorn gave a slight nod. “True. He doesn’t seem like the kind of man who would get on his knees.”

“No.” He definitely wasn’t.

“At least you had your fun with him. Now you can move on.”

These lustful feelings would expire, just as they had for others in the past. Right now, he was a heavy fog in my mind. Anytime I wasn’t focusing on a task, I was thinking about him. And when my eyes were closed and I was lying in the dark of my bedroom, my hand had a mind of its own. His deep chocolate eyes looked into mine, pulsing and terrifying. He stripped me naked with just their stare, their power seeping into my veins like a needle releasing its drug. “Yeah…now I can move on.”