unyielding. “Because if you do, I’m listening.”
Noah ran a hand over his face and returned his gaze to the ceiling. “We’re screwed.” They needed Velvet Steel, needed it badly. It was one of the few major competitors left. If that company continued to resist their bids for takeover, then they wouldn’t have Velvet Steel’s patents, and they wouldn’t be able to streamline production. Considerable resources would have to be allocated to schmooze distributors and consolidate resources to keep them one step ahead of their competitors. Instead of focusing on their fledgling sites abroad, they’d be wasting precious time and money playing catch-up in the US. Growth would be stalled, and their shareholders upset.
Even knowing all of this, Noah still felt that what they were doing was a little extreme. “We never should have even tried this. It was a stupid idea.”
“It was your idea.”
Shane was right. It was his idea, one that he’d come up with after a few beers. He’d meant it as a joke, but then Shane locked onto the joke and it became something more. After a little research, Shane had learned that Kitty had a reputation for partying just as hard as she worked. The men in her wake were left satisfied and spoke fondly of her talents. It was obvious to him that the easiest way to influence Clint Velvet would be through seducing his daughter. Before Noah realized it, things were spiraling out of control.
In their drunken haze, they had formed a plan to seduce Ms. Kitty and use their relationship as leverage. It wasn’t like they hadn’t shared women before. More than once, their work had spilled over into their play, and the two of them ended up fooling around with the same woman—and with each other. They had been friends and coworkers for years, and Noah longed to take their relationship to the next level, but Shane had always held back. Noah guessed Shane wasn’t ready to admit he could have feelings for another man. Noah had tried to move on, occasionally dating other men and going out on his own, but it wasn’t the same. Nothing felt right, and he often came home hollow and empty. He always came back to Shane, the man with whom he shared a history as well as a company. He always would.
“Just like old times, eh?” Noah was happiest when he shared women and part of himself with Shane. Why couldn’t his friend see that they were right for each other?
“I suppose. Kitty’s different, though.”
“She’s just a fuck.” Noah sat up and stared at Shane. “You said yourself. We were to fuck her, drive her mad with desire, and then make her see how our deal to take over Velvet Steel would be mutually beneficial. When we walk into the meeting on Wednesday, it will be a three-on-one situation.”
“Perhaps.” Shane returned his gaze to the window. “Perhaps not.”
“What are you trying to say?”
“I’m saying that something special happened in this limo tonight, something more than ‘just a fuck.’ You saw the way she looked at me. I need to pursue it and see if something is there.”
“Shane, listen to yourself. She’s Clint Velvet’s daughter, our competitor. You can’t be serious.”
“I am serious. She wants you there too, Noah. You have to come.” Shane took Noah’s hands in his. “Please, for me.”
Fuck. “For you?” Noah shook his head. “It’s too risky.”
Shane leaned back and rubbed a hand over his face. “Did you see the way she responded to us, Noah? Did you fuckin’ see it?”
“Yeah.” Noah had seen it, all right. He was even aroused by it, but he knew Kitty was just sex. Shane was special. Why didn’t his partner see it? “I think she might try to use us.”
Shane raised his brow. “Use us? How so?”
“She might have recognized us and not said anything. She might be forming a new plan as we speak to kick our feet out from under us.”
“Don’t be ridiculous. After our seduction, we’ll tell her who we really are and convince her to
Noah ran a hand over his face and returned his gaze to the ceiling. “We’re screwed.” They needed Velvet Steel, needed it badly. It was one of the few major competitors left. If that company continued to resist their bids for takeover, then they wouldn’t have Velvet Steel’s patents, and they wouldn’t be able to streamline production. Considerable resources would have to be allocated to schmooze distributors and consolidate resources to keep them one step ahead of their competitors. Instead of focusing on their fledgling sites abroad, they’d be wasting precious time and money playing catch-up in the US. Growth would be stalled, and their shareholders upset.
Even knowing all of this, Noah still felt that what they were doing was a little extreme. “We never should have even tried this. It was a stupid idea.”
“It was your idea.”
Shane was right. It was his idea, one that he’d come up with after a few beers. He’d meant it as a joke, but then Shane locked onto the joke and it became something more. After a little research, Shane had learned that Kitty had a reputation for partying just as hard as she worked. The men in her wake were left satisfied and spoke fondly of her talents. It was obvious to him that the easiest way to influence Clint Velvet would be through seducing his daughter. Before Noah realized it, things were spiraling out of control.
In their drunken haze, they had formed a plan to seduce Ms. Kitty and use their relationship as leverage. It wasn’t like they hadn’t shared women before. More than once, their work had spilled over into their play, and the two of them ended up fooling around with the same woman—and with each other. They had been friends and coworkers for years, and Noah longed to take their relationship to the next level, but Shane had always held back. Noah guessed Shane wasn’t ready to admit he could have feelings for another man. Noah had tried to move on, occasionally dating other men and going out on his own, but it wasn’t the same. Nothing felt right, and he often came home hollow and empty. He always came back to Shane, the man with whom he shared a history as well as a company. He always would.
“Just like old times, eh?” Noah was happiest when he shared women and part of himself with Shane. Why couldn’t his friend see that they were right for each other?
“I suppose. Kitty’s different, though.”
“She’s just a fuck.” Noah sat up and stared at Shane. “You said yourself. We were to fuck her, drive her mad with desire, and then make her see how our deal to take over Velvet Steel would be mutually beneficial. When we walk into the meeting on Wednesday, it will be a three-on-one situation.”
“Perhaps.” Shane returned his gaze to the window. “Perhaps not.”
“What are you trying to say?”
“I’m saying that something special happened in this limo tonight, something more than ‘just a fuck.’ You saw the way she looked at me. I need to pursue it and see if something is there.”
“Shane, listen to yourself. She’s Clint Velvet’s daughter, our competitor. You can’t be serious.”
“I am serious. She wants you there too, Noah. You have to come.” Shane took Noah’s hands in his. “Please, for me.”
Fuck. “For you?” Noah shook his head. “It’s too risky.”
Shane leaned back and rubbed a hand over his face. “Did you see the way she responded to us, Noah? Did you fuckin’ see it?”
“Yeah.” Noah had seen it, all right. He was even aroused by it, but he knew Kitty was just sex. Shane was special. Why didn’t his partner see it? “I think she might try to use us.”
Shane raised his brow. “Use us? How so?”
“She might have recognized us and not said anything. She might be forming a new plan as we speak to kick our feet out from under us.”
“Don’t be ridiculous. After our seduction, we’ll tell her who we really are and convince her to
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