The Makeover Page 11

  “That’s right,” he growled. “God, Mykal, you make me so…” He groaned deeply as she closed her muscles over him, squeezing his cock. The rest of his words were lost in the rhythm of his frantic movements. He held her hip with one hand. The other was splayed low on her belly, keeping her close so that she couldn’t escape his rough fucking even if she’d been crazy enough to want to. He was hitting her g-spot with every thrust and she could barely remember her name or the day of the week.

  Eventually the hand on her belly moved upward to pass over her breasts and tug at her nipples before arrowing downward to slip between her thighs. He drove her mad by caressing her clit in slick circles. He kept the pressure light. Only his thrusts forward pushed her into his hand.

  Mykal realized that she was crying out with every thrust. Even as she became aware of it, she couldn’t stop. It was just too good. She braced herself onto her elbows, impaling herself on his cock. She could feel her orgasm building.

  At last, Greg stopped teasing her. His fingers moved over her clit in fast, firm strokes. “Mykal, you feel so damn good.” He leaned over her and bit her neck in a move that was like a claiming as much as the cock buried so deeply in her belly. “You’re going to make me come so hard, baby. So hard, you’re going to be able to feel me cum even with the condom. When we do fuck bare, I’m gonna to go off like a fucking geyser. There’ll be so much cum, it’ll flood your pussy and run down your thighs.”

  In the end, it was the dirty talk that did her in. She’d never been with any man without a condom. She’d never had a relationship that lasted that long nor had she had the desire to forego protection. But she wanted it with Greg.

  Her pussy clamped down on Greg’s cock, the pleasure so great that she was struck mute. He swelled and hardened within her before grinding out her name and collapsing on top of her. It was enough to make her almost come again.

  “Well…that was totally the opposite reaction I was expecting after a verbal evisceration at the hands of my parents,” she said with a breathy laugh some minutes later.

  He buried his face in the side of her neck. He kissed her and hugged her. He seemed to have no intention of moving. She stretched beneath him so that she was more comfortable. She didn’t ask him to pull out or to move. The sweat on her back and his chest glued them together.

  “Mykal?”

  He sounded serious and she was immediately on alert. She wondered if he was going to tell her that he loved her again. She didn’t want to argue with him every time they made love. “Yes?”

  “Will you go out with me?”

  Caught off guard and relieved, she laughed. “I thought I already was going out with you.”

  “No. I mean on a date. A real date. I’ll wear my suit and you’ll wear anything you want since you’ll look fabulous no matter what you put on. We’ll go wherever you want to go and do whatever you want to do.”

  Mykal smiled into her pillow. “That sounds fabulous.”

  “Is Friday okay? I know you usually go out with Tania on Fridays. I’d say Saturday but that’s the night of Ben’s Halloween party. By the way, will you go to the party with me?”

  “Let’s see. Lots of questions there. Tania and I go out just to spend time together. It won’t matter to either of us if we do something else. Can she come with us to Ben’s party?” She squirmed as Greg ran a finger down the length of her spine.

  “Yeah, I’m sure Ben would love that. The more women there are, the better it will be.”

  “Is there a theme? Is there any type of costume we should wear?”

  Greg grunted. “Costumes aren’t required. In fact, Ben said that the guys shouldn’t wear costumes unless you’re coming as a football player. Girls can dress in any costume they like—as long as it’s the slutty version.”

  “He’s a real prize, that one,” she said dryly. “I’m not sure how you put up with him.”

  “Yeah, Ben can be a jerk.” He kissed her shoulder blade. “He’s like an older brother to us. He’ll draw obscene doodles on your face if you fall asleep in his presence, but he’ll kick the ass of anyone else trying to screw with you.”

  “Um,” she murmured, distracted since he was caressing her waist and nibbling along her neck. Not to mention the distraction of the burgeoning erection still buried deeply inside her. “Greg, the condom,” she reminded him before either of them got too carried away to care or remember.

  He groaned and rolled off her. “Be right back.”

  She shifted so that she could stare at his naked back as he walked away. His shoulders were incredibly broad and his waist was trim. He was a woman’s wet dream. That he wasn’t cocky about his looks only added to his allure. She wasn’t even sure he recognized his appeal. She sighed. At least not yet.

  Chapter Ten

  Friday morning, Mykal parked her car in front of their Williamston jewelry store. Her lips pursed as she took in the front window. It was the same lackluster display she’d asked James to revamp when she’d dropped by on Monday. He’d flat out refused to do a Halloween design, declaring the holiday to be little more than devil worship. So she she’d suggested a neutral autumnal theme with orange, red, and gold leaves and gourds—all save the demonic pumpkin. When she’d departed the store, she’d thought they’d reached an amicable compromise.

  Apparently not.

  Sighing, she exited her car. A chilly breeze whipped about her legs, causing her to shiver and making her wish she’d settled on her serviceable gray wool skirt instead of the super cute pink silk one and peep toe pumps. The day was supposed to warm by at about twenty degrees by noon. The weather would be perfect for her night out with Greg.

  She felt a little flutter of excitement in her chest as she thought about their upcoming date. She’d scheduled appointments to have her hair and nails done. It was ridiculous how much she was looking forward to tonight. They spent practically every free moment together. This week had been an exception. Greg had been called out of town to meet with a game development company in California on Tuesday. Each night they had talked on the phone for hours before falling asleep. He would be back in town just in time for their date. She’d been concerned that he might be exhausted from his flight and had offered to postpone, but Greg had insisted that he didn’t want the delay.

  But first things first. That meant dealing with James. Straightening her shoulders, she marched into the store. The interior was typical of jewelry stores. Square glass display cases commandeered the customer’s attention as soon as a person walked inside. The walls were lined with more cases lit by overhead lights. This early in the morning there was only one customer, a young woman dressed casually in designer jeans and sneakers. James was showing her a selection of men’s watches. Another of the employees, Emmanuel, a handsome guy about her age, was arranging rings at the other end of the counter. Mykal approached him. “Hi,” she said quietly.

  Emmanuel gave her a wide, flirtatious smile. Though he’d made it known that he was interested in her, he’d never been so bold as to make her uncomfortable. But he definitely wasn’t her type. He was too flashy for her liking. “Hi, Mykal.”

  “How long has he been with her?” She nodded her head toward James.

  “About ten minutes.” He glanced their way. “He’s probably wrapping up.”

  “Any reason he didn’t redecorate the window as I asked?” She’d like to think there was some explanation other that a complete and utter lack of respect for her authority.

  Emmanuel shrugged and became intensely focused on the task of straightening the items in the case. Suppressing a sigh, she moved closer to where James was assisting the customer. She didn’t mean to eavesdrop, but his behavior was so outrageous that she could barely keep her mouth from dropping open. How her father had kept this man as an employee for fifteen years was a mystery to her! But perhaps his behavior had been better when her father was around consistently.

  “I’d like to see th
e one with the matte finish,” the woman was saying.

  The small smile that James aimed her way was blatantly patronizing. “I think you’ll find that one to be out of your price range.”

  Trying to give him the benefit of the doubt, Mykal wondered if the customer had discussed her budget with him. But the woman’s next comment banished any good will she had toward James. “Excuse me? Are you trying to say that you don’t think that I can afford the watch?”

  “Well, judging by the way you’re dressed…” Over the rim of his glasses, his eyes flicked over her from head to toe in a condescending manner. “It’s nothing to be ashamed of.”

  “I’ll have you know that-”

  “James,” Mykal sharply interrupted before the situation could become even more volatile. “Can I talk to you in your office for a moment?”

  “As you can see, I’m helping a customer. Can it wait?” He smiled tightly.

  Mykal didn’t bother to return the false smile. “Emmanuel can help her.” Not waiting for his response, she waved Emmanuel over. “Emmanuel, can you please assist this customer while I speak with James privately. And I believe she said she wanted to see the watch with the matte finish. Please show it to her. Thank you.” She headed toward the back, giving James little choice but to follow her.

  Once in his office, she settled into the seat behind his desk. It was a blatant power move and one that did not go unnoticed by James. Lips tight, he took the seat across from his desk. “Please, tell me that is not how you ordinarily treat our customers?”

  James straightened his vest. “Young lady, I understand that it is your intention to take over for your father. But until such time as you have a better comprehension of the business, you should learn from your elders. That woman out there is not the sort of clientele that we wish to have frequenting our establishment.”

  Mykal prayed for patience, but she was sorely lacking in that trait. Even if she’d had a wealth of it, she felt sure that James still would have been a trial to her. “What sort of clientele is that? A paying customer?” Pressing her hands together, she leaned forward. “Do you realize that your store is our least profitable location?”

  He sniffed with obvious disdain. “We are in a disadvantaged location. You cannot expect us to perform as well as stores in a larger and more prosperous town.”

  “Should I also not expect you to continue to meet your own profit margins?”

  He gifted her with a small tight smile. “Times have been difficult for us all.”

  Mykal ground her teeth together. She was sick of his excuses. “You always have an answer at the ready,” she said. And she could see it was pointless to continue to try to reprimand James. He would always presume that he knew best. She sighed. She’d called her father to discuss this possibility with him. She’d hoped it wouldn’t come to this. “James, you’ve been a valuable employee for many years.”

  “Yes,” he agreed with a nod of his bald head. The overhead lights reflected off of his shiny dark brown scalp. “Twenty-five to be exact,” he said with an air of satisfaction.

  Mykal squirmed in her seat. As annoying as he was, she truly didn’t want to have to do this, but he had left her little choice. He didn’t respect her authority. He was unwilling to work with her. “Yes, well… Times have changed and I want to take the management of the store in a new direction. I simply don’t feel that you are comfortable with or willing to take that route with us.”

  He sat up stiffly. “Now, see here, young lady. Are you trying to fire me?”

  She shook her head. “No, I’m giving you the opportunity to retire.”

  “I’m not ready for retirement.”

  “Then I suggest you seek employment elsewhere,” she said before she could stop herself.

  James scowled. “Is your father aware that you’re trying to fire me?”

  Mykal nodded. “I discussed the possibility with him.” Her father hadn’t liked the idea, but he’d given her his support. And he’d been proud that she was taking on more responsibility with the stores. “I had hoped it could be avoided, but after witnessing your interaction with a customer-”

  “This is my store and if your father wants to fire me, then he will have to come and do it himself. Until such time, I will remain at my post. I’ve been running this store since you were playing with dolls and crapping in your diaper. If your father wasn’t the owner of this business, you’d never have been given this job and you sure as hell don’t deserve it. Why can’t you do something you’re good at? Find a good man, get married and have a baby. I’m sure you can still find the time to get a few manicures.” He stood, straightened his clothing once more and left the room.

  Mykal trembled with repressed rage. She was not going to stoop to his level. She couldn’t physically remove him, but letting him remain in the store for even a few more weeks so that they could give him a retirement party was not an option. She would not accept this outright defiance. Grinding her teeth, she called her father to inform him of this situation. Then she placed a second call to the police to have James removed.

  That had gone much worse than she’d even imaged it would. Dropping her face in her hands, she thought that her day had to get better from here.

  ***

  Greg stepped out of the conference room of Fire Games, practically bouncing with excitement. He pulled his cell out of his back pocket. The area around him buzzed with the activity of employees. Some played games on their computers while others tossed around a ball.

  “Looking for a quiet spot?” asked Sally, the personal assistant to Mr. Rodgers, the company’s president and CEO.

  He nodded. “I need to make a phone call.”

  She smiled. “You’re welcome to use my office. It’s small, but you’ll have privacy.”

  “Thank you.” He followed her down a narrow corridor. Both her office and that of Mr. Rodgers were separated from the rest of the employees by glass walls. Greg immediately felt like he was enclosed in a fish bowl. Sally’s office was less than half the size of her boss’s. He wanted to try stretching his arms out to see if he could touch both opposing walls at once, but he didn’t want to offend Sally. She’d been very friendly to him since he met her on Tuesday.

  “I’ll leave you alone,” she said, gathering some papers off the corner of her desk.

  “I’ll only be a few minutes,” he promised. “They’re expecting me back in the conference room.”

  “Take as long as you need.” She caressed his shoulder as she passed him. “And maybe later, we could have lunch together.”

  “Um…” He didn’t think he’d ever become accustomed to this new reaction he was getting from women. He was used to be ignored—comfortable with it even. He wasn’t certain how to say no without hurting her feelings. “Well, we’re working through lunch,” he finally replied.

  She arched a slender blonde eyebrow. “Dinner?”

  He shook his head. “I’m sorry. I’m seeing someone.”

  Her gaze flicked over him from head to toe. “You can tell her for me that she’s one lucky woman.”

  Cheeks aflame, he said, “Thank you,” but he had no intention of telling Mykal about women hitting on him. It’d been happening with increasing frequency lately. He knew it was because of Mykal. She’d not only given him a makeover, she made him happy. And people were attracted to positivity. He was no longer moping his way through his days. He walked with his head up and his shoulders back. His self-confidence was at an all-time high.

  Mykal wasn’t the lucky one, he was. He knew she was probably approached by men every day, yet she didn’t rub it in his face or make him feel like she was doing charity work by being with him. Not the way Daria had. At the time, his confidence was so low, that he’d agreed with her. The woman had even cheated on him and like an idiot, he’d begged her to return to him. Had even started this makeover with the intention of winning her back. Thank God, he’d come to h
is senses.

  Once the door swung closed behind Sally, he located Mykal’s number under his favorites on his phone.

  “Hi, baby. Are you calling me from the airport?”

  His eyes closed involuntarily at the sound of her voice. “No, I’m calling you from the offices at Fire Games.”

  There was a pause. “I don’t understand. If you’re still there, how are you going to make it home in time for our date?”

  Greg sighed. “Nigel—the guy I’ve been meeting with all week—called me last night after midnight your time and said that Mr. Rodgers, the CEO and president, had just gotten back in town and he wanted to meet with me this morning. And guess what? They want to put my game into production next year. We’re still talking logistics but-” He stopped his excited rambling and drew in a deep breath. “But obviously, I had to cancel my morning flight. I’m not going to make it home until tomorrow. I hope you’re not too disappointed.” He braced himself for an ear blistering.

  “I am very disappointed, but mostly because I miss you and I needed something to go right today.”

  “Why? What’s wrong?”

  “I had to fire someone this morning. It was an ugly situation. I had to call the police to have him removed. All that drama caused me to be late for my nail appointment and lady at the nail spa didn’t hold my reservation.”

  “I’m sorry you’re having such a crap day. If it’s any consolation, I miss you like crazy, too. I wish you could be here with me so that we could celebrate together.”

  “Greg, I’m really happy for you. We could celebrate tomorrow. Will you be home then?”

  “Yeah. Since it was last minute, they offered to fly me to Charlotte on the company plane in the morning. From there, I can catch a flight back into Greenville.”