Company Ink Read online

  • • •

  Her eyes were burning the next day as she struggled to get through her orders. She kept a triple-shot caramel latte below her counter, squatting every few minutes to gulp down some caffeine despite the fact that the health department forbade such behavior. But if she had to choose between falling asleep and accidentally icing a cake pan or getting through her list with a little bit of energy, she’d risk keeping the outlawed latte at her station.

  She did her best to keep her eye on the prize: three o’clock, the hour that marked the end of her shift. If she stayed focused, she’d be able to get through the day without doing much more damage beyond yawning like a beast in the front window. As a result, she avoided contact with everyone in the store, barely saying more than a few words to anyone . Ultimately, all of her co-workers avoided her. All of them, that is, except Jay. This guy was really starting to overstay his welcome—she briefly wondered when he’d be headed back to the corporate office for good.

  “Hey, Vi! What’s going on with you today?”

  Violet sighed, the interaction draining valuable energy from her body. “I’m just tired.”

  “Hmm, losing sleep, huh?” he teased. “Is it the new guy?”

  “Jay, I’m really not in the mood. Can we talk about this later?”

  He stepped back, slightly offended at the brush off. “Oh, so you’re not just tired—you’re crabby, too.”

  “I’m really not meaning to be,” Violet replied. “I’m just having a—”

  “No, I get it,” Jay interrupted, turning away and heading back toward the registers. “Talk to you later.”

  Jay’s abrupt departure let Violet know in no uncertain terms that she’d offended him. She sighed deeply, silently wishing he would have just let left her alone today. Still being the “new girl” held its disadvantages; Violet had upset the guy who’d not only been ops manager for years but started as a floor supervisor when Wynne’s Kitchen first opened at this very store. Jay was definitely well loved by all of the staff and, though Violet had certainly made a few friends, it wouldn’t fare well for her that she’d upset the company darling. Ah, store politics. Violet hoped this would be the last she’d have to think about it.

  • • •

  It didn’t take long for Ben to notice that Violet was becoming increasingly distracted and, frankly, it worried him. Since their first “date,” he’d craved her in a way that he never had with anyone. Shared shifts at the bakery had become almost unbearable; every time he so much as looked in her direction, he wanted nothing more than to kiss or touch her. In fact, in the four weeks they’d been dating, however secret their relationship, they’d made love more times than he had in a year with Elena. Now they were going into their second month together, and Violet might be pulling away. Not that he blamed her—secret relationships, he was learning, were exhausting. And if juggling his growing feelings and maintaining a successfully professional rapport at the bakery was difficult for him, then it must be for Violet as well.

  Violet was sitting silently at her desk in the bakery’s office, going over paperwork with worry etched on her face. He sat just a few feet away, almost feeling the way he had when things were weird between them. Her fingers sped across her keyboard and, every now and then, she’d stop and put her head down, letting out a sigh. After ten minutes of debating with himself, he decided he couldn’t wait until later to talk to her.

  “Is everything okay, Vi?”

  She jumped slightly, as if she’d barely registered his presence before that moment. “Huh? Oh, yeah. I’m fine.”

  “Are you sure?” he pressed gently. “You’ve sighed six times in the last ten minutes. It’s not the orders, is it? Am I pushing too hard with taking on more? What’s going on?”

  “Nothing,” she lied. “Really, it’s nothing. We can talk about it another time.”

  Nothing. Right. “You’re not telling me something. And I can’t shake it out of you because we’re at work.”

  “We’ve been dating a month, and you already know me too well.”

  “Promise you’ll talk to me when you’re ready.”

  “I will. What’s happening with Elena?”

  “The fun continues,” he answered, pushing his chair back so that it was pressed against the desk. “I’m checking in with Tommy tonight. But hey, you’re off tomorrow, aren’t you?”

  “I am.”

  “I’m not, but I think I feel myself coming down with something,” he said, invoking a small giggle from Violet. “Do you think you might want to meet me at my apartment tonight?”

  “Yes.”

  He turned back to his computer screen to hide the delight on his face. Her quick response put him at ease; if she were pulling away, there’s no way she would have answered so quickly.

  “In fact, why don’t you leave me your keys?” she suggested. “I’ll make dinner.”

  “I’ll leave them at your station, in one of the icing containers,” he replied.

  As he stared at the balance sheet in front of him, he scolded himself for being so excited about having Violet in his arms in a few short hours. He was getting ahead of himself, and he knew it. But he had to face it—dinner, a movie, and Violet were all part of a recipe for a pretty amazing evening.

  • • •

  Violet had seen Steve sitting on the fountain across from the bakery, watching her as she hailed a cab. Had he been able to catch a cab fast enough to follow her? Not likely. It was that thought that comforted her as she set herself up in Ben’s kitchen. The plan was to make one hell of a meal and slip into a food coma, wrapped tightly in her secret boyfriend’s arms—that is, assuming they wouldn’t spend the rest of the evening screwing their brains out. Hmm, either or, she thought with a smile.

  To her surprise, she heard Ben walk in an hour and a half early while she was preparing carrots for roasting.

  “I hear you on the cutting board,” he said loudly. “Put the knife down; I’m coming in.”

  She laughed, placing the knife carefully on his solid wood cutting board. Without further warning, she felt herself being spun around. Violet barely had a chance to see the boyish grin on his face before Ben’s mouth closed over hers. His touch invoked knee-buckling tingles, and his scent made her deliciously dizzy. Large, strong hands ran down her back and cupped her bottom as his powerful frame towered over her, and she reached up and wrapped her arms around his neck to pull him closer. In response, he bent down and swept her into his arms. She giggled against his mouth as he held her to him. Ben smiled at her, his eyes blue and bright like the clear Caribbean Sea.

  “I love your giggles, Vi,” he declared. “This is how I was hoping you’d be when I got here.”

  “Happy?”

  “I know you’ve been stressed out lately. I just don’t know why. Are you ready to talk to me yet?”

  She sighed, pausing to kiss him on the cheek. “No.”

  “Was that affectionate kiss supposed to soften the blow? Or did you want to continue making out like teenagers in the living room?”

  She just knew it was a guilty grin spreading across her face. “Um, both?”

  His eyes focused on her mouth as he replied, “Hmm, I guess I can deal with that. Would you like a third option?”

  “What about dinner?”

  “It can wait,” he replied. “We can take one of my famous stress-relief showers.”

  “Famous? How many people actually know about these showers?”

  “Oh, you thought I meant worldwide fame? No, I meant fame in my head.”

  Violet laughed softly as he turned on his heel and began to carry her toward his luxurious bathroom. “So, how exactly does this shower relieve stress?”

  “It’s a lot easier to just show you,” Ben replied, placing her down on the rug. “I’m glad you’re already barefoot.”

  He tugged at her jeans, popping them open with ease. She reached for his button-down shirt, and he gently removed her hands.

  “You first,” he sa
id with a grin, his voice warm and buttery.

  Violet’s tummy jumped as he lowered himself to his knees, taking her jeans down with him. Placing her hands on his shoulders, she stepped out of them. He picked them up and tossed them carelessly on top of the dark wicker hamper. He stepped behind her, keeping one hand on her shoulder as he reached into the shower and turned it on. Within seconds, steam started to fill the bathroom. Ben’s hands massaged her sore neck. Her eyes fluttered closed as her entire body began to ignite.

  “Arms up,” he demanded gently.

  Violet did as she was told, and Ben lifted her shirt up and over her head. His slender fingers ran teasingly up her spine as he removed her bra, and she drew in a deep breath as little bolts of lightning ran through her body.

  “Get in, sweetheart,” he said, dragging the shower curtain open for her.

  The hot water beating against her body felt like heaven, and the worries that had compounded over the last month began to disappear. It wasn’t more than a minute before the shower curtain opened again; her favorite Viking stepped in, his naked body practically making her mouth water.

  “Mmm,” he growled. “I’m a little surprised this is our first shower. You look absolutely stunning when you’re wet.”

  Violet closed her eyes, not trusting her voice to do anything other than embarrass her. He tilted her chin upward with one crooked finger, kissing her full on the mouth. She was completely naked and vulnerable to his touch. She allowed herself a sigh, and the sound made Ben chuckle softly.

  “Relaxed, are we?”

  Violet nodded as he positioned her against the wall so that he could get himself wet. She nearly went cross-eyed as the hot water ran down his wonderfully defined chest, making its way over his rising erection. His skin was perfect, unblemished, and practically singing her name like a siren call. Mesmerized, she reached out and flattened her hands against his chest, running them over his shoulder blades as she wrapped her arms around his neck. They kissed again, and the feel of his slick, naked flesh against her own took her breath away. She let her hands fall to his massive shaft. Once again, he pulled her hands away.

  “No, no,” he chuckled. “This is about you.”

  She let out a ragged sigh as he lifted her arms above her head and pinned her to the shower wall. His mouth began a tantalizing assault as it made its way from her neck all the way down her torso. As his tongue blazed a trail down her body, he lowered himself onto his knees in front of her. Tangling her fingers in his hair, she breathlessly urged him on. Nibbling kisses down below her navel led to long, sweeping strokes with his tongue as he buried his face between her legs. She moaned his name as he skillfully used his tongue and magic fingers to make her forget about everything other than the fact that his all-consuming goal, for the moment, had become to tip her over the edge of ecstasy as many times as he could before dinner.

  • • •

  An hour later, Violet was back in the kitchen, her legs weak from forcing herself to stand while Ben pleased her continuously. Shock waves still rushed from her core to the tips of her fingers. It was with a wicked grin after her first orgasm that he’d looked up and demanded, “I want two more.” And with no more than his fingers and mouth, he’d gotten them. He wouldn’t allow her to touch him except to hold on to him each time her knees buckled when he refused to move away. She stood over the frying pan, unable to let go of the thought that, when all was said and done, he was due some payback in the form of her mouth on him. Violet heard Ben’s footsteps behind her; she smiled as, a moment later, his arms wrapped around her waist.

  “There’s no way that filet mignon could possibly be as tasty as you are,” he murmured, planting a kiss on her shoulder blade.

  “Be that as it may, we have to eat.”

  “Mmm, is that mushroom risotto?”

  “It will be.” She grinned. “Are we eating in here or in the living room?”

  Before he could answer, his cell phone began to ring in the next room. He groaned and excused himself to answer it.

  • • •

  The smell of Violet’s sumptuous dinner followed him to the living room. The caller ID told him that Tommy was on the other line; while he was pissed about being disturbed, Ben knew he couldn’t ignore any time his lawyer called.

  “This better be good, Tommy.”

  “Are you home?”

  “Yeah, but I’ve got company.”

  Tommy laughed a little. “The production supervisor?”

  “Her name’s Violet,” Ben corrected, not a huge fan of the way Tommy liked to “bro things down.” “And yeah, she’s here.”

  “I need to talk to you.”

  Ben sighed. “Can’t it wait?”

  “Not really,” he replied. “Meet me at Ollie’s, and I promise it won’t take long.”

  “You’re killing me.” Ben groaned.

  “Trust me, you want to hear this,” Tommy assured him. “You’ll be back up with your lady in no time.”

  Tommy ended the call, leaving Ben to pull on his sneakers and grab a white v-neck tee that had been folded over his recliner, putting it on as he headed back to the kitchen. A blissfully oblivious Violet danced around, cooking and humming Rosemary Clooney songs. He folded his arms and watched her wiggle her hips as she tossed the risotto in its pan with an expert wrist, the sizzles and pops coming from the stove seeming to match the rhythm of her melodic singing. Putting down the sauté pan, she turned in his direction to reach for a small container of beef stock and stopped short, her cheeks turning crimson as she realized she was busted. She looked at him from beneath her eyelashes and pressed her lips together.

  “Um, yeah—that was Rosemary Clooney,” she said sheepishly. “My gran used to sing it when she was cooking, too.”

  “You’re adorable.”

  “Yeah.” She grinned, biting her lower lip as she turned back to the stove to add more stock to the risotto. “Going somewhere?”

  “I’m gonna run down really quick and grab a bottle of wine,” he replied. “Want anything in particular?”

  “You’re the pro, babe,” she replied with a wink. “Surprise me.”

  He paused to plant a kiss on the back of her head before heading out of the condo toward Ollie’s, where he knew Tommy would be waiting. The popular neighborhood bar/restaurant was proving to be a backdrop for some pretty significant moments in Ben’s life.

  He spotted Tommy quickly and took a seat. A Scotch was waiting for him, which he pushed away with a shake of his head. Tommy shrugged and set it next to his own.

  “More for me,” he said.

  “Look, I’m sorry to be short here, but you’ve got five minutes. Vi doesn’t know I’m meeting you.”

  “I actually want to talk to you about her,” Tommy said, taking a generous sip from his glass. “My source tells me that Elena’s obsessed. She’s itching to know more about your girl so she can use your relationship against you.”

  “Don’t worry about that. I’ve seen Elena lurking around like some sort of haphazard spy. I won’t let her get near Violet.”

  “What exactly is going on with you and Violet, anyway?”

  “We’re dating,” Ben answered. “I’m moving on. Why? Am I not allowed to do that?”

  Tommy sat back, hands up. “I’m not saying you can’t move on. I’m saying you should probably make sure Violet is the real deal, because if she isn’t, you’re better off leaving this girl alone.”

  Ben raised an eyebrow. “Do you know something I don’t?”

  Tommy shook his head. “Well, I think I’m close to figuring out the cards in Elena’s hand. If I can get my source to go public, we can take her out and you’ll be divorced faster than you can imagine. Other than what I can’t tell you, you know everything. Think about what I’m saying here, Ben. We don’t need additional hurdles. I want to get you through this.”

  “This is getting really old, dude. You’ve been hiding this so-called source from me for weeks now; I’m starting to feel like I’m par
t of some sick reality show where everybody knows what’s going on but me.”

  Tommy nodded, his expression apologetic. “I know. But if she finds out who’s been speaking to me, our case is destroyed. What I can tell you, though, is that for whatever reason, Elena wants to make this messy. And knowing Violet is in the picture is sending her further down the warpath, which is why I’m asking about this girl. You might want to—”

  “Elena isn’t the goddamned game master in this thing. I like where Vi and I are headed right now, and I’m not gonna let this divorce make me rush to define my relationship with her, period.”

  “Okay, I get it. Just be careful and tell Violet to watch her back. When am I gonna meet her, anyway?”

  “Let’s plan for next week,” Ben said.

  “Give me a call early in the week, and we’ll work something out,” Tommy agreed, standing up.

  Ben stood, and the old friends embraced. “Will do. And thanks, Tommy. Now I’ve got to manage to get to the liquor store to grab a bottle of wine in the next three and a half minutes.”

  “Yeah, maybe you should just tell her where you are,” Tommy suggested with a grin. “It makes no sense to be serious about a girl if you’re already lying to her.”

  “Good point. But did the king of the bachelors just give me relationship advice?”

  Tommy laughed as he hailed a cab. “I’m not a total douchebag, bro. Give me a little credit!”

  Ben waited until Tommy caught a cab before running as fast as his legs could carry him to Seventieth and West End. He walked into the wine shop just steps from the corner, planning on picking out a bold red that best reminded him of Violet, who was fast becoming his best girl.

  Ten

  After enjoying an amazing dinner by candlelight at the dinette in Ben’s oversized kitchen, he and Violet retreated into the living room. He put on a DVD, the title of which he’d never remember, because Violet began her seduction the second he sat down. She thanked him for the shower as she planted tormenting kisses on his neck, sending his eyes into the back of his head when she straddled him in his recliner. His hands were under her shirt, rubbing her back slowly as she kissed him deeply and pretended that she didn’t realize she was grinding on him just enough to force his hard-on to threaten to burst through his jeans.