Chapter Eighty-Nine

Grace woke early and was puzzled to find the side table lamp still on. A quick peek at the clothes strewn around the room on the floor reminded her that she and Mac had simply stripped off their clothes and went at each other. She smiled down at her husband, still sleeping, and looked at the clock.

Damn, she could have slept another two and a half hours until the alarm sounded! Maybe she could get up, go pee really quickly, turn off the light and go back to sleep. Or perhaps she should get up and take another look at the personnel files to make sure she was ready for the day’s meetings.

But the bed was so cozy, and she didn’t want to wake Mac up by getting up. Still, she really had to pee!

“You’re thinking very loudly, Gracie.”

“Shh, I’m just going to the bathroom, then we can both go back to sleep.”

Mac nodded, but now that they were both awake, maybe they would make better use of the time. He wondered if he would ever get enough of her.

When Grace climbed back into bed, she grinned.

“Mmm, somebody is awake for me.” She slid under the covers and kissed her way down Mac’s body until she found the prize she sought.

He was rock hard for her and moaned when her lips parted as she took him into her willing mouth.

“God, yes, Grace! You make me feel so good.”

“Mmm-hmm.”

Mac smiled as he lifted the sheet to see his beautiful redhead with her mouth full of his cock and her blue eyes full of mischief.

He didn’t have to wonder for long what she had planned. Soon enough, her perky little nose was touching his belly as she took him all the way into her throat.

“Oh, fuck!” Mac’s eyes rolled into the back of his head as she eased back, swirled her tongue around the tip of his shaft, and swallowed it balls deep again.

She continued this erotic torture just long enough to drive Mac wild. Then she backed off and said, “Fuck me, Mac.”

Mac rolled her on her side and took her from behind, easing his throbbing member into her hot, wet pussy. They both moaned with pleasure as he moved in and out of her, slowly at first, then with wild abandon as their need grew stronger.

“You feel so fucking good on my cock!” Mac shouted as he pumped into her tightness.

“Fuck! Yes! Yes! Yes!” Grace cried out as he hammered into her as waves of orgasm overwhelmed her.

“That’s right, baby. Cum on my cock. That’s a good girl!”

Mac exploded and filled Grace with his seed, panting hard and burying his face in her long, red locks.

“I like that position,” Grace said when she could finally speak. “That will come in handy when I get bigger.”

Mac murmured something unintelligible as he slid out of her and pulled her close.

With his arms around her, Grace drifted off to sleep again, enjoying another two hours before the alarm woke her to start their day. They enjoyed a room service breakfast of poached eggs on English muffins and some green tea, which Mac had arranged the night before. It warmed his heart to watch her enjoy breakfast again as her nausea had mainly subsided.

After breakfast, they quickly showered and dressed to get an early start at the office. Grace wanted to make good on her promise to meet with Ian and put the fear of God in him.

Their driver, Miguel, smiled to himself when he noticed that Mrs. Stewart looked happy and well-rested when he picked her and Mr. Stewart up to take them to the office. In addition to that, it was interesting to see how last night she’d been gorgeous and elegant for the party, but this morning she appeared ready to kick some ass in her professional business attire. She was still beautiful, but also a little scary. He pitied whoever would be her target today.

Daniella greeted Mac and Grace upon their arrival.

“Good morning! Mac, your usual office is available. Grace, I’ve arranged for you to use a small conference room for your workspace for the week,” she said formally. Then she added, “Grace, I am truly sorry for my despicable behavior yesterday. I had a bit too much champagne as I was nervous about meeting you and seeing Ian so soon after our breakup. I promise that it won’t happen again.”

“See that it doesn’t,” Grace said sternly. “I’ve heard many wonderful things about you, so let’s start fresh today, shall we?”

Daniella nodded. “Yes. Thank you for the chance to prove myself.”

“Of course,” Grace said with a little more warmth. She wanted Daniella to respect her, not loathe her.

Mac gave Grace’s hand a quick squeeze and smiled as he watched her follow Daniella down the hall to her makeshift office.

The room was a nice space, and Grace noted that a desk, computer, and phone were waiting for her.

“I think you will find everything you need, but if something is missing or would make your day easier, please don’t hesitate to ask!”

“Daniella…”

“Please, call me Dani. I know you’re my boss, but I would like us to be on friendly terms. Despite my shitty comments yesterday, I am really a decent person.”

“Dani, if I didn’t have faith in Mac’s assessment of you, I’d be about to kick your ass instead of Ian’s,” Grace said as she tilted her head. “Thanks. The office looks well stocked, and the chair looks comfortable. All I need now is for you to let Ian know that I’m ready to speak to him.”

“You want me to get him?” Dani asked, looking flustered.

Grace sat down and discovered the chair was, indeed, comfortable. “Yes, you can handle that, right?”

Dani inhaled sharply. “Yes, of course.”

“Good! Oh, and Dani? I’m well aware that Mac used to ask you to set up appointments and extracurricular activities for him when he was in town. He won’t be needing those anymore.”

Daniella’s face grew hot. “He made that very clear,” she said defensively.

“Good to know,” Grace replied. “I want us to get along too, Dani. I just need to know we are on the same page.”

Dani nodded and went to find Ian. But on her way, she ran smack dab into Mac.

“Oh, goodness! I’m so sorry, McKinley. I wasn’t watching where I was going.”

“Are you okay, Daniella?” he asked. She was clearly flustered.

“I just feel like I’ve gotten off on the wrong foot with Grace, and I can’t seem to fix it,” Daniella sighed. “I know I said some stupid things yesterday, but I shouldn’t have to prove myself to her when you know damn well I’m good at my job.”

Mac pondered whether he should get involved or not. Then he realized his best move was to stay out of this for now. But that didn’t mean he couldn’t offer some advice.

“You said some shitty things yesterday, Dani. If that were my first impression of you, I’d wonder about your ability to lead this office,” Mac said. “So, it’s up to you to show her what I have always seen in you.”

“Would you talk to her?” Dani asked.

“Nope, not a chance. I’ve already sung your praises, and you embarrassed me last night. I don’t particularly appreciate looking foolish. I have great faith in you, but you need to fix this yourself. Otherwise, maybe I’m not as good of a judge of character as I thought I was.”

Mac patted Dani on the shoulder and walked away.

Daniella inhaled sharply and headed to Ian’s cubicle.

Chapter Ninety

“Ian, Grace would like to see you,” she said, keeping her voice professional.

“Seriously? Damn it! If I lose my job because you’ve filled her head with shit about me…”

“I haven’t said a word about you,” Dani interrupted.

“Fine. I will head there in a minute.”

“She asked me to bring you to her office,” Dani said impatiently. “I don’t think she wants to be kept waiting.”

Ian felt irritation creep up his back. As if it wasn’t bad enough that he had to deal with one irrational woman, now he was stuck having to kiss McKinley’s wife’s ass. He didn’t care what she said; no one climbs the ladder that fast without fucking the boss.

He got up from his chair and followed begrudgingly. The door was open, so Dani knocked on the door frame to get Grace’s attention when they got there.

“I’ve brought Ian to see you,” she said.

“Great! Thanks so much, Dani. I appreciate your help,” Grace said, flashing Dani a warm smile, leaving her confused.

Grace picked up on this and said, “Are you free for lunch?”

Dani tilted her head. “Sure, what time is good?”

“How about noon here in my office. You can bring in some food from wherever you prefer. Just not anything too greasy or spicy,” Grace suggested.

“Will McKinley be joining us?” Dani asked.

Ian felt his annoyance growing. They were acting as if he wasn’t there.

“Maybe you two could make your lunch plans after our meeting? I have things to do,” Ian said curtly.

“No, Mac has some things he wants to take care of during lunch, so it will just be the two of us,” she said, ignoring Ian.

Dani might have felt some pity for Ian if he hadn’t been a total jackass Saturday night when he broke up with her. But fuck it, he was a cocky asshole who needed to be knocked down a few pegs. If anyone could do it, she was pretty confident Grace could.

“Noon sounds wonderful. I will see you then unless you need anything from me beforehand.”

“Nope, I should be good. Thanks! Oh, and would you close the door on your way out, please?”

Dani smiled and nodded, pulling the door closed behind her.

“Now then, you mentioned having things to do. Why don’t you have a seat and tell me about your role here?” Grace asked.

Ian made an exasperated noise but did as she asked, sitting across the table from her.

“I am in charge of the social media marketing department,” Ian answered with his chin jutting just a little too much in the air. “I have several employees who work under me.”

“That’s nice. But what do you do?”

“I manage people, make sure they complete the given tasks on time, and review their work,” he explained, feeling defensive. “I also help create content for the various social platforms.”

“I see. Are you good at your job?”

Ian was taken aback by Grace’s candor. He shifted uncomfortably in his seat and took a deep breath before answering.

“Yes, I’m damned good at my job! What kind of a question is that?”

Grace raised an eyebrow at Ian’s outburst.

“A fair question, seeing as how I met you just yesterday when you managed to insult me at a reception given in honor of my husband and me. You came off cocky and rude, despite knowing that I was one of your bosses now. I need to know if you’re good enough at your job to spend my time getting to know you better and working through whatever issues you have with me or if that would be a total waste of my time.”

Ian sat speechless for a moment. Then he crossed his arms in front of his chest like a petulant child.

“If you’re planning to fire me over a comment, I want McKinley to be in on this. You have no right to come in here and act like a…”

“Choose your words carefully, Ian,” Grace interrupted. “I understand your frustration, but you don’t want to take a step here that you can’t take back. Whether you like it or not, I am your boss, and my first impression of you wasn’t very favorable. My intention in meeting with you today is to figure out if you were drunk, nervous, or just a complete asshole. If you’re damned good at your job, I’m willing to work through any of those scenarios with you. If not, social media gurus are likely plentiful here in L.A.”

“All of this is because I think you slept your way into your position?” Ian asked impatiently.

“Nope. All of this is because you thought it was okay to say it out loud and then tried to blame your poor behavior on a breakup with Daniella, who also happens to be your boss. One could look at you and wonder what your intentions were when you decided to enter into a relationship with your boss. But I’m willing to bet it was merely a mutual attraction. I’m sorry it didn’t work out for both of you.”

Ian paused, then nodded. “We had a strong physical attraction, but we are just too different to make it work long term.”

“McKinley and I also had a strong physical attraction, though ours turned into something passionate and lasting. We were more fortunate.”

“I’m happy for you both. And I see the point you are trying to make. People could think that I was trying to sleep my way into a better position and, when it didn’t work out, I called it quits,” Ian said.

“Is that what happened?”

“No! I told you what happened. We just are too different. For example, I like the nightlife, and she’s content to stay in and watch a movie. It just felt stifling.”

Ian felt his insides churn. He hoped to God he wasn’t about to get fired. Then she surprised him.

“Do you see yourself being able to continue doing a damned good job despite the breakup?” Grace asked pointedly.

“Yes, I can handle it if she can.”

“Good to know. Now, let me tell you that I am also damned good at my job. I have multiple degrees and extensive work experience, and I’ve already proven my worth in this company. I’d have this job with or without being married to or sleeping with McKinley Stewart. But you’d know that if you’d taken any time to get to know me.”

Ian felt himself blush a bit as Grace continued.

“So, I am taking the time to get to know you before passing judgment. I’ll be here all week. Wow me.”

“How exactly do I do that?” Ian asked.

“If you have to ask, maybe you aren’t the guy Mac thinks you are.”

“Mac?”

“McKinley. He told me last night he thought you were a good guy. I need to see how you make a difference in your department. Social media is a valuable tool in our industry. I want to make sure we use it to our full potential.”

Ian felt himself breathe a little easier. “I can gather data showing how our most recent social media campaign has increased business in the L.A. market over the past three to six months.”

Grace smiled. “See? I knew you’d figure out what I wanted from you. I’d love to look over the data with you sometime this week.”

“I can have it ready to present tomorrow.”

“Fabulous! Send me a meeting request.”

Ian felt relief wash over him, followed by gratitude. He wasn’t familiar with that feeling. Maybe he had a thing or two to learn about surviving in the business world. All he knew was that he suddenly wanted very much to show his new boss that he was worth keeping on.

“Thank you, Grace. I appreciate the opportunity to prove my worth to this company,” Ian said earnestly.

Grace nodded. It pleased her to see his demeanor shift.

“I look forward to it.”

At lunch, Dani was pleased that Grace seemed to be in a good mood and enjoyed some light conversation before bringing up Ian.

“I don’t know what you said to Ian, but he came to see me and apologized for being such a dick. Then he asked if I thought we could still work together without it being an issue,” Dani reported.

Grace looked up from her salad. “Can you?”

“Yes, I think so. I mean, if he’s not going to be a jerk to me, then definitely.”

“Good! I’m pleased to hear that.”

Dani frowned. “I’m still trying to figure you out, Grace. I get such a mixed vibe from you, and I can’t tell whether you like me or not.”

Grace smiled. “Liking you and believing you are the right person to run this branch of the firm are two totally different things.”

“McKinley obviously thinks I’m the right person,” Dani responded a bit defensively.

“Indeed, he does,” Grace admitted. “And I agree. But when you made me uncomfortable, maybe I needed you to feel uncomfortable as well.”

Dani pursed her lips. “I guess that’s only fair.”

“I do like you, Dani. I just need to be sure you can manage things without your emotions getting in your way.”

“I can do that. Give me a chance to show you that I can be exactly who you would choose for this position if you had been the one to hire me,” Dani said eagerly.

“I’m supposed to meet with Ian tomorrow to discuss the current data from his social media campaign. I’d like you to be there,” Grace said.

Dani took a moment to answer. “Of course. I will let Ian know to include me on the meeting invitation.”

“Excellent!”

Grace smiled. She was two for two and feeling pretty proud of herself.

Chapter Ninety-One

That evening, back at the hotel, Grace took the opportunity to fill the tub and add some soothing bath salts. It had been quite a day, but she felt good about what she had accomplished. Still, a bath seemed like just the thing to chase away the day’s stress.

“You’re so fucking sexy,” Mac said as he stood at the entrance to the bathroom, watching his wife relax in the tub. She was glistening and glowing, and he wanted her.

“Got room in there for me?”

“That depends,” she answered. “Is there a chance for a back massage before you try to have your way with me in the tub?”

“My hands are always happy to be anywhere on your body, my love,” he said, grinning as he stripped off his clothes and joined her in the oversized jacuzzi bathtub.

Mac slid behind Grace and began working his thumbs into the knots in her upper back. “God, baby, your back is so tight!”

“If you can make that ache, go away, I’ll let you use those thumbs on somewhere else that’s tight.”

“Mmm, that’s a lovely incentive.”

Mac felt Grace’s body relax as he massaged her back and shoulders. When he reached around her to cup her breasts, she moaned softly and leaned back against his chest.

“That feels so good. You always know how to touch me and turn my spine to jello.”

“I know you said I could use my thumbs somewhere, but I’d be willing to bet you won’t complain if I’d rather use something bigger.”

“You’ve rendered me incapable of arguing with you. Touch my body with any part of your body you want; just don’t stop touching me,” Grace purred.

Mac lifted her up and eased her down onto his rigid shaft slowly.

“Oh, sweet mother of God, that feels good,” she cooed. “No complaints here whatsoever.”

They moved together slowly, melting into each other. It was as if time stood still and nothing existed outside this tub at the moment. Love and passion consumed them as he thrust into her, eliciting erotic moans of pleasure.

“Mmm, yes. So good, so absolutely perfect,” Grace purred. Her head nestled against Mac’s neck, she moved her hips in rhythm with him, enabling him to take her more deeply.

“Yes, you are absolutely perfect, Gracie. I love you so damned much,” Mac murmured in her ear as he held onto her firm breasts that spilled out of his hands.

Eventually, need took over, and he quickened his pace while moving one hand between her legs. He found her sweet spot and felt her back arch as her orgasm shook her entire body.

“That’s right, baby, cum hard for me!” he commanded through gritted teeth as he pumped into her.

Water splashed out of the tub, drenching the bathmat, as they moved together fiercely now.

“Yes! Yes! Yes!” Grace screamed as another climax had her shuddering like mad. Mac took that as his cue to allow his own release.

“Fuckkkkk!” Mac cried out. “Oh, my God, you’re so fucking amazing!”

They lay limp in the tub for a while until the water began to grow tepid and Grace shivered a bit from the chill.

“Let’s get you out and bundle you up in your big, fluffy burgundy robe,” Mac suggested.

Grace remembered the first time she’d worn that robe and how it had felt so luxurious and smiled. “That sounds delightful.”

Mac helped her out of the tub so she wouldn’t slip on the wet floor and wrapped her up, so she was nice and cozy. He used the oversized bath towel to dry himself off before scooping her up and carrying her to the bed.

“I love you so much,” he said as he tucked a wet curl behind her ear. “How did I get so lucky?”

“I’m the lucky one, darling,” she said as she pulled him in for a passionate kiss.

“Mmm, maybe we’re both lucky,” Mac conceded.

Chapter Ninety-Two

The next day's meeting with Ian started off a little rocky when he was fifteen minutes late.

“I’m so sorry; traffic was brutal!” Ian said as he hurried into Grace’s office. “Some bitch cut me off and made me miss my exit.”

Grace said nothing, and Daniella followed suit. Ian was about to continue his griping until he saw Grace raise an eyebrow.

“Um, well, anyway. I’m here, and I have to data you requested on this flash drive. If you’ll allow me to bring it up on the large screen…”

Grace stood and motioned for Ian to take her chair. He imagined that the fact that she hadn’t said a word yet probably didn’t bode well for him. He looked to Dani, hoping to get some support from her, but she wouldn’t make eye contact.

“Whether you like me or not, I think you’ll find the data shows an increase in traffic not only on our socials, but the website as well. Numbers don’t lie.”

It amused Grace that Ian was visibly harried.

“Actually, Ian, numbers lie all the time. But let’s take a look at yours and see.”

Flustered, Ian said, “Let me explain…”

“Just put the data on the screen and let me study it for a moment. I will let you know if I have questions,” Grace said smoothly as she peered over the information.

Ian sat and wiggled his knee, waiting for Grace to say something, anything. But she was silent as she took a look at slide after slide. When she was finished, her chest heaved in a large sigh.

“At a glance, these numbers are impressive. What is your plan to keep things moving in this direction? And what metrics or performance indicators are you using to gauge success?”

Ian blinked.

“This is a good start, Ian, but I’m going to need more than a fancy slide presentation to convince me that you are on top of things. Take a couple of days to write up a report that gives me more than a surface picture of what you’re doing. Send it to me when you’re ready, and then set up a follow-up meeting for the next day.”

“Um, sure, yeah, I can do that,” Ian stammered. Dani sat stoically, using every ounce of her energy not to react. Although, in her mind, she was sticking her tongue out at him.

“Thank you, Ian,” Grace said as she motioned for him to move and give her chair back.

“Um, is there anything else before I head back to my desk?” he asked.

“Yes. Tomorrow, leave a little earlier, so you don’t have to blame some bitch for your being late to work.”

Ian opened his mouth in protest, but he shut it quickly when he saw Dani’s eyes nearly boring holes in his head. Instead, he nodded, taking his flash drive and making a hasty exit.

Dani waited a moment and then turned to Grace. “You scared the shit out of him.”

Grace smiled. “Did I? Well, maybe a little fear is a good thing.”

“I’m curious; why did you ask me to be a part of this meeting?”

“I wanted Ian to remember that you’re his boss and that you and I are on the same page as far as our expectations of him. We are on the same page, aren’t we, Dani?”

“Absolutely. Is there anything else you need from me right now?”

“No, but thank you for backing me. Our employees need to see that we form a united front.”

Dani nodded and returned to her own office.

When she got there, Ian was waiting for her.

“Okay, you seem to have figured out how to get on Grace’s good side. Any hints?” he asked, his eyes imploring her for answers.

Dani thought about what Mac had said to her the day before. “Nope, but don’t worry, you’ll figure it out.”

“I underestimated her, that’s for damned sure. I figured her to be just a pretty face and an excellent lay. I mean, you gotta admit, she went from Acquisitions Liaison to Chief Operating Officer really fuckin’ fast. But she’s certainly not stupid, is she?”

Dani laughed softly. “You’re problem is that you don’t realize that women can be smart and sexy. Ian, you know McKinley. If Grace wasn’t intelligent with major business savvy, he might have promoted her to an executive level, but he wouldn’t have made her COO. You were foolish to think she didn’t know her shit. Now, as your boss, I suggest you make sure your report is stellar, so she doesn’t chew you up and spit you out.”

“I’m good at my job; you know I am,” Ian whined.

“We both are, but there’s a new sheriff in town, and she wants some proof of that. I think we owe it to McKinley not to make him look foolish for hiring us, don’t you think?”

Ian shrugged. But he knew she was right; Grace was no pushover. Like it or not, he would have to prove himself to her.

“Hey, about us…”

“No,” Dani interrupted, “there is no us. There probably never should have been. It was all physical attraction. I think we both know that an office romance isn’t a good idea.”

Ian hung his head a little. “Yes, I guess you’re right. Somehow McKinley and Grace pulled it off, though.”

Dani sighed wistfully. “Sometimes people are just meant to be together. It’s easy to see they fall into that category. We certainly didn’t.”

Ian heaved a big sigh. “I’m sorry about the way I broke things off, though. I was a bastard, and I am sorry. I’d like to think that when the dust settles, Grace will see that we make a good professional team.”

Dani nodded. “We do work well together. We are just too different to be more than work friends. Make sure that you wow Grace with your report. But don’t bullshit her; she’s far too intuitive, and it wouldn’t do to insult her.”

Ian agreed.

As he retreated from Dani’s office, he thought about McKinley and Grace. Dani was right. They seemed to be a perfect match. Then again, how hard could it be to attract a woman like Grace when you were a man like McKinley Stewart.

Shaking off the envy, Ian decided it was time to get to work to save his job.