Page 58 of Maneater (The Mavens #1)

THIRTY-NINE

JOSIE

“I’ll be in meetings most of the day, but keep me updated, okay?” Rowan asks after our morning planning session. I nod before he leans in, giving me a deep, hot kiss that is far too short for my liking before stepping back with a smile.

“God, you two are sickening,” Rory grumbles from behind me.

“It’s great, isn’t it?” I say with a laugh. Rowan shakes his head, then heads off down the hall to his room to change before going to his office. After that, I get all dolled up in my Mavens gear before we make our way to the little cafe, where we plan to set up and keep an eye out for our target.

It’s about noon when our plan goes into action, as I grab a cup of water and move quickly towards the pool deck, noting the exact spot Daniel is. I shift at the last second, slamming into his chest and, in turn, spilling water all down my front, drenching my top.

“Oh, god, I’m so sorry,” he says as soon as I step back, looking at the spill rather than my face .

It was planned, of course, as was the fact that I wore the light pink lacy bra I put on under this very thin white tank. Both are so thin that when the ice-cold liquid hits, my nipples peak instantly. If you look hard enough, as Daniel does, you can probably see the entire outline of my nipple.

When his eyes go right there, I know in my gut my mission is already accomplished.

“Gosh, I’m such a klutz,” I say with a bit of a giggle and a self-deprecating smile that works every time. “I wasn’t looking where I was going.

“No, no, it’s all me. I can’t believe I didn’t see a pretty thing like you.

” His hand reaches up and wipes some water off my shoulder, and I fight, making a face at the contact.

Why do strangers think it’s okay to touch someone?

“God, I’m so sorry. You’re absolutely covered in water.

” I look down and give another small giggle before flipping my thankfully dry hair back over my shoulder.

“Oh, it’s no big deal. It’ll dry. Like I said, I’m a klutz. This kind of thing happens all the time.”

“Please, let me make it up to you,” he says, and I flutter my lashes, leaning in just a bit into his space, fully playing the part of an enamored, flirty woman who is super into him.

“Yeah?” I asked, touching the collar of his shirt and pretending to brush off something that doesn’t exist.

“Oh yeah. I insist, actually.”

“How would you do that?” I bite my lip and make my eyes go wide. His eyes move to my lips.

“Let me cover a dinner at Aces for you. Are you here with anyone?” He hesitates like he just realized he may have made a crucial mistake, then looks to my ring finger, finding it empty.

“A boyfriend, maybe?” I shake my head and let out a laugh, the one I reserve for stupid men who always fall for it and shake my head.

My body shifts with the over-exaggerated move, and I know my breasts also sway in the minimal support bra, something his eyes track.

Honestly, it’s almost a letdown when they fall for it this easily. Where’s the fun in it? “No, no. I’m here with my best friend, Rory.” His smile returns then.

“Good to hear. Come to dinner tonight, I’ll make sure you get the best table, the best service, I promise.”

“Will you be there?” I ask, twirling a lock of my hair around my finger and making my face pouty and hopeful. He looks around, like he’s afraid someone will see. Rowan, maybe? When the coast is seemingly clear, he lowers his voice.

“I can’t actually have dinner with you since I’ll technically be on the clock. But I can sit with you, get to know you a bit. But only if you promise not to tell.” He gives me a wink that looks more like he has something in his eye than a hot come on, but I pretend it hit its mark.

“Oh, I would love that. I feel like we would have so much in common.”

“Tonight,” he says. “Six?”

“That would be amazing. I don’t have any plans.”

He gives me a smile the big bad wolf would be jealous of before he gets my info for the reservation.

Then I’m off, looking over my shoulder as I do to give him a little wink and a wiggle of my fingers before I turn the corner.

As I do, my phone buzzes in my pocket. I grab it, expecting to see Rory’s name, but instead it’s Rowan’s.

Get to my office. Now.

I smile as I slide the phone back into my pocket, turn left instead of right, and head towards the office that is currently Rowan’s, conveniently located in a dead-end hallway that is currently empty.

I don’t have to knock as I approach the closed door, as it opens before my fist even hits the wood. His arm reaches out, hand wrapping around my wrist and tugging me inside and into him before he closes the door behind us.

“God, watching you work your magic was the hottest thing I’ve ever seen,” Rowan growls as his body presses me against the door, something he seems to really love doing .

“You were watching?”

“I’ve been watching you on the cameras every fucking chance I could since you arrived at this place.”

A thrill runs through me at the thought. He mentioned it once before, but I didn’t realize how often he’d been doing it.

“Too bad there weren’t any cameras in my room,” I whisper as he presses his lips to the skin of my neck. His body goes still before he pulls back, taking my face in.

“Why? What would I have seen?”

I smile wider then and lean forward, pressing my lips to his.

“Oh, I don’t know. Let’s just say anytime I was in the room alone, I really had to let out some… pent-up feelings.”

The groan that leaves him moves through my body, making my pussy clench.

“Fuck, Josephine.”

I like it when he says my full name, even more than when he calls me his troublemaker. It feels intimate, like I’m some sultry version of myself only he gets to see. “I want to watch that.”

“I wouldn’t be opposed to it,” I whisper into the quiet room. He growls into my neck, his fingers moving to the hem of my wet shirt when his phone rings.

“That’s my two o’clock,” he says with a pained groan.

“Cancel it,” I whisper, moving my hips up.

“I can’t. It’s the call with the inspector that was cancelled the other night after the sauna. I don’t have to say much, since it’s mostly the building team ironing out issues, but I have to be present.”

I pout before I step back and smile.

“Party pooper. Well, do you mind if I hang in here while you’re on your call? I have some stuff I could do in here.”

He looks at me skeptically before shrugging.

“I don’t mind.” His hand cups my center, a finger sliding up my skirt and against my pussy, pushing my panties inside of me before he steps back, an obnoxious smirk on his lips. “You’re soaking wet,” he says when he moves to his desk .

“Yeah, I really wish you would take care of that,” I grumble, and he smiles, shaking his head.

“I meant your shirt.” I look down at the wet tank, my nipples even tighter in the cold air conditioning of his office.

“Oh, yeah. That, too.”

“In that closet, I have some shirts if you want to change. Let your stuff dry on the balcony.” I nod, then move to the closet, happy to find an oversized T-shirt that reads “Daydream Resorts” on it.

I will be stealing that, thank you very much.

Shucking off my wet tank and bra, I slide the shirt over my head, then shimmy my skirt down, leaving just my underwear.

When I look over at him, his eyes are taking me in, and I smile before moving to the balcony at the back of his office and laying my skirt, tank, and bra on the ground.

It should dry quick, with the sun high and beating down hard.

When I enter again, I move to where he’s sitting and press a kiss to his cheek.

He grabs my waist to hold me in place, then turns to get my lips on his before speaking.

“I’ll be muted most of the time, but my camera will be on,” he says. “So if you don’t want anyone to see you, stay over there.” My gut sinks as I nod, then I move to sit in the comfy chair and pull out my phone.

“You…don’t want anyone to see me?” I ask, trying to sound casual but feeling unsure. He shakes his head and smiles, like he senses my concern.

“I figured you’d want that to stay between us for a bit longer, and maybe you’d like to be in something other than my tee and your panties. Not that I’m complaining.”

“I guess it makes sense, we haven’t, you know, had that conversation?—”

He looks at his watch, then groans. “Fuck it,” he says low before quickly moving to me, tugging me up until we’re chest to chest. “I want everyone to know you’re mine, Josie.

That’s what you are, conversation or not.

You’re mine. If you’d like me to take this call with you on my lap, I’ll be happy to.

It’ll cause a stir, but if that’s what you need or want, then we’ll do just that. I’ll show everyone you’re mine.”

His hand moves to my hips and tucks me in closer. I can feel he’s still hard from teasing me before. “Is that what you want, troublemaker?”

I bite my lip because in a way, I do. The idea of sitting on his lip in his shirt while big, bad Rowan Fisher does his big boy job is incredibly attractive.

But also, so is watching him do his big boy job. So I shake my head.

“No. I’ll sit here and wait for you to be done,” I say in a whisper.

“When I’m done with my call, do you want me to take care of you?” he murmurs against my neck, his hand moving up under his shirt and then under my underwear to cup my ass. The tip of his middle finger moves, drifting until it just barely grazes my entrance, and my breathing goes ragged.

I’ve had Rowan Fisher more times than I can count, and yet I still want more. I’m unsatisfied and needy anytime I go more than a few hours without him inside of me.

“Next gala or black-tie event, you’re on my arm. Preferably in that orange dress or something similar.”

“You liked that one?”

“I’ve jacked off thinking about peeling you out of it more times than I should admit.” The visual pulls a mewl from my lips, and his tip up in a satisfied grin.