The Boardroom (New Adult Contemporary Romance) Read online

  The Boardroom

  By Jacee Macguire

  Copyright

  This is a work of fiction. Any names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or persons – living or dead – is entirely coincidental.

  The Boardroom © March 2015, Jacee Macguire

  Cover Image © Can Stock Photo Inc. / Mark2121

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission except in the case of brief quotations used in articles or reviews.

  PROLOGUE

  I haven’t had a restful night’s sleep in months. My dreams have been consumed by the most sensual woman I’ve ever seen. Her hair is as bright as the stars in the night sky, flowing like the currents of a wild river down her gorgeous body. When I look upon her, I’m filled with the need to feel her wrap her long tanned legs around me. The urge to bury my cock deep within her moistened folds calls to me. It’s a call that’s hard to resist and I can barely fight the voice screaming inside me.

  Is she a siren? No. I don’t think she is.

  There is a sweetness about her; the smell of vanilla toys with my senses. The scent is rich, winding its way around my body, pulling me closer to her. She beckons me. I cannot resist the erotic urges that pull at me. I cannot move. I am frozen in place as I watch her in an almost predatory fashion.

  I watch her from a distance in my dreams as she dances joyfully – gracefully – around a lush green meadow. The breeze lifts her dress as she spins, flapping this way and that way, like the wings of a butterfly. I fear that if I move, she will disappear, never to return. I won’t risk the loss of her. Not again.

  In the past, I was careless and stormed into the meadow, taking control as I often do. It was a mistake. My beauty – my sweetness – vanished; vanished in the blink of an eye. I thought my heart would never beat again; the loss was palpable. My loneliness increased in that moment. All I could think was that I had lost her forever.

  Until the next night, that is.

  She returns to me and I ache to touch her, to feel her sun-kissed skin against mine. Her beauty is as intoxicating now as it was the first time she entered my dreams. I want to drink her in like the sweetest champagne, taking all that she will give me, all that she will allow me to have.

  I have ached to reach out to her in my dreams but I can’t allow myself to make the slightest move, for I know that will only cause her to dance further and further away until she is gone from my sight, possibly forever.

  There have been times that she seduces me with her dance, her breasts pressed tight against her dress, her pebbled nipples aching to be touched. She teases me with a glimpse of her thighs and taut little ass, only to dance out of reach… and that is when I awaken to my life.

  A life without her.

  A life that fills me with a need to have such a beauty with me, always making me whole so that we might dance together in joyous happiness forever.

  The only problem is that she has remained faceless. This woman has consumed me completely. Even though I have yet to lay my eyes upon her face, I know in my heart she is beautiful. After all, she is the woman of my deepest desires.

  It has been months and she continues to inhabit my dreams at night while also consuming my thoughts during the day. I beg for her to reveal herself to me but I have been denied even a glimpse of her face. I am certain it would brighten even the darkest of my days. I have continued to wish, to hope, to pray for a chance to see her – all of her – just once.

  I have no idea who she is but I will spend my life searching for her. Sadly, she eludes my grasp in life as well as in my dreams. I have been alone for far too long, waiting for a mysterious and beautiful lover that captivates me in every sense of the word.

  This dream woman has become my definition of desire. I want to spend eternity loving her.

  My name is Avery Roderick and this is how my dream became my reality.

  Chapter One -- Avery

  Roderick and Associates had become an iconic symbol of power, rising above the other law firms in Houston almost overnight. Law students fought tooth and nail for the chance to intern for the intense attorneys that were lucky enough to have their names etched into the glass of the many office doors in the building. It was a dog-eat-dog world and Avery Roderick had made sure he was viewed as a shark that was more than ready to eat any dog that pissed on his doorstep.

  As his long black limo pulled to a stop at the curb, Avery took a ragged breath. He had slept restlessly, waking even more exhausted than he had been the day before. The crisp light of the morning poured in when his door was opened, blinding him as his eyes worked overtime to adjust. Stepping out of the car, he straightened the jacket of his impeccable black pinstripe suit, giving a slight nod of thanks to his driver.

  Each day started the same way; it was a cycle he had grown accustomed to over the years, and he rarely strayed from it. He couldn’t resist taking a moment to glance up, admiring the monstrous building before him. He had worked his ass off to get where he was, and knowing this was all his made him feel like a king. The thought always made him chuckle a bit.

  Roderick and Associates was a remarkable sight. Towering above the other buildings in the area, its near-black glass exterior made powerful men feel small and cowardly, as if they suddenly found themselves powerless and didn’t know why. Avery liked the idea of taking power from those on the opposite side of the courtroom aisle. It was strategy, really.

  Avery pulled back his shoulders, running his long fingers through his dark brown hair, taking long powerful strides towards the entrance to the building that was his castle. Heads turned, following his advance to the doorway. He could feel their eyes skimming his body, noticing everything from his hair down to his freshly-polished shoes. Glancing over his right shoulder, he took in the stares of the men and women in the lobby, seeing the awe and respect in their eyes. He could have any one of them at his beck and call, willing to do anything to win his favor, but he wanted more… so much more.

  “Good morning, Mr. Roderick,” a young blonde receptionist chirped as Avery strode past the front desk.

  “Good morning,” he returned quickly, tossing a wave at her as he continued making his way to the elevator bay.

  Some people saw such curt behavior as rude or harsh, but Avery wasn’t cold or callous; he just didn’t see the need in wasting time. Plenty of time had been wasted in his youth. At the age of twenty-eight, Avery had met his goals in life and had everything he wanted. Well… almost everything. He had yet to meet the love of his life; that one special lady who would complete him in every way possible.

  Stepping into the glass-and-chrome-encased elevator, Avery sighed. “I tried,” he whispered to himself. And he had tried. He had tried very hard to find the woman of his dreams. Over the years, he had dated extensively. He had partied like a rock star all throughout college, and for years after, finding plenty of one-night stands and far too many party girls looking for a sugar daddy.

  The thought of being with a woman that didn’t love him for himself made him ill. There were so many gold-diggers out there that he had started to worry that a pure woman simply wasn’t out there. And if she was, maybe he wasn’t meant to find her. Dating had ceased to exist for him at that point.

  No more blind dates.

  No more party girls.

  No more gold-digging women looking for a sugar-daddy.

  He wanted a pure, sweet, innocent woman who would stoke the fires of passion that laid dorman
t within him.

  After deciding several months ago that he would drop out of the dating pool completely, Avery had found himself tormented by a woman, a woman he couldn’t push away or hide from, the woman who was literally the woman of his dreams. This beauty, who he had begun to call ‘sweetness,’ had melded to his very soul. She had consumed his dreams, his thoughts, and he desired her more than anything or anyone else.

  “I’d give everything up to make her mine,” he mumbled into the empty elevator, memories of her dancing in his dreams flashing through his mind.

  The elevator dinged, echoing in the small space, bringing Avery back to the land of legal battles. He smiled a wicked grin that could drop plenty of panties. He was a victim to his dreams, but he was a master here.

  The doors slid open, revealing the frosted glass office spaces that lined the hallway. Avery trusted his staff, but he preferred having a bird’s eye view of all that took place in his world. He was the omniscient god of this universe he had created, and he wanted everyone to know it.

  Staring straight ahead, he made his way to a set of clear glass doors at the end of the long hallway. When he stepped in front of them, they parted like the Red Sea. He made his way across the room in a few long, powerful strides.

  “Hello, Alice. Any messages?” he asked his receptionist.

  “Yes, sir. Several, and your first appointment is in the boardroom waiting for you.” Alice responded, rising to her feet. “Would you like your usual coffee this morning sir?” she asked, already heading for the breakfast bar at the corner of the room.

  “That would be great. I’ll be in my office.” he replied.

  He took a seat at his desk, flipping open the file for his morning meeting, quickly reviewing his notes from the previous week. As a criminal attorney, he often represented some pretty shady characters, and his morning client was no different.

  This particular case rubbed him the wrong way. The young man was careless and seemed to care little, if any, for others. Cases like this were nothing new in his world and he was pretty sure his client was guilty as sin. Closing the file, he let out a sigh. Guilt and innocence didn’t matter. It was all about winning.

  A knock on his door alerted him of Alice’s presence. She entered with a steaming cup of coffee, quickly placing it on his desk and returning to her desk. Sipping the coffee, he closed his eyes, knowing he had to get to his meeting soon.

  Chapter Two -- Peyton

  Peyton Jameson woke to the screeching of her alarm clock and rubbed her sore eyes. She had studied long into the night with her roommates to prepare for the upcoming exams. The semester had just begun and she worried about making the large tuition payment that would be coming due in a few weeks. Working several jobs throughout the summer had allowed her to save just enough to make a nice down payment on tuition and pay for the expensive textbooks but she didn’t have nowhere near enough to take care of the entire semester.

  After losing both of her parents in a car accident almost a year ago, she had more expenses and two siblings to care for. Depression and frustration had wormed their way into her life and strangled her every chance they got. Being in charge of two teenagers was difficult but she couldn’t stand the thought of them being with anyone but her.

  She had managed to get custody of them after the accident and would be able to keep custody as long as she remained capable of providing proper care for them. However, if things got out of hand, the courts would take them from her. She hated the thought of that happening… ever, so failure wasn’t an option.

  She was thankful her parents had managed to pay off the mortgage on the family home, allowing her to rent out some of the bedrooms to her friends and keep her brother, Jacob, and sister, Maggie, in the home they had grown up in. She was doing everything she could to keep them together and take care of all their needs, but it was difficult; a lot more difficult than she could have imagined.

  The accident had rocked Peyton to her core but she didn’t have time to indulge in things like grief, not when the need to care for her siblings overshadowed everything else. Her friends had provided shoulders to cry on, but she couldn’t ask them to help her financially. They already did enough with their willingness to pay rent and that’s all she would ask of them.

  The meager pay she received from her part-time jobs wasn’t enough by a long shot… and working during the semester had proven too stressful. She worked herself to near death when she could, making as much as she could to cover them during the spring and fall semesters. It just wasn’t enough this time around, but she had always found a way to make everything work out before. She would find a way to make it work again. The bills would get paid… one way or another.

  Peyton sat up on the edge of her bed stretching one final time before beginning her day. Someone knocked lightly on her door.

  “Peyton? Are you awake?” a soft voice asked from the hallway.

  “Yep. I’m up. Come on in, Maggie.”

  Maggie slipped in slowly, wearing pink pajamas with flying books all over them. She loved to read and Peyton had always made sure to feed that hobby every chance she got. The expense was well worth it.

  Maggie took a seat beside her sister, but didn’t speak.

  “I know you want something. I can see it in your eyes.”

  Maggie glanced at her, and then looked back towards the bedroom door, as if contemplating escape.

  “Come on,” Peyton said. “Tell me.” Peyton braced herself. Maggie always got like this when she wanted something that cost money and she wondered if they’d be able to afford whatever it was that Maggie wanted.

  “I want to try out for cheerleading,” Maggie said hurriedly, desperation in her eyes. “Can I, Peyton? Please?”

  “Money is really tight right now, Maggie,” Peyton said, hating to say no, avoiding it until there was absolutely no choice. Being in charge was so damn hard. “I’ll see what I can do. No promises, though. Okay?”

  Maggie nodded her head, a smile etched on her cherubic face as she left the room. The crisis had been averted… at least temporarily. When the door closed, tears slid down Peyton’s cheeks. She quickly – angrily – wiped them away as she made her way to her desk and looked over the bills, shaking her head. She knew the household budget by heart, knew where every penny had to go and when. Coming up with a way to pay for cheerleading would be hard, but she would do it… somehow. She just didn’t know how just yet.

  Peyton slipped on her fluffy house shoes and made her way downstairs and into the kitchen. After pouring herself a cup of coffee in her favorite mug, she sat next to her friend, Jade. “I have to find a way to make some serious money… fast.” Tears welled up in her eyes again.

  “I know,” Jade said, a concerned look on her face. “We’ll help you think of something. I promise.” She patted Peyton’s knee.

  Peyton nodded. Jade was the eternal optimist, always knowing just the right thing to say, always showing support. She barreled through life, finding the good side of everyone and every situation, and Peyton appreciated that quality at times like this.

  “The bills and tuition are coming due again,” Peyton said, her voice barely above a whisper. “Jacob and Maggie are wanting to do more school related activities… and I just can’t afford it.” She bit back a sob, her bottom lip quivering.

  Brianna and Victoria strode into the kitchen, catching the end of the conversation. Worry stretched across their faces. The two of them were thick as thieves, although they were as different as night and day. Brianna was adventurous and free spirited, up for any challenge. Peyton had been like that at one time, before life crashed down on her. She envied her friend and wished she could be like that again.

  Victoria, on the other hand, was the shy type, difficult to read but always there when you needed her.

  They were wonderful friends, and Peyton was thankful to have them in her life. They’d been through a lot together over the past several years, their friendship enduring through good times and bad. Her l
ife was richer because they were part of it.

  Brianna hugged Peyton. “I have an idea. You probably won’t like it, but it’s worth a shot.”

  “I’m afraid to ask,” Peyton said, wiping tears away. “But go ahead and tell me. What’s your idea?”

  “Victoria and I heard a few girls talking about this club that pays really well,” Brianna said. “Business is supposedly really good, and they’re always looking for pretty girls.”

  “I don’t know,” Peyton said, shaking her head. “Sounds like a strip club to me… and I’m NOT taking my clothes off for anyone.”

  “No,” Brianna said, patting Peyton’s shoulder. “It’s not like that. The girls just go on dates with rich, eligible bachelors. What’s the harm in that?” She shrugged. “You could use a little excitement in your life anyway… and the cash, too.”

  “Maybe I’ll look into it,” Peyton said, not sure if she could date for money. However, it might be an easy way to earn the money she needed if there wasn’t anything more to it than just going on dates. “What’s the place called?” she asked shyly, her cheeks getting warm at the thought of going out with a rich, handsome guy.

  “The Boardroom,” Brianna said, heading to the coffee pot. “It sounds like an exciting place to me. I’ll get the details for you today.” She looked back at Peyton. “I mean, if you want me to, that is.”

  Peyton shrugged, still not sure but definitely curious. “Sure. Why the hell not?”

  She finished her coffee and headed upstairs to get the kids off to school. Could she really go out and get paid for it? She remembered the hopeful look in Maggie’s eyes and sighed.

  She had applied for every scholarship she could find, only to get a small one that barely covered anything at all. Something was better than nothing, though, and she was thankful for what it provided. Financial aid had turned out to be just as hard to get. She had been turned down every time she had applied. She sighed again, the weight of all her responsibilities threatening to crash down on her again. She was screwed and she knew it. “The Boardroom,” she whispered to herself, a chill running down her spine as she thought about it. It was a crazy idea, but she had no choice, and she was determined to do whatever it took to make things work.