Secrets & Beyond Read online

  “Charmed,” he replied. He gestured with his thick, muscular hand towards his desk. “Shall we get started?”

  “Sure,” I said.

  “Or, would you prefer to have a drink first?”

  I was at a loss for words. Was he really suggesting having a drink this early?

  “I’m kidding,” Sid said. “A little humor to start the day. I know how nerve racking these types of interviews can be, so I try to make them as painless as possible.”

  “Thanks,” I said. “I appreciate that.”

  He led me to his desk, and I took a chair in the middle while he walked around behind the thick, mahogany masterpiece. He was now sitting right across from me with a relaxed smile. Somehow, I felt like I was staring up at a King who was looking down on his loyal subject. It was very intimidating, but I did my best to meet it head on.

  “So, I’ve reviewed your resume,” Sid said. “It’s very impressive.”

  “Thanks.”

  “Now, that isn’t to say that it stands out necessarily just based on your educational background itself. We get a lot of the same. But yours did stand out on other merits.”

  “Glad to hear it,” I said.

  Sid sipped from a coffee thermos on his desk. “The thing that struck me most about your resume, was the volume of work you’ve done with charities over the years. I’m surprised you had any other time to get anything else done.”

  “Charity has always been something that was near and dear to my heart. I’ve always wanted to help others. It might sound cheesy, but it’s a passion of mine.”

  “That was the impression I got,” Sid said. “I love to see that level of enthusiasm for what we do. A lot of people come in here because they know the name, the brand, and they want to use it as a big boost on their own resumes, but I don’t get that feeling from you.”

  I smiled. I was relieved that he didn’t see me that way. Normally, I was immune to praise, but when he said those things, I couldn’t help but beam with pride. I wanted him to hire me so he could see my work in action, and I could have the chance to make him even more proud. There was something about Sid that inspired me.

  “Thank you,” I said.

  “No problem,” Sid replied. “So, when would you like to start?”

  What did he say?

  There was silence in the room for what had to be a good five to ten seconds. Finally, I said, “Excuse me?”

  “When would you like to start work?”

  “You mean, I’m hired. Just like that?”

  “I do things a bit differently than other people in my position. I don’t like meetings and interviews, so if I call you in for an interview, it’s really more to introduce myself. The job was yours before you walked in the door, if you wanted it, of course.”

  “Oh, wow. I definitely want the job,” I said. “Thank you, so much!”

  I wanted to jump up and down and cheer with glee. It took every ounce of self-control I had to sit still and not go completely nuts. This was everything I’d wanted for so long, and now here it was. It was being offered to me. Here I’d been so nervous all morning, and the job was already in the bag.

  “Fantastic,” Sid said.

  He stood up and held out his hand.

  I shook it firmly.

  “Welcome aboard,” he said.

  “I’m thrilled,” I said.

  “So are we,” Sid said.

  I couldn’t hold back the blush.

  His cell phone rang right then.

  Sid reached into his pocket nervously. “Sorry, I thought turned this off.”

  He pulled out his phone and then paused. “Um… actually, I need to take this. It will just be a moment.”

  I nodded and sat back down to finish up.

  “Should I step out?” I asked.

  “No, it’s fine,” Sid said. Then he answered the call. “Hello?”

  I felt very awkward listening to him on the phone. I felt like I should have stepped outside for a moment, to give him some privacy, but now that he told me not to, it sounded like that would have been more rude to do now. Oh, the rules of etiquette. So many different possible exceptions.

  “Oh, ok… that’s too bad….of course… I understand…”

  It sounded like Sid was getting some bad news. Now this was really awkward. Although, I did love the way that Sid felt comfortable enough to have me, essentially a perfect stranger, in the room with him. That was just another sign of his overpowering confidence. He was such a strong personality, but there wasn’t anything cocky or conceited about him. You could take him as he was, or you could not take him.

  And I wanted to take him…

  I put my hand to the back of my neck and massaged the tension in the muscles using slow, pulsating little strokes. This interview was getting hot, or it might have just been me. There was something about Sid that drew me into him. I imagined he had that same type of effect on a lot of people, though. He was just so magnetic. I wanted to get close to him. I wanted to learn from him, and most of all I wanted to be with him.

  That could be very dangerous. I’d always strived to keep my personal life and my business life separate, but working for a man like Sid, I wasn’t sure that would be so possible. Of course, I was just flattering myself. Sid was not exactly known for his monogamous nature. He was always with a different woman, and he had a penchant for supermodels and Hollywood Starlets.

  Of course, that could have been part of his well-crafted image. I knew that a man like Sid had to keep all eyes on him, as par for the course with his business. That was the world we lived in. The information age where everyone was on camera all the time. If you weren’t constantly being talked about online, then you were yesterday’s news.

  “No problem,” Sid said. “I’ll talk to you later. Bye.”

  Sid ended his call and spun his chair back around. “I’m sorry about that,” Sid said.

  “That’s fine,” I replied. “I just wanted to tell you once again how happy I am to come aboard. You won’t regret this decision, I promise.”

  Sid smiled. “I’m sure that’s true. Hey, I realize this is very last minute, but do you have plans tonight?”

  What was he asking me? Plans? Huh?

  “Um… no, not that I… uh…no. I don’t have any plans.”

  Sid smiled. “Fantastic. Listen, my date just cancelled for this evening. It sounds like she’s got a touch of the flu that’s going around. Anyway, I’m going to the Rescue Me Charity Fundraiser Dinner tonight, and it looks like I’m swinging solo now. I hate to go to these things alone. Would you care to join me? It really is a fun time, and it serves a great cause.”

  He was asking me out? And he was asking me to the biggest charity fundraiser of the year? The one that several big-name stars always attended? I was speechless… My lips were moving, but no sound was coming out.

  “So… is that a yes?” Sid asked with a grin.

  “Oh, um… I’d be honored,” I said.

  “Fantastic,” Sid replied. “I’ll pick you up at six.”

  “Ok, that sounds great,” I said.

  As I rode down the elevator a few minutes later, my mind struggled to put together all the pieces of what had just happened. I wanted to scream at the top of my lungs in pure, total joy.

  I was going out on a date with Sid Brown. This was beyond my wildest dreams.

  What the hell was I going to wear?

  Chapter Two

  Sid

  I watched Brie Lawson walk down the hallway after leaving my office. Wow, what a beauty. I knew she would be perfect for the job based on her resume. It was spotless perfection. And meeting her in person, I was blown away by her intelligence, her poise, quick wit, and great sense of humor. I could also see she had a great heart and a strong desire to really help people. She was going to be a wonderful asset to the company.

  And the fact that she was stunningly beautiful was just icing on the cake. As I closed the door and sauntered over to my mini bar to pour myself a whiskey, I found myself still thinking of her. She was amazing. I wanted her. It had been a while since I’d wanted a woman this badly whom I’d just met, but Brie was special. There was a chemistry, a special connection between the two of us. It was a bit like electricity when we first met.

  I wondered if she felt it, too.

  I could see she was a bit nervous, but this type of interview could do that to anyone. I would have been anxious in her shoes, but I couldn’t help thinking it might have had something to do with the same attraction I felt. Or maybe I was just insane and trying to delude myself a bit. I was known to do that from time to time.

  I sipped my whiskey and looked out the window at the beautiful city beneath me. I loved Los Angeles. There was always something happening, no matter if I could see it or not. It was every bit as exciting as New York, and the weather was way better. Plus, we had Hollywood.

  Now that was a business I had yet to do much in. But I was still young, and I figured that one day I would have the chance to dip my toes in that as well. It would be an adventure. Life was, at least the way I lived it.

  The phone on my desk buzzed.

  I pressed the button to answer it.

  “Yes, Margie?” I asked my secretary.

  “Mr. Brown, there is a Mr. Corbin for you on the line. Shall I put him through?”

  “Yes, thanks.”

  A second later the familiar voice of Dallas Corbin came on the line. Dallas and I had been friends for a few years. We’d gone in on a few of the early properties I’d flipped when I was still a college kid and had no idea what I was doing. But luckily, the first few properties sold without a hitch and then I was able to bounce back from the few mistakes that I made later.

  “Dallas, how’s it hanging?” I asked.

&nbs
p; “A little to the left, in pretty good shape,” Dallas joked.

  I shook my head. It was a running gag with us that he would always answer such questions with blunt honesty. The guy was a character.

  “You rascal, what’s going on?”

  Dallas sighed. “Well, I was going to get your opinion on that Fountain Lane property we talked about last week. I’m getting ready to move on it, but I thought I’d check to make sure you didn’t have any reservations.”

  “Um, no reservations. I looked at everything and I think it’s a great little investment. So, go ahead and get that set up. We can talk more tonight at the fundraiser.”

  “Oh, yeah. I’m looking forward to that, but I was going to ask you if you wanted to get in a round of golf before then.”

  I shook my head. “No can do. I’ve got a few properties to check out and then I have a late meeting. I’ll be lucky to get to the fundraiser on time.”

  “Ah, ok. I should have known. You work way too much for such a young guy.”

  “Hey, so did you. That’s why you can sit around and throw money at projects just to keep from being bored with yourself all day.”

  Dallas chuckled. “So, how is Emily? Things getting serious with you two?”

  “Oh, no. We only went out a few times. She cancelled on me tonight. Said she has the flu. I don’t know… she didn’t sound sick, but I’ll give her the benefit of the doubt.”

  “What woman is going to stand up the great Sid Brown?”

  “What? Nobody calls me that,” I said. “But some women find me boring, and the whole workaholic thing is tough for some to accept. Plus, the fundraiser can be intimidating for people who aren’t ready for that level of exposure.”

  “So, I guess we are both flying solo,” Dallas replied.

  “Not me. I’ve already got another date.”

  “See? Women practically throw themselves at you.”

  “Don’t get started with that. It was an accident. But she is quite a lady. I’ll introduce you, but don’t even think about trying anything funny.”

  “Who me?”

  “Yes, you,” I said. “Or do I have to remind you of your wandering eye? How many guys’ have tried to break your legs because you hit on their wives and girlfriends?”

  “I don’t know; I’ve lost count. Anyway, I’ll see you tonight. I’ve got to run.”

  “Ok. See you later.”

  I ended the call and finished my whiskey. Afterwards, I headed out of the office and drove about ten miles out of town to look at a few new properties with a real estate agent friend of mine named Millie Rose. She and I had been working together for a few months now. Millie had an incredible eye for the right types of properties. She and I had developed a great system for working together, and when we weren’t working, we tried our hardest not to sleep together, but this did not often work. Millie was unbelievably beautiful, sexy, and full of surprises as well as a mischievous attitude. We were well matched.

  Millie had recently entered a serious relationship, therefore we were now just business partners. But the passion and the attraction for each other, was still very much there. The only reason we never got together officially was because of our working relationship. I’ve always been a bit old fashioned in the respect that I feel business and pleasure is usually a bad idea to mix together. Although, rules were meant to be broken sometimes.

  Millie showed me four separate properties. All of them had great bones, great potential, and I could envision a lot of very interesting things that could be done with each. I took some great pictures which I would send to Joseph, my renovation guy, and he would tell me what he felt would be the best designs for each property.

  After the last home we looked at, Millie and I were saying our goodbyes as we prepared to get in our cars, when she leaned over and said, “You know, Trevor is out of town tonight. I hate it when he goes out on business. I might get lonely later.”

  “Well, I think you’ll manage; besides I do have a charity fundraiser tonight.”

  “I was thinking after it’s over.”

  I smiled and scratched my head. Wow, this woman was tempting. “Not a good idea, and you know it.”

  Then I got in my car and left. In my rearview I could see Millie watching me leave with an odd smile on her face. Yeah, she knew that I was right. She also knew that I wanted her. That was the dilemma we shared.

  I arrived back to the office with about twenty minutes to spare for my last meeting of the day. It was a proposal to build a new mini mall on the outskirts of a suburb not too far from the city. It sounded like a good idea on paper, but I wasn’t totally convinced until the presentation.

  By the time I finished up at the office and got home, I had about two hours until I had to pick up Brie. I’d been thinking about her off and on all day long. I just could not get the woman out of my head. There was this perfect glow about her. That combined with the way Millie had thrown herself at me, was enough to get me hard as a rock and keep me that way most of the day.

  As I stepped out of my suit and stripped down, I felt freer than I had all day long. My whole body was aching for a release. I wished to hell I had less of a moral compass sometimes. I would have taken Millie up on her offer and probably fucked her right then and there.

  Now, here I was standing in my bedroom, watching my naked body in my large mirror. My body was tight and toned from years of dedication to fitness and martial arts. I loved to work up a sweat and be active throughout the day, especially first thing in the morning. It set me up for the day to come.

  My cock was stiff as a board. It jutted out from my body with purpose. It needed something. It wanted release.

  Was it thinking about Brie all day? Was that why her sweet smile kept popping in my mind?

  I stepped into the bathroom and started up the shower on hot. I loved a good steamy shower. It awakened the body and wrung toxic sweat out of the pores. As I waited for the water to warm up, I found myself pacing back and forth in the large bathroom. I was wired, pent up. My cock was so hard I thought it might explode at any second.

  I stepped into the hot shower and let the warm water wash over my body, as my mind drifted to thoughts of Brie. I would see her in a few hours, and I couldn’t wait. I’d been thinking of nothing else the entire day. No matter what I was doing, Brie was in the back of my mind. And as I wrapped my hand around my hard cock right then, I thought of her and how much I’d love to see her stroking me, to feel her soft hands wrapped around my dick.

  I closed my mind and imagined the entire scene. Brie was with me in the shower. She was on her knees, licking her lips getting close to my dick, just breathing around it. Her hot, steamy breath on my cock sent shudders and waves of sensation roaring up and down. Oh, it was paradise.

  My hand was gripping my thickness ferociously now, my arm moving harder as I squeezed and rubbed, tugged, and pulled on my prick, sometimes turning my hand over to properly massage the giant head where the sensation was the highest.

  In my mind, Brie opened her mouth and kissed the tip of my dick softly, as she guided me into her waiting mouth. I could feel the tiniest, little sensation of teeth as she glided over me a little bit. And then she would stop, closing her lips around the tip suck at it, licking, twirling her tongue around the underside and then the top of my head, before sucking back on it as if slurping me up inside her warm, wet mouth.

  I reached down with my hand and guided her head as I slowly rocked my hips forward entering her mouth completely. I moved slowly, letting her teeth make just enough room until I was fully in her mouth.

  She moaned loudly below me, the vibrations of her moan reverberating up through my cock and tingling my balls as she tried to keep a slow, steady pace.

  I tried to breathe deeply, but each breath came in a short little gasping breath. I leaned against the shower wall and rested my head. I could practically feel everything that I was imagining. Now Brie’s mouth was tightening its grip around my cock and her head was moving faster up and down on me. Her moans were getting even louder.

  I looked down and saw that she was fingering herself with her right hand while keeping her other hand wrapped firmly against my tight ball sack, massaging my nuts gently, it was mesmerizing. Every now and then her finger would slip up against the sack and split the balls away from each other to give me a sweet, erotic thrill. This was a new sensation and it was a bit of a surprise how wonderful it felt.