King Page 4

  He returned, sat gazing at me, and poured my tea from the little floral pot. “Where’s my sugar?” It was the first time I’d looked at him. “You said you didn’t want any, you put your hand up” and he was looking at me so intently, searching my face for something, anything. “I put my whole hand up because I want five King, the international symbol for ‘no’ is shaking your head. I imagine you don’t know that because no one has ever said it to you” I snapped as he went to retrieve my sugar, laughing.

  Three more forkfuls of cake went in my mouth as I stirred the five sugars into my tea, taking a huge gulp to wash it all down as he just stared at me, mystified and if I wasn’t mistaken, slightly disgusted. I ignored it, thinking to myself that he’d probably never been sat with a woman who’d hoovered up so many calories in one sitting. If Google was anything to go by, he generally went for models, and from their amazing figures I presumed they wouldn’t consume this many calories in a week, maybe a month. I almost smiled at the thought. If I hadn’t been so pissed off with the revelation from Alison, the whole thing might actually have seemed comical.

  “You’ll need your dress for Tristan, when are you coming to get it?” he smiled, trying to break the uncomfortable silence that rolled between us. I slammed the fork down, swallowing another mouthful of cake as I glared at him. Did he know that Anderson had got the pitch? It was the most insensitive, hurtful thing he could say right now, and the thought that he would do it on purpose was almost too much, as a thin film of water began to glaze on my eyes.

  His smile fell instantly. “I don’t need the dress King, I’m not doing the pitch” I said quietly, picking my fork back up, hoping that the chocolate would give me something else to focus on. “Why the hell not?” he demanded, all humour gone from his tone and his eyes. So he didn’t know everything then. “They’ve given it to Ian, apparently Grayson thinks I’ve lost my edge” and I swore I saw a slight flicker of guilt flash across his gorgeous face. “Grayson’s a fucking moron then” he said firmly as I returned to my cake, taken aback. I couldn’t cope with arrogant King today but I was certain I couldn’t cope with anything else either. I sighed deeply, finishing the chocolate as he met my gaze, affectionately wiping a slither of butter cream from the side of my lip and sucking it from the pad of his thumb. It was a strangely intimate gesture that made my stomach flutter deliciously despite my terrible mood.

  “What?” he grinned and it was the first time I’d raised a half smile. “Listen King, don’t get the wrong idea, sitting there and thinking I’m berating myself because I’m not. I’ve lost my last few major pitches because I was up against you. I very much doubt that anyone else would have done any better. What I don’t get, is why you do it. You’ve got three times as many execs as we’ve got, so why do the pitches yourself? I assumed you’d be too busy running your company to bother with dog food, so why? I just don’t get it King”. It was the question I’d wanted to ask for the last two months. He was smiling broadly. “I don’t usually, but I like to keep ahead of the game, now and again I’ll put myself at the coal face, so to speak. Pit myself against the best and see how I get on.” I stared at him wide eyed, unable to quite process what he was saying. “You are ahead of the game King, you don’t play fair, but you’re definitely ahead” I said truthfully, which earned me a mischievous looking grin.

  “Just do me a favour and find someone else to pit yourself against”. His voice was so deep and so firm that the words knocked the breath from my lungs. “No Smith. You are the best, so why would I pit myself against anyone else”. The words were out before I could help myself. “You’re ruining my fucking career”. God I wished there was more chocolate on this plate and I wasn’t prepared for the laughter that ensued. “Ruining it Smith, you must be joking. Being up against me pushes you to your limits, makes you better than you would be otherwise. When you see me in the running, you raise your game”. Right now, that comment and his smug grin were a bridge too far and I stared at the plate, trying desperately to compose myself.

  His voice was tender, contrasting to the harshness of his words. “Why are you so tense Smith? You’re always so frustrated, so agitated, so irritated. If you could focus a fraction more of that emotion and passion into your pitches, you’d beat me every time”. I slammed my teacup against the saucer, what the hell was it about this smug, arrogant bastard that thought he could read me so well? I looked up and his blue eyes were twinkling. Jason King was playing with me and there was no way I would respond in the way he expected. “I’m not frustrated King” I said simply meeting his gaze. “Really? So why are you consuming all that sugar?” The question knocked me off balance and I couldn’t help the betraying snigger that escaped my lips. “It’s been a five sugar day” I said, without trying to justify myself any further.

  “When was the last time you got laid Smith?” I stared at him for a second, unable to believe that anyone could actually have the nerve to say that, but his blue eyes were twinkling, his lip was curling and if ‘Mr I Fuck Everyone’ thought he was taking me down, he could damn well think again. “It’s a month or two at least” his lip curved further as I relaxed back into the comfort of the booth.

  Shock tactics were a last resort, but I was all out of options. Depressingly, shock tactics also happened to be the truth. “More than twelve as it goes King” I said simply and it was the first time I had ever seen him speechless, shaking his head. “How is that even possible?” he said quietly, the look on his face filling me with a steely resolve and the words were out of my mouth before I could stop them. “Why? Do you think you can fuck the frustration out of me King. If nothing else, it’ll burn off all those calories you’ve been silently criticising me for since the second you walked in here.” He narrowed his eyes as if to check I was joking before slamming me with his dazzling trademark smile.

  “Are you asking me for a date Smith?” I couldn’t contain my laughter now, voicing my unedited, undiluted response before my brain could kick in. “Fuck no, I have no desire to spend a minute longer with you than absolutely necessary. I’m suggesting we just screw and get it over with. I assume you have no issues with not buying me dinner first. It would waste time, I’m not your normal type King, I’d actually eat it. If you insist on the whole date thing we can count the tea without sugar that you’ve just bought me if you like. At least that way there’s no pressure on you, you’ve set the bar low. I’m not expecting much”

  . I hadn’t anticipated the fierceness of the response as he rounded the booth, almost dragging me by the elbow out of the cafe and straight into the gleaming foyer of King Marketing, releasing my arm as I stood, bewildered and wondering what on earth I‘d just done, as the throngs of his staff who were finishing for the day filed out of the building.

  He was marching forwards, turning a menacing glare on me as I hung back. “Come on” he growled, standing at the opposite side of the elevator as I followed him into his office on the 20th floor and within the blink of an eye, for the second time, I was pinned against the cool wooden door as it shut behind me. “Is this what you want Smith?” I nodded involuntarily, surprised to find myself thinking it actually was, when his soft firm lips crashed against mine, harder and more demanding than the kiss outside the Ritz, but this time I was not slapping him away. He pulled back momentarily as if to check I hadn’t changed my mind before I grabbed his blue silk tie, yanking him towards me, desperate to feel his naked body against mine and praying to God that Katie’s advice was right.

  I wasn’t gentle as I shoved his jacket over his shoulders and onto the floor, ripping at the buttons of his shirt as he broke the kiss momentarily to pull his loosened tie over his head, eyes blazing into mine and the curve of a smirk on the side of his lip. I wanted him so badly at that moment, I just didn’t care, gasping as he kissed deeply against my neck, expertly undoing the ribbon on my navy wrap dress so it hung open. Fisting his hands through my hair, his lips possessed me in a kiss so passionate I could barely breathe, his tongue rolling around m
ine and caressing it beautifully. Christ Jason King could kiss, and my body ignited in such a fierce response that I couldn’t control my need, pulling his hard chest against mine and moaning into his mouth. He shoved the dress roughly down my arms as I stood there in my black lace panties, bra and heels, gasping for air. “You are fucking gorgeous Charlotte” he growled sexily, the sound of my name, from his velvet tongue making my insides explode in delighted response as I ran my fingers across sculptured, hard tanned abs, undoing his belt, button and fly, before I was totally lost, revelling in the feel of his fingers gently sweeping across the saturated lace of my panties.

  I melted against the low rumble of appreciation in his throat, right before he ripped them off in a carnal display of power that sent my arousal into orbit, and I gasped audibly. He chuckled gently, removing his huge cock from his open trousers, sliding on a condom before pushing me roughly up the door. I wrapped my legs around his waist and he thrust into me, the sheer size of his cock sending pain then incredible pleasure searing through my core as I cried out. He fucked me with a punishing force, kissing and gently biting the curve of my breasts and engorged nipples through the lace of my bra as I grabbed his hair roughly, pulling him into me as he hit my limits again and again. I had never felt a cock so big and I understood where the bastard got his arrogance from. He was pure alpha male and he was good at this. My clit was singing as he pounded into me relentlessly, desperate for release as wave after wave of pleasure rolled through my body and I came apart, gasping his name as he pulled my lips to his, absorbing my cries. “Fuck Charlotte” he groaned, stilling against me, as his own orgasm gripped and raged through him and I moaned at the intensity of his pulsing cock inside me and his gorgeous features contorted with pleasure.

  He kissed me deeply before gently pulling out, as my shaky feet found the floor. We stood nose to nose, holding each other, breathing still ragged as we came down from the incredible high and as I gazed into those beautiful sapphire eyes, eclipsed by pools of black, my heart melted. Right until the second he spoke. “That was incredible Smith” he smiled at me, the reversion to my surname, reminding me all too soon why I’d spent two months trying to give Jason King a very wide berth.

  A dozen emotions raced through my brain as I stood there staring, our lips only millimetres apart. “Thank you King, I no longer feel in the least bit frustrated”. Physically I felt so satisfied, at least that part was true, reminding me never again to go twelve months without any action. Now, all I had to do was extract myself in the least mortifying way possible from this particular situation. I bent to pick up my dress as he stepped backwards, raking his gaze over my almost naked body as I pulled it on, wrapping it around me and tying it around the waist. “Glad I no longer irritate you Smith” he grinned and I couldn’t help but smile back. “Oh, I didn’t say that” I laughed, turning to open the handle on the huge wooden door and making my way towards the elevator, feeling slightly guilty as I noticed several shirt buttons scattered across the floor where I’d pulled mercilessly at it in the frantic race to get him naked, and I hoped he had a spare. I pressed the button for the elevator when I heard the whistle behind me and turned to face him, as he lounged casually against the door frame of his office, his glorious chest deliciously naked and hair sexily ruffled as he dangled my damaged lace panties from an extended finger. “Keep them” I grinned as the elevator arrived, sliding in and turning to hold his stare as the doors slid shut.

  I almost skipped home, on cloud nine, elated and sated and revelling in the realisation that Katie’s plan might have actually worked. Despite my general loathing of the man, fucking him out of my system had been infinitely more enjoyable than I’d envisaged. All I needed now was to find a plan to sort out the work situation. Lying in my bed, staring at the ceiling after a long soak in a beautiful peach scented bath, wondering how I could avoid Jason King, it came to me.

  Chapter 4

  “I’m not sure why you look so happy, I heard what the bastards did with the fashion pitch” Katie said as we hit the kitchen for our morning coffee and I couldn’t resist unleashing the shock factor. “I fucked King last night” I grinned as she stopped dead, staring after me, her pretty face etched with pure unadulterated surprise. “He was great and your plan worked. I’m going to see Alison as soon as I’ve caffeinated myself to tell her to take me off all the leading accounts for a while” I smiled, which did nothing to lessen the shock on her face. “You can’t Lotty, you’ve worked so hard to get the prime accounts” she gasped sympathetically. She more than anyone knew how hard I’d fought Grayson and his old boys club to be taken seriously and worked my arse off to pitch out of my skin until I was considered the best executive they had. But the truth was, as long as I was pitching for the plum accounts, the ones that won you awards and made you famous in the industry, I would be up against Jason King, and I was keen to avoid him at all costs. That particular method of working currently had me lingering in the middle of the executives sales rankings and I wanted to be at the top. I knew my plan would mean working harder than I’d ever worked before but if I was successful, it would keep Jason King out of my hair, earn me significant commission and bounce me back to the top of that sales table before anyone realised what I was up to.

  Alison wasn’t surprised to see me, but as I explained my plan she was undoubtedly surprised as to why I was there. I imagined she was expecting a confrontation, the kind she’d have had from Ian Anderson if they had taken one of his pitches from him at the eleventh hour and given it to me when the hard work had been done. She pushed her glasses to the bridge of her nose, eyeing me suspiciously, blood red lips pursed. “Why Charlotte?” she quizzed as I smiled at her. “Look Alison, Ian wants the big accounts, let him have them. All I’m asking for is the small and medium accounts that we’re not currently taking and to have the opportunity to run with them”. “You won’t win any awards for plugging toothpicks and toilet cleaner” she said grimacing, pushing her tortoiseshell designer glasses back into place. “Just give me the go ahead to try them out Alison, income is income, sexy or not” I laughed as she nodded her head, shooing me out of the office as her phone rang.

  Katie was keen to get to the bottom of my sudden professional change of direction and I ushered her into the boardroom to give her the low down. I was definitely going to need her help and that of the creative team, who I imagined would be far from happy. They didn’t want to create ads for toothpicks any more than I did really. They wanted Pharma and Rolex and Castle vodka, big ticket items with the budgets to match. Namely, all the ones I had recently lost. Perhaps I’d leave them to Anderson, and pull in some of the juniors. Now there was a thought.

  “So I’m bursting to know Lotty, how was he?” she grinned as soon as I shut the door and I laughed as her comment caught me off guard. “Exactly as you’d expect” I winked. “Did you go back to his?” she smiled, biting her lip. A vague comment wouldn’t be enough, the girl wanted details and I couldn’t blame her, I would be exactly the same. “I don’t think we’d have made it” I laughed. “We were in the cafe, we only just made it to his office. He was hot, he was good, very good in fact, and that’s all you’re getting” I laughed as she squealed in frustration. “Out of ten. Body?” she persisted as I shook my head laughing “Ten”. “Cock?” and I rolled my eyes. “Eleven” I said eventually as she pulled out her notebook, unable to wipe the look from her face that told me she was beyond envious of my little tryst with the rather large Jason King.

  “So what’s with the minor accounts?” she said, looking at me like I had lost my mind. I smiled at her. “I’m languishing in the middle of the sales rankings Katie, Grayson is losing faith, Ian Anderson is telling anyone who’ll listen that I’ve lost the killer instinct and King has outpitched me on everything but dog food lately. I need to keep myself under the radar and win the accounts no one’s watching. I’ll have to work a lot harder and pitch three times more often on average” I laughed as she rolled her eyes. “Which means I’m going
to have to work three times as hard” she sighed, staring me out as I grinned at her nodding.

  “I still don’t really understand why Lotty?” she frowned again, and I was hoping she’d share my enthusiasm when she heard my reasoning. “King will win the fashion account, he knows the designer. Andersons wasting his time, but he doesn’t know that, and I’d be grateful if you kept it to yourself. While he’s tied up with that, he won’t be working on anything else and neither will King. If I can do what I need to do, I’ll be back in with a shot at Exec of the Year for the advertising awards. If I carry on like I am now, I’ll be out of the running, and I can’t have King ruining the last twelve months work just because he finds it amusing to get in my face. These accounts will trickle in slowly and I imagine that by the time they all add up, Anderson won’t be able to find an account big enough to trump me. King probably will, but as long as I’m put forward as the Grayson representative, I’ll be happy with that, and Ian will be eating his words”. “You devious bitch Charlotte” she grinned, nodding her head “that plan might just work”. “It will if I can keep enough secrecy around it. I need to buy some time Katie. Can you help me dig up every minor account that’s languishing in the files and help me enlist some of the junior creative’s?” She nodded enthusiastically and as we left the boardroom we were giggling like schoolgirls. We were on a mission, and it felt good.

  “Take your pick” she laughed at lunchtime, throwing a three page report on my desk as I glanced down it, smiling up at her. “I’ll take the hover mower, the matches, the smartphone app, the ice cream and aspirin for now” I said, highlighting the report and downloading the details on to my desktop. Can you tell the junior creative’s to get started and remind them its top secret” I smiled at her. “Will do. I thought they’d pull their faces but they’re buzzing about it. You know how it is, no one pays them much attention, they’ll be leading on their own accounts, which is a first for most of them. I think your plan could be absolute genius” she laughed. “Tell them the drinks are on me tonight” I smiled. “I wasn’t intending to risk the wine bar yet, but I need them on side and I imagine getting them plastered on free drinks is as good a way as any to go about doing it”. She gave me a knowing smile and went to work. I was still at my desk when six o’ clock rolled around having made significant inroads into three of the pitches. This was going to be tough and I prayed it was going to be worth it. If nothing else, it had taken my mind off Jason King, realising suddenly that I hadn’t heard from him, prick.