Blackstone Inc. (Book 1)

Part 9

Just when I thought my eyes couldn't possibly take any more of the strain that came from staring at a screen for too long, Dominic pushed away from his desk and stretched his arms over his head while leaning against his chair, popping his back.

I tried not to look over at him but when I heard him let out a small groan I looked up just in time to see his blazer fall away from his torso and his white button-up stretch across his chest and stomach.

′Fuck me.′

Okay, but where's the lie, though.

I tried to rip my attention away from the faint outline of his well-defined stomach, but the challenge was daunting and I wasn't a very strong willed woman.

When I was finally able to tear my eyes away, I looked at my watch and saw that is was 11:30.

Dominic straightened up and stood, fixing his blazer and tie, all while looking out into the city below us.

He truly was a king at the top of his ebony tower looking down at his subjects and I was metaphorically right there with them. From what I had researched about him, the people of Dallas loved Dominic. He regularly gave to charity, he paid his employees very well, he was easy to negotiate and do business with, and though he was a quiet man, he was well liked by everyone

It seemed we were all ready and willing to serve the king.

"Are you ready to go, Genevieve? We have to be there at 12, but I'd like to be early. This client is notorious for getting furious if he's kept waiting, so it would be better for us to wait for him than the other way around," he said before he walked around to the front of his desk and leaned against it with his hands folded over his waist, one foot crossed over the other.

"Yes, Sir," I spoke quietly as I saved my work and powered down the computer before grabbing my bag and standing, making sure to adjust my skirt as it had bunched up around my thighs.

We met in the middle of the office before we walked into the hallway that led to the elevator, him beating me to press the button. We entered the elevator and I watched as he pressed the button for the lobby.

The ride down wasn't so bad as we stood in silence...that was until we stopped on the 12th floor and Jeremy stepped on.

He gave Dom a small smile, "Mr. Blackstone, how are you?"

I couldn't tell if he actually cared or not. Something about his expression was off for the question, but he seemed polite enough.

"I'm well, Jeremy. Did Miss Carlyle inform you," Dominic asked, his eyes trained on the younger man, his face giving nothing away.

I looked over at Dom and saw he had a brow raised in question.

"Inform me of what," Jeremy asked, looking at me with a questioning gaze.

"Oh, uh," I turned my attention to him now, "Dom--Mr. Blackstone informed me that I have to accompany him to a business lunch. So, we'll have to rain check that lunch, sorry," I said as I gave him a small, apologetic smile.

I saw him cut a glance to Dominc and his face fell, but just as fast as it fell, it righted again, "Well then, maybe tomorrow, yeah?"

Smiling back, I allowed his expression to raise my mood, "Yeah, maybe."

I hadn't realized it but I was in the middle of a hot guy sandwich with Dominic on my left and Jeremy on my right.

But while Jeremy was good looking in a boy-next-door kind of way, with his blond hair, his strong jaw, and his blue eyes, he just wasn't in Dominics league. Not even close.

'And doesn't he remind you of a certain other blonde-haired, blue-eyed boy that you left back in NOLA?'

I didn't want to think about boys any more. Boys remind me of my past and of home and of why I was here and I really wanted to look to the future, I wanted to think about men, men like Dominic.

Now, he was a man with facial hair and strong muscles and a sharp jawline...and those amber eyes that I wouldn't mind getting lost in.

There wasn't a suit I had yet to see him in that didn't bulge against his muscles. His short dark brown hair was always carefully styled and his beard and mustache were always perfectly sculpted, as were his eyebrows, though thick as they were. He truly was a beautiful man and there was simply no comparison.

I felt Dominics presence more firmly against my left side as if he were purposefully reminding me that he was there, that I had already agreed to plans with him, and that even he knew there was simply no comparison. That he was in a league of his own.

When the elevator finally reached the lobby, I let out an audible sigh of relief. The testosterone in the elevator had gotten to be too much, too suffocating and my head was swimming.

I was the first one out as the doors opened and when we passed Dariah I saw her eyes cut from me to the men that were now a few paces behind me.

"Good afternoon, Sir. I called the car for you already. You wanted the XJ, right," she stood and asked in a very doting voice with a smile.

'XJ?'

"Yes, thank you, Dariah. We're going to meet with an important client so please hold all of my calls. We will be back later," he said as he finally caught up to me.

By this time Jeremy had already passed me and was now walking out through the front doors without a single word or glance in our direction.

I looked up at Dominic and said in a low voice, "Do you want me to meet you there? If so I'll need the address, Sir."

He chuckled as he looked down at me, "You will be riding with me, Genevieve."

As he ushered us to the doors, I was suddenly very aware of his large stature next to my small one, of the size difference between us, and of his warm hand splayed out on the small of my back.

I turned back to see the look on Dariahs' face and I swear if looks could kill I'd have already been six feet under so I decided to have a little fun.

"Have a good afternoon, Dariah," I said sweetly while slightly smirking.

Dominic and I stepped out of the doors and I laid my eyes on a sleek four-door matte grey car that looked like it was owned by someone with money and power, and I knew my eyes were the size of dinner plates as I asked, "Is...Is that your car?"

He let his hand fall from my back and I had the strangest urge that I'd do anything to have his hands on me again... anywhere.

"Yes, it's my Jaguar," he said nonchalantly.

And honestly, I couldn't see him in any other car but this one. It fit his personality to a 'T'.

He held open my door for me and I tried to climb in and sit as gracefully as possible, all without flashing my black lace panties.

Shutting the door after I had gotten situated in the seat, he walked around to his side and got in. I felt the car rev to life with a purr as I brushed my hands over the black leather seats and took a deep breath.

It still had that new car smell mixed in with Dominics natural scent and it was one of the most heavenly combinations.

"It's so beautiful. It must've cost a fortune," I whispered.

He chuckled, changing gears and we were suddenly speeding down the road, "Actually, it was only about 80 thousand."

Only?