Owned (Office Intrigue Book 8) by Nicole Edwards (bill gates book recommendations txt) 📕

I leaned down and let my lips linger over hers. Another impulsive move on my part. I could’ve said it was meant to gauge Braelyn’s intentions, but I knew better. Ever since I’d brushed my lips over hers a short time ago, I’d wanted to kiss her again, wanted to feel those soft, plump lips on my own.

There was no hesitation on her part as she leaned into me. I was impressed by the fact she kept her hands at her sides, not reaching, not attempting to take the lead, although I would’ve welcomed her touch.

I didn’t deepen the kiss though I was tempted. But I was still on edge here, and being that I hadn’t kissed anyone in … God knows how long … I feared it would be my breaking point.

Instead, I stood tall, let my finger glide down her neck, over her collarbone and dip beneath the edge of the robe. I lingered there for a moment, gently tugging on the cotton so that it gaped enough to see the swell of her breast, a hint of her apricot-colored nipple.

Still looking up at me, Braelyn said, “Would you like me to take it off?”

Once again, she surprised me.

“I most definitely would,” I assured her, but before she could do so, I stopped her hand. “But not yet.”

She nodded, her golden eyes glittering, her lips parted. I could hear the rasp of her breath, see her pulse pounding in her neck.

“I shall leave you to it, then,” I said as I backed out of the closet, smiling to myself.

ELEVEN

Braelyn

I went the comfortable route, opting for a pair of leggings and one of the oversized sweaters. Because I wore nothing beneath, I still felt naked, but at least these gave the illusion that I was fully dressed. Probably helped that my breasts weren’t on the large side. I wouldn’t say they were even on the medium side, so going without a bra didn’t make much of a difference aside from feeling like I was missing something.

I stopped in the bathroom to check my appearance, grateful to find my eyes weren’t puffy and my nose wasn’t red. Being that I’d cried more tonight than I had in years, I hadn’t been sure what to expect.

Using the brush Rolphe had used when he’d dried my hair, I tidied up the long strands. Because of how long it was, I usually kept it pulled back in a ponytail or pinned up. I wasn’t sure why I didn’t just cut it, trim it to my shoulders, maybe. Seemed like it would be the easier thing to do. But I happened to like my hair and I’d grown fond of it over the years, I guess you could say. And right now, I found that leaving it down helped to make me feel less naked.

Smiling at the thought, I took a deep breath before returning to Talon’s bedroom.

He was there, standing near the door to the hall, clearly waiting for me. “Would you like to eat?”

I nodded, my stomach rumbling in response.

He offered a sexy smile and held out his arm.

It took a moment for me to realize he wanted me to take it, so I curled my hand around his thick forearm and allowed him to lead the way. I did my best not to think about how warm his skin was or how the crisp hair tickled my palm, sending shards of pleasure coursing through me.

As we walked, I heard the now familiar sound of him snapping his fingers. Moments later, Auberon and Rolphe were moving past us, then holding open the doors to … well, I’d say it was a dining room, but it looked like it might act as a multipurpose space.

There was a large rectangular table running down the center with enough chairs around it to seat an army. Along the outer walls of the fuselage, there were cabinets on one side, the other holding an enormous television. There were interior walls in this space, too. Dividers, really. They were covered in a glossy wood that reflected the lights from above. It gave an almost businesslike feel to the room.

“The dining room doubles as a conference room when we need it,” Talon explained, as though reading my mind.

Made sense.

When he stopped at the table, he didn’t have to pull out the chair, because one of his submissives was already doing it. Figuring it was a gesture made for Talon, I started to pull away and go to the next chair, but Talon stopped me, urging me into the luxuriously soft leather seat.

“Have the others join us,” he instructed Auberon, then looked at me. “Something to drink? Wine?”

Although I wasn’t really in the mood for it, I opted to accept since it would probably help me sleep.

I nodded at Talon, smiled.

To Rolphe, he said, “Bring wine for Braelyn and my usual.”

The submissive’s response was a simple nod, then he was heading off.

I felt my face warm as I watched the man who not too long ago had been kneeling before Talon, taking his cock into his—

I coughed to dislodge the image from my brain. Definitely not appropriate.

“Who else is here?” I asked, praying the heat would leave my face.

“Some of my staff.”

Talon pulled out another chair beside me, but before he could sit, people began streaming into the room, and Talon was standing tall, addressing them directly.

“Zion, I’d like to introduce you to Ransom’s sister, Braelyn. Braelyn, meet Zion Sisk, the CFO of Owned, Incorporated.”

Instantly I was on my feet, shaking his proffered hand.

“Only one of my many duties,” the man said, his voice a rasp that was so severe it was difficult to understand him. I figured it had to do with the injury he’d sustained, the one that had left a long scar bisecting the thick column of his neck, running upward toward his chin.

“Zion was injured during his time in the Marines,” Talon explained.

“Injured’s putting it nicely,” Zion said with