The Dom with the Dragon Tattoo (Masters of Submission #5)(7)
She glanced at her watch. It was past seven in the evening, and she’d been working for almost twelve hours. “Sorry, Rob. I hadn’t realized the time.” She’d been with Cerberus Technology for just over a month now, and the team she’d organized was starting to gel. Rob would often stay behind far longer than strictly necessary. He was a great guy.
Rebecca poked at her glasses, which had the annoying habit of slipping down her nose. “Thanks for seeing the Beta program through to the end, Rob, now get on home to Samantha and the kids.” She laughed and shooed him away. “Scoot, mister. I’m almost finished here myself. I just need to check that these figures correlate correctly.” She grabbed a calculator and quickly began tapping endless numbers onto the keypad, guessing she must be getting tired, because she kept making silly mistakes. “Damn.”
He chuckled. “See you tomorrow, Rebecca.” He paused in the doorway. “Say, why don’t you come to my place on Saturday? We’re having a few friends round for drinks and a barbecue. We’d love you to come.”
“Thanks for the offer, but I’ve still got loads of unpacking to do.”
“Oh, go on. Live a little. Sam and the kids would love to meet you. She wants to see the lady boss who’s keeping her husband late every night.”
Rebecca couldn’t help but laugh at his comments and, almost on the point of saying no, finally relented. She guessed Rob wanted to introduce her to his wife in order to allay any fears she might have. A lot of women didn’t like their husbands working for a woman, especially if they stayed late on a regular basis. She held up her hands in submission. “Okay, okay, you win, Rob. Thanks for the offer, and I’d love to come.” Rob’s wife didn’t need to have any worries. He was such a sweet, genuine guy but so not her type.
He looked relieved, like she’d lifted a weight from his shoulders. “Great. We sure know how to party in Texas.”
When he’d gone she let out a long sigh and wearily shook her head. She generally didn’t socialize with her team, but she hadn’t let her hair down since arriving in Houston. Christ, she missed the friends and lifestyle she had in Boston. She missed Club Submission, where she was a regular. She missed not having a dominant male in her life. Perhaps meeting and making new friends would raise her spirits. It was strange, even though Boston held some sad memories, she missed it immensely—far more than she ever imagined.
Her eyes were getting tired, and Rebecca finally decided to call it a day. She yawned and lazily stretched her arms above her head then strolled around the office, checking that everything electrical was switched off. Her working environment consisted of a large air-conditioned space, which she’d helped design herself. She knew that a relaxed, positive atmosphere motivated her team to get results.
Satisfied everything was safe, she hung her purse over her shoulder then turned off the banks of switches until just the emergency lighting cast its eerie glow over the dormant computers and work stations. Outside in the corridor she scanned her security pass, making sure the door clicked firmly shut before heading toward the parking lot.
Cerberus Technology was based in a state-of-the-art building rising some five stories high, and situated to the southwest of Houston, in the town of Sugar Land. Her office was located on the top floor, and she and her team were currently involved in a top-secret project, code-named “Operation Fire Wall.” She needed to trust her staff implicitly, as technological espionage was rife in her line of work. This was why she’d insisted on choosing her own team. As she made her way along the well-lit corridor, she noticed Tyler Stone’s office door slightly ajar. Over the last month she’d gotten to know him a little better, and although their conversations had only ever been work related, her * would often go wet in his presence. Fucking hell, her boss was one sexy guy.
For some unknown reason she tried to slip quietly past his office door, hoping he wouldn’t notice. Her plan didn’t work because she heard his deep, sexy voice call her back.
“Rebecca, a word please.”
Had he been waiting for her to leave? Feeling sexually aroused by what appeared to be a command and not a request, she nervously pushed open the door and entered his office. He sat behind an impressive desk, a gold fountain pen in his hand, his piercing amber eyes seeming to penetrate her defenses.
Wearing a short-sleeved shirt open at the collar, he looked good enough to eat, which metaphorically speaking she did, allowing her gaze to devour the incredible muscle development apparent in his arms. Prominent raised veins threaded their way along his powerful forearms, emphasizing his masculine physique. She’d been right. Tyler Stone did work out, regularly. She was aware that her heart beat quickly, and she couldn’t help noticing that the hair on the back of his hands took on a golden hue as the evening sun streamed through the window blinds.
Never taking his eyes from her, he motioned to the chair opposite. “Sit down. I want to know how Operation Fire Wall is progressing.” His face wore the same self-satisfied look she’d seen when agreeing to work for him.
Rebecca eased herself into the hard-backed chair and self-consciously crossed her legs. Gathering her composure, she smiled across the desk at him. “Everything is just fine, Mr. Stone.”
“From now on call me Tyler.” He was asking her to use his given name, but somehow his tone came across as uncompromising, dominant even.