Nancy was sorting slides for a meeting when Maurice peaked his head in.

“Ma’am, Mr. Selvaggio on line two.”

She nodded and picked her phone up. “Elias, what can I do for you?”

“Oooh, I can think of a few things,” he purred. She rolled her eyes. Perhaps three months wasn’t enough of a break. “I just so happened to be in town for a special project I could use some help with?”

Nancy grit her teeth and kept her voice monotone. “Are you in town solely for this project?”

Elias laughed. “What can I say? I’m enthusiastic about this venture.”

“I see,” she said as her eyes narrowed and fingers tapped the desk. “My schedule isn’t very accommodating for last-minute additions.”

“Aww, surely you can... fit me in?”

Nancy groaned, imagining the grin on his face at having thought that line up. “I’ll contact you. No guarantees.”

“I’ll keep myself occupied with, lesser interests in the meantime.”

She hung up the phone and pinched her nose between her eyes. Elias’ pretty face and anatomical advantage might not be worth continuing this endeavor.

“Ugh,” Maurice said as he walked into her office. He wrung his hands like he had touched something slimy. “That man is so unsavory.”

Nancy burst out laughing. “That’s an apt word for him. Unsavory.”

“Oh, there’s others. Lecherous. Obnoxious. Repugnant,” Maurice said as he counted on his fingers.

Nancy chuckled and held up a hand. “Unsavory was fine. What did he ever do to you?”

“He treats anyone without a C title like trash,” Maurice said. Nancy snapped her attention to him, her smile gone.

“Was he rude to you on the phone?”

He shrugged. “Not this time, but his nose is so far up I’m surprised he can walk in a straight line.”

“Hmm, let me know if he ever is.” She stood. “Did you need me?”

“Oh, no. Just commiserating.”

She raised an eyebrow. “Guess what I’m about to say?”

Maurice laughed and threw his hands up. “I know! I know! I’ve got something better to do!”

Nancy walked to the back corner of her office and took a deep breath as she looked out over the urban vista. Elias breaking the rules this soon wasn’t a good sign.

He was very attractive but made her feel more like an object than a person. In the right setting, with the right person, that could be enjoyable. The problem was, that feeling permeated Elias’s entire personality and all his interactions.

On a more complex man, it would be an immediate disqualification, but Elias functioned almost entirely on Id. He was a wild animal, gorging itself on something until it became sick only to move onto the next thing. The question was, did she want to discipline or put down this unpredictable animal?

Nancy leaned on the window. She could discontinue the relationship with Elias as Ikher had, over the past weeks, proven more than capable. Her dominion over the board was still tenuous, so she was reticent to throw away a bargaining chip.

Discipline was the safer route for now. Nancy smiled as thoughts drifted back to Ikher. She had seen him at least once a week over the past month. She had set no formal boundaries with him, and he had yet to cross any of them.

There was also something to be said for people who earned what they had as opposed to those who inherited it. Ikher put forth more effort in bed than Elias could ever dream of. She smiled, pushed off the window, and walked back to the entrance of her office.

“Maurice.”

“Ma’am?” he said, swiveling in his chair.

“What are you working on right now?”

“Your Vindenberg reservations and schedule.”

“Can you shuffle the rest of my afternoon to Thursday and Friday?”

“Looking,” he said as he swung back to his computer. He shuffled through her calendar as he tapped his pen against his teeth. “I can move everything but the marketing walk through. Shall I cancel that?”

She blinked. This was a perfect opportunity. “Do you want to do it?”

He turned, wide eyed. “I... suppose I could. Are you sure?”

“You were with me every step of the way. I trust you,” she said and walked back into her office.

“Thank you! I think?!” he yelled.

She grabbed her mobile phone and called Elias as she walked to the window corner.

“Nancy! That was quick. Good news, I hope?”

“I’ve moved things around for this afternoon howev- “

“Excellent!”

“However! You need to be on your best behavior.”

“I’m always on my best behavior.”

“Hmmm, we’ll see. Where are you?”

“I have the penthouse at the Grand Del Mar.”

“I’ll be there at two o’clock.”

“Excellent! Dinner after?”

“No.” She let her head fall back to stare at the ceiling. “Do you have protection or do I need to get some?”

“I have come prepared!” he said, sounding very proud of himself.

“And they’re the right kind?”

“Yes, yes. You worry too much.”

Her head snapped forward to glare out the window. “Obviously I don’t, as one of us is off script.”

“What? I don’t get any points for enthusiasm?”

“Oh, I’m going to give you some points when I get there."

“Ooh. Sounds kinky. I like it!”

She closed her phone and took a deep breath. Yes, discipline it is.

The elevator doors opened and Nancy walked down the extravagant hallway. The Del Mar was one of the few luxury hotels that didn’t lease their building from her company. The garish style proved it.

She had, at first, considered him staying here might be a subtle power move on Elias’s part. A pushing of the boundaries he didn’t like. But the simplest answer was most often correct; Elias liked it here because the gaudy decor matched his personality.

When she knocked, he answered wearing nothing but his bikini briefs and a light sheen of sweat. His nose and cheeks blushed red and his eyes were dilated.

She sighed as she removed her jacket. “I see you’ve started already.”

Elias laughed and slapped his stomach. “I have indeed!”

After hanging her jacket and purse, she left him and walked into the bedroom. Elias followed and went to his nightstand. He pulled out his gold medicine box and held out a small purple pill with an enormous grin.

“I saved one for you.”

She glanced over as she unbuttoned her blouse. “Do I even want to know what that is?”

“Ecstasy.”

“No, thank you.”

“You sure? It makes things more fun.”

“Positive.”

Elias shrugged and returned the pill to his box before pulling out a strip of condoms. He turned to sit on the end of the bed and watched Nancy undress. She folded her blouse on the table, undid the bow that held her skirt together, and folded it as well. When she sat to remove her shoes, he held up a hand.

“No, leave them on.”

Nancy raised an eyebrow before standing. “Very well.” She walked over and took the condoms from him. As she examined them, he ran his hands up her sides to cup and squeeze her breasts.

“I’ve missed you,” he said more to her breasts than her.

She tore a condom from the strip and threw the rest to the side. “These will do.”

“I told you I came prepared.” He grinned up at her as he pulled the bra straps off her shoulders. Nancy grabbed a fist full of his hair and yanked his head back, making him grunt.

“Stand up.” He complied, and she walked him in a circle to trade places. “On your knees.” Elias chuckled as he knelt.

“I’m granting you this one exception to the rules,” she said, holding his head back. “If you show up again outside of the schedule, we’re done. Do you understand?” Elias nodded and ran his hands up the sides of her thighs. Nancy tossed the condom on the bed and snapped the band of her underwear.

“Take these off,” she said as she released his hair. Elias hooked his fingers in the band and pulled her underwear down to her ankles, letting her step out of them. Nancy sat on the edge of the bed, parted her legs, and looked down at him.

“Well, get to work.”

Elias rubbed his hands together, lifted her legs, and dove in face first. His initial enthusiasm lasted for only a minute. He fell into his usual tactics of barely using his mouth and tongue while being too rough with his hands. Nancy tried to move her hips or adjust his head with her hands, but he was oblivious or unreceptive.

“Okay. Okay, stop,” she said as she stretched across the bed for the condom.

Elias jumped up and took it from her. “Ha! Ready to go so soon?”

“Sure,” she said with a sigh as he put the condom on. Before she could sit up, he grabbed under her knees and lifted her legs up. He folded her legs back, opening her up to him.

“I figured out what you like. From last time,” he said with a wicked grin as he released one of her legs to grab himself at the base.

Elias’s efforts, once again, started with a bang but degraded after the first few minutes. At first she thought it might be the position, but realized that his erection was fading. Without him at full mast, the advantageous reach of his curve was useless. Elias cycled her through sweaty position after sweaty position in what proved to be a futile attempt at maintaining his erection.

When he was all but gone, Nancy looked over her shoulder to see Elias drenched and breathing heavy. He wiped the sweat from his face, then clapped a slimy hand back on her hip. She recoiled away, only to be pulled back into place. She grabbed his sweaty wrist and yanked that hand off her.

“We’re done.” As she slid to the edge of the bed, Elias pulled the condom off and moved to stand in front of her. He wagged his mostly flaccid member in her face.

“Finish me with your mouth then.”

She stood, taller than him thanks to his demand to keep her shoes on, and stuck a finger in his chest. “Use your hand,” she said before pushing him back and walking into his bathroom.

When she emerged from toweling his sweat off, she found him taking her advice. Elias sat on the edge of the bed, working himself.

“At least stand here and give me something to look at,” he said as he pumped away.

She glared at him before snatching her underwear from the floor. “You best be quick then,” she said as she turned and walked back to the table to dress.

Despite his valiant efforts, Elias didn’t reach the finish line before she was done. Nancy tied the bow that held her skirt as he walked over.

“Let me get some energy and we can make another go of it,” he said, reaching for her arm. The sharp glare she gave him stopped him in his tracks.

“Your ‘energy’ is likely the cause of your problems,” she said and pulled her blouse out of her skirt a little before walking out of the bedroom.

He followed her into the foyer. “Are you leaving because of my performance?”

“I’m leaving for a lot of reasons, but yes, your performance is among them,” she said as she grabbed her jacket and purse from the wall hooks. She looked him over. “Get yourself together, Elias. You’re a mess.”

Riding the elevator down, her mood worsened as she replayed everything in her head. ‘Wild animal’ was a gross exaggeration she realized. The two encounters last month were obviously not the standard, and his substance problem was a bigger factor than she had realized.

Exiting into the main hallway she decided to decline to see him next board meeting and keep him at arms length for a bit. Using his vices against him gave her a layer of protection should he become annoyed at any lack of encounters.

Still fuming, she stopped in the hotel bathroom for another round of cleaning. It took every wipe she had in her purse and several of the hotel washcloths to get rid of the feeling of his sweat on her. Coming out of the stall, her purse buzzed as she set it on the counter.

“Nancy Lanover.”

Ikher’s relaxed voice came through the phone. “Hey busy lady, thought I’d check on you.”

“It’s been a day,” she grumbled as she tucked the phone between her ear and shoulder so she could wash her hands.

“You okay? You sound upset.”

“I am. I rescheduled everything for a last minute meeting, which turned out to be a complete waste of my time.”

“Ooh, that sucks. I’m sorry.”

“It is what it is, I’m afraid,” Nancy said as she dried her hands with a towel.

“Well, how’s your evening look? I could try to cheer you up.” There was a hint of sly fun in his voice that made her smile as she turned and leaned on the counter. It wasn’t like she had anything else on her plate this afternoon. And a redo wasn’t a bad idea.

“I like the sound of that,” she said and snatched her purse as she left the bathroom. “Are you free now?”

“I am. You hungry? How far away are you?”

“No need for food. I’m leaving the city now. So twenty, maybe thirty minutes?” she said as she exited the hotel to the parking lot.

“Awesome. See you soon.”

Ikher closed the door behind her. Nancy tossed her coat and purse onto his couch.

“No change of clothes?” he asked.

“Nope.”

She took his hand and led him down the hallway into his bedroom. When they entered, she turned and kissed him as her hands undid his button and zipper. Pulling back from the kiss, she pointed to the bed.

“Sit.”

“What’s gotten into you?” he said as he sat, pulling off his jeans and boxers.

Nancy grabbed a pillow and tossed it at his feet. “I was thinking on the drive over how you’re always respectful, kind, and generous.” Kicking her shoes off, she knelt on the pillow, ran her hands up his thighs, and grasped him at the base. “I want to show you how grateful I am for that.”

His thighs tightening told Nancy he was close. The comforter clenched in his fists told her he was fighting it. And finally, his strained whimper of “Nance... I’m... yeah!” said it was time.

His head fell back, and she watched his abs spasm as he sucked quick breaths. When Ikher melted onto the bed, spent, Nancy sat back on her feet and wiped her mouth. She couldn’t help a bit of a smug smile when Ikher raised his head to look at her with half awake eyes.

She ran her hands up his thighs. “You’re fun to do that to. We should do it more.”

He squeezed her hands with his. After a big exhale, he sat forward and cupped the back of her head as he kissed her. His eyes were still sleepy when he pulled away, but there was a kindling of determination in them.

“You,” he breathed, his lips hovering just off hers. “Are amazing. But now it’s my turn.” He reached under her arms to pick her up, but she pushed him back onto the bed.

“No,” Nancy said as she stood and unbuttoned her blouse. “If you still have some fight in you, then I haven’t appreciated you enough.” She undid the bow that held her skirt and let it fall to the floor. Sliding her underwear down, she stepped out of them.

“So,” she said as she climbed on top of him. “You’re going to lie there and be appreciated.”

When the shaking subsided, Nancy unclenched her fists and put a hand on his chest to steady herself. She pushed her hair out of her face to look down at his smug grin. He was more perceptive than she had given him credit for. He had figured out how to reach that spot while being under her.

Ikher pushed himself up to be face to face with her. “Good position?”

“Uh huh,” she nodded, then took his face in her hands and covered him with kisses.

He struggled to ask “You, still, in charge, or, is it, my turn?”

She was pretty sure her legs wouldn’t work, so it was best to let him take over. Nancy pulled away and laid her arms over his shoulders with a sigh. “I suppose it’s your turn.”

That confidence she liked flashed in his eyes as Ikher picked her up and laid forward. Now on top of her, he kissed her collar bone. “Any requests?”

Nancy ran her fingers through his hair as he kissed down between her breasts before moving up to her neck. She moaned when he bit her neck and pulled his face up to hers.

“Do what ever you want to me,” she whispered into his ear before biting his earlobe.

Ikher sat on the edge of the bed and took a long drag of the blunt he had just rolled before handing it to Nancy. She laid her head against the head board and took a small pull before handing it back.

He tucked it in the corner of his mouth and ran his hand up her leg. Closing her eyes, Nancy enjoyed his touch for a moment.

“Thank you,” she said without looking at him.

“Hmm, what for?”

She opened her eyes to knitted brows as he looked at her, trying to figure out what he did right. His hand paused on her knee, thumb tracing light circles.

“For being you. Being respectful and kind. All the things I said earlier.”

He smiled. “Heh. Well, you’re very welcome.”

Nancy let him trace the contours of her leg for a couple minutes before she slid to the edge of the bed and kissed his cheek.

“I should go.”

She stood and stretched as she looked for her clothing. Ikher watched her get dressed and handed her the blunt now and then when she had a free hand.

“You could stay tonight?”

“I can’t,” she said, snapping her skirt angrily before wrapping and tying it. “I moved the rest of my week for that stupid meeting. So now I have a packed schedule and need to be in early.”

Ikher grabbed his boxers and jeans, pulling them on. “I’m closer than Desert Springs, you know.”

“You are, but I need to change clothes. I’ve exhausted what I have at the office.”

“You can’t wear the same thing some times?”

“Yes, but not too often. I’m the face of the company. I have to be flawless or it reflects poorly,”

He held out her shoes. “I dunno, I think you’re pretty flawless.”

She glanced over and ran a finger down his chest. “Hmm, these compliments will go to my head if you don’t stop.”

Ikher shrugged and held her hand as she slipped her heels on. “Eh, eye of the beholder and all.”

She turned, cupped his face, and kissed him. She pulled away with a satisfied smile. “Definitely going to my head.”

Ikher followed her to the bathroom and watched Nancy do her best to sort out her tangled hair. He leaned on the door frame as she fought with it.

“So, if the rest of your week’s crazy, how’s your weekend looking?”

She smiled and looked at him in the mirror. “I think I might have some free time,” she said before giving up and tying her hair back. Nancy did the last hair and clothing checks before she turned to him.

“See me out?”

Ikher offered her his arm, which she took. When they reached the front door, he wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her to him. She laid her arms on his shoulders and smiled down to him.

“Thank you for turning my spoiled day around.”

“Anytime,” he said before kissing her. She ran her fingers through his hair as he squeezed her hips, pressing his body against hers. He was always so warm.

She pulled away and took a deep breath. “Mmm, okay. I’m leaving before you pull me back in with your complimentary ways.”

“I suppose,” he said, releasing her and opening the door. “Let me know about this weekend.”

“I will.”

As she turned the ignition and put the car in drive, she glanced up. Ikher was shirtless and his hair down as he bobbed his head. Likely starting his dinner prep. Nancy shook her head and chuckled before she pulled away to head home.