Controlling Interest by Francesca Hawley Read Free Book Online Page A

Regine hadn’t
made this easy…for either of them. He seemed to take every comment she made as
a personal insult. This was a business, wasn’t it? Shouldn’t he want to improve
it? She bent and picked up the keys. Maybe she was going about this all wrong.
For whatever reason, this place was more to him than a business—it was like an
extension of himself. So her criticisms of the business were like criticisms of him . And obviously he didn’t like it. Damn. She wished she could start
the day all over again, she thought as she began her very quiet, solitary tour
of the second floor.
    * * * * *
    Tor slammed his office door shut, feeling highly satisfied
at the ringing sound. But damn, he needed to calm down. A Dominant did not lose
control like this, but that woman was getting under his skin. And it was even
worse than it had been with his mother. When Regine spoke, he could blow her
off as old-fashioned. Behind the times. But Mouse was new to the scene.
    And while he was damn sure his mother had primed the pump in
some way, he didn’t think Mouse would parrot comments just because Regine told
her to. She’d never been like that in all the time he’d known her. The number
of times she’d talked back to his mother astounded him. Hell, he’d rarely talked back to his mother. He’d gone the route of avoidance by ignoring
her. But when Mouse voiced her opinion, it was because she felt strongly, and
usually Mouse had been right. And when she was right, Regine had caved. Mouse
had a damn good brain and she used it. So if she was feeding him Regine’s suggestions,
it was because she agreed with what his mother had told her. Shit.
    He leaned against his desk. Tor could count on one hand the
number of people who could get under his skin enough to make him mad. His
mother had always been number one on the list. But Mouse was right up there.
The worst part was…he wanted her. He’d wanted her almost from the first time
he’d met her after Regine had hired her, and six years was a fucking long time.
Not only did he want her, but he liked her too. She was funny and smart.
There’d been so many times she’d make some dry comment and have him laughing
out loud.
    And God, that had been a gift ever since his mother had been
diagnosed with breast cancer. Mouse had been a rock. Always doing and saying
exactly the right thing. She’d acted as Regine’s protector—and his—during the
darkest days. Mouse had even run interference for him the day his mother died,
dealing with the press while he slipped out the back. He couldn’t have faced
the jackals that day, and Mouse knew it. He should cut her some slack about all
this. She was new to it and she faced a steep learning curve. If only his
emotions weren’t involved, it would be easy.
    “Damn,” he groaned, throwing himself into his chair and
putting his feet up on the desk.
    His mind drifted back to Saturday night. Now that had
been a good evening. Tor sighed, rubbing his face. If he was truly honest with
himself, he’d been drawn to Miss Minnie Squeak because she’d reminded him of
Mouse. Of the way he wished Mouse was…sexually submissive.
    Tor closed his eyes and let himself remember the way the sub
had wiggled on his lap as he spanked her. He pictured Mouse in her place and
groaned as his cock rose to attention. He could just imagine pulling that dull
brown tweed skirt up to her waist and reddening her ass. Fuck. He set his hand
on his cock, rubbing through his pants. Imagining himself buried inside Mouse’s
tight, wet cunt while she begged her “Master” for more. Begged him for
more.
    He heard the door and opened his eyes. Mouse stood there,
her eyes wide and startled as she stared at his crotch.
    “Son of a bitch.” He kicked his feet off the desk and slid
under it to hide his erection from her shocked gaze.
    “I… I’m sorry, Tor. Really. I didn’t mean…” She started to
back out the door.
    “Get back in here, Mouse.”
    “But…”
    He waved her