Make Me An Offer

by Isabella Shaw

Genres: Erotic & Steamy Romance

Synopsis

Louisa Dane is going places: her model agency is due to get a cash injection of millions and she enjoys the nightly attentions of a smart and handsome lover. Basically, New York City is at her feet. So why is she spitting mad?

Paolo Tessario is the reason - her new business partner who is responsible for the millions. She's only just found out where Paolo's money comes from. No matter that he's eager to get to work and that his hot and brooding Italian looks send a sensual shiver down her spine - nobody willingly beds down with the Mafia . . .

Release date: January 15, 2015

Publisher: Headline

Print pages: 224

Sample

Louisa’s office was based in a smart, well-maintained brownstone on the Upper East Side, where it now comprised two floors of interlocking open-plan rooms and offices. Even though much of the work was done on the client’s chosen site, on location or in a meeting at a restaurant, it was always important to have sufficient space for the bookers. These were her most essential group of employees who were responsible for placing models in magazines, fashion shows and advertising campaigns, and who could succeed in promoting the use of a Dane Agency model rather than anybody else’s. However it was also necessary to have somewhere for the models to feel at home, particularly the new girls who often had to wait whilst the bookers arranged for them to go on ‘go-sees’, the trial by audition that most new models have to suffer. Finally, it was highly important to put on a good show whenever potential clients and magazine editors paid a call to the offices, hence her choice of an exclusive address.

When she started the agency the number of employees was so small that there had been no need for much space and initially Louisa had rented just a portion of one floor. However, as the business had grown and the number of permanent staff had expanded, the lack of available space had become an ever-stressful problem, even though they had grown into the offices over the whole of the first floor. At the beginning of the year the opportunity to expand within the building and take over a second floor had arisen and as soon as the venture capitalists’ money had come through she had taken over the lease and started building work. However, as everyone apart from the building contractors had predicted, the work was far more intrusive and slower than she had ever expected.

Her other plans on the path to developing the Dane Model Agency into a major-league business meant that she would need more offices in other locations. Louisa was particularly interested in setting up a base in Europe, in London or Paris, but she also wanted to retain the option to open up new offices in Washington, San Francisco and possibly Miami over the next few years. Then, she thought, the business would really have arrived.

She looked up at the tarpaulin on the outside of the building. It was a pain that the builders were still there, but it would soon be completed and perhaps then she should arrange a PR event; a gala opening to show off the offices and raise their profile, with lots of flowers, champagne and beautiful people.

‘Yes,’ she thought, as she made her way indoors, that was a good idea. As long as the builders stuck to their newly revised version of the already much revised plan. Anyway, even allowing for a delay she should probably get someone to start thinking about such an event and creating a guest list as soon as possible. And getting the right person to do that job was another big issue, she thought, as she settled into her office, examining the papers and files that were piled on and around her desk. Her PA had recently left and there was a yawning gap in the system which was only just barely covered by the agency temps she had been sent. None of these had proved sufficiently effective to warrant being offered a permanent job, and things were starting to get desperate.

Louisa sighed and put the topic out of her mind. There were more important things to do today, she could sort the temp problem out tomorrow. She checked her watch and started to plan out her day’s calendar. She had a working lunch with the bookers and administrators to review the month’s business and to decide which models should move from being a ‘new face’ to an ‘established name’, who should focus on specific magazines and how any ‘new business developments’, or commercial contacts, were proceeding. Before lunch she had these piles of papers to review, and a conference call with a group of magazine editors, then after the lunchtime meeting she had the introduction session with the venture capitalists, Blake Harrison Development Funds. They were coming to the office in order to formally introduce Alex Prince onto the Board of Directors, and then use the opportunity to settle down to some solid financial discussions and a strategy planning meeting. She had no idea how long the meeting would be going on, but at least the late afternoon timing meant that she could devote most of the day to getting some real work done and finish her preparation for the strategy document with its long range plans to take the business successfully into the next century.

She firmly turned her mind to the immediate business at hand, reviewing papers, magazine credits and profiles; studying the terms of contracts that clients were proposing in order to use specific models to represent them exclusively; examining portfolios and making suggestions about presentation and development. Then there were photo shoots to approve, new models to sign on or send for hair and make-up changes, and their resulting portfolios to review. Although she had been somewhat removed from this part of the business while the funding and venture capital influx had been going through, she was the boss and the owner and as such she needed to keep her finger on the pulse of the business at all times. She also missed working more closely with the models and stylists, and often she would gladly have given up a high-profile power lunch with difficult magazine editors worrying about circulation, advertisements and product placement decisions for a few frantic hours of working with tantrums, dramas and an overexcited photographer on a difficult photo shoot, stuck out in the rain or snow.

At around eleven o’clock Andrew called. ‘How are things going?’

‘Oh, the usual. Some problems, some good things, but it’s OK. I still haven’t found a suitable PA though. Did you call for a reason?’

He paused. ‘I’m sorry I ran out on you this morning.’

‘That’s OK,’ she said. ‘I know you’re busy and I know you had an early meeting. It’s just—’

‘I know,’ he said from the other end of the phone. ‘You just wish sometimes I’d lose control and do it right there and then.’

Louisa chuckled. ‘See, you do know what I want.’ There was a pause and Andrew’s mobile phone crackled. ‘Are you going somewhere?’ she asked. ‘I thought you were in the office all day.’

‘I had a cancellation,’ he said. ‘And I wanted to congratulate you on the first real day of the new business.’ There was a noticeable click as the phone switched off and the door to her office opened to reveal Andrew in the doorway in front of her, mobile phone in one hand, a large bouquet, a bottle of champagne and a shallow box cradled precariously in the other.

‘Andrew, darling,’ she cried out in delight. ‘What a wonderful surprise.’

He smiled at her pleasure and entered the room, depositing his parcels on the desk in front of her as he leaned over to kiss her. ‘Hi,’ he murmured, then gesturing at the flowers and the box. ‘Presents.’

‘Yummy. Can I open them now?’

‘Let’s cancel all calls and visits first.’

Louisa raised her eyebrows. ‘And why would I want to do that?’ she asked coyly.

‘Just do it,’ he told her, and turned his attention to the champagne, opening the bottle and removing glasses from the drinks cabinet in the corner of her office.

‘OK,’ said Louisa, coming out from behind her desk. ‘All calls are going to voice-mail, and all visitors are forbidden. I hope you have a good reason.’

She undid the ribbons and opened the large box, wading through layers of crisp tissue paper until she came to a mass of frothy white silk and lace, a strapless basque and stockings in virginal white. She picked them up and raised her eyebrows once again, holding the basque up against her as she turned to face him.

‘Hold on,’ he replied with a smile. ‘Keep going.’ Louisa gave him a quizzical look and laying the basque to one side she rummaged into the mass of tissue once again. She soon found a second package and withdrew another set of underwear, this time a half-basque of black leather, cut so that it would fasten behind her neck into a studded collar and leave her breasts exposed and supported by a rim of leather.

Louisa ran her finger around the leather edge of the basque. ‘Andrew, I’m amazed,’ she said. ‘I don’t want to be offensive, but,’ she paused, ‘well to be honest I didn’t know you had it in you. I mean, you’ve never wanted to use anything like this before.’

‘I was thinking about this morning and leaving you in the lurch,’ he replied, walking up to her. ‘I want you so much, Loulou, you know that. I don’t want to let you down.’ His fingers ran along the cream silk of her shirt, and down to the exposed patch of skin at her throat. With deft fingers he began to undo the silk-covered buttons of her shirt, pausing as he reached the base of her breasts to run his hands inside her shirt and around the soft tanned skin of her shoulders.

‘So,’ she murmured. ‘Well you’re going to have to do a lot of work to make up for this morning.’

He breathed heavily into her ear as his hands finished undoing the buttons on her blouse, and the skirt below it. ‘Whatever you want. Whatever way you want it.’

She drew back from him. ‘Let me put this on,’ she said holding up the leather basque. ‘Then we’ll see what you’re made of.’

Without another word she drew herself away from him and letting her skirt slip down, stepped out of it and walked over to the door that led to her small private bathroom. Once inside she slipped her lingerie off and replaced the delicate pieces of silk with the aggressively sexual basque. Looking at herself in the mirror she couldn’t resist running her hands across and around her breasts; they were full and heavy with soft pink areolae, and the supporting leather circles that surrounded them now lifted them to jut away from her torso. Above her breasts a bronze-studded leather collar was now wrapped around her throat, highlighting the contrast between her femininity, as defined by her make-up and the soft gentle styling of her golden hair, and the overt sexuality of the basque. Beneath her breasts the leather was tightly laced-up as far as her crotch, where a tiny Greco-Roman kilt was made up of short leather strips that just covered her genitals.

Louisa returned to the office, throwing open the door and posing for a moment with her arms outstretched above her, the length of her slim legs exaggerated both by the briefness of her skirt and the high-heeled shoes she still wore. Andrew stared at her from the edge of the sofa.

‘My God, Louisa,’ he stuttered, rising to his feet. ‘You look incredible.’

She stalked across the room to the wide window ledge at the corner of the office, picking up her champagne as she walked and swinging her hips provocatively as she moved past him. Leaning against the ledge the light shone in from behind her, turning her blonde hair into a halo around her face, an image of purity that contrasted wildly with her swollen breasts and prominently erect nipples held above the basque, and the hint of pubic hair and flesh glimpsed beneath the swinging folds of the leather skirt. She tilted her head back to drink her champagne as Andrew followed her across the room.

‘Come back here,’ he murmured, attempting to lead her back to the sofa, his swollen groin evidence of his excitement and the effect of her outfit.

‘I don’t think so,’ she said, tilting her head and pushing him away. ‘This is what you wanted. Well, I want it here. Right now.’

‘Against the window?’ he said aghast, backing away. ‘Louisa, someone might see.’

She tossed her head dismissively. ‘Only if they’ve got a telephoto lens aimed just at this spot. Still,’ she added slipping from the seat, ‘if you’re not up to the job—’

‘Oh no,’ said Andrew, ‘you don’t get away with it that easily.’

‘So,’ she asked, smiling. ‘What are you going to do?’

Andrew slipped off his jacket and strode back towards her to place his hands directly over her breasts, kneading them aggressively as he began to kiss her neck, running his tongue along the hard edge of leather that encircled her throat and down to her breasts. She moaned with pleasure as her hands found his buttocks and drew him forwards to grind her pelvis into his groin, finding a solid erection held within his trousers, whilst his hands ran down to find the dampness of her sex. As their lips met again, his tongue moved inside her, enhancing the need she felt for him, a desire for him to fill her up and make her feel whole.

‘I want you naked,’ Louisa gasped as she grappled with his cuffs and shirt buttons. ‘Help me.’ Without a word Andrew drew back slightly and deftly pulled off his shirt and kicked off his shoes and socks. Before he could remove his trousers Louisa had dragged him back towards her, reaching for his nipples as he had reached for hers, sucking on them hungrily whilst her hands started to pull at his belt and remove his trousers. As they fell, he dropped to his knees and eased the strips of leather that obscured her sex to one side, spreading her thighs gently apart as he buried his head in her mound of golden blonde pubic hair.

Louisa leaned back against the windows that looked out across the road and onto the street below. Sunlight continued to stream in and she could see the people below, blissfully unaware of the actions going on above them. In the meantime, Andrew’s tongue was easing its way into the cracks and crevices of her sex, each movement sending shivers of pleasure deeper inside her body, making her cry out as he explored further inside her sex.

‘Touch yourself,’ he groaned, standing once again. ‘I want to see you touch your breasts.’ Louisa ran one finger across her mouth, moistening it gently, then ran it around her nipples, now hardened to tiny points in the centre of her breasts. Then she leaned back against the window and slid her fingers between the folds of her skirt, half hiding her actions from Andrew’s gaze as she ran her fingers into her cunt. Andrew groaned and tore her hands away from her sex to replace them with his own, roughly rubbing the flat of his hand against her wetness, whilst sucking and biting at her nipples, and bringing her pleasure to a crescendo.

‘Andrew,’ she begged, breathless with lust. ‘Please, I want you to fuck me.’ With one last kiss at her nipples Andrew raised his head as Louisa tilted hers back, waiting for him to enter her. ‘Please,’ she murmured again.

‘Not just yet,’ murmured Andrew, to her surprise and shock. ‘The public are still a little too close for my liking. If anyone’s got that camera, it’s not going to be my face they photograph.’ He reached down for her waist and swivelled her round to face the window, spreading her thighs apart as he ran an exploratory finger into her crack.

‘You bastard,’ she groaned, shuddering with pleasurable sensations, as he felt inside her methodically, then replaced his finger with his cock, pushing it in between her thighs to penetrate her sex. Andrew groaned as he split her lips apart and she felt the full length of him slide slowly in and then out of her, before he re-entered her with enough force to push her firmly against the window, and started to pump at her with a recognisable rhythm. Held in place between Andrew’s body and the window, his encircling arms propped on the window ledge beside her, she was left with nothing to hold onto but the flat window pane. With each thrust from behind her Louisa experienced the power and full force of his body beating against her and both felt and heard the slap of his testicles against the edge of her pussy as he continued to pound his way into her.

‘OK, you little exhibitionist,’ he murmured into her ear, pumping his cock deep inside her. ‘How about this? Does this turn you on?’

She looked down and out of the window and suddenly the passers-by seemed incredibly close. Her imagination saw them stare and point upwards at her and it combined with the sensations that were coursing through her sex, exciting and stimulating her, until they tipped her over the edge of restraint. In moments her orgasm was exploding inside her, absorbing all her senses, so that she hardly heard Andrew’s angry cry of satisfaction, coming as it did shortly behind her own whimpers and groans.

At four-thirty she was still hard at work, but beginning to feel more than a little irritated at the late arrival of her new partners. She sighed, examining her watch one more time. Perhaps the traffic had held them up, but this was really rather unimpressive. Finally she heard voices and some laughter from the outer office and her new temp popped her head around the door looking a little flustered.

‘Ms Dane, your guests are here,’ she began.

‘Fine,’ said Louisa, ‘show them into the boardroom and I’ll be right there.’

The temp turned her head to deliver the message and Laura rose to collect some relevant papers, then made her way down the corridor to the boardroom and let herself in. Alex Prince was nowhere to be seen; instead a complete stranger sat at the head of the table, dominating the room with his presence.

She stared at him in confusion. He was young, no more than thirty-five, with dark hair and features, and a Mediterranean complexion. At first glance that was all she noticed, although she did register that his fashion sense left something to be desired. She looked around the table at the members of the Blake Harrison team who were huddled, as though for protection, at the end of the board table nearest to the door, leaving a wide gap between themselves and the unknown stranger. Immediately, all of Louisa’s senses warned her of trouble ahead. There were too many people there that she hardly knew; the room was full of tension, and stress was drawn across the face of every person, with the sole exception of the young man at the far end of the table. In contrast he was relaxed and seemed mildly amused by the effect he appeared to be generating.

‘What’s going on?’ demanded Louisa baldly, directing her question at Henry D. Harrison, chief partner of the venture capitalist firm.

‘Ah, Ms Dane,’ he replied, avoiding her gaze. ‘How are you today?’ She fixed him with a steely look.

‘Will you please tell me what’s going on here?’

‘Right,’ he replied. ‘Well, Mr Tessario here is your new associate director, and we felt you two should meet as soon as possible.’ He paused and Louisa cut in.

‘What’s happened to Alex Prince? Where is he?’

‘He had another engagement.’

‘Really?’ she asked. ‘What does that mean?’

‘I’m afraid there’s been a last-minute change to our plans.’

‘What sort of change?’ she demanded more irritably.

‘Alex Prince has declined to join us.’

Louisa stared. ‘Why?’

Harrison and the others shifted in their seats, clearly trying to phrase a suitable answer. ‘He decided that this wasn’t the business opportunity he was looking for.’

Louisa pursed her lips and looked down the table at the stranger. ‘So?’

‘We, ah, well, we still have a new director to introduce to you.’ There was a long and uncomfortable pause.

‘Well then,’ she said stiffly, ‘will you please introduce me to my new director?’

‘Certainly,’ blustered Harrison. ‘Louisa Dane, Paul Tessario.’

The stranger spoke for the first time. ‘Paolo,’ he corrected, lifting his eyes lazily, and ignoring Harrison to focus solely on Louisa.

‘Ah, right,’ squirmed Harrison, visibly discomforted. ‘Yes, sorry. Well, Paolo Tessario, Louisa Dane.’ Louisa sat down at the end of the table directly opposite Tessario and looked expectantly at the stranger’s face.

‘Perhaps you could fill me in on your qualifications for this role,’ she said stiffly. There was another difficult pause and then Harrison rushed to answer for his associate.

‘Well,’ he began, speaking very rapidly, ‘Mr Tessario has a range of experience in business and legal affairs.’

‘Specifically?’ said Louisa.

‘Specifically, how?’ asked Tessario.

‘Well, have you done anything in fashion, publishing or the modelling industry?’ asked Louisa. ‘Or some related industry perhaps?’ she added.

He smiled thinly. ‘Some related industry,’ he agreed without any further explanation.

The room went very silent as Louisa and Tessario continued to examine each other from their opposite ends of the table. Louisa’s mind was in a whirl. This was her worst nightmare come true, someone completely inappropriate getting their hands on a controlling share in her business. She took a grip of the panic that was rising within her and looked at Harrison sternly.

‘Frankly, Henry, this isn’t what I was expecting and, no offence intended, Mr Tessario …’

‘None taken,’ he murmured.

‘… but this seems utterly inappropriate for the Dane Agency.’

Harrison shifted uneasily in his seat once again. ‘I, ah I’m not sure I’d agree with you about that, Louisa,’ he began. ‘Frankly, Mr Tessario has excellent qual. . .