Torn Between- Seduced by the Billionaires Read online

  “I’m sorry for all the secrecy,” Tyler began. “I needed us to be away from the office. I know Dunning has a spy there somewhere. He knows too much and he’s really been on guard since we brought Sovich on board. Sovich is going to bring me some documents today. Top secret ones. His packet contains a formula. We need to get it patented before someone steals it. But, we have to get it to the patent office safely. I didn’t even trust your purse not to have a tracer.”

  “You think someone is spying on us and following me?” Cami couldn’t believe her ears. She knew his divorce took a toll on him, but had Tyler lost his mind? First, investing half the equity of the company in a scientist known to be eccentric and now running around on the Metro like a secret agent.

  “I think Dunning has the whole world on the lookout for this packet. That’s why it has to go to the patent office in a safe way. If he gets ahold of this package, even for a moment, he would steal the formula and use it for his own selfish purposes. The guy in patents said we can’t deliver it to DC until Friday and we have to use special protocols.”

  “What’s in this packet that’s such a big deal?” Cami couldn’t imagine anything Dyes would have brewing that deserved this much paranoia or attention. Most of their product patents ranged from chapstick with sunblock to cough syrups and antihistamines. What could possibly be so amazing Tyler was willing to leave his office for a lunch date?

  “Do you know how colds work?”

  “Only from experience. You get the virus, throat burns, sinuses fill, head throbs, snot in abundance, weak, tired, and then you call in sick, eat chicken soup and the genie in the chicken drives the bad bug away.”

  “Perfect description. If you’re willing to take a pay cut, I can put you in marketing.”

  “No thanks,” she grimaced. The salesmen from marketing always seemed slimy and stank of desperation and cheap cologne.

  “Well, what if instead of waiting for the genie in the chicken soup to scare the bug away, you could take a pill that got rid of all those symptoms within twenty minutes of getting infected? What would you pay for that?”

  “I would pay…oh. Oh my gosh! You found it? You found a cure for the common cold?” Cami’s excitement was so strong Tyler feared she might explode in the park and let the cat out of the bag.

  “Not ‘a cure,’” a deep gravel-filled voice with a heavy Russian accent said behind her. “The cure. The cure to all the symptoms all at once. There are over 200 viruses that cause a cold, but the immune system reacts the same way with each. We change that reaction and the cold dies in a few days with no runny nose and no missed work.”

  Cami lifted her hand to shield her eyes from the sun and looked to behold a short, small, blonde man with thick glasses, a button down flannel shirt and a pocket protector. He held a briefcase in his hand. His skin was so pale he seemed translucent and there he stood, shining like an angel in the sun. Tyler stood and shook hands with the man.

  “Cami, meet Dr. Andrew Sovich. Dr. Sovich, meet Camellia Hill, my executive assistant and most trusted friend.”

  Cami reached up and shook the doctor’s oddly tiny hand. She was stunned by Tyler’s introduction—how personal and loving it had been. They all sat down as the doctor opened the briefcase revealing pens, highlighters and four identical manila envelopes.

  “These are the decoys,” Dr. Sovich explained slowly searching for each English word. “They should all be sent out together. No one must know. Each envelope will be color coded. The patent office will know which one is correct.”

  “Cami and I are going to take care of that. Five separate messenger services, five color coded envelopes, and I’ll call the patent office and let him know after they arrive which one is correct.”

  “You changed our drop.” Sovich protested as he squinted against the sun. He clearly didn’t like being out in daylight very much. “At the coffee shop in your building you said we were to meet in the library but then I got your call today. I do not like the open and I do not like changes.”

  “Last minute changes keep good secrets,” Tyler said with an understanding, unapologetic smile. “Where’s the real one?”

  Sovich looked around, reached into his coat and pulled out one more manila envelope. He handed it to Tyler and stood to leave without so much as a goodbye.

  “It was nice to meet you, Dr. Sovich,” Cami said, stunned again by how otherworldly and angelic the man seemed to appear. All he needed was a flaming sword and he could protect Eden. The doctor nodded, turned and walked quickly away, pulling his collar up as he went.

  “He’s a piece of work,” Cami said finishing her sandwich. “I can’t believe it. You found the cure to cold symptoms. Not just another syrup or pain manager but an actual cure!”

  “What’s your favorite color?” Tyler asked. She had been his executive assistant for almost five years, but he didn’t really notice her until after his wife left with an art gallery owner. Looking at her now, he yearned to include her further—not just in his business, but in his life and his bed as well.

  “Blue,” Cami replied. Tyler took the blue highlighter from the briefcase and traced a blue line around the envelope of the correct formula. He kissed the envelope right on the blue corner.

  “This is the formula that changes everything—for me, for you, and for all of us. When the patent is safe and we can put this drug into trials, I want to talk with you more about becoming an ‘us.’”

  Cami looked down to see his left hand on the top of her thigh. The wedding ring was gone. She swallowed hard and looked into the beautiful deep eyes of the man in her dreams.

  “I’d like that,” she replied softly.

  ***

  Later that day, across the Technology Corridor where both Dyes Industries and Dunning Research had their main offices, a very different conversation was taking place.

  “She’s just not into you,” Harold Jennings said when he walked into Eddie Dunning’s office and saw his boss running his finger across a picture of Cami taken by one of his private detectives.

  “She just doesn’t know me,” Eddie shot back. “Once she sees how much opportunity, generosity and lovin’ I can give her—she’ll join us and never want to leave. Whether we get the formula or not, at the end of this I want her and I will settle for none other. When are you and Steve getting married?

  “Now that we are sure it’s going to stay legal, the beginning of next April. Why?”

  “When you guys become the happiest two grooms in Maryland, I’m going to be sitting in the front row with pockets full of stock options from our new groundbreaking formula and Camellia Hill Dunning sitting by my side.”

  “Well, I have some bad news on both those fronts.” Harold sat down and closed the folder in front of his boss so he could get all of his attention. “The intel from our source at Dyes wasn’t right. No one showed at the library. The source at Dyes didn’t see Bach leave the building, but saw him enter in the late afternoon with Miss Hill and a briefcase. They later went home at the usual time. Our guy watching the Arlington house says he never showed there, and the doorman at the apartment near the office says he came home, without a briefcase, and didn’t leave. We lost him, and we lost the formula.”

  “And you’re sure the source at Dyes is trustworthy?” Eddie leaned back and thought for a moment about how this went wrong.

  “As trustworthy as a spy can be,” Harold deadpanned. “She was right about the formula, and she was right about the transfer happening today. She also knew the patent office only accepts new applications on Fridays.”

  “Pay her, then,” Eddie droned. “A good source inside the building is hard to find. Maybe Bach knew Sovich hates to leave the lab and wouldn’t go to the library so he went to the lab. Maybe he got stood up. What I know is it’s time to change plans and get the lovely Miss Hill to help.”

  “I don’t think she’s going to betray Bach for you. You don’t have time to woo her, and frankly, I’m not so sure she’s willing to be wooed.”


  “Oh Harold, it’s a good thing you like men. All women want to be wooed. Bring me Miss Hill’s cell number and the pictures the private investigator took of Bach.”

  ***

  Sinking into her tub that night, Cami soaked her sore feet and reflected on the stressful and stunning day. Reaching down, underneath the water, she found her mound and began rubbing it in small circles, imagining Tyler’s lips where her hand was providing needed relief. Closing her eyes and leaning back in the tub, she began to press with a little more urgency, her body swiveling with the motion of her hand.

  The water in the tub gently splashing back and forth helped to lift her to the next level of arousal. She reached down and pinched her nipple, thinking of Tyler licking and sucking her breast. Cami’s hips began to rise, her eyes closed tight and…

  “She’s a brick…HOUSE,” the cell phone began to blare as her lively ringtone shattered the moment and her fun. “She’s mighty, mighty. And just lettin’ it all hang out. Oh she’s a brick…HOUSE…”

  “Damn it!” She muttered getting out of the tub and sloshing toward the phone. “Every time I try to have sex with that man there’s a problem.”

  She grabbed to phone getting ready to give whoever was calling her at this time of night a soggy, frustrated piece of her mind when she saw the call registered as “Dunning Research Group.”

  “Hello?” Cami answered doing her best to mask the curiosity in her voice.

  “Camellia, it’s Eddie Dunning. How are you tonight? Lovely as ever, I presume.”

  “I’m fine, Mr. Dunning. Can I help you?”

  “Oh, you can help me, alright. I have a proposal for you,” Eddie began. Using his best charm and telling her just enough details to peak her interest, the experienced businessman invited her to dinner to talk things over—both personal and professional. She was reluctant at first, but fresh lobster, a bottle of Leflaive’s Puligny-Montrachets and the promise she could say ‘no’ to anything at any time convinced her it was worth the gamble. Before she hung up, Cami had to ask one more question.

  “Mr. Dunning?”

  “Please, Camellia, call me Eddie.”

  “Eddie, how did you find my private, unpublished cell number?” Cami asked sharply, her tone brimming with accusation. He just laughed loudly.

  “I own a research company, my dear. That’s what we do.”

  Getting ready for bed, Cami thought over her decision to accept the invitation, and her secondary decision to keep news of this development from Tyler. She finally managed to get a little closer to Tyler and may be risking everything to listen to Eddie. But, she was attracted to the loud, stocky man as well and didn’t want to let any opportunity pass her by. Feast or famine—it was the very definition of her life. Tossing and turning, unsure what to do, she did what she had always done before. She called her best friend.

  “Oh my goddess, hello. You better be bleeding or something,” Maralee garbled in the phone.

  “Mar, it’s Cam.”

  “Duh. Have you been in a wreck? Were your arms torn off by the jaws of life? Oh wait, they couldn’t have been because you were able to call me at one in the morning!”

  “Sorry, sorry. Look I need a reading. Tomorrow. Before work.”

  “Um…alright. Are you okay?”

  “I’m fine. I have a huge decision to make and I need to know what the universe wants me to do because I sure as hell don’t know,” Cami began but Maralee was more interested in sleep than the universe at the moment and cut her off.

  “I’ll see you at Lightfeathers tomorrow at seven o’clock,” the sleepy friend mumbled and hung up the phone.

  “Blessed be to you too!” Cami snarked. Deciding the third time must be a charm, she turned off her phone and alarm, reached between her legs and tried once more to seduce her fantasy lover into meeting her needs.

  Reaching down, she started with both hands on her hips, imagining Tyler grabbing her that way and sliding her down to fit against his hips, his erect member ready to enter. He kissed her gently. She felt his hands on her body, her meaty thighs parting as she moistened at the prospect of his entry. She reached up and ran her fingers through his hair.

  Opening her eyes, she saw Eddie’s hair instead. Tyler’s jet black, corporate short cut was replaced with Eddie’s cropped and bushy salt and pepper hair. She corrected her mind, placing Tyler’s face between her hands. She pinched her nipple allowing Tyler to pick up where he left off in the tub. His devotion to her breasts caused her back to arch, and then…it was Eddie again, sucking her and giggling, his hand squeezing her more tightly. The man in her fantasy kept changing, alternating between her two suitors. It was distracting and overwhelming.

  Lifting her other hand from her cleft, she pinched and squeezed her other nipple, now pulling on and luxuriating both with attention. Her mind followed suit, imaging Tyler on one and Eddie at the other, both men sucking at her, both men loving her. Their hands all over her body, their mouths dragging the passion out of her. Cami’s back arched and her clit tightened, stinging with need.

  The hand that was Tyler dropped to engaged her engorged button while the one that was Eddie bedeviled her breasts some more. In her mind’s eye she was in bed with them both, Eddie laying beside her sucking and pulling on her; Tyler between her legs, holding himself up as he entered her body. Eddie kissed her as Tyler drove into her channel, fulfilling her while Eddie’s kisses drew her in more deeply. There wasn’t a need left undone, a moment left untouched. Hands, mouths, bodies covered her, stimulating every nerve, her body rushing up the cliff to release. Cami opened herself to the feelings, her hips swirling with the yanking, rubbing circles driving her wild, her nipples erect and throbbing with the pulling that aroused her more quickly.

  The imagined threesome catapulted her to feelings at lightspeed and before she knew it, the world around her had gone black. There was no Tyler or Eddie, just her—jerking and pumping in the darkness, the rubbery orgasm releasing her from tension and shedding comfort to all her parts.

  “Only I could have a ménage a trios with myself,” Cami chuckled as she turned over and fell into a blissful, satisfied sleep.

  Chapter Two

  “You’re late,” Maralee harped the second she opened the door of Lightfeathers and let her friend into the spa that wasn’t scheduled to open for three more hours.

  “Sorry, my alarm and phone…um…were off and I overslept a bit,” Cami mumbled, not sure she wanted to admit she had uncharacteristically turned off her electronic leashes to indulge in a fantasy threesome with her boss and his rival. The women sat down at the small table in the reading room, hot water for tea already present.

  Cami sipped her herbal remedy and explained the situation to Maralee. They were more like sisters than best friends and had been locked in their sisterhood since their high school days when they both lived in lower Grafton, across Central and below the poverty line. Now they were success stories—Cami, a corporate assistant of one of the largest pharmaceutical companies in the US, and Maralee, a druid priestess who owned Lightfeathers, a lucrative spa, spiritual center and life enhancement station that catered to the special needs of rich and bored women of upper Grafton.

  Cami swallowed the last bit of her tea with a grimace and handed the cup to her friend. A few swirls of the leaves and Maralee drew closer to the cup, frowning.

  “Well, this is unusual,” she muttered, her eyes never leaving the inside of the cup.

  “Look, I’ve had men chase me before. I’m not a vestal virgin,” Cami replied.

  “No, not that. There’s a symbol here I recognize but I can’t remember. It’s very rare. I’m going to have to look this up or consult with another priestess. This symbol is the answer, I’m sure of it.”

  “Great, so…no answer?” Cami sighed. Even the universe was sitting this one out. The spiritualist held out the cup for Cami to see although all she ever really saw were brown blobs in the bottom.

  “See, these two larger leaves with the s
maller one between? That’s the situation, the two men pulling you in different directions and that is you in the middle. But the interesting part is right here—above you to the right. See that small leaf with the triangular top but a ring above it? I know I have seen that symbol before but not for many, many years. It is the guiding symbol and it’s the one that will tell you what to do. I just need to find out what it is.”

  “Mar, I came here to get more knowledge, not less,” Cami grumbled.

  “I’m sorry. Just go to work and I’ll try to figure this out. I’ll send a picture to Cheryl, a Wiccan who runs a coven in Boston. She has great sight. I’ll call you when I have an answer.”

  “Well, don’t take forever. I’m meeting Eddie tonight!”

  Fortunately for Cami’s nervous mindset, her day at work was so full of things to do she was able to forget her dinner date for most of the day. She contacted the courier companies and arranged for five different agencies to send five different drivers all to arrive at noon the next day. Tyler had the envelopes locked up somewhere and would be bringing them to her exactly at 11:55 a.m.

  Cami decided how her days at work went by the number of surprises each day held. Cami liked to know, and control, when and how everything was to happen. The more surprises entered her day, the worse it was. Thursday had only two, which was astounding for a nine hour day. First, Tyler asked her to clear his and her calendar for a meeting to start as soon as the packages were on their way. Second, Jasmine the coffee girl seemed to have actually taken her advice.

  Cami walked into Coffee Carol to pick up her order when she saw Jasmine tapping on a brand new top of the line tablet and sporting a flashy new smartphone from a clip on her pocket.

  “Looks like someone got new toys,” Cami said as she paid for her coffee.

  “I took your advice, Miss Hill,” the girl replied with a sly smile. “I’ve found a way to make some extra money. Now I have the things I need and the things I want.”