Knave of Hearts

Blurb

Nathaniel Diamond, head of a corporate restructuring consultancy firm, is as hard as his last name suggests when it comes to sealing the deal. In his personal life, broken hearts are nothing more than collateral damage, and business is his sole priority. Until, that is, he meets his new client’s right-hand man, Elijah Gentry.

Elijah returned home to Seattle out of love and respect for his guardian, Charles Ballard, head of Ballard Holdings Worldwide, who is dying. Charles hired Nathaniel to help secure his financial legacy, and Elijah is expected to aid him. Although Elijah has a grasp of the business, his true passion lies in Los Angeles with his sound editing career, not with Ballard Holdings. Eventually, he plans to return to L.A., away from the world of high finance and dog-eat-dog corporate politics.

When Elijah and Nathaniel first meet, they are strangers. Well, almost. Nathaniel knows Elijah’s type, and he plans to use the man to get intimate and necessary information Elijah might not share otherwise in order to do his job. But Elijah is not quite the easy target Nathaniel expects, and soon the games begin.

Sex and power quickly tangle in this high-stakes game of corporate politics. Will either man emerge heart-whole from their encounter? Or does destiny have another set of plans for these two very different men?

Excerpt

The kiss, or rather Nathaniel's response to the kiss, took even him by surprise. A quick shock of electricity passed through him that he hadn't counted on. He'd meant to control this. Damage control was all it was supposed to be. Nathaniel wasn't certain what he'd expected from the bait he threw out, but it hadn't been this. This lust that surged over him like a tidal wave. This wasn't him. He didn't do this kind of thing without a proper understanding of his course of action. And yet...

He deepened the kiss, drew Elijah closer, reached down to stroke his cock, which was already half hard. His own cock was fully aroused. Something about this man destroyed all his carefully compartmentalized emotion. Passions that he usually kept fully under lock and key burst free, going wild. He was out here on the street, kissing this man, fully visible to anyone who might walk by. This was not the Nathaniel Diamond he so carefully cultivated in order to take the business world by storm.

He broke the kiss and stepped back, trying to regain some composure. But the man was too freaking beautiful. So different, so passionate about his beliefs. Such a breath of fresh air compared to the men he usually dealt with.

"What was that?" Elijah asked breathlessly. "Are you willing to prostitute yourself just to get the answers you want?"

Nathaniel ran a hand through his disheveled hair. "I didn't mean to do that."

"No?" A corner of Elijah's mouth quirked up. "Pretty damned intense for not meaning to do it."

"Yes. It was. Can we walk? I need to--"

"Get your composure back? You surprise me. I sure as hell didn't expect that."

"Me neither. This is not what I--how I planned it."

"Isn't it?"

Nathaniel didn't need to be tempted any more than he already was. It was one thing to methodically seduce someone he knew was unethical in order to get information and the upper hand. But this man wasn't his usual prey. Not at all. And even knowing that, he'd pursued him out here, knowing this could be dangerous to his own peace of mind. He didn't play with vulnerable people. Not like this man. Elijah wasn't the type of man he could use and then just toss away. There was something different about him. Something...far too appealing. This was a man who could far too easily get under his skin.

"Let's walk. I need to clear my head," he said. He should by all rights just walk away and do that on his own. But he wasn't quite ready to let Elijah leave. He didn't want to be alone. Gloria would have such a laugh over this if she knew. God forbid, she should ever find out about his lack of control tonight. What the hell had gotten into him?

Elijah Gentry, that's who. Ever since the night of Charles's birthday party, he hadn't been able to get the sandy-haired man out of his mind. Hints of red in his longish, curly hair. Unclassically appealing freckled face, almost boyish sweet looks. Pale brown eyes, closer to gold. Cat eyes had come to mind when he'd first gotten a close look at him.

"Let's get something to eat," he said as he wheeled them into a greasy spoon several blocks away from the hotel.

"You want to eat here? This doesn't look at all like your type of place."

Settled into the red plastic-covered booth seats, Nathaniel ordered a burger with all the trimmings along with a large-sized ginger ale. And on second thought added an order of curly fries. Elijah ordered a veggie burger, no fries, and a Coke.

"You're not a meat eater?"

"Nope. But you are."

"Definitely. I'd prefer a thick rare steak, but this will do."

The waitress brought them their drinks. "Burgers up in no time," she said before leaving, eyeing each of them with that look that said, I'm available if you want to get together later.

Nathaniel pulled out the straw and tossed it aside. He took a long gulp from the scuffed clear plastic tumbler. God he was thirsty. And damn, that kiss was way too sweet. He ignored his cringing taste buds for the moment.

"You aren't what I expected when I first came here. You're a Trojan horse."

"In what respect?" Elijah asked. "I make no pretenses about who I am."

"You've been raised by one of the sharpest minds in the business community. Mentored by him. And yet, though you have the intelligence, you're nothing like him, are you?"

"Nope. Much to his frustration."

"You should have been his first pick for CEO. Why aren't you?"

"I don't want it."

"You'd be one of the most powerful men in the business community with the Ballard name behind you. You'd be set for the rest of your life."

"What makes you think I'm not already set?"

"Because I know what your financial portfolio looks like."

"You've had me investigated."

"Of course. Anyone close to Charles."

"But you weren't aware of his sexual preferences with all that investigation?"

"Some men are very good at hiding their dirty little secrets."

"Charles isn't like that." He paused for a moment. "Are you?"

The question took Nathaniel aback. He looked at Elijah. "Am I what?"

"Hiding your dirty little secrets."

"What is it you want to know?"

"I can't quite figure you out. Are you straight? Are you gay? Are you bi? Do you switch when business calls for it? Do you whore yourself out to get what you want, Nathaniel?"

Nathaniel should have been angry at the question. Should have been, but he wasn't. Tit for tat. The man could certainly give as good as he got. And Nathaniel couldn't help admiring that about him. He shrugged.

"What do you think I am?" he settled for responding.

Elijah stared at him for a long time. "I think you're a chameleon. You are whatever the...environment...calls for. So which are you now I wonder? What do you consider the current environment?"

Nathaniel paused to consider before responding. He'd always been a really good poker player. Usually won. But he wondered if this time he was going to come out a winner. Bits of the truth might serve him well in this situation. Elijah obviously held truth in great store.

"In this environment? I think all you need to know is that I want to take you to bed. Is that good enough for you?"

"For business or pleasure?"

"Does it matter if it's good? And if we both want it?"

"Tell you what." Elijah finished his Coke, then he slid out from the seat and stood. He tossed a ten onto the table. Then he gazed down at Nathaniel with an expression he couldn't quite read. "I'll think about it."

And then much to Nathaniel's amazement, Elijah leaned forward, kissed him, deep, fast, and then he pulled away and strode out of the diner.

Nathaniel watched him go, then bit into the burger the waitress brought him. He chewed it slowly, then swallowed the bite. Then he grinned.

This might possibly be more fun than he'd expected.