Page 18 of Followed By the CEO

What just happened?

A woman I barely know put a thing in my ass and made me come harder than I’ve ever come in my life.

The logical next step is to take a breather—take things slowly and go on a proper date.

But I can’t put the toothpaste back in the tube, as it were. Mills has now seen things, and done things. Knows things about me.

Hell, she could ruin me with one email to my board of directors. She could tell everyone that the founder and CEO of Conquest Sports has been stalking her all over Los Angeles, and she’d be totally in the right. She’d be right to sue me for harassment, coercion, and unwanted sexual advances, and I would settle out of court for millions.

But I’d rather give her everything that’s mine as long as we’re together.

As I consider all this, I notice the “Dogs for Adoption” sign in neon pink across the street. I step out of the coffee shop to take a closer look.

The rescue agency has half a dozen enclosures out on the sidewalk in front of the building to get the attention of passersby.

This is opportunity knocking.

The next thing I know, I’m jaywalking toward the doggos in need of humans.

“I’d like a dog, please,” I say, approaching the clerk at the front desk inside.

The clerk hands me a sheet of paper and a pen. “Fill this out. We’ll run a full background check and call you in three days.”

I look at the clipboard and lean over the counter. “Listen. I’ve filled out one too many questionnaires already this morning. I really just need a dog right now.”

He squares his shoulders. “I can’t just hand over a dog without running a background check. And the fact that you demand one right now is rather unsettling. How do we know you don’t want it for fighting?”

“Don’t you have like a dozen dogs out on the sidewalk waiting to be adopted? I thought today was adoption day, according to the sign.”

He nods. “It is but there’s a whole process.”

Me? Not a fan of proper procedure and wait lists and all that.

I shoot off a quick text to my contact at Stel Security.

What I do next, I’m not proud of. I pull my company photo ID badge and driver’s license out of my wallet and set them on the counter.

“I wouldn’t expect you to know who I am, but my name is Hayden McAllister. If I adopt a dog for illegal reasons, or end up neglecting an animal, it would end up in the news and shame my entire company.”

The clerk studies my cards for half a second. “Maybe.”

Leaning across the counter, I tell him, “My college buddy at Stel Security is sending over a full background check right now. It’s probably already in your email.”

Full of doubt, the clerk purses his lips.

“Would it help to request the oldest, most difficult, senior dog in this place? You know you’ve got one like that. The one that everyone has given up on.”

I’m a straight-up asshole for that, but it’s working. I can see that look in the clerk’s eye. Of course, they have a dog like that.

He thinks momentarily, then says, “Just for the record, I don’t appreciate people who throw their status and connections around just to get what they want.”

“Understood. I’m a jackass, but I’m on a mission and only a rescue dog is gonna help with that.”

“And what mission is that?”

“What else? I need to impress the love of my life.”

Pursing his lips, the clerk mutters in front of his computer and taps the keys. “As you predicted, your background check is already through. But I’m sorry, there’s still a waiting list?—”

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