Caroline didn’t immediately start reading, she watched the way Max moved on his lap, moaning. “Can’t you two stop for a minute? This is important,” she said.
“Not as important as orgasms,” Max said, though he could see trying to deflect from the situation. Max always avoided anything that implied success, not because she didn’t want to be successful, but because her life had taught her that whenever she had hope, a rug pull would follow. “Especially since we missed one last night.”
As for him, he might have tried to make her focus on something else if her coping mechanism wasn’t going up and down along his shaft, dealing with the blue balls he had the last night.
Caroline, despite the rather spectacular distraction, managed to focus on the contracts he prepared. “Wow, they are really professional. Clear language, accurate description, perfectly defined equity structure … everything,” she muttered. “You’re really serious about the investment, aren’t you? The hourly rate for this kind of work is above a thousand.”
“What!” Max gasped even though her hips were continuing to move. “A thousand dollars an hour, just for writing a contract?”
“Above a thousand,” Caroline said. “Maybe more, and it doesn’t look like a template. Too many specific performance clauses and other rules, protecting both sides.”
Ethan just hummed, not mentioning he had prepared himself, mostly because he had had no intention of explaining why he knew more than most lawyers. Detailed legal knowledge was harder to explain by using the crazy uncle excuse. Instead, he continued enjoying Max’s amazing breasts while she continued to jump on her lap.
"The first contract gives a three-layer structure," Caroline muttered. "Let me walk you through it by giving a general summary."
"I can read," Max said.
"Even when you’re not distracted, you can’t actually read contracts, Max. Right now…"
He picked that moment to impale her deeper, and she moaned. "Fair," she admitted.
"Layer one," Caroline started. "Investment structure. It outlines two hundred thousand dollars in startup capital as equity investment, earmarked for kitchen equipment, rent, and decoration; as well as a marketing budget, which looks smaller than I would give an investment this size, but workable."
"T-two hundred thousand dollars," Max gasped. "Are you mad?"
“It’s generous, but reasonable,” Caroline admitted. “Silent partner setup is not that rare for restaurants. Then, we have the governance structure. The contract stipulates a veto right for major decisions, even as a minority owner.”
“I’m putting almost a quarter of a million dollars,” he said. “I need to make sure I can prevent disasters.”
“Hey, if it’s my business, why are you making decisions,” Max gasped, but he just spanked her. He would have answered if Max was asking that question genuinely, but it was clear she was being bratty.
Spanking was the professional response.
Caroline continued to go over the lines, including some of the side clauses. “This is generous, very generous…” she started, which, just as he predicted, bothered Max greatly. Then, Caroline went through the second contract, which was mostly the same. Same investment, same fallback clauses, some extra conditions for tighter governance…
And, most importantly, he was asking for majority shares directly. “Why there’s two contracts, I don’t understand,” Caroline said. “The second one is much worse.”
“We’re going with the second,” Max declared immediately.
“What?” Caroline gasped. “It makes no sense.”
“Doesn’t matter. My choice!” Max declared, but her hips started to move faster.
“I—“ Caroline started, only for him to reach and put his finger to her lips, silencing her.
“Look. Max has to leave to drop the cupcakes. Why don’t you leave with her, and you two can discuss it properly. As I said, you can go with either contract. I’m leaving the choice to you two.”
Caroline looked like she would argue, but he grabbed Max’s hips, pressed her against the couch, and started impaling her hard for a quick climax for either of them. The sudden increased intensity managed to break Caroline out of her business focus.
Then, once he climaxed, he pulled out, kissed Caroline’s dazed lips, and walked to Max’s bedroom. “Wake me up once you come to a decision,” he said and threw himself onto the bed.
He didn’t fall asleep immediately, but acted like he did, listening to Caroline’s shocked whispers and Max’s determined rejections.
"Max, I've read a lot of contracts. The first contract is the most founder-friendly investment structure I've ever seen. It’s perfect."
“No. It’s not perfect. It’s charity, and I don’t do charity. How about the second contract?”
“It’s much worse. He has the majority equity already, and it even has a buyout clause. If we succeed, he can just pay you to kick you out of your business. It’s too much.”
“We’re going with the second one,” Max responded, and they started bickering, which was quick to turn rather personal. He let them fight even as they dressed and left the house.
He wasn’t doing that to be mean, despite how it might look. He wanted to help them.
If they wanted to get into business, they needed to understand each other better. In the show, that particular process took several years, and three different failed projects. By then, the cupcake craze was over, and they gave up the initial idea and settled on a weird dessert bar concept.
It was a pity, because even in the show, it was clear that they didn’t share the same passion for a bar. Not to mention, as a business, a bakery was much better than a bar. Bars were profitable businesses, but managing one destroyed one’s social life completely.
Horrible working hours and constantly dealing with drunks was not a happy life. And, people underestimate just how much stuff got broken in a bar.
He hummed as he closed his eyes, letting sleep take him. With his Endurance getting higher, he no longer needed to sleep as much, but that didn’t mean he didn’t enjoy it.
A few hours later, he woke up to the front door opening. Caroline and Max were back, but, since they were doing their best not to make any noise, whispering very carefully, he decided to act like he was asleep and not ruin their talk.
Especially when he heard the distinctive rustle of clothes, followed by barely suppressed giggling. It not only suggested they were in a good mood, but also that they had a surprise for him.
Or, at least, that was what he hoped.
He said nothing when they walked into the room. “He’s already hard, horny bastard,” Max muttered, which was hardly an insult, especially when it was followed by two people climbing onto the bed.
He only opened his eyes when he felt two sets of lips pressing to his erection. When he opened his eyes, he was pleasantly surprised.
He expected them to be naked, but instead, he found them wearing costumes. Max was dressed as a chef, and Caroline as a secretary. Well, at least, that was how those jobs would look in a late-night steamy movie.
Max’s costume was simple, with a chef’s hat, an apron, and nothing else. Caroline went for a white blouse, a pencil skirt, and stockings. He had to admit, together, it was a beautiful sight.
“Hmm, what a good way to wake up,” he muttered. “Should I assume that’s a fancy way of accepting the offer?”
Caroline opened her mouth to say something, but she was never able to. Max smirked before she grabbed Caroline’s head, and pushed her down. Surprised by the sudden deepthroat, she gagged.
“Yes, but don’t get smug,” she said. “We’re going with the second contract. And, if you try to mess with me by kicking me out of my own business, I’ll feed your precious customers razorblade-flavored cupcakes.”
“Mmm, dangerous threat,” he said. It was hard to take that threat seriously while his girth was imprisoned by Caroline’s throat.
Max let Caroline go. “That was rude,” she gasped, but before she could say anything else, Max took her place, and pushing herself even deeper. “Even ruder,” Caroline added, but her blush was beautiful.
Despite that, she didn’t lose much time before she moved to the side, her lips focusing on the base of his shaft whenever Max pulled back. He had to admit, it was a good way to wake up.
When Max pulled back, Caroline took the crown again, and Max pushed her down once again. This time, Caroline didn’t panic, though still gagging. “Much better than a signature, isn’t it, mister Investor,” Max said.
“It certainly looks legally binding with the lips of the secretary around my shaft,” he teased. Caroline caught his gaze from her position, but despite her blush, she didn’t stop.
“So, you managed to convince Caroline that you want to go with the second contract.”
“Yes,” Max declared proudly while letting Caroline pull back.
Caroline’s expression was between excited and frustrated. “I still can’t believe she managed to convince me to take a much worse contract. She’s incredibly stubborn. But… we agreed this deserves a proper thank you.”
Max chuckled as she shifted, grinning wickedly. “Yeah. A thank you.”
Since it was supposed to be a gift, he picked the lazy route, laying back. They took turns sucking him. Max was aggressive and sloppy, while Caroline alternated between elegant but eager when she was in control to desperately gagging whenever Max decided to push her down.
He hummed, very happy with his gift.
Then, Max took him deep again, gagging slightly but pushing further until her nose touched his skin. Caroline watched with wide, fascinated eyes, gently stroking his balls.
Then, Max pulled back. “Alright, girl. Show him that you’re a quick learner,” Max teased.
Caroline hesitated for a second before taking him into her mouth. She was slower than Max, but she still pushed down, determined. She moaned around his girth, eyes watering, but she still pushed, determined to prove herself.
“God, you two look incredible,” Ethan groaned once he reached his limit. “Open your mouths. Tongues out.”
Both girls obeyed instantly, kneeling side by side with their tongues extended, looking up at him. He exploded, covering their faces. When he finished, the girls were a beautiful mess.
[Achievement complete. Payment for good deeds.
Challenge: Daring]
[+25 Any Stat
1 Platinum Skill Upgrade
1 Platinum Reward Upgrade]
The reward was welcome, and he immediately updated another one of his remaining skills he saw as critical.
[Expert Acting]
{Elite Skill: You are an exceptional actor. You know how to portray yourself in every medium. You’re good enough to play lead in major blockbusters and art movies alike.]
“So, the contract signing,” Max said, then slapped Caroline’s ass. “Secretary, go bring them.”
Caroline grumbled playfully, but she walked away, and came back with printed contracts, a wet wipe on her hand to clean her face. “I still can’t believe we’re taking the bad contract deliberately,” she muttered.
Max just smirked as she grabbed the pen, and signed all copies of the contract.
Ethan signed as well, though not before he briefly checked the contents and made sure that they changed nothing. He didn’t expect them to do something like that, but there was no harm in playing it safe when money was on the line.
"There," she said, setting the pen down. "I just signed my life to a guy I've known for three days," she muttered, then paused. “Holy fuck. It’s really been three days, right?” she gasped. “Are we mad doing this!”
“Don’t be silly, Max. I saw an opportunity to make a lot of money without lifting a finger, and I’m taking it,” he said. “That’s just being a good investor. It has nothing to do with the time we spent with each other.”
“Well, you have a point,” she said as she stood up. “A quick bathroom break, then I’ll be back,” she said, and dashed away.
Caroline lay next to him, and looked at him seriously. “You knew Max wouldn’t take the good contract,” she whispered, her voice sharp. It was clear she tried to be angry, but failed.
He smirked. “I did, but you’re missing something.”
“What?” Caroline whispered.
“Do you think Max would have accepted what you’re calling the ‘bad’ contract without the ‘good’ contract?”
That made Caroline pause. “Oh my god. You’re right. Max is literally allergic to success. She would never have accepted the investment.” Then, she paused. “Damn it. That bad contract is not bad at all. Two hundred thousand for sixty percent equity of a business that doesn’t exist yet is not terrible. Yes, there’s a buyout clause to force Max out, but even if you trigger it, she’ll have the money to open another bakery, and the experience to run it, and her salary is good.” She paused. “Why didn’t tell me that?”
He smirked. “Your annoyance is what I needed to sell it to Max.”
Her eyes widened. “Wait,” she whispered, shocked and angry. “Are you telling me you not only played Max, but also played me as well?”
“Yes,” he whispered as he got closer. He was suddenly very glad for all the time he had spent improving his perception, because without it, he might have actually believed that her anger was real rather than a shocked response and apologize … which would have ruined everything. “Tell me, Caroline. How does it feel to be throughly overplayed in a business negotiation?”
“I’m angry and frustrated,” she whispered, almost dazed as she grabbed his hair, pulling hard. “Also, horny. God, why am I this horny?”
He had several guesses, including the nature of his deception, her rather obvious kink for powerful executives, the size of the business deal once again reminding her better times in her life, but he wasn’t able to say any of them.
Not when Caroline chose to silence him with an intense, desperate kiss as she climbed onto his lap, her pencil skirt riding up, showing that she only had a garter belt underneath, and no panties.
The perfect secretary.
He didn’t need to do anything. She aligned herself, already wet from their earlier fun, and skewered herself, moaning loudly. She moved passionately, each move sending an intense burst of pleasure through his body.
Max returned, naked carrying a bottle of champagne and three glasses … he suspected they dipped into their cupcake fund for the champagne, as it cost around two hundred dollars.
She froze when she saw Caroline riding him desperately, then she laughed. It was one filled with pure amusement, rare and genuine, with no hint of sarcasm. A rare sound.
“Hey,” Caroline said after she pulled back from the kiss, feeling self-conscious. “You had him in the morning!”
“Fine, you wanted the champagne celebration,” Max chuckled again even as she shook the champagne bottle, opened, spraying them.
Caroline gasped, shocked, but her hips didn’t stop even as they were covered with champagne, her secretary outfit ruined … or, depending on the perspective, elevated further.
“A celebration, what an excellent idea,” he said as he pulled Max to the bed, ripped the bottle from her hands, and poured some on her chest and licking. Max moaned. “Hey, my bed!”
“You should have thought of it before spraying Caroline,” he reminded.
“Good point,” she chuckled as she reached for the bottle, took a large sip before she leaned for a kiss.
“To Max’s Amazing Cupcakes,” he shouted.
“That’s the store name?” Caroline muttered, still moaning.
“What store name,” he chuckled as he grabbed Max’s tits, showing that he was praising something else.
“Bastard,” Max gasped playfully before she leaned in for another kiss filled with champagne … and the celebration escalated. They drank champagne as they rolled around naked, they even played some silly sexy games, the room filled with moans and laughter.
As far as celebrations went, it was a spectacular one.
"To Max's Homemade Cupcakes," Caroline said almost three hours later, exhaustion filling her tone as she carefully poured what had remained of the champagne, long without its fizzle. "An actual business, with actual capital … and the best silent partner imaginable."
"He wasn’t very silent," Max chuckled as she snuggled to his side. "To bad decisions, which are the only kind I make. So, I’m really glad that I didn’t make this decision, but was forced to it by you two. Maybe that’ll break the curse."
"To success, and to many celebrations," he said as they cheered.
They drank. The champagne lost all its taste, but none of them minded that fact.
“God, I hate that we still have to go work at the diner,” Max muttered, then immediately turned to him, her gaze sharp. “No comments about that. I’m not leaving that job. Understood!”
“It’s your life, Max. I’m not the boss of you just because I invested in your business,” he said, knowing she would appreciate the distinction. Then he chuckled as he pulled her closer. “But, my recommendation, drop the other side jobs. Just the diner and the bakery. Nothing else.”
“Fine,” Max muttered.
“Any ideas about the shop?”
“Well, we have a few ideas,” Caroline said. “Our initial plan was to rent a small shop at a nearby strip mall, which has an affordable rent—“
“Don’t,” he said. “That’s the worst kind of compromise. Either lean onto the Williamsburg aesthetic and find a really low-rent place, and lean on the contrast, or actually rent a place upscale.”
She paused. “What would you recommend?”
“Get a cozy place in Manhattan. If you’re going to sell cupcakes for fifteen dollars a piece, you need a dazzling storefront. It doesn’t have to be large, but it needs to be fancy, ideally near the workplace of pretentious idiots.”
“Fifteen dollars. That’s robbery!” Max gasped.
“No, that’s just your anchor pricing. The real money will not be the storefront, but the catering.”
Caroline’s eyes widened. “That way, when we quote eleven dollars for bulk orders, it’ll look like a deep discount. Incredible,” she said.
Max whined. “Can’t I open just a cute cupcake shop here in Williamsburg?” she said.
“Only if you want to continue juggling all day,” he said. “This is not a place people have money for luxury, high-quality desserts.”
Max looked at Caroline, sharing a silent message before Max nodded, defeated. “Fine…” she said. “I’m already regretting signing away my freedom.” But, the kiss she followed up with disagreed with that message rather intensely.
“Max, we can’t,” Caroline warned. “We still have our shift, and we need to start preparing for it.”
“Damn it,” Max gasped as she pulled back. “And, we have a double shift, right? We’ll return only after midnight.” She kissed him one last time before she left the bed. “Sorry about it. We’ll continue after I return.”
“Sure. It’ll give me a chance to do some location scouting,” he said. “Maybe even get in contact with that consultant chef I had mentioned…”
“Sounds excellent,” Caroline said, kissed him, and dashed out for a quick shower.
Max didn’t retreat immediately. “You are going to bend that consulting chef against the counter while talking business, right?” Max guessed.
He shrugged, not hiding his smirk. “You know I don’t kiss and tell … unless of course, the lady in question wants to put on a show to impress her reporter crush from Metro One.”
“Shut up, bastard,” Max said, but that was all she said.
He chuckled, already planning his next visit to Monica.