TAMING MR. WHITMORE: THE CEO FROM HELL.

HARPER'S POV:

I did it.

I finally stopped being the responsible one. For twenty-one years, I'd lived by rules, obligations, and sacrifices. Las Vegas had exactly seven days to convince me I didn't have to.

I came here with one goal: to make the worst decision of my life and not regret a single second of it.

Hopefully, my little sister never found out what that decision was. She'd either faint... or kill me herself.

"WE'RE GRADUATES, BITCHES! WOOHOO!" Nivea exclaimed.

I flinched, quickly looking around to see if anyone was staring at us as we walked into the hotel lobby. Thankfully, everyone was far more engrossed in the affairs of their lives than to pay attention to loud fresh-out-of college partiers, making a fool of ourselves.

A bride-to-be in a glittering sash stumbled past with half a dozen equally loud bridesmaids, while an Elvis impersonator posed for photos beneath a chandelier.

Still, I elbowed my friend and hissed, "would you tone it down? We haven't even started drinking."

Grinning, Nivea tossed her silk onyx ponytail over her shoulder, her blue eyes sparkling with mischief. "You're the sober one," she corrected. "had four rum punches on the plane. No... make that five. Six? No, six is too many. Oasis! How many Rum Punch did I have on the plane?"

Oasis, my espresso-haired, breathtaking-disaster of a best friend, with the face of a runway model, shrugged. "I don't know. Can't even remember how many vodka shots I had."

"Me either," slurred Mila, the last of our group. She held out her right hand, inspecting her manicured fingers, her blonde hair flopped over her forehead.

I'd met Nivea and Mila during freshman year at Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah. They were roommates in the apartment next to mine, where I lived with Oasis.

Oasis wasn't just my roommate. We'd grown up together, and she'd been my best friend for as long as I could remember.

We'd bonded with Mila and Nivea right away, becoming inseparable, throughout our four years in college.

My jaw dropped as I looked between the three of them. "What the hell? Y'all were having all the fun and I missed out."

Nivea giggled, looping her arm around my shoulder. "Oh, please," she rolled her eyes. "It's not like you've joined. You're the responsible one and would've scolded us if anything." She pinched my cheeks and I swatted her hand away.

"You guys are ridiculous," I scoffed, but couldn't help the grin that tugged at my lips.

"Don't worry, Honey pie," Mila said. "I'll make sure you're nothing but reckless on this trip."

Oh, she didn't have to tell me. I'd made that decision for myself before we hopped on that flight.

"Okay, you three drunks," I pointed at each of them, "stay here while I get us checked in. Try not to get us in trouble before I come back, all right?"

Oasis and Nivea saluted me as Mila said, "Yes, Mom."

"Eww, gross. Don't love that," I scolded her, even though I was feeling very much like I was in a mom-mode as I gazed at their goofy expressions. "Just stay put. Good girls."

I turned and headed for the reception desk. Halfway there, I slipped my hand into my jeans pocket, pulled out my phone, and sent Nicole, my little sister, a quick text.

"We arrived safely. Checking in now. Love you. Let me know if you need anything."

A cocktail waitress glided past balancing drinks without spilling a drop

By the time I reached the desk, the receptionist was already looking my way. He greeted me with an easy smile, as if the shouting match that had erupted across the lobby didn't exist.

I couldn't help noticing how put together he looked. His burgundy shirt sat crisply beneath a tailored dark suit jacket, not a wrinkle in sight.

The lobby was one step away from total chaos, yet he didn't seem rattled in the slightest. No annoyance. No curiosity. Just quiet professionalism.

Either he was the sort of person who refused to let other people's drama ruin his day... or he'd worked here long enough that scenes like ours barely registered anymore.

"Hello." The receptionist smiled as I reached the desk. "Welcome to Preston Vegas Hotel. How may I help you?"

"I'd like to check in." I slid my ID across the counter. "Reservation's under Harper Sullivan."

***

Ten minutes later, after collecting key cards, wrestling our luggage onto a trolley, and dragging Nivea away from an embarrassingly flattered bellhop, we finally made it to our suite.

The moment the hotel room door clicked shut behind us, I spun around to face the others.

"Alright, graduates." I clapped my hands once. "Freshen up, throw on your swimsuits, and let's go celebrate. We did not fly all the way to Las Vegas to spend our first afternoon sleeping."

Nivea groaned and collapsed face-first onto the nearest bed.

"Nope. I'm dead. Wake me tomorrow."

I laughed and unzipped my suitcase.

"Not happening. I'm here to let loose for once. To stop overthinking everything and make at least one terrible decision."

Silence.

I looked up.

Three pairs of eyes were staring at me like I'd announced I was joining a motorcycle gang.

Mila blinked twice.

"Who are you?"

She marched over, grabbed my shoulders, and gave me an exaggerated shake.

"What have you done with Harper?"

I peeled her hands off me, laughing.

"It's still me."

"I don't buy it," Oasis said, dropping onto the other bed. "Our Harper voluntarily making bad decisions? Someone check if Mercury's in retrograde."

"You'd be surprised." I rummaged through my suitcase. "I want to hit the pool before dinner, maybe explore the Strip tonight..."

Mila gasped dramatically.

"Oh my God."

She pointed at me like she'd solved a murder.

"The good girl is finally going wild."

"I never said wild."

"You didn't have to."

She bounced on the balls of her feet.

"Please tell me you're about to do something completely out of character."

I bit back a smile.

"I do have... a mission for this trip."

Three synchronized groans filled the room.

"Oh, no," Oasis said. "Why does that sound like you've made a spreadsheet?"

"Because she probably has," Nivea muttered.

I placed a hand over my chest.

"I'll have you know strategic planning is exactly why I survive."

"Boring," Nivea sang.

"So boring," Oasis agreed.

I rolled my eyes.

"You two can bully me after you've showered. Bathroom. Now. Swimsuits. Move."

Still laughing, they disappeared toward the bathroom, shoving each other through the doorway.

The room fell quiet.

Mila scooted across the bed until she was sitting beside me.

She lowered her voice.

"So..."

I kept folding a dress into the drawer.

"...what exactly is this mission of yours?"

I folded the last dress, closed the drawer, and looked up.

God, even saying it out loud felt wrong

I let out a slow breath. "I'm going to lose my virginity."

HUDSON'S POV:

THE HOT LAS VEGAS sun beat down on the crowded pool area, cooking the bodies standing around or splashing in the pool without mercy. Most people here weren't sober and so they didn't care about that.

I took a sip of my Bourbon on ice, set my glass down, and leaned farther back in the lounge chair. A cannonball landed somewhere to my left, sending a wave across the pool that rocked an inflatable flamingo carrying a laughing couple. Everyone around me seemed determined to enjoy themselves.

I wasn't.

"Hey, none of that," Owen said. "We're on vacation. Be excited."

I glanced over at the lounge chair next to mine, where my hulking best friend and co-founder was sprawled out. He wasn't looking at me, and for all I knew, he was falling asleep behind those dark sunglasses of his.

"You know it's killing me that we're lazing around," I complained. "The last thing I need is your whining voice in my ear. We should be working. You know, WORKING!"

"Come on, Hudson. All that working and no fun has turned you into a grumpy asshole." Owen turned his head and looked at me.

I tilted my sunglasses down to stare back at him.

Owen lounged like he'd been born beside swimming pools. Six feet of muscle stretched across the chair, one ankle hooked over the other, sunglasses hiding whatever trouble he was already planning.

Owen and I were a contrast in so many ways. I couldn't even tell how he was still in my life when we didn't get along eighty percent of the time.

With a huff, Owen let his head fall back onto the cushions of his chair and said, "That launch is a year from now. If you can't live a little..."

"Owen, if it isn't perfected, there's nothing to be launched. It's the first of its kind. An innovation..."

"Dude, relax," he sighed. "You're going to bore me to death. Please, Keep Whitmore Robotics away at least for the time we're here. You're the genius. I'm the idiot who reminds you to enjoy yourself."

"Yeah, all right," I grumbled.

"Besides." he grinned. "I thought your biggest concern was getting recognized and having the whole trip ruined. Doesn't seem like that's been a problem so far."

I scoffed. "Someone's going to recognize me eventually. The whole reason I told you that coming to this pool was a stupid idea."

He rolled his eyes. "Man, find a girl..."

Owen got distracted as two girls in skimpy bikinis walked by and eyed us up and down. One of them gave me a wink and a little finger wave.

I responded with a half-smile and chin jerk, but that was it. I let her continue right on by.

"Really, man?!" Owen gently smacked my chest, once the girls were out of earshot.

"What do you mean?"

He sat up and swung his feet around so he was facing me fully. "That girl was clearly flirting with you," he said. "And she was hot, but you didn't even look twice at her. What's wrong with you?"

"Why are you getting on my ass about this?" I demanded to know before shrugging. "Yeah, she was hot, but so what? Look around, dude. There are tons of hot girls here. You know I have rules. Very. Strict. Rules."

Owen rolled his eyes, shaking his head. "Fuck rules, Hudson. You mean you don't want to get some Vegas pussy all because of stupid rules you created?" Owen narrowed his eyes. "Wait."

"What?"

"Are you gay?"

I stared at him. "Seriously?"

"I'm just saying, I've known you for years and I've never seen you chase a woman."

"I'm very much into women, Owen. Don't be dramatic."

"Prove it."

"Hell no! I'm just not going to sink my penis into some random female just to prove a point to you. Also, I thought this was supposed to be us spending time together. So, you want me to ditch you..."

"Yes!" He didn't let me finish. Owen clasped his hands to his chest and spoke in a too-sweet voice. "Aw! I'm so touched though that you'd give up sex with a hot bikini girl for me."

"Don't let it go to your head," I warned him.

He chuckled and reached out a hand to give my knee a firm pat. "It is kind of cool of you to prioritize me," he said. "But still, forget those ridiculous standards you've set and go get an orgasm. It's the best therapy for your mind."

I didn't respond and a moment of silence fell between us.

Owen's eyes darted around for a bit before landing back on me. He suddenly looked nervous, which put me on the edge immediately.

"What?" I urged.

He stared out at the pool for a few seconds before speaking again. "Can I ask you something?"

"Even if I said no, you'll still ask."

A smile that disappeared almost immediately tugged the corner of his lips. He hesitated a moment more, before finally speaking. "Have you... talked to your Dad lately?"

My jaw clenched at the mere mention of my father. "No. And I don't plan on talking to him ever."

Owen nodded, a flash of understanding crossing his gaze. "I know," he murmured. "I wish he did better as a father and wasn't such a dick..."

"Owen, please, let's not talk about him," I growled.

Gray Whitmore.

The only man who could ruin my day without being anywhere near me.

My irritation shot through the roof. I decided I didn't want to be around all these drunk idiots who didn't seem to have a care in the world as they laughed and partied. I moved to get up off my lounge chair and Owen asked, "Where are you going?"

"I'm going back to the room. I'm tired, and..." My words trailed off when I suddenly locked eyes with a gorgeous copper auburn standing on the other side of the pool. Her gaze was warm hazel-brown, and her shy, tentative smile made my heart race.

She was wearing a bikini that matched her eyes and showed off her curvy figure and fair, lightly sun-kissed glow that made the copper tones in her hair stand out even more. Her hair was in a messy bun at the back of her head, while stubborn strands escaped to frame her face, softening her features and giving her an effortless kind of beauty. When she moved her head, the hair caught the sun and turned it into molten amber.

She kept tucking loose hair behind one ear every few seconds.

Suddenly, I didn't care about my father, work or the launch. My irritation drained away and was replaced by the urgent need to meet this girl. I couldn't say for certain what it was about her that made her stand out among the sea of attractive and scantily clad figures around us, but I had to know who she was.

I wasn't the type of guy who believed in love talk more of the ridiculous concepts of love at first sight. I never slept with anyone without clear boundaries, recent test results, and an understanding neither of us expected more than pleasure.

However, this was lust at first sight, and I was so pulled to get her. I wanted this girl. Badly. And, given the way she couldn't seem to take her eyes off me, I think that she wanted me just as badly.

So help me God, I was about to break my own rules.

HARPER'S POV:

I wasn't sure why I couldn't look away from him. Even when our eyes locked, I should've looked away but I kept gawking.

Arriving at the pool with my girls, I scanned around just to take in the environment. I wasn't at that point thinking to meet the potential "target" to get the job done. There he was. Easily the best-looking man by the pool. I didn't know why my attention kept returning to him. It was ridiculous. And a little exciting.

Relaxing on a lounge chair, his ripped, Hercules-like body on full display, he looked like he had been perfectly moulded in a laboratory, every inch of him meticulously crafted and meant for one purpose, seduction.

Even though he was wearing sunglasses, I could tell he was staring right back at me. Why couldn't I look away?

"Harper? You good?" Mila suddenly asked, turning to look at me.

I blinked and finally managed to jerk my gaze away from the sexy mountain of a man, but it was a little too late. While Nivea and Oasis were busy slipping through the crowd to get to the bar, Mila had been focusing on me and caught me staring.

"Huh?" I gasped, blinking as I looked at her. "What was that?"

She glanced across the pool and when she spotted the guy, her brows knitted. "Harper, You're my best-friend. I love and would always support you. But, please, don't tell me you're pushing through with that crazy idea of yours."

"I am." I sounded breathless, which made me winced.

She gave me a nudge with her elbow. "Snap out of it. It's your virginity we're talking about here," her voice dropped to a whisper. "Do you really want to give it to some random stranger in a city you might never come back to? Don't you want your first time to be special?"

"Yes, I am. I'm tired of waiting. This is the perfect opportunity to do it and get it out of my way so I can focus with life when we get back to Michigan."

Mila frowned and her brow furrowed in clear concern.

Releasing a long breath, I patted the top of her head. "I just want to get it over with," I told her in a soft voice. "I already feel so behind when it comes to life experiences. All I have done is take care of Nicole, be responsible, work hard and go to school. I have never even had a boyfriend and I'm twenty-one. I'm finally done with school and just want to live like a normal girl before stepping into the next phase of my life. I don't want to keep wondering what it would be like to actually be with a guy."

Mila stared at me for several moments and then arched her brow. "So, what you're saying is that you're a horny little vixen and you need to get that fixed so that you can concentrate on being your life even if it means smashing someone who could have some deadly disease, have a girlfriend or doesn't take care of you even if it's your first time. That about right?"

I bursted out laughing, and I shoved her shoulder. "I guess that's one way to sum it up except the ugly part."

She chuckled grinning devilishly. "By the looks of it," her eyes trailed back to the guys from earlier across the pool, "you've already spotted someone and he's sinfully hot. You should go say hi!"

"Oh, I don't think that's a good idea..."

"Come on," she said, cutting me off with a wave of her hand. "He definitely looks experienced. Unless you rather go for the sexy one next to him."

"No," I murmured, peeking back over at both Hercules and the sexiness next to him. They were both ridiculously attractive, but there was something about the first guy that had practically hypnotized me. "I want the taller one."

"Then go get him," Mila encouraged me. "Even if I'm fiercely against this idea, I want you to at least remember that the one that gave you your first pleasure was stupidly hot. One week of fun before you go back home and become a responsible adult again."

Biting my lip, I look between Mila and the hottie several times before sucking in a deep breath. "All right," I nodded. "Okay, you're right. I just need to go over there and talk to him. No big deal. If he turns me down, it's not like I'll ever see the guy again, right?"

"Exactly," Mila replied in a confident tone. "You got this. Now get your cute ass over there and charm the shorts off that guy. Literally." I released a burst of laughter.

"Okay, I'm going!" I turned to walk around the pool and as I started to leave her, Mila smacked my butt with her hand.

I glanced back at her with a squeak of surprise and she blew me a kiss. I winked at her, making my way around the pool, slipping through the crowd and keeping my eyes locked on my target.

He continued to watch me as I drew near, a small smile peeking from the corner of his lip. My heart fluttered and I felt giddy, the majority of my nervousness melting away to be replaced by excitement.

By the time I reached his chair, he was sitting up and lowering his sunglasses. I got a flash of his deep-set brown eyes and I felt myself flush as he looked me up and down.

"Hey," I said, my voice surprisingly low and sultry. I was careful not to look too pleased with myself for sounding so confident.

"Hey," he replied, his hoarse voice making me shiver. "I'm Hudson."

I hesitated only a second. "Madison." The lie rolled out of my mouth fast. Yes, I wanted this but it wasn't my normal self. It was an experience I would keep in Las Vegas so it was keep things more anonymous. Strangely, I felt even less nervous knowing he didn't have my real name.

The corner of his mouth crooked up into a half-grin. "Madison. I like that. I'm glad you came over, Madison. I was going to hunt you down if you didn't."

My smile widened. "Oh? Is that so?"

"Don't mind me," the sexiness next to him said with a chuckle. "Just chilling back here, being invisible."

Hudson reached back and smacked the other guy's arm. "This is Owen, my best-friend. Ignore him," he told me. "He's just jealous you're talking to me and not him."

"Oh, yeah?" I teased.

His best-friend snorted and relaxed back against his chair. Hudson stood up and I had to tilt my head back in order to meet his gaze. Damn. He was tall. Dangerously attractive. Definitely worth getting to know.

Harper would've overthought every word and was socially awkward. Madison wasn't. Madison flirted, took risks, was confident, cool, fun and sexy. Madison only had seven days to exist.

I gave him what I hoped was a flirty little smile and said, "Oh my world. You're gigantic."

He laughed at that. "I sometimes forget how big I am compared to most people."

His best-friend was chugging a beer and pretending he couldn't hear us.

Hudson gestured to the lounge chair next to him. "Care to join me, Madison?" Tucking a strand of my hair behind my ear, I lowered myself onto the chair beside him, feeling a rush of exhilaration at being so close to this hunk of a man.

People around were beginning to pass out from all that hard partying, the song still blasted from hidden speakers and the sun was starting to set.

"So, Madison," Hudson began, his voice smooth like melted butter. "What brings you to this place?"

I tilted my head to face him. "Just some much-needed relaxation and fun before heading back to reality. What about you and your... handsome best-friend over there?"

Hudson's expression flickered with something unreadable as he glanced at Owen, before focusing back on me. "We're here for a little getaway too. He thought we needed a break from life."

"Sounds like we're in the same boat then," I mused. "Maybe this trip just got more interesting."

A mischievous glint spreaded in his eyes as he leaned closer. "Very interesting, Madison."

"I'm glad to hear that," I murmured, holding his gaze.

"Why don't you invite your friends over and hang out?" he suggested. "We can get more drinks and chill by the pool for a while."

"Sure!" I exclaimed, pushing to my feet. "Hold on. I'll go get them." I turned and rushed back to the other side of the pool where Mila, oasis, and Nivea were perching on stools at the bar. "Hey!" I grabbed Nivea's elbow and caught her attention. "Those guys invited us to hang out with them."

"Awesome," Nivea replied, smacking Mila and oasis on their arms to get their attention. "Let's go hang with the hotties, ladies."

"Oh!" I declared, after only a few steps. "Just a heads up, I told him my name was Madison." Mila's brows shot up and Nivea and Oasis both appeared just as surprised.

"Really?" Mila said, her lips curling into a delighted grin. "All right, Madison. We'll play along, but that just means you've got to make it worth it with..."

"Hudson," I offered.

She nodded. "Hudson. Got it. Anything else we should know? Is there any other thing we need to know?"

I laughed, shaking my head. "No, just my name. And don't mention where we are from, where we went to school. Numbers. Any in-depth personal detail at all. Especially me, please. Remember, this is just for the week. Nothing more. Now, play it cool, okay? Don't blow this for me."

"Don't worry, that's not the type of blowing I have in mind for today," oasis snickered.

I gasped and playfully punched her shoulder. Mila rolled her eyes with a smirk while Nivea chuckled at oasis's joke.

They all linked arms and sauntered over to where Hudson and Owen were lounging by the pool, their laughter carrying through the warm evening air.