“Nothing much. I’m just in the garage, working on a car. What’s up with you?”
I chew the inside of my cheek. “I want to talk about something. You care if I swing by?”
“No, not at all.”
“Alright, see you soon.” I hang up and gather my wallet, phone, and keys to leave.
I get to his place a little while later, and instead of going into the house, I go straight to the garage. When I walk in, his head is under the hood of the car and the music is so loud, I know he didn’t hear me enter. I walk over and rasp my knuckles against the hood. He pops out quickly. At first, fear is in his eyes, but then he sees it’s me and his face smooths while a smile takes over. He moves to turn down the music.
“You scared the shit out of me,” he says around a laugh.
I lean against the car and cross my arms with a small smile.
“What’s going on? I know something is bothering you. Is it Val?” he asks, moving to the cooler and grabbing two beers.
I take the drink I’m offered, open it, and take a sip. “I got to let her go,” I confess, shaking my head and letting it hang.
“What? Why?” he asks, eyes wide and back stiff.
7
Valerie
I’m sitting on the couch downstairs when the phone rings. I pick it up. “Hello?”
“What’s up?” Krista asks.
I let out a long breath. “Nothing,” I reply, wanting to say more but not sure how to.
“What’s going on, Val?” she asks again.
“I’ve had a shitty week.”
“No surprise there,” she mumbles.
“No, it isn’t like last week. Last week was fun compared to this week.”
“How so?”
I hold up the remote and shut off the TV, so I have no distractions. “Last week, Callan and I were doing our usual thing. You know, pissing one another off on purpose. I hated it then, but looking back, I can see that’s just our way. Like, it was our version of friendship, I guess. But then after last weekend, things changed. He took care of me even after I puked all over him. He slept next to me to make sure I didn’t die. He drove me around and made me lunch. We talked, and everything was great. I thought it was a new start for us, like we were finally becoming real friends. It gave me hope for work. But then I went in on Monday, and he was cold. We didn’t go back to how we were. Instead, he was going out of his way to ignore me. The only time he would talk to me is when he was telling me to do a job. I went and got our lunch on Monday, and when I came back, my desk was moved out into the hall. No explanation or anything. I don’t know what I did wrong. I was so happy that we had seemed to put everything behind us and start fresh, and then the next thing I know, it’s like he hates me so much now, he can't even bear to look at me.”
I hear her take a deep breath. “Just seduce him and fuck him. I’m sure that’s all he needs.”
I shake my head, annoyed that she isn’t taking this seriously. “I gotta go, Kris.” I hang up before she can say anything else.
I call Maddie because she always knows what to say or do.
“Hello?” she answers.
“Hey, Mads. What are you guys up to tonight?” I ask, sitting up and crossing my legs beneath me.
“Not much of anything. Bennet is out in the garage, needing to finish up a car so he can have it delivered on time. I’m just sitting in the house, drinking some wine and reading a book.”
“Mind if I come over or is that book too good to put down? I need some girl talk.”
She giggles. “I already have a glass out for you.”
Her words make me smile. “Okay, I’ll be over soon.”
I stand and slide my feet into a pair of flip flops. I grab my purse, phone, and keys, and head for the door.
When I pull in a little while later, the driveway is full, so I end up pulling my car into the yard. I walk to the front door, and she must have heard me pull in because she’s opening it just as I’m preparing to knock.
She smiles. “I figured that was you.”
“Thanks for letting me come over. I tried talking to Krista about this, but her only advice was to fuck him.”
She laughs as she grabs the bottle of wine and two glasses and leads me out onto the back porch. “Are we having more Callan talk?”
I want to roll my eyes. Surely, she’s sick of hearing about him already. “You know it.”
We both sit in our deck chairs, and she pours two glasses, handing me one. “Okay, shoot.”
And I do. I tell her everything I told Krista. When I finish, she looks out at the lawn, thinking everything over.
“So, what do you think?”
“I think things got complicated.”
“Duh,” I say. “But why?”
She takes a sip of her wine. “I honestly have no idea. My bet is that he found himself having different feelings for you and doesn’t know how to handle them or how to react.”
“Different feelings? Like what?”
“Like maybe spending that night together made him see you differently. Now, you’re not his best friend’s annoying little sister. You’re a woman that he found things in common with. He’s either confused by the sudden change in your relationship, or he’s struggling with something.”
I let my head fall back as a deep breath leaves my lips. “But what I am supposed to do? I mean, I don’t even see him at work hardly. If he needs something, he will send a message to my computer, or he’ll call my phone. He’s gone out of his way not to have to deal with me.”
“Just give it time? Let things calm down and do your job. Don’t give him a reason to fire you. Sooner or later, he’ll come around, I’m sure.”
I nod and finish off my glass. My phone chimes from inside my purse and I pull it out. It’s a text from Callan.
I’m really sorry to have to do this, but I don’t think our arrangement is going to work out. I already told Bennet, and he’s trying to find you another place in the company. I’m really sorry, Val.
My mouth drops open, and I gasp.
“What?” Maddie asks, jerking her head in my direction.
“He just fucking fired me. Over a text message!”
Her eyes widen, and her mouth drops open. “Does it say why?”
I shake my head. “Just that our arrangement isn’t working, and Bennet is already trying to find me a new position.”
“Bennet knows? I wonder why he didn’t say anything?” she asks more to herself than anyone else.
Just then, we hear a car start up, and I stand to look around the corner of the house. It’s Callan’s car.
“Who is it?” Maddie asks, not moving from her chair.
“It’s Callan. He’s been in the garage with Bennet,” I reply, looking toward the garage in time to see Bennet walking out, toward us.
He walks up the stairs like nothing’s wrong. He goes into the house, grabs a beer, and walks back out holding it to his lips. Suddenly, he realizes that I and Maddie both are starting at him.
“What?” he asks, confused.
“What?” Maddie repeats, shaking her head and rubbing her temples.
“What the hell was that?” I motion toward Callan’s car that’s no longer in the driveway.
“Cal just came by to talk.”
“He just fired me!” I yell.
He nods. “Yeah, I know. But don’t worry, Val. We’ll find you something else.”
I shake my head. “Why did he fire me?”
“Oh,” he says, trying to think something up. “Well, it’s just not working out. He says that you don’t respect him, that every time he gives you a job to do, you mess it up on purpose. He said you talk back and make fun of him. Not that he cares about it personally; it’s just a very inappropriate work environment.”
My mouth drops open. “That is completely untrue! Last week, yeah, we were both acting that way. But this week, I’ve barely said two words to him, and I do every task he gives me perfectly. There’s something else goin
g on.” I cross my arms and lean against the railing.
“I’m sorry, Val,” Bennet says, squeezing my arm as he walks back to the garage.
I look at Maddie. “This pisses me off so bad. I mean, last week, I wouldn’t have cared to have been fired, but this week, I’ve done nothing to deserve it.”
“Then demand a real answer,” Maddie says.
I nod. “I’m going to. I’m going to make him talk to me, explain himself.” I walk back toward my chair and grab my purse.
“Now? You’re doing this now?” she asks.
I nod. “Yep, no time like the present,” I say, walking down the steps and around the house toward my car. I get behind the wheel and start driving back toward the city. Traffic is heavy, and in a way, I’m thankful because it gives me time to sort through my thoughts. I’m way too angry to confront him right now. With my anger, my attitude will be high, and my attitude will only anger him. That’s not the way to get my job back.
Do I want that job back?
I guess, if he has a good explanation for firing me, then I will let it go. But being fired for no reason is not okay. I demand to be treated with respect. Truthfully, I could probably hire a lawyer and sue the company for this. I wouldn’t. I mean, it’s my brother’s company, but still. What he did is wrong on every level, and I’m not going to let him get away with it easily.
By the time I get to his house, I’ve cooled off some, but I’m still determined to get an answer out of him one way or another. I park the car in front of his house and climb out. I march up to the door and knock hard and loud. There’s no way he can ignore me with the way I’m pounding.
The door flies open, and I can see the alarm on his face until he sees me standing there. “Val? What the hell?” he asks, breathing like he just sprinted to the door. “I thought someone was being chased by a murderer out here.”
I push my way inside. “It’s time we talked, Callan,” I say, spinning around to confront him. “You cannot fire me. Do you hear me?”
He closes the door and holds up his hands, palms facing me. “Val, I’m sorry. I didn’t want to do this.”
“Then why are you doing it?” I yell, holding my arms out at my sides. “I thought we’d finally established a friendship between us. Then suddenly, you’re completely cold. It’s like you hate the sight of me. Like you’d rather take the easy way out and fire me than to have to look at me for another second. What did I do to cause this?” I ask, feeling my body grow hot from anger.
He doesn’t answer me. Instead, he starts walking deeper into the house without saying a word. He leaves me standing in the foyer alone, speechless. Finally, I follow after him, not sure if this is what he was wanting me to do. But I refuse to leave without an answer.
I walk into his home office and find him standing at his drink cart, sipping on some whiskey. I lean my shoulder against the door jam and cross my arms over my chest, waiting. I don’t push him. I don’t try to fight. I just wait, wanting him to know that I’m not leaving, but I’m not going to push until he’s ready.
“Care for a drink?” he asks, setting his glass down and pouring himself another.
“No, thanks. After last weekend, I’m kind of over drinking anything hard.”
“I have some wine in the fridge,” he offers, refusing to look at me.
I shake my head. “I didn’t come for a drink, Callan. I came for an explanation. I don’t deserve this. If you have a solid reason for why I should be fired, then fine, tell me, and I’ll be on my way. But I refuse to be treated poorly when I’ve done nothing wrong.”
He lifts his glass, swallows it all in one gulp, and turns to me. “I’m sorry, Val. You’ve done nothing wrong.”
My mouth drops open as my eyes grow wide with surprise. Not surprise at his answer, but surprise that he’s admitting he has no legitimate reason to fire me.
“Then why?” I ask, moving closer to him, slowly.
8
Callan
Watching her slowly walk toward me, there’s only one thing I want to do. I want to pick her up against me and press her back to the wall while I take everything I need.
Don’t do it, Callan, I tell myself. No good can come from this. You’ll fuck her a couple of times until the craving passes, then you’ll end up leaving and breaking her heart. You’ll have to deal with Bennet and maybe losing your job.
“Val, I…” I breathe out, shaking my head and rubbing my temples. My thoughts are swirling.
“What is it?” she asks, closing the distance between us.
Do it. Take her. God, I want to be inside her so fucking bad, I can taste it. She’s right there, within reach. Just reach out and take her.
“Valerie, I just…” I’m torn: do what my body wants or listen to my brain? The thoughts and emotions are mixing together, only confusing me more.
“What, Callan? Just tell me,” she says, her voice soft and sweet. It teases me. It speaks to the monster deep inside of me.
My eyes close. I’m losing the battle with myself.
She reaches out and touches my hand, and my eyes pop open, landing on hers. They’re brilliant green, filled with confusion and innocence.
“Fuck,” I whisper, feeling my resolve crumble. I reach for her, my hands finding her hips and pulling her flush against me. In the same instant, I step toward her, my lips landing on hers as we stumble backward. With my left hand on her lower back, I stretch the other one out behind her, catching us as he hit the wall. I kiss her hard and deep, letting myself get carried away by her sweet taste, her heavenly scent, her soft skin that feels like silk.
At first, she’s frozen and doesn’t respond, but when my tongue demands entrance, she loosens up. Her body molds to mine as her arms wrap around my neck. Her responding to my touch makes my body feel like it’s been set on fire, and I pick her up against me, where she wraps her legs around my hips.
Our kiss is hard and fast, but not rushed, just needed. My hands want to touch every inch of her body, but all they seem to do is make their way from her hips to her face, where I cup her cheeks and hold her against me in fear of her pulling away. I don’t want her to pull away. I want her to need this as badly as I do.
Her hands begin to slide down my chest, and I think she’s about to push me away, but to my surprise, her fingers grab the bottom of my shirt and she pulls it upward. I quickly jump to help her tug it off the rest of the way. Our kiss breaks away for only a moment, but she pulls me right back in. This time, her hands are cupping my face while she takes the kiss deeper.
Inside, I want to cheer because she’s not stopping me from taking what I want, but I’m so lost in the moment that I can’t think of anything but how badly I need to slide inside her. I force away all thoughts and decide to live in the moment; we’ll deal with the repercussions later.
My hands begin pushing her shirt up her stomach, but she quickly reaches for it, tearing it off and tossing it into the floor. We’re both breathing heavy, our chests moving up and down quickly. I pull back slightly and look into her green eyes. They’re glassy and sparkling, her lips red, swollen, and parted. She looks drop-dead sexy, and just seeing her this way has me nearly busting the seam in my jeans.
I close the space between our mouths once again, placing my hands under her ass to support her weight as I walk us from my office up to my room, where we fall onto the bed. I work my way down her body, pressing kisses to her jaw, neck, and down her chest while my hands get busy stripping her of her bra. I toss the fabric to the floor and pull back to look over her amazing tits. They’re big and full, but they fall naturally, unlike the girls I’ve been with that have fake tits. Hers jiggle and bounce and look so soft. I lick my lips with a slight grin as I lower my mouth to her hard nipple, sucking it into my needy mouth. She lets out a deep moan the moment my tongue flicks against it. Her fingers thread into my hair, pulling at the root but pushing my head against her like she never wants me to stop.
My hands massage her tits while my mouth moves back a
nd forth between them. The whole time, she’s breathing heavy and whimpering, making sounds that shoot straight to my painfully hard dick. She must feel it twitch against her because her hands move to my waist, where she starts unbuttoning my jeans and working them down my hips.
I catch her hands in mine and pin them up above her head, looking into her eyes. “I’m in charge tonight. I’ve been thinking about this far more than I should, and I have to get you out of my system,” I tell her, releasing her wrists to strip her of the rest of her clothing. Even though I’m no longer holding her hands down, she leaves them right where I want them.
“Don’t move,” I demand as I pull her jeans down her legs, leaving her pink, lacy panties in place. I toss her jeans into the floor and position myself between her long, tan, shapely legs. I bend down, pressing a soft kiss to her stomach, next to her belly button. My hands slide under her ass, squeezing and massaging as I kiss my way lower. I gently nip the skin covering her hip bone, and she lets out a whimper.
I kiss my way down her inner thigh, along the line of her panties. I inhale deeply, enjoying her sweet scent.
“Callan, please do something. I’m about to explode,” she says around heavy breaths.
Too impatient to remove myself from her to pull down her panties, I move them to the side and run my tongue between her folds. She lets out a deep breath, and her body seems to crumble, her knees closing around my head.
I can hear the way she’s breathing loud and heavy but having my head between her legs is more pleasurable to me than she can imagine. I suck her hard nub into my mouth and flick my tongue against it over and over until she’s calling out my name. When I slide my finger inside her, her hands fist the pillows, causing me to realize that she still hasn’t moved her arms. That pleases me to no end. I like a woman that can take orders in the bedroom.
When her release ends, her muscles ease and her whimpers quiet, but her breathing is still out of control. I pull myself away and lean over to grab a condom out of the bedside table. She keeps her eyes locked on mine as I unzip my jeans and work them down my hips. When I look down to slide the condom on, she does the same, fully taking me in. Her eyes widen, and she licks her lips.
My Boss’s Sister: Make Her Mine Series-Book 3 Page 5