by Cat Johnson
She screwed up her lips unhappily at my observation even the color in her cheeks deepened. “Orgasms don’t change anything.”
“Oh, that’s where I think you’re wrong. Orgasms change everything.”
Looking frustrated, she let out a breath. I took that as a good sign. I was wearing her down.
I cupped her cheek with my hand. “Just roll with it.”
“Roll with it?” Her eyes flew wide as the volume of her voice rose. “Everything about this—us—is just . . . wrong.”
“Why?” I asked, honestly wondering what was so wrong with her and I being together. “I’m single. You’re single—you are single, right?”
“Yes. Very.” She scowled and I wondered why, but not enough to dwell on it. I had convincing to do.
“Then there you go. Ain’t nothing wrong about this. Us.”
“You work for me—” she began.
“I’ll quit.” I didn’t need even a second to think about it.
Her eyes widened. “Don’t you dare quit. I need you.”
I felt a wide smile creep onto my face. “Do you? That’s good to hear.”
“I meant for Stewie. But besides you’re working for me, I’m too old for you.”
“That’s for me to decide and I’ve decided you are nowhere near too old. You’re just right.”
There was an eye roll but no more protests. That was a good sign.
“See. You’re out of objections already.” I grinned in satisfaction.
“I’m sure I can come up with plenty more if you give me time.”
“Nope. My turn. Let me give you some reasons why we should be together. One, we’re attracted to each other. You can try to deny it but you know it’s true. Two, we’re freaking great together. There’s no denying that after what just happened in this bed. And three, as you already admitted, you need me. And not just for Stewie. For you. When you get home from work and want to vent, or when you have family stuff to deal with, I’m here for you.”
She remained quiet and I knew I was winning.
“Look, just keep an open mind and give this a chance. I think you’ll be surprised.”
Sarah let out a sniff. “Surprised about what?”
“How easy it will be to get used to falling asleep next to me at night. Waking up next to me in the morning. Among other things . . .” I flung my leg over hers, moving until I was above her again. “Then there are those orgasms. Pretty sure you’ll start looking forward to those too.”
I felt her breathing beneath me. Deep. Rapid. Her gaze was locked on mine. I swear I felt the hunger radiating off her even though I could tell she was still fighting the concept of us.
“I’m gonna put on a fresh condom.” I didn’t ask her. I told her.
She answered anyway. “Okay.”
It was a soft, almost defeated sounding answer. Still, it was a good answer. The right answer.
SEVENTEEN
Sarah
“Nuh, uh. Where are you going so early?” With one leg hooked around mine and one strong arm, Boone reeled me back against him with all the skill of a champion wrestler, just as I’d been trying to sneak out of bed without waking him.
“I want to get to work early and set up in the conference room so I make sure I get to present first this time.” Once I realized I had a golden idea, I’d emailed Kim and asked if she could set up another meeting for first thing in the morning.
“What time are you presenting?” he asked, somehow paying attention to the conversation even as he circled my nipple with one fingertip while kissing my neck at the same time.
The scratch of the scruff on his cheeks and chin sent tingles straight through me, reminding me I might try to think of him as a kid and too young for me, too young for this, but I was wrong about that.
Boone was all man. Testosterone-fueled, muscle-bound, hard as steel—in so many places—man.
I realized he was still waiting for an answer to his question. What time was my presentation? At the moment, it felt eons away.
Finally, I got my head on straight and said, “Nine.”
He twisted to glance at the bedside clock. “It’s not even six yet.”
“I have to get ready.” Showering being upmost on the list. I couldn’t go to work reeking of sex, with the sex hair to match.
“You have time,” he said.
“I really don’t—” I couldn’t finish my argument when he slipped his hand between my thighs. All that came out was an, “Oh.”
He was already hard. I felt him, pressing between my legs from behind while he reached around to work me from the front.
Boone pressed his mouth to my ear. “I’m putting on a condom. Do not move.”
“Okay.” I seemed incapable of saying no to this man. To be fair, I hadn’t regretted that yet.
Well, that wasn’t completely true. Cerebrally, I was still having huge issues with the age difference. But physically, I had no regrets.
I’d learned he was definitely old enough to know what he was doing.
Of course, there was another aspect to consider. My emotions. I was still broken inside from my ex.
I could not let myself fall for Boone. He could wreck me. I knew that for certain. All he’d have to do is move on to someone new. Someone younger.
A good-looking guy his age definitely enjoyed playing the field. He wouldn’t want to be tied down with someone like me for long. I was a novelty to him now. Something new.
That newness would wear off soon enough.
So a meaningless fling it would have to be. An orgasm-filled, rock my world, make me blush to remember it kind of fling.
Boone hooked one hand beneath my thigh and plunged into me from behind, forcing the breath from my lungs and reinforcing that even if we would only be together for a short time, I could still enjoy the hell out of it while we were.
He set a lazy pace, thrusting slowly while holding me tight against him.
“Morning sex is my favorite,” he said before he ran his tongue down my throat.
In this position, he was hitting places inside me that I was really enjoying, not to mention what his hands and mouth were doing to me.
I sucked in a breath as my body clenched around his.
Right before the orgasm broke over me, I realized that sex with Boone at any time of day was rapidly becoming my favorite . . . and if I wanted to survive this, survive him, I couldn’t let it.
My fear was, it was already too late.
Sore but satisfied, I made it to work not quite as early as I’d planned, but at least I wasn’t late. I bypassed my office and headed directly to the conference room.
I’d be damned if Jerry would get there before me and present first again. Some crap campaign idea, no doubt, that would put our boss in a bad mood so he wouldn’t be receptive to my idea. I wanted Rockland fresh. That way, at least if I fell flat with my concept, I’d know it was because of my idea and not his bad mood.
“You’re setting up already?” Frowning, Jerry popped his head into the conference room.
“Yes, I am. You went first last time. I’m presenting first this time.”
Jerry let out a humph. “Fine. Be my guest.”
“And what will you be presenting?” I asked.
“You’ll see when I present it.”
Was he afraid I would steal his idea? That was rich considering that was exactly what he’d done to me.
Jerry spun and headed down the hall in the direction of his office, looking like he was in a rush.
Good. I didn’t want him seeing my idea or messing with my head.
He’d conceded the first spot to me too easily, and then rushed away. I revised my theory. He wasn’t afraid I’d steal his idea. More likely he didn’t have his presentation done. Maybe he didn’t even have it started yet.
“Hey. Good morning. You’re ready bright and early.” Kim replaced Jerry in the doorway.
Kim’s presence, unlike Jerry’s, I didn’t mind.
“Good morni
ng.” I returned her smile as I plugged my laptop into the projection system. I was pulling out all the stops. I wanted the boss to see this idea come to life in the best possible light. “Just excited to present today.”
“Good. I’m excited to see what you’ve been working on. So it helped getting out of here yesterday?”
“So much. It was like just getting out of this building opened up my creative center.”
“I hear you,” Kim agreed.
My opening image appeared on the wall screen and I breathed a sigh of relief that at least technology was on my side today.
Satisfied, I turned back toward Kim and found she was watching me with a strange look on her face. “You look different today.”
“What? How?” I asked.
“I don’t know. Something has changed. I just can’t put my finger on it.”
One difference was that I’d barely had time to shower and had only hit my hair with the blow dryer for a few minutes rather than taking my usual time doing it.
I didn’t get into that, or the reason why I had been running late, and just shrugged instead. “I don’t know.”
“Mmm, hmm.” She leaned against the edge of the conference table and folded her arms, still watching me. “So, how’s the live-in man candy?”
I cocked up a brow. “He’s a manny.”
She bobbed her head to one side. “Eh. Six of one, half a dozen of the other.”
Shaking my head at her, I said, “He’s fine. Thank you.”
“You going to invite him to the awards ceremony?”
I hesitated a beat. “I don’t know. I don’t think so.”
Kim was more than a boss. She was definitely a friend, but I wouldn’t call her a bestie. It made it difficult to decide how much to share.
Still, I found myself saying, “I did invite him to come to my cousin’s wedding with me.”
Her eyes widened. “Oh my God. That’s huge. A wedding is like hook-up heaven.”
I laughed. “Oh really? Even with my mother and her eagle eyes there? Not to mention my father. And my aunt and uncle.”
And my ex-boyfriend who I’d been planning on marrying until he dumped me. I left that part out.
She wrinkled her nose. “Oh, yeah, there is that. The whole nosy relative factor.”
Kim narrowed her eyes again.
“I think you’ve got some dirt. Like a smudge or something.” She took a step closer when her eyes flew wide. “Oh my God. Do you have a hickey?”
Oh my God, did I?
I had a vague recollection of Boone’s mouth on my neck more than once between last night and this morning. But he wouldn’t—he couldn’t.
The expression on Kim’s face said he had.
I slapped both my hands over my throat. “No. I’m sure I don’t—”
“And I’m sure you do. You did Mr. Manny Candy,” she accused, looking satisfied.
“Shh.” My gaze flew to the doorway to make sure no one was within ear shot.
“I’ll shush when you admit I’m right.” She was back to folding her arms and staring me down again.
“Okay, fine. Yes,” I hissed.
She smiled. “Good. You needed it.”
“I don’t know about that, but it happened.” I blew out a breath.
“And that’s what’s different about you. I knew it.”
I rolled my eyes. “I can’t possibly look different just from doing that.”
Although I think I might have been walking a bit differently. I was sore in places I hadn’t known existed. And there was that hickey. And my hair was starting to give in to its natural wave because I’d left the house with it still damp.
Kim shook her head. “Think whatever you want, but a woman has a certain look about her after really good sex.”
My gaze cut to her before I dropped my eyes away to straighten a stack of papers that didn’t need straightening. “What makes you think it was really good?”
“Wasn’t it?” she asked.
Even with as appalled as I was that she’d guessed, I couldn’t help my smile. “Yeah. It was.”
She let out a laugh. “Ha! I knew it. And girl, you stop looking embarrassed. It’s every single woman’s right to have a lover who makes her look like you do today. Embrace it and ride that boy for all he’s worth.”
Jesus. I needed her to stop talking.
I felt my cheeks grow hotter as I said, “I’m going to try to cover up my . . .” I pointed to my throat. “Uh, you know, before the meeting starts.”
“You do that. Then come back and give me all the dirty details.”
“No. That will not be happening.”
“We’ll see.” Kim smirked, nodding like she was completely confident she was right.
And in the middle of all this craziness, I had a presentation to make. The biggest of my career.
So why did my mind keep going back to Boone?
EIGHTEEN
Boone
I glanced at the time on the microwave again, frustrated.
It figured the day that I really—and I mean really—wanted Sarah to get home early from work, she was late.
What did that mean? Had the presentation gone so well she stayed to start working on setting it in motion? Or had it gone so badly she was there brainstorming a new one?
If that were the case, I wished she’d come home so I could help her.
Forget that—I just plain wished she’d come home.
Yeah, I was going out of my mind wondering how her presentation went, but even more than that, I wanted this woman here, arm’s length away from me, within grabbing distance.
Within kissing distance too.
With that thought I remembered Stewie and glanced to where he was playing with his truck out in the grass.
I might be able to sneak in a quick smooch, but anything more than that was going to have to wait until after his bedtime.
I’d waited plenty for this woman already. Now that I’d had her, it seemed I didn’t have the patience to wait even a few hours to have her again. And I didn’t feel bad about that.
To me, my impatience when we were apart was just an indication that we were meant to be together.
A sound in the driveway had me sprinting for the front door. I opened it in time to see Sarah getting out of the car, before she reached back in and emerged with her giant bag.
None of this told me anything. Impatient, I called, “How did it go today? I’m going crazy waiting to hear.”
She cocked up one perfectly shaped brow. “Oh, really?”
“Yes, really. You didn’t text me back to tell me how it went.” I’d finally given up being patient about an hour ago and had sent her a text.
She slammed the door and moved around the nose of the car. “I was driving.”
I couldn’t fault her for not responding if she was on the road, but I sure as shit could fault her for not ending my agony now that she was home.
When she reached the top step I stepped in her way, blocking the doorway. “No admittance until you tell me how it went.”
She screwed up her mouth. “Excuse me?”
“No entrance until you tell me if the boss liked your idea.”
She dropped her chin and let out a big sigh . . . and then glanced up to meet my gaze as she broke into a smile. “He loved it.”
“Woo hoo!” I wrapped my arms around her, spinning her and her giant bag in a circle while she clung to me.
“Boone! What are you doing?”
“Celebrating.” As much as I liked the feel of her in my arms, I finally set her back down.
“There’s more," she said. "Not exactly celebration worthy.”
“What?” I frowned, not liking the sound of that. And actually not liking her boss all that much right now either.
“The boss also loved Jerry’s idea.”
I scowled. “What idea? Something else he stole from you?”
“No. This was all his. He went back to his original idea about a family living on Ma
rs in a space colony or something.”
I hated to admit it, but that sounded kind of cool. “Okay. Well, that’s fine. As long as the boss liked yours too.”
She shook her head. “One, it’s not fine because his family had the wife cooking and tending to the child while the husband was watching sports. This is supposed to be the future, so why does it look like the nineteen-fifties?”
“Okay, I see what you’re saying. But maybe when it actually comes time to film the commercial you can mix things up a bit with the casting.”
“Yeah, maybe, but that’s not the worst of it.”
“Okay . . .” I waited.
“The client only approved the budget to air one television commercial . . .”
My eyes widened. “And he chose the dickhead’s idea?”
“Yup.”
I let out a string of cusses that she waited silently through until I got it all out. “Sorry. I’ll throw a twenty in the cuss jar.”
“No, it’s fine. Stewie didn’t hear.”
I wasn’t sure Stewie hearing or not was the point of the swear jar but whatever. We had bigger issues on the table.
“I really am sorry about your boss. I guess I just don’t understand. If he loved your idea, why isn’t he using it?”
It was times like this I was happy to be working with my family, even if Stone and Cash might act like asses sometimes.
“He is using my idea. But only for the social media campaign.”
My eyes widened. “That’s even better. Nobody I know pays for cable TV anymore. Social is where it’s at.”
She smiled. “Spoken like a true Millennial.”
“It’s true. It’s a win for you. It really is. Let’s go and celebrate. I’m taking you out.”
Why did she look horrified at my invitation?
“We can’t." She shook her head. "Stewie—”
“We’ll bring him. Come on. Dinner is on me.”
“No. Boone. I can’t let you pay—”
“Sarah. I’m not taking you to the Otesaga. It’s just the Muddy River Inn. Wings, burgers, fries. Seriously, it’s so not a big deal, but it’ll be fun. You deserve to get out. And if we stay here, I know you. The minute you finish eating dinner you’ll be back to work—if not before.”