Skirt: black and rucked to her thighs, revealing lacy garter straps attached to black thigh-high stockings.
Blouse: bright pink and unbuttoned halfway, revealing a wealth of cleavage.
Hair: down, tumbling over her shoulders in loose, light waves.
Hands: braced on the edge of the table.
High-heeled shoes: swinging in a rhythm that matched his own escalating heartbeats.
He shut the door behind him, grateful for the lock. Really grateful.
“Hello, Mr. Knox,” she purred, her mouth spreading into a smile.
“Hello, Ms. Abrams.” He held up the papers as he stalked toward her. “Guess I don’t need this?”
She shook her head, pursing those tempting pink lips to say, “Nope.”
He chucked the report into the wastebasket. A conference room romp hadn’t occurred to him. Okay, okay, it had, but only in his fantasies. Being caught flirting was one thing, pants around his ankles in his place of work was another altogether.
But then that sounded too roped off and rules driven for his taste. He wanted to put as much distance as possible between him and the work-hard guy he’d been earlier this year. Taking Addi up on her offer of a boardroom tryst ought to help in that endeavor.
His eyes snapped from her chest to her legs. Damn. He had no idea where to start.
She solved that conundrum for him, grasping his hands and putting them on her breasts. Next, she snagged his neck and tugged his mouth down to hers for a scintillating kiss.
“How far?” she asked between kisses, running her fingers along the buttons of his shirt.
“What?” He blinked stupidly. “How far, what?”
“How far do you want this to go? My plan was to tempt you, but I respect that this is our place of work and if you—”
He smothered the rest of her words with his mouth and unbuckled his pants, dropping them to his ankles as she laughed into his kiss.
“How much time do we have?” He didn’t want to rush.
“Your three o’clock is with Royce and Taylor.”
That gave him about thirty minutes before he met with his brother and soon-to-be sister-in-law. They’d forgive him if he was a few minutes late.
“You didn’t give me long.” He unbuttoned the rest of her shirt and opened her bra, freeing her beautiful breasts.
“I wasn’t sure—” she gasped as he suckled her nipple “—how much you’d want to do in here.”
“More than we have time for,” he said on a growl. He tossed her shoes to the floor and lifted her skirt. The garters and stockings could stay right where they were. By the time he’d rolled her black panties down her legs, he was as hard as iron.
He slipped his fingers along her folds and found her wet and warm. Head dropped back, blond waves brushing the top of the conference table, she was a fantasy come to life. Behind her, a view of the mountains in the distance interrupted a perfect blue sky through the tinted windows, but the view before him was ten times as appealing.
“We need a condom, Addison. Did you prepare for that, too?”
She sat up on her elbows, her cheeks flushed. “Under the plant.”
“Seriously?”
She nodded.
Sure enough, under the large potted plant in the corner was a square of foil. They were home free.
“You’ve done this before?” he asked, the condom scissored between two fingers.
“Yeah, right.” She laughed, a glorious sight with her breasts bared in the air-conditioned room and framed by her bright pink shirt. “Who do you think I am?”
He rolled on the protection, shaking his head. “At the moment, I’m not sure.”
Tugging her legs so that she met him at the edge of the table, he cupped her ass and held on tight. She wrapped her ankles around his back and gripped his shoulders as he slid in the first few inches. Her moan wasn’t quiet.
Good thing those other two conference rooms were vacant.
He continued working them into a sweat, gently shushing her whenever her high-pitched cries threatened to be overheard. She covered her mouth with her hand, her smile evident beneath her palm. God, she was beautiful. And fun and incredible. He’d had no idea a vixen lurked beneath the polished veneer of his professional executive assistant. She was like having a naughty librarian on call.
Probably it was too much to hope for to gift her with an orgasm in the limited time they had, but it wouldn’t keep him from trying. He navigated his thumb between their bodies as he entered her over and over again. By the time he lowered his tongue to her breast, he felt her tightening around him, her breathy sighs curling into his ear.
Her orgasm came not a second too soon. His release followed hers, though he was better than she was at monitoring the volume of his voice.
“Sorry. Loud,” she panted before she kissed his ear. A shudder climbed his spine and zoomed down again.
“I hope I don’t have to think in this meeting,” he said. “Can’t.”
“Mmm. Worth it if you ask me.” She kissed his cheek.
“Totally worth it.” His hand on her jaw, he angled her mouth toward his when a sharp knock came at the door, followed by the jiggling of the handle.
“Helloooo? Is someone in there? We have a three o’clock for this room!”
Taylor.
Bran pegged Addi with a look. “You booked the same conference room?”
“The other rooms were booked for three o’clock!” she whispered. “I didn’t, ah, think this would take that long?”
“You underestimate me.” He gave her a hard kiss. “Don’t let it happen again.”
Taylor knocked and this time he responded. “Keep your skirt on, I’ll be right there.” Then to Addi, he said, “You should probably put yours on. Panties optional.”
“What are you doing to me?” she asked with a smile as she scurried to redress.
He could ask her the same thing.
* * *
Addison’s hands shook along with her legs. It was like she’d been submerged into a Jell-O mold.
Not only had Bran turned her on in minutes flat, but he’d done it at work. She’d been excited all day, planning her sexy surprise in the conference room. The hidden condom was wishful thinking. She hadn’t counted on actual sex, which explained why she hadn’t considered the piggybacked meetings.
What was with her lately? She’d gone from consummate professional to hair-blowing-in-the-wind free spirit.
But she knew what she was doing. She was testing him. How far would he let her go? How far did he want to go? He hadn’t said no to anything she’d offered yet.
That kind of power was heady. A rush that made her feel, well, feel a lot like she felt right now, only with a teensy bit of nausea at the idea that Taylor might’ve overheard. Addi had not been quiet while having sex with Brannon.
“Ready?” He wore a cocksure smile, his hand at the ready on the door handle. So proud of himself, and who could blame him? He’d taken her to the edge in record time.
“Ready,” Addi said, not sure she was. He unlocked the door as she pulled his discarded papers from the wastebasket.
“I heard some...thing...” Taylor’s gaze jerked from Addi to Bran. The other woman’s darker blond locks were pulled into a neat ponytail at the back of her head, her navy blue dress outlining her baby bump. She looked gorgeous and professional...and suspicious. Her eyes narrowed. “Hi, Bran. Hey, Addi.”
“Hi, Taylor,” Bran said, sounding much more at ease than Addi felt.
Taylor’s expression was blatant approval. “Well, don’t you both look amazing.”
Addi bit her tongue so she wouldn’t laugh. She felt amazing.
“Thanks. I’ve been working out.” He smoothed his tie, which was tied not at all right. The bottom was a good inch or two too high. Addi ducked her head to
hide a giggle, then noticed she’d buttoned her shirt wrong. “Crap!”
“I knew it. You’ve been too happy,” Taylor said to Bran.
“First Gia, now you? What’s wrong with me being happy?”
“Nothing. At all,” Taylor said sincerely. “I’m happy for you. And also—” she gave him a pointed look “—I was right.”
“You better not have interrupted to gloat,” Bran warned as he retied his tie.
“I came in here to have a meeting. Remember?” She waggled her ThomKnox tablet. “Addi, can you join us? Bran could use a second brain. His seems to be disconnected from his vertebrae at the moment.”
Bran’s eyes hit Addi and warmed an incremental amount. “Stay.”
Her cheeks infused with heat and she couldn’t prevent her smile. The request wasn’t dissimilar to what he’d said to her on a handful of nights at his place. He’d wanted her to stay then, too. And him admitting it in front of Taylor was even more significant.
Royce appeared in the doorway next, tall, regal and frowning. His usual. Bran’s tie was back to normal and the buttons on Addi’s blouse were even, thank God. “Everything all right in here?”
“Why wouldn’t everything be all right?” Taylor asked as she settled into a chair at the head of the table.
“I don’t know. Seems...strange in here.” Royce took a long look at Bran before his eyes landed on Addi.
“He’s learning,” Taylor said to Addi. “Men become more perceptive if you teach them. It’s the repetition. Like training a puppy.”
Addi snorted, while Royce and Bran argued against Taylor’s assessment. Then they settled down for the meeting, Addi at the very spot where she and Bran had their own “meeting” a few minutes earlier.
While Taylor spoke, Addi thought about how she’d long dreamed of being a part of a big, loving family. And now here she was, one step closer to being folded in by the Knoxes. It was almost too much for her heart to handle.
Nineteen
By Friday morning, Bran couldn’t figure out what the hell was wrong with him.
He should be in a phenomenal mood. The week had started with conference room sex, last night he’d fallen asleep next to Addi on her couch, and now they had the weekend to look forward to.
And next week was... Fourth of July weekend.
It suddenly dawned on him what was bothering him.
That warning bell that’d rang in Tahoe was back. He couldn’t ignore it. The last time he’d ignored his gut had been when he and Taylor were dating. When he’d ordered a Tiffany & Co. diamond online.
Who ordered an engagement ring online?
A desperate guy, that’s who.
There was no reason for him to freak out, which might be why he was freaking out. Royce and Taylor and Gia knew that Addi and Bran were dating. They didn’t care. Mom and Dad were retired. They sure as hell didn’t care.
The only person who seemed to have an issue was him.
He hadn’t officially invited Addi to his parents’ house at the vineyard—and now he wondered if he shouldn’t. She might not care if she went or not. Maybe a family gathering was too much too soon for both of them.
He blew out a breath of relief that brought his shoulders out from under his ears. He felt better now that he’d let himself off the hook. God, when was this day over?
He glanced at his wrist only to find, again, his watch missing. He’d left it at Addi’s, he was sure of it, but every time he thought to ask her, he’d been in the middle of something else work-related. He was glad it was Friday—he needed a weekend like his next breath.
“Boxing tomorrow?” he asked Royce, poking his head into his older brother’s office.
“No can do.” Royce stood from his desk, his leather laptop bag in hand.
“Where the hell are you going? It’s only—” Bran glanced at his wrist again before consulting the clock on the wall “—two o’clock.”
“Home. I’m the CEO and I say none of us needs to stay another minute.” He cocked his head, staring down Bran as if he could see through him. “Why are we boxing? Have some pent-up rage you’d like to take out on me?”
“Exercise this time, promise.” Bran held up a hand and swore the truth. The last time he’d invited Royce out to his backyard boxing ring, they’d worked out some unfinished business. They’d both been feeling the pressure about who would be chosen CEO and their father had joked that they should box it out. There might also have been a come-to-Jesus talk from Bran that led to Royce breaking up with Taylor, but it all worked out in the end. Boxing had helped sort out the brotherly stuff between Royce and Bran, though.
“Everything okay?” Royce asked.
Not really, but that made no sense. “Of course. See you tomorrow.”
“Yep. Have a good one.”
Addi was at her desk when Bran entered their semiprivate corner. He stopped in front of her, nearly forgetting what he was going to say. Blame the low-cut top. She’d never worn low-cut tops before, unless he hadn’t noticed. He was certain he would have noticed.
“I left my watch at your apartment.”
“Yes. I noticed.” Her tender smile reminded him of that night. She’d found a new toothbrush in her hall closet and invited him to stay over. He hadn’t planned on staying, but she was so damn sweet, he hadn’t been able to say no.
Come to think of it, he hadn’t slept much that night. He’d laid there for a long while, mind racing, eyes watching the ceiling. Addi staying at his place had never caused that reaction, so what made him itchy about staying at hers? His head was a jumble lately—maybe he was just stressed about work.
“I’m having the battery replaced and the face cleaned,” she said. “You ruined your surprise. I’ll pick it up after lunch.”
The warning this time was a blare. Having his watch serviced and delivered as a surprise sounded like something she’d do for a boyfriend. Boyfriends led to marriage, which led to babies. See: Taylor and Royce. Then again, they weren’t even dating when Taylor discovered she was pregnant and they weren’t married yet.
Bran was suddenly overly warm.
“Thanks, uh, I appreciate it.” He pasted on a smile. “I’ll just... be in there.”
He followed his pointing finger into his office where he drew the blinds and shut the door. Then he stared at his desk for a long while.
At the beginning of this year, he was sure he was going to be the CEO of ThomKnox, that Taylor Thompson would be his fiancée. That his life was on a fast track in a known direction.
Then it went off track.
His solution? Enter the unknown. Don’t worry about consequences. Stop planning his life and live it instead.
“And now you’re doing nothing but thinking of the future. No wonder you’re losing it.” He laughed to himself as he sat and opened his laptop. “Ad’s right. You are an idiot.”
And even though he mentally shook it off, he couldn’t get past the idea that something had changed between him and Addi. Something she knew that he didn’t.
Something that was going to threaten everything he’d just decided.
* * *
Forty-seven minutes later, Bran dropped the handset of his phone on the cradle and leaned back in his chair. Scrubbing his face, he buried a yawn in his palms. A soft knock on his office door preceded Addison peeking through. He waved her in.
“That man could talk a caffeinated squirrel to sleep.” He expected a laugh but all he received for his lame joke was the barest flinch of her lips. “You didn’t have to wait for me.”
“I—um.” She handed him a black velvet bag. “I wanted to give you this. It’s your watch.”
He dumped the Rolex into his palm and examined the shining face. “Thank you. You didn’t have to go to the trouble, but I appreciate it.”
He unclasped the band and laid the watch on his wrist.
Addi sank to her knees in front of him, her eyes cautious, her smile shaky. “I wanted to ask you something.”
“Whatever it is, the answer is yes.” Especially if she was going to take off his pants and dive under his desk.
She let out a nervous laugh. “Oh, boy. You’re not going to make this easy on me are you?”
He cupped her jaw. “I will absolutely make it easy for you.” Get her a pillow, move to the conference room. Anything.
Her throat moved delicately as she swallowed but her ocean-blue eyes never left his. “Brannon.”
That earlier premonition pricked its ears.
“Addison,” he said carefully.
“You’ve meant a lot to me for a long time. A long, long time. I had no idea how much more to me you could mean. This...this has been a whirlwind and I wasn’t expecting it. I know you weren’t expecting it. I know that right now, the last thing you’re expecting is this.”
Warning! Warning! Abort mission! Clear the area!
But there was nowhere for him to go.
Addison was on her knees giving him a speech. And with her earnest words bouncing around the room, there was only one way the speech would end. She wasn’t offering a kinky in-office sex act, but something very, very different. Something he recognized, because he’d nearly attempted the same thing with Taylor, to his detriment, at the Valentine’s Gala this year. A mistake he was saved from making by Taylor and Royce kissing at the gala.
Addi was about to make a similar mistake. He had to stop her before she said or did something she regretted—something she couldn’t take back.
She flipped the watch over in his palm.
There, on the back of the face, was an engraving that hadn’t been there before. An engraving she’d had carved into his seven-and-a-half-thousand-dollar watch. Two words, one question mark.
Marry me?
His heart hammered against his ribs like it was trying to escape. And because his mouth was dry and his tongue was welded to the roof of his mouth, he hadn’t formed any words yet.
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