“I suppose it’s because he visited the cottage first.”
“It’s just Abby and me. For now.” I cross my arms. “Would a boyfriend be a problem?”
Her cheeks flush. “The cottage is big enough to handle three people. We don’t want hordes, though. Oh, and no pets. I assume you read that in the contract.”
“Got it. No hordes. No pets.”
“Neither…indecency.”
“Indecency?”
She shrugs. “Loud parties, questionable individuals, a loose lifestyle.”
“Why would you think any of that would apply to me?”
I know exactly, but I want her to say it. I want her to hear what her hypocrisy sounds like when she tells me out loud I’m a loose person because I sleep with a younger guy.
“I don’t. Just giving you the same drill we give all our tenants.”
Right.
“Anyway, good night.” She waves and walks to the door. “As I said, you know where to find us if you need anything.”
I’m fuming when she’s gone. Pretoria is a big city, but in many ways it’s a small town where everyone knows everybody’s business and judgment is disguised as good moral values.
I spend an hour cleaning the kitchen, but my tension won’t ease. It’s this quiet discord between Abby and me, the move, the Monroe account, and everything Hilda has said. If Brian is not my boyfriend, he’s my lover.
Plain and simple.
Only, things between us aren’t that simple.
It hasn’t been for a while.
Brian
Exams are coming up. I can’t afford to fail. If I flunk, I’ll be kicked out of the course and lose my job at Orion. This is my only shot. I’ll never get another chance like this. I’m studying like a lunatic and making sure Sam knows her tables and grammar for her own exams while cooking and cleaning when Mom’s too trashed to do it. Every free minute is spent at Orion. I’m not seeing much of Jane in a naked way, except for a few stolen moments every second weekend. It makes me feel like a caged lion. I’ve adopted the filthy habit of watching her more and more on the security feed, especially at night when I jack off, her name always a whisper on my lips as I climax.
We don’t have time to fuck, never mind to talk, but when I walk into her office on a bright Monday morning, I know something’s wrong from the tense set of her narrow shoulders and the way she rubs her forehead.
I close the door and round her desk. “What’s wrong?”
She shakes her head. Her pained expression scares me. Gripping her shoulders gently, I start a firm massage.
“Brian, you shouldn’t–” She moans. “Oh, God. That feels good.”
“Here?” I work my thumb over a knot.
“Ouch. Damn. Yes, just there.”
“Talk to me, princess.”
“It’s been a difficult morning. That’s all.”
“What’s difficult?”
“There’s this tension between Abby and me.”
“And?” I push her forward so I have access to the muscles flanking her spine.
She groans. “Ah. So good. Don’t stop.”
“And?” I won’t give up until she tells me what’s gotten her into such a spin.
“Toby rejected my Monroe proposal. For a second time.”
My hands still.
She swivels her chair to face me. “I’m going to lose the account.”
Shit. Her salary will take a knock–the agency pays on a performance basis–but it’ll also kill her career. If she loses her biggest account, or God forbid she loses the client to a competitor, no one in the industry will hire her. Toby won’t have a choice but to get rid of her.
I swallow away the dryness in my throat. “What did he say?” She worked damn hard on that proposal.
“He said a country-wide kindergarten campaign will take too long to roll out, and it’ll take even longer to see the revenue. Two years. Maybe more.”
I grip the armrests of her chair. “Freddy needs to go digital.”
“No.” She pushes me away and gets to her feet.
“Jane,” I plead as she walks to the window.
We’ve had this discussion. I don’t understand her resistance to keeping up with trends. “Why not?”
She flings around. “So mothers can shove a tablet or smartphone in their toddlers’ hands? This is exactly what the brand is not about. It’s about interaction, mother-child contact.”
“Times have changed,” I point out gently. “The brand needs to evolve. Mothers are busy. They work, cook, clean, do grocery shopping.” I close the distance, stopping close to her. “I’m not disagreeing with what you say. Yes, human interaction is important. That’s a good value, but some electronic intervention isn’t all bad.”
“It’s not what the brand is about, Brian. I’m not tweaking the values, not even to save my own ass.”
“It’s not about tweaking anyone’s values. It’s about adapting. It’s about redefining outdated values.”
“I’m not discussing this with you anymore. You know my take on digital. Any other brand, yes, but not Freddy. Consumers buy Freddy for the outdated values it stands for.”
Her voice has been rising consistently, her cheeks growing red with anger. Standing there with her sleek, short hair, expensive jewelry, and designer dress, she’s a sight to behold. All lady. All fire. A combination of adrenalin from the argument and not having my dick inside her nearly enough makes arousal explode through my body. All the blood from my head must’ve gone straight to my cock, because I’m lightheaded with want.
“What?” she asks, taking a step backward as I advance.
Her blue eyes grow large when her back hits the window. She knows me. She can probably see the hunger in my eyes, because I can feel it humming in every cell of my body, begging for her taste, her smell, and her skin under my hands. Her wetness around my cock.
“Brian, this–”
One hand dips under her dress to move her panties aside and cup her sex. I’m not wasting time. The other fastens around her neck, not with pressure, but with dominance. Ownership. Jane is her own woman, but right now, she’s mine.
I trace the soft curve of her neck with my thumb. “You were saying?”
“Not here,” she croaks. Her eyes dart toward the door. “Someone may walk in.”
Why do those words make me so angry? Why do they make me want to punish her? Pressing her harder against the window, I rub my thumb in circles over her clit. Her knees buckle a bit. The minute moisture leaks from her slit, I coat my middle finger and breach the tight barrier of her asshole. She jerks and gasps, her eyes growing bigger as she clamps both hands around my wrist in a futile attempt to move my fingers away from her hot cunt. The effort only earns her more pressure. On her clit, in her ass, around her neck.
Her hands shoot up to my other wrist, the one taking away her air. It’s not something we’ve played with yet, and I’m a bastard for not easing her into it gently, but I’m an exploding volcano. My lust and every possessive need that comes with it is boiling over. I can give. I can give her any fucking thing she wants. All the freedom in the world. Whatever she asks from me. As long as I know she’s mine where it matters, in body and mind.
As her ass clenches on my finger, she increases her struggles, but it’s hopeless. I’ve got her exactly where I want her. Close to coming. Her hips rock forward, and her eyes roll back in her head. A few more manipulations of my thumb, and she comes undone. I ease up on her neck as her abdomen contracts. She gulps in air. Her pupils dilate. I stop rubbing her clit, but I keep my thumb there, making her ride the ecstasy until it cripples her, until she sags in my hold and her back slides down the window. I’m not gentle when I extract my fingers. The risk that I’ll start fucking her all over again is too big. The sooner I get my hand off her pussy, the safer. Before she can hit the ground, I catch her around the waist, dragging her body hard against mine. I want to make her ride my cock just like that, but it’s close to nine, and Candice will
do the tea round soon.
Testing her balance, I let her go. She slumps against the window, her chest heaving and her pretty lips parted. Her hand goes to her neck, drawing my gaze to the marks my fingers have left. I shocked her, but she liked it. Her wetness and climaxes don’t lie. It’s as if she comes to life in the next second. She pulls down her dress, straightens her jacket, and smooths a hand over her hair.
Like nothing happened.
“Don’t do that,” I grit out.
“What the hell, Brian? Are you out of your mind?”
“Don’t make like you didn’t just come the hardest in your life.”
“We’re in my office,” she says through gritted teeth, “and you need to leave it now. This is a limit for me. You know that.”
That’s it. That’s exactly it. It’s not about the thrill of getting off in the office or getting caught. It’s about that itchy, niggly, fucking damn limit.
“I’m tired of this.” I motion between us.
Her breath catches on a hitch. “This? Us?”
“I’m tired of hiding.” I’m crowding her, not giving her space to move away. “I’m tired of being your dirty little secret. I want to be able to show my affection for you openly, no matter who the hell is watching.”
She’s quiet for a moment, her palms pressed flat on the window behind her. “Voyeurism isn’t my thing. I know you said–”
“I don’t mean it literally. I don’t mean I want to fuck you with my fingers no matter who walks through that door. I want to hold your hand in public. I want to sleep next to you and wake up with your face on my pillow.”
The weight of my statement drags me away from her. I take several steps back, giving her the distance she craved earlier. She remains plastered against the window, her face ashen.
Threading my fingers through my hair, I let my chest deflate, allowing the air to turn cold with the space between us. My voice is as despondent as the rest of me. “No more hiding.”
A tremble runs over her body. She speaks so softly I have to strain my ears to hear.
“Are you giving me an ultimatum?”
“No, Jane.” Defeated. I sound like what I feel, because there’s the truth for you. “I’ll take whatever you’re giving.” Stripped naked to the bone. “That’s how desperate I am for you.”
The seconds stretch on as we stare at each other, me vulnerable and her holding all the power. I’ve fucked her weak against the backdrop of everything she stands to lose, but I’m the one on my knees.
It’s not her words that pour into my questions and fill them up, it’s her silence.
Goddamn, it hurts.
I break first.
I’m the coward who walks away from the pain.
Young Enough (Book 2, The Age Between Us) will conclude Jane and Brian’s story and will be released on 28 August.
Pre-Order Young Enough
Turn the page for more books by Charmaine Pauls.
Also by Charmaine Pauls
The Loan Shark Duet
(Dark Mafia Romance)
Dubious
Consent
Box Set
The Seven Forbidden Arts Series
(Paranormal Romance)
Loving the Enemy
Pyromancist
Aeromancist, The Beginning
Aeromancist
Hydromancist
Geomancist
Necromancist
Scapulimancist
Chiromancist
Man
A Krinar World Novel
(Futuristic Romance)
The Krinar Experiment
Book Blurbs
The Loan Shark Duet
(A Dark Mafia Romance Duology)
Dubious (#1)
I’m a loan shark. Breaking people is in my blood. The Haynes’s were supposed to be a straightforward job. Go in and pull the trigger twice. One bullet for Charlie, one for his sister. But when I saw Valentina, I wanted her. Only, in our world, those who owe us don’t get second chances. No way in hell will my mother let her live. So I devised a plan to keep her.
It’s depraved.
It’s immoral.
It’s dubious.
It’s perfect.
Just like her.
Consent (#2)
When Gabriel broke down my door, he took over my body and life. Never with force, but always with clever manipulation. He stripped me of my independence, my defenses, and my clothes and turned me into an addict. My addiction is him.
Once, I had dreams and a future. Now, I have fears, scars, and insatiable needs. I’m damaged beyond repair, but if I’m to survive the most dangerous man in Johannesburg, I can’t allow him to break me, because broken toys are destined for the garbage dump.
Box Set (Book 1 & 2)
The Seven Forbidden Arts Series
(A Paranormal Romance Series)
A quick series overview
(Each novel reads as a standalone, except Aeromancist, The Beginning, which is Part I of Aeromancist.)
Loving the Enemy
(Free prequel novel, contains no paranormal elements)
With a price on her head, Lily shouldn’t trust anyone, especially not the handsome stranger who comes to her rescue.
Pyromancist (#1 Fire)
Joss kidnaps and uses Clelia as bait to catch a firestarter, but his desire for his captive compromises his mission.
Aeromancist, The Beginning (#2 Air, Part I)
Katherine becomes the lover of a mysterious Russian library owner for 30 days at an unforeseen and devastating price.
Aeromancist (#3 Air, Part II)
Lann couldn’t foresee how his 30-day contract would destroy Katherine’s life. Can he save her from the fate he’d unknowingly dealt her?
Hydromancist (#4 Water)
Maya isn’t supposed to like the ambassador, let alone sleep with him. Her only focus should be on killing him. Can she choose between love and loyalty?
Geomancist (#5 Earth)
When a drug lord takes Sean’s woman, a paradise island in the Caribbean Sea is about to turn into hell.
Necromancist (#6 Spirit)
Nine years ago, a poor and shamed Ivan took Alice’s virginity and left her cold. Now a famous rock star, he’s back for more. This time, he doesn’t only want her body. He also wants revenge.
Scapulimancist (#7 Animal)
To protect the elephants, ranger Sara has to reclaim Wayne’s land. Can she destroy the man she’s falling for to save the near-extinct species? Can she trust or love a man convicted of murder?
Chiromancist (#8 Time)
Bono must steal Sky’s secrets, but there’s one she’ll protect with her life. Is she strong enough to resist his assault when his choice of weapon is seduction?
Man (#9 Grand Finale)
Cain stalks his archenemy’s wife to find his elusive opponent, not knowing how his growing obsession with Olivia will change the rules and the battle.
A Krinar World Novel
(A Futuristic Romance)
The Krinar Experiment
When Drako’s space pod malfunctions over Johannesburg, his secret reconnaissance mission goes horribly wrong. Wounded in the crash, he’s captured by the South African Secret Service who sees an opportunity to strengthen their army and make a fortune by using the alien pilot in an unorthodox experiment. They send a female to tend to Drako’s injuries, a human girl with the pretty name of Ilse who’s sweet and caring. The perfume of her skin is like a drug, her blood an aphrodisiac. He can still smell her and taste her on his tongue. Her betrayal cuts deeper than the testing and torture. No matter. His escape is pending. When he comes back to Earth, it will be to find her, and when he does, he’ll show as little mercy as she did.
These are the events that led to the Krinar Earth Invasion. This is the untold story.
About the Author
Charmaine Pauls was born in Bloemfontein, South Africa. She obtained a degree in Communication at the University of Potchefstroom and fo
llowed a diverse career path in journalism, public relations, advertising, communications, photography, graphic design, and brand marketing. Her writing has always been an integral part of her professions.
After relocating to Chile with her French husband, she fulfilled her passion to write creatively full-time. Charmaine has published over twenty novels since 2011, as well as several short stories and articles. Two of her short stories were selected for publication in an African anthology from across the continent by the International Society of Literary Fellows in conjunction with the International Research Council on African Literature and Culture.
When she is not writing, she likes to travel, read, and rescue cats. Charmaine currently lives in Montpellier with her husband and children. Their household is a linguistic mélange of Afrikaans, English, French and Spanish.
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Old Enough Page 29