by Leslie North
She raised a hand in the air, biting her lip. “Say no more, Mr. Preston. I’ll let you buy the gown.” The gala had been in the works for months, but it had taken on new meaning as they negotiated more heavily with Jack and Lisa about acquiring his company.
“It’ll be our last performance together, if everything goes according to plan. The signing date is two weeks from now.”
Her eyes flicked down to the floor, but the hesitation on her face was gone as soon as it appeared. “It’s getting close.”
“Very close.” The air between them thickened and tensed. “That’s why I want to have this presentation done. If it falls through for any reason, I can’t leave everybody hanging.”
“Everybody?”
“My brothers. Everybody at Preston.” And you. Not that she would be obligated to help him close another deal, but would it jeopardize things if the second company thought he’d had a quick marriage and divorce? Drew kept his private life very private after Susan, so nobody in his business circles had seemed surprised to find he remarried without a big announcement. “I just wanted to get it done.”
Penny stepped forward and dropped her bag into one of the chairs in front of his desk. “Let’s do this, then.”
“Are you offering to help?”
“I’m insisting on helping. If you’re going to buy me a fancy gown, then I’m going to help you with this presentation.”
Bold move. This time, he didn’t hesitate—he let himself feel the truth. He wanted her to help. He wanted to get this done.
And he wanted to be a success.
All of it was within his reach. Why was he so busy denying it? The most wonderful woman he’d ever met was dragging a chair around to sit beside him.
He’d been telling himself he couldn’t have her.
But why not?
“See? This is part of your problem. How are you still creating every single one of these from scratch?” Penny sipped at her sparkling wine and shook her head, peering over Drew’s shoulder at the computer in his home office. “Where would you be right now if I hadn’t made a template?”
“You’re a genius,” he agreed. “I thought they should all be unique. When my dad started out—” He felt her shifting toward him, leaning in. “We’re three generations in at this point. When my dad started working for his dad, it was all on paper. They created unique presentations for everything.”
“Well, I’m proud of you.” She put a hand on his shoulder. “The template should help. I know this wouldn’t be ideal, but at least you have a plan in place. And a starting point for anything you need to do in the future. Cheers.”
She held up her wine, and he picked up his beer from the desk and clinked it against her single-serving bottle.
What have I done without you?
“You’re a lifesaver.”
“I could say the same about you.”
Drew had held himself back from asking too much about her personal life. It was against the rules he’d set up to prevent another situation like he’d had with Susan. But the presentation was finished, aside from some final numbers, and he was one beer deep into the takeout they’d ordered along with a mixed six pack of beer and wine. “Yeah? What did I save you from?”
Penny looked down into her lap, then back into his eyes. “A pretty crappy apartment.”
He whistled. “It’s not an even exchange, then.”
“How so?”
He thought of her in the hallway, voice soft and gestures softer, the night Logan was sick. Drew had been so used to doing these things alone. When he and Susan had split, he’d thought about hiring a night nanny for a total of thirty seconds, then dismissed the idea.
He’d have never felt this close to a night nanny. He would never have broken down and let her help him with his business. It was a long list of never, never, nevers.
“Since my divorce, I haven’t let many people into my life. Never mind my whole life, which includes my work here. And you…you’ve never once steered me wrong.”
“I don’t know if you ever really let go of the wheel.” Her smile was gently cheeky as she took another sip of her wine, then set the individual-serving bottle down on the desk. Penny slid her hand from his shoulder down to his wrist. When she moved to take it back he caught her fingers in hers and held on.
“The last time I did that, I got burned,” he admitted, feeling that burn even now, the phantom flames flickering over his skin. “It’s different with you. It’s…”
Her eyes entranced him, captivated him.
The office around them was dark and still when Drew leaned in to kiss her.
It was like flipping a switch. One moment, Penny had been mellow and relaxed—but when their mouths collided, she let out a groan that was need and angst and suffering and relief all at once.
“God, I love that,” she whispered against his mouth. “After that night in the hall…”
“I couldn’t stop thinking about it,” he said, planting kisses down the line of her neck. He pulled her into his chair with him, and she straddled his lap. His rules fell to the floor and shattered. “I haven’t been able to stop thinking about you. And this is so wrong—”
She took his face in her hands. “What’s wrong about it?” Her face was flushed, eyes dark with desire. “Besides the obvious. Besides the facts that you’re my boss and you like to keep things…separate.”
“I don’t like to be separated from you.” His entire body pulsed with the need to be near her. Closer, even, than simply straddling his lap. He wanted her naked. He wanted her bared to him. “I wasn’t prepared to feel this way.”
She bent her face to his, her dark hair falling like a curtain around them, and kissed him so deeply that he felt like he’d never surface. Too soon, she climbed off him, and stepped back. Grabbing his chair, she slowly turned him, so he faced her. Smiling at him, she kicked off her shoes.
Then she tugged her shirt over her head. “I don’t know about you, Mr. Preston, but I…” Her bra came off next, exposing her breasts, nipples already peaked. “I need more of you.”
Drew was sure his mouth went dry and he reached for his beer but his hand missed it, grabbing at air. He watched her reach for her jeans. Her hand stilled on the button and she raised an eyebrow at him. Waiting. Waiting for what? He couldn’t think as he focused on her hands, waiting for her to—
He looked up when she coughed and he could see the amusement in her eyes. Standing abruptly, the chair rolled back, farther than he expected, and crashed into the credenza. He didn’t bother to look as he reached for the buttons on his shirt. It was taking too long, so he pulled the shirt off over his head, loving the sound of her soft laughter in response.
Then the race was on as the both of them quickly stripped. When her panties hit the floor, he grabbed her hips, lifting her up as she wrapped her legs around him. He stepped back, hitting the desk as they kissed. Her passion was overwhelming and he worried at how quickly he could become addicted. To her kisses, her scent, her taste. To her.
Turning around, he set her on the desk and she leaned over to push his laptop out of the way, then he eased her down, kissing her as she laid back. She was a feast waiting to be devoured and he was going to enjoy this. Working his way slowly down her body, he kissed every delectable part of her, enjoying her soft moans, which only spurred him on. He circled one of her breasts with the pad of his thumb, then the other, then bent his head to swirl his tongue over each nipple. The noises she was making were increasing as she arched her back eager for more.
Smiling at her, Drew continued kissing her and she gasped when he kissed her belly, which made him chuckle and blow out a breath of warm air on her skin, which made her tremble. He grinned when he realized she was ticklish there. But he had other ideas.
Stopping at the juncture between her legs, he bent her knees, giving himself better access. He needed to taste her. Her answering moan was music to his ears and he fully intended to savor every moment as her hips thrust up toward h
im with each penetrating lick. He could do this forever, she was so responsive but soon enough, her hands were on his head and she tugged lightly on his hair.
“Please,” she breathed out on a moan. “I want you inside me.”
Standing up straight, he opened the side drawer on his desk, hopeful that there were still condoms in there. Grabbing one, he tore it open and quickly sheathed himself. Helping her to sit up, he lifted her up, before setting her on the edge of his desk. Her legs hugged his hips and he said a silent prayer that he wouldn’t come too quickly. His cock met her slickness and Penny arched back, as he penetrated her. Tightening his hands on her hips, he lifted her, supporting her weight as she began to rock her pelvis in time to his thrusts. She gripped his shoulders and kissed him, their tongues dancing and twining together as the intensity built.
It was the most incredible torture he’d ever experienced.
Penny threw her head back and moaned. He could see her pulse through the delicate skin of her throat as it sped up. “Oh, oh, oh.” She moaned again and he knew she was close.
“Wait for it,” he told her as he shifted his position to better target her g-spot with each upward thrust. He could have sworn her eyes rolled back, as she tilted her head back and her eyes closed.
Wrapping her arms around his neck, Penny tightened her legs around his hips and locked her ankles behind him. With her heels, she urged him to go faster and harder as he tried to lengthen his strokes to give her the most pleasure. .
They moved together in a hot, desperate rhythm, Penny meeting each thrust with one of her own. As her breathing grew fast and harsh, he reached between them to tease her clit. That’s all it took to send her over the edge into a sweet, shuddering orgasm that he felt all the way to the tips of his toes.
He bent her back over the desk, fingers gripping the other side.
He had to have her.
He had to have his release.
She gave him both, holding on tight, hair spilling down her back.
When it was over he pulled her upright, both of them panting, and pulled her into his arms.
“Wow,” she whispered against his chest. “Wow.”
9
Pretending to be Drew’s wife during business events was one thing.
Dinner at his mom’s house?
A whole different story.
As they walked up the wide stone steps to her home, which reminded Penny of a miniature version of the sprawling mansion Drew lived in, Drew rubbed his thumb up and down on the small of her back. No matter how many times he did that, it never made her less hot and bothered than it had that very first time, when they’d been putting on a show for Jack.
He’d done it as they left the office the other night, too. Penny’s clothes had felt strange against her skin, as if she should have been able to crawl between high-quality sheets and leave them off entirely, but with Drew guiding her to the car it hadn’t mattered.
“As far as she knows, we’re dating,” Drew said as Logan ran ahead to ring the doorbell. “I swore my brothers to secrecy on the whole situation with Jack.”
Penny felt a flash of uncertainty. It seemed like a step too far to deceive Drew’s mother. But then again…weren’t they dating? After what had happened in his office, they were officially not nothing. But…were they dating? She still wasn’t quite sure. Sometimes the boundaries seemed as strong as ever, and sometimes—like when Drew stretched her out on his bed and drank her in with his eyes—she wondered whether they had ever existed in the first place.
But she couldn’t think about that now. “That’s good. I wouldn’t feel right about concealing everything from her.”
“Neither would I,” Drew said firmly, but the question still lingered in her mind.
The front door opened, and a woman with Drew’s blue eyes and blonde hair shot through with silver appeared, her face the picture of surprise. “Logan! I didn’t know you were coming over!” She scooped Logan up into her arms, gave him a squeeze, and held out an arm to Drew. “It’s so good to see you. I’m glad you could make it.”
Drew stepped forward and kissed her cheek, never letting Penny out of reach. “Mom, I’d like you to meet my girlfriend, Penny. She’s been taking care of Logan during the day while I’m at work. Penny, this is my mother, Collette Preston.”
Penny caught the split-second purse of Collette’s lips and steeled her face from revealing anything but a pleasant smile. “It’s so good to meet you.”
“It’s so surprising to meet you,” said Collette, ushering them in. She beamed at her oldest son. “You don’t normally…cross lines in your life this way.”
“I’m a special exception to the rule,” said Penny with a laugh.
“So you are,” agreed Collette.
She let out a deep breath as they got to the kitchen, where Charlie and Archer waited around a massive marble-topped island, each with a drink in hand. “You finally made it,” cried Archer. “We’ve been waiting for hours.”
Drew greeted his brothers and got drinks, and Penny found herself letting down her guard a bit. So maybe Collette was a little over the top. Was she really that concerned about her son dating the nanny?
“—been in the Napa area?” Charlie was saying, and she snapped to attention.
“Not long.” Penny kept half an eye on Logan, who ran in a big circle around the island and headed into Collette’s living room. He threw open the lid of a toy chest in the corner and pulled out a truck. “About a year.” It didn’t seem that long, thinking about it now.
“And where did you live before?” Away from all their business partners and connections, Drew’s brothers looked at her with curious eyes. They’d gone along with the idea—they as well as anyone knew how important the deal was to Drew. But now that the pretending was reduced by at least half, it was clear that they were taking a step back. They’d have been able to talk long before now in a real relationship. She felt a pang. Parts of this were so real.
Penny cleared her throat, a lie on the tip of her tongue. But there were only so many things she could stomach lying about at once. “Toronto.”
Charlie’s eyebrows flew up. “You’re Canadian?” He flicked his gaze to Drew. “Did you know you were married to—I mean, dating—a Canadian?”
“Is that why you’re so nice?” Drew said, his hand steady on her back. She hadn’t even told him she’d grown up in Toronto, but now it would be weird to backtrack. He wasn’t concerned with that part of her life. She’d give him no reason to be, ever.
“Actually,” she said with a sniff. “I have dual citizenship. My mother is Canadian, but my father was born in Detroit.”
“Oooh,” said Archer. “And somehow, you ended up all the way across the country.”
She shrugged as casually as she could manage. “I didn’t have to take a covered wagon, if you know what I mean.” Penny raised one eyebrow at the end of her sentence, earning her a laugh from the brothers.
Collette appeared in the doorway between the living room and kitchen. “What are you feeding him, Penny?” She let out a laugh, brushing a lock of her blonde hair away from her face.
“I’m sorry?” Penny said, keeping a smile on her own.
“Three squares a day, plus unlimited snacks,” Drew answered, and Penny felt a rush of pride. “The usual. Why?”
“He’s bouncing off the walls. I can hardly keep up!”
“Oh!” Penny put her drink down and went to Collette. “I don’t mind helping out. He was so excited to come.”
Collette blinked, turning around to go back into the living room just before Penny got there. Penny followed her in, heart thudding. “Hey, Logan,” she called to the little boy, who was jumping up and down in front of the window overlooking the back deck. “Want to read a book?”
“Yes!” He punched the air, and the two of them went out to the car to grab his book. Back in the living room, Penny settled him on the couch, leaving enough space for Collette to sit on the other side. She did.
&nbs
p; They hadn’t even made it to the blue car when Collette sniffed. “Not much of a story in this one, is there?”
“He loves it,” Penny said softly, sensing Drew watching from the other room. He and his brothers, by the sound of their conversation, had moved closer to the living room. “Besides, he tells his own story. Don’t you, Logan?”
“This is a mom and a dad,” he said, pointing to the couple about to climb into the car.
“Such an imagination.” Collette lay a possessive hand on Logan’s hair, smoothing it down. “Is there a reason he’s not in lessons yet?” She asked the question lightly, almost absently.
Why don’t you ask your son? Penny wanted to snap. “What kind of lessons?” Drew hadn’t talked to her about lessons or preschool, and she’d assumed he had a reason for it.
“French lessons, at least, if not preschool. He’s a little old to be staying at home all day.” She fixed Penny with a penetrating look, as if this was all her doing. “You should encourage Drew to take advantage of his wealth. What’s the point, if he’s not giving his son the very best?”
Collette’s words cut into Penny like a bread knife—serrated and sharp. Even if she’d only been here as Logan’s nanny, it was a cruel thing to say.
But she wasn’t only here for Logan. She was here for Drew. Their pretend marriage arrangement would never hold up if some of his family members had never met her. Not when they were all in the same business.
“I’ve found Drew to be very thoughtful about his parenting decisions,” she said around an ache in her throat.
“Oh, dear,” Collette said, looking across at Penny. “I didn’t mean to suggest you’re a bad choice for a nanny. I only meant that…” She sighed. “My late husband’s work has allowed for our sons to become very…stable. Very well-off. It seems strange to me to pass up available opportunities, especially when it comes to my grandson.” Her only grandson. Maybe that’s why she was being so rude. “Anyway, I’m glad for the chance to meet you. Tell me about your previous experience as a nanny.”