Strictly Confidential

by Lynda Aicher

  She could relate to that, only she’d never been in his position. As the daughter of the owner, she’d always been on a different level, even when she’d worked the reception desk in her teens.

  “You are different now,” she told him, not bothering to sugarcoat the truth.

  He flashed a smile. “Maybe.” His gaze drifted over the patio again. “Is it bad to say I miss the friendships?”

  “No.” She couldn’t relate, but she could understand. “It’s hard to remain buddy-buddy with people who you may have to fire or discipline or layoff at some point. Being in charge requires professional distance.”

  “But you also have to garner trust.”

  She nodded. “Which is why being in management sometimes sucks.”

  “Yet so many aspire to be at that level.”

  “Mostly for the paycheck.” The sun warmed her back and brought a softness she settled into. “Few are really prepared for or enjoy the people part of the job.”

  “True.” He rested his forearms on the table, the muscles flexing when he clasped his hands. “Do you? Enjoy it?”

  Her smile was automatic. “I do. But, I’ve never really known anything else.”

  “No?”

  She shook her head. “I started working in the office when I was a teenager, but no one ever treated me like the receptionist or general admin that I was.” And she’d never acted like it either, really. She did her job, but she also strove to do more, learn more. “My father tried to…protect me, which resulted in my exclusion from most of the company social circles, even now.”

  “How do you feel about that?”

  “It is what it is,” she answered honestly. “It’s hard to want something different when you’ve never known it.” The company was a part of her family, and she’d do her best to see that it succeeded. “What about you?”

  He studied her for a moment, his thoughts hidden. “The military has a very structured protocol between officers and enlisted. I understand their reasoning, but I also believe respect is earned, not given.”

  Of course he would. “You, Mr. Hamilton, are a rare man in the world of corporate arrogance.”

  She made the statement as a joke, but his expression remained serious. “There’s no room for arrogance when people’s lives are at stake—or their livelihood.”

  Okay. Wow. “And that right there is what so many overlooked in their hunt for personal wealth and success.” Most probably classified her as one of the arrogant based on her social circle, but they’d be wrong. She cared very deeply about the people they employed, even if they didn’t know it.

  Their food arrived, the tantalizing scents wiping out any thoughts of expectation and perceptions that never quite aligned.

  “This smells delicious,” she said, meaning it. Her usual salad with a side of dressing didn’t stand a chance against the plate of goodness before her.

  “Would I steer you wrong?”

  No. He wouldn’t. And that was where he beat out every man she’d even briefly dated.

  Matt dug into his burrito with the gusto of a man used to enjoying his food. He moaned his appreciation in a lust-filled tone that triggered every erotic memory he starred in. Her nipples tightened with the shot of arousal he’d launched on nothing more than a rumbled sound.

  He froze mid-chew, his eyes darkening. He swallowed. “What are you thinking?” The rough edge to his voice said he knew exactly what she was thinking.

  She bit her lip in a calculated tease before she glanced to the two men seated next to them. “I’ll tell you later.”

  His brows rose on a slow hike of speculation. “How later?”

  She took a bite of her food in a coy play of deflection. The enchilada melted over her taste buds in a burst of flavor that almost pulled a moan from her. Now she understood his love for this little place.

  “Wow,” she said after she swallowed. “This is really good.”

  “You’ll have to share that with Hector before we leave.”

  “I will.” It was doubtful she’d ever find her way back alone—or dare to come on her own—but Matt could bring her back any time.

  “Do you have plans this weekend?” he asked between bites of food. His casual tone failed to calm the flash of hope in her chest.

  “Just tomorrow.”

  “Family dinner?”

  “Not so much,” she hedged. That was the holiday expectation, but her parents had never been big on following traditions. The nice thing about the country club’s Thanksgiving dinner was the abundance of other people who were also there. “You?”

  “Yeah.” The warmth in his expression said he actually enjoyed it. “Dawn’s home from school—that’s my daughter. Her and my mom do the sides. Me and the boy are the bird cookers in our house.”

  “The men?” Her shock was real. She’d never seen her father turn the stove on, let alone cook a turkey.

  “Hey,” he chided. “Men can cook.”

  “I’m sure they can.” As a single dad, he’d probably mastered that skill better than her. “I’ve just never experienced it.”

  “We’ll have to change that.”

  And the thought of him in the kitchen cooking for her touched her in a way she didn’t want to analyze. But that was true about so much of what was growing between them.

  She shifted the conversation to business if only to keep herself from diving too deeply into the land of hearts, flowers and heartbreak. Plus, she was serious about the company’s potential need for added transportation.

  They were almost back to her office, her thoughts mellowed from the food, her body relaxed when he broached the topic she should’ve brought up earlier.

  “The other night,” he started, glancing to her. “We, ah, skipped over the condom conversation.”

  “Yeah.” They had. And she’d only thought about it the next day. “We’re fine, though, if you’re concerned. I have an IUD. Pregnancy isn’t a worry.” But she’d still been lax when she knew better.

  “I wasn’t worried about that.”

  “No?” The firmness in his tone had her eyes narrowing. “Because most men usually are.”

  “No.” He pulled into their lot and parked in an open spot at the back. He shifted the car into Park and turned to her. The serious edge in his expression had her bracing. “I had a vasectomy years ago. I love my kids, but I have no interest in having more.” He took a breath. “You should know that.”

  He’d had a vasectomy. She digested that for a second, just one. A grin broke across her face that must’ve had a maniacal bent to it, based on his wary reaction, but she couldn’t contain it. He just kept getting more perfect.

  “What’s that for?” He motioned to her face, clearly confused.

  “I don’t want babies either.”

  He sat back. “Really?”

  “Nope. Not even a little bit.” She made sure her conviction came through in her tone. There wasn’t a drop of maternal instinct in her, and she had no desire to have a baby simply because it was expected. She’d lived through that herself and would never inflict it on another. But this was usually where people doubted her, especially women.

  He eyed her for another long moment before a smile eased over his lips. “Okay.”

  It was her turn to be surprised. “That’s it?”

  “Am I supposed to say something else?” He leaned in, cupping her neck to draw her closer. His eyes dropped to her lips before they lifted to hers.

  “No,” she whispered. “We’re good.”

  “We are,” he agreed before he closed his mouth over hers.

  Her sigh seemed to come from the deepest part of her. How could she miss this so much? His tongue met hers in a familiar caress that hinted at the dark heat he could unleash with a simple touch. Want burst to life on the flames that never went out with him.

  He brushed his lips over hers, backing off when she wanted to dive deeper. He ended the kiss with a series of little pecks broken by a few more swipes of his tongue that left he
r aching for things she couldn’t define.

  But there was no need to, right? She just had to be with him. That was it. And somehow, he’d made that okay.

  Chapter Twenty

  The quick buzz of Matt’s phone vibrated on the counter, but it was too far away for him to see the text message. He glanced at his wet hands and the pan he was currently scrubbing. The text could wait. He’d never jumped to his phone like his kids did whenever theirs made a sound.

  The follow-up buzz had him reaching for the towel. Damn it. And no, his heart did not do a little jig when he saw Kennedy’s name. I never told you what I was thinking…

  His momentary confusion fled when he remembered her tease at lunch yesterday. His stomach did a twist that sunk to his groin and perked up his dick. That was all it took with her. Just a thought and he was two steps down the road toward a full hard-on. Because, yeah, that was mature.

  You didn’t. He kept his response short, having zero clue how to play the sexting game.

  Should I tell you now?

  His groan tumbled into the kitchen.

  “You okay, Dad?” The call from Dawn killed his inappropriate semi—as it should.

  “I’m fine.” The wide archway into the family room provided a side view of the football game playing on the TV. Thankfully, the couch and chairs weren’t visible.

  Dawn came around the corner, concern in place. “Do you need help?”

  He lowered his phone. “I’m good, but thanks.” He didn’t mind doing the dishes. It gave him time to think in peace.

  She looked pointedly at his phone, concern slipping to understanding. “Are you going to see her this weekend?”

  “I don’t know.” They hadn’t made plans, yet. “But I would like to, yes.” He held firm on his commitment to Kennedy, just like he did for his kids.

  She crossed her arms, a weak smile forming. “She makes you happy, doesn’t she?”

  “She does.” He couldn’t explain it or understand it, but he didn’t have to think about his answer. “That doesn’t mean I was unhappy before. It’s just an added dynamic to my life.”

  “I know.” She might’ve agreed, but her tone was far from upbeat. “I’m happy for you, really.”

  And that sounded convincing. Sure. “Would you like to meet her?” He ignored the pile of concerns that stacked up in his chest. Would Kennedy be on board? It was better to know now if she wasn’t.

  She bit her lip, her finger working over her thumb cuticle. Any admonishment from him on the habit only resulted in a scowl from her. “I’m heading back to school on Saturday. I want an extra day to get settled before classes start.”

  “Okay. Who are you riding with?”

  “Karen.” The volleyball teammate she’d ridden home with. Again, he was grateful for the family she’d found within the sport. It made letting her go a little easier.

  “I’ll see what I can do,” he told her, reading between the lines. If meeting Kennedy eased her mind, then he’d make that step for her, even if he wasn’t quite ready himself.

  She left on a nod, her quiet state nailing his heart. He hung his head, trapped between responsibility and possibilities. He lifted his phone to stare at Kennedy’s text. How did he navigate the most important relationships in his life without hurting anyone?

  A cheer went up from the TV, which was overridden by a complaint from Ben. Their Thanksgiving dinner had been a routine of habits established over the years that exemplified their family. They hadn’t expanded their unit or accepted any invites of inclusion. No, they’d been happy as is, just the four of them. And now?

  How would Kennedy fit? Did she want to?

  There was only one way to find out.

  Can you talk? He sent the text and waited. He might’ve been out of the dating pool for two decades, but he hadn’t digressed so far that he needed an app to shield his ego if she declined.

  His phone rang, sending his pulse up a notch, but he couldn’t withhold his smile when he answered. “Hey.”

  “You wanted to hear the details instead of read them?” Kennedy’s low purr took him straight to the bedroom.

  He squeezed his eyes closed and shoved back the initial hit of lust before making his way to the garage. The door was securely closed behind him before he responded. “I’d rather see the details in person.”

  “Oooh. I like your way of thinking.”

  Yeah, so did he. But… “I actually need to ask you something.” Way to douse the fire. Good job, Matt. His insecurities were crashing in when he’d thought he had most of them conquered.

  “And that sounds serious.” Gone was the sexy purr. In was the business tone. “What’s up?”

  He scrubbed a hand over his cheek, his beard scratching his palm in a manner that was somehow comforting. He needed to know her answer, but he didn’t want to throw down a gantlet and declare an ultimatum.

  “How would you feel about meeting my kids?” Way to dump the decision in her court. “I mean,” he interjected before she could answer. He blew out a silent breath. “Let me clarify. My family was waiting for me when I came home on Sunday morning.”

  Her snorted laugh dragged a reluctant smile from him. Yeah, he could see the humor in it now.

  “I would’ve paid to see that,” she said.

  “I bet you would’ve.”

  “What happened?”

  “Well…” Here it goes. “I got grilled, as you would expect. And appropriately reprimanded for not responding to their texts.”

  “That’s…nice.”

  He hadn’t expected that or the hint of envy in her voice. “In some ways, yes. They care. I would’ve run them through the same ringer if they’d done it. Anyway,” he rushed on before he lost focus, “now that they know about you, they’re interested in meeting you.”

  Silence met his statement. He dropped down to sit on the doorstep, rubbing his jaw as he scrambled to salvage the mess he was making. Yet, this was who they were. They might rock in the sex department, but that didn’t mean their lives were compatible.

  “You’ve said that you don’t want kids,” he ventured. “And I get that. There are reasons why I chose to end any possibility of having more myself. But I do have two and they’re mine full time. Their mother gave up all rights and basically walked out of their lives on a kiss and be good.” It’d taken years of therapy and consistency from him and his mother to undo the harm she’d done. “Ben’s sixteen. He’s going to be around for a few years. I don’t have the freedom a bachelor has. I want to see where this thing with us is heading, but I’ll under—”

  “Matt.”

  That single word, said in a tender tone, was all it took to stop his rambling. He squeezed his eyes closed despite the darkness that already surrounded him. Every sound seemed muffled within the walls of the garage, which overamplified the pounding of his pulse in his ears.

  “Yeah?” he said when she didn’t go on.

  “I’d love to meet them.”

  He jerked up, unsure when he’d hunched over so far. Relief poured in on a wave of hope he resisted riding too high. He swallowed hard, blew out another breath. “Good. Thank you.”

  “You sound surprised.”

  He wished he could see her expression, yet there was a blessing in her not seeing his. He was certain it showed every twisting, knotted emotion within him. “I am, a bit.”

  “Why?” Now she sounded surprised.

  He dropped his head on the door, still riding his relief. “Kids complicate things. I wasn’t sure if you wanted that.”

  “I’ll admit to not wanting my own for that reason—among others.” The last was mumbled. “But…your devotion to them is…a reflection of how you’d treat anyone important to you.”

  His swallow was a little thick that time, but he had no words to express how much her understanding touched him. Few took the time to look past his single-dad status to see the man beneath. To see what drove him beyond obligation.

  “I’d be foolish to walk away from that po
ssibility.” Her words whispered through the line on an offer that extended his hope and opened dreams he’d thought long dead.

  “Yeah?” His grin lifted his voice. His kids would probably laugh if they saw him now, but he didn’t care. A weight had been lifted, and he was ready to see what was next.

  “Yeah,” she confirmed, her smile coming through the line. “I have to go, but let me know what you’re thinking. We can make it work.”

  They could make it work, or at least they were going to give it a try. “Thank you, Kennedy.”

  “Goodbye, Matt.”

  He sat in the darkness for a long time after he hung up, too content to move. He savored the fresh sense of possibility lightening his every commitment. He didn’t regret a single one of them, but it was nice to have something else in his life.

  Something…good.

  His expectations were still muted. There were a lot of unknowns and a long way to go before what they had could become more. But for now, he was going to enjoy every damn moment of just being with her.

  *

  The phone was a weight in Kennedy’s hand that seemed to pull her doubts and worries out. What did I just agree to?

  “Who was that?”

  She snapped her head up, shoving away from the wall and thrusting her phone into her purse as she did. Her auto-smile locked in almost instantly. “Dani! I didn’t see you there.”

  Her longtime friend crossed her arms, not buying an ounce of the crap she was dishing. Dani flicked her chin, looking to Kennedy’s purse. “What are you hiding?”

  “I’m not hiding anything.” Not really.

  “Riiiight.” Dani dropped her disgruntled pose, which didn’t go well with her outfit anyway. The dress hugged her figure without being blatantly sexy. But it was on her, like almost everything she wore. She was one of those women who could make a garbage bag glamorous.

  Kennedy glanced down the hallway. It’d been empty when she’d hunted out a place to call Matt. “Did you follow me?”

  “Yes.” She didn’t even try to deny it.