But would Michael be okay with Lori and him going back to being casual acquaintances? Passing her in the hall and knowing he couldn’t pull her into the nearest dark corner and press her against the wall…
“Come on, Cali. You know everything that happens around here. What has the good one been keeping from me?”
She sighed. “If I spill all Michael’s secrets to you, then I’ll have to tell him all your secrets, and then no one will be happy. Except me, of course.” She gave Michael a quick wink before she strutted out of the office.
Michael ran a hand through his hair. That had been too close. Another reason to not have a prolonged office affair. Too much drama. Too unprofessional.
He thought back to confronting her downstairs and ordering her to go out with him. She was right. He’d been rude and pushy and completely unlike himself. But it was really hard to regret his actions when he knew the result was getting Lori naked and in his apartment.
Luke stood and took another sip of coffee. “I don’t like you two keeping secrets from me.”
“That’s because you like being the only one with secrets.”
“Knowledge is power, Michael. You can talk to me if you need to.”
“I don’t need to.”
Just then, an instant message popped up on his screen through the office messaging program. Michael had to bite back a smile when he saw it was from Lori.
You’re the worst type of work friend to have.
How is that? “Are we done here?” he asked. “I have to get the Penskilli report approved before our lunch meeting.”
I can’t complain about work to you…
“You really need to get out more,” said Luke. “You know what they say about all work and no play…”
Tell me who is bothering you and he’ll be gone by the end of the day. Michael considered sending one of those stupid smiley faces, but decided against it. It didn’t seem…natural. “I’ll make sure Cali schedules some time on my calendar for play,” he said dryly, even as he stared at the screen and waited for Lori’s response.
“You’re a lost cause,” muttered Luke as he crossed to the door. “You let me know what’s going on with you sooner rather than later,” he said as he exited.
Now that Michael was alone in his office, he hunched forward and willed the message box to populate again.
See? Worst. Work. Friend. Ever.
Then we’ll have to find something else to talk about. So much for keeping his distance from her.
The update I was waiting on finished. Back to work. If the boss catches me slacking, I’ll be in trouble…
He should end the message. Let her get back to work and leave it as is. Instead, he typed again. Dinner tonight?
That depends…
Depends on what? He held his breath as he waited for her response.
Only if we get takeout again.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Lori shuffled the bags over her shoulder as she pulled her door shut. If she maneuvered it just right, she might be able to get her door locked without setting anything on the ground…
“Ms. Briggs.”
Lori jumped as her duffel, purse, and laptop bag all clattered to the floor. “Hunter! What the hell are you doing here?” She leaned back against the door as she tried to catch her breath.
Hunter stepped out farther from the shadows he’d been in. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you.”
Lori set a hand on her hip and tried to not look nearly as freaked out as she felt. “Well, try not lurking outside my place at all hours of the day, okay? Now give me one good reason I shouldn’t call the police.” She hadn’t seen him since that Saturday Michael had dropped her off and had hoped she’d never see him again.
“No need to call anyone.” He raised his hands in a non-threatening manner. “I just wanted to check up one last time on that job offer.”
Lori bent down to pick up her stuff, keeping a careful eye on him the entire time. “I have to say, desperation isn’t an attractive quality in the employer. I’d think Ken would know that my silence was my answer.”
He bent down as well and handed her the duffel bag. “I suppose I was asking more for my own benefit.”
“Because you want to go on a date or something? Well, I hate to break it to you, but I’m not interested.”
“I figured. I heard that you and Michael Devereaux have become quite the item.”
Her jaw dropped before she remembered that she was supposed to be playing it cool. But how did he know about her and Michael? They’d been together for only two nights, Monday and Tuesday. The rest of the week, Michael had been working late and she’d been trying to keep her distance. Until she’d run into him in the elevator. They hadn’t been alone at first. There had been three others with them, keeping Lori from breaking her control.
But then all three of the others got off on the same floor and Michael had been alone with her. All it had taken was one smile from him and she was practically falling over herself when he’d asked whether she wanted to come over Friday…and stay.
“I’m not sure where you heard that, but I hardly know either of the Devereaux brothers.”
Hunter nodded but didn’t seem convinced. “You can say whatever you want to say, but the fact is, I know you and Michael have been spending your nights together and I’m not the only one. Michael is involved with some dangerous people. If he upsets those people in any way, you’re going to be caught in the middle. And you know what they say about the rich waging war. It’s the poor and innocent who suffer. Now I admit I don’t know you all that well, but I happen to believe you’re innocent.”
“And I think you’re creepy as hell. Are we done?”
Hunter took a step back to clear her a path. “I really don’t want you to be scared. But I do want you to stay away from Michael and Luke Devereaux.”
Lori reached to rub at her now pounding temples before she remembered that her hands were all full. “Even if I believed you, why would you suddenly go from wanting me to take the job offer of whoever you work for to warning me away?”
A sad smile curled his mouth. “Well, if you didn’t notice, I wasn’t as charming as I could’ve been when I made you that offer. It’s almost like I didn’t want you to take it.” He turned to walk down the long hallway and Lori held her place, not wanting to have to share an elevator with him.
Well, that was…weird. She’d been much more comfortable when she thought Hunter was firmly on Team Bad Guy. Not that she was about to trust him or anything, but it made her uneasy that he wanted to protect her. Namely because she had a feeling he couldn’t care less about what happened to her and she was just another cog in his plans.
Lori shook off her concerns. This weekend wasn’t supposed to be about worries. It was supposed to be about fun and orgasms and getting away from her normal life and escaping into the strange reality she’d found herself in.
She made her way to the elevators and was happy to see that Hunter was nowhere in sight once she got down to the lobby. But there was one familiar sight waiting for her. Michael’s car service had a shiny black sedan parked right in front of the building, and the driver stood next to the back door as he waited for her. She had to bite back a smile. The entire thing was so surreal, but she was determined to enjoy it while it lasted.
Because it wouldn’t last long. Michael had never mentioned the idea of going further with their relationship once, and she wasn’t about to bring it up. For one, she didn’t know what she wanted out of this. She liked Michael. She enjoyed spending time with him. Especially enjoyed being with him. But she barely knew him, and the more she found out, the more evident it was how different they were.
Besides just their differing social circles, Michael had a business to run, a family to hold together, and was apparently helping the FBI do their jobs too. None of that exactly left a lot of room for a girlfriend.
But, hey, if he wanted to have a fun time for a little bit, she was all up for that. This was
exactly what she’d wanted. Getting out of the house. Experiencing new things. And to make things a tiny bit less complicated, she’d already had two recruiters call her about the resume she’d sent out on Monday, so in a few weeks she wouldn’t have to worry about word getting out that she’d been spending her after-hours with Michael.
The car pulled up to Michael’s building. Lori slid the driver a tip and hopped out before he could open her door for her. There were some things she didn’t need to get used to.
She smiled at the doorman as he stepped aside for her and practically skipped through the lobby. Really, she had no right to be this giddy. She was a grown woman meeting a grown man for a few nights of hot sex. This was a mature thing for people to do in the city, right?
Nope. As soon as the elevator opened on his floor, she gave up all pretense of playing it cool and ran for Michael’s door. Before she could knock, he pulled it open and she stood on tiptoe to give him a kiss. He laughed against her lips and pulled her inside before he kicked the door shut.
“I thought you’d never get here,” he said as she dropped her bags.
“I’m ten minutes early,” she reminded him before she went in for another kiss.
“Still too long.” But he contradicted the words as he pulled back. “Nope. No. You’re not distracting me this time.”
She bit a lip as she looked him over. “Distracting you?”
“We are going out to dinner. For real this time. With waiters and wine and everything.”
“I don’t drink.”
“The wine is for me.” He winked. “I made reservations at the new Italian place down on Third Street. I don’t remember the name, but apparently the head chef was the winner of one of the cooking shows.”
“I’m assuming this was a Cali recommendation?”
“Guaranteed to impress you.”
Lori stepped forward and wrapped her fingers in the soft cotton of his t-shirt. “I’m already impressed.” And she was. The whole t-shirt and jeans look was new for him. Granted, from the feel of the fabric in her hands, it was a top-of-the-line t-shirt, and the black watch with exposed gears was probably worth a pretty penny too, but considering how good he looked, she didn’t care.
He set his hands on the curve of her waist. “Then I want to impress you more.”
“I’m not dressed for going out,” she said with a little pout. She had onhe same jeans she’d worn to the office and an easy-to-remove sweater. Granted, her overnight bag had some nicer clothes, but he didn’t need to know that at the moment. “Besides, if we go out, people could see us.” Of course, she regretted those words as he tensed against her.
“I forgot that this is a super-secret affair.”
She rolled her eyes. “Maybe not super-secret, but you know this isn’t about you.”
“And here I thought you were embarrassed to be seen with me.”
She snorted at the idea. If anything, she’d be embarrassed by everyone asking what he was doing with her. She didn’t come from money like he did or know which silverware to use first while eating out. She was definitely the odd one in this relationship.
But they weren’t doing anything more than having fun, so she refused to let herself think about it. “Tell you what,” she whispered. “If you skip this one, I’ll make it worth your while.”
He raised a brow. “Worth my while how?”
“Well, I suppose I’m going to have to be creative. You have me here with you all weekend…alone.” She trailed a finger down his chest until she reached the button of his jeans. “I have a few ideas of ways I can make it worth your while.”
“Damn it, Lori,” he breathed.
Before he could fight her on this, she gathered up the fabric of his shirt and lifted it up until she could kiss him right between his pecs. His hands closed over her forearms and she thought he was going to push her away, but instead he took a step back until he was up against the wall. She smiled in victory as she pulled his shirt completely off. Then she leaned back a second to appreciate the sight of him in nothing but a pair of jeans. So different from his normal, meticulous appearance. But then temptation won over and Lori went back to kissing his chest and reveling in his smooth, warm skin. Her lips trailed lower and lower. She licked the skin above the waist of his jeans even as her fingers started to work on the fly.
For a moment, the only sound in the apartment was their heightened breathing and the metal against metal scrape of his zipper going down. And then the clanging of a lock being turned.
Lori and Michael both turned their heads to the door as it opened. Lori stood to run, but Michael caught her arm and held her close.
“Holy shit,” said a masculine, familiar voice from the entryway.
Blood rushed to Lori’s face as she tried to contain her embarrassment. No, no, no. This wasn’t happening.
Michael held Lori tighter. “Luke. What an unexpected surprise.”
She pressed her face into Michael’s shoulder and belatedly realized that he wasn’t just holding her so tightly for her own benefit. He still had a substantial erection pressed against her hip. A small laugh escaped her at the sudden realization of how absurd the entire situation was. She finally forced herself to face the music and turned to the doorway. “Hi, Luke.”
Recognition passed over Luke’s face. “I know you. You were the hacker chick.”
“I’m not a—”
“Her name is Lori,” said Michael. “And we actually have plans for tonight.”
“I can see that. Well, I didn’t see anything. Obviously I got here too soon to see much.”
“Luke!” snapped Michael.
A huge smile covered his face. “Are you telling me that this is the secret you’ve been keeping?”
“Get that stupid grin off your face,” snapped Michael as he bent to pick up his shirt off the ground. “Why don’t you tell us what you’re doing here?”
“You know, when you gave me the key to this place, I assumed I had an open invitation.”
“You can consider your invitation rescinded then.” Michael took Lori’s hand in his and led her into the kitchen.
“This is cause for celebration! We all need to go out. I, for one, would like to get to know this Lori better.”
“I’m standing right here.” She leaned against the counter.
Luke nodded as he looked her over. “Yes you are. With your shirt on, by the way. Unlike some people here…”
Michael pulled the t-shirt over his head and glared at Luke. “Lori and I are staying in tonight. She wants to keep things low-key.”
“Especially while you’re still my boss.”
Michael frowned. “What does that mean?”
“I told you I was looking for a new job.”
“What?” said Michael and Luke at the same time.
“Whoa.” She looked to Michael. “You, I told about this already.” She turned to Luke. “And you didn’t know who I was a week ago.”
“But I know you now. And I’m fairly certain that after what I saw last week, I want you on my side. And after what I saw two minutes ago, Michael definitely wants you on his side.”
“Lori, you don’t have to quit because of this. I’m not going to put you in any sort of position that would—”
Luke snorted. “Really? Position? Nice word choice.”
Okay, she was in over her head. “Maybe I should go.”
“No!” said both brothers.
Michael stood in front of her and ran his hands up and down her arms. “We’re still going to have our weekend together.”
“Well, not the entire weekend,” said Luke.
Michael rolled his eyes. “I triple checked my calendar. I don’t have anything this weekend.”
“You didn’t. Our new friends invited us for a cocktail hour tomorrow night, though. I know you wanted to try to get as much face time with them as possible.”
“Now I definitely need to go.” Now that Luke and Michael were in the apartment, it felt overcrowded, and
she was the odd one out.
Luke looked between Michael and Lori before his eyes widened. “Holy shit, she knows, doesn’t she?”
Lori tightened her lips but didn’t say anything.
“I told Evelyn about it.”
“You’ve known her for all of a week—no offense, Lori. What the hell made this seem like such a good idea? I’m happy you have a girlfriend, but don’t screw us over so you can get screwed.”
The blood rushed from her face. “I’m not his girlfriend,” she said weakly.
“Well, you’re his something.”
She looked down at the floor, more uncomfortable than ever. Michael put an arm over her shoulder. “This doesn’t change anything. You and I will go on Saturday, but for now, Lori and I are going to continue our date.”
“Your date in secrecy until Lori finds a job that pays better?”
“I’m quitting because my current employer asked me to break the law for them and threatened me if I told anyone.”
“Since I’m not the one who invited you upstairs last week, I’m assuming the threatening came from the guy who you were undressing when I walked in here?”
“Your keen eye doesn’t miss a thing, does it?”
“I think it’s time for you to leave,” said Michael.
Luke’s expression went serious as he looked at his brother. “I think we should all go out for dinner. I’m okay being the third wheel. What do you think?”
Lori couldn’t imagine Luke ever feeling out of place. Where Michael was reserved and controlled, Luke seemed to be carefree, with a hint of recklessness. And, based on how similar he looked to Michael, she had a feeling it was easy enough for him to get a date no matter where he went. Considering the stories she’d heard about him, he took advantage of his looks often.
Michael met her gaze and she could tell he was trying to gauge her reaction to going out with Luke. It really didn’t sound like the way she wanted to spend her Friday night, especially in light of what she would’ve been doing had Luke never walked in. But the mood was effectively killed, and from everything she’d heard, Luke was just as smart and talented as Michael. It would be foolish for her to pass up the opportunity to pick his brain, especially when she had no idea how much longer she and Michael would be together.
Touching The Boss (Billionaires In The City Book 5) Page 10