“Yes … Boss.” She rose and hugged the clipboard to her chest. “You’ll be happy with me,” she promised him. “You’ll see.”
Oh, he was plenty happy with her. He was more curious how long she’d be happy with him and his endless demands.
Chapter Two
Lexie didn’t know how she’d held it together in front of Kaden Barnes. She’d been expecting a geeky nerd with a Napoleon complex who’d changed the face of social media. Instead she’d gotten a hot, arrogant, sexy-as-sin, pain-in-the-ass, panty-melting boss. And he’d seen through her, literally, in her damp, see-through blouse. No way had the man been impressed with her in any way. Great way to begin her new job, she thought, her mood sinking even further.
She let herself into her apartment to find her sister wasn’t home and she’d taken Waffles with her. She headed straight for the bedroom. She changed into a new blouse, freshened her makeup, and pulled her straggly hair up into a bun. The best she could do given the circumstances. It was still humid outside after the rain passed, and she didn’t want to leave her hairstyle up to the elements.
She knew Kendall wouldn’t expect her back midday, so she decided to do a spot check on her meds and make sure she’d been taking them. Or at least pretending to take them. The most she could hope for was that today’s pills were gone from the container. Whether her sister took them or flushed them, time would tell. She hoped for the best but expected the worst. The doctors said people with bipolar disorder often had multiple hospitalizations before coming to terms with the illness and beginning to take their meds on a regular basis.
She looked in the kitchen, where she’d left the pills along with a note, but the counter was empty. With guilt but also a sense of resignation, Lexie knocked once to be safe and opened the door to her sister’s bedroom, planning to do a quick visual sweep of the counters. Her gaze immediately went to department store shopping bags on the floor, and it felt like her stomach plummeted.
Compulsive shopping usually happened on one of her sister’s manic episodes. Lexie sighed, wondering where she’d gotten the money. She didn’t have credit cards of her own thanks to the last time she’d abused the privilege and their father had to bail her out. She hoped Kendall hadn’t talked either parent into giving her money or a credit card behind Lexie’s back. Both her mother and father found it hard to say no to Kendall when she asked nicely and made excuses that were too easy to believe for why she needed something.
Lexie didn’t have time to dwell on it now. She glanced at the nightstand and saw the medicine holder, with today’s pills gone from the container. Well, maybe something was going right. She’d just have to deal with the shopping issue another time. She stepped out and shut the door behind her.
She gathered her things, made sure she had the email on her phone, and headed to food shop for her boss. As she went up and down the aisles of her local grocery store, she discovered he was a heath nut with a sweet tooth, from his coffee to the four large packages of Twizzlers red licorice on the list.
She wondered what his dental bills were like. Which led her to think of his gorgeous smile, which he didn’t use often. In fact, she thought she might have seen it once in their first meeting, when he’d realized she wouldn’t let him push her around.
She grinned at the memory and finished up her list, then paid for the items with the money he’d given her. A bagger asked to help her outside while she hailed a cab, and she gratefully took him up on the offer.
A little while later, she arrived at his luxury building. A doorman met her. She gave her name; he greeted her with a friendly smile and a nod and pulled out a cart, proceeding to transfer the bags while she paid the driver.
Every so often, worry over the shopping bags she’d found in her sister’s room and the fact that Kendall hadn’t been home surfaced, but Lexie pushed the concerns aside. She’d have to compartmentalize if she wanted to succeed at this job, and she did. Badly.
Despite the part of her nature that needed to be a caretaker, she also wanted to earn her own way and succeed in whatever employment she chose. Not only wouldn’t she let Kaden Barnes drive her off with his demands, she wouldn’t allow her family issues to intrude on her professional life.
Her personal problems already prevented her from having a private life, and she’d lost so much by putting Kendall before everyone and everything else. She couldn’t allow her sacrifices to keep extending into all areas. She’d keep this job if it killed her, she thought, and worry about things like dating and sex when her sister turned a corner.
“Go on up. I’ll bring these up the service elevator,” the doorman said. “Penthouse.”
Of course, she thought. No regular floor for Kaden Barnes. She took the elevator up and stepped out into a well-lit hallway with only one apartment door to be found.
She rang the bell. Nobody answered. She rang again. If he’d stayed at the office and forgotten to tell her, she’d… Before she could finish that thought, the door swung open wide, and he stood before her, wearing nothing but a towel tucked around his waist in all his bare-chested glory.
Her gaze traveled from his dark brown hair, handsome face—he hadn’t bothered to shave—down his chest, taking in the sleeve of tattoos on one arm, giving him an even sexier edge. Finally her gaze dropped to the towel knotted at his hip, and she sucked in much-needed air. Her girl parts definitely took notice, and considering it had been a long time since she’d been with any man, she was definitely aware of the rush of desire sweeping through her body and the sudden tingling between her thighs.
“Did you forget I was coming?” she asked, her voice catching on that last word, which she hadn’t meant as a sexual innuendo but felt like one anyway.
“No, that’s not something I could forget.” Amusement and a rough timbre laced his tone, letting her know he’d picked up on it too.
Her cheeks burned. “Your doorman should be up with the food any minute. Am I expected to put it away too?” she asked, deciding it was best to move past her foot-in-mouth moment.
“The housekeeper will do it. She’s here today.”
“Okay then. I can just go back to the office and—”
He reached out and grasped her arm, generating a jolt of heat that ricocheted through her.
He jerked and immediately released her. “Come in and get familiar with the place. You’ll be working here,” he said gruffly.
He stepped back to let her inside, shutting the door behind her. “I’ll go get dressed. Keep yourself busy,” he muttered and stalked off, leaving her alone to examine his home.
She shrugged and began walking through the apartment, which was huge, with state-of-the-art everything. The kitchen, which she passed on the way to a big living area, had high-end appliances, from a Wolf oven and Sub-Zero refrigerator to a Miele dishwasher. She doubted he used any of them himself. Still, she was in love with his kitchen.
And the living room? Of course there was a massive screen on the wall and a full tech setup of Xbox and Wii devices for the geek in him. She loved it and could very well imagine him sitting here, playing his games, and envisioning life-changing apps.
The room itself resembled a cinema, and she sat down on an oversized sofa, sinking into the soft leather. She didn’t go so far as to extend the chair into a reclining position, choosing to remain upright and keep her wits about her. While she waited, she looked around, and her gaze fell to a set of photos on wall shelves across the room.
Intrigued, she rose and walked over, taking in the various photographs. There were pictures of Kade and his partners wearing frat shirts from their college days. Some of Kade and an older man who was obviously, based on the resemblance, his father. And in the back row, a small shot of two young boys who appeared about the same age and who looked remarkably alike.
Being a twin herself, Lexie was curious and picked up the small picture. She thought she could pick out Kaden. He was a little taller and bulkier. Both brown-haired boys stood in mimicking poses with their arm
s crossed over their chests, both in bathing trunks, with a pool behind them, and mischievous smirks on their faces.
“What do you think you’re doing?”
She jumped, very much feeling like she’d been caught snooping. Which, she supposed, in theory, she had been.
“You said to keep myself busy.” She handed him the photograph. “Is that your twin?” she asked.
“My brother.” He glanced at the picture in his hand, and she caught a wistful expression before he hid it with his normal outward mask of indifference.
“Older or younger?” she asked, undeterred. If she was going to work with him, she needed to break through his barrier and at least get him to converse with her.
“Younger. By only ten months.”
She grinned. “Your parents worked fast.”
“That’s what happens when you spend more time arguing and making up than getting along,” he muttered.
Insight, she thought, appreciating the nugget of information.
“I thought you were here to work.” He set the picture in its spot in the back row.
Something told her the placement of the photo was telling. A story she wanted to know more about, but he wasn’t talking.
Yet. “You told me to wait for you while you dressed. You’re dressed.”
And if she thought she’d seen all facets of Kaden Barnes, from the man in the suit to the fresh-from-the-shower version, she was wrong. This man, in the gray sweat pants that hung low on his hips and faded white tee shirt that read Geek Squad across his chest—she had a hunch this was the real man beneath the façade he put out to the world.
Despite his gruff exterior, his sex appeal couldn’t be denied, and the little hint of vulnerability she’d seen when he’d looked at the picture of his brother made him seem even more human.
Sensing she’d pushed him out of his comfort zone enough for one day, she turned her focus to work. “So what’s next … Boss?”
He studied her for a few seconds, then said, “Call me Kade. And give me your phone.”
“What?”
“Your cell phone.” He held out his hand.
She dug through her purse and reluctantly handed over her iPhone.
“Unlock it.”
She glared at him.
“Please,” he added.
“That’s much better.” She took back the phone and opened it with her fingerprint before returning the device. “I can’t imagine what you want—”
He slid his finger over the screen, checking out each display of apps before moving to the next screen. Suddenly realizing what he was looking for, she braced herself for the reprimand.
“You don’t have Blink on your phone. How can you possibly work for me if you don’t have the app and know what it’s all about?”
* * *
Kade eyed his personal assistant with frustration, which was a helpful emotion, serving to tamp down on the desire that had been riding him since he’d opened his door and seen her gaze raking over him appreciatively. She’d changed her top, and though her work outfits were completely appropriate, his imagination went into overdrive thanks to the fancy buttons holding her shirt closed over her full breasts and the same skirt from earlier, which accentuated her rounded hips.
He was annoyed that he’d caught her with his photographs and pressing for information about his family. Information that dug at him like an open wound.
He hadn’t seen Jeffrey in over twenty years, their parents’ ugly divorce and subsequent division of custody making sure the adults—and boys who were as close as could be—ended up living on different continents. With one stroke of the pen, Kade had lost the mother who’d given birth to him and his best friend.
Looking back, his mother hadn’t been such a loss. She’d always favored Jeffrey, the easier child, while Kade, with his colic, undiagnosed learning disabilities, which he now knew were ADHD and anxiety, had been challenging from birth. Not to mention what he thought was mild OCD. All of which his mother had never let him forget, and which had provided a lesson he’d taken into adulthood with his relationships.
He’d had difficulties in school, problems making friends, and his mother had no patience or desire to find out why. She called him stupid and annoying, a pain, saving her affection for Jeffrey. Yet somehow, Kade hadn’t resented his younger brother. He’d looked up to him for being all the things Kade couldn’t manage to be.
And one day he was gone. Madeline Barnes had taken off, choosing to move far away and cut off contact rather than share custody. Kade hadn’t been good enough for his own mother. He was never quite good enough. His difficulties had followed him into adulthood, and he didn’t think any woman would put up with him for long. And the ones in his life hadn’t. They’d grown impatient with his quirks; some were embarrassed, causing him to pull further into himself.
He shook his head, forcing himself back to the present. He didn’t appreciate the unpleasant memories Lexie had dredged up, but instead of true anger, he found himself surprised she’d been interested. When most people wouldn’t have looked that closely at pictures of his childhood or wondered anything about him beyond his bank account, she’d seemed honestly curious.
And he wondered about her in return. He wasn’t a typically social person, and his inquisitiveness about her made him uncomfortable. He needed to put a wall back between them and fast. Which was why he held Lexie’s cell phone in his hand, searching for his pride and joy, only to find his app was nowhere to be found.
He stared at her, waiting for an explanation to his question.
“I-I’m not big on social media,” she stammered, the first sign that he’d rattled her. “But you’re right. It was a stupid oversight, and I’ll correct it right now.” She grasped back her phone, and with trembling hands, she hit the button for the app store and downloaded Blink in seconds.
He waited in silence as she opened it and created an account. “I’ll be sure to learn it later today.”
“Good idea.” He gestured for her to sit down, and she lowered herself into one of the sections of the sofa. He loved the oversized white leather and the electric recliners in each part. Not to mention the built-in fridge where he kept Smartwater and vitamin drinks.
She fidgeted in her seat. He couldn’t tear his gaze from her long legs that he could envision up in the air, settled on his shoulders, as he lowered his head to her sweet pussy. “Shit.”
“What’s wrong?” she asked.
He hadn’t meant to speak out loud. “Not a damned thing. I thought maybe we could see how you perform in my world.” He picked up a remote and spoke. “Television on.” The ninety-inch flat-screen on the wall flickered to life. “Mario Party,” he said, reveling in the surprise on her face as he loaded his Wii U.
“You want us to play video games?” Her blue eyes opened wide.
“I do.”
“Mario? Seriously?” she asked, clearly not convinced.
“Yes.”
She studied his face as if she didn’t believe him or was waiting for him to crack a smile. She’d have to wait all night, and he was damned patient. When she didn’t reply, he handed her a controller and picked up one of his own.
“You are serious. Did you make all of your other PAs go through this … test?”
“No.”
“Why not?”
Because he didn’t care if his other PAs could hold their own with him. She’d already proven she wasn’t intimidated by him, a point in her favor. “Consider yourself special.”
In the span of the one hour total he’d spent in her company, he’d realized he wanted to see what made her tick. She didn’t seem to fear him, and he liked that about her. He had a hunch he could enjoy her company—if he let himself. Not to mention, his cock really liked having her around, and it’d been a damned long time since he’d had sex.
Too long. Because he didn’t trust women to get close. Lexie was already there.
Pushing that thought aside, he offered her a soda, which she d
eclined.
“Do you need instructions?” he asked, assuming video games were foreign to her as they’d been to most women he’d dated.
She wrinkled her nose in thought. “Nope. I think I can handle it.”
He blinked, startled. Not even Angela, the one woman he’d thought he was in love with, when he’d been young, hormone-driven, and stupid enough to forget the lessons his mother had taught him, had had patience for his childlike games. She’d had plenty of interest in his things. And now he referred to her as the bitch who’d betrayed him.
He glanced at Lexie, who studied the screen, sucking her bottom lip between her teeth, and wondered what it was about her that brought up things about his past he tried to keep buried. Once again, he pushed those thoughts aside.
And for the next few hours, she impressed him once more, immersing herself in the game. He found her to be competitive, like him. Creative in her thinking, like him. And she was a damned good strategist. Also like him.
And to top it all off, she really got into the game, allowing herself to have fun. She’d long since kicked off her shoes and curled her legs beneath her on the sofa. Her hair fell out of the bun, long strands curling around her shoulders. Her blue eyes flashed with enjoyment and determination, and damned if, by the end of the day, he didn’t like her.
Finally, he dropped the controller, and she did the same, flinging herself back against the sofa with a wide grin on her face. “I think I rocked it, don’t you?” she asked, obviously pleased with herself.
He casually lifted one shoulder. “You held your own.” A smirk lifted the corner of his mouth, and she burst out laughing.
“I almost kicked your ass!” she squealed, then sobered quickly. “I’m sorry. With all the game playing, I forgot you were my boss.”
The light flickered out of her gaze, and he missed the warmth she’d exuded earlier. “It’s fine.”
She shook her head. “No.” She rose to her feet, smoothing the wrinkles out of her skirt.
“Lexie,” he said in a controlled tone, pulling her out of her panicked zone. “Have you played before?” he asked her.
Summer Heat: A Steamy Romance Boxed Set Page 2