by Terri Austin
By the time Iain made it back to his office, he’d clocked in fifteen minutes of face time. He hadn’t enjoyed it, but it hadn’t been as dreadful as he’d assumed it would be. Brynn would be proud of him. He couldn’t wait to see her again so he could tell her.
Iain stopped walking. Earlier in the day, he’d realized that he wanted to impress her, but there was more to it than that. She actually mattered to him. A great deal.
Well, shit. He’d…think about that later.
Iain continued on and stopped in front of Amelia’s desk. “How was your morning?” she asked. “Is Brynn coming back this afternoon?”
“No, but I want you to carve out some time tomorrow so we can sit down with her and discuss morale. Marc too. If I have to suffer, so does he.”
Her hand paused on the keyboard. “Morale?”
“Brynn thinks I can lighten the atmosphere around here.”
Amelia grinned. “I think that’s a terrific idea.”
“Well, I don’t.” He pulled the dice from his pocket. “But I’m doing it anyway.”
“Okay, I’ll set it up. Would you like me to have coffee and bagels? Maybe some of those Danishes you love.”
“Whatever, just do it.” He walked into his office and slammed the dice on his desk. This whole business was bloody tedious. Seemed he and Brynn were both stepping out of their comfort zones.
* * *
Brynn didn’t bother to sneak into her office that day—she was too wound up. Irritated and aroused with Iain on one hand, worried about TDTC’s future on the other.
Taking the elevator, Brynn got off on her floor and walked past Brandon, assuring him she’d see to his email blasts. When Cass tried to intercept Brynn and corral her for an impromptu meeting, Brynn shook her head. “Now’s not a good time. I’ll send you a summary of my progress.” Then she kept veering toward her tiny office.
Paige overheard and her eyebrows shot upward, but Brynn ignored her as well. She needed to figure a few things out.
True, TDTC wasn’t her business, she had no ownership in the place, and yet she bore a certain amount of responsibility for these people. But Brynn couldn’t force Cass to pull herself together any more than she could coerce Iain into treating his employees like human beings.
Some days, people were nothing but a freaking frustration.
Brynn had booted up her computer and settled down to work when her phone rang. She glanced at the screen. Allie again. Speaking of frustrating.
“Hey.”
“How are you?” Al asked.
“Fine, just really busy right now.”
Allie hesitated. “Brynnie, I can tell something’s bothering you.”
She closed her eyes, counted to six, and let her breath out in a whoosh. “I don’t like it when you and Monica gang up on me. I’m an adult.” She kept her tone calm and thought about what she needed to say next. “I don’t come running to you with every problem anymore, Allie, because I don’t need to. You did a great job of raising me, and I’m grateful. I love you, but I don’t want to be smothered anymore.” Normally, she bit her tongue and kept all that buried deep inside. Or just ignored Allie’s phone call. This afternoon, she’d been honest with Iain, and now she was speaking her mind with Allie. It felt empowering.
Allie said nothing for a moment. In the silence, Brynn heard her sister stifle what sounded suspiciously like a sob. Immediately, Brynn felt guilt and pain constrict her chest. Then Allie spoke. “I didn’t raise you, Brynnie. I just helped. Thank you for that, though. It means a lot.” She sniffled a couple of times and cleared her throat. “You’re right, I do tend to smother you, and I apologize. I want you to be happy, and I don’t think you are. Honey, you haven’t dated anyone in ages. You work constantly. I worry.”
Brynn wondered if she should say anything about Iain. It was so tenuous, and Allie would only nag her about it—she honestly couldn’t help herself. Still, if Brynn wanted to be treated like an adult, she needed to start forcing Allie to see her as one. That meant being truthful. “Okay, if I tell you something, you can’t ask questions and you can’t bring it up again until I’m ready to talk about it.”
“Promise.”
“I like someone.”
Allie gasped. “I knew it. I knew something was different last night. You should invite him to our house for dinner, introduce him to the family.”
Nice try, but Brynn wasn’t fooled. “Introduce him to the family” meant “interrogation over Cornish game hens.” “I appreciate the offer, but no. Besides, I don’t know how serious this thing is between Iain and me.” It felt serious. Brynn had done things with Iain she’d never done with another man. And she’d been honest about her sexual needs. Another first.
“Just think about it. No extended family. Just Trevor, Cal, Monica, and me. We’ll see you on Sunday. Seven o’clock.” Then she hung up.
Like hell. Why would Iain want to subject himself to a family dinner? He probably only viewed Brynn as a temporary fling anyway. And while Brynn adored Trevor, he’d act all superior and snotty toward Iain. Cal would ask him about cars, and since Iain didn’t drive, he’d fail that test, too. Iain’s pride would get bruised. Words and insults were bound to ensue. Posh versus working class—a clash of the expat titans. No thanks. Besides, Brynn wasn’t actually dating Iain Chapman. What happened in the backseat—every time she thought about that, heat flooded her cheeks—didn’t matter in the long run. While it was a hot, sexy memory that made her clench her legs together out of piercing need, they weren’t dating dating.
Brynn tried to put Iain, this afternoon’s sexcapades, and her sisters from her mind. She spent the next two hours editing a cartoon film about hand washing when her phone rang. Monica this time. Brynn ignored it. She’d had about all the confrontation she could handle for one day. Telling the truth was exhausting.
Two minutes later, when her phone rang again, Brynn sighed and gave in. “Busy now.”
“Me too.” Iain. “And yet, I can’t stop thinking about the way you swallowed my cock. It was the highlight of my day.”
Brynn was speechless for a second. “I thought you were my sister.”
“Has a cock, does she? Which sister? I don’t want to make a gaffe.”
“I don’t want to talk about this afternoon. It was very”—Brynn stopped and licked her dry lips—“irregular of me.”
“Irregular. There’s a word. Not a good one, though.”
Why didn’t Brynn ever have a witty comeback ready? “Was there something you wanted?” She winced at her choice of words.
“I thought we’d already settled that, love. Also, I rang to make sure you got to work safely and to take you to task for not letting me kiss you good-bye. Bad form, that.”
“Yeah, well, none of us are perfect.”
“Some of us come close,” he said.
“Really? You think you’re close to perfect?” The arrogance of this man was astounding.
“Not me, love. You.”
Brynn’s breath caught in her throat. “That’s not true. I’ve got a ton of faults.”
“It is true. I already told you, I say what I mean. You’re as close to perfection as I’ll ever get, Brynn Campbell. Now, should I pick you up at the office or at your home?”
Brynn was still reeling from the compliment, too shocked to say anything.
Iain filled the conversational void. “You said to woo you. Win you. I plan on doing just that, starting tonight.”
Brynn pressed her hand to her warm neck. “What did you have in mind?”
“None of your business, nosy parker. By the way, I called a meeting tomorrow with Marc and Ames. To discuss our morale situation.”
Compliments? Compliance with her suggestions? A plan to woo her? Brynn couldn’t process any of it. “Who are you? The Iain I left two hours ago was fighting me every step of the way.”
“You’ll have to see for yourself. I’ll pick you up at seven, yeah? At your office. And, Brynn, my darling, lovely girl, if you�
��re not there, I’ll be quite cross.”
“I’ve never seen you anything but cross.”
“Not true. I wasn’t cross in the car this afternoon. Seven. Be there.”
Brynn could keep fighting it, this heat between them, but it was a losing game. She was hooked. “Yes. I’ll be here.”
When she hung up, Brynn crossed her arms behind her head and grinned. Somehow, she’d become smit by a Brit. She’d probably end up a brokenhearted basket case, but for right now, this minute, Brynn had never felt more alive.
After half an hour of daydreaming, reliving each kiss Iain had given her and her display in the car, Brynn finally roused herself and got back to work, plowing steadily through her list. She called clients, checked copy for a newsletter, and sent Brandon’s email. She was just about to proof a new online ad when her office door opened.
Cassandra stole inside and leaned against it. “What’s going on? Why aren’t you speaking to me?”
Should she confront Cass about the business? No, Brynn needed more preparation for that conversation.
“Just talk to me again, Brynn. Please. You’re angry that I sent you back to Blue Moon, aren’t you?” Cass appeared paler than normal, and the orange lipstick clashed with her coloring.
Brynn spun in her chair and faced her boss. She understood why Cass was so anxious to get her hands on Iain’s money, but Brynn hated being played. She’d have to broach the subject eventually, but it didn’t have to be today. “I’m just really busy, Cass. Since I’m now working as an educator, I’m having a hard time playing catch up.”
Cass took two steps into the room. Any farther and she’d plow her face into the far wall. “How did today go? How was Mr. Chapman? What’s he like, anyway? He sounds very brusque on the phone.”
“That’s one way to describe him.”
“I had to take Nef back to the vet during my lunch break. She’s on medication, but she’s not any better. And Michael called to officially break things off—as if I don’t check his social media at least ten times a day. He’s coming by the house to pick up his stuff.” Cass crossed her arms as her face crumpled in a mask of despair. “I put up with so much of his shit—the sexual dysfunction, his mother issues…I even got Nef declawed for him. But he never bought me a ring, did he?” Large tears filled her eyes. “My life is a steaming pile, Brynn. I’m so lucky to have you. You’re a really good friend.”
No, she wasn’t. Brynn had been an unwilling sidekick in Cass’s life drama. While she felt sympathy for her boss, Brynn just wanted to get back to work. All of these personal revelations were too much. She straightened her shoulders. Time to find that backbone and say something, once and for all. “Cass, I’m really sorry about Michael, but—”
“I know, I know. I deserve better. But I’m forty-two, Brynn. When is my Prince Charming going to show up?” Then the tears started falling.
When Brynn stood and held out her arms, Cassandra moved into them and rested her head on Brynn’s shoulder. Now wasn’t the time to be assertive. Not when Cass had been kicked in the proverbial balls.
Brynn patted her shoulder. “You’re a wonderful person. Very loving.” Cass was loving to her cat, and that counted, right?
“All…I…have”—Cass was crying so hard that her words fell out in short bursts—“is this…business…and Nef, who pisses…everywhere. What happened…to my life?”
She cried until Brynn’s shoulder was damp, then the sobs finally tapered off. When Cassandra pulled away, she wiped at her red nose. “We’re just alike, you and I. Two single girls making our way in Vegas. All alone in the world. No man in sight.”
“Um, okay.” That hit a little too close to home for Brynn. She didn’t have much of a life, hadn’t dated since college. Brynn worked late every night and most weekends. She suddenly realized her world was very small. And very depressing.
“What do you say we get shitfaced after work and trash-talk my ex?” Cass said. “My treat.”
Brynn couldn’t think of a worse way to spend an evening. For once, she was going to be selfish and do what was right for her. She wasn’t about to break her date with Iain. And she sure as hell didn’t want to watch her boss get wasted on tequila shots or listen to any more sex stories. “That sounds nice, but unfortunately I have plans. You understand.”
Cass looked ready to argue for a moment.
“Plus,” Brynn added, “I have all this work to do. Unless you want to help, because that would be great. I could offload six or seven of these projects.”
Dabbing at her eyes, Cass shook her head. “No that’s okay. I’m feeling better.” She glanced around. “I’ll leave you to carry on.” Without waiting for an answer, Cassandra walked through the door and left Brynn standing in the middle of her tiny office.
Typical Cass. She claimed to have dedicated her life to this business, but it all fell on Brynn’s shoulders. Well not tonight. Tonight, Brynnie was going to have hot sex with Iain Chapman.
* * *
Iain showed up at Brynn’s office twenty minutes early. It wasn’t as if he didn’t have work to do. Or emails to answer. Or phone calls to return. But he didn’t want to do any of those things. Instead, he sat in the back of the car and rolled the dice in his palm. Back and forth, they made a dull clack as he shifted them with his fingers.
It took all of his willpower not to get out of the car, slam into that building, and find Brynn. Iain wanted to see her. Now.
But that would have been the act of a desperate man.
Growing up, desperation had been his constant companion. It clawed at his insides and left him hollowed out, empty, with nothing to fill the void but anger. It would have consumed him entirely if it hadn’t been for Davy’s parents. They were so wonderfully normal. They’d provided a safe haven for Iain more times than he could count.
When Iain was a very young lad, he had been scared to death of his father. Never one for steady work, James Chapman had spent his days at the pub, pissing away what little money he had. When he’d staggered home in the wee hours, he’d been full of ale and impotent rage. By the time Iain was ten, he’d spent enough time around Davy’s father to know how a man should act. One night, instead of pulling the covers over his head to drown out the sound of his father’s screaming and his mum’s tears, Iain shot out of bed and ran to the kitchen. He still remembered the scene as if it were yesterday—his father, hand raised, holding his mum up by the throat. She was pleading with him, begging him not to hit her. Without thinking, Iain pushed her out of the way and tackled the old man to the floor. His scrawny body was no match for the bastard.
Iain took a walloping that night, had a black eye and a bruised jaw, but he wasn’t afraid anymore. He knew exactly who his dad was—a weak little cunt who wasn’t smart enough or brave enough to go after what he wanted. Iain was smart—even his harassed teachers told him so. And he was ambitious, determined to be different from his father in every way.
He’d decided from that moment that he’d become a man in charge of his life. He wouldn’t wait for things to happen. Iain would make them happen.
But he also knew what boundaries were. He ignored them when it suited him, but sometimes, they were important. So while he wanted to see Brynn, he could wait twenty fucking minutes for her to come out of the building. Though he was entranced with her, he wouldn’t resort to desperate measures.
When his phone rang, it jarred Iain out of his memories. He didn’t spend a lot of time thinking about his youth. Tried not to think about it at all, truth be told.
He glanced at his screen. Brynn. Iain wasn’t sure why Brynn Campbell ticked all of his boxes. Maybe it was her sweetness or her concern for others—or it could be that when she kissed him, it made Iain’s blood sizzle in his veins. She wasn’t even aware that she had an advantage over him. Probably for the best, that.
He hit the talk button. “You’re not thinking of canceling, are you, love?”
“No.” Her voice was light, teasing. “Text when you’re her
e and I’ll come out.”
“I just pulled up. I’ll meet you at the front door.” Iain kept himself from leaping out of the car. He hadn’t been this eager and excited about a woman in…ever.
Calmly, he walked toward the front door of the aging office building. Security in this place was nil. As he entered, he noted the lobby could have used a refresh about fifteen years ago.
Iain tucked the dice away and leaned against the wall. He flicked his finger along the peeling seam in the wallpaper. Brynn’s boss, Cassandra Delany, was seriously behind in her rent. He knew for certain this place didn’t cost much. Her personal creditors were hounding her as well. Not good news for Brynn and her friends. But he wouldn’t think about that now. Tonight, he was all about wooing.
When the lift bell rang, Iain straightened. Brynn stepped off the carriage, and dear God, she was a sight. He was always struck anew by her loveliness, by the intelligence and honesty in her eyes. Brynn was one of those rare creatures who believed the world was a good place, full of good people. She was wrong, of course, but he appreciated her optimism.
She smiled shyly and advanced toward him. “Hey.”
“Hey, yourself.”
They simply stood there, like a couple of idiots, saying nothing but wearing big, wide grins. Finally, Iain took the heavy bag from her shoulder.
“What’s in here? Gold bricks?”
“Work.”
He said nothing. No reason to. The only thing Brynn would be working on tonight involved her orgasm. Poor Brynnie, she must have been frustrated as hell over the years. Iain was glad he could help her out. Provided a valuable service, he did.
He held the door open and followed her to the car. “How was the rest of your day?” he asked. Sliding into the backseat next to her, he dropped the bag on the floor and worked his way closer to Brynn.
“I have a question. Will the money from the Blue Moon account fix all of Cass’s financial problems?”
He flicked her a glance. “Could do temporarily, if she handles it carefully. But she won’t.”