by C. M. Steele
Chapter 3
Nancy
“Why are you acting weird, Nancy?” My boss is boring holes through the back of my head. I can feel the tension radiating off him. I should just quit. It’s for the best. I’m ridiculously uncomfortable around him now.
“I’m not, Mr. Black,” I say without taking my eyes off the filing I’m working on. The file shakes in my hand as I try to stuff it into the drawer unnecessarily rough.
“Bullshit. Since the gala, you’ve been distant. Fuck, even now you’re not looking at me. Are you trying to quit?” he asks. I sense a fear of losing me, and it’s only making it harder.
“I’m not quitting, I’m just not feeling well,” I complain. In a sense, I do feel ill. Thinking that even for just a moment I led my boss on sent a shiver of revulsion through me. I don’t want to be that girl who screws her boss because he’s good looking or to get ahead. Seriously, I’m freaking out because that look he gave me was so damn telling that even from across the room, I could read the hunger. Maybe he had too much to drink. I can’t understand why I’m letting what happened last week bother me. It’s been a week, and it’s as if I lost someone special. It’s crazy the way I keep replaying that image in my head, even as I fall asleep at night.
“Are you pregnant? Run into an ex at the gala?” he asks, pressing me on the issue.
“Neither. I’m just coming down with something.” I can see he doesn’t believe me, but he’s acting like he wasn’t staring me down ready to tear off my clothes at the gala. And for some reason for that split moment, I wanted him to do it. I freaked and ducked out of sight until he found me downing a glass of wine like a mom on her one night out in a decade. When he sees me, his concern is immediate, but my interest in him disappeared. It’s as if the lighting changed everything. I don’t know. It’s not that James isn’t hot, but I’ve never been sexually attracted to him. I don’t feel anything other than respect for him. It’s killing me to have this weirdness between us.
“Fine. Why don’t you take some time off for the rest of the day? I’ll deal with the rest of the files,” he offers.
“No. It’s my job. And I have like an hour left anyway,” I remark, looking down at my watch. Damn, this is going to be the longest hour in the world.
A knock at the door startles us because all the employees except security have gone for the day. James waves me off from opening it, then does it himself. “Fuck, I’m losing my mind. I can’t find her,” a voice similar to James growls out. I don’t see his face since I’m just behind the door. He takes a seat in the chair in front of James’s desk with a plop.
“Dean. What the hell? You look like shit,” James exclaims, sitting on his desk in front of the guy. My hand is shaking, and my pulse quickens. It’s like everything in the room has changed. The air is charged.
“I haven’t slept in days. I tried to get a damn guest list for the party, but without a damn subpoena, that shit isn’t going to happen.” I slowly lower my file onto the open file drawer I was working in.
James gives me a curious look before a dawning comes over his face. “Dean, I’d like you to meet my assistant, Nancy Collins.”
He whips his head around, and I’m floored. His hair is mussed and his beard fuller. I can’t take my eyes away from him. He’s on his feet before I can even catch my breath.
“You’re a twin?” I gasp out, my chest rapidly rises and falls with adrenaline tingling every nerve in my body.
“I didn’t mention that? Sorry. This is my brother Dean,” James says as if it’s nothing big. It distracts me for just a moment, but the need to look at his brother forces my gaze back to the man creeping closer to me. My heart’s racing like it did the other night. I can feel my legs actually tremble and my pussy clenching. This is weird and confusing. How could I be attracted to one and not the other? I know nothing about Dean, and yet, he calls to me. I take a step back nervously when I knock into the filing cabinet’s edge. I can feel the scrape sting, but I do my best to ignore the pain.
“Nancy, I’ve been looking everywhere for you, and you were right here this whole time,” Dean says in awe. His voice although close to James is different. I melt to the sound of my name coming from his lips. He stares down at me, his eyes penetrating my soul. I nervously tuck a strand of hair behind my ear. He takes my hand as it comes down to my side and then brings it to his lips, kissing it like a gentleman, but the smile he gives me is anything but gentlemanly. The predator is on the hunt, and I’m the prey.
“I thought you were James,” I let out without thinking. Instantly his face transforms into confusion, then anger and pain. Shit, he thinks I want James.
James interrupts quickly, “That’s what’s up your ass. You thought I was eyeing you like a fucking feast when it was this ass here.”
“Sorry.” Although I’m apologizing to James, I don’t take my eyes off Dean.
“You’re in love with my brother, aren’t you?” Dean asks; heartbreak written all over his face. He grabs my hand, holding as if he can change my mind.
I shake my head. “No. I’m not.” Relief shows immediately in that scruffy face of his.
My phone started vibrating in my pocket. I didn’t usually answer it during work hours, but I needed a breather. I pushed the door almost closed, scooting around Dean then I excuse myself. “I have to take this.” I walk back over to my desk, feeling Dean’s eyes on me the entire time. Then my phone pings while I answer the call from my mother. It’s a text. If you need to go, I’m good. I’ll keep him here.
“Hey, mom, what’s up?” I ask, avoiding the message. I want to go, but a larger part of me doesn’t want to leave Dean’s side. It’s freaking nuts.
“Your brothers are on their way.”
I blanch, and stammer out, “On their way, where?” I tap my desk like she can see me. “Chicago?”
“Yes, they saw the Insta-thingy online or something. With you and the comments from your boss.”
“What? I don’t know what you’re talking about?” I challenged.
“Call them and find out what’s going on. I’m not sure what they were talking about.” She sounds annoyed with me, but I’m going to let that shit go. She’s my mom, and there’s a level of respect she deserves even if I don’t deserve her ire.
“Um…okay.” I hang up and call Mitch. He doesn’t answer, then I try the next two dummies and get the same response. Fucking assholes better not be here. I’m going to have some serious words for them.
Dean is still standing by the doorway as I pull up Instagram. I have an account, but I’ve never used it. I search for my name and can’t see what they’re talking about. I don’t find anything about me. Then I look up James Black. There’s the picture of me at the gala, and it’s the precise moment I’m staring at Dean. I read the comments, and one strikes me in the chest. She’s mine. I look at the person’s comment, and it’s From Mr. Black1987. I know it’s Dean, but they think it’s James. I click on his Instagram page, but there’s nothing on it, except that picture. No friends or anything like that. Did he create an account just to make a comment? I can’t believe it.
I storm up to him; my heels clicking with each step. "Did you post this?" I ask Dean, pointing my phone in his face with Instagram up.
He takes my phone and looks at it before he nods with a smile. "That I did. I'm making sure they all know you belong to me." He finishes his words with a serious stare, handing me back my phone without letting go of my hand.
I pull it away roughly. "Belong to you? Ha. I don't even know you," I argue pointlessly. I can feel that I'm fighting the inevitable. My body already agrees with him. It’s insane the way I want him when we’ve only just met.
He reaches up with his hand and skims his thumb along my jaw. "That's fine. We have a lifetime for that." I shiver from his touch and close my eyes to get a hold of myself. It’s unbelievably difficult to restrain my need to into whatever he desires.
"I need to go. Excuse me,” I exclaim, trying to move past him.
“What?” he asks, flabbergasted.
“I can’t do this right now.” I wave my hands up in the air. If I don’t get out of here, I’ll cave. My entire body zings with electricity
“Do this? Talk to me?”
I wave my hands at him. “No, your whole claim-y type…sexy thing you’re doing. I have to go home.” I’m so frazzled that I step around my desk forgetting my purse and have to go around again to pull it from my bottom drawer.
“Good, we can talk there. Then I can do my claiming in your bed.”
“You’re not getting anywhere near my bed. My brothers are flying in, and they are less than likely to appreciate that.”
“Fine. I’m going to see you tomorrow. Do what you have to do because we’ll be seeing each other there, brothers or no brothers.” He leans down and brushes his lips against mine. I should be appalled or something, but I’m not. Instead, I press my lips together as if to keep the sensation as long as possible. “I’ll walk you to your car.” He turns to James and adds, “I’ll talk to you later.” I sense a threat in his words. What was that about?
He presses his hand to the small of my back as we wait for the elevator to open. I slightly angle my head his way to take in his profile. The man is gorgeous. I know he’s a twin, but to me, it’s as if they’re two completely different people. His jaw tightens, then I feel his hand bunch up the material of my light jacket. We enter and move to the back wall. No one is on here because it’s James’s private elevator, but there are cameras on here. Dean takes my hand in his, holding it as if this is just our thing we do. I love it. It’s all new to me, but I want it. Electricity shoots between us, and I turn my head to see if he feels a modicum of what I am. He’s staring at me, and before I can say a word, he pushes me up against the elevator wall and slams his mouth onto mine. Our mouths ravage each other while our hands slide all over. Dean grabs my thigh and lifts it around his waist with his pelvis pinning me to the wall.
“Mine,” he mutters against my lips. His hands cup my ass then the elevator dings. “Oops,” he says with a laugh. He doesn’t set me on my feet; instead, he carries me out of the elevator and into the underground garage.
“Put me down.” He sets me on my feet, making sure I slowly glide down his body. He tenses then release me.
“Which one is your car?”
“Here.” I stop in front of my car.
“The Lexus?” he questions. I can see his hands clench.
I nod. He looks a little put out. I wonder if he thinks this is a gift from a boyfriend or something. I can’t afford one just yet on my own. I decide to take it easy on him. “Yes, it’s a gift from my brothers when I graduated.”
He visibly relaxes immediately, and I know that my theory was correct. “You have some generous brothers.”
“They definitely are with my mother and me.” They won’t be generous when it comes to whatever this relationship becomes. They need to cut the strings already. I don’t get their insane worry about me. It’s not like my mom made a mistake the first time. It was only after losing the love of her life did she get scammed into a terrible relationship.
“Get in. There’s a lot to talk about, and I want to do it in private. I’ll follow you to your place.”
“Okay.” I nod and get in my car. As soon as I start the engine, I take a deep breath then pull out. He climbs in his own Lexus, then follows behind me. I can’t even explain why I’m doing what he wants. It’s not like me. He was only supposed to walk me to my car.
Chapter 4
Dean
I know I'm domineering, but I feel insane. My heart’s dancing in my chest, and it’s hard to concentrate on anything other than her lips. I follow behind her as she makes her way to her apartment. It’s difficult to explain the change in me since I saw her, but I’m not sure I care to explain to anyone. She’s mine, end of story. There’s nothing that matters more than that fact. My family would understand. This once in a lifetime love is just in our nature. I want to hold onto her and never let her go. I can’t imagine not having her in my life. I pull in behind her in the parking lot to her apartment building. As I walk up to her, her cell phone goes off, and I read the name. Mitch before she answers it. Who the fuck is that? I think to myself. I need to calm down because even if there’s someone else in the picture, they won’t be there for long.
“You’re coming home,” Mitch shouts over the phone. I’m heated in a heartbeat.
“No, the fuck I’m not,” she shouts back.
Good girl. I can see she’s shaking and it pisses me off that she’s that upset. I’m seething inside. Technically it’s not my place but seeing her on the verge of tears burns a hole in my chest. And it’s going to be my place very soon.
“What?” he roars, and I’ve had enough.
I snatch the phone away from her. “Who the fuck is this?” I ask.
“Who the fuck are you? Black?” he asks.
I chuckle, then confirm it. “Yes, I am. Who the fuck are you?”
“I’m her brother, and you’re going to stay away from my sister.”
That’s a definite no can do, and from the way Nancy pulse increases when she looks at me I know I’m not alone in this feeling. “Nope, not going to happen.”
“The fuck it ain’t. I’ll ruin you.” What the fuck does he think he’s going to do? Tell my bosses or the Bar Association that I’m dating a woman of legal age. I don’t even have a damn speeding ticket on my record. They have nothing.
“Mitchell, do yourself a favor and back the fuck down. I’m not letting anyone take Nancy from me. She’s mine. And I don’t give a fuck how mad you are about it. She’s your grown sister, not your daughter or wife, so back off.” I end the call, powering it off and slipping it into my pocket.
“They’re just going to show up,” she tells me like this is futile. Fuck no. We’ve barely shared a conversation together. We need time alone. I plan to spend a lifetime getting to know this woman, but it’s not going to be in the presence of anyone else. Selfishly, I want all her attention. At least for the weekend. We both have to work on Monday, so for the next forty-eight hours plus, she has my undivided attention. I don’t care who finds it crazy. It’s fate, and it’ll be fucking forever.
“Then let’s go. I don’t give two fucks what they want. I want to get to know you.” I slip my arm around her waist and pull her to my side.
“This is too crazy. We don’t even know each other.”
“Well people are trying to stop me from knowing you, and that’s not going to work for me.” I lower my head, and she responds by tilting her head up. I close the distance, pressing my lips to hers, taking the kiss I craved. I pull back because my control is slipping. This isn’t just about sex. My heart fell hard and fast that night, and I can’t breathe without her.
“We need to talk,” I say, leaning back in for another taste of her.
“Yes, we do, but I don’t think it’s smart to talk here. My brothers are supposedly on their way from Montana.”
“Fine. Let’s discuss things over dinner.” I take her hand and lead her to my car. I’m not bringing her back here tonight, but she doesn’t need to know that. I’ll wait to make her completely mine, but fuck if I can even fathom spending another night without her.
Chapter 5
Nancy
I let him help me into the car. I really don’t want to be here when my brothers come. It’s not like they have access to my apartment, but I’m not ready for the confrontation. Why is it that I can’t have a life of my own? I love them, and I know they love me, but it’s suffocating and worrisome. They do it because my mom wants us all to be safe, but I’m the youngest, so I need the most protection from the world’s evils.
He climbs into the driver seat and turns to me with his deep honey eyes and asks, “Are you okay, Nancy?” How does he make it sound like he’s claiming me when he says my name? I want him in ways I’ve never wanted anyone before.
My breath catches at his concern. He’s i
ncredibly handsome. “Yes, I am. I need to be allowed to live my life the way I please,” I complain, pressing my lips together in frustration. He nods, then pulls out of the parking lot. I don’t know where he’s taking me, but I don’t care either. He could bring me back to his place and spread me out on his bed, and I would be thoroughly pleased. I feel safe and warm in his arms, and I want more of it. How can that be possible? It’s crazy, but I won’t fight it.
He takes my hand in his, intertwining our fingers over the center console. “Have they always been this way with boyfriends?” That’s a loaded question.
“Boyfriends,” I scoff. He eyes me briefly before turning his gaze back to the road.
“So you’ve been working for my brother for a while now. How do you like it?” I feel the tension radiating off of him. His jaw is taut, clenched as he waits for me to respond.
I rub my thumb over his before I answer. “I like it. James is nice to me. And well, it’s not hard just busy during the workday.”
“That’s good,” he mutters.
I give his hand a squeeze. “I’m not interested in your brother if that’s what you’re thinking.”
“It’s not something easy to let go. He met you first…and…” He hesitates, and I want to kiss him for it. Damn, even his vulnerability is sexy.