Break the Rules (The Flanagan Sisters Book 1)

by Claire Boston

  “It is. We’ve already been sent details of the next foster kids we’ll get.”

  It was a never-ending revolving door. More and more children were fleeing Central America unaccompanied. Those who were allowed to stay needed someone to live with and the farm had plenty of beds. Their mother had designed it with that in mind.

  “How’s Alejandra? The baby must be almost due.”

  “It is. We’re in countdown mode now. Her bag is packed for the hospital and Mama’s covered all the necessities with her. She’s going to be fine.”

  Alejandra was fifteen and had been involved with a gang member in El Salvador. She didn’t want her baby becoming part of a gang so she’d fled the country.

  Bridget was worried for the girl. Fifteen was so young to be having a baby, but she knew her mother and the rest of the girls at Casa Flanagan would help her. She would be able to finish her education and make something of her life. Alejandra already spoke about wanting to be a teacher.

  “So what’s new with you?” Zita asked.

  “I’m going to learn to scuba dive next week.”

  Zita’s mouth dropped open. “Get out!”

  Bridget grinned at her. “Yeah. Jack’s given me a couple of days off in lieu and I decided to finally learn to scuba dive.”

  “Sounds awesome. You’ll have to tell me all about it.”

  Feeling comfortable and at home, Bridget proceeded to do just that.

  * * *

  The Monday management meeting was Jack’s least favorite part of the week. It lasted several hours and all they did was talk without any decisions being made.

  “How are the audit actions coming along?” Kevin asked Jack. Now he understood the urgency of the matter, Kevin wanted full updates each meeting.

  “It’s moving quickly now we have the funds,” Jack said. “I’ve hired a couple of contractors to help complete the actions due to the delay in approval.”

  Kevin scowled. “How much is that costing us?”

  “It’s coming from my budget,” Jack assured him.

  “Bridget obviously didn’t budget correctly. I should have guessed she wasn’t capable.”

  Jack reined in his temper. “Her budget was based on the assumption it wouldn’t take three months to get approval. If the authorizers had signed it off immediately we wouldn’t have this problem.” He wasn’t going to let Bridget take the blame.

  “She didn’t communicate the urgency.”

  Oh, he was pretty sure she had. He’d witnessed her passion first-hand. She wouldn’t have pulled her punches for the management team. They just hadn’t listened. But there was no point in making a big deal of it now. What was done was done.

  Besides, he had another issue to raise. “It’s come to my attention that the technicians don’t check their email regularly. Email is one of the only ways we can communicate with the guys who are on night shift. My team has had to work extra hours to speak with them in person, in order to ensure they have the information they need.”

  The production manager straightened in his chair. “Most of the guys are computer illiterate. They wouldn’t know how to use email even if they tried.”

  Jack glanced at him. “Email is an essential part of our communication strategy. If they don’t know how to use it, isn’t it your responsibility to ensure your team has the skills they need?”

  “They work with tools and machinery, not computers. They’re so rarely near one,” he argued.

  “Then I suggest you come up with a better communication strategy so my team doesn’t have to work extra hours. They work long enough as it is.” So, he wasn’t making any friends in today’s meeting. It didn’t matter. Jack wasn’t here to make friends, he was here to make sure the plant’s safety was sufficient and his team wasn’t overworked.

  By the time the meeting was over Jack had made sure the management team understood the status quo wasn’t good enough anymore and he expected their full support. Since safety was theoretically the company’s number one priority, it wasn’t hard to get them to agree. Whether they actually followed through remained to be seen.

  Kevin stopped him on the way out of the meeting and congratulated him on his progress. “It’s nice to see you in charge.”

  “Thanks.” Jack continued to his office. The praise only depressed him further. He wasn’t doing anything differently from Bridget. He slumped into his chair.

  Bridget ducked her head around the door. “Hey, boss, I’ve developed the new safety topics and sent you a link to check them.” She smiled and then frowned. She stepped into the office. “You all right?”

  The sight of Bridget made it all worse, not better. It was the job keeping them from exploring what they could have together. “Rough meeting. I’m not popular with production or maintenance at the moment.”

  “Told them how it is?”

  “Yeah.”

  “Well, you should get a better response. Kevin is raving about you.”

  He frowned. “I’m not telling them anything that you didn’t.”

  “But you’re male, it makes it easier to take. Men expect other men to be forceful. Old school men don’t like it in their women, and Kevin is one of the old boys.”

  Jack didn’t argue with her.

  “Need a hand with anything?” she asked.

  “No, I’ve got it covered. Let me know by Thursday what needs to be done while you’re away.”

  “Will do.” She smiled at him and it did lift his spirits. “It’ll get easier.”

  “I hope so.”

  He wasn’t just referring to the job. Seeing Bridget today after their talk on the weekend was difficult. He could see her point of view, he could even understand it, but it didn’t make it easier. If he ever met this Lionel he wasn’t sure what he’d do. The jackass had ruined his chance with Bridget.

  Jack shook his head. He had to stop obsessing and accept that he and Bridget were colleagues and hopefully friends. That’s all it could be at the moment.

  But he wasn’t ruling out the future.

  * * *

  Sunday evening Bridget practically floated through her front door. Her dive course had been amazing. She’d wanted to stay underwater for longer, but her instructor – and the level of oxygen in her tank – made her head to the surface.

  Jack had been right. It was like exploring another world. She couldn’t wait to go again. The dive shop ran regular dives each weekend if the weather was good. She’d already signed up for next Saturday.

  Walking into the living area she found Tanya reading.

  “Oh good. You’re home.” She shut her book. “Hal’s invited us around for dinner. Are you up for it?”

  Bridget only hesitated for a moment. “Sure. I’ll take a shower before we go.”

  The idea of seeing Jack outside of work set her heartbeat racing faster than normal. It was something she was going to have to deal with. At work she kept her contact with him to a minimum, which wasn’t too difficult. She was busy with her projects and he had his own work. It was only the occasional meeting or update where she had to see him. At those times she ignored her body’s reaction to him, said what she needed to say, and left. It wasn’t getting easier, but at least it was manageable.

  Tonight she wanted to see him. She wanted to talk to him about her dive. He’d understand the elation, she was sure of it.

  It didn’t take her long to get ready and she drove them both over to Hal’s place.

  The living room was comfortable with big, blue cushy sofas. Hal directed them to sit while he got them drinks.

  Jack walked in looking incredible in a pair of red board shorts and a black T-shirt. He was delectable. Bridget looked away before she did something stupid. She was still on her high from the dive and was likely to make impulsive decisions, like asking him to show her his room.

  Not a good idea.

  “How did your course go?” Jack asked after greeting them both. “Are you certified?”

  Certifiable was more like it. Bridg
et gripped the sofa arm. “Yeah. I passed.”

  “Did you enjoy it?” He sat down next to her.

  It was too close in her current mood, but she didn’t care. “You were right. It’s a whole other world down there,” she said. “And being able to stay down, breathe through the respirator, and experience it without any hurry was such an incredible feeling.” She couldn’t describe it.

  “It’s freedom,” he said.

  “Yes!” She placed a hand on his thigh. He understood exactly. Down there, under all of that water, there was no world on the surface, no responsibilities, no plant. There was just the ocean, the animals, and your dive buddy. All there was to do was enjoy the dive.

  “So when are you going again?”

  “Next Saturday. The dive shop runs regular dives. The weather’s going to be perfect and they’re going out to one of the shipwrecks in the Gulf.”

  “Mind if I tag along? It’s been a while since I’ve been diving.”

  “Sure.” Bridget didn’t hesitate. She wanted to experience a dive with him. He knew what to do and he’d love it as much as she did.

  Bridget turned to include Tanya in their conversation, only to find she wasn’t there. Sometime during her conversation with Jack, Tanya must have left and she didn’t notice.

  Suddenly she realized Jack had covered her hand on his leg and was stroking the back of it. Sensation shot up her arm and through her body. She glanced at him, not moving her hand.

  “Sorry, I can’t help myself,” he said.

  Today was too good a day for anger, for responsibility. Today she wanted him to touch her. Today she wanted to experience life. Today she wanted him.

  “I had an idea,” Jack said.

  She waited for him to continue.

  “We can’t date at work – that’s a given.”

  She nodded.

  “But what about the weekend? There’s two whole days when work doesn’t interfere – as long as neither one of us is on call. It seems a shame to waste them.” His eyes were cautious, his tone light.

  It was so tempting. “What would the conditions be?”

  “The work week ends when we both finish work on Friday. It starts when we arrive at work Monday. If we’re on call, that’s considered a work weekend.”

  Bridget considered it. The issues with being involved at work were: the distraction, the gossip, and the potential for blame. But if it was just an occasional weekend thing then it could be classed more as a fling than a relationship. They wouldn’t be distracted because there would be no work involved, no one need to know because they wouldn’t be seen, and she couldn’t be blamed for something that happened outside of work hours.

  Who was she kidding? She wanted him and today she didn’t care about the consequences.

  “Deal.”

  They dove at each other.

  Chapter 10

  Jack dragged Bridget on to his lap and she straddled him. Her lips met his and she sighed in pleasure. This was a damn good idea. She shouldn’t have waited so long. She slipped her tongue into his mouth, tasting, teasing.

  Jack moaned, caressing her breasts, rubbing his thumb over her nipple. She arched against him as heat rushed straight to her core. His fingers slipped under her shirt and brushed her hot skin.

  She tore her mouth away from his and said, “Bedroom. Now.” If they didn’t move, things were going to get indecent.

  She followed him willingly down the hall, not registering whatever it was that Hal said to them as he passed. She didn’t care. All that mattered was Jack.

  He almost carried her into his room, slamming the door behind them and pressing her up against it.

  “Better,” she breathed before he claimed her mouth again.

  Her hands slid under his shirt and he stepped away, stripping it off, before he was back, his body hard against hers. It wasn’t enough. She was wearing too many clothes. She yanked off her top and he unsnapped her bra, finding her breast with his mouth.

  Bridget gasped. “Yes.” Her body sung in a way it never had before.

  Her hands found his hair again and pulled him up so she could taste his mouth. She ached, her whole body pulsing with need. He unbuttoned her shorts, sliding them and her panties off. She stepped out of them as he stepped back.

  “You’re a goddess,” he said, running his hands over her breasts, down to the heat between her legs.

  Sparks flew through her. She felt like a goddess. “I want you.”

  He stripped off his pants. His naked body was sexy as hell. She reached for him, pressing her body against his. “Bed,” she said, pushing him toward it and stalking after him. She shoved him onto the bed and climbed on top of him, straddling him. She captured his mouth, needing him. She didn’t want to wait. “Condoms?”

  He gestured to the bedside table.

  She grabbed what she needed and then sat back. Her hand wrapped around his shaft and his hips jerked. Power surged through her. She sheathed him with rubber and then sheathed him with her body, every nerve ending in her body tingling.

  Bridget paused, her head back, eyes closed as she savored the sensation. Then she opened her eyes, met his, and grinned. “Ready to ride?”

  * * *

  Bridget slid off Jack and collapsed on the bed next to him. Every cell in her body was warm and satiated.

  She hadn’t expected the passion to equal their first night together. She’d only wanted to scratch an itch but it was so much more than that. His body was divine, hard and firm, needing to be touched. Her lust had taken control.

  Glancing at Jack, he didn’t seem to mind.

  She smiled as he cleaned up and then slid back on to the bed with her. He pulled her close and kissed her.

  “I like this new deal,” he said.

  She laughed. “Me too.”

  “Should I apologize to Hal for missing dinner?”

  “We missed dinner?”

  He laughed, such a warm and happy sound that it made her heart sing. “Yeah, about the time I was dragging you into my lair.”

  So that’s what he’d said. “In that case, we probably should. I think he’ll understand.”

  “I’m sure he will,” Jack agreed. “But he can wait a little longer.”

  He took her hand and kissed her knuckles. Her rapid heartbeat slowed to a flutter as his other hand lazily drew circles on her hips. This man made her whole body respond. She wanted him again.

  “So since our new deal doesn’t end until tomorrow morning, you could stay the night,” Jack said, moving from kissing her knuckles to kissing her breasts. “I’ll brave Hal’s wrath and get us something to eat, and then we can hide out here for the rest of the evening.”

  It was far too tempting. Their deal was supposed to be casual, temporary, just for fun.

  Bridget sat up, keeping her voice light. “That would hardly be polite,” she said. “Hal went to all the trouble to cook for us.” She climbed off the bed and began to dress.

  She couldn’t get more involved with Jack. This was just sex. She felt his eyes on her, but she didn’t look at him while she hooked her bra and slipped her shirt over her head. Finally she heard him move behind her.

  “I hope his lasagna is worth it,” Jack said.

  Bridget breathed out a sigh of relief as she turned to him, buttoning her shorts. He pulled his T-shirt on and took her hand. Her hand fit perfectly in his.

  “Let’s go face the music,” he said.

  * * *

  As they entered the kitchen, both Hal and Tanya grinned at them. Bridget’s face heated.

  “Any dinner left?” Jack asked, pulling out a chair at the table for her.

  “We saved you some.” Hal indicated the tray in the oven.

  As Jack dished them up some food, Tanya gave Bridget the thumbs up, grinning widely. Not wanting to discuss it in front of the others, Bridget turned away and hoped the blush wasn’t showing. There was nothing to be embarrassed about. It wasn’t as if Hal and Tanya hadn’t been doing the same thing over
the last few weeks.

  Jack placed a plate in front of her. “Wine?” he asked, holding up a bottle they’d bought at the winery last weekend.

  “Sure.”

  This was OK. He was being casual, friendly. There was none of the intensity she’d felt in his bedroom. There couldn’t be any intensity, not if this weekend thing was going to work. It had to be casual.

  Bridget tasted the lasagna. “This is good,” she told Hal.

  “Glad you like it.”

  They fell into easy conversation.

  When it was time to go home, Tanya came with her, so they could get an early start on their girls’ day.

  Bridget stood at the door to her truck and turned to Jack. “Were there any problems on Friday? Do you need anything for tomorrow?”

  He shook his head. “No work talk, remember,” he said as he pulled her close. “Just you and me.”

  The idea was so tantalizing. Just forget about work.

  He bent his head, lowering his mouth toward hers. “I’ll see you Friday night?”

  She frowned. He’d see her at work on Tuesday. Then she realized what he was doing. “That would be great.”

  “What was the name of the dive company? I’ll book a tour on Saturday.”

  She told him and finally he kissed her. It was a slow kiss, long and luscious, drawing the heat to her core slowly. The fire of earlier was replaced with a long burn, like a log fire on a cold night. Comfort and warmth.

  Breaking the kiss, Bridget looked at Jack, not able to read his expression in the darkness of night. Did he feel it too?

  She hoped not. She had to get her emotions under control and treat this how it should be treated. As a fling.

  She slid into the car, and lowered her window. “Until Friday.”

  She backed out of the driveway and drove off.

  * * *

  “I’m thinking about asking Hal to marry me,” Tanya said as soon as they were on the road.

  Bridget’s jaw dropped and she glanced at her friend to check if she was kidding.

  She wasn’t.

  “Wow. That’s … quick.”

  “I know, it is, right? But I’ve never been so happy. He gets me. And it’s not about the sex, which is fantastic. Some evenings we just sit on the couch and watch television, and others we talk into the early morning. I can talk to him about anything.”