"I'm glad she's doing better," Bri said. She stared at the fire, her hands still in Jude's, thinking everything over. "I'm not blameless either, Jude. I should have tried harder. I should have gotten your contact information from Isla."
"I should have known Max was lying. I should have contacted you." He waited until she looked at him, his expression open and warm. "Do you think we can leave those mistakes in the past and start over?"
How could she say anything but yes to the man sitting across from her, the man who'd once been one of her very best friends? But saying yes meant letting go of her anger and hurt, and it meant acknowledging how badly she wanted to lean forward and press her lips to his. It meant acknowledging how much she'd missed him. She wouldn't risk losing him again, and if she gave into her feelings for him, she would lose him. She couldn't fall for him, couldn't sleep with him, and continue to be his friend when their relationship fell apart. And it would fall apart, because she had to go back to Maureen and Addy. She couldn't stay with Jude, couldn't explore what being more than his friend might mean for her. "I'd like that, Jude. I'd like to be your friend again."
He smiled, revealing no indication of concern about her choice of words. He pulled her into his arms and hugged her. "It's so good to see you again, Brianne. I've missed you."
"I've missed you, too," she said, pulling out of his arms even though she wanted nothing more than to lift her head and taste his skin. She leaned back in her seat, breaking all contact with him. She settled into the comfy chair and focused on the hypnotic flames.
They sat in silence for several long moments, Bri's eyelids getting heavier and heavier, the fire warming her to the point that she began to sweat a bit, her skin tingly and hot. She glanced over at the pool, its depths so pretty and inviting. She couldn't remember the last time she'd had a swim without a child hanging on her neck, asking her to play or take her into the deep end. She stood and stretched, the night air electric and alive around her.
"You might want to avert your eyes," she said. And, without further warning, she pulled her dress over her head, kicked off her shoes and ran for the pool. She jumped in with a whoop and a cannonball, delighted by the splash she'd made. The water, warmed by the heat of the day, felt just right against her overheated skin, cool, but not cold. Perfect. Also, the perfect distraction from thoughts of what she wanted to do with Jude.
A moment later, water splashed her face and she laughed and spun away. She swam to what she figured was a safe zone and turned to find Jude up close and personal, grinning.
"Yeah, yeah, you got--"
He cut her off by splashing her face. She wiped her eyes, prepared to retaliate, but he'd already swum away, to the other side of the pool. She bit back a smile while she glared at him. They hadn't played this game since they were pre-teens. It was a sort of water tag, but instead of tapping someone, you splashed them.
Unless things had changed drastically, Jude was a faster swimmer than she was, and he had longer arms. If she wanted a shot at beating him, she would have to use her brain.
As romantic as the pool lights were, they made an underwater sneak attack impossible. Bri swam in Jude's direction. "Aren't we too old for childish games?" she asked.
He chuckled, the sound deep and husky. It vibrated against the base of her spine and made her body smile. "I would have agreed with you a week ago, but with you around, I'm not feeling much like an adult."
She bit back her smile and forced a pout, diving in deep to the childish feeling. "You're a lot bigger than me now than you were a decade ago, Jude Cassidy. This is an unfair battle."
"Is there such a thing as a fair battle?"
As soon as she felt she was in range, she spun and kicked as hard as she could in Jude's direction. When she stopped, sure she'd gotten him, she found herself face to face with him again, just in time for him to splash her and flee.
She took off after him, but there was no way she could catch him or reach him with a splash. Remembering a trick from her younger days, she swam to the edge of the pool, propelled herself out and ran as fast as she could toward the other end of the pool where Jude was so cowardly hiding. She launched herself as high into the air as she could, planning a cannonball that would splash over the edges of the roof. An epic cannonball that Jude would never forget. Before she hit the water, though, strong arms wrapped around her.
She did manage to splash him as her body entered the water, catching her didn't protect him from the splash zone, so she felt some satisfaction. Some, but not enough. She smiled sweetly, reached back, and splashed him with her free hand.
Unfortunately, he didn't drop her. Even with water in his eyes, he managed to grab her free hand and pin it to her body. "Admit defeat," he said.
She wriggled, but he held firm. He'd gotten stronger since the last time they'd played this game and she hadn't been thinking about how much better those hard, warm muscles felt against her bare skin since the last time he'd held her and tried to force her to yell uncle.
He wiped the water from his eyes, his grin fading as he looked down at her and then farther down. She followed his gaze to see that her white bra, sturdy and comfortable as it was, had been no protection against the water and had left very little to the imagination. The way Jude held her wasn't helping, because her breasts were squished together and up as though they were on display for his perusal.
Huh, her boobs actually looked pretty damn good like this. If she could find a bra that had this same effect . . .
He cleared his throat. "Admit defeat and I'll let you go."
She raised her eyes to his and saw only heat and desire in them. She loved the way he looked at her, loved that he so clearly wanted her. It had been a long, long time since she'd felt wanted or sexy. And it might be a long time before she felt that way again. But no matter how good it felt, keeping things in the friend zone was the absolute smart choice. Getting involved with him physically would . . . Well, it would probably be the most fun and excitement she'd had in forever. She dropped her eyes to his lips, those full, kissable lips. "No touching." Oops, she hadn't meant to say that aloud. She took in the view of his hard chest, so close to her own. "No tasting." She licked her lips at the very thought and Jude groaned. "And absolutely no pleasuring."
"Admit defeat so I can let you go before I do something we'll both regret."
"Will you, though?" She leaned closer and stretched her neck until her lips were close to his. "Or are you like me? Are you tired of being responsible? Of making the smart choices? Of always doing the right thing?" Because she was so tired, so very, very tired of always being good. She hadn't been that way when Jude had known her. She'd been a free spirit, even a little bit wild, always looking for a new way to rebel, to feel good.
"I prefer it to chaos."
"Is that what I am to you, Jude?" she said, her whole body yearning for him. "Am I chaos?"
"You're chaos. You're insanity. You're loss of all good sense."
She opened her mouth to argue, but his lips dropped to hers and he kissed her. She forgot what she'd been about to say, forgot what they'd been talking about, and got lost in the sensation of his lips on hers, of the water lapping against her bare skin as he held her. For the first time in years, she enjoyed the moment, thrilled to every sensation and made the most of it, because Jude had a track record for being skittish and might end the kiss at any moment.
Except, he didn't end the kiss. He pressed his tongue to her lips, and she opened for him, swirling into the abyss of pleasure and need. Or maybe she was literally swirling? Suddenly her back was against the side of the pool, her legs wrapped around his waist, his hands roaming as he pressed his hardness against her center.
She moaned into his mouth, praying he never stopped kissing her, never stopped touching her.
But then he did. He broke away and lifted her out of the pool and onto the concrete.
He looked up at her, his gaze roaming over her body like she was his favorite meal and he hadn't eaten in six
weeks. She shivered and not just because the air was quickly cooling her body.
He pulled himself out of the pool and to a stand next to her in one fluid movement. He cupped her face in his hands, the move tender, as his gaze roamed her face, looking for reassurance or . . . Something she felt empowered to give him. "If we do this, I won't be able to go back to being platonic," he said. "If we do this, it's until one or both of us is ready to call an end to it all, to walk away completely."
She hesitated, doubt creeping in. She didn't want to lose Jude, but more than that she needed the money she'd earn from him more than she needed him, more than she needed a moment of freedom and pleasure. "And if that happens before my six weeks is up?"
Horror crossed his face. "I would never. . ." He shook his head. "Your job is safe for the entire six weeks. If I have to work from home for part of those six weeks because you can't stand my face, you'll still have a job. I wouldn't fire you because of something that happened between us personally." He stroked a finger over her cheek. "And I'd prefer you not quit. I need to have a competent assistant until Raymond is back."
She should have found the willpower to do the smart thing and let him go. Keep their relationship platonic. Unfortunately, with him touching her, with his face filling her vision, walking away was damn near impossible. "Deal," she said. "Now kiss me before I change my mind."
He took a step back, doubt clouding his expression again. Clearly, he couldn't turn off his brain, couldn't stop thinking of all the reasons he shouldn't touch her. It was so like him, but it wasn't like her. She'd made her decision and she wasn't going to back down, not when her body throbbed with want.
She reached back and unhooked her bra, letting it fall to the ground at her feet. It had been a long time since a man had seen her entirely naked and she fought the urge to cover herself. She slid off her panties and stepped away from the wet material.
She spread her arms wide. "I'm here now, Jude, and I want you. I want to keep feeling as good as you make me feel. But you have to decide. No more changing your mind or going hot and cold on me. Decide. Either we do this, or I go back to being nothing more than your employee. There's no middle ground left for us."
He walked toward her as though possessed. His hands found her hips and drifted over her ass before his mouth moved. "We do this," he said. "I can't live with myself if I don't taste you at least once."
He lifted her and set her down on one of the comfy chairs and dropped to his knees between her legs. He pressed his face close to her center and breathed her in before kissing her inner thighs, each in turn.
She was so turned on that she almost shot off the chair when he dragged his tongue over her center. "Holy futon," she shouted.
He didn't give her a moment to catch her breath. He moved straight to her clit and provided a suction and friction that had her seeing stars in the smog-filled sky. Just when she was about to lose it, he stopped and moved more slowly, exploring her, moaning like she was the best thing he'd ever tasted.
He teased her until she begged for him to give her what she wanted. He gave her everything she wanted and so much more. She exploded, her body rising and shattering into a million, pleasure-made pieces. She lay back on the chair, bones like jelly, pleasure reverberating through every blood vessel and cell.
He rose to his feet and she reached for him. She was so ready for him, wanted him so badly to fill her, to drive hard into her. But he stepped out of reach.
"We should go," he said. "It's only going to get colder."
Already he was pulling back and she couldn't let that happen. She couldn't handle him going cold on her again, and there was only one fool-proof way she knew to drive all good sense out of a man's brain.
She slid off the chair and knelt at his feet. The concrete was hard under her knees, but it was also warm. The way Jude was looking down at her, his body vibrating like he was on the edge of some cataclysmic shift, she could care less about a little knee pain.
She gripped his hard length through his boxer briefs. "It's my turn," she said.
He wove his fingers through her hair and gripped her head. "No, Brianne. I need . . .I just need a moment . . . I feel . . ."
"Like you aren't in control?" she said. "Like you're drowning? I feel that way, too, Jude. Don't leave me here alone. Dive into this with me. Be here with me."
He groaned and grabbed her under the arms. He put her back on the chair, but this time, she held onto the seat back, her ass in the air. "Fuck," he said. "You are perfect. You are so fucking perfect."
He left, but he returned a moment later, his boxers gone. He slid a condom down his length. He gripped her hips and ran his covered length along her center. "No doubts?"
"Not a one," she said. And if she was lying, she would never admit it, even to herself. His touch, the way he made her feel, was a bit like being drunk. It might all fall apart and leave her broken in the end, but at least she'd have the memories. Glorious, pleasure-filled memories. "Please, Jude."
His grip on her hips tightened and he drove into her with one long, hard thrust.
Stars exploded behind her eyes for the second time and her body shivered with pleasure, like a cat in sunlight. Had sex ever felt this good before? She couldn't remember a time. He groaned and moved into a rhythm that matched her mood perfectly, fast and hard and desperate. They had such a short time, they had to make the most of every single moment and in that moment, all she wanted was to keep doing exactly what they were doing.
#
"How's it going?" Raymond asked, strolling in to work five minutes after Bri.
"I think I'm starting to get the basic idea of how to do this job," she said. "But there's still so much I need to learn. I can't believe I only have three more days until you leave me."
He sat next to her behind the desk, looking dapper in camel-colored suit pants and a white dress shirt. "You'll be fine. If you have any problems, call me. I'll just be a few doors down in marketing."
She hoped she wouldn't have to call. She wanted to prove herself to Raymond and Jude. Especially Jude. She glanced toward Jude's office, his untouched coffee cup visible through the open doorway. "Is he usually late?"
Raymond frowned and glanced at his watch. "Never." He bent forward and opened Jude's calendar on the computer. "Oh, right. He's got a meeting downstairs today with the gaming managers. He won't be up until eleven."
She sighed. "I didn't even think to look at his calendar."
"That's because I haven't taught you anything about the calendar, yet. Have you checked his emails for today?"
She nodded and showed him what she'd done. She had to ask Raymond about a few of them, but she was proud that she'd handled ninety percent of them correctly, and before Jude arrived for the day. She glanced at his office again, her chest tight. How would he act when he saw her? Scratch that. She knew exactly how he'd act. He'd be professional and treat her like an employee. Which was exactly what she wanted. She didn't want his eyes to light up when he saw her, didn't want him to lean down and kiss her. That was what a boyfriend would do, and Jude couldn't be that to her. Not that he'd want to be when he found out she was practically a mother, and had her own mother to take care of as well.
If that thought made her a little sad, well, it was leftover emotion from mind-blowing sex and too little sleep. Not that she regretted, either, but in the stark light of day she couldn't help wondering if she should have kept things platonic between her and Jude.
"You're doing great," Raymond said. "Time for the calendar. This is where the fun really starts."
He said it in such a dry, bored tone that Bri couldn't help but laugh.
"Glad to see you two are working hard," Jude said, scowling, as he walked past them and into his office. He barely glanced at Bri before slamming his door.
"Well," Raymond said. "Jude's in a snit. We'd better do some clean-up."
"Clean up?" She glanced at the spotless desk. Her brain stuttered. Jude was mad. Mad at himself and at her, if she
had to guess. Mad he let go of control, or worse, regretting what they'd done together. Damn it. She'd actually let herself look forward to spending more time with him, to seeing more of Vegas with him, but clearly that wasn't going to happen.
Raymond smiled, sympathy in his expression. "I'm guessing something went wrong in his meeting. We need to find out what and . . ." He paused. "Usually, Jude will let me know what happened, if I'm not in on the meeting, but sometimes it's better if I get the other side of the story, too."
"Because Jude won't tell you the truth?" The Jude she'd known had been more likely to veer on the side of too much honesty, but Vegas Jude wasn't the Jude she'd known.
Raymond's eyes popped wide. "Um, no. I've never known Jude to lie, he just . . . He doesn't have the easiest time relating to some of the staff. He's very formal, some would say stiff, and it sometimes causes a problem." He shook his head and held up a hand to stop her asking any more questions. "Not that he's cruel or unfair, but because the staff doesn't always feel heard. They can sometimes interpret his formality as dismissive or cold. I step in when I can to smooth things over."
"Oh, that makes sense. I guess." Nothing about Jude had seemed cold when she'd been in his arms the night before, but she could understand how someone who didn't know him could find him abrupt or unfeeling. She'd never seen him that way, but she'd known other people who had. Girls Jude had dated in high school, friends of his who'd also hung out with Max. "So, what do we do?"
"We make some phone calls."
Raymond gave her a short bio of the gaming managers and called the ones who'd be most likely to have been offended, but they all said the meeting had gone great. They said Jude had been a bit shorter with them than even his usual, but they'd been happy with the results of the discussion.
"Huh," Raymond said after he'd hung up. "He must have had a rough night or something."
"Everyone has a bad day every now and then, right?" she asked, fishing.
How to Lasso a Billionaire Page 12