Boss Rules: A Knocked Up Romance

by Jenna Gunn

  Holy god damn!

  Hottest thing I ever felt.

  A big fucking proud grin lights up my face.

  Pulling her tightly against me, I feel every quake and shiver her body makes as she comes down.

  Shortly after, we’re suddenly bouncing into the parking lot of a Maverick gas station. Raven’s not even back on earth yet; she’s out there in some kind of blissful orbit. “Sorry, babe.” Sliding her off my lap, I bolt out the door. My cock is all jacked, and I have to do some man-justing to walk. Not that I give a fuck if anyone can tell I’m sporting grade A wood. I need to be able to move fast.

  The young woman behind the counter eyes me with a grin when I toss a box of XL condoms on the counter. As I pay, I realize the smell of Raven’s delicious sex is all over me. If anything would drive a man to hustle, that would. Yanking the door open, I stride back to the SUV and hurl myself inside.

  Raven smiles the sexiest fucking smile at me. She’s still dazed, her eyes half-closed. I nod to the driver, and the guy backs out, gunning it into the street. That tip he’s getting just got bigger.

  Less than three minutes later, we arrive at the very same hotel where all this madness began. Seemed appropriate.

  Raven’s drunk with pleasure when we slide out of the backseat, and I’m well into a tequila buzz. Before he drives away, I lean back in and smile at my new hero. “You earned a big fat tip, man.”

  He laughs as I slam the door and take off with Raven. I’m sure we both look like quite the pair. Her cheeks are flushed, her hair is all wild, and my shirt is half hanging out, but the clerk doesn’t even ask a single question when I toss my ID and credit card on the counter and request room 206.

  In record time, I’ve got the room key in my palm.

  21

  Chapter 21

  When the hotel room door clicks closed behind us, I feel like it’s a sign, a deal we’ve sealed together.

  We’re in.

  This is happening.

  We’re officially a thing—a thing that might get us fired.

  Somehow, at this moment, the risk seems insignificant compared to my hunger for the man standing in front of me.

  Bryce stands perfectly still, just watching me.

  I can’t help but wonder, so I ask, “You wanted the same room?”

  “We had unfinished business here.”

  “Oh yeah?” Where’s he going with this?

  “I want to leave in the morning without feeling like it’s the last time…” He takes a step toward me and closes the distance with one of his long strides. “And I couldn’t be happier.”

  My eyes grow misty. “I feel the same.”

  Reaching for me, he glides a hand behind my back and finds the zipper of my borrowed dress.

  He gently, reverently, lowers the straps and skims the navy blue silk down over my body. “So beautiful. I’m a very lucky man.”

  I shiver under his touch—ache pools in my nipples.

  “Put your hands on me,” he orders.

  I reach out, slowly unbutton his shirt, and slide my hands inside as he grazes the back of his fingers over the ultra-sensitive skin of my breasts.

  Pressing the shirt back off his shoulders, I glide my fingertips over his strong delts, down over his biceps. They make my mouth water. “I love these,” I say as I mold my palms over his thick arms.

  He angles out of the shirt and puts his hands back on me, skimming them down over the curve of my hips. For an instant, I feel self-conscious, but the heat in his eyes makes my insecurity flee.

  Heat pools in my core as his fingers slide down, down over my belly, and dip between my legs.

  “Getting you off in that Uber—” He clicks his tongue, “Hot, hot, hot.”

  My face flames. “I can’t believe I let you do that.”

  His laugh sounds oh so male. “I knew you’d come so hard, so fast.”

  “I did. I barely contained a scream.”

  “Thought you weren’t a screamer,” he teases.

  Rolling my eyes, I push on his chest. “Cocky bastard.”

  Bryce pulls me against him. “I can’t wait to see what you do tonight.”

  I burrow my face against the smooth, warm skin of his thick chest. “Shhhh. You’re talking too much.”

  Suddenly, he scoops me up, hooking his arm beneath my knees, and his other arm behind my back. He places the sweetest kiss against my temple as he carries me across the room.

  The hunger in his eyes is primal as he steps back and drops his hands to his belt. His Caribbean blue eyes lock on mine as he slowly slides his pants and boxer briefs, down, down, down. That big cock of his stands proudly, aiming at me, making me shiver with anticipation.

  Reaching for me, Bryce locks his hands around my inner thighs. “I want your beautiful pussy in my mouth.”

  “Oh!” I gasp as he yanks me toward him.

  I know I’m in trouble when he lowers down to his knees and positions my thighs over his shoulders.

  Before I can catch a breath, the man goes in for the kill.

  His tongue lashes against me in a broad stroke as his fingers clamp possessively onto my thighs.

  I lose all conscious thought.

  Brain off. Pussy on.

  Nothing but his mouth and my throbbing sex exist.

  “Eeeeeeee…” a keening sound manages to escape from my seized up lungs.

  I have no idea what he’s doing. All I know is it feels fucking amazing.

  I didn’t think I could orgasm again so soon after the car explosion, but boy, was I wrong.

  Is that a second finger inside me?

  Oh yes.

  His mouth feels so good as he sucks on my clit with a gentle tug.

  Whatever he does, he does it like a champ.

  My legs shake around his ears, and my back arches violently.

  “Yes, oh! Yes, I, yessss…killing…me.”

  And suddenly, I light up like a bottle rocket.

  Wow! Hello, the Fourth of July!

  I’ll take this any day over some stinking fireworks. I’m pretty sure shimmering sparklers of ecstasy just burst out of my vagina.

  I wanna do that again.

  A gentle hand brushes damp hair away from my face. The bed dips down as Bryce moves in next to me. I’m a limp noodle. I close my eyes again and savor all the little zingers of energy in my clit.

  Bryce’s chuckle rings of satisfaction. “Not a screamer, huh? And by the way, Raven, you taste so good. Like an aphrodisiac.” He leans in and kisses my face, my neck, my collarbone.

  “Mm, thank you. But I can’t move right now.

  “Don’t worry. You don’t need to do anything. I’ve got ya.”

  Trying with all my might, I work to peel an eye open. When I do, he’s there, smiling with those amazing blue eyes full of affection. My heart melts and runs all over the inside of my ribs, filling me up with gooey warmth.

  Somehow, I drag a hand up off the bed and reach for his face. “I’m glad you’ve got me,” I whisper.

  The little clock on the bedside table reads 1:15 when Bryce wakes me. “Hey,” he whispers. “You awake?”

  “Not completely. How can you expect me to be when you made me come four times since eight o’clock?”

  His arms cinch around me tighter and pull me to his warm chest, my back to his front. He nuzzles into my hair. If this were another time and another life, I’d wish this were the moment where he would whisper his love for me.

  But that’s not what this is about. We’re a secret item, and that’s all this can be.

  “What are you thinking?”

  Laughing, he kisses my cheek. “I’m starving.”

  “I hope for Chips and Salsa, and not me because I need at least like a ten-minute break.”

  “Yes! Mexican food sounds great.”

  With a laugh, I roll onto my back and twist around in the bed so I can see his handsome face. “Where in the world are you going to get Mexican at one in the morning?”

  “Doordash
, of course.”

  “Thank god, because I don’t think I’d be presentable to go out in the world right now. I’m not sure if I’ll ever walk right again.”

  Bryce skims a hand down my body and squeezes playfully at my butt cheek. “I thought you were a cowgirl.”

  Laughter bursts from me. “I’m from Texas. I’m not a cowgirl. I’ve only ever been on a horse once.”

  “Can you cook brisket?”

  “What? You’re a nut.”

  “Isn’t brisket a big Texas thing?”

  “It is. And yes, I can, but not now. You’ll have to rely on someone else to do that tonight because I’ve nearly been orgasmed to death. Not to mention, it takes a long time to cook brisket right.”

  Bryce reaches out and palms his phone. “What do you want?”

  “Are you serious?”

  “When am I not serious?”

  “Good point. Are you really ordering Mexican food?”

  “Doesn’t a Carne Asada burrito sound amazing?”

  “Okay, so maybe we do speak the same language. Yes, and get me a big Horchata if they have it.”

  “Oh, that’s a good idea. I could use some fluids. You’ve drained me dry.”

  I smack at him. “That was not my doing.”

  While we wait on food, I lay across Bryce’s muscular arm. He eyes me for a second, affection in his gaze. Then an emotion slides over his face, and I feel it right in my heart.

  A lock of my hair glides between his fingers as he twirls it around. “What are we going to do, Raven? I want more of this.”

  If only I knew what to do. My voice is sad when I say, “I’m not sure.”

  “Why are you here?”

  “You brought me here.”

  “No, why are you in this job, living in Lynn’s Cove?”

  “It’s been a dream of mine forever. I came to the beach here with my mom and some guy she was seeing when I was about thirteen. For the longest time, I’ve held onto the beautiful places I saw on that trip and the feel of the ocean here. It was like paradise.” I find myself smiling. “I always loved the water, so I knew being a lifeguard was something I could do. I started lifeguarding when I was in high school. It put food on the table. I began to see it as a career that didn’t require college, and that was good because I was dirt poor. Eventually, I worked my way down to the coast in Texas and worked on the ocean. I went to college at night and got a degree in public safety on loans.”

  Sighing, I add, “I guess I made a lot happen given the situation. But California has always been on my mind. And here, a job with the county gives me more opportunities like benefits and better pay. It’s my chance to have some of the things I have always wanted. So I packed up and came on a wing and a prayer.”

  Bryce’s fingers find mine, and he pulls them to his lips. “You are a remarkable woman.”

  “Thanks. That’s very kind of you. There’s really nowhere else I want to be.”

  His voice carries the sadness I feel when I think about the dilemma we’re in. “I feel the same. We’ll be careful, and we can hide if we keep it casual.”

  “I don’t know…”

  “It scares the fuck out of me too.”

  “Then why are we doing it?”

  His eyes narrow. “Are you done with this? Because I’m not.”

  I look at where his fingers are curled around my hand. What does keep it casual mean to him?

  Fuck buddies?

  Friends with benefits?

  Is sex worth everything that’s at risk for me?

  If I’m truthful, my heart is not okay with being fuck buddies.

  I’m scared to death of the L word. But for some damn reason, my heart wants this incredible man to feel something more for me than just a casual lay.

  Wanting makes me mad enough to spit nails. “I don’t know. Do you know how hard this will be to hide?”

  “Yeah, I do. I live in a big compound with practically my whole family. It’s not like I can just retreat to my own house and do whatever I want. Their houses are all around me.”

  “I have a roommate. It won’t work there either.”

  “Hotel, then,” he offers.

  Frustration fills my voice. This is an insane conversation. “I don’t have the money for that. I’ve got debt, and I’m living on a shoestring.”

  “I’ve got the money. Don’t worry about that.”

  Sitting up, I swing my legs over the bedside and pull away. “I’ve lost my mind.”

  “We both have. But you know, sometimes, that’s a good thing.”

  “I have one request.” Turning back, I look at him in all his glory, stretched across the white sheets. “While we’re doing this, whatever this is, I’d appreciate it if you don’t sleep with any other women. It’s not that I’m claiming you or making this anything more than it is. I just don’t want to be the Wednesday girl and find out you’ve got a Friday girl and a Sunday girl too.”

  I see his jaw tighten. “Is that what you think I am?”

  “Rumor precedes you.”

  Rising, he stalks toward me. “Rumor? Like what?”

  “You’re a player with a cold heart. With playthings for when you need a fix.”

  Bryce draws up short, and his brow drops into a scowl. “You really think I have a bunch of tail on speed dial?”

  His harsh words bite into me.

  Tail. I hate that word. “I don’t really know you.”

  The muscles of his throat work harshly. “I guess you don’t. What those people don’t know about me is the truth. My fucking heart got stomped to pieces. It doesn’t even work anymore, so there’s nothing to give someone. It’s not just cold; it’s dead. Sure, I might go out with someone occasionally. Maybe even have sex, god forbid, but I’m far from a player.”

  I’m suddenly freezing cold. Crossing my arms over my body does little to fix the chill inside me. “What is this, then? Why did you come here that night and devour me like an animal?”

  “I wish I knew. Something clicked. You did something to me, and I can’t explain it. The chemistry between us is off the charts.” Anger dances in his eyes. “What about you? I don’t know you. Do you invite strange men to your hotel room all the time?”

  My eyes widen. “God, no! I’ve never done anything like this before.”

  His shoulders ease down some in relief, and his breath leaves on a sigh.

  A sudden chirping sound startles me, and it takes a moment for me to realize it’s a text on his mobile—our delivery.

  Bryce eases up to me and pulls me against his tall body. “We’ll take it one day at a time.”

  I nod into his shoulder as his hand glides down my hair.

  Then he steps away, leaving me chilled again. He slips on his dress pants and leaves.

  I guess the no shoes no shirt thing doesn’t apply to Bryce, the rule breaker.

  22

  Chapter 22

  By the time the sun comes up, I am dead set on figuring out a way to make this work. Kissing Raven’s forehead, I whisper, “I’ll be back. I’ve got to go get my truck. Sleep in. It’s Saturday.”

  It’s a day off for both of us. I know because I scheduled those who weren’t planning on going to the banquet to work today. I figured there’d be a few hangovers.

  Raven nods, mumbles something incoherent, and falls right back to sleep with a cute little smile curving her lips. I’m glad I can put that look on her face even if it is just because I didn’t schedule her to work.

  I opt out of the dress shirt. I catch my Uber ride wearing only my white undershirt, suit pants, and shoes. It looks a lot like I’ve been on an all-night bender.

  Well, I’ve been known to have a few of those. So that’s not much concern to me.

  With any luck, no one paid much attention to the fact that my truck was still in the parking lot when the banquet ended.

  But I’m sure someone noticed that my truck didn’t come back to Pelican’s Roost last night. That is not a strange occurrence for us Archer m
en—any one of us might be getting laid or simply too sauced up to drive home from a buddy’s house.

  The only worrisome bit is that Raven’s car might also be in the banquet hall parking lot. Now, that could be trouble.

  “Shit,” I grumble. Guess we should have talked about that last night, but I had nothing but hot lust on the brain.

  “What’s that?” The red-headed woman asks from the driver’s seat.

  “Sorry, nothing.”

  A flare of anger rises in my gut. If we’re going to do this, we both have to be more careful. Every detail counts.

  Not that there will be a repeat performance of last night. Everything related to work will be by the books from now on for appearance's sake.

  “Thanks,” is the last and only other word I say to the woman. She probably thought I was a real joy to share her car with. Not that I care. I’ve got other things on my mind.

  My truck looks lonely in the parking lot. Hallelujah!

  I had this terrible image of Raven’s white CRV being nestled right up against my Tundra. Could you say dead giveaway?

  But my gray truck is sitting on the far edge, backed into a corner spot all by it’s lonesome.

  A woman and her overgrown poodle are the only people in sight. She and her frou-frou beast hustle across the lot, heading toward the beach for a sunrise walk.

  When I climb in and turn on the engine, I can’t help but think back to a few hours ago when I parked, cut off the engine, and pocketed my keys.

  Back to the time before I lost my fucking mind.

  Before I officially crossed the line.

  When I had my work ethic intact, and the respect of the men who see me as something.

  However, Raven Carson, my sure demise, happened.

  And god, did she fucking turn me on, turn me inside out, and turn my world upside down.

  There’s no pretending I understand what’s happened to me. Only I’m glad as hell it did and terrified as fuck of what might go down in the end.