Page 11 of Boss with Benefits (Boss of Seduction #6)

“Before I went to college, I decided I wanted to get rid of my virginity so I could go to school as a woman.” She chuckled. “I know. Sounds stupid to me now, too.”

“Was your first time in high school? He settled back down beside her. “Mine was.” He grinned. “The girl was a year older than me, a cheerleader, and was about to graduate. We did it in my car in the parking lot when I was supposed to be in math class.”

Jessica tried not to smile at the idea of him skipping school to bang a cheerleader. “How was it?”

He groaned. “Probably as bad as you’d expect.

There was a lot of fumbling, a lot of awkward moments, and it was over too soon.

We were both embarrassed, I think. I hardly knew her, so we didn’t bother to talk afterwards.

A few days later, school ended for the year, and I never saw her again.

What about you? Did you have a boyfriend in high school? ”

“I did.” She nodded with a tight smile on her face.

“But he wasn’t my first. My mother told me teenage boys are.

.. fumblers. Sorry.” Jessica released a nervous laugh.

“She advised me to have sex with someone older who knew what they were doing. So when I decided I was ready, she took me to a bar. My mother got me my first fake ID.”

At his shocked expression, she reminded him, “I told you I was a wild child.”

He gestured for her to continue.

“I picked out a guy that wasn’t too much older than me, and my mother spoke to him at length before arrangements were made.”

Brady shook his head as if to clear it. “Are you kidding me? I’ve heard of fathers getting their sons laid, but I have never heard of a mother doing it for her daughter.”

Jessica giggled. “I know it sounds weird, but it was actually kind of cool. My mother was nearby if I needed her. We did it at our house in my bedroom so I would have the home-field advantage. She threatened the guy beforehand and told him not to try anything weird with me. It was a pleasant, positive experience all in all. I’m sure it was better than it would have been if I slept with the boy I was dating. ”

“Guess so.”

“Want to know a secret?” She leaned close to him and whispered, “I wanted you to be my first, but I was afraid you’d break my heart.” She shrugged. “Anyway, I was too embarrassed to tell her I wanted you.”

His eyes hardened, and his voice dripped with self-loathing. “You wouldn’t have wanted me to be your first. Trust me.”

“Why not? The models you hook up with seem satisfied.”

His lips compressed. “I wasn’t talking about how good I am in the sack.”

“Then what?”

“I wasn’t a nice guy. Let’s leave it at that.”

She didn’t want to leave it. The way he said ‘nice guy’ sounded like he thought he used to be trash. The concept didn’t make sense to her. He’d been kind, watching out for her when her mother wasn’t around, and he’d taught her about the business, things no one else bothered to tell her.

“Bet you’ve learned a few things over the years.” She straddled his lap, and waves of golden hair fell over her shoulder to caress the side of his face. She heard his breath catch, and the unexpected sound warmed her insides. “Show me what you’ve learned,” she whispered.

His eyebrows went up. “Are you sure? Here? In the office?”

She shrugged. “It’s a fantasy of mine.”

“Seriously?” He placed parted lips on her throat and sucked on her delicate flesh. “Tell me more.”

A shiver sent a tremor through her entire body. “Promise me you won’t laugh.”

“No.”

She rolled her eyes. “A few times I may have visualized you coming into my office and knocking everything off the desk so you could take me right there like some sort of Viking warrior.”

Laughter rumbled all the way up his chest, deep and sexy.

She playfully punched him in the gut. “Stop. It’s not funny.”

“It’s funny to me, but only because I fantasized the same thing.”

She knocked the chip bag to the floor so they could use the whole couch. As soon as that obstacle was out of the way, his mouth was on hers. She went down on the couch while pulling him on top of her. Her entire body was on fire, and he was the only one who could put it out.

Then she remembered Randy’s private eye. In her weakened, sleep-deprived state, she had forgotten they couldn’t be together until after the custody issue was solved. She didn’t think anyone could see into Brady’s office, but what if they could? What if someone was watching them through binoculars?

Just the thought of being watched was a bucket of ice water in her face.

She pushed him off her and jumped to her feet. “I’m sorry,” she mumbled as she grabbed her things. “I am so sorry. We can’t do this.”

“Jess, wait.”

She heard him calling her name, but she was already closing in on the elevator fast. Being smart sure was hard. She mentally made a note to make it up to Brady after the custody hearing was over and she had her son.

Until then, they would both have to take cold showers.

∞∞∞

“And what is new with you this week?” Deacon asked from his plush chair.

Brady stared up at the ceiling with one bent arm acting as a cushion for his head.

His long legs stretched out to the other end of the couch and were crossed at the ankles.

He tried to relax, but tension had his muscles locked in place.

Maybe it was sexual tension. Seeing Jessica on a daily basis and not being able to touch her was not working for him. Something had to be done and fast.

When he didn’t immediately answer, Deacon jumped in with, “Are you going to ignore me for the whole session? Should I get a book to read?”

Brady sighed. “I have a major headache brewing.”

“What has you tied up in knots, bro? Are you still having problems with your business partner?”

“You met her. What did you think of her?”

“Beautiful,” Deacon said. “But I didn’t spend enough time with her to gather sufficient data to form a genuine opinion. She is a beauty. For sure.”

“She’s more than that,” Brady said. “Jess is intelligent, both book smart and street smart. You don’t find that combination very often.”

“No, you do not.”

Brady could tell Deacon liked Jessica, and the knowledge made him feel better about his recent choices.

He was playing with an idea that would shake up his life, maybe even ruin it, but it would help Jessica.

At the moment, her keeping her son was his main focus.

He would go back to his selfish life later, after he returned the beautiful smile to her face.

From his comfy chair, Deacon spoke while he scribbled something in his notebook. “Are you hooked on this woman?”

Brady shot him a glare, silently warning him to shut up.

Deacon held a hand up to placate him. “Just asking. She’s all you ever talk about now. So I’m asking as your shrink. Not your buddy. How do you feel about her? Is she just a sex toy to you?”

Brady launched to his feet. “No!”

“Okay. Calm down.”

“When I’m with her, I am calm. Totally at peace. She has this effect on me that no other woman, no other person has ever had.”

Deacon chuckled. “Man, you’ve got it bad. If you are falling in love with this woman, tell her.”

Love? Brady shook his head emphatically. “I am not falling for her, and don’t get any ideas about matchmaking. I know married people aren’t happy unless they make all their single friends miserable by coupling them up with someone.”

“I would never.” Deacon smiled. “My lovely wife would, however. If she knew you were enamored with your partner, she would get mad at me for not helping you two crazy kids work it out.”

Brady held a warning finger up. “Deacon, if you tell Samantha anything—”

“How many times do I have to remind you I can’t talk about our sessions with anyone? That includes my wife. You are covered by the doctor-patient—”

“Confidentiality,” Brady interrupted. “I know. I know. I know.”

They sat in silence for a few minutes, and Brady focused on his breathing. He needed to get his emotions under control. What was Jessica doing to him?

“Anything else bothering you?” Deacon asked. “Work going okay?”

“Work is awesome.” Brady stood and motioned for Deacon to take possession of the couch. “Your turn.”

Deacon raised an eyebrow. “You’re done already?”

“I’ve had enough, yes.”

They changed places. Deacon stretched out on the couch, and Brady sat in the vacated chair. He glanced at the notebook Deacon had been using and smiled at the doodles. Deacon hadn’t written anything about Jessica. Good.

Deacon didn’t need any prompting. He always launched into his litany of problems like a drunken sailor on leave.

Anything and everything spilled from his lips without any sort of coercion or bribery.

“Samantha has been on me all week about having her parents visit. Can you imagine me locked in a small house with those people for two whole weeks? That’s how long she wants them here.

Two freaking weeks! Give me a break. I can feel the ulcer starting already. ”

Since Brady didn’t have a degree in psychology, he didn’t give advice. He just listened while Deacon ranted. That was all Deacon ever seemed to want anyway, a safe place to bitch about his wife, his job, his neighbors, and whatever else was on his mind.

Brady usually didn’t say a word, but he had a question for his friend today. “Do you ever regret getting married?”

“Every day.”

The flippant answer didn’t fool Brady. “Seriously, Deke. Do you regret getting married? Do you think you’d have a better life without Samantha?”

Deacon remained silent for an abnormally long time.

Then he cracked a smile and rolled his eyes. “Nah. Samantha is my life... even when she’s being a huge pain in my backside. Maybe I’d have more money if we weren’t married and more time to do what I want. Maybe. But I’m happier with her than I’d be without her.”

Brady felt like a drowning man without a lifeboat in sight. Marriage wasn’t for him. He was sure he and Deacon could agree on that. Because of his messed-up childhood he was absolutely one-hundred percent positive he wouldn’t be able to make a relationship work.

Deacon’s eyes narrowed. “Why are you suddenly interested in the institution of marriage?”

“Curiosity. Some people seem happy with their spouses, but almost all the marriages I’ve seen are train wrecks. I’m not interested in being miserable or in making someone else miserable. Why do people even bother?”

“If you meet someone you can’t live without, it’s the logical next step.”

“That’s just plain stupid.”

Deacon chuckled. “Perhaps you won’t think so someday when you meet your special someone.” There was a pause. “Or perhaps you already have met her. Jessica?”

“Trust me. The last thing I want to do is get married, and I don’t see Jessica as a potential wife. She is my business partner. End of story.”

“Oh? So you’re going to all this trouble for a simple business partner?” Deacon’s voice took on a mocking tone. “Tell me another bedtime story, Uncle Brady. I’m sleepy.”

Brady headed for the door. “I’m sorry I came here for advice.”

“Advice on what?” Deacon popped up off the couch. “You haven’t told me anything. If you want good advice, give me solid information. What is the problem?”

“I’m thinking of doing something that could potentially ruin my life.”

Deacon’s eyes widened. “Don’t do it.”

“You don’t even know what it is I’m thinking of doing,” Brady said.

“Doesn’t matter. I know you. If there is the slightest risk of ruining your life, don’t do it.”

Brady leaned his back against the door and considered how much he wanted to share with his best friend. Deacon could be an ass, but he was also highly intelligent. He had helped Brady avoid some bad situations over the years.

A heavy sigh parted Brady’s lips. “I have an idea how to make sure Jessica doesn’t lose her son, but it might be too high a price for me to pay. For the first time in a long time, I have no idea what to do.”

Deacon’s voice softened. “Give me details, and I’ll help you make the right choice.”

Brady hung his head for a moment and sighed. “Sorry, bud. I think this is a decision I have to make on my own.”