Page 16

SIXTEEN

Maverick

It’s been the longest two and a half days of my life, and I have nothing to report. I’ve spent the entire fucking weekend on Cherry Bid and haven’t once seen Miss Rhodes. Kinsley. I should be happy she isn’t selling herself to the highest bidder, but I’m not.

Not in the slightest.

But she still has another six and a half hours to create her profile if she’s going to be in this thing.

And I’m going to be waiting.

Not so patiently, I might add.

Sure, I should maintain a professional distance from my employee. I absolutely shouldn’t be thinking about all the ways I can make her come undone by my hand. Under no circumstance should I be imagining how tightly her untouched pussy will clench around my cock.

Yet, here we are.

Although, truth be told, I was interested in her from day one. Not her first day on the top floor, but the moment I saw her with those damned cookies. Her beautiful blue eyes, the color of the Caribbean Sea on a sunny day, were open wide with surprise, not recognition. She hadn’t the slightest idea who I was when she insulted us, and then when she realized what she said, the pink hue that colored her cheeks was utter perfection. Almost as perfect as her sinful curves.

I am used to women using me for my family money. For the power my name holds. Fuck, I’ve had them use me to get to Wyatt or Brantley. Her ignorance was a breath of fresh air, air I didn’t know I needed.

She is a goddess and she doesn’t have a clue.

I’m not like Brantley; I can’t pretend I’m a robot. I can’t repress myself so much, I’m barely living.

I’ve been thinking about Kinsley all weekend. All fucking weekend I’ve been torturing myself.

Virgins never held any kind of appeal for me before, it never mattered, but knowing I could be the first man to claim her does something to me. It wakes up this primal side I didn’t know existed, and I’m not sure I know how to put him back in his cage.

“You getting any work done?” Wyatt sticks his head into my office, his hair sticking up in multiple directions, likely because he can’t keep his hands out of it.

With a laugh, I push away from my computer, putting my hands behind my head and lacing them together. “Not a fucking thing.”

Not when there’s a chained beast inside me fighting to get loose, to claim our woman.

He hangs his head, loosening his tie. “I can’t concentrate. I keep finding excuses to walk by her office.”

“Same.”

The thought of sharing her with Wyatt should bother me. Should, but doesn’t. I want her firsts, but I want him to have them too.

He’s my best friend, my brother by choice. He knows me better than anyone and hell, it wouldn’t be the first time we’ve had a woman between us. To be fair, it was years ago, right after we graduated law school, but I don’t feel a shred of jealousy. He deserves this as much as I do.

He may try to deny it, but I see his attraction for her all over his face. Especially, when he struggles not to look at her.

“She’s wearing that white button-up blouse, and all I want to do is rip it open like a damn animal. I shouldn't be picturing that while we’re reviewing my weekly schedule.” He sighs like the weight of the world is pushing down on his shoulders and runs his hands through his hair, sending more strands awry. “Something is wrong with me.”

“Yeah, you’re not working.” Brantley pushes him in my office, closing the door behind him, and glares at the both of us. “What the hell is wrong with the two of you? You’re practically prancing around the hallway like the peacocks she has plastered all over her wall.”

“I don’t prance,” Wyatt mumbles, his hand going back through his hair.

Brantley sighs, pinching the bridge of his nose, and lets out a curse. “This is why I told you to drop it. To mind your damn business. You two are going to be the death of me. I shouldn’t have to remind you that we have a law firm to run. We have clients counting on us to handle their shit. How are the two of you supposed to do that when you can’t even handle yourselves?”

I narrow my gaze, propping my feet up on the corner of my desk. “I manage myself just fine.”

Brantley growls, legitimately growls at me. “You can barely manage to keep your eyes to yourself. Tell me one thing you’ve gotten done today.”

My eyes meet Wyatt’s, and for several beats we stare at each other. In my defense, I came into work with the intention to get work done. I had a plan. I had a list.

Then it all went to hell the second I saw Kinsley in that tight black skirt and a button-up blouse that personifies her innocence. Heaven and Hell. That’s what she is. How am I supposed to work like that? I’m a man after all. A man lusting after his secretary, his much younger virginal secretary.

“That’s what I fucking thought.” Brantley gives us each a pointed look, stalking back to my office door. “I need you working. No more delusions. No more distractions. No more thinking about our secretary. She is a professional, as are we. Act like it.”

And with that, he’s out the door, closing it behind him with a thud that echoes through my office.

Wyatt hangs his head, and I can see the remorse written all over his face.

“Don’t you dare.” I point at him, my voice stern. “Don’t you let your brother taint this. If he wants to live like a nun, that’s his prerogative, not ours. Granted, we should try to get some work done. At least in…” I glance down at my watch. “Six hours and five minutes we’ll have our answer.”

“I don’t know why I can’t get her out of my head. Lord knows I’ve tried. She works for us, for fuck’s sake, and I don’t know… Something about it feels wrong. Like we’re invading her privacy.”

“Would you rather it be someone else?”

He tilts his head back, mumbling something to my ceiling, perhaps asking it for forgiveness. If that’s what he’s looking for, he’s in the wrong place. Or, perhaps he needs a little levity. A little something to make him feel better about his day.

I smirk, my fingers trailing along the edge of my jaw. “You know, it all started when I caught her double fisting chocolate chip cookies?—”

“Don’t you say it.” His gaze meets mine, a smile tugging at his lips.

“It’s only fair she ends up double fisting us.”

“And you said it.”

I sure did. She thinks we’re Dementors; just wait until we suck the soul from her body.

Wyatt shakes his head with a chuckle. “I don’t want to know where your brain went just now.”

No, he does not. “You better get out of here before your brother grounds us. If there’s anyone who needs to get laid, it’s him.”

“Good luck telling him that.” Wyatt snorts a quick laugh. “The man has been repressed since he found out Whitney was cheating on him. Twelve years ago.”

“I’m not saying shit. He can brood in his office. All alone.” I drum my fingers along the edge of my desk, watching two more emails come in that need my attention. “Looks like Ember Lynn has finally agreed to a meeting next week. I don’t know what part of keep your mouth shut she doesn’t understand, but Brant is going to lose it on her if she posts anything else about her ex.”

“Shame I have to miss it.”

“I didn’t tell you when it is.”

“Sorry.” He shrugs, his smug smile telling me he’s anything but. “Booked solid all week.”

Fucker. Especially when I know for a fact that’s not true. Can’t say I blame him, though; she is the worst. But it’s a good thing I have something to look forward to. She’s currently sitting in her office, and I have a feeling she needs more work to do.