Accepting His Terms (8 page)

“You would do that for me?” the young girl asked.

“Yes, of course, we’re going to be family. Isn’t that what families do? I have no brothers and sisters, but would do the same for them if I did. What’s your schedule like? What kind of work do you do?”

“I’m in my last year of college and I work in a restaurant part-time.”

“So you quit the restaurant job and come to work for me in your spare time.”

“Doing what?” Jan asked in surprise.

“What’s your major?” he asked.

“Architecture,” she replied proudly.

“Even better, you can come in as an intern, working with our architect. He’s always telling me how overworked he is. You’ll learn a lot from him, as well.”

“Are you serious about this, Jarrod?” Jill’s father asked.

“Yes, I’m serious. We’d love to have Jan join us, wouldn’t we, Jill?”

“Sure, if you think there’s a place for her. I wouldn’t want you to create a job for her.”

“No, I think it will be good for both Jan and Bryan, the architect.”

“He is always saying he gets tired of working on weekends to catch up,” Jill agreed.

“It’s settled. Stop by the office next week and we’ll see to the details. And start packing your things. As soon as Jill moves out, the apartment is yours.”

“I don’t know how to thank you,” Jan said excitedly.

“You just did.”

He glanced over at Jill, who was smiling at him.

After dinner and more pleasant conversation, Jill and Jarrod said their goodbyes. He drove her home and when she asked him to come in, he said, “I can’t wait to get you inside. I’ve wanted to kiss that pretty little, sassy mouth of yours all day.”

“I haven’t been sassy today,” she protested.

“Maybe not today, but you are at times.”

“What did you and my dad talk about in the den? You guys were in there an awfully long time. Did he give you the third degree?” she asked.

Wondering if he should tell her about the conversation, he said, “Let’s just say, we came to an understanding of sorts.”

“Why does that worry me?”

He chuckled. “How much do you know about your parents’ relationship, Jill?”

“I always thought they had a great relationship. I mean, Mom’s got a temper, but Dad always took that in stride. What did he tell you?”

“He hinted to me that you’re a lot like your mom and you need a man with a firm hand. He wanted to know if I was man enough for the job.”

Shocked, she asked, “Are you serious? He actually said that?”

“Cross my heart, his very words.”

“You don’t think…?”

“That’s exactly what I think.”

“Oh, my, yeah, it kind of makes sense now. I can remember times when Mom was in a rage. One look from Dad and they sort of disappeared for a while. I just assumed they were arguing in private so we kids wouldn’t hear it.”

“Could be, but that’s not the impression I got from him.”

“I think I want to change the subject now. Like back to the kiss I was promised.”

He grinned. “Don’t want to think about your folks and their life behind a closed bedroom door?”

“I’d much rather think about our life behind a closed bedroom door,” she purred as she pulled his face toward hers.

“I think I can do more than think about it,” he promised as his lips met hers. He scooped her up, and without breaking the kiss, carried her to her bed.

****

As Jarrod laid her on the bed and began to unbutton his shirt, she watched in fascination. He threw his shirt on the floor and unbuckled his belt. As he unzipped his pants, a sharp intake of breath escaped her lips. She grinned as he finished stripping to his shorts admiring the view.

 He said, “Your turn.”

“My turn?” she asked.

“Strip for me,” he commanded softly.

“Really?” she asked.

“Really,” he affirmed.

She watched wordlessly as he got onto the bed and told her to stand next to the bed so he could watch her. As she began to do a sensuous striptease for him, adding little dance moves here and there, she watched his expression, reveling in the fact she was turning him on with her performance.

“Come here,” he said.

She went to him, waiting for his next command.

“Kiss me.”

She leaned over the bed, kissing him, teasing him with her tongue.

She let him pull her on top of him, and as he pushed her hair aside with one hand and caressed her neck, the other hand circled her waist and pulled her to him. He returned his lips to hers and suddenly rolled her to her back. As he began the journey down her body with his tongue, she watched his jet-black hair as it moved further down her already fiery body. Her hands touched the rock-hard muscles of his arms. When his hot, scalding tongue reached her clit, she nearly jumped off the bed.

“Simmer down, baby,” he said. He went back to the task at hand and performed it expertly, as he brought her closer and closer to the edge. This time, he didn’t tell her not to come. He didn’t stop when he knew she was ready. He continued with the licking, the teasing, and the heated, masterful lovemaking, circling her inner thigh with his finger, until her body began to shudder ever so slightly. As he continued, the shuddering became more intense. She thrashed around on the bed, screaming in ecstasy as he continued, never letting up, and never abandoning her. When the shudders wracking her body finally subsided, he moved himself up, positioned himself, and entered her with one deep thrust, causing her to gasp.

“Go with it, baby. Come on, show me what you can do,” he said as he continued to thrust hard inside her already steamy, dripping pussy. She clenched her muscles around him and he moaned. He gave it to her hard several more times, each time she met him with a thrust of her hips, meeting him thrust for thrust, as the friction began to build between them.

“Oh… I can’t stop… again…” she cried out.

“Do it, baby, let it go,” he said as he, too, cried out.

As they lay, exhausted in each other’s arms, he murmured, “I’ve never known anything like that.” He pushed her hair - now a tangled, damp mess - off her face.

“I find that hard to believe. All the women at the office want your body. I’m sure you’ve had your share.”

“I may have had my share of women, but none at the office, until you. And I assure you, if I say I’ve never known anything like what just happened between us, I’m telling you the truth.”

“I’ve never known anything like it, either. All my experience was pretty much a quickie, in the backseat of a car, a couch in someone’s basement at a party…”

“Then you were being denied, and the guys you were with didn’t know what they were missing. You’re the hottest, most exciting woman I know. Must be true what they say about redheads.”

She giggled. “And I have the temper to match, don’t forget.”

He rolled his eyes. “How could I ever forget that?”

She snuggled in his arms as he held her close and they slept. At five she was awakened as he kissed her goodbye, and told her he’d see her at the office in a few hours.

She rolled over and went back to sleep, knowing that in a few short hours everyone would know that he belonged to her.

Chapter Nine

At ten o’clock on Monday morning, Jarrod called a staff meeting. As the rest of the staff assembled in the conference room, Jarrod asked Jill to wait and walk in with him. He watched her bite her bottom lip as she nervously agreed. Sensing her apprehension at telling the rest of the staff she was soon going to become the boss’s wife, he took her hand in his and squeezed it before she could start twisting her hair.

“It’s going to be fine. They may be shocked, some of the women may be jealous, hell, some of the men will be jealous, but it’s going to be fine,” he said in a soft, reassuring voice. “And remember, if anyone gives you any trouble, you’re to tell me.”

She nodded and murmured, “Okay,” as they walked into the room together.

Jarrod took his seat at the head of the table. Jill sat to his right as he began to speak. He began with, “I know you’re all probably wondering why I called an unscheduled staff meeting this morning. There are a few things we need to discuss. There have been some new developments you all need to be made aware of.”

A murmur went through the room.

“First of all,” Jarrod continued, once more commanding everyone’s attention. “I’d like to thank all of you for a job well done on the Crestview properties. We’re set for the opening ceremony on Wednesday, and our first buyers will be taking possession next week. I’ll be out of town for a few weeks, so Bryan will be handling anything that comes up during that time, along with Susie, my assistant. If you have any questions or problems during my absence, they’re the ones you’ll want to talk to. The second thing you need to know is that Janis Lincoln will be joining us as an intern. Jan is a college student, majoring in architecture. She’ll report to Bryan, please make her welcome. And yes, she’s Jill’s sister. I have no doubt her work will be of the same quality as her sister’s. Which brings me to the final thing on today’s agenda.” He smiled at Jill and took her hand. Together they stood.

“I’ve asked Jill to be my wife and she’s accepted. I’m sure this comes as a shock to many of you. We’ve kept our relationship quiet, until now, in the hopes it wouldn’t interfere with work. We’ll be getting married in Gatlinburg this weekend, and will be on our honeymoon for two weeks. When we return, I trust you’ll all give my new wife the respect she deserves. Jill will continue in her role as our decorator. She’s still Jill; the fact that she’ll be married to me, doesn’t change that. Please don’t make her feel as though you can’t still be friendly or engage in friendly office conversation with her.”

A shocked silence filled the room. Finally, one of the secretaries stood and said, “Congratulations to both of you. I think this is great news.”

“Yes, it’s wonderful news. You couldn’t have picked a better life partner, Mr. Baine,” Susie said.

Several of the men, including Bryan, stepped forward to offer their congratulations.

“How did you two pull this off? We were all in the dark.”

Jarrod laughed as he replied, “Through very careful planning.”

The women gushed around Jill. “You’re a sly one, never letting on that you were the one putting the smile on his face.”

“You’re one lucky gal, you know that, don’t you?” another one asked.

“I do know that. I wasn’t sure about the whole thing at first, but we’ve had a meeting of the minds, so to speak, and I think it’s going to work out just fine,” she replied as she gazed at his handsome features.

He could tell what she was feeling just by looking at her. He caught her eye and winked at her in reassurance.

As the office excitement died down, one of the women suggested a party for the couple on Friday.

“Could we do that, Mr. Baine?” Anne, one of the secretaries, asked.

“I don’t see why not. Why don’t I have food and a cake catered in? And on Friday afternoon, we’ll celebrate the new properties and Jill’s and my wedding.”

Susie began taking notes, as the staff slowly trickled out of the room and back to their duties.

“Jill, is there anything in particular you’d like for a wedding gift? I’m sure the staff will want to go in on something for the two of you,” Susie asked with a smile.

“Surprise us. Between the two of us, we have most of the normal household items,” she replied as she sat next to Susie.

“Don’t worry, honey, it’s going to be okay. They won’t treat you any differently, unless you want them to. They know better than to upset the boss and face his wrath.”

“That wouldn’t be too pleasant for them, would it?” she asked with a giggle.

“I don’t know how you do it, unless he’s different with you,” the other woman said.

“We have our moments, but he’s really just a softie at heart,” Jill said. “But let that be our little secret.”

Susie laughed. “I won’t say a word.”

“What are you two whispering about over there?” Jarrod’s booming voice interrupted them.

Both women laughed.

“Nothing for you to worry about, boss,” Susie replied. “I’m going to get busy on the menu for Friday.”

After everyone had gone and they were alone, Jarrod held out his hand to her. “Come here.”

She walked to him and let him surround her with his loving embrace, as he whispered, “I told you it would be all right, didn’t I?”

She looked up at him. “Yes, you did.”

Just as he claimed her lips with his, the door opened. “Oops, sorry, guess I’ll have to get used to knocking from now on,” Bryan said as he slipped into the room, retrieved his cell phone, and started to head back out.

“No harm done, Bryan,” Jarrod said as he chuckled. To Jill, he murmured under his breath, “See why I always tell you to lock the door.”

Blushing, she replied, “I’ll make sure I never forget, since I never know what to expect whenever you call me into your office.”

“Good girl,” he said as he kissed her forehead.

After Jill had returned to her office, Jarrod walked down the hall and past a group of female employees standing around the coffee pot talking. He overheard part of the conversation. Anne, Cynthia, Crysty, and Deb, all secretaries, were unaware he was within earshot as they spoke.

“How did she do it?” Anne asked as she poured a cup of coffee into her mug.

“I don’t know. I mean she’s cute, but nothing special. Maybe she’s good in bed,” Cynthia replied as she stirred sweetener into her coffee.

“Well, I, for one wouldn’t marry that man if he was the last one on earth. He’s too damn bossy for me,” Crysty added.

Deb, the other woman in the group, replied, “Now, now, girls, pull in the claws. Jill is a nice girl and the boss chose her, so live with it.

****

The opening ceremonies on Wednesday were a smashing success, as was the party the staff had thrown on Friday. The staff had arranged a night in the honeymoon suite at the hotel Jarrod had already made reservations with as a surprise. With Susie’s expert help, they’d gotten the information they needed and upgraded the room for them, ordering champagne and a food basket to be waiting for them in the suite after the ceremony.