Evan's Addiction (14 page)

     She shrugged with her back to me staring out the massive window
taking up the entire south wall. “Sometimes you can convince yourself of
something…” Turning, she smiled sadly. “And that’s what I did. But now I’m
going to use this separation to figure things out.”

     I strode over taking her in my arms. “I’ve always thought that
Kyle was an asshole and you could do better but you always assured me you were
happy so I put up with him, because I wanted you to be happy. Whatever you
decide I support you.”

     She let out a tiny shuddery breath and my heart twisted. I may be
happy she was leaving the asshole but I didn’t like seeing her unhappy.

     “You didn’t have a terrible life living there, did you?” She asked
into my chest.

     I frowned at her question and leaned back to look down at her. “Of
course not. He was an ass, but you were there and you made everything great.” I
did not want her thinking she’d put me in a bad situation by marrying that
douche. 

     She gave me a misty smile and palmed my cheek. “I love you so
much. I wanted so much for you, and I hope you get it all.”

     My frown dug deeper at her emotional behavior. I’d always thought
that she might have married Kyle because she thought I needed a father and for
stability, and her words, plus the fact that she was getting a divorce after I
recently graduated and found a job had that thought popping up in my head
again.

     I grasped her shoulders gently. “Mom, I wanted those same things
for you. You know I’ve always thought Kyle was cheating on you and that he
treated you like shit, and when I’d ask why you stayed with him you said you
loved him so I tried to accept that you were where you wanted to be. But I’ve
always questioned whether you married the guy for me; to give me a better life
than what you could provide?” I leveled her with a heavy inquisition expression
demanding the truth.

     Her eyes flickered away looking sad, and possibly guilty, but I
could just be seeing my own guilt there. Her hands dropped away from my face as
she turned around to gaze out the window. She didn’t speak for a minute but I
could see she was fighting some internal battle.

     “I loved your father with all my heart, Evan. When he died a
little of my heart died with him.” She turned back to me and palmed my cheek
again. “I gave the rest of my heart to you. When I first married Kyle I did
care for him. I didn’t love him like I loved your father, but after eight years
I finally accepted that I never would love anyone that way again. I’ve had my
suspicions that Kyle might be cheating, and yes, I turned a blind eye partly
because of you, but it was also because I didn’t care about him enough to be
upset.”

     I’d always known my mother had loved my father, but I never
realized it had been so strong…so all-consuming. There had always been an
internal somberness under the happiness she gave me and now I understood why.

     “But now you do care? Is that why you’re finally leaving him?” I
asked, an ache in my heart for her.

     She gave me a partial smile. “I see you starting a new chapter in
your life and I’m ready to start one as well.”

     Pulling her into a hug I murmured. “I want the same happiness for
you that you want for me, mom. I wish you would have pushed for it sooner and
not waited for me, but I’m glad you’re finally leaving the prick.”

     She chuckled. “I am too. I haven’t had sex in a couple years and I
need something with real flesh and blood that’s not mechanical.”

     I snorted, only slightly stunned and discomfited at her
proclamation. We’d always been able to talk about anything; she’d been both a
mother and father and she’d taken the role seriously. She had been the one to
give me the birds and the bees talk, and counseled me about protection. Somehow
she’d known the day I lost my virginity and warned me that I’d better have
treated the girl properly or she would have no problem handing me over to the
girl for castration.

     How she knew was still a mystery to me.

     “I love you, mom, but I could have done without that visual.” I
gave her peck on the forehead.

     Pulling back she gave me a smile and kiss on the cheek, and then
tilted sideways with a frown to look behind me. “Why is that girl sleeping on
the floor?” She whispered.

     My head snapped around and I stared in astonishment at Shaw. She’d
taken the cushions off the leather couch, arranged them on the floor, and was
laid out on her stomach on them. She’d been hidden this whole time behind the
coffee table and matching leather chairs. My dick hardened painfully at the
sight of her, and her position added a special throbbing to it. 

     “Shaw’s someone who is helping us out at the moment. She’s been
working hard so she’s probably pretty tired.”

     Mom’s gaze suddenly seemed to sharpen on me. “Will she get in
trouble?” 

     That was my mom…worried about someone she didn’t even know. Before
I could answer her the office door swung open and Dan walked in, minus Landon.
His expression was tight telling me that the reunion with his ex-wife had not
gone well, and if that was true then it explained why Landon hadn’t come back
with him, but at seeing my mother his gaze lit with curiosity.

     “Am I interrupting?” He asked, studying the both of us. 

     Putting my hand to moms back I guided her forward. “Dan, this is
my mother, Jasmine.”

     His brows rose as he took in my mother and I didn’t miss the
appreciation in his gaze. “Impossible.” He stated.

     She blushed faintly as they shook hands and my brows rose this
time. Wow, my mom was blushing. Dan was still an attractive and fit man for a
guy in his fifties so I guess I could see why she was affected by him.

     “It’s nice to meet the man who took a chance on my son. I can tell
you without bias that you won’t regret it.”

     “I am already convinced of that. Evan has a natural head for
business and leadership.” Dan declared with a proud smile my stepfather never
offered me once.

     Mom got misty eyed all over again as she looked at me. “He’s a
really smart boy.”

     I rolled my eyes at her. “Mom…not a boy anymore.”

     She smiled impishly and pinched my cheeks so my mouth puckered.
“You’ll always be my little boy.”

     Dan grinned at us, amusement plain on his face. “Evan, if you
wanted to take your mother out for lunch now that I’m back…”

     Mom shook her head stopping him. “I just wanted to say hello to my
son. I’m not going to pull him away from work.” She turned to give me a hug while
throwing her eyes toward the couch. Releasing me she turned back to Dan. “Dan,
can I impose on you to walk me to my car and spout more praise about my son.”

     Dan grinned and looped his arm with hers. “I would love to.”

     I realized what she was doing as she waved goodbye. She was trying
to save Shaw from getting into trouble. Dan wouldn’t have cared, but I kept
that to myself and grinned as the door closed behind them. Then my hungry gaze
and feet headed towards Shaw.

     Standing over her I let my gaze run down her frame leisurely. I
started at the top of her head that was tilted to the side exposing one sweetly
rounded cheek, to full lips with those delicious freckles, and her messy bun
that was now even more messy, over her slim back and ass that I could
appreciate more now that her shirt wasn’t hiding it, and finally her half naked
legs that were somewhat spread making my dick throb so bad with want I nearly
bent over in pain. 

     I squatted down by her feet and because I was watching her so
closely I saw her body stiffen and her eye twitch.

     The little sneak was faking being asleep. When had she woken up?
And why was she still pretending? No matter my questions…she was begging to be
played with.

     Straddling her legs I bent over and tickled her ruthlessly.

     She screamed and twisted around swiftly slapping at my arms.
“Stop, what the hell are you doing?” 

     I continued tickling and soon she was laughing through her
yelling. I heard the door open behind me as Diane rushed in but she just
chuckled and left when she saw what I was doing. She was an awesome assistant. 

     Tears were slipping from Shaw’s eyes and though I knew it was from
her laughter I stopped. She slumped, inhaled a deep breath and gasped.
“Asshole!”

     I stared down at her with a hard-on and a grin. “Where you awake
this whole time?”

     Her eyes slipped away guiltily. “No.”

     My eyebrow quirked. “When did you wake up?”

     She shrugged. “A couple minutes ago.” Her gaze came back to me. “I
didn’t want to eavesdrop but I didn’t know what to do…sorry.” Embarrassment
pinched her face.

     I wasn’t mad, but I liked her in this disposition, and position,
so I left that hanging. “What are you doing down here anyway?” 

     She inhaled trying to get her erratic breathing under control,
causing her breasts to rise. My gaze went there immediately and I got to enjoy
watching her nipples peak at my attention. Her cheeks were already flushed from
her laughter, but the green of her eyes darkened with the arousal she was
starting to feel. We were in a very intimate position with me straddling her
and I wasn’t in a hurry to move.

     “I found where the program was loaded.” She declared softly.

     The desire to rub into the V of her legs was making it difficult
to think…and that just didn’t happen to me. My brain was always sharp. I fell
forward setting my arms on either side of her head, by face inches from hers.
Her breath caught and her eyes widened.

     “Yeah,” was all I could think to say as my gaze fixed on her lips.
Her tongue came out to lick them and I groaned at the sight of it, and then at
how wet her lips got after. Without consent my hips lowered and my painfully
hard cock softly brushed her mound. That light contact was both torture and
pleasure, making the hardened beast twitch violently in my pants. “That doesn’t
explain why you are down here.” I rumbled as I suddenly recalled what we were
talking about.

     Her breathing had escalated again making her chest rise and fall
rapidly. “I wasn’t certain how long you would be…and my neck hurt…and I was
tired…so I decided to lie down.” She panted.

     I rocked a tiny bit…just for a little pressure, and she whimpered
while I grunted. Ahh fuck…so good. It was going to be so amazing with her. I
couldn’t wait until this weekend. I needed her now. I would have pounced on
her…no matter that I was at work…and Dan could walk in at any time…because I
wasn’t thinking rationally…but before I could the door knob gave a long rattle.
Like ten seconds long. 

     Someone was warning us that they were coming in. Giving another
groan, in frustration this time, I hauled myself up off her and held out my
hand. “Let me help you up, I think Dan’s here.”

     She stared up at me dazed for a moment before blinking in uncertainty,
and then she scrambled to her feet without my aid. I was helping her put the
cushions back on the couch when Dan strolled in looking like he was holding
back a grin.

     Before the situation could get awkward I spoke up. “Dan, Shaw
found where the program was loaded.”

     His grin faded into a frown. “Who is it?”

     Shaw hurried over to my desk. I followed at a slower pace on
account of my erection. The face on the computer screen was for a Carol
Vandervest, one of the accountants.

     “She’s worked here for eleven years. Why would she do this now?”
Dan asked in confusion.

     “I’m pretty sure she’s not the one who wrote the program. I’ve
studied almost everything she’s done on a computer and she doesn’t have the
acumen to design or pull this off.” She looked up meeting my searing gaze. Her
eyes flared and her cheeks turned even more crimson before her gaze switched hastily
to Dan. “Someone is either using her, or they used her server to upload it.”

     Dan paced away frustrated. “If she uploaded do you think she knows
what she did?”

     Shaw shrugged. “I can’t say for sure. She could have brought
someone in to use her computer that shouldn’t have been here, or she brought in
a flash drive and someone gave her instructions on how to load it. She could be
either a willing accomplice or a stupid one.” She gave a grimace like she was
sorry that the woman could be that stupid.

     Dan stopped pacing and turned. “So if I have her arrested she will
most likely divulge this other person, if she knows?”

     Shaw shrugged uncertainly. “You’re getting into psychology and
human nature which I’m not good at. I only read computers.”  

     I thought that was a telling observation about herself.

     Dan walked over and picked up the phone on his desk. “I’m going to
have security escort her up. If she doesn’t tell us then we do what Shaw
suggested; we catch him as he tries to draw the money out of the account.”

     Dan made the call and the three of us waited in heavy silence for
the woman to be brought up. It took sixteen minutes. Dan was sitting at his
desk, I was standing next to it, and Shaw remained at my desk out of the way
when the door opened and two security guards conducted the woman in. Carol’s
face was white and obviously scared shitless. If we were in any doubt of her
guilt the air of desperation around her dispelled it.

     Security directed her over to one of the chairs and then stepped
back several feet. I remembered meeting this woman several times when Dan and I
had spoken with all the accountants about where the money discrepancy was
coming from. I recalled her being slightly on edge. She was in her
mid-thirties, brown hair, and moderately attractive.

     “Mr. McKay, what’s going on?” She asked shakily, eyes bright with
panic.