Synergy: New Adult Romantic Suspense (U-District, #1) (29 page)

“And that’s a crime because…?”

“Because she’s the CEO, because I work for her, because I forced myself on her.”

“And she asked you to stop?”

“No, but I wasn’t nice about it.”

“Yeah, I can imagine.”

“What does that mean?”

“You two have some kind of love-hate steamy thing going on. From what you’ve told me, you both know how to irritate the hell out of each other, and from what I’ve seen, you do it to each other intentionally.”

Bryce looked at the phone, then put it back to his ear. He dropped his head to the pillow. “That’s the problem. I don’t need this kind of drama.”

“Are you still dwelling on your parents’ divorce? You need to snap out of it, man. Your dad was a drunk who hit your mom. That doesn’t mean you’re going to do the same.”

“I hit Steve.”

“I would have hit Steve too. He deserved it. It doesn’t mean you’ll ever hit a woman.”

“Maybe.”

“No maybes. Now get your sorry ass out of bed and call her to apologize.”

“Think she’ll forgive me?”

“Only one way to find out.”

Bryce hung up, grateful the conversation was over. What did he say to Jade? How could he possibly make it up to her?

WHAT WAS JADE DOING TO HIM?
Bryce sat staring at his office monitor, the cursor blinking in the same place it had been for the past ten minutes. Jade hadn’t returned any of his calls yesterday, and her calendar was booked solid today.

He needed to talk to her about what had happened with Steve, beg for forgiveness, do whatever it took, but she wasn’t giving him the chance.

What if she didn’t forgive him? Could he work side by side with her knowing he wouldn’t see her eyes sparkle when he walked into a room, or feel her warm lips against his, or run his hands in her silky hair? How could he get any work done when he was in a constant state of turmoil? All he could think about was running his hands up her bare legs or having her naked body under—

“You need to get your girl under control.”

Bryce focused abruptly on Timothy, who’d just walked into his office. “What? Who?”

“Jade.” Timothy sat in one of the chairs in front of Bryce’s desk.

“What are you talking about?” Bryce cleared his throat. “She’s not my girl.”

“I’ve seen the way you two look at each other.” Timothy’s lips curved up on one side. “Get on with it already. With Stan gone, there’s no one else to get her in line.”

“What’s the problem?”

“Besides the fact that she has a detective asking me questions?”

Bryce leaned back, easier with this part of the conversation. “He’s asking us all questions.”

“Well, hell. If she wasn’t so damn impulsive, she wouldn’t act before she thinks about the consequences.”

“What did she do now?”

“She’s asking for discrepancy reports, return reports, and a whole other slew of reports. Who does she think she is? I’ve been doing this job for eighteen years. I’ve had enough.”

“Jade’s trying to figure out why the company is in trouble. What can it hurt to give her the reports she wants?”

Timothy tossed the stack of papers he was holding across Bryce’s desk. “You taking her side now?”

“I’m not taking anyone’s side. She’s the CEO, and she has every right to ask for this information.” Bryce gathered the papers into a neat stack.

“Well, I don’t like it. If she doesn’t watch it, she’ll lose more than her entire management team.”

Bryce’s eyes burned. He stood with his hands fisted on his desk and leaned forward. “Is that a threat, Timothy? If anything happens to her…”

“I’m just stating the facts. You know what’s at stake. Get her under control, or I will.”

Timothy stalked out of the office, and Bryce unclenched his fists. What the hell was he supposed to do now? There was no controlling Jade. Hell, he’d be happy if he could get
himself
under control.

BEG FOR FORGIVENESS OR END IT FOR GOOD.
That’s what Bryce had been thinking for the last seven minutes while standing in front of Jade’s condo. He’d denied his attraction to her for so long, now that he’d had a taste of her, it was difficult to let go. He took a deep breath, knocked, and prepared for the onslaught.

Jade opened the door. Her eyes narrowed. Bryce took two courageous steps closer.

“I’m busy.” She crossed her arms in defiance and blocked him from coming inside.

“No you’re not. You’re avoiding me.”

“So take a hint.” She attempted to shut the door on him.

He should let it close. Then it would be over and they’d make a clean break on her terms. Instead, he blocked the door with his foot. “I shouldn’t have hit Steve. I don’t usually drink that much.”

“That’s what Jim said, but it doesn’t change the fact that you did hit him.”

Didn’t she understand that he was trying to protect her? And Steve had no business kissing her, not when she was his. “No one has the right to touch you when you don’t want it.”

“You’re right, they don’t. And I was telling Steve that just before you butted in. If you don’t trust me, this relationship can’t go anywhere. I won’t let you push me around the way Gran did. We have to be equals, Bryce.”

Two kicks in the stomach wouldn’t hurt as much as hearing her say the relationship couldn’t go anywhere. On the phone with Jim, talking about breaking up with her seemed perfectly rational, the right thing to do. But now that he was facing the reality of losing her…
Shit
. Of all the things Jade would object to, it was someone trying to tell her what to do. She’d rebelled against Gloria. He sure as hell didn’t want her pulling away from him. And that, he realized, was his reality.

“I never told you why my parents got divorced.”

“What does that have to do with Steve?”

“My dad hit my mom.”

“Oh.” He’d disarmed her. A good sign.

“I was eleven and scared shitless of him. I couldn’t fight back, couldn’t keep him away from her. When Steve… I literally wanted to beat the hell out of him when he touched you. Call it a deep-seated male instinct, but I needed to protect you.”

Jade placed a hand on his cheek. “Thank you for telling me. But it doesn’t mean you can go around punching people.”

“I know, you’re right. It’s just that I’m—” He ran his hand through his hair.

“You’re what?”

“I’m crazy about you.”

Her eyes softened. “How crazy?”

Bryce took another step toward her. “Seriously crazy.”

Heat flared in Jade’s eyes just before she grabbed the zippers of his leather jacket and pulled his lips to hers.

The kiss was unexpected. The very act went straight to his gut. Bryce drew her into his arms, desperately wanting to taste her, to touch her. His lips sought hers possessively. She was his, dammit, and he needed her.

Jade pulled him into the foyer, kicking the door closed with her foot. She folded her arms around him and pressed her body against his.

He took the kiss deeper, trying to satisfy his aching need for her. He released her only when she started tugging the jacket from him. The minute it dropped to the floor, his hands were in her hair, his lips ravaging hers.

Bryce pulled the T-shirt Jade was tugging from his jeans over his head and threw it somewhere down the hallway. His hands were immediately on her again as he pinned her body against the wall. His mouth ravished her neck, and his hands found the buttons to her blouse.

Jade let her head fall back, which was sexy as hell, as his lips trailed along her collarbone and down toward her breasts. With each button he released, her breathing accelerated.

He pulled her blouse halfway down her arms and held them captive behind her back. She gasped as his mouth found her firm breast under a thin layer of satin. A quick flick and he opened her bra, his teeth nipping, his mouth devouring.

She arched her back, encouraging him to take more. She freed her hands from the shirt and thrust them into his hair, over his back, and down to his ass, which she used to pull his hips against hers. He moaned at the contact; she felt so damn good.

Her hands found the button to his jeans and tugged at it.

The wallet in his back pocket was getting in the way. He threw it on the table next to him, allowing her to pull his jeans down. He stepped out of his pants, hating every second he wasn’t touching her, and attacked her other breast with his mouth, while using his hands to rid her of her slacks. He didn’t take the time to see what kind of underwear she was wearing. He just wanted them off.

His mouth found hers again, hot, urgent, reckless. Pulling her bare body against his, pure insatiable desire surged through him.

“I want you… now,” she said breathlessly.

Hearing those words made him want to take her that instant. He reached for his wallet and fumbled for a condom.

Jade tore the package open with her teeth and slid it over him. Having her hands on him nearly took him over the edge. Bryce gripped her hips, lifted her up, and shoved her against a door. Her legs curled around him as he drove himself deep inside her. He bit into her shoulder, holding back what he so desperately wanted to let go.

They’d both suppressed their desire for too long. Now it was pure animal instinct that drove them. He moved fast inside her as she held on for the ride. Their bodies pounded against the door, sounding like a drum from an African mating ritual, her moans of pleasure in harmony with his every thrust.

He couldn’t hold on any longer. Hearing her, feeling her, was driving him mad. It was quick, it was intense, and it was glorious. His body shuddered as he finally let go. Not just of his control, but of his heart. He was in love with her, so crazy in love with her.

Bryce nuzzled the shallow of her neck as he caught his breath. That had been wild, absolutely wild. He’d never had that kind of primal sex in his life.

“Mmm, that was nice.” Jade kissed him leisurely. She was still wrapped around him like a pretzel.

“Where does this door go?”

“To my bedroom.”

Bryce laughed.

“So, what are you doing Sunday night?” Jade nibbled on his ear.

“No plans.” His eyelids fluttered closed. He was having a hard time concentrating while her teeth and tongue were doing crazy things to his earlobe. “What did you have in mind?”

She whispered, “Dinner at my parents.”

He pulled away so he could read her eyes. “Are you making this official?”

“Yes, I think I am.” A smile was on her lips and in her eyes.

“Then I accept.” Bryce’s relief was immediate. He’d thought he’d lost her, and now that she was his, he was damn well never letting her go.

IT WAS DOWNRIGHT FUNNY
, how nervous Bryce was about meeting Jade’s father in this capacity. The door to her parents’ house loomed before him. He took a deep breath before knocking. This wasn’t business; he wasn’t being judged on his ability to bring in sales, woo customers, do his job. No, Bill would be judging him from a whole different perspective: as a father, protective of his daughter.

Bill opened the door. “Bryce, you’re right on time. Please come in.”

Bryce had made it a point to be punctual. He didn’t want to start off with a bad impression. “Thanks. Is Jade here?”