Who's the Boss Now (Managing the Bosses Series, #3) (13 page)

"Alex." She caught it, jogged down the field in front of them and turned. "I love him. I wish I didn't this morning, but I do."

She shocked herself by the confession, but Mark had quickly put himself in her path as a trusted and descent friend. He'd been so open and forthcoming on his divorce and financial struggles. Plus, if she were going to convince Alex that he belonged with her, she would need some help.

"I think the feeling is mutual. He didn't shut up about you all night last night. He probably mentioned you another thirty times in the hour we were together this morning." He lifted his hands. "Give me your best throw. Let's see what I'm up against."

“I have no idea how to throw this thing.”

“Put your hand near the end and line your fingers between the lace. Just drill it and let your wrist flick. It’ll do it naturally. A few tries and you’ll get some spin on the ball.”

She chucked the ball hard. It looked perfect as it flew. It sailed above Mark's head, but he jumped and caught it in midair. He laughed and threw it back.

"Wow. For a girl, you've got a great arm."

"For a girl?" She lifted her eyebrow in challenge.

"If you weren't my brother's, I'd probably tackle you just for the look on your pretty face." He slapped his hands together. "Again."

"I'm not your brothers, but I want to be. I'm just not sure how to go about getting him. It seemed like everything was fine until this shit with Annette came up."

"Was it? Seemed to me like you guys were struggling out at Dad's house last week. Did he know about the possible baby then?"

"No. I guess not." She shrugged and chuckled the ball back. "New subject. What's going on with you and the divorce?"

"Oh, I see how it is. We're moving from your heartbreak to mine?"

"Much safer for me. I'm a good comforter, but sufferer? I suck at that job." She turned at her middle, stretching her back and loosening up.

"I'm meeting with my attorney on Tuesday. I leave tonight so that I can get all my ducks in a row." He shrugged and tossed the ball back. "I'll just be glad when it's over."

"And you're sure this is what you want?"

"Yes. My relationship with Paula has gotten so far off the course we first chatted that we're just hurting each other now."

"Dump the old bitch." Alex walked up, surprising them both.

"What the hell?” Mark grinned, clearly happy to see his brother. “You done already?" Mark drilled the ball to Alex, catching him off guard.

A single hand reached out and caught the ball like it was nothing. "Yeah." Alex glanced at Jamie, his eyes running down the length of her. "I take one morning off from watching you two and you're out here playing with each other. Unbelievable." His words were condemning, but by the look on his handsome face, he was just kidding.

"Gotta fill my days with someone's company, Mr. Work-a-holic." Jamie winked and lifted her hands to show him she wanted the ball. "Let's see if you have stamina like your brother."

"Oh no she didn't." Mark laughed loudly as Alex's eyes narrowed.

He lodged the ball at her, causing her to have to turn and run to try and catch up with it. She jumped and barely wrapped her hands around it before rolling onto the ground. Alex was on top of her the minute she hit the ground, his landing a little rough, but worth the pain.

"Fill your day with someone's company?" He held her tightly as she laid on her side laughing.

"Yes. You're far too busy with drama." She grinned up at him as his body hardened against her hip. "No sex for you, by the way. I've decided that I'll go with your need to be on a break, and use you when I'm needy, but no sex until I feel the need." She spoke only loud enough so he could hear.

His eyebrow lifted sharply. "Why do I feel like this is about to turn into the most seductive game of my life."

"Because it is." She moved up and brushed her lips by his. "I hate that you're going through this crap. I'm going to teach you a valuable lesson though."

He moved up and tugged her shoulder, forcing her onto her back as he pressed himself against the front of her.

She wiggled a little to see over him. Mark was gone.
Smart man.

"What's that, Jamie?" He moved down and brushed his nose up the line of her jaw and he took quick breaths.

"That if we're going to be together, then I'm your partner. You don't drop me like a sack of rocks when something hard comes up. If that's the kind of woman you're looking for, then you belong to Annette." She dropped the ball and pushed into the ground with her heel, forcing them to roll over. Sitting up, she straddled his waist and ground into him one good time. The thick press of his hardness between her thighs caused her to yearn for staunch carnality, but it would be there in the park. She was a little too classy for that.
Yeah, like fucking in the back of a limo.

"You're right.” He reached up to touch her breasts, but she swatted him away.

"Oh no. No touching when you want to, mister. I'm only available to you when I want something. That's the way booty calls work. You’re my bitch." She grinned wickedly, the feeling of empowerment a little too much to her liking.

"I’d never use you for a booty call, Jamie." He slid his hands over her thighs, squeezing softly. "Though the way you look in these pants has me lamenting over my words last night."

"I'm using you, baby. Not the other way around." She leaned down and pressed a kiss to his lips, groaning against them as his tongue pressed into her mouth. They could both stick to the illusion that she was in charge, but the truth came calling the minute he touched her. She melted into a needy puddle, and they were both aware of it.

He explored her mouth as his hands squeezed her butt in a massaging manner.

Jamie broke the kiss, breathless and sat up. "Enjoy your day."

"What? Where are you going? I thought we—you weren’t finished here."

"Sorry. I have other things to do. If I was your girlfriend, then I'd move stuff around, but you're just the 'meat,' remember?" She winked and climbed off him. "Don't forget to take the ball back to Mark. Tell him to call me later if he's hungry and we'll grab dinner."

"No the fuck you won't." Alex stood up as his expression darkened.

"See you tomorrow,
boss
." She turned and walked toward the house, running her hands over her hips and squeezing her own ass.

"That's not fair," he yelled behind her.

Oh but it was so incredibly fair, sweetie.
She waved a hand at him without turning around.

M
onday came too quickly.

Mark went back home and had already texted to check on her. They didn't get a chance to see each other on Sunday afternoon, but she had a few errands that needed running, and Alex was right about them being friends, but not too close of friends. It would just cause the awkwardness between her an Alex to rear its ugly head again. If he was going to work through the situation with Annette, then she could clean up the extra little things around the edges of their relationship as best she could. Playing the sex card wasn’t exactly fair. He needed a clear his head to deal with Annette. She’d give him a few days and try to stay professional. That was the plan... for now.

Paul glanced up as she walked into the office an hour later. His completion was a little paler than she was used to seeing, but he was back.

"Hey you." She dropped her stuff in a chair beside her desk. "I was starting to worry that the zombies got you."

He turned and smiled. "Naw. Gotta have brains for that. I only play smart here. Outside of work... I'm no zombie bait. Let's just put it that way."

"I see. You feeling better or should I spray you down with disinfectant?"

"Please don't." He held up his hands in surrender. "I'm good. Just a chest infection, but I seem to have gotten over it with a few shots and loads of sleep. How’re you?"

"I'm great. I got outside several times this weekend, which always helps. It's so beautiful out right now."

"I couldn't agree more. Did we just start talking about the weather like two little old men?" He lifted an eyebrow and smirked.

"My fault." She laughed just before walking out to grab a cup of coffee.

Alex was in the kitchenette with his back to her, working on a cup for himself it would seem.

"Morning, boss." She grabbed a cup and admired the perfect swell of his derriere in his slacks. He was so far beyond sexy.

"Hi Jamie. I’ve some errands we need to run this morning. I'll have a car waiting for us in thirty minutes. Meet me at the elevator and move your appointments to after lunch." His tone was professional, but commanding. It sent tendrils of desire through the center of her.

"Of course." She finished making her coffee and walked by him, brushing her hip past his rear and ignoring the quick intake of breath from him.

"Tease," he whispered.

She did as he asked and moved all of her appointments to the afternoon, bid Paul goodbye and walked to the elevator a few minutes later. He glanced up from reading an investment portfolio.

"Where are we going?"

"Just a few stops around town to look at some buildings I'm considering buying." He held the elevator door open and let his eyes drag across her. "You look good."

"Good enough to eat?" She walked into the empty elevator, keeping her voice low, but ready to tease the hell out of him. He should definitely suffer like she was.

What had happened to her plan? Out the window, like everything else when Alex was around.

"Yeah. That’s what you want? My mouth pressed to the center of you? The wet sensation of my tongue lapping at you?" He waited until the door closed to crowd her space, pressing himself to the front of her tightly. "I've missed you in my bed. I need to see you naked and squirming beneath me."

She slid her hands around his waist and squeezed the tight muscles of his ass. "Clean up your shit and I'll make your head spin... both of them."

Jamie slipped out of his hold as the door slid open. She walked from the elevator like she owned the place. Her pinstriped skirt fit tight around her waist, but flared out at her thighs. The button-down white shirt she wore was snug across her ample breasts, and the heels made the outfit. She wasn't used to being too flashy, but today she'd gone all out in order to grab Alex's attention and remind him of her sensual nature.

He jogged up beside her and growled. "Fuck, you look good! I think your meat wants you to consider spending some time wrapped around it."

She laughed and glanced at him. "You're corrupt."

"No, just fucking needy and you’re the only woman I’d ever consider taking to my bed." He held the door to the car open for her.

Jamie got in, noticing that there was enough room to play around a little if Alex was up to it. The memory of the limo rolled over her and she realized that wearing underwear around this man was torrential waste. She'd have them off in ten seconds flat if they had a long drive ahead of them. The darkened window between them and the driver caused her heart to flutter.

Alex got in on the opposite door and glanced over at her. "Did you hear me?"

"How long is the drive?" She ignored his question.

"As long as you want it to be." He reached for her, his eyes going a little wide as she turned and slipped into his lap. "Fuck."

"Shut up." She rolled her hips, rubbing herself against the large bulge in his slacks as she pressed her chest against his. "Tell the driver to take us an hour from here. I'm going to take my time with you. I fucking need it."

"Anything you want," he whispered and pressed the button to talk with the driver. Jamie pressed her tongue to the side of his neck, dragging it up slowly as she undulated her hips in a slow sensual rhythm.

She pressed her lips to his ear and exhaled a moan. "I need to be fucked. Hard."

"Yes, you do, bad girl." He squeezed her butt once before sliding his hands under her skirt, rubbing his fingers over her softness. "No panties?"

"They're there." She rocked against him and sucked his ear into her mouth.

He groaned and lifted his hips, pressing against her with force. "You smell good. I can almost taste you."

"So hot," she murmured and sat up, working on his tie.

He reached up and helped her tug it off of him before unbuttoning his shirt with fervor. "I need you so bad."

Her fingers spayed across his firm chest as a groan left her. The silkiness of his skin was almost overwhelming and she realized how bad she needed for them to be in the bed. The ability to stretch out and make love to each other was where she was.

"Tell him to take us home. We're only fifteen minutes away."

"Yeah," he muttered against the side of her neck as he pulled her down.

The diver was informed and ten minutes later they were home, but panting and needy with just having each other's touch and the hungry brush of lips against one another.

Alex got out, his shirt half hanging from his body and tugged her out roughly. Somewhere along the lines of the make-out session, she lost control and he assumed it. It was one of the reasons she would be his forever.

He opened the front door to the house and turned as she closed the door. His arms wrapped around her and he consumed her mouth. His strong fingers bit into the back of her thighs as he murmured, “Up.”

She jumped, a little worried about being too big for him to carry, but he easily caught her, wrapped her legs around him and seemed to have little trouble with moving them to his bedroom. He stopped in the hall and pressed her tightly to the wall behind her, grinding against her as she moaned against his throat.

"So fucking wet, Jamie. I can feel your heat through my slacks."

"Get them off. Now." She bit at the side of his neck and tugged the flesh gently.

He let out a guttural sound that shot right to the center of her. She was close to coming just from the smell of him in combination with his strong thrusts against the center of her need.

Letting her slide down the length of him, Alex moved back and worked himself out of his clothes before grabbing her and tearing at her clothes as well. When she stood in nothing but her heels, he stepped up and wrapped himself around her, forcing her to stumble with him into the bedroom.