Who's the Boss Now (Managing the Bosses Series, #3) (14 page)

Jamie pushed at his chest hard when they reached the bed, forcing him onto his back. He started to protest, but she crawled up the length of his body and spread herself over the top of him. His hands clamped down on her ass painfully, and he jerked her up before pressing back hard - impaling her on his thickness.

She cried out at the pleasure that burst through her.

He gripped her hips and smiled cockily. "Sit up and work me. I want to see your body. It's the biggest turn on I've had in my life."

Sitting up, she began to rock her hips, not caring about anything but the pleasure he offered. It had been too long and her body knew it. With fingers digging into the thick muscle of his chest, she lifted up and worked herself right over the edge.

Her arms shook from the intensity of the orgasm, but he held on tightly, fucking her from underneath. The moment she stilled, he flipped them, forcing her to press her front against the cold sheets. He mounted her from behind and slid back into her, gripping her ass for leverage as he began his assault.

"How the hell can I live without you? What was I thinking? You're the only warmth in my life, Jamie." He plunged into her in deep, strong strokes.

She closed her eyes as his words and the feel of him taking her consumed her. There were no words to respond with. The situation between them was something he was going to have to work out. She would be there as long as she could without having her heart stomped on.

"You look so good, baby. So beautiful and sexy." He leaned down and pressed his chest to her back as his angle shifted and she cried out. The spot he rubbed against was almost too much as he continued to fuck her at a steady rhythm.

"I'm going to come," she whispered roughly against the sheet.

He stretched her arms above her head with his, the strength he applied as he held her down was over the top.

Heat spread from her center, and she bucked against him as she came harder than she remembered doing in a long time. The sound of his own pleasure prolonged hers. He might not be able to live without her, but she would surely die without him. There could be no other choice but one where they were together. Accepting anything less wasn't a possibility.

A
s they looked at the building Alex was interested in purchasing, he promised Jamie that he would talk with Annette about taking a pregnancy test. He even spoke of getting his lawyer involved now. It was the only way to see if the bitch was telling the truth, or pulling their strings, which wouldn't have surprised Jamie at all. Something about the situation was off. Namely the timing.

The large investor meeting was the next morning, and after parting ways, Jamie got busy working on her part of the presentation and left Alex alone to work on his. He wouldn't be available that night, but she was sated for the first time in weeks and was glad to give him the time to pull his last minute adjustments together. He hadn't told her that he loved her after their love making session, but she could see it all over his face.

Things would be okay.

She woke early the next morning and dressed in a nice black skirt-suit, pulling her hair into a bun and making sure she looked incredibly professional. The handful of investors that would at their conference were her charge. Lots of people would come for the training that Alex would give out on making wise investments and reading financial markets, but she was to keep their most invested members happy.

Nicholas would be among them, and the thought made her a little leery. He was such a nice guy, and the type of man that would not only promise her the world, but also deliver on it too. There had to be a way to let him down easily, and yet the selfish side of her didn't want to. If things didn't work out with Alex, she'd be furious at herself for giving up the opportunity to be with someone like Nicholas.

You're in love with Alex. It's part of the risk.

She walked into the office, still thinking through the most prudent way to push the handsome older man back. Paul walked in behind her totting two cups of coffee.

"Hey you. I got you this. I'm looking forward to the conference today. Aren't you speaking?" He handed her one.

"Thanks. How sweet of you, and yeah, I'm giving a training on the new blackberry and apple applications that have just rolled out. Mostly on organization and time management. Just extras that Alex thought would be good additions to the conference."

She took a tentative sip of her drink before walking into their shared office.

"Are you nervous?" Paul asked and dropped his stuff on the floor beside his desk.

"No. Maybe I should be, but I've been dealing with so much real life crap that work is almost a break."

He chuckled. "Man don't I understand that. I started dating this new girl and she's so high maintenance. I'm thinking we're just about at the end of this ride."

"Don't like crazy?" Jamie asked cheekily.

"Um... no."

Alex poked his head in the room, his eyes a little wild. "Hey. I need you in the conference room with me stet."

"Alright. Let me grab my stuff, and I'll meet you there." Jamie moved to her desk and started shuffling through her stacks of papers.

"Better you than me. I'd be a basket-case if Mr. Reid was standing over the top of me all the time. Dude's intimidating."

"Yeah, but it's because he knows his stuff and he's incredibly confident." She walked to the door. "You will be one day too."

"You think?" He wagged his eyebrows.

"Maybe not. No." She laughed and walked out, ready to take on the day ahead of them.

––––––––

T
he conference went exceedingly well for the morning session, but Alex not having the time to take anyone to lunch was a little aggravating. Whatever he had to do couldn't wait, which left Jamie with taking a group of stiff old men to lunch.

Nicholas was with her, which made things better, but still... she was Alex's PA and knew enough to keep the conversation going, but not anything close to what he would have been able to do.

They got through the last course, and she waited for the bill by the bar. Nicholas moved up beside her and leaned against the bar.

"Great job today." He smiled warmly.

"Thanks. I'm not sure what the hell Alex had to do that was so important."

"I saw him come in a little while back, but I didn't want to disturb the flow of the lunch. He was with a pretty red-head. Guess the old boy had a meeting that was more important than the whole lot of us." He shrugged, looking rather sheepish.

Sickness rolled through her stomach. "What? He's here?"

"Yeah. Over there." Nicholas moved to the other side of her, close to her back and pointed toward him.

Annette.

Jamie wasn't sure whether to feel good about the fact that Alex was obviously taking the situation seriously enough to push the wayward bitch to provide proof, or if she should be pissed. The conference was a two day even that happened once a year. He couldn't have scheduled the lunch later in the week?

Alex glanced up and looked toward them as if he knew they were watching him. The look on his face said that he wasn't too thrilled to have them spying on him.

Jamie jerked around, not realizing how close Nicholas was. She let out a soft yelp as blush covered her cheeks.

He reached out and touched her arm, squeezing it and moving back a step or two. "Sorry. I didn't mean to crowd you. You stepped back and I thought you were going to fall."

She shook her head. "It's—I’m fine. Really."

"Is he dating that woman? They look awfully cozy." Nicholas glanced over toward Alex again. "I thought you guys were together."

"No, we're not. I told you that." She let out a shaky breath and turned to pay the bill.

"Right. He's coming this way. I'm sure this is going to be fun. He's not with you and yet he's going to be furious with me for being near you. This is why I'm not particularly fond of your boss."

Jamie turned as Alex stopped in front of her. "A word with you."

"Yeah, sure. Just let me finish paying for the investor lunch that you should have been at." She bit out at him and turned back to the bartender.

"We did miss you, old boy." Nicholas touched Jamie's shoulder. "I'll meet you in the car."

"Sounds good. Thanks for helping me today." She glanced over at him as her skin pinpricked with angst. It should have been Alex at the lunch with them. It was his deal and yet he was more concerned with working through is personal shit than making sure she was comfortable in front of his investors. How she got herself in situations like the one she was facing, she would never know.

Alex's fingers wrapped around her arm tightly. "I told you I had an important meeting today. You're more than capable of handling a group of men. I pay you quite well to make sure of that."

She turned. "Let go of my arm, Mr. Reid."

He dropped his hand from her and slipped his hands into the pockets of his slacks as she signed the credit card receipt. "You know I don't like you hanging out with Nic."

"He's one of your investors. I'm not sure what you want me to do." She glanced back to see Annette smiling in their direction. The saucy witch lifted her hand and waved as if they were friends. "And I hate the fact that instead of talking with Annette at the office, you have her on a lunch date. Your timing couldn't be worse." She leaned forward. “Why the hell would she come here? Of all places?”

"I’m trying to figure this out." Alex got in her face, his jaw clenched as anger race over his handsome face.

She poked her finger into his chest. "Then do it later this week. The problem isn't going anywhere, but these investors will. And use your brain. Showing her off here is just trying to hurt me."

“I didn’t know you would take them to lunch here.” His jaw muscles twitched as he spoke.

“Really?” She checked her watch. “I have to get back to my job.”

"You're not riding back with Nic. It's not happening." He pushed her finger away from his chest. "You work for me, and you're on my time right now."

She let out a hard laugh. "Are you fucking kidding me?"

"Not at all. You're my PA. You're riding back with me. Give me ten minutes to get Annette a cab and we'll leave." The tone of his voice and demeaning look in his eye caused her anger to roar to life as well.

"A cab? Did you ride over here with her?" Her heart contracted in her chest.

"Yes. It's nothing like what you think."

"No? You're maybe having a kid with her, Alex. Why would it be anything like I would think? Your slutty PA likes to think about sex in a car. So typical of dim-witted bimbos." She tucked the card back in her purse. "I'll see you at the office. Don't tell me who I can or cannot ride with in a car. I obviously have no way over you doing so."

"I'm not kidding about you riding with Nic, Jamie. I'll not have it." He popped his hand on the bar, causing the bartender to glance up.

"You okay, miss?" The rough looking barkeep asked.

"Yes. Thank you." She looked at Alex incredulously. "Are you seriously doing this right now?"

"I am. I'm tired of letting people think they can run all over me." He closed his eyes and took in a slow breath, as if trying to rein in his emotions.

"Alex?" Annette had moved up behind him without either of them noticing. "And Janine, right?” She flashed a fake smile, purposely getting Jamie’s name wrong. “I’d say that it's nice to see you again, but I'm on a timetable today. You're taking up a chuck of the best part of it, so move along? Help everyone out."

"Excuse me?" Jamie stiffened at the sound of the other woman's voice, let alone her calloused words.

"We're leaving. I'll see you later this week, Annette. Have the test with you and the doctor information or fuck off. I'm not interested in anything else you have to offer." Alex’s tone was steady and left no room for discussion.

Jamie tugged her purse back on her shoulder as Annette mumbled something under her breath and turned to go. "I hate that bitch."

"And I hate Nicholas. Let's go."

"No. I'm not leaving Nicholas to ride back to the office without one of us. It's inappropriate, Alex. You go ride with him and I'll take your car back. You're being ridiculous about this." She gave him a warning look.

"Am I? He's completely taken by you and you don't seem to be put off by him. He's too old for you and yet he seems to be whittling his way into your life."

"I'm not doing this. You're upset about Annette and making everything else wilt because of it. Your notes are on your desk for this afternoon. I had Gina retype them for you." She reached out and pressed her hands to the lapel of his jacket. "I'll see you back at the office. Good luck today."

"You work for me, Jamie. If you ride with him, I'll write you up. Three write ups and you're gone."

Did he just say that?

He was grasping at straws and had obviously lost his damn mind. She chuckled, not quite sure what else to do but play hardball with him. "Do what you need to do, but if you write me up... find a new PA. I'm not a child, and you're not my keeper. Everything I've done has been for the good of your company. Your words cut deep, but that was your intent. We. Are. On. A. Break. You’re just my boss, I’m just your PA who is doing everything she can for the company while the boss acts like a lunatic." She turned and walked to the door, smiling at Nicholas as he held the door to the car open for her.

"Everything okay?"

"As good as can be expected." She got in the car and let out a shaky breath.

Alex was everything she wanted in a man when he was acting like a man. Too bad right now he was being a spoiled ass.

T
hey didn't talk the rest of the afternoon, which was probably a good thing. She didn't quit, but she was ready to if he thought to press the damn write up thing. What a silly, asinine thing to try and pull on her. Just because he couldn't control the situation with Annette didn't mean he had to try and control everything else in his life to the smallest detail. He was beyond being ridiculous.

The next day grew insanely intense as they worked together, communicating only when they had to. How they'd once again gone from mind-blowing sex to being stiff and angry with each other was beyond her. Alex needed to get the situation with Annette put behind them. It was messing up everything in his life. Some of the investors had even been talking quietly about him losing his edge. She wanted to pull him aside, but instead went on damage control.