Brother's Best Friend: A Contemporary Romance Box Set

by Katy Kaylee

  “I thought the point was to get his attention.”

  “I want his business, but I’m not going to let him ogle my wife to get it.”

  She snickered.

  I leaned back and looked down at her. “What’s so funny?”

  “You married me to get a partnership.”

  “That’s different.”

  She quirked a brow like she didn’t buy it.

  “The partners aren’t going to give me a partnership because of your tits and ass. The marriage is a symbol of stability, not your sensuality.”

  “I know the business world is what it is, but it’s sad that you can’t get your goals simply because you’ve earned it. That’s not right.”

  I shrugged. “I have to earn it too.”

  “But you have. It’s not fair. I know the world isn’t fair, but still.”

  I grinned down at her. “I like my wife standing up for me.”

  “Yes, well, my husband is a good man who works hard. All this jumping through hoops is demeaning, even if it does mean I’ll be getting a bakery.”

  “Speaking of bakery, you hungry? I think there are some hor d’oeuvres.” I scanned the room looking for the food and bar.

  “Sure. I wouldn’t mind a drink either.”

  I led her across the room toward the bar.

  “Jake.”

  I turned to my name being called and saw George walking toward us.

  “George, how are you?” I extended my hand to shake his.

  “Very good. I didn’t know you’d be here.”

  “My wife and I enjoy getting out and helping children’s charities. This is my wife, Sofia. This is George Lipman.”

  Sofia extended her hand. “The George Lipman? The producer?”

  “That’s right.” He held onto Sofia’s hand, his eyes scanning her body head to toe before returning to her eyes.

  I clenched my fists to keep from knocking him back.

  “Are you an actress?” he asked.

  “Oh no. I’m a pastry chef.”

  “Sofia is about to open her own bakery.” I tugged her closer to my side. I knew it was cavemannish to establish my claim on her, but instincts, like my dick, were hard to control.

  “I just have to find a great location,” Sofia said.

  “Do you cater?” George asked. “We often have parties for our cast and crew.”

  She shifted uncomfortably next to me. I looked at her, wondering what her concern was. “I only do baked goods. I don’t do meals.”

  “We like cake.”

  “Do you have a card on you, honey?” I asked.

  She had a surprised expression on her face when she looked up at me and then she opened her little purse. “It has my website. You can order from there, or let me write my number.”

  I had a negative visceral response to her giving George her number, but she had a business to build so I kept it to myself.

  She pulled out a tiny pen and wrote on the back of her card and then handed it to George.

  “I’ll give this to my secretary for when we have another event that needs baked items.” He put the card in his breast pocket. “And you, Jake, things are good?”

  “Couldn’t be better.”

  “Jake’s going to be a partner soon.” Sofia nestled against me and looked up at me with pride. She really was a good actress. Perhaps she should consider letting George help her in that area. Then the image of the casting couch came to mind, and I decided baking was a better option.

  “Is that so?” George asked, looking at me.

  “Business is good,” I said, simply.

  Sofia gave a nearly imperceptible tug on my arm, which I suspected meant for me to elaborate.

  Instead, I said, “I promised Sofia some food and drink. Would you excuse us, George?”

  His eyes flickered with surprise, but then he smiled. “Yes of course. Have a lovely evening.”

  I turned, wrapping my other arm around Sofia and led her to the bar.

  “Jake, what was that?”

  “What was what?” I asked, looking over my shoulder and wondering if George was watching her ass again. Fortunately, he was preoccupied with someone else.

  “You had the opportunity to toot your horn and get his business, and instead I ended up giving him my card.”

  “I thought we agreed less was more.”

  “You were nearly cold to him,” she said when we got to the bar.

  “Champagne? Wine? What do you want?”

  She frowned at me at first. “White wine.”

  I turned to the bartender. “White wine and a vodka tonic.” I turned back to Sofia. “He was checking you out.”

  “So?”

  “So. It’s rude. Plus, you’re my wife. He shouldn’t stare at your tits while I’m standing right there.”

  Sofia laughed. “Do you know how many women have checked you out since we walked into this room?”

  I shifted uncomfortably. “No.”

  “Most. Do you see me getting upset about it?”

  “They’re not doing it while talking to you.” I took the wine from the bartender and handed it to her.

  “The point is, your goal is to get his business. If he likes your arm candy—”

  “Fuck Sofia, you’re not arm candy.” I took a long drink of the vodka tonic the bartender handed me.

  “Accepting that men or women are going to ogle is another hoop, Jake.”

  She was right. I scanned the room, but George had moved on. I’d missed my chance. I was only slightly annoyed at myself. Mostly, I wanted to leave the gala and take a break from all the fakery and hoop jumping.

  “You don’t mind that he inquired about my business?” she asked me.

  I shook my head. “Why would I?” Was that why she gave me that weird look when her bakery came up?

  “Because he was supposed to ask about your business.”

  I shrugged. “You need to grow your business too.” Feeling antsy and not interested in schmoozing anymore, I asked, “want to get out of here?”

  “You sure?”

  “Yep.” I finished my drink and waited for her to finish hers. Then I took her hand and led her out of the ballroom.

  We ended up in a dive diner in our fancy clothes, having burgers and shakes and laughing our asses off for the next few hours. It was a reminder of what good friends we were and how much fun we had together. If only I didn’t want to fuck her all the time.

  The next week, I decided to move onto another person on my top ten list of clients I’d love to have. While I wasn’t going to give up completely on George, I figured I couldn’t put all my eggs in his basket. So, I was surprised when on Tuesday, George invited me to lunch at his private club. I tried to temper my excitement in case it was going to be another meeting that ended in his non-committal. Three hours later, I was practically skipping into my office with a signed contract from George Lipman.

  I knew I needed to let Val know, but first, I called Sofia.

  “You were right, less is more, Sof. I think when he thought I didn’t give a fuck about his business, he decided he wanted me to represent him.”

  “Oh Jake, that’s fantastic. We’ll have to celebrate.”

  After that, I let Val know.

  “Let me tell the partners,” she said.

  “Why?” This was my ticket into partnership.

  “Less is more,” Val said, repeating what I’d explained to her about the gala. “Plus, Lipman is a client you’d be able to take with you if you left. If I do it, all this, your marriage, your hooking Lipman doesn’t look obvious.” She tapped her finger on her desk. “In fact, maybe I’ll hint that you’ve been approached by other firms.”

  “Whatever it takes.” As I headed home that night, I swore I could feel my partnership invite coming. But for now, I was thrilled to have Lipman’s business. I burst into the apartment and grabbed Sofia in a hug as I twirled her around. Then we celebrated by going out to dinner.

  It took nearly two weeks, bu
t the invite finally came. I was going to be a full-fledged partner. That Friday night after the partners gave me the news, I felt like I was on air as I rushed home to tell Sofia. I threw open the door, ran in and skidded to a stop in the kitchen where she was putting cookies in a box. When the cookies were safe, I scooped her up in my arms.

  “We did it, Sof. Fucking-a, I’m a partner.”

  “Oh, Jake.” She hugged me. “That’s fantastic.”

  I twirled her around once and then set her down. “Where’s that expensive champagne Wallace got us for our wedding?”

  “It’s in the liquor cupboard.”

  “Come on, we’re celebrating.” I took her hand and went to the cupboard. I grabbed the bottle of champagne and then found the two flutes that had come with it. Then I led her to the couch, popped the cork and poured. “To the new partner of Wallace, Ackerman and Dunne, and the woman who helped him get there.”

  “Cheers.” She clinked her glass with mine and we sipped.

  “Fuck, that’s good.” I sat on the couch and patted the spot next to me. “Come on, Sof, let's get lit on expensive champagne.”

  She laughed. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen you so happy.”

  “I am happy, Sof.” I dropped my head back on the couch. “I’ve worked so fucking hard for this.” I lifted my head again to look at her. “Thank you for this.”

  “I didn’t do anything, Jake.”

  “You married me. You baked for the office. You helped me land Lipman.” I took her hand in mine and kissed it.

  “Those were all hoops. You had to be a good lawyer to earn your partnership.”

  I nodded. “Now I need to get you your bakery. I’m sorry we haven’t found anything suitable.”

  “We will. Or I’ll have to settle.”

  She’d toured many places and even had me check out a couple of them, but none seemed to pull her enough to want to sign a lease. “No settling, Sofia. We’ll find it.”

  She turned slightly, bringing her feet under her. “I know we need to stay married a little longer, but I should probably start looking for a new place to live too.”

  I frowned. I liked living with Sofia. She was fun. She made the apartment smell amazing with her baking. And she was like a good luck charm. Plus, it was nice to come home and have someone to tell about my day. “We’ve got time for that.” I finished my champagne and poured us both more.

  Fortunately, she didn’t press the issue. “To Jake Dunne, esquire.”

  I snorted, feeling the effects of the champagne kick in. “That doesn’t sound right, does it? Jake Dunne is so pedestrian. Not like Sofia Bellini. Lipman was right, you should be an actress.”

  “I like baking.”

  “Besides, you’re Sofia Dunne now. Sorry I ruined your name.” Although I sort of liked it.

  “You didn’t ruin it. Besides, it’s Sofia Bellini Dunne,” she said, pushing my hair off my forehead.

  “That sounds like a dancer. You have great legs for a dancer.”

  This time she snorted. “They’re too short and a little too full for that.”

  “What do you mean?” I lifted her apron to peer at her legs in her shorts.

  “I mean dancers have long skinny legs. My boobs are too big too.”

  What the fuck? I looked at her in shock. “That’s not possible.”

  “It’s true.”

  I shook my head as I finished my second glass of champagne. “Your tits are perfect.” I started to reach out to touch one, but then somehow, through the fog of champagne brain, I remembered I wasn’t supposed to.

  “Not for dancing they’re not.”

  “Dancing is fucked up then.” I reached for the champagne bottle. “One glass left. You want it?”

  She shook her head. “It’s yours, you earned it.”

  I poured the champagne as she took her apron off.

  “See,” I said, pointing toward her chest with my champagne glass. “Perfect.” Still holding the champagne flute, I extended a finger and ran it along the scooped line of her t-shirt. Her nipples puckered and my dick immediately filled. “And you have no control over your tits, either.”

  She looked down at my groin. “How long has he been like that?”

  I laughed and turned back, letting my head fall again against the back of the couch and my eyes close. “Since the day you took your clothes off at the lake.”

  She didn’t say anything for a minute, and I thought perhaps I’d gone too far. I opened my eyes to apologize, but she didn’t look offended. She was looking at my dick. Then she licked her lips, and fuck, I nearly came in my pants.

  Her eyes lifted to mine. Our gazes held and it was like electricity arced between us. I felt her hand on my dick, gently rubbing.

  “Sofia.”

  She ignored me, undoing my pants and then releasing my dick. She stroked him and I was helpless to do anything but close my eyes again and savor the sensation. That was until I felt something hot and wet. I opened my eyes and her lips were around my cock.

  “Ah, fuck.” My hips bucked up, wanting to fuck her mouth. I weaved my fingers through her hair, holding her there as her mouth slid over my aching dick. I set my glass on the table behind the couch and leaned over to run my hand over her ass, squeezing the soft skin of her thighs where her shorts ended. My brain hiccupped and the memory of the last two times we were together flashed.

  “Sofia.” I gently pushed her off my dick. “This never goes well for us.”

  “Third times the charm, right?”

  My dick was screaming, “That’s right…fuck her.” Instead, I said, “What about the annulment?”

  Hesitation flashed in her eyes, and my dick cursed me for making her stop. But then she said, “We’ll lie or find another way.”

  I stared at her, blowing out a long breath to keep from jumping her. “Honey, you need to be sure. Really sure. I don’t want to hurt you. I don’t want to lose our friendship.”

  Her expression looked sad. “Do you want me?”

  “You know I do.” All she had to do was look at my dick standing up straight out of my pants.

  “I want you too.” She straddled my thighs and slipped her shirt off over her head. Her tits were cradled in a pretty lavender lace bra. I was helpless to do anything except lean forward and suck on her tit. I pulled away, looking at the wet spot her hard nipple filled. I reached behind her, unclasping her bra, freeing her gorgeous globes.

  “I dream about these,” I said as I cupped them, then devoured them with my mouth. She moaned and her denim-covered pussy rubbed against my dick. I growled as the friction sent my blood into overdrive. “You make me fucking crazy.”

  In a frenzy, I got her undressed and my pants pushed down far enough to not hinder me. Then I pulled her over my shaft. I sucked on her nipples while my hands encouraged her to take me in.

  She rubbed her pussy over my tip and it was all I could do to keep from thrusting up. I was determined this time to let her lead or to, at the very least, have some control.

  She took in my tip, her entrance contracting around me and I saw stars.

  “Take it all, Sofia. I’m fucking dying here.”

  “You’re so big, Jake.”

  I wasn’t sure if that was a concern or a compliment. Since I’d fucked her before, I decided it was a compliment. “You make him that way, baby.”

  My fingers gripped her hips as she slowly took me in until finally, I was steeped deep inside her. She felt so fucking good. She rocked her hips and another blast of white lights went off in my head.

  “Ride me, Sof. I need you to ride me.” My hands moved, helping her get the motion and rhythm. She was wrong about dancing. She had the perfect body for the dance we were doing.

  “Oh God, Jake.” She gasped and her hand clenched my shoulders. Her movements increased and her head dropped back as she sought her own pleasure. Her tits bounced in front of me. I stuck my tongue out, licking one and then the other. I kneaded her ass and helped her move faster and harder.
My dick was so hard, he was probably going to come out of his skin.

  “Fuck, I’m going to come.” I gritted my teeth, wanting to wait for her. Wanting her to do the honor of getting me off. I flicked my thumb over her clit. She cried out and her pussy clamped down tight on my cock.

  I roared out my release as she shot me to oblivion. My hips bucked and rocked as pulse after pulse of my orgasm swept through my body.

  She collapsed against me, her head resting on my shoulder. Even as the rest of her body went completely lax, her pussy squeezed and massaged my dick until I was sure I was dry.

  Our breaths heaved in and out like bellows. I held her, too afraid to look at her in case she regretted what we’d just done. It wasn’t until I felt dampness on my balls that panic set in—and it wasn’t about regret.

  “Fuck, Sofia.”

  “What?” She lifted her head and stared at me with concerned eyes.

  “I didn’t use a condom.” A part of me felt like pushing her off my dick, and yet, I knew the damage was already done.

  She pressed her hands to my cheeks. “It’s okay. I’m on the pill.”

  “What?” My brain couldn’t compute.

  “The pill. Birth control. Like a condom, only in pill form.”

  “Thank fuck.” Relief washed through me. Then curiosity. “When did you do that?”

  “After you got Lipman as your client.”

  What the hell? “I got Lipman and you thought that meant you should go on the pill?”

  “You swept in here hugging me and so happy and I wanted to take all my clothes off again.”

  I grinned. “I do have that effect on you.”

  “I figured it was only a matter of time before I wouldn’t be able to help myself.”

  “I do like it when you take your clothes off.” Then wanting to make sure she was okay; I rubbed my hands up her back. “No regrets this time?”

  “Not for me. How about you?”

  “Not at all.”

  “Does that mean we can do it again some time?” She wiggled her ass and my dick took notice. Yep, this marriage arrangement with benefits was getting better all the time.

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