Her Boss: Braxton Brothers Series Book One

by Meyer, Anne-Marie

  Deciding that it was better not to focus on his meanings or non-meanings, she slipped her sandals off and stepped into the living room, where Jordan was doing a puzzle.

  “Beth,” he said, jumping up from the floor and rushing over to give her a hug.

  “Hey, Jordan,” she said as she wrapped her arms around him. She loved the fact that he was happy to see her. It felt good to be greeted with enthusiasm instead of the cloud of worry that hung over her house.

  “I’m working on a puzzle,” he said as he grabbed her hand and pulled her toward the coffee table.

  “Wow, that looks amazing,” she said, staring down at the half-finished puzzle.

  “Want to help me?”

  “Hey, squirt, I need Beth to help me with dinner,” Josh said as he appeared in the doorway to the kitchen.

  Beth glanced up at him, and heat rushed to her cheeks. He was leaning on the doorframe, watching them in an unabashed and open way. Even though her whole body was responding to the way he was looking at her, fear crept up into her chest, causing her to drop his gaze and shrug at Jordan.

  “Is that okay with you?” she asked.

  Jordan shrugged as he attempted to shove a puzzle piece into place. He wasn’t heartbroken that she wasn’t going to stay, so Beth stood and made her way over to Josh.

  He didn’t move as she stopped inches in front of him. “You need my help?” she asked, praying that her voice would come out normal.

  Josh chuckled and pushed off the wall. He extended his hand into the kitchen. “If you don’t mind.”

  She shrugged and tried to act as if his presence wasn’t sending her senses haywire. Cooking with Josh by her side was like a dream come true. “I guess.”

  The steaks were laid out on the counter and coated in a spice rub. The potatoes were washed and stacked next to a bowl with a peeler resting next to them.

  “Mind helping me with the potatoes?” he asked, picking one up and tossing it into the air.

  Beth chuckled as she reached out and grabbed one from the top. “You’re in luck. I’m the fastest potato peeler this side of the Mississippi.” She turned her voice gravelly so she sounded like a pirate.

  Josh’s eyebrows went up. “Oh, then I am lucky. Wanna race?”

  Beth settled down on one of the barstools and grabbed the peeler. “Oh, it’s on.”

  Josh grabbed another stool and dragged it over so that he was facing her. After rummaging around in the drawers, he found a knife and raised his hands, poised to get started.

  “Let’s do this.”

  After he shouted, “Start!” they began peeling. Beth stared at the potato as she ran the peeler across the skin, shards of potato skin flying to the counter below. Just as the last strip was off and the potato clean, she dropped it onto the counter and raised her hands.

  “Done,” she shouted and glanced over at Josh, who was still slicing the last of the skin off his potato.

  He groaned as he finished and set his potato next to hers. “I demand a rematch.”

  Beth smiled smugly at him as she pretended to brush something off her shoulder. “Are you sure? I mean”—she sucked in her breath between her teeth—“I did beat you pretty badly.”

  Josh dropped his jaw. “Wow. Humility run in your family?”

  Beth laughed. It felt so good to just goof off with Josh. There was no pressure here. Just the two of them and Jordan. It wasn’t stressful. And she needed this so badly.

  She shrugged. “Bring it on, sparky.” She grabbed another potato and readied the peeler.

  Josh chuckled. “Go.”

  They started peeling. Beth watched as the chunks of peel flew to the counter.

  “Crap,” Josh’s voice pulled her from the trance she was in. Glancing over, she saw him grab his finger and squeeze.

  Realizing what he’d done, Beth dropped her potato and peeler and rushed over to grab a paper towel.

  “I’m so sorry,” she said, her voice barely a whisper as she handed it over.

  Josh took it, and as he unwound his fingers, she could see the blood covering both hands.

  “Why are you apologizing,” he said. “It was my own dumb fault. I got sloppy.”

  Beth still felt terrible. Josh dipped down to meet her gaze.

  “It wasn’t your fault.” His smile was soft and genuine as he studied her.

  “Let me help you clean it up,” she said as she waved to his hands.

  He paused but then nodded. “Sure.”

  Beth glanced up to meet his gaze. He had a soft smile on his lips. She tried to control her emotions. “First aid kit?” she asked.

  Josh stood and nodded for her to follow. Beth glanced into the living room as they passed, to see that Jordan had given up on his puzzle and was now watching a superhero show.

  As Josh lead her down the hallway and into his bedroom, her heart began to pound in her chest. This situation was beginning to turn intimate, and as her mind swam from that thought, panic rose up in her chest.

  Opening herself up to Josh was the last thing she needed to do. But from the way he stood close to her in this tiny bathroom, it was going to be near impossible to avoid.

  Chapter Eleven

  Josh couldn’t help but stare at Beth as she gingerly took his hand and brought it over to the running water. Her expression stilled as she glanced over at him.

  “I’m sorry,” she said as she tipped his hand to and fro. Blood mixed with the water and ran down the drain.

  Josh wanted to tell her that he’d been injured worse than this in the past, but he kind of liked how gentle she was being. It’d been a long time since someone cared about him enough to dote on him.

  “I’m sure I’ll be fine,” he said. He shifted on the toilet seat so that his arm wasn’t bent in a strange angle.

  “I’m such a dork. We shouldn’t have raced when knives are involved.” She shot him a sheepish look. “I mean, I am supposed to be a good example now that I’m the nanny.”

  Josh laughed and leaned in. She smelled like coconut and vanilla. He could breathe in her scent all day. “I won’t tell your boss,” he said, making it sound as devious as possible.

  It may have been his imagination, but he swore he saw goosebumps rush across Beth’s skin. He wanted to study it more, but she dropped down to grab his first aid kit from under the sink. When she returned, she looked completely normal. As if his words hadn’t affected her.

  He felt stupid. Why was he seeing things that weren’t there? Even though things were changing for him, it didn’t mean they were changing for Beth.

  He dropped his gaze and focused on what she was doing. Zaps of electricity raced up his arm as she carefully lifted his hand up to inspect the cut. Warmth flooded his chest as she gently dabbed his finger with gauze to remove the blood that welled from his cut.

  “You should be a nurse,” he said.

  Beth snorted and glanced over at him. “I’m okay with a little blood, but pools of it make me woozy.”

  Josh chuckled as she dabbed the blood again and then grabbed the antiseptic cream and squeezed a line down his cut. She wrapped a bandage around it and then crumpled up the trash. Josh reached out his hand to take it from her, and for a moment, she looked startled.

  “Garbage is over here,” he said, nodding toward the wastebasket next to him.

  Beth’s face flushed as she nodded and dropped it into his hand. She was confusing him so much. There were moments when he wondered if she liked him, and then she would back away as if she were afraid of something.

  He understood what it was like to be hurt. To build a wall up around your heart so that no one could ever hurt you again. But that wasn’t him—he would never hurt her. And all he wanted to do was prove that to her. But how?

  Beth began rinsing the sink with water as the last of the blood flowed down the drain. Josh took the job of collecting the cream and box of bandages and returning them to under sink.

  He stood and suddenly realized how small this bathroom was. As he
remained there, looking down at Beth, his mind began to swim. All he could focus on was how good it felt to be this close to her.

  She knew him, and that thought comforted him. They’d grown up together. She was as familiar as breathing.

  Time seemed to stop as he dropped his gaze down to study her. She met it with so much uncertainty that Josh almost found himself telling her that she could trust him. That hurting someone he’d known for so long was the last thing he’d do.

  “How does your hand feel?” she asked, her voice low and breathy.

  Josh reveled in the fact that she hadn’t stepped back or tried to leave. Did he dare think that she wanted to stay? Was that crazy?

  “Much better, thanks to you,” he said, the depth of his voice surprising even him.

  She flicked her gaze down to his hand and then back up to him. “I’m happy to help.”

  Out of instinct, Josh reached up to tuck a loose strand of hair behind her ear. His heart raced as his fingers brushed her smooth skin, and the desire to touch more raced through him. “I’m happy I came home. It’s been nice having you around.” He met her gaze. He wanted her to know that he meant what he was saying.

  Beth chewed her lip as she studied him, but before she said anything, the sound of a phone ringing caused her to jump back.

  “That’s my phone,” she said as she stepped out of the bathroom.

  Josh watched her disappear around the corner. He took a deep breath as he ran his thumb over his fingertips. The memory of how it felt to touch her was burned in his mind and on his skin.

  She was no longer that little teenage girl who had declared her love for him. Now they were older, and it changed everything. She was kind and sweet and everything his ex wasn’t. And he was ready for different. If only she felt the same way.

  * * *

  They finished up dinner with pleasant conversation. Jordan dominated most of it, talking about superheroes and the beach. Beth seemed entertained by everything he said, giving him her undivided attention.

  Josh just sat back, enjoying how Jordan lapped up her enthusiasm. It’d been a long time since anyone had paid that much attention to his son. Cindy had always found reasons not to engage with him.

  Once their plates were empty, Josh brought them into the kitchen and rinsed them off. When he returned to the table, he saw that Jordan had dragged out his coloring books and laid them in front of Beth.

  They began coloring and talking about which superhero could kick another superhero’s butt. Josh enjoyed listening to their voices and laughter as he cleared the table. There was a knock on the door just as he started the dishwasher.

  Intrigued, Josh headed to the door, but Jordan beat him to it.

  “Nana,” Jordan exclaimed as he threw his arms around Sondra’s middle.

  “Looks like you have a full house here,” she said, glancing first at Beth and then appreciatively to Josh.

  Josh squelched the desire to roll his eyes as he shot his mom a look. “I invited Beth over for dinner. She worked hard today.”

  Sondra gave him a sure you did look before turning her attention back to Jordan. “Grandma just pulled out some chocolate chip cookies. Want to come over for some?”

  Jordan cheered and rushed to slip on his flip-flops. When Josh moved toward the door, Sondra held up her hand. “Invitation is for grandchildren only.”

  Josh shot her a hurt look, but she held her ground. “Besides, you have company.” Sondra nodded at Beth.

  He sighed, but she just chuckled under her breath as she held the door open for Jordan. “I will return him in an hour.”

  Josh waved at his son as they descended the stairs and then shut the door. Realizing how alone they were, Josh glanced back to see that Beth had stood up and looked as if she didn’t know where to go.

  “Wine?” he asked as he grabbed two glasses and a bottle from the fridge.

  Beth’s eyes widened as her gaze flicked over to the door. Josh tried to not let that bother him. Maybe she really did need to leave. Maybe he’d misread every signal he thought she was sending his direction.

  She had a crush on him when they were kids, but maybe she’d moved on a long time ago. He was a fool for entertaining thoughts of something more.

  “I mean, if you have the time. If not, I totally understand.” He began to open the fridge to return the wine.

  Beth shook her head. “No. That’s okay.” She took a deep breath. “I’d love to have a glass.”

  Josh’s confidence returned as he nodded toward the sliding doors that lead out to the small balcony. The nice thing about South Carolina was that, while the sun was blazing hot during the day, the nights were cool.

  Beth walked over to the doors and pulled them open. Josh followed after her, and just before he passed by, he paused, reveling in the feeling of standing next to her.

  He leaned closer, hoping she would understand his meaning without saying it. “I’m really happy you decided to stay.”

  Beth met his gaze, and for a moment, it was just the two of them. All he could see was her. He loved the familiarity that he felt, being next to her. It was strange to think, but even though he’d spent most of his teenage years ignoring her, he was grateful she was here right now.

  She swallowed and nodded. “Of course. What are friends for.”

  Josh cleared his throat at her choice of words. Friends. Even though it felt like a punch to the gut, he didn’t allow it to shake his resolve. He knew what she was doing—it was something he was all too familiar with.

  Protection. That’s what she was giving herself. A fire lit inside of him as they settled into the deck chairs out on the balcony. He loved a good competition, and Beth had just extended one.

  This was a competition for him to prove how he felt about her, and he was up to the challenge.

  Once they were situated and the wine poured, Josh settled back in his chair. He took a drink and then set his glass down on the little table between them.

  The salty smell of the ocean wafted with the breeze. He took a deep breath. This was amazing. He didn’t realize it until now, but he’d missed this. All of it.

  He glanced over to Beth, suddenly wanting to know everything about her. Everything that had happened over the last fourteen years since he’d seen her. But he didn’t want to push her farther then she wanted to go.

  “It’s good to be home,” he said, smiling over at her.

  Beth glanced at him while taking another sip. She nodded, pinching her lips together as she swallowed. “It is. There’s no place like Honey Grove.”

  Josh snorted. “That’s for sure. Colorado was nice, but I missed this place. This town. The people.” He let his last words linger in the air as he studied her.

  Did she understand his meaning? Honestly, he didn’t even understand his own meaning. He didn’t want to lead her on, though he did want to connect with her. Could he be that kind of guy for Beth? He wasn’t sure. He just knew he wanted to.

  Beth’s cheeks flushed, telling him she’d understood. “Your family is great. I missed them too.”

  Josh’s gaze turned toward his parent’s house. Lights shone through the windows and against the ground below. He had missed his family. Life wasn’t the same since he left. He’d gone from a house full of people and love to a house with Cindy.

  He just wished someday Jordan would feel the love that he’d felt growing up in a town like Honey Grove.

  “Poor Jordan,” he said. Pain clung to his throat, making the words almost impossible to get out. He swallowed, trying to push down all the pain that had built up in his chest, but it didn’t want to budge.

  A hand curled around his own. Heat and electricity rushed across his skin from the contact. Glancing up, he saw Beth studying him.

  “You’re a good dad. Jordan knows that.”

  Josh cleared his throat as he turned his hand over, hoping that Beth would understand what he wanted. He didn’t want this friendship between them. He wanted something more. How would she fee
l about that?

  When she didn’t move her hand away, he threaded his fingers through hers. “It’s nice, being back with you.” He gave her a small smile.

  She returned it. “Yeah.”

  Hoping she would open up to him, he decided to try and to get her talking. “Your ex is an idiot.”

  A sad expression passed over her face, and Josh cursed himself. Why did he bring that guy up again? She probably didn’t want to talk about it.

  And when she pulled her hand away to adjust her ponytail, he knew he’d crossed a line. He should have kept his mouth shut.

  “What do you mean?” She reached out to pick up her wine glass and hold it in her hand.

  “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have blurted that out, but it’s true. If that guy dumped you, he should be checked in to an insane asylum.” Well, the truth was out. It needed to be said, but from the way his chest was constricting, he worried he’d said too much.

  Beth started at him as if she weren’t sure how to answer him. Then she sighed and brought her knees up, balancing her glass on them. “I’m not so sure, but that’s okay. It’s good that he dumped me instead of dragging things out longer. Now, we can both move on.”

  Josh nodded as he turned to watch the last bits of orange sunlight disappear beneath the horizon. He knew that all too well. How much of his life did he give to Cindy, just to have her rip it out from under him.

  “Cindy, my ex, decided that my business partner was more interesting than me.” He swallowed as a lump formed in his throat. It wasn’t from sadness, more from frustration at himself for being so stupid. He should have seen this coming, but he’d just ignored it.

  When Beth didn’t respond, he continued. “She decided that she needed a fresh start with him. And Jordan and I weren’t included. So she gave up custody and walked away.” He reached out and downed the rest of his wine in one gulp. Wow. That hurt to even say.

  Which made him feel ridiculous. How long had it been since this happened? Why was it still hitting him like it was fresh?