The Boss Man: A Steamy Contemporary Romantic Suspense Novel (The Manly Series Book 4)

by Teddy Hester

  I could very definitely be on a collision course with heartbreak.

  “Jack, I know you. When you get this quiet, somebody’s got hell to pay,” Frank says, stalking the mile and a half from the meeting back to the pumphouse. “Go back to the hotel. Get some sleep. Come back fresh.”

  My lips curl into a snarl. “Not sleepy. Gonna stop in and watch the security tapes. How close are we to finishing the build in the well?”

  “Pretty close. Tomorrow, probably. We’ll get as far as we can today, and the night crew can wrap things up. We should be ready over the weekend for a test.”

  I grunt my understanding and fling open the door to the Security building. “After I finish here, I’ll come join you at the pumphouse. I want to talk to the crew at lunch.”

  “I’ll pass the word.”

  After we pass through the scanner, Frank moves on his way to the construction site, while I veer off upstairs to the Security offices. A uniformed man sits behind a barricade like a bank teller’s window.

  I point to my badge. “Hi. I’m Jack DePaul with AI. I’d like to see security tapes from nights we’ve had pilfering down on the construction site.”

  The officer makes a call, and a uniformed woman comes to get me. “This way, please, Mr. DePaul,” she says, walking me down a hall to a small conference room with a smart board. She consults a list, then queues up a video. There’s nothing much to see, until we get to the view of Nick’s tool belt outside the Porta-Potties. One minute the toolbelt is there, resting on the ground, leaning against the portable, and the next, it’s sliding away to the side, until it disappears.

  “Stop the video,” I order. “Show that again, slower.”

  She does as I ask.

  “I don’t get it. Has the video been altered?”

  “No, sir. We’ve watched it many times, but nobody’s made any changes.” Big brown eyes eat up half her face, dark hair dragged back into a clip.

  “Can you explain it?”

  She shakes her head. “It’s like magic. We haven’t been able to figure it out.”

  “It’s obviously someone who knows the site and where the cameras are. I don’t see hands or even a shadow.”

  One of her shoulders rides up towards her ear in a lopsided shrug. “We’ve upped our patrol, and there hasn’t been another incident.”

  I scrub a hand down my face. “Okay, let me see it again. Slow.”

  After the lunch break and having a good pep talk with the day shift, a wall of tired slams into me. My head’s nodding as I tear away from the parking lot and the drive to the hotel. Thank goodness there was food in the little fridge. That should tide me over until tonight, when I’ll stop at the diner for a full meal before going back out to the site.

  Coming down the hall from the elevator, my feet want to carry me to Jilly’s door. If I weren’t one hundred percent positive I’d wake her up, I’d strip off my clothes, fall into bed with her, and bury my nose in her neck to sleep.

  Who’m I kidding? I’d strip and fall into bed with her, but it’s not her neck I’d be burying myself into. My randy dick doesn’t seem to care how bone-weary I am right now. It wants to get wet, and not in a solitary shower.

  By sheer force of will, I open my own door and shove inside the room. Stripping clothes as I cross to the bed, I’m naked when I pull back the covers and crash belly-first. My muscles melt into the crisp sheets. Man, I haven’t felt this relaxed in ages.

  And that’s a big surprise. It’s been a long, hectic day, with plenty of stress. Through it all, I remembered turquoise eyes, softening in response to the ways I touched her. The squeal of tools in the distance reminded me of her little mews when I discovered a particularly sensitive spot along her collar bone. I’d run my hand along a weld and remember the silky skin of her breasts and the way her nipples crinkled into sharp points when I teased them with my tongue.

  Recalling all that hardens my body to steel. I flex my hips and groan, imagining her warmth encasing my throbbing shaft. There’s enough friction from the sheets that I could go all the way, if I wanted to sleep in stickiness like a teenager again. I roll out of bed for a towel, then lie on my back when I return, cock fisted. I squeeze hard, forcing liquid from the tip to help lubricate.

  Pretending it’s her hand, I stroke, motions slow, savoring the build-up of sensations zipping through me. My free hand cups my balls, gently rolling them against each other.

  It wasn’t but a few hours ago that Jilly and I were sharing this. The woman was magnificent. In the parking lot, she showed me she could keep up, and she didn’t disappoint. I was out of my mind with lust for her, and she met me every step of the way. Her gropes were just as fevered as mine, her kisses as demanding. She even pulled my hair the way I pulled hers, all wrapped around my fist. Every lunge of my hard body was absorbed into her pillowed one, taking as much as I had to give.

  In the here and now, I squeeze my fist tighter around my cock and pick up the speed.

  Was it so glorious this morning just because it was our first time? The excitement of something new? Something tells me that she wanted it as bad as I did, and that it would be that good the next time.

  Will there be a next time? My fist slows, considering. Fucking Jilly was one of the more stupid things I’ve done in a while. Oh, not the fucking. The timing. I intended to wait until the job was done. Take the safe and sane route.

  But the floral smell of her hair, her skin that glows like sunshine, and tastes like home was too much for me to resist. I had to have her.

  And now that I’ve had her, instead of getting the urge out of my system, it’s set its burrs in me, demanding I take more.

  My cock thickens as I stroke, from the base, to the tip, around the head, and back down.

  Jilly.

  I dream of her sucking my girth into her gorgeous mouth, and my heartbeat picks up. My backside tightens, and I thrust into my hand like I’m pumping into her, burying my rigid flesh into her heat.

  There’s enough lube that I can slide my palm over the engorged tip with each stroke. It feels good, but after being inside Jilly’s body, this is a poor substitute. Like drinking light beer—it quenches the thirst, but doesn’t satisfy.

  My body seizes, and cum races from my balls. Euphoria hits, and I explode, inside and out. White strings fly toward my face, spattering my chest, leaving me wishing the ropes were glistening on Jilly’s beautiful round breasts. That thought sends impulses through my nervous system again, keeping me hard. I rub cum all over my cock, then begin jacking again. I pull hard and fast, conjuring up Jilly’s naked form with all its delectable curves. My balls take a beating, too, as I manipulate them mercilessly, just to the point of pain. The head of my cock is dark purple, filled with blood, straining toward climax. It hits so hard I double up, cum geysering out of my body in thick pulses.

  Panting, I lie back and reach for the towel to clean myself off.

  Yeah. I want more Jilly Vickers. I need her in my bed. I want to hold her when we fall asleep in each other’s arms. But I need to figure out how to do it without further compromising my project. Forcing myself to wait another week would be the smart idea. And I’m usually smart about my women. But something happened between us that’s not usual for me. I’m not sure what that something is, and I’m not prepared to analyze it.

  One thing’s for sure, though. It’s not going to be so easy to keep Jilly compartmentalized.

  CHAPTER ELEVEN

  Six Days to Deadline

  “Jilly!”

  Felix snags my attention from interviewing a cleaning contractor. My bothers’ friend cuts a fine figure, tall and square, sandy hair looking professional under his hard hat. Although I could never look at him as a possible love interest, it’s no surprise that Nola’s smitten.

  “Hey, Felix.”

  He gives me a quick shoulder hug and shakes the worker’s hand. “Hope I’m not interrupting?”

  “We were wrapping up. Just a couple more questions.” I turn back to
Hector. “So, no ideas about the stolen items?”

  “We’re all watching very carefully. Making sure nothing’s left unattended.”

  “And yet things still go missing every night?”

  “Si. Odd things. I lost a pack of gum last night.”

  “Nuisance stuff.”

  “Exactamente.”

  “How’s the rest of the project going?”

  The small man has an endearing smile. “They keep us busy. More busy since AI came.”

  “Workers can’t get to their job sites until you’ve prepped it for them, right?”

  “Si. We keep the construction areas cleared of debris and as much dust as we can, so machines and tools can operate properly.”

  “How long have you been a cleaning contractor?”

  “My wife, Lupe, and I met at our first site, twelve years ago.”

  Felix catches my eye and waggles his brows suggestively. “An office romance.”

  His look sends a stream of awkward through me. I gulp a quick inhale, trying to banish heebie-jeebies. Instead I focus on the realization that I’m sort of having an office romance, too, just not in the office. “Thank you, Hector. Hope I didn’t take too much of your time.”

  He nods and lopes off, pulling on his gloves.

  Felix’s gaze has never left me.

  My muscles twitch, and I huff a laugh. “What? You’re creeping me out, Felix. Stop it.”

  “I saw the way you looked when I mentioned office romance.”

  Old programming surfaces, my father laying down the law on my activities, brothers following up to make sure I complied. It’s hard to resist falling into the pattern of knuckling under. “No idea what you’re talking about.” I pack up my stuff to go back to the pumphouse.

  “DePaul.”

  I jerk my head to meet his searching stare. “What about him?”

  “You’re falling for him, aren’t you?”

  A heavy sigh escapes my lungs. “What I do or don’t do is none of your business, Felix.”

  “How can you say that? We’ve practically grown up together. Your family depends upon me to keep you safe when they’re not around.”

  The noise of my labored breathing is loud to my own ears. I stop, legs wide, fists on hips. “Don’t. Do not do that. I’m an adult, and I make my own decisions, live my own life. Unless I ask for your help, don’t interfere.”

  “He’s no good, Jillian.”

  I throw up my hands and turn to walk away from the aggravating man.

  “He’s in trouble with Lonestar Petroleum.”

  My gut wrenches like it’s suffering from green-apple bellyache. “What?”

  “At a meeting this morning. He was called on the carpet.”

  “What for?” My heart’s pounding.

  He takes my elbow. “I can’t really talk about it. I shouldn’t have said this much. But dammit, Jilly-bean, I can’t stand by and let you get mixed up with somebody your family wouldn’t approve of.” The skin’s bunched around his eyes, and his jaw is clenched hard against emotion.

  The worst of my anger melts. “I can take care of myself.”

  “Jilly—”

  “No, Felix. This needs to stop. I already have too many babysitters looking over my shoulders at everything I do. I don’t need another.”

  He scoffs. “You’re so blinded by him, I’m not sure you know what you need or don’t need.”

  Placing a hand on his forearm, I wait until he’s focused on me. “I just need your friendship. That’s all.”

  He pulls off his hat and rakes his fingers through his hair. “Jilly—”

  “Be my friend.”

  His mouth pulls into a grimace, but he nods.

  The vice around my chest loosens. “Good. Because I know someone who really needs a good man looking to her comfort and safety.”

  One side of his mouth pulls up in a slow smile. “Who?”

  “A certain someone you work with.”

  He scrunches up his forehead. “I only work with guys.” He leans in and whispers. “You do realize I’m straight? I like women?”

  I slap his chest and shove. “Very funny. This particular she isn’t a pipefitter.”

  This time his eyes seem to scan the sky as if she’s hiding above him. “Seriously, nobody’s coming to mind.”

  I snort my frustration. “Guys are so clueless sometimes.”

  “Just tell me—”

  “Nola!”

  He blinks a couple of times, staring at me like I’m the two-headed calf at the county fair.

  “Is that a problem?” I ask.

  “Not exactly.”

  “She’s been awfully nice to me here on site.”

  His jaw flexes. “She has a kid.”

  “You don’t like kids?”

  “They take work.”

  “Like most things worth having. If it’s worth having—”

  “—it’s worth working for. Yeah, your Aunt Bink already told me.”

  My insides warm with affection when I picture my 80-year-old aunt giving this man words of romance wisdom. “She’s usually right, you know.”

  “Yep. I haven’t been very encouraging to Nola. She’s probably not interested anymore.”

  My eyes roll as I throw his earlier words back in his face. “I can’t really talk about it. I shouldn’t have said this much.”

  He has the decency to look sheepish, his head pulled in toward his collar. “All right, Miss Sass, I’ll take it under advisement. But in the meantime, I don’t trust DePaul, and I’ll do whatever it takes to keep him from hurting you.”

  “I’d rather you help him bring in this project on time.”

  He swallows and takes a step closer. “I’m not the one with screwed-up priorities. I’ll do my job. And I’ll keep my men safe. No matter what it takes.”

  Bile rises in my throat, and my stomach tightens.

  He’s touching her. His paw was on her arm and now he’s grabbing her elbow like he owns her.

  She’s bright as sunshine, and he’ll smudge her with his dirt. Why does she let him get that close? Why does she smile at him, pat his arm? After our time together this morning, why would she?

  I draw a long breath through my nose and concentrate on calming the army of tiny razor blades jagging through my body.

  They’ve known each other a long time. Her brothers’ friend, she said. From what I’m seeing right now, she’s pretty friendly with him, too. The man who’s stirring up trouble for AI. Who’s trying to trip me up on this project.

  What’s his angle? And is he the only one doing the angling? She sees lots of documents and data. Some of the things he came up with at this morning’s meeting, I never pegged him as being smart enough to figure out on his own. He’s not in high enough a position.

  Unless he’s getting help.

  The stab of pain to my chest is sharp and shocking.

  No. I’m being paranoid. She wants this project to succeed, too. There’s nothing for her to gain in sabotaging AI. She wouldn’t.

  The pain dulls, slicked over by the oily, green slime of envy. I resent the years he’s known her. The memories they share. The smiles and laughter and even the pranks between them. I want them for myself.

  On top of that, I particularly don’t want her giving away her touches.

  Fuck. I’m a jealous dick. Take the girl once, and suddenly she’s mine? In what universe?

  The asshole smiles at Jilly, and I have to beat back the urge to stalk over to her, fist her hair, and plaster her mouth with my kisses. Remind her who was in her bed just hours ago. My lips tingle, and my cock twitches. I growl with the animal surge flooding my veins.

  Even at this distance, she’s aware. Her back stiffens as if she can feel me nearby. She waves Felix off. Pivoting, she looks me up and down, waiting. Like a queen, tall and self-assured, fiery crown of hair surrounding clear, shining skin and piercing blue-green eyes.

  I’m no greenhorn mooning over his first woman. Got over that phase half m
y life ago. Yet somehow this woman is worming her way into me. Burrowing under my skin. It’s in the way she invades me with her gaze. As though she can see past the wall I’ve erected to keep everyone else out. Even my brothers haven’t figured out how to penetrate it. But she’s doing it, and we haven’t even known each other long enough to build trust.

  Her cozying up to that pipefitter supervisor doesn’t inspire my trust. I control the sneer pulling on my upper lip and fight to get my head back in the construction game. Frank told me the day crew made progress on the retro-fit scaffolding down in the s-CO2 well. I need to make my own assessment so work can be assigned. The last thing I need right now is Jilly’s type of distraction.

  The disappointment in her eyes when I turn my back haunts me all the way to the well.

  What was Jack’s dirty look for?

  First he leaves me high and dry this morning, and now he glares at me and walks away?

  My heart that had been stuttering while I stood there drinking him in, now sags in dejection. Muscles turn heavy and tired, body dragging as I trudge back to my desk in the pumphouse.

  Fine. He’s under tremendous pressure. And, if half of what Felix says is true, Jack’s carrying even more stress than usual. I can cut him some slack. Besides, I almost have enough information for my blog article. The sooner I finish that, the sooner I can move on to my grapefruit harvest. Then I’ll have time. Time for us. If we both want it. I can’t tell about his feelings right now.

  “Danny, I’m going to work on my article, if you need me.”

  He smiles at me as I pass. “Sounds like a plan. I don’t think the boss will be back for dinner, so you should have plenty of time.”