Up All Night Long: From Lust to Love (Romance Anthology)

by Ali Parker

  "Here goes nothing …"

  Chapter 5

  Linda was far too good looking to be a secretary, or Damon was the asshole her mother had warned her about. Bethany hated to judge a book by its cover, but the tall blonde model posing as a receptionist had been wickedly sexual, just in showing Bethany to Damon's office, her words almost purred. Bethany thanked her and shivered in disgust as the door closed. Apparently, Damon was down the hall and would be back shortly.

  Taking advantage of the few moments she had, Bethany walked around the large executive office. The windows lined the walls of half of the office from floor to ceiling. The view was spectacular and she wanted to see it at night, the lights of the city a beautiful spectacle no doubt.

  Pictures of three men littered the wall behind Damon's large cherry-wood desk, one of them being Kent and the others Damon and his brother. She picked up one of the photos of the three men smiling at the camera, their golf shirts showing that they were at an event together.

  "Oh, shit. Please let the goofy looking one be Damon."

  She sat the picture down and moved toward the door, the sound of him coming in causing her heart to race. His voice was deep, the timbre of it commanding and firm.

  "I'll be busy for the next twenty minutes, Linda. No interruptions unless the building is burning down."

  The door closed and Bethany turned from the window, her heart sinking at the image before her. It wasn't the goofy brother, but the devilishly handsome one. The one that caused hearts to stop and panties to disintegrate with a look. His dark hair was combed on the sides and a bit messy on the top, the smirk on his lips giving her something later to dream about inappropriately. His blue shirt was fitted, the thick muscles of his arms and chest contracting as he simply walked toward her.

  She moved in his direction, extending her hand, a soft smile on her lips as she watched his dark brown eyes move from her face to her toes and back up again.

  "Hi. I'm Bethany."

  He stopped in front of her and shook her hand, tilting his head slightly to the side.

  "I expected you to be a little more mousy. Pleasant surprise, I suppose." He shook her hand, his face a mask of indifference. "Damon Bryant. Have a seat."

  He moved around her and she turned, walking toward the chair and praying like hell she'd make it before her legs gave out. Her knees shook slightly, as her heart beat wildly in her chest.

  The picture had been a sad representation of the man before her. The scent of his cologne lingered in the air, and she breathed in deeply, coveting it.

  She sat down, pressing her knees together and letting her purse slide from her fingers onto the floor beside her. She wanted to jump in and start the conversation, but he simply demanded the lead, and she couldn't help but let him have it. She bit at her lip, stopping the minute she realized he was focused on her mouth.

  "My father tells me that you're a brilliant accountant and that you're here to make my life easier."

  "I'm grateful for the opportunity to help."

  "So tell me, Bethany, are you brilliant?" He sat up, leaning forward as he studied her.

  Something about his gaze made her feel as if she were nude, bare before him. A nervous tic caused her foot to bounce to the rhythm of her heartbeat, her mind racing for the most appropriate answer.

  "I graduated near the top of my class in both high school and college."

  "I didn't ask that. I asked if you were brilliant."

  "Yes?" she whispered, her voice hiding from her.

  This was embarrassing, humiliating. What the hell was wrong with her? She had sat in front of professors and state regulators for the board of public accountancy. She had never lost her footing before. She spoke again just before he started to, the look on his handsome face pensive.

  "Yes. I am brilliant."

  "Good." He watched her for a minute more before turning to the blinking light on his phone. "Forgive me for a minute. I need to take this."

  She nodded and diverted her attention toward the windows, her chest screaming for air. She hadn't realized she had been holding her breath and worked to quietly let it go.

  Damon was sensual and strong, dark and handsome, much more so than anyone she had ever encountered. Remembering that he was soon to be her new stepbrother was important, not that anything would happen between the two of them. He was probably six to eight years older than her and far out of her league. He made the sexy blonde in the foyer look like a cartoon character.

  Bethany tried not to listen to Damon’s conversation, but couldn't help it.

  "I know, Christa. Yes, tonight will be fine. Eight o'clock at Pallinda's. Wear the blue dress for me and the black heels that you know I love."

  Bethany looked over at him, his eyes on her as he spoke. His predatory gaze made her feel as if she were under a microscope, his attention almost heavy, as her skin broke out in goosebumps. She averted her eyes again toward the window, needing to get some air before she screamed.

  "No, you know I don't like it when you wear panties. No, not even the little ones. Too restraining."

  Bethany's head snapped back forward, her eyes large and wide as Damon simply stared at her. His expression was soft and lacking emotion, as if he were ordering a pizza in front of her. She swallowed hard, her eyes moving to the tug of his bottom lip, his teeth biting along the edge of it. She stood and moved toward the window, her level of comfort completely gone.

  "That's right. Blue dress, black heels and don't bother with your panties. I'm not interested."

  The sound of the phone hitting the cradle caused her to stiffen.

  He was an ass.

  If he'd had any respect for Bethany or himself he would have held his previous conversation in private. She turned and looked over her shoulder, her breathing ragged and obvious.

  "Bethany, I have certain needs as the CFO of this company. If you're here to make my life easier, then you'll quickly learn them. Your brilliance will get you far, but if you and I aren't on the same page with things, then my father will be your champion instead of me, and good luck with that."

  The implication of his words sent a cold chill down her spine.

  "And what are your needs?" She turned slowly, crossing her arms over her chest as the door to his office cracked open and Linda stuck her head in.

  "I know you said no interruptions, but your father's on the phone."

  "Thank you." He looked toward Bethany as a smile lifted the side of his perfect mouth. "Soon enough. Linda will show you to your new office. Plan on having lunch with me tomorrow so we can talk about the various positions I'm going to put you in."

  He turned and sat down at his desk, the conversation over.

  Bethany walked toward his desk, leaning over and picking up her purse as her mind spun out of control. She walked to the door stiffly, questions running rampant at the saucy innuendo Damon had thrown her way.

  Surely he hadn’t meant …

  She stopped just before slipping through the door, the sound of his voice wrapping around her.

  "Oh, and Bethany. You'll enjoy every one of those positions, and I'll do my best to make this a stimulating experience for us both." He bit subtly at his top lip and watched her closely, Bethany nodding and slipping through the open door.

  She was in too deep already.

  Chapter 6

  Bethany moved toward her new office like a zombie, her mind trying desperately to work through the last few words her stepbrother Damon had spoken to her. His voice had been filled with conviction, the seriousness of his gaze leaving her to wonder if he hadn't meant everything simply from a business perspective.

  He had certain needs, and she would be required to know them and fulfill them, as it seemed every other woman in the company was busy trying to do.

  Did Kent know that his son was pimping out the women of their accounting firm for his own perverted desires?

  Or had Damon simply meant that, as the CFO, he would need her to be on her toes, to work fast, like
he did, and keep on top of things. Those were needs, too … Maybe she was trying to make something sexual out of it because he was by far the most beautiful man she'd seen in her short life.

  "Here's your office. The laptop is yours to take with you. The cords are all there, and the phone is already set up." The receptionist turned and extended a golden key, her long nails almost covering up the small item. "Here's your key. You'll need to go tomorrow and get a badge. You're not in the system yet, but Linda will work on that later today for you."

  "Thanks." Bethany took the key and moved into the large office, looking over her shoulder as the woman lingered in the doorway. "Do all of the interns have offices this big?"

  "No, but you must have impressed someone. Usually three of them share an office this big." The other woman smiled, lipstick staining her teeth. Bethany almost told her but thought better of it.

  "Okay. Thank you again. I'll reach out if I need help."

  "Your best bet is to call Ben. He's the intern coordinator for the audit side. I would think you'd be starting off there."

  "I'm not entirely sure, to be honest, but I'll call Ben." Bethany smiled as the receptionist shrugged and turned to go.

  Her thoughts slipped back to Damon, her conversation with him raring back to life in her mind. Perhaps he hadn't meant that she'd be filling his sexual needs, but his reference to putting her in various positions and making it stimulating and enjoyable for them both?

  "Come on …" she whispered, taking a seat and leaning back, her skin flushed with the idea of being naked beneath him. He was far too much man for her. Of that she was sure.

  "He's your freaking stepbrother too. Get ahold of yourself." She huffed, looking up to see Ben standing in her door with a friendly smile on his face.

  "You always talk to yourself?"

  "Yep. Only person I've found that isn't quick to disagree with my opinions." She laughed and motioned for him to come in.

  "Oh really? Seems like the greatest struggle I have is convincing myself to do something." He sat down in the chair in front of her, his expression open and calm.

  Bethany let her thoughts of Damon go by the wayside; the inappropriateness of having those thoughts at work caused her no small amount of discomfort.

  "Too funny. So the receptionist told me that you're the intern coordinator."

  "That I am. I asked Damon if I could have a few more things on my plate, and he was happy to supply them." Ben shrugged, his cheeks coloring pink.

  "You don't have enough work around here?" She smiled, jabbing at him about the overload of work he was probably pushing around. If she'd learned one thing in school it was that accounting firms of all sizes were sweatshops. You got in and killed yourself until you limped out. The dark circles under Ben's swollen eyes told her his story was in line with her assumptions.

  "I have plenty of work, but I'm a single guy, so it's important for me to get out and socialize. I'm originally from Seattle and haven't met too many people yet. Kent brought me down here to help establish a special service line that we'll be starting later this year."

  "Interesting. So managing the interns gives you a chance to get out of the office for happy hours and get to know people."

  "Exactly." He smiled and leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms over his portly stomach. "Speaking of … there’s a new club in town that the interns are wanting to check out as a group on Thursday night. We thought instead of happy hour at one of the local pubs we'd go see what the rage is all about."

  "What's the name of the place?" Bethany leaned forward, pressing her forearms to her desk, her interest piqued. Having been in college just down the street for the last few years, there weren't too many places she didn't know about.

  "It's called Masquerade." He shrugged, his smile the only thing giving away his level of excitement. "You don't have to dress up special, but if you get on the dance floor then you're required to wear a mask like you would at a ball."

  "Weird. Is it new?"

  "Yep. Just opened two weeks ago. I swear, it’s all anyone’s talking about."

  "I'm in. I need to get out, and I'd love to meet the rest of the interns. Does anyone go with us, or is it just interns?"

  "Sometimes the boss-man will make an appearance, but I highly doubt it since it’s a club. His party days are over, I think. He works far too hard to enjoy life much." Ben shook his head as if disappointed in Damon for his unwillingness to live a little.

  Bethany sat quietly for a moment, the thought of Damon not living seeming impossible. From the conversation he’d had on the phone with his girlfriend, it seemed that he was living a lot. To tell a girl to wear a certain dress and heels was one thing, but to command her to leave her panties at home? Hot and disturbing.

  She could see her and Damon in her afternoon fantasies.

  "Why the faraway look?" Ben asked, his short chuckle bringing Bethany back to the present.

  "Hmmm?"

  "You look like you're lost in thought."

  "Oh, just trying to deal with all of the transitions in my life. Sorry. Didn't sleep too well last night. I was nervous like crazy about this morning."

  "I bet. It's not only graduation for you, but a new family and your first accounting job, right?"

  "How did you know?" She tilted her head to the side, her smile dropping as she tried to understand who else knew about her and Damon being family soon.

  Ben held his hands up, standing and shaking his head as he backed toward the door.

  "I'm the only one. I get a full run down on you guys from the boss-man because I'm in charge of the program. I only know what I just shared, though, so no worries about a bulletin board being up with your info for all to see." He laughed and Bethany did too, liking him for his transparency, above all.

  "Damon told you about his father and my mother?"

  "Yeah, and a little about you. I'm pretty excited to have you join us. Graduating near the top of UT's accounting program is a big deal."

  "Thanks. It felt like a great accomplishment. I'm starting my masters in a few weeks. Just trying to pay for it."

  "I totally understand." He moved just outside of the door, his hands reaching up to grip the frame. "So, you're with us on Thursday night?"

  "Yeah, sounds good."

  "Any questions so far?"

  She bit at her lip, wondering if she should ask Ben about Damon's sensual responses, question him on how Damon plays ball in the office. She could tell the man before her respected their boss, but she wondered if part of that wasn't a bromance in the works. Damon had looks and money, prestige and power—everything any man would want.

  "What's the story with Damon?"

  "What do you mean?" Ben took a few steps back into her office, moving to lean against the bookshelf. It groaned under his weight, but held him.

  "I just mean that he has a sexy secretary and he seems to be dating a very attractive blonde … I don't know. Never mind." She shrugged, heat rising to her face. She reached up and rubbed her cheeks, her embarrassment obvious.

  "No, I don't mind answering. I think Linda was someone Mr. Bryant, Damon's father hired. I honestly didn't think Damon was dating anyone, but it's good to hear. He needs to spend a little bit of time away from this place. His dad is looking at retiring in a few years and Damon is the next in line, I guess."

  "What about Seattle? Did you work for them up there or for someone else?"

  "Them. They have a small accounting shop up there, mostly taxes, but it's a good learning experience. I'm originally from Seattle, so it was a natural transition to go to work for them. Damon and I spent some time in college together, though he's a lot older than me. He was a Kappa Alpha and I was pledging his last year as president."

  "He was Kappa Alpha?" Totally made sense.

  "Yeah, we both were." He shrugged and looked around the empty office. "You need to put your diploma and a few pictures up in here. You dating as well?"

  "Me? No. I wish … I just haven't found the right guy."r />
  "I hear you. I'm looking for the right girl, but when you put in a million hours, it's hard to meet her." He paused and let his gaze fall back on Bethany. "Did Damon do something that made you uncomfortable, or were you just questioning his loving on blondes?"

  She stood, stretching and reaching up to cover her mouth as she yawned.

  "He just said a few thing that seemed kind of … suggestive, but maybe that's because I don't know him. He's my stepbrother, or will be soon, so I’m just trying to figure out who he is."

  Ben laughed and moved back to the door, looking over his shoulder. "He's a great guy, very professional. If he seems to be flirtatious, it's just because he's a friendly guy. Half the interns would sell their souls to the devil to have him glance at them, but he's just not willing. I've never heard him say or seen him do anything that would cause me to question his ethics."

  "Very good. I'm happy to be here, and I'm in for Thursday."

  "Call if you need anything. You have lunch plans today?"

  "I'm going to catch up on getting this stuff together. I had a huge breakfast."

  "Suit yourself. I'll see you later, I'm sure. Just down the hall if you need me."

  "Thanks, Ben."

  She smiled and waited until he was gone before plopping down in her chair. Ben would have a heart attack if she repeated the panty conversation she'd overheard. He'd been playing with her, talking like that in front of her. He wasn't the perfectly professional guy that Ben thought he was. Did that make him a creep?

  Maybe he was just interested in her.

  "He's your stepbrother, for fuck’s sake."

  She growled and turned to her computer, her phone buzzing with a new text message. It was her mother, letting her know that they'd be having company for dinner. Her new brother would be dropping by to get to know Bethany better.

  Damon was coming to dinner?

  "Crap," she whispered. The handsome alpha was already on her mind much more than she was comfortable with. Too bad she wasn't blonde. She tugged at a strand of her hair, wondering what she'd look like as a blonde.