by Katie Kyler
Jamie grimaced, but I think he meant to smile. “Hey Josh,” he said. “This is Emma Johnston. Emma, this is my brother Josh.”
“Joshua,” I corrected as I shook her hand. Jamie didn’t bother to introduce Allison, who was standing right next to me. What a jerk. “Emma, this is my friend, Allison Mahoney.”
The two women greeted each other and I stared Jamie down. He snagged a glass of champagne from a passing waiter and chugged it without even offering anything to Emma. It was clear that Jamie had something else on his mind.
Chapter 5
Allison
The night was progressing like a fairytale. I felt like Cinderella, wearing a gorgeous gown, practically floating on the arm of the favored prince. It was obvious that Joshua was his dad’s favorite. When Jamie greeted him, Roger gave him a half-hearted hug and shook his hand. Nothing like the enthusiastic embrace he’d given Joshua. It made me feel sorry for Jamie all over again. No wonder he never seemed to measure up to Joshua—it was like he’d been cursed from birth.
But Joshua’s family seemed to approve of me, and I couldn’t possibly feel happier. His dad came over and talked to me and Joshua for a bit. After a couple of minutes, some of Joshua’s family waved him over from across the room. Joshua squeezed my hand. “Are you okay here?”
“Yes, of course.”
Now I was just talking with Roger, and he sized me up. “So, young lady, have you captured the heart of my Joshua?”
I grinned. “I’m working on it.”
“You won’t have to work hard. I can see he’s besotted with you. And no wonder.” He looked at me, but not in a creepy way. Just a quiet appraisal of how I carried myself. “You’re something special.”
“Aw, thanks.”
“It’s nice to see my Joshua with someone special. When his mom passed in the stable fire, it was hard on him.”
“She died in a fire?” I asked. A cold chill fell over me. He’d hinted, once, that his mom had died when he was young, but he’d never said how. He didn’t seem to want to talk about it.
“She was saving the horses.”
“She sounds remarkable, and brave, to have done that.” I wanted to ask more about her, and find out more about how Joshua had recovered from the tragedy, but now certainly wasn’t the time.
He nodded. “She was both—remarkable, and brave. It’s been a pleasure talking with you, Allison, but I’ve got to make the rounds. Here’s Jamie, though. Joshua’s brother. He’s a poor substitute for his brother, but I’ll leave you with him.”
It was hard to hear Roger speak so harshly of Jamie, but at the same time, Jamie was definitely acting like a poor substitute for Joshua. He was tossing back the contents of a champagne flute while bracing himself against the back of a chair. His date was nowhere to be seen. Roger waved him over, and Jamie moved his mouth in a way that was maybe supposed to be a smile.
Roger ambled off, saying, “I hope to see you again soon, Allison.”
Jamie stepped over to me. Or rather, he stumbled over to me.
“Hey Jamie,” I said when he got close.
“Allison.” His eyes were bloodshot, and his face was red, too. He swayed a little.
“Is everything okay?” I put out an arm to help steady him.
“Don’t touch me,” he snapped, yanking himself out of my reach.
I pulled back like I’d been shocked. I looked around. Joshua was on the other side of the room, deep in a conversation with a couple. The people nearest Jamie and me didn’t seem to be paying much attention—they were lost in conversations about racehorses, from the sound of it—but I didn’t want to cause a disruption to Roger’s birthday party. I needed to find out what was wrong with Jamie and either make it better, or get him out of here. He wouldn’t want to screw up his dad’s party, or feel embarrassed about this later.
Taking a deep breath, I said, “Okay. Um, where’s your date? Emma?”
He shrugged and waved over a waiter who held a tray of champagne. “Don’t know. Don’t care.”
“Jamie,” I said, “that’s really rude. Don’t let her hear you.”
“Rude?” he said, swiping a couple of glasses from the champagne tray. “I’ll tell you who’s rude.”
I looked around at the other guests. Joshua’s family. They’d be embarrassed to see Jamie like this, and even if they weren’t, I knew his dad would be upset. I could only guess Joshua would be livid at such a display.
“Come on,” I tugged on Jamie’s arm. “You look like you could use some fresh air.”
Jamie first swigged one glass of the champagne and half of the other before allowing me to lead him down a hall, out of view of the party. The walls were painted a deep burgundy color, and paintings of stuffy men stared down from them. I felt like I’d entered the Patriarchal Palace.
“Door’s the other way,” Jamie muttered, gesturing down another hallway.
Good. I couldn’t get out of there fast enough. Those horrid faces were giving me the creeps. “Let’s turn around—”
“Allison.” He pressed up against me. His breath smelled sharp like vodka, and I could see drops of sweat at his hairline.
“Jamie, back up. I need some space.” I glanced around, simultaneously hoping somebody would come to my rescue and get him away from me, and also hoping the hallway would stay empty so nobody would see him acting like a total asshat. He’d be so humiliated tomorrow, and he already had enough going against him with his dad preferring Joshua.
“No, Allison, you look too good. God, you’re so hot.” He leaned forward as if he was going to kiss me, but his gaze was locked on my chest. “Your tits, mmm.”
He’d crossed the line. I no longer felt the slightest bit sorry for him.
I’d really loved this dress when Joshua gave it to me, but now I wished for something more concealing. Something like a snowsuit. I shoved at Jamie’s shoulders, trying to force him away. “Stop it, Jamie.”
“Seriously, I can’t help myself. You can’t blame me for this.” He grabbed my arm and backed me into the wall. His fingers dug into my skin. All those paintings of men lined up, disapproval on their faces.
I pushed against him, but he wouldn’t budge.
This wasn’t happening. This was Jamie, my friend. My date’s brother.
“Cut it out,” I snapped, trying to ignore the panic clawing at my throat. “This is so wrong. Back off.”
He pawed at my chest, his hands hot and heavy. It was like I hadn’t even spoken. I pulled my arm back for a good slap. Maybe it’d help him come to his senses. Just before I made contact, though, he suddenly flew away from me.
“What—” he started to complain. “Jo-osh,” he whined, “you’re hurting my arms.”
“Go home,” Joshua said. “I’ll call you and Emma a cab.”
“She already left.” Jamie’s eyebrows were dark peaks of anger. His suit was skewed so badly he looked like a cubist painting.
“Then you’re going home alone.” Joshua shoved Jamie in the direction of the party. “If you’re not gone by the time I come back out there, so help me God you’ll regret it.”
Jamie skulked off, rubbing his arms where Joshua had gripped him.
I breathed in and out, trying not to hyperventilate. Joshua still hadn’t looked at me.
“Joshua?” I asked.
“Don’t,” he said, staring somewhere at the wall above my head. “Just don’t.”
“You don’t think—it wasn’t what it looked like.”
“I know what I saw, Allison. You and my brother making out at my dad’s birthday party.”
“No!” Tears welled up in my eyes. “I only want you. Just you. Jamie grabbed me.”
“Don’t tell me that. I watched from across the room. You practically dragged him into this hallway.”
“To talk!” I shouted. “He was acting like an asshole. It must run in the family!”
He shook his head, like he was trying to come out of a spell. “You didn’t bring him down here to mess aro
und?”
“No! Jeez, Joshua. I might not be old money or even new money, but that doesn’t mean I have no class. I don’t want him at all. I only want you.”
He seemed to relax at that. “So, what, you guys came in here, and…”
“And he started touching me. Telling me things. I didn’t know how to make him stop. I was about to hit him.”
Joshua snorted. “You should have.”
“I was getting ready to. But then you came in here like some jealous caveman.”
He sobered, and bowed his head. “I’m sorry if I scared you.”
“You can be such a dickhead sometimes, you know?”
“I know. I’m sorry. I’m really sorry.” He pulled me toward him, holding me against his firm chest. “Is this okay, after what Jamie did?”
I nodded.
“And this?” he asked, bending forward and barely touching his lips to mine.
“Yes.”
His kiss was feather light, the exact opposite of Jamie’s brute slobbering. The kiss whispered against my mouth, easing my fear. I still felt untethered, though. He was being too gentle, as if he was afraid of me breaking. I needed something firm, something grounding. I squeezed Joshua’s bicep, silently urging him for more.
He squeezed me tighter, and kissed me with a heat that seemed to come from the center of the earth. He wrapped my hair around his hand, holding me in place. “Is this what you want?”
I nodded.
“Tell me yes or no.”
“Yes,” I whispered against his lips.
“You’re mine,” he said, wrapping his hand tighter in my hair.
“Yes.”
“You belong to me.”
My legs were weak. His tongue drew delicious circles on my neck, trailing toward my chest. “Yes,” I gasped, arching against him. “Yes.”
Chapter 6
Allison
We stayed linked that way, his hand wrapped in my hair, his mouth covering mine, until finally he pulled away, breathless. His eyes were half-lidded. “Walk?” he panted.
I nodded, unable to speak.
He led me down an adjacent hallway that ended in a patio door. We stepped outside. His hands roamed my body, tugging at my dress suggestively. We walked over the patio and down some steps that led to a lantern-lit path.
Joshua stopped every few moments to nibble at my ear. He cupped my breasts through my dress, pinching at my nipples. A low moan escaped my throat.
The scents of various flowers met my nose, but I couldn’t have named them. My attention was all for Joshua, for the way he gripped me to him, the way he hiked my dress up, fingers exploring my upper thighs. I linked my hands behind his neck and let him carry me, my legs wrapped around his waist, my dress hiked up, exposing my lace-clad ass to the night.
“Here,” he mumbled against my neck.
A door opened and closed, and we were shrouded in darkness. I could hear the sounds of water lapping against wood. “Where are we?” I whispered.
“Boathouse. I’m going to take you here. Do you agree?”
I nodded and then realizing he couldn’t see me, I whispered, “Okay.”
“Say you agree.”
His voice had taken on an authority that made liquid fire pool in my abdomen. “I agree.”
“That’s right.” He reached out and rubbed his fingers against the lace covering my breasts. “You like that, don’t you?”
“Mm-hmm.”
“Say yes or no.” His voice was as hard as the erection pressing against my stomach.
I gasped. “Yes.”
My eyes were growing accustomed to the darkness. I could see the vague outlines of boats bobbing next to the indoor dock. On the other side of the boathouse, a series of stools nestled up against a full bar. A loveseat and two chairs took up another corner. I thought he would drag me over to the loveseat, but instead he led me to one of the boats. He pressed my hands against the cool edge of a speedboat, which rocked a little in the water. “Hold on tight,” he said.
He went behind me and yanked my dress up around my waist. The air was cool against my soaked underwear, his hot fingers pressing against me. His lips moved against my ear. “You’re ready, aren’t you?”
“Yes,” I whimpered.
The lace of my panties bit into my hips for a brief moment, and the pressure was gone. He’d torn off my underwear.
I heard his zipper and the crinkle of foil. Then suddenly he was in me. I half-moaned, half-gasped at taking in the full length of him without any preparation. It felt so good as I slowly expanded to accommodate him. He thrust into me and asked, “Do you like this?”
My world was swirling color, heady and bright. I could only mumble an answer.
He stilled inside me. “Tell me. Do you like this? Yes or no.”
“Yes,” I panted. “Yes, I like this.”
He thrust into me again and again. He didn’t slow down or vary his speed, just one hot, fierce thrust after another. One of his hands came around my front and yanked my dress and bra down, exposing my breasts. He kneaded each one, pinching the nipples so that I cried out in a mixture of pleasure and pain. No one had brought me this far or this high before. I wouldn’t have believed it even if I’d been able to imagine it.
“It’s time for you to come, Phillygirl,” he said. “Make yourself come.”
I needed to hold the boat, just to keep my balance, but I brought one hand down to touch my center. It was wet, lubricated from my arousal, and my fingers slid back and forth easily in time to Joshua’s thrusting.
“Now,” he said, “I want you to scream my name while you come on my dick.”
Everything in the world seemed to explode out of me in a burst of feeling. “Joshua—Joshua!”
He came, too, with a final hard stroke. He leaned forward, blanketing my back with his chest. We stood like that, panting, for a few minutes.
“That,” he murmured in my ear, “was fucking magical. Are you okay? Did you like it?”
“It was incredible. I never thought I’d like it so rough.”
He tensed behind me and pulled out. “Did I hurt you? At all?”
I wiggled my legs back and forth, testing things. “I might be a little sore, but nothing hurts now.”
“Good. Maybe…sometime…we could try that again?”
I smiled. He probably couldn’t see me in the dark, but I was sure he could hear the smile in my voice when I replied, “Maybe…sometime later tonight?”
He pulled me into a hug, and his suit rubbed against my naked breasts in a tantalizing way.
“I can’t believe my feelings for you,” he said. “I’ve never felt this way before.”
“I…” I couldn’t say it at first. It felt too vulnerable. But it was the truth. “I feel the same way.”
“So you still want to continue seeing me? I didn’t scare you off with my caveman routine?”
“Not at all.” I kissed his chin and rubbed my fingers over his stubble. “I didn’t like that shit you pulled back in the club, when you blamed me for Jamie, though.”
He seemed to deflate at that. “I know. I’m sorry. It was totally uncalled for. I have some work to do, on not making excuses for my brother all the time, and really listening to someone before I jump to conclusions.”
He was being so vulnerable with me, actually sharing his weaknesses, his flaws.
The least I could do was share mine, too. “I have some work to do, too, on my self-confidence. But I think we can help each other be better.”
“Agreed.” He bent down, retrieving something from the floor. “Your panties,” he said, handing the bundle to me.
I held my underwear up, examining them in the darkness. The lace was shredded. “I think we wrecked them,” I said. “I don’t even think I can wear them home.”
He took the ruined panties and tucked them into his pocket. “I can keep it a secret if you can.”
My face felt hot at the very idea of going commando in a dress, but I nodded.
/> “Uh, speaking of secrets,” Joshua said, “I still want to keep us a secret in the office. I need to take care of the whole handbook and rules issue about office relationships.”
It hurt a little, because I wanted to tell the world about us, about the wonderful relationship I was in. But I understood. Better to keep quiet and not cause problems for work. I resisted the urge to ask him when—when we could tell everyone, when we could be open about our feelings for each other. I didn’t want him to hear the pain in my voice, though.
Chapter 7
Joshua
After I drove Allison home on Sunday morning, I went straight to Jamie’s penthouse. Him coming after Allison like that had been a dick move. He was lucky nothing more had happened between them. He was especially lucky nothing more had happened between my fists and his face.
I had to buzz Jamie before I could get on his private elevator.
“What?” His voice was sleepy and belligerent.
“Let me up, Jamie.”
“Go the fuck away, Josh.”
I leaned in close to the speaker. “No. We need to talk.”
“You talked enough at Dad’s party.”
“I don’t think so. Let me up. I brought food and coffee.”
“I need a bloody mary, not coffee.” But he buzzed me up anyway.
I rode up in the elevator, my fists clenched at my sides. The more I thought about what he’d done to Allison, the madder I got. What the fuck had he been thinking? My reflection scowled at me from the shiny interior of the elevator doors.
When he let me into his penthouse, he took one look at my empty hands. “I should’ve known.”
He was in boxers and a robe, which was half-heartedly tied across his waist. He looked pitiful, and I almost felt bad for lying about the food.
I walked through the living room, flipping on lights. Jamie squinted, so I flung open the curtains for good measure, letting in the bright morning sun and exposing his million-dollar view of Philadelphia. Jamie held his hands up, blocking the light from his face like he was a fucking vampire or something.
