Zeke did not like it from the look on his face. He gave Rory a warning glance, and said, “What else do you have on your agenda today? It’s almost five.”
“I’m going to meet with Jennifer. She needs to take over my meetings if I am going to be gone next week.”
Rory nodded. “Right-o. I have a few calls to make too. Your brother doesn’t like to plan ahead.”
She laughed. “If you knew Conner before Jillian, you would never say that. But this was planned. He checked out the house, probably offered an obscene amount for it, and then worked it out with Margerie. He plans, but he likes to pretend he doesn’t.”
“And you let him do this?” Rory asked.
“I don’t let Conner do anything. But, when all you have is each other, you learn to allow for your eccentricities.”
She started to pull up some files on her computer. After a few moments, they were still there, both staring at her. She sighed.
“Go away.”
Zeke opened his mouth but Rory chuckled. “Let’s go, Zee. The lady has work to do. Let us know if you need anything.”
Rory stood and headed to the door. With a worried glance in her direction, Zeke followed Rory out the door. When it clicked shut, she leaned back in her seat and growled. She couldn’t stop herself. It was impossible. Every single day she had to deal with them and every single day she felt as itchy from the inside out. Worse, she had an idea that neither of them had any idea what they did to her. Zeke knew she loved him. They were going to drive her crazy. She needed to find herself a man in Hawaii and ignore the two men who had been driving her crazy.
She closed her eyes. If only she could listen to her common sense, she would be able to do it. Unfortunately, her common sense seemed to be on a holiday. The only thing that she could think was how much fun it would be to play with both Rory and Zeke.
She was doomed.
* * *
“You want to tell me what that was about in there, Rory?” Zeke asked as they walked down the hall to where their offices were located.
“What do you mean?” Rory asked. His attempt to sound innocent failed, at least with Zeke. Most people would never guess just how devious the man truly was.
“You questioning Maura about her brother like that.” He didn’t like it. He knew that Rory was planning something and it wasn’t going to be good. Whenever Rory got crazy plans in his head, Zeke was always left cleaning up the mess and dealing with heartache.
“Nothing. Just wondered why she would do it for him. She’s a workaholic.”
That much was true, but it didn’t sound like a reason Rory would be curious about something like that. He hated to admit it but Rory could be superficial with people in his life. Not the ones that mattered, but when it came to acquaintances, he kept everything on the surface. “But she loves Hawaii and a chance to see him, she will do anything.”
They reached Zeke’s office first and he stepped in his mind on the plans for the flight. He would have to make sure to get ahold of Michaels and tell him of the switch of staff on the job, although Conner probably already did, cheeky bastard.
“I get that. It’s unnatural.”
Zeke shook his head. Of course Rory would think that. With his fucked up family, Zeke understood why he never wanted to see them…or talk to them.
“To you and me, maybe. To them, no. They have always had each other’s back. It’s kind of heartwarming to see the way they look out for each other.”
Rory said nothing as he leaned against the doorjamb.
“What?” Zeke asked.
“You have that tone in your voice when you talk about her. It’s the same one I heard last year when you were involved with her.”
Zeke bit back a sigh. He settled in the chair and looked at his oldest friend and lover. They had known each other for so long, it was hard to remember a time when they hadn’t been together...or on each other’s mind. Zeke had known that Rory hadn’t been really happy about his relationship with Maura. It was hard to make someone understand his position.
“She wanted things I couldn’t give her.”
He hated to admit it, but that was the truth of the matter. He had never felt like such a loser as when he realized that he could not be the man she wanted in the bedroom. They might not be together anymore, but just being near her made him feel better. It was pathetic to even admit that to himself, but it was the truth. He might have allowed her freedom from their relationship, but he couldn’t get her out of his head…or his heart.
Zeke could tell his honesty did not sit well with Rory. But they had promised each other that this time they would be honest. He loved Maura, maybe as much as he loved Rory. And, his heart still hurt when he thought about the night Maura and he realized it would never work.
“What kind of things?”
Zeke glanced over Rory’s shoulder and saw Denise the office manager standing there. Six feet tall and plastic surgery perfect, she smiled at Rory. He smiled back, but Zeke felt no jealousy. She wasn’t his type.
Maura was.
“Hey, Denise, did you need something?”
“No, I just wanted to leave these with you. They need to be signed by the end of the month.” She slinked in and handed him the forms. She gave him a smile that he knew was an invitation. It was no secret he and Rory were involved. Worse, people had heard the rumors that they sometimes brought a woman into their bed. When that had made its way around the office, he had to deal with women who wanted to experiment.
One hard and fast rule that he and Conner both believed in was not fucking the help.
“Thanks. I have to make a few calls before six tonight.”
“Oh,” She said. “Have fun in Hawaii.”
With that she left them alone. Rory stepped into the room and closed the door.
“What was it Maura wanted?”
He should have known Rory wouldn’t let it go. “She’s a sub. You know I don’t do that.”
He was busy looking over the papers Denise just gave to him, but when the silence extended, he looked up. The interest on Rory’s face was enough to make him want to curse. Dammit.
“No.”
“Why not?”
“Because you don’t like her. Admit it, you never spend time with her alone.”
He shrugged. “I got the vibe that she didn’t want to have much to do with me once I moved here. I figured she was jealous of me.”
He had known she was hurt when Rory had come back into his life, but it had been almost a year that they had called off their relationship. Still every now and then he would catch her looking at him with something akin to longing in her gaze. It made working with her very hard because he couldn’t help wanting her.
Zeke walked to his desk. Rory hadn’t liked her because Zeke had told him about their relationship. But, now, he might be changing his mind.
“A week in Hawaii just the three of us could be a lot of fun.”
He stepped behind Zeke’s chair and started to rub his shoulders. Zeke tried to resist the temptation. It was futile, he knew that, but he put up the fight for a few seconds.
“Think about it, Zee. You, me, a woman who likes to be tied down...”
Rory’s voice trailed off then he turned Zeke’s chair around. He leaned closer, bracing his hands on the armrests. The soap they had shared that morning in the shower permeated the air and brought back the memories. Zeke closed his eyes and shuddered.
Rory nuzzled Zeke’s neck then he felt his teeth nip at the sensitive skin. He was a weak man. When it came to temptation there were only two people in the world who could get him to forget about the consequences. One of them had just dyed her hair blonde. The other was Rory.
“You know you like the idea, doncha, love? You’re picturing it right now.”
Of course he was. His cock twitched as he tried to keep his cool but he had never had control when it came to Rory. It was one of the things that both he and Maura had over Zeke. He couldn’t resist either of them and right no
w, he wanted Rory. Needed him so much his hands were already shaking.
Rory kissed a path up to his mouth and then attacked his mouth. His tongue thrust into Zeke’s mouth, over and over. How could it be that this man could make him come undone so fast?
When he pulled back, Rory smiled. “Come on, Zee. It’ll be fun. Just think of everything that we could do. She’s hot for it too, you know she is.”
Zeke knew Rory was right. Knowing that he could watch her submit, one of his ultimate fantasies…Damn.
“Need a little relief, love?” Rory asked, his voice teasing Zeke as his fingers slipped down his chest.
His cock hardened further and his body yearned. He wanted that, wanted to feel Rory’s talented mouth on his flesh. But…they were at the office and at the moment, the door was unlocked. They didn’t hide their relationship, but having sex at the office was something else. As co owner he couldn’t do something like that—no matter how much he wanted to.
“No. Not at that office.”
Rory rolled his eyes but backed off. He liked to push Zeke’s buttons and he had a lot of experience doing just that.
“There was a time when that wouldn’t have stopped you,” Rory said.
“I wasn’t a boss then. Plus, we are about to leave for an entire week, or more. I don’t want anyone walking in on us starting our vacation early.”
Rory gave him a smirk then walked away to the windows that overlooked Miami. There was something else bugging him, something that Zeke knew he was trying to work out in his head.
“You have to let it go with Maura. While she might be up for a little play, Conner would not be happy.”
Rory rolled his shoulders. It was a sure sign that he wasn’t happy with what Zeke had said. One of the best things and one of the worst things about Rory was that once he got an idea, he would never let it go. It was something that made him good at his job, but it also made him a pain in the ass lover.
“You think she would go for it?”
Zeke sighed. Rory wasn’t going to let it go. “I think she might. It wouldn’t be good.”
Rory glanced over his shoulder and smiled. Those damned blue eyes twinkling at him. “I thought you said she was good. I thought what you said was she particularly liked...”
“I know what I said. It would cause problems here though.”
“Problems? How?”
“Not everyone is like you. Especially women. The complications at work would be tough. It was hard enough last time when Maura and I decided to split ways. Besides, you know what happened last time we brought a woman into the bedroom.”
“It was one hot fucking night, that’s what I remember.”
Zeke shook his head. Rory was right and with Maura, well, it would go beyond most of his fantasies. But their last experience had been very bad.
“So, you forget when she started to stalk you? How she threatened me? You always did have a selective memory.”
“And you remember too. You remember watching me tie Sherry down, don’t you? The way she happily would do anything I told her. You liked to watch when she sucked me off.”
Rory’s voice deepened over every word and Zeke had to take a bracing breath to control his need. His body was throbbing and his cock was so hard he probably wouldn’t be able to walk straight. Rory was one of the best at talking sex.
Rory walked toward him. Anticipation skated along his nerves. Zeke licked his lips. Instead of approaching him, though, Rory veered off toward the door.
“You think of that when you tell me you don’t want to share her.”
And with that he left Zeke, the door silently clicking behind him.
Even with the A/C on full blast, Zeke felt a small dribble of sweat slink down his back. He closed his eyes trying to calm the heat dancing over his nerve endings. Damn. The man could always control him.
It had always been like that from the beginning and Zeke had allowed it. Rory had his control issues because of his childhood and Zeke could handle it. They weren’t Dom and sub. Zeke was truthful about that when he told Maura. And weirdly for Rory, he only liked to Dominate women. Of course, it fed into Zeke’s need to watch. There was something about watching Rory work over a sub. With the right sub, Rory could send Zeke over the edge. And Maura would be perfect.
She was the right combination of sexy, smarts and submissive. He remembered the first day he met her. Never in his life did he have a reaction like that to a woman. She had smiled at him, her eyes sparkling from behind her glasses and his tongue had stuck to the top of his mouth. He actually stuttered. The only other person who had made him lose the ability to speak had been Rory.
It was inevitable that they get involved. Their arguing had only been foreplay to the bedroom. The sex had been wonderful, stellar. Still, he knew Maura had wanted—needed more. Something he couldn’t give her.
But Rory could.
The naughty thought whispered through Zeke and he shivered. He wanted it more than he wanted his next breath. He wished life was easier, and he could have both of them. The need he had for both of them scared the shit out of Zeke. It almost overwhelmed him at times. He could give into the suggestion, but he wasn’t too sure he would come out unscathed. He also had to think of Maura. He and Rory would still be together, and she would be left alone.
He just didn’t think he could do that, no matter how much he wanted her. Needed her. He loved her too much to take advantage of her. And wasn’t that just a bitch.
With a sigh, he turned his attention back to work. Zeke had learned a long time ago that life didn’t always work out the way you wanted it to.
Chapter Two
As Rory watched the traffic on Dolphin Toll Road buzz by, he wondered if he should have just gone home. He should be packing his bags for the trip, planning what kinds of things he would like to do while on Oahu. Their trip had been fast and furious for the wedding and he hadn’t gotten to see much of the island. He’d only been to the beach to surf once. The only other time had been for the wedding. So, he had a lot he wanted to do in the short time they were there this time.
Instead, he as standing outside waiting on a woman.
He rolled his shoulders. This was definitely something new for him. As Rory thought about it, he realized he hadn’t really done that for anyone other than Zee. In all his years, Rory had always been the one people waited on, even Zee to a point. It was six months ago when Rory realized that he was sick of waking up alone—even when he was in bed with someone else.
Rory was pulled out of his thoughts when someone honked their car horn. He shook away the regrets of the last ten years. Rory knew he’d been lucky enough that Zee took him back this one last time. In a way, this was for Zee. Rory knew he wouldn’t be as interested in Maura if Zee hadn’t been hung up on her.
He rolled his shoulders again as he thought about Maura. He had always thought Maura might make a good sub. From the moment he met her, Rory had felt a vibe from her that he was rarely wrong about. Zee had been mum on her bedroom personality, and Rory had avoided it—which was a first. Zee wasn’t the kiss and tell type, but it was as if the two of them had never slept together. It was odd but seeing the two of them together the last few months told him all he wanted to know. Zee was still in love with her. Rory could tell. Every now and then he would catch Zee sneaking a glance at her. He hid it from everyone else, but Rory had witnessed the look of longing on his lover’s face. Rory knew Zee well enough to understand he would never admit it. But it was there, and while he could probably get an answer from Zee about his feelings, it hurt a little too much to scratch at that scab. Now that he knew she was into BDSM, and that Zee thought she might be into it, all he had to do was propose the idea.
So he had waited thinking about her—which was dangerous. She was the kind of woman that many men overlooked because they couldn’t get past her intelligence. Throw in her bulldog brother and the fact that she was a neurotic workaholic and well, she was a challenge. He smiled. Rory liked challenges.
<
br /> He was leaning against his motorcycle when she came out of the building. Her mind was on something else, something that had nothing to do with him or Zee. Her head was down and she was rummaging through her purse for something. For someone so smart, she really did have a problem with paying attention to her surroundings. But, he couldn’t complain when it allowed him to watch her without her knowing. She had a sidewalk-eating stride as if she always had something important to attend—even when he knew she didn’t have anywhere to be. Today, she was wearing one of those short little skirts that showed off the mile of leg she possessed. It was black and when paired with the stoplight red shirt, it made her stand out. She might have been a geek in college, but damn the woman had turned into a stunner. Add in the newly done blonde hair, she sometimes took his breath away. Okay, not just sometimes. All the time.
“Maura,” he said, stepping in front of her.
She stopped, looked up and blinked. She had the most amazing green eyes. There were hints of blue in the iris. They were huge behind her glasses and there was always something very sexy about that. She looked like a prim librarian—although he knew better. It was going to be fun to reveal it.
“What are you doing out here?” she asked warily.
He understood her reaction even if he didn’t like it. He hadn’t been that happy when he’d found out Zee had fallen for the woman. It had come as a blow to Rory. He wasn’t such as asshole that he thought Zee had no other lovers. They both had a history and he was sure Zee also had some people in his past he’d like to forget. When he realized just how in love Zee thought he was with Maura, he’d worried about what he should do. Over the last few months, Maura had grown on him a bit. She was sexy and now he knew she was a sub, she was even more intriguing. Without a doubt, Zee was going to end up back in her bed. Rory realized he didn’t mind that—especially if he were around to control the situation.
A Little Harmless Fantasy Page 2
