by Cathryn Fox
“Ohmigod, you’ve got it bad,” Randi says.
Cara gives a low whistle. “I’ve never seen you so happy, Will. She must be pretty special. I can’t wait to meet her.”
The sound of Holly’s footsteps in the hall gain my attention. “Hey,” I say, my heart nearly beating out of my chest as she comes my way. I look her over, take in her jeans, and soft blue blouse that showcases her curves. “Holly, I’d like you to meet my sisters Cara and Randi. They’re both annoying, and if they start bugging you, let me know and I’ll take care of them.”
Both girls push past me, and take Holly into a hug. Her eyes go wide, surprised by the greeting, but then the next thing I know, my sisters are guiding her to the kitchen to open the bottle of wine they brought. I stand there and shake my head, but my heart is so goddamn full, I can’t help but smile. Things are going just the way I planned.
Now let’s hope Monday morning does as well.
11
Holly
I cast a glance Will’s way as he drives me to work. It’s so odd. I’m not normally one to let someone take care of me. I’m an independent woman who prides herself on her ability to do things on her own, make her own way in life—despite the curveballs that had been thrown my way in Toronto. But for this last week, I’ve been letting Will take care of me, staying at his house, eating the meals he prepared, and allowing him to drive me back and forth to work.
It’s all coming to an end, though. Likely by the end of the work day. My car is supposed to be ready, and I have no excuse to stay with him any longer. Truthfully, I wish I had never met him, wish he had never introduced me to his sisters. I’ve fallen for them all, but his statement Friday after sex was a great reminder that we’re simply having sex. It’s just sex, Holly. He straight up told me that. For him it might simply be sex, but sadly, for me it feels like so much more. As I mull that over, I also remember he never did tell me where he works. He’s keeping a modicum of distance between us.
My heart is heavy, achy in the center of my chest, but it’s no one’s fault but my own. I never should have seduced him. Christ, there had to be a part of me that knew what would happen to my damn heart if I ever found myself beneath him, on top of him, or anywhere too close to him. Will Carson is an amazing guy, but he’s jaded and doesn’t trust women.
But he trusted me enough to have sex without a condom.
Okay, Okay, Holly. Don’t go getting your hopes up.
“So today’s the big day. I face the boss man,” I say, needing to redirect my thoughts before I start crying from this emotional roller coaster.
“Nervous?”
I cast him a quick glance. “Why, should I be? Do you think he’s going to fire me? I mean I did miss my first day of work, and screwed up a simple entry last week.”
He arches one brow. “Would it be so bad if he did? You could stay with me, until you found something else.”
My jaw falls open. “Are you serious? I need this job, Will. And I’ve imposed enough as it is.”
Instead of telling me I’m wrong, that I’m not imposing, that can stay with him forever—even though that’s not what I want because I’m an independent woman. Oh hell, who am I kidding? It’s what I want.
“I just mean you hate accounting. It’s not for everyone.”
“Sometimes we do things we don’t like because we have to.”
He scrubs his face with his palm, and there is a new intensity about him when he says, “You’re right, we do. I want you to remember that today, okay?”
I crinkle my nose at his cryptic words, having no idea what he’s talking about. I’m about to ask when he pulls up in front of my towering downtown building. Today for some reason, he’s taken me to work in his high-end BMW. As my co-workers walk down the sidewalk, many give us a friendly wave. How odd. I only know a few people here so far.
“Thanks for the lift,” I say, like I do every other morning, and step from his car. I can feel his eyes on me as I make my way inside the building. I glance around, note the strange stares from my colleagues. Do I have something in my teeth? Is my skirt tucked into my underwear? I dash to the bathroom to check, but happily find myself quite put together. Maybe they were all just surprised to see me climb out of an expensive BMW, instead of the Jeep I’ve been riding in all week.
I make my way to the fifth floor, and head to my office. Well, it’s more like a pod than an office. I greet the other pod people around me and take a seat. My stomach flutters a bit when I glance at my phone. Today is the day I meet the boss, and I’m damn nervous about it. What the hell was Will thinking when he asked me if it would be so bad to get fired? It would be the worst!
I dive into my work, and by the time noon rolls around, I meet a few of the staff in the lunch room, and dig into the sandwich I brought with me. With the sun shining through the lunch room window, I walk up to the pane, let the rays warm my face. I scan the parking lot and spot a BMW in the president’s reserved spot. I snort. If I didn’t know better, I’d say that was Will’s car.
After I finish my sandwich, I head back to my pod, and the second I sit down, my phone rings. I suck in a quick breath put a smile on my face and answer it. “Good afternoon, Holly Bennett’s office. How can I help you?”
“Holly, this is Claire from Human Resources. Mr. Carson would like a meeting with you in his office.”
“Sure thing,” I say, injecting a cheerfulness into my voice that I don’t feel.
“His office is on the ninth floor. Take a right after you get off the elevator and you’ll see it.”
“Thank you.” I’d been given a tour of the place by Claire, but was not taken to the ninth floor. Apparently, that floor is off limits unless you’re being summoned.
I stand, smooth my skirt down, and force my legs to move. As I head to the elevator, I remind myself the staff members like him. Yes, he’s strict and regimented, and doesn’t keep employees who mess up, but that’s probably why he’s so successful. I ride the elevator up, and by the time I get off on the ninth floor, I’ve convinced myself everything is going to be okay. I take a breath, turn right, and stop in front of the door that says President in gold letters. I tap three times, and wait for a response.
“Come in,” the man on the other side of the door says. I twist the handle, walk into the office and when I see who is sitting at the desk, I realize everything is not okay, and will never be okay again.
“Hi,” Will says, and I open my mouth, but can’t seem to force out the words—What. The. Fuck.
“Holly,” he says quickly when he realizes my shock, and jumps from his leather chair. I blink once, then twice and try to wrap my brain around what’s happening.
“Will,” I say, and stumble backwards, but he’s right there, gathering me into his strong arms and leading me to the chair facing his desk. Once I’m seated, I grab the arms of the chair and squeeze until my knuckles turn white. Will is the president of WSC Associates? Will Carson…some part of my brain puts together that his initials of WC are the WC of WSC.
“Who are you?” I ask.
He dips his head, his eyes never more serious. “You know who I am.”
“I have no idea who you are.” I say and hold my arms out as I glance around his very nice office.
“You’re wrong, Holly. You, and only you, have gotten to know the real Will. Here, in this building I’m William Samuel Carson, president and CEO of WSC Associates.”
I shake my head, my heart pounding in my ears. “I don’t understand. You’ve been driving me here all week. You knew you I worked here, but never told me you owned the company.”
He taps his thumb on his desk. A nervous gesture I never witnessed before. “At first, I didn’t realize this was where you worked—”
I sit up a little straighter. “When did you figure it out?” I ask my voice bordering on hysteria.
“Just before we came back from the cottage.”
I lean forward, my foot tapping restlessly beneath me. “Why didn’t you say someth
ing then? I don’t understand.”
“I had to figure out what I was going to do with you.”
“Do with me?”
“We have a no-fraternizing rule, remember. Which means I have to fire you, Holly.”
I jump from my chair, incredulous. “Fire me? Wait, no…don’t.”
“You can’t work here. I can’t be here with you in the building without bringing you into this office and bending you over my desk.”
My gaze goes to his hands spread on his desk as the visual hits me, but then I quickly shake it off. I don’t want to end what we have, but I need this job.
I’m ready to beg for my job when he says, “Come with me.” He stands, cups my elbow and leads me to the elevator. He stays close as we descend, and despite everything that’s going on, sexual tensions arcs between us. I concentrate on filling my lungs as breathing becomes more difficult. We reach the lobby, and numerous heads turn our way, as the president of WSC Associates cans my sorry ass and walks me out of the building. How mortifying.
“Where are we going?” I ask, and pull my arm free.
“You’ll see.” He clicks the fob on his car and the doors open.
“I don’t like—”
“You will,” is all he says as he opens the door for me and gestures for me to get in.
I square off with him for a second, but he just stands there, hovers over me like a big bully. I realize he’s not going to back down, and we’re causing a scene, so I get in the car. He circles it, climbs into the driver’s seat and backs from his spot.
Will Carson, my mountain man, is the president of WSC Associates?
I still can’t quite comprehend that.
We drive for a few minutes, and Will casts me a look. “I was wrong, you know.”
“About not telling me?” I cross my arms, my heart beating a million miles an hour. “Yeah, you were. “
“I wanted to tell you, but I couldn’t. You couldn’t work for me, and if I told you who I was, you knew you’d be out of a job—because no way was I ending things between us, and I couldn’t be around you at work and act normal. I didn’t want to fire you without a plan.” A pause and then, “I never wanted to keep anything from you, but sometimes we do things we don’t like, because we have to. You said so yourself, just this morning.”
I pinch the bridge of my nose. “What exactly is it that you were wrong about?” I ask.
“Remember when I said, that I saved your life and now you’re indebted to me.”
“Yes.”
“I did a little research and I was wrong about that. Apparently, the proverb goes like this: I saved a life and now I’m responsible for that life.”
“What are you getting at?”
“I’m responsible for you.”
“No one is responsible for me. I’m responsible for myself.”
He pulls to the curb and cuts the ignitions. “Look,” he says, and points. I angle my head. When I see a big sign that says, Bennett’s Bodacious Brownies, my jaw falls open.
“What the hell?” My gaze flies to Will, but he’s already out of the car and around to my side. He reaches my door and holds his hand out for mine. “What did you do?”
“Come,” he says, being his ever-bossy self.
I slide from my seat, and he pulls a set of keys from his pocket. He opens the glass door, and gestures for me to enter the big open space. “What is this?”
“Isn’t it obvious?”
Will made all this happen for me. My heart climbs into my throat. I can’t accept any of this. I just can’t. “Will…I…”
Before I can tell him any of that, he pulls me into his arms. “I needed the week to find the perfect location, secure the lease and get the sign made.”
“Will…” I sniff as tears fill my eyes. This was so incredibly sweet of him, but owning a bakery is a pipe dream. Wait, does he think I’m like those other women, that I like him because of what’s in his wallet? What he can offer me?
“I wanted to show you how much you mean to me.”
“No. I can’t.” I back up toward the door, and he stiffens.
“Holly, I’m crazy about you. I want us to be together.”
Hardly able to believe what I’m hearing, I stumble and fall into a chair. “You didn’t need to do any of this for me. Why did you think you had to? Do you not know who I am at all, what’s really important to me?”
He crosses the room quickly and drops to his knees. “That’s why I did this. You are the only woman I’ve ever met who likes me for me. You don’t want me to do things like this, which makes me want to do them all the more.”
“I…”
“When I found out you worked for me, I was a mess. I own a million-dollar company with rules. I couldn’t keep seeing you if you stayed there, and to be honest, I want you to pursue your passion. I want you to be happy. Don’t you see, Holly? In the span of a week, you changed me, changed my view on life and what I wanted. I didn’t think women like you existed, and now that I know you do, I have zero intentions of letting you go. I’m in love with you.”
My heart misses three beats. “You’re in love with me?”
“I think I fell for you the second I spotted you trapped in your car.”
“I think I did the same,” I say and put my hand on his cheek, unable to believe that Prince Charming really does exist, and he’s all mine. “But I can’t accept this.”
“You can and you will.”
“Will,” I groan.
“I’m responsible for you, Holly,” he says teasingly.
I open my mouth, about to protest, but then close it again. This is a man who is fiercely protective of those he cares about. A man who would give the world to those he loves, and that’s exactly what he’s given me. And you know what, I’m going to allow it. Maybe sometimes it’s just okay to let those you love take care of you.
“Thank you,” I say quietly, and he presses his warm lips to mine. Passion explodes between us, and tears fall harder down my cheek. “You are the sweetest man I know.”
“I want you to clear out your desk first thing, and we can start building your new business.”
I nod. “Okay, but please, no more secrets between us.”
“Okay, then. I have a confession. Your car has been ready since last Wednesday. But I’ve been keeping you at my place because I wanted you to get used to living with me. I introduced you to my sisters, because I wanted you to get to know them.”
“Will…”
“I want you to marry me, Holly. I want you to be my wife. I want you to have the sisters you always wanted. I want us to all be a family, and I want to add a few kids to that family. Like you once said, my place needs at least a dozen kids.”
I give a big hiccupping laugh. “Says the man who doesn’t do relationships.”
“Say yes.”
“Yes, Will. Yes to it all.”
“One more thing,” he says, and scoops me from my chair. He takes me into a room with a big desk on it. “This is your new office,” he says. “And I really, really want to bend you over that desk, and have my way with you.”
I laugh at that. “All the yeses, Will. Yes, a million times over.”
Afterword
Thank You!
* * *
Thank you so much for reading, Confessions of a Bad Boy CEO. I hope you enjoyed the story as much as I loved writing it. Please keep reading for an excerpt of Confessions of a Bad Boy Gamer.
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Interested in leaving a review? Please do! Reviews help readers connect with books that work for them. I appreciate all reviews, whether positive or negative.
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Happy Reading,
Cathryn
Confessions of a Bad Boy Gamer
Raelynn
Not this again!
Christ, I am so sick and tired of everyone mistaking me for my twin sister, Saralynn. I’m not her. Don’t want to be her. Ever. I mean who would want all the media attention, every hot guy in the univer
se drooling at your manicured toes, all the women in the world dressing like you and singing your songs. Certainly not me.
Yeah right.
We might look alike, but my sister clearly has a spark that I lack, a spark that has brought her fame and fortune in the music business, reaching double platinum with her last album. Me, well, I couldn’t carry a tune in a bucket. The last time I tried to sing, one of my neighbors knocked on my door. Apparently they thought I was inside torturing a cat. What the hell, right? I love cats. Which is a good thing, because the way my love life is going, I’ll soon be collecting them.
I stopped trying to hone my voice after that, leaving the stage to my very talented sister, who I love truly and dearly. I’m better off sticking to my day job, teaching work/life balance to stressed-out, overworked employees. It’s a job I love, and while I resigned myself to the fact that I can’t sing, it doesn’t stop me from belting out lyrics in the shower every now and then. Where no one can hear, of course.
“Saralynn, wait up,” the man across the street screams out, frantically waving what looks like a restaurant napkin in the air.
I should just stop and give him an autograph, pretend to be my sister, who is currently back home here in Baltimore, taking a show business break at our folks’ house—hence the frenzy of fans on the streets looking for her. Then again, we hadn’t played the switcheroo game since we were kids, and if I stop for one man, soon enough I’ll be swarmed, drawing unwanted attention from hundreds of guys. Unlike Saralynn, I’m on the shy side and prefer to keep a low profile, and all that male attention would be horrible, right?
Yeah right.
Then again, she did have a stalker a couple years ago, and that was pretty damn scary for all of us. A shiver skips down my spine, and the hairs on the back of my neck tingle in warning. Since I’m not one to ignore my intuition, I pick up the pace and round the corner.
