Mix'n Business With Pleasure

by Hadley Raydeen

  “Hi,” she responded, trying to keep the giddy grin from her face.

  “I know you want an attentive man, and I want to be that for you. You tell me what you need to make it better and I’ll do it.”

  She shook her head trying to get out from under his spell. “Make what better?”

  “You are fidgeting, sweetheart. From the way you are clamping your legs together, I’m assuming I might have said some things and doing some things that have your nether regions a bit moist. At least I hope I am. And I’m sitting here fighting back this urge to help you with that right now. But I need you to tell me you want it just as much as I do. Tell me you need me to make it better… Just say the word, Bevin.”

  “You… How do you know?… You don’t have to, really—”

  He held a finger to her lips shushing her. It took everything in her not to pucker up and kiss his warm flesh.

  “You feel this too, Bevin. I know you do. I don’t have to say it.”

  “I’m not looking for a quick lay, Jax,” she whispered as he moved his lips from her ear to the side of her face. He planted butterfly kisses along her skin.

  “Who said anything about a quick lay?”

  “Then what the hell do you want?” She turned the question back on him.

  “I want you.”

  “You don’t even know me. You saw a newsletter with my picture on it. You show up at my house and my job and all of a sudden you want me?”

  “I admit how it happened was a bit unconventional. But, you can’t deny there is this insane…attraction,” he protested.

  “Look, Jaxon, I find you handsome, sexy…” She ticked the obvious attributes on her fingers. “But that is just the physical and will only lead to a wild romp in the hay. ”

  “I fail to see the problem,” he smirked. “There is nothing wrong with that. That is a good thing.”

  She shook her head. “That lasts five minutes and then we are tiptoeing around each other at work, embarrassed.”

  “I’m more than a five-minute man, honey. No one has anything to be embarrassed about, trust me.”

  “God, listen to you, cocky as hell.”

  “I’m trying to lighten the mood. You are being so serious. Take it easy.”

  The simple words caused her blood pressure to rise. Nothing annoyed her more than when she had a concern and someone told her to calm down or take it easy. To her it felt like a brush off. Like her feelings weren’t important.

  “I am taking it easy. I was just expressing a concern. I see it doesn’t matter to you.” She dug in her purse for her wallet and then threw a twenty down for her drinks. “You don’t have to pay for me. Enjoy your evening.”

  “No, it does matter to me. You don’t have to pay... Damn it, Bevin. Where are you going?”

  She slid from her bar stool and turned from him before he could reach for her. “Don’t touch me, and please don’t cause a scene.”

  “I heard everything you said. I just didn’t want you to get upset about it.” His voice dropped, heeding her warning.

  “Fine. That’s great. I’m not upset, but I am leaving. I’ll see you at the office. Oh, and don’t follow me this time, please.” She turned on her heel and marched out of the bar leaving a dumbfounded Jax in her wake.

  Chapter 15

  She moaned into her pillow and rolled over to look at the bedside clock. Seven am. She tried to register what she was hearing outside. Hammering? What in the world? A bad dream or déjà vu, she didn’t know which. She threw back the covers and flipped her legs to the side of the bed. She pushed her feet into her fuzzy slippers and walked out of her bedroom across the hall and into the guest bedroom. Throwing open the window, she peered out at the scene below. Three workers stood in her backyard. They all held various tools and were busy building…a deck?

  She didn’t know if she should be thrilled or annoyed. She’d always wanted a deck out there. However, work never allowed time for coordinating all the home improvements she wanted done. This must be Braedon’s doing.

  He could at least have given me a heads up when he schedules work on the house. What is up with the seven o’clock in the morning wake up calls? Can’t these jokers come later? Ugh. As she lowered the shades, she caught sight of the emblem on the t-shirts of the workers; an emblem she’d seen more recently at work and around the new office space. Jaxon.

  Showered and dressed in a brown skirt suit and high heeled pumps, she curled her hair and applied make up. Smirking at her reflection, she said, “You’re gonna turn heads today, chick.”

  She stepped out on the front porch and caught the attention of two workers pulling materials from the work van with Jaxon’s company name plastered on the side.

  “Good morning, ma’am,” the two workers greeted her.

  “Good morning, guys,” she tried to respond nicer than she felt. This wasn’t their fault. “Is Jaxon here?” she asked one of the men.

  “No ma’am. He sent the work order out to come and do this job this morning. He will be over at the big office project today.”

  “I’m sure he is. Thank you.” She went back in her house, grabbed her briefcase and purse and slammed the door behind her. If he was trying to win her over…he wasn’t doing a bad job.

  “Let me see those layouts, Frank.” Jax took the prints from his foreman. He knew his men were quite capable of finishing this project with their eyes closed, but he wanted to make sure everything was perfect. He hung up his business suit for the day and put on his dirty jeans and a tool belt to get out there and oversee this. Bevin wasn’t the type of woman that could be won over with just empty words. He would try his damndest to show her he would do anything for her. He knew his men had started on the deck this morning and he couldn’t wait to hear what she had to say about it.

  “We need to start over in this area with the beams. The CEO and Senior Vice President will be in this area, so we want to make sure we have this looking right. If you can have the guys start on this first, we can get the framing up this week.”

  “Jax?” His foreman stopped him.

  “Yea, Frank, I know. I know you know this already, but humor me, would you? I just want to make sure everything is handled, and all our bases are covered. The Senior Vice President is counting on me for this project. I want to make sure it is perfect for her.”

  He wanted to impress her. He didn’t care what anyone thought of his method of micro-managing. He’d oversee every step of this process just to get her approval at the end of the day. It was that important to him.

  “Jaxon—”

  “Damn it, Frank, what is it?” he asked, looking up from the prints.

  “We have a visitor.”

  He turned around on his foreman, ready to lay down an earful. He stopped at the sight of Bevin on his worksite. She wore a tailored skirt suit and high heel shoes that showcased her long, toned legs and the curves of her body for days. Her curled hair framed her face. She glanced around at the men who all stopped to gawk and stare.

  “Back to work!” Jaxon growled at no one, and everyone, in particular. He walked over to her and cupped her elbow, pulling her away from the ogling men.

  “Hey! Whoa, stop manhandling me!” she protested.

  He led her around a corner out of earshot and vision of his men. “You come here looking like that?” He ran his gaze over her complete form fitting attire. His gaze landed on her cleavage. “Do you have anything under that jacket?”

  His question was answered with a hand on her hip and a cock of her head. “Are you kidding me? Last I checked, I don’t have to answer to you.”

  He gently moved her to him and snaked an arm around her waist. His gaze hovered over her face landing on her lips. “You look good enough to eat. I don’t want any of my men looking at you the way I’m looking at you now.” He watched her eyes cloud with desire as he spoke. A low growl started in his throat. He leaned close to her. She tried to turn her head, but he snagged her chin between his fingers. “Don’t turn away, ba
by.”

  “I am not your baby,” she quipped.

  “You keep protesting, but yet you are here.”

  “I have no choice.” She opened her eyes.

  “We all have a choice, baby.”

  She glared at him. “You better watch yourself, Jaxon.”

  “I want to kiss you.”

  “Oh no you don’t. Not again. That first one caught me off guard. Fool me twice, shame on me.” She laughed nervously and tried to step away, but his arm around her held her firmly in place.

  “Tell me to stop and I will,” he challenged her. Her mouth was saying the words but her body was clearly responding positively to his touch and she wanted it again.

  “We shouldn’t...”

  “That is not a no,” he responded.

  “We can’t do this, Jaxon. We decided to keep this professional. And you remember things didn’t end that great between us last night.”

  “That’s because you can’t stand still for five seconds. You are always walking away.” He turned her pressing her against a wall and cornered her body with his. Pressing his erection against her middle, he saw the shock and surprise on her face.

  “What...what are you doing, Jaxon?”

  “I like how you say my name, baby. Say it again.”

  Her body vibrated against his and she turned to look at him. Her brown eyes filled with everything he wanted to see. She wanted him too, even though she was fighting the attraction. He wanted to give her what she needed. “Say it, Bevin.”

  “Jax…” His name was lost on her lips as he dipped and took the first nip from her mouth waiting for any hesitation or protest. When only a small gasp left her lips, did he pull her closer and deepen their kiss. Moaning into her warmth, he pressed his tongue into her, loving the texture and taste. His body swayed against her, knowing his erection was prominent. He didn’t care. He wanted more of her and as long as she let him, he would move forward. His hands found her face and cradled it as he deepened the kiss. He wanted her and she would know beyond a shadow of doubt he meant it, once it was all said and done. Her hands held tight to his arms. She didn’t fight his tender kiss and massaging hands. He swirled his tongue deeper into her mouth, needing more. If it weren’t for his men just around the corner, he would have explored what more it could be like with her right there and then. She whimpered and he supported her limp frame. Breaking the kiss, he looked deep in her eyes. Breaths heaving and warming each other’s face, he waited for her to speak.

  “We shouldn’t do that on the worksite.” Trembling fingers fell from his arms and patted gingerly at swollen lips. She looked up at him to say something.

  “Then let’s meet tonight.” He waited for her to protest. He watched the battle wage in the doors to her mind, her beautiful eyes. She finally focused on him and answered quietly. “Your place or mine?”

  Chapter 16

  Jaxon had a hell of a time getting through his work day with the sexy chocolate woman in a tight business suit prancing around his worksite. She insisted on a tour of the building before she left for the day. He knew the men watched her as she walked by. Their distraction by her presence didn’t compare to his own. When she walked by, he growled at a few of the workers. “What are you gawking at? Get back to work,” he ordered.

  She smiled and winked at him when no one else was looking. He scowled at her and turned his head.

  At lunchtime, he tore his hard hat from his head and leaned against a post in the back of the building. He caught sight of Frank coming around the corner. “Hey man, a bunch of the guys are going across the street for lunch. Do you want to come?”

  He thought about the request. “Is Ms. Thomas still here?” He knew he had told her she should get back to the office about thirty minutes ago, but since when did Bevin listen to anyone? After he waved her goodbye, he knew she was still somewhere lurking.

  “Yes, she is still on the ground floor,” Frank answered, “I think she was on the phone inside her car last I saw.”

  “On your way out, can you tell her to come back in? I want to get her approval on an idea I have. You and the guys take an hour lunch.”

  Frank quirked a brow. “Really boss? You usually only give us thirty minutes and we still have a lot to get done here before we call it a day.”

  “That is okay. Today it is on me. I need to discuss some business, with Ms. Thomas.”

  His lead man looked at him, and a knowing smile crept across his face. “Oh, okay is that what we are calling it now?”

  “Watch yourself, Frank. Don’t come back for an hour okay?”

  “Understood.”

  He watched Frank gather up the guys, and head toward the exit. Business wasn’t the only thing he wanted to discuss with Bevin. A sly grin moved across his mouth. He ran a hand through his tussled hair and waited for her to join him.

  “Hey guys, everyone let’s go. Time for lunch,” Frank called out.

  Bevin watched the foreman gather up all the men while she was on a phone call with a top client.

  “Lunch across the street?” one guy called out.

  “Yep, lunch is on the boss today,” Frank answered.

  Once all the men gathered and walked across the road, Frank came toward her.

  “Okay, I’ll be in touch with you on the numbers for the acquisitions, Mr. Williams. Please enjoy the rest of your day.” She finished the phone call and slid her phone into her bag.

  “Ms. Thomas, hello again,” Frank said into her opened car window.

  She removed the sunglasses from her face and looked up at the large looming man. “Hello, Frank. How can I help you?”

  “Yes, ma’am. Jaxon asked me to have you come see him after we leave. He needs your approval on something.”

  “Oh?” She found that odd since they had just said their goodbyes and parted ways before her phone rang and she had to take the quick call in her car. She thought that he thought she was gone.

  “Where is he?” she asked.

  Frank pointed to his boss inside the construction site. Her gaze followed where he indicated and caught sight of a sexy, but tussled and dirty Jaxon standing in the main entrance and regarding their conversation.

  “Thank you, Frank. Enjoy your lunch,” she said, not taking her eyes off Jaxon.

  “Yes, ma’am.” Frank nodded his head.

  She waited until the man walked away before she exited her car and carefully walked back to the construction site. She wished she would have planned this outfit more thoroughly and opted for flats instead of these pumps, though cute, not at all practical for construction attire. Hindsight is always 20/20. That’s what I get for trying to be cute.

  He met her halfway, taking her by the hand and leading her into the entrance of the building. Once inside, he stopped to stare at her. She cleared her throat, trying not to waver under his watchful gaze. She licked dry lips, wanting to speak, but not knowing exactly what to say. She took in the sight of his tattered jeans and utility belt, hanging low, and the dirty white t-shirt he wore. She wanted to run her fingers up under that shirt and over the contours of his body. He fumbled with the hard hat in his left hand while running the free right hand through his dark hair. The action caused the t-shirt arm to move and she caught sight of a black tribal tattoo on his right bicep. His blue eyes shined full of mischief and secrets she would love to uncover, but not now here on a worksite. She would have to take more time to explore this body and everything underneath those well fitting clothes sometime soon. Maybe tonight when they were alone and had time. “Frank told me you wanted to see me?” She finally spoke after her full visual assault on his body.

  “You have no idea, baby,” he said. His voice was low and rumbled like a thunderstorm on a warm summer evening. She let out a breath she didn’t know she had been holding. She raised a brow, trying to get her wits about her. He wasn’t going to distract her with sexy words and promises of more. Not right now. They had agreed to keep this professional and he was making it hard as hell to stay on
track.

  She watched as he closed the distance. “Did you send the men away on purpose?” A gasp left her lips as he snaked an arm around her waist.

  “The men have to eat,” he responded.

  “But you sent them away and asked Frank to have me come back. Was it on purpose?” she asked.

  “Am I that transparent?”

  “I thought you wanted to meet up tonight?”

  He lowered his head a breath away from her lips. “I needed to see you…now.”

  “You just saw me no more than thirty minutes ago,” she murmured as he closed the small space between them leading her into temptation, nipping at her lips, hushing her lame attempt at protest.

  His soft kisses and pulls at her lip quieted her as he slowed the kiss and looked into her eyes.

  “I still want to see you tonight as well.” He lowered his head again this time deepening the kiss. She placed trembling fingers on his corded arms trying to steady her balance. She pulled away and looked into his eyes, searching. All she saw looking back at her was desire, longing, want. Everything she was sure he saw reflected back in her eyes.

  “Jax, we should wait until tonight.” She tried to change her voice to indignation, but it was hard when everything in her body screamed for more of the touch of him. Her words came out breathy and light and sounded to her own ears like a cry for more. He, too, must have heard it the same way. He dipped his head to her neck licking at her rapid pulse. “I don’t want to wait, and I don’t think you do either. We should go somewhere,” he mumbled in between licks and nips at her neck.

  “Go… where, wait, Jax… What about your men?”

  “I gave them an extended lunch.” His hand on her waist begin a journey that distracted her from her good sense. Working at the buttons at her breasts, he flipped the first one free.

  “How long of an extended lunch, Jaxon? We have a deadline.” Her head rolled to the side as he continued kissing at her neck and his able fingers continued at her buttons.

  “I realize that, Bevin. But I have a need right now.” His fingers flipped the second button.