INVESTED (Dunning Trilogy Book 1)

by Iris Bolling

  One gasped at the release, the other growled at the sweetness; neither moved. He stayed on his knees, between her legs, rubbing them, first fast matching the pace of his heart, then easing up as the fierceness of his veins pumping through his body slowed. He eased her thighs off his shoulder, bent over and kissed her with a gentleness that brought tears to her eyes.

  Myles rolled over gathering her in his arms and exhaled.

  "Are you all right, Chrys?"

  She started laughing. There was no rhyme or reason to the sound, but it was the only thing she could do. She finally stopped and exhaled.

  "Myles Dunning, whew.... you are too damn funny."

  He looked over at her lying in his arms, breast against his chest, thigh over his leg, then laughed along with her.

  "I don't believe we just did that in the office."

  "We have broken every HR rule there is," Myles laughed. "Man, if Grace saw us right now...."

  Chrystina laughed. "I don't even want to think about it."

  They were both silent, neither wanting to let the moment go.

  "This isn't like the last time, Chrys." Myles rubbed her back. "We both know what we are doing. Before it was emotions, need. This was different. We could have stopped it, but I didn't want to stop. Did you?"

  Chrystina kissed his chest as her hands roamed over it. "No."

  Myles took a deep breath and exhaled. "There's something I need to say to you. You don't have to respond. Just listen."

  Chrystina nodded, then continued to trace his chest with her finger.

  "Anytime a man puts his hands on the woman I care about, his life is in danger." His hands continued to stroke her shoulder. "I'm in love with you, Chrys. There's no time frame I can give you as to when it happened, but there it is. We can try to ignore it for another ten years, or we can embrace it, cherish it and move forward with our lives together. I don't know where you are on this. And there is no pressure. If you don't feel the same, we'll close this night out as if it did not happen."

  Chrystina stopped her hand motion, then held her head up on his shoulder. "I can't do that, Myles. No more than I could forget the night a month ago. There is nothing forgettable about you. I don't sleep around and I certainly don't sleep with my boss. At least I didn't until now."

  He smiled up at her. "You know what I always wondered?"

  Chrystina frowned. "Really, you’re going to interrupt me when I'm about to tell you I'm in love with you too? You're going to do that?"

  Myles smiled. "I knew that," he bragged then laid his head back down on his hand.

  She playfully smacked his chest. "You did not know."

  He took her hand into his then kissed it. "No, I did not, but I am damn happy to hear it."

  "I can't believe you feel that way about me. My heart is racing, my stomach is flipping and I just feel like laughing." And she did just that.

  "You know a less secure brother could get a complex from this."

  "You need me to reassure you?" She kissed his neck. "I can show you how much just the thought of you turns me the hell on." She bit his nipple.

  It was his turn to laugh. "Show me what you got."

  She spread her legs across him, then bit his other nipple, as his hands roamed over the curve of her back. Her hand slid between their bodies until she reached her desired object. The tip of her finger swirled around the head of his penis as her tongue followed the motion on his nipple. Myles groaned as he jerked at her touch.

  Her tongue trailed across his chest, down his abs, while her fingers circled him fully. She laid him flat between her inner lips; she did not take him inside, no, she placed him in the warmth of those lips, allowing the moisture dripping from her arousal to lubricate him. She slid up and down him as her tongue circled his navel and her thumbs circled his nipples. She could feel him growing between her lips. She moaned at the feel, the thought of his thickness entering her.

  "Chrys," he moaned, ready to drive inside of her.

  "Can you feel how much I want you inside of me? How wet I am? The heat waiting for you?"

  His hand tightened around her waist. "Chrys." This time he growled.

  "Yes, Myles," she chuckled. "Are you ready to take a ride?"

  That was it. He lifted her by the waist and plunged inside. They both growled.

  Her hands balanced on his abs, his moving from her waist to her breasts. She moved up, then down him slowly, measuring each stroke for the ultimate pleasure. The pressure building with each stroke pushed her to get more, faster.

  Myles sat up, placing one nipple into his mouth, as his hand circled her waist. He guided her, pumping up and down. Both of their hearts racing to get to the anticipated release, him sucking, her pumping, neither missing a stroke. Then her womb contracted, his penis exploded and the world turned upside down.

  They sat in that position. His head resting between her breasts, hers on his powerful shoulder, both waiting for their hearts to settle.

  Myles raised his head, taking her face into his hands, then kissed her with a thoroughness of claiming what is now his.

  "You know what just occurred to me?"

  "What?"

  He held her eyes. "History is repeating itself."

  "How?" Chrystina frowned.

  "I'm going to have to free Mitch and take care of him."

  "Why?"

  Myles closed his eyes against his thoughts, then sighed. He placed his head on her forehead. "He is responsible for this whole day ending up with you and I at this point. Just like with my parents, he brought us together."

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  The moment Chrystina closed the office door behind her she fell, literally fell into her desk chair. Her legs were weak. Her body was tingling and her mind was swirling.

  "What did I just do?" She sat there in a daze. There was never a time she felt prohibited around Myles, but she had never gone that far. She shook herself. She had to get out of there before he tried to take her home. That was a bad idea. No one should ever see them together in that way. They had to stay professional while in the office.

  She picked up her cell phone and noticed her mother had called several times in addition to sending text messages. She immediately sent a message back.

  "This is why I need to drive myself," she fussed. Gathering her sneaker bag and uneaten lunch she made her way to the elevator. She had to get out of the building before her body betrayed her by going back to his office, his arms, his..... "Come on!" She anxiously pushed the button again. She needed to get away from Myles so she could think. Lord the man was good....no, he was more than good....he was sensational. Nothing in her dreams prepared her for the feel of his hands, the touch of his lips or the thickness that filled her....nothing. She leaned her forehead against the wall. Was it possible to get wet from a memory? Of course it was while your body is still tingling from the reality.

  The elevator swished open. "Thank goodness," Chrystina said as she stepped inside. Just as the door was about to close a hand slipped inside.

  "I just can't..." she started to say thinking it was Myles.

  She looked up. "AnnieMarie." She looked shell-shocked. "What are you doing here?"

  "I decided to come in to wrap up the aftermath of the interview."

  "Oh," Chrystina said wondering if...no, her office is on the other side of the building. They hadn't been that loud, had they? "We've missed you. Are you ready to come back to work?"

  "I don't see where I have much of a choice. Interview requests are coming in for Myles like crazy. We have to make some decisions on which ones he should do."

  "Send me a list. I'll take a look at them." The elevator door opened at the lobby. "We can talk about which ones to accept."

  "Sounds good." AnnieMarie looked around. "Are you okay?"

  "Yes," Chrystina almost yelled, then caught herself. "Why?"

  "I don't know. You look a little flustered. Almost blushing."

  "No...no, um... I'm good."

  "Okay," a specul
ative AnnieMarie replied. She looked around the main lobby. "Why are you getting off here?"

  "I rode in with my mother this morning. She's going to pick me up out front."

  "Oh, I'm going on down to the garage."

  "I'll ride with you."

  "No," she replied a little too fast.

  Chrystina nodded. "Someone waiting for you?"

  "No." AnnieMarie was insistent, then sighed. "I don't know." She slumped back. "Most nights when I stayed late he would be waiting for me in the parking lot."

  Chrystina nodded. "When are you going to give that man a break? I hate seeing both of you so miserable."

  "I'll give him a break when you let Myles in."

  "What? What do you mean?" a stunned Chrystina asked.

  "You have been in love with my brother for as long as I have known you. When are you going to tell him?"

  Chrystina looked away, shook her head and laughed. She looked back at her friend with glee in her eyes. "I did, tonight."

  AnnieMarie’s eyes grew large as she stepped out of the elevator. "What? Oh my goodness. It's about time."

  Chrystina blushed. "I don't know where it’s going to lead or if I should let it go any further."

  "Are you crazy? You don't let love wait. When you find it, grab it, hold on and cherish it. You don't just throw it away, Chrystina."

  "Then stop throwing Cainan away. See you tomorrow, AnnieMarie." Chrystina waved and walked out the lobby door.

  #

  "Do you work this late every night?" Beverly asked as Chrystina threw her bags in the back and climbed into the passenger seat.

  "Not every night, but most, especially now."

  Beverly pulled off. " I called you at least five times." Her cell phone buzzed.

  "Gina, this is not a good time." She listened to her daughter then looked at Chrystina. "Did you pay Gina's water bill?"

  Chrystina frowned. "I forgot all about it." She could hear Gina's reaction through the phone. "I wasn't being selfish," she yelled back. "It’s been a hell of a day and I forgot." She slumped back in the seat with a sigh.

  Beverly put the phone back up to her ear. "Gina, stop yelling and listen. I will take care of it tomorrow. But you better have a plan in place to pay me back." She hung up the phone then glanced sideways at Chrystina.

  "I need a drink."

  The car stopped. Beverly turned to her daughter. "It's a Wednesday night." She looked at the dashboard. "Damn near ten o'clock and you want a drink?"

  "Yes. I need a drink."

  "Okay," Beverly said as she looked around. "A drink it is."

  Ten minutes later the two were at a bar with a double shot of Hennessy in front of them.

  Chrystina downed the drink, motioned for another.

  Beverly raised an eyebrow at the daughter who usually nursed a margarita with sugar around the rim, frozen not shaken, all night.

  "We made love." She downed the second glass. The bartender immediately poured another.

  "Who made love?" Beverly held a hand over the glass signaling that was enough. The bartender nodded, then walked away.

  Chrystina put her head down into her hands and silently screamed into them. She then propped an elbow on the bar, resting her head in her hand then looked up at her mother.

  "Myles," she said. "Myles and I made love tonight."

  "Myles Dunning...your boss?"

  She pointed a finger at her mother. "That's the one."

  "Was it good?"

  Chrystina gave her a look then laughed.

  Beverly crossed her legs. "Well, it’s about damn time."

  Chrystina gave her the side eye.

  "Don't look at me like that. You've been lusting after that man since you were nineteen years old. Everybody can see it, except you two."

  "He's my boss, Mother."

  "Don't have nothing to do with a good dick. You find it where you can. Yours happens to be in the office. So be it."

  "Mother!" Chrystina turned to pick up her glass.

  Beverly took it from her. "Look." Beverly waited. "Chrystina, look at me." She closed her eyes to gather her patience, then looked at her daughter. "You are a beautiful, intelligent woman. Any man would be crazy not to recognize that. Myles saw it early on and gave you up. You don't realize it, hell I don't think he does, but in my eyes he has been grooming you to be a permanent part of his life for the last ten years. I've seen you read other boyfriends up one side of a wall and down another with no problem. My guess is you didn't feel for them the way you do for Myles. You have an opportunity here to get the happiness you deserve. He has opened the door. Don't be stupid and close it in his face. Grab that happiness and tell anyone who don't like it to kiss your behind." She stood. "Now, let’s get out of this bar cause drunk ain't pretty."

  An hour later Chrystina had showered and was laying in her bed, one arm over her forehead, her eyes wide open. Her body was still vibrating from Myles' touch. Even after brushing her teeth, his taste still lingered on her lips. And her heart was bursting with joy. So why did her sixth sense keep telling her to beware?

  Her cell phone chimed, bringing her thoughts to the present. The name appeared on the caller ID. She sat up then rushed in when she answered the phone.

  "Making love to you tonight wasn't my intention. I was trying to ease your anger by imitating your sister's crazy antics..."

  "Chrys, stop." The voice soothed her immediately. "I knew you would be stressing over this. Let me ease your mind. Tonight wasn't a mistake. I love you. Get some rest. We're starting our morning together in the gym."

  Chrystina hung up the phone and closed her eyes. She didn't need the voice message. Tonight she had the real thing.

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Myles entered his parents' home through the kitchen entrance. Placing his briefcase on the floor, he stripped out of his suit jacket then rolled up his sleeves. He opened the refrigerator to grab some items to make a sandwich. He had not had a chance to eat all day, then used up all his strength making love to Chrystina. God she was amazing. He smiled at the memory as he put the bread on the breakfast bar. He turned to the sound of the door from the basement opening.

  "Good evening, Mr. Dunning."

  Myles began to chuckle as he put the cold cuts on the counter. "Not you too." He reached into the cabinet to pull down two plates. "Have a sandwich with me?"

  Jerome nodded as he took a seat. "You don't like being called Mr. Dunning?"

  "Not when you have called me Myles for the last ten years."

  "You are now the head of the bank and this family," Jerome said as he caught a beer bottle Myles threw his way. "That comes with a certain amount of respect."

  "Well, I appreciate that, Jerome," Myles said as he continued making the sandwiches. "We had somewhat of a trying day."

  Jerome took a swig of his beer. "Your father and I would hash through how his days went nightly. I'm here if you want to talk about the office."

  Myles slid a sandwich over to Jerome. "What did you talk about with Dad?"

  "Everything from Mitchell, the board, public fascination, but most of all the security of the grounds."

  It was clear to all members of the family that Jerome was never just a driver. There was some military, security, and dangerous aspects to the man's demeanor and the way he handled certain situations. No one questioned why he was brought into the family, until now.

  Myles took a seat on the opposite side of the breakfast bar. "Why did Dad hire you? Please...be frank." Biting into his sandwich, Jerome knew what Myles was asking.

  "Your father was a wealthy man and president of an international bank. Over the course of time he received a number of viable threats to his person and his family. He wanted to ensure you all were safe at all times."

  "Who were the threats from?"

  "In addition to expected kidnapping attempts, there were...closer threats from Walker. But that wasn't what concerned your father the most. It was the people Walker continued to associate with."

>   "Walker himself was not a threat." Myles nodded his understanding. "What are your duties?"

  "To protect his wife and children from possible retaliation from anyone connected to Walker or seeking to use them against him for extortion."

  "Have there been any incidents that fueled his concerns?"

  "One or two that was handled outside of the public knowledge." Jerome nodded.

  "And you do this alone? Just you?"

  "There are times when you only need one person; however, when the full family needs coverage I have friends."

  Myles gave him an inquisitive glance.

  "Yes. I'm damn good." Jerome smirked. "Let’s take the beer down to the security room. There's some activity from earlier today that should be brought to your attention."

  The two men grabbed their plates and beer, then walked down the back staircase to the basement. They walked past the theater room, the recreation room, Daisy's living quarters and Jerome's rooms until they reached the last door in the hallway.

  Inside the security room there was a small office, then an open area with a conference table that seated eight and a wall with three monitors.

  "Have a seat," Jerome said as he turned on the lights.

  Myles sat at the conference table facing the wall of monitors. As they each came on he scanned them to determine what they displayed.

  "You've changed it around a little since the last time I was here."

  "We added another monitor with a little more security."

  "Is there a reason for the enhancement?"

  "Yes." Jerome pulled a chair out from the table, sat then turned to face Myles. "Someday soon I'm going to tell you more than you may want to know. For now, let’s look at today's footage." Jerome zoomed in on the center monitor.