Board Approved

by Jessica Jayne

  Evernight Publishing

  www.evernightpublishing.com

  Copyright© 2013 Jessica Jayne

  ISBN: 978-1-77130-538-9

  Cover Artist: Sour Cherry Designs

  Editor: JS Cook

  ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

  WARNING: The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. No part of this book may be used or reproduced electronically or in print without written permission, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in reviews.

  This is a work of fiction. All names, characters, and places are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

  DEDICATION

  To my husband, who allows me to escape into my "writing cave" enough to live my dream! Thank you!

  To Natalie - For beta reading this story and giving me your honest feedback! Thank you so much, girlfriend!

  BOARD APPROVED

  Taking Advantage, 2

  Jessica Jayne

  Copyright © 2013

  Chapter One

  “Flipping fudge,” Gregory Snow heard a soft female voice say from behind him. He could tell the delicate voice was upset, but he couldn’t help but chuckle. After years practicing law, it was strange to hear someone swear so kindly. In fact, he was pretty sure the last time he heard someone say “fudge” to replace the f-word, he had been watching television on Thanksgiving and A Christmas Story was on. He spun around to find the friendly curser and didn’t see anyone.

  “Freaking flip,” he heard her again. Then he saw the lithe body of a woman rise from behind an older purple VW bug he had just passed in the parking lot and he lost his ability to breathe. Holy Christ! Her curly golden hair was pulled back in a tight ponytail, wispy curls framing her face. She wore a thin purple and hot pink braided headband in an effort to tame her blonde mane. Her hot pink tank top clung tightly to her torso, showing off her small but perky breasts. Greg’s cock hardened as his gaze scanned over what he could see of her. She was stunning. She looked like she was coming from a workout, which puzzled him since she was in the parking lot of Advantage Insurance Company.

  “Can I help you?” he asked. The woman startled at the sound of his voice. When she lifted her eyes to meet his, Greg inhaled sharply. She had the deepest blue eyes he’d ever seen. They were gorgeous. She was gorgeous. She couldn’t be more than twenty-five… maybe twenty-six. There was not a single line on her face. Everything on her that was visible to him was tight. He imagined her pussy would also be tight. What? Where the hell did that come from? She screamed youth… much too young for him, at forty-two, to be thinking such thoughts. But he couldn’t stop the arousal that immediately coursed through him at the sight of her. Something about her turned him inside out.

  “I’m…I’m sorry,” she said, standing a little taller. She might be five feet four inches… maybe. She threw what looked like a rolled-up yoga mat over her shoulder, walked around the back of the VW and lifted the hatch to throw her mat inside. “My car seems to have died and I don’t have the slightest idea what’s wrong with it. And I have a class to teach in exactly thirty-five minutes and it takes me about thirty minutes to get to the studio without traffic. Triple A will take at least forty-five minutes to get here. By that time, I’ve missed my class at the studio. It’s too late to call for a substitute to teach the class. The studio is so new. I can’t afford to lose any customers at this point.” She took a deep breath and Greg watched as her chest rose and fell with her breath. His gaze lowered to her tight black yoga capri pants. Damn! She had a rocking body. Lean, muscular legs. Perky ass. What was going on with him? Had it really been that long since he’d been laid that he was lusting after this young stranger? She was going to think he was an old creep. “Shizzle!” His gaze flew from her ass to her face again at her exclamation.

  “Did you just say ‘shizzle’?” he asked. It was impossible to hide the humor in his voice. This beautiful creature was unreal. She looked like a Victoria’s Secret angel with her long blonde hair and tight body, yet she swore like a kindergartner.

  She slammed the hatch down and kicked her rear bumper. When she looked up at him, he could see the tears welling up in her eyes, so he quickly wiped his hand over his face to keep the smile from spreading further across his lips.

  “I’m sorry,” he said softly. He hated to see women cry, especially ones that made him hornier than a teenager. “Can I drive you to the studio? You can deal with your car later. I can tell it’s important to you.”

  “Seriously? You’d do that?” she asked, tilting her head up to look at him.

  “Of course,” Greg said softly. Before he could even take his next breath, this blonde beauty threw herself at him.

  “Thank you,” she said into his chest. Slowly, his arms wrapped around her small tight body and he gave her a gentle squeeze. Then he grabbed her by the shoulders and pushed her back, fearing if she stayed that close to him, she’d surely feel his straining erection and that would probably make her less thankful for his assistance.

  “It’s not a problem.” He pulled his keys out of his pocket and hit the unlock button to his black BMW SUV. The lights flashed and he watched as her gaze fell on his vehicle. “I’m Greg, by the way. Greg Snow.” He held out his hand. Her head slowly turned back toward him. After just throwing herself at him seconds ago, he found it adorable that her cheeks were flushed when she slid her delicate hand into his. Her skin was so soft and yet an electric current shot through him at the feel of her hand in his.

  “I’m Tessa Mills,” she said softly. Her gaze fell to their joined hands before she raised her eyes to look him in the face. He wondered if she felt it, too. Then he saw it in her eyes. There was something in her deep blue eyes… heat… desire, maybe? He couldn’t make it out exactly, but it was not a look he expected from her, considering their obvious age difference. But he liked it. A lot.

  “Grab the things you need and jump in. I just need to make two calls before we head out, okay?” He watched as she reopened the hatch to her car and pulled out her mat and a purse. Pulling out his iPhone from his pants pocket, he quickly dialed his car mechanic.

  “Jarod’s,” Greg heard his friend on the line.

  “Hey, buddy. It’s Greg. I need you to do me a favor,” he said, watching Tessa walk the four cars down the aisle to his BMW. He could not get over her body. Youth definitely had its advantages. Not that the women he had been with in the more recent months didn’t have good bodies, but they didn’t have the kind of body Tessa had. What he wouldn’t give to feel her wrapped around him in every way.

  “Sure thing,” Jarod said, bringing him out of his lusty haze. “Whatcha need?”

  “Can you send your tow truck over to Advantage’s parking lot to pick up a car?” Greg asked, his eyes still glued on Tessa.

  “What’s wrong with the Bimmer?”

  “It’s not my car,” Greg said. He explained the situation to Jarod, who agreed to tow the VW Bug to his shop and take a look at it. “I’ll drop the keys off shortly. Just call me and let me know what’s wrong with it. I’ll cover the repairs.” As he disconnected his call with Jarod, his phone began to buzz with another call. He noticed John Dorsey’s number on his phone. “Dorsey,” Greg said into his phone.

  “Where the hell are you?”

  “In the parking lot,” Greg said, still watching Tessa. Just before she slid into the passenger seat of his BMW, she looked over her shoulder in Greg’s direction and gave him the sexiest smile he had ever seen. He couldn’t stifle the groan that escaped him.

  “Did you just moan in my ear?” John asked with a chuckle.

  “I think I did,” Greg said with a laugh. “I’ll tell you about it later
. I’m going to be a bit late to this afternoon’s session. I have to run someone across town quickly. I’ll be back in less than an hour.”

  “Run who across town?” John asked with amusement. “Does she have anything to do with that moan?”

  “Ha-ha, Dorsey! I’ll bring you up to speed when I get back.”

  “What would you like me to tell Phillip and the board?” John asked. Out of all the board members, John was his favorite. He may have been one of the richest men in the area, owning the largest construction company around, Dorsey Construction, but he was the most levelheaded guy Greg knew. They really hit it off together. Greg considered John a friend. And since John had found Elizabeth Wright, the woman to settle him down, so-to-speak, he’d been trying to find Greg a companion, too. Any inclination that Greg was showing interest in a woman resulted in John’s utmost attention.

  “Tell them my errand took a little longer than anticipated,” Greg said. “I promise to get there as soon as I can.” He ended the call and made sure Tessa’s car was locked before walking to his BMW. He slid into the driver seat and immediately started his car. He glanced over at Tessa and found her staring at him with those big blue eyes. And those eyes were not showing any concern over their age difference. They were scanning over every inch of him like she might be considering him for dinner. The look on her face caused his cock to stiffen again. Shit! This was going to be a long drive!

  Chapter Two

  Tessa stared at the man that slid into the driver’s seat and a sudden wave of lust swept through her. He was one hundred percent male and she was totally enthralled. He was incredibly handsome. Older than her… maybe thirty-five. She had never been really good at guessing ages, but she did know he was older than her twenty-seven years. His navy dress slacks had done nothing to hide his strong muscular thighs, and the white button down shirt made it obvious that Greg was not your average male build. He was built strong. She had felt it when she threw herself at him for his generous offer to drive her to her studio. Was she crazy? She threw herself into a complete stranger’s arms! And then she got into his car! Her mother would have her committed immediately if she found out. Shoot! Her alcoholic mother would try to have her committed for anything if it meant she had access to Tessa’s bank account and Tessa was “out of her hair.”

  For some reason, Greg didn’t scare her at all. Perhaps it was his soft grey eyes that assured her he posed no danger to her. All she knew was what her gut told her: she wouldn’t end up in a ditch on the side of the road. Her body hummed, telling her this man could take her places she’d never been.

  “Where are we headed?” Greg asked, putting the BMW in reverse and pulling out of the parking space. He maneuvered the car with ease. Tessa was impressed with how smooth and graceful his movements were, considering his size.

  “Yoga You,” Tessa replied. “It’s my yoga studio on Treasure Island. Take First Avenue North all the way to the end. Then make a left on 66th Street and a right on Central. I can direct you once we reach the island.” She sat back against the tan leather seat and let out the breath she didn’t realize she was holding. That stupid VW bug had been giving her problems lately. She bought it from a used car lot when she turned sixteen and had been driving it ever since. It was a great car, but she’d beat the hell out of it. She didn’t always have the money to fix things right away, which led to problems getting bigger. This was the third time it had broken down in less than three months. But with the new studio open, she couldn’t afford a new VW yet.

  “I know how to get to Treasure Island,” Greg said softly before winking at her. The wink sent a chill down her spine. Was he flirting with her? She could only hope. It was clear there was an age gap between them, but she didn’t want him to look at her as some young girl. She wanted him to look at her as a woman because he set something afire inside of her that none of the guys her age could even spark. “I live there.”

  “You live there?” she asked with a hint of envy.

  “Yes. I own a condo there. I figure if I’m going to live in Florida, I might as well live on the beach.” He glanced over at her before pulling into traffic. He was sizing her up, checking out her reaction to his statements. He drove a top-of-the-line vehicle. He owned a condo on the beach. He dressed well. Obviously, he had money.

  “Impressive,” Tessa said and she meant it. “I’ve always dreamed of living on the beach. But I don’t think my chosen career path is lucrative enough to own a house out there. I live in the Tyrone area.” Greg nodded in recognition of the area.

  “Being an entrepreneur is an amazing accomplishment,” he said, weaving between traffic on First Avenue North through downtown St. Petersburg. “Now, I’m impressed.”

  “Thanks,” Tessa replied, feeling the blush spread over her cheeks. What was it about this man that caused her body temperature to raise twenty degrees? “So, do you work at Advantage?”

  “No. I’m a partner at Lowes & Kravitz here in St. Pete. I practice corporate law. But I’m a member of the board of directors at Advantage. That’s why I was there,” he said matter-of-factly. “It’s board day.”

  “Oh flip,” Tessa said softly. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t realize I was keeping you away from something important. I’m sorry. You can drop me off at the next bus stop and I’ll catch a ride to the studio.”

  “It’s not a problem,” Greg said with a smile. The car was stopped at a red light and he glanced over at her. “I promise you I don’t mind at all.” The heat in his gaze made the butterflies flutter in her belly.

  “I imagine being on a board of directors is a pretty big deal and they expect you to be present. I feel horrible.” She looked down at her hands resting in her lap. Here was this gorgeous man sitting next to her and she was in damsel-in-distress mode. She hated feeling helpless because she was anything but. She spent most of her life taking care of her mother, so Tessa didn’t feel comfortable being in the role where someone was taking care of her. He must think she was incapable of taking care of herself and the things in her life. Another reason for him to think of her as a little girl and not an independent and sexy woman.

  “Stop apologizing, Tessa,” Greg said. “Everything will be fine. I’ll head right back once I drop you off. What were you doing there?” He turned to look at her. His eyes were warm. He was interested. He wasn’t just trying to make idle chit chat.

  “I teach yoga in the gym on the first floor,” she replied. “Advantage’s HR was looking to do some classes for the employees on their lunch break. One of my friends works there in claims and she recommended me for yoga. I teach twice a week from noon to one.” Her gaze swung up to look at him. His dark brown hair was very short on his head and sprinkled with a few greys just like his goatee. He was distinguished and he carried himself that way. It didn’t surprise her that he was an attorney. He spoke eloquently and with such confidence. Clearly, he was way out of her league, and she wasn’t sure why this revelation was such a huge disappointment to her being that they had only just met.

  “That’s great,” he said, driving through the intersection once the light turned green. “So you own your own studio and teach at Advantage. I’d say you’re pretty busy.” She watched as he maneuvered through traffic and made a left on 66th St, headed for Central Avenue and then the bridge that would take them to Treasure Island.

  “I am. I do two classes a day at the studio Monday through Saturday. I also do two classes a week at the county building for employees and then at Advantage,” she explained. “And that’s not to mention all the time I spend promoting and trying to drum up business. I’d like to be able to eventually hire another girl to help with the classes, so I don’t have to be stretched so thin. But I’m not complaining… I swear. I love what I do.” Shut up! When she was nervous, Tessa just didn’t know how to stop talking and the verbal diarrhea just kept spilling from her lips.

  “I don’t want to seem like I am ungrateful for what I have. I’ve worked hard for it. Very hard. And…” Before she k
new what was happening, Greg’s hand palmed the back of her head and pulled her into a kiss that sent her head spinning. His lips were firm yet soft to the touch and he moved them expertly over her own. His goatee tickled her skin in a lascivious way that made her wonder what it would feel like at other spots on her body. His tongue flicked out over her lips and Tessa was unable to stifle the moan that rose up her chest. He took that as the opportunity to move further and pushed his tongue between her lips. Oh sweet Jesus, he tasted fantastic! He tasted like caramel coffee. She could get lost in his taste… in his kiss. His experience was evident as he licked into her mouth, exploring every crevice. His hand flexed at the back of her head before sliding down to the nape of her neck and caressing her there. She’d never been kissed so thoroughly, so sensuously. Her panties dampened as he took the kiss deeper and her hands gripped his shirt tightly as if it were the only way for her to keep from melting into the seat.

  Beep! Beep! Startled back to reality by the cars honking behind them, Tessa pushed back from the kiss. She had been so wrapped up in her verbal dribble that she hadn’t even recognized that they had been stopped at the light just before the bridge. And then his kiss threw her into a tailspin. She’d completely lost track of where she was. She came to, to find she was making out at a traffic light with a man she barely knew, and she was struggling to catch her breath after the make-out session.

  “You’d better go,” she whispered. She could feel the blush once again spread over her face. He looked at her closely, studying her. Another horn honked and his hand fell from the back of her neck and rested on her knee. He gave her a little squeeze and she watched as his lips quirked up into a gorgeous smile.