She knew what she wanted and she was going for it. This man might be eye candy, but she had goals.
Clearing her throat, she nodded with as much confidence as she could muster and pulled her hand out of his. “Yes. I can fix this. I’ve already started working on it. Just give me a few days and I’ll have things back to normal.”
Zeke nodded and had the crazy urge to shove everything off his desk and spread her out on top of it. The view from his office was great, but he suspected it would be nothing compared to the view of this woman laying across his desk, a pleading look in those crystal blue eyes, begging him to take her, to make love to her.
Forcing that image out of his mind, he glanced around at the mess his office was in and tried to stifle his anger and frustration. Looking back down at her, he also had to stifle the urge to take her into his arms and make love to her. Office protocol be damned, this woman was gorgeous!
Zeke pulled back, appalled at his thoughts. This was business. Besides, Teague would be furious if he…well, all the things going through his mind would piss off his brother. So instead of inviting this luscious lady to his bed, he focused. “Excellent,” he said and nodded once again. “I look forward to your help.”
With that, he moved into his office, trying to get his body back under control. What the hell? He was plotting to have sex with an employee? On his office desk?!
No. First of all, Marcy was a valuable employee. Secondly, Teague would kill him.
The first was important, the second, he dismissed.
Stopping just inside his office, Zeke came to a halt again. His desk was…buried. He couldn’t find anything and all the sexual tension he’d been feeling while looking down at the luscious, sensual bunny outside his office transformed into frustration at his work life.
Tamping it down with an effort of will, he dug through the papers until he could find the files he needed for his next meeting. With resignation, he walked back to the outer office, about to ask for help. Unfortunately, his dark-haired goddess was bent over the desk…and oh dear God, the ideas that popped into his mind with her in that position!
“I have a meeting in five minutes,” he told the woman who seemed to be forcing air into her lungs. And she was bent over, her butt once again drawing his eyes.
“Yes,” she gasped and spun around, her blue eyes wide as she looked up at him. He hadn’t realized how tiny she was. He was almost a foot taller than she was.
He liked tall, leggy blonds, he reminded himself. Not bouncy, buxom, full-of-energy, dark haired beauties that made his teeth ache with longing.
Nope, she was off limits.
No matter how long her lashes were!
Chapter 2
Two days later, Zeke strode into his office, almost growling when he saw Marcy’s delectable body sitting at his assistant’s desk. The bright smile almost floored him. Those rosebud lips looked…
Ah hell.
“You have a nine o’clock meeting with …” and she followed him into his office, reciting his morning schedule, as well as the list of calls that she’d already fielded for him. His desk was miraculously cleared of all files although there were still several piles on the floor that she hadn’t gotten to yet.
Overall, Zeke had to concede that she was exactly the miracle worker that Teague had implied. And so much more!
Unfortunately, he wasn’t sure how much longer he was going to be able to take her bouncy efficiency. She was wearing a skirt today and the damn thing hid everything except her lower calves and ankles. Was that supposed to be demure? The skirt only taunted him, made him crazier. He wanted to push that skirt up around her waist, kiss her white thighs and discover so much more about the woman. Such as what she tasted like. Or what sounds she made when she was in the throes of a climax. Or maybe what she looked like without all those damn clothes on!
She was still discussing something but he had absolutely no clue what she was saying. The fantasies in his mind having to do with that falsely demure skirt and those ridiculously high heels…and did she have to wear a silk blouse to work every day?
Silk tore easily, he thought with relish. His eyes moved to the V of her neckline, thinking about how he could just put a hand on either side of that material and rip, buttons would go flying across the room. She’d never find them all. She’d never be able to close that blouse again. He’d have full access to all of that lush, beautiful bounty. He could finally find out what her nipples looked like, what they tasted like. Were they small? Or large? Tan, pink, red? He needed to know! He’d dreamed about those breasts, his mind demanding answers to the question about her nipples. And he hadn’t intentionally moved lower, but now his eyes looked at her waist. At her tiny waist. Her full hips!
He was in hell! Teague had done this on purpose. Zeke’s brother had been a pain in the ass since returning from Las Vegas a few months ago. The man obviously had woman problems but wouldn’t talk about it. So now, his damn brother was putting Zeke in hell right along with him!
Tormenting thoughts about silk and no more buttons ran through his mind, all the while, Marcy was continuing to talk, telling him what was on his agenda today. She had absolutely no idea that his self-control was hanging on by a thread. A very fine, very tenuous thread.
Of course, this was Marcy. In the past two days she’d been taunting him with her incredible, round bottom and those full breasts…he suspected that those breasts would overflow his hands when he finally was able to feel them. And were her nipples the same color as her lips?
Hell! His body hardened with that image and he almost cursed under his breath.
“That’s fine,” he snapped, groaning when her red, rosebud lips formed a perfect O at his harsh tone. “Sorry,” he grumbled. “Busy day ahead. Maybe we could take it one meeting at a time?”
Marcy’s lips compressed in obvious disapproval, but her professionalism wouldn’t allow her to put him in his place. Instead, she nodded her head and those damn, adorable, sexy-as-hell curls bounced around. Were there less curls bouncing today? As she walked out of his office, he realized that she had pulled her hair back, making a bun with lots of pins and hairspray, trying to contain all that energy in her hair.
He thought about pulling every pin out of her black hair and running his fingers through the curls, releasing all of that pent up energy. Just like he’d release her breasts from the jail of her black lace bra. Was it lace today?
When she walked out, it wasn’t much better. His eyes strained to see any kind of lines where her panties should be. He wanted to know what color she wore, what type, did her underwear match her bra?
But there were no lines. It was almost as if…
No! Oh hell no! He could not handle anything today if Marcy was wearing a thong!
Rubbing his forehead, he took several deep breaths, trying to get a grip.
The elevator chimed and Marcy lifted her head, prepared to smile at whoever came through the door. She was trying so hard to be professional. She was slowly getting this office back under control, despite the man’s growling, irritable demeanor. Or more accurately, she was determined to control this office, including the man behind her.
He seemed to get meaner every day. Oh, he was never rude to her. In fact, he was always painfully polite. But there was something about him that screamed, “Grouch!”
She would win! She was a people person, she reminded herself. Marcy prided herself on getting along with everyone. This one grumpy, handsome and…okay, so he was more than just handsome; he was teeth-jarring, mind-bogglingly, irritatingly handsome in a way that set her whole body on edge.
Regardless of her personal fascination with his broad shoulders and lean hips…shoulders and hips that were absolutely none of her business, she reminded herself…
She clasped her hands together for a long moment, pulling her mind out of the gutter. Unfortunately, she was right there in that gutter with him. But no! This man was rude and obnoxious. Normally, people loved her. She was nice and funny and a
lways helpful. This man was not going to be the lone holdout. She would win him over!
“Hey!” Teague greeted as he stepped through her doorway.
“Teague!” she gasped and jumped up, excited to see the man. “How are you?” she asked and hugged him. It was such a relief to see a friendly face! Teague had always been such a nice boss and it was hard to deal with a grim, grumpy monster in the form of his older brother every day.
Teague’s arms wrapped around her, returning her hug and laughing. “I’m okay,” he said. Pulling back but not letting her go, he looked into her eyes and knew immediately that she wasn’t happy. “What’s wrong?”
Marcy lowered her lashes, startled that Teague could guess that she wasn’t in her normal efficient, gregarious mood. “Nothing.”
He paused, watching her carefully, and he knew something wasn’t right. “Marcy, what’s going on?” His arms were still around her and he put a finger under her chin. “Is he being an ass?”
“No! I’m not being an ass. And if you could take your hands off Marcy for a few minutes, maybe we could get some work done around here,” Zeke snarled.
Teague and Marcy watched with open, slack-jawed awe as the man in question stalked back into his office. Apparently, Zeke was not in the best of moods, despite the obvious cleanup that Marcy had been able to achieve in the past couple of days. When Zeke was back in his office, Teague looked down at his friend. “How long has he been like this?” he asked, accurately guessing that his older brother was the cause of Marcy’s distress.
Marcy made a face. “This isn’t normal for him?”
Teague laughed again. “That long, huh?”
She pulled out of his arms and walked back to her desk. “He’s fine. I’m sure he’s just under a lot of stress.”
Logan and Luke, the twin younger brothers in the family, both of whom were equally gorgeous and devastatingly charming but in different ways, walked into the area at that moment. Logan was serious, studious, and rarely smiled. But when he did…Wow! The women literally fell at his feet. Luke looked exactly like his twin and although they were fraternal twins, his personality was the exact opposite. A more devastating, outgoing Lothario didn’t exist. They were both wonderful men, teasing and flirting their way through the world, each with their respective personalities.
“Hello gorgeous,” Luke greeted with a wink.
Teague rolled his eyes. “Marcy, have you met my two younger brothers? They’re twins and annoying as hell, so just ignore everything they say to you.”
Luke laughed as he took Marcy’s hand, kissing her fingertips in the most flirtatious way possible. Marcy only laughed and rolled her eyes. “Yes. I’ve met both of them and I know that Luke is the flirt out of the four of you Steele brothers,” she said as he winked at her.
Luke put his free hand to his heart as if she’d just stabbed him. “You wound me with your words, beautiful woman! And all I have are salacious plans for our future!”
Logan rolled his eyes as he stepped in front of Luke. “Hi there, Marcy. You doing okay today?” he asked, that slight smile was all that was needed to change his handsome features to devastating.
“Not likely,” Teague grumbled and punched his brother’s arm. “Leave her alone. She’s mine.”
Logan and Luke looked over at Teague, their older brother. Zeke was the oldest and ran the business with brilliance. Teague was the next oldest and was in charge of the actual construction at all of the sites. He teased mercilessly and women were drawn to him because of his rough, raw image. Okay, well, he used to tease all the ladies. After Vegas…well, things had changed. The normally audacious Teague was a bit more reserved.
And then there were the twins, both gorgeous and charming.
While Luke flirted with anything containing estrogen, had charm oozing out of his eyelashes, and always had a smile, a kiss or a wink for the lovely ladies he came into contact with, Logan was serious, studious, and down to earth. If it didn’t have a formula in it, or it wasn’t attached to a building, he didn’t acknowledge it. His lack of attention to the ladies only acted like a magnet. The women were drawn to him, challenged by his indifference, which was only a façade; Logan truly loved the ladies. He simply wasn’t as blatant about it as his twin.
Both wore dark-rimmed glasses, but while Luke’s made him look suave and debonair, Logan’s glasses made him look studious. Both were considered handsome and were just as tall as Zeke and Teague, but they approached life differently.
Luke and Logan were looking at Teague with surprise. “We’ve both suspected that there was a mystery woman in your past, big brother,” they said. “So, this is the woman? The one you’ve been pining over ever since you came back from Las Vegas?”
Marcy shook her head, knowing exactly what they were talking about and also seeing the dark shadow cross over Teague’s features. The man was normally so sweet and funny, a merciless flirt. Unfortunately, something had happened that long weekend in Las Vegas and Teague was keeping that event to himself. Teague had kept it all a secret and he’d never confided in her. “Sorry, guys. But there’s another lost love out there in your brother’s mysterious past. It isn’t me.”
Luke’s smile returned. “Then you’re free to come to dinner with me tonight, right?”
Logan rolled his eyes. “We have a meeting, Luke. Give it a rest. Besides, she’s not interested in you.”
Marcy’s eyes widened with his intuitive glance. “I’m not?”
Logan’s smile changed his whole face. He was handsome before, but when those hard lips curled up into a smile, he was transformed into one of those men who could make a woman swoon. Her soft chuckle caused some sort of strange sound to come from Zeke’s office, but she ignored him, focusing on the second twin brother instead. “Oh, I’m guessing the ladies love you too!” she teased him.
“I don’t seem to have any trouble,” he winked and shook her hand. But his smile vanished and he looked deeply into her eyes. “No success with you though, am I right?”
“Get your asses in here!” Zeke roared from his office.
While Marcy cringed in horror, the three brothers only laughed. Luke shrugged his shoulders. “When you get sick of the grouch, come to my office and I’ll be a much nicer boss.”
Marcy’s smile brightened with the gentlemanly flirting. “He’s not a grouch,” she defended of the man she’d just been thinking of as a grouch. It was one thing for her to think it, but she didn’t like this flirt saying it, especially about his own brother. “You should be more respectful of your older brother,” she told Luke.
Logan’s eyes narrowed and…Marcy cringed inwardly. It was almost as if...No! There was no way this charming, handsome man could know what was going through her mind! Marcy glanced at him, nervous all of a sudden. It wasn’t because of his handsomeness though. No, this was completely different. It was almost as if he…
“So that’s how it is?” he asked softly, after Teague and Luke moved into Zeke’s office.
“I’m sorry?” she asked, feeling that crazy trembling hit her once again.
Logan looked into Zeke’s office, then back at her. And her stomach quaked with that thoughtful look!
Unfortunately, she suspected that Logan understood a great deal more than what she might want him to comprehend.
With a chuckle, he took her hand once more, lifting it to his lips and kissing it gently. Another one of those growling sounds came from Zeke’s office, but Marcy was too busy rolling her eyes at Logan’s silliness. “Let me know if you need help taming the beast,” he whispered to her before walking into Zeke’s office.
Marcy thought Zeke’s youngest brothers were wonderful! It was amazing that the four of them grew up in the same house. They all looked strikingly similar, but at the same time, dramatically different.
Growing up as an only child, she could only imagine what fun it must have been living in a house with siblings. The crazy antics of four boys must have been…heavenly, she thought with a wistful sigh.
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Sitting down, she let her fingers drift over the files, now tagged and color-coded. The organizational flags soothed her, helped her feel more in control.
She liked control. She liked things planned out. Her life, her career, it was all mapped and planned with appropriate time set aside to accomplish each task.
Chaos was the enemy, she thought.
Zeke felt like he wanted to punch out every one of his brothers. All his life, the four of them had stood strong, shoulder to shoulder against the world. When someone threatened one of them, all four fought back together.
Yes, there were the inevitable sibling fights and arguments when four large boys grew up in a household together. But his parents had dealt with all of them creatively and ingeniously. His parents were currently in Europe, but they were retired now, enjoying a life of leisure while their sons took over the business.
And yet, at this particular moment, Zeke felt furious enough to punch out every single one of his brothers.
He sat at the conference room table, his pen tapping against his notebook. Teague was discussing something…he had no idea what. Then Logan took over and all Zeke could do was hold himself back from pulling his brother out of the chair and knocking him out. Luke was on pretty shaky ground as well. He tried to take deep breaths and listen to status updates from each of them, but it was hard.
They’d touched Marcy!
He understood the conflict. He couldn’t touch her because she was his employee, but he didn’t want anyone else to be touching her either.
In the Boss' Bed Page 2
