“Yes, ma’am.”
Brooke reached behind her and lowered her zipper. It was a feat Brice always found fascinating to watch when all she had to do was ask for his help. The dress fell to the floor, revealing the black lace bra and panty set she wore beneath it. “When does the game start again?”
“Wh-what?” Brice had lost his ability to think. He’d seen Brooke in similar things but this was different. Her erect nipples were peeking out through two holes in the bra that were clearly made for that purpose. From his vantage point, he could see the panties were crotchless.
Brice was harder than he’d ever been and it took everything in his power not to take her where she stood. “My goodness, baby.”
“When does the game start?” she repeated. Brice could hear the humor in her voice.
“What game?”
“Good answer. Take off your shirt,” she ordered, and he quickly obliged. “Shorts next, please. I want to see it.”
Brice held her desire-filled gaze as he followed her instructions. He lowered his shorts to his thighs while he remained seated and his shaft made its grand entrance. A slow wicked smile spread across Brooke’s face and the anticipation for what was about to happen had Brice silently praying for a less horny teenager-like response and a more controlled man-type one. He soon found that that wasn’t at all what Brooke wanted.
Brooke dropped to her knees, gripped his thighs with both hands and parted his knees. “Oh damn...”
Brooke used her nose and closed mouth to play with his substantial erection. Brice’s mind was racing; she was driving him crazy. While Brice loved what she was doing, he wanted to be inside of her mouth. He reached for her head, only to have his hands swatted away. “I’m in control.”
“But, baby...”
“But what?” Brooke asked before her tongue began circling his shaft from the base to the tip. After several passes, Brice moaned Brooke’s name and he knew how desperate he must’ve sounded but he didn’t care. It must have been some type of trigger because Brooke took him in her mouth. She sucked and pulled on him as if she was determined to relieve him of some sweet elixir.
Brice was lost in the moment. He buried his hands in her hair and his hips matched her stroke. All he could think about was how much he loved and needed her. Brooke lifted her eyes as she caught him staring down at her. She released him, kissed her way up his stomach to his chest, following the fine line of hair. Brooke straddled Brice, lowering herself onto his sex until he was deep inside of her. Brice was thankful Brooke was on the Pill because if he had to stop and go find a condom he just knew his head would explode.
Brooke gazed into his eyes, whispering how much she loved him. She brought her knees in slightly, gripped the back of the sofa and rode him like she was on a horse in the Kentucky Derby. Brice’s hands cupped Brooke’s behind and he took her nipples into his mouth. He sucked and pulled on them hard just the way he knew she liked it. Her moans of satisfaction, orgasms and declarations of love ignited uncontrollable passion.
When Brooke’s walls started to grip him with each thrust, Brice found himself thinking about math equations, chess moves, anything he could think of to keep him from reaching completion before Brooke. The two orgasms she’d already experienced were clearly the appetizers for the meal she was after. Soon, he could no longer distract himself.
“Brooke...baby...” Brice yelled as he exploded.
“Yes...baby...yes,” she screamed, having reached completion with him, collapsing into his arms.
* * *
Brice’s eyes popped open and he sprang forward, releasing a string of profanity. He saw that the game had started but he looked down at his erection that needed to be handled first. “Damn, so much for not acting like a horny teenager. Back in a little bit, bro. Right after a long cold-ass shower,” he explained to the TV.
He walked into the small three-quarter bathroom, stripped and walked under the overhead spray, hoping the cool water would calm his raging desire that thoughts of Brooke had invoked. Unfortunately, it only suppressed his passion, not quelling it. He decided there was only one way to do that; only he had no idea how he was going to make that happen.
Chapter 6
Three days had passed since Brooke finally accepted the fact that her life as Brice Kingsley’s wife was over. There would be no more long walks in the park, getting lost in museums for hours on the weekends, intimate dinners or him loving her...making love to her. She missed his touch desperately. Brooke found herself struggling with how to keep her emotions in check whenever Brice was around. He, on the other hand, had clearly moved on. The few times she’d seen him over the last few days, he was nothing but professional and extremely polite. It was making her nuts.
Brooke was staring down at the spreadsheet she had been trying to make sense of for the last hour when she felt a tap on her shoulder. “Excuse me, Brooke.”
She flinched and looked up. “Damon, you startled me.”
“Sorry. I called your name twice. You must have really been concentrating on those numbers. Find anything interesting?”
I was concentrating all right, only on the wrong things. “Not at all. What did you need?”
“I just want you to know I’m going to take the final first-quarter summaries up to Mr. Kingsley for review.”
Brooke finally noticed the red folder he held in his hand. She rose from the chair, slipped her feet back into the red Prada shoes she’d paired with a red-and-white print short-sleeve dress and presented her palm. “I’ll take them up.”
Damon’s eyes cut to Lori, and Brooke watched the corners of Lori’s mouth rise as she sat back quietly in her chair. Brooke hadn’t noticed the exchange. “Oh... Okay.”
“You want to check your makeup too?” Lori teased.
“Don’t be silly.” Brooke walked toward the door.
“By the way, you have a couple of messages here—” she held up two pink notes “—from some woman who refused to leave her name.”
Brooke frowned. “What?”
“She said, you’ll know who it is.”
Brooke walked back over to the conference table and looked at the messages. She read the number, recognizing it instantly. “Nope, I have no idea who this is,” she lied, hoping her face wasn’t as red as her outfit.
“What do you want me to do about them?”
“Trash them.” Brooke walked out of the conference room. She was curious but Brooke didn’t have the strength or the inclination to deal with old demons when she was still fighting present-day ones.
Brooke took the elevator up two floors and walked down the hall to Brice’s office, passing several curious onlookers; she smiled and acknowledged their interest. Brooke reached Brice’s open door and stopped. She didn’t want to interrupt the friendly exchange he and Amy were having. What she really wanted to do was run and hide. Brooke knew if Brice ended their conversation the same way he used to end his conversations with her—with a passionate and often handsy kiss—she’d lose it; but for some reason, she couldn’t turn away.
“Brooke... Brooke Kingsley?”
Brooke turn toward the sound of her name and smiled. China Kingsley, her soon-to-be ex-sister-in-law, was standing there wearing a straight blue dress with a white collar, rubbing her large expanded stomach with her right hand, looking as beautiful as ever. Pregnancy certainly agreed with her. It was just what she needed to break away from her obsession with Amy and Brice. Although, the last time Brooke had seen China, it helped her make the decision that changed everything.
China pulled Brooke into her arms. “I’m so happy to see you,” she stated, smiling.
“Me too. You look amazing.”
China gave a nonchalant wave. “Thanks, but I feel like a cow.” Both women giggled as they moved to a small waiting area and sat down. “You look great yourself, but you could stand to gain some weight.”
<
br /> Another unwelcome gift from MS. “I know and I’ve tried. You’re due pretty soon, right?” Brooke questioned, changing the subject.
“Yep, in about a week and half.” China looked down and placed her hands on her belly. “I can’t wait to meet this little stranger.”
“I’m sure. You still don’t know if it’s a girl or boy?”
“Nope.” A wide excited smile spread across China’s face. “Although, Alexander seems to think it’s a boy.”
“Good morning, ladies,” Amy greeted as she passed the two women heading toward the elevator. Brooke plastered on a fake smile and gave a quick nod to Brice’s assistant as she walked into the waiting elevator.
China’s forehead creased. “You’re still not worried about Amy and Brice, are you?”
Brooke shrugged and shook her head. “Don’t be silly. Brice can do what or whomever he wants. It’s no longer my business.”
China folded her arms across her chest and gave Brooke the side-eye. “Oh, really?”
“Yes, really. We signed the divorce papers Monday,” she informed her.
China adjusted herself in the seat. “I heard but that’s just paperwork. I know it’s none of my business—”
“But—”
“But whatever it is that made you run, you can talk to me about it. No matter what some piece of paper signed by any judge may say one day—” China reached over and squeezed Brooke’s hand “—you’ll always be family to me.”
Brooke fought back tears. Having a family that loved and wanted her was all she’d ever really wanted and she thought she’d finally found one. Brooke often wondered about the teenage mother that had dropped her off at a fire station when she was four years old. She could never bring herself to try and find her. As a kid, Brooke figured, why should she? Brooke thought she would have her own family one day, which would make up for her loss. Too bad life had something else in mind. With a shy smile, she replied, “I’ll remember that.”
“There you are, Mrs. Kingsley,” a gray-haired woman said as she approached with a worried look on her face.
“I’m fine, Mrs. Rogers,” China replied, sounding somewhat put-off.
“Thank goodness. I leave to get you lunch and when I get back, no one knew where you’d gone,” the flustered woman explained.
“And yet you still found me.” China turned to Brooke. “Brooke Kingsley, meet Mrs. Rogers...my nanny.”
“You’ve hired a nanny already?” She offered her hand, which the older woman shook and quickly dropped. “Please to meet you.”
“No, I haven’t hired a nanny for the baby yet.” China shook her head and explained, “I’m still debating if I really need one since I’ll be working from home for about a year or so.”
“A year, wow, that’s nice. So, what gives?” Her eyes shifted to the woman who was hovering over their shoulders.
“My husband, the whole family for that matter, felt it was best that I have my own Mary Poppins this last month or so.”
Brooke giggled. “Why? Is everything all right?”
“Everything is fine. Everyone’s just being extra careful.”
Brooke opened her mouth slightly and nodded. “First grandbaby.”
“Second.”
“Second?” Brooke frowned.
“Did you hear that KJ and Mia got married?”
“I saw that online. I knew who she was but we never met.”
“KJ adopted Mia’s four-year-old son. Colby James Kingsley is Victoria’s first heir and she’s ecstatic. Victoria’s already talking to a specialist to ensure he has everything he needs to continue to thrive.”
“Thrive?”
“Yes, Colby has Down syndrome,” China informed her.
“Wow, I had no idea.”
China rubbed her belly. “Nothing but the best for the Kingsleys, and I’m not just talking about resources. You should keep that in mind.”
“Excuse me, Mrs. Kingsley—”
China held up her hand, stopping the coming lecture. “I better get back before Alex sends out security to find us, if you don’t mind giving me a little push while Mrs. Rogers pulls.”
Brooke laughed. “Sure.” After helping her friend up, she gave her a hug and watched as she was escorted to the elevator, feeling envious of China’s happiness.
Brooke walked back to Brice’s office and stood in the doorway. She watched him studying a document as understanding dawned on his face and he nodded slowly. That was one of the things she loved most about Brice; he was thoughtful in everything he did.
Brooke knocked on the door and Brice looked up from his papers. “May I come in?”
“Sure,” he replied, placing his document down on the desk, and standing to greet Brooke.
She entered the office, raising the folder she held. “I have the first-quarter summaries and our recommendations for your review.”
“Great.” He accepted the folder. “How do we look?”
“Nearly perfect...as usual. Please sit down. There are a couple of things highlighted.”
Brice complied and started reading through the papers. “I came by a few moments ago, but Amy was here and I didn’t want to interrupt. It looked pretty intense.” Really, Brooke, can you be any more obvious? Brice kept his eyes on the report. “You’ve been really busy lately. I haven’t seen much of you.” Brooke ran her left index finger along the edge of his desk.
Brice looked up and said, “These recommendations are good. I’ll talk to Alexander about them this afternoon. Great job, as always.” His eyes dropped back down to the page.
For a moment, Brooke didn’t know what to say. She realized Brice hadn’t heard a word she’d said, and she felt like she was being dismissed. “Thanks, I’ll tell my team.” Brooke turned to leave.
“There’s nothing going on between me and Amy.” Brooke turned to meet his stare. “Not that my personal life is any of your business anymore. But I wanted you to know.”
Brooke folded her arms and stared down at him. Her heart skipped several beats and she only hoped her foolish joy wasn’t written all over her face. “I guess she’s always been a sore spot for me.”
“Unnecessarily.” Brice stared up at her. “Amy has a thing for my cousin Travis, and besides, she has never been the one I wanted.” The expression on his face was unreadable.
Brooke lowered her eyes and moved and stood behind his vertical desk. “I hear these things are good for your posture.”
“They are.” He turned in his chair and watched as she examined the desk.
“It’s adjustable too, right?” Brice nodded. “It’s just when you sent my copies of the divorce papers to the hotel the same day I signed them, I—”
“What are you talking about?” Brice opened his desk drawer and pulled out a large manila envelope. “Here are the papers. I haven’t had a chance to do anything with them yet, and I most certainly wouldn’t send your copy to you through the mail. There’s just something very undignified about ending things in such a manner.”
Brooke knew what that dig was about and she couldn’t really blame him, either. “I assumed the package I got came from you. I didn’t even open it.”
“You might want to, because whatever you received wasn’t from me.” Brice returned the envelope to his drawer. “I’ll send them out as soon as our attorney returns. He’s away on business.”
Brooke pushed a wayward piece of hair out of her face and behind her ears. “No rush.”
Brice tilted his head to the right and frowned. “You sure about that? I mean, you have started seeing someone.”
Brooke’s eyebrows came to attention “No, I haven’t. What are you talking about?”
“So the guy who picked you up the other night, the same guy I saw you holding hands with in Paris, is not your new man?” His voice turned hard.
Brooke’s he
art and mind raced. Not because of Brice’s unfounded accusations, but because he had followed her and she’d had no idea. “You came to Paris?” She moved away from his vertical desk and return to her previous spot.
Brice came from around his desk, closed his door and stood in front of Brooke. He stared down at her with his hands buried in his pockets.
“Yes, now answer my question,” he demanded.
“No, Peter is not my new man,” she stated.
“Then who the hell is he?”
Brooke raised her chin and pushed back her shoulders. She held his angry gaze and fed him his own words. “Not that my personal life is any of your business, but Peter is my foster brother. He’s the eldest son of the last family that took me in while I was in high school. I told you about him...them, remember?” Brice gave a quick nod. “Happy now?”
“You have no idea,” Brice replied, and his eyes darkened.
“I haven’t broken my vows,” she whispered.
“Neither have I,” he stated, pulling Brooke into his arms. “Neither have I.” Brice’s eyes roamed her face and she knew he was looking for any sign of rejection. One he wouldn’t see. Brooke made sure Brice understood that she wanted what he was offering. She placed her hands on his chest and parted her lips, then Brice captured Brooke’s mouth in a mind-blowing passionate kiss.
Chapter 7
Brooke’s words had snapped something inside of Brice and all the lonely days and nights he’d suffered without her and the crazy thought he’d had about Brooke being with another man disappeared. Brice suddenly didn’t care if they were technically married or not. All he wanted to do in that moment was hold and kiss his wife. He was just hoping she wouldn’t push him away. What Brice hadn’t expected was for Brooke to respond to his kiss with just as much passion. Brooke’s arms flew around his neck as she rose up on her tippy toes. They kissed as if they were providing each other with life-sustaining breaths.
When their lungs demanded air, Brice buried his hands in her hair, destroying her well-crafted bun. He wrapped her locks around his hand, gently pulling her head back, exposing her beautiful neck. He slid his lips, nose and tongue across her cheek and down her neck. When he heard her whimper and moan his name, Brice swept Brooke into his arms and out of her shoes. He carried her over to the couch, a new addition to his office that he’d initially hated, but was now very grateful to have.
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