Dirty Jock

by Sienna Valentine

  I rose and rose, curling my toes tightly in my shoes. I was nearly there. So goddamn close.

  Oliver bit down on my skin again and an orgasm finally crashed through me. I couldn’t help it; I screamed.

  My body forgot how to move. I became a ragdoll with the force of my release, falling limp against him as he continued to drive up into me. I kissed everywhere I could, so thankful for the pleasure he’d given me. My lips traced his jaw, his lips, his neck. Anywhere I could reach without moving.

  Then Oliver groaned, holding me against him. His fingers bit down into the flesh of my hips and I gasped, falling further against his shoulder.

  His heavy breaths buffeted my neck, a rhythmic pattern that helped return me back down to earth. Only as that happened did I realize how exposed I was. What I’d just done.

  It still felt so unlike me, but it didn’t bother me as much as I thought it might. There was still nobody in the lounge, and I doubted anyone from the dance floor could see me at this angle.

  And hell, it was worth it.

  Our eyes met. Oliver smiled.

  “Kitten,” he said. “You’re full of surprises.”

  If my face wasn’t already flushed from sex, I’m sure it would have reddened. I turned away, making a show of looking for my phone in the clutch I’d discarded next to us. I don’t know why I felt so suddenly awkward again, but something about the rawness of the moment scared me. Sex had never been that good.

  Was it simply the forbiddance of the encounter, or something more?

  “I’ve got to go,” I said, reading the texts on my screen. “Cressida’s looking for me.”

  Apparently, things had not gone as well for Cressida as they had for me. She was waiting for me outside.

  Oliver nodded, releasing me from his grip. I stood and rearranged myself, turning away while he did the same. What was I supposed to say now?

  Lovely to meet you and thanks for the dick? See you around?

  Oliver saved me the embarrassment. He pulled me into his arms and gave me one last kiss. I could taste the finality of it on his lips, the way he held me against him like he’d never see me again. And he wouldn’t, in all likelihood. Probably for the best. Guys like him were the reason I’d stuck to the safe side of the dating line. Only someone who can bring you up so high can drop you with enough force to break you.

  “Lovely to meet you, Elizabeth,” Oliver whispered in my ear.

  I pulled away and smiled at him. “Yeah. Thanks for the sex.”

  I turned from him so he wouldn’t see me grit my teeth and screw my eyes shut in embarrassment.

  One of these days I’d meet someone and not make a complete ass of myself.

  Chapter 6

  Oliver

  “Mr. Bentley,” Todd called into my study. “The interior designer is here.”

  I looked up from the paperwork in front of me. “I’ll be out in a minute,” I replied.

  “We’ll be in the library.”

  I listened to his footsteps receding before taking off my reading glasses, rubbing the bridge of my nose between thumb and forefinger. I’d forgotten that the interior designer was coming today. While I wasn’t used to forgetting anything, it had started becoming the norm.

  I tossed my glasses down and they skittered across the wood.

  Damn it all to hell.

  How could I still be distracted by the thought of that girl from Repeat? I never got distracted by any woman, so why wasn’t I able to forget about this one?

  It wasn’t her beauty, although she was breathtaking. But beauty alone hardly made her stand out from the crowd of my sexual past. More likely it was her innocence, combined with the smoldering sexuality underneath it all. Something about those contrasting qualities drew me to the idea of her and how different she was than any other woman I’d ever met.

  Truth be told, it was probably also just the thrill of the moment. An adrenaline memory that would take time to fade. Still, it wasn’t worth fixating on anymore. I’d never see her again, so what was the point? I needed to move on.

  I rose from my desk and rolled down my sleeves, buttoning them again at the wrist. It was for the best that our paths never cross again, I reminded myself. A woman like her was exactly the type I needed to stay as far away from as possible. Even if I wanted to see her again, I couldn’t.

  Not without losing everything.

  I tugged my blazer back on and rubbed out the creases, forcing my head back into the moment. I liked to make a strong first impression. So much in a relationship depended on the first encounter, both personally and professionally. I needed to show this designer that I was the boss here, and that I meant business. Making her wait for me was an easy enough first step toward that, but I’d stalled long enough.

  My shoes clicked off the hardwood, announcing my arrival to Todd and whomever he’d hired for the project. I had conceded to my friend and trusted advisor that the place needed renovations, but I wasn’t anxious for the change. The old mansion still reminded me of my grandfather, stately and classic. If this designer woman thought to tear it all down in place of some modern monstrosity, she thought wrong. I accepted that the place had to change, but they had to be the right changes.

  I rounded the corner to the library and strode in, hands thrust in my pockets. The back of the auburn head sitting at Todd’s desk looked familiar, but I didn’t quite place it until she turned around.

  Holy shit.

  “Mr. Bentley, this is Elizabeth Paulson,” Todd introduced.

  I didn’t so much as hitch my stride. I’d had a lot of practice at masking my emotions over the years. She, on the other hand, clearly did not.

  “Oh.” Her mouth dropped open. She slammed it shut a second later, turning back to Todd. She probably didn’t want me to see the blush rising on her cheeks. Too late.

  As I rounded the desk, a sliver of pleasure ran up my spine at seeing her. I just hadn’t yet decided if it was welcome or not.

  I was of two minds about how to handle this unexpected situation.

  Part of me wanted to kick Todd out and have my way with her again, right over the desk. But then I’d be breaking my biggest rule. And what was I supposed to do after that? Either she’d quit or I’d have to fire her. Giving into that baser part of me would only end negatively for both of us.

  Which left option two. Pretend nothing was wrong.

  But that didn’t mean I couldn’t have a little fun with the situation.

  “Lovely to meet you, Ms. Paulson,” I said, leaning against the bookshelf behind Todd’s chair. “Todd seemed to be very impressed by your ideas. I look forward to working with you. Is it true you want to essentially strip the library bare?”

  “Uh, yes,” she said, trying to recover her composure.

  “It’s important to me that the person in charge of the renovations isn’t averse to getting their hands dirty,” I continued, stone-faced. “I know some designers prefer to be more passive, but I’m hoping you’ll really dig your teeth in. I want someone with desire for my big… project. Someone unafraid at letting loose, but still able to take direction.”

  Elizabeth’s face was now as red as a delicious cherry.

  “I’m sure I’ll leave you satisfied,” she said. Too late, she only realized what she’d said when my eyes lit up.

  “Oh, I have no doubt about that.” A sly smile spread across my face, and somehow hers turned an even deeper shade of red. There was that sexual innocence again. She hadn’t meant to do it, but my head filled with dirty thoughts. Was she even aware of what she was doing to me?

  Todd shot a questioning glance my way, but I ignored it.

  As fun as teasing her was, this really did throw a wrench in my plans. I couldn’t be as involved as I had wanted to be. My desire for her clearly hadn’t waned, which meant it was as dangerous as ever. I could fire her, but that wouldn’t be fair to her. Not that I would normally let that stop me, but the truth was I didn’t want her to leave.

  But that meant I n
eeded to stay away.

  “I’ll be in my study working, but Todd will show you around so you can get a sense of the place before starting on the design.”

  “Thank you,” she said. She was choosing her words more carefully now. Adorable.

  I smiled graciously at her and strolled out of the library, carefully controlling my composure so that my expression wouldn’t betray how my mind was racing at the endless possibilities and pitfalls that her appearance meant to my life.

  It was customary for Todd to let me know before he left, but the knock on my study door hours later still startled me. I knew Elizabeth had gone home much earlier, but somehow I still thought it might be her.

  Or hoped?

  “I’m heading home now,” my aide said, peaking just his head in.

  “Thanks, Todd.” I looked up from my laptop. “I appreciate your help with the designer.”

  He pressed his lips together in thought. He wanted to ask about the awkward exchange in the library but didn’t know whether he should. I could see it all over his face.

  I rolled my eyes and sighed. “Come in then,” I said. “I can tell you’re dying to know.”

  He quickly slipped into the room, closing the door behind him. Out of all the people in my employ, Todd was the only one brave enough to be candid with me. Out of everyone, I liked him the best. Whether it was because of that, or despite it, I wasn’t always sure.

  “You two seemed like you knew each other,” he said, as he approached my desk. “And why the sudden disappearance? I thought you wanted creative control over the renovations.”

  I took off my reading glasses and sighed. “I barely know her at all,” I said. “However, we did fuck a couple of nights ago.”

  “Are you kidding me?” Todd asked. His lips flattened.

  “Oh, don’t look so disappointed,” I replied. “It’s not like I knew she’d be showing up here all doe-eyed come Monday morning.”

  Todd rolled his eyes. It was a gesture I almost never saw him make. “Okay, then what are you going to do about it?”

  “It hardly seems fair to fire her.”

  “Who said anything about firing her?”

  I shrugged. “Being in the same room with her is awkward.”

  Not completely a lie, but certainly an understatement.

  “So you’re going to retreat here, to your office, just because she’s seen you naked?”

  “She hasn’t seen me naked,” I said. Not completely, anyway.

  Todd looked confused by that for a moment, even opening his mouth to say something, but then he stopped and just shrugged. He was obviously used to my antics by now. It took a lot to really surprise him.

  “And no,” I continued. “I’m taking a step back in all of this because you’ve been going on about this renovation for months. Maybe you’re right to think drastic measures are needed to bring this place up to the present. It might be easier if I wasn’t so deeply involved in every decision. You know what I want.”

  “Wow. If I’d known all it would take to get you to back down a little was to bring in a girl you’d slept with, I would have put up the job posting outside of your bedroom door,” he replied with a smug grin.

  “Oh, shut up.” I waved him away. “Go polish the silverware, or whatever it is you do in your spare time.”

  “I’m on my way home,” he replied, ignoring my allusion to him being a butler. He hated when people referred to him as my butler.

  “Even better.”

  Todd chuckled and strolled back toward the door. “I think you’ll be happy with her work. She’s got some great ideas.”

  I paused, halfway to putting my glasses back on. “I still get creative veto, though,” I reminded. “Make sure she knows that.”

  “Of course, sir,” he said, with an exaggerated nod. “You’re the boss.”

  I waited to smile until he’d closed the door behind him.

  Chapter 7

  Elizabeth

  The situation couldn’t have been more tragicomic if the Bard himself had written it in verse. What was supposed to be a good memory to grow old with was now tainted.

  The man who’d given me the best, most exciting and thrilling sexual experience of my life was now my boss!

  The tip of my pencil broke and I cursed. It was the third one today. Either I’d purchased the world’s crappiest pencils, or I was pressing way too hard.

  “Everything alright?” Todd asked.

  I looked up at him from the kitchen table. “Sort of.“

  I must have looked like a mess with my hair in a sloppy bun on the top of my head and a halo of loose hairs framing my face.

  “You look like you’ve had a busy first week,” he noted.

  I summoned up a smile. “I spent all day tagging along with the inspector.”

  “I saw.” He gave me a mysterious smile. “They write reports, you know,” he said. “I think they even bind them and everything.”

  “I know,” I said, nodding. “But I wanted to check what parts of the mansion would need to be dealt with first.” I pointed to the blueprint unrolled on the table in front of me. Its curved edges were being held in place by the sample tiles my friend Harry had brought from his hardware store.

  Todd stepped over to the table, cocking his head to examine the post-it notes I’d affixed to the blueprint. “What am I seeing here?”

  I took him through the few structural instabilities and code violations the inspector found, as well as the areas he’d suggested I reinforce if I wanted to extend the library.

  “I could have worked on the designs while I waited for the report,” I said, “but I wanted to get a good idea for myself what the priority areas are so I can communicate better with the contractors.”

  “Very good.” His eyes tracked from note to note. “Looks like it’s going to be a lot of work. Perhaps more than I anticipated.”

  I shifted in my seat.

  Please don’t fire me.

  “Well it’s an old house,” I said. “And though the main rooms have had repairs done to them over the years, lots of the lesser used rooms are in pretty poor condition.”

  Todd was silent, as if assessing whether I was simply trying to fleece him out of more money. This was my first job. I wanted to do it right—even if it meant doing a little more work than originally intended. And I was ready to fight for that principle.

  “Good,” Todd said finally. “You’ve put a lot of thought into this.”

  I let out the breath I’d been holding, brushing back the hair from my face. “I have.”

  “Carry on then.” He turned to leave and I remembered the problem I’d been thinking about before he walked up. Well, one of the problems, anyway.

  “Wait,” I called, rising to my feet. I pointed to the ceramic on the furthest corner of the blueprint. “I want to use this tile for the kitchen. What do you think?”

  Todd glanced at it, but didn’t move back to the table. “You’ll have to ask Mr. Bentley,” he said. “It’s not my place to decide.”

  I scowled. “Mr. Bentley’s been locked up in his study all day.” As he has been every day since I started, pretty much. “I don’t think he’ll appreciate me barging in.”

  In truth, I was scared of him. Scared of what he would do. Scared of what he wouldn’t do. I had it in my head that we’d experienced something special together, but ever since he’d been acting as if he barely even remembered me. It hurt.

  “Wait until tomorrow then,” Todd suggested. “By the looks of things, it’ll be awhile until you lay any flooring down.”

  My scowl deepened into a grimace. I didn’t have the energy to wipe my expressions for the sake of propriety.

  “They’re special order and I’m getting a great deal on them,” I replied. “But Harry needs my decision today.”

  “Harry?”

  “You know Big Al’s Hardware in town?”

  Todd nodded.

  “Harry is little Al. He’s a friend.”

  “Ah. How
nice.” He pressed his lips together. “Well I’m afraid you’ll still need to ask Mr. Bentley. He might want to use his creative veto.”

  Ah, yes. Oliver’s creative veto. I found it annoying that he’d apparently made a big deal about having the ability to say no to anything he wanted, but couldn’t be bothered to come look at the design himself, nor had he made himself available to ask questions.

  “Thanks,” I said. “I guess I’ll just have to assert myself.”