by Palmer Jones
“Selena?” Mimi's eyes were unfocused, and she looked around the room wildly as she slipped back into reality. Selena would have to call the doctor in the morning and tell him.
“Yes. You're having a dream, Mimi. C'mon, I'll help you to the restroom and then back to bed.” She walked Mimi back into the bedroom and to the bathroom. By the time she got her a drink of water, Mimi was fully coherent but tired. She climbed back into bed and rolled to face the wall.
Selena waited until she heard the light, steady breathing before leaving the room again. Only when she spotted Brogan, waiting by the front door, did she realize that she'd just up and left him.
“I'm sorry. You won't be the first guy to cut out when they see the reality of what I handle.” She'd just hoped Brogan was different. Because, if he'd felt a quarter of the impact from their kiss, then he couldn't walk away.
His eyebrows shot down tight. “Cut out because of your granny? You think that's what I'm doing?”
“I don't know what you're doing.” She didn't know what she was doing. She crossed her arms, feeling exposed. They'd shared an incredible kiss, one that'd been weeks in the making.
Sweet with a little edge underneath. As she'd expected, Brogan controlled it. For once, his need to be in charge had been precisely what she needed. She'd kissed men before, made the first move. Put herself out there. But not with someone like Brogan. God, she'd been nervous. Until their lips touched.
He sighed and ran a hand over his hair, disheveled. “I admire you for taking care of her this way.”
“But? There's always a but.”
“No buts. It's late. I was going to leave you to it, so you didn't feel the need to rush back out here to me.”
“It's fine. I know having her here changes things.” She hugged herself tighter, hating how petty she felt. Her voice sounded harsh in her ears. “We can just forget this happened if you want.”
“Forget?” He blinked, his blue eyes cautious. “Is that what you want?”
She knew she didn't want a man that couldn't handle the fact this was her life at the moment. He took another step toward the door. Her heart fell to her stomach.
Better she found out now that he couldn’t handle it than once her heart was really tangled up.
He paused and changed direction, taking three long steps to get to her.
Without warning, he tugged her head back by her hair as his lips met hers. His kiss struck through her body, straight to her toes.
Deep and sensual. Dominating.
She rose on her toes, wrapping her arms around his neck and craving as much as he'd give.
And he gave her plenty to remember him by.
She felt the frustration in his tense body. God, kissing this way, outside of marriage, was probably outlawed in at least twenty-seven countries.
His other hand, splayed across the small of her back, pressed their bodies tight, amping up the intensity of his control over the powerful kiss. Nothing resembled the controlled kiss on the sofa a few minutes earlier.
How was it the same man?
Brogan ended it with the same savagery that he'd started with. He released her hair and stepped away.
They were both out of breath, staring at one another, eyes wide. Part of her wished he'd toss her over his shoulder and cart her off to her bedroom, finish the caveman routine and end the misery.
Instead, he straightened his shoulders and took a solid, deep breath. “You're hired, again.” He turned and walked out of the apartment, leaving her to put the pieces together that he'd shattered with that epic kiss. How had her life changed so dramatically in twenty minutes?
9
“The entire space is very nice,” the loan officer at the bank said for the third time. The man looked younger than Cathal, near thirty, his suit too large on his skinny frame. His smooth skin probably didn't even see a razor every day.
“I'm glad you think so, Mr. Peters.” Brogan subtly glanced at his watch. The unexpected visit occurred at eight thirty. Cathal sent a text early this morning informing Brogan he better cut his workout short and be dressed by the time the man showed up. They wanted to do an on-site interview before approving the loan.
“Good morning—” Selena pulled up short, the happy expression on her face shifting immediately to shock. “Jacob? What are you doing here?”
Jacob?
Mr. Peters' eyes brightened. “Selena. Goodness, it's been years.”
And then they hugged.
Brogan crossed his arms as the hug lasting longer than necessary. “I see you know each other,” he said, as a way of interruption. He'd hoped for his morning with Selena to consist of a talk about how they should handle the situation at work, seeing how he wanted only to lock the door and feast on her lips again. But Jacob had interrupted that.
And now he had his damn hands on her.
Jacob pulled away, his gaze never leaving Selena's face. “Yes. We dated while I was in college.”
She looked just as pleased to see him. “What are you doing here?” She did glimpse, for a quick second, at Brogan before her attention went back to the man that held the fate of their loan in his hands. Hands that were still sitting possessively on Selena's waist from their hug.
Selena moved away, and Jacob followed her. “I'm a loan officer at the bank. Do you work here?”
She nodded. After another quick glimpse at Brogan, she beamed another smile at Jacob. “Mr. O'Keeley is my boss.” Brogan hated the sharp way she said it. What did she want? For him to announce that she was his girlfriend or something? Girlfriend wasn't a title he'd use with Selena.
Just his.
It sounded possessive, even in his head, but that's how it'd felt last night. That last kiss he'd given her, lacking his usual restraint, had claimed her. He hadn't intended it to be that way.
Jacob looked at his watch. “It's a little early, isn't it?”
Smoothly she pulled out her laptop. “I help out in the office before my shift starts.”
He smirked. “Doing what?”
Did she not catch the derisive way he asked that? Brogan's body tensed again when Jacob set a hand on her shoulder.
“She's the VP of Advertising.” Brogan made up her job title on the spot. He'd wanted to say, “She's mine, back the hell off,” but it might sabotage the bank loan to get in the young kid's face.
Selena watched Brogan for a full five seconds. He knew he should say something, but he couldn't. She had to know that.
Jacob sat on the edge of Brogan's desk, ignoring that he'd even spoken and leaning a little closer to Selena. “We need to get together and catch up.”
Brogan's hands tightened into fists. He couldn't help it. He fought every primal instinct to stand there and not let him know that they were an item.
Because they weren't. He wasn't an idiot. One kiss didn't mean Selena had to drop any other man she saw for him.
“Ah, the gang's all here,” Cathal said, strolling in with a large coffee in his hand. “Nice to see you again, Jacob.”
“You, too. So, how about it, Selena? Go out with me tonight?”
Cathal's eyes shot to Brogan and back to Selena. “Well, what did I miss? I don't usually deal with loan officers who ask out our employees.”
Selena stared at Cathal for a long, hard second. “Jacob and I used to date. I don't know, four years ago?”
Cathal shook his head and took a sip of his coffee, walking around the desk to stand beside Brogan. He didn't need his brother to tell him what he thought of the situation. He could see that eager puppy dog look on Jacob's face as easily as Brogan did.
Selena rose and pretended to fiddle with her laptop, putting Jacob to her side. She flicked her eyes up to Brogan. He wanted to drag her over the desk to him.
Cathal nudged Brogan before raising his voice. “Why don't we all go out tonight? Then we can meet about the loan, and you two can get reacquainted.”
Jacob hesitated.
Until Cathal added, “how about Five-Seven-Nine?
My treat.”
His treat? That place was easily a $100 a plate before alcohol. Selena's mouth fell open for a quick second until Jacob leaned closer, his shoulder brushing hers. “Would you really be there?”
Brogan took a deep breath. He'd rather have Jacob there with Selena than to send them off on their own. “Yes. As our VP of Advertising, we'd want her there in case you had any questions on our future marketability.”
Her eyes widened.
Jacob clapped his hands together. “Well, then that sounds like a date. Can I pick you up?”
Cathal stepped forward. “You know, she has to work an extra shift today, so we'll carpool from here. We can meet there at about six.”
Looking to her for confirmation, or hope, Jacob waited for Selena to answer. She swallowed, pursed her lips together, and nodded. “Yes. That would be easier. We can catch up at dinner. Surely it won't all be about work.”
“No,” Brogan said, smiling even though it hurt his face to do it. “You can get reacquainted all you want.”
“I'm looking forward to it. Thank you for the invitation, Cathal.” He hugged Selena again without any invitation to do so. “I'm really happy we ran into each other.”
“Me, too.” She smiled as he left. They all stood in silence until they heard the front door to the restaurant close.
“What the hell?” She said, slamming the lid of her laptop closed.
At the same time, Brogan came around the desk. “You just let some guy put his hands on you like that?”
“We dated for three years. We talked about getting married at one point. He's not just some guy.”
“But you aren't together now.”
She crossed her arms, eyes flashing with heat. “No. Now, I'm just the VP of Advertising. What kind of bullshit is that, Brogan?” she shouted.
“It's the kind that will hopefully make sure we even still have a restaurant next year.”
“Oh!” She took a step closer, her finger pointing at him. “So now you're using me to soften up the loan guy?”
He ran a hand through his hair and paced away and then back to her. “How in the hell was I supposed to know that you two knew each other?” He fired back. “It's not like any of this was planned.”
“Then why did you invite me to dinner if it wasn't to help you out?” Her voice raised to match his.
He stalked toward her until they were an inch apart. “Because I'd sure as hell rather watch you and he become reacquainted than to imagine what happens when you go on a date with another man.”
“You know being exclusive with someone, Brogan, means you call them something other than your damn VP of Advertising.”
The argument put a flush in her cheeks he'd not seen before. Her lips parted as she took a deep breath.
He didn't want to yell. So, he kissed her, hard, expecting her to push him away.
And she did. But only for a brief second. The anger in her eyes had faded. She fisted her hands into his dress shirt and tugged him close, kissing him the rough way he needed at that moment.
She was his. Every inch of his body recognized her as his mate. A counterpart that kept him balanced. And she shouldn't even be in his arms.
“Thank the Lord,” Cathal muttered from the sofa. “You guys are too loud this early in the morning with all your shouting.”
Brogan looked over Selena's head as she turned to look, too. His brother had one arm thrown over his eyes, sprawled out across the sofa. At least he'd faked not being hungover for Jacob.
Selena moved away. “I guess I need to call the nurse to see if she can stay or call Katie's sister.”
“I'm sorry to involve you in this.” He wanted to drag her back, kiss her again, and prove that she was his.
The feeling of insecurity creeping in around a woman put an uncomfortable feeling in his chest. He put himself back into control. Distant and safe.
“Let me know about those advertising sites when you get around to checking on them. And there's a delivery today that is supposed to arrive before the kitchen staff. Keep an ear out for that.”
Her open expression closed off again. “Got it.” And she left, taking everything she'd brought into his office with her.
“You suck at dating,” Cathal mumbled from the sofa. “I'm surprised you've ever had a ride the way you blunder things up.”
“I didn't ask for your opinion.” He sat down at the desk, pulling up his to-do list for the day. Reminders about payments and payroll information, boring, ordinary things that he could focus on instead of Selena.
Cathal sat up, squinting, reaching for his coffee cup. “No. You'll shoot yourself in the foot and lose Selena before you ask for help.”
“I don't need help. And you can go back to your bed anytime you want to.”
Cathal shook his head. “Oh, no. I plan on staying. The entire day. I need to make sure you don't royally screw everything up with that sweet girl out there.”
“Why is my relationship with her any of your business?”
“Because, dear older brother, if you act like a jerk much longer, Rian and I are going to kick you out of the family and adopt her.” Cathal left, slamming the door behind him.
Great. Everyone was against him. Why? All he'd done is treat Selena like an employee. He may have deeper feelings for her, but it didn't mean they didn't have a business to run. Kissing her senseless before ordering her about might have been a little extreme. He hadn't lied to her, though. He couldn't stand the thought of Jacob taking her out on a date.
* * *
Selena heard the door slam shut. Seriously? How did Brogan have any reason to be angry in this situation? She turned, saw Cathal, wide awake, striding across the restaurant. She'd set up her laptop at a table near the front, as far away from Brogan as possible.
The temptation to go back in there, soothe it over, was too great. She didn't have anything to apologize for.
VP of Advertising her ass.
“Darling,” Cathal began, pulling out a chair. “I came to apologize on behalf of my family.”
She rolled her eyes. “Brogan can dig himself out of this one, but thanks.”
“Not for Brogan.” He sat down. “For me. Rian. And my Ma and Da. We've let him fester into this controlling arse that can't see beyond his own nose.” He patted her hand. “I told him that we were going to kick him out of the family and adopt you.”
She laughed. “I bet he didn't like that. Is that why he slammed the door?”
“I slammed the door. Which didn't help the headache.” He took a sip of his coffee. “He's not the only one with a temper. I've just learned to control mine.” He winked. “Most of the time.”
Her laptop played the welcome music. She typed the login information and sat back while it finished booting up.
Cathal stared out the front window. “Tell me. How close were you and Jacob?”
It seemed so long ago. Four years. She was twenty-four and thought life would be wonderful. On her own. No responsibility. But the way Jacob had treated her still hung around. Still made her question her worth.
“Close. Three years. But, he wanted someone with a little more class than I had. Or have.” She picked at her nails, hating to relive the emotions. He'd hidden her away, gave her the insecurity she fought long and hard to overcome. Like she wasn't worthy of his friends or society.
He chuckled. “You were the one that got away.”
“Not sure I'd rate myself that high.”
“Don't sell yourself short. After all, you are the VP of Advertising.”
She snorted. “Yeah. Because that's a better title than girlfriend.”
“Brogan is stupid.” Cathal winked. “You could always demand the money that comes with a title like that.”
“No.” She shook her head, at least sure of that. “I'm not going to leverage any part of this relationship.”
The buzzer near the front door rang. “That would be the delivery.” Cathal stood up, finished his coffee, and tossed the cup into the small
trash can behind the hostesses’ desk.
Selena rose to handle the delivery, but he held up his hand. “Sit. Do the advertising thing. I've devoted myself to staying here for the day and going to dinner. Might as well do something useful.”
“Thanks.” She watched him disappear down the long hallway to the kitchen. His brothers didn't give him enough credit. Cathal was smart. He just didn't have any focus because they treated him like a kid. He played the part.
Rian opened the front door, a sour look in place.
She hitched her thumb over her shoulder. “Your bossy brother is in his office. Cathal's on the loading dock.”
He blinked, giving her a small smile. “Good morning to you, too, Selena. And here I thought my morning was rotten, but something obviously irked you more. Or someone.”
“The latter, but I won't waste your time with it.” She relaxed her shoulders. “Do you want to talk about your morning?”
“Not really. But I received an interesting text message from Brogan telling me we're to go to dinner at Five-Seven-Nine tonight with the banker.” He crossed his arms. “And that you'll be joining us.”
“I would ask if you disapprove, but it was Brogan's idea. You know, to have his VP of Advertising there.”
Rian smirked and looked exactly like Cathal for a moment. “A promotion?”
“No. A way to make sure Jacob didn't have a clue that Brogan and I have a relationship if you'd call it that.” Because as far as she was concerned, what they had was a big mess.
“Jacob?”
Selena set her hands in her lap. She hated the testiness in her voice. “My ex-boyfriend and your banker. He asked me out to get reacquainted.”
“In front of Brogan?”
“Yes. It was Brogan's idea for the group date tonight. That was after he introduced me as his VP of Advertising.” Dumb title.
Rian ran a hand over his mouth.
“I'm glad it makes you laugh.”
“No.” He shook his head. “It makes me incredibly angry at my brother on your behalf that he wouldn’t acknowledge what you have together.”
“Cathal already threatened to kick him out of the family and officially adopt me.”
