by Parker, Ali
"Yeah, I do." Damon leaned back in his chair and let relief run through him. Matt had been dancing around the topic of moving up to the northwest and working on his future for far too long. Now that he'd made the decision to go, Damon would be interested to see what happened with his little brother's career and with his budding relationship with Erica. He'd made some stupid mistakes with the pretty director of marketing, but knowing Matt, he'd figure out a way to win the woman back over.
"I do too. I think I almost have him willing to work with Erica for fifteen to twenty hours a week if she's still interested in that. Let's see if we can get her on a conference call just before six today so we can all work on him together. He needs one more push, and we should be good to go."
"I'm hoping that you're right and all of this meddling in his life doesn't blow up in our faces."
"Nonsense. When is Delilah coming in to sign her exit paperwork and such?"
"Not sure. Why?"
"Because I'll handle that mess. I created it, and I'll close it down."
"You sure?" Damon stood and pressed his free hand to his desk.
"Yep. Just have Cindy let me know when and where, and I'll take care of it. You just call Erica for me, and we'll consider it an equal trade."
"I'm not sure what that says about your feeling toward Erica, but all right."
"Nothing to do with her and everything to do with the fact that I can't stand advertising and marketing." His father chuckled softly. "Enjoy your day. I'm proud of you."
"Thanks, Dad." Damon hung up and dialed Erica's work number, not really knowing what to expect.
"Erica Hall." Her voice was tight, but maybe it was because she was working to be professional.
"Erica? This a good time?"
"Sure. I just met Mitch. He seems like a nice guy."
She'd already met him? Damn. The guy was more efficient than they'd expected.
"Yeah. I think he's going to be good for the advisory practice we're setting up. The man has a resume that impressed my father. I'm thinking we're going to do well to have him on our side."
"Awesome. What can I do for you?" She was far more business-like than usual. Something was wrong, but he wasn't sure it was his place to ask what.
"I wanted to see if we could have a conference call around five thirty today. Dad and I have been talking with Matt, and I think we have him convinced to at least try out a twenty hour a week schedule. He might work remotely from his new place, but I'm not sure."
"His new place?" Her tone lifted a little.
"Yeah. I think he's going to come up there later this week and try to find a place."
"That means he's moving up here?" She sighed heavily.
Had Matt not worked things out with her since going up there? He and Damon had spoken a little bit about it, but nothing in depth. Damon tried not to let the guilt of not checking up on his brother drag him under. He had a ton of shit in his own life that was going off track, and Matt had Sophie and several other friends that he was most likely talking to.
"He's still being noncommittal, but yeah, I think he's going to keep his place here in Dallas and get one up there too. You know Matt."
"Yep. I do."
"What's up with you? You sound... tense."
"Yeah, I have things going on in my life that I'm not exactly able to ignore today. Forgive me for having an off day. Shit happens." Something was wrong. This wasn't the Erica he knew at all, outside or inside of work.
"Wow. I'm here for you; you know that. Talk to me and let's work this out. We've been friends a lot longer than we've been co-workers, Erica."
"There's nothing to talk about." Her voice became thick as if she were fighting tears. "I'm good."
"Liar. I'm not getting off this phone until you spill."
"It's my mom. She's not doing well, and Daniel isn't visiting her anymore. He's too sensitive about her getting older and dying on us like Daddy just did." The soft sob that echoed through the phone caused his heart to ache. Was she being honest? The poor woman had a ton of family issues she seemed to be dealing with all the time, but her sadness almost seemed tied to something bigger, something more painful. Had she lost someone?
"What can I do to help?"
"Nothing. I just need to take some time off soon and figure things out."
"Is this just about your mom?"
"Why do you ask?"
"Because my brother has been moping around here for a week, ignoring most of us and acting like a ten-year-old boy lost in the woods."
"I don't care what Matt's doing, and if you expect me to try and talk him into coming up here, you're shit out of luck. Tell your father that too. Matt's a twenty-eight-year-old man. He doesn't need any of us pushing him to do anything. If he's not willing to make the decision to move forward with his life, none of us are going to change that."
"No truer words have been spoken." Damon cleared his throat. "Why are you upset with him? What happened?"
"You know how I feel about your brother, Damon. Or rather how I felt. I'm getting over it."
"Yeah, of course, I do. You guys would be-"
"Don't. I'm not interested in hearing it. He came up to visit, and we had a good time for the weekend, or at least I did. I haven't heard a fucking word from him in seven days. Not 'thanks for letting me crash at your place' or 'I really appreciate you helping me with my contract with Jonathan' or better yet, how about, 'thanks for the all-night fuck. I needed that in my life'."
"Wow. Shit. He didn't say anything after you guys spent the weekend together? That's more something I would do than Matt." Damon stood up and brushed his hand down his face. She was destroyed by his brother's ignorance. The stupid bastard was walking around, trying to decide what to do with himself, and here Erica thought that he didn't care. How could Matt not know that ignoring her would leave her feeling used? Was he that naive? Had to be. Matt was a lot of things, but he wasn't at all malicious.
"Exactly. And tell me something, and be fucking completely honest."
"Of course." Damon walked toward the wall of windows in his plush corner office, suddenly wanting to feel the warmth of the sun through the thick glass.
"Why would you do that to someone? Why would you lead them on and walk away without a word?"
"Because in my past life, I was a user. I would walk away because I never had any intention of being with you in the first place. You were just a warm body and pretty smile to spend the weekend with. But, Erica-"
"No. Fuck it. That's exactly what happened. You and Kent are so concerned that Matt isn't going to turn out like the two of you, but you're wrong. He's already everything you used to be." She hung up, leaving Damon staring out the window.
"Shit." He dialed the number for his secretary in Seattle and asked the woman to check on Erica. Just to poke her head in there and see if she was all right.
"She's not here, sir. I'm not sure where she is."
"All right. Thanks." Damon dropped the call and called his father back.
"What's up, son?"
"Matt fucked things up with Erica, and I think one of us needs to fly up there and fix it. She's pretty upset and didn't sound at all like herself a few minutes ago."
His father growled. "Your brother is going to fix it. I'll call him now. Don't worry about a thing. Erica is dedicated to her job and to us. Matt can clean up the mess he made, or deal with the consequences."
"Which are?"
"Taking her job if his actions cause her to leave it. Then he can grovel at her feet until she comes back." His father's voice was loud and reminded Damon much more of his dad in his younger years. "She's the best ad director we've had. We're not losing her over your brother sowing his wild oats."
"All right, Dad. Don't be too hard on him, okay? He's trying to-"
"I don't care. He needs to stop trying, grow the fuck up and do it. Do something."
"Keep me in the loop." Damon hung up and walked back to his chair, dropping down into it and closing his eyes. Poor Matt
. He was in love with Erica and yet would never do a damn thing about it. He was too scared to.
"How can I help you?" Damon mumbled and glanced up as the door opened to his office. A smile lifted his lips as the prettiest girl in the world walked in with two coffees in her hands.
"I thought you might could use a break." Bethany smiled and kicked the door shut.
"You thought right." He got up and walked toward her, taking the coffees and setting them down. He turned and pulled her into his arms, breathing the scent of her perfume deep into his lungs and leaning down to consume her mouth.
She tilted her head a little and opened up for him, sucking on his tongue and dragging him from every fucked up thought he'd had that morning. Nothing mattered when she was there and had her arms around him. Everything gained clarity and could be solved with simple solutions.
Matt needed to apologize to Erica.
Kendal needed to let Dana into his life and ask her to drop the damn class.
"Wow." Bethany smiled up at him. "What was that for?"
"For you loving me." He kissed her again a few times softly. "It's been a long day already. I needed to see you."
"You having trouble with me not being part of your day more often?" She gave him a cocky smile that caused him to laugh in spite of his troubles.
"Yes. How much do I have to pay you to come back and work for me?" He slid his hands down her back and squeezed her ass softly as his body woke up.
"You don't have enough money."
He glanced toward the door and smiled. "I wasn't planning on paying with money. Lock the door, and I'll give you a taste of the currency I have on hand."
She pulled back from him, her eyes a little wide. "Are you serious?"
"As a heart attack. Go lock the door and let me remind you who you're dealing with." He smiled wickedly. "Because this thing between us is happening. Whether you want it in my bed or with you trembling across the top of a desk. Your choice."
She turned and walked toward the door, stealing his heart for all time. "Across your desk, please?"
"Good girl, pussycat."
Chapter 101
Damon
"Damn, woman. How much stuff can one person shove into a two-bedroom college apartment? Don't they have rules about this type of hoarding?" Damon glanced over his shoulder and smirked at the pretty girl behind him.
Bethany cocked her head to the side and put a hand on her hip, drawing his eyes down to the lovely curve. "I told you we could get a mover to come over and help clean this place out, but nooooo... you wanted to do it instead. All the money in the world and we're spending our Saturday cleaning this place up."
"I kinda like seeing you work it." He shrugged and turned back to the stack of boxes in front of him.
"Work what, exactly?" Her arms slid around him from behind, and the soft press of her breasts against his back had his heart rate accelerating a little.
"Work anything," he grunted and gripped her hands, pulling them down until she cupped him. "Maybe we should lock the front door and christen this place for the next horny college kids that rent it."
Beth's laugh was short, endearing. "You're going to hell."
He turned in her arms and wrapped his around the top of her shoulders, the smile on his face feeling good - right. "Am I now?"
Her smile faltered a little as her eyes moved around his face. She was nervous. It was endearing, and yet such a fucking turn on. He could still intimidate her sexually. How long would that last? Forever? He couldn't help but hope seeing that forever is what he'd asked her for.
"What are you thinking?" She ran her hands up his back and pressed herself against him.
"I was trying to decide if the paint color was cream or more taupe." He snorted as she pushed back and growled.
"You're impossible."
"Nope. Just a warm meal, soft bed and pretty girl on my arm, and I'm set." He turned and picked up two of the boxes before walking to the door and kicking it carefully to get her attention. "Open."
"Bossy ass." She pulled the door open and gave him a flirty smile. "And I'm the only girl you'll ever have on your arm from here on out."
"This is true. There's still time to run." He winked and walked out into the far-too-warm October afternoon. He grunted and shook his head. How the hell Texas could be above eighty and it be deep in the heart of fall was a conundrum.
"Why in the world would I run?" Beth jogged past him to the parking lot, stopping beside the truck he'd rented.
"Because I love the way your ass jiggles when you do." He moved to the back and lifted the boxes high enough to get them in the back of the truck.
She lifted her eyebrow. "I'm thinking you deserve to see it jiggle this afternoon for helping me move out of the apartment."
His cock twitched. "Up close and personal or not at all."
She chuckled. "You're corrupt."
"I'm going to hell. We've established this." He reached for her, running one hand down her back toward her ass, and the other caressing the side of her face. "I should be granted one last meal before I head south."
She snorted. "I love you so much."
Her words penetrated his heart, waking him up like she did every time they were together. Having known nothing but lust, he was often shocked by how good love felt. "You're not going to ask what I wanted you to prepare for me?"
Beth wrapped her arms around him and lifted up to press her lips to his softly before pulling back. "What would you like me to cook you for your last meal?" Her expression said that she was playing along, but only for his benefit.
"Cook? No, baby. I don't need anything cooked. Just wash up real good for me, or don't? I could care less if you're clean or not." He leaned in and pressed his lips to hers as her eyes grew wide, her cheeks flushing a pretty pink color.
Nothing was better than the sound of her panting, the feel of her trying to catch her breath because of something he did or said. It was power they shared. He just hid the side effects a little better.
Beth pressed her hands to his chest and took a step back, breaking the spell. "It's almost five. Stop flirting and teasing me and let's get this place packed and go home and make dinner together."
Home. Together. Weird.
"You sure you still want to do this?" He turned and walked back toward the apartment, forcing air through his nose and out his mouth. He had to calm down before he stripped her bare and licked every inch of her in the parking lot.
"To move in together?" She gave him a quirky smile and slipped her arm into his. "We're getting married in May. I think seeing if we're capable is important."
"Hmm... trying out the goods before you buy? I like it." He opened the door and moved back, letting his eyes move down her back, over the steep curve of her rear. She hated it, and yet he couldn't imagine anything more sensual.
"Brother..." She walked into the apartment.
"Speaking of brothers, when is ours coming home again?" He stopped by the kitchen to tape up a few more boxes and tried hard not to think about the fact that Bethany was his step-sister. No blood relation, and yet, everything would be out in the open soon at the firm. They were engaged, and he'd fucked up pretty badly over the last month or so by not letting her wear the ring or tell anyone. Fucked up badly enough that she'd left the firm. Probably for the best.
"No clue. After his showing a few weeks ago, I'm pretty sure he's not coming back home for anything more than a visit." Beth ran her fingers through her long chestnut hair, causing her breasts to bounce a little.
Damon licked at the corner of his mouth and stifled a growl. "Did he talk to you about him and Erica?"
"A little. Not much. He's gotta finish patching things up with her, but you know Matthew. He'll win her heart back with his humor if nothing else." She moved around the large boxes in front of him and reached for the tape. "It's weird packing up Krista's stuff. Do you think she's okay?"
He took the tape from her. "She's in the mentally insane ward of the prison, baby. I
think she's okay in that no one is going to hurt her there, but she's around people who are far gone mentally. How much interaction is she getting? That would be my question."
Beth let out a soft sigh as her head dropped. "I don't know. I should go see her."
"I'll go with you." Damon leaned in and touched the bottom of her chin. "Next subject. I'm going to get emotional pneumonia. I was ready to fuck in the parking lot; now I feel like I need to find some Kleenex and a bucket of ice cream for us to share."
She laughed, and the room brightened a little. "You don't mope around and eat ice cream."
"No? Okay." He pulled at the tape, ignoring the way she watched him.
"Do you?"
"According to you... no." He gave her a cocky smile and taped up the box.
"Wait... do you?" She knelt down and cut the tape with a knife. The angle had her looking up at him, which jolted his hormones again. It didn't take much with her.
"You'll never know, pussycat." He pulled his bottom lip into his mouth and gave her a look he knew she would understand. I want you.
She pushed at the box, moving it away from them before motioning for him to come closer. "I know that look."
"Such a good girl, Beth." He reached down and ran his fingers through her hair as she leaned in and brushed her cheek past his erection. A growl bubbled up inside of him, and he tightened his fingers on her silky locks.
"Your girl," she whispered and nipped at him.
He stiffened and smiled. She'd come out of her shell a lot over the last year, and yet something told him there was still more to explore. "My woman."
"That too." She ran her hands over his arousal, squeezing his head as she glanced up and licked at her pretty mouth. "Go lock the front door."
"No. Getting caught is half the fun. Stop talking and do what you want to do. I'm all yours. Have at me." He brushed his thumb across her lips as he kept his tight grip on her hair. The look in her eyes had his balls tight, his pulse spiked, every part of him on guard for what was coming.
"You think I don't know your tricks?" She reached up and unzipped his fly, leaving his pants buttoned.
