Men In Control (Smith Brothers Complete Series)

by Brenda Ford

  “Knock, knock.” I turn to see Angelo in my office door way, a place he seems to be far more than necessary these days. I know what he’s up to. He wants to see if his match making skills are working. “Can I come in?”

  “I don’t know.” I narrow my eyes suspiciously at him. “It depends what you want.”

  “I just came for a chat,” He takes the seat even though I definitely haven’t invited him to sit down. “I can’t drop in and talk to my brother now? What is that all about? Honestly, Brad…”

  “Aren’t you busy? Don’t you have something better to do than to annoy me?”

  “Tami?” Angelo looks over his shoulder, completely ignoring me. “Could I have a coffee please?”

  “Er, Tami isn’t your assistant now. You do realize that, don’t you? You can’t boss her around anymore.”

  “But she will be back to me on Monday and I’m glad. I’ve missed her like crazy.”

  “She’s not coming back to you on Monday,” I take great satisfaction in telling him.

  “What the hell do you mean?” His face flames red with anger. “You can’t take Tami away from me.”

  “I will make coffee.” Tami practically runs to the door to escape before we argue, and I can tell her not to.

  “What the hell is going on?” Angelo explodes. “It was only supposed to be for a week. And you weren’t supposed to be admiring her work skills. I think you know that. You’re supposed to be falling for her.”

  It also gives me great pleasure to keep the kiss from him and I don’t know why. “Well, while she has been working for me, I have seen her potential, so actually what I’m doing is giving her a promotion.”

  “Oh…” All the anger dissipates from Angelo. “So, she will still be working on my team?”

  “Yes, just not as your assistant anymore. She will get snapped up by another company if we don’t promote her. She has got some real potential there, you know? We need to harness it.”

  “Yes, I know.” He looks really disappointed. “So, that’s all you have picked up from her?”

  “What do you mean?” I make a great show of rolling my eyes. “Look, that doesn’t exactly happen in a week, does it? Plus, as much as she is a nice girl, she is too young for me. I already told you that.”

  “So, there isn’t anything between you then? No spark or anything like that?”

  God damn it, now all I can think about is the intense spark between us. It bowls me over all the time. It really has happened in a week; she has climbed right under my skin and she remains firmly there. But there’s no point in me saying anything until I have spoken to Tami tonight and I know for sure how she feels too.

  “I don’t think so, Angelo, but nice try. I think I will find my own woman next time.”

  “But you won’t will you? If you haven’t yet, then I don’t think you will. You’ll just keep sleeping with bunny boilers until eventually one of them gets pregnant and forces you into marriage.”

  “I do know how to use contraception, you know? I am an adult, Angelo.”

  “Hmmm, yeah I guess so. I just… I want you to be happy. That’s all.”

  There’s a sadness that crosses his face which seems to be for something else other than me. I want to ask him about it, to see if there is something going on in his own life that he might need some advice for. It would actually be good for me to have something to distract me from my own problems.

  But before I get a chance to say anything, Tami comes back with the coffees. She steps anxiously into the room as if she’s trying to gauge the mood before she comes inside, but once she sees that we aren’t at one another’s throats, she comes in and hands us the drinks, ending the chance for us to talk.

  Well, Angelo is my brother. I’m sure I will get to speak to him about it soon.

  “Thanks, Tami, this is really nice.” I smile reassuringly at her. “We appreciate it, don’t we, Angelo?”

  He smiles sadly and nods at us both. Now I can’t tell if his mood is related to me and Tami not falling for one another like he wants us to, or whatever his issues are. It makes me feel bad for lying. Perhaps it would have been better for me to give him some kind of hope… but the pressure would be too much for me. Angelo would want us to end up getting married and I don’t even know if the kiss was a one off yet.

  No, I need to work out how we feel first. Everything else can come afterwards…

  I can’t take it anymore, I think decisively, switching my computer off. I need to talk to her.

  “Are you ready for a drink yet?” I ask smilingly. “Or do you still have work to do?”

  “No, I think I’m done here.” Tami glances around to check. “Unless there is anything else you want?”

  I shake my head no. I’m done with the work stuff. It’s time to find out the truth once and for all. It might well be scary, and it may not go the way that I want it to, but we can’t beat around the bush any longer.

  “You sure? I’m pretty sure there is more filing that could be done…”

  “Don’t you worry about that now. You’ve done more than enough for me.”

  She nods slowly and takes the seat opposite me. Even though not everyone has left yet, I pour a glass of wine. Screw my usual rules of separating work and personal life. For Tami, I am prepared to make an exception. I have been making exceptions for her in the last week since she properly came into my life and I’m not going to stop now. It’s almost the end of the day anyway, I don’t see how one drink can hurt anyone.

  As she takes a sip, I can already see her starting to relax just a little bit. Her shoulders roll forwards and the start of a smile creeps up on her lips. She looks heart-stoppingly beautiful as she grins like that.

  This is the woman I need, I know as I look at her. I want her to be with me.

  “This is a nice send off after a crazy week.” She nods and takes another sip. “Thank you very much.”

  “It’s gone much too quickly,” I tell her truthfully. “I wish that we could have a little bit longer. Don’t you?”

  She pauses thoughtfully for a moment, causing sheer terror that I might have said too much, but then she ends the anticipation by agreeing with me. “Yes, a little bit longer with you would have been nice.”

  “But of course, I have promised you a promotion, and I’m sure that job will be more exciting than working with me. For you, I mean. If it were up to me, I don’t think I would let you go.”

  One swig of booze and my mouth is already getting the better of me. This could be messy.

  “Really?” One eye brow shoots upwards. “You’re making me want to stay with you.”

  Oh God, she’s flirting with me just as much as I am here. This is nuts. I do the only thing that I can and swig the rest of my wine back. As she does the same, I pour us both another one. We might need to get through the whole bottle to get something sensible out of us tonight…

  Chapter Seven

  Tami

  There’s an intense look in his eyes, one that lures me in towards him. I can’t seem to help myself; the pull is too much. I can tell how much he wants me and that’s utterly irresistible. I think the fact that it’s all kinds of wrong just makes it that much more thrilling. The booze isn’t helping, it’s making me much more susceptible to suggestion, and since I think we might be through the whole bottle, how can I ignore the urge?

  When we kissed on Wednesday, I felt all panicked about it. But today there’s a strong sense of calm inside of me. Like it’s right. Like my fantasies about this man were always destined to come true.

  His hands connect with my hips and his lips claim me. There’s no other way to describe it, he takes me for his own and it feels incredible. In this moment, I want to be totally his. I don’t even know how it happened really. One minute we were sitting opposite one another, trying to talk about my promotion but continuously flirting and laughing instead, the next everything went hazy and we were pulling towards one another, out of control.

  As we kiss, his fing
ers move around and they graze the hem line of my skirt, edging upwards. It’s clearly obvious that this isn’t just a kiss today, that if I let it, it’ll go further… and damn, I want to let it. Today is the last day of me working with Brad, it feels like my last chance to really explore what this sizzle is between us.

  I roll my ass against him, using my body to let him see how much I want him. How much I need him. He will be my first, and this honestly feels like the best way to lose my virginity. With someone I really like.

  “Fucking hell,” he growls as his mouth moves off mine and onto my exposed throat. Everywhere his mouth touches, it tingles…I’m in all flames for this man. “You’re so sexy, Tami. You drive me wild.”

  His words are like a prayer, they ignite the fire of passion even more. I’ve never been seen as sexy before as far as I’m aware. Cute, the good girl, maybe, but never sexy. Not even by my asshole boyfriend who screwed around with everyone but me. Being called that by such a powerful man makes me feel like a goddess.

  My head lolls to the side, desire crashes through me as his expert fingers graze the outside of my panties. He isn’t quite touching where I’m aching for him, it’s more of a tease, but I fucking love it. The butterflies flapping at my core become the size of birds. I can barely handle another moment of not being with him.

  “You want this?” he groans, his voice tickling my hyper sensitive skin. “You want me?”

  “Oh my God, so bad,” I whisper back, surprising even myself with my bravery. “You have no idea. Wait, wait, wait.” I press my hand against his chest as a sobering moment of reality hits. “Is anyone else here?”

  “No, I don’t think so. I think they’ve all gone home. It’s pretty late by now, isn’t it?”

  I can tell by the cheeky glint in his eyes that he really has no idea, but he doesn’t care. I don’t know if I do either, I really don’t want this moment to end. So, I hook my hand around the back of his neck and drag him back to me making the decision clear. Even if everyone else is here, I won’t be able to stop.

  “I want to feel you,” he murmurs as he pulls my panties to one side. “To touch you everywhere.”

  The breath steals from my body as he grazes his velvety fingers along my soaking wet slit. He can feel how much I want him and judging by the animalistic growl that flies past his lips, he loves it.

  “Fucking hell, you feel good,” he moans, while plunging those fingers deep into me. He’s soft, yet passionate, like he knows exactly how I need to be touched. “Oh, Tami, you have no idea how bad I want you right now.”

  “Take me.” My eyes slide closed, I just want to feel everything that he’s doing to me. “Just take me now.”

  I can’t look, I’m too nervous, so I listen as he unzips his trousers and pulls himself free. He pushes a small square into my palm. My heart hammers like crazy, crashing violently against my rib cage as I tear it apart. I still can’t open my eyes, but it doesn’t matter because Brad takes my hand and he guides it to his cock. I gasp, the feel of his massive erection fills me with an excitable anticipation. I don’t know how to handle him; I definitely don’t have the experience for a man like this… but I want to try.

  “Your hands feel amazing,” he whispers. “I love you touching me.”

  I roll the condom over him, taking my time so I can feel every inch of him. I delicately graze over his balls, causing him to buck with need. I love how much he wants me. It makes me feel powerful and sexy as hell.

  I squeal loudly as he lifts me from the ground, his muscles flexing against me, and he slides my butt onto his desk. His forehead rests against mine which causes my eyes to snap open. I want to see him so badly that I’m willing to overcome any fear, any anxiety that threatens to rush through me…

  Not that it’s really fear. More of an excitement that’s so powerful I can hardly handle it.

  “You really are so beautiful.” He grabs me and pulls me towards him. “I can’t hack it.”

  He pulls my panties to one side again and teases my entrance. Straight away the need intensifies. If I don’t have him soon, I’ll fall apart, I’ll die. This is the sort of desire I have always been missing.

  “Fuck me,” I whisper, the words sounding delicious on my lips. “I want you, Brad Smith.”

  Luckily, I don’t need to ask him twice. He thrusts hard, his hips banging against the desk as he gives me exactly what I want. My head falls back, everything inside of me heats up with desire as he plunges all the way into me. I never thought that I would be the girl fucking my boss on his desk, but it feels so good. It doesn’t even hurt like I thought my first time would. It’s like my body has always been preparing itself for right now.

  “Shit,” I cry out as tension balls up inside of me. I curl my fingers around the edge of the desk so hard I can feel my knuckles turning white. As Brad looks at me with such lust, it’s damn near impossible for me not to crumble and fall apart. I’m melting with feelings; I need to keep staring at him, so I don’t lose my freaking mind. “Brad, oh my God… don’t stop, keep doing that… it feels incredible…”

  The anticipation fills me, every inch of me is completely consumed by it. It’s like I’m on the brink of a wave just waiting for the moment when I can crash over the edge… and then I fall.

  As I tumble into the burning hot abyss, sinking under the waves of pleasure, feeling the orgasm shatter all the way through me, I know for sure that it will never be like this again. Brad is special… the perfect man to give my first time to. It’s just a shame that it’s probably only a one-time thing…

  “That guy keeps looking at you,” my very drunk and newly engaged friend, Chelsea, slurs while slinging her arm over my shoulder. “He’s cute. You should get his number. Then we can have a joint wedding.”

  I force a little laugh out. “Chelsea, I don’t think that it’s the best idea for me to marry a guy that I just met, just so I can share a wedding with you! Also, and I mean no offence when I say this, but you are going to be one hell of a bridezilla, and I don’t want any part of that.”

  “Well, you’re gonna have to, because I want you to be my bridesmaid!”

  Those words are about the only thing that could pull me out of my strange funk tonight. Having sex with my boss, then not knowing what the hell is going on between us before I came here to celebrate Chelsea getting engaged is weird. Plus, the knowledge that I won’t be working closely for him again, and just a week in his company has made me realize just how much I like him…

  Urgh, it’s all such a mess. It’s nice to have something good to focus on instead.

  “You really want that?”

  “I really do. You’re awesome, Tami, so of course I want you to be my bridesmaid. I also want you to go over there and chat with that cute guy who keeps staring at you because now that I’m tied up forever more, I have to live vicariously through you.”

  I stare across the bar to where she’s pointing, and I can see what she means. The guy is nice looking enough, he’s of an appropriate age for me, and definitely not my boss… but he’s just a bit blah. Bland, and that’s definitely a problem with me, not him. If only Ruby wasn’t drunk as hell and all over her own fiancé tonight. I could really use her wisdom in this situation. Chelsea is great, but not one for a life advice.

  The issue is Brad isn’t bland at all. He lights up any room he walks into. He has a hidden charisma that only comes out when you really get to know a piece of him. He’s like an onion who’s layers I need to keep peeling back, and I did a little bit. He opened up to me about his parents and made it feel okay for me to do the same thing. We shared a lot of jokes and inside fun. We understood one another in a way that I don’t think anyone else would. I won’t be able to pursue anything without that sort of connection again.

  Plus, it doesn’t matter how much I let loose tonight and throw caution to the wind, I am never going to be the girl who has sex with one guy and chats with another the same night.

  “Nah, I don’t think so.” I turn back t
o Chelsea and smile. “I just want to hang out with the girls tonight. I’ve been so busy with my new job so it’s nice to blow off some steam.”

  “Ooh yeah, I keep forgetting you’re the one of us who has found instant success, of course.”

  “Why of course?” I ask her curiously.

  “Because you’re the one with ambition and determination, duh.” She rolls her eyes dramatically. “So, how is the new job? Ooh, are there any cute guys there?”

  You have no idea! I think, but I don’t say that aloud. This night club, while we’re celebrating her engagement, is not the time or place for this conversation. I don’t even know if I want to talk about Brad at all. At least not until I have my head wrapped around it all. Having alcohol in my system doesn’t help my mixed up head at all.

  “Come on, you love this song.” I tug on her arm and avert my eyes. I don’t want her to see how confused I am. A little hurt too, and I can’t quite work out why. I never knew that my feelings after sex could be so complicated. “Let’s go and dance! Don’t forget, bridezilla, tonight is all about you!”

  Thank goodness that is enough to distract her. Now, I can just drink and dance my confusion away.

  Chapter Eight

  Brad

  “What is going on with you?” Nelson demands, turning on his sun lounger to stare at me. “The sun is out, you’re having a nice beer with your favorite brother, what more could you want?”

  I can’t help but laugh at that. “Who says you’re my favorite brother? Huh? Out of five…”

  “Because I’m the youngest. The baby. Of course I’m your favorite. Plus, I’m the one in the house most.”