“No, of course not. Plus, you have me. I’m the best manager of all time.”

  “Yeah, well maybe it’s time I start expanding my horizons a bit, don’t you think? Try something new.”

  Josh is silent for a while. He has a thoughtful look on his face as the neon lights flicker across his skin. I wonder what’s going on inside his mind, but I’m too afraid to ask. I don’t want him to tell me something I might not like.

  “You know, I’m sorry for what I said to Jodi. That was a dick move on my behalf.”

  “It isn’t really me you need to apologize to, but next time, talk to me. I’d rather hear it myself.”

  “Yeah, I know.” He hangs his head low. “I won’t do it again. I was just trying to protect you.”

  “Well, there might be millions of things I need protection from, but Jodi isn’t one of them.”

  Somehow, he still manages to not look quite convinced. “I hope you’re right about that one.”

  “I’m not arguing with you about it anymore. I have to get back upstairs. I have lots of work to do.”

  “Oh yeah, Jodi awaits. I suppose you can’t leave her waiting too long.”

  I pat him on the arm and smirk. “That’s right, and I’m going to ask her to see my mother with me.”

  “Your mom? You’re introducing her to your mom? There’s no way you’re that serious about her.”

  “I am, actually. I really am. This is the right thing to do to take us forward.”

  Josh yells after me as I walk off, but I simply flick my hand in the air to silence him. He can think I don’t know what I’m doing all he likes, but I’m certain. It’s been nearly three weeks since we first had sex, and I know enough to keep plowing forward. It’s something we haven’t discussed but I’m sure we both want.

  “Hey,” I say smilingly as I hang around the door to my office. “What are your plans for tonight?”

  “I don’t know. I don’t think I have any particular plans, why?”

  I understand the confusion on her face. We don’t usually do anything date-like. It’s usually more of a fumble in the office, so this is going to be a giant leap forward, but I’m sure it’ll be awesome.

  “Did you want to come to meet my mother with me tonight?”

  “What?” she screeches, shocked. “Are you serious? Meet your mother? That’s insane.”

  I wrap one arm around her waist and pull her in for a gentle kiss, no longer bothering to try to hide us. As far as I’m aware, everyone else knows about us anyway. No one can complain since I’m the damn boss.

  “I know, but she’ll love you, and I think it’s the next step for us, isn’t it?”

  “I actually think the next step would be taking me out on a normal date if we want to be a couple.”

  “But nothing between us is normal, is it?” I laugh, and she joins in. “It’ll be fun. Mom’s going to adore you.”

  “Fun?” She drawls out the word carefully. “Are you sure about that?”

  “I am. Honestly. I’ll tell Mom it isn’t anything for her to get too excited about.”

  “So she won’t start asking me when we’re going to get married and start popping out babies?”

  “After my last marriage, she wouldn’t ever start putting on pressure. Trust me on that one.”

  She pauses for a few moments then nods. “Right, okay. That sounds okay. Meeting your mother.”

  “Yep. Trust me, it’ll be amazing. You’re going to love it. You’ll love her. She’s really great.”

  It’s only when she darts me one last funny look that I wonder how it’ll go. I’m hoping it’ll be as fine as I promised.

  * * *

  “Hey, Mom!” I hold out my arms to embrace her as she invites us inside. “Thank you for having us for dinner.”

  “Oh, well, I hardly ever get to see you these days, you’re so busy with work, so of course I jumped at the opportunity, and when I hear there’s a woman in the picture, well . . .” She looks at Jodi, and I can see the approval there already. “I have to meet the person making Brock smile. He sounded very happy on the phone.”

  “Oh, right.” A pink tinges Jodi’s cheeks, and I can’t stop myself from grinning. God, she’s so adorable as well as being sexy. No wonder I’m falling head over heels for her. “Well, I’m glad. I want him to be happy.”

  “My name is Laura.” Mom shakes Jodi’s hand. “And you’re Jodi? Brock’s personal assistant.”

  “Yep, that’s right. I’m Jodi. I can’t believe Brock told you about my job.”

  “Well, he knows I won’t judge. After what he’s been through, anyone who’s good for him . . .”

  Mom leads us through the house, and Jodi gives me a worried look. I smile back as reassuringly as I can manage. I want to calm her down because I can already tell that my mom loves her.

  “So I don’t need to ask you two how you met—I already know—but what did you do before?”

  “I used to live in New York City, and I worked in the stock exchange before I came to Vegas.”

  “Oh wow, that’s really something. That must have been some seriously hard work.”

  “It was alright. Hard in some ways, yes. But there were parts of it that I really loved.”

  “A pretty girl like you working among so many men? I can imagine that was trouble.”

  Jodi stiffens, her spine completely freezes over, and I’m reminded of the stalking incident. I haven’t forgotten, but since she hasn’t wanted to talk about it, I’ve pushed it to one side. Now, though, it’s all I can think of.

  “Mom, this isn’t the sixties, you know,” I shoot back sharply, covering her ass. “Men can’t behave like that.”

  “You mean they shouldn’t. I have no doubt that they do. Unwanted advances are an unfortunate part of life.”

  “That isn’t what happened between us, you know? I don’t know what you’re suggesting here.”

  “You don’t have to be so defensive. I already know that. I’m just saying—”

  “Well, don’t. Let’s talk about something else instead. Something more appropriate.”

  Mom rolls her eyes and turns away from me. Luckily, she’s used to my sharp temper, so she doesn’t take anything from it. I’m nothing like I used to be, but I haven’t always reacted well to stress. I can be a bit of a hothead. Act first and think later. I would like to say that’s behind me, but it isn’t quite.

  “Well, I’m cooking lasagna for dinner. Nothing fancy, but I hope that’s okay.”

  “Yeah, that’s fine by me.” Jodi smiles thinly, the tension still evident in her face. “Sounds lovely.”

  “Sounds great, Mom. Thank you. I appreciate it.”

  “Why don’t you take a seat in the dining room? I’ll get everything ready for you. It’s nearly cooked anyway. Then I can find out some more about the very lovely Jodi. Who’s much more pleasant than you, by the way.”

  “Thanks, Mom. That’s totally awesome of you. Do you want help with the drinks?”

  I don’t wait for her to answer. Instead, I set about helping her, grabbing glasses and preparing the drinks. Mom and Jodi do the whole small talk thing, questions that don’t teeter into the danger zone, which is good. It allows me to easily relax. I didn’t realize how troublesome this would be. I should have thought in advance since Mom is quite nosy. But I’m sure Jodi will handle it well from here on out.

  She’s still the kick-ass girl from the interview, the woman who caught me in her web with her sass, but there’s a vulnerability there too, and it makes me want to protect her. I want to be her knight in shining armor.

  I shoot her a look out the side of my eye, smiling as she relaxes into the conversation too. Despite what I promised Jodi, I don’t know if Mom will be able to resist bringing up marriage and babies. She’ll want to lock Jodi down, a bit like I do. She’ll definitely be bugging me about it later on.

  8

  Jodi

  “Your mother is an amazing woman,” I say as I lean against the car window watching the strip go by. “She’s so inspiring. Bringing you up all on her own while holding down two jobs . . . incredible.”

  “Yeah, well that’s why I wanted to do something with my life, to pay her back.”

  “Well, you did a really good job. I take it that isn’t the house you grew up in?”

  “No. It was so much smaller than that. It was nice, but Mom deserved more.”

  “You really are a nice guy, aren’t you? I mean, I know you are, but you really are.”

  He turns to give me a smile before fixing his eyes back on the road again. “I suppose so.”

  “Well, I think I’ve learned a lot about you. I’m glad I got to meet your mom. Thank you for taking me.”

  “That’s okay. Thank you for coming. It was awesome to have you. And she loves you.”

  That makes me feel good. It’s nice to know his mom took well to me. That came out of nowhere. It hit me by surprise, but in a good way. Brock doesn’t seem to do things in a normal way, which is okay. It leaves me off kilter, perched on the tips of my toes, but it’s okay. I don’t mind too much. It’s exciting.

  “Do you want to come and see my place? Or is that a bit forward of me to ask?”

  “I don’t think anything is too forward at this point, do you?”

  “Is that a yes?” My breath catches in my throat as I nod, unable to form any words. “Okay, great.”

  The car fills with the thick sexual tension I’m extremely accustomed to these days. I already know where tonight will lead, but it feels very different. Everything about today isn’t the same, but that’s because we’re taking it out of the office and turning it into something new. It’s always been more than a sordid fling, but this is another level. He’s inviting me in, letting me see his life, peeling back another layer.

  He’s giving me way more than I’m giving him, but he seems to understand and is giving me time and space. It makes my heart swell with gratitude and emotion. I’m reminded again that I’m still falling for him.

  “Okay, this is my place. At least, it is behind those gates. Hold on, I just need to open them.”

  “Whoa . . .” This blows my mind. I barely know what to say. It’s the opposite end of the scale to my tiny, bare white home. It’s grand, massive, luxurious. “That is—”

  “Yeah, it’s a bit ostentatious, I know that, but I fell in love with it at the time.”

  “No, I’m not saying . . . It’s nice, it’s really nice. I like it a lot. It’s . . . it’s just . . .”

  “A bit big for one person, I know that much. But I’ve fallen for it now, so I’m staying.”

  “I don’t blame you. It’s lovely.” I dart my eyes everywhere, trying to see it all. “I love it.”

  He pulls his car up at the edge of his driveway and scurries out of his side to open the door to let me out. I step out feeling more like a princess than just a personal assistant who’s been through the strangest day ever. I half want to message Millie, just to let her know what I’m doing, but of course, she doesn’t like this.

  I should take that on board, let it influence my decision, but as Brock slides his fingers into mine, I can’t. He feels so good clinging to me, his touch sending a jolt of electricity racing through me.

  “Wow, this really is a nice place.” I can’t stop gushing as we get inside. “Are you going to give me a tour?”

  “Of course I am. If that’s what you want. I don’t know how interesting it will be.”

  But I find it fascinating as he takes me from room to room, showing me more of him. I learn that he has an old baseball card collection that he started when he was a kid, lots of old records because he prefers the sound of vinyl to digital music, that he seems to like the blues and greens of the ocean since his place is decorated like it.

  “And this is your bedroom?” Nerves dart through me as I wander into his room. Not that he’ll be able to tell. “It’s very nice. I bet these walls could tell a million stories, am I right?”

  “Actually, not really. I don’t ever bring women back here. You’re the first.”

  That strikes me hard. Everything I thought about Brock when I first met him was wrong. He might have been the player, but he’s not quite as sexually ruthless as I thought him to be. “I’m the first?”

  “You sure are.” He walks closer to me, closing the gap. “And you’re worth the wait.”

  I really feel it in that moment. Strong, powerful, worthwhile. As he grabs me up in a tight hug, everything inside of me reacts violently. The butterflies become the size of eagles, the dizziness is all-consuming, almost as if I’d drunk more than a couple of glasses of wine at Brock’s mother’s house, and my legs become jelly.

  “You were so wonderful tonight, honestly. My mother loves you. You were perfect.”

  “Well, you’re perfect all the time, so I guess it’s my time to repay you.”

  He dips his head down and kisses me hard, blowing me out the water. My mouth tingles, my faces heats up, and desire pools at the bottom of my stomach. I rise up onto my tiptoes, deepening the kiss, giving more of myself to him. I might not be able to give him my mind and my words, but I can give him my body.

  “Are you going to let me be the one to christen your bed then?” I ask cheekily. “Or is that not allowed?”

  He scoops me up as if I weigh nothing, and he tosses me back onto his bed. I giggle loudly as my dress bunches up around my waist, revealing the length of my very naked legs to him.

  “God, you look beautiful there,” he growls. “You belong in that bed, I’m telling you.”

  He grazes his hands up my sides, slowly dragging up my dress as he goes. I rise myself up just enough for him to slip the dress all the way over my head. Sweat tickles all over my skin, glistening in the moonlight. He darts his head down every so often to lick some of it up as if he wants to taste every bit of me.

  I reach my hands behind my back and unhook my bra, allowing my breasts to spring free. Brock takes the hint, and he places one between his lips, licking and sucking until my back arches and I push further into his mouth. At one point, his teeth graze across me, which shocks me, but it isn’t a bad shock. I kinda like it. The weird pain combined with the overwhelming sensations of pleasure is almost too much. I nearly lose my mind.

  “Oh fuck, Brock, that feels so good. Fucking hell, you’re making me wild . . .”

  I knot my fingers up in his hair as he slowly kisses down my torso, my hip bones, the tops of my thighs . . . until his lips graze of the cotton of my panties. He inhales deeply while rubbing his nose over my clit.

  “Your scent is intoxicating,” he tells me quietly, his voice vibrating against my core. “I need a taste.”

  He hooks his fingers over the top of my panties and yanks them down in a rapid movement. I’ll probably have friction burn there tomorrow, but I don’t care. I need that material gone as well.

  I suck in a breath, unable to let it out while the heat of his tongue connects with me. He drags it along the length of my soaking wet slit, vibrating it side to side just to make me nuts.

  “Oh my God, Brock, that’s . . . it’s . . . I’m . . .”

  I can’t finish my sentence. My lungs are all but deflated. Brock finds my clit, and he circles it rapidly, relentlessly, twisting me all up in knots. I grip the strands of hair I can get hold of to tug every single time it feels good . . . and my God, it feels good. It’s an onslaught of burning bliss that I never want to leave.

  I push him away as the pleasure gets to be too much but then yank him back again. I don’t want this to end, even if he’s sending me to the edge far too quickly. The hot pressure builds, curling my toes. My legs flatten out, and my spine straightens across the bed. Brock moves faster, better, crazier, until . . .

  “Oh fuck, Brock. Brock, Brock.” I can’t stop screaming his name over and over again. “Fuck, Brock.”

  I tumble willingly into the abyss of pleasure, my body crumbling and my bones shattering as I go. I lose myself to the stars, experiencing a stampede of sensations. The orgasm hits me like a tsunami, crashing through me in waves. As I buckle and cling to him, it feels like it will never end, and I don’t want it to.

  Brock rips his tongue away from me, leaving me cold and alone the moment the pleasure subsides, but it’s only for a second. He slams that wonderful cock into me only moments later, somehow managing to prolong the pleasure for a few moments longer. I thought it was done, but it continues to crash through me.

  I cling tighter to him, digging my nails into his skin as he bucks harder. While my head swims and I let myself go, I know for sure I like him more than I should. I’m falling, I might even . . .

  “Shit, Jodi!” Luckily, he grunts loudly as the pleasure gets to him, stopping me from that line of thinking. Thank goodness. I don’t want to admit to myself how much I like him. It scares me. “Oh God . . .”

  We collapse next to one another on his blue sheets, panting desperately. Brock reaches out to me, and he drags me to him, pressing me against his body. He’s too clothed for my liking. He didn’t seem to have time to undress himself as he was so keen to get things going, so I prop myself up and slowly undress him now, running my hands over his gorgeous muscles as I go. He’s so strong, so powerful, so sexy.

  “You are staying the night, aren’t you?” he asks me breathily.

  “I will if you want me to.”

  He pulls me on top of him and rests my forehead against his so we’re staring into one another’s eyes. I can see the intense shift between us, everything changing, and I like it. I don’t know if Brock came into my life at exactly the right moment, just when I was ready to open up to someone properly again, or if it’s just him. He’s special, and he makes me want to give myself over to him.

  Either way, it feels fantastic. I want to cling to this sensation and never let it go.

  “I’m not done with you yet anyway,” he growls, gripping onto my butt tightly. “I want to spend the rest of the night making you come like that, because that was fantastic.”