How to Resist Prince Charming(7)

Lenna blinked. “What can?”

“Younger siblings. I remember when I first moved out, both of mine seemed to think my place was their second home.”

“Oh, my God.” Lenna brightened as she squeezed his arm. “I know exactly what you mean. My brother, Aaron—he’s in high school—he keeps begging to have his friends over for a party in my apartment.”

Braxton laughed. “What a coincidence. My brother, Tyler, actually did that a year ago, without asking.”

Her jaw dropped as she gasped. “You’re kidding.”

He shook his head. “Nope. I came home from work late one night to find two dozen complete strangers—all underage college kids—just milling around my house like they owned the place.”

Eyes wide as she listened, Lenna seemed entranced by his every word. “What’d you do?”

Shrugging, Braxton’s eyes glittered with mirth as he said, “I made myself a margarita and joined the fun.”

When Lenna blinked, he realized she thought he was serious. He laughed. “I kicked them out,” he relented. “Told them the cops were on their way.” He shook his head at the memory. “I swear, I’ve never seen anyone move so fast. And they didn’t even leave any good liquor behind.”

Lenna rolled her eyes, but she continued to grin at him as she nudged his sleeve with a playful shove. “And your brother? What’d you do to him?”

Okay, that was two shoulder touches in less than five minutes. If she went for a third, he’d be down for the count.

“Well, I debated whether or not I should beat him to a pulp,” he managed to say, though he couldn’t take his eyes off her hand, hoping those delicious little fingers would land on his knee—or God, his thigh—next. “But then I thought the sweeter revenge would just be to call Mom and Dad. So, I did that instead.”

When the dimple at the corner of her mouth appeared, Braxton thought he was lost. Damn, he liked Lenna Davenport. She was exhilarating.

Talking to her was more euphoric than biking a steep mountain and standing at the top to look down at what he’d accomplished.

He could only imagine what sex with her would be like. And imagine he did. Her hair would have to come down first, so he could watch it tumble over her shoulders. Then the dress. He’d unzip it slowly to build the tension, maybe even kiss each inch of skin he revealed. Once the silver material pooled around her feet, he’d—

Lenna seemed to realize his stare had changed from friendly to interested. She blushed and glanced away, taking another restless drink.

Braxton expected her to excuse herself and search out her father, but he was delightfully surprised when she turned back to him. “So, that was a year ago?”

He nodded.

“You worked somewhere else before you came to Farris Industries then?”

Braxton’s brows scrunched together. “Well... yeah.”

He’d only been at Farris three weeks. What exactly did she think he’d been doing in the past two years since he’d graduated from college?

Her blush deepened as if she’d just realized her faux pas. “I’m sorry,” she quickly apologized, lifting her hands as if to wave away her mistake. “It’s just that my dad...I mean...It’s nothing. I’m really sorry.”

Jesus, Tom must’ve been complaining about his dear boss at home too, to his entire family.

Clearing his throat, Braxton said, “Well, I’m sure the way your dad tells it, my father yanked me straight from the cradle and plopped me in the president’s seat.”

Lenna lowered her eyes and watched her fingers fidget.

He winced. Shit. He shouldn’t have said that.

Her father was not up for discussion. Why did he keep bringing Tom up?

There was no way she’d touch him again now.

“Actually,” he said, once again trying a new track in the vain hope of keeping the conversation afloat, “I’m kind of an IT computer geek.” Oh, yeah, that really made him out to be the ultimate alpha male. God. “The only reason I got a BBA was so I could major in Computer Science for a systems programming degree.” There, that sounded marginally better. Not.

She lifted her eyes. When he saw the interested expression on her face, a knot loosened in his chest.

“So, what did you do before you, ah, came to Farris?”

“Well...” he drew out, taking in a long breath before he started. “It took me over a year after I graduated to find the job I wanted.”

“Really?” Her eyes lit with excitement. Then her shoulders relaxed and she set a hand over her heart. “A whole year? That makes me feel so much better.”

Braxton paused and gave her an odd smile. “Just a guess here, but are you having trouble finding a job?”

“It’s been seven months!” she growled.

Unable to stop himself, Braxton grinned. “What was your major?”

“Communications. With an emphasis in Public Relations.”

“Ah,” he murmured. “That would explain your eloquent speech.”

Lenna wrinkled her nose. He wanted to close his eyes and slap a hand to his forehead for such a lame observation.

“Umm. Thanks,” she finally answered.

“So,” he said, more than ready to move past his mortifying comment. “What exactly do you want to do with your communications degree?”