A Mess of a Man (Cruel & Beautiful #2)(17)

When we arrive at my place, he opens my door, and helps me out. As we walk to my front door, he asks, “So, I hope this dinner didn’t scare you off any future dates with me.”

“Well, now that you mention it…”

His brows hit his hairline and I can’t hold my serious expression any longer.

“I’m only kidding.”

“Thank God.” He exaggerates relief. “How about dinner on Friday, then?”

Ugh. Friday! I’m supposed to go out with Trevor. Damn it!

“I can’t do Friday, but Saturday works.”

His lips purse. “You are the busy one, aren’t you?”

I add with a smirk, “I won’t deny it.”

Suddenly he pulls me into his arms and says, “Thank you for tonight. I owe you and I always pay my debts, Samantha.” Then he kisses my cheek and as if he can sense my disappointment his lips land on mine. They are the perfect mix of firm and gentle, and just when I think he’s going to push through the seam and deepen the kiss, he does the exact opposite. He releases me, steps back, and says, “Sweet dreams. I’ll call you during the week.” I watch as he walks back to the car, greatly disappointed that’s all he left me with.





Kissing Samantha should have been a prelude to asking her to come home with me. Thanks to Mom and the Sadlers, I couldn’t ask without looking like a complete douche. They’d brought up Karen. And Mom and I will have another talk later about boundaries and sharing her wedding dreams with potential clients.

The four walls close in on me as I realize I can’t call Drew and complain about my parents. I can’t tell him about the woman I met that could be what Cate was to him. That thought stops me. No f*cking way. I don’t want a woman in that way. I like my space. Still, shucking off thoughts of Drew, I’m left with images of Samantha. I end up jerking one off in the shower as visions of soft curves and honey brown waves that fall halfway down her back flood my mind. She has one hell of a rack too. When I’d pulled her in for a kiss, they pressed against my chest waking my cock to life.

The next several days at work are brutal. One of the admins has a vicious cough that scares the shit out of me. It’s June and there is no reason for her to have a cold.

“You should get that checked out,” I complain.

“It’s just allergies. I swear they get worse every year.”

She coughs again and I hear something rattle in her chest. I stand. “I’m ordering you to take the rest of the day off. Go see your doctor. Better safe than sorry.”

My growling tone sends her out of my tiny office with wide eyes. Fuck, it’s just allergies like she said, not lung cancer, you douche.

Jeff comes in my open door and I wished I’d closed it.

“What the hell did you say to her?”

He’s not my boss. “She’s sick spewing all her germs all over the office. She needs to go home. I can’t afford to get sick.”

That last part is true. The rest I said to save face. Jeff leaves shaking his head and I get back to work. The Sadlers want a five-year plan of how we can invest their money to get them the greatest return. The husband is more conservative than the wife. She, however, is the one with the family money. We are competing with one of the big nationwide firms. I have to prove that going local and having a relationship is better than calling and talking to a nameless person anytime they need to discuss their accounts.

“How’s it going?”

My sleeves are rolled up because I’ve been at it all day. I glance up from my desk and see Dad in my doorway.

“Good. I think I have the right mix,” I say confidently.

“Can you present it to me in the conference room?”

I nod. “Give me five.”

An hour later, I leave with my father’s approval. Jeff and Mark are waiting for me in my office.

“You look like you need a drink,” Jeff says.

“Or get laid? What happened to Karen?” Mark asks.

I grab my jacket. “Let’s get a drink.” I avoid the Karen question.

Somehow she’d wormed her way into my life and acted like a girlfriend. How had I let that happen?

“You guys going out?”

We turn and find several of our female co-workers standing around. Jeff is quick to answer. “Yeah, sure.”

We walk to a bar not too far from the office. Jeff is not very discriminating and spends most of his time hitting on anything that moves. His taste is female; shape and size don’t matter.

“I think I’m going to head home.” I’ve had several drinks and although I’m not drunk, I do feel a slight buzz.

“Wait, Lisa is into you, man. I’m telling you she’s a sure thing.”

Lisa is cute and the one who asked to come along. “I don’t screw women I work with.” I’m firm on that. The last thing I need is for some female to be pissed and be able to show me her displeasure every day.

I wave everyone goodbye and see Lisa poke her lip out. My dick needs service, but I’m not that desperate.

When I make it home, I have a visitor waiting.

“Karen,” I say.

“Ben. I think I left my earrings here.”

I sigh, not wanting to be a prick. “Okay.”

She doesn’t bring up the hundred and one text messages she’s sent over the past week and neither do I. I unlock the door and almost put my keys in the bowl when I shove them in my pocket instead.