BethanyI'm coming to dinner at dad's tonight. Be there. No lies between us. No drama from you. No complaining when I give you exactly what you want.The drive home was torturous. Bethany held her phone in a shaky hand, her desire to text him back almost consuming her. What would she say? How did she respond to that?I don't want anything from you? Lies.What did she want exactly? A fling? Hot sex on the balcony to sate her lack of attention and attraction from other men for the last few years? She sighed heavily, pulling into the driveway of the mammoth-sized house her soon-to-be stepfather lived in. She turned the car off and sat in silence for a minute, her nerves pulsating along the surface of her skin.If he played it off as a joke, things could return to normal, and she would just never mention seeing him in his office with the blonde. She could keep her mouth shut. Her eyes closed as she dropped her head back, the phone tight in her grip."How do I always get myself into this s
Bethany"Did you enjoy watching me this afternoon?" He reached out and pulled her toward him, his hand a vise grip on her waist. He pressed her to the wall of the house, one hand sliding down over her hip and around to the top curve of her rear as his other hand slid along her jaw, pulling her to look up at him as he shifted his hips, his body tucked into hers from the waist down. She closed her eyes and groaned softly, her body betraying her."Did you like it, Beth? Was that you under the desk? You with your beautiful mouth licking and sucking pleasure from me?" He leaned in, lifting her chin slightly as he dragged his nose along the column of her neck."I don't know what you're talking about," she whispered, reaching out and sliding her hands along his waist. Soft panting gave way to embarrassment, warmth coating her neck and cheeks. She had to get out of there. Where was Matt?"Of course you do. I had my eyes closed for most of it, my hand gripping her silky hair, my body reacting
Bethany"So you know we have the Barrington Corp audit committee meeting coming up next week?" Kent turned to Damon, Bethany's eyes on her soon-to-be stepfather as he turned the conversation at dinner from something more casual to business."I do. I've prepared a few things, but I thought we could meet tomorrow morning to discuss the fullness of what you want to be presented." Damon shifted his dark gaze from Kent to Bethany as he lifted his napkin and wiped his mouth. "I'd like to involve Beth if you're okay with that.""Beth?" Kent looked over to Bethany. "Do you go by Beth? I thought you went by Bethany.""I go by either. Most people call me Bethany, but Damon has taken a liking to the nickname I guess." She shrugged, smiling as the rest of the members around the dinner table chuckled."Short and sweet, just like my new sister." Damon lifted his eyebrows in comic challenge."Hey! I'm not short," Bethany grumbled as everyone laughed. Damon had far too many sides to keep up with, and
BethanyThe water was warm, the night sky filled with the brilliance of a million stars. Bethany sank into it, her bathing suit a small bikini, her full-piece lost to her last skinny dipping adventure in college. The sound of a car starting brought a mixture of peace and disappointment. Damon must have left, which was a good thing, and yet...She slipped under the water, her long hair billowing out around her. She twisted, looking up through the blurry liquid to see someone hovering just over the edge of the pool. She pushed against the bottom, moving up and lifting her chin to the sky to force her hair from her face. Wiping her eyes, she opened them in time to see Damon slipping into the water, his bathing suit black and tight.Oh fuck."I thought you left," she whispered, her voice much too sensual for her liking. His smooth chest was lined with muscle, his abs holding all eight curves for perfection. She moved a step back as he sank into the water, a smile on his lips."No, Matthew
BethanyThursday morning came much too fast, and the lack of sleep from a night of tossing and turning left Bethany feeling angry and cheated. She skipped breakfast altogether, not wanting to see anyone or have to hold a conversation of any type. She had a small bonus from joining the firm that should hit her account sometime soon; she was just hoping it was in the bank already. Stopping for a coffee was out until she found time to check her online statement, a soft growl leaving her as she turned off the radio and tried to not focus on the night before. Having Damon out at the house while she was there was a complete no at this point. She wanted him too badly, needed him against her, lost in her.She parked the car and angled the rearview mirror down, frowning at herself. Her makeup looked good, not too heavy but professional. Her hair was up in a loose bun, aging her a few years, which wasn't a bad thing at all."Last night was a fluke, and the fucker is messing with you. Let it go,
BethanyHe was pissed. That much was obvious, but he seemed the type to hide those sorts of emotions. Had none of them turned the tables on him and played back? Was his dating life a quandary of limp robots that simply did as he said, when he said? He leaned over the top of a large glass table, his finger moving along a flow chart as he spoke to her in a monotone voice. She bit her lip to keep from attacking him verbally."They will have the CFO of Barrington give his report, and then I will give ours, you being the one to flip the slides, and Kent will fill in as he sees fit." He glanced up, his eyes filled with dark emotions. "Are you even listening?""Hmmm? No, I'm not." She shrugged and walked to the window, moving the blinds to look out at the cityscape."What do you mean, no? This is important. It's not a simple task. It's a moment to impress Kent and lock yourself into a larger role here at McKenzie and Bryant. Pay attention, or I'll find someone else to do it," he barked at he
BethanyThey sat in the fancy restaurant, Bethany's mind far from anything that might help her future and more attuned to the things that would wreck it. The desire to climb into Damon's seat and drown in the scent of him played through the recess of her mind over and over, her stomach aching from tensing it so many times on the short drive over.The waiter approached, and Bethany lifted her menu, trying to blink the haze away from her eyes. Damon had ahold of her in ways that birthed worry. Years of not having sex or time to find the right guy to share herself with had left her a bit too needy. The show of desire by the relentless man across the table from her had destroyed her resolve to leave well enough alone. It would take the attention of someone else to get her mind off of him. Maybe Philip was a good idea. He was cute and safe, attractive and seemed to like her already."Bethany, what are you having to drink?" Kent's voice tugged her from her thoughts."Oh sorry. Water and a g
BethanyBethany sat in her office, flipping through the files for the meeting, her mind wandering back to each and every encounter with her handsome stepbrother."Soon-to-be stepbrother," she mumbled and leaned back in her chair, turning to face the window behind her. She was turning into a nymph. All she’d thought about the last few days was Damon—and even more so, sex with him. Did she have real feelings, or was it just lust? Just the demanding need to feel something as sweet as ecstasy?"Hey, Bethany. How's it going?"She turned and stood up, brushing her skirt to remove the cracker crumbs from her latest snack. She smiled at Ben and moved around her desk, crossing her arms over her chest."It's going. How about you?""Great. I'm looking forward to our event tonight. I swear we all live for Thursday nights instead of Fridays just because of getting out together. The group has started to gel. I think you're just going to be a great add to that.""Yeah, well, Damon's been giving off