irrelevant (and sometimes questionable) ramblings

Copyright Kris Starr 2007

Readers under the age of 18 are requested to leave this page immediately

Chapter Two

‘Complicated’ couldn’t even begin to describe it. Brett sat back in his desk chair, relieved to be in the privacy of his own office.

Oh, holy hell.

Tessa. In the flesh.

Brett swallowed, hard, and used his computer mouse to scroll down through the email message that he definitely wasn’t supposed to receive. At each successive, full-color image, his cock hardened further, until it seemed he just might combust in his slacks.

Belatedly, Brett knew he shouldn’t have opened the email message, but how was he to know what it had contained? Tessa sent him emails on practically an hourly basis—but usually they contained completely business-related information, delivered in a polite, businesslike tone.

Glancing up at the message header, he read the innocuous-sounding subject line—“For your perusal”—and he spotted his own email address—btaylor@LakewoodCross.com—but also Richard’s address—richardtaylor@internet.com. This was obviously a result of the server issues JD had been talking about, but damn, if there were going to be mistakes, Brett was glad they were like this one. Somehow, even though he knew he should be feeling guilty, he wasn’t. Not really, anyway.

And he’d been right, Brett thought somewhat dazedly, Tessa was definitely a black lace kind of girl. Sprawled atop an unfamiliar bed, Tessa pouted erotically for the camera, hands grasping barely-covered breasts, and legs splayed in a seductive pose that left him curious and anxious to see more.

Suddenly sweating, Brett picked up his phone and dialed D’arcy’s desk.

“Yeah, boss?” his admin chirped.

“D’arcy—” he cleared his throat, his voice uncooperative “—hold my calls for the time being, okay? I don’t want to be disturbed.”

“Sure. Let me know when you’re available.”

“Will do. Thanks.” Brett disconnected the call and fumbled with the handset, unwilling to move his gaze from the monitor in front of him long enough to put the receiver back in its place.

Distracted beyond rational thought, Brett traced Tessa’s virtual form with his eyes, stroking her smooth, silky-looking skin, fascinated by the shocking red ‘O’ of her lips.

He wanted those lips around his cock.

Trembling slightly, Brett scrolled farther down through the message to the last photograph attached.

Jesus fucking Christ.

It was apparent that in taking the pictures Tessa had turned herself on, because in this slightly blurry image her panties were gone, and one hand had slipped between her legs. She lay sideways across the bed, and he caught a glimpse of something bright pink. The breath stuttered out of his lungs.

The fact that she was fucking herself with some sort of sex toy nearly sent Brett over the edge. Uncomfortably, he bolted up out of his desk chair, and crossed to the door of his office, turning the deadbolt with an abrupt click. Heading back to his seat, he unbuckled his belt, popping the button and zipper of his slacks with fumbling fingers. Taking a moment, he yanked open the top drawer of his desk, grabbed a remote control, and pointed it toward the mini stereo on the bookshelf across the room. Suddenly, the crashing drumbeat and screaming guitar chords of some heavy metal tune filled the air, his pulse instantly matching the rhythm.

Leaning back in his chair, Brett reached into his boxers and pulled out his cock, marveling at how impossibly hard he’d become. Shaking his head slightly, he began stroking himself, rubbing his thumb in the precome at his tip.

Closing his eyes for a moment, Brett pictured himself behind the camera, watching Tess writhe in unbridled ecstasy, imagining the soft squeals and moans she would make.

No, he thought with a short gasp, she wouldn’t be quiet by any stretch of the imagination. Tess would be a vocal one, he was willing to bet any amount of money on it.

Taking another quick glance at the image, Brett pictured himself joining her on the bed, taking her battery-operated toy and using it on her, allowing her to fondle both breasts equally.

A jumbled montage of images flashed through his head of every position he wanted to try with her, and his balls tightened. Quickening his stroke, he imagined tasting her, licking her clit, then fucking her hard and fast, listening to her cry out his name.

Pawing at the box of tissues on his desk, Brett barely managed to hold a couple in place before he shuddered and shot his come into them.

Groaning, he collapsed back in his chair, relaxing all the muscles he’d tensed.

Jesus, this woman was going to be the death of him. There was no doubt about it.

Taking deep breaths, Brett scrolled back up through the photographs to the written message. He re-read the note, pushing away the twinge of guilt.

Richard,

Here are the photos you asked for. I hope you like them. By the way, I’m going back to WSC soon to officially start treatment. It’s a good thing you’ll be home shortly… then maybe we can try this the old-fashioned way.

Kisses,

Tessa

WSC? Did that mean the fertility clinic? Brett frowned. How long had that been going on? Thank God he hadn’t bumped into her. He wasn’t ashamed of going there, but it was just one of those things that was easier left private.

His brain made another connection, and Brett’s post-orgasm euphoria dissipated. Damn. Not only was Tessa seeing Richard, but they were obviously trying to have a baby. That made her doubly off-limits. There was no way in hell he could even remotely entertain the idea of sex with her after learning that. Impossible.

Cleaning himself up, he rearranged his clothing and crossed the office to his private washroom, flushing the evidence away. On his way back to his desk, he turned the stereo down several notches, and swung by the door to flip open the lock.

Settling himself in his chair once again, he resolved to stop with the Tessa fantasies. They were fruitless, so what was the point?

He moved the mouse over the Delete button, but hesitated for a moment, then clicked instead on Save Attachments.

Maybe he wasn’t ever going to have sex with Tessa, but that didn’t mean he had to get rid of the photos, did it?

Reluctantly, he turned his attention back to the report he’d been reviewing before he’d opened Tessa’s email, but the soft chime notifying him of a new message brought him back to his Inbox. Scanning the text, he frowned, then cursed softly.

Loyalty be damned. Richard deserved everything he got.

* * * * *

The photos were gone.

Satisfied that the incriminating evidence had been completely removed from her computer, Tessa turned back to the spreadsheet she’d been studying, and bit her lip. There was a discrepancy here. Not huge, but sizeable. A knot formed deep in her stomach.

If she was right, money was missing.

And the worst part of it all was it looked like Brett had taken it.

Running her finger down the column of transaction codes again, Tessa compared the questionable entries to the matching list she’d gotten from Kelly Winston earlier in the day.

Accessing the company’s secure database, Tessa pulled up the file containing the previous quarters’ financials. Selecting the last spreadsheet, she opened it and quickly skimmed the contents. Something wasn’t right here, either.

And again, it was Brett’s transaction code.

Tessa gripped the edge of her desktop with her fingertips, her knuckles turning white with the strain. Now the question became, to whom did she speak first? Richard? Or Brett?

Glancing at her desk clock, she was surprised to see it was already almost seven o’clock. That meant it was already very late in Prague.

Tessa exhaled, suddenly nervous. Brett it was, then. Logging off her computer, Tessa gathered her coat and briefcase. She could swing by Brett’s office, and if he hadn’t already left, she could bring the discrepancies to his attention.

Pausing before her wall mirror, Tessa ran a hand over her hair, still sleek in its twist, then pulled a lipstick tube out of her coat pocket. It wasn’t until she’d slicked the tint onto her lower lip that she noticed her hand trembling.

Lowering the tube, she met her own gaze in the mirror.

“And just what do you think you’re doing?” Tessa muttered softly to herself. “Primping for Brett? Are you insane? And now you’ve got to finish, or you’ll be lopsided.”

Her reflection glared back from the glass, cheeks pink with the heat that instantly flamed through her.

Raising the pigment to her mouth, Tessa added color to her top lip. Ignoring her trembling legs, she turned off the light and stepped into the hallway.

Suddenly, the office seemed too quiet. Funny how she’d left late in the day on countless prior occasions without noticing, yet now the silence reminded her that she was very much alone. Possibly with Brett.

She’d always assumed he’d flown the coop immediately at five, or possibly even earlier. It had never occurred to her that he might have been in his office after hours, too.

So many missed opportunities.

Tessa faltered slightly. Where the hell had that thought come from? Frowning, she continued down the hall. She hadn’t missed any opportunities, she reminded herself firmly, because there weren’t any opportunities to be had. End of story.

The door to Brett’s office was ajar, and the room appeared dark. Tessa rapped gently with her knuckles and pushed the door inward.

He wasn’t there.

The lamps and computer were all extinguished, the only glow in the room coming from the lights of Manhattan below shining in the floor-to-ceiling windows. Aware that it was a really bad idea but unable to stop herself, Tessa stepped beyond the threshold and crossed the room to the tempered glass, detouring only to deposit her coat and briefcase on one of his high-backed visitor’s chairs.

Almost pressing her nose to the window, Tessa stared out over the city for a moment, enjoying the view. A narrow ledge horizontally divided the panes of glass, and Tessa rested her palms on its edge. She took a deep breath. Brett’s office even smelled like him, like he’d stamped his signature on the room, claiming it as his own. The scent made her knees weak. It was almost like being surrounded by him, and Tessa closed her eyes, wondering what it would be like to have her skin smell like him, to have that same signature on her. She sighed softly, giving herself permission to dwell in the fantasy for just a moment. She took another breath and the scent seemed stronger, as though her senses were heightened by just being in Brett’s office.

“It’s beautiful, isn’t it?” The voice murmured behind her ear, low and intimate. “Especially this time of day, when the city becomes dark and mysterious.”

Tessa started, her breath catching in her throat at Brett’s nearness. His dark cologne assailed her senses, and she found herself unable to answer. Popping her eyes open, she saw his silhouette reflected in the window. Dammit, the man was slick. She hadn’t even heard him come in.

“Up here, we’re apart from the rest of the world, aren’t we, Tess?” Brett continued, seemingly unconcerned at her lack of response. “Surrounded by humanity, yet untouchable. A little bit like you, hm?”

“I—I don’t know what you mean, Brett.” Inwardly, Tessa cursed the breathiness of her voice, the obvious arousal that even she could hear. A wave of frustration washed over her. What was it about this man that threw her off-kilter, other than the blatantly obvious need for him between her thighs?

Goosebumps appeared on her arms as she sensed, rather than saw, Brett moving closer. Heat radiated from him, vibrating, pulsing, and even though he wasn’t actually touching her, Tessa felt as though his body was pressed against every inch of hers. The skin on her neck tingled just below where she knew his lips hovered.

Brett didn’t respond to her comment. “What is it about you, Tessa McCormack? Why do you hold yourself apart? What’s hidden underneath all those layers?” Need rolled off him, almost as tangible as his aftershave, and she shivered. A trickle of moisture dampened her panties, and Tessa bit back a groan. He hadn’t even touched her yet, and she was wet and ready for him.

“I— Nothing, Brett. What you see is what you get with me.” The words came out as a whisper, and Tessa cleared her throat. His appearance had seemingly sucked all of the oxygen out of the room, and Tessa feared for a moment that she might faint.

And wouldn’t that be attractive?

“We both know that’s not entirely true.” Brett’s breath was a steamy caress on her skin, and Tessa’s eyelids involuntarily fluttered shut. “There’s definitely more to you than meets the eye. What secrets are you trying so desperately to keep?”

A flash of panic gripped her, and she froze. But, she reminded herself quickly, Brett didn’t know. Couldn’t. Banishing those concerns, she told herself to relax, and forced out a soft laugh. If anyone around here was guilty of keeping secrets, it was very possibly him. And before she completely lost all her sense, now was the time to see if he’d rise to the bait.

“Nothing worse than what you’re hiding, Brett.”

He growled softly, his lips a hairsbreadth away from her earlobe. “Now why would you think I’m hiding something?”

The sudden ache between Tessa’s thighs intensified tenfold, and the metal window ledge bit painfully into the palms of her hands. She knew with crystal clarity that pushing her hips backward even less than an inch would put her in contact with Brett’s cock, and she pulled in a stuttered breath. While she’d never been submissive in her relationships—in fact, Tessa had almost always called the shots—she was struck with overwhelming sensation that if he asked her, she would do just that. Do anything Brett wanted.

She trembled.

His hands appeared on the ledge, on either side of hers. The warmth of his body assaulted her, the places on her body where his clothing brushed against her prickled.

“Besides,” he continued, “this is no secret, now is it?” His lips grazed the side of her neck, the feathery contact sending a shooting spark of intense pleasure into all of Tessa’s extremities by way of her breasts and pussy.

With a strange feeling of rightness, of inevitability, Tessa’s universe was altered, and her pulse jumped.

Oh, hell.

Wildly, Tessa realized that not only did she not want to push Brett away, she wanted him to kiss her again. All over. Repeatedly. She wanted to tease and tempt him, drive him wild with wanting her, in the way only she knew how. A soft moan escaped her lips.

Brett’s breathing had quickened, and Tessa could feel the tension in him, the iron-willed control.

“I don’t know what it is you do to me, Tess,” he rumbled. “And I know this is so very wrong, but you’re driving me crazy.”

One of Brett’s hands left its spot on the ledge and landed on her upper thigh. The contact was electric, and Tessa squirmed slightly under his touch. Brett’s fingers tightened in the wool of her skirt, and desperately, Tessa found herself praying that he’d push the fabric up over her hips—push the fabric up and bare her ass to the cool office air. Let him see the lace thong she was wearing, let the heat of his palms burn her skin.

Let him slowly slide his long fingers under the strip of fabric and down between her cheeks, stroking the cleft of her ass before plunging his fingers deep into her wet pussy. She wanted him to fuck her that way, pump his fingers in and out of her, occasionally slipping them up to rub her clit, slippery and slick. She wanted him to take her now, here, up against the window where they stood.

Tessa’s knees threatened to buckle. Warning klaxons rang distantly in the back of her head, but she ignored them. Now was now, and though she’d never been one to get caught up in the moment like this, never been one to allow herself to lose control, there was always a first time.

She opened her mouth to tell Brett what she wanted him to do—

—and was interrupted by a soft ringing noise.

Brett exhaled loudly, his breath hot and moist on her neck. “I have to get that. Sorry, Tess.” His hand squeezed her hip gently once, and then the warmth of him was gone.

Tessa took a deep, trembling breath. Now that Brett wasn’t overwhelming her with his presence, she was able to think a little more clearly. That had been entirely too close for comfort. What the hell had she been thinking? This was Richard’s brother, for chrissakes! It didn’t matter that Richard had never made her feel so dazed and overwhelmed, even after full-on sex. Brett had barely touched her, barely said anything, and she felt like she’d been ridden hard and put away wet.

This was very, very bad. She’d just about thrown away everything she’d worked so hard to get, and for what? A quick, illicit fuck? No matter how appealing Brett might be, it definitely wasn’t worth the risk.

Giving herself a mental shake, Tessa turned away from the window, watching as Brett propped one hip against his desk, and pulled out his cell phone.

Even as he flipped the phone open, his eyes didn’t leave Tessa. His expression was intense, predatory. And although she’d always assumed that was part of his personality, she’d never actually seen this side of him. Until now, he’d always played the easygoing party boy. This one was certifiably different. And, she hated to admit it, infinitely sexier.

“Hey, Meredith,” Brett’s voice went from dark and husky to strained.

Tessa’s heart leapt into her throat. One of Brett’s women. If she hadn’t felt an urgency to leave before, she certainly did now. Willing her unobliging feet to move, she unsteadily crossed to the chair to pick up her things, desperately not wanting to listen, but unable to avoid eavesdropping.

“No, I’m still at the office,” Brett said. He reached out and touched Tessa’s arm, indicating she should stay. She shook her head at him. The opportunity to escape was being given to her on a Motorazr platter—she had to take it.

“Hold on one second, okay?” Brett moved the phone from his ear and pressed it into his shoulder in an attempt to muffle their conversation. He looked at her for a long moment, his expression actually one of contrition, if she wasn’t mistaken. “Saved by the bell, huh?”

“Yeah,” Tessa answered, her voice rusty. “Saved by the bell.” Unable to maintain holding his gaze, she turned and left Brett’s office, forcing her unstable knees to get her the hell out of there.

It was only when she was traveling downward in the elevator that she realized she had completely forgotten to ask Brett about the missing money.

* * * * *

There was a click in his ear as Meredith disconnected the call. Brett closed his phone with a snap that echoed loudly in the otherwise silent office.

Damn that Richard, he thought with resignation. What the hell was he trying to do now? Something had made him suspicious—enough to confront and harass their poor stepsister. Brett would have to watch his step, at least until all their plans were firmly in place.

And speaking of watching his step, he was going to have to try doubly hard around Tess. He’d watched her practically run from his office, frustration warring with understanding. He was certain they’d both been thinking about what had just happened. And the million reasons why it should never have even started.

Of course, that didn’t stop Brett from wanting her even more, now that he’d tasted her skin, smelled her hair. Jesus, he had been hard as granite, and he’d thought it was going to take something along the lines of a sledgehammer to rid him of his hard-on. All during the telephone call, he’d fought the overwhelming urge to dart into the hall after her, bring her back and fuck her in front of the window the way he’d been picturing.

Distractedly, Brett glanced down at his crotch and let out a dark chuckle.

Apparently along with being a pompous ass and obnoxious older brother, Richard was also pretty damned effective as a sledgehammer, too.