Page 47 of Foreplay with the Boss

Jameson

The dim glow of the aquarium tunnel tinted Kat in varying shades of blue. She leaned closer to the thick plexiglass and looked up as a shark swam overhead. I followed it for a moment before returning my gaze to Kat and those blessedly tiny shorts, and my fingers twitched with the desire to run them over her bare legs.

Then I’d work my way across the rest of her smooth skin, feeling every inch left uncovered before uncovering the rest and getting it under my fingertips too.

My dick stirred at the thought, and if I didn’t distract myself with some marine-life facts, I’d be the perv sporting wood around fish and all these people—I kept waiting for my body’s reaction to Kat to fade, just a little. With a body like hers, I knew that I’d never have a neutral reaction, but regardless of how much sex we had, I immediately started obsessing about the next time. About all the different things we could try, and all the different ways I could make her come.

Ok, the downstairs situation is getting worse by the second. I cleared my throat and pointed at the first fish I saw.

“This fish is a tarpon, and due to its majestic size and silver color, its nickname is Silver King.”

Kat smiled at me like I’d told her the secrets of the universe. Then she pointed. “What about the giant speckled one that looks like the pissed off Godfather of the seas, like he’s about to make someone sleep with the humans?”

I chuckled at her Godfather twist. “That’s a Queensland Grouper. If you think he looks mean, the Goliath Groupers are about twice that size and have been known to eat sharks in one bite.”

She studied me. “Now I’m starting to see it.”

“See what?” I dared a quick glance down, worried I was so used to having a hard-on around her that I hadn’t realized it’d happened, but the situation was controlled. Barely, but still.

“You as a kid.” She tipped her head, indicating the family to her left. One of the boys was spouting off facts about the fish to his sister and parents, and I could see his frustration that no one was soaking in this important information.

“Pretty damn close,” I said, and she hugged me and snuggled in close, adding a kiss on my cheek.

A sensation I hadn’t felt in a long time stirred in my gut—one I needed to smother before it got the wrong idea about what this thing between Kat and me was. She was only here for a couple more weeks, so getting attached wasn’t an option.

It’d been so long since I’d even attempted investing emotionally that I wouldn’t know where to start. Feelings were a weakness, a key to manipulation that took away your control.

It’s just because of all the sex. It’s confusing my natural instincts and clouding my judgment.

That was definitely it. I liked reliving our past escapades while thinking of what we’d try next, and we were running out of time, so naturally I felt a strong pull toward her. There was no reason for deeper feelings to step into the ring. They’d only get in the way.

“You look like you’re having a heated debate in your head,” Kat said.

I shut down the thoughts that shouldn’t be going through my head. “I am. I can’t decide if I should show you otters or jellyfish first.”

She hooked her arm through mine and leaned on my shoulder. “I don’t care. As long as I’m with you.”

Shit. She outright told me she gets attached, and I pushed for this no-strings arrangement, and now I’m afraid she’ll end up hurt when this is all said and done.

I started toward the otters as I tried to convince myself that it didn’t have to end badly. She knew the terms, and I was helping her express herself as she asked me to, teaching her to be bold, whether at work or in bed. That way she could make a great manager or boss, and in her next relationship—The jealousy that flooded me was a kick to the gut. No one else better ever touch her again.

Of course that was unrealistic and unfair, and fuck, why was my brain doing this to me?

As if to taunt me, it chose that moment to remind me that no matter what happened between us the next several days, when she found out my plans for the Hartford office, she’d be angry and hurt.

If I was a better man, I’d shut it down now.

But since I wasn’t, I wrapped my arm around her waist, pulled her closer, and told myself to just enjoy it before the shit hit the fan.

* * *

AFTER PUTTING several miles between us and the dock, driving the boat extra fast, since Kat said she wanted fast, I eased off the accelerator. Gradually I slowed the boat to a stop, letting the waves determine our destination for a while.

Kat stood and spun a full circle, taking it all in. Her cheeks were pink and wind-whipped, and her hair had that same bedhead look it did the first day I’d met her, when I’d fantasized about being the one to mess it up. “Wow, this is amazing. I can see everything.”

I saw everything, and she was standing up, grinning like a kid in a candy shop. I worked with a lot of serious, cynical people, and Kat was a breath of fresh air.

Most people would’ve chosen the luxury boat, which was fine—I enjoyed my time out on it, even if it was mostly spent schmoozing and keeping our biggest clients happy. If she’d picked it, I would’ve made a call to get a driver, but I liked being the driver. Liked having total control.

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