Page 31 of Second Chances with my Billionaire Bosses

He groaned.

“If you try to leave now, I’m going to be forced to crawl after you on my hands and knees. Shit, sweetheart. Being inside you is going to kill me.”

I still managed to blush, even after what I’d just done. I couldn’t admit I was a virgin. It was humiliating. I also wasn’t going to be stupid and let myself believe that one soft moment with him meant they cared about me or would stay. That had nearly destroyed me the first time but I was ten years smarter. At least I hoped I was.

It took longer than I thought it would for the shame to hit. When it didn’t hit as fast or as strong as I expected it to, I felt more shame over that. I had my mother’s voice in my head, chanting at me that no one would buy the cow if the milk was free. She’d loved to say that and then laugh like her calling me a cow was an inside joke between the two of us.

I scrambled to climb off Rhett and then stared down in horror at the mess I’d left on his pajama bottoms. The wet spot was like a beacon of my shame, lighting up and flashing that I’ddone something horrible. Before I could flee the room, Rhett was there, grabbing my upper arms and holding me still.

“Stop.” He nodded down at his pants, making me cringe. “That’s a fucking badge of honor. I turned you on enough for you to soak me. I feel like a fucking god. I’m going to wear these until I have to change for work because it’s sexy as fuck that you came for me like such a good fucking girl. I don’t know what’s going through your mind right now but you need to knock if off and accept that what’s happening between us is normal. You just made my entire week with that little joy ride, Maxine, and you’re not going to dirty it up with whatever bullshit shame your mother forced on you. You’re a goddamn virgin, Max. There’s nothing dirty about you. You don’t need to feel anything right now but pleased that you just came and caused a grown man to come in his pants.”

My mouth dropped open. “How…?”

“You told us at the clinic while confirming that you weren’t pregnant.” He slid his hands up to cup the sides of my neck. “You need to shed whatever shit your mom put on you. Let us help.”

“I need fresh air.” I ran as soon as he let me go and didn’t stop until I was in the middle of the driveway, chest heaving as I tried to make sense of how fast my life was changing.

CHAPTER 22

Arlo

I paced outside of her bedroom door, silently cursing doors and locks and everything else that kept me away from Maxie. She’d been in the bathroom for hours. I was more than a little tempted to break the door down to get to her. I just wanted to make sure she was okay.

Rhett told us what happened between them that morning and I was both jealous and furious that he might’ve pushed too far, too fast. I went back and forth between knowing she wasn’t ready and wanting to demand she get her bitch of a mother out of her head so she could own her pleasure and every other magical thing about her.

I wasn’t going to back down. She needed to shake off whatever shit she had hanging over her, weighing her down, and she needed to do it fast. I couldn’t sit back and watch her suffer. I wouldn’t sit back and watch her work herself to the bone. Those days were over for her. If I had to get a little bossy to make it happen, then so be it. She’d forgive me eventually.

Before I could kick down her door, she opened it and looked up at me, the mask of coolness back in place. I was instantly even more pissed.

Her smile was plastic as she slipped past me.

“Thank you for taking care of me while I was sick. I know we have a lot to do, though, and I’m ready to get back to work.”

I scowled and caught her arm.

“Hang on a second. Don’t do that. Don’t put on that fake bullshit with me, Maxine. We’re past that.”

Shep called up from the bottom of the stairs.

“Everything okay?”

Maxie kept her face perfectly blank as she stared up at me.

“I’m sorry you’re upset, Arlo, but I’m not being fake. I’m just ready to focus on work again. I’ve fallen behind on everything Ineed to do and I’m ready to catch up. I was thinking I’d put in a few hours of work here this morning and then slip on over to make lunch for everyone at the Hellstone Ranch.”

She was pushing my buttons in a way that no one other than Shep and Rhett knew how to. I wanted to throw her over my shoulder and spank her until she knocked the shit off. I wasn’t a brute, though, not yet, so I ground my teeth together and shook my head.

“You’re not cooking meals for them anymore.”

A flare of annoyance cracked through her facade but she was quick to clamp it down.

“Of course, I am.”

I let out a bitter laugh.

“No. You’re not. We should get something clear right now, Maxie. We might’ve fucked up ten years ago but the night you let us kiss you, you gave us something we’re not going to let slip away twice.You. I understand that maybe you don’t get it yet but you’re ours. I know you feel it, too, based on the way you came for Rhett this morning. One thing about us,Maxine, is that we take care of our things. If you think we’re going to let you go right back to burning your candle at both ends, you’re nuts. You’re on a short leash until we know you’re not going to abuse yourself until you collapse again.

“Your days of doing everything for everyone are over. If you’d rather work at your family’s ranch for now, that’s fine, but you’re not going to work both ranches. I refuse to watch you pass out again. If you’re working full time on the ranch, you’re not going to be taking fucking pro bono cake orders for assholes who love to take advantage of your kindness. You wanted us ten years ago, sweetheart, and now you’ve got us. Until we can trust you to take care of yourself, we’re going to do it. Even if it pisses you off. I hope it does because at least then you’ll show us the real you and not this watered down version that you think makes you morepalatable. Whatever you mom filled your head with is bullshit. If I could revive the old hag, I’d do it just to shove her back in her grave because I’m sure the things you’re not telling us about her are more horrible than I’m imagining, if the way you live now is any indication.”

---