Page 7 of Devious Temptation
“It’s fine. I’ll take care of it,” she whispers so softly that I barely hear her. “Your desk is a mess.”
At the abrupt change of subject, I shake my head inconfusion. “What?” I glance down at where she’s pointing. “Oh. Yeah, I don’t have time to organize files. My assistant ended up on maternity leave earlier than expected. I’m afraid she will have quite the mess to sort out when she returns. You should see myactualoffice.”
Lucy leans over the rich walnut and cleans up a stack of papers, looking completely at ease as though what happened forty minutes ago never occurred at all. The way she so effortlessly exists within my proximity after we locked eyes when she was in her most intimate state baffles me. “I could help out? I’m really good with organization.”
After what just happened, she wants to spendmoretime with me?
I open my mouth to say the exact thing that flits through my mind but snap it shut so the words can’t escape. After a few seconds, I ask, “Don’t you have Nationals coming up?”
She peers at me from beneath dark, thick lashes. “Yes, but I don’t have a job. We have two-a-day practices right now. I could come between them and do a few hours of work until you’re caught up.”
Unwillingly, and so goddamn against my wishes, my cock hardens again as I stare at her. “You’dwantto do that?”
Lucy nods, the apples of her cheeks tinging pink again as she bites the left corner of her bottom lip. The same corner she bit to stop herself from crying out when she got off the second time. “I don’t mind helping out.”
The weight of her statement hangs heavily between us as her hazel irises slowly travel the length of my body. She’sstill leaning over my desk, and I know she’s got a clear view of the effect she has on me.
Is she doing it intentionally? Or is she just curious?
She’s your son’s girlfriend. Put an end to thisnow, Lawson!
There’s nothing to put an end to. You’re imagining it.
While the proverbial angel and devil on my shoulders argue, Lucy stands upright, her freckles a stark contrast against the pretty flush on her face. “I should get home. Let me know if you want any help.” She retreats immediately from my office without allowing me time to process what just happened.
“What the fuck was that?” I whisper to myself, completely mystified by the redheaded beauty.
I rap my knuckles against Rhys’open door. He’s lying on his bed, texting away on his phone with a surly scowl.
“Can I have a word?”
“What?” he asks flatly, not looking away from the screen.
On my way down to the basement, I debated mentioning that I saw him and Lucy in the pool house. Not that Isawthem, but just that I know what goes on when they’re alone in there. But my son isn’t stupid. He knows I know, and he doesn’t care.
Besides, I don’t want him bringing it up with Lucy laterbecause I’m a coward and wouldn’t know what to do if she confessed that I watched her come.
Charlotte’s right. I do need to get laid.
“We need to talk about the bullshit you said to Lucy earlier.” Crossing my arms, I lean against the doorframe. “I raised you better than that, Rhys. You don’t talk to women that way.”
“Relax, Dad. She had, like… five cookies. You know that shit isn’t good for you.” He continues to ignore me, and the need to cross the room and throw his phone against a wall flares brightly inside me.
“So the fuck what? Nationals are coming up. She said the squad is practicing twice a day. She needs the energy. If she wants the damn cookies, let her eat the fucking cookies. Jesus Christ, you sound like your mother.”
My son rolls his eyes. “I apologized. Lucy is hot as fuck, and she knows it. My little comment isn’t going to send her on a trip to bulimia town. Besides, it’s none of your business what goes on between Lucy and me.” He sends me a pointed glare. “She’s not your concern.”
“He’s right. Calm down, Lawson. Rhys, your father is just upset because she’s the only one who actually likes his cookies. And I think maybe he likeshera little too much.” Charlotte’s whiny voice cuts through our conversation as she appears behind me. I didn’t even hear her approach, silent and slimy like the snake she is.
Rhys sits up as she nudges past me to wrap her arms around him. “I just wanted to come give my big guy a kiss and a hug goodnight.”
My lip curls in disgust at her display. “What the fuck iswrong with you?” I don’t even try to hide my resentment for her from Rhys at this point.
Charlotte wasn’t always this ugly. Before we had money, she was a kind, caring mother and the best wife a man could ask for. But everything changed as soon as I started making more deals at work and climbing the corporate ladder.
They say money is the root of all evil. But I honestly think the root of all evil stems from humans' raw need to prove themselves worthy. To whom? I have no clue. I suppose everyone is different in that aspect.
Even I fell prey to it.
