Bedded by the Boss (7 page)

Not so with Renee. She had fought back from day one. But that was over. The hunt. The retreat. And finally the capture.

Now he was going in for the kill.

His eyes narrowed and he reached out and grasped her ankles in his hands. Bending her knees and pushing her legs up, he came between her thighs on his knees. She couldn't get away from him in that position. He had had enough of her getting away. Now he just felt a driving need to take. To dominate.

He looked up from the slick, hair-free mound between her thighs. A dark jealousy consumed him. A territorial feeling that he couldn't control. "Who the fuck did you shave for?" His body lowered to hers and he took a handful of her soft blonde hair. "If you have any sense you'll tell me it was
for
me
." His words were harsh, guttural.

She panted, her eyes wide on him. His body was large, intimidating, even with his clothes on. She took his advice since it was the truth. "Y-you. For you."

His hand reached down between them. He trailed it from her throat, down between her breasts, to the vee between her legs. He pushed a rough, blunt finger into her wet softness. "Good answer, baby." His words were clipped. "Because this is mine." He swirled his finger inside her, and lowered his mouth to her breast. His lips clamped onto a pink nipple, already hardened with passion.

The twin assault of his mouth and hand brought her to a state of pure, driven need in seconds. She bucked against his finger and brought her hand to the back of his head and gripped him to her breast, her senses completely inundated. She shimmered in his arms, already close to orgasm.

Robert felt her internal muscles clenching his finger, and he couldn't wait any longer. He was driven by feelings he couldn't explain. Didn't want to think about. He raised himself off her, and started ripping at his clothes.

Within seconds, he was naked and reaching into his drawer for protection. He ripped the package and slid it on and came back between her legs. He fastened her wrists in a large hand and pulled them up over her head, imprisoning her.

He started entering her immediately. "I wanted to go slow." He said it like it was her fault that he couldn't slow down.

He took a short, stabbing thrust and pushed the words from his lips as he rocked against her. "I. Wanted. To. Be. Gentle." His breath hissed out as he impaled her completely.

Renee reeled under the invasion and constraint of his hands on her. She let out a small whimper as he pulled his hips back and pushed into her brutally, once, twice, and then three times.

Her body stiffened beneath the lash of his and her voice was ragged in his ear as she said, "Then be gentle. Ev--everything's okay."

Her soft breath and words washed over him. They soothed the ferocity in his blood and his impatience cooled from being inside her. Having her under him. He felt a measure of peace and took a few calming breaths as he let the scent of her, the feel of her wash through him. His strokes slowed, and he reached between them and lazily began playing with her clit.

Renee felt a roaring in her ears as desire pierced her once again. His shaft was thick and hard inside of her, stretching her with every stroke as he slid out and then came back inside. His hand on her clit tantalized her, and the fantastic knowledge that she was making love with Robert invaded her senses. It was too much to withstand, and her body began clenching against him as she reached a peak.

Robert felt it the moment the orgasm took hold of her. It electrified him and goaded him into hammering harder at her. Harder, faster, until a wave of intensity overcame him and pulled his mind away from his body as he pushed against her and the dam burst and he exploded in ecstasy.

The moment immediately afterward was filled with ragged breathing, his and hers. When he could tear his mind away from the euphoria of his achievement, he grabbed her skull with both hands and sank his fingers all the way to her scalp. His eyes narrowed on hers as he felt his flesh begin to rise again.

Renee's eyes opened to Robert's penetrating stare and the unbelievable knowledge that he didn't need any lead time before he could get it up again. She began pulling away from him, moving back from his possession.

His hands tightened momentarily, and then he gently began to withdraw from her. He turned toward the bathroom and the moment he was gone, Renee swung her feet to the floor and began looking for her clothes. She spied her bra in the darkened room, but above all else, she felt an immediate need for her panties. Finding them, she quickly pulled them over her hips and was beginning to pick up her bra when she heard his voice like a whip.

"You're not going to need that."

She swung to face him, her hands over her breasts.

The realization of what had just happened was appalling. She had actually had sex with her boss. Within her ninety-day probation period. And he had completely steamrolled her into it. He had gotten his way so far tonight. But no more. She sucked in a breath, and every curve in her body spoke her denial. Just because she had been easy once, didn't mean she would be easy again.

She didn't bother to argue with him, just bent and picked up the rest of her clothes.

Robert leaned against the wall, crossed his arms over his chest and watched her. The look on her face spoke defiance and rejection, and he swiftly made the strategic decision to back off. There was absolutely no doubt in his mind that he would be the ultimate winner in this game between them, but to get to that point, he needed to let her think she had a chance. S
he didn't
.

"I'm guessing this means you won't be spending the night with me?" he asked.

Renee looked up from the button she was fastening on her pants. "I want to go home." Her voice was firm but had just enough question in it to mollify him.

He swiped his jeans off the floor and began to dress. "I'll take you."

****

Saturday night, Renee had been home from the grocery store for about an hour when her doorbell pealed. She froze as nervous tension hit her frame. It had to be him. She had that feeling that couldn't be suppressed.

She went to the door and looked out the peephole. Shock momentarily overrode her disappointment.

James Cameron was standing on her doorstep. She opened the door wide enough to speak to him, but not wide enough to be inviting. "Hello."

His face broke into a boyish grin. "Hello, yourself." He casually leaned against the door frame. "Surprised to see me?"

She smiled. "Yes. What are you doing here?"

He raised one eyebrow. "What do you think? You're a hard woman to find. I haven't had any help from your asshole boss. And do you know how many Guillot's are in the book?"

She laughed. "A lot, I would suspect. Has Robert been giving you problems?"

"Yeah, I've called five times and he gets more pissed with each phone call. Yesterday he threatened not to finish my project. And do you know how much I'm paying him? Christ, the guy has it bad for you." He paused and looked at her bare legs in the shorts she wore. "And now the sixty-four thousand dollar question. Does the guy have the right to be that jealous? Or will you have dinner with me tonight?"

Renee was stunned by his bluntness. And irritated with herself for not feeling at least a little bit thrilled. James Cameron was seriously good-looking. And wealthy enough that he must have women beating down his door.

And nothing
.

She didn't feel a thing. Nothing except a secret thrill that he thought Robert was jealous. And had it bad for her. Did he? It was such a tempting thought.

She focused back on her visitor. "That's two questions. You said one."

James smiled. "You only have to answer one of them. I just need to know which one it is."

"I really don't know what to say. I think it's a bit premature to say he's jealous. Five times? You spoke to him five times about me? And he was pissed? Truly?" The door opened a bit wider.

James scowled. "You probably don't realize it, but you just answered my question." He reached out and ran a finger down her cheek. "Too bad. You're seriously hot and we could've had a good time together."

A deep, angry voice intruded from behind James. "Cameron, get your mother fucking hands off her."

James's eyes lit up with the challenge and he gave her one last grin as if he was about to enjoy the confrontation and took his hand from her face. He held his hands up indicating that he was no threat and turned to face an enraged Robert Thibodeaux. "Christ, man, calm down. She shot me down. Where's your off switch, dude?" The two men sized each other up and even though James was backing down from her, he made one last comment in retaliation. "Listen buddy, she doesn't want me, but she damn sure doesn't want you. The lady is dead set on keeping her
status as
single
. I'm leaving." He looked once more at Renee. "You going to be okay with King Kong, here?"

Renee was too horrified to speak. She nodded her head once and watched James leave, sidestepping out of Robert's reach.

She came to her senses all at once and started to slam the door shut. A large hand and a booted foot stopped her. The door pushed open. She stepped back. "Get out of my house."

"Not going to happen, baby." Robert closed and locked the door and leaned back against it. He lounged indolently there, all the while watching her.

Renee tried not to hyperventilate as a barrage of images from the past few weeks pushed through her mind. Him, pushing a mixed drink at her and entwining her hair in his fingers. Her, up against the door in his office as orgasm washed over her. And last night, his fists in her hair as he pushed inside of her.

And that was when he was being gentle.
He didn't look gentle now. She moved back another step.

"He can't protect you from me." His voice was deep, guttural. "Nobody can protect you from me."

Renee moved behind the bar and into her kitchen to put some space between them. She dragged in a breath. "Do I n-need p-protection from you?"

She received no answer. She pushed her hair behind her ear and saw her fingers tremble. She was a mess.

Robert pushed off the door and took two steps toward her but stopped when she let out a whimper.

He eyed her up and down and then spoke his mind. "There's one thing we have to get straight before this goes any further."

Her big eyes stayed glued to him but she didn't respond.

He held his ground and attempted to control his tone but his voice still vibrated with jealousy and suppressed sexual tension. "You can't see Cameron. You got that? No lunches, no dinner dates, nothing. I don't even want to catch you talking to him at the office. Understand me?"

She moved her head slightly in a negative motion.

He started advancing on her again. "No?" His voice was a growl. "No? You don't understand, or you think you're going out with him?"

She held up one slim hand to stop him. She was about to come unglued with him stalking her. "Stop!"

When she shouted, Robert halted in his tracks. Only the bar stood between them.

She took a deep breath and tried to form words. "I want to know why you think you can tell me what to do? Who to date? You're my boss, not my keeper."

His eyes narrowed into slits. "This doesn't have a goddamn thing to do with me being your boss and you know it. This is about you and me and last night. You remember last night, baby?" His voice was like gravel, his jealousy on the surface. "You remember me pushing in and you creaming my cock?
Goddamn,
I remember
. It's you and me and nobody else. Nobody fucking else. You want proof? You want me to come over there and prove it to you? Dare me. Come on. Right now.
Dare me to prove it
." He waited for her little hand to come up in the air to stop him.

Renee held her breath and stared at the incensed madman standing so close to her. All at once a buzzing went through her blood and reached her brain. What would he do?

The words came softly. "I dare you."

Chapter Nine

Robert stared at her a split second before her words penetrated the thick fog of jealousy that devoured him. He moved on her immediately.

He swung around the counter and was on her in seconds. His hands reached out and snagged hers and pushed them behind her back. He held them with one hand while his other reached up and grabbed her hair and pulled her face to his.

His eyes glazed over with lust as he fastened his mouth to hers. The kiss was rough, possessive, uncompromising. He restrained her body while his mouth plundered hers.

Renee hung in his grasp as sensation hit her. Twin feelings engulfed her. Joy, that she would know the full extent of his desire. And pain, because she knew she wouldn't be able to keep him. He disturbed her like no other man before him, and she didn't think she had what it would take to capture a man as intense as Robert Thibodeaux. But that wouldn't stop her from enjoying the experience. It was a once in a lifetime moment, to feel this kind of passion. And she was old enough, and woman enough, to realize it.