Charlie Foxtrot (Book 2 of Love is War Series)

Chapter 8

Walking into the office the next day, Jim was surprised. There, standing close to a desk near Clay's office and even before the workday had started, was Michael Bright, Clay's half-brother. With eyebrows raised at the early hour and the brightness of Michael's ready smile, he walked over, wondering what he could do for him. Clay wasn't back from his business trip yet, so Jim had to wonder what was going on.

"Michael, what's up? You here to see Clay?"

"Yeah, could've sworn he said he'd be back in town by now. Anything wrong?"

"Not that I know of, but you'd better ask Muse for any specifics. I'm sure she's going to get on his case if he's not back soon. I can handle shit here for the most part, but if he's gone another week, his wife might find fault with that." He knew Muse was already missing him. Clay rarely went away, because he wasn't a big fan of flying. Sailing was more his thing, and he often spent his weekends on The Gulf, sometimes alone, sometimes with Muse, and sometimes taking Jim and Marietta with him.

"Did you know he mentioned something about getting a yacht soon?"

Jim was surprised. "What? Since when?"

"Since getting married. I heard him talking on the phone with Muse about it. The boat he got is only good to handle a few people, and I know he wants a large family. So, he's looking to upgrade his seafaring vessel. I think it's a smart move. Easier to keep your kids corralled in a larger boat. I'd be scared shitless if—"

"Hi, can I help you?"

Jim did a doubletake and looked over to see Auden coming over from the elevator. She was looking bright-eyed and fresh as a daisy. He wondered what she was thinking, but she seemed to not see him clearly, or maybe was just ignoring him after the previous day.

The kiss they'd shared the afternoon before was something he'd thought a lot about since then. Warm and inviting, tasting like cool berries and so fucking sweet. The way her hands rested on his chest, one cold and clutching at his shirt and chest, gently warming up to a normal temperature, the low little whimper she gave when he eventually rested his hand on the swell of her ass when he moved his head so he could kiss her deeper. Even the soft pants she tried to hide after the kiss was over, the dewy wet of her wide, gorgeous eyes staring up at him.

He had to admit just kissing had made him hard, and he'd fought with wanting to pull her onto his lap just so she could feel his hard cock twitching against her pussy. Jim would have bet good money she was wet underneath her panties right then. He could almost convince himself he smelled her arousal.

After that, he knew he was fucked, because all he could do since then was think about that kiss and where it could have led to if they'd been alone. Ideally, he would have wanted them to be in his bed, every one of her fragrances, from pussy to perfume, scenting his sheets, but he would have sufficed with a rough fuck in the back of his car or in the small alcove by the smoothie store he'd spied on his way back to his vehicle. He was having to cover the hard length of his cock with his briefcase as he left the area, relieved when he was finally in his car and out of sight. When he got home, he was still hard, and he made his way quietly to his room where he jerked off a few times before his erection finally went away.

And then again, a few hours later when he went to take off his shirt, he caught another rousing whiff of Auden, and it made him hard all over again. He decided to try and take a cold shower, because he wasn't sure he wouldn't chafe if he tried to rub one out this time. In the shower, however, his cock decided it wasn't going to listen and only got harder until even touching it to wash made him ache.

Fuck it, he'd muttered to himself before adding more shower gel stroking up and down. He was quick about it, aiming the tip of his dick toward the drain when he knew he was going to come. He'd had to bite his lip to keep from calling out a name—or cursing it—and his breathing was heavy by the time he'd emptied out.