Their Virgin Secretary

Chapter Two

Kellan watched Tate awkwardly take Belle into his arms, trying to find his rhythm. He couldn’t dance for shit, but he sure tried. Belle didn’t seem to mind his lumbering moves. She gave him a glowing smile and followed him with the grace of a woman who moved her body easily and well.

She would move that way in bed, reacting to her partner’s every touch with sensual grace. She would follow him, letting him lead, allowing her Dom to take control of the situation to bring her maximum pleasure.

He would give just about anything to be that Dom.

“I can’t hold him back much longer,” Eric said, leaning over the table. “The truth is, I don’t want to. I’m with Tate on this. It’s time to figure out what’s between us.”

Kellan was pretty sure something strong connected them and Annabelle Wright. The invisible bond to her that tugged at him, even when he tried to sever the ties, was what he feared most.

He’d never wanted a woman the way he wanted her, not even his own ex-wife. That desire went far beyond the physical. He wanted the right to protect and own her, to be her best friend, lover, confidante, and rock. He wanted to know her inside and out. In short, he wanted to be her everything. Kell sighed. Dumbass. He knew his hard limits and marriage was one of them. He couldn’t go there again. The first time had been a disaster. No reason to think he’d gotten any better at it.

Belle deserved someone who could love her without hesitation and trust her with his whole heart. Kell had lost huge chunks of his over the years. She was sweet and brave, smart and funny. And loyal, he admitted. Everything he wanted in a woman. And he would never completely trust her through no fault of her own. She deserved better.

Eric watched his best friend dance. Kellan looked back at the big goof with a shake of his head. Tate towered over Belle by about a foot, his long arms wrapped around her petite frame. His size fourteen feet weren’t exactly the most nimble or light, but somehow he and Belle looked good together. They looked right. Kell knew he should be happy for Tate and Eric—and he was—but watching them create their happily ever after was going to hurt.

Still, he loved them, so he’d step aside. Kell owed them that. They’d saved him, after all.

The three of them had gone to law school together. By then, Eric and Tate had already become a team, managing to seduce women left and right.

After graduation, Kell had married and thought he’d found his future. Then it had all come crashing down. Next thing Kellan knew, he fled DC only to find himself sleeping on Eric and Tate’s craptastic couch in a bad part of Chicago. It hadn’t been long before he’d begun teaching them how to truly run an office, because while they were great lawyers, they’d turned out to be lousy businessmen.

Kell had been relieved that he had something to offer them. In return for their friendship, for being the only people in the world willing to take him in when he’d been down, he gave them his acumen—and his undying loyalty.

Was he really going to watch them settle down with Belle and not join them?

“He thought about claiming her two weeks after she came to work for us, you know.” Eric sat back, leaning negligently against his chair as he watched the dance floor. “He would have approached her with good intentions, but probably said something horrifically stupid that would have made her run. The only reason he didn’t try? He was worried about you. He knew you liked her too, but he didn’t want to do it wrong and embarrass you. He also knew you weren’t ready.”

“Oh, I doubt he waited for anyone but you.” Tate was Eric’s other half. Sometimes Kell worried he was just the extra guy, the one who refereed when necessary. Though seemingly opposites, Tate and Eric had an almost psychic connection Kell didn’t completely understand.

Eric frowned his way. “Me? I’ve been ready. And trust me, he didn’t put off going after Belle because he worried about embarrassing me. He does that all the time without caring how much I want to strangle him. But he looks up to you. He actually told me you were pretty smart.”

Kellan snorted. Tate didn’t think anyone was smart. “He was being sarcastic.”

“He wasn’t. Tate might be an ass sometimes, but he’s honest. He knows damn well that you saved us.”

Years ago, but Tate was a little like an elephant. He never forgot. “You put too much liquid cash in property. You didn’t have a good billing or accounts receivable system in place. I just came in and managed the money better.”

“You saved us. We thought we were the shit after we graduated. We were arrogant. You actually knew what to do.”

He’d just adjusted a few processes and made some calls to bankers he knew to renegotiate some loans. Then he’d joined their business. “I didn’t have a job and I wasn’t going to find one in DC. I fixed the business problems as much for myself as the two of you.”

“We’re a team.” Eric put a hand on his arm, a familiar gesture he’d come to view as actual affection. “We worked together then. We’ll work together now. I know you probably never thought you’d end up in a ménage relationship, but look around you. It can work. God, man, especially for you.”

“Why the fuck do you say that?”

Eric didn’t back down. It was one of the reasons they’d stayed friends. Eric saw through his bullshit and didn’t allow Kell to shove him away. “Because if you’re left alone, you’ll die that way. You might have sex but you’ll never really let a woman in.”

That was nothing he didn’t already know. “You guys want Belle. I respect that. But I don’t have any interest in settling down.”

He’d been there. Done that. Gotten his soul ripped out of his body and pissed on.

“I don’t think you’ll give any relationship enough time to grow without us. But if Tate and I handle the heavy lifting in the beginning, you might soften up enough to realize that not every woman is like your ex-wife. You don’t have to commit now. Tate and I will take care of her until you’re ready.”

Eric was offering him the keys to the kingdom. Sex with the woman he was crazy about—and without a shred of responsibility so he wouldn’t get too close. That way, she couldn’t break his heart. What more could he want?

He looked out over the dance floor in time to see her turn his way. She laughed at something Tate said. God, her vibrancy made her the most beautiful woman in the room. Her lips curled up and her eyes sparkled. Her goodness came from within. Everything about her compelled him to watch her. Belle enjoyed life in a way he never had. He might have grown up with every privilege imaginable, but he didn’t think he’d ever smiled in sheer joy the way she did.

Tate looked down at her and the fucker beamed. He was a first class, hard-core nerd who dissected every situation and never spared anyone’s feelings. But the man practically melted when Belle was near. Since she had walked into their lives, she’d suggested that Tate stop studying everything to death and just enjoy life. The transformation hadn’t been overnight, but after a little coaching from Belle and a whole lot of conscious thought, he had relaxed until he’d become almost human.

A year ago, Eric had worked every waking hour. Belle had urged him to jettison his father’s mentality that being anything less than number one simply made him a loser. She’d helped him forgive himself for almost failing shortly after he and Tate had opened the practice. After a few months of listening to her, the weight slowly lifted from his shoulders. Now, he even took an occasional vacation day.

They had every reason to love Annabelle.

She said something to Tate that had him laughing. Then he wrapped her hand in his and led her off the dance floor as the music faded. Someone gently tapped a fork against a wine glass to get the crowd’s attention.

As the pair approached, Eric leaned over to Kell with a whisper. “All I’m saying is you’re welcome to join us. You helped us out when we were in trouble, man. Let us help you. Tate and I will handle everything. We’ll move her into our place. All you have to do for now is be kind and show up for sex.”

Their place was a big two story that looked ready for kids and a wife and all that suburban shit Kell had given up on long ago. They’d invited him to stay in one of the empty bedrooms, but he needed his own space.

Hell, that was what he’d told himself. The reality was he didn’t want to rattle around that big house with all its silent promises mocking him. Backyard barbecues, family dinners, and rug rats playing. Eric and Tate headed toward a destination he couldn’t handle. It would benefit everyone if he kept himself apart.

But what if he could have some stolen nights with her? Not alone, of course. He would utterly respect their claim on her. After all, they would take care of her financially, mentally, emotionally. He would just be the one who brought her momentary pleasure.

Belle sank down into the chair next to him. She’d sat at the table of honor during dinner, but as soon as the dancing had begun, she’d returned to them. “Come on, guys. It looks like Kinley is going to play this to the hilt. Pray she doesn’t ask me to toast the bride and groom. I have no idea what I’ll say.”

But she would come up with something. Hell, if Kinley asked her to serenade the dogs, Belle would get up and belt out a tune because she was fearless.

“Before we get to more dancing, I wanted to invite the maid of honor up to say a few words about the bride and groom and their beautiful love for one another.” Kinley nodded toward their table.

The bride was asleep, curled up on her chair. The groom was scratching his ear as he looked out over the room.

Belle sighed, but rose to her feet. “All right, then. My friend is insane and I’m going to talk about dog love. Just another day in my off-kilter life.”

He watched as Belle crossed the room to Kinley and took the microphone. “Love comes in many forms. Gigi and Butch…”

She continued on, talking about adoration, respect, and commitment.

“Tate is right. I think we should go in.” Eric asked. “What do you say?”

“Are you serious?” When he nodded, Tate’s eyes widened. “Thank god. I got on the dance floor and we started talking. I couldn’t think of anything to say except how much I admired the symmetry of her face. I gave her percentages as proof of how symmetrical her face is because I extrapolated measurements from her pictures. It was either that or offering her my penis.”

Eric sighed long and hard. “It will be a miracle if she says yes.”

Kell silently agreed. But if she did, he might have a couple of nights of happiness. His friends would cocoon her in their protection and care. They would make sure he didn’t hurt Belle. “All right. If we’re going to approach her, we’ll need to formulate a game plan soon. No more percentages or numbers, Tate. We play this smooth and easy. She won’t know what hit her.”

* * * *

Eric stared down at Belle two hours later, wishing they’d had a chance to plot her takedown and wondering why the hell they had wasted so much time. As they swayed to the music, she sighed softly and rested her head on his shoulder. She felt so perfect in his arms.

Of course, he thought everything about her was perfect, so it shouldn’t surprise him. What also felt right was the fact that his two best friends were waiting in the wings to continue the seduction. Well, Kellan was. He was pretty sure Tate was still planning on offering her his junk in a weirdly formal speech that would make Eric cringe.

Thankfully, Belle knew Tate well. She would probably just laugh.

“She’s trying to get me to take one of those fugly puppies.” Wrinkling her nose, Belle glanced back toward the main table.

Eric had seen the aforementioned creatures. Those three little things had been wreaking havoc all evening long. The Anders brothers had been trying desperately to contain and control them, but those puppies had been romping everywhere, yipping and chewing on a disturbing mix of drapes, buffet food, and shoes anyone had kicked off in favor of dancing. “Just tell her no.”

Belle frowned. “It’s hard to say no to Kinley. And it’s not like I have a crazy, full life. Maybe I should think about a pet.”

She didn’t need to think about anything except that she’d soon have three lovers who would require most of her attention. He fully intended to have her moved into the house he shared with Tate within the week—hopefully minus a rambunctious critter. “Later, maybe. Right now, you need to think about something more important.”

Her gorgeous dark eyes widened. “Like what?”

Eric drew in a bracing breath. It was time to see if he could lead the witness where he wanted her to go. “It means you should think about your future, Belle. What do you really want out of life?”

Even as she moved against him, he could see her contemplating his words. “I’ve been giving this some thought, actually.”

That encouraged him. “Yeah?”

“Well, since you’ve read my resume, you know I went to the Pratt Institute in Brooklyn for interior design. Lately, I’ve been thinking about using what I know.”

Her words threw him for a loop. What did design have to do with her love life? “You’re talking about decorating?”

Yes, he’d known from the minute she walked into the offices of Baxter, Cohen, and Kent that she wouldn’t be happy as their administrative assistant forever, but he’d thought she would stay a little longer. And he’d definitely thought that tonight, after the wedding—even if it was a doggie union—that she’d have romance on her mind.

“Yes. I’ve always loved designing homes especially. Even when I was a kid and we were living in a two-bedroom apartment, just my mom and me, I thought about all the ways I could make it pretty. People are happier when their surroundings are efficient and lovely. I really enjoy listening to the client’s problems with a space, then making it both more functional and elegant.”

He’d known she’d gone to the Pratt Institute and gotten a bachelor of arts, but he’d never asked what her concentration was in. He’d been too busy looking at her boobs to ask. Now that burned him. She was gorgeous and so genuine it hurt sometimes. He should know more about her—wants, past, dreams, and desires. He would bet Tate knew everything down to the last detail. “How old were you when your dad died?”

Her expression didn’t change at all. “Eleven. I wish I remembered more about him. My mom was the housekeeper for the Kohl family.”

Kinley’s parents. He’d known that Annabelle had grown up with the Kohl family in their brownstone on the Upper East Side of Manhattan. She’d seen the good life, but hadn’t really been a part of it because she’d lived in the servant quarters. “Is that how you became such good friends?”

It was obvious, but he would ask any question if it kept her in his arms.

She nodded. “We grew up together. Despite her family’s money, they sent her to public school, too. We often had the same classes, but no one could keep us apart after school. My mom would make us both snacks while we did our homework together.”

She wore such a wistful expression.

“Why did you leave New York?” He frowned.

“I got a job at a design firm here in Chicago, but it went under a month after I hired on. I was stranded without any money. I could barely afford my crap apartment and I had a hundred thousand dollars in college loans to repay. I thought about moving back to Manhattan, but I just couldn’t go back a failure. So I started looking for other jobs. I was the assistant to a CEO for a while and learned the administrative function before I had to leave.”

Yes, he’d wondered about the very short assignment listed on her resume. He had his suspicions about how it had ended. “Had to leave? Why?”

“My boss decided that my job should be more…intimate.”

Was she saying what he thought she was? “Come again.”

Annabelle sighed. “He chased me around his desk and told me I should do more of my job on my back with my legs spread.”

So the asshat had sexually harassed her, just as he’d suspected. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Anger raged through Eric. Yet wasn’t that pretty much what he’d been planning on asking of Belle? Though he hadn’t imagined having to chase her. He’d hoped she would simply want to spread her legs for him.

Well, hell. Now what?

“That’s a scary look.” But Belle didn’t appear even a bit afraid as she searched his face. Then her lips curved up in a smile. “Wow, it’s always the quiet ones.”

Eric recoiled. Had she guessed what he was thinking? “I’m not the quiet one.”

Sometimes he was the only guy in the office who would talk. When Tate got obsessive and Kellan started to brood, Eric had to find the right welcoming or soothing words for their clients.

“Sure you are. Oh, you might be talkative and social, but you hide more. Kellan growls at the world, and while the lion won’t tell me how he got that thorn in his paw, it’s obvious he’s wounded. And without any sort of filter, Tate doesn’t have the faintest clue how to hide what he’s feeling. But you…” She studied him, wearing an almost quizzical expression. “You’re the one I can’t quite pin down.”

Tate was better at hiding his feelings than she gave him credit for since she hadn’t yet figured out how crazy he was about her. Eric hoped she didn’t before she was in too deep to be freaked out by Tate’s personal brand of interest. “I’m an open book, sweetheart.”

“Really? Then why did you just go all caveman on me?”

“Caveman? I’m dancing like Astaire. I didn’t grunt or growl a word.”

“Maybe not, but you looked ready to kill someone. I’ve never seen you like that. You’re usually smooth as silk, even when you’re angry.”

Because he’d been very careful around her. “I didn’t like the thought of some old letch trying to use his position to get you into bed.”

Kellan had a million and one reasons of his own and Tate wouldn’t know how to verbally seduce even a hooker out of her clothes, but Eric was nervous about the whole “boss” thing. He’d never admitted it, but that was one reason he hadn’t made a move, along with the Tate factor…and what she’d likely see as a “ménage surprise.” Despite those multitude of reasons not to go after her, Eric saw only one real reason he should—because he couldn’t stand the thought of never knowing what it meant to make love to her.

“Well, I found you guys, and now I don’t have anything to worry about. You don’t need to bang the secretary. You’ve already worked your way through half of Chicago’s female population.”

Was that bitterness he detected? She’d had a couple of glasses of wine. Belle was always in control, so polished and smooth.

Eric managed to chuckle. “Certainly, it’s not anywhere close to half.”

She shrugged with a little roll of her eyes. “It doesn’t matter. When did you and Tate start sharing your girlfriends?”

It was the first time she’d acknowledged that she knew they took women together. Maybe the ménage wouldn’t be a surprise after all. Had she guessed…or paid attention? Eric wasn’t sure. Belle had asked the question without a hint of disdain, sounding simply like one friend asking another about a curiosity.

Hope started to thrum through his system. He was good at reading body language, seeing past simple words to the hidden meaning beneath. Unlike Tate, most human beings didn’t just throw themselves out there. They talked their way around a problem. They asked questions—just like Belle did. “We were in high school.”

“Are you serious? Gosh, in high school I was worrying about finals and whether or not I would get asked to the prom.”

He wondered if he would have been smart enough to have seen her back then. Probably not. He’d been pretty damn dumb. He hadn’t cared past the next game, the next party, the next lay. “Well, I didn’t worry enough about finals, which is why I ended up meeting Tate.”

“I would have thought you came from different social circles.”

“Completely. Tate’s mom and dad were both academics, professors at the nearby university. His brothers were all into science. I was a dumb jock. My dad drove a truck. My mom was a waitress. All I wanted was to be a quarterback in the NFL.” It seemed funny now. He’d come so far from the narrow path that had once seemed like his only way out of the lower-middle class existence he’d loathed. His dad had coached him to want it more than anything.

She shook her head as though she couldn’t imagine it. “What happened?”

“Algebra II. I got benched because I was flunking math the fall semester of my junior year. My mom was actually happy because I’d had my second concussion that season.” He could still hear his parents arguing as they’d stood in his hospital room. His mom had insisted that he quit football then and there, and his father asked what the hell else his son was good for.

The point had become moot when his Algebra II grade had dipped below passing and he’d been temporarily benched. In need of a tutor, he’d met Tate, a dweeb of the highest order. For whatever reason, something between them had clicked, and they’d fallen into a friendship that had shaped the rest of his life.

“Did you pass?” She sent a curious little smile his way that almost looked flirty.

He would never forget the way it felt when Mr. Zimmer had passed him that final exam. “Ended up with a B. I went on to take calculus. I switched from the normal track to honors classes and I went to college on a scholarship. I thank Tate for that. He taught me that I was smart.”

“And what did you teach him?”

“That he was more than the sum of his knowledge.” He’d been Tate’s first real friend. “His parents hate me to this day because they believe I swayed him to the dark side—in other words, girls.”

“Did you?” Annabelle looked amused.

“No. Tate was always interested in females. He just didn’t think he had a shot. I helped him improve his chances.”

“By sharing girls with him?”

“Not at first. To begin, we started working out together after school. I taught him how to dress. I still haven’t been able to impart any level of smooth talk to him, but it’s cool. I’m not sure I’d know what to do with a Tate who didn’t shove his foot in his mouth three times a day.”

“I like how honest he is.” She swayed as the music changed to a slower beat. “I can always trust what he says because he can’t be bothered to lie. Of course it also means that when I ask him if I look fat in a pair of jeans, I get a percentage. He told me I only looked three percent larger and then went on to explain how the cut of the jeans slightly added to the visual footage. I didn’t understand his calculation, but I stopped buying boot cut jeans anyway.”

That was Tate in a nutshell. “He didn’t mean to make you feel bad.”

“He didn’t. He also said that given my relative dimensions, such a low percentage of change in perceptive body mass did not diminish my attractiveness.”

Eric couldn’t help but laugh. That was how Tate would tell a woman he thought she was hot.

He caught sight of his friend, who stood just off the dance floor, obviously watching them and waiting. Would Belle be shocked by what they wanted?

“I’m glad everything worked out for you two. It’s just not working as well for me. I think I might go back to design.” She said the words so quietly he strained to hear her.

“What do you mean? On the side?” She already worked pretty late hours. If they were in the office, she tended to stay, too. He wasn’t sure how she would work in a hobby.

“No. I’m thinking about making a change. I guess I should warn you guys. This just isn’t what I wanted to do with my life. It’s not that I don’t like my job, and you all are great, but I need something more. I watch you, Kell, and Tate. You have purpose. You’re doing what feeds your soul. I need to find that something for me.”

He had to force himself not to stop in the middle of the dance floor. “You’re telling me you’re quitting?”

That wasn’t supposed to happen. Eric tried not to panic. They needed her close. Nothing would work if they didn’t see her daily. Now, he might not see her at all.

How the hell had this happened?

“No, I’m not quitting. I mean, not yet. I need to find the courage to find another design job or go out on my own. Wow, I just realized how mercenary I sounded. I’m not trying to use you. Like I said, I like all three of you. I just need a career I love.” She was the one who stopped, her feet seeming to plant on the floor beneath her. Her gorgeous face twisted in regret. “I shouldn’t have said anything. This whole wedding has me throwing myself a pity party. Please don’t fire me.”

He felt like he’d been tossed into the middle of a hurricane. One minute she was quitting, and the next he was going to fire her? He felt his control slip. Crap, he had to get himself together. He couldn’t rely on hotheaded Kellan. And Tate wouldn’t know the words “emotional control” if they whacked him in the face. Somewhere in the back of his head, Eric knew they were all in trouble if he lost it, but he couldn’t seem to help himself.

“Why the hell would I fire you?”

She shook her head and spoke slowly, as though she realized he was struggling to keep up with her. “Because I just told you I’m going to quit eventually. You might think it’s a better move to replace me now.”

“I have zero interest in replacing you. But I’m shocked we’re not making you happy. I thought we were.” They took care of her in every way she’d let them. They made sure she got home safely at night. Under the guise of Tate’s curiosity about combustion engines, they’d gotten a mechanic to fix everything on her old clunker because they couldn’t figure out a way to con her into accepting a new car from them.

“It’s not you,” she assured softly. “This just isn’t what I wanted to do with my life. For a lot of reasons, I just…I don’t think I can ever be truly fulfilled in this situation.”

Anger began to rattle through his system. They treated her like a freaking queen. She ruled the office. When Belle wanted to replace the coffee maker with a cappuccino machine because she liked an afternoon latte, they’d bought a machine that Starbucks would envy. She hadn’t liked the carpet. Yep, two days later it was gone and they were out thousands of dollars on something she’d called Brazilian cherry. They’d even let her pick the floors.

“You think you’ll find better bosses elsewhere? You want to take the chance that you’ll be hired by another asshole who will chase you around his desk?” He suddenly itched for a fight.

Belle shook her head. “Honey, I wasn’t talking about the work situation. I wasn’t. You three are wonderful bosses. I couldn’t ask for better.” She reached out, cupping her fingers around his cheek. “You’ve got that eye twitch thing going. Take a deep breath and calm down.”

When he got really angry, an annoying tic spasmed over his left eye. The fact she could see it only pissed him off more.

Belle soothed the pads of her fingers over it, her voice slowing and calming. “See, everyone thinks Kell is the angry one, but you hold so much inside. You’re going to explode one day, Eric. I wish you would just let it out.”

Just like that, his anger turned on a dime, morphing into something tender. She understood him. He needed that from her. Hell, he needed her. She calmed him. She fucking got him.

He reached up and caught her hand in his. “I don’t want you to leave, Belle. I’ll do pretty much anything to make you happy so you’ll stay with us.”

With her this close, he could feel the silky smoothness of her caramel skin, the warmth of her body, and he couldn’t hold back.

“It’s not just about the job, Eric. Yes, I want to be creative and use my degree, but I also want what you guys have,” she admitted, her voice vulnerable. “A little family.”

He took her by the shoulders and brought her as close as he dared. “You’re a very important part of our family, Belle. We won’t function without you.”

God, he had spent the last year plotting how to make her the center of their lives, but now he could see how easily she’d already found her way there. If Belle left, they would be gutted.

She shook her head. “I can’t be just the secretary, Eric. It hurts too much.”

As soon as the words were out, she clasped her hand over her mouth with a gasp.

“What does that mean?” he demanded.

Belle stumbled back, just out of his reach. “Nothing. I’ve had too much to drink and I should shut up. It’s time I go to bed and put this idiocy behind me. We have a meeting in the morning. I’ll see you then.”

She turned and headed toward the edge of the dance floor. Tate watched with a frown and pushed his way through the crowd.

“What the hell did you do?” Tate demanded, his voice rising. “You’re supposed to be the smooth talker, but she was crying.”

Kellan, thankfully, hadn’t lumbered across the floor like an overgrown bear. Instead, he’d followed Belle.

Eric watched as she race-walked in her stilettos toward the ballroom doors, her hips moving in that assertive sway he knew so well. Fuck, even when she fled from him, she made him hard.

“Let’s go.” He urged Tate to follow Kellan.

They needed to move this confrontation somewhere private because his dance with Belle had proven it was past time to show her where she belonged. She thought she wasn’t a member of this little family? By god, when he was done, Eric vowed she’d understand that she was the center of it. By morning, he’d make damn sure she had no more questions about quitting her job or starting some new family apart from them. If she wanted to go into design, she could damn well do it in their building. They would set up an office for her where she could be close to them all the time. But there was no fucking way he would let her go.

“Explain what just happened.” Tate gestured to the hallway down which she’d just disappeared, Kellan following like a wolf stalking a particularly juicy bit of prey.

But they were a pack and they needed to take her down together.

“Come on. I’ll fill you in on the way.” Eric started toward the doors.

He felt Tate fall in beside him, just like he’d been doing since they were teenagers.

“It’s time, isn’t it?” A goofy-ass smile spread across his best friend’s face.

To start their future with Belle? “Oh, yeah. It’s time.”