Bought by the Boss

“Oh, sure it is, and that’s okay.” She’s obviously not seeing my glare since she continues. “Before you get your panties in a bunch, Liam’s heart is broken, too. And before you ask, I know that because he’s still angry about what happened. No one would be that mad for so long if they weren’t still hurting. And he’s not over it because he misses you.” As if she has the entire world figured out, she laughs softly, shaking her head again. “I can’t believe that this entire feud is because you never talked about what happened.”

I keep thinking—hoping—she’s going to stop talking and end this hell, but she carries on. “I mean, seriously, you’re grown men now. The fact that this is still continuing shows you have a total bromance going on, and there are hurt feelings that need healing.”

“There is no bromance,” I retort, bashing the stick into the fire now.

“If you say so,” she says breezily. “I think if you talk to him—”

“Mallory,” I interject, and when her lips shut, I add gently, “I told you this because you asked me. I didn’t tell you this because I want you to somehow fix the situation.”

“What if it can be fixed?”

“It can’t be.”

She huffs. “But what if—”

“Mallory,” I warn, a sharp edge to my voice that even I can hear. “Enough.”

She draws in a deep breath and visibly gives up, leaning back in her seat and crossing her legs. “Fine. You win, I’m done.” The orange hue lights up the side of her face, revealing her half-smile when she says softly, “Just so you know, I know you miss him.”

This is why I hate deep conversations.

Mallory

An hour later, the crisp water brushes across my bare thighs. I don’t prolong the torture. I dive under the surface and have a moment’s break away from everything. The story Jackson told me doesn’t put him in the greatest light but it happened over ten years ago. I’d made a mistake or two that I wouldn’t want to talk about, and I can’t ignore the fact that he told me the truth. That had to mean that his intentions for why he’d done what he’d done were good, even if the manner he chose to protect Liam was horrible. Then again, as I swim back up to the surface, what would I do if that had been Aria? If she’d been blinded by love. Could I stand by and watch a man use her?

Admittedly, I don’t think I could. Would I sleep with him to prove that point? No, of course not. But what would I do if she couldn’t see past the lies?

When I break through the water and inhale the deep breath my lungs are crying out for, I still don’t know.

“See, not as bad as you thought it would be, is it?”

I swim toward Jackson a few feet away. “You get used to the cold quick.” I pause, then add, “Though my nipples still haven’t.”

His chuckle slides over me when he reaches onto my arm, dragging me through the water toward him. I keep hold of his toned middle as he swims us closer to shore where he can kneel. I climb onto his lap and wrap my arms around his neck. He doesn’t seem to mind, sliding his hands across the small of my back.

He stares at me for a long moment, his eyes searching mine. I can’t tell at all what’s on his mind but surprise drifts over me when he finally asks, “Why are you single?”

“Isn’t it obvious?” I ask with a level look.

“If it were obvious,” he says, “I wouldn’t need to be asking the question.”

“Well, I don’t exactly fit the L.A. mold,” I explain. “I’m okay with it. I like who I am. But it’s hard to impress the gents when you show up for a date in jeans, ballet flats, and a blouse. It’s a tough game, and it’s hard to compete with a Barbie doll in a tight dress and high heels. I don’t really scream ‘sexy.’?”

“That’s because you hide it.” He rubs his hands up and down my back.

“I hide being sexy?”

He nods slowly, like he has me all figured out. “You’re incredibly sexy, but at appropriate times. So, while the majority of men might not see the sexy in you out in public, you keep it to the bedroom. And that is the sexiest kind of sexy there is because it’s special. You don’t give that away to everyone.”

I laugh softly. “You know, I’d love to say that the way I’ve been with you is how I was with all my ex-boyfriends but that’s far from the truth. You make it easy to be sexy.”

“Well, then,” he murmurs. “I’m damn glad for that.”

I smile in response. “What about you? Why haven’t any of your past girlfriends locked you down?”

He runs his hands down to my bum, where he squeezes my cheeks, brushing me up against his hard cock. “I wouldn’t exactly call them my past girlfriends.” He gives me a measured look. “Let’s be honest. I know that Aria has talked to you about my love life.”

I shrug innocently. “She might have said something about how you go through women like they’re a weekly newspa