His Temporary Assistant

“I think it’s in their contract. Anyway, I’m fairly certain I knew from the first time she insulted me via email. Which was right away.”

“So, you have masochistic tendencies?”

“Obviously. I just got a cat.” I took a few pens she’d gathered out of her hand. “Who also loves Ryan, by the way.”

“Also? That’s a very telling word.”

I didn’t bother to deny it. Instead, I dumped more pens in the cup and set it on the desk then started picking up the paperwork that had scattered all over.

My mom stopped me with a hand on my bandaged wrist. “What did you do?”

Rather than tell her, I peeled off the bandage and watched her eyes film over at the small tattoo.

“A moon?”

“Yeah.” I tried to make my vocal cords work. “And a sun, because she’s especially that for me. Ever since she’s been gone, it feels like everything is cold and dark inside me. When she’s here, it’s easier for me to laugh. At myself especially. I just like having her around.” I shoved papers into a manila folder and flung it on the desk. “I don’t know how it happened.”

“It was time,” she said gently.

“Maybe. I think it’s just because it’s her.”

“Where did she go?”

As we picked up the rest of the stuff from the floor, I told her in mom-sanctioned terms. Nothing about outdoor sex or touches that singed or cock rings made from belts. Even if she knew about all that stuff and more, it was better for my psyche if I pretended she didn’t.

“After spending such a wonderful night together, no wonder you felt blindsided. Good thing your brother saved your computer just in time.”

“Yeah.” I grabbed my mouse and found the mousepad under the chair before rising and putting them both on the desk. “I haven’t had a temper tantrum since I was…”

“You’ve never had a temper tantrum, Preston. That would require an excessive display of an emotion, and we both know how you feel about those.”

“It was stupid.” I exhaled. “She’s wary. I get that. She has reason to be.”

“And you don’t? You’re a wealthy man.” When I would’ve spoken, she held up a bejeweled hand with the typical stripe of dirt on the back. She almost always missed a spot. “I don’t believe she’s an untrustworthy sort. Just the opposite. But if you wanted reasons to turn away, you certainly have understandable ones.”

“She doesn’t want my money.” I laughed dryly. “I thought about buying a sports car, and she acted as if she didn’t know why would I do something like that. Turns out she was right.”

I had an appointment for later to drop off the crotch rocket and test out a much more reasonable but still tricked out SUV. Only now I’d just have Smoky to discuss the purchase with.

He was probably even now making plans for a new speed dating event appointment, one where he could go home with Ryan.

Hell, Smoky was more likely to be informed of her current location then I was. Maybe he’d act as an intermediary.

I rubbed my aching temple. And I was officially losing it.

“She’s a wise girl. I saw that right away.”

“Yeah, and she was probably wise to take a minute to think. Neither of us have done that much.”

“In that first burst of lust, no one does.”

At my narrowed-eyed look, she shrugged and stood. “We’ve all been there.”

I opened my top drawer and dumped the files in there I didn’t want to deal with now. I’d handle them later. Then I eased a hip on the corner of the desk. “Is that how you got together with Dad?”

Immediately, her smile faded. “I told you we were going the same direction.”

“That doesn’t sound like lust to me. So, does that mean you know all about it with someone else?”