The Bacelor: Make A Sex Deal

“That would mean I’d have to stay the night.”

I looked up from my plate. “And?”

Her grin grew. “You’d better get out of here. Fast.”

I laughed and inhaled the rest of my food, downing my coffee as I brought the plate into the kitchen and set it in the sink along with the mug. When I returned, I turned Oaklyn’s chair until she was facing me and knelt to pull her into my arms, holding her tiny body against mine.

“Stay as long as you want,” I told her. “There’s no reason for you to rush out of here.”

She circled her arms around my back, her head on my chest, where she’d slept all night. “I didn’t bring my laptop, so I really do need to go home.”

“Don’t you dare touch those dishes. My housekeeper will be here in a little while, and she’ll clean up.”

“But-”

“No buts. You cooked, and since I’m out of time, my housekeeper will clean.” I gave her a final squeeze and stood. “I’ll text you later.”

“My assistant said you phoned about an hour ago,” Easton voiced after I answered his call. “Did you get everything you needed?”

I lifted the Hooked file from the mess on my desk, trying to remember why I’d even called him. I’d been at the office for four hours, and it felt like a month. I was in the midst of juggling all three cases, and it was too much for my fucking brain.Content from NôvelDr(a)ma.Org.

I peeked inside the folder, reading the notes I’d written earlier, and it all clicked. “I did,” I replied. “She sent over the documents I needed.”

“How’s it looking?”

I set the file down and pushed my back into the chair, my eyes closing, my hand rubbing across my forehead. “We’re making headway. We’ve got our team working on the weekends to log all the data we’ll need to show in court. This morning, I listened to the conversations you’d recorded that we’re going to use for evidence. I’ll tell you what; Declan and I can’t wait to present those.”

“When anyone fucks with me, the Boston comes out, and I hit record so fucking fast when that opportunity presented itself.”

I laughed.

Jesus, I missed that city.

Bostonians had a rawness that LA locals just didn’t have.

“It’s a good thing you did,” I told him. “That proof alone could win you the case. But that doesn’t make our job any easier, not when you go up against a social media giant like Faceframe.”

“That’s why we hired the best. Now, go work your magic and let me know if you need anything else.”

“Will do,” I said and hung up.

I was just opening Hooked’s file again when there was a knock at my door.

Goddamn it.

I couldn’t go a fucking minute without being interrupted.

“Come in,” I yelled, and I flipped through the top couple of sheets, reading some of the data I needed to memorize. “Yes?” I asked whoever was standing there without looking to see who it was.

“Hi.”

That voice.

The softness of it.

I glanced up, and Oaklyn was smiling in my doorway.

“To what do I owe this pleasure?”

She laughed, her cheeks turning a color that looked fucking amazing on her. “I’m having lunch with your sister. She’s still in a meeting, so I thought I’d come in and say hi.” She glanced around the space. “I’ve never been in your office.”

“Make yourself comfortable.” I opened my arms, hoping she’d rush in and fall into them. To be extra cautious, I growled, “But lock the door first.”

She didn’t move. “I think we both know that’s a bad idea.” She gripped the frame of the door as though she needed to stop herself from entering. “But I think a good idea would be to have dinner at my place tonight.”

“Yeah?”

She nodded, tucking a long piece of hair behind her ear, showing an earlobe that I was dying to bite. “I’m cooking.”

“Say no more.”

“Is that the only reason you’re coming over? To eat more of my food?”

That dress and the way it fit her body-fuck me-it was just the sight I needed to get me through the rest of the day.

I kept my voice low when I replied, “I’m coming over because I can’t stay the hell away from you.” I linked my fingers together, my hard-on pressing against my suit pants, threatening to burst right through the seam. “You’re all I’ve thought about all morning. And being with you tonight is going to be the best thing that’s happened to me all day.”

Her teeth were on her lip, grazing back and forth. “Then, I’ll see you tonight.” Her fingers released the frame, and she gave me a quick wave before she was gone.

The view of my empty doorway now was almost painful to look at.

But that spot was quickly filled just a second later by Declan. He glanced from me to the hallway, where I imagined Oaklyn was walking, before he looked at me again, making his way into my office, chuckling as he took a seat in front of my desk.

“Visiting you at work, I see.”

I crossed my arms over my chest. “She’s having lunch with my sister. But one day soon, she’ll be coming here just for me.”

Declan nodded. “Sounds like things are moving in the right direction, and that goddamn smile on your face confirms it.”

“They’re definitely moving.” It didn’t matter how hard I pushed on my chest; the feeling inside of it wouldn’t go away. These sparks, shit, they were relentless. “There’s just a giant elephant standing between us.”

“You’ll handle that when the time is right.”

I sighed. “That’s what I’ve been telling myself.” I adjusted my tie, the feel of it almost choking me, before I rested my arms on my desk. “Things are good just how they are. But eventually, we’re going to leave my condo or hers, and I just fucking know we’ll run into one of my family members, and the secret will be out.”

“Here’s a tip, brother: don’t let that happen. Tell her before she hears it from someone else. That’ll fuel a beast in her that you don’t want to fuck with.”