Page 13 of Impossible Bachelor (Bachelor Tower 2)
“I bribed them.”
“No you didn’t.”
“I slept with the woman who runs the Forum.”
“It’s run by a man named Ted Willard.”
“Who was a gentle and kind lover. Now you know my secret.”
“Be serious. Why hide that you’re successful?”
“I don’t hide anything, but I don’t see a reason to mention it unless I’m asked.”
“You’re credited for some of the biggest technological advances in the last three years. What the hell are you doing here helping me?”
“I like you.”
He says it so casually I’m temporarily at a loss for words. I’d convinced myself he was unreliable and unmotivated, just like my father. I don’t know what to think now.
Ben keeps his attention focused on the computer as he clicks away on my keyboard. He looks disappointed. “I suppose now that you know I’m not some slacker, my chances just got a lot better.”
Ouch. He’s wrong, but I’ve never been good at explaining my feelings. “It doesn’t change anything.”
“That’s a relief.”
“We’re still too different.”
“Since when is being different a bad thing?”
Since always. “You’re a good guy, Ben. I can see you with someone just as nice. Someone like”—I swallow then force myself to keep going—“like Opal.”
“Do you know what your problem is?”
A vice around my heart cranks tighter. “No, but I’m sure you’ll tell me.”
“You’ve never been swept off your feet.”
“What?” My voice raises a few octaves.
“Don’t worry I’m going to rock your world.”
“You’re crazy.”
His gaze meets and holds mine. “You’re worth it.”
My breath catches in my throat, and he gives me the beautiful gift of redirecting his attention back to my computer. This is the romantic sappy shit I usually run from. I don’t believe in it, but why does it sound so good?
“Done.” He spins my computer around. My desktop is right back the way it was before. Right down to the background wallpaper picture of Penny and me swinging next to each other at the park when we were kids.
“You fixed it?”
“I did.”
“That was fast.”
“I’m quick.” He stands and gives me a lopsided grin. “With computers at least.”
I’m not touching that one—not here in my office. “Well, thank you. I should probably make sure it’s all there.”
“It is.”
“I’ll feel better once I confirm that.”
“You should let your computer cool down for about twelve to eighteen hours.”
“I might not be as tech savvy as you, but I know bullshit when I hear it.”
He shrugs those beautifully wide shoulders. “If you’re willing to risk it freezing again, go ahead. I’m telling you, this computer needs a break. You should be off it, out of the office really, until tomorrow at lunch time.”
“Really?” I put a hand on one hip. “So I should take my work home.”
“Not exactly.”
Being so relaxed with him feels right and wrong at the same time. “I’m not taking you home.”
“That’s fine.” His words don’t match his expression. “I mean I did just save your computer and all your precious files. You don’t owe me anything.”
“I don’t.” My voice is suddenly husky. God, I want what he makes me feel to be real, but this is exactly the mistake my mother made—and it nearly ruined her. I slide the mouse over and begin to confirm that all is as it was before. Everything seems good. I look up—feeling a little guilty I wasn’t willing to take it on his word. “Ben—”
He gives me the easy smile I find so hard to resist. “Full disclosure, I would have had to check too. I’m not offended.”
Hand still on the mouse, I blink a few times as I choose my next words. “Thank you.”
“I have plans for you for tonight. Don’t overthink it. Say yes.”
I’m not the type to make anything that easy—not even when I want to. “I am not going to have sex with you.”
His grin is back and his other hand goes to his chest. “Is that all you think about? There’s more to me.” He gestures toward his cock then his face. “Eyes up here, lady.”
I almost smile. “I’m serious.”
He laughs as he traces my chin with his thumb. “So am I. I planned it right after you called. Let’s go have some fun together.”
“I don’t have time for fun.”
“Then you’re not as in control of your life as you think you are. I work hard, but I leave time for me. Who are you when you’re not in the office, Kylie? Who do you want to be?”
I don’t know the answer to that question, but I want to.
I want to as badly as I want to kiss him.
It’s exciting and scary as all hell.
I tell Tabby to clear my schedule for the rest of the day and the next morning. She doesn’t look surprised at all.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Ben
Kylie slides into the passenger side of my sports car, looking as jumpy as a woman fearing she’s about to be kidnapped. Most of my dates start on a more positive note. “I don’t like surprises.”
“You’ll like this one. It’s different.”
“That does not fill me with confidence.”
“I’d think that a woman who could step into a boxing ring wouldn’t be afraid of a little outing with a sweet man like me.”
Her eyes narrow, but I can tell she’s intrigued. “I’m not afraid.”
“Good, because if you let yourself enjoy it, this will be fun.”
“Says every man always . . .”
I laugh and start the car. I like her snarky wit. “Are you?”
“What?”
“That tense in bed?” I know there’s a risk the question might offend her, but since I just pulled out of the driveway she’s trapped with me long enough that we can talk it through.
“It was a joke.” She folds her arms across her chest.
I pull out onto the main road. “Hey, not judging. Women are lucky. You have second thoughts, and you just say no. A man questions if he should actually sleep with his best friend’s ex and his limp dick says it for him.”
Her eyebrows arch. “Sounds like a problem.”
“Yeah, morality sucks.”
I glance at her in time to see her smile briefly. “I thought men could and would fuck anything and anyone.”
“Some men.” I wave at my cock. “We came to an agreement early to choose quality over quantity.”
&n
bsp; “We?”
I shrug. I don’t know if women think of their pussies as creatures who have minds of their own. Men do for the simple reason we’ve been betrayed by that little bastard enough to not trust it. Hard-ons happen at enough ridiculous times that we can either hate our cocks for embarrassing us or befriend the fuckers, name them, and keep them contained.
I don’t tell women I have a name for my cock. There are certain things women don’t get because—they’re women.
Trust me, if they had dicks, they’d name them too.
I decide to change the topic.
“I’ll have you back in the office by lunch tomorrow.”
“Wait, where are we going? I want to be back at my place tonight.”
“You can be if you want to.”
“I hope work clothes are appropriate for this surprise destination because that’s all I have.”
“Penny packed you a bag.”
“She what?”
“She packed you a bag.” I repeat the words more slowly as if that’s what she required. I can’t help but grin at her growl.
“I already told you I’m not going to sleep with you.”
“Sex. Sex. Sex. I have a mind too. You might try to pretend you’re interested in that as well.”
“You crack yourself up, don’t you?”
“Seriously.” I change my expression so she knows I mean it. “There is no pressure. I have something planned I think you’ll enjoy. Where it goes from there is up to you.” When she sucks in her bottom lip and her eyes dart away, my cock takes that as a yes and drains the blood from my brain. This is where the battle begins for a man. If allowed, that little bastard will reduce me to blubbering and begging. I imagine an error in a long chunk of code and all the ways it could elude me. Slowly, I regain control.
Take that, Mr. Closure.
I slept with a programmer once and tried to explain the name to her, but she confused the term with anonymous function which took all the humor out of the term. A named closure is not anonymous. I chose it to imply it works best in one environment. When a closure is exposed to too many variables, it can lead to messy garbage data. Any good coder would know that.
