hastened to assure him.
“Relax—as a friend, Hank. It’ll be like having another little sister around. It’ll be great.”
I was in trouble in about five seconds flat. Laura stepped into the office, and any and all thoughts of being her friend went out the window. And I certainly didn’t feel this way about my little sister, Amy. The picture Hank had on his desk didn’t do Laura justice—and she was no little girl. She was small, curvy, with hair that hung down her back in deep waves of chocolate, and large blue eyes that were bright and filled with intelligence. Then she smiled—full, pink lips curved into a warm, enticing smile that made my body tighten with want. She was dressed in a simple navy skirt and a cream-colored blouse and low heels—attire that was totally appropriate for the office, gave nothing away, yet on her, was completely sexy.
So sexy and alluring, I was hard instantly.
So hard, I couldn’t even stand up to greet her. There was no hiding my reaction.
Instead, I was back to being fifteen again and hiding behind a large piece of furniture. When Hank introduced us, all I could do was remain seated, extend my hand, and offer her a gruff hello. His eyebrows shot up at my seeming rudeness, and Laura looked confused. Still, she placed her small hand in mine, greeting me politely. A subtle shock ran down my spine as my hand closed over hers, and it took everything in me not to pull her onto my lap and kiss her—even with Hank standing there. I wanted to feel those inviting lips moving underneath mine. Her eyes widened, and she pulled back her hand, her tongue peeking out as she bit her full bottom lip.
I wanted that tongue in my mouth. I wanted to bite that bottom lip, then run my own tongue over it and tease her until she begged me for more.
I grabbed a file and my laptop, muttered something about seeing a client, and ran.
Like a coward.
Inside my truck, I slammed my hands on the steering wheel. Desire was coursing through me, hot, pumping, and needy.
I wanted her.
Laura, the boss’s daughter. The boss who expressly stated she was off-limits to everyone in the company. The boss who wanted me to look out for her, be her friend, and keep the other men away from her.
I felt a growl building in my chest.
That was the only thing Hank and I would agree on at this exact moment.
No one was fucking getting close to her. They wouldn’t touch her.
She was mine.
It didn’t matter that she was too young for me, just out of a bad marriage, or that she was Hank’s daughter and was strictly forbidden.
I wasn’t sure how I could stay away.
I ran a hand roughly over my face.
I had to.
My avoidance worked well for about six weeks. When we were forced to be together, I was polite but distant. At meetings, I sat as far away from her as possible—one inhale of her light, feminine scent was enough to start my dick twitching, which invariably led to inappropriate thoughts of burying my face in her neck, fisting her thick hair in my hands as I fucked her. On my desk. Her desk. In my truck. In Hank’s truck. Anywhere I could.
I saw the flickers of hurt cross her face every time I was curt with her. Her shoulders curled in a little at my tone, and I hated knowing I was the one causing her pain. But it was the only way I could stay away from her. Other times, she squared her shoulders, and we went toe-to-toe over some minor infraction she felt I was perpetrating. Her eyes would flash, her voice rising, and she refused to back down. She was magnificent.
My cock agreed and wanted her even more. I’d have to hide again, often taking matters into my own hands—literally—when I couldn’t stand it anymore. I hid a bottle of lotion in the bathroom for occasions like that. The fact that I was almost forty years old and having to rub one out in the bathroom to make it through the day without humping a woman I barely knew was more than humiliating.
I started spending more time on the jobsite we were currently running. I told Hank the guys were slacking off and needed me there, but it was the only way I could keep my sanity.
But she was everywhere. I heard her laughter in the office, and I