Chapter One
The phone buzzeson my desk and I pick it up. It’s Max. My boss, my lover, my friend and now myfamily.
“Afternoon, Icy, would you come into my office please? I need someassistance.”
“Sir, I’m afraid there’s no one here by that name,” I say, putting all the emphasis onSir.
“Hmm, I like the sound of that, Icy. I think you should refer to me that way all the time. It has a nicer ring to it than Jester or Max, don’t youthink.”
My eyes flick up to Sarah, who shares the office with me. “Max,” Imouth.
She pulls a funny face and I stifle a laugh. I’ve been working here for two months and we’re getting along famously. We are already at the comfortable stage where we can tease each other. It feels good to have another female friend in my life. Sarah is one of the few who knows about my relationship with all the brothers. Like Calum, she knew the brothers growing up. For a few years they were all in the same care home. Sarah has a lovely girlfriend called Jessica and they have a cute two-year-old boy together. Ty is adorable and totally won over my heart the very first time I methim.
“If you requiremyassistance,Sir,” I say, laying it on thick, “I will be with you shortly. But Icy, she stays athome.”
“Spoilsport,” Max says with a laugh and hangs up. I can’t help butgrin.
Putting the phone down, I pick up my pad and pen. “Max needs me for a bit, probably has a letter to dictate or something,” I say toSarah.
Sarah shoots me a look. “Sure he does. Do you want me to hold all calls?” she asks sweetly, a twinkle of amusement in hereye.
“No, don’t give Max any more ideas. He’sincorrigible.”
“Frankly, I don’t blame him. I mean, youarehotstuff.”
“Shush, don’t let Jessica hear you say that,” I say with a wave of myhand.
“She agrees with me…” Sarah bursts out laughing at the look on my face. “What? Sometimes we discuss how ridiculously hot my co-workeris.”
“Oh, bloodyhell.”
I leave our office, smiling at Sarah’s tinkling laugh, and head towards Max’s, which is situated alongside our own. When I enter he has his feet up on the desk and a wide smile on hisface.
“Shut the door,” he says in a voice that is far too sexy for the middle of the day in an office full ofemployees.
“I’ve brought my pad and pen. Do you have a letter that needs dictating… Sir?” I add, my own voice dropping lower. When he is playfully sexy like this I can’t help but joinin.
Max removes his feet from the desk and saunters towards me. He is looking particularly gorgeous today in a button-down, black shirt and a pair of grey cotton trousers. He pulls off smart casual better than either Hudson or Bryce, who look more at home in a smart suit, or at the other end of the scale, tracksuit and hoody. I’m not sure which I prefer. If I had tochooseit would Bryce in a suit, Hudson in a tracksuit. There was something so attractive about Bryce’s huge muscles straining against a well-tailored suit, and Hudson freshly showered wearing his trackies after a session in agym.
“Earth to Louisa,” Max says, clicking hisfingers.
I laugh. “Sorry, my mind wandered for amoment.”
“I sure would like to know whereto.”
“I bet,” I say, taking a seat on the Chesterfield sofa in the corner of his office. “So tell me, what is it that you need exactly? I’m quite busy. My bosses are slavedrivers.”
Max sits down on the sofa next to me, smiling languidly. “Is that so? Sounds to me that your bosses are taking advantage of you. Perhaps they’re a bituptight?”
“Uptight?” I ask, raising an eyebrow. “He certainly wasn’t uptight when we made love last night. Nope, I’d say he was pretty much the reverse of uptight.” In fact, Max had been incredible. We’d made love for hours, this time just the two of us. Bryce and Hudson had drawn the short straw and flown out to Amsterdam a couple of days ago for a business meeting, so it has been just myself and Max. Apart from Nisha dropping in to see us for a meal, we’ve only had each other and as much as I’ve been missing Bryce and Hudson, it has beenlovely.
Max slides along the seat towards me and raises an eyebrow. “Sleeping with your boss, are we? Isn’t that against employmentlaw?”
“You tell me,Boss,” I say, placing my pen and pad on the low coffee table in front of us. “I could always resign.” I cross my legs in front of me, acutely aware I am wearing the tight pencil skirt Max loves to see me dressed in. His eyes linger on my bare calves and high heels. Despite insisting that casual attire is fine for working, I like wearing more business-like clothes. It makes me feel good about myself. I also feel confident,sexy.
“I don’t think that will be necessary,” he says, sliding a warm hand up the front of my shin and under the hem of myskirt.
“No?”