Peter considered her thin blouse, the coffee making it stick to her skin, then extended the cloth to Janet. Id do it, he teased, but you might file a harassment suit against me.
If it was one of the others, no, Ben said dryly. But due to your well-known obsession with womens breasts, your ass would be nailed.
As the men grinned at her, she tried to smile back. That was when her body betrayed her yet again. Two of the threatening tears made the leap, started sliding down her face. Damn it. She snatched the cloth from Peter, started wiping the front of her ruined suit. Her fingers were trembling.
A hand gripped her arm, lifted her out of the chair, putting her against a solid, reassuring male chest. Of all the people shed have expected to step forward at that moment, it was both the biggest surprise yet the most inexplicably suitable choice to find herself in Bens arms. Heedless of what the coffee might do to his clothes, he held her close, letting her take shuddering breaths against a wall of muscle as she fought for control. Its all right, he said against her hair. Falling in love sucks, doesnt it?
She couldnt help it, she laughed, a broken sound. Then, before she could get uncomfortable about the intimacy, hed turned her toward Matt. With that exceptional intuition they all had, Ben knew Matt was the one man shed trust with her raw emotions for more than a few seconds. However, Bens hand remained on her shoulder, massaging. Peter clasped the other shoulder, Jon squeezing one of her hands as Lucas stroked her hair. Matt held her other hand against his chest while he rubbed her back.
As part of her rather extensive classified personal knowledge of the team, she knew the men had more than once worked together to sexually dominate and give a woman the erotic experience of her life. Each of their wivesor intended wives, in Marcies casehad been the recipient of that enviable experience. As amazing as that idea was, she wondered if any of them had ever thought of calling on the five of them when the woman in question needed a good cry. The fortress of protective male reassurance was like being inside a warm comforter on a rainy day, with a bottomless thermos of rich hot chocolate at hand. It was as overwhelming an experience as an erotic one.
She and Matt had a special connection through her bloody past, but it was the first time she realized the K&A menall of themsaw her as one of theirs, her family when she had no other. Theyd closed around her, sheltering her from the world.
Youre going to be late for your meeting, she managed. Matt squeezed her fingers.
Ill make an even grander entrance if Im late. Send the message that my ass is the most significant one to kiss.
She lifted her head. Shed left tiny dots of moisture on Matts white shirt. Her tears, she realized. She glanced up as Matt used his handkerchief to dab at her face, then closed her fingers around the cloth before she could fuss at him for the babying. He gave her a faint smile.
She took a couple deep breaths. Steadied. When she did, he nodded, touching a brief finger to her cheek in approval.
Im sorry for yelling at you, Janet, Ben said. When she turned in Matts grasp, the lawyer brushed her arm, another reassurance. Im a total prick.
You know that wasnt it. Gathering her courage, she met each of their gazes, accepted the same thing shed seen in Matts expression. Caring and understanding. Thank you, all of you. Youve made it better. Now please get the hell out of here and let me go back to being me.
Lucas brushed the tender line of her throat with his knuckles. Peter handed her the damp cloth he still held. Run some more cold water over your arm. Theres some topical in the first-aid kit if you need it, but usually airs the best thing.
She nodded. They exchanged glances with Matt, then, based on that unspoken communication, the other men filed out, leaving her with her boss.
I really am fine. I know youll be angry if I say Im sorry, but you know how mortifying I find something like this.
I do. His serious dark eyes twinkled. But youve given us verifiable proof youre human. Weve had a standing bet about it for some time now.
Oh? She sniffled, trying not to well up again as he pressed his large fingers over her own, reminding her that she was holding his handkerchief. Who won? Or is that information going to piss me off?
Probably, but Ill tell you anyway. I did. He winked at her. In the beginning, Jon thought you were a very sophisticated robot and Peter agreed. He said you were a top-secret prototype I was demoing for the military, trying you out as a potential sleeper assassin. Bens money was on you being Satans mistress. He told us wed have to forward his winnings to him, since he couldnt provide verification until he died and ran into you in Hell. Lucas and I were the two who believed you were human. The bet was for how long it would take to indisputably prove your humanity or lack thereof. I beat Lucas estimate by about a year. Of course, I probably owe a portion of my winnings to Max, since you might have held out until Lucas projected date without him.
If you tell Max about any of this, I will put you in the industrial shredder in the basement.
With a smile, he leaned forward, pressed his lips to her cheek, his hands closing on her shoulders once more. We love you, Janet. He spoke against her temple, making her close her eyes, her heart aching. Tell me what you need, youll have it.
You gave it to me, all those years ago. And you havent stopped giving since. Now please, at the risk of repeating myself, get the hell out of here. I need to deal with the carpet and my suit.
Both of which you will charge as company expenses. Dont let me find out you paid for it, or Ill transfer you to Bens area for the next six months.
She snorted. Im not scared. You couldnt survive that long without me.
Youd be surprised what Ill do to prove a point. His fingers tightened on her. Janet, I mean it.
Oh fine. She shrugged him off irritably. Shoo.
He chuckled, stepped back. I leave all of it in your capable hands, as always. But you know where we are if you need anything.
Thats my line, thank you.
Yes, it is. He dropped one more kiss on her forehead, his lips curving when she shrugged him away with an irritable noise. See you this afternoon.
He strode toward the door, relieving her with his matter-of-fact acceptance that she was back at the helm. Given how intuitive the five men were, it was unlikely theyd even mention it againunless they felt it needed mentioning, and shed make sure it wouldnt.
She surveyed the carpet, already thinking of the local vendor K&A used when the carpets required deep cleaning. First, though, shed better spot treat her blouse and coat until she could get them to the dry cleaners at lunch. She had a spare change of clothes here, for the occasional all-nighter required by some of K&As more ambitious projects.
As she moved to take care of that, her office area quiet with all her men gone, she saw her cell phone had a text, not a surprise. Picking it up, she read it.
How about we make it a long weekend in Texas and do some camping? I promise it will be fun. I miss you already, Mistress.
She closed her eyes, pressing the screen to her forehead. After another moment, she replied.
If it isnt, Ill tie you to a rack and give you a full body wax.
Shed found the number for the carpet cleaning company when her phone buzzed again.
The rack part sounds intriguing. Pass on the wax. You like my manly body hair.
She pursed her lips. Yes, the rack did sound intriguing. And the fact he gave her the idea hed be okay with it made it even more tantalizing. But campinghmm.
She sighed. Matt had said to let him know if she needed anything. She wished he could erase the last member of that gang from Maxs mind. She wanted to attribute her uneasy feeling about it to echoes from her past making her paranoid, but she didnt think so. Dale had told her. I can promise you it occupies one-third of his brain And yet it had happened years ago. What if they found the man in Mexico, or South America, and Max went after him? Or if he went after him here, and was caught or injured? Or killed?
She firmed her chin. She wasnt some swooning heroine, waiting for Fate to trample her. It was obvious Maxs only real fear was that of being less than the man he felt he was supposed to be. So she would figure out how to deal with this. The way any Navy SEALs wife, girlfriendor Mistresshad to figure it out.
Ben checked his watch as he came out the front door, saw Max and the limo waiting. Peter, Jon and Lucas would be following in about an hour, because only Ben and Matt were needed for the first agenda items. Matt wouldnt push it too late, but hed make sure Janet was okay. Even so, Ben had a few minutes to kill. He could duck into the back and arrange some documents
Or not.
Max stepped in front of the passenger door, blocking his entry. Sometimes he did the door-opening routine, usually if Matt needed to appear impressive, though for the most part Matt didnt waste a lot of time on that kind of shit. But Maxs intent wasnt to open the door for Ben. From the expression on his face, Ben thought it more likely he was considering Mel Gibsons Lethal Weapon 2 maneuver, hammering Bens head in the door.
Problem, Max?
Yeah. I brought Janets lunch up to her. Shed left it in my car.
And?
Maxs cool gray eyes fixed on Bens. I get that you and she lock horns sometimes, and thats part of your deal. But its time you stop talking to her like that. Period.
Bens kneejerk reaction was to set aside his briefcase, step toe-to-toe with the tight-assed, muscle-headed bastard and ask him who in the fucking hell did he think he was talking to. Then he thought about the tears in Janets eyessomething that had scared the hell out of all of them, franklyand what hed do if hed seen some guy being a foul-mouthed ass to Marcie. Well, fuck.