Wife to the Boss (Managing the Bosses Series, #6) (16 page)

She realized she was staring and immediately felt the heat on her cheeks again. “Zanders, I apologize but I don’t even know your first name.”

“Is it not in my file?” He chuckled as he teased her and stepped forward with his hand extended. “Bartholomew, Bartholomew Zanders. It’s good to see you again, Mrs. Reid.”

“Jamie, please... Zanders.” She laughed as she realized he went by Zanders because his full name was a mouthful. “Unless you prefer Bart—”

“Zanders is fine. Nobody uses my first name unless it’s my grandmother or the cops.”

She raised her eyebrows. “How often have the police needed to use your name?”

“Once or twice in college.” He grinned ruefully and unbuttoned his jacket. “How are you doing? Alex has you going nonstop, doesn’t he?”

She motioned to one of the leather chairs and moved to settle into the other one. “He does, but I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

“Well, you look great.” It was his turn to blush as he sat down. “I mean, for being busy and pregnant and...”

She laughed again. “No worries, Zanders. I’ll take that as a complement.”

“Phew! That’s what I meant it as.” He leaned back into the chair. “I don’t know why I’m nervous.”

“It’s fine. You’ve already spoken with Mark?”

“I have. This is a great family business.”

“Funny you should say that. Alex started the business, I guess I married into it, and Mark,” she thought for a moment, “sort of divorced into it. He and his ex-wife divorced and he came out this way. It’s very much Reid Enterprise.”

“I can appreciate that. Alex Reid is a smart man. He knows who will help make his company successful. Or should I say, more successful.”

“Hence why Alex is interested in having you move up and take on more responsibility.” She appreciated his nod of acknowledgement. Zanders wasn’t cocky, or self-absorbed, she could tell right off the bat. “I only have a few questions.”

“Fire away.” He leaned forward, his elbows resting on his knees.

“Are you married?”

He blinked, but his face gave away nothing. “I’m not.”

“Do you have a serious girlfriend or a partner?”

This time an eyebrow rose and he glanced quickly down at her belly. “N-Not at the moment.” He coughed nervously. “Your questions are a little different than Marks.”

She waved her hand. “What about family?”

“My family lives in Seattle.”

“How close are you to them?”

“Not very. I mean, I see them at Christmas and they fly out here once a year but my father remarried to a woman half his age and started a new family. My mother is busy enjoying cruises and bridge.” His gaze dropped down to his hands. “Sorry, that’s probably not what you meant.”

She smiled and waved her hand. “I’m only asking because this job takes a lot of your time. If you’re driven and determined to succeed, and you want to learn everything you can from Alex Reid, then it’s going to require not having much of a life outside the office at first. I only ask about your family and social life because it might feel basically non-existent.”

“I understand the job requirements, Mrs. Reid.” Again, he didn’t sound cocky or angry she was asking. He actually sounded like he appreciated that she was asking him these questions. “I’m excited to be a bigger part of this company.”

“Jamie, please.” She shifted to get more comfortable. “I just want you to understand what you’re stepping into from a different perspective than Alex and Mark.”

Now that they had covered that part of the interview, Jamie asked Zanders where he saw the company going, how he could help and other questions she knew Alex would also go over with him. Zanders handled himself completely professionally and Jamie could tell he was going to do a great job.

Half an hour later, Jamie was going over some technical questions, asking if he felt his temp could handle moving up with him or if he felt he might need someone more qualified, when Alex knocked quietly from the door that separated her office from his. He stepped in and nodded at the two of them. “Everything okay?”

Jamie stood, not missing Alex’s quick hungry gaze down and then back up her body. How could he even be interested when she was beginning to feel like a duck, even waddling like one. “We’re just finishing up. What office would you Zanders to move up to?”

“Good question.” Alex moved to his desk as he checked his phone. “What about Paul’s old office? We could knock a wall out and then you can use the two small offices conjoining?” His gaze shifted to Zanders.

Zanders had stood when Jamie did. He stuck his hands in his pockets, clearly comfortable around Alex.
That’s a good sign
, Jamie thought.

“Sounds good to me. When do you want me up here?” Zanders asked.

“I’ll get the office construction started in the next few days if you’re up to moving by the end of the month?”

“Sounds perfect to me,” Zanders replied smiling again. “Mark wants to hit a few rounds of golf this weekend. He mentioned that it was part of the interview process.”

Alex chuckled. “If I’m not there, just make sure you beat him.”

Jamie rolled her eyes jokingly. “Does the competition ever stop?”

“Nope,” both men said at the same time.

“Alright then, if there’s nothing else?” Zanders glanced at Jamie.

“We are good. I don’t have anything else I need to cover.” Jamie turned to Alex. “What about you?”

“Meet me in the conference room in about,” Alex glanced at his watch, “forty-five minutes. We can go over the Tyler account and George Tyler will be coming in this week and I can walk you through how to keep the old Texan happy.”

“Sounds good.” Zanders reached out and shook Jamie’s hand and then Alex’s. “Thanks for the opportunity, Alex. You won’t be disappointed.”

“I won’t, if you don’t give me any reason to be.” Alex smiled. He liked Zanders, but business was business. That much was clear.

Zanders nodded and headed out of the room from the main office entrance. Jamie followed and closed the door behind, locking it as she did.

Alex glanced up from his phone and raised an eyebrow. “Mrs. Reid, what are your intentions here?”

“I’m going to throw myself at the boss and see if he gives me what I want.”

“You can do anything you want, Mrs. Reid.”

She smiled, moving in between him and the desk, pressing her body close against his. “Really? And why is that?” she murmured.

“It’s part of the deal.”

She could hear happiness and hunger in Alex’s voice, so she looked intensely at his handsome face, meeting his gaze. “What deal, baby?”

He lifted his eyebrow at her and tilted his head just a little, his hand slipping under her skirt to let his fingers slide up her inner thigh and press against the thin satin panties that were already wet. “Being wife to the boss.”

That certainly did have its privileges.

Especially right now.

Alex’s fingers slipped inside her panties and began to stroke her. He groaned as his mouth found the sensitive part of her neck. “You are incredibly hot.”

When his finger pressed inside her wetness she moaned and let her head fall back, give him more access to her neck and breasts.

Alex needed no more encouragement. His nipped at her collarbone as his one hand continues its perfect tempo and the other under his belt, then button and zipped. Jamie lifted her hips to settle partially on his desk. She slipped her one shoe off and presses the bare foot on the edge of his chair to open herself up better for him.

She pulled up her skirt, not even bothering to take it off as Alex’s mouth sought her.

His fingers continued to tease her clit and press inside of her. She came suddenly, not prepared for the sudden strength of the orgasm and she cried into his mouth.

Alex’s hands pulled at her panties and she shifted to help him. “I’m going to rip these.”

“Please don’t,” she teases, “I have a matching bra to them.”

He groaned and gave up. “You’re going to kill me here.”

She glanced down at his erection and had an instant ache to have it inside of her. “It’s a thong.”

“Fuck,” Alex growled and pulled the silk material to the side. His hips jerked forward and he was inside of her in one hard stoke. Jamie gasped as pleasure rocked through her. She pressed her leg against Alex’s chair to help in the frantic movements. “You’re going to make me...” Alex huffed, trying to fight against the raging desire flowing through him.

“Good. I want you to cum. Hard and fast.” Jamie whispered in his ear. “Fuck me, Alex. Cum.”

She felt him swell inside of her and her body tightened around him to help stroke him as he moved in and out of her.

He growled as he came, one hand clasping her him, the other somehow entangled in her thong. “Damn, Jamie. You drive me crazy.”

She kissed his forehead as he leaned against her, trying to catch his breath. “Good. You can drive me anytime.”

He groaned and shuddered. “You are one wicked woman.” He pressed his lips against hers. “And I love it.”

Five Months Later

H
aving Zander move up to their office floor and take over as Senior Advisor was the best decision that Alex could have made. The guy was a lot like him, and thought Alex hung the moon. They'd become close friends over the last six months, and even Mark liked the guy enough to invite him to play golf from time to time.

The plans for Mark's country club were underway, but they weren't much more than plans. Jamie had helped him almost every night for the last few weeks, and enjoyed it far more than she expected to.

“Thanks for all you've done. I know it's a huge project, and it's going to take some time, but it's given me a new lot in life, you know?” Mark glanced up from the kitchen table they sat at and yawned. “Alex should be home soon, right? I thought he was trying to not work so damn late anymore.”

“He's promising me that this is the last month of late nights.” She shrugged. “I'm okay with it. He shows up about the time I get in the bed, so we get a few minutes together. It's a good thing I work for him. I get to see him off and on all day.”

“That's true.” Mark stood up and stretched. “I'm going to have to hire a few pretty women to work for me. That's about the only way I'm going to meet anyone. It's not like I'm going out to the bar on the weekend.” He chuckled. “Maybe I need to start. I saw that English-looking pub at the end of your neighborhood. A couple of drinks, and all the ladies start looking pretty.”

“I'm not sure you can hire people based on their looks”,” Jamie snickered and rolled up the plans on the table in front of them.

“No one but you would know. I'd hire a couple of highly intelligent, beautiful women and play the bachelor until one of them won my heart. Then I'd give her a rose.” He wagged his eyebrows.

She rolled her eyes. “You've been watching that show again, haven't you?”

He laughed and gathered his things up. “It's hard not to. It's so damn entertaining.”

“Right, but are you missing out on the part where there are nonstop cat fights? I'm not so sure your rich, elderly golf patrons would much enjoy a cat fight.”

“Is that a joke? All men, no matter the age, enjoy a cat fight. You need to get out more.” He put the plans under his arm and pulled her into a side hug. “Thanks for being the best sister-in-law a guy could have. My brother is a lucky bastard.”

“I'm the lucky one.” She patted his stomach and walked to the back door to let him out.

“How's your dad liking his new bachelor pad?” He stopped after walking out the door and turned to face her.

“He loves it. Thanks for helping him find it. He thinks you and Alex are the greatest guys in the world.” She smiled. “I won’t argue with him there. He’s been over for supper a few times and I’ve been over at his place as well.” She sighed. “It's depressing to remember that I have one parent who really does love me.”

“I'm sorry about your mom, Jamie. You guys still haven't heard anything from her?”

“Nope, not since he filed for divorce. I swear she's running just so they can't deliver papers to her.” She leaned against the open door. “It is what it is; I just wish he could get some closure on it.”

“He's a strong guy. He'll make it all work out.” Mark turned and walked to his car. “Same bat time, same bat place?”

“Yes, sir. I'll see you on Thursday night to keep working on this stuff, unless these little peanuts decide to come out.” Jamie rubbed her tummy and glanced down at the steep swell of her belly. The babies were basically due any day now. She and Alex had decided not to find out what they were having, preferring to be surprised. The nursery was yellow and green just in case they had one of each. They planned on adding accents of pink or blue after Jamie delivered.

“Call me the minute it happens. I want to be the first one up there. I’ll already got my gifts picked out.” He headed down the patio and waved before rounding the corner. His head popped up a moment later again. “On second thought, I think I
am
going for a drink at that bar. Make it a night cap, and I can catch the highlights of the Masters.”

Jamie rolled her eyes and shooed him away. “Go. Have a good time and find a crazy hot chick to pick up.” She knew exactly what he was looking for, and it wasn’t the highlights of a golf tournament. Jamie closed the door behind her and walked into the kitchen as a sharp pain raced through her center.

“Shit.” She reached out and gripped the counter, breathing deeply and trying to figure out if she was having a contraction or just more Braxton Hicks. They’d been hitting her off and on for the past few weeks.

After a minute or so of standing pain-free, she walked to the living room and grabbed her phone from the couch. Another pain, followed by a tightening of her stomach, ran through her and she cried out, dropping down to the couch and leaning back.

“Breathe,” she whispered as panic overtook her. “Just breathe. Contraction. This could be the start of a crazy-long process. These babies aren’t coming out in ten minutes.”

She grabbed the phone and dialed Alex's number. He answered on the second ring.

“I'm on my way, baby. Zander and I were just discussing—”