Crash Into You

She tapped her desk calendar. “I’m in high demand these days. Gotta book months ahead.”

He snorted. “Good thing I wasn’t talking about you then.”

She fought a smile. “Good thing.”

He rose from his perch and gave her a quick grin. “Just know that I’m a pretty thick-headed guy. Takes me a while to get the point.”

She straightened the papers he had mussed on her desk. “I’ll keep that in mind.”

He gave her a mock salute. “Nice to meet you, Brynn LeBreck. Be seeing you.”

Reid bumped a shoulder against the entrance to the guesthouse and tried to get the humidity-swollen door unstuck. When it didn’t budge, he gave it another hard shove and it released, banging against the inside wall. “Piece of shit.”

“If it’s such a hardship, you could always move back into the main house,” said a female voice.

Reid startled and nearly dropped the sack of groceries he’d been carrying. “Jesus, Aunt Roslyn, what are you doing in here?”

His aunt rose from his couch and crossed her arms over her chest, her face as tight as the bun in her dark hair. “You got a package today.”

He set the bag of food on the counter of his efficiency kitchen and stared at the large cardboard box in front of her. “Okay. I appreciate the heads-up, but no need to personally deliver it.”

She picked up the box and flipped it over, dumping the contents onto the coffee table. A slew of items spilled across the surface and Reid groaned. Handcuffs. Floggers. A blindfold. A few brightly colored vibrators and a number of other things even he couldn’t identify. Son of a bitch.

She turned her angry-parent death stare on him. “What the hell is going on, Reid? Do I need to call Dr. Leonard? I know he only sees patients until eighteen, but he may make an exception for us.”

His jaw clenched, the ridiculous suggestion making his blood curdle. “Back off, Aunt Ros. This isn’t even my stuff. Jace must’ve had it sent here since he’s staying with his sister right now. And what are you doing opening my packages anyway?”

Her stern expression didn’t soften. “The label said R. Jamison. And I have the right to open anything that’s put on my doorstep.”

He scrubbed a hand over his face. He was going to kill Jace. Beyond the embarrassment factor of being in the same room with his aunt and box of sex toys, he knew where this was headed. “I’m sorry. He should’ve never sent this here.”

She eyed him with her trial lawyer shrewdness. “Reid, I don’t have to remind you how important it is that you do nothing to bring attention to yourself during this campaign. Your uncle is running on a family values platform and I refuse to let your… issues put that at risk.” She sighed and shook her head. “I thought we were past this.”

“My issues?” he bit out. “What the hell? I haven’t gotten in any trouble since high school. And even then, it was just stupid shit. You act like I’m a goddamned criminal.”

She walked around the coffee table and came to stand in front of him, her diminutive stature doing nothing to diminish her power­ful presence.

“But your father was. And this”—she cocked her head toward the emptied box—“was his specialty.”

Like he needed a reminder. “It’s not my stuff. And even if it were, I would never hurt a woman. I’m not him.”

“Genes are a powerful thing, Reid. Don’t underestimate them.” She touched his shoulder, her tone gentling. “I know you can overcome them, but don’t put yourself in bad situations. I’m only looking out for you.”

And the campaign. She didn’t say it, but he knew that’s what she meant. “Right.”

“Get rid of this stuff. I can’t even imagine what poor Vanessa would think if she saw you with this filth. Don’t mess things up with her—she’s a fine young lady.”

Vanessa. He hadn’t thought about her all day. Hell, he hadn’t thought about any woman since the new receptionist had started at work. He didn’t know what it was, but something about Brynn held him captive. He’d barely gotten a lick of work done in three days.

But he definitely couldn’t tell his aunt about Brynn. He knew Ros had heard wedding bells the minute he and Vanessa had started to see each other a few months ago. Both she and his uncle tag-teamed him regularly, pushing for him to make the relationship with the mayor’s daughter exclusive. He crossed his arms over his chest. “I’ll take care of it.”

“Thank you.” Ros gave his shoulder a quick squeeze, and then headed past him. He didn’t unclench his teeth until she’d clicked his door shut behind her.

Stalking to the couch, he pulled his phone from his pocket and hit speed dial.

His best friend answered on the first ring. “Hey, brother.”

“Jace, not only am I going to kill you, I’m going to do it slowly and painfully.” Reid sank onto the couch.

Jace laughed. “You must’ve gotten my present.”

“What were you thinking, sending this crap over here?” He lifted the handcuffs and examined them, heat rising in his gut as an image of him sliding the cool metal over the narrow wrists of a certain blonde receptionist filled his mind. He dropped them on the table. “My aunt opened it before I got home.”

“Oh, shit.”

“Yeah, now she’s ready to sign me up with the kiddie shrink again, because I’m apparently a rapist-in-training.”

Jace groaned. “Dude, I’m sorry. I just wanted to make sure

my sister didn’t see it. I told them to have it delivered to the guesthouse.”

Reid didn’t even want to ask what Jace could possibly need with all that stuff. He had enough crap to throw a goddamned orgy. “Just come and pick it up. I don’t need her bringing my uncle over here to see it.”

“Hey, look, take whatever you want from the box to keep,” he suggested. “It’s top-quality stuff. Consider it my apology for getting you in trouble.”

He eyed the different items that had tumbled out of the box—things meant to restrain a woman, to cause pain, to bring ­pleasure. He wet his lips. “It’s not my thing.”

“Uh-huh,” Jace said, his tone sly. “So you wouldn’t want to try some of that stuff out on that pretty receptionist you were drooling over today?”

He coughed, his throat threatening to close as erotic images crowded his brain. “It’s not for me.”

Liar. Imagining Brynn bound and naked had his cock straining against his pants. Hell, talking to her that afternoon had done as much. But he couldn’t tell Jace that—couldn’t tell anyone. He’d kept those urges in check for as long as he could remember, and he definitely wouldn’t risk screwing that up, especially with someone like Brynn. He liked her. Liked her enough not to inflict his darkest desires on her. No, with Brynn, he’d have to be extra careful.

THREE (#ulink_269eb8d4-4c83-5e4c-bc69-59a1c37da5ce)

now

Brynn waved as her date drove out of the dark parking lot. He’d received an emergency call and had to head to the hospital, saving Brynn the awkward end of night, this-ain’t-gonna-happen conversation. She leaned against the brick wall outside the banquet hall and rubbed her hands over her face. What a disaster of a night.

Thank God tomorrow was Sunday. At least she could sleep in and pretend the outside world didn’t exist for a little while. Maybe a day of pajamas, HGTV, and massive amounts of junk food could make her temporarily forget about facing Reid on Monday… and every workday after that. She groaned and tapped the back of her head against the wall, hoping maybe this was all some nightmare and she’d wake up.

“Sent him packing, huh?” The deep drawl caused her eyes to snap open. Reid leaned his shoulder against the wall, a hint of a smile playing on his lips.

She crossed her arms over her chest and straightened. “He got called into work. Not that it’s any of your business.”

He rubbed the back of his neck and looked at the half-empty parking lot. “Let me give you a ride home. It’ll give us some time to catch up.”

She couldn’t help the derisive laugh that bubbled to her lips. “No thanks, I have my car, and please tell me you’re not suggesting we need to catch up like old friends. Even you can’t be that dense.”