13. Cade
13
CADE
A FEW MINUTES EARLIER
W orking late into the evening, Soren and I wrap up a meeting in Tribeca. He drops me off so I can gather my belongings that are still at the office before heading home on my motorbike. The building is in complete disarray with all the remodeling that’s going on. Office doors are in the process of being replaced. The workers are supposed to finish after I leave so they won’t disturb my work during the day.
Currently, a see-through plastic sheet is the only thing hanging from the door frame.
Have I left my lights on?
I’m startled by the sight of a figure standing on the other side of the tarp, hovering over my desk. Reaching for my cell, I’m close to calling security when I realize who it is.
Kennedy Hayes.
I know the silhouette of her body all too well.
Sure, I could clear my throat or make some noise to announce my presence, but I’m too curious to give her a heads-up. What is she doing sneaking into my office at this hour?
Unable to resist, I pull back one side of the plastic to get a better view.
Kennedy looks flustered. She doesn’t notice me, but she seems to be in a rush. Her cheeks are blushing as she pulls a note from her pocket. Just before setting it down, she presses it to her lips, leaving a crisp souvenir on the paper, and then she places the note on my desk.
This is baffling enough on its own, and that’s before she does something I never saw coming.
She shifts her stance, and hoists her skirt up just enough to reach her waist, revealing toned legs that seem to go on for miles. Then without missing a beat, she pulls down her shimmering silk panties.
Holy hell.
The skirt falls back into place, but not before I catch a glimpse of her perfectly smooth and shaven pussy, which I remember well from our time together a decade ago.
My dick twitches.
Kennedy gracefully steps out of the vibrant panties, teasingly tugging the fabric around her high-heeled shoes. She lets her panties dangle from her finger for a moment before dropping them next to the note.
Never a dull moment with this one.
I’m still piecing together what’s happening, but what’s clear is that working with my ex is shaping up to be a hell of a lot more interesting than I anticipated.
At this point, I could just absent myself, creep away unnoticed, and allow her to think she’s in the clear.
She’d never know I caught her in the act of whatever scheme she’s pulling—unless I choose to enlighten her during a more opportune moment.
The devil on my right shoulder urges me to let her know she’s been caught—red-handed. The son of a bitch is itching to see her face when she discovers I’m the prime witness to the whole affair. The devil on my left shoulder entices me to step closer. That sick bastard suggests ripping her skirt off, bending her over my desk, and reminding myself of what I’ve been missing out on all these years.
Pulling the plastic back further, I step inside.
“Can I help you?” I ask. Crossing my arms, I can’t hide the smirk pulling at the corner of my mouth, glancing between her and the tiny heap of “mementos” she left on my desk.
The sight is… intriguing, to say the least.
Kennedy jumps, inhaling a sharp breath, and her cheeks flush. “Cade!” she shrieks, a bit too brightly. “Uh… no, I don’t need any help. Not from you. I’m just… leaving something for Mr. Dahlberg.”
What the fuck?
“Mr. Dahlberg?” I approach, causing her to back up a few steps, so that her hip hits the edge of the desk, hard. “On my desk?”
She grips the wood, clearly rattled, and I catch the rapid pulse in her neck. Her voice wavers. “ Your desk?”
I gesture toward the left. “Mr. Dahlberg’s office is next door.”
Her mouth falls open, and her eyes grow big. “Oh… I see. My… my mistake.” She forces a laugh that’s too thin, too nervous. “Haha. I’ll just… um, get out of your way then. So sorry for the mix-up.”
Kennedy extends her hand to reach for the panties and the note, but I hold up my own to stop her.
“Leave it,” I demand.
Why am I doing this? I have no idea. There’s just something about seeing her caught that makes me curious about exactly what she’s trying so hard to hide.
Her hand freezes, her breath catching.
And damn if I don’t feel that thrill again, sharper this time.
“What? No! I mean…” She swallows hard and attempts to calm her voice, trying too hard to play it cool. She doesn’t let go of the items. “No, as I said: This was meant for Mr. Dahlberg. Just a… an urgent work thing. Something he asked for, and I promised it’d be delivered by tomorrow morning.”
“Oh, really?” I arch a brow, eyeing the lacy fuchsia lingerie, which she is apparently hoping I’ve been oblivious to. “Looks like an interesting work request.”
Kennedy’s tongue darts across her bottom lip, and I see her pulse fluttering just below her collarbone. She’s practically trembling.
I’m still not sure what it is, but I can’t shake the sense that, somewhere in all her flustered charm, she’s challenging me. Or maybe, somehow, I’m challenging myself.
I step closer.
Her nipples have hardened to pebbled peaks that strain against the soft fabric of her blouse—the air conditioning is making it cool in here, after all.
I ignore my cock, which is begging to be buried inside her.
I take on a sterner tone. “As your boss, I’m telling you to put everything back on the desk, and then you’re excused for the evening.”
Her eyes close slowly, clearly in dread and embarrassment. Her cheeks are a shade of red that almost matches the bright hue of her painted lips, but she accepts her fate. “Yes, sir,” she manages to say, slapping the undergarment back down on top of the slip of paper.
Then she storms out, practically sprinting to flee the scene.
I watch her disappear down the hall, swaying curves and all, then turn back to the little souvenirs on my desk, apparently meant for Soren.
No wonder I feel like I’m losing my mind.
During the interview, the review of her credentials and hearing her outline her work history barely scratched the surface of her potential. There’s a drive there, something paper can’t capture. Even when she was only in college, she was astute and unpredictable enough to keep us all on our toes, and that edge hasn’t dulled one bit. Whatever self-doubt she might wrestle with, I’ve never once questioned her true abilities.
If I’d remembered just how easily, and how deeply, she could get under my skin, I might have thought twice about hiring her.
Or maybe not.
Yeah, most likely not.
Scanning the space to make sure no other surprise visitors are lurking around, I bring the panties to my face to inhale a whiff of her alluring scent. Oh, what a creep I am. Men are shit. My throbbing cock grows into a full-blown hard-on, aided by the image in my mind of her going all the way home with nothing on under her skirt.
Get a grip, Cade.
I reach down and rearrange myself.
Sufficiently turned on, I glance at the accompanying note.
Hi Lawyer,
Thought you could use a little “legal-icious” motivation to start your day.
From
A secret admirer
P.S. Remember, even in the world of law, surprises can’t be objected to.
“Dear god,” I murmur under my breath.
She’s going to kill me, and I’m going to let her.