Chapter Eleven
A few days later, Dex met with his old teammate Wes at The Back Door. He decided to ask Remy to sit in, to see if his brother was interested in the clothing business idea. Wes had a sister, Ines, who’d gone viral on social media with her designs and together, the four of them had agreed to make the concept a reality. Lawyers would have to get involved but for today, they had a handshake start to the deal.
After Wes and Ines left, Dex joined Remy in his office so they could talk. Each sat in the chairs across from the desk, side by side.
His brother turned his way. “What’s got you in such a good mood?” Remy asked. “If I didn’t know better, I’d say you’d just gotten laid.”
Dex cocked an eyebrow. “What the fuck does that mean? I can get a woman if I wanted to.”
Remy smirked. “No kidding but for the last I don’t know how long, nobody’s interested you.”
“Maybe I’ve just gotten more selective in my old age.”
Considering they both recently turned thirty-one, Remy burst out laughing. “Okay, since you aren’t going to offer up information, I’ll just ask. Is Samantha the reason for that perpetual grin on your face?”
Dex took a long sip of his beer, deciding whether or not he wanted to get into his personal life here and now. Before he could reply, his cell rang.
A glance told him it was a FaceTime call and the caller was Ian Dare. “Aah, shit. I have to take this.”
“I’ll go find my wife and catch up with you before you leave.” Remy pushed back his chair and rose to his feet.
Once alone, he swiped his phone. “Ian. To what do I owe the pleasure?” Dex asked.
Ian’s face showed on the screen. He’d obviously returned home to Miami and was at work, as Dex recognized the renovated stadium photo on the wall behind the man’s desk.
“I just hung up with my sister.”
Which could mean he wanted to speak about any number of things. “And?” Dex didn’t typically play coy but no point in showing his hand before he had to.
He had no idea what, if anything, Samantha would tell her brother about them. Nor did he know where they stood. He’d said goodbye to her with a long kiss the morning after, leaving her in bed so he could head home, change, and work out before his first meeting of the day.
“That son of a bitch hit her.”
Aah. This call made sense.
“I took care of it,” Dex said. The only reason Jeremy Rollins wasn’t ten feet under was because Samantha had begged him to let the man just leave. Okay, that was an exaggeration, but at the very least Dex would have liked to hit him hard enough to break his jaw. That would have given him a sense of satisfaction.
“She told me, and I appreciate you being there for her.”
Dex decided it was time for a long overdue talk. “Aren’t you going to ask me why I was at your sister’s?”
“I assume you’d tell me what Samantha did. That it’s none of my business,” Ian said.
“Yet you made it your business at the Thunder’s New Year’s Eve party.”
Dex drummed his fingers on the edge of his brother’s desk. No matter where this conversation went, he was all in with Samantha. Knowing her current situation, he didn’t expect her to feel the same but that didn’t mean he wouldn’t be there for her while she pulled the pieces of her life back together.
“She was just a kid, then.”
“Over twenty-one, but you made your point and I was just starting out. I wasn’t going to fuck up my career with the Thunder. But I’m not afraid of blowback anymore.”
Ian chuckled, the bastard. “Well, you have my approval anyway. Samantha can do worse than someone who protects her when her family can’t be there.”
Dex rolled his eyes at the arrogance of the man. But he’d feel the same in Fallon’s case. Still, Ian didn’t need to know that.
“I don’t need your approval anymore, Ian.” But he’d be lying if he didn’t feel better knowing he had it. Samantha idolized her brother and she was going through enough. She didn’t need Dex complicating things further.
“And that’s why you have it anyway. Good talking to you, Dex. Oh, and another thing. The lawyer said a slap isn’t enough to get a restraining order without having Jeremy arrested and charged with domestic violence or assault. And Samantha feels it’s too late. So I assume you’ll be making your presence known in my sister’s life so that bastard knows what fear feels like.”
Samantha wouldn’t like Dex playing bodyguard but if he did it in a smooth enough way, she’d see interest not meddling. It meant a lot to her to stand on her own two feet. He’d just be there to support her because Jeremy wasn’t laying a hand on her again.
“Ian?”
“Hmm?”
“Go back to work and let me live my life. I’ve got your sister’s back.”
Ian disconnected the call without saying goodbye.
***
Samantha sat at her desk, unable to concentrate on a new client. Given how important the account was to the firm and how distracted Samantha was, she decided to hand off the work to her top VP. She even cut herself slack as she made the decision because there was no doubt Samantha was in a transitional time of her life.
The apartment she’d tossed Jeremy out of might be hers but it had too many memories of a man she now despised. There was no doubt that having Dex in her bed had helped stamp out unwanted reminders but the uncomfortable feeling when she was there remained. She wasn’t up to moving right now but the idea was floating in the back of her mind.
It helped that she’d managed not to see Jeremy for the first three days after Dex Day, as she’d come to call their night together. Better than calling it the day Jeremy had slapped her and being forced to think about it all the time.
She was still furious with her ex but thanks to Ian’s connections, she’d already met with Tim Daley, the business attorney he’d recommended. The wheels were in motion to request a buyout of Jeremy’s portion of the firm. As the attorney explained, these things normally moved slowly but he understood the urgency in her situation.
Tim had called in one of his partners, a criminal attorney who’d doled out bad news. Despite the slap, there was nothing she could do to keep Jeremy out of the office and away from her. He cited lack of evidence. She hadn’t taken photos of her red face, nor had she reported the incident to the police. The one act without proof or an arrest for domestic assault would not be enough for a restraining order, temporary or not, especially one that would impact a place of business.
On the positive side, Ian was a huge client of Tim’s and he handled most of the team’s legal affairs, so he was willing to rush the push for a buyout, if Jeremy would even consider it. Given how much he liked money, Samantha held on to hope.
For now, she had to steer clear of her ex, which hadn’t been difficult given the distance between their two offices. The day after his shocking behavior, he’d met her at the elevator with flowers and apologies. She’d told him to shove the I’m sorry s and tossed the flowers in the trash. He’d left her alone ever since.
Dex hadn’t. To her surprise, he’d shown up daily, the times varying. The first morning, he arrived with a latte, guessing what she preferred and getting it wrong. But he’d introduced her to a new favorite flavor. Caramel. The next day, he showed up with flowers, stopping by on his way to a meeting. These blooms she kept on her desk in her direct line of vision, liking the reminder that Dex cared.
He was quickly becoming part of her life and whenever she was alone, her thoughts would drift to him and their time together, and not just the one incredible night of mind-blowing sex. The long talks they’d shared both in the Bahamas and in New York had gone deep, and she’d revealed more to him than she’d ever done with Jeremy.
Dex’s playful banter during intimacy was new and refreshing. His protective nature merely added to his appeal. And the sex? She squirmed at the thought of her legs over his shoulders, him focused on making sure she came first.
Dex Sterling was a special man. But her life was a cluster and every self-help book she’d skimmed said not to jump into another romance too fast. But did that mean she couldn’t have Dex in her life? Friends with benefits suited her just fine and based on his past, Dex didn’t seem to be in the market for a serious relationship either.
And she wasn’t ready to give him up.
A knock sounded on her door. Knowing Brandy was outside and would let her know if she was leaving her desk, she called, “Come in!” without worrying about Jeremy being on the other side.
Dex strode into the room, a bag of food with the name of a restaurant she recognized in hand.
She rose from her chair, taking in his relaxed stance and clothing. Wearing a pair of black sweats and a gray T-shirt, those strong arms with flexing muscles called to her.
“Hi!” she said, happy to see him.
“Hey, beautiful.”
At the endearment, her body warmed and she flushed under his heated gaze. “I hope you brought enough for two?” she asked.
“I wish I could stay and eat with you, but my sister asked me if I could help her move a few things around her gallery and I couldn’t say no.”
She smiled at that. “I’m sure she appreciates you.”
“She does. You’d like Fallon,” he said as he walked toward her desk and around to where she sat.
He sat on the desk and leaned close. “Tell me you’re okay. That you feel safe here. Jeremy’s leaving you alone?”
She nodded. “I honestly think he scared himself. He wouldn’t want to ruin his reputation at work any more than his affair with Marley has.” She shuddered at the reminder.
“And she’s gone?”
“From the office, yes. From his life? I don’t know nor do I care,” she said.
It was still hard to believe her anger outweighed the hurt. Even harder to wrap her head around the relief she actually felt that his cheating had saved her from marrying him. She’d been stuffing down so much unhappiness she was just letting bubble to the surface now. Every day she processed something new about her old life. When she wasn’t thinking of Dex, that is.
“Where did you go?” he asked.
“Sorry. I was just musing about how I’m so much more angry than hurt.” She raised her shoulders in a small shrug. “And then I was thinking about you.”
He leaned in, closing the distance between them, and pressed his lips to the sensitive spot behind her ear and she let out a low moan.
“I hear that sound in my sleep,” he said in a gruff voice.
His rumbling voice caused her nipples to harden and peak behind her silk blouse, and her panties were now wet. She wasn’t leaving this office anytime soon, she thought, doing her best not to cross her arms over her chest. She was so turned on, she couldn’t come up with a coherent reply.
“I can’t stop thinking of our night together.” He kissed her jaw, then brushed his lips over hers. “And I can’t stop thinking about you. Is a repeat on the agenda? After I take you to dinner?”
Her heart thumped hard in her chest at his suggestion. “On one condition.” She’d been thinking about being with him again but she’d also considered what she needed in order to agree. To keep herself sane and not fall under another man’s spell.
“Name it.” The words were an order.
He didn’t step away and his scent wrapped around her like a sexy blanket and her thoughts scattered. “Oh umm…”
“Breathe, beautiful.” He ran a knuckle over her cheek. “And tell me what you need.”
She flushed at how easily he distracted her. Which was the main reason for her setting ground rules. “I need you to know that I’m in a transitional stage of my life,” she said, repeating what she’d been trying to convince herself of since he’d walked out of her apartment and she’d wanted to call him back for more.
“Understood.”
She couldn’t read much beyond his somber expression and tone.
“Which means this can’t be anything serious.”
He raised an eyebrow, cupped her face in his hands, and kissed her long and hard. He didn’t come up for air, instead he breathed her in, his tongue twining with hers. She melted for him, giving whatever he asked for and more.
Nipping her bottom lip, he lifted his head. “Keep telling yourself that. I’ll be away for the week on business, so promise if you have any trouble with Jeremy, this time you’ll call the police.”
She nodded. “I promise. Where are you going?”
“San Francisco to shoot some promotional commercials for the network.”
She smiled. “Oooh, sounds fun.” She’d miss him, not that she wanted to admit as much.
“About as fun as a torn rotator cuff, but it’s part of the job.” He frowned at the prospect, which made her feel better about him having to leave.
“I’ll be back next Thursday. So I’ll pick you up Friday night at your apartment.” After another brief swipe of his lips, he stood and walked out the door, leaving her staring after his tight butt in those black sweats. It was a good thing nobody was here to see her drool.