Fulfillment (Book 3 in The Temptation Series) (7 page)

***

As all four of
us drove toward the school in the Lexus, I found myself
unenthusiastically anticipating a rather excited—and let’s just say
floored—reaction to the sight of Bryce by the other mothers at
school. I was resigned to the fact that their goggling was
inevitable, but would I ever get used to it? I guess I was going to
have to.

The bell rang
just as we got to the school. Both the kids happily said goodbye
and ran off to class. “See you in a minute, Bryce,” Charli called
out as she ran off.
Oh, yeah, don’t worry about me. Apparently
being your mother and allowing my stomach to be sliced open in
order for you to be born into this world means nothing anymore.
I’ll just hug and kiss myself, will I?
I shook my head and
smiled.

“What are you
smiling at?” Bryce asked, after waving to Charli and looking back
to me.

“Nothing
really, it’s just...you seem to be a massive magnet to all
things.”

He smirked.
“You say that like it’s a bad thing.”

“It can be,” I
smiled truthfully.

Just as he was
about to add to our conversation, I heard my name being shouted
from a distance. “Alexis.” I turned to where Tash stood, beckoning
me. She quickened her pace and closed the distance. “Hey, how’s
things?” She gave me a hug. “Helloooo Bryce,” she sang adoringly as
she smiled at him. I raised my eyebrows and shook my head again.
I was saying?

My group of
friends were aware of the fact I was completely separated from Rick
and now living with Bryce. I had met up with them for a coffee date
and filled them in on the whole-truth-and-nothing-but-the-truth
scenario regarding Rick, Claire and RJ. With exception to adding
that I was pregnant, of course. That was just going to have to
wait.

“I’m great,
Tashy, how about you?”

“Yeah good,
Hun, it’s always good on my day off work.”

“You don’t
like your job?” Bryce asked, with a trace of concern in his
voice.

“Who
does?”

“I do,” both
Bryce and I answered simultaneously.

Tash scoffed.
“Yeah, I can see why.”

“Do you want a
job at one of my hotels?” he offered, without so much as a second
thought.

Tash smiled
sheepishly. “You’re kidding, right?”

“No. If you
want one, give me a call and I’ll see what we can arrange.”

“Really?
Oh...um...that would be good.” She looked at me warily.

I just
shrugged.

“Tash worked
in security for years, Bryce. She is a part-time events supervisor
now.” I explained.

Bryce looked
amused. “Security? Really?”

“Yes, really.
So if you do anything to hurt Alexis, I’ll kick your arse.”

I choked.
“Tash.”

Bryce laughed.
“Good, I’ll remember that. Maybe I could hire you as Alexis’
bodyguard.”

“Like fuck you
will,” I admonished in a hushed voice, glaring at him.

Tash tutted.
“I pretty much already do that for free,” she rolled her eyes
playfully.

The second
school bell sounded behind us.

“So, what are
you both doing here?” she asked.

“Charlotte has
swimming lessons this morning. We thought we’d come and watch
her.”

She draped her
arm around my shoulder. “Great! Thomas has his lesson this morning,
too. We can be spectator buddies.”

We all walked
past the gymnasium to the swimming centre. There were numerous
parents poolside, waiting to watch their children. A small group of
known bitch-faced mums were chatting quietly and quite obviously
stopped their—one could accurately assume—verbal diarrhoea, when we
walked in. As we passed them to take our seats, Bryce gently placed
his hand on the small of my back and acknowledged the women with
his sometimes annoyingly aggravating charm. “Good morning,
ladies.”

They were all
wide-eyed, and only two of them managed a ‘mornin’.

“You’re having
fun, aren’t you?” I asked him under my breath as we sat down.

“Yes, I always
have fun when I’m with you.”

“That’s not
what I mean and you know it,” I squinted my eyes at him.

“No, I don’t
know it. Now shhh, Charlotte just walked in.” He raised his
eyebrows at me and gave Charli a little wave. Tash spotted Thomas,
so we all gave him the thumbs up, too.

We watched
Charlotte’s entire lesson and how she over enthusiastically
volunteered for every demonstration. At one point when she
performed a torpedo stroke, she deliberately—I think—kept her head
down underwater for what seemed like close to a minute or more,
completely freaking me out.

When the
lesson finished I blew her a kiss before she skipped off to the
change rooms.

“She’s pretty
good,” Bryce said impressed.

“Yep, Charli
is definitely a doer, that’s for sure.”

“I’m seeing
that. She obviously takes after her mum.”

I laughed.
“You are soon going to find out that is not necessarily a good
thing.”

Tash leaned
in. “She’s a mini Lexi, Bryce. So you’re pretty much fucked.”

I playfully
shoved Tash out of my personal space while muttering, “Bitch”.

We stood up
and walked back past the staring women, and just when they thought
we were out of earshot, one of them spoke. “What is so good about
her? I’ve heard she’s a bitch.”

I tilted my
head to the side and closed my eyes.
I’m a bitch alright. I’ve
had my bowl of bitch-flakes and glass of don’t-mess-with-me-juice
this morning. And if I weren’t at my children’s school right now, I
would be ever so gracious as to show you just how fucking
bitched-up I can be.

I was just
about to politely tell them to mind their own business when Bryce
gently removed his hand from my back and turned to the trolls—still
sweet, calm and as charming as always. “The word ‘good’ does not
even come close when describing this woman. So, to answer your
question, ladies, she is beyond ‘good’. She is exquisite,
sensational, and her very presence forms the air that I breathe. Is
that ‘good’ enough?”

One of them
nodded, and the others sat there stunned. He gave them a false and
obviously forced smile then replaced his hand at the small of my
back, directing us out of the building.

I was
astonished at not only what he had just done but also at the
beautiful words that came out of his mouth.

He ignored my
gobsmacked state and turned to Tash. “Okay, you are hired as
Alexis’ bodyguard. She obviously needs one.”

“Shut up,” I
said and playfully punched his arm before linking mine around it,
squeezing it tight and never wanting to let it go.

“I need to
warn you though, Bryce. I don’t use a subtle approach when it comes
to protection.” Tash continued, answering Bryce’s stupid joking
statement and ignoring me.

“That’s fine.
I’m more than happy for a more physical remedy when protecting
her,” he replied.

“Seriously you
two, shut up! I’m more than capable of looking after myself and if
you both don’t stop joking around, you’ll be the ones needing
bodyguards...not me!”

***

After a quick
goodbye and a promise to invite Tash over for dinner, we headed
back to the office. The Australian leg of the Formula One Grand
Prix was to be held in Melbourne the weekend after Easter, and as
City Towers Precinct was one of the event sponsors and the main
accommodation venue, the work that awaited our arrival was
enormous.

There was to
be a charity breakfast held in the Queen Victoria Ballroom on the
first day of the weekend event. I had been communicating with
Joyce: the Head Media Liaison, and Allison: the Events
Co-ordinator, to finalise the list of auction items for Ozkids
Melbourne Charity. Bryce had to sign off on the items list which I
would normally email him, but he had been in his office all day and
I had hardly seen him, so I thought I would take this opportunity
to deliver it to him personally, together with the chargrilled king
salmon and herb salad I had ordered for lunch.

I picked up
the list as soon as Sebastian pushed the food and beverage trolley
through the elevator doors. “Good afternoon, Sebastian.”

“Good
afternoon, Ms. Summers.”

“Just leave
that here. I will take it into him.”

As always, the
shy Food and Beverage Attendant hated when I broke protocol by
relieving him of his duty to take the trolley all the way in to his
employer. “I promise it’s fine, Sebastian,” I said reassuringly
while winking at him.

He reluctantly
smiled and went on his way. I gently knocked on Bryce’s office
door, and when he called out for me to enter, I opened it and
pushed the trolley through.

He looked up
from his computer, smiled for a split second then frowned only
slightly. “You really should let Sebastian bring in the trolley,
Alexis. It is his job after all.”

“Oh shush.
What’s the point when I’m coming in here anyway?” I stopped the
cart right next to the conference table. “Unless you don’t want me
to come in,” I said with a slight pouty voice as I turned my back
to him and placed the cloches on the table, deliberately hoping
he’d fall for my obvious ploy.

As expected,
he was behind me instantly, pressing his body against my back. His
hands had a tight grip on my hips and his lips were already kissing
my neck. “I’ve missed you, my love,” he murmured, as he trailed his
mouth down to my shoulder. I felt his fingers take hold of the zip
at the top of my dress then the unmistakable sound of him slowly
undoing it filled me with eager longing for his hard and delectable
cock.

I sucked in a
breath as he dragged his hands back up my bare back, pushing the
dress off my shoulders so that it fell to the floor, leaving me in
nothing but my black lace bra, G-string and garter. He walked
around to my front and eyed me from top to toe. “You’ve got new
underwear.”

“Yes, Clarissa
helped me find some maternity lingerie that was not hideously
ugly.”

“Hmmm.” He
stepped forward and unclipped the front of my bra at the strap, so
that it fell forward exposing my breast.

His face lit
up, and I couldn’t help but laugh.

“I like
maternity bras—easy access.” He bent down and tongued my nipple.
Holy fuck! I like them too.
Reaching up, he unclipped the
other side then gently squeezed and rolled my nipple between his
fingers, compelling me to moan for him, which intensified his
actions. I gripped his head and flexed my fingers through his sexy
hair. He growled then let me go and walked straight to his office
door.
What? Where the fuck are you going? Get back here now, God
damn it!

I was just
about to hurl abuse at him and jump on his back to prevent him from
leaving the room, when he locked the office door and turned around
slowly. Then, prowling toward me with a sexy-as-hell stride, he
loosened his tie and unbuttoned his shirt.
He is just so fucking
hot, I can barely breathe.

He laid his
shirt and tie over the back of the sofa in the middle of his office
then continued on to where I was standing. Reaching for my face, he
cupped my cheeks in his hands and he slammed his mouth to mine. I
grabbed his arse, pulling him into my pelvis and lifting my leg to
wrap around his waist. He reached down and secured it by placing
his hand behind my knee, and gently laying me down on top of the
table.

“Are you
comfortable?” he asked.

“Sure.”
Sexy and sweet, I’m luckier than a leprechaun.

I propped
myself up on my elbows and watched him disappear down my body until
he had his fingers hooked into my underwear, pulling them down. He
scrunched them up, and I watched him place them in his pocket.
Oh, I’ll be getting those back Mr. G-String Thief, so don’t even
think about it.

He rolled one
of the chairs from around the table in front of me then casually
took a seat. I smirked at him, amused at his position at the table.
Well, taking a seat does make sense, I guess.
Grabbing both
my ankles, he placed each foot on the armrest of his chair and
leaned forward with a salacious grin before tongue-fucking my
clit.

My head fell
back and my nipples hardened. “Fuck...Bryce,” I exhaled.

“That comes
next, Hunny.”

“You’re so
ba—” he inserted his fingers in between licks of his tongue. “Bad,
you’re so fucking bad.”

Suddenly the
phone rang, and as casually as he would normally answer it, Bryce
reached over and hit speaker. “Bryce Clark speaking.”

“Bryce, it’s
Arthur. Have you got a minute?”
Santa! Seriously, your timing is
impeccable.

“Sure, how can
I help you, Arthur?” he answered nonchalantly. I pulled my head
back up and mouthed ‘what the fuck’.

“I’ve been
speaking to the Corporate Partners Co-ordinator in relation to the
marquee at the Grand Prix...” Arthur said. Bryce leaned forward
again and dragged his tongue slowly across my pussy. I nearly
shrieked, but instead, I flinched and clenched my thighs together,
capturing his head in between them. He eyed me greedily.

“...The entire
proposal for the marquee’s function has been submitted...”
Geezus, Santa. Spit it out.
“...Are you happy for me to okay
the specifics of the proposal? I’m sure you’ll be more than
satisfied.” Arthur asked.

Bryce stuck
out his tongue and flicked at my clit sending my body into a
subdued frenzy as my orgasm bordered explosion. I bit my lip.

“Bryce?”
Arthur asked a little impatient.

“Yes, Arthur,
that is fine. I’m happy for you to sign off on it.”

“Sorry, am I
interrupting you?”

“I’m just
eating my lunch,” Bryce answered while eyeing me devilishly. My
mouth fell open, and I sat up.

“Oh, sorry,
I’ll let you go then.”