"Learn your part for the meeting next week and make sure you wear a dark shirt and black pants, no skirts. Leave your hair up like that and don't wear lipstick."
"What? Why?"
He chuckled. "Because with your hair down and your innocent green eyes, no one will pay attention to anything. They'll all be seducing you in their heads. You're much too beautiful for that. Wear your hair up. If it's down they'll like it far too much."
"How about you? Would you like it far too much too?" She bit at her lip, the demand to seduce him and drag him down to his knees in front of her flooding over her.
He smiled and let his eyes drag across her, licking his mouth and groaning softly as if tasting something delicious. "Wouldn't you love to know, pussycat?"
*
Bethany sat in her office, flipping through the files for the meeting, her mind wandering back to each and every encounter with her handsome step-brother.
"Soon-to-be step-brother," she mumbled and leaned back in her chair, turning to face the window behind her. She was turning into a nymph. All she thought about was Damon the last few days and even more so, sex with him. Did she have real feelings or was it just lust? Just the demanding need to feel something as sweet as ecstasy?
"Hey Bethany. How's it going?"
She turned and stood up, brushing her skirt to remove the cracker crumbs from her latest snack. She smiled at Ben and moved around her desk, crossing her arms over her chest.
"It's going. How about you?"
"Great. I'm looking forward to our event tonight. I swear we all live for Thursday nights instead of Fridays just because of getting out together. The group has really started to gel. I think you're just going to be a great add to that."
"Yeah, well, Damon's been giving off the message that he and I have something going on, so not so sure about your hopes of my gelling at all."
"He told me. I think it's smart actually. Sadie and a few of the other girls have been nothing but a pain in the ass since getting here." Ben leaned against the doorframe, his belly hanging a little too far over his slacks. Bethany ignored it and focused on his face, the friendly smile giving her comfort.
"Why not just get rid of them? Wouldn't that be easier?"
"Yeah, but with the labor laws today you have to have a real reason. Who's going to believe that someone who performs at work really well and has really high marks from school is sexually harassing someone like Damon? He looks like a predator, not her. Just have to deal with it really."
"That's ridiculous."
"I agree, but it is what it is."
"Is he coming tonight?" Bethany asked, lifting her thumb nail to her lips as she nibbled at it.
"I was going to ask you the same thing."
"I don't know. We're just pretending to be together. We're not actually together." Bethany dropped her hand and laughed sardonically. Ben's lips lifted in a goofy grin.
"Of course not, silly. You're family. Anyway, I'm making my rounds to see how you're doing on your workload. Also wanted to remind you that it is an office get together and, as such, we need to make sure our dress and attitudes represent McKenzie and Bryant as we're out."
She chuckled, Damon's reminder coming from her little black dress comment no doubt.
"Sounds good. I'm an accountant. I don't really own anything that would be considered inappropriate."
Ben smiled and moved from his reclined position. "Doing okay on your workload?"
"Yes, it's going great. Just wrapping up my review for this meeting that Kent and Damon want me in next week."
"The audit committee stuff?"
"Yeah, that's it."
"Yeah, so don't mention that to anyone else. It would seem unfair and I'm the only one who understands that it's because you're family that they have plans to move you up the totem pole pretty fast." Ben looked behind him in the hallway.
"Oh, okay. Thanks for the advice."
"You bet. See you tonight and remember... no work talk tonight. Only good times to be had by everyone."
"I'm there and I will do my best to follow the rules." She lifted an eyebrow as Ben left, the sound of his soft laughter warming her. He was a good guy, one she needed to get to know better. He knew Damon pretty well, so if she was going to get any sort of scoop on who Damon really was or what his past relationships looked like, most likely it was going to be from Ben.
*
The last few hours of the day passed too quickly. She wrapped up her review and took the zip drive back up to Linda, Damon's secretary. She nodded toward the door and smiled toward the pretty blond.
"Is he in there?"
"No. He left just after getting back from lunch. I assume he went to see his girlfriend, but don't tell him I said that."
"He has a girlfriend?" Bethany couldn't hide the emotion on her face.
"He has lots of girlfriends." Linda stood up and took the zip drive. "Have a great evening and enjoy the intern party. If you have your sights set on Damon, don't bother. He's a bastard and a half when it comes to women. Best boss in the world, but his sex drive is insatiable and he's gotten in loads of trouble thanks to it. Do yourself a favor and stay far, far away."
Bethany nodded, whispering, "I will," as she turned to go.
Chapter 15
A quick stop by the house to change into something more club worthy, and Bethany was on her way to Masquerade. She applied more makeup than usual, her dress covering everything, but hugging her curves and accentuating perfectly just how much of a woman she was. If Sadie wanted to step up against her, she was going to bring it tonight. It had nothing to do with Damon and everything to do with someone needing to put the bitch in her place. The redhead thought she had entitlement, the right to demand things and threaten various people at will, including Bethany.
"Not tonight." Bethany pulled up to the club and got out, walking into the loud sound of Pitbull's Time of our Lives screaming from the speakers. Ben waved his hands wildly at her, a large table over in the far corner theirs. She walked toward them, cursing herself for forgetting a mask. The theme that night was half-mast... your mask only allowed to cover your eyes.
Bethany laughed at the large clown mask that Ben pulled from his face, a large smile on his mouth. "Hey girl. Where is your mask?"
A few other interns turned, smiles on their faces, drinks in their hands.
"I totally forgot it. I can go get one and come back." She shrugged, keeping her eyes on the man in front of her. She hadn't really gotten to know anyone that well and felt a bit on the spot all of a sudden.
"No worries." He turned and yelled at the group. "Introduce yourself to Bethany while I get her a mask."
He disappeared and several people moved up to introduce themselves. She shook hands and smiled, worried about her dress all of a sudden. Trying to feel better about herself by dressing up seemed like a great idea until she stood in front of her peers with all of them dressed like they were going to church.
"Um wow." Philip's voice sounded beside her. Bethany turned and sighed with relief, reaching out to touch his arm as the muscle flexed beneath her fingers. The black mask covering his eyes made him look more sensual than he had earlier that day. His blond hair and blue eyes were the perfect match for melting girls' hearts and when he spoke... Bethany sighed again as Ben moved up.
"Here you go, madam. Philip, have you met Bethany?"
"I have. I was just going to ask her to come dance with me." Philip moved his shoulders a little side to side like he had moves to share.
"I'm glad you're here," Bethany whispered, taking the mask from Ben and slipping it on. She wished for a moment that she had a full face mask so she could hide behind it completely.
"Looks great on you. Go have fun. The tab is open at the bar and it's on the company, so no worries," Ben called out before turning to lift his glass in the middle of a large group. Bethany turned and slipped her arm into Philip's.
"I'm glad you're here too. I think I might have to hide the rest of the night. Sadie seems dead set on grabbing my attention and... no, just no." He laughed and Bethany did as well, stopping by the bar and ordering a beer.
"You like beer?" Philip asked, moving to stand closer to her. The button down shirt he'd worn that day at work looked really good with his jeans, the material soft in appearance and hugging his sleek frame.