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What was with her lately? She’d gone from consummate professional to hair-blowing-in-the-wind free spirit.
But she knew what she was doing. She was testing him. How far would he let her go? How far did he want to go? He hadn’t said no to anything she’d offered yet.
That kind of power was heady. A rush that made her feel, well, feel a lot like she felt right now, only with a teensy bit of nausea at the idea that Taylor might’ve overheard. Addi had not been quiet while having sex with Brannon.
“Ready?” He wore a cocksure smile, his hand at the ready on the door handle. So proud of himself, and who could blame him? He’d taken her to the edge in record time.
“Ready,” Addi said, not sure she was. He unlocked the door as she pulled his discarded papers from the wastebasket.
“I heard some...thing...” Taylor’s gaze jerked from Addi to Bran. The other woman’s darker blond locks were pulled into a neat ponytail at the back of her head, her navy blue dress outlining her baby bump. She looked gorgeous and professional...and suspicious. Her eyes narrowed. “Hi, Bran. Hey, Addi.”
“Hi, Taylor,” Bran said, sounding much more at ease than Addi felt.
Taylor’s expression was blatant approval. “Well, don’t you both look amazing.”
Addi bit her tongue so she wouldn’t laugh. She felt amazing.
“Thanks. I’ve been working out.” He smoothed his tie, which was tied not at all right. The bottom was a good inch or two too high. Addi ducked her head to hide a giggle, then noticed she’d buttoned her shirt wrong. “Crap!”
“I knew it. You’ve been too happy,” Taylor said to Bran.
“First Gia, now you? What’s wrong with me being happy?”
“Nothing. At all,” Taylor said sincerely. “I’m happy for you. And also—” she gave him a pointed look “—I was right.”
“You better not have interrupted to gloat,” Bran warned as he retied his tie.
“I came in here to have a meeting. Remember?” She waggled her ThomKnox tablet. “Addi, can you join us? Bran could use a second brain. His seems to be disconnected from his vertebrae at the moment.”
Bran’s eyes hit Addi and warmed an incremental amount. “Stay.”
Her cheeks infused with heat and she couldn’t prevent her smile. The request wasn’t dissimilar to what he’d said to her on a handful of nights at his place. He’d wanted her to stay then, too. And him admitting it in front of Taylor was even more significant.
Royce appeared in the doorway next, tall, regal and frowning. His usual. Bran’s tie was back to normal and the buttons on Addi’s blouse were even, thank God. “Everything all right in here?”
“Why wouldn’t everything be all right?” Taylor asked as she settled into a chair at the head of the table.
“I don’t know. Seems...strange in here.” Royce took a long look at Bran before his eyes landed on Addi.
“He’s learning,” Taylor said to Addi. “Men become more perceptive if you teach them. It’s the repetition. Like training a puppy.”
Addi snorted, while Royce and Bran argued against Taylor’s assessment. Then they settled down for the meeting, Addi at the very spot where she and Bran had their own “meeting” a few minutes earlier.
While Taylor spoke, Addi thought about how she’d long dreamed of being a part of a big, loving family. And now here she was, one step closer to being folded in by the Knoxes. It was almost too much for her heart to handle.
