AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Now he had to hope her family didn’t kill him.
12
He was making her jumpy. But Caroline couldn’t help loving how Josh stood in the kitchen, eyes on her while she cooked, and alternated between telling her about his meeting with Mark and the follow-up, and asking about her new job. She didn’t know if she was going to tell Josh about her encounter with Mark that afternoon. About the angry man who implied to her that if she kept undermining the position of the firm with a big client like Campbell Holdings, she wouldn’t have a job. The man who questioned her loyalty and her choices. This was the personality that had gotten him his reputation over the past ten years. Predatory. Dangerous.
A bully.
She was torn. It was possible Mark was afraid of Josh and was only making an idle threat. But something gnawed at her inside, and Caroline knew there was a difference in the way he was dealing with her. Thank God she wouldn’t be there much longer. In a few weeks she could forget all about Mark Strickland and the way he tried to control her every move. The man was constantly in the back of her mind and the stress of that was affecting everything she did.
Absolutely everything.
Caroline didn’t realize how close the blade of the knife was to her fingers until she felt the sting and yelped. “Damn, ouch.”
Josh jumped to her side when he heard her, but he went into overdrive when he saw the blood.
“Ouch is right. Jesus. You have to pay attention.”
“I was. IthoughtI was.”
He didn’t say anything while he ran her hand under water and then put pressure on it with a paper towel. “What were you thinking about this time?”
He knew. She could see on his face that he knew.
“About work. I can’t wait to get out of there.”
“Is this about the asshole? Did he say something to you?”
Oh, there was her alpha male.The patter she felt in her chest was her heart dancing.
But now it was decision time. Did she call in the cavalry or fight her own battles, especially since she was leaving the firm? Now that there was some definition to the relationship, she could certainly say something, but Caroline also had to be able to take care of herself. So, she didn’t tell him the whole truth. “No, he didn’t. Not directly.” God, she hated lying. But she loved that he was worried. “Is my big, strong boyfriend going to defend my honor?”
“You know I would.” Josh grinned when she tried the label on, and Caroline felt the heat rise in her face. “But I guess we’ll see how I am as a boyfriend; it’s my first time.”
“Really, your first time?”
“Being in a real relationship. I mean, there was high school, but that doesn’t count. Hold this on your finger.” He left her to put pressure on her cut with the paper towel while he went to the cabinet and retrieved a first aid kit. “You aren’t the only virgin in this, Caroline.” The bleeding had slowed to almost nothing and when she looked at the wound, she saw it wasn’t that bad. He doctored her finger with ointment and a Band-Aid, and Caroline’s dark mood lifted when he kissed the tip of her finger. “All better,” he said. Then he kissed her lips.
The kiss was sweet, but there was a wicked invitation attached.
“If he does anything, I want to know about it.”
Caroline pushed back his hair, which was getting a little long, but she kind of liked the way it was falling across his forehead. “What are you going to do? Beat him up?”
He kissed her again, this time teasing her lips with his tongue and settling his hands on her hips, holding her tight against him. His erection pressed against her belly, and knowing he wanted her made everything inside her go liquid.
“If he bothers you again, it’s possible I could do real violence.”
“I didn’t realize you were the protective sort.”
He kissed her again. “I didn’t think so either, but you seem to bring it out in me.”
Caroline slipped her arms around his waist and lay her head on his broad chest. The crisp cotton of his dress shirt felt smooth against her skin, and he smelled so good. There were remnants of his cologne, blending with fresh air and man. “Is that a good thing?”
That was a dumb question; she really didn’t want to know.
He considered her for a second. “It’s new for me, like I said.”
“Oh.” She looked away not knowing how to respond to that. He was being honest, and honesty is what good relationships were built on, but they were in strange territory. Maybe she should just cut the peppers.
