My New Step-Dad - Page 11/38

“Can I catch a ride with you, Jacob?” He eyes me up and down, his hand still locked in mine, and I suddenly remember I didn’t put anything on under my dress.

“I’ll take you anywhere you like, Sophie.” His tone implies he’d do more than take me to Bruce’s office.

“That would be great. Just let me grab my purse.” I say before dashing down the hall to my room. I grab my purse off the dresser, and notice my panties and the pillow still lying on the floor. I grab the underwear and put them into my purse, and then pick up the pillow. Part of it is still damp from where I came, and I can smell myself on it. Something dark and exciting comes over me, and I have an idea. I know just the place for this, and it’s not my bed.

Chapter 5

Bruce

I’ve read this same paragraph a hundred times and I can’t remember a thing about it. Ask me about Sophie’s nipples, however, and I could recite a forty-page essay on them, but I can’t tell you what I’ve been staring at for the past hour.

My entire morning has gone like this. My paralegal reminded me I forgot a brief, and I’ve never done that before. I’ve never been so absentminded, and I know the exact cause.

I drop my pen on my desk, and rub my eyes with the palm of my hand.

“Get a grip, Archer,” I whisper to myself, and then I hear the office door open. I look up in time to see Jacob entering my office, and I have to blink a few times to clear my vision. Once he gets to my desk I see someone following in behind him and I shoot up from my desk, wondering what’s happening.

“What are you doing here?”

I give Sophie a glare, but she doesn’t look concerned. I look over at Jacob and he shrugs as he drops the brief on my desk. I get angrier because I didn’t realize Jacob went to my house. I should have known that Sharon, my paralegal, would send him to retrieve it. He’s been to my home on several occasions for work, but I didn’t think about the fact that Sophie was there.

I look over and see how she’s dressed. She’s got on a small, blue, summer dress and, like her clothing this morning, it’s nearly transparent. I clench my jaw hard when I see her hard nipples poking through the papery material. Fucking hell, does this girl not have any clothes that cover her body? I need to get her some decent clothes. I make a note to ask Lily to take her shopping this week.

“Thank you,” I clip, and raise my eyebrows pointedly at Jacob as if to ask him if he’s got anything else he needs.

He looks over at Sophie and I see the gleam in his eyes. He hasn’t missed what she’s wearing either, and rage starts to bubble up in my chest.

“Mr. Archer, I was thinking of showing Sophie around the place, you know, show her the offices.” He gives her a wink and I see her blush a little and look down at her feet. Not only did I catch his drift but so did she.

I don’t know what they had planned but it’s not fucking happening. She’s mine to protect, and I won’t have some junior associate with grabby hands anywhere near her. I’m pissed that he might have gotten to smell the honeysuckle scent that always seems to be around her.

“That’s quite all right, Jacob, you can go.”

He turns to look at me, and then back at Sophie, and starts to speak, but she interrupts him.

“Thank you for the ride, but I’m sure Bruce can handle me now.”

She looks up and we lock eyes, and I get the feeling there’s more to that statement than just what she said.

Without breaking eye contact, I nod my head in agreement.

“It was nice meeting you, Sophie. Anytime you need anything, just let me know.” He gives her one final up and down look and it’s all I can do not to come across the desk and rip his throat out.

I shake my head a little and try to rid it of all these emotions. I don’t know where this anger and protectiveness are coming from. I’m sure it’s because she’s Debra’s daughter and I feel responsible for her. Yes. That’s it. It’s not that I want her for myself.

Sophie lifts her chin in response but otherwise doesn’t confirm, which pleases me more than I thought possible. Seeing her body language and watching her reaction to him shows me she’s not interested. I feel a little of the tension in my chest ease as he walks out and closes the door behind him.