Avoiding Responsibility (Avoiding #2)(55)
Author: K.A. Linde

"What about Parker being a bridesmaid?" she whispered into the open space. Her stomach had dropped at the mention of that bit of information. She had had to act like she didn’t care about that for an entire evening. She had to parade around in Parker’s clothes and follow the orders of four blonde bimbos. Surely he could have thought that worth noting.

"Oh," was all he managed.

Lexi waited a second expecting more explanation that just…oh. When he didn’t say anything else, she just shook her head forlornly. "Is that what I am? Just a fill in for Parker?" she asked staring deep into his green eyes full of repentance. He was shaking his head, but she couldn’t stop there. "Do you want to just f**k me in front of all your friends like you did at that bonfire? Because all you seem to be doing is f**king me over Ramsey."

He seemed unable to control himself after she finished her reprimand. He dove forward and claimed her lips for his own smashing her backwards into the marble countertop. She gasped as he willed a response out of her lips. It didn’t take long before she was breathless as he kissed her senseless. His hands pushed up in her long flowing hair before moving to roam her body. He hoisted her up and set up on the counter top so he could get closer to her.

"I want you," he breathed between kisses. "Just you Lexi. Please let me have you. I have missed you so much."

Lexi could feel her body reacting to his demands. She wanted him so bad. She just wanted to give in to him and forget everything else. "I missed you too," she murmured as he began kissing down her neck.

"Good. Good," he said struggling to unbutton her shorts.

"But I can’t do this," she said stilling his hands.

"Why not?" he begged and pleaded with his eyes as they met her determined brown ones.

"I don’t want this to be out of anger," she said dropping her eyes to the ground. "Let’s get through the rest of the week…and then go from here."

"Please Lexi, you’re all I want," he said letting his hands rest on her thighs.

She let out a deep breath unable to believe that she was turning down sex. "I want to do this, but not for this reason Ramsey." He sighed heavily and rested his head against her shoulder leaving a kiss on her there.

"Just know, I’m yours whenever you want me," he said pushing his lips against hers one more time.

* * *

K.A. Linde

Interview with the Mistress Pt III

Nothing compares, no worries or cares

Regrets and mistakes, they are memories made.

Who would have known

How bittersweet this would taste?

– Adele "Someone Like You"

* * *

Chapter 18: June Two Months Earlier

"Whatever you’re doing, stop it," Brandon Calloway said brushing her feet off of the side of his desk. He leaned forward and stared down at the stack of papers before him. His computer had been shoved off to the side with the display revealing a swimming fish screen saver.

"I’m not doing anything," Kace stated coyly letting her kitten heels demurely fall back against the cream carpeted floor.

"I don’t have time for this," he said scratching his head as he leafed through the pages before him. "I’m too busy. This needs to be done by the end of the day."

Kace leaned forward the pearl button of her navy blouse popping open as she adjusted herself towards him. Her voluptuous figure was revealed over the top of the lacy white bra underneath. "What’s gotten into you?" she purred.

Brandon was easily diverted from his paperwork as he whole-heartily stared at what was being displaying for his viewing pleasure. "Shit," he murmured his eyes taking in the full-bodied woman before him.

"I mean I thought you wanted me," she said straightening slightly and adjusting her blouse. Her br**sts bounced up and down merrily as she jostled her body.

Brandon devoured the intentional movements she was making and was kicking himself for not jumping on that…again. "I want you," he growled stilling his fingers on the stack of papers.

"It doesn’t look like it," Kace said brushing her brown hair off her shoulders. "I’m using my break to come see you and you haven’t stopped staring at those papers yet."

"I’m looking at you now," he said pointedly.

"I just don’t know what’s gotten into you lately," she said crossing one leg over the other and letting her light brown eyes meet his own.

Brandon pushed his chair back from the desk and stood. "Nothing’s gotten into me," he said taking a slow step towards her.

She tilted her head up to stare into his face. "You used to take me at every chance you got."

"You used to fend me off," he countered arching an eyebrow.

Kace shrugged. "Fighting you was fun, but giving in was better so I just gave up," she said biting down on her plump bottom lip as he approached her. "What am I just a chase for you?"

"I like to chase you," he stated easily, "but I have a promotion in my prospects," he angled his body directly in front her chair, "and I’m trying not to screw that up." He slid his hands forward along the armrests leaning down towards her. Her breathing hitched slightly as his lips neared her.

"By not screwing me?" she asked. Her eyes were locked on his lips which were poised only inches away from her.

He smirked at her forward statement unable to believe how easily she was eating out of the palm of his hand. "By not getting distracted."

"And I," she began letting her hand run up the inside leg of his pants, "distract you?"

He jumped slightly in surprise as her hand moved farther north. "Yes," he choked out feeling his body react to her touch.

"I like distracting you," she murmured huskily wetting her lips as he watched.

He was so close to her that when she arched her back her body pushed up against his chest. He quickly circled his arms around her midsection and pulled her off of the chair. She gasped as the momentum threw her body up against him. Her feet just barely touched the ground. She threw her head back her face a mask of surprise. He smirked again before bending forward to kiss her waiting lips. Kace moaned lightly into his mouth as he darted his tongue inside. She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him in deeper.

A knock on his office door sent Kace jumping back a step out of his grasp. He tilted his head at her curiously. She quickly brushed out her wrinkled clothing. "Were you expecting someone?" she asked eyeing him closely.

He shook his head his mind still on the kiss that was clearly leading somewhere else. "I don’t have to get it," he said closing the space between them and letting his hands run down her sides.

She melted into his touch a slow devious smile appearing on her face. "That’s a good idea," she said pressing her lower half against him more firmly.

He let his mouth drop to her lips once more. She groaned into his lips and pushed her fingers up into his chestnut brown hair.

"Brandon?" someone called as they knocked on the door a second time. "I know you’re in there."

Kace pulled back from him and stared at him curiously. "I thought you weren’t expecting anyone," she murmured her eyes still fiery with desire.

"I wasn’t. I don’t know who that is," he said looking towards the door with curiosity.

"Do you have to answer it?" she asked reminding him just what he would be missing by allowing an interruption.

He sighed as her hand pushed up against the front of his pants. "Dammit," he grumbled taking a step back. Kace smirked as he pulled away knowing that was the last thing he wanted to do, and that he would quickly dismiss whoever was waiting. Reluctantly, Brandon crossed his office and pulled open the door. A surprised smile broke across his face as he realized who was on the other side.

"Hey pookie," Lexi said sauntering into his office uninvited. She stopped in her tracks when she saw Kace. "Uh hey how’s it going?" she asked awkwardly realizing she couldn’t exactly backtrack from that statement. To an outsider that easy nickname could easily be construed improperly.

"Just fine," she said crossing her arms over her chest, sinking into one hip, and looking at Brandon pointedly.

"Uh Kace you remember Lexi right?" he asked gesturing between the two women.

Her eyes traveled back to Lexi examining her closely before answering. "Don’t you date Ramsey Bridges?" Kace asked an accusatory inflection in her voice.

Lexi smiled brightly at the mention of her boyfriend. Just thought of him made her burst with excitement. She was certain that much was evident on her face. "Yeah I do."

"Uh huh," Kace replied glancing conspiratorially between the two.

Lexi knew that this looked bad. She had clearly walked in on something unintentionally and now was just making the situation look worse. Brandon was a known womanizer. Lexi had heard just such information straight out of Kace’s mouth one time. She knew the suspicions were likely warranted on Brandon’s end. Luckily no one knew anything about her or else the suspicions would be even more heightened.

Brandon cursed himself for the interruption. This scene wouldn’t play out well if it got out that he had been seen alone with either woman. Ramsey already had a vendetta against him, and Kace worked in the top office. Any information leak would be damaging to that promotion he was so looking forward to.

"Well Kace it’s been nice…as always," Brandon said attempting damage control. "We can finish what we started later yes?"

"You’re kicking me out?" she gasped in surprise. Her light brown eyes widened in surprise and her mouth popped open slightly.

Lexi grimaced at what she had walked in on and took a hesitant step backwards. "I didn’t mean to come at a bad time," she stuttered out quickly. "I can always come back later and we can discuss that paperwork then if you want." She knew her damage control sounded just as forced as his.

Brandon examined her closely. "Paperwork?" Her eyes bulged open as she attempted to signal him to shut the f**k up. "Right paperwork. Yeah you should probably come back for that."

"Not necessary," Kace interjected. "I see that our…meeting is over anyway."

"Kace," he pleaded.

"No, no, I see that you have other business to attend to," she said striding across the office and brushing past Lexi.

"It’s really not like that," Lexi responded hurriedly.

Kace gave her a sad smile. "Of course not. It never is with Brandon," she said with a roll of her eyes.

"Kace," he growled grasping her elbow and yanking her towards him. She gasped as she was flung into his arms. He bent down and claimed her lips in a deep kiss. When he released her, the earlier anger in her eyes had dissipated. "I’ll see you later."

"Yes. Later," she responded dreamily as she exited the office. He toed the door closed behind her and turned back to his desk.

Lexi sighed and followed him taking the unoccupied chair next to his desk. "Sorry."

"You can’t call ahead of time like a normal person?" he grumbled leafing back through the papers he had been dealing with before Kace’s interruption.

Lexi shrugged helplessly. "I didn’t know you’d have…company."