CYRUS
Having Miss Bruns in my house was proving much more challenging than I’d anticipated, and I hadn’t thought it’d be easy by any means. Every day she was there, I questioned my decision to hire her in the first place. As great as she was for Megan, she was devastating for my peace of mind.
She seemed to permeate the entire house. Her scent was everywhere. I didn’t understand how that was possible so quickly, but every room I walked into, I was teased by the floral perfumes she wore or the smell of her shampoos and body wash. She was particular to lavender and cherry blossom.
If it wasn’t her scent, it was the sound of her voice. Walking down the hallways, I’d hear her laughter as she played with Megan or her friendly tone as she chatted with Mrs. Plumb. There was a warmth in her voice that I never heard when she spoke to me. A small part of me felt a sting of jealously when I heard her talking to anyone but me, because they got to hear the musical lilt in her voice while I never did.
I didn’t really understand what was happening to me. As we went into the second week of her employment, I grew more and more confused about my reactions to her. I couldn’t deny that she was gorgeous, and physically, I was attracted to her. That was just an undeniable fact that I couldn’t ignore. If I caught sight of her and she was smiling, my heart would race and I’d grow instantly aroused. I’d spot her working on her laptop, focused on her writing, and she appeared so serious and determined. Oddly enough, that aroused me, too. I appreciated people with drive, and she clearly had plenty of that. It was admirable, though I would never say that to her out loud. It’d give her too much of an advantage against me, and I knew if I wasn’t careful, I’d somehow fall under her spell.
It was goddamn annoying.
I didn’t like feeling out of control…ever. Especially not when it came to women, so the fact that this wisp of a girl ten years younger than me was driving me so crazy was infuriating.
Like a coward, I was doing my best to intentionally avoid her. That first week, it’d been easy enough until she’d stormed out to the pool and her eyes had heated at seeing me practically naked. It was the first time she’d looked at me with anything other than contempt, and it’d left me…shaken.
She wasn’t supposed to be attracted to me, too.
The second week was a little trickier. She seemed emboldened and didn’t try so hard to stay out of my path. What was worse was that I wasn’t exactly trying to avoid her as much either. I couldn’t help but be curious about her and what she got up to all day. I’d find excuses to check in on her and Megan one moment, but then the next, I’d lock myself away in my office, determined to avoid the nanny. She had me so twisted up inside, I thought I was on the verge of losing my freaking mind.
I knew I couldn’t hide from her forever, though. Eventually, we’d have to interact one-on-on again, or she’d hunt me down to demand to know more about my family’s painful past. I wasn’t about to tell her about Kate…or about that terrible night I lost her. The last thing I needed was Miss Bruns looking at me like a failure. I was one, of that there was no doubt, but it wasn’t any of her business. I just hoped Megan didn’t say anything to her. The girl was so young, I didn’t think she fully understood everything that had happened to her mother, but one wayward word and I had a feeling Miss Bruns would be on me like a hound dog wanting answers.
Answers she would not be getting from me, no matter how much she badgered me.
With all this confusion messing up my thoughts and concentration, I was struggling to get my work done. That usually wasn’t a problem for me at all. To try and make up for the drop in efficiency, I was working later and later from my home office. Near the end of the second week of her living in my house, I found myself working late into the night in my office once again. Though it wasn’t an unusual thing for me to do by that point, my eyes were starting to burn from staring at my computer. Leaning back in my chair, I pinched the bridge of my nose and let out a deep yawn.
Deciding it was past time for bed, I stood and made my way out of the office and began heading down the hall toward my bedroom. As I neared the second-story landing, a figure emerged from the darkness ahead. I paused, stunned as Miss Bruns came into view. She was wearing a white, satin nightgown that clung to her curves and was practically see-through in the moonlight that was streaming through the windows in the foyer.
Jesus Christ. She looked so sexy. Ethereal almost. I felt a stirring between my legs as I stared at her, unable to tear my eyes away.
At that moment, she spotted me and let out a squeak of surprise.
“Oh! Mr. Grave,” she gasped. “What are you doing?”
Chapter 9
CRYRUS
“What am I doing?” I replied, instantly defensive. “It’s my house. I should be asking you that.”
She scowled. How could a woman be so freaking gorgeous when she was angry? It was ridiculous.
“I couldn’t sleep,” she said with a hiss. “I was going to the kitchen for a glass of water, if you must know.”
Her snappy tone only poked at the fire already burning in my belly. Anger and arousal swirled within me, and I worried that she’d be able to see my reaction to her.
“I’m still getting used to having you here,” I shrugged dismissively. “It’s perfectly reasonable for me to be suspicious of what you’re doing roaming my house in the middle of the night.”
She rolled her eyes, and my hand twitched as I imagined putting her over my knee.
“Whatever,” she murmured, turning toward the staircase and flipping her long, red hair over her shoulder. “I don’t have to stand here and listen to your ridiculous insults. You’d think you’d be a little nicer to me at this point, but I guess you’re just a grade-A jerk after all.”
“It’s not that easy to be nice to a viper,” I quipped.
She glanced toward me with a raised brow. The corner of her mouth twitched, as though she were hiding a smile. Did I amuse her?
I was suddenly struck with the desire to hear her laugh again, but not from another room. I wanted her to laugh because of something funny I’d said, which was a ridiculous notion. I wasn’t exactly known for my humor.
What was this woman doing to me? I couldn’t stand her, but I turned into a horny idiot whenever she was nearby. What kind of twisted hold did she have on me, and how the hell did I let her get it?
“Hiss, hiss.” She smirked before turning back to descend the stairs.
I watched her go, my body tensed and tight like a coiled spring. I couldn’t help but watch her hips as she made her way down the stairs. Was she moving them that enticingly because she knew I had my eyes on her?
Releasing a growl of frustration, I tore my gaze from her and stormed down the hall toward my room. Stepping inside, I slammed the door shut behind me and grabbed hold of my belt. Unbuckling it, I undid my pants and shoved them down to my knees with my underwear.
I was hard and throbbing. Damn it. What was wrong with me?
The image of her swaying hips was burned in my mind, and though I tried to resist, my control crumbled, and I took hold of my length with a snarl. Moving my hand up and down my shaft, I rested my head back against the door and closed my eyes. I surrendered to my desires and thought of Miss Bruns as I stroked myself. Her gorgeous hair flowing around her bare shoulders. Her hardened nipples straining against the satin of her nightgown.
Her plump lips, practically begging to be kissed.
I gritted my teeth, furious with myself for doing this. For thinking about her while I did it, but I felt helpless to the pleasure that was growing stronger and stronger with each stroke. When I imagined her kneeling at my feet, I completely lost it. With a guttural groan, I came so hard, my knees buckled.
It was the most intense orgasm I’d had in months, and it was by my own hand. I hated that she had this hold over me. That she had seemingly taken control of my body, even as my mind tried to rebel against her allure. The pleasure was so intense, it was almost painful.
When I was spent at last, I released my length and slumped back against the door, panting to catch my breath. This was ridiculous. I was acting like some teenager who couldn’t control his libido. I didn’t even like her, so why was I so freaking attracted to her?
I had to get ahold of myself. I couldn’t let this happen again.
Somehow, someway, I needed to expel my desire for her completely out of my mind…or it was going to drive me insane.