Shayla Black - Their Virgin Secretary

She looked so miserable, Eric couldn’t stop himself from cupping her cheeks and wiping her tears away. “But you hurt Tate. You have to understand that this isn’t the first time a woman has pushed him out of the relationship.”

“What do you mean?” she frowned.

“We’ve dated women who didn’t want to see Tate outside the bedroom. Once we explained that we wanted a more established relationship, they quickly let us know that Tate could pop in for sex, but they didn’t want to see him socially.”

Belle gasped. “That’s terrible.”

The utter horror in her voice made Eric breathe a little easier. “It’s true, and now he thinks that’s what you’re doing. He’s convinced you prefer Kellan to him, but that you’re willing to fuck him because he’s good in bed.” At Belle’s shocked frown, Eric shrugged. “It’s exactly what our last girlfriend told him.”

“I didn’t mean anything like that. I had no idea anyone had treated him so awfully. I just need time to figure out where this is going, Eric.”

“And for that you want us all to go back to our corners and pretend like last night didn’t happen?” He wasn’t sure he could do it.

“You keep assuming the worst. It’s nothing like that. Whatever time you have, I want to spend it with you, Tate, and Kellan. Honestly, I wasn’t trying to shove anyone out the door. I just can’t give you the assurances you want right this second. I get the feeling you guys have been thinking this out for months. I haven’t, and everything in my life has changed suddenly. Maybe I would feel different if I hadn’t inherited this house, but I did and I already love it here. I’ve been ready for a change. I can’t go back to being just your secretary. Can’t you see that?”

“We’ve been slowly preparing you to be with us for almost a year. We waited until you wouldn’t think we were lecherous bosses like your last one and until you really got to know Tate. We waited for Kell to trust you. But we always had a plan. We might not have been traditionally dating, but we’ve spent every spare second we had with you.”

“While you ‘dated’ other women.” She made air quotes with her fingers.

“What other women? Name one.”

“I know about that skinny paralegal at Johnson and Forbes.”

So she wanted to debate? This was so up his alley…

“That ended about two weeks before you came to work for us. Next?”

She crossed her arms over her chest. “Are you going to tell me you don’t go to that club? Or that there are no women there.”

Apparently, Belle was under some very mistaken impressions. He’d be more than happy to correct them. “No, we went because Kellan has been sponsoring our training. But that isn’t what’s bothering you, is it, Belle? You think we were out having a grand old time while you took care of the office. I’d like to know why you think any woman is more important to us than you. We haven’t brought one female to the office who wasn’t there in a professional capacity. We answer your calls at all hours of the day or night and drop anything we’re doing to take care of your needs. One of us takes you to lunch nearly every day and dinner at least once a week. We’ve spent a year taking care of you. What makes you think we were sleeping with other women?”

Her brows rose as her jaw dropped. “Are you trying to tell me you haven’t had sex in a year?”

“I’m telling you I haven’t had sex with anyone but you since the moment I laid eyes on you. Neither has Tate. After his divorce, Kellan fucked everything in sight. But shortly after you came to work for us, he tapered off. He hasn’t slept with anyone else in easily six months. For a guy who used to get a different piece of ass every night, that says a lot. We all knew who we wanted and we were willing to be patient until the time was right.”

“The time was never going to be right.” Tate shoved the door open and stood, his eyes flat.

“I thought you went for a run.” Eric stared at his best friend.

Tate looked dangerous, his eyes predatory, every muscle in his body still as though ready to strike. Suddenly, Eric was worried that Belle was Tate’s prey.

She looked hesitant, but raised her chin and approached him. “Tate, we should talk.”

When she reached for him, he jerked away. “Nothing to say. We’re not going anywhere until we’re sure you’re safe. In the meantime, you want to explore sex? You can do it with us. I was gentle with you last night, but if this is just a fuck, then we’re going to do this my way—hot and dirty.”

Tate didn’t wait for her reply, just swept her in his arms, against his chest, and headed for the stairs.

“Hey,” Eric called, following after them.

Kellan met him in the hall, and Eric wondered if he’d been listening on the other side of the door since he supposedly left. “Don’t. He might be right, and Belle isn’t exactly protesting. Let’s join them and see where this goes.”

“I don’t know. He’s emotional.” When Tate exploded, it could get spectacular.

“In normal circumstances, I’d prevent him from sceneing, but maybe this is what Belle needs. She’s shut down. Make her feel, force her to open up, but you have to break through those walls or you have zero chance.” Kellan stared after Tate and Belle. “I can stay down here, if you’d rather. But you definitely need to get upstairs.”

He slapped Kellan on the back. Maybe they could break down some of his walls, too. “Come on. Help me see if we can save this.”

They walked up the stairs, Eric’s heart pounding.

Arms hooked around Tate’s neck, Belle looked into his face, her heart softening even as she told herself this was an absolutely terrible idea. He climbed up the stairs two at a time, her weight seemingly not a burden to him at all.

“Tate,” she called softly. “We really should talk. I didn’t mean to hurt you.”

He didn’t break stride, didn’t acknowledge that she’d spoken. He just stared straight ahead, his strong face closed off. “Tell me whether or not you want this. That’s the only conversation we need to have.”

Belle bit her lip. She’d done a number on him. She hadn’t realized it at the time, but now she understood that he’d misinterpreted everything she’d said through his own filter. Unwittingly, she’d pushed his buttons. “I don’t even know what this is anymore, Tate.”

“Sex. That’s it.”

No, it wasn’t. He might be angry, but he couldn’t stop caring for her in the blink of an eye any more than she could stop caring for him. He was simply hurt, and she’d have to help him understand that she wasn’t pushing him aside for Eric or Kell.

That realization helped her find an inner well of calm, even as he kicked open the bedroom door. The knob bounced off the wall, but he either didn’t notice or didn’t care, just strode into the room and headed for the bed. Given his predatory mien, she should probably be trying to escape or at least balking, but Tate would never hurt her, even if she had wounded him deeply.

She palmed his nape and tried to catch his remote dark stare. He looked past her, and that made Belle ache. He was a little too good at shutting her out. Then again, growing up he had probably learned from the best.

What had his childhood been like, raised in a cold household by unfeeling parents who had valued only his intellect while repressing his big heart? Eric had been his first—and for years, his only—friend. They balanced one another.

How would she feel if she’d constantly been told that she was the inadequate half of a whole? Belle kind of understood how crappy that must be. Kinley had always been far more outgoing, the fun, bubbly blonde people gravitated to. If she and Kinley had shared the sort of life Eric and Tate did, she would have been the one on the outside looking in. She’d tasted how bitter that was over the years. Those memories made her ache for Tate even more.

“Those women were wrong to reject you in favor of Eric. You’re so wonderful, Tate. For so many things besides sex.”

He settled her onto the bed where they’d made love the night before. He could call it sex, but they both knew better. They’d made love. She wished she knew how to open herself, embrace the experience, and trust that it could last.

As Tate followed her to the mattress and pinned her under him, she lay in his arms, offering her acceptance. Even when he was mad at her, he treated her with such care. She blinked up into his dark eyes, hoping he could see her welcome.

“It doesn’t matter, Belle. Are you saying yes or no? If you say yes, then you should prepare to submit. If you say no, understand that I won’t ask you again. I’ll leave you to Kellan and Eric. No matter how you answer, I’ll make sure you’re safe. But I will keep my distance.”

Belle hated ultimatums, but she understood. If she said no, Tate would put a wall between them. Not to punish her, but to protect himself. He’d done a remarkable job of making her feel safe with him, but she hadn’t tried to do the same for him. Remorse stung her.

What did she want, to risk her heart for something that probably wouldn’t last or to open herself up and surrender to the men she loved for whatever time they shared?

Eric entered the room. Kellan hovered in the doorway. All eyes fastened on her. Expectation hung in the air.

These men really would put their lives on hold until she was safe. After that, they would return to their homes and their careers. They’d leave her. If by some miracle they didn’t, their little quartet wouldn’t work if Kellan wasn’t even willing to try.

Of course, could she really expect complete security in the relationship? No one had that. She especially couldn’t expect it if she wasn’t ready to commit herself. And she didn’t need a commitment to have sex.