Page 10 of Boss with Benefits

“What’s second?” he asked with a grin. He plopped down on the couch without waiting for her. “You saidfirst. Usually, that means there’s a second point yet to be made.”

She sat next to him, so close their arms touched when she relaxed against the soft gray cushion behind her. Why did she feel like a nervous schoolgirl on her first date? “Am I just an employee to you? Is that how you see me?”

He turned his head, and their eyes locked. She realized her mistake then. Their lips were mere inches apart. If she leaned a little his way or if he leaned a little her way, their mouths would meet in what would undoubtedly be a heart-melting kiss.

“What did my law team have to say about your situation?” he asked in a raspy voice. “Were they any help?”

She rolled her eyes. “I didn’t meet with the team, actually. They had me talk to a Mr. Haverdash, and he wasn’t exactly optimistic about my chances.”

Brady’s jaw tightened. “They gave you the low man on the totem pole? Considering how much I pay them, they should have dropped everything to have a group meeting with you.”

“I was given a list of things wrong in my life that are right in Randy’s. He’s married, while I’m single. They have a house, and I live in this condo. Apparently, it’s a terrible place to raise a child. Mr. Haverdash also told me Randy has a steady job now.”

Brady gestured to her. “You have a steady job.”

“Mr. Haverdash told me to move into a house as soon as possible, and there was the extent of his advice. Oh, and I need to live like a saint until this is over.”

“A saint?”

“Yes, Brady. Randy’s lawyer is paying a private eye to pry into my life. Mr. Haverdash thinks the guy is already following me. Hopefully, he didn’t see me leaving your home this morning.”

Wouldn’t that be the kicker? Since the birth of her son, she hadn’t dated a single man. She hadn’t had sex with anyone. If she got caught using Brady to release built-up sexual tension, her life was over.

Fear gripped her by the throat. She felt like she would never breathe normally again. “I can’t lose him, Brady? My son is everything to me.”

He put an arm around her. “You aren’t going to lose him.”

She rested her head against his shoulder. “How do you know?”

“You are an incredible mother.” He placed his warm lips against her cool forehead. “It doesn’t matter what your stupid ex does. You are the superior parent by far. Your idiot ex didn’t want to meet his son until this summer. And now he wants Axl to live with him? Ridiculous.”

She bolted off the couch as if shocked by an electric current. “Wait! Randy didn’t want anything to do with Axl before now. Why the change? Why would he suddenly want to know the son he’s ignored for years?”

Brady shrugged. “No clue.”

“Maybe we should start digging.”

If there was a reason for the sudden change, a shady reason, she needed to find it. The answer could be key to winning the custody battle.

“What do you want me to do?” Brady asked. “I’ll help you in any way I can.”

“I don’t think there’s anything youcando.”

“What if I hire a private detective to follow your ex?”

That was a good idea, but...

“I need to hire my own detective,” she said. “If you hire someone, Randy’s guy might find out and twist it around so the judge thinks we’re sleeping together.”

“Wearesleeping together.”

“No. Weweresleeping together. Past tense.”

Brady groaned deep in his throat. He leaned back against the cushion with his fists over his closed eyes. Just when she began to think he wouldn’t look at her again, he did. His soulful gaze spoke volumes. “This sucks,” he said. “We are so incredibly powerful together, and now we have to put what we were building on hold because your ex is an idiot?”

Building? She blinked at him. “It was just sex, Brady. We agreed. No strings.”

He nodded. “You don’t have to keep reminding me.”

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