Page 39 of Boss with Benefits

And that was why he had shown up at Deacon’s office without an appointment instead of going to work. Lucky for him, Deacon’s first patient wouldn’t show up until nine.

“I lost it,” Brady said. “I lost my temper with Jessica’s kid.”

Deacon’s expression turned concerned. “Oh, man. What happened?”

“We were having breakfast and—”

“Why were you having breakfast with the kid?”

A heavy sigh parted Brady’s lips, and he headed for the couch. Once he was seated with his hands clasped between his knees, he told Deacon something he’d been holding back. His business and Jessica’s troubles had been keeping him too busy to talk to Deacon lately. In fact, they hadn’t met for a session since the secret wedding.

“I married her,” he said.

Deacon’s eyes nearly popped out of his head. “I know I did not hear what I think I just heard. Say again.”

“Jessica and I got married.”

“No way. Why would you do that?”

“To help her get custody of her son,” Brady said. “The lawyer says she needs to be married and have a nice house in a good neighborhood. I took care of both.”

Deacon scowled at Brady from his nearby chair. “I hope you know what you’re doing. You must really care about this woman to give up your freedom.”

“Temporarily,” Brady said. “Itemporarilygave up my freedom, and she knows it. We have an understanding.”

“You aren’t sharing a bed then?”

“What does that have to do with anything?”

Deacon gave him the look he reserved for special occasions when he thought someone had done the dumbest thing they could have ever possibly done. They stared at each other for a long moment, neither of them willing to back down.

Deacon blinked. “You can’t live with this woman like you’re a real couple, or she’ll get confused. She’ll expect you to get gooey feelings for her and stay with her after the custody battle is over.”

“She isn’t like that,” Brady said.

“Women arealllike that. You are walking into a trap with a big stupid grin on your face.”

Exasperated, Brady raked fingers through his thick hair and tried to reel in his anger. He had come to Deacon for advice, not for attitude. Perhaps, he would have been better off going to a shrink he didn’t know.

“Listen,” Brady said. “This is serious. Focus on the real problem. We were having breakfast this morning, and her kid spilled his orange juice. Some splashed on my work pants, and I hit the roof. I totally lost it.”

“Meaning?”

“I cursed in front of the kid, and Jessica didn’t appreciate that. She followed me to the bedroom, and I said too much. The last thing I want is to pull her into my messed-up childhood.The woman is going through enough right now without worrying about my mental state. She always takes care of everyone around her instead of looking out for herself.”

Deacon smiled. “She sounds like a special person.”

Brady sighed. “Why do you keep focusing on the wrong thing? Forget Jessica, and concentrate on the important part of this conversation. I lost my temper with her son.”

Deacon nodded, but didn’t appear concerned anymore. “We all lose our tempers, man. Someday when Samantha and I have kids, I’m sure we will both lose our tempers. I would be worried if you lived with a child and didn’t get mad once in a while. It’s normal.”

“The average person can afford to lose their temper, Deke. Most of them weren’t raised by a drunk. They don’t do major damage when they get mad.”

“How many times do I have to tell you having a bad father doesn’t make you one? You aren’t him, and you’re never going to be him.”

Deacon didn’t know anything. Brady fumed in silence for a moment. He thought Deacon would get it, why he was worried, but his friendly shrink didn’t seem to understand the situation.

Brady tried to explain it to him. “There is no way to know how I will react without me putting myself into the same circumstances my father faced, and I refuse to do that. I know I came close when I married her and let her kid move in, but he’sherson. Not mine. I would never hurt him, because he belongs to her.”

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