Page 51 of Boss with Benefits

“No.”

She headed for the door, but Brady intercepted her. He raced across the room on his bare feet and grabbed her by the waist. He stopped her from leaving. Still a little drunk, she was bound to do something crazy. He hoped she was coherent enough to put her son first.

“Honey, think,” he said. “If you go to Axl’s room and he wakes up, he’ll smell the booze on your breath. Do you want that? What if he mentions Mommy slurring her words or acting weird to the wrong person? Randy’s lawyer would be all over it.”

Jessica’s anger dissolved, and she started to cry again. He made a mental note to keep her away from alcohol in the future. The woman could not hold her liquor.

“Why didn’t I think of that?” she asked. “Am I a terrible mother?”

“No. You’re not.”

He steered her back to the bed and tucked her in on her side. If it would help, he would insist she drink some coffee, but that would just keep her awake all night. She needed to sleep it off.

He tried to place a kiss on her forehead, but her arms looped around his neck, almost knocking him off balance enough to pull him down on top of her. Normally, he enjoyedhaving a woman make the first move. Not tonight. He wanted her to sleep so he could get some rest. Taking care of a drunkwifewas not fun.

“Come to bed,” Jessica said. “I don’t want to sleep without you.”

“Let go of me, and I will.”

She was like a drunk octopus.

A cute pout pursed her lips, and she reluctantly removed her arms from his neck. He walked to the other side of the bed. A hundred things went through his mind. He wasn’t so sure sleeping next to Jessica was a good idea tonight, but someone had to be there for her in case she got sick. He needed to take care of her.

Knowing he didn’t have another choice, he slid into the bed next to her. She immediately turned over and snuggled against him. Her head and hand rested on his chest. She mumbled something.

“What?” he asked. “I didn’t catch that.”

She lifted her face. “I said, I’m sorry I’m causing you so much trouble.”

He forced a smile. “You aren’t any trouble.”

“Why do you think you can’t be happy or love me?”

The question was spoken without a hidden agenda. She was obviously curious why he’d said it and probably wouldn’t remember his answer tomorrow anyway. So he told her the truth. “I’m not husband material. Or father material, for that matter.”

“You’re a good man,” she said. “I think it would come naturally to you. Being a father, I mean.”

He didn’t believe that. Besides, he’d read several studies on the subject of young men raised by abusive fathers. None of them good. He didn’t want to turn into his father. Despite Deacon’s beliefs on the subject, Brady wasn’t sure how to keepfrom becoming the man he hated most in the world. It’s not like his father had woken up one day and decided he wanted to be an abusive monster.

“I didn’t see love or feel loved when I was growing up,” he said. “How can I possibly learn to give love to another person?”

Jessica moved upward and kissed him on the throat just above his drumming pulse. “I could teach you how to love me,” she said.

He marveled at her ridiculous statement, something he knew she wouldn’t have said if she was sober. She was totally wasted.

Then he asked, “Didn’t your mother warn you not to try to change a man? It doesn’t work. Just makes you miserable.”

She didn’t respond.

He waited.

Soft snoring met his ears, and he smiled with relief.

∞∞∞

“Deke, I’m in deep trouble.” Brady burst into his buddy’s office without knocking. Unfortunately, the good doctor already had a patient on the couch. “Oh, I’m sorry,” Brady said. “Betty wasn’t at the desk, so I thought you were free.”

The elderly patient on the couch popped up so he was sitting, and he averted his face as if ashamed of being there. Deacon looked over his shoulder from his chair. Brady apologized again while backing out of the office.

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