Chapter 10

10

Lucy

“ I ’m sorry for that time I accidentally sent all that confidential salary information to the whole company and tried to make out it was your fault.” Trey is standing in front of me, head down, hands clasped in front of him.

I’m sitting at the head of the big oak dining table in the lodge, like I’m chairman of the board or something. That was Preston’s idea. In fact, this whole thing was Preston’s idea. When he told me about it, I was pretty uncomfortable. But it turns out, it’s kinda fun. Think I might even enjoy being a boss someday.

I drum my fingers on the table and give Trey a hard look. “What else?”

“Uh… I’m sorry for all those times I jammed the printer and left you to deal with it,” he mumbles.

I nod thoughtfully. “How about the time those photocopies of someone’s ass appeared in the office, with my name written on it in sharpie, even though that was in no way my ass?”

His cheeks go beet red. “I’m really sorry,” he mumbles.

“What?” I leap up so fast my chair tips backward. “I didn’t even know that was you!” I shake my head in disgust. “Get the hell out of here.”

Preston steps out of the shadows and lays his hands on Trey’s shoulders.

A moment later, he’s gone, and Errol is shuffling in instead.

My heartbeat quickens, as all the things he’s said and done flood into my mind. I don’t know if I’ll have the courage to go through with this.

Of course, you will, baby. You’re much stronger than him.

Preston’s voice sounds in my head. This happens all the time now. I look beyond my sleazy boss at the man I love. His own eyes are glowing with love and admiration for me.

And if you need any help, I’m right here.

The mating mark he gave me last night feels hot and tingly. It’s all so new—being a bear’s mate—but I love it already. I press my hand to the mark and smile at him.

Errol looks real shamefaced. I didn’t even know he was capable of it.

“Sit,” I say when he approaches. I keep a straight face, but inside I’m like a soda bottle that someone’s dropped on the sidewalk.

There are so many things he needs to apologize for that I’ve written them all down on a piece of notepaper. I lay them out in front of me. “Begin,” I say, clicking the end of my pen.

“I, uh… I’m sorry for staring at your ass all the time.”

I swallow hard, add that one to the end of my list.

Errol needs a little prompting from time to time, but by the time we’re done, he has apologized for fifteen separate offences. He’s bright red and there are gigantic sweat stains under his arms. A silence descends.

“We done here?” he says at last.

I fix him with my Lucy Cole Hard Stare. Sheesh, I’m really getting to like this authority thing. “You going to harass any more defenseless young women, Errol?”

Preston cracks his knuckles loudly. He’s been wrestling with his beast all through my interrogation, and I can see he’s barely keeping ahold of it.

Errol shoots a terrified glance at Preston and shakes his head vigorously. “N-no. N-never. I swear.”

He looks like he’s about to piss his pants. I almost feel sorry for him. Almost.

“Well, I’m going to see to it that you never work in this industry again.” I puff my chest out. That’s a sentence that’s been said to me many times. Feels good to say it to someone who deserves it.

He goes white. “No… please. I said I’m sorry!” His gaze darts from me to Preston and back again. “I’ll never do anything like that again. I’ve got a family to take care of.”

I click my tongue. “You should’ve thought of that before you tried to coerce me into having sex with you.” I spit each word out. “Get out of here!” I jab my finger toward the door.

He goes, head hanging.

When I meet Preston’s gaze again, my heart lifts. “We done?”

“Sure are.” He shuts the door and dashes over to me. A second later he’s snatched me up in his big arms.

“You did so well, honey.” He peppers my face with kisses. “I was so proud of you.”

My tummy warms with happiness. “You were?”

“Big time. How do you feel now?”

I nibble my lower lip thoughtfully. “Like a gigantic weight has lifted off me. You know, I’ve been putting up with people’s crap for years, because I thought I had to. I’ve always been happy-go-lucky Lucy, who was born to make other people feel better about themselves.”

He frowns. “No, you come first, Lucy.”

I grin. “I think I’m starting to believe that. At least a little bit.” I stare deep into the glowing green eyes that are looking at me with such love. “Because of you, Preston.”

He raises my hand to his lips and kisses it. “I just gave you a little helping hand. But it’s all you, Lucy Cole.”

A smile keeps tugging at my lips, and I can’t help breaking into a grin. “I was pretty scary wasn’t I?”

“You were so fierce.” A growl escapes his lips. “Gave me a real boner, actually.”

I look down and giggle. “Oh, yeah. You’re right.”

My core floods with heat. We already had sex three times this morning, but I need him inside me again.

“Shall we…?” I look toward the door. Go back to bed .

He grins, but instead of leading me to the door, he backs me up against the dining table. “You know, my grandaddy used to sit right here at this table, gambling with all his friends. Getting this place into a mountain of debt. Then he left me and Clay to pick up all the pieces.”

“That’s rough,” I say, trying to be diplomatic.

“He was a prime asshole,” Preston replies cheerfully. “When he left me and Clay with all this debt, I think he wanted to screw our lives up. But instead, I met you. My beautiful girl.”

My stomach flutters. I can’t get enough of his tender words. “Think you should reclaim this old place for yourself,” I say.

His eyes glow even brighter, and there’s a hint of wickedness in them that sends a shiver right through me.

“I was just thinking the same thing.” He lifts me up and positions me on the edge of the table. Then he kisses my neck, his hands wandering all over my body. When he reaches for the zipper on my jeans, I help him, raising my hips so he can shuck them off.

He tugs my panties down with his teeth, then his mouth is on me again. He spreads my thighs and slides his long, agile tongue inside me.

It’s not long before my body is trembling.

“Preston, I’m gonna…” I murmur.

A feral look fills his eyes. “You’re gonna come around my dick, right here on this table,” he growls. He pulls his cock out of his pants. It’s huge and throbbing, and I wonder yet again how it’s going to fit inside me?—

“Ahh!” I cry out as he enters me. I feel him opening me up, stretching me out. It’s still a lot to take. But the moment he hits home, a blissful heat fills my whole body. I lay back, helpless as a ragdoll, while my grizzly mate claims me on his ancestral table.