Rules of Her Sins (Their Sins #1) (4 page)

Chapter Six

Jesse

I look up at the clock and discover it’s almost five in the afternoon. This has been one of the best workdays I’ve had in a while, possibly because my dad is out of the office playing golf today. As I’m turning off the lighting that my father had installed to highlight the McCoy logo and the art on the wall, my desk phone rings.

“Pearse McCoy’s—”

“Jesse, can you please come to my office? I need help with a file your father said you have access to. Please?” Aedan begs on the other end of the line.

“Yes, Mr. Hughes. I’ll be there as soon as I turn off everything at my desk.”

“Thank you. And, Jesse, please call me Aedan.” He hangs up before I can reply.

Before I turn my computer off, I check on the status of Laney’s flight. Fog has delayed her arrival. Therefore, I don’t have to rush to the airport. After turning off my computer and the rest of the lights, I walk down the long hallway to Aedan’s office. His door is slightly open, and standing before me isn’t the normally crisp, suit-clad Aedan, but a completely distraught, hair going every which direction Aedan Hughes.

“I honestly thought you might have blown me off.” With a slight shrug, Aedan smirks at me.

“The thought did cross my mind. I have to drive across the city to the airport. I have a friend arriving in a few hours, thanks to the fog,” I say with a frown.

“I’m grateful for the fog then.” He looks at me with a sexy, boyish smile.

Wait, sexy? Um, easy, girl. I know it’s been a while since we’ve had fun, but Aedan Hughes is on the no-go list. And he’s an asshole, remember?

“Jesse? Um…Jesse?”

“Oh, sorry. It’s been a long week. I’m ready to get out of here. So, what file are you needing that can’t wait until Monday?” I say in a bitchy tone.

Aedan seems a little hurt and replies, “I’m sorry. I should have considered you probably have plans this evening. Don’t worry about it, I’ll get it figured out.”

I kind of feel bad for acting childish. “Sorry, Mr. Hughes. It’s not a bother. What do you need help with?”

“The Anderson file. Your father wants me to look into the security risks if we buy their company and building. It’s not in a safe part of the city, and I need to see how much it will cost the company in security details to be deemed safe,” Aedan explains in a frenzy.

Damn, I’ve never seen Mr. Asshole frazzled. This behavior is not like him. First, the compliment and now he’s asking—no, practically begging—for my help. This is completely unlike Aedan Hughes.

We walk to his large credenza, which is set up to overlook the city. As I sit down at his desk, memories of sitting in this office as a child come flooding in, memories of happier times in my life.

“I thought you had access to all of the company’s files?” I say.

He looks at me like I’m stupid. “No, just security files, and I wasn’t given permission on this one because it’s new.”

“Okay. I will have to login as myself. Give me a few minutes.”

He stands right next to me as I click around on his computer. I don’t work well with someone over my shoulder. “Aedan, can you please sit? You’re making me nervous with your pacing and watching.”

“Say it again.”

“Um, please sit?”

“No, you said my name. I like when you say my name,” Aedan says as he locks his eyes on me.

“Well, you did say to call you
Aedan
.”

I keep on working, ignoring his weirdness.

“Found what you need. I’m going to give you permission so you can login as yourself and get my father whatever information he needs.”

Aedan rushes around his desk and is hovering so close behind me that he’s nearly touching me. I can smell his cologne, and it’s almost orgasm inducing.

“Wonderful! Thank you so much. Let me check, please,” he says as his breath tickles my neck.

I have to get out of here because this man is starting to make me come undone.

“It all should be there. If not, call IT. They should be able to help you more than I can.”

With that, I grab my purse and head to the elevator. I’m lost in my thoughts when I suddenly feel a gentle tapping on my shoulder. The heat from their fingers warms my body, and I slowly turn around. Aedan.

“Jesse, you forgot your scarf. Thank you again for all your help.”

I grab the scarf from his hands and our fingers brush against each other, sending goose bumps up my arms. My body is betraying me because my mind knows I can’t cross this line with Aedan.

The elevator dings. “You’re welcome.”

He lets go of my scarf and I get in the elevator, pressing the button for the lobby.

I glance through the closing doors of the elevator, and Aedan appears sad, almost lost.

***

Aedan

The elevator dings and she looks up at me. “You’re welcome.”

I need to figure out a way to get private time away from the office with this woman.

Sighing, I remember I need to check in with her father. I have to let him know what her plans are for the weekend and that I will personally be handling this assignment. I go back to my desk, still smelling the scent of apples and Jesse.

I felt the heat radiating from her body when I was close to her. She’s been on my mind since she stepped off the elevator this morning. The thought of her on top of me, riding my cock, has had me hard all day.

Reaching out for her, feeling her skin, made me want to pull her into me for a kiss. My head is a mess because I want her, but I love my job. I can’t betray McCoy. Fuck this job some days. I’m beginning to think I should come clean with McCoy and let him know that I’m attracted to his daughter, that maybe I should find a new job.

A drink is sounding good right now. I suddenly wish I hadn’t dismissed Veronica so hastily this morning. Now I have to go home and cook dinner. I will miss having someone to talk to and prepare dinner for me, but I will not miss having to worry about who’s been having sex on my table.

Chapter seven

Jesse

I don’t think I’ve ever been so grateful for a long drive in the city. Getting to the Denver International Airport from downtown Denver can be crazy some days. Today is one of those days, but it doesn’t bother me.

I keep replaying my extremely odd interaction with Aedan. In the course of the year I’ve been here, I spoke more to him today than I ever have. He never has been very approachable. He has a company reputation of being a manwhore. That’s hearsay, but I’ve never heard of him having a wife or a girlfriend, for that matter.

I crank up the radio and let the sound of Coldplay’s
Trouble
pull me from my thoughts of Aedan.

I finally reach the exit for the airport and drive around the parking lot to find a spot where I can go in to meet Laney. I’ve missed my best friend so much. Of course, we talk on the phone multiple times a day, but that doesn’t replace physically seeing her. I lived with her for over six months before I called my father to come home, so to go from seeing her daily to not seeing her at all has been extremely hard.

Thirty minutes later, my beautiful bestie is in my arms.

“Laney Lou!” I shout when I see her rolling her large, oversized suitcase behind her.

“Whore!” People’s heads turn around at her very loud greeting.

“Bitch! Watch your mouth!” I start laughing so hard tears form in my eyes.

Listening to us talk to each other, a person would think that we hate each other, but I love this girl like I do my own sister. She was there for me when my family was not. Not that it was my family’s fault; I chose to keep them away from Chet and all the drama he put me through.

My baby brother, Tierney, had started dancing with the troupe he is with now and my younger sister, Reese, had started back at college. To top all that off, my father was getting remarried at the time my life was falling apart.

I don’t have any ill feelings toward my stepmother because my marriage didn’t work out. What bothers me is that she isn’t much older than I am. Chantelle is twenty-eight. My father is fifty-nine. I think…scratch that, I know she’s after my family’s money.

I shake my head to let go of the thoughts about my past and focus on my closest friend in the world.

“How was your flight? What’s your big news? You’re here, so tell me,” I say in a rush.

“My flight was too long, especially with the fog delay. My news can wait. Let’s get out of here and get something to eat. I’m starving.”

“What is it with you and food? You can eat enough for three people and not gain an ounce.”

Laney looks like a model. She has at least six inches on me and is slender. She doesn’t flaunt her thinness, but she plays up her gorgeous ocean blue eyes and full ruby lips. Her stick straight, coffee-colored hair is a deep contrast of her ivory skin. When I first met her, she reminded me of Snow White.

She didn’t mind leaving Denver when we went to IU because she considered me family since only her aunt raised her. Laney kept her head on straight, whereas I was more concerned with other pressing issues—sex and Chet. She graduated while I was working and trying to keep my marriage from failing. The State Art Museum offered her an amazing job working as the collections manager. I am so happy for her. I know she loves being able to procure new artwork for the museum.

“You know I picked up an appetite living in Indy. Damn it, I should have brought you a pork tenderloin. I know how you love those things,” she says with a frown.

“Girl, it’s all good. It’s not as if I really need it. What kind of food are you in the mood for?” I ask as we walk back to my car.

“Chinese. And you can tell me about your phone call on the way,” she says in a demanding tone.

“I have even more to add to the phone call this morning. I don’t even know how to explain how this day has been so far. I thought it was going to end up totally craptastic since I overslept and all, but it’s been weird with a capital W.”

We get in my car and start our drive to the restaurant. On the way there, I tell her about Aedan’s first call this morning and then about the last call of the day.

She glances at me. “He wants you. I was wondering how long it would take.”

I start laughing so hard, I almost miss our exit. “Oh, please. I’ve only mentioned Aedan a handful of times, and I think I even referred to him as an asshole. I highly doubt he wants me. Remember, I’m used goods.”

“Jesse, sometimes you are so stupid for someone as smart as you are. You are far from used goods. He played you, and you learned from it. I never want to hear you say you’re used goods because you are
not!
” she says in a motherly tone.

I pull into the Tao Tao Noodle Bar in Aurora. My house isn’t far from here. My father and his wife live in a penthouse in downtown Denver. Once my mom passed away, he left the beautiful simplicity she brought to our lives in the suburbs and moved us to an uninviting, sterile monstrosity he calls home in the city. Years later, he moved in his new blushing bride. I only go there when I must.

We eat our noodles with idle chatter I’ve missed, and the jet lag finally sets in. Laney looks like she is about to fall out of her chair and go to sleep. We make it back in the car and start the ten-minute drive to my house. When we pull up, Laney gasps.

“Bitch, I thought you said your house was small? This is huge compared to my house in Indy.”

“It was my grandparents. I guess I’m used to it. Sometimes it feels small, but I enjoy having things that I know no one will take away from me, you know?” I say with a hint of sadness.

“Yes, I understand. Let me see the inside. I have to potty and I am about to fall asleep,” Lane whines.

I quickly open the garage door, drive in, and tell her I’ll get her suitcase and show her to the bathroom. Soon, she’s back from the restroom and touching and looking at things around the house, God love her. She gushes about how much she loves my house and how glad she is that I left my grandma’s touches.

I show her to her room. She gets ready for bed and tells me goodnight. As soon as I get into bed, I remember that hooker forgot to tell me her news.

***

Aedan

I talked to the computer guru at work, and he is going to do some playing around this weekend on Denver Singles to see if he can score me a date with Jesse. The site hasn’t paired us and I came up with a plan to get us connected, a plan that could blow up in my face and not only get Jesse in trouble, but cost me my job. I push all the possibilities to the back of my mind and proceed with my plan.

I spoke with Mr. McCoy and he’s glad I’m personally watching Jesse for the weekend. He says he knows he can trust me to handle security in the event things get out of control since Jesse’s best friend is in town. They like to drink, a lot.

However, if he knew my ulterior motives, he might not think it was such a good idea. This job might be the death of me, possibly literally, if McCoy finds out I want to follow through with my plans to fuck his daughter if I can get into her pants. Whatever the consequences would be for breaking McCoy’s trust, it would be worth it, but I don’t want to see Jesse hurt again, and both plans could backfire and hurt her even worse than Chet did.