One White Lie: Barrington Billionaire's Series: Book One (4 page)

That’s the furthest thing from the truth. I did this for all of us.
He knew someone needed to break away, make a secure, new path for them all. He had hoped they would want to one day join him in running this new company. Unfortunately, they were no more interested in working for him than they were in working for their father.
Who could blame them? We are both assholes.

Brice hadn’t realized how much time had passed.
And people wonder why I don’t like quiet time.
Still with his towel wrapped around his waist, he walked over to the closet on the far wall. He pulled out a clean pair of boxers and removed the towel, throwing it off to the side.

That was when he heard the sound of something breaking on the floor behind him. Spinning around, he saw Lena with what used to be his coffee, now mixed with the remnants of a ceramic mug on the floor. As he gave her a full-frontal, her mouth was wide open.
It’s not like you haven’t seen it before.

Though she appeared shocked, Brice noticed her eyes roaming up and down, taking in all of him before she turned away, flushed, and scurried from the room. His body filled with want for her.
I need her or a cold shower.
With his boxers in hand, he walked to the office door he had left open earlier and slammed it closed.
Damn, I want her.

P
ure muscle.
Lena had to force herself to look away, but only after taking in every sweet, sexy inch of him. The only thing that had changed over the years was how more defined and cut he was, if that was even possible.
This man doesn’t need Photoshop.
How she wanted to run her hand over his broad shoulders and biceps to his chiseled pecs and rock-hard abs. And when her eyes roamed even lower, her pulse raced as she yearned for what once was. Though it seemed an eternity, only a brief second had passed, yet she saw him growing hard before her eyes.
God, you’re perfect.
Instantly she felt a familiar heat growing within her. It had been so long since she’d felt his lips and hands caressing her and making her beg for more as he entered her deeply.
God, I want him.
Would one touch be so bad?
That was a stupid question, one she didn’t need to answer.
Pull yourself together. There’s no room in your life for that.
Walking out of his office, she ignored the broken cup and coffee on the floor. She would call housekeeping because there was no way she was returning to his office to clean the mess until he was back in the lab.

As she sat at her desk, she could hear her heart pounding in her chest. All week she’d successfully avoided speaking to him.
Mostly because he never acknowledges my presence.
Although she had wished for a bit more interaction, seeing him naked was far beyond her expectations.
You never put this on the list, Nancy.
That was a lot more than a person in a temp position could have imagined.
What the hell was he doing running around naked with the door open in the first place?
Her cheeks flushed from want and turned to anger. Had he planned this? Did he want her to see him? Was he thinking he was so damn hot she wouldn’t be able to resist him and would go running into his arms, begging him to make love to her? He was wrong.
It’s tempting, very tempting, but I’m not going to be your play toy, Brice. You made it clear I wasn’t what you wanted then, and I don’t want you now.

Even as she thought the words, her body defied her.
How could I still be so attracted to him when he hurt me as callously as he did?
Thankfully she’d had the strength not to let a moment of lust take control of her, and she’d been able to walk away.
Barely.
If he had been closer, had touched me or kissed me, I would have been lost.
Damn you, Brice.
I am no child and far from an innocent. Being sexually attracted to a man was a normal healthy response.
Just not this man.

It was too late. Her initial fears when she saw Brice was her boss had come true. No matter how little they saw each other, the chemistry, when they were close to each other, was still there.
At least for me.
He had been right when he’d said no, he wasn’t doing this. Why had she been so confident that she could?
Because I thought I was long over him.
She was mistaken. Something within her didn’t hate him as much as she pretended.
Do I quit now? What will that accomplish? I need the money for Nicholas and me.
There wasn’t an easy answer or at least not one that didn’t have consequences. No, quitting wasn’t going to resolve anything. It was too late; she’d already seen him naked. What worse could happen? There was no way she would ever get involved with him intimately again so leaving now would only hurt her financially.
I’m a grown woman. I can handle this.

Pushing her chair from her desk, she went to make Brice another cup of coffee. This time, she didn’t take it to him to leave it on his desk. She placed it on the corner of hers with hopes he would grab it on his way to the lab. Maybe she would get lucky, and he would be running rushing to get to the lab like every other day and not stop to greet her. Never would she have wished to be ignored before.

Lena turned on her computer, and then it hit her.
Well, that didn’t go as planned. So much for trying to impress him and come in a few minutes early
.
That’s never happening again. Everything here is only temporary.

It may be
bitching cold outside, but fuck, it is hotter than hell in here.
It was going to take a lot more than a cool shower to remove the need to bury himself deep inside her.
You don’t have time for this shit right now.
Brice finished buttoning his shirt and slipped on his jacket. He knew he should talk to her about what happened earlier, but that was a conversation he wanted to have outside the office. A place where they could express themselves any way they chose.
I’d much rather show her, than tell her anyway.

He expected to see her at her desk when he left his office. Unfortunately, there was only a new cup of coffee. It wasn’t like her not to be there. Maybe she was avoiding him.
That might be the wisest choice for both of us.

Grabbing the cup, he headed to the lab. It was the one place where he couldn’t afford or accept any distractions.

Once the doors opened and he sat down at the computer, he was all business. It was like flipping a switch and shutting off the rest of the world, something not many people could do. Whether that was a positive thing or not, it worked for him with the type of work he was doing. Lack of concentration could end in serious injury or worse, death. And not just for him. He may be testing this compound in small amounts, but that didn’t mean it wasn’t equally dangerous. Every member of his team understood the risk and knew if there was a day they couldn’t function at one hundred ten percent, they shouldn’t show up for work because he wasn’t taking anything less than that.
Surround yourself with the best and demand nothing less from them.
It was a motto he used in all aspects of his life.
The apple didn’t fall far from the tree.

The workday was half over when the phone rang. A rare occurrence. “What is it?”

“Mr. Henderson, your sister is on the line,” Lena said.

Why so formal?
He didn’t need an answer to that question. Brice couldn’t be distracted from his goal, and her cold attitude toward him was only making that easier. “Tell her I’ll call her tonight.”

“She said it’s important.”

Great, what did Dad do now?
Since she never called until it was urgent, he hated to put her off any longer. It was almost lunchtime, so he’d take the call. “Put her through.”

“Brice, thanks for taking my call,” Zoey said.

“Lena said it’s urgent. What’s going on?”

There was a long pause before she spoke. “It’s Dad.”

He had expected that. His father never treated Zoey very nicely. When he did speak to her, she probably wished he hadn’t. “What did he do now?”

“He’s in the hospital. He had a heart attack.”

Dad.
They weren’t close at all. Hadn’t even spoken one word since he walked away from the family business. If he had thought calling him would have changed anything he would have, but his father was the most stubborn man he knew. No heart attack was going to take him down, at least not for long. “Thanks for letting me know.”

“Brice, it’s not good. The doctors say he is really weak. I’m not sure he’s going to make it.” Her voice broke as she spoke the last few words.

It had been a long time since he’d had to comfort his baby sister. Usually, it was because she was angry at their father, and rightfully so. Hearing her emotional and filled with worry was a first for him.
I don’t get it. He’s such an ass and made our lives hell every chance he got.
His sister might be all teary-eyed over his father’s suffering, but he wasn’t. The man would be back on his feet and raising hell faster than you could count to one hundred.

“Did you hear me, Brice? It’s really serious.”

“Zoey, he’ll be all right. I have work to finish.”
Not that I’m going to get anything done after this call.

He could hear her sniffling over the line. “He wants to see you.”

Now that I don’t believe.
“Zoey, I get it. You always try to fix everything. Some things can’t be fixed.”

“This is not my request; it was his. I know your history and God knows you know mine. But something is different about him right now. I’m not sure if it’s because he is so sick, or if it’s the medicine, but I’m telling you, he asked for you specifically. And it wasn’t a demand, more like he was pleading for me to make sure I got you here.” The line went quiet for a minute before she continued, her voice now soft and pleading. “If you can’t do it for him, please, do it for me. Come to the hospital and see him before it’s too late.”

As far as Brice was concerned it already was too late. What could his father have to say that he would want to hear?
Sorry isn’t going to cut it
.
Not after all this time.
At least not for him.

Zoey had never asked for anything before. Why did she have to go so big with her first request? He had promised her that he’d always be there when she needed him.
Does this qualify as one of those times?
“I’ll think about it.”

“I know you’ll do the right thing, Brice.”

Really? My track record doesn’t reflect that.
He hung up the phone and buzzed Lena’s desk.

“Yes, Mr. Henderson.”

Every time she called him that, it made him want to pull her into his arms and kiss her passionately until she cried out his name again and again. “Hold all my calls for the remainder of the day. I’ll be heading out. You can reach me on my cell phone if anything urgent comes up.”

“Yes, Mr.—”

Brice hung up the phone before she could finish.
First I see my father. Then Lena, you and I have some unfinished business and there is nothing I would enjoy more than having you in my bed, but not before this project is completed.
Everything he wanted was within his grasp.
Stay focused Brice. It’s what I demand from my staff. I lead by example. Work comes above all.

B
rice entered the ICU and headed right for the nurses station. “I’m here to see James Henderson, my father.” The last two words were spoken much softer. He was neither proud nor embarrassed about him. It felt more like indifference, and that seemed so much worse.

“Mr. Henderson is in room eight. He is still weak and heavily medicated. The doctors request visits to be short so he can rest.”

When he walked into the hospital room he was taken aback by what he saw. It wasn’t the first time he had been in a hospital room but never for a family member. The only sounds were the light beeping of heart monitors not only in his room but throughout the unit.

His father appeared to be sleeping, so he sat in the only chair in the room. From his seat, he had a clear view of his father’s face. It had been more than three years since they’d seen each other, and time hadn’t been kind to his father.
You look twenty years older, Dad. Guess you haven’t changed your ways, have you?

His father looked gray. Brice had never pictured his father weak. In any way. The man had been the most formidable businessman he’d ever come across. That made leaving Poly-Shyn and starting B&H Advanced Engineering with Asher Barrington all the riskier. His father might not have the chemical engineering background that he did, but he was one ruthless man who didn’t care what it took to get the job done. Results were all that mattered, and if it meant crushing his son’s company to achieve them, he would do it and never look back.

Either his father didn’t see B&H as a viable threat or he hadn’t bothered following what his flesh and blood was building and becoming.
Both a mistake on your part, Dad. I’m your biggest threat and always have been.

Brice was no longer a child who needed to be coddled. There were many nights as a young boy when he’d wished to have someone there to tell him it was only a bad dream, that everything was going to be okay. How any father could have children and not be there for them, in good times or bad, was beyond him.

Sitting in the room with nothing but his thoughts wasn’t a place he wanted to be for long. Bringing up the past would only hinder the outcome he strived for in his future. Getting up from the cold plastic chair, he walked to the side of the bed.
Guess you weren’t the one who wanted me here, Dad.
His voice full of sarcasm, he said gruffly, “Yeah, this has been a great talk; let’s do this again in another three years.”
Good try, Zoey.

When he turned to walk out, he saw his youngest brother Dean standing in the doorway. His hair was wild, as though he just gotten out of bed.
Knowing you, Dean, you probably did.

“Good ole Dad asked to see you too?”

Dean shook his head. “Dad had only one child he cared anything about, Brice, and that’s you.”

It wasn’t jealousy in his brother’s voice. Over the years, they all learned very fast if Dad noticed you in any way, you would only experience his wrath. Your only hope each day was to go unnoticed. Brice was the most vocal back then and probably still was today.

“Zoey called you too, I take it?”

Nodding, Dean replied, “Yeah, said you were going to be here. That I might want to come and make sure you were okay.”

Arching a brow, Brice asked, “Did you think you would find me sitting here all emotional?”

Laughing, Dean said, “Hell, no. More worried you were going to get caught doing something stupid like pulling the plug.”

Don’t think that didn’t cross my mind.
“I’m not quite that bad. At least not today.”

“Since Zoey was able to pry you away from your lab, want to go to the pub and grab a beer?”

“Not today, Dean, but soon. There is something that still needs my attention at my lab.”
My lab? Fuck it. After a day like today, I’m not accomplishing shit in there. But there’s something at the office that can’t wait any longer.

Lena found herself totally relaxed the entire time Brice was out of the office, not needing to be prepared for him to round the corner and get her pulse racing.
It should be like this every day.
For the first time since she started the job earlier that week, she was able to concentrate solely on the task at hand.
Amazing what I can do when you’re not here.

There was only an hour left until finishing time. As she sat typing, completing the final daily entries, she sensed someone watching her. Spinning in her office chair she found Brice standing there, watching her, not saying a word. “Bri . . . Mr. Henderson, I thought you weren’t returning to the office today.”

“Plans changed.” He didn’t move past her to his office. Instead, he stood still watching her.

She wanted to say something sarcastic, but there was a look in his eyes that she hadn’t seen before. Lena couldn’t pinpoint it. It didn’t look like sadness, but something close. Had something happened with Zoey? She was the call he received before leaving so abruptly. Whatever it was, she could see it was troubling him. “Why don’t you go to your office, and I’ll bring you some coffee.”
Even that is more than I should be doing. Don’t ask anything personal. That door slammed shut long ago, and don’t you open it again, Lena.

Brice nodded and did as she suggested. Only when she found herself alone again did she realize how tense she had become. Every nerve was on edge.
Damn you, Brice. I don’t want to want you.
Pushing away from her desk, she rose and went to get his coffee.
Why did I offer?
She knew why. It was because no matter how much she said otherwise, she still cared about him. He had been after all, a man she’d loved very much. Was it wrong for her to be kind to him now?
Wrong, no. Stupid, most definitely.
It was too late to take back the words now. He was probably sitting there wondering what was taking her so long. Making his coffee, one cream and two sugars, like he always had it, she headed for his office.

Go in, put it down, and get out. Don’t look at him.
That little pep talk she gave herself flew out the window when she saw him half-sitting on the edge of his desk, facing her and holding a glass of what looked like bourbon in his hand. Lena had never seen him drink during the day before. Whatever was troubling him earlier was still on his mind.

“Is everything okay?” She hadn’t meant to let the question leave her lips. He didn’t answer, only continued to stare at her for another moment before downing his drink. His eyes softened to almost a crystal blue. When she looked into them it was as if she were looking into the ocean, causing waves of emotion to come crashing within her. Lena walked over and handed him his coffee. “Try this.”

Brice reached out and took it from her, setting the coffee mug on his desk. “That’s not going to cut it today.”

She searched his eyes for answers but found none. As if she hadn’t made enough mistakes already, Lena stepped closer and touched his left shoulder tenderly, trying to offer some form of comfort.

Brice reacted, grabbing her wrist fiercely and pulling her up against him. His nostrils flared, and his eyes darkened as they met hers. Lena opened her mouth to protest, but she instantly forgot what she was going to say as his mouth captured hers. His mouth was hot and tasted of bourbon as his tongue traced hers.
Stop; don’t do this. I can’t.
She pleaded internally for it to end, yet her body was reacting to him with a need almost greater than his.

Their tongues were in an intimate dance as she clung to him. Her body quivered when he slid his arms around her, pulling her even closer. Her breasts, now pressed hard against his, ached to be released from their confines.

With one strong move, he lifted her into his arms and carried her to stand by the leather couch, his lips never leaving hers.
Lena, what are you doing? You don’t want this. It’s not too late. Stop it now.

His hand came up, cupping her breast and pinching her taut nipple through the delicate fabric. Lena pulled her lips away from his, arching back, moaning in pleasure.
Why are you doing this to me? Why?
His hand moved to the other breast to give equal attention, as his mouth nipped at her neck and collarbone then trailed up the other side. Against her ear he whispered, “Tell me you want me,” he bit her earlobe gently, “that you need this as much as I do.”

Brice removed his hold on her only long enough to rip open his shirt, and toss it to one side. Once her hands touched his bare chest, she knew she was lost. The heat in the pit of her stomach was growing faster than she could think. It had been so long since she had felt his touch. No matter how wrong this was, if she stopped now, the pain was going to be unbearable.

“I need to see all of you, Lena.” Brice’s voice was husky with desire. He unbuttoned her shirt, then moved his hands so they slid under the fabric and slipped it off her shoulders, letting it drop to the floor. Her bare flesh heated at his touch.

With one hand she reached behind her, unhooked her white lace bra, and let it fall to the floor. Brice growled as he watched her. “God, you’re beautiful.”

He pulled her back into his arms, kissing her passionately. As he continued exploring her mouth, she felt his hands slide beneath her skirt and raise it to her waist. His hand found the top of a stocking and began to slowly ease it down her thigh.

Lena lifted her leg so he could remove one stocking, then the other. Tingles of excitement flowed through her as his hands trailed up again, this time caressing her bare skin. His hands were strong, and each touch became firmer as their need grew. Finally, they settled on her ass, his fingers digging in as he pulled her against him so she could feel his hard shaft pressed against her abdomen.
God, I need him.

The pulsing need between her legs begged for his attention. “Please. I need—”

In one quick movement, she felt him tear her white lace panties from her, letting them fall. Brice pulled away slightly, moving his hand to touch her delicate folds.
Please, yes, Brice.
His knee prodded her to open for him. Closing her eyes, she did so. Instantly she felt him slide a finger between her folds and over her clit then back again. Moaning in pleasure she opened her legs wider, needing more of him. He didn’t comply. Instead, he slowly traced the path again and again. She wanted to rip his remaining clothes off. She had been so long without the touch of a man.
Not just any man, but you, Brice, your touch. I’ve missed being cherished
.

As she moved her hands lower and tried to unhook his belt, he grabbed both her wrists with one hand and pulled them away.

“When I’m ready.”

She was ready now. Was he trying to kill her with these teasing touches? Wiggling her hips, she tried to get him to give her what she wanted, what she needed, but he adjusted his hand. Now his thumb circled her clit, increasing in speed, faster and faster. Then he slowed before starting again.
Sweet torture.

Lena could feel her heart beating erratically. He continued to bring her to the brink and hold her there. Her legs trembled and threatened to give way. The last time he slowed his pace he slipped a finger deep inside her. He let go of her wrist, wrapped an arm around her waist to support her, and entered her again and again.

“Yeah, baby. That’s it. Let go. Give me what I want,” Brice demanded as he added a second finger.

Not being able to hold back, her body began to shudder with wave after wave as he took her over the edge, her moans of pleasure echoing through the room.

Before her body started to relax, she heard the sound of his buckle and zipper being undone. One moment she was fluttering back to earth from her sexual bliss, the next she found herself being scooped into his arms with her legs wrapped around him. Her wet softness now pressed against his hard, throbbing cock.

“Are you on the pill?” Brice asked.

Her only response was a nod before he filled her with one powerful move. Her body clenched around him, and he gripped her hips and positioned her so he could go deeper. Never breaking rhythm, he thrust again and again, harder and deeper, until each stroke sent waves of pleasure through them both. Cries of ecstasy escaped her lips, muffled only by the sound of his. Their climaxes were all consuming, leaving them shuddering against each other.

As the pulsing eased, Brice kissed her tenderly then set her down, so she once again was standing on the floor.