A Bad Joke

RHYS

Tessa Vance stood frozen in the doorway. The color drained from her face in real time. She struggled to mask her shock, her jaw locking tight as her wide eyes locked onto mine. Slowly, almost mechanically, she extended her hand for a professional greeting.

I stepped forward and took it. My large hand swallowed hers. Despite my strict internal rules about compartmentalizing my work and personal life, my eyes betrayed me the second my skin touched hers. My gaze dragged hungrily over the tight black skirt hugging her hips, then traced upward to the exposed creamy skin resting just above the open neckline of her white blouse. I shifted my stance, stubbornly fighting the sudden waking of my body. My cock hardened instantly, a heavy ache pressing against the zipper of my tailored trousers. I cleared my throat, forcing myself to maintain steady eye contact.

"Mr. Caldwell, it's a pleasure," she managed to say. Her grip was firm, projecting a fake confidence before she yanked her hand away, as if my skin burned her.

Mrs. Gallagher kept talking, oblivious to the silent war raging between us. "Tessa, I was just explaining to Mr. Caldwell that you can be consulted to clarify any information he might need regarding your specific department during the audit."

"Of course," Tessa replied, her voice strained and tight. "You can count on me for whatever you need, Diane."

A sharp knock on the heavy mahogany door interrupted the pleasantries. A secretary poked her head inside the office. "Excuse me, Mrs. Gallagher? We have a minor delivery issue at the front loading dock that requires your signature."

"I'll be right back," Diane said with an apologetic smile. She stepped out of the office and pulled the door shut behind her.

The second the latch clicked, the air in the room thickened. A heavy, suffocating tension expanded between us, threatening to choke us both. Tessa dropped her polite facade instantly. She planted her hands on her hips and drew a ragged breath.

"Surprise? This has to be some kind of sick, bad joke," she hissed through gritted teeth. Her dark eyes burned with pure hatred.

I held my ground, refusing to let her bait me. "We have to deal with it, Tessa."

"When Diane told me they were hiring an outside firm to handle the department finances, I never imagined it was your brother's company."

"Let's get one thing straight," I snapped, my professional pride flaring. I took a deliberate step closer, using my height to loom over her. "It is not my brother's company. Caldwell and Mercer is a multi-million dollar partnership. I run the overseas operations."

"Couldn't they send another partner? Dex or Wyatt?" She glared up at me, crossing her arms. "You expect me to believe you didn't orchestrate this setup just to corner me in my own territory?"

"You think I'm here because of you? Don't flatter yourself."

"You're telling me you had no idea Mila and I worked at this laboratory?" she accused, her voice rising.

"Why the hell would I know that?"

"Because she's your business partner's wife!"

"I keep my work and personal life separate. I'm responsible for closing this deal. Wyatt and Dexter don't even know the specifics yet. I had zero clue you were employed here."

She shook her head, refusing to back down. "I don't believe you."

"Well, that's your problem, sweetheart." I lowered my voice to a dangerous gravelly register. "Just don't get in my way while I'm doing my job."

Her chest heaved with indignation. The movement drew my eyes right back to the swell of her breasts above her neckline. "Get in your way? You're the one trespassing in my workplace."

"Be professional. It's really not that difficult."

"You're a—"

The office door swung open. Diane bustled back inside, cutting Tessa off mid-curse. I clamped my jaw shut and suppressed a dark smile, forcing myself to focus on the paperwork scattered across the desk to keep my rock-hard cock in check. Seeing her this fired up and defensive was doing dangerous things to my self-control.

"Sorry about that," Diane said, taking her seat. "Mr. Caldwell, I believe we've covered the preliminary terms. I'll await your final proposal."

"Of course. I'll review the numbers with my partners and reach out soon." I stood up and shook Diane's hand.

Tessa remained planted by the leather chairs. I ripped my gaze away from her as Diane's desk phone began to ring.

Diane picked it up, pressed a button, and glanced at Tessa. "Tessa, since you're heading back to your lab, could you politely show Mr. Caldwell out of the building?"

Tessa flashed a tight fake smile. "Of course."

She walked to the door, pulling it open and waiting for me to pass. I stepped into the isolated hallway, my polished shoes clicking against the linoleum tiles. I waited for her to follow. The heavy door clicked shut, leaving us alone in the quiet corridor.

Tessa stopped dead in her tracks. She refused to take another step.

"I'm sure you know the way out," she muttered coldly, turning to face me.

I raised an eyebrow, genuinely amused. "Are you ignoring a direct order from your boss?"

Tessa lifted her chin proudly. "Diane is not my boss. We are colleagues. I am the educated head of research here. I have a doctorate. I am not a glorified secretary meant to escort arrogant men to the exit."

"I admire your unwavering dedication to professionalism."

"Go fuck yourself," she shot back.

Her fiery defiance punched me right in the gut. The throbbing ache in my pants intensified. My cock twitched against the zipper, begging for release. Instead of getting angry, I closed the distance between us. I leaned in close, letting my lips curl into a teasing smile.

"You know," I murmured, my breath ghosting over her ear, "I think I will definitely need your specific, hands-on help with the research department's finances very soon."

She stiffened, her breath hitching. Before she could formulate a venomous reply, I turned and walked away down the corridor. I didn't look back. I left her fuming in the hallway, carrying the intoxicating mental image of her wearing nothing but a pristine white lab coat, a pair of stilettos, and a wet pussy begging for my cock.

TESSA

Pure blinding anger consumed me the exact second I slammed the door to my office shut. The heavy wood rattled in its metal frame. I threw my clipboard onto the desk and began to pace the floor like a caged animal.

This could not be happening. Not here. He could torment me at that stupid bar, at extravagant dinner parties, anywhere else in the city, but not in my sanctuary. Vanguard Research was my territory. I had worked too hard to build my unblemished professional reputation here.

Despite his logical air-tight explanations back in Diane's office, my mind rejected his innocence. That giant blonde bastard had to have orchestrated this corporate maneuver. He manipulated his firm into securing this contract solely to annoy me, to invade my safe space, and to corner me where I couldn't just walk away.

Where the hell was Mila? I checked my phone. It was past lunchtime. I needed answers, and I needed them now. Wyatt had to be behind this, feeding Rhys information.

Mila finally strolled into my office later that afternoon. She kicked the door shut with her heel, carrying two steaming cups of coffee. She set one on my desk and dropped into the guest chair.

"Where have you been?" I demanded furiously, leaning over my desk.

She blinked, startled by my aggressive tone. "I had to handle some scheduling over at Columbia. I brought you coffee. Strong, just the way you like it. What happened?"

"You have no idea who just showed up in Diane's office."

Mila took a slow sip. "Enlighten me."

"Why didn't you warn me that your husband's massive financial company was closing a deal with our laboratory?"

Mila nearly dropped her cup. The hot liquid sloshed over the rim, staining the cardboard. She looked shocked and confused. "What? I swear I didn't know that. Wyatt didn't mention a single thing about it to me."

"He didn't tell you Caldwell and Mercer took the Vanguard contract?"

"No! Was Wyatt here?"

"No. That arrogant bastard Rhys was here."

Mila's eyes widened. "Rhys? Here? Wait, Diane did mention hiring a financial consultancy firm a few weeks ago, but she never named them. Wyatt didn't say a word."

Realizing Rhys hadn't been lying to me frustrated me much more. He really didn't know. He was here by sheer coincidence. I hated that he was right. I hated that I had accused him of stalking me when he was just doing his job.

Mila leaned back in her chair. Ever the instigator, she sensed the crackling sexual tension rolling off my shoulders. A knowing smirk played over the rim of her coffee cup. "Well. You two really need to sort this out. Since you're going to be working together, maybe you should just hash it out in bed."

"Excuse me?" I snapped, my voice echoing off the sterile walls.

"Just admit that you're attracted to him, Tess. It's obvious."

"He's a bastard," I hissed viciously. I slammed my hands down on the desk, rejecting her blatant attempt to push me toward him. "Why do you keep pushing me toward a man who treats women like disposable commodities? After everything I've been through with men like him?"

"I'm not pushing you to marry him," Mila reasoned, waving a dismissive hand. "I'm just saying the sexual tension is going to burn this lab to the ground."

"What I feel is the overwhelming urge to strangle him with my bare hands every single time I see his arrogant face."

"Hate and lust are very close cousins, Tessa."

Desperate for an out, I walked around my desk and grabbed her arm. "Please, Mila. Ask Wyatt to intervene. Tell him to forcefully pull Rhys off the Vanguard account and take his place in the deal."

Mila shook her head, pulling her arm out of my grip. She refused to interfere. "No. I am not messing with my husband's business. Dexter and Wyatt wouldn't take Rhys off a lucrative account just because you find him irritating. You're going to have to deal with it."

She stood up, grabbed her coffee, and walked out, leaving me to stew in my own helpless suffocating frustration.

I dropped into my chair, burying my face in my trembling hands. Mila wanted me to admit the terrifying truth out loud. The truth I was fighting with all my might. Seeing Rhys Caldwell standing in Diane's office today, wearing that perfectly tailored suit, flashing that arrogant predatory smile like he owned the world, affected my body in ways I would deny to the grave.

He was relentlessly stealing my thoughts. He invaded my waking hours. He haunted my sleep. As much as I despised him, the physical attraction was an unbearable heavy weight in my gut. Just looking at his broad shoulders and large hands made my pulse race. Deep down, hidden beneath layers of justified anger, a shameful part of me wanted to grab his messy blonde hair and drag his mouth down to mine. I wanted to rip his expensive clothes off. I wanted his massive cock to stretch me, to thrust deep inside my wet pussy. I wanted his heavy body to possess me, fucking me raw from every possible angle until I couldn't think straight.

I shuddered, squeezing my eyes shut to banish the explicit shameful fantasy. My core ached, slick with intense unwanted arousal.

I slammed my fist onto the desk. No. I swore to myself with ironclad conviction. I would never surrender to this craving. I would lock it away. Rhys Caldwell might make my blood boil, but I was never, ever going to let him fuck me. Never.