My name was harsh, cutting through the thin veil of my fantasy like a serrated knife.
Beau was staring at me, chest rising and falling rapidly, hands gripping his knees. A vein stood out in his neck.
I’d been standing at the door when I’d lapsed into my fantasy. At my name, I’d stepped two paces inside. As if some wanton, sex-starved maniac had taken over my body and prepared it to do what my inner voice was commanding: seduce Beau.
And it almost looked as if Beau knew what I was intending to do. Knew what I was thinking.
He looked angry. But there was also that same need I saw snippets of, glimpses of hunger crowding his face.
And the way he’d said my name. Was it a warning? Was it?—
“I’ll go as Gomez.”
I just stood there. Frozen.
“The costumes.” He sat ramrod straight in his chair. “You’re going to be Morticia, Clara Wednesday. I’ll be Gomez.”
His voice was still tight, strained, fists still clenched at his knees. But I was pretty sure he wasn’t joking.
“You’lldress up? On Halloween?”
He nodded once, curtly. “You don’t need to make my costume. I have a black suit.”
My mind raced. Beau. In a black suit. Beau as Gomez Addams.
“You can’t shave your beard,” I blurted, my mind jumping back to my inner thighs and my need for his beard to mark them.
Beau’s eyes widened slightly.
Heat warmed my ears. “I mean, Clara is so fond of your beard. She’d be devastated if you shaved it, even in the name of Gomez Addams.”
I licked my suddenly dry lips.
Beau was still sitting stiffly, but I could’ve sworn I saw a glint of amusement in his steely eyes.
“Well, I wouldn’t want to upsetClara,” he said pointedly.
I wrung my hands. “It’ll mean a lot to her,” I replied quietly. “You making the effort with the costume. And if you’re uncomfortable with me being involved, I can?—”
“You’ll be part of the family … costume,” he stated firmly.
I opened my mouth to say I wasn’t part of the family, that I was just the nanny.
“If that’s all, I have to get back to work.” Beau shifted to face his computer, picking up a stack of papers. “I’ll get a sewing machine for you.”
“Oh, I can?—”
“I’ll do it.”
Beau’s tone brooked no argument. And I didn’t think I could handle being in this room for a moment longer unless I launched myself at him or said something stupid or spontaneously combusted.
I nodded then stumbled out of his office.
BEAU
I had to get control of myself.
I’d nearly pushed out of my chair, pressed her against the door, and fucked her senseless. Her expression made me wonder if that’s what she wanted from me.
