The fear of commitment has become a serious epidemic and it has brought nothing but trouble into Reagan Parker's life. She always assumed she would be married by the time she turned thirty. Well her thirtieth birthday is only a year away and her bo...
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"To Reagan, for sealing the deal with the Conway account when no one else could!" Her best friend stated enthusiastically. The small crowd of her coworkers raised their glasses, throwing back the round of shots that their boss had bought for them. Today had been a huge accomplishment for the firm and it had been the breakthrough in her career that she had been working for. There had been a moment on the cab ride over to Noctrum that she had felt the urge to call Chase and tell him. It was that single thought that had brought her crashing down from her high.
It had been four months since they split and it still felt hard to go home at night to her bed, which was why she had spent most night drowning herself in wine and late night TV. The temptation to crawl back to Chase hung in the back of her mind, especially after her string of horrible dates. Reagan had decided to put finding a new man on the back burner and focus on her career which had turned out positively for her.
"I'm going to get us some more of these." Sierra proclaimed as she moved away from the table, not waiting to see if that's what everyone wanted to do. That was always the way with her, she had a type A personality. Either you learned to love her the way she was, which was bossy or you didn't ride the Sierra train.
"I need to call my wife."
"Bathroom."
One by one they scattered from the table, leaving Reagan behind awkwardly with their boss. Ethan Bryant was not only one of the best lawyers in the city, but he had also named one of the hottest bachelors. So he was sexy and intelligent, which were important items on Reagan's dream man list.
He set down his cell phone down on the table, "I'm glad we got a moment alone."
She turned her face to meet his dreamy gaze, "Oh?"
Reagan watched the corner of his lip lift up into a amused smirk, "Yes. I wanted to tell you that I was pleasantly surprised with how you handled Conway. It was hard tell that it was your first time."
"Thank you Mr. Bryant. It was very kind of you to give me that opportunity. I know I haven't been around as long as the others and I still have a lot to learn, but it was a good experience." Reagan found herself overwhelmed by how close he had settled in next to her at their booth. Their thighs were pressed together intimately under the table, making her stomach flutter nervously with wanton excitement. It didn't help matters that she could feel the heat of his body and smell the sweetness of his cologne.
"Please, call me Ethan." He leaned over, whispering into her ear. Her cheeks flooded with heat, and her was certain she had creamed in her panties. It wasn't right that someone's voice should sound so decadent. He had starred in a few of fantasies in the past couple of months. She would have had to been blind and Asexual to not dream of what he might be capable of out of his suit.
"I don't know if that's really appropriate. You're my boss."
His hand gripped her leg under the table, causing her to jolt in surprise, "We aren't at work right now, Reagan." He spoke her name as if he was making love to it, "and I can assure you that nothing I am thinking about you right now is appropriate. So just call me Ethan." Goosebumps rose on her skin as his fingers began to trail up the inside of her thigh. There was no way that this was actually happening. Her mind screamed at her that this was a bad idea but her body was the one in control at the moment, not wanting him to stop touching her.
Reagan bit into her cheek when his hand slipped up underneath her skirt, "Ethan." She found her mind jumping back into control, catching his hand before it could reach her sweet spot. She pushed back against the burning desire inside, trying to maintain control of the situation, "What are you...what is happening?"
He moved closer to her, "Well I'm hoping that you'll let me take you back to my house tonight."
"I don't think that's a good idea, Ethan. You're my boss. I don't want people to think that my accomplishments were based on anything other than my own merits" She was saying this mostly for herself because don't dip your pen in the company ink was a saying for a reason. The only problem was those people didn't have someone like Ethan Bryant asking them to go home with them.
"We don't need to tell anyone. This can be just between the two of us." His blue eyes burned with his need for her to give into him. Reagan was sure he probably hadn't heard no often.
"So I can be some kind of office secret for you? No, thank you. I'm not going to be another notch in your belt."
He gave her a charming smile, reaching out with his free hand to tuck her hair behind her ear. That action was surprisingly intimate, "Reagan, I don't want you to be a notch in my belt. I've wanted you from the moment I met you but Sierra informed me that you were in a serious relationship so I kept my mouth shut about how I felt. However, it has come to my attention that you are now single. I know I come on strong but I've been holding myself back from you for two years." His words took her by surprise. It was hard to believe that a man like Ethan Bryant had wanted her, did want her.
She released her grip on him and he pulled his hand away, setting it on his own lap. Reagan was having trouble finding the right words, "So you're saying you want to date me?"
Ethan tilted his head to the side, letting out a soft chuckle, "I'm saying I want to do a lot more than date you, but I'll settle for a date at the moment." She dropped her face, cheeks burning as a nervous laugh pulled from her lips. This was not at all how she had seen this day going at all.
"Maybe we could take things a little slower."
His smile grew a little broader, "Whatever you want. I can do slow. Slow is good."
"Okay..."
"Okay." He repeated, causing her to let out a breathy laugh.
Sierra returned with a tray of shots, interrupting the moment they had been having.
Reagan gave her a look, "Sierra, that's way too many." She had returned with double the amount they needed.
"Relax, party pooper." She began to set them out, "They are on the house. Apparently the sexy bartender was feeling generous when I told him you were the reason we were out celebrating." Reagan turned her attention to the bar, catching Austin's gaze. He gave her a smirk and a thumbs up as he glanced towards Ethan. She shook her head, turning away as her cheeks burned. She could only imagine what the man was thinking.
"Do you know him?" Ethan asked, sounding curious as he peered around her to get a look at Austin.
Reagan reached for a shot, "Not really."
"Not really? Cause he is looking at you like he knows you." The suspicion in his voice sounded a little bit like jealously.
"No I don't know him." She replied firmly, meeting his ocean eyes. Ethan relaxed slightly at the comment, and she felt her stomach flutter at the thought that he had been jealous over her.
"Good news for me." Sierra remarked as took a shot, twisting to look over her shoulder, "Means he is free game." Reagan rolled her eyes at her friend, shooting back her own shot. She wasn't sure which one needed more of a warning, Sierra or Austin.
