Uncontrollable Bachelor (Bachelor Tower Series) Read online

  If that wasn’t bad enough, a waitress had been carrying a tray filled with clams and lobsters and Jace knocked the tray and the food flung up in the air in every direction. All the nearby tables now had clams and lobsters crashing down on them. I couldn’t do anything but sit there agape. It all happened so quickly, but seemed to have played out in slow motion. If I wasn’t so embarrassed, I’d have burst out laughing. All I had wanted tonight was a quiet, enjoyable, uneventful dinner. I should’ve known that was impossible the moment I saw Jace.

  He turned his attention back to me as he wiped the front of his pants vigorously with a cloth napkin. “Were you worried things were going to get hot between us? There are easier ways to cool things off.”

  I chuckled. If that were the case, I would’ve poured ice water on myself.

  “Not at all,” I said. “And if this was payback for what you did years ago, it wouldn’t have been ice water. More like hot coals.” I pulled forty dollars out of my purse to cover my portion of the meal and stood up, smugly brushing the crumbs off my nice, dry lap.

  “You’re leaving?” he asked.

  I nodded. “I’m done eating. And there’s nothing else for us to discuss.”

  Without another word, I walked away. Part of me wanted him to follow me, and ask me to stay, to say that the night was early. But Jace didn’t. Instead I was on the sidewalk, waving down a taxi to take me back to my father’s house.

  No matter what, there was no happy ending tonight.

  Chapter 3

  Jace

  I was in the office so early this morning that the sun hadn’t even risen yet. Sleep wasn’t what I needed right now. My fucking mind and body were battling me for control. There was no way I was giving in. What Shannon and I had was over. My rock hard cock was a reaction to having dinner with a beautiful woman, nothing more.

  Of course, even after jerking off in the shower last night, it didn’t put out the fire. The chemistry that had connected us years ago still existed, at least for me. What pissed me off was the fact that I let it get in the way of getting what I wanted. Not once had I mentioned the towers or her father. Shannon probably wouldn’t have shared shit with me, but I never even tried. That was the only reason I’d agreed to go as Betsy’s replacement. My one chance, and I blew it.

  I was right never to contact Shannon before. She fucked with my judgment. No one else had ever held that power and I sure as hell won’t allow myself to sink back into that trap. Granted, I no longer give a fuck what Ralph Hamel thinks of me. Hell, I could probably use my connections to crush the bastard if I wanted. And if I know anything about a man like Ralph, he probably doesn’t even remember my name. I was just the first of probably a long list of men he chased out of Shannon’s life. It was the only explanation as to why someone so beautiful wasn’t married by now. Someday someone was going to want Shannon enough to put Ralph in his place. For me, there is only one thing I want from Ralph, and that is his contacts at the Bachelor Towers.

  The intercom buzzed, which meant Betsy had arrived early as well. What the fuck, woman? Are you in a rush to get your ass chewed out?

  I pressed the button and said, “You might want to reconsider speaking to me today.”

  Her snickering echoed in my office. “Funny, that is exactly what Shannon said when I called her before coming to work. Did your date turn into a…late night?”

  “It wasn’t a date and no. She wasn’t pleased with the change of plans. You might want to think of a way to make it up to your friend.” God knows I had a lot more to make up for, but there wasn’t any going back and Shannon didn’t want to hear it anyway.

  “She really wasn’t mad,” Betsy said. “I would say…surprised.”

  “I’d say pissed,” I corrected. They might be friends, but Shannon and I had been lovers and there are things I know about her that Betsy doesn’t. A certain look in her eye, when those baby blues of hers turn so dark they’re almost stormy. Only happens when she’s horny or pissed. She sure as hell hadn’t been thinking about fucking me last night. Maybe strangling.

  “Well, I’m sure it will go better next time,” Betsy stated.

  “There won’t be a next time, Betsy.” Hell, there shouldn’t have been a first time.

  “Of course there will be. I explained to Shannon what happened and how you were an innocent party to all this.”

  Innocent? Ha. “I don’t need your help explaining myself, Betsy.”

  “You could’ve fooled me. From what it sounds like, you two didn’t do much talking at all last night. So I took the liberty of apologizing for you.”

  I closed my eyes, trying to hold my tongue. Did I owe Shannon an apology? Yes. But I could only imagine what Betsy had said. Shannon wasn’t going to fall for any of Betsy’s bullshit lines. Shannon knows me better than that. But if it put an end to it, then maybe it didn’t matter.

  “Good. So now we can drop this subject.” I don’t want to hear her name again.

  “Not exactly. But we can talk about that later,” Betsy said. “You have a meeting shortly and security has already notified me he’s on his way up.”

  Shit. At least it wasn’t a business meeting. It was a college buddy who texted me late last night, putting feelers out for job opportunities. Happens all the time. Normally I just tell them there aren’t any openings. But Carlton was different. We had spent a lot of time partying back in college. The competition between us had been endless, from betting on sports to a conquest with a beautiful lady. After graduation, I lost touch with him. If I wasn’t in such a pissy mood, I might actually be looking forward to seeing Carlton. But now my mind was a million miles away, and I couldn’t stop thinking of Shannon. A distraction might be just what I needed. Maybe talking business would help me get my head out of my ass.

  “Send him in when he gets here.”

  “He’s just getting off the elevator. God, he’s handsome,” she said. “I wonder if he’s single.”

  “You’re not,” I reminded her.

  Betsy chuckled. “I was thinking of Shannon. I mean if you’re not interested, maybe he would be.”

  The twist of a knife in my gut shouldn’t feel this bad thinking of Shannon with another man. We’re nothing. Not dating, and after last night, evidently not even friends. If Betsy decided to fix Shannon up with another man, then good for them. Hopefully it worked out and they lived a happy life and had a bunch of kids. Shannon deserved someone nice, because she was the most genuine, gentle soul I’d ever met. But there was a secret side of her that any man would be lucky to know. When the doors closed in the bedroom, she left all that sweetness outside. Shannon made sex not just hot, but fun, and always gave at least as much as she got. Fuck, I miss that.

  What dinner revealed to me last night was that it wasn’t just my cock that missed her. I could drown in those deep sea blue eyes. Hell, that’s why I didn’t see that glass of water coming my way in time to do anything about it. But it was exactly what we needed to end the night. If she hadn’t knocked it over, it’s possible I would’ve done something we both would regret. Make love to her all fucking night.

  There was a knock on the office door and it opened. “Hey, Jace, thanks for meeting with me on such short notice.”

  Carlton Bayer sure as hell didn’t look like he was here for an interview. “Are you off to the beach?”

  He laughed. “Haven’t decided yet.”

  “Must be nice not having to worry about working.” It wasn’t something I allowed myself to do. If you turned your back on your business, someone was waiting to snatch it up from you.

  “Not everyone works like you,” Carlton said as he plopped himself down on the sofa across the room.

  “Don’t want to sit by the desk?”

  Carlton shook his head. “Too stiff.” Looking around the office, he made a face and added, “I have no idea how you do this every day. Look at you. Who sits at those old wooden desks anymore? You’re not a hundred years old. You’re thirty. Act like it. Have some fun.” He
looked around the office and said, “Put some pictures on the wall from this century. I know a woman who could redesign this place and you’d never recognize it.”

  I bet you do. “I don’t believe you’re here to talk about my décor. And if you are, then you’re wasting my time.”

  “I was actually thinking you might want to head out and grab a coffee and breakfast. Not used to being up this early and I’m starving.”

  I cut to the chase. “Carlton, you’re here for a job, right?” I wasn’t about to let him waste my time. I don’t give handouts. If someone works for me, it’s because they bust their ass. I expect a lot of my staff, and that’s why I pay them well.

  “Yes and no.”

  “Which is it?” Either way, right now, I wasn’t hiring his ass. I dealt with professionals and Carlton obviously wasn’t one any longer.

  “I’m here to remind you to have fun. Not to be so fucking serious,” Carlton stated.

  “Fun? You think what I do here is fun? It’s hard work running a company,” I said firmly.

  “Not talking about your 9-5 job. I’m talking about when you clock out.”

  There’s no such thing when you’re the owner. Doesn’t matter if I’m in the office or at a club, I need to be ready for the next big opportunity.

  “Carlton, I don’t have time for this. So why don’t you email me your resume and I’ll call you sometime.” It wasn’t going to be anytime soon, that was for damn sure.

  “Seriously, Jace. There is more to life than chasing the next deal. Money won’t make you happy.”

  “Seems to be working now.” I had no complaints about my life. And money was what it was going to take to get me into the Bachelor Towers.

  “So you’re happy?” he asked.

  This was getting old. “I believe I’ve answered that already. Now if you don’t mind --”

  “I was at the Lobster Hut last night. I saw you with that woman. She’s not your type,” Carlton said.

  “I don’t recall seeing you there.” I had one thought last night, and it was seeing Shannon. The restaurant could’ve been on fire and I might not have noticed.

  “Do you know why I was there?” he asked.

  “You were hungry?” I really didn’t care. What I really wanted to know was why he was in my office now.

  “I was working.”

  “You’re a waiter?”

  “No. I was hired as…protection,” Carlton said.

  “Like security?” I asked. That didn’t seem like the old Carlton I knew. Then again, I’m not the same man I was back then either.

  “Yes.”

  “Maybe you should’ve been watching your client instead of me.” I didn’t like being watched, and it pissed me off knowing Carlton had been the one watching.

  “I was. You just happened to be sitting at her table.”

  “Shannon?” He nodded and I asked, “Why the hell would you be watching her?”

  “Because her father pays me.”

  “You work for Ralph Hamel?” I snarled. Even saying the man’s name made my hands clench into fists.

  “Don’t like him much?” he asked.

  “Not a fan,” I stated. Carlton didn’t need to know my history with Ralph. And no matter what, if Carlton worked for Ralph, then Carlton wasn’t someone I could trust.

  “She told her father she was meeting Betsy. I haven’t told him about her change of plans,” he said.

  “She’s a grown-ass woman, Carlton. I don’t think Ralph needs to know who she associates with.” Obviously, Ralph was still the controlling bastard he was twelve years ago. Shannon hadn’t mentioned anything to me about having a security guard watching over her. It was a good thing it wasn’t a date, because three is a crowd.

  “Mr. Hamel has his reason for doing what he does. I just wanted to do you the courtesy of letting you know. I know how you…value your privacy.”

  There had to be more to it than that. “What aren’t you saying?”

  Carlton grinned. “Your feelings toward Mr. Hamel appear to be reciprocated.” I raised a brow and Carlton added, “He’s not a fan of your…lifestyle.”

  I burst out laughing. The asshole didn’t like me when I was dirt broke and now that I’m wealthy, he still has an issue? The guy was fucking nuts. “Carlton, I don’t give a fuck what Ralph thinks about me. And as far as his daughter, that is between me and her. If he has any issues with my dating Shannon, he can call me himself.” I actually would love the chance to confront him again. He’d find out I don’t back down any longer.

  “As of now, he is not aware of your…meeting. From the look on Shannon’s face, I wouldn’t exactly call it a date,” Carlton said. “So why were you there?”

  I stared directly into his eyes and said, “The same reason I’m going to be seeing her again tonight. Because I want to.” Leaning my elbows on my desk I added, “I suggest you find something else to watch tonight.”

  Carlton got up from the couch and said, “I do my job, Jace, whether you like it or not.”

  “And Shannon has no complaints about being followed all over the place?”

  “She doesn’t know. I’d appreciate it if you kept it that way,” Carlton stated.

  Now that shocked me. I’m not sure I would’ve risked a job to give an old friend a warning. Then again, we’re different types of people.

  “Carlton, just between friends, is there a valid reason why Ralph is doing this shit?” I needed to know, even though it wasn’t my business and I shouldn’t care. Not after all this time.

  “I can’t give you any details, but yes there is.” Carlton headed for the door and turned around, asking, “Sure you don’t want to grab that breakfast?”

  I crossed my arms and asked, “Don’t you have someone to babysit?”

  Carlton shook his head. “My team is doing that. I’m grabbing the night shift. Which apparently will be much more…entertaining,” he smirked, strolling out the door.

  Asshole.

  I wasn’t alone for five minutes before Betsy entered my office. “You’re going out with Shannon again tonight? That’s wonderful.”

  “Who told you that?” I asked. Then I glared at her. “Are you listening to my private conversations?” If that was the case, her ass was fired. I don’t give a fuck how good of a secretary she is.

  “Your friend just did on his way out,” Betsy grinned.

  “He said I was going out with Shannon?”

  “Well, not in those words. What he actually said was that it looked like I won’t be bowling tonight.”

  Everything is a fucking riddle with Betsy these days. “What does that have to do with me?”

  “I assumed you told him about my plans with Shannon,” she said. “Since my plans were cancelled, I figured it was because you wanted to take her out again.”

  “I didn’t take her out the first time, or have you forgotten?”

  Betsy shrugged.

  “And I have no plans of seeing her again.”

  “Oh. Well this is awkward,” she said.

  With a heavy sigh, I asked, “Why?”

  “Because I sent Shannon a quick text before coming in to see you.”

  How much damage could she have done in just a matter of minutes? “What did you tell her?”

  “That you were excited to see her again, and you’re going to ask her out,” Betsy explained. “You are asking her out, aren’t you? I mean it would be horrible if you backed out now.”

  Damn you, Carlton.

  I knew that wasn’t an accidental slip. He was calling my bluff. Well, I could call his, too. But Shannon was the one who’d pay the price for that game. She’d already suffered enough because of me. Maybe I’d be able to figure out why Ralph felt the need to hire a security team for Shannon. This wasn’t just Ralph being overprotective. Something serious must’ve transpired.

  “Just give me her number and get back to work,” I ordered.

  Betsy giggled as she left my office. “I knew you’d like her,” she said s
mugly, closing the door.

  How much did Betsy know about my and Shannon’s past? It sounded as though she didn’t know much. That was good because I didn’t need any lecture from Betsy right now. But whether or not I liked Shannon wasn’t what was on my mind right now. Did she need his protection as well? Was Shannon in some type of danger?

  Fuck. Maybe if I’d reached out years ago, she wouldn’t need security now.

  I turned and looked out the window, catching sight of the Bachelor Towers. I had wanted to gain some insider information from Ralph, but if I continued to see Shannon, I might be risking any chance I had at getting an apartment there.

  But if I play my cards right, can I have it all?

  I was good at one thing: getting everything I wanted. The question was, did I really want both or was I just caught in memories of something that I remembered as better than it really was?

  There was only one way to find out, and that was for me to have sex with her again. Shannon would never go for a casual relationship and I sure as hell am not interested in anything serious. It would only get in the way of the goal I’ve been working towards for the past few years.

  I’m going to live at the towers no matter what it costs me.

  Chapter 4

  Shannon

  “Betsy, you of all people should understand. Jace isn’t just any guy.” He’s the only guy. “I didn’t sleep at all last night because of the stunt you pulled. You’re supposed to be my friend.”

  “I am your friend, Shannon! And sometimes friends know what you need more than you do yourself,” Betsy stated.

  Even over the phone, I could sense her Miss Know-It-All smile. “And sometimes they push their luck and their friends get pissed off,” I warned.