P.S. You're Intolerable (The Harder They Fall, #3)

by Julia Wolf

Details were important to me. If I missed one number, it could be catastrophic. That was why I didn’t miss numbers. I studied details. Yet, I’d missed a glaring one. Catherine was pregnant.

I didn’t like being surprised almost as much as I hated blue ink.

When I sat down at my desk to write his schedule, my postscript was a little different. P.S. You’re slightly more tolerable than usual.

Sometimes, I debated asking her if there were twins in there, but I wasn’t stupid enough to let that question leave my mouth. I’d already stuck my foot in it enough times.

My words were cut off when Baby Girl decided to do a death roll and shoved aside my lungs to stretch out and get comfortable. “Catherine?” Elliot leaped to his feet in alarm. I would have told him I was fine, except I’d lost my breath. “Are you okay?”

I was starved for attention. That had to be why receiving this intensity from Elliot was so heady. I could have eaten it with a spoon.

“She’s been hearing my voice all this time,” he murmured.

One thousand dollars. Holy shit. My hands trembled as I read the note. Catherine, Something useful to go along with the luxury. The spa card doesn’t expire. Use it when you have the time, even if it’s three years from now. Congratulations on your impending arrival. I should have said that sooner. -Elliot

“A temp. A new graduate from CU. Catherine’s training him, and he seems fairly competent.” “But he’s no Catherine,” Weston filled in. “No one is.”

Everything was fine. My world definitely wasn’t crumbling around me. If I kept thinking that, maybe it would be true.

It took me until the fourth strip to realize they were all exactly one inch wide and the paper matched the notebook. Son of a bitch.

My little prim and pressed Catherine Warner was an undercover firecracker. I’d always known it, but seeing the undeniable proof was wholly gratifying.

P.S. I hope both sides of your pillow are always warm. That was cruel. What could I have done that day to deserve such a terrible thing wished upon me?

Getting up from the side of the tub seemed much too big right now, but I had to. My boss was downstairs, expecting me to be a functioning human being even though I was hanging on by a fraying thread.

“She seemed bored, so I took her out back to see the birds.” He patted her round middle. “If I measure her enjoyment by the amount of drool that dripped on my arm, she liked it very much.”

Babies weren’t my thing. I’d never paid attention to them before now. But this one struck me as exceptionally pretty and sweet.

“What are you doing here?” “I’m here for the interviews,” he stated, like it was that simple. “You are?” “Yes.” He patted my knee once then gave it a firm squeeze. “Introduce me.”

“Not that Joey’s fussy. She only really cries when she’s hungry.” Mary quickly but unmistakably rolled her eyes. The gesture hadn’t escaped me. From the way Elliot tensed beside me, it hadn’t escaped him either.

Elliot cut her off by raising his hand. “How am I to interpret your eye roll?” Her mouth flapped open and closed. “What? No, I didn’t—” “No, you did,” he replied. “From where I’m sitting, you rolled your eyes because either you don’t believe Josephine isn’t a fussy baby, or you don’t consider what Catherine had to say about her own child valid. Which is it?” She grew beet red from her throat to her forehead. “That isn’t what I meant, Elliot. It’s just—” “It’s Mr. Levy, and I know exactly what you meant.”

“The agency needs to know what kind of person they’re sending out on interviews.” He shook his head with disgust. “She tried to slip me her number before I tossed her out. As if I’d have any interest in someone who showed no respect for you.”

He tapped my arm twice, and it reminded me of the way he tapped his mouse when he was annoyed with me. Tap, tap, motherclucker, I’m a little annoyed with you too.

Sharp cries from the baby monitor stopped me in my tracks. Elliot swept the monitor off the table, checking the screen. “Josephine’s awake and pissed off.” He started for the stairs in a rush, like he couldn’t get to her quickly enough. “I’ll get her while you let the nanny in.” “Okay. Thank you.” My heart did a funny thing at the sight of Elliot Levy bounding up the stairs to collect my daughter.

I directed Sam to a seat then met Elliot on the other side of the room, where he was jiggling and swaying with my daughter. “I changed her, so she’s extra mad,” he told me. My breath caught. I didn’t know exactly why, but Elliot changing Joey’s diaper had made my throat tighten with emotion.

She hadn’t waited for me to get her cover. Catherine had her breast out, in full view of the large, strange man making himself at home on my fucking furniture. I hoped he enjoyed it. It was the last time he’d be experiencing it.

Joey kicked my arm like she was sending me a message. Grow up, asshole. I took her foot in my hand and rubbed her downy soft skin, conveying back, It isn’t my fault your mom drives me to distraction.

“Do you want me to hug you?” “Yes, please.”

“Can I hug you?” I asked. “If you feel like you have to.” He opened his arms wide. “Make it quick.”

Another nod, then he pushed to his feet and offered me a hand. I slipped mine in his, and he pulled me up faster than I expected, sending me colliding into his chest. Instead of moving back or steadying me, he wrapped me in an embrace. “Hug,” he softly demanded. “Okay.” I circled my arms around him, my stress from the last twenty-four hours slipping as his heart thumped under my cheek. And then, there was a light pressure on the top of my head that disappeared as quickly as it had come. I must have been mistaken, but I swore it felt like Elliot had kissed my head.

My inhale was jagged. I’d seen him hold Joey countless times now, but this…I didn’t know how to cope with him installing a base for her seat. His beautiful, pristine car now had a place for my daughter to ride safely whenever necessary. This gesture was probably practical and simple to him, but to me, it was like giving me a bouquet of my favorite flowers. If I was another type of girl, I would have swooned.

“You need to look at yourself, Catherine. There is absolutely nothing stupid about the way you look right now.” He spun me around to face the mirror, but I wasn’t looking at my reflection. All I saw was Elliot. For one fleeting, unguarded moment, his gaze filled with such heat and tenderness I felt it like an avalanche of flames rolling down my body. A whimper fell from my parted lips.

“Do you want to feed her before we go?” Josephine rarely cried, so when she did, I would have done anything to stop it. She was just so tiny and helpless, ten or twelve pounds at most. It drove me mad to know she wanted something and I wasn’t able to give it to her immediately.

I hesitated, and Jo whimpered again. Every second I sat here kept her from being fed and comforted, so I put the car in gear and drove as fast as I dared while keeping my two passengers safe. Catherine talked to Jo the whole way and periodically patted my arm, soothing us both at once. It worked better on the baby. By the time I pulled into the garage, Jo’s whimpers had turned into baby bird cries. I was wound so tight it was all I could do to throw myself out of the car, unbuckle her from her seat, and hold her against my chest.

She brought my knuckles up to her mouth and pressed a light kiss there, taking me off guard. When she cupped the back of my neck and tugged me down to her waiting mouth, I wasn’t ready. Her lips slid against mine in a warm, firm kiss my brain was too fucking stupefied to respond to. Catherine kissed me, and all I did was stand there. Just stood there. Unmoving. Unresponsive. Un-fucking-able to think.

Her lips fell away from mine, and she was a foot away, covering her mouth with her hand, her eyes wide with horror. “Oh shit, I’m sorry. That was—won’t happen again. I’m so, so sorry.” The moment she turned to run, my brain came back online.

She’d stoked the fire of my desire I’d kept carefully cold for a long time. There was no going back. My stomach was filled with flames, and I was burning for her.

“You might believe I’m a cyborg, but I promise my normal response when a beautiful woman kisses me is not to stand there like my battery needs to be charged.”

“I’m not going to fuck you. I want you to lie down and let me make you come as many times as it takes to switch off your whirling dervish mind. Can you do that for me, sweetheart? Can you be a good girl for me and let me lick you?”

“The only thing I want you to do is lie there and switch off your mind as best you can. Don’t worry about the amount of time I’m going to spend with my face in your pussy. I’m doing this for myself as much as you. I already know I’ll want to stay down there all night and I haven’t even tasted you. Your scent is enough. Do you understand?”

“I’m not nice?” His hand slid down to grip my ass. “The taste of your creamy pussy on my lips begs to differ.”