《Victoria The Billionaires Maid》 Prologue VICTORIAs POV I looked at my watch. It was almost noon. Four hours to go and I could soak my aching feet. I was on my fifth straight shift of the week and it had been a hectic one. Alexander Reigns, my employer had simply lost his mind. Thats what I thought anyways. I didnt me him and I often felt bad for him but lost his mind he most definitely had done. Mr. Reigns was in the middle of a divorce. I had worked for him while his wife lived in the mansion and within a few short weeks of working for them I hade to several conclusions: Mr. Reigns was smart, respectable, kind and with thebination of his dark brown hair and intensely sexy hazel eyes that were surrounded by ridiculously longshes, he was also drop-dead gorgeous. Mrs. Reigns, on the other hand, was petty, small, and unkind, and fortunately for her since she had no other likable qualities, she was also drop-dead gorgeous. The pending divorce hadnte as much of a shock to the staff. We had all discreetly heard the arguments and watched the couple slowly growing apart. It was in my opinion, for whatever that was worth, the best thing for them both since neither of them had seemed happy for quite some time. Not that anyone was going to ask the upstairs maid for her opinion anyways. I had plenty of them saved up however if they ever did ask me. Besides approving of the divorce, Id very much like to voice my opinion to my thirty-year-old employer that a man in his position in themunity should not spend every night throughout the work week partaking in wild partying and loose women. I could easily have these thoughts as I dusted the pictures on the walls and the vases on the tables outside of the master suite, but I knew that if I were ever asked for my opinions, I would more than likely keep them to myself. I could barely form two thoughts, let alone real words when he looked at me with those incredibly sexy eyes of his. With a sigh at that thought, I finished my dusting and began mopping the highly polished marble hallway floor. Once I finished that, the only room I had left to clean before polishing the banister was the master suite. I hadnt seen any sign of Mr. Reigns this morning, so it was highly likely that he was still asleep. Since the divorce, we had all been asked by the house supervisor Karen to wait for the doors to be open before we cleaned or took anything into the suite. Mr. Reigns was prone to skipping board meetings and sleeping until noon some days and as kind, as he could be, you didnt want to wake the sleeping lion with a hangover; he was prone to hotheaded outbursts when he was under a lot of stress and with the divorce and the pressures of running a multi-national corporation, the stress was plentiful. I almost whined though when I saw them closed. I wanted to finish up here before I went to lunch. Because of histe mornings that turned into afternoons, I hadnt been able to get in there until the end of my shift the past two days and it needed a thorough cleaning. I was mopping past the closed door when I heard his voice. Please listen to me and hear me this time. I earned the fruits of mybor. Im thirty years old. Since I was eighteen I have either gone to school or worked twelve hours out of nearly every day to get where I am. Being married to me and might I add, reaping many benefits while you were, does not give you the right now to take what is rightfully mine thanks to all of my hard work. I wasnt trying to eavesdrop, but he wasnt whispering either. I assumed that he was talking to Mrs. Reigns. It wasnt the first time that Id heard him tell her almost the same thing. It seemed that the woman wanted more and more from him. I shook my head, wondering how someone could be so greedy. As I had that thought, the cell phone in my pocket vibrated with a message. I stopped, leaned on my mop, and pulled it out. I smiled when I saw that it was from my boyfriend, Jason. I clicked open the message and as I read it, the smile quickly faded. Victoria, Im not sure how to say this, but Im sure youve noticed as I have that things between us arent what they used to be. Ive been doing a lot of thinking and Ive decided that maybe we need to take a break. Maybe taking some time apart will help us decide if we want to move forward with this, or maybe were both wasting our time trying to make something work that just isnt there. I wish you the best and Ill keep in touch. I stared at the phone for a long time. What did he mean a break? What the hell was that? What are the rules when you take a break? Do we see other people? Do we just sit around and look inside ourselves and try to decide if were really in love or not? I seriously have no idea what a break means.All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. Hes also acting like I knew there were problems. I had no idea there were problems. What kind of problems? I thought we were doing fine. Im such an idiot. A single tear slid down my face. I was surprised until I tasted the salt at the corners of my mouth. I dont know why Im crying. He doesnt think this rtionship is worth more than a text message to just call an end to it. We were supposed to see each other tonight. This couldnt have waited? A steady stream of tears had begun to make their way down my cheeks. I had to pull myself together. I was at work for crying out loud! I prided myself on my ability to always maintain a professional appearance at work. My hair was always up, I wore very little makeup, my hideously ugly and unttering uniforms were clean and starched and ironed yet here I stood in the grand upper hallway of this beautiful mansion, unable to stop the tears. I reached into my cleaning cart for tissue and thats when I heard the crack of the door opening. I didnt mean to look up, it was just an automatic response to the sound. But I did look up and I hadnt wiped my face yet and now I was not only crying at work I was face to face with my employer. Oh God, I wish I could kick Jasons butt right now! Victoria? Whats wrong? Alexander Reigns was looking at me with concern in his pretty eyes. He looked so sincere and instead of making me stop acting like a sniveling idiot in his hallway, it made me dissolve into a torrent of tears apanied by huge gulping sobs and the whole bit. God, I wanted to crawl behind the two-foot-tall priceless vase that sat just to my left and disappear. Im so sorry, Mr. Reigns, I said between sobs. Im, Im just going to go pull myself together No, wait, Victoria, please. He came towards me. Even in my current state I couldnt help but notice how the green of the shirt he wore matched the rim of green around the outside of his irises. His full lips were set in a frown and his perfectly shaped brown eyebrows were drawn together in the middle giving him a sexy, introspective look. Yet I still stood where I was, bawling like an idiot. He put his hand on my arm. It was the first time hed touched me. Electricity raced from the source of that touch down my arm, causing my hand and fingers to tingle. What in the world was wrong with me? This was my employer. The only reason he was touching me was that he found me crying in the hallway outside of his room. I need this job. Stop crying, Vicki. Stop it! Victoria? Come with me, lets have you sit down. Ill get you some water. He was trying to steer me into the master suite. I pulled back, softly, but enough to make him stop and again look at my face. Im so sorry, sir. Ill just go down to the staff restroom and clean up. Im so embarrassed and I hope youll forgive me. He smiled slightly and said, What is there to forgive? Im being so unprofessional He let the slight smile turn into a full one. His dimples showed on either side of his face and his full lips framed a set of the straightest, whitest teeth Id ever seen. Encounter He was so beautiful and I probably had mascara running down my face. Youre upset, he said. You havent done anything to me so you have nothing to apologize for. Im sorry that youre upset. Is there something I can do? Someone I can call for you? Oh no sir, its so silly really. I dont even know why Im crying. Its ridiculous. What is, Victoria? What is it that upset you? I kind ofughed and snot came out of my nose. I covered my face with a paper towel and wanted to die. Im sorry, I squeaked out again. This time heughed and he took hold of my arm again. Come with me. No arguments. I followed him. He led me to the elevator at the end of the hallway. I started letting myself think all sorts of crazy things like he was walking me out and hed ask me not to return for my shift tomorrow. I tried to imagine how Id pay my rent. We stepped into the elevator and he pushed the B for the basement. The basement was his private domain. It was his yground; he had a wet bar and a private theatre and a pool table and even a room with a bed. That was where my luscious employer did his partying since his wife left him. Id always appreciated it for the simple fact that if he kept a woman over I didnt have toe face to face with her outside the master suite in the morning. The doors slid open and Alexander held his arm out in a gesture for me to step off. I did. I didnte down here often. Manny, one of the other house staff was in charge of cleaning this area during his regr shift. I only did it on Mannys days off. Mr. Reigns led me over to the dark cherry bar on the far side of the main room and patted one of the deep red velvet seats. Sit down, Victoria. Im going to fix you a drink. Oh no, sir! My shift isnt over for a few more hours Smiling again he said, Im well aware of when your shift ends. You cant get fired for drinking with the boss though, so Im going to pour myself one too. Then, Im going to sit down next to you and youre going to tell me what has you in tears. He was being so kind. It almost made me feel worse about my terrible behavior than if hed just yelled at me. He had his back to me but I could see his face in the mirror above the bar. He hadnt shaved today and dark stubble covered his chin and cheeks and across his upper lip. It gave him an edgy, sexy look and it was contrary to his normal well-coiffed business look. His eyes were also rimmed in red; ack of sleep, I presumed. That added an element of vulnerability; it made him seem more human. I liked it. What do you drink, Victoria? Im not a big drinker, sir. Usually, if I have something, its just a ss of wine. Wine it is then, he said. And stop with the sir please. Its Alex. I think I felt the color rush to my cheeks. There was no way I could call this man by his first name. I looked at him as some kind of deity it seemed sacrilegious for me to even consider it. He turned back towards me and sat a chilled ss filled with a burgundy liquid in front of me. Thank you, I said. I nced in the mirror now that I could see myself. Luckily since I hadnt worn much make-up, none of it was streaked down my face. I just looked redder than normal. Youre wee, he said softly. Alexander poured himself a beer out of the tap and came around and sat in the chair next to me. Now, what have you so upset? I sat at the bar in the basement on a plush velvet high-back chair that probably cost more than my months sry with my boss staring into my blue eyes with his hazel ones, asking me why he found me crying in the hallway. This was not at all how I expected my day to go. What was I supposed to say? I think Id be too embarrassed to admit to my best friend that my boyfriend broke up with me in a text message. How the heck was I supposed to sit here and admit that to Alexander Reigns, CEO of Reigns Biotechnical Incorporated? Ugh! I want to die, I do. I just got an upsetting text message. I said that and then I remembered that Karen had put out a memo over a month ago telling us that she frowned on our use of our phones during working hours unless we were on a break. I wasnt on a break but Jason and I are. Oh damn! Now Im crying again. Im a hot mess. I sucked down the alcohol in the pretty ss in front of me, barely tasting it. Alex was smiling at me. I wish you werent so anxious around me, Victoria. Im just a regr person like you. Yeah, right. I dont think so. Im sorry, sir. Laughing now he said, Alex. What was the text message about? Is your family okay? My father took off for parts unknown when I was five. My mother was a pole dancer until she made enough money to buy her club and now she owns the poles. No, my family is not okay but Im sure thats not what he meant. Yes, I said. Taking a deep breath I decided it would probably be better to just get this over with and then maybe he would let me get back to my work and we could get busy forgetting this ever happened. My family is fine. As I said, its silly really. I got a text from my boyfriend. I feel foolish because I had the impression that he and I were doing fine. I was very wrong about that, I suppose. The text said that he thought we needed to take a break. I have no idea what that would even entail. Heughed again. This time it upset me just a little bit. He insisted I tell him and now hesughing at me? Im sorry, Victoria. Im notughing at you. Its not even a happyugh. Its just that its almost exactly what happened to me. I had no idea that my wife was even considering a divorce until the day I came home from work and she had moved out. Sometimes I think we are clueless because we want to be Do you know? Its a defense mechanism, I think. I suppose if I gave it some serious thought, I could find more than one reason why hes right starting with the fact that he broke up with me in a text message. Yes, I dont even know him and he lost a lot of points with me for that one, he said, with a wink and a smile. Alexander picked up my ss and said, Another? I should probably get back He waved his hand at me and got up to go back behind the bar. This mausoleum is spotless, Victoria. One unmade bed wont make or break it. I watched him pour us another drink. He sat the wine down in front of me and said, How long have you been together with your boyfriend? A little over a year, I told him. How old are you, Victoria? You can call me Vicki, I told him. Im twenty-three. Is your boyfriend? Jason. Jason. Is he twenty-three also? Hes twenty-four, I said. I remember twenty-four, he said as if he were an old man. Its that age when you start thinking that you need to settle down and begin getting your life in order. Some people dont handle that well. They panic and think they need to go have some fun onest fling before theyre tied down for the next twenty years or so. I wasnt pressuring him at all. We hadnt even talked about marriage yet. We dont live together.ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org . Thats my point though. Does Jason have a lot of friends who are either married or engaged? His best friend got married a month ago and their other friend from college just got engaged. He nodded. I dont know Jason and I dont mean to put ideas in your head that arent fact so take this with a grain of salt, okay? I nodded and he went on, Thats probably where the pressure came from not you, Vicki. I liked the way he said, Vicki. Appreciation You think hes afraid Ill expect him to marry me? Well, after a year of dating at your age, thats the logical next step, isnt it? Do you want children? Someday, yes. Does Jason know that? Yes of course hes not that thrilled about the idea of being a father. Neither of us had the best examples growing up. I think hes always been a little concerned that well mess it up too. Alexander surprised me then. He reached over and picked up a piece of my hair that had fallen out of my bun and tucked it behind my ear. It was a quick, gentle touch but it seemed like such an intimate one between an employer and employee. As soon as he drew his hand back I found myself wishing that he would touch me again. Youre beautiful, he said. I almost fell out of my chair. Instead, I picked up my wine ss and drained it. Thank you, I told him, finally. He smiled. He was beautiful incredibly so. Again, I could be wrong and over-stepping but my thought would be that he said a break instead of break-up because he knows what a fool he would be to let you go, deep down. But dont let him make all the decisions here, Vicki. Remember your self-worth. If youre not truly happy with him, then spend your break deciding what it is that you want from him if you do take him back. Realize that by initiating this, he thinks he has the power, but he doesnt. Your life and your happiness are in your hands, not his. I forced a smile. My head was buzzing. I wasnt much of a drinker and the two sses of wine had already gone to my head. I will. Thank you. Is that what youve been doing? That was such a personal question. I wanted to take it back as soon as I asked it but Alexander didnt seem offended. Instead, he looked embarrassed. No, I give great advice, but I dont live it. What Ive been doing, Vicki is avoiding it all. I dont want to fight over material possessions, yet I dont want to give this woman I was married to for five years everything Ive worked for and amassed in my adult life. Does that seem selfish? Not at all. I have always had difficulty with the idea of alimony. Its 2022 and female or not, Im as capable of making a billion dors as the person I decide to marry is. At least I hope I am. Lately, I havent been feeling very proud of where I am at this stage in my life. I have always intended to do so much more. I want to give back to themunity, you know? I dont want to live in this beautiful ce surrounded by beautifulndscapes and only enjoy it. I want to be a part of the solution to problems like homelessness and environmental issues. I mean I wont do that working as a maid, but I dont intend to do this job forever Shoot! I mean, I love my job, its just Heughed. Its okay, Vicki. I havent had a lot of opportunities to speak to you one on one like this, but from what I do know about you, youre much too intelligent to be doing physicalbor your entire life. I would be nothing but happy for you if a better opportunityes along. What do you see yourself doing someday? I finished my prerequisites for the Physicians Assistant program at UC Davis. I just took a year or two off to save some money. Physicians Assistant, huh? Thats admirable.Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. I shrugged. Ive just always liked healing things. I had a stray animal hospital in our basement when I was a kid. Iughed at the memory of birds with broken wings and stray cats that had been in fights and needed patching up. Back then I would tell my mom I wanted to be a surgeon. She would tell me to Marry one instead. Gotta love my mom. So why a P. A. why not a physician? Medical school is really expensive, I said. Plus its very intense. Even when I get into the P. A. program Ill have to keep working to support myself. I cant see myself doing that and still doing well in medical school. I admire your drive, Vicki. It was one of the many things that Cassandra and I fought about when she lived here. Cassandra is his wife and I had heard one or two of those fights as I kept my head down and tried to pretend I didnt. She doesnt have any at all. She never wanted to work, which I was okay with at first. But I had pictured her heading up charities or at the very least having our children and caring for them. As it turned out, she had no interest in any of that at all. She informed me two years into our marriage that she wasnt interested in being a mother. I cant believe that Im telling you this, he said suddenly. I realized he remembered who he was talking to. Not thinking I shot my hand out and covered his with it. That had to be hard. Please dont worry. I will keep your confidence. I appreciate you talking to me about this so much. I know how busy you are and for you to take time out of your day like this for the likes of me He moved his hand, but he didnt take it away. Instead, he wrapped mine up in it and looked intensely at my face as he said, Dont do that, Vicki. Dont say things about yourself like that as if Im better than you and Im slumming by sitting here having a pleasant conversation with you. The things I just told you about Cassie theyre not things I shared with anyone else, except my attorneys, thats why I said I couldnt believe I was telling you. It feels good to be able to talk to someone about it. I smiled and nodded. He was still gripping my hand. My heart was speeding up and I was suddenly having a hard time breathing. You can talk to me about any of it, sir. I wont tell anyone. He grinned. I wish youd stop calling me sir, he said again. Tell me about you, Vicki. Where did you grow up? I grew up in L. A. out near Glendale. I grew up here too, in Orange County, he said. Of course, he did. I wasnt certain of his background, but it was obvious wealth wasnt brand new to him. He wore it so well though. Id never seen him be haughty or arrogant about it, unlike his dear wife. I spent a lot of time in Orange when I was young, I told him. My mother worked in a ce there and Id go out and spend time on the yground near the pier at Seal Beach or watching the sunset or eating a burger at Rubys! Yes, I said with a smile. I loved Rubys. Me too, it was my favorite spot. It was not! Seriously, I used to sit at that booth in the far corner and y music on that little table jukebox and watch the sunset nearly every Friday night. I loved those jukeboxes and I loved that booth too! It was always taken. I think I only actually got to sit there once. It was probably me, he said with a grin. I smiled back at him, who could help it? It was funny to imagine our lives intersecting like that as kids and us not even noticing. He was seven years older than me though. I was about twelve when I started spending a lot of time down there. He was probably already in college. Still, it was nice to know we had that inmon. Thank you, sir, I said. Hed taken my mind off of Jason and I was very appreciative. Heughed and said, Youre wee for what Im not sure. For making me forget my problems and remember being happy on the beach. It was so nice of you to take time out of your schedule for me, sir. I appreciate it. He suddenly had a look in his eyes that wasnt amusement and his voice was husky as he said, I wish that youd stop calling me sir. I want to kiss you, Vicki badly. When you call me Sir it reminds me that I shouldnt. I was shocked, excited, and scared all at the same time. I told myself to politely decline. I told myself to go back to work, and then, I dont know what came over me. Don’t Cry Maybe it was because now he was touching me. Hed let go of my hand and now his fingertips were lightly skimming along my bare arms and sending delicious shivers throughout my body thatnded in the deepest part of my belly. Or maybe it was because of the intense way he was still looking into my eyes and I knew now that what I saw there was desire. Maybe it was all of it. I dont know. But I opened my mouth and as if I were a bystander and not a participant, I heard myself say his name, Alex. That was his invitation to kiss me. Id meant it that way. He took it for what it was. He cupped the side of my face in his hand and leaned in, cing his lips over mine. His lips were so warm, so full and so soft and when his tongue snaked out, my lips parted and allowed him the ess he desired. His wet tongue slipped into my mouth and explored every inch of it. My breath waspletely gone and I didnt care. The kiss was so incredible; I was ready to keep doing it until I passed out. This is how kisses are supposed to be. I loved the way he rested his hand on the side of my face while he tasted my lips, and I loved the way he was demanding, but still sweet. Its the kind of kiss that you know youll never forget, even if he walked out right now and I never saw him again. That was when I suddenly remembered who it was I was kissing. I pulled back and looked at him while I tried to catch my breath. This man is more than hot. Hes perfect. Hes a work of art. Hes my boss and I just kissed him. I was torn between being giddy over that thought and horrified. I felt like a stupid teenager whod just been kissed by a football star. I was gaping at him like a fool and I know my eyes must have been as wide as saucers. What did I just do? ALEXANDERS POV I just kissed my maid. Its not that I cared that she was my maid. Shes an extremely desirable woman. Today was not the first time Id noticed. But talking to her today had put me over the top. She seemed intelligent andpassionate and just so different from the spoiled, self-centered women I was used to. She was real, and about the time she got passionate about what she wanted to do with her life and none of it had anything to do with marrying a rich man and taking him for all he had. I decided that I liked her a lot. The problem wasnt that she was a maid; I couldnt care less about that. Who she was as a person was so much more than that. The problem was that she was a maid that I employed. I just broke all kinds of businessmandments. I had honestly only started to try and make her feel better. Now she was sitting here looking at me with a confused, stricken look and all I can think is that I want to kiss her again. I was aroused to the point from that one kiss that I wanted to take it further, desperately so. Im sorry, she said, putting her hand to her pretty lips. Her green eyes looked like saucers and I could see the regret there. I felt like some kind of sexually harassing slime ball all of a sudden and she was apologizing to me. Dont be sorry, Vicki. I initiated it. Im sorry. I just really wanted to do that and I should have stopped myself. I know I shouldnt have. I hope youll forgive me. She had tears in her eyes again. Damn it! She stood up and looked like she was about to bolt. No, its okay. You dont have to apologize. I kissed you back I should know better, how unprofessional! This whole day Ive just been such a mess. She was crying again and I couldnt stand that now I was the cause of it. She was ming herself when I was the one who should have known better. I stood up too and without thinking again, I put my arms around her and pulled her into my chest. I realized as soon as her warm, soft body was molded into mine that Id made another mistake. But God, she felt so good. It was like she was made to be in my arms. Her light blonde hair smelled so pretty and I was tempted to release the bun she had it in and wrap my fingers up in it. She was shaking against me. I put my lips to her head, just trying to calm her down, and whispered against the side of her face. Please dont cry, Vicki. I didnt mean to make you cry. She looked up at me. Her chest was rising and falling rapidly and her green eyes were a mixture of sadness and something else. Something else was what I was focused on. If I was reading her right, she wanted me as badly as I wanted her. Once again, I threw caution to the wind. I was going to take this so far that if she was after awsuit, I was handing it to her on a silver tter. I imed her pretty, heart-shaped mouth and as I did, I released her hair from its confines. I hadnt realized how long it was until masses of it cascaded down her shoulders and back. I didnt hesitate to wrap my fingers through it. It felt like silk and I thought if Id ever seen it down before, I would have kissed her a long time ago. I didnt believe for a second that she was setting me up. I had initiated the whole thing but even if she were, Im afraid this would be worth it. The feel of her tongue in my mouth tentative at first, but now passionate and urgent was going straight to my head. I felt her shift her hips slightly and I knew that she could feel how much I desired her. She wasnt pulling away though, so I didnt stop. Instead, I let my lips slide down her jaw and find her supple neck. I kissed her there and found the soft piece between her neck and shoulder and took a soft bite. She moaned and I knew that if she didnt tell me to stop now, I wasnt going to be able to stop myself. I let my hand slide down her back and cupping one arm underneath her bottom, I picked her up and carried her into the bedroom.Original content from N?velDrama.Org. I sat her down on the bed and looked down at her. Her pretty hair was across her face and she was looking up at me, breathing hard. What struck me most was the intensity of her gaze. I know that women like to look at me. Ive been ogled since I was a teenager, but Id never been so incredibly turned on just by watching someone look at me. Just that simple look gave me an ache that I felt to my core. It was more than wanting her; it was a driving need to possess her suddenly. If you dont tell me not to, Im going to make love to you now. She nodded and I took that as consent. I sat down next to her, drawing her back onto the bed with me, and crushed my mouth down on hers. I did my best to undress her as we kissed, but reluctantly, I had to let her go so she could get that ridiculous uniform off. Why havent I ever noticed how awful those uniforms are before? It must be something Cassandra came up with in hopes that I wouldnt mess around with the help the way shed told me that her father used to. When Vicki pulled off that horrible dress, I felt my mouth go dry. She was every bit as gorgeous underneath it as I imagined she would be and then some. For all the drabness of the uniform, the underwear she wore so well underneath it was soft andcy and silky and hot. I reached up and grabbed her by the waist and pulled her back down to me. I let my mind flicker across all of the bad things that coulde out of what we were about to do and then I tucked them away and I tasted the kind of pleasure that even I had never tasted before. I was twenty-five when Cassandra and I got married. Twenty-four when Imitted to her and stopped having one-night stands with a different girl every week some weeks every night. Quilt I lost count years ago of the number of women Id been with, and if most of them walked right up to me on the street today, I wouldnt have a clue who they were. But I knew instantly that with Vicki, it was going to be different, dangerous even. This was one woman that I would never forget and one afternoon that could fodder my fantasies for a lifetime. I felt like a man utterly starved and suddenly offered a steak. Id had sex with someonest night and Id already forgotten with whom. With Vicki it wasnt just her gorgeous body or her beautiful face; it was the sounds that she made that turned me on and the looks that she got on her face and the deep, burning desire in her beautiful green eyes. By the time we were both panting and sweating and clutching tightly onto each other I already didnt want to let her go. VICTORIAS POV When Alex copsed on top of me and I got my breathing under control and I could put two thoughts together again, all I could think was, Dear God, what have I done? and shamelessly. Dear God, I want to do that again. What was in that wine? Ive never had a one-night, or afternoon, stand in my life. Ive always been a good girl Ive only been with three men in my lifetime. The first was my first love my senior year in high school, the second was my boyfriend for two years in college and the third was Jason who I had been with since. Im not the one-night stand type. Alex is. Dear God, what is he thinking of me? I might know if I could see his face, but hes settled into the pillow, and pulled my back up against him as if were going to spend the rest of the day cuddled here together as if were in love instead of employer and employee. Instead of billionaire and maid. Hes so warm, and his breath on my neck feels so good. I cant even let my mind begin to drift back to what just happened between us because Ill start shaking all over again. I honestly never knew that sex could be like that. Maybe it was because he was so experienced maybe it was because our afternoon tryst was so taboo in my mind, but God it was amazing and Lord help me I did want to do it again. Are you okay? His voice had a sexy sleepy quality to it and that coupled with the heat of his breath against my neck made me shudder. I nodded. Mm hmm. I know it wasnt a brilliant answer, but what was I going to say? I felt him let go of me and I thought, This is it. I have to get out of this bed naked in front of his eyes and put on that horrible dress and do the walk of shame back out to where my mop is.All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. Alex wasnt ready to get up yet though and instead of letting me go, he turned me over so that I was now facing him. He put his fingers underneath my chin and tipped my face up to his. He smiled so sweetly and then he lowered his mouth down to mine and kissed me so tenderly that it honestly nearly made me cry again. If this was what one afternoon stands were like I think Ill have another. And I did or we did and afternoon turned into evening and evening into night and I fell asleep in his arms. He was so warm and tender and even my heart was smiling when I closed my eyes. I woke up thanks to the early morning sun pressing its way into the room via the skylight. I think I was still smiling. The glow from sleeping in Alexs loving arms was still flowing warmly through my veins. Then suddenly, the glow was reced by panic. I sat up and looked around. Hed locked me in but he was gone. Oh, God! What if Ive made a terrible mistake? I nced over at the clock it was only six-fifteen. Thank goodness I woke up before Manny came in at seven! Coming face to face with him, fully naked, would have been the icing on this already mortifying cake. I gathered my clothes quickly and as I got dressed I wondered where Alex had gone and when. Did he slip back to his room in the middle of the night out of the fear that one of the other staff would catch us? Did he have a date? Surely he hadnt already gone into the office. It was so early. Then again, he didnt go in yesterday, which I knew for a fact. But today was Saturday; my day off, thank goodness again. I wasnt sure how I was going to face him. I wondered what he was thinking of me and I couldnt help but wonder what Id just done to my job. I needed this job. I was set to begin my online sses next semester and I had a big payment due soon. How could I have been so stupid and for sex? But it wasnt just sex. I didnt want to think that. I was trying hard to discourage myself from thinking that but it was the truth. At least on my end, it wasnt just sex. Id felt a real connection there, or had I just been stupid once again? I got into the elevator and pushed the button for the upper floor where the master suite was located. When I stepped off, the first thing I noticed was that my cleaning cart was still there. Alex or someone had moved it over to the side. The second thing I noticed was that the door to his suite was open. I carefully moved across the upper balcony. All was quiet downstairs. Not even the cook came in before seven. Alex liked it that way. Those were his rules. No staff between seven p. m. and seven a. m. I got to the door and cautiously nced inside. The bed was made and all looked neat. I hadnt made the bed yesterday I wondered who did. Karen wasnt usually in on Fridays, but what if shede in for some reason yesterday? She liked me, but she was tough and that was why she had the job of leading the staff. Id seen her fire people for less. I looked at the cart again and told myself that if it had been Karen, she would have put the cart away downstairs where it went. Did Alex make his bed? I guess that wouldnt bepletely odd. Hed done it before. Alex? I called out to the empty room. I advanced a little further inside. The little sitting room with the big stone firece was empty as well and the door to the huge bathroom was open and that room was empty as well. I looked at the clock. It was six-thirty now. I had to get out of here before the other staff came in. There would be no logical exnation for me being here in a wrinkled uniform on my day off. Besides, I thought, looking into the mirror on his dresser, I looked like Id been having wild sex all night. Or maybe that was just the invisible Guilt stamp on my forehead. I guiltily retreated and headed for the elevator. I took it to the main floor and left through the locked service entrance in the back of therge, gourmet kitchen, locking it again behind me. Taking a deep breath of the fresh, salty morning air, I made my way to the employee parking area, got into my car, and snuck out like a thief. I realized when I got out to the main road that my heart was pounding hard against my ribcage and my breathing was irregr. I made it home just short of hyperventting and held my breath even as I entered my apartment, hoping my roommate Liz had gone to work. I wasnt going to be that lucky. She was sitting at the little dining room table enjoying her coffee as I stole through the door. She grinned broadly and said, Well hello. You look like you had a good night. I imagine that in my anxious state my cheeks were probably flushed and since I was still wearing my uniform Um yeah, it was okay, I said. How are you? She raised an eyebrow and stood up. Im going to pour you a cup of coffee while you change. Then, you and I can talk. Talk about? She took a cup out of the cab and turned around and looked at me again. She ran her eyes over my uniform and my disheveled state and said, Why you were out all night and youre still in your uniform In The Morning Oh, that! I said, trying to sound sincere. Im a terrible liar, but I was going to give it a shot. I didnt have any clean clothes at Jasons, so I just put this on. Im shocked, she said. That I didnt have any clean clothes? She shook her head. That I stayed at Jasons? She shook it again. That Im lying? I asked, chagrined. She nodded then with a smile. Go change and hurry back, I cant wait to hear all about it. I changed into a pair of cutoff sweats and a t-shirt and washed my face, brushed my teeth, and pulled my hair back into a ponytail at the nape of my neck. I didnt feel any better, but I at least looked human. I met Liz back at the table and sat down, taking a sip of coffee. That is so good, thank you. Youre wee, she said. Now, tell me where you were all night. I was at the mansion, I said. I took another sip of coffee. It was good. How did you know I wasnt with Jason? He came by on his way to work this morning. I almost spilled the coffee, sitting it down too hard on the table. What did he want? He just wanted to pick up the jacket he left here a few days ago. Your bedroom door was closed and I thought you were in there sleeping. I started to go get you but he said to let you sleep, hed talk to youter. Imagine my surprise when I saw you pull up out the window and thene slinking in here looking all guilty. I breathed a sigh of relief. At least Jason didnt know. Not that it should matter to him since were on a break. But still, I wasnt sure what I thought of myself at the moment. I was unsure of what everyone else would think of me. Liz looked amused so far. I was really at the mansion all night, I said again, praying she would leave it at that. I thought that yummy boss of yours had a no-staff after seven p. m. rule. He does. Then pray to tell what were you doing there all night, and dont leave out any details. I stood up and went over to top up my coffee. You want some? Sheughed. Youre bright red. You slept with your boss, didnt you? I looked away and said, Of course not. Stillughing she said, Look me in the eye. I turned slowly and looked at her and sheughed even harder. Oh my God! You slept with a billionaire hunk! Go, Vicki! Stop it, I said, mortified once again. It wasnt like that. What was it like? she said. Oh please tell me. I havent had a boyfriend in three months and Ive never had anyone like Alexander Reigns. I sat back down and said, Jason broke up with me yesterday in a text message while I was at work. That snake! I always knew I didnt like him. Oh, Vicki, Im sorry. I tried to smile and say it didnt matter, but the words wouldnte out. Instead, I said, In his defense, he didnt say break up. He said, take a break.ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org . Same thing, she said. Slime ball. Yeah, I guess. I was really upset and I just lost it and I couldnt stop crying. Alex Alex, huh? Cozy. Do you want to hear this or not? I do. Im sorry, Ill be good. He saw me and he was so sweet. He fixed us a drink and A drink? Liz! Okay, okay. Go on We talked. It was nice. Hes just a normal guy. Its easy to forget theyre human, you know? The elite. The ones we wait on and clean up after. But he is just normal like any other guy. Alexander Reigns is a God. Ask the cover of any tabloid in the city. And since his wife left him, hes been seen in thepany of more than one model. I know. Ive seen him in thepany of them first-hand. But he wasnt like that with me. Im not being facetious now honey but he did talk you into something. Am I right? It wasnt like that though. We talked and I had two sses of wine and he was just so sweet. He kissed me and then he apologized. He told me he would stop there if I wanted him to. I didnt want him to Wow, and you spent the whole night? Yeah, I fell asleep in his arms. It was sweet and romantic though, Liz. It wasnt sleazy at all. Oh, honey of course not. I know you. Im having a hard time imagining you sleeping with him at all but I know that you wouldnt have done it unless there was some real emotion there. I just like to tease. You know that. I know. Im feeling a little sleazy myself actually and projecting that on you I guess. When I woke up this morning, he was gone. Now Im scared to death. What if I screwed up my job? Why would he fire you? He came on to you, right? You could easily sue him for sexual harassment. Oh, I wouldnt ever do that. That wasnt how it happened. It waspletely consensual. She smiled, I can tell that by the way youre defending him. My point is that I think even if he didnt want to pursue this any further he wouldnt be willing to take that kind of risk. The wrong person in that situation could take him for millions. I never thought about it that way. I hope he knows that Id never even consider anything like that. I dont know how well your boss knows you, but those of us who do know you well enough know that. I am a little worried about your heart though. Why? You seem sad that he left during the night. I shrugged, trying to be nonchnt about it. The truth was, just talking about it brought a deep ache to my chest. Im sure he had business to attend to or something. I hope. Liz smiled and reached over to pat my hand. Itll be okay, honey. You want some breakfast? No thank you. The coffee was great. Im going to shower. Dont worry yourself sick over this. I wont. Thanks, Liz. Thank you. Your night at the mansion is the most exciting thing thats happened to me in months. Iughed, hugged her, and headed for the shower. I got really lucky in the roommate department. When I couldnt stand living with my mother and her endless string of dates any longer, I answered an ad in the Orange County Register for a female roommate. That was three years ago and Liz has grown to be my best friend. Shes a little older than me. She just turned twenty-nine. Shes a beautiful woman with shoulder-length dark hair and intense green eyes. She models for some local catalogs and she does character work as a Princess at the major theme park in Anaheim. She broke up with her boyfriend of two years a few months ago because she found out hed been cheating on her for almost an entire year. For the first two months, she swore off menpletely. I could tell now that she wasing back around. After talking with her and taking my shower, I felt slightly better. Then she did leave to go to work and I was left with swirling thoughts in my head. By the end of the day, I had myself not only fired but tarred, feathered, and strung up in the town square with a giant A on my chest. After all even if none of the other sins were great enough to punish me for, he was still legally married. VICTORIAs POV I woke up Monday morning with thergest butterflies in my stomach in history. I was due at work at seven. I had no idea if I still had a job. I had no idea if any of the other staff knew about what Alex and I had done, and I had no idea what he was thinking of me. How was I going to face him? Id never had to face anyone after an afternoon tryst that was going nowhere before. I didnt have a choice, however. I had to go to work and face the music one way or the other. I was a big girl who had made a stupid decision. Everyone does it at least once in their lives, right? I needed to suck it up and if necessary, suffer the consequences. I dragged myself out of bed and into the shower. I stepped in and stood under the showerhead, letting the water beat down over me in steamy rivulets. Mistrusting I closed my eyes and leaned my head into the cool tiles as the heat soaked into my skin. I tried to visualize the stress being washed off me and sucked down into the drain disappearing into the ocean somewhere and leaving me renewed. It didnt quite work that way, but by the time I was finished showering and I had dressed in my crisp uniform and put my hair into a neat bun, I at least felt strong enough to face whatever came. Id been through a lot in my life. I could handle this. When I got to work, I parked in the lot next to the cook, Gregorys Mercedes. He was a retired Wall Street millionaire who had gone to culinary school because he was bored. I only knew that because Manny told me. He said that Gregory wouldnt take any money for working for Reigns. All he asked was that he be allowed to take what was left over in the kitchen with him each day to share with the homeless shelter he sponsored. Manny also told me that Alex not only agreed; he also gave the shelter a monthly stipend of his own. That was another point in his favor, not that I was looking for them. I knew rationally that our tryst was just that and even if Alex had wanted to make more of it, Im sure it would bepletely unheard of and uneptable in his position.ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org . I walked into the service entrance, put my purse and sweater in the locker there, and then went through the kitchen on my way to pick up my housekeeping cart. I was stopped in my tracks at the sight of Alex, sitting at the table doing some kind of drawing of andscape on hisptop. Alexsndscaping designs were brilliant, and although his parents had been wealthy I read somewhere that the only money he took from them was what hed used to start his business. Since then, hed amassed his fortune thanks to his hard work and talent. He must have felt me looking at him because he turned all at once and smiled. Good morning, Vicki. He was smiling. He was still calling me Vicki. My stomach stilled a little bit and against my better judgment, my heart gave a little flutter. Good morning Mr. Reigns. I wasnt naked in his bed. I knew enough about professionalism to know that during the day with the cook standing not three feet away now, he was no longer Alex. Good morning! Gregorys voice boomed as he stepped out of the walk-in freezer. Are you hungry Victoria? I was about to make Mr. Reigns some of my magic waffles before he leaves for his trip. His trip? He was leaving? Why did I care? Oh, Vicki! Pull it together! No thank you, Gregory. I should get to work. Aw,e on Vicki, I hate to eat alone. My room is pretty decent today. Alex was still grinning at me and his tone was teasing. It wasnt unusual for him to invite any of the staff to eat with him. It was well known around the house that he did hate to eat alone. Okay sir, thank you, I said. I noticed that today, he didnt seem fazed at all by my use of sir. I wondered if that meant he no longer had any desire to kiss me. I wished that I felt the same. I had to keep reminding myself not to look at his lips. I sat down and Gregory brought me a cup of coffee. Alex continued to work on his project as I tried to nonchntly study his profile. He was so gorgeous that it should be illegal. This morning he was clean-shaven and wearing a perfectly tailored dark gray suit and light blue tie. He looked good enough to have for breakfast. When he seemingly finished what he was doing, he looked at me and said, So how was your weekend, Vicki? I nced over at Gregory. He was running the blender and oblivious to our conversation. Not that we were saying anything wrong, I was just still feeling a little anxious about it all. It was rxing, I told him. The truth was, I tried hard to rx but I hadnt been able to. Id driven myself crazy over it all weekend. The good news was, that I did a deep clean of the apartment and everything was squeaky clean now. Good, he said. I worked all weekend. Im going on a trip to Texas today. Ill be gone for at least two weeks, maybe three. I hated that my chest hurt when he said that. What was wrong with me? We had sex, Vicki! Were both adults. Get over it! Texas? That sounds fun. Heughed. Not really, he said. It will be lucrative though. Mypany won a contract to design arge public garden there. Im going to go down and get them started. The whole job is likely to take a few months, but my part should hopefully only be a couple of weeks. Gregory served our breakfast then and while we ate, Manny came in and Alex invited him to join us. I was both happy and confused. I was happy I still had a job and that Manny was doing the job now of keeping the conversation going. I was confused that Alex hadnt alluded at all to our time together on Friday, or why hed just left Saturday morning with no word. I wasnt sure if that was good or bad, but I tried to make myself believe that since I still had a job, it was the best possible oue. After breakfast, I wished him a good trip and went to work. As I cleaned his room, I tried not to imagine myself someday sleeping in his arms in the giant California King bed. I tried I didnt quite seed. By the days end, Id decided that him leaving for a couple of weeks would be good for me. It would give me time to get back on track without having to see his gorgeous face every day. The other good news was that all of my confusion and angst over Alex had kept my mind off of Jason. Alex was gone for almost a month and by the time he returned I had myselfpletely pulled together. On top of that, Id not only epted Jasons break as a good idea; I was thriving on it. I realized that without the pressures of a boyfriend who could be demanding at times, I got a lot more rest and I got a lot more done. I had started my online sses. I was taking medical terminology and nutrition online. Those were thest two sses I would need to qualify for the program. I hoped to have enough saved up by the next semester to apply. I ran into Alex asionally and our conversation had always been light and easy. I still wondered sometimes why he never mentioned that day but Liz, always the voice of reason, had convinced me that he probably realized what risky territory he had dived into. I could have cried sexual harassment. I guess that I dont think like a rich person or a litigious one. He has to guard his assets because there are always vultures circling. Im not a vulture, but after the ordeal, he was going through with his soon-to-be ex-wife, who could me him for being cautious? It was Saturday and I got up early because I had a nutrition quiz due by noon. I also woke up because of some amazing smells wafting from the kitchen, down the hallway, and underneath my door. Liz was cooking. Shed told me not long ago that one way she dealt with her now five months of celibacy was by cooking. She used to be overweight because back then, she dealt with things by eating. She found out that she could deal with it just as easily by cooking yummy foods and just sampling as she cooked instead of eating a full meal. I think I was suffering the most for it. Id already gained three pounds this month. Good morning. That smells amazing, I told her, padding out in my robe and slippers. What are you making? I have the works, she said. French toast, bacon, sausage, fresh fruit, and fresh squeezed orange juice. Youre amazing. Youre my favorite roommate. I know, she said. Grab some juice and have a seat, Ill fill you up. I got my juice and sat down. Within minutes, my te was filled with beautiful, fattening food. I picked up the maple syrup and began pouring it onto my French toast. I love maple syrup, I usually overdo it. Thats why I was surprised that as soon as the sweet, syrupy fragrance hit my nostrils, my stomach lurched. Not Feeling So Good I put the syrup down, pushed back from the table, and all but ran into the bathroom. I dropped to my knees in front of the toilet and began to heave. I was shaking and I could feel sweat beading up on my forehead and running slowly down the side of my face. I emptied my stomach and reached up to flush the toilet before almost copsing back against the cab behind me. I was light-headed and I could see gray spots in front of my eyes. Id never passed out before, so I wasnt sure, but it felt like I was about to. I leaned forward and put my head between my knees while I let it pass. In the meantime, I heard Liz knock on the door. Hey, Vicki! Are you alright? What happened? I didnt answer her right away so she pushed open the door. When she saw me on the floor she sucked in a sharp breath and said, Oh my goodness, honey, whats wrong? Youre so pale! Im not feeling so good, I told her. Here, lets get you up and back to bed, she said. She helped me to my feet and I stood in front of the sink and brushed my teeth and rinsed out my mouth. Then I mistakenly took a drink of water. As soon as it hit my stomach, I was hanging my head over the toilet again. Jeez, honey. You have something bad. Have you been around anyone with the stomach flu? Not that I know of, I told her, starting the teeth brushing process over. What did you eatst night? Just the pasta sd. The same as you. Hmm, at least its probably not food poisoning. I had that once after eating some bad salmon. That was the worst. It was even worse because my periods were spotty back then and I thought I was pregnant. I saw the question in her eyes before she asked it. I was trying to do the math in my head. When was myst menstrual cycle? Oh damn! Im not pregnant, I said, too quickly. Did you and Jason use protection? Not condoms, but I was on the pill. We both got tested regrly for STDs. Jason hated condoms. Did you remember to take them every day? Yes, Liz. Im not pregnant. Its the flu. She seemed to ept that and said, Okay honey, lets get you to bed. Iy in bed, grateful once again for Liz who brought me some saltine crackers and a seven-up, and then after putting a bucket by the bed just in case, she left me alone with my smelly misery. I nibbled on the crackers and after a while, my stomach began to settle down. I only took sips of the seven-up, although I wasnt nauseated any longer, I was still cautious of putting too much into my stomach. I seriously despised throwing up. By noon I felt better and I got up and took a shower. While I was standing under the soft spray, my mind went back to Lizs questions about the birth control had I remembered to take them every day? There was one week, right before Jason and I started our break where Id messed up somehow and forgotten to take one. But Id doubled up the next day and the gynecologist had told me once before that was safe. I couldnt be pregnant. I hadnt had my period in almost two months, but that wasnt unusual either. My cycles were fickle and some months, if I was stressed out, I wouldnt have one at all. I couldnt be pregnant. I didnt have the money to be a mother or the time. Babies are expensive and daycare is even more expensive. What would I do about work? I thought back to when I was a kid and my mother worked at that strip club just outside of Seal Beach. I hadnt told Alex the day he and I talked about it, but that was why I spent so much time there. She would drop me off at the pier before she went to work from the time I was ten until I got to about fourteen. When the sun went down, there was a little room in the back where I would watch television until she got off at two. I was never allowed in the club area, but I heard a lot of shop-talk going on between the strippers since their dressing room was only separated from the room I was in by a curtain. Over the years a few of the other women brought their kids too and we formed a little club and called ourselves, Seal Rats. It was corny, but none of us had much at that point. I love my mother and the older I get, the more I am beginning to realize and believe that she did do her best. But I always promised myself that I wouldnt have a kid until my best meant a nice home in a good neighborhood with plenty of food in the pantry and a mom who was either home or could afford excellent childcare for when she was at work. Of course, there was always a father in there when I imagined it too. It wasnt fair to give any less to a child. I didnt want to bring a child into this world and cheat them out of what they deserved. I wasnt pregnant, that was all there was to it. I spent the rest of that Sunday in my room. I watched a few movies and slept off and on. I considered going and getting a pregnancy test but that would be a waste of money. Im not pregnant.ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org . Monday morning I woke up feeling good, even more, convinced that I had been silly for even considering I might be pregnant. I got ready for work and realized that we were out of coffee, so I left a little early to go through the drive-thru and get one on my way to work. I went to my favorite little hole-in-the-wall shop down by the beach. They opened the drive-thru early for themuters and surfers and I loved their coffee. I told the girl what I wanted over the speaker and then I drove up to the window. As soon as she opened it and the smells of the freshly baked pastries wafted out, I knew I was in trouble. I began to lurch and gag handed her a twenty and told her to keep the change, and then drove around to the small parking lot. I got out of the car and realized the sickeningly sweet smells were out here too, along with the smell of the salty ocean. It all cumted in me holding onto the front of the car and emptying my stomach into the bushes. It was mostly liquid and a lot of it was bile. I felt disgusting afterward and almost called in sick. I looked at the time and decided I had time to run by the 24-hour pharmacy and get a toothbrush and paste. I could use the bathroom there. I really couldnt afford to miss a day of work. I bought the brush and paste and went into the little bathroom. I brushed my teeth and as if incapable of learning my lesson, I took a drink of water and I was back on my knees and heaving again in no time. When I finished and cleaned up again, I took a long look at myself in the mirror. You have to take a pregnancy test, I told the image in the mirror. Fine! she said back. But were not pregnant. I bought one on my way out. I didnt have time to do it now. I was already runningte for work. I got to work five minuteste and of course, ran into Karen in the locker area. My luck had just been greattely. Good morning, Victoria, she said, ncing at the clock. Good morning, Karen. Im so sorry for beingte. The traffic was bad today. I stuffed my big purse with the test in it in the locker and closed it. I turned and she was smiling at me. Please, Victoria. If all of the staff were as conscientious as you, my job would be a breeze. I think all the time you get here early and stay overte can make up for five minutes. Thank you, I said, smiling back. Are you okay though, hon? You look a little peaked today. Im fine, I told her. I was a touch under the weather over the weekend, but much better today. I was still fighting the waves of nausea that hit every five minutes or so but I wasnt going to tell her that. Okay, well you have a good day. But Vicki if you start feeling poorly again, let me know, alright? I’m Pregnant I will Karen, thank you. I went through the kitchen and said good morning to Gregory and while I was talking to him, I saw Karene out. Oh darn, I forgot to get some towels for my cart. I went back in and got the towels and the test out of my purse. I put it under the towels and made my way back through the kitchen and into the storage area to get my cart. When I got upstairs, Alex was just emerging from his suite. He again looked incredible. He smiled at me and the dimples creased and my heart raced, as usual. Good morning, Vicki. How are you today? Im good. How are you, sir? Rushed, as usual, he said, still smiling. It would be nice to have a minute to breathe. You should take one sir, before your life passes you by, I said. It was something Id say to anyone, but not something Id normally say to my employer. He didnt seem offended though. Instead, he had a kind of wistful expression on his face. Ill keep that in mind, Vicki. You have a great day. You too, sir. I turned back to my cart and busied myself until I heard the elevator doors close. Once he was gone, I fished the test out from between the towels and took it into his bathroom. Id never used a bathroom in the house besides the staff one before, but I couldnt risk getting caught. I closed the door, quickly read the instructions on the test and did the deed. It was one of those instant ones, but I couldnt bring myself to look at it right away. I sat it on a tissue on the counter and wiped and flushed and washed my hands before I looked. Dear God, it was positive. Oh damn! What the hell was I going to do now? I wrapped the evidence all up in a towel and just as I opened the bathroom door, I heard the elevator open. Damn! I sat the towel back down on the counter and turned to pretend I was cleaning the sink. Alex walked back in the room. Hi, I said. Did you forget something? My phone, he said, sounding frustrated. There it is. He scooped it up off the dresser and then looked around the room. You know Vicki; it looks pretty good in here. Can I ask you to change your routine a bit and do me a favor today? My insides were shaking. I was pregnant most likely with this mans baby. Sure, I said, hoping my voice didnt sound shaky as well. What do you need, sir? Im having some friends over this weekend and Id really like to entertain out by the pool. Could you clean the pool house really well for me and make sure there are fresh linens out there and soap, that sort of thing? Stock the refrigerator with water also. Of course, Ill do that right away. Thank you so much. Have a good day. You too, sir. I followed him out of the room and rode down in the elevator with him. I was halfway finished cleaning the pool house when I remembered the test. Damn! Id left it wrapped in the towel on his bathroom counter. I felt sick again. Oh God, I had to get that before he came back or someone else found it. I was about to leave the pool house and go do that when I saw Karen headed out towards me. Hey Victoria, I have to take off early today. When you finish out here can you make sure the nts are watered in the sunrooms? Of course, I told her. Thank you. How are you feeling? Im as good as new, I lied. I still wanted to throw up. It wasnt the morning sickness any longer; it was the stress of the situation. Great! Ill see you tomorrow then. I watched her go and then I headed for the house. As I got close to the kitchen door I heard Gregory talking to someone. I was horrified when I stepped inside and saw that it was Alex. Just lie t on your back sir and make sure the room ispletely dark. Its the best way to get rid of a migraine, Gregory said. Thanks, Gregory. Ill try anything at this point. I realized that Alex must have one of his migraines; at least every other month or so he got one that would keep him down for the entire day. I felt bad for him, but I felt worse for myself. He was going to lie down in his room and I wouldnt be able to get the test out of there. I watched him get on the elevator with the sick feeling in my stomach bing more intense by the second. My head was spinning and I suddenly thought that I was going to either throw up or pass out right then and there. Victoria, are you okay? I looked up and realized Gregory was looking at me. I nodded. Just a little under the weather, I said. Ill be fine. I went back to the pool house and finished my job there. Then I watered the nts in both sunrooms before I took a chance and rode the elevator up to the master suite. The door was closed and there was no light at alling from under the door. Alex was asleep and I briefly wondered if Id be able to sneak inside and get into the bathroom, get the test and sneak out before he woke up. I let myself imagine the worst case scenario. He would wake up and find me in his bedroom while he was sleeping and hed think because wed had sex already I was a creepy stalker. Id be fired and would be humiliated to boot. Not a fun scenario at all. I imagined leaving the test where it was. Alex would find it, ask about it and I would tell him that yes, my boyfriend and I are having a baby and apologize profusely for leaving it there, exining that my mind was a little foggy in the mornings because of the hormones. I finally left for the day with scenario number two as the winner. Maybe Id get lucky and hed sleep through the night and not find it at all just maybe. When I got home Liz was in the living room, painting her toenails. I sat down next to her on the couch and just blurted it out, Im pregnant. She stopped, put the polish down, and held her arms open. I fell into them and with my head, on her shoulder, I cried. I dont know how long we sat there like that, but when I finally pulled myself together I pulled myself up and said, Im sorry. She smiled. Im sorry for you, honey. I know youre not ready for this. What are you going to do? Im not sure, Liz. I know for sure I could never have an abortion, so I suppose Im having a baby, but beyond that, I just dont know. Dont get mad I wont. Ive already considered that it could be Alexs baby. I wont know for sure until I go to the doctor and find out how far along I am. God Liz, Im such a mess.Original content from N?velDrama.Org. She put an arm around me and said, You are not. Lots of pregnancies are mistakes. Mistakes happen and sometimes beautiful things are born from them. If you keep the baby, I do not doubt that youll be an incredible mother. If you decide to put it up for adoption, Ill be here with you for it all, okay? I nodded. Youre a great friend. Can I ask you something? Of course. Do you think Alex will think I did this to trap him? You know, to get his money I mean, if the baby turns out to be his. Without really knowing him, I just couldnt say. But I will say that rich people think differently about things than we do, so its possible. Maybe I should just tell Jason its his and leave Alex out of it. Is that a better option though? Have you even talked to Jason? No, not since the text that day. But, I wouldnt be asking him for anything I wouldnt ask either of them for anything. It would just be lessplicated if everyone thought the baby was Jasons. Probably, but tell me something Whats that? How strong are your feelings for Alex? I thought about trying to lie to her, but it never worked. She knew me too well, so there was no point. Theyre there, I told her. And theyre strong. So maybe he feels the same and hell be thrilled about the baby. Im the maid, Liz. So what? You have to stop putting yourself down. Youre an amazing person. Youre beautiful and smart and funny I count myself very lucky to be your friend. Information I wish you were the father, I told her. Weughed and I cried again. Finally, I fell asleep on the couch and when I woke up a few hourster, Liz had covered me up with the afghan and left me a note telling me shed gone out with some girls from work. She was such a worry-wart that at the bottom of the note it said, Do Not Hesitate To Call If You Need Me! She is a good friend. I got up and went in to do my nightly ritual of face washing and moisturizing etc. The whole time, I kept wondering if I should call Jason and at least feel him out about the baby. As I said, I wasnt expecting us to get back together and I wasnt going to ask him for anything, but I had this silly idea that if I told him, hed be so happy that hed want to be a part of it and then I wouldnt have to think about giving him or her away to strangers. Id known I was pregnant for less than twenty-four hours and that thought already made my heart ache. That maternal instinct thing is strong. I went out to the living room and picked up my phone. I quickly rang Jason before I changed my mind. He answered on the first ring. That was a good sign, he wasnt screening me out. Hi, Vicki! I was just thinking about you. Really? Yeah, Ive been meaning to call and see how youre doing with all of this. Work has just kind of been a nightmare. You know how that goes. More so than hell ever know. Yeah, how are you otherwise? Im doing okay otherwise. What about you? Im hanging in there Youre not mad at me? I was at first, I said. Mostly I was hurt. I would like to believe that I deserved a little more than a text message break-up, you know? It wasnt a breakup. I just thought we both needed some time. Time for what exactly, Jason? Time to decide if us being together for the long run is what we both want. I know too many people who get married and a year or twoter theyre divorced. I dont want to go through that, Vicki, and I dont want you to have to go through that either. So what have you decided? I asked him. I was stalling. Maybe telling him wasnt such a good idea after all. Hes such a selfish jerk sometimes; I did have to wonder what kind of father he would make. I love you, Vick. I always will. I hope you know that. He said that so sweetly that despite myself it made me feel warm inside. I started to say it back out of habit if for no other reason, but I didnt. Instead, I said, But not enough that you wanted to be with me? Its not always just about love babe. I dont know how to exin it. You do everything right. Youre perfect. I just wasnt happy. That was a fair, honest answer. It might hurt, but he cant help how he feels. Thank you for exining it to me, Jason. It helps a little bit. I called you for something else and got sidetracked into that. So whats up? he asked. Um, this is weird and hard Im pregnant, Jason. There was a long, awkward silence. I could hear him breathing, but nothing else. Finally, just as I was about to forget the whole thing and hang up he said, Oh wow, yeah, that is weird I um I thought you were on the pill I was. I am. Nothing is a hundred percent though and Ive been sick in the mornings so I took a test. A test like from the pharmacy, over the counter, that kind? Yeah, I bought it this morning Those tests arent always urate I hear. A buddy of mine had a girlfriend who took three one time and they all came back positive. She went to the doctor and she wasnt pregnant. Oh, yeah? I was nning on making an appointment; I just havent had time yet. Okay, so let me know how that goes. Take care, Vicki. I was left staring at the phone. Was he serious? Let me know how it goes. I put the phone down andy back down on my bed staring at the ceiling. Maybe it was what I deserved. After all, I wasnt even sure the baby was his. Ass or not, Jason was right. Before I made any big decisions, I should go to the doctor. I will call first thing in the morning to make an appointment. The next morning I awoke to the thought that this was a new day and I was going to face it as such. When I had my break I would call and schedule an appointment with my gynecologist. Until then, I was going to try and keep a positive outlook. Maybe I wasnt pregnant, and maybe if I was, things wouldnt turn out quite as bad as I pictured them. Im more capable than I give myself credit for, considering all Id already gone through in my life. If ites down to it and I had to deal with this all on my own, I can do that. I was sick again, but with the idea in mind that it was probably morning sickness, I pushed on and finished getting ready for work. I passed on my morning coffee, knowing Id probably have a headacheter, but I wanted nausea to be long gone before I got to work. I took a package of saltines and munched on them on my way. When I got to the gates of the mansion, my whole world blew apart. Normally there was one guard at the gate that greeted people and buzzed the main house if need be. Today there were three veryrge gentlemen. None of them were the friendly Gus who gave me a donut three times a week or Haskell who liked to tell me jokes and thetest baseball scores. I didnt recognize these guys, and none of them looked like they had a sense of humor. I pulled up and stopped and the biggest of the three motioned at me to roll down my window. I did, and as he approached me, I felt a wave of nausea just from the intensity of his re. I. D., he said, abruptly. I took out my I. D. and handed it to him. He looked hard at it and motioned the other two guys over. They both red at me and it. What was going on? Finally, he handed it back to me and said, Miss Hart you are no longer employed by Mr. Reigns. You arent to report here again or go near any of Mr. Reigns properties. If you have any personal property inside the mansion, it will be sent to yourst known address. Do not contact Mr. Reigns by phone or electronically, nor by mail of any kind. If you have anything you would like to say to him, you can say it through his attorneys who will be contacting you. I dont understand. What do you mean that Im no longer employed? Im fired? He fired me and hired some ape to tell me that? I was livid and I wasnt thinking that here I was addressing said ape in this fashion. I wanted to jump out of the car and run up to that stupid giant house and pound on the door. I wanted to demand that at least one man in my life should have the balls to tell me something to my face for a change! I was so sick of men turning their backs on me. First my father, then Jason, and now Alex. Did I have a stamp on my forehead that said, Please dont waste your time treating me decently, Im not worth it!? Yes Miss, youre fired. Your final paycheck will be mailed to yourst known address.This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. Stop saying that! Why are you saying Yourst known address? It is my address. Im not a terrorist for crying out loud. You need to go now Miss or youll be escorted back to the main road. Escorted? You would be very sorry if you put your hands on me in any way! I wont, he said, still stone-faced. But the police are standing by. The police? What did they think I did? Was something missing? Do they think I stole something? Oh God, Im going to be sick! I put the car into reverse and nearly drove right over big and uglys foot before he jumped back out of the way. I went backward to the main road and then when I got there, I had to put it in the park, get out and vomit on the side of the road. As I was standing there, heaving my guts out, I caught sight of them watching me. Dear God, what was going on? “She Flipped You Off” Losing my job was one thing, but being considered some kind of criminal was entirely another. I wiped my mouth on the sleeve of my ugly uniform. It didnt matter; I wasnt going to need it any longer apparently. Before I got back in the car, I threw a gesture at the big and ugly gate. His expression still didnt change, but it made me feel a little better nheless. ALEXANDERs POV I stood in my bedroom and watched what was going on down at the gates on the security monitors. I could see the stricken look on Vickis face and God help me all I wanted to do was call down there and tell her there had been a terrible mistake and they should let her through. I didnt though. Like a coward, I watched a stranger tell her that she was not only fired, but banned from the estate. Then I watched her drive backward and somewhat recklessly back to the main road. I took out a pair of binocrs that I used for horse racing and went over to the window. She stopped at the road and got out of the car. She barely made it to the front of the car before she started throwing up. I felt like a weight was sitting on my chest all of a sudden and I could hardly breathe. I did pick up the phone then and I called down to the gates. Yes sir? Michael, shes sick. Go help her.Original content from N?velDrama.Org. She just flipped me off and got back into the car, sir. Iughed. She flipped you off? Yes sir. Iughed again. Sorry about that. Ive been flipped off before sir. Ill bet that he had. Michael was my most humorless, almost robotic employee. The attorneys had purposely handpicked him for this sort of thing. Okay then. Thanks. I hung up and stood looking around the massive suite I now stood in, alone. I was always alone. I went into the bathroom and looked at that stick that was now wrapped in a Ziploc baggie. Thewyers wanted it, but I told them Id thrown it away. Anyone who knew that Id kept it might think I was being ridiculous. The fact was that when Id first discovered it, I was thrilled. Ive always wanted a family a big one. Cassandra told me that she did too at first. Two years into our marriage I discovered she was using birth control. We had a big fight and she told me that she wasnt going to ruin her perfect body by having a bunch of brats. Her perfect body was perfect because I bought and paid for it. Shed asked me when she was twenty-five, a year after we were married if she could get her breasts erged. I didnt see any harm in it and I said yes to make her happy. She got addicted after that and I lost count of the procedures shed had. After a while it was like touching a Barbie doll she was stic. I thought about the day Vicki and I made love in the basement. She was so warm and so real and I just couldnt get enough of her. I had to force myself to get out of bed at five a. m. that morning and go for a run to keep from attacking her again. Just the smell of her hair was intoxicating. When I got back, she was gone. Id been disappointed and hurt that she hadnt at the very least left me a note, or anything. When she came in on Monday and I looked into those gorgeous green eyes, I saw anxiety there,ced with the same warmth as before. I realized she was probably embarrassed, although God knew there was no reason for her to be. That day was the first day in a very long time that Id felt needed and loved. I wanted it tost forever. I had decided that it wasnt fair to start something with her while the divorce was still hanging over my head but I intended to, as soon as Cassandra was finally out of my life. Then yesterday, I walked into my bathroom intending to get a warm rag to put on my forehead to try and stave off the horrible migraine that was setting in. What I found was a pregnancy test a positive one. I held the little baggie up to the mirror now and looked at the plus sign. I wondered what was going through her mind when she saw it. Id panicked when I first found it. I started to call Vicki, knowing it had to be hers. The only other staff at the time was Karen who is fifty-five, Gregory, and Manny. I had the phone in my hand and I was primed to push her number when thoughts of Cassandra crept back into my head. The day shed left me, Id gone to the hotel where she was staying to confront her. When she opened the door to her suite shed said, Im noting back, Alexander. I hate it there. I hate that house and I hate you. Although I think Id fallen out of love with her years ago, her words still felt like someone was stabbing me in the chest with a knife. I bought that house for you, Cassandra. You let me buy it with the idea in my head that we would have children to fill it soon. I never put that idea in your head. That was all you. We should have a modern house in the hills where we can throw fabulous parties. Instead, we live in a stuffy old house that looks almost identical to the stuffy old house your parents live in. Ive tried to bring life back into it, but theres no point. Its like living in a museum. If you would have told me that, I would have sold it for you. But youre also saying you hate me. Why? What did I do? Nothing, Alexander. Thats the problem; you do nothing anymore except go to work. One of us has to, Id told her. You have more money than God. Give it a rest and take me on vacation. Have a party. Go to a club. Hell, have an affair! Anything to put some life back into you. Youre a thirty-year-old man and you act like youre fifty. She had a lot more to say that day and I listened. When I left, I called up a few friends that I hadnt seen in a while and that night I had my first party in the basement. The next morning when I woke up next to some model that was as stic as Cassandra, I realized that I wasnt any happier, but maybe at least people wouldnt think I was old and stuffy. So, I kept up with the parties and the women. I thought maybe one of them would turn out to be different and I could finally meet someone who would love me for me and not the fact that I had billions of dors in the bank. That didnt happen either. They were all more than willing to do whatever I wanted them to do and they all had one end goal in mind; bag the billionaire. I was cautious and made sure I used protection when I had sex with them. I let them get drunker than me and then after wed had wild sex, I poured them into a car and had them taken home. I never let them see my house beyond the basement and I never shared anything personal with them. Then I found Vicki crying in my hallway that day and my mindset changed. I was pissed off at Cassandra that day and when I first saw her I thought, Oh great, another needy woman. I almost left her there and walked on by. But when her eyes met mine and I saw the genuine pain in them the first genuine feelings I think Id seen from any woman in such a long time, I couldnt resist. I thought Id take her downstairs and wed have a drink or two and I could get my mind off of Cassandra and her nonsense. Once we were down there and we started talking, I was hooked. I had always thought she was beautiful, but I wasnt going to cheat on my wife and I wasnt going toe on to the staff. But that day it was different. Cheating on my wife was removed from the equation and suddenly Vicki was more to me than just staff. She was a vibrant, emotional, intelligent, funny, gorgeous woman and I would have had to be dead to not be affected by her. That day and night were the best of my life so far and every time I think about it now, I still get a warm feeling that floods my entire system. I still want her and every time Ive seen her since Ive ached for her. Too Soft When I told my attorney about the pregnancy test and he asked me how the affair happened I told him it was all me. I came on to her. I saw the surprise on her face that day. I saw that she wanted me too, but she was scared. I was the aggressor. I took advantage of her and if she had sued me for sexual harassment, I wouldnt have been surprised. But she didnt and she didnt say another word about it. She was willing to leave it be and let me make the next move if there were to be one. I told him all of that, and his conclusion for her leaving the test for me to find it was ckmail. He said she was ckmailing me and she wanted me to offer her money to give up the baby hed said, abort. That word made me sick and I told him not to use it again. If she consented to give up the baby, it would be only to me. I would make sure of that. Im a smart man, some say a brilliant businessman, but I am not well known for my social skills or my ability to maintain rtionships. I give away too much of my money to charity and just to anyone who I think needs it, at least I used to. My father hired Noel to oversee my legal affairs before he and my mother retired to Tuscany. He said I was too soft and that anything that even smelled like a legal issue should be handled by Noel. So, when I found the test, I called him, and now here we are. I want Vicki. I want the baby. I want a family. Noel says I cant have that and keep my money. The truth is, if I knew for sure that he was wrong and that Vicki wasnt doing any of this for money, Id dly give it all away and take her and the baby instead. I can make more money. I doubt that Ill ever meet another woman that makes me feel the way that she does. VICTORIAs POV I had to stop two more times before I got home from the mansion to throw up. My head was pounding and I felt like my heart had just exploded in my chest. I couldnt believe this. If there wasnt something missing from the house and they suspected me, then the only other reason for this would be that Alex found the pregnancy test. But to have me fired over it, and not even speak to me himself was I that wrong about him? Id seen him as a man ofpassion, kindness, and honesty. Could I have misjudged him that badly? As I had these thoughts, I pulled into the lot in front of my apartmentplex. I parked in my usual spot and made my way around towards the door and thats when I saw them. There was arge, ck car and more men in dark suits. They were parked directly outside of my door. What the hell? Excuse me, you cant park here, I said. Victoria Hart? a small, balding man with sses and a suit that was too big asked me. Yes. Im Noel Parker. Im Mr. Reigns attorney of note and Id like toe in and speak with you. What about? I asked. How dare Alex send first a security officer and now awyer to speak with me? How dare the coward note speak to me himself? Id rather not do this in a parking lot. I dont care what you would rather do. Id rather not have you in my apartment and you can tell your cowardly boss that if he wants to talk to me, he can do it himself. I started to walk away. Miss Hart, Mr. Reigns is not going toe and see you himself if thats what youre holding out for. Im prepared to offer you a settlement I turned on the little man and got into his face. Through gritted teeth, I said, A settlement? Youre talking about money? Is nothing sacred that you people think even life can be bought? You tell your boss he makes me sick and hes a bigger coward than Jason. I dont want his money and I will not be forced to do something against my principles because its what he thinks is best. I turned and started in again. Miss Hart. I almost didnt turn back around, but there was some small, pathetic part of me that wanted to believe Alex was in the back of that car and about to step out and tell me this had all been a big mistake and he wasnt trying to pay me to get rid of our baby. The baby that I wasnt even sure I had yet since I hadnt had a chance to even call the doctor thanks to this circus. What! Youve been served, some younger man in a suit said, holding out a man envelope. I looked at it like it was a snake about to bite me. I dont want that, I said. I served you, Miss. You can take them or leave them here on the sidewalk. Either way, the court process will go on the same, with or without you. The court process? What the hell? I grabbed the envelope and then as quickly as I could, I unlocked the door and went inside, mming them out. I threw the envelope down on the coffee table and dropped to my knees in the middle of the room and sobbed. Why was my life such a mess? Where had I gone so wrong? Id been working so hard, going to school and Id been faithful and loving to my boyfriend and I pay my bills and I abide byws why was this happening to me now? After about half an hour of feeling sorry for myself on the floor, I got to my feet and went into my room. I left the offending papers where theyy for now. I washed my face and changed into a pair of sweats and then I called the gynecologist. I made an appointment for the following morning for a pregnancy test. Then I made a cup of tea and finally, settled onto the couch once calmer, I ripped the envelope open. I pulled out what was inside, and in my hand was a pile of legal forms. I was being sued by Alexander Reigns for Breach of Contract-In my contract at work stated that I was not to engage in any type of personal rtionships with any members of the household. That use was meant for rtionships amongst the staff, or visitors that mighte to the house on asion. I suppose it was also meant for my employer. The words went on and on in legal jargon which in my brain tranted to mumbo jumbo. The gist of it was that if I were to agree to terminate the pregnancy, I would be paid the sum of one hundred thousand dors, and of course, Mr. Generous would pay for the abortion. Was he kidding? Who pays someone to terminate their pregnancy? I was suddenly sick again. I ran for the bathroom and emptied the contents of my stomach once more. Not that there was anything there but acid and bile at this point. I just sat there on the floor for a long time wondering what I had done to make Alexander believe I would be a disgusting enough human being to take his money in exchange for killing my baby. I was appalled. I was beyond appalled. I was sickened by it, and I was even more sickened by the fact that Id thought I had feelings for this man. I pulled myself up off the floor once more and went for my phone. I needed an attorney. I wasnt going to sit idly by while this man tried to pressure me into doing something I dont believe in and ckballs me across Los Angeles as well so that Im not even able to get another job. He was the one who took me to the basement. He was the one who poured me those drinks. He seduced me.Original content from N?velDrama.Org. He chose not to wear a condom and now he wants to erase it all including our child and pretend like it never happened. I wasnt going to allow that. It happened and the life growing inside of me was proof of that. I dont want his money, what I do want and I believe I deserve, is for him to look me in the eye and apologize for hiding behind it. I called the only person I knew that might be able to help me, Jason. No, that wasnt true. My mother could probably help me and when she heard who the father of the baby was, Im sure shed be more than willing. She would expect me to take him for every penny he had because that was the way my mother operated. I wasnt going there. Jasons best friend is an attorney. Terminate The best I can hope for is a discount since I was now unemployed. Hey, Vicki! Did you go to the doctor? That was how Jason answered the phone. Did anyone genuinely care about me at all? Not yet. Jason, I need an attorney. Do you think Paul might be willing to help me out you know with payments or something. An attorney? For what? Did you hit someones car? With a sigh, I said, No Jason. I got fired. For? Alexander Reigns found the pregnancy test I did at work yesterday. He thinks the baby is his. I heard a long pause and then, Is it? The day you broke up with me, I slept with him. Im not going to apologize, Jason. You left me devastated. I shouldnt have done it obviously, but I did, and here we are. Wow, so he thinks youre pregnant with his kid and he fired you? I sighed again. I only wanted an attorney. Yes. He served me with a restraining order and an offer for money if I terminate and a bunch of other stuff I dont understand. Thats why I need awyer. Wow, he said again. This conversation was going nowhere. Okay Jason, anyways Wait, Ill talk to Paul, Vicki. Of course, I will. Im sure hell be willing to help you. Ill call him right now. Then stay there, okay? Im going toe over and bring you lunch. It sounds like youve had a horrible day.. Lunch? Jason was worried that I had a horrible day. What the heck was this about? Yeah, okay. Will you just have Paul call me? Well get you an appointment with him first thing tomorrow, he said, confidently. Okay, thank you. But, I have an appointment with the doctor to have the pregnancy test at eight. Should I cancel that? No! No, dont cancel that babe. Thats important. If youre pregnant, you need to know now. I mean, so you can start taking vitamins or whatever to make sure the little guy is healthy. The little guy? Was this Jason I was talking to? Ill be there within the hour, okay babe? Okay, Jason. Thank you. Jason was on my doorstep within the hour with a box of Chinese take-out and a bottle of sparkling cider. Wow, um, this is nice, I told him. I was slightly suspicious of his intentions, but I did need someone in my corner today. As I said on the phone, Vick, youve had a horrible day. I want to make it better. I let him in and he put the food and the cider down on the table. Then he shocked me by turning around and taking me into his arms. He pulled me into him so my head was against his shoulder and he said, I missed you, Vick. Really? I asked, taking a step back. Yeah. Of course, I missed you. You broke up with me and just yesterday you were telling me we werent good for each other. What changed? Nothing really, he said. I just heard your voice today and you sounded so distraught. It tugged at my heart and I realized how badly I wanted to be here for you. I didnt want you to be alone. I wanted to wrap you up in my arms and hold you and make it all better. I dont get it, I said. He kind ofughed and said, You dont get what, Vick? Youre not angry that I slept with Alexander and that Im not sure if the baby is yours or his? He pulled me into him again and said. Everything that happened between you and him was that one day, right? I nodded and he said, It was my fault. Thats why Im not mad, Vick. I pushed you into his arms. I doubt that the baby is mine since you and I werent doing so well for a few weeks before we took our break, remember? We hadnt been having sex. I thought about it then. He was right. If this was his baby, Id be close to three months along at least. I dont think I could be that far along and not be showing any other signs, could I? Jason, Im sorry that I got you involved in any of this. I just didnt know who else to call. Youve always been there for me He kissed me on the side of my head and shushed me. Dont apologize for calling me, babe. I will always be here for you and the little man, mine or not, okay? I wanted to ask who he was and what hed done with Jason. I couldnt believe he was being so easy-going about any of this. He stepped back and looked down at my face and I said, Thank you. I dont mean to seem ungrateful, Im just a little confused. I understand, he said. Lets get some food in you and then well take a look at those papers. You need to keep your strength up. I wasnt sure if I could eat, but I was willing to try. My poor stomach was bone dry. We sat down and ate and drank cider. I thought it was thoughtful of him to bring something without alcohol or caffeine. Maybe he did care just a little bit anyways. When we finished eating he helped me clean up which was also out of character and then he said, Okay babe, where are these papers? We went over to the couch and sat down, side by side with our knees touching. I hadnt thought much about Jasontely, not until I called him about the pregnancy. I thought Id lost all feelings for him, but it was nice today, him being here like this. I didnt know how badly I needed someone to lean on until he showed up I handed him the papers and he read through them. Jason was a physical therapist; not an attorney but he was a smart guy. After a few minutes, he said, Yep, basically what he wants is for you to agree to abortion and to never speak to anyone about this so a gag order to all parties involved. In exchange for that, he wants to pay you a hundred thousand dors. Its a bunch of crap. Im d someone else thinks so. Im not having an abortion. He kissed the side of my face again. It was nice. Of course not, babe. I know you dont believe in that. Had it turned out to be mine, I would have never asked you to do that. How did he suddenly know for sure it wasnt his? My hackles were back up just a bit. But hes not even just asking, hes pressuring almost ckmailing. He doesnt want to take any responsibility for this. He wants to hide behind his rich boy shield and let you take all the heat for a paltry hundred grand. Vicki, do you know what this guy is worth? A lot, I said. Yeah, babe but really, do you know how much? No.Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. Forbes magazine estimated his worth at two billionst year. I nearly spit out the cider I was drinking. Damn! How does a thirty-year-old man make that kind of money? For one thing, he started with money. But hes an astute businessman too. He started making investments when he was still in college, the article says. He owns a piece of every major electronicspany in the world. Every time someone turns on their cell phone orputer, he gets a check. Oh, wow. I knew he was rich, but I guess I just cant wrap my head around that kind of money. He owns houses in Europe and two more besides the one he lives in in the U. S. He has a private jet, a helicopter, seven luxury cars, a yacht Why are you telling me all of this, Jason? Because I want you to see how ridiculous it is that he is offering you a hundred grand. That would beparable to me handing you a dor and saying, Here, now go away. He not only wants out of this, but he also wants out of it cheaply. It makes me furious. Why? Because baby, youre worth so much more than that. How dare he insult you that way by insinuating that not only you, but your child is worth so little to him? Disgusting! I hadnt thought of it like that. I suppose Jason was right and that was exactly what he was suggesting. I didnt know what to do about it. I didnt want anything from him, but I suppose the hundred grand would at least help me get started. So you think I shouldnt take it, or I should? I wasnt quite sure. Jason was talking about all his money and saying he should pay but thought the amount was too small. Was he suggesting I ask for more? No, you should not take it. You should go to every tabloid and newspaper in this city with these papers and let them publish this. Let them show the world what a cheap, uncaring bastard Alexander Reigns is. Vicki Laments I dont want to do that, Jason. Then my name will be dragged through the mud too. I want to finish school and get a job and set up a practice, that would hurt me before I got started. He put his arm around me and pulled me in for another hug. Then he said, Youre right, babe. Im so angry with him, I wasnt thinking. But you know what we can do? What? We can have Paul file a countersuit. You go to the doctor and get this pregnancy verified and then well file a countersuit asking for all your medical expenses to be paid for, a nice house for you and the baby to live in, and enough cash to finish school and start your business and enough to ease the pain and suffering that hes put you through today. This number should be in the millions at least. I sat up and looked at him. Millions? Are you crazy? Do you know what it takes to raise a child, Vicki? There have been studies done on middle-ss American families that say it takes two hundred thousand dors to just get a kid from diapers to college. Thats with no fancy clothes and no private schools and no vacations and ski lessons. Dont you want your child to have all of that? Well, I hadnt thought that far ahead. But you do want him to have the best, right? Yes, of course, I do. Then millions is what its going to take. Look, Vicki, this is not about me at all, its your decision and your life and your baby. I just want to help you. I was suspicious, but I had to take what he said into consideration. Jason and I werent together, so what would he be getting out of this? Could it be that he was this concerned about my child and me? The more he talked the angrier I got at Alex, thats for sure. It still wasnt about the money, but as I listened to Jason go over the papers I just couldnt help but wonder what kind of heartless bastard creates life and pays someone (not very well ording to Jason) to terminate it? I was so wrong about him and that thought brought tears to my eyes. Jason looked down at me and said, Dont cry beautiful, well fix this. Then he brought his lips down to mine and kissed me, softly. It was the sweetest kiss Jason ever gave me. His kisses were usually urgent and fueled by his need for sex. When he pulled back I said, Thank you, Jason. It means a lot to me that youre here. Im going to be here for you baby. Im going to help you through this. We can do this together. I called Liz earlier in the day and asked her if I coulde over. I had news that I wanted to share with her. It was good news for a change. I parked on the street since this wasnt my home any longer and walked up to the front door. Maybe I should say waddled. I hadnt gained that much weight, but my belly seemed to protrude a little further out every day. I was five months along now and showing. My bnce wasnt what it used to be and I know I had to look at least a little funny when I walked. It had been three months since I was served with papers by Alexander that said I had no rights to any of his money or anything in his estate. I really couldnt spend much time dwelling on it because it only served to make me angry all over again. I didnt want his money or his estate and I was appalled to believe he thought I did. It had been two months since I moved out of Lizs apartment and in with Jason. Hed offered to help me save money since I had no job and an army ofwyers to pay. He was being so sweet and supportive that I thought it was a good idea. It wasnt. Jason was still Jason and supportive or not, Id probably made a mistake. It had been a few weeks now since Id runpletely through my savings though, so moving out at the moment was not a real viable option. I was twenty-three, pregnant, unemployed in the middle of a court battle and Im pretty sure my boyfriend is cheating on me again.Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. I pressed the doorbell and a woman about my age with pretty brown hair and giant blue eyes opened the door. Vicki? Yeah, hi. You must be Gloria. Gloria was my recement. Lizs new roommate. I felt a pang of irrational jealousy in my chest every time I thought about it. Id left her high and dry. Of course, she needed another roommate to help her pay the bills. Come on in, Liz is expecting you but she just got home from a run so shes in the shower. You want some coffee or tea? No thanks, I said. Caffeine was not on my list of approved food items. I was doing my best to follow a strict, healthy diet. If nothing else good came out of this mess I was in, I at least wanted a healthy baby in the end. I almost didnt recognize you from the photos Liz has of the two of you. Your hair is different, I think. Ive been out of work for a while and with the babying Ive been trying to save money wherever I can, I said. I was embarrassed to admit it, but I wasnt going to lie. I knew that I didnt look my best. I had to have priorities though. I started ying kitchen beautician. Its awful. Oh no, its not! Gloria said, sincerely. Its cute. Youre gorgeous, so I doubt it would matter if you shaved it all. Great, she was nice too. Now I couldnt even hate her for taking my ce in my best friends heart. Thanks, I said with a smile. Hey! Is that my former roommate I hear? Liz wasing down the hallway. She stopped when she saw me and cocked an eyebrow. I knew exactly what she was looking at my hair. Stop it, I was just telling Gloria that I know its awful. Sheughed. Its not awful She tilted her head to the side to look at it from another angle. Iughed too. Liz was the only one who could insult me and make it fun. I took a little too much off the top. We can fix it, she said, confidently. Gloria, would you mind getting our customer set up in one of the kitchen chairs with a cup of juice or something disgustingly healthy? We have to take care of the bun in the oven too. Ill grab the supplies. Not at all, Gloria said with a grin, Right this way. Shaking my head and smiling, I followed the pretty brte into the kitchen. I took the seat she offered me and chose apple juice from her list of healthy drinks. She tied a towel around my neck and a few secondster Liz appeared with a small box in hand. Whats in the box? I asked her. Its better if you dont know, she said in a conspiratorial tone. Iughed again and said, What makes you think I trust you to do this? She looked at my hair with the eyebrow cocked again and said, At this point, honey I think youd trust my Uncle Bernie. I guess I couldnt argue with that. She went to work on me. She touched up my roots and had me rinse and blow dry before beginning the cut. While she was cutting, Gloria brought out her gel nail manicure set and went about doing my nails. So where is Jason today? Liz asked me while she worked. He had a thing at his friends house out in Santa Monica, I said. A thing? I dont know a barbecue or something. Why arent you with him? Um I just wasnt in the mood Dont lie to me, she said. I always know when youre lying. Im not lying. Your nose is a foot long, Pinhio. Iughed, and then sobering quickly I said, He is ufortable exining the baby. Liz sighed and rolled her eyes. Gloria looked up from my nails and started to say something, but changed her mind. You can say it, Liz said. Vicki knows how I feel about Jason. You may as well join me. Gloria smiled sadly and said, I was just going to say that Im sorry for you that he feels that way. Im sure you dont like being hidden away. I dont think of it like that, I said. Hes a professional and most of his friends are young up-anders. Theyre married with kids of their own. Here I am carrying my billionaire bosss illegitimate child. “Your Hair……. Is Interesting” Jason broke up with you and forced you into Alexanders arms. Then, Alexander didnt want any part of taking responsibility for his part in this. Youre the only one here stepping up and they both need a kick in the pants. Lizs face was red. She got passionate when she was defending someone she cared about. More than one boyfriend had also burned her over the years, so men were not high on her list at the moment. Im stepping up because no matter what part either of the two men yed in this, I yed mine as well. Im choosing to have this child, not to punish either of them, but doing that anyways in a way. Jasons been way more supportive than most men would be in this situation, I think. Liz snorted again and I saw Gloria bite back a smile. She stuffed whatever she had left to say on the subject. I was sure it was plenty and I loved her for caring so much. There, she said. Finished. You are so pretty, Victoria. And you know what else? What? Youre smart and funny and resourceful and you have a great heart. Neither of those jerks deserves you if you ask me. Okay, she didntpletely stuff it. Thank you, I said. She waved a hand in front of her face. Stop it, youre going to make me cry. Iughed, You started it. I know. Ill stop. Go look at yourself. I went into the bathroom and was shocked by what I saw. My hair is naturally a dark blonde. Id gone lighter over the years when I was able to afford to have it done. Liz had lightened my roots and put some gold highlights in them. Shed alsoyered it softly around my face to get rid of the bluntness that I had put into it when I tried to do it myself. It was all even and soft and pretty now. I loved it. Her face appeared in the mirror behind me and I smiled. I love it! Thank you. Liz hugged me and said, I love you, and remember that youll never have to put up with a man if you dont want to. This will always be your home. I will dly clean out my crafts room today if you want to move back in. Still smiling but with tears in my eyes I said, And youll listen to a baby screaming at three a. m. every night in a few months, or try and have a date while he eats mashed peas in his high chair? She nodded, All that and more, dly wait he? Youre having a he? I smiled, Thats the reason I stopped by, I said. I turned to the mirror and fluffed my hair and said, I didnt know I was going to get the beauty treatment too. I got the ultrasound yesterday. Its a boy. Liz grabbed me and we hugged again. Yay! Im so happy, Vicki. I know things are hard right now, but Im so proud of you for following your heart. Just promise me that you wont raise him to be a man. Iughed again, Ill see what I can do, I told her. It was so nice that someone was happy. As it would turn out, Liz was the only one in my life who felt that way. I was so grateful for her. I was even more so about an hourter as I sat in the booth of a downtown diner across from my mother. Your hair is interesting, she said as I sat down. Hello to you too, mother. My mom is forty-six. She looks like shes twenty-five. She has the same blonde hair I do but she has hers professionally lightened and styled. She never misses an appointment, even when I was young and we were struggling financially. She said her looks were her only asset. She tried to make me believe the same thing but Ive resisted that notion so far. Id hate to think that all I was good for was to look at. My mother wasnt growing old graciously either. Everything about her had been lifted, tucked, or sculpted. The picture left is beautiful, but you dont want to peel the canvas back and see what is underneath. Dont be snippy! she said. You just look motherly with that haircut. Well I guess its good that Im about to be a mother then, I said. It will be, when you can get that cheap bastard of an ex-boss of yours to pay up. She was team Jason on that point although there was no love lost there either. Mom, are you not even a little bit happy that were having an addition to the family? I asked her. I knew she wouldnt be happy about a baby. She wasnt the grandmotherly type or the motherly one. She frowned and said, Youre broke and unmarried. Im too young to be anyones grandmother. What is there really to be happy about, Vicki? Ill be happy if that bastard pays you what he owes you unlike your father who got away Scott free. She was hopeless. My father and the men she danced for and now served had ruined her outlook on family and love a long time ago. We ordered our lunches and when I asked for the club with avocado on sour dough she frowned again. At least Im assuming the face she kept making was frowning. Shed had so much Botox that it was hard to tell. Whats wrong now, mother? I asked. Im just hoping you know that weights not going to drop off by itself when you have that kid. I was out of work for six months after I had you just trying to get my figure back. I rolled my eyes. Ive gained ten pounds mom and Im more than halfway through my pregnancy. Besides, Im not a pole dancer. Ten pounds can make all the difference, she said, taking a sip of her lemon water. With a sigh I almost asked her, What difference? but I didnt. I knew it would have something to do with me catching a man who could support me. She was an independent businesswoman albeit the owner of a strip club. She should understand that all women do not want to be taken care of. No matter how good she looked or how hard she tried, shed never achieved it even at almost fifty. I simply said, Thanks mom, Ill keep it in mind, as I did with so many other things. I have a client who is looking for a housekeeper if youre still looking for a job. That got my attention. I definitely needed a job. Id spent so much money on thiswsuit that I wasnt even certain that I wanted to pursue any longer that I was having trouble paying my own bills. It was one thing I had to be grateful to Jason for at least I had a roof over my head and food in my belly. Id feel so much better though if I were contributing to that. Plus, mywyer wasnt going to take my I. O. U. much longer. But this was one of mothers clients. I was a little concerned about that. Someone you know well? I asked her. She shrugged and said, We had a brief affair a few years ago but then his wife found out Yeah, thanks Mom, but no thanks, I said. Id met a few of her clients over the years.Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. Id fought off advances from a few of them as well. Not upstanding citizens in the least. She just rolled her eyes at me. I found out that Im having a boy, I told her, trying to change the subject and hoping to get some kind of emotion out of her about the baby. Hmm, she said. The waitress had just brought our lunch and left. She had taken one bite of her sd. This sd dressing tastes like its loaded with calories. I dont think that porky waitress gave me the light stuff And that was how the rest of our meal together went. I left there with most of the happiness Id had when I left Lizs house gone. I left the diner and went to the one ce Id always felt good, Seal Beach, to the pier. I browsed through a few of the small shops, but mostly I just stood on the edge of the pier and looked out at the ocean. The sea was an unbroken, calm underneath the gentle sun. The small ripples of water thaty across it were sprinkled with millions of light fragments; each one tiny, but together they were intense and beautiful. I slipped out of my shoes and stood there like I did when I was a kid, with the feel of the rough wood underneath my bare feet and began to feel nostalgic. My life had never been much to be excited over but it had never seemed as lonely as it had since Alexander turned his back on me. It’s A Boy I know that we never had a real rtionship, but before that day we spent in the basement, I was able to look forward to at least one smile or one kind word from him almost every day. He was never anything but kind and respectful and I missed that. Jason wasnt mean or abusive, but I always get the feeling that hes never harbored much respect for me either. When we were together before any of this happened with the pregnancy he was always quicker to point out my ws than he was to say anything kind. Usually, he just said nothing at all and he touched me even less, thats what led me to believe maybe there was another woman in the picture. Maybe Im wrong either way; I was beginning to quickly recognize that moving back in with him had been a mistake. The sun was beginning to get low in the sky and I still had some things I needed to do before nightfall. I turned and began heading back down the pier towards the lot where I parked my car and in the distance I saw the shadow of a man who looked very familiar. He was strolling along slowly, dropping pieces of sourdough for the pigeons and seagulls and every so often stopping to look at something that had caught his eye out in the water. It was Alex. The direction he was facing put his eyes looking directly into the sun. I hoped that also kept him from being able to see me. As much as I wanted to see him, I was sure he wasnt interested in running into me. I put my head down and walked quickly on the far side of the pier, I passed him and continued to head for my car. I was almost to the end of the pier when I felt a strong hand on my shoulder. I knew it was his before I turned around. I stopped walking and took a deep breath in before turning around to face him. Alex was looking at me with those intensely sexy hazel eyes and his brown hair was blowing in the breeze. I watched as his eyes traveled down to the bulge in my belly and back up to my face. His expression didnt give away what he was thinking, but I would have given a million dors to find out what it was. He was dressed casually in a white cotton shirt that buttoned up the front and rippled across the muscles in his chest and arms in the wind. He had on blue jeans, which was unusual, but he wore them well. Hi, I said, not knowing where else to start.C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org. Hello, Vicki. I loved the way he said my name still. God, what is wrong with me? This man fired me. Hes suing me. Why does he still give me that warm, tingly feeling all over? I needed to not be here, with him standing here looking at me. It didnt help my thought processes at all. It only made me want to kiss him although I should be kicking him instead. I was just leaving Please dont go, he said. I felt a pain in my chest. Im not sure if it was fear or excitement. Either way, I was screwed because I knew that I wouldnt leave. Sit with me for a few minutes. Id like to talk to you. Damn it! Mywyer has strongly advised me against this. Im positive that his had too. The way that my stomach felt and the pounding in my chest were probably good reasons why. I was already willing to forgive and forget and hed barely said hello. Okay, just for a minute, I said. We walked silently to a wooden bench in the center of the pier that looked out over the ocean. It was another of my favorite spots when I was a kid. We sat down and he said, How are you feeling? Im doing well, I said. And the baby? Hes good, I told him, automatically putting a protective arm across him. He? he said. Its a boy? I nodded. I wondered if he was being polite or if he was really interested. When is he due? he asked. He seemed genuinely interested. In August, I said. I heard him sigh heavily and I chanced a nce at his face. He looked sad and I was suddenly ovee with the need to tell him everything that mywyer told me not to discuss. Alex? He looked at me. God, it was hard to think when those eyes were on my face. I swallowed the lump that had built up in my throat and I said, I didnt leave that pregnancy test there for you to find. He wrinkled his brow and stared at me for the longest time before he said, Why did you leave it? Taking a deep breath I said, Id been sick in the mornings. I thought I just had the flu. My cycles hadnt been regr and my doctor changed my prescription my roommate was the one that suggested I might be pregnant. I had woken up that morning obsessing over it. As you know, Jason had just broken up with me and I wondered what I would do and what he would say if I were pregnant. At that point since you and I had only been together that one time I just hadnt considered it may be yours. I bought the test on my way to work. I was a nervous wreck and I thought you were gone for the day so I used your private bathroom so that I wouldnt get caught. Karen called me away from my work and then you came home early and I was just never able to retrieve it. How do you know that the baby is not Jasons? he asked me. It was a fair question. For a couple of months before you and I were together, Jason had been stressed at work at least that was the excuse he gave me. I was super busy with work and school It had been at least two months since wed been together in that way by that day that you and I were. I would have been further along if it was his. I only really realized thatter on, after you served me with the papers and locked me out of the mansion. Okay, thest part was intended to wound. Hed hurt me and I wanted to strike out just a little. It hit its target, and he winced. So you didnt intend on telling me at all? he asked. I dont know, Alex. I didnt have the chance to get that far. Your reaction was quite unexpected and frankly, insulting. Insulting? he asked. Did he not understand how it could be? Of course. Wouldnt you be insulted if someone used you of tantlyying a trap for them and trying to milk money from them? Women do it all the time. That statement annoyed me. He was right, but men did things that werent okay either and you couldnt hold it against them all collectively. Maybe, I said. But Im not one of those women. I never wanted anything from you, Alex. That day we spent together was special to me and I held it I still hold it in my memory as one of the most special days of my adult life. But, I did not initiate it. I never would have. Im not saying Im without responsibility here but Im willing to shoulder my part of it. Im willing to raise this child and do whatever it takes to give him a good life. If you have no interest in being a part of that, I would never force it. What about thewsuit? he asked. Youre asking for a lot more than just child support. I could see that the wheels in his brain were turning, but I couldnt tell from his questions where they were leading him. You brought that on. After I got the papers, Jason told me that since youd taken away my livelihood I should counter sue. He made it about the baby and how he deserved to be taken care of I honestly never wanted to do it this way. I hate this. I was just so hurt and angry and Jason was the only one being supportive so I listened to him. Of course, thewyer I saw thought it was a great idea too Men, I said, to make my point that it wasnt only women who were greedy. I do hate all of this. I do too, he said, sadly. I was surprised. Not necessarily because he hated it, but because he was willing to admit that he did. Im a good businessman, he said. Some might even say brilliant. But as you have borne witness to Im sure, Im not that astute when ites to personal rtionships. The Shocking News My wife when she nned to divorce me, was trying to take me for everything I had. The only thing stopping her from doing that was the great legal advice and maneuverings of my familywyers. When I found the test, I consulted one of them about what to do. He told me not to worry about it; they would handle it, so I let them. It all got so out of hand. Im d to know that, I told him. Im d to at least know you dont believe in your heart that I had any sinister intentions. Alex, all I ever wanted from you was my job. I think you would even have to admit that I was good at it. I will need a way to support my child. If you can find it in your heart to allow me toe back Victoria, my wife and I are back together. That sentence was like a knife slicing straight through my heart. If all I wanted was my job, then it shouldnt, I know. The truth was, I would probably never stop wanting Alex but it was never about money. Not even for a second. I could see how me being in his home working every day, pregnant with his child while he was trying to make things work with his wife wouldnt be okay. Oh okay. Well, I should be going. I felt embarrassed and ashamed for asking him for my job, yet here I was, pregnant with his child and he was willing to let me do without even that. My head was so confused, bouncing from one emotion to the next. My stomach felt sick and I needed to get out of here. I stood up and so did he. Victoria Yes? He took me by the shoulders and then leaned down and pressed his lips to my forehead. That simple kiss sent waves of shock racing through me. Take care of yourself, he said. And the baby.C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org. I just nodded and took a step back before turning and quickly walking away. I didnt want him to see the tears in my eyes. ALEXANDERs POV I stood on the pier and watched Vicki go. I had to wonder if I was making the biggest mistake of my life. Shes pregnant with my child, my child a little boy. I let her step off the end of the pier before I put my hands in my pockets and began walking in the same direction. Thewyers tell me that there is no way of knowing yet. If I want a rtionship with the child, I can have them order a DNA test after the baby is born. If I want a rtionship with my child? What kind of man would I be if I didnt want that? When I say I do want a rtionship with my child, they start talking about money again. What kind of man worries more about money than the woman who is bringing a new life into this world? This was done all wrong and Im just not sure how to fix it. I know now that what I should have done was talk to Vicki and asked her about the test. I should have kept thewyers out of it. I should have followed my gut instincts about her and trusted that she wasnt out to get anything from me. But Id trusted my instincts about Cassandra too and look how that turned out. It was an ironic thought, considering that I was going home to her. About a month after I found out about the baby, Cassie hade to me and said she made a mistake. She said that she loved me and she wanted me back. I suspected that she finally realized that she wasnt going to get anything more out of me than the original prenup had designated. Getting back with her was something mywyers had pushed for because they were worried if she got the right judge, she might. I dont love her anymore, but I did let here back. If I analyze them now, I know it was for a few reasons. The first one was that as a man who ran a multi-nationalpany, I was forced to attend a lot of benefits and dinners and social gatherings. Im ashamed to admit it, but since Cassie grew up in a simr world as I had she fit in at those things and she knew how she was expected to act. The other reason I took her back was my behavior. When I was partying and sleeping with different women every night, I knew that it was detrimental to my well-being. But that had been an easy way for me to deal with being alone and the stress of the divorce. Taking Cassie back would solve both of those problems. The third, and probably the most realistic reason that I allowed her toe back was that I wanted Victoria. I wanted her so badly that Idy awake at night thinking about her Id catch myself sitting in meetings thinking about her Id look for her everywhere I went. I almost didnt believe it was her today, I thought Id seen her so many times before. Id let my attorneys convince me that she was a gold-digger and Id convinced myself that she was no good for me. Being with Cassie would be another deterrent to me to keep me from pursuing her. Seeing her today brought all of those feelings rushing back. I didnt just want to be a part of my childs life I wanted his mother. What I was supposed to do about that, I wasnt sure. VICTORIAs POV When I got home from the beach, Jason still wasnt there. I cleaned up the apartment some as I let my talk with Alex run through my mind and then went online to do another job search. I applied for a few positions in the city and even a few that were far out in the county. The trouble I was having was that before anyone was willing to let you into their multi-million dor estate as a service person, they wanted to do an extensive background. If that were done in my case, they would easily find out about Alex and the baby and the court battle. That would make anyone hesitant to let me into their home and their lives and I wouldnt me them. I applied anyways. I wasnt qualified for anything else yet. Id taken the semester off of school to see what happened with the baby. It was likely that I wouldnt be able to go back for more than one. The baby would need me and I would have to work. I clicked off the inte and sighed. I wasnt quite sure how I got myself into these messes. I made myself a cup of decaffeinated tea and took it out on the balcony of the apartment. I sat there trying to sort out my feelings for Alex. There was no denying that I did have feelings for him. Someone from the outside looking in might be prone to tell me that Im crazy he never cared about me at all. Hes turning his back on both me and his child. But when I look into his eyes I see something real there. I see something that for whatever reason, hes afraid to admit hes afraid to feel. But he was back with his wife, so what could evere of it? Nothing. I could ept that, I suppose, but I didnt want all of this animosity between us nevertheless. I was already tired of fighting. It wasnt my nature. I felt a raindrop fall against my skin, and then another and another. I sat there, unmoving, not wanting to go back into the apartment and wait for Jason to decide toe home and admit that this is my life. I finally moved my chair back so that the rain didnt hit me directly and I sat there and watched it fall. The moon hung full in the hazy Los Angeles sky and underneath the cloud cover I could almost glimpse an eclipse of zing stars trying to force their way out and be seen. Thats what I felt like most of the time. I knew that I had it in me to shine. I knew that I had it in me to seed. But somehow I kept allowing the clouds to get in the way. I needed to start making some changes in my life and when I heard Jasone in the front door I told myself that right now was as good of a time to start as any. “Good Raddiance!” I stood and went into the house. He looked at me curiously and said, Why are you sitting in the rain? I shrugged. Just thinking, I said. How was the barbeque? It was fun, he said sitting down on the couch. What did you do today? I sat down in the chair across from him. I saw Liz. She fixed my mess of a hair for me. He looked at my hair, but he didnt offer a response, I guess a simplepliment was too much to ask for these days. I didnt wait for it. I knew it wasnting. I went on and said, I had lunch with my mother. He rolled his eyes and smirked at that. My mother and the fact that Id continued to have a rtionship with her had been the source of more than one of our arguments over the years. He thought I should be ashamed of her and cut her offpletely. I thought that she was still my mother despite her character ws. I would probably neverpletely cut her off. I believed that despite it all, she did her best. I went on and said, Then I went to the beach for a while and took a walk on the pier. Hmm, he said,pletely disinterested. Sometimes I wasnt sure why he asked or why I bothered. Do you see thewyers tomorrow? Yes. Good. Are things progressing? I shrugged. I wanted to talk to you about that. I saw Alexander today. That got his attention. He sat up off the couch and with his eyebrows pulled together he said, Why? Didnt the attorneys tell you to stay away from him? They did and I have been. I just ran into him and he wanted to talk. Jason snorted and said, I hope you told him where to go. No, I sat and talked to him for a while, I said. He looked annoyed, but I went on quickly before he could interrupt me. He says that he never wanted any of this. He was confused like I was. Before he even had time to think it all through, hiswyers took it out of his hands. His legal counsel is driving thiswsuit Of course, he said that, Vicki. This is exactly why you werent supposed to see him. Hes going to try and make you think hes the good guy here. Youre too naive to deal with this. The naivement bothered me, but I let it go, for now. Hes not a bad guy, Jason. This is just an odd situation. I dont think either of us meant to put ourselves here. I know that I didnt want to be here and Im sure from his reaction he didnt either. Thats not the point. He was the smart one here. He should have known better than to dip his wick Excuse me? He was the smart one? First Im naive and now Im stupid. You know what I mean. Hes the owner of a multi-billion dor corporation. Youre the maid. I stood up, getting aggravated and beginning to feel angry. Jeez Jason, why not just slug me in the face? It would hurt less. He was being as disparaging as Alexswyers had been. Im not trying to hurt you, he said, simply. He didnt apologize for it though or take back what he said. I think he truly believed I was too naive to handle my own life or stupid. I dont think youre ever trying to hurt me, Jason. Im beginning to believe that youre just really that oblivious to my feelings that you dont care either way. Its like thiswsuit. Its all you ever ask me about. I went to the doctor yesterday; did you even bother to ask me about that? Did you know that I had an ultrasound and found out the sex of my baby? He looked at me long and hard and then he asked, What is it? It is a baby, Jason. It is a child. It is a little boy and Im his mother and I love him. Im tired and I dont want to do thiswsuit any longer. I dont want to fight anymore for things that I dont even really want or need. He sighed like he was growing weary of indulging me and then he said, You dont want or need millions of dors? Wow, youre a bigger person than most of us, he said, sarcastically. I didnt care for his tone and again, it made me angrier. Listen to me, Vicki. I am thinking of you and the baby even if you dont believe me. How are you going to support it? Him Jason! Him! Stop calling my baby it! Okay, he said with his palms up. Jeez, calm down. Youre missing the point No, I get it, I do. You are worried I might ask you to support it if I dont have millions that I won in some stupidwsuit that I dont want to be a part of. I get it. I wasnt worried about you asking me to support him, Vic. But you and he deserve more than just being ignored by the man who started all of this, dont you think? Especially when a few hundred thousand a month wouldnt even faze the man You know what, Jason? I do believe that he and I deserve more. I just dont believe that awsuit is a way to get what we deserve. I also believe that in time, Alex wille around and understand that I was never trying to trap him.ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org . Youre going to drop this suit, arent you? He wasnt annoyed any longer. He was pissed. It suddenly set in that he didnt care if I got any money or not. It was about what he might get out of all of this. The slime ball. Yes, I think I am, I told him. I wanted to smile. He looked deted and then the anger kicked back in. He stood up and put hisrge frame in front of me. It was an imposing stance and I think it was meant to intimidate. All it did was make me angrier. Who did he think he was trying to push me into continuing awsuit I wanted no part of? Awsuit that he had pushed me into in the first ce for his gain while he tried to act like he was being supportive of me. Youre a fool, he yelled at me. How many times in your life will you be handed this kind of opportunity? Iughed when he said that. Hes right. I have been a fool, but what made me one had been trusting him, not dropping thiswsuit. You call this an opportunity as if its a job or winning the lottery. Its taking money away from a man who worked for it. I dont need millions to raise my baby. All I need is a good job, desire and love. Ive got all of that. I cant believe what an idiot you are and I cant believe that Ive wasted all of this time on you. Even though I realized he was the one in the wrong here and what he thought of me didnt matter, the realization that he was only with me because of what he thought he would gain in the end, hurt. I agree with you. Again, Im a fool and maybe an idiot as well for trusting you. Im finished with that. Im dropping thiswsuit. Good luck supporting yourself and that brat youre carrying! I smiled at him. Thanks. Ill do fine and well be fine. Ill have my things out of here tomorrow and Ill leave the key, I said, taking my purse and heading for the door. Good riddance! he yelled, as I went out and closed the door behind me. Good riddance is right. Good riddance to fake rtionships and sillywsuits. Hello to my new life. I rubbed my swollen belly. Our new life. I knocked on Lizs door for the second time that day. When she pulled open the door and saw my face she hugged me and then she invited me in. Is it okay if I sleep on your couch tonight? I have to figure some things out tomorrow about money but then Ill rent a hotel room. No, you will not. Youll stay here as I told you earlier. Ill clean that room out tomorrow and well set up the day bed. You can sleep on the couch tonight. But what about Gloria? Shes not going to mind, she said, And as much as I like her if she did, Id still pick you. Youre my best friend. I had tears in my eyes as I said, Im not sure how long it will take me to get back on my feet. The Court Case But you will. Youre going to have your baby and finish school and be a P. A. who makes a lot of money and makes everyone feel better. Until then, if a best friend cant help you, who can? Im not sure what I did to deserve you in my life. Thank you so much. I will pay you back for all of this. Friendship is not about keeping score or keeping a tally sheet. I knew she meant that. I might be striking out big time in the boyfriend department, but I did hit the lottery when it came to friends. I hugged her tight and said, If I didnt have you, I dont think Id have gotten through any of this. You wont ever have to worry about it, she said. Ill make some decaf tea and you can tell me whats going on. She made the tea and we took it out on the terrace. The rain had stopped and the sky was clearer now and the stars were able to take their stage. Once we sat down she said, What did Jason do? Iughed. Taking a breath in and letting it out slowly I said, Its a little more than that, I guess. For one thing, Im dropping thewsuit. I talked to Alex today. You did? she said, excitedly. It was what shed been telling me to do from day one. She didnt know Alex and she was angry at what he was doing, but she could see that I genuinely cared for him. Yeah. I ran into him on the pier. I told her about our conversation. You know you have feelings for him, right? With a smile, I said, Yes, I figured that out. But thanks. Well, she said. Sometimes youre a little hard-headed. He must be a good guy if you feel so strongly about him. Maybe, I said. But look at Jason. My track record is not so good. You never really thought you loved that guy, did you? I shrugged. I suppose not love but feelings nheless. Oh well, were all entitled to a mistake or three, she grinned. We live and learn, honey. All of us. I think that youre doing the right thing. Even if nothing ever happens with Alex, I believe what I said earlier, youre strong enough to do this on your own and Ill help you in any way I can. Jason is an opportunistic creep and youll be much better off without him. I nodded. She was right about Jason. I didnt doubt that. I did hope that she was right about me being strong. Sometimes I felt it and sometimes I felt like I was just faking my way through it. ALEXANDERs POV I was sitting at my desk, trying to get some real work done. The problem was I couldnt stop thinking about Vicki. Mr. Reigns, Mr. Bronte is on line one, my assistant told me. Bronte is the lead attorney on the civil case against Victoria. I had left a message for him this morning, telling him I wanted to drop the suit. Maybe after I talked to him, my frame of mind would be better. Herb! Thanks for getting back to me. Alex, I got your message about dropping thewsuit. I have some concerns Listen, Herb, theres no need to argue with me. My mind is made up. I want to drop this suit. Its ridiculous and should not have ever been started in the first ce. I let other people do my thinking for me. I dont want to do that any longer. Well, as much as I disagree with you and fear for your assets, in this case, I wont argue with you. Youre the boss. I also received word from Miss Harts attorney this morning. Shes dropped her suit as well. Really? Did he say why? I wondered if it had to do with our talk. That was what drove me to it. Not so much her words, but the feelings she expressed to me in her eyes. She didnt want this or anything material of mine. That much I firmly believed. Pretty much the same silly reasons that youre giving me. She told him it never should have been filed in the first ce and that she didnt want a dime. Maybe we could still get her to sign an agreement that states she doesnt want anything and doesnt feel entitled to anything and wont sue in the future for anything I hung up on him. I didnt want to hear her called a gold-digger anymore, even if it was in a roundabout way. For some reason, the news that Victoria had dropped her suit made me feel ecstatic, like the stressors of the past several months had suddenly been lifted. Its not about the money; its about the fact that it proves I was right about her. I knew that she wasnt a gold-digger and I suspected she had feelings for me. I think this proved both of those things. Where to go from here was still a question Id have to give a lot of thought to but at least I had a starting point. I dialed the staff number for my home and waited for Karen to pick me up. Reigns residence, Karen speaking. How can I help you? Hi Karen, its Alexander. Id known Karen my whole life. I feltfortable with her knowing my business. She never shared it. She was one of the most loyal and faithful people Id ever known. Well hello Mr. Reigns, what can I do for you? I need you to get in touch with Victoria Hart and offer her job back. Excuse me, sir? Isnt there a restraining order or something like that in ce? I knew that Karen liked Vicki and all of this had been hard on her as well. Yes, there is Karen, it was all a mistake. Please notify the other staff of that before Vicki gets back. I dont want this to be unnecessarily hard on her. Shes pregnant, so Im sure there will be some other restrictions, but I trust you to handle all of that. When you talk to her, tell her that if shed like toe back, she can start on the first of July. That will give me a few weeks to take care of the legal nonsense. Yes sir. She sounded pleased. Karen, be nice to her, please. Shes been through a lot. I like Victoria sir. I was very sad to see her go. Ill be kind; you can be assured of it. Thank you. After I hung up with Karen, I called back the attorneys and we worked out what steps I would need to take to get rid of the legal restrictions on her being at the mansion. They would have to take the steps; I would just need to sign the paperwork. I told them to get on it at once and I wanted something on my desk by tomorrow. Then I made the second tost call on my list, to my wife. Alex, Cassandra answered. She sounded like I was interrupting her. Are you busy? In the middle of my massage, she said. I wondered why she needed a massage every week when she never really did anything. Why are you calling in the middle of the day? Is there a problem? She could be such a witch. No, Cassie. I just wanted to tell you that Ive re-hired Victoria Hart as the upstairs maid. Shell be starting back on the first of July. I didnt have confirmation that she would say yes but I was hoping and trying to stay confident. The blonde? she said. Yes. Why was she let go again? There was a misunderstanding, I said. I was hoping shed leave it at that for now. I had yet to tell her that Vicki was carrying my child. I hadnt wanted to let her get involved in thewsuit. She would have been ruthless. Now that it would be dropped, I would tell her about it in good time. At least before the baby came. I fully intended at this point to be a part of my sons life. Its been cleared up and we have had temps in and out of the house. I dont like that. I prefer a stable crew. Makes sense, she said. The one we have now is terrible anyways. I told Karen to tell the agency not to send her back. She made the bed with no top sheet yesterday! I rolled my eyes. Good then, its settled. Ill see you tonight.C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org. Looking forward to it, she said. She didnt sound like she was, but she said things like that so if I used her of not being affectionate, she could throw it back in my face. Okay then, have a good day, Cassie. I hung up with a smile on my face that my wife had nothing to do with. I was going to get to see Vicki again every day. I hoped. Later From The Payroll Department Lastly, I called the payroll department. Payroll, this is Lydia. Lydia, this is Mr. Reigns. Lydia is another loyal employee that had been with me from the beginning. Good morning sir. Good morning, Lydia. I need you to do something for me and I need it done quickly. Okay, sir. Will you please figure up how many hours Miss Hart who was let go from my house staff in March, has missed if she worked full time from the day she was let go until the end of June? Of course sir. Wait, theres more. After you do that, cut her a check for those hours and have it sent to her address by courier. Id like it done today, and the sooner, the better. Okay sir, Im on it. I hung up with her feeling satisfied that I was at least taking steps to rectify the damage I had allowed to be done to Vickis life. I didnt take precautions when we had sex I was more responsible for this than she was. I was in a ce of power and some might say I abused it. I had no intentions of doing that, but I had done it nheless. All I wanted now was to fix it. VICTORIAs POV I had to spend an hour at my attorneys office signing forms to drop thewsuits. They were not happy with me. They kept repeating the same things to me about how he could ckball me in themunity and how I might not be able to get another job. They said I could sue him for harassment. I had the proof in my belly. I didnt want to hear any of it. I knew money was what they were most concerned about and it was theirs, not mine. I still owed them close to a thousand dors. They hadnt been all that worried about it because they assumed they would get their money from the billionaire when this was all over and done with. I apologized profusely, but the bottom line was that they couldnt proceed without me. I assured them that as soon as I got a job, they would be first on my list of creditors to pay. They didnt seem impressed with that, but it was the best that I could do. I went by Jasons apartment after that. He was at work, but I had a text to ask him if I could pick up my things. He was curt, but he said that I could. I only really had clothes there. I had left my things in storage when I moved in with him. I could get them out now and the storage bill would be one less payment I had to worry about. God bless Liz. I got back home around noon with my two suitcases and overnight bag. My dear Liz had the craft room all cleaned out already before she left for work at ten a. m. Shes amazing. I was about to call and find out how much it would cost to have a moving service pick up my things in storage and deliver them with no idea how Id pay it no matter what it cost when the doorbell rang. I went to answer it and a young man in a blue polo shirt that said, Anderson Couriers on it was standing there with an envelope in his hand. Can I help you? Hi, are you Victoria Hart? Yes, I am. I have a delivery for you. I suddenly felt sick to my stomach remembering the service of the court papers that day from Alexs attorneys. I told myself if there were more of that, they wouldnt havee by courier. What is it? I asked him. Just an envelope, he said. He held up an envelope that looked like the one my paychecks used toe in. Exactly like it. It was even marked with the Reigns logo and it said, Payroll Department in the corner. Can you sign here for it? he asked me, holding out a clipboard. I didnt want to. It was either a mistake or a cruel joke. I was paid up to the day I was fired and even paid for my sick leave and vacation time. What could this be? Miss? The guy was looking at me strangely. I must have zoned out for a second. Finally, telling myself to stop being a coward I took the clipboard and signed my name. He handed me the envelope and I thanked him and went back inside. I stared at it for a long time. If it had been a snake, it would have bitten me several times before I finally turned it over and began to rip it open. My phone began ringing at the same time. I almost ignored it, but I worried that thewyers may need something else from me. I went over and picked it up. I felt like I was caught in an alternate universe. The number on the phone was Karens office number at the mansion. Hello? Hi, Vicki! Its Karen. Um Hi Karen. How are you, honey? She would know if she had bothered to call, was my first thought. My second one was that I was being too harsh. She needed her job too. I shouldnt even hint that she should have risked it for me. Im doing good Karen. How are you? Im well too, thanks. How is the pregnancying? I looked down at my big belly. Its fine. The baby is healthy. Im huge. Sheughed and said, I doubt that. Then she sobered and said, Im sorry I havent called to check on you. Things have been strange around here, to say the least. Ive had to work twice as hard to keep up without you. The temps they send are just not your caliber. I smiled. It was nice of her to say those things about me and it made me feel good. Thank you, Karen. I appreciate the kind words. Are you working anywhere now? No, unfortunately, I havent found anything. I was hopeful. Maybe she was calling to give me a referral. Oh no, thats very fortunate, she said. Im sorry? I thought Id misheard her. Surely she didnt just say it was very fortunate that I hadnt gotten another job? Im calling you on Mr. Reigns behalf to offer you your job back starting on July the first. I was suddenly shaking. Alexander wanted me toe back. Was that good? Bad? What about t Cassie? Really? I said before I remembered who I was talking to. Have you ever known me to kid? Karenughed. Iughed too. No, I guess I havent. Karen is a sweetheart, but a prankster, shes not. Thank you, Karen. Well, as much as I wanted you back, I cant take credit for it. It was all Mr. Reigns. When youe in well talk about how your duties will change because of your pregnancy and also well need to discuss maternity leave. I hadnt thought of any of that. My thoughts were dancing I have a job! Thank you, I told her again. After I hung up, I did a little happy dance. I wondered if this was because Id dropped the suit. I wondered if that meant hed dropped his. I looked at the envelope in my hand again and finished pulling it open. Then I reached in and pulled out its contents. It was a check for a lot of money. I stared at it for a minute and then flipped it over. The stub showed that I was being paid for all of the hours that I hadnt worked since I was let go all the way up to July. Alex had to have authorized this check. If he were here, I would kiss him. I was so happy. It was so funny, how life could change in an instant. I put my hand across my belly and said, Things are going to be okay little one. Mama loves you. The three weeks between the day I found out I got my job back and the day I reported back to work flew by. I was super excited to go back. Id missed everyone. I had also missed having a job period, and I hated to admit it but most of all, I missed Alex. I did admit it to Liz. I had to ask her if she thought that was a really bad reason for me to go back, especially since he was back with his wife. Is that the only reason? she said. No, not at all. I need a job and I liked it there. My co-workers are great and the pay is good. Then there is nothing wrong with epting it. Honey, you cant help how you feel. The actions you have to be concerned with. I dont believe you would ever have an affair with a married man, so I think youre okay. Just watch your heart. Try not to let it get too broken or youll end up cynical like me. At least no one takes advantage of you, I told her. Anymore, she said. Thank you, Liz.ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org . Good News Its what friends are for, she said again. I received papers about a week after that day saying that thewsuit had been dropped on Alexs end. It was another thing I was apprehensive about. I kept wondering if bringing me back was some kind of stunt for court. I didnt want to be paranoid, but it had been a really hard few months. The papers were filed the day Id dropped mine. I guess we both had the same idea. I used the money I got to pay off mywyers and my storage. That left me a little to live off of and help Liz and Gloria pay bills until I started back to work and got paid again. I had a check-up at the doctor and he said things were going very well with the baby. My life was finally back on track and I couldnt be happier about it. I was a little nervous about going to work after what happened thest time I was there. I was wondering how many of the staff knew what had gone on. Plus, being seven and a half months pregnant was a little different in and of itself. When I got to the front gates, the security man greeted me warmly and weed me back. Karen hugged me and fussed over my tummy bulge and the cook wanted to feed me. But best of all, Alex was at the kitchen table and when he heard the cook offer me pancakes and eggs he said, Yes Vicki. Please join me. I nervously sat down next to him and he looked at me with soft eyes and a smile and said, Im d you agreed toe back. Weve all missed you around here. It was kind of surreal. So much had happened since thest time Id sat at this table with him. The cook loaded me down with pancakesden with butter and syrup. As I took a healthy bite I thought: If my mother could see me now, shed have a heart attack and remind me how many calories were in what I was eating. I didnt care. I was happy and it was delicious. So how are things with the baby? Alex asked me. Everything is good, I told him. Im taking a semester off school after he is born and Im working on finding someone reliable to watch him so I wont have to take too much time off. I had no idea how to hire childcare; it was one of those brand-new things to me. Im sure Id have a million more of them before my baby was grown. Bring him with you, Alex said, nearly knocking me off my chair. You dont want to leave an infant alone with a stranger. No I dont, but I mean He smiled. Ill hire a nanny. We can go through the agency where they are all background investigated and have references. Well make him a nursery. Please consider it, he said. I was considering how expensive that would be. I wondered if the cost woulde out of my wages. He looked like he was about to say something else but Cassandra walked in. In my mind, it was like what Dorothy must have felt like the first time she saw the wicked witch. Cassandra gave me a look that said she didnt approve of her husband eating with the help, but she didnt seem jealous or angry at all. I had to assume that for all Alexs big talk about hiring a nanny and making a nursery, his wife didnt know the baby in my belly was his. I should get to work, I said. Yeah, you probably should, Cassandra said, dismissively. Alex red at her and then he turned to look at me and again he smiled. Wee back. I smiled and nodded at him and as I was walking away I heard Cassandra say, You didnt tell me she was about to pop. Shell only be here a month and well have to hire a recement. What were you thinking? I was too far away to hear Alexs response, but I could tell that Cassandras attitude hadnt changed at all. As I was doing my work that day I thought about all of the times when I was a kid that I had seen a house like this one and thought about how happy all of the people inside must be. I was sure that with all of that wealth they couldnt want for anything, but it was obvious when I watched Alex and his wife together that they both wanted a lot. Neither of them was happy and I couldnt understand why someone would choose to live that way, simply because of the money. My days fell back into a routine easily. I knew theyout of the mansion like the back of my hand and I knew how both Alex and Cassandra liked things done. Cassandra seemed to be around all of the time to tell me in case I didnt. Despite that, I was still d to be back. It was good to see my old friends again too. Manny found out that I was having a boy and started a campaign for me to name the baby after him. Every time I saw him, hed present me with a different version of the name that I could call my son. What about Manuel? he said. Too ethnic for a blonde-haired, blue-eyed boy, I told him. I honestly hadnt thought about names yet. Id been too preupied with other things. Heughed and the next time I saw him he said, Manly. I cracked up and just said, Um no. A few dayster I was cleaning the banister and he walked by in the foyer below and said, Man. Laughing I said, Too old for a baby. Little man, he said with a grin. Ill consider it. I had almost worked my way to the bottom when I saw Karen letting three men into the front door. They looked like construction workers and were armed with tools and cans of paint. They smiled at me as they passed me on the stairs and I watched as Karen led them up to the room at the end of the hall from the master suite. On her way back down I asked, Who are they? Theyre designing a nursery, she said with a smile. Really? I thought he was only joking. Karen took my hand and said, Lets sit for a minute. Im not sure if she knew what she was asking of a woman who was almost eight months pregnant. I had to squat and spread my legs wide and kind of fall back onto the stairs. Ive worked for Alexander since he was twenty-two years old. This will be my eighth year here. Before that, I worked for his parents for fifteen years so Ive known him for most of his life. Wow, thats great, I said. Ive noticed something about himtely, Victoria. Whats that? I asked. I was assuming that she was going to say something about the baby but I was surprised when she said, In all of those years, Ive never seen him look even a tenth as happy as he looks when youre around. Um I wasnt sure what I was supposed to say to that. It made me feel good and bad at the same time. Karen wasnt looking for a response though. Karen smiled. Alexander is a brilliant man. His IQ is beyond genius level, did you know that? No. I mean I knew he was smart, thats obvious. I had no idea how smart I guess. That kind of intelligencees with a price. Hes been taught social skills. He was raised to be a perfect gentleman, but when ites to rting to real, live human beings on any kind of intimate level, he hasnt ever had much practice at that. He worked to build hispany for years. When he turned twenty-five and had his trust fund at his disposal , he could have easily used that to live on for the rest of his life. He chose only to use enough of it to expand hispany and the rest of what you see was all Alexs hard work. Throughout all of that, he didnt have time to date or maybe it was a shy thing, but either way, he just didnt. I wasnt surprised when the announcement came that he and Cassandra were engaged. I honestly think he married Cassandra just because hes known her since he was a kid and it was easy. He lost his mind for a while when she left because hed been too busy in school to sow his wild oats before he met her. I could tell though that even that didnt make him happy.C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org. Fear What I am trying to say is what happened between you and him he didnt know how to handle that. Thats why he turned to his attorneys. They only have an interest in his money. Its their job and they do it well. He even took Cassandra back, based on their rmendations.C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org. Its obvious when you see them together that its not where they belong. He was miserable when she first came back but then suddenly you were back and he was designing a room for your baby. Hes happier doing that than Ive ever seen him. I would be willing to bet that he has no idea how to express any of that to you. He hasnt shared much with me on a strictly personal level, no. He does seem excited about the nursery and hiring a nanny. I appreciate his help. He is excited. Hes excited about the baby. Hes not just doing this to help. Hes wanted one for a long time. I can see the yearning in his eyes when he looks at other peoples children. Now youre giving him one of his own. You know its his? I had a feeling that she did, but I hadnt told her so I wasnt sure. She nodded. Alexander shared it with me in confidence. You dont have to worry. I wont tell anyone. Im not worried, I told her. Just surprised. Hes going through a lot and he doesnt have many people he can trust to talk to. Im hoping that by telling you all of this about him youll keep it in mind and not get too discouraged while hes trying to figure all of this out. Keep in mind that hell have to deal with Cassandra and then stave off thewyers and then there would be his parents. Karen thought I expected him to marry me or at least be in some kind of rtionship with me. Oh Karen, Im not thinking along those lines. I know Alex hasmitments. I wouldnt expect him to give any of that up for me. Were not anywhere near there. He should be expected to change his priorities. Hes going to be a father, she said. Karen was old school and I didnt doubt it pained her that I put myself in the position of bing pregnant without being married. She wasnt being judgmental about it though and I appreciated that. He needs to make some changes. If not for you, then for the child you share, and I think he would even be willing to. I think the nursery is proof that hes considering it, but hes going to have to do battle with a few people before that can happen. I just wanted to make you aware. Its scary to gamble with your future. But, I think if youre willing to wait for him Vicki, he wants exactly what you can offer him. I didnt know what to say to that. She was in a long-winded kind of way, telling me that Alex has feelings for me and the baby and that eventually, he will be ready to tell all of the people who are pulling the strings in his life that we are what he wants. I hope shes right. I wont let myself get too attached to the fantasy, but I have one. In it, Alex and I are together and raising our child together, the way it should be. The way I think it should be anyways. The way Id like it to be. Thank you, Karen. Youre wee. Im so d you havent given up on him yet. It had to have been hard over the past few months. It was, but as hard as it is to be looked at as a gold-digger it was harder being away from him. I couldnt believe Id just admitted that out loud to anyone other than Liz. Karen seemed pleased by it. She gave me a one-arm hug and said, Im rooting for you. If it means anything, you would be thest person that I would suspect of gold-digging. ALEXANDERs POV Having Vicki back in the house, for me changed the entire dynamics of it. I suppose because I hadnt had to do without her before I hadnt realized just how much I needed her in my life. I realized how valuable she was while she was gone. She was great at her job, but that wasnt her only value. As a matter of fact, to me, it was a small part of it. The real value was her smile every morning. It was always so warm and genuine. People smiled at me all the time, but none of those smiles ever gave me the same feeling. While she was gone I went around with an empty, lonely feeling in my chest. And then there was the baby. I tried not to get myself too excited about it. I tried to be willing to allow Vicki to raise him and not announce or broadcast the fact that he was mine. I know that it wont truly be a fact to anyone else until there is a DNA test, but in my heart somehow I know that he is mine. To mywyers, that made me naive. Ive tried more than once to tell Cassandra about it. Every time I begin to broach the subject I imagine how angry shes going to be. Hurt, I could handle. I could profusely apologize and do all that I could to make the hurt go away. But Cassandra wasnt the type of woman that would get hurt over something like this. She would get angry and she would be out for blood mine, by way of my bank ount. She would also be angry with Victoria and that would be the worst part. Shed be out for her blood too and I couldnt just stand by and watch that happen. So, to stave off the drama, I just havent told her yet. Alex! Speaking of Cassandra Im in here! I called to her. I was in the nursery. It wasing along beautifully. She stepped up behind me in the room I was having made into a nursery. I heard her snort. Wed already had words about this and she didnt know yet that he was mine. This is a ridiculous expenditure, she said. Youve already voiced that opinion, Cassandra, but thank you. I can afford it. Who does this, Alex? Who makes a nursery in their home that they dont need for the maids child? If I didnt know any better I would think she was your mistress. I turned to look at her. Each time I didtely and I saw the hatefulness that was set in the lines around her eyes and her mouth, I wondered what Id ever seen there in the first ce. What makes you think shes not? I asked her. She looked at me suspiciously for a few seconds and then she said, Even you wouldnt stoop low enough to sleep with the help. I let it go for now. She was going to focus on Vicki being the help. It was going to make me angry. I tried another tactic, guilt. In my defense, I did believe at one time that I would need this. You let me believe that. It didnt hit the mark. She wasnt going to feel guilty about it. Im not sure if she even possessed such an emotion. Lets not beat that old dead horse again, Alex. What time does our ne leave? At four. I had a meeting with an important client in Belize. Cassandra, of course, insisted oning along and making it a vacation. I am nning on using the time in paradise to let her know about the baby. It had to be done. I didnt want to do it here. Maybe shed calm down before we got back. I dont understand why we couldnt have left earlier. Youve wasted this entire day on this ridiculous project of yours when we could be lying on a beach by now. Im not going to Belize to lie on a beach. Im going to work. Of course you are. Thats all you know how to do. Im going to lie on the beach all day, every day. Were only staying until Friday. It was Wednesday now. I didnt want to be gone too long. Are you kidding? A day and a half in Belize? Youre crazy. I wont have time to do anything. I want to go shopping and have dinner in that little restaurant we foundst time, right on the beach. A day and a half? What kind of a vacation is that? Its not a vacation, I said again. Its work, Cassie. Fine. Then when you wrap up your business we can stay an extra week and that can be the vacation. Twenty-Three She was on a permanent vacation. She could go anywhere she wanted to by herself. For some reason, she wanted me on her arm. Maybe I was the trophy and not her. I dont have a week to waste sitting on a beach in Belize, Cassandra. I run a corporation. I have to work. If you want to have money to go on a vacation ever youll understand that. We have plenty of beaches around here if you want to sit on one. She snorted. Right, Ill sit next to a couple of tattooed teenagers making out or a fat, middle-aged woman chasing her dirty little brats around down at your favorite hangout. Jesus Alex, youre a billionaire. Act like it. She was such an incredibly obnoxious snob that sometimes I could hardly stand it. I turned on her and said, Exactly how should a billionaire act, Cassandra? Maybe I should be a snob like you and talk mean about people and down to them? He should act like he has some ss. He shouldnt be trolling nasty beaches and broken-down piers in Seal Beach. He shouldnt be having breakfast with his maid and he really shouldnt be designing nurseries for her. It gives people the wrong idea. I dont know whats gotten into you, but this has to stop! Or what, Cassie? Youll leave me? Been there and done that, remember? You came back because you cant live off the paltry million dors a year alimony you were entitled too! I shouldnt have to live off of that. Im entitled to a lot more and you know it. No, I dont know it. You didnt work for any of this. Hell, even as a wife youve been sub-par! You spend your days in pursuit of your beauty and your pleasures. None of it has anything to do with me or you being my wife. Oh really? she said, with narrowed eyes. So youd rather have some woman who let herself go? Some fat chick with dark roots and cellulite? Jesus, Cassie. Youve missed the point, which is that its not about how you look! Its never been about looks! I dont want a wife that I can present to the world like a trophy for crying out loud! I want a wife that I enjoy talking to. I want a wife that makes me want toe home at night. I want a wife that will hold my hand and walk on the beach my beach! And, most of all, I want a family something you refuse to give me. Rolling her eyes she said, Too bad. Youve got me and youve also got enough money to go to Russia or China and adopt an orphan or something. Make sure you hire lots of nannies though because Im not taking care of them. This is like the time you insisted on getting that stupid puppy I didnt want. Maybe the kids will get run over by a delivery truck too. I have to go pack. She turned and left the room, the same way she always did when we talked about having a family. She left me feeling sick this time. She was a terrible person. I heard her heels on the tile floor and then I heard her say, I need my things packed before two. Iveid out what I n on taking. Make sure its all packed and handled with care. Yes maam, I heard Victorias voice. She must have been in the hallway while we were arguing. I wondered how much she heard, and I wondered how many other times shed heard us. When I think about finally ending it with Cassandra and telling Vicki that I want to be with her and try and make a life with her and the baby I worry sometimes about some of the things she may have heard me say to Cassandra. Between that and thewsuit nonsense, I had to wonder what she must think of me. Alex and Cassandra were going on a vacation. That shouldnt bother me. Shes his wife. Im his maid. I folded the third skimpy bathing suit shedid out and put it into her suitcase. I caught myself wondering why she wore anything at all. None of the suits would leave a thing to the imagination. Then I chastised myself for my jealousy. I wasnt jealous of the suits, or the vacation, I was jealous that she was going to get to spend time with Alex and I wasnt. Every time he went on a business trip or a vacation, even before the baby, I missed him. Something about just knowing hes near made me all warm and tingly inside. Id heard them arguing earlier again. I felt a little guilty this time because I realized that she was angry about the nursery. I know that I hadnt asked him to do that, but the fact that he felt the need to do this for me both touched me deeply and made me a little nervous about the future. Hed told me that he wanted a rtionship with the baby and I wanted him to have that. But given the fact that his wife didnt even know it was his yet and that she was already angry about him designing a nursery for the maids kid, I had to wonder how it was all going to go. And then there was the far future that I tried not to worry over. I know that Id be much less stressed if I stayed focused on the here and now but I dont intend to be a maid forever. Once Ive had the baby and gotten back on track with my life I fully intend to continue to pursue my dream of bing a Physicians Assistant. That was going to mean noting here every day. By then, if Alex and the baby have a rtionship how will I take him away? Then there was the other sinister, ugly little thought that seeped into my mind unbidden and unwee sometimes. What if he decided he wanted the baby and he tried to take him away? I wanted to believe hed never do that, but Ive seen first-hand how much control hiswyers have. The thought of Cassandra being my childs caretaker made me shudder. I would never let that happen, no matter how far or how fast I had to run. Hello Victoria, I heard his voice behind me. I finished folding his wifes ck lingerie and put it in the bag before I turned around. Hello, I said. I was just getting Mrs. Reigns things packed. Did you need me to get yours ready too? He smiled. Something inside of me melted. No thank you, Vicki. This is a business trip. Ill just need my suits which are already in the wardrobe bag. I can pack my underwear.Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. Oh, I thought it was a vacation. I mean, Im sorry. Its none of my business anyways. Embarrassed and again chastising myself for being so forward, I turned back to my work. I felt a jolt of electricity race through my veins, starting at the spot on my shoulder where Alex hadid his hand. I turned back towards him, dangerously close to his face and those full, soft lips. Dont apologize to me, Vicki. I know that you work for me, but Id like to also think were friends. Friends are allowed to make conversation with one another. I nodded, only because my mouth was too dry to speak. I was watching his mouth as it moved and I barely heard the words because all I could think about was how badly I wanted to kiss him. I was a mess. Maybe it was the hormones. Maybe once this baby was born I could stop lusting after my boss and think about getting a real life again. I knew one thing for sure; when I looked at his face I didnt believe that he would ever try and take my baby at least I didnt want to believe it. Twenty-Four VICTORIAs POV I woke up on Thursday morning having strange, tight feelings in my abdomen. It wasnt pain, just a tightness that wasnt there before. I took a long hot shower before getting dressed for work and that seemed to rx it some. When I made it to the kitchen, Liz and Gloria were having breakfast. Good morning, sunshine. There is French toast and bacon on the stove. Thanks, Liz. I think I need tea and crackers today. With concern in her eyes, Liz said, Why? Whats wrong? You shouldnt still be having morning sickness. Youre too far along for that. I smiled to alleviate her anxiety. Just as she was looking at me, one of the tight feelings turned into a painful cramp. I willed myself not to wince. I didnt want to worry her. No, not morning sickness. Maybe just a touch of a stomach bug or something Im sure it will pass. I have to get to work,dies. Gloria got up from the table and took her dishes to the sink. You girls have a good day. You too! We both told her. I made my tea and when I sat down with it at the table, Liz was still looking at me funny. What is it? I asked her. Are you sure youre alright? Are they working you too hard at the mansion? You shouldnt be overdoing it. Youre so close Smiling I interrupted her and said, The most stressful thing Ive done all week is pack Mrs. Reigns expensive underwear and swimsuits. Im fine. As I assured her of that, my stomach clenched again. She made a face at the mention of Cassandra and said, Where is she going? She went to Belize with her husband. Hes taking her on vacation when youre so close to having his baby? Liz, first of all, its a business trip. Second of all, she doesnt know this is his baby. Third of all and most importantly, shes his wife, not me. Hes really lucky this is you and not some other woman. Any other woman would have told his wife by now and had this sshed all over the tabloids. Maybe, I said. But I dont think he deserves that. I honestly believe he is doing his absolute best with all of this, just like I am. She snorted again and stood up with her dishes. I had a hand on my belly. Are you sure youre okay? I can call into work Im fine, I told her again. You cant call in. Youre a minion for the parade today. Sheughed, Yes I am. Ill be stuffed tightly into a yellow suit gasping for fresh air all day. Whoo Hoo! Love my job. She was being facetious. She did love her job. Id gone and watched her character stuff before at the theme park. She was great. I have to go to work in a few myself. Have a great day, okay? You too, she said, still with a worried look. You call me if you need anything okay? I will. I watched her go, thinking about how lucky I was once again. After I finished my tea and straightened up a bit, the tightness hadpletely gone away. I dressed and went to work and began my day. Mando! I was dusting the guest room furniture when I heard the voice. I looked up to see Manny standing there. He had brought the workers up to do some more work on the nursery. Iughed. Man-Do? Really? Would you do that to your child? I might, he said. But since Im gay I may never get the chance to find out. I tried not to look shocked. I had no idea Manny was gay. I saw him suppress a smile as he said, Are you going to judge me now? Have you judged me for being unwed and pregnant? Not in the least, he said. Thats how I feel about you being gay, Manny. It doesnt change who you are to me. Youre my friend. Your lifestyle doesnt factor into that. He smiled broadly then. Thanks, so Man-do? Laughing, I said, No way. He left to head for the basement. Now that Alex wasnt having parties down there every night, there was a lot less for him to do. I saw him a lot more. But that was good. I liked him a lot. I finished the guest room and was passing by the nursery. I hadnt allowed myself to look at it especially after witnessing more than one fight between Cassandra and Alex over it. I wasnt sure how I felt about it still. Too many conflicting emotions. Miss? I stopped. One of the workers was calling to me. Yes? I needed an opinion on something. I saw that you were pregnant Im sorry, I dont mean to presume Iughed. I am pregnant, I said. It was so obvious yet he was afraid of offending me. Is this nursery for your baby? he asked. Yes, at least for now. Im sure Mr. Reigns intends it for anyone who needs it. Oh, well since it will be your babys for now, maybe you could look at the closet for me and see if it looks like it will work. Um sure, I followed him into the room and stopped dead in my tracks. The walls were a pale blue color so pale they were almost white. The windows, tworge ones, were trimmed in dark blue and the seat cushions in them were a dark and light blue paisley. There was a white crib and dresser, a changing table, and a rocking chair It was huge and it was beautiful and it waspletely furnished, right down to toys and blocks in the dark blue squares that hung on the walls. There was even a bookcase filled with bedtime story books. I had tears in my eyes. Miss? Are you okay? one of the workers said. Embarrassed, I shook off my emotion and said, Yes, its just so lovely. Youve all done a great job. Thanks, most of it was Mr. Reigns direct instruction. He didnt get technical on the closet though. He pulled open the double doors of the closet and my jaw dropped. It was a walk-in closet with rods above and below to hold clothing and a spinning rack for hats and shoes. I knew that was what they were for because they were both full. So was the upper rod. There were clothes and hats and shoes and an entire wall filled with diapers. Id bought him one or two things, but this was an entire wardrobe. You see this here? he said, pulling a smooth oak table out of the wall. Its supposed to be another changing space. It folds up out of the way here when youre done with it. Im just worried its too tall. Mr. Reigns approved it, height and all but I look at you and think you wont even be able to reach the baby. I walked over closer. He was right. The table came up level with my neck. I looked at him and said, How tall are you? About six two, he said. Will you stand right here? I asked him. He came over and stood next to the table. I knew what it was for. It was Alexs table. It was where he would put the baby when he changed him. The tears flooded my eyes again. He was preparing to be a father.C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org. You okay? he asked again. I smiled and nodded. Just pregnancy stuff, I said. I think if thats the way Mr. Reigns asked for it, he probably has his reasons. Id leave it. Okay, thank you, Miss. Youre wee, I told him. I took onest look at the beautiful room. Then I walked back out and got my cart from the hall outside the guest room. I started to push it towards the master suite when I suddenly felt a gush of warm liquid rush down my thighs and puddle on the floor. I looked down at it in horror. Did my water just break? It couldnt have it was too soon. I took a towel off my cart and draped it over the puddle on the floor. As I bent over a pain ripped through my stomach as if to prove that too soon or not, this was it. I made sure the puddle was covered so no one would slip in it and I waddled into the guest room. Taking my phone out of my pocket, I called the front gates. The man on duty today was named Raymond and he was always really nice. Hi Raymond, its Victoria. Hello there, Miss Hart! How is the day going? Well Raymond, I believe that Im inbor. What? he sounded nervous suddenly. What should I do? I smiled through the pain of the next cramp or contraction I suppose it was. Im going to call an ambnce Raymond. I just wanted to let you know so that you wouldnt be surprised. Miss Hart, you sure seem calm for ady who is about to have a baby. Twenty-Five Its a really good act, I told him, honestly. Im a wreck. I hung up with Raymond and called the ambnce. I told them the address and that the front gate was expecting them.Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. Then I hung up and waddled to the elevator. I was getting nervous because the pains were bing more intense. I didnt want to have the baby here. When I got to the main level I made my way to Karens office. One look at me and she was on her feet. Vicki? What is it? The baby ising, I said. My water broke and Im having contractions. Oh no! How early is it? About five weeks, I told her. I was trying not to think about that. I was trying to stay positive. I think Karen realized too that this was no time to worry. It was toote for that anyways. Ill call an ambnce, she said, picking up the phone. I did that already, I told her. I also let the front gate know theyreing. Sheughed. Even inbor, youre efficient. What should I do then? Should I call Alexander? No! No, dont bother him. I can do this. Ill call my roommate. Shelle to be with me. Karen looked sad, but she nodded. I heard the doorbell ring and looked back at her and said, Wish me luck. The best, she said with a hug. As soon as my shift is over I will be there. I cant wait to meet him. I put my hand over my belly and felt a flutter er of anticipation. Me too, I said. My little man would be in my arms by the end of the day. I refused to believe that anything could go wrong. ALEXANDERs POV I had just finished with my first meeting of the day when my phone rang. I looked at it and saw that it was the house call. I excused myself and stepped out into the fresh, salty air. Hello? Mr. Reigns, its Karen. I could tell by the tightness in her voice that something was wrong. What is it, Karen? Whats happened? Im not supposed to be calling you. She didnt want to disturb you Karen, just tell me what is wrong. Victorias waters broke. Shes on her way to the hospital. Oh my God, alone? She said she would call her roommate, but for now, yes, shes alone. Damn! Okay, thanks for calling me, Karen. I hung up and called my pilot. How long before you could file a flight n and get me home? We could leave within the hour, sir. Okay, but the sooner the better, alright? Im headed to the airport now. Get everything ready. Yes sir. I hung up with him and called Cassie. She was out of the beach, of course. What is it, Alex? We dont leave until tomorrow. Why are you bothering me? I have to go home, I told her. What? Now? Why? Victoria is inbor. I heard the hesitation. All along I had wondered if shed figured it out or heard the rumors. So why does that involve you? she finally said. She sounded reluctant to ask, but it was a fair question. This wasnt the way Id wanted to do this, but it had to be done. Cassandra, Im sorry I didnt tell you this before. I was already stepping into the back of the car that would take me to the airport. The baby is mine. Victoria and I were together one time You bastard! You cheating slime! With a sigh I conceded in my head she had a right to be angry. Taking another deep breath I said, I didnt cheat. You and I were in the middle of divorce proceedings. I slept with her. She got pregnant. I wish I could tell you I was sorry so that you would feel better but Im not. The airport was only ten minutes away. We were already driving up to the hangar when she said, This is what that stupid nursery was about! You knew all along and you had ample opportunity to tell me you lying, cheating bastard! I stepped out of the car and said, You have a right to be upset, Cassie. But I wont stand for you calling me names. When you get home, well talk about this and figure it out. Im not raising that maids brat! You would never be expected to, I told her. Victoria will be raising her child and I will be there to help her as much as she needs. Youre insane! Youre married! Do you know what the tabloids will do with this? I dont care. Ive thought about this a lot, Cassie. You know as well as I do that you and I are not going tost forever. We may as well just cut our losses now. I want to try and make it work with Vicki and our child. Youll be very, very sorry Alex! Youll rue the day you met that maniptive little tramp! With a low growl I didnt even know I possessed I said, You can call me what you like. Do not ever refer to my child as a brat again, or his mother as anything other than the beautifuldy she is. Before she was able to spew any more ugliness, I hung up. Strangely, I felt better than I had in a very long time. VICTORIAs POV The ambnce delivered me to the emergency room and from there I was taken to the OB/GYN wing of the hospital. Ady with a clipboard came and checked me in and I did the best I could to answer her questions about mybor pains. When I finished with her, an stic strap with a fetal monitor on it was attached around my abdomen. The nurse started an IV in my hand and took my vital signs. Take deeper breaths, honey, she said. I tried. It was hard to breathe when your insides felt like they were being ripped out. She took the oxygen sensor reading again and still not satisfied she turned on a small oxygen tank and put the tubes in my nose and said, Just rx and breathe normally. Sure, rx right? I wonder if shed ever experiencedbor. I wasnt even that far into it and I was sure that there was going to be no rxation for me. After she did all of that, she put on her gloves and said, Were going to see if youre dted. My feet were put into the dreaded stirrups and she did her checking. It was almost as ufortable asbor pains. When she was finished, she snapped off her glove and said, Youre only at about two. Well see how you progress. We might have to have you walk for a while to speed things along. Walking sounded like torture at the moment. My belly seized up into another pain and this one traveled across my back. The nurse watched me and looked at the monitor. Theyre about five minutes apart. Theyll get closer as you progress and youll dte more. Are you going to want the epidural? No, I told her. I want to do this all-natural. She raised an eyebrow but she didnt say anything. She fussed around me a little more. Okay, Ill be back in about half an hour. Press the call button if you need me before that. Is there anyone waiting that you would like me to send in? No, no one thanks. I hadnt called Liz. There was no reason for her to leave work and sit here worried. I would call her after. Maybe I could call someone for you? Dad? Dad is in Belize with his wife. No thank you, I said, simply. Her eyes looked sad, but Im sure shed seen it before. She left and suddenly I was alone. I had another terrible cramp and I realized that the little man was trying to tell me that I was wrong. I wasnt alone and after today, I never would be again. After the cramp passed I rubbed my belly and said, You and me, kid. We can do this. Were going to be okay. ALEXANDERs POV The flight seemed to take forever. It was almost five hours. I wondered if I would get there in time, or if the baby would already be here. I wondered how much danger the baby was in by being a month early. I kept thinking about her going through this all alone. I could hardly stand the thought of it. All I knew of having a baby was what Id seen in the movies and on television, but it looked very painful. No one should be alone in that kind of pain. Vicki shouldnt be alone in pain or not. I was going to do whatever I had to do once I got there, to make sure it never happened again. Twenty-Six I took out myptop and typed in: prematurebor and delivery. I read through a lot of medical sites. None of them seemed to worry much about a baby that was born at thirty-five weeks. It seemed that everything major would be developed and working by that time, the major concern would be weight and developmental milestones. After that, I read through some of the testimonials of people who had children born prematurely. One woman whod had her baby at thirty-five weeks noted that at that point the child wasnt even considered premature, but pre-term. She said he was four years old now and keeping up with his peers in both his growth and his development. Another mother said her son was only three pounds at birth. The doctors thought he would be small and sickly for most of his life. Hes fifteen now, she said, and over six feet tall. Reading all of that made me feel better. It also made me feel strange. I knew I was getting attached to the idea of having a son. I just hadnt realized how attached. I was thinking about things now in the future; when he learned how to walk and talk when he started school when he had his first girlfriend. I wanted to be there for all of it. I wanted to be someone that he could look up to and respect. I didnt want to just be some rich guy who had a gaggle ofwyers at his disposal that told him what to do and how to do it. I also wanted to be with his mother. I wanted Vicki more than I had allowed myself to admit. I care for her so deeply that my chest physically aches when I think about it. Cassandra can take the money. The tabloids can have a field day. My parents can give me their quizzical, disappointed look. I dont care because I knew that this had worked out perfectly. Id fallen for her by ident and it took everything that happened in between to make me realize that she was the one Id been waiting for my entire life. VICTORIAs [POV] I realized as I was dted to about eight and the contractions were about two minutes apart, the reason God had invented the maternal instinct if not for that, I may have just given up and said, Forget this, Ive changed my mind. But there was that instinct there that drove you on. You knew that you had to do this and make sure this baby came safely into the world. I wanted that more than anything at this point. I wanted him to be safe and healthy. While Iy there for the two minutes that seemed to only be two seconds, between pains, I tried to imagine what he would look like. I hoped that he had Alexs eyes and maybe my blonde hair. Hed be gorgeous. I cant imagine that hell be anything else anyways. I often wondered if parents of unattractive children would even know if they were unattractive. I doubted it and then I thought about my mother and her endless criticisms. I vowed that no matter what, Id never be like that. I was going to do my best every day to tell him something good about himself. I wanted him to grow up knowing that anything was possible as long as he believed in himself. I was finally beginning to believe that about myself, but it had been a long time ining. Victoria! How are you? My doctor had arrived atst. Hi Dr. Patterson. Im doing okay Another pain seized me. He watched the monitor as it did. I know youre probably a little bit anxious because were a little early. But at this point, the chances are youll have a very healthy baby. He will likely be small but if we have to, well keep him here until he gains enough weight. His heartbeat is good and strong and youre young and healthy, so all should go well. I nodded, another pain was starting; I tried to breathe through it, but it was getting harder. I could feel the sweat begin to bead up and roll down the side of my face. I was really d Id pulled my hair back this morning or it would be a sticky mess in my face. Theyre getting a lot closer. Are they harder too? I nodded again. Id barely begun to rx from that one and another started. Involuntarily a little cry escaped my lips. Im going to have the nursee in and well check you again. I think you may be ready. The nurse came in and together she and the doctor checked. He said that I was dted to ten and fully effaced whatever that meant. I didnt care. I just wanted to get this show on the road. I concentrated on the pains while the bed was broken down and moved around underneath me. I heard the doctor say that he was crowning and I could push soon.C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org. Sir! You cant juste in here! I turned my head and thought I was hallucinating. Alex was standing in the doorway and the five foot tall nurse was trying to block the big mans way into the room. His face looked more determined than Id ever seen it. Its okay. Hes the father. She stepped aside. I think he would have stepped over her if she hadnt. He came up to the bed and grabbed my hand. Are you okay? Is the baby okay? With tears in my eyes I nodded. Were fine. What are you doing here? Karen called me, thank God. I wasnt going to let you go through this alone. Besides, I wanted to be here. I want to see my son be born. I hope thats okay with you. I felt a tear escape down my cheek as another pain hit me. I tightened my grip on his hand. It was amazing how much it helped to have him to hold on to. When I could speak again I said, Its better than okay. Thank you. He looked distressed, like he hated seeing me in pain. It made my heart feel good, especially when he leaned down and pressed his lips to mine. When he stood back up, I had the worst pain Id felt so far and I felt an incredible need to bear down. Doctor! I need to push. He was doing something on his end and he said, Hang on just a second Vicki, just one more second No! I have to push now! Alex still looked distressed, but he put his hand on my forehead and brushed the hair there back and made shushing noises. Youre doing so good Vicki. Im so proud of you. You can do this. Thank you for doing this. Thank you for not letting anyone pressure you to do something you didnt believe in. Im so very proud of you. Okay Vicki, the doctor said. With the next pain, push as hard as you can. I started to nod, but the pain hit and I pushed. I felt like I was crushing Alexs hand but he didnt seem to care. You can do this. You got this. I cant wait to meet our son. It only took about three pushes and he was out. The pain was over. I was shaking all over and my baby was crying loudly. Alexander was grinning from ear to ear and suddenly a wiggly, wet little baby boy wasid across my belly. I looked down at him, all covered in muck and I knew that I would never see anything as beautiful again. Look what you did, Alex said with tears in his eyes. Hes beautiful. Hes perfect, the doctor said. A little small, but not too bad. Dad, do you want to cut the cord? Alexs eyes were a mixture of joy and terror. Alex looked at me as if asking for permission and I said, Go ahead. The babys cord was mped close to his belly and the doctor handed the scissor things to Alex. His hand trembled slightly as he snipped and once the baby was loose the nurse said, I have to clean him up and weigh him. Hell be back in a minute or two. Alex was still staring at him in awe. Hurry, he said. He dropped down in the chair next to my bed andy his head down against me. I could smell his musky shampoo and I couldnt help myself I ran my hand through his soft hair. He closed his eyes and justy there for a few seconds and then he lifted his head up and looked at me again. I saw the same awe and wonder in his eyes that hed looked at the baby with and it filled me up with such strong emotion that I wasnt sure what to do with it all so I cried again. Twenty-Seven The nurse brought our beautiful boy back to us, wrapped tightly in a nket. He was all cleaned up and his skin was pink and beautiful. He was so small that as I held him I was afraid he might break. He was wearing a little stocking cap and Alex pulled it up and peeked underneath. Blonde fuzz, he said with a grin. The baby had his eyes closed, so I hadnt seen the color yet, but none of that mattered. He was gorgeous and like the doctor said, Perfect. How much does he weigh? I asked. Four pounds eleven ounces, the nurse said. Wow, thats incredible, Alex said. Its amazing that something that weighs less than five pounds can be such a perfect little person. It is amazing. Its also amazing that I already love him so much. My chest feels like its going to burst when I look at him. Alex reached over and let his finger trace the round line of his tiny little face and said, Me too. I looked up at him and I could see that he was as consumed by this child as I was. That did my heart good because no matter whatever happened with he and I anything or nothing, the baby would have a father who would love him. Do you know what you want to name him? he asked me. No, not yet, I said. I thought about Manny and all of his silly names. Whats your middle name? I asked him. Michael, he said. Hmm, I like that. What about Michael Alexander Reigns? He pulled his head up to look at my face quickly like he was afraid I was kidding. Really? I nodded, Yes, I like it, dont you? The tears began to flow freely down his face and he said, I love it. I didnt think you would give him myst name. Is that okay? I dont think I could put into words how okay it is, he said. He touched the babys cheek again and said, Hi there, Michael Alex. Im your daddy. We sat there silently staring at him, watching him sleep, watching him breathe and finally I asked the question that had to be asked. What about Cassandra and thewyers and the tabloids He sighed and said, Cassie will not be easy. Shes angry and I understand that she has a right to be. But most grown-ups would take that anger and try to begin their own new life. Cassie is not the most grown-up. Shelle at me hard and you. I should probably not work at the house then Cassies not going to be at the house, Vicki. Im going to finish the divorce. I dont love her. Im not going to stay with her out of fear that shell take my money any longer. My attorneys can deal with her and Ill do my best to help them settle with her so that shes satisfied. But I dont want to be with her any longer. Were both miserable and its as unfair to her as it is to me. That news made me happier than I probably had a right to be. I felt a little ashamed that divorce made me happy. But Id heard so many awful fights and Id borne witness to the fact that he was right; they didnt belong together. I want to share him with you, Alex but please promise me something. Anything, he said. Please promise me you will never try and take him from me. I couldnt bear it. I already love him so much that the thought of being without him makes it hard to breathe. He shook his head and looked back down at our son. I promise. I would never consider it. He needs you and you need him and we need each other. Were a family now. How bout that, Michael Alexander? You made us a family. He looked up at me again. His long, dark eyshes were wet with residual tears and he said, Vicki, Im so sorry for everything. After we were together that day in the basement I was so confused. I didnt understand why being with you had made me feel so differently from being with the other women Id been with since Cassie left. I was overwhelmed by the emotional part of it and it scared me to death so I just tried to ignore it and pretend it never happened. That was so wrong. I reached up with the hand that didnt hold our son and touched his face. It was a confusing situation, I said. Maybe, he said. But my behavior was inexcusable. But not unforgivable, and thats what matters. He brought my hand to his lips and held it there for a few beats. Thank you, he said. I need to apologize for so much more thewyers, the fights with Cassie that you had to overhear I thought that I was grown up and a man of the world and then I slept with my maid and realized I didnt know anything at all. Iughed. I think I have a lot of that growing-up stuff left to do myself, I told him. Maybe Michael can help us with that. Vicki? Yeah? Can I hold him? Of course. I scooped the tiny little man with one hand under his bottom and kept the other under his head as I handed him to Alex. Then I watched as the baby yawned and stretched and peeked open one of his little eyes his hazel eyes.ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org . He looked at his daddy and the look on Alexs face was priceless. They were bonding and I knew that my baby would never have to want for anything, most especially love. When Alex was able to tear his eyes away from Michael he said, Michael and I were wondering if his Mama might consent to have a date with his daddy when she gets out of the hospital? Iughed and said, Mama would love that but I dont think Ill be able to get too far from him for a while. Thats okay, Alex said, looking down at his son. He has a standing invitation. VICTORIAs [POV] Baby Michael had to stay in the hospital for a few days after his birth. They wouldnt let him leave until he was five pounds. They let me stay on a recliner in the NICU, partly I think, because they knew I wasnt going to leave unless they physically removed me. I can hardly believe how much I love him still. Its so overwhelming that sometimes theres hardly room in my chest for anything else. Sometimes I begin to wonder how people can have more than one child. How could you possibly open up your heart that wide more than once then Alexes in to see us and I realize that the heart knows no bounds. Mine stretches to amodate him as well. I tell myself that I dont have a right to feel that way about him. Hes Michaels father but technically, hes not even my boyfriend. My heart and brain are in a constant battle over it. Hes been here every day. He brings me food and makes sure that Im eating it and he holds our son and tells him about all of the things theyre going to do together someday. Its adorable to watch and once again, my heart swells. I was sitting here today next to the crib watching my handsome boy sleep when the doctor came in and Alex snuck in right behind him. My heart, still not listening to my head, sped up at the sight of Alex and my breaths quickened. How is Sir Michael doing today? the doctor asked. Hes called him Sir Michael since the day of his birth. He said its his eyes, they make him look regal. I smiled at him and my eyes drifted over to Alex and I smiled at him too. He smiled back at me. I melted. Focusing back on the moment I said, Hes perfect, Dr. Samuels, just perfect. The doctor grinned and looked at Alex and said, Well see if shes still saying that in a few years when hes sliding down the banister backward. Raising boys is not for the faint of heart, you know. Im sure my mother would agree, Alex said. And Im sure my boy will be the best banister slider there ever was, I told them. Dr. Samuelsughed and unwrapped Michaels nket. He started poking around on his little belly. Michael started to fuss, annoyed at the intrusion. You dont like that little man? Alex asked him, stepping up to the other side of the crib. He put his hand down next to the baby and as the doctor pressed his cold stethoscope into the babys chest, Michael reached up and grabbed onto one of Alexs fingers. Alexs eyes widened and he looked at me with a look of pure awe on his face. Hes so strong! Twenty-Eight We are so ready! I told him. I looked at Alex again. The baby was still gripping his finger. If it had been dark in the room, Alexs smile would have illuminated it. Were ready, he said. Ill get the paperwork started, Dr. Samuels said. Youve got a fine boy there. We both thanked him and he left. I got up and stood on the opposite side of the crib from where Alex was. Hey there little man, did you hear that? We get to take you home today. Mamas got a cozy little bed for you right next to mine I said. Please let hime to the mansion I looked up and Alex was imploring me with those intense hazel eyes. But Im breastfeeding him Alex, you promised that Michael and I wouldnt be separated. Hes too little, he needs me. I could feel my entire body going into fight or flight mode. Id never experienced emotions the way I have since Michael was born. I guess thats the maternal instinct in me. No Vicki, calm down. Im not taking him from you. You cane too. Please, stay with him in my home. I know he doesnt need me the way he does you but I do need him. Is he asking me to move in? I looked back down at the baby. I thought about the difference between my room in Lizs apartment and the nursery that Alex had so painstakingly designed for our son. At his home, Michael would not only have everything he would have both of his parents as well. Okay, well stay for a while, I said. Alex came over to my side of the crib and wrapped his arms around me. He pulled me into his chest and held me there. I couldnt believe how good it felt. We stood there like that for a long time until Michael started fussing again. Alex kissed me on top of the head and then with his mouth close to my ear he whispered, Thank you. I shivered and then reached down and scooped the baby up into my arms. Thank you for him, I said, kissing little Michael on the cheek. I sat down with him in the rocking chair and nursed him. By the time I finished, the nurse came in with our discharge instructions and half an hourter, we were in the back of the Bentley, taking our son home. When we got to the house, Alex and I got little Michael all settled into the nursery. We both stood there staring at him and I wondered if all new parents had such a hard time tearing themselves away from their children. As we walked out of the room with the baby monitor in tow Alex said, Would you like to begin interviewing nannies this week? No. I dont want a nanny. I can take care of my child. Vicki, youll need help youll need a break at least every once in a while Im not turning over the care of my child to a stranger. I had a nanny growing up, I turned out okay. Thats not the point. I want to be the one there when he takes his first steps and says his first word and rides his first bike I felt tears brimming in my eyes. This was one of those moments when I let myself remember what different worlds Alex and I came from. It wasnt that my mother was there for me she wasnt, but I grew up knowing that she should be. Ive been away from my son for ten minutes now and I ache for him already. Alex was smiling at me and he had a look that I didnt recognize in his eyes. What? He reached over and wiped a tear that had escaped off my cheek. His touch was searing hot.This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. Vicki, I need you to trust me. I need you to believe me when I say that I dont want to take one minute of that boys life away from you. Id like to hire a nanny to be here to help, thats all. We can hire her part-time and you can send her home any time you like. I just dont want you to be so exhausted that you cant enjoy your time with him. I will help as much as I can, but you know that business takes me away a lot. Please trust that from now on everything I suggest or do is not just for Michael, but you as well, okay? I felt another tear roll down my face. I nodded. Im sorry, I said. Post-pregnancy hormones I think. He smiled and once again he pulled me into his chest. When he did that, all of my worries and angst faded away. After several seconds he pulled back and said, Are you hungry? Im ravenous! Heughed. Good, lets go downstairs and see what we can find. I automatically looked back at the nursery. Heughed again. You have the monitor. Hell be fine. Okay, I said, reluctantly. Alex was right, I knew that rationally it was just so hard. I followed him down to the kitchen and when we got there, I stopped dead in my tracks in the doorway. Oh my God, Alex! When did you do all of this? He grinned. Id love to take all the credit, but before we left the hospital I called Cook and asked him to do this for us. Karen helped him and then she dismissed the rest of the staff so we could have an evening alone with our son. Its incredible! There was a hand-written banner weing Michael and me home, a huge bouquet of red roses, sparkling apple cider chilling for me, and champagne for Alex. I cant drink while Im breastfeeding so it was so nice of them to remember that and leave me the cider. There were silver trays filled with finger sandwiches and one with a big pile of boiled crab legs, a huge bowl of Caesar sd, and another area with cheesecake and chocte-covered strawberries and chocte cupcakes It was amazing. Thank you! He grinned. Youre wee. You deserve it and as soon as I can tear you away from the other man in your life, Id like to take you out on a real date. Alex tried to no avail while Michael was in the hospital to get me to go out to dinner with him. I couldnt do it. I knew that it was pointless and I wouldnt enjoy a bite, knowing that Id left my baby alone with strangers. I dont think Alex has any idea how badly I want to spend time with him but as badly as I do want that, I want to be a good mother even more. Hopefully, he can help me find a bnce so that I will be able to do both. For now, I avoided the subject by looking at the food. This looks so yummy! Im so hungry! We fixed our tes and sat down together to eat. As we ate he said, Tell me more about you, Vicki. I know that you grew up in Glendale, are your parents still there? I felt the color rise to my cheeks. I didnt like talking about my parents with my friends. Talking about them to someone like Alex who I assume led a charmed life that was even more difficult. Well, I guess since were linked at least for the next eighteen years you have a right to know, but please dont judge me by my rtives. He shed his dimples at me. I would never, he said. When I was five, my father decided that being married, and especially married with a kid was not what he wanted to be. My mother probably didnt help the situation any by refusing to give up her gig as a professional pole dancer. He was still looking at me and the look on his face hadnt changed at all. Do you wish you would have asked me this before we made a baby together? He grinned again and said, We cant help who were born to. Have you ever seen your father since? I shook my head. My mother always said that was a good thing. She said he was an alcoholic and an all-around bum. I vaguely remember him I mostly remember being afraid of him and feeling almost relieved when he left. Did he hurt you? No, at least not that I recall. He just had this kind of menacing way about him and he was huge, so to a five-year-old, he looked like an angry giant. Im sorry, Vicki. Little girls should have a father they can look up to and be proud of. I nodded. It wasnt fun growing up without a father, especially since my mother paraded a lot of Uncles through the house every month or sometimes every week. Do you still see her? Twenty-Nine I felt guilty Im not sure why. I expected him to think poorly of me for saying yes, but I wasnt going to lie to him. I do. I know that its silly, but I still keep hoping at nearly twenty-four years old that shes suddenly going to change and want to be my mother. Its not silly. Its what we all want. I can identify with your pain. I raised an eyebrow. Was your mother a pole dancer too? I asked, jokingly. He smiled. No, but she wasnt motherly at all. She was a stereotypical Orange County housewife. My father was a sessful businessman and he worked a lot of hours. My mother spent time ying tennis and heading up charities and lunching with her friends; she didnt have the time or the patience for a rambunctious toddler. I had a nanny until I was old enough for boarding school and then thats where I went until I headed for college. Its funny when youre grown and they want to have a rtionship with you then I dont feel like any of us know each other. Im sorry. Every little boy should have a mother that kisses his boo-boos and reads stories to him at night. I have a good feeling that our son wont have to worry about a mother who is not motherly, although he may have to slip under her radar to breathe. Iughed. Ill get better more rxed I think. He reached out and touched the side of my face. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. The slightest touch of his hand caused me every sense to be heightened. Our son is very lucky to have you. I opened my eyes and smiled at him. Maybe we could get that part-time nanny and have a date every once in a while Michael might appreciate the break. Alexughed. I doubt that, but his Daddy would more than appreciate the time to get to know his mother. After we finished our dinner and dessert, we went up and checked on Michael. He was still sleeping like the angel that he is. Alex took my hands and said, You need to get some rest before hes waking up to eat again. I nodded. Where am I sleeping? I hate to admit it, but I was hoping that hed say he wanted me to sleep with him. The guest room right next door will be close for you, will that be fine? I forced a smile. Perfect, I said. I know that we agreed to take this all slow so he was right, we shouldnt sleep together so soon, but my hopes were still dashed, right up to the point where his arms encircled me and his hazel eyes hooded as he looked down at my mouth. I automatically reached up and slid my fingers into his hair. I love his thick, dark hair. I raked my fingers through it and he moaned as his mouth came down to meet mine. He kissed me then, letting his tongue dance against mine, and then he pulled back slightly, letting those exquisite full lips graze across mine a few times before pulling back. I was breathless and my knees were weak.This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. I wanted to do that for two weeks. Since you wont go out with me, I suppose outside of the nursery is as good of a ce as any. A nanny, I said, breathlessly. Thats what we need. The next day I went to the apartment to pick up my things. Alex insisted that I go and spend some time with Liz while I was there. Michael was almost two weeks old and Id spent nearly every minute with him even though hed juste home from the hospital. To me, that was a good thing, just thinking about leaving him made my chest hurt. I was unsure how I would do with a nanny. She would probably despise me. As reluctant as I was to leave him, Alex can be very persuasive. He told me that Michael would suffer if I didnt take care of myself and stay healthy, and he told me that I was hogging Michael and he wanted some time to himself with him. I couldnt very well argue with either of those since it seemed he had our familys best interest at heart either way. Alexs driver took me over and dropped me off in front of Lizs apartment. Id tried to drive my car. It was another thing that Alex had objected to. He told me that he was having a new car sent over for me. He didnt feel like mine was safe, for me or Michael. I wasnt sure how I felt about that. Id had my car for a long time and it never did me wrong. I didnt want to argue with him over something so silly though. The man was buying me a new car; I should be thrilled. The driver told me to call when I was ready and he would help me load my things. This life was foreign to me. Id never been so pampered or pampered at all for that matter. It was going to be hard for me to get used to. There was also the part where Alex liked to be in charge of things and he practically insisted things be done his way. I appreciated his desire to make life easier for me, but I had no intentions of losing myselfpletely. I was still going to follow my dreams. As soon as I got out of the car, Liz opened the door and threw her arms around me. Its good to see you. Look at you, you look so pretty! Im so happy for you! I was slightly confused. She had alreadye to the hospital to see Michael and shed told me how happy she was for me then. Thanks, I love him so much. Im happy for me too. She pulled me inside and she looked like she was about to burst. Youre even ready to admit that its love? Oh my goodness thats even better than I thought! Wait a minute what are you talking about? You and Alex of course. What did you think I was talking about? Michael. Oh, well of course Im happy for you and proud of you and your gorgeous son, but I was talking about you moving in with Alex. When I called her about picking up my things I had done my best to avoid the why of moving in with him. It was a lot about convenience still, mostly about raising Michael but I also couldnt deny that I had very strong feelings for him. Oh! Oh no, thats just about Michael. We both want to be with him and this was the best way for that to happen. Alex and I are well, Im not sure what we are yet. Were just co-parenting and taking things slow for now. She raised an eyebrow at me. Are you sure thats wise? What do you mean? Because of how you feel about him. I thought you were going to make me some cookies and tea. Youre not going to get out of talking about this, she said. Im not trying to get out of talking about it. I just want what I was promised. I smell chocte chips. You wouldnt deny a post-pregnant woman a chocte chip cookie, would you? She rolled her eyes. Okay,e on. We sat out on the balcony with a te of cookies and a pot of tea. While I stuffed my face with cookies she said, Okay, now talk to me. Im not sure what you want me to say. Of course, I care about Alex hes my sons father. But its not like Im expecting him to marry me Vicki, youre in love with him. No. When I said that, I was talking about Michael. She smiled. I know you were, but honey I can see it in your eyes and hear it in your voice when you talk about him. You may not have even admitted it to yourself but honey you do, trust me. Iughed. I should trust you to tell me who Im in love with? Yes, because no one knows you as I do. Youre in love with him and if this is truly only about Michael then youre going to end up getting hurt eventually You mean when he brings another woman home? Yes, thats exactly what I mean. He kissed mest night. It wasnt a friendly kiss because Im the mother of his child. It was a real kiss and there was real passion behind it. I dont know that Im in love with him, but I care very much about him and Im attracted to him in a way Ive never been attracted to anyone before. I think its worth exploring as long as I keep reminding myself that living with him does not make us a couple yet. Thirty Just be careful with your heart honey. Jason did a big enough number on it. I will be, I promise. Whats new with you? Absolutely nothing, she said, with a sad smile. I went on two dates this past week. One of them was with the guy from apartment 82 did you ever meet him? Oh! The cute guy with the little Boxer he walks every morning?Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. Yeah, him. Hes so cute and he seems nice. You didnt have fun? It was interesting. We went to a restaurant in Venice Beach where we could eat outside do you want to know why we had to eat outside? I could guess, but I said, Why? Because Louie thats the boxers name he had to go with us. He sat on the seat between us. Louie has some kickin breath and he emits gas almost constantly. I wasughing so hard that tears were rolling down my face. Im sorry, its not funny Oh, go ahead andugh. Its either that or cry. I always wondered why he was single and now I know. When I finishedughing I said, So who was date number two? You remember Grant from my Yoga ss? Grant? I thought he was gay? Hes not sure I am. We went to a club and he spent the night staring at all of the hot guys. I walked up on him getting one guys number. Oh Liz, Im sorry! She rolled her eyes again. Me too. I attract the weirdos like flies. Dont give up. Youre amazing. You deserve so much better. Does Alex have a brother? she asked, with augh. Not that hes mentioned, but if it turns out that he does youll be the first person I call after I meet him. She smiled and said, Or a cousin. A cousin would be nice. We talked andughed for over an hour and I realized that Alex was right as hard as it was to leave the baby I needed this. I felt lighter and I suppose its true what people say about being unable to care for others if you dont care for yourself. When it came time to go, I assured Liz that I wouldnt be a stranger. I will call you in a few weeks after we get a nanny hired and well have lunch, okay? Id like that, she said. Id also love to see that sweet baby boy again too. That, you can do anytime. You know where to find us. Um yeah, Ive only been to the mansion that once when I dropped you off I felt out of ce just in the driveway. I dont fit in there. Dont be silly, I told her, but I had to wonder if she was being silly, or not. Didnt I feel the same way? I lived there now and I still had a hard time thinking of myself as anything but the maid. I knew in my heart that Id never fit in with the people Id seen at Alexs parties and the thought of meeting his parents terrified me. When it was just me and him, or me and him and Michael, everything was great and his world and mine melded together to form a beautiful ce. But, I had been around that house long enough to see him in his element. Hes hosted parties and gatherings that I worked at; serving food or drinks, he was everything a man in his position should be. He was polite and charming and a gracious host all the way around. He put on a tuxedo and wore it as if hed been born in it. I wasnt elegant, nor was Ifortable in formal wear. I heard his guests talking about vacations and new houses and cars I wasntfortable with that either, I fear that I never will be. But at the same time, I wasnt ready to give up on the dream of Alex, Michael, and I being a family either. It was a quandary. When I got back to the house I ran into Karen in the foyer. She hugged me and congratted me on the baby. It was strange and a little bit ufortable to be the mistress of the house where I used to work. I wasnt quite sure what to say to the people I used to talk with and joke andugh with daily. She was deferential to me, which freaked me out. Thank you, Karen. Hes amazing thats for sure. Have you seen him? She smiled and her ufortableness seemed to disappear. I just came from upstairs. I was checking on the new upstairs maid and I looked in on Mr. Reigns both of them She had tears in her eyes and a smile on her face as she said, It was the sweetest thing Ive ever seen. Youll just have to go up and take a look for yourself. Well, now youve piqued my curiosity. It was so good to see you, Karen. You too, Miss Karen? Yes? Its Victoria or Vicki, just like it has always been. She smiled, It was good to see you, Vicki. Your son is beautiful. Thank you. I went up the stairs and down the long hall towards the nursery. On my way there, I passed the master suite. The door was open and I nced in. I was frozen to the spot, in awe of what I saw. Alex was lying on his big bed, shirtless. Baby Michael was lying on his chest in only a diaper. Alex had one hand resting protectively on the babys back. They were both asleep. It was the most beautiful sight Id ever seen. I dont know how long I stood there like that I couldnt draw myself away. My attention was suddenly drawn behind me where a middle-ageddy was mopping the floor. Oh hello. She looked up at me and smiled. Hello, Miss. Im Esther I dont think weve met yet. Hi Esther, Im Vicki. She nced in at what had me so captivated and said, Oh my goodness, if thats not the sweetest thing Ive ever seen. I smiled. Me too, I said. I cant seem to drag myself away. Dont Miss. Just stand there watching them as long as you can. Before you know it, that little one will be grown with his babies. My youngest just turned twenty-two. How many children do you have? I asked her. Two boys, she smiled. Then suddenly she looked wistful and she said, They didnt have a daddy around. Your little one is lucky. Yes, he is. She went on to do her work and I stood there looking at the two men I loved most in the world. She was so right. Michael was lucky and if it meant living here forever and watching Alex have rtionships with other women then thats what I would do to ensure that he never had to be without his father. Thirty-One ALEXANDERs [POV] I had the best time taking care of Michael while Victoria went to visit her friend. He was so alert to be so little and when I talked to him he stared up at me wide-eyed and looked like he was taking in every word. It was almost eerie to look down at eyes that were so simr to my own. The only difference between them was that he held an innocence that mine had long since lost. When he got hungry, I fed him the bottle that Vicki pumped before she left. He ate it like a champ and then wey down on my bed to talk and he fell asleep on my chest. I didnt have the heart to move him and before I knew it, I fell asleep too. When I woke up, Vicki was sitting by the bed watching us. Hi, how long have you been home? She shrugged. An hour or so. I lost track of time watching the two of you. I looked down at Michael. He was beginning to wake up, stretching and wiggling in the way newborns do. He amazed me like nothing in my life ever had. I would be eternally grateful to Vicki for giving him to me. Hes something, isnt he? He sure is. I looked up at her and she was looking at me, not the baby. She smiled and then she stood up and scooped him off my chest. Holding him in one arm, she leaned down and pressed her lips to mine. It was a soft, sweet, intimate kiss nothing that should have excited me too much but it did. I found myself wanting her more and more with each day that passed, but I had to examine my feelings and make sure that this was about me wanting her and not me being grateful, or her just being convenient. Shes the mother of my son and shes a good mother. Thest thing I ever want to do is hurt her.This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. That was nice, I told her. I sat up and said, What time is it? Around three. I have an idea if youre up for it. Whats that? Maybe after you feed him and get him settled back down Karen could watch him for a bit while you take a walk in the gardens with me. I could ask Cook to pack us some snacks and we could have a little pic by the pond? She smiled and her eyes lit up. Id like that a lot, she said. I was happy and surprised. Id almost expected her to refuse to leave Michael again. I suppose it was because we werent going that far, or away for that long. Great! I reached for my shirt and pulled it on. Ill go talk to her and cook and set it up. She started the room and I said, Vicki? Yes? Thank you for him. Sheughed. You put in half the genes you know. I know, but you could have you didnt have to let me Its okay, I know what you mean. Just so you know Im so d that I did. I think hes so lucky to have you. We both are. She left with the baby and a smile that made me feel warm all over. I think these past couple of weeks with her and Michael have been the most truly contented moments of my life. I wanted it to be like this forever only I was beginning to want more. I didnt want to rush her and scare her but I am not sure how much longer Id be able to keep those kisses chaste. I asked Karen and she said shed love to watch Michael for an hour or two. Cook set about packing a basket full of delicious snacks and by the time Vicki finished feeding Michael, everything was ready. We walked away from the back of the house towards the gardens that I regrettably didnt usually get enough time to enjoy. When I first bought the house Id had grand delusions that Cassandra and I would live here forever and that we would raise children here. I had the gardens designed with walking paths and clearings around the pond where thewns were lush and green and just perfect for a pic on a beautiful day. We walked along one of the brick paths and the smells of the flowers wafted around us in the breeze. The fragrance was soft and sweet and I could see Vicki inhaling deeply as we passed the roses. I stopped and picked a deep orange and white one; a variety that Id had specially imported. I handed it to her and she smiled and put it up to her nose. I wondered as I watched her if she had any idea how beautiful she is. Its beautiful. Ive never seen one this color before. She looked into the rose garden and made a little happy noise. Look at them all! Every color you can think of! Theyre gorgeous. Why does the gardener deliver red ones for the house every day? I hated to bring up Cassie to her, but to give her an urate answer, I said, Hes still following the instructions that Cassie gave him. You can let him know that youd like a different color or a variety. Youre thedy of the house now. I couldnt read the look on her face. I wasnt sure if it was shock or reluctance. Sheughed then and said, Im thedy of the house? Well of course you are. Youre the mother of the lord of the manor and my She looked at me curiously, in anticipation of what I was going to say next. Youre what? What do you think of me as other than Michaels mother? She looked like she enjoyed putting me on the spot. I would love to think of you as my girlfriend to start. If thats okay with you? She smiled brightly then and the next thing I know she was throwing her arms around my neck. I had to drop the pic basket and nket I held onto to wrap her up in mine. Its okay, she said. She looked up at me with her pretty face and I brought my lips down to meet hers. She was so responsive, I loved kissing her. This kiss started sweet, but the feel of her in my arms was toofortable and the tickle in my core too powerful. I pressed my tongue into hers and she tangled hers up with mine. Her hands went up and her fingers tangled in my hair as my hands found the bottom of her blouse and ran up underneath her shirt and across her silky soft skin. I wondered if she could feel the evidence of my desire against her hip. When we broke the kiss, we were both breathless and a light sheen of sweat had gathered between us. I want you, Vicki. She smiled, I could feel that, she said, with a blush. I want you too. Will you stay with me, in the master suite tonight? Any night that youll have me, she said. I kissed her again. When we get back to the house, Ill move your things in there. Id like to have you there every night. Sheid her head on my chest and we just stood there for a long time amid the beautiful, fragrant flowers. Vicki finally pulled back first and said, Since we have to wait until tonight, maybe we should finish our walk and have our pic. Breastfeeding makes me hungry. Iughed. Okay, then we better feed you. I fed the little man the bottle earlier. Hes a glutton. Youll need your nourishment. We walked until we came to the clearing by the pond. Vicki gasped again. Oh, Alex! Its so beautiful! It is, I agreed with her. But you know what? What? she asked, looking at me with those clear blue eyes and her blonde hair blowing back gently in the breeze. It pales inparison to you. Although it wasnt my intent theplimentted me another embrace and another long, deep kiss. After we tore ourselves apart again Iid the nket out and sat down. Vicki was still transfixed by the pond and the brilliant colors that surrounded us. The sun reflected off of the water and back into her eyes. They were filled with wonder and I suddenly realized that I wanted to do something every day for the rest of her life that brought that look into her eyes. I sat out the food that Cook packed for us and said, Would you like to join me or should I just fix you a te and hand it on up? She grinned and sat down. Im sorry, its just so gorgeous. I looked at her smiling face and said, Thats okay, I know the feeling. She looked down at what I sat out and said, Wow! Cook outdid himself. Thirty-Two Laughing I said, He usually does. He hadnt packed anything paper. There were real china tes and linen napkins and ss champagne flutes. He remembered about Vicki breastfeeding and hed packed apple cider instead of champagne. There was a tray of exotic cheese and hard smi and another of prosciutto. Hed packed a baguette and even some beautiful French pastries. While we ate, I took the opportunity to ask her something that Id been thinking about. Have you ever been out of the country? She looked at me like I was crazy and said, Ive barely been out of Los Angeles. I was thinking that maybe you and I could take a weekend and go somewhere anywhere youd like to go somewhere youve always wanted to go Oh, I think its a little too soon for that, dont you?C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org. I raised an eyebrow and smiled at her. You just agreed to move into my room. Sheughed. I guess that did sound a little backward, didnt it? I meant that its too soon to leave Michael. Then we wont leave him. Well hire a nanny this week and well n the trip for next weekend. Michael and the nanny can go too. Well My phone rang before she was able to finish. Hold that thought as long as it was a yes, I told her with a wink. Hello? Alex, its Amanda. Amanda is my personal assistant. I could tell just by the sound of her voice that something was very wrong. Hey, Amanda, whats up? Its not good, boss. Okay what is it? Variety has a two-page spread about your love child. It names his mother and it also says that she was in a rtionship at the time and working as your maid. They of course failed to mention that you and Cassandra were in the middle of a divorce at the time. Damn it! Where did they get their information? I dont know, but its pretty urate. Do whatever damage control you can. Ill talk to Vicki and she and I will decide what we want to do. Ill let you know. I hung up, pissed that my good mood had been blown out of the water just like that. Vicki was looking at me with big eyes waiting to hear what had happened. Variety did a story about my supposed infidelity and the birth of Michael. They named you in it and said that you were my maid when you got pregnant. I guess they made it all sound pretty seedy. Vicki looked like she was about to be sick. Im sorry, she said. Youre sorry? For what? You didnt seduce me I was separated at the time and you and that bozo you were with were on a break. We didnt do anything wrong and you have nothing to be sorry for. We have Michael and we have each other and the rest of the world can go She smiled and put her fingers on my lips. I get it. Thank you. Youre so sweet. I just worry all the time, Alex I worry that Im not going to fit into your world. I worry that Im going to embarrass you, or cause trouble for you I took her hand and I looked into her eyes. With everyst bit of sincerity in my body I said, First of all, you could never embarrass me. Youre beautiful and intelligent, and you have more ss in your little finger than most of the women I know. Second of all, if anyone thinks that you dont fit into my world they better keep it to themselves. They will be very, very sorry if I ever hear them say anything of the sort okay? She nodded, but Im not sure she believed me. We finished our pic, but the mood was much more subdued than it was. When we made it back to the house, Amanda was there. I wanted to choke her for showing up and not just calling me. I had a feeling that she was about to say something to make Vicki feel even worse and I was right. Who is Rita Lawton? I have no idea. Shes my mother, Vicki said. Suddenly I was the one who felt sick. VICTORIAs [POV] Excuse me! I turned and ran for the stairs. I could hear Alex calling after me but I was feeling like I was about to be sick. I ran up the stairs and vomited all of that beautiful food Id just eaten on our pic. I dont know how long I sat there in front of the toilet, but by the time I finally dragged myself up, brushed my teeth, and drank some water, Alex and baby Michael were waiting for me in the master bedroom. Are you okay? he asked me, as he bounced our baby up and down. My heart swelled. I am so in love with him. Im fine, I lied. I still felt sick and I wanted to cry. What did she say about my mother? He patted the bed next to him. I went over and sat down and took Michael out of his arms. I hugged him to me. When my baby was in my arms I felt like I could take on the world. She said they interviewed her. She left me a copy of the article. I havent read it yet. Im not sure what youre afraid she said but it doesnt matter Vicki, I promise you. I will have my staff do damage control on this. Ive already called Noel, my attorney and Ive called my PR guy Vic well get through this. How will this affect Michaels future? It wont. Its the twenty-first century. Babies are born out of wedlock more often than not. Hell have every advantage, I promise you. What about your parents? What must they think of me? He rolled his eyes. My parents are in Tuscany and were barely fazed when I told them they were grandparents. Being parents was inconvenient to them. I hardly imagine they n on putting themselves out to be grandparents. Theyre not nning on returning here for anything other than a visit now and then, so its not like anything can hurt them at this point. Whoever leaked this to the press is petty and vindictive but were not going to let them win. I want you in my life in my bed youre in my heart, Vicki and I hope that Im in yours. I was crying again. Im sorry. I cant seem to control these tearstely. You just had a baby, from what Ive read, I think its normal. I nodded and said, You are in my heart, Alex. Thats why I worry so much. Im so afraid that all of this mess is going to ruin what we have together. Then stop worrying, now. This is not going to affect you and me and I am never going to let anything hurt Michael so were good, no matter what the article says. I put my sleeping baby up on my shoulder and said, Im going toy him down and Ill be back. I know its a form of self-torture but I have to read the article. He smiled sadly and nodded. I think he expected me to say that. He leaned in and kissed the baby and I went andid him down in his crib. When I got back, Alex was reclining against the headboard of the bed. I sat down next to him and he put his arm around me, kissed the side of my face, handed me the magazine, open to the article. The headline read: Billionaire Alexander Reigns steps out on wife to have a torrid affair with his upstairs maid! I knew that I should stop there, but it was like watching a train wreck I couldnt. I read on: A source close to the couple states that while Mr. Reigns was still married to his wife, Cassandra, he became involved with his upstairs maid. The maid is a twenty-four-year-old woman by the name of Victoria Lawton. Our source also tells us that Miss Lawton was involved in a serious rtionship with another man at the time in fact, she was engaged! Last week, Miss Lawton gave birth to a baby boy. Mr. Reigns was quick to dump his faithful wife Cassandra and rush to Miss Lawtons side and meet his heir apparent. I handed the magazine back to Alex. I cant read anymore. He nodded and took it. You dont want to know what your mother said? I can imagine. I never told her you were the father of my baby. Im sorry Alex. Shes a mess and money means more to her than anything looks, and money, thats what make her world go around. Im so ashamed. Please dont be, he said, pulling me into his side tighter. Were going to be okay all of us, I promise. Thirty-Three I slept in Alexs bed that night. Nothing happened between us, he just held me all night. It only reaffirmed my belief that he is nothing but a good man. Everything he does and says makes me fall deeper in love with him, and as much as that makes me happy, it makes me worry more as well. If I were to lose him at this point Im not sure how I would recover. Alex got up early and went to work. I was already up feeding Michael when he left and he came in and kissed us both and told us to have a great day. He left me with a warm feeling and an optimistic one. Waking up in his arms made me want more than ever to believe that everything would be okay. After I fed Michael and put him down for his nap, I showered and dressed for my day. I was about to go down for breakfast when my phone rang. I nearly threw it out the window when I looked at the face of it. It was my motherI had a feeling she would be calling soon. Hello, Mom. Victoria. I cant believe that a stranger had to tell me about the birth of my first grandchild. Really? I cant believe you gave an interview to a stranger about your daughter. I didnt say anything bad. Did you even read it? I waspletely supportive. You shouldnt have spoken to them. Well if my daughter had informed me of her affair with a billionaire and subsequent pregnancy by him I would have known not to talk. Give me a broken mother. When you thought this was Jasons baby you had no interest in him whatsoever I quote: I am too young to be a grandmother. All of a sudden because you know he is Alexs son, youre interested. You should be ashamed of yourself. Thats no way to talk to your mother Victoria. Then you should act like a mother now and again. Im going to write your attitude off as post-partum depression. When can I see my grandson? I sighed. She wasnt going to give up easily. Hes too young to take out yet. Ill bring him by to see you next week. I cane to see him at the Reigns estate that is where you are living, right? How do you know that? You didnt read that article, did you? It said that I was living here? Jesus! Theres no shame innding a rich, good-looking man Vicki. Im proud of you. What time shall Ie to see my grandson? Today is not a good day, mother. Ill let you know. Victoria Goodbye, Mother! I hung up, cutting her off. It wasnt like me to defy her. No matter how much shed annoyed me over the years I have gone out of my way to be as respectful to her as possible, but shed pushed myst button. She would have easily turned her back on both me and my son if he had been Jasons child. She can feel the brunt of rejection for once this time. I was finished. I had breakfast with Cook and it was like the old days. He and I talked about everything and nothing and it was rxing to get my mind off of everything and just be silly and normal for a while. He told me stories about the people who came into the shelter he ran. He seemed like he loved his work so much and I knew that he did it all with his own money and out of the goodness of his heart. He is truly an amazing person and I have so much respect for him. After breakfast, Michael was awake so I bundled him up and put him in his stroller. He and I went for a walk through the gardens and I think it rxed and awed him almost as much as it did me. The grounds of the estate were as beautiful, if not more so than the inside of the house and I felt very blessed to be a part of it. When we got back to the house, I was delighted to see that Alex was home. I fed and bathed Michael and tucked him in for his afternoon nap and then I sat down for coffee with Alex. I could tell something was troubling him and when I asked he said, There was an industrial ident at my nt in Kentucky. Five of my employees were killed and another twenty were seriously injured. I have to fly over there right away. Oh no! Alex thats terrible, Im so sorry. What happened? Theyre not sure yet. Its being investigated. Ive been told on a preliminary basis that there was some type of electrical malfunction. I have to go and make sure the families of the victims are taken care of. I also have to make sure the rest of my employees are safe and that we get the nt back up and running as soon as possible. How long will you be gone? He shook his head. Im sorry Vicki. I just dont know. I know this is a bad time, but I thought maybe you and Michael coulde with me Oh no, Alex. Im sorry, its not that I wouldnt love to be with you and I know that Michael will miss you, but I worry about him so much, taking him out so soon and putting him on a ne and in a hotel; so many different environments. Im just afraid of him getting sick or just mdjusted. I understand. Im going to miss both of you, a lot. I put my arms around him. Im going to miss you too, and so will Michael. He grinned and stretched his lips out for a kiss. I kissed him and he said, Will you miss me enough to maybe give me a big send-off while our son is sleeping? I smiled, What type of send-off did you have in mind? Well, it involves some physical effort and both of us naked I kissed him again. I felt a thrill in my belly at the thought. I think that can be arranged. But hurry, before your son wakes up. Alex took me by the hand and led me up the stairs and straight into his room. I had yet to think of it as ours, but I was working on it. He undressed me and I helped him undress. Iy down on the bed and he looked down at me and said, You have no idea how beautiful you are, Vicki. You take my breath away. I reached up to him and hey down next to me. I feel the same way. I can hardly breathe when youre in the same room. Alex made love to me. It was sweet and passionate and everything Id been imagining since that only time we were together when we conceived Michael. When he left, I wanted to cry and smile at the same time. I would miss him, but I would also look forward to him returning. I love this man with every fiber in my body and I knew at that moment that I was going to fight tooth and nail to keep him forever.C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org. Later that afternoon when Alex had gone and Michael was sleeping I found myself feeling lonely so I called Liz. Hidy! How are you? Im good. I was just thinking about you. Did you see the article? Yeah Im sorry honey. Are you okay? Im doing alright. Alex has been wonderful. Thats good. I was afraid Id have to kick his butt otherwise. Iughed. Hes been amazing. But there was an ident at one of his nts in Kentucky and he had to fly out this afternoon, so Im lonely. I was wondering if youd like toe out and have dinner with me? Will Michael be there? she asked with a giggle. I guess Ill never be the main attraction again, will I? I asked with augh. Afraid not. Id love to have dinner. Im still a little bit leery of the mansion. It kind of makes me a nervous wreck. Itll just be you and me and Michael. The staff leaves at seven. Well wait until then. Okay, that sounds good then, she said. I cant wait. Thank you, Liz. After I hung up I went in to talk to Cook and ask him to add one for dinner. He was making Tpia and he was already preparing it at four in the afternoon. Would you mind if I asked you to add one for dinner? My friend Liz will be stopping by. He waved his palm at me. Of course, I wont mind. Can I give you a tip Miss Victoria? Tip away. Youre the woman of the house. Its okay to be polite to the staff but youre going to have to learn to separate yourself from us. How do you mean? You dont ask me if its okay to havepany, for one thing, you tell me youre havingpany. Thirty-Four I dont think I can do that, Cook. Its changing my whole personality in a way. Im not sure that living here and being with Alex calls for that. Hes not rude to the staff. Oh no, hes never rude. But, he is most definitely the boss. Theres no guesswork there at all and no room for a staff member to take advantage of him. As nice as you are Miss Victoria, thats what I worry about. Id hate to think anyone would take advantage of your kindness. I was touched by his concern, but this was one of those things Id been worried about myself. I cant ever imagine acting like I was above anyone. I came from the same ce they did and my current position was pure luck at this point, I felt tenuous at best. Thank you for your concern. I know that I need to be more aware of people who might want to take advantage. But Id like to believe I can do that without losing touch with who I am. Besides, I happen to know that on a ss-to-ss basis, you way outdo me anyways. Heughed. A lot has been said about me over the years. The word ss was never entered into any of it. Well then, they didnt know you, I told him with a smile. He was about to say something else when the doorbell rang. Excuse me. Of course. I went to answer the door. I knew Karen would get it if I didnt, but I was right here I turned the corner and heard Karens voice saying, I will see if shes here. Then my heart dropped down into my stomach when I heard the person she was talking to say, Thank you. Speaking of being taken advantage of it was my mother. Damn her! I took a deep breath and stepped into the foyer. Oh, there you are, Vicki. I smiled at Karen. Thank you, Karen. Ill take it from here. Of course. She stepped out and I waited until I heard her heels disappear down the hall. Mother, what are you doing here? She looked me up and down and then she said, Maybe if you worried about your appearance, your staff wouldnt call you Vicki. Thats very disrespectful. I almostughed. And who are you, the Queen of Ennd? Dont talk to your mother that way, she said. You keep saying that, yet I hear you speak rudely to everyone you encounter. What is it that makes you different from everyone else? Whats wrong with you? Are you still having post-partum depression? I rolled my eyes and shook my head. Mother, what is it that you want? I told you, I want to meet my grandson. I thought I was going to call you when it was a good time. I doubted that you would do that. Whats wrong with now, anyways? Shed worn me down. Cook was right; I was easy to take advantage of. Okay, Mom. Hes sleeping right now. Would you like some tea while we wait? What about a tour? So that she can do a mental inventory of how much everything is worth. With a sigh, I said, Okay, I can do that.C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org. I took her into the living room first. She stopped to peruse the artwork on the walls, checking for signatures and dates on the paintings no doubt to assess their originality. From there, we went out onto the sun porch. She wasnt much interested in nts and flowers but she didment on how much the skylight must have cost. I tried to point out the gardens to her outside the ss but she was disinterested in that as well. I showed her the formal dining room and tried to skip the kitchen, but she headed in there on her own. I reluctantly followed her. Well hello there, big guy! Oh, Jesus, shes so embarrassing. Cook looked at her warily and then at me and said, Hello. You are? Whoever you want Mother! She was too much. This is our cook, Gregory ck. Gregory this is my mother, Rita. Gregory smiled at her and I saw my mothers posture straighten as she pushed out her fake boobs. God help me. Its so nice to meet you, she said. And you as well, maam, he said. Oh please, Im way too young to be a maam call me Rita. He only smiled again. I took my mother by the arm and said, Gregory is busy. Lets get back to the tour. She resisted saying, I cant imagine that any room could be more interesting than this one. Mother, I said through gritted teeth. I could tell Gregory was trying not tough. Maybe your mother would like to have a look at the basement. Yes,e on Mom youll love it down there. She finally moved but as we were leaving the room she said, Ill be seeing more of you now that my daughter is thedy of the manor, Im sure. Gregory did chuckle then as he said, Ill look forward to it maam. VICTORIAs [POV] Mom and I were upstairs in the master suite when the baby monitor in my pocket signaled that my handsome little man was awake. She was going on about the gold fixtures and the sound of her grandson didnt even phase her. The babys awake, I told her. Oh yay! She was so transparent. I headed to the nursery and was mildly surprised when she followed me. When we got to the nursery, before she even looked at her grandson she said, My goodness look at this, its like hes royalty. My head was beginning to pound. The cure for it however was quickly in my arms. I kissed my sweet boy on his fat little cheek and said, Hello there handsome. You have a visitor. I tried to hand him to my mother and she took a step back. You dont want to hold him? Oh, Id love to but this is a new blouse, Id hate to get spit-up on it, you know? I rolled my eyes. She leaned in and looked at him and said, He doesnt look like you, but he is handsome. Ive seen publicity photos of his father, he has good genes. Yes, he does. He looks a lot like Alex. The baby has forgotten that quickly, she looked at me and said, So, what about Alex? Has he proposed? Hes not legally divorced yet, mother. But you are sleeping in that big room with him, right? Mom, I need to feed my son. If youre truly only here because you think that me being with Alex will benefit you financially Ill solve that mystery for you right now. What is Alexs is Alexs? Im not with him in anyway shape or form to benefit financially or otherwise in any materialistic way. I care very much for Alex and being with him is all about that and Michael. She narrowed her eyes at me and said, I dont know what has gotten into you. Bing a mother has made you hateful and spiteful. Because I wont agree to share the money thats not mine with you? If you marry him it will be yours, she said, proving what I already knew; she did expect to benefit. Id like for you to leave now, Mother, and please donte back unless youre invited. She opened her mouth to say something and I took out my breast and put it in my sons mouth. She made a face that told me she was repulsed by the natural sight of a mother feeding her child and in a huff, she turned on her heel and left. I looked down at Michael and said, Wow, if I had known it would be that easy, I would have fed you an hour ago. By the time Liz arrived, thest of the staff was leaving, Michael was down for the night and Cook had set out one of the most amazing-looking meals that I have ever seen. Wow, look at all of this, Liz said, looking around as we sat. I asked Cook to put us in the kitchen. I knew how Liz felt about the mansion and I was hoping it would be morefortable for her than the formal dining room. Yeah, Cook goes all out. Hes something I suddenly had an idea. Whats that look? she said. What are you up to? I was just thinking I should introduce you and Cook. I think you would like him and him you. He is an amazing man. I had never really thought about him as a man though until today. You can thank my mother for that. Sheughed. You never thought of him as a man? Should I worry about that? Thirty -Five No, I said,ughing. That didnte out right. Its just that hes a little bit older okay; hes quite a bit older than us so I never looked at him that way. But tonight when I saw the light in my mothers eyes I realized that hes a really, exceptionally good-looking man. Hes also intelligent and worldly. Hes wealthy and he can cook! She made a face and said, How much older? I shrugged. Maybe early forties. Liz is almost thirty. She has sworn she would stay at twenty-nine forever, but thirty will be upon her in a month. She looked like she was considering it and she said, Thats not so bad. Your mother was here? I curled my lip. Yes, checking out the inventory under the guise of seeing her grandson. What did she say about the baby? That she couldnt hold him because he might spit up on her new blouse. Oh honey! Im sorry! Thanks. I am too. It would be nice for Michael to have at least one decent grandparent. I know, but he has two amazing parents so thats good, right? I smiled, Yes, he is lucky in the parent department. Liz and I ate and chatted and then I gave her the same tour Id given my mother. It was a lot different however, in that Liz actuallyplimented Alexs taste and said nice things and didnt look like she was casing the joint. By the time we finished the tour, Michael was awake. Liz held him and she wanted to feed him so I heated a bottle of breast milk Id pumped and she sat in the rocking chair by the window with him and sang while she fed him. She put him back to sleep. After we tucked him back in she said, My uterus spasms every time I see that beautiful face of his. I smiled. I thought you didnt want kids. I dont, but my uterus doesnt know that. Hes amazing. Im so proud of you. I hugged her. Thank you. After my mothers visit, I so needed this. She looked at the time and said, Anytime sweetie, but now I have to get home because that awful thing called work will be expecting me early in the morning. I nodded and hugged her again. Youre a great friend. So are you, she said. When should Ie back to meet this cook of yours? Iughed, Any time youre ready. I walked her out and as I was going back into the house I had the feeling someone was watching me. I looked around and saw Lizs taillights as she went up the drive. I shook it off, telling myself I was just being paranoid. Once inside I locked the door and set the rm. Then I went up and checked on the baby. The house seemed a lot bigger at night when Alex wasnt there. Michael was fine, still sleeping. I kissed his little face and went into my own room to get ready for bed. I called Alex before Iy down. He didnt answer, so I left him a message. Hey handsome. You dont have to call back, I know itste there I just wanted to say goodnight and I hope all is going well. I know what you have to do there must be so hard. Im thinking about you and I wish I could do something to help. Get some rest and please take care of yourself. Good night. I put the phone down, turned off the light andy down in the big, empty bed. As soon as I did I heard a noise that sounded like a door opening out in the hall. At first I told myself that I was just being silly. The doors were all locked and the rm was set. Alex and the staff are the only ones besides me that have a key and the code. I tried closing my eyes and I heard it again. This time it was unmistakable there was someone in the house. I could actually feel my heart rate elerating as I climbed out of the bed and reached for my robe. I slipped it on and made my way to the bedroom door as quietly as I could. I had no idea what I would do when I came face to face with whoever was in the house but I knew that they would hurt my baby over my dead body. Once outside the bedroom door, I stood quietly and listened.This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org . The sounds of my own breathing were magnified in the quiet hallway. I didnt hear the sounds again so I went towards the nursery to check on Michael. The door was halfway closed. I knew I had left it open, I always do. My heart was hammering in my chest as I pushed it open. What the hell are you doing? Cassandra was standing over my sons crib looking down at him. She turned and looked at me and the look on her face could only be described as menacing. What are you doing? Get away from my son! I must have looked as crazy as I felt at the moment, because she stepped away. I went over and made sure he was okay. He was still sleeping. I turned on her then and with my own menacing stance, I pushed her out of the nursery withoutying a hand on her. How did you get in here? I asked her, once we were in the hallway. She snorted. Im still married to Alex. This is still my home. I have a key to the front door and I know the code. You dont live here any longer. You dont have a right to be here, much less in my sons room. I should call the police on you! She snorted again. Maybe you should, but you wont. Youre already a joke; the maid seduces the billionaire and she makes headlines for a day, youve had your fifteen minutes of fame. It will all be over soon. You and Alex have a beautiful boy there its too bad once he takes me back that youll only get to see him on visiting day. Youre insane. What are you talking about? Alexander loves all of this. He loves his home and his cars and his private jet. He loves his business and his bank ounts. He loves fine foods and fine wines hes not going to give that upany of it, for you! The baby will be more difficult, but lets face it an unwed maid with a pole dancer for a mother or a billionaire, which do you think the judge will give custody to? Get out of my house or you will be the next headline. Its my house. Mine and Alexanders. When I move back in, youll be lucky to be able to get a job cleaning toilets. Get out! I screamed at her. Im going for now. But if I were you honey, I wouldnt unpack my bags too soon. She turned then and went down the stairs. I watched her go with my heart still racing in my chest. I was sweating and having a hard time catching my breath. I wanted to tear or break something or beat someone up. No, not someone. I wanted to beat her up. I never liked her before, but now that shes threatened my child, and me I felt myself seething with hate for her. She was wrong about Alex and there was no way that anyone would ever take my child from me. I was finding this new world to be more maddening by the hour but I realized Id gone from intimidated to angry, and that was a good thing intimidated meant running and hiding, angry meant standing my ground and fighting for what was mine. I wasnt afraid of her. She might be used to getting what she wanted up until now, but she wasnt going to win this time. Thirty-Six ALEXANDERs [POV] It was about one a. m. in Kentucky. I had been asleep for a few hours when I heard my phone beep. It was the sound of a voicemail. I was hesitant to get up and look at it. The day had been horrendous and all I wanted was to sleep for a few hours and forget about it all but I couldnt ignore it, what if it was Vicki? I got out of bed and went over to the dresser where I left it. I picked it up and saw that I had two missed calls from her. I suddenly felt panic grasping at my throat. What if something happened to Michael? I listened to the first voicemail. It was a sweet message, telling me good night. My heart rate began to settle down and my breathing was just about to return to normal when I listened to the second one. Hi Alex, its me again. Im sorry to bother you I had an issue tonight and Im not exactly sure what to do about it. What I would like to do is change the locks on the doors and the rm code. I think it needs to be done to keep our son safe but Im not sure its a decision I should make without consulting you first. Cassandra was in the house tonight. She was in our sons room. She seems unstable to me, Alex and I are afraid to go to sleep now. I have the nursery door blocked with the dresser and Im sleeping with Michael. But something needs to be done. Again, Im sorry to disturb you when you have so much on your te. All I need is your blessing and I will take care of the details. I hope youre having a good night. I will talk to you in the morning. I felt the sting of rage as it hissed through my body like a deadly poison. I was d that Cassandra was thousands of miles away. If she wasnt, the fury that was sweeping over me like a tsunami would be too easily unleashed and I wasnt sure where my wrath may have taken me once it was released. How dare she let herself into my home? How dare she let herself into my sons nursery? Knowing Cassie the way I did, I was sure that there was a lot more to the encounter that Vicki hadnt shared with me on the phone. She was going to be very sorry. I was willing to settle with her Id already told Noel to give her most of what she wanted just to get her out of our lives. Shed blown thatpletely now. She was going to be very sorry that she went there. I called Vicki back, hoping that I didnt wake her or the baby. I could tell when she answered that she was still awake. The poor thing was probably scared silly all alone in that damned big mausoleum of a house. Alex? Hi baby, are you okay? Im okay and Michael is okay. I was just furious. As you should be. So am I. Im so sorry. Dont be sorry, its not your fault. But I do think that shes not right in the head Im sorry to say. No, dont be sorry about that. Youre right, baby. No one in their right mind would sneak into a babys room in the middle of the night. Its unconscionable. Im going to call a securitypany and they wille and patrol the grounds tonight. If shes spotted Im going to tell them to have her arrested for trespassing. In the morning Ill send out the locksmith and the rmpany. I dont mind doing it if you just tell me who to call. I know that youre busy overwhelmingly so. My family will alwayse first. I dont get the feeling you understand that, Vicki. Youre my family, you and Michael. I feel horrible for what happened to my employees and the loss their families have suffered, but even that doesnt trump the safety and well-being of my own family. Thank you. Iughed. Youre wee. I hope someday soon you will believe how much I care about you. I wanted to say love but I was so afraid that she wasnt ready to hear that. I so badly dont want to scare her away. What did Cassandra have to say for herself when you caught her? She said the same old things. She said you wouldnt end up going through with the divorce. She said that you are too attached to your business and your money and that she would end up with half of everything and you would end up taking Michael away from me. I was so angry that I couldnt speak. I think Victoria took my silence as me thinking about any of that nonsense my soon-to-be ex was spewing. I finally swallowed the rage that was blocking my throat and I said, Youre right, shes unstable. If shees anywhere near you or Michael again, I want you to call the police. I thought about it tonight, but I worried about the bad press Dont worry about anything baby. Next time, call the police. In the meantime, well make sure it never happens again. I wish I could fly home right now No. You have important business to do there. Thank you, Alex. I feel better already. Good. Dont worry about a thing, okay? Ill take care of it all, I promise. Okay. Thank you again. Good night, Alex. Good night baby, sweet dreams. I was still fuming after we hung up. I took a few deep breaths and then I called the private securitypany I used for my business. I got it set up for them to go and patrol the grounds. I gave them a description of Cassie and told them to have her arrested if she showed up. After I hung up with them, I called Cassandra. She picked up on the first ring. Alex darling, Im so d you called. This is not a social call, Cassandra. Sheughed. Shes crazy. Your maid must have called you then, am I right? Shes not my maid, Cassandra. Shes my girlfriend and the mother of my child. That house you were in tonight is hers, not yours. If you set foot on my property again you will be arrested. You wouldnt dare. I have more right to be there than that mealy-mouthed little tramp. You should be careful how you talk about the woman I love. I can leave you penniless, Cassandra, and I will if youe anywhere near my family again. Dont push your luck.Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. Youre the one pushing your luck, Alex. After that article came out in Vanity, I got a call from People magazine, asking me for an interview. I know all of your dirty little secrets and I can ruin you. Give it your best shot, Cassandra but if you value your health and your freedom you will stay away from Vicki and my son. I hung up then before I said something she could use against me. I was so angry, I was shaking. I looked at the clock again. It was one-thirty here. It would be eleven-thirty on the west coast. I didnt care if I woke him up, I called Noel. Alex? Whats wrong? Im sorry Noel, did I wake you? Umnoits okay. Whats wrong? Victoria found Cassandra in my house tonight. She found her in my sons nursery. Doing what? Looking at him, threatening Vicki With harm? No. She was telling her that Id never go through with the divorce and some other B. S. But Noel, she was in the house. She has no right to be there and shes acting very unstable. I want a restraining order against her that includes Vicki and my son and then I want you to change the offer. Change it to what? Offer her fifty million, her car, and the apartment in Orange County. Thats it. Shell turn it down. Thats fine. Well keep her in court until shes either broke or old and gray. Shell take it eventually. My main order of business is protecting Vicki and Michael. Okay, restraining orders are easy. Ill get them drawn up in the morning. First thing. Yes, first thing. Thank you, Noel. Mm-hmm Alex? Yes. Is Vicki worth all of the trouble Cassandra is going to give you over her? That and a hundred times more. Okay then, Ill have the papers drawn up. Thank you, Noel. Thirty-Seven VICTORIAs [POV] When I went down for breakfast the morning after Id found Cassandra in my sons room, Cooks first words were, What happenedst night? Good morning, Gregory. He raised an eyebrow and said, Good morning Miss Victoria. What happenedst night?This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org . What makes you think something happened? Um the new security all over the grounds the locksmith at the front door. The locksmith is here already? Wow that was fast. Victoria! Im sorry. I was about to go to sleepst night when I heard a noise. When I got up to investigate, I found Cassandra in my sons room. Oh no! What happened? Is the baby okay? Hes fine. She was just acting really strangely at first then she got angry which was at least easier for me to recognize. She was just rattling on about how Alex was going to take her back and take the baby from me. I threw her out and then I called Alex. He got busy sending over security and getting the locks changed right away. Hes amazing. He smiled at that and then he furrowed his brows and said, I always thought that something wasnt right with that woman. Thats just frightening. Yeah, tell me about it. Can I eat now? Oh jeez! Im sorry. I was so caught up in your story. He had put the lid back on my breakfast when he was trying to get me to tell him what happenedst night. He pulled it off now and I saw that it was a ham and cheese quiche, it was my favorite thing for breakfast. Mm! Thank you so much! Heughed, Youre wee. Here you go. Are you going to join me? I thought youd never ask, he said, pulling out a chair. He sat down with a piece of the quiche and poured himself a cup of coffee from the carafe. Hey Cook, can I ask you a personal question? Shoot! Why arent you married? He chuckled and said, Ive been there since I was young. I married a beautiful girl who was also smart and talented she was a painter. I was in awe of her. Itsted two years and we both had to admit that we were more in love with the idea of each other than the reality. I havent felt much like going down that path again yet. I never say never though. So you date? Whats this all about? Youre not trying to set me up with Cassandra to get rid of her, are you? Because there arent many women Ive ever felt like throttling but that one Iughed. Youll have to beat me to it, I said. No its just that I have this friend. He pulled his brows together and I could tell that he was trying not to make a face as he said, Is it your mother? Shes a very attractivedy but Oh no, definitely not. I like you. Id never do that to you! Heughed at that. Okay so now Im listening. Who is this friend? Her name is Liz and shes just an amazing person. Shes pretty and shes funny and smart and she works hard she attracts idiots like flies though. What makes you think Im any better than those idiots she attracts? Ive known you for a while now. I think if you were an idiot, I would have sensed it by now. Smiling he said, Well, thank you for that. I might be willing to meet this friend of yours. Maybe we could start small and we could all have coffee one day. That would be great! Thanks! Sure. How does your friend feel about the homeless? Im not sure if she has an opinion about them or not. She hasnt shared that part of herself with me. Okay Ill ask her when I meet her. You know, my homeless shelter is important to me. Ive dated a few women who had a problem with it. It seems women dont approve of me putting my own money into the ce. Oh well, Liz isnt like that. She doesnt care about money. Shes very self-sufficient and shes no gold digger. Good then, well set up a coffee date. The next few days passed uneventfully. I began looking online at sses and thinking about returning to school in the fall. I hope things work out for Alex; I pray for it. I love him with my whole heart. But I had to look at the future differently now that I was a mother. First, if things didnt work out, I didnt intend to live off of my sons child support because his father happens to be rich, and second, if we did work out, I didnt intend to be another Cassie whopletely depended on my husband for support. I had dreams before I met Alex and before I had Michael I still have dreams and I still intended to pursue them. I found a program for Physician Assistants in Santa Barbara. That wasnt too far away; it was a drivable distance for two days a week, which would be the only times Id have to go. I printed out the application for it and I was filling it out when Alex surprised me and walked into the room. I had no idea he wasing back today. Alex! I jumped up from the desk and threw my arms around him. He caught me around the waist and hugged me into him. I didnt know youd be home today. He pulled back and grinned at me. I wanted to surprise you. Im so happy to be home. I missed you. I hugged him again. I missed you like crazy! He brought his lips to mine and kissed me. I felt that tickle deep in my core that was reserved just for him. When he pulled back he said, I missed the little man like crazy too. He missed you too, I said. Heughed. How do you know? Did he tell you? Of course he did. He talks to me with his eyes. Heughed again. Where is he, in his crib? No, you will be proud of me, I hope. I asked Karen to take him out for a walk. Shes taking him for a walk in his stroller through the gardens while I do some research on the Physicians Assistant programs around here. Good for you, youre taking time for yourself. Youre thinking of going back to school? Alex and I sat down on the couch and I poured him a cup of tea from the pot the housekeeper had just brought in. I am, I said. It was always my n. I just had to take care of the more important things first. Meaning Michael of course. So did you find a program that youd like to apply to? I did, UC Santa Barbara has a great one. He made a face. Santa Barbara is quite a drive if youre nning on doing it every day. I think that would be too much, dont you? I do if it was every day. This program is designed for people with busy lives. Its only two days a week it just takes a bit longer toplete than the other one. Oh okay He didnt look happy. Is this a problem, Alex? No, of course not. I think I told you that the first day we were together I didnt expect you to be a maid your whole life, I also dont expect you to be my paid mistress. You are too smart for either of those roles, Vicki. I want you to have a life thats fulfilling and I intend to do whatever I can to make sure of that. It will just be tough on you with the baby. We need to get busy hiring that nanny. Did Karen mention if she had any interviews set up yet? I nodded, Id given in to the idea but I still only wanted one part-time. She has threeing in this afternoon. Its another reason Im so d youre home. I think this is something we should both be a part of. Good, okay one more thing? What? Would you think me too controlling if I hired a second driver to take you to and from Santa Barbara when school begins? Thirty-Eight Iughed and said, I would think you controlling. He made a face and I leaned up and kissed him and said, But I always have and Ivee to ept it as one of your charms. Heughed too. Thanks. I just cant stand the thought of anything happening to you. Since you seem to be a little morefortable leaving Michael for a few hours at a time, maybe you and I could go out to dinner tonight and have a real date? Id like that. I dont know about Karen staying sote to watch him though maybe I should ask Liz? If yourefortable with that? I am. Liz loves him like an aunt. Ill call her now and see if shes avable. Alex went upstairs to change while I called Liz. When she answered I said, I have news Sheughed. What did you do? Nothing, I just told Cook that I have this really pretty, really smart, really nice friend that I think he would like a lotC0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org. Oh my goodness, I feel like Im in high school, being set up by the bestie. He was receptive to it. It seems that he has trouble finding women who dont just want to use him for his money. He has money? Shut up! Sheughed. You know that I dont care about that. I can take care of myself. Thank you I think maybe I should meet him before I thank you. He told me to talk to you and set up a coffee date. In the meantime is there any possibility youre free tonight for a few hours? For the coffee? No to babysit Michael so Alex and I can have a real date. Oh absolutely. For Sir Michael, I am always avable! Aw, thanks, Liz. Youre a great friend. Hey, you hook me up with your cook, I babysit your kid, it all works out in the end. I giggled. We have interviews for a nanny this afternoon just a part-time one. Im looking to go back to school soon. Good for you! Im so proud of you, Vicki. Have I told you thattely? You have, but I like hearing it. Thanks, Liz. Youre wee. Ill see you tonight. The first woman showed up at three for the nanny interview. Id just fed Michael and he didnt want to sleep yet so he got to sit in. It was nice for him to be there and see how the woman was with him. She was about forty and she looked like a Mom was supposed to look to me far different from my mother. She said that she raised four children of her own and then went back to school to get early childhood development. Shed never had a nanny job before, so she didnt have any job references, but her character references were ster. She held Michael for a while and said all of the things a new parent wants to hear. Hes beautiful, what pretty hazel eyes, and, Look at those eyshes, and, Hes really strong for a newborn, especially a preemie. I liked her, but I could tell that Alex wasnt happy that she had no real job experience taking care of children. After she left he said, Id prefer someone with job references. I agree, Karen said. Alex looked at me and said, What did you think? I liked her, but as far as hiring employees goes, you and Karen have me there, so I will defer to you both there. He smiled and squeezed my hand before Karen led the next woman in. This one looked like a college student. She was cute, but a little over-bubbly, I thought. She did have references from two families shed worked for. With one of them, she had just gone on vacation with them and their newborn, but it was an extended holiday in Europe for three months. They rmended her highly. The second family was one that Alex knew well. Hed gone to college with the man and hed even attended their wedding. They gave her a high rmendation as well; they had only terminated her services because at three years old their child got into a very progressive preschool. It was one that Alex had already mentioned to me that he wanted Michael to get into. It was another area where we slightly disagreed. I hated the thought of treating pre-school and grade school the same as the struggle for college admission. It seemed like a lot of unwarranted stress on everyone involved. When all was said and done with that one, I didnt care for her on a personal level, but Alex and Karen were leaning heavily towards hiring her before we even met thest woman. Thest ones name was Becky and she was a pretty, young twenty-something who came from one of the most influential families in Orange County, even I had heard of her family. Her father was a Bio-technical engineer as well and he had designed one of the L. A. areas most prestigious theme parks. When Alex saw her name he said that he knew her family. I was confused right off the bat. Im sorry if this sounds like a rude question I dont mean for it to in any way Im confused as to why you would want to be a nanny. Its not something most girls of your social standing would be interested in. She smiled and said, Thats a legitimate question. Im a trust fund baby, thats for sure. But, my father was raised to believe that the one person and the one thing we will always have to depend on in this life is ourselves and our brains. My little brother works on a fishing boat in ska right now. My father is willing to pay for our room and board, utilities and education, things like that until were thirty, but nothing else. So if we want a car or nice clothes, anything like that, were to get a job and pay for it ourselves. So you dont have any experience? Not yet, she said. I have a degree in early childhood development. She looked at Alex then and said, I used to be a counselor at that summer camp every year, you remember that, right? You worked with me one year. He smiled and his eyes looked like he was remembering as he said, Thats right, I remember! I was already neen myst year and you were just a kid still I was fifteen, and very insulted then that you thought of me as a kid, she said, in a flirtatious way. Alex didnt seem to be fazed by her flirting. Sometimes, I think he gets so used to being flirted with that sometimes he doesnt even notice. Oh well, sorry about that, he said,ughing. It must have been the fact that I was such a worldly neen everyone seemed young to me. And everyone either wanted to be you or with you, she said, with anotherugh. I looked her over as she flirted with my boyfriend and took in the Jimmy Choo shoes and the Prada pantsuit and the Michael Kors bag. I had to wonder if Daddy didnt pay for those things and shed been in school, how did she afford them? After she left, Alex again asked me what I thought. I dont like her. He looked at me with a shocked expression. I dont think Ive ever heard you just t out say you didnt like someone. You asked me what I thought. True but, I do like her and her family is above reproach. Karen, what did you think? She seems like a nice, responsible youngdy to me. I dont like her, I said again. Alexughed. Yes love, weve established that. What is it that you dont like? The way she tantly flirts with you for one thing right in front of me. Heughed again. I dont think she was flirting. I think its just the way she talks to people. She didnt bat her eyshes once when she was talking to me, I said. Karen was trying not to smile as she said, May I make a suggestion? Sure, Alex and I both said at the same time. I need to hire someone to help while Marco is out for his surgery. How about if we hire her temporarily for his position? That way, if the nanny we decide on doesnt work out, well have her as a backup. That sounds like a great idea, Alex said. What do you think, Vicki? Thirty-Nine I knew that I still didnt like her. I didnt want to be overly difficult though so I said, Okay, but can we hire Mrs. Yost then? Mrs. Yost was the forty-something woman Id taken such a liking to. Alexughed again and said, Okay, Mrs. Yost it is. Karen, go ahead and offer Tracy Marcos position while hes gone. Make sure she knows that its temporary, but let her know if she does well, well keep her in mind for any other openings that mighte up. I had a bad feeling about that girl even being in the house for some reason but I had nothing to back that up with other than petty jealousy, so I kept my mouth shut for now. I was excited about dinner out with Alex. It had been quite a while since Id been out and an evening alone with Alex is always a bonus. I was a little worried about what I would wear since I hadnt bought any new clothes since before I found out I was pregnant. None of the clothes I did have before the pregnancy were appropriate for the kind of restaurant I assumed Alex would pick either. With a bit of my excitement ebbing, I went up to start getting ready while Alex was on a business call. When I got to the master suite I was shocked to see a gorgeous ck and white Vera Wang dressying out on the bed. Next to it was a beautiful pair of ck Manolo hnik pumps and next to that sat two dozen long-stemmed roses in a box. There was a note. I picked up the note and read it: To the most beautiful woman in the world. I didnt get you a gift for doing such an amazing job of giving me an heir so please ept these. P. S. Your friend Liz helped me with the sizes so hopefully, theyre right. Love, Alexander. I had tears in my eyes. I read the note again, this time pausing longer on the part that said, Love. Did he love me? He hadnt said it yet but then neither have I and I loved him with my heart and soul. I picked up the dress and held it up to me. I looked at it in the full-length mirror on the closet door. I was going to feel like a princess in it. I turned back around to put the dress back on the bed and thats when I saw the white velvet box. It was a long, thin box. With trembling hands, I reached down and picked it up. When I opened it, my breath caught in my throat. It was a ne with a delicate white gold chain and a stunning ck onyx pendant with white bands running through it dangling from the center of it. There were two small diamonds on either side of the onyx and I knew at a nce that it must have cost a fortune. I felt one of the tears in my eyes spill over onto my cheek and I turned around to go find Alex. I didnt have to look far; he was standing in the doorway behind me, smiling. Alex! Its all so beautiful, but its too much. He came over to me and took the ne from my hands. He took it out of the box and held it up to my neck and said, I saw it and I couldnt stop thinking about how pretty it would look on your gorgeous neck. He stepped sideways so that I could see the mirror as he held it against my skin and said, Look, I was right. Please ept it, Vicki. I would never buy you anything that I didnt want you to have or that I didnt think you deserved. I was speechless. I felt like Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman. I threw my arms around his neck and hugged him tightly. When I finally let him go, I voiced that thought aloud. I saw him furrow his brow and for a second I wondered if maybe hed never seen the movie, but then he took my chin in his hand and tipped my face up towards him and said, Do you know what the big difference is? Im not Julia Roberts? I asked, kidding sort of. No, youre not, he said. You are ten times as beautiful, first of all. Second of all, she yed a call girl in that movie. Youre much, much more than that. Youre my sons mother and youre me I hate the term girlfriend, it seems so juvenile, and I just dont like it. But you mean so much to me, Vicki. I look into your eyes and I just feel it its like Damn! What? What is it? I dont want to scare you. Scare me? Youre scaring me by not saying it. When I look into your eyes Vicki, I feel like I? ?? ve found my soulmate. I love you Im in love with you. The lone tear on my face was joined by about a hundred more. After a few seconds, it was a torrent and I could hardly see his beautiful face through them. Please dont cry Im sorry. I had to sniff and like a six-year-old, I used the back of my hand to wipe my tears away as I said, Oh no! Please dont be sorry. Theyre happy tears. Im so happy! I love you too, Alex. I just wasnt sure how you felt about me. He grinned. I melted. I love you. I want you. I need you, and when Cassandra is out of our lives I want to put a ring on your finger. Im not going to do it yet because I dont want anything to take away from that moment. I felt like I couldnt breathe. Did he just say he wants to marry me? I threw my arms around him and he held me until I was able to get my tears under control. Most of them ended up all over his shirt, his shoulder was soaked. He lifted my head with a touch and pressed his soft lips to mine. He kissed me deeply and passionately and for the first time in my entire life, I finally knew just exactly where I belonged. He took me to Santa Monica for dinner at a ce called Melisse. Its a French/American restaurant, and probably the nicest ce I had ever been inside. The outside looked like a picture of a French Bistro. It was wood and ss and had a big, green, and white striped arbor over the entryway. There were potted nts on either side of the door and as soon as we entered we were greeted by a chic-looking hostess dressed all in ck.C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org. The walls of the restaurant were a deep purple color and there were beautiful gold lights all around the top of them that pointed towards the ceiling. They let off enough light to eatfortably but still allowed for a romantic ambiance. The tables were all covered with white linen tablecloths and set with fine silver and linen napkins. A hand-blown blue ss candle holder sat in the center of each one and a votive candle cast a glow across each of the patrons faces. Fine artwork adorned the walls and a silver bowl sat in the center on a fine wood table filled with ice and chilling champagne. Its so pretty in here! Alex smiled, Yes, it is. The food is fantastic too. The hostess led us to a quiet corner of the restaurant to a small table near one of the windows that opened up to the man-made pond outside that had what looked like a handcrafted wooden bridge going across it and real ducks swimming and white lily pads floating. It was amazing. Alex didnt take the seat across from me, instead, he took the one next to me and angled it so that we were facing each other and close enough to touch knees. Alex took my hand in his and brought it to his lips and said, That dress looks beautiful on you. I smiled. Thank you. I love it. He winked at me and said, Thank you for agreeing toe out. I needed this, I told him. The waiter brought us a wine menu. Id pumped enough milk for Michael for the night so that I could have wine tonight; Alex knew exactly which one to order. The waiter brought the wine back and poured us each a ss after Alex tasted and approved it. After hed gone away again Alex said, Have you been to a restaurant with a tasting menu? No Forty He smiled gently and said, Basically we just order for two and they bring the food out in courses. Its a lot of food so if theres something you dont like, youll likely be able to find something in the next course. Oh, that sounds like fun. He smiled. It was an affectionate smile and I didnt feel like he was judging me at all for not knowing what a tasting menu was. It was one of the things Id loved about him back when I was just his employee as well; he never seemed to judge people based on their background or social status. Alex wasnt kidding when he said there was a lot of food. For most of it, I had to ask Alex what it was, but he patiently told me what each thing was and after a while, I wasnt even embarrassed to ask him. For our first course, we were served sweet pea soup, sun-choke chips, and a whipped ck truffle. There was also egg caviar which Id never tasted and a soft poached egg with lemon-chive creme Fraiche and American olestra caviar. There were turnips, young tatsoi, truffle-lime vinaigrette, and Maine diver scallops. There were leeks, cardoons, beech mushrooms, Buddhas Hand, creme de brandade, seared foie gras, red butter lettuce sd radish, grilled scallion vinaigrette, wagyu beef tartare smoked tomato emulsion, capers, and puffed rice. My personal favorite was the white asparagus Cocotte and the morel mushrooms with yellow wine sauce. The second course was as ridiculously long. It was all yummy, but it was so much food. The whole time I worried about how much we were wasting and I thought about Cook and his soup kitchen. I wondered if people like Alex who had grown up with excesses realized how much food was wasted at a ce like this daily, and how many hungry people were in the city. I didnt mention it to him now. It wasnt the time or the ce, but it was something to think about for the future. I am so lucky and so is my son Id love to be able to give back the way that Cook does. We ate until I was so full that I thought I would have to be rolled away and while we ate, we talked about anything and everything. Alex asked me if I could go anywhere in the world, and where would I like to go. I didnt have to think about it, I said, Irnd. Really? Why Irnd? When I was about twelve I read a book about Irnd and a little girl who lived in a castle. I used to pretend I was that little girl and instead of Glendale with my pole dance mother, we lived in Irnd and my mother was thedy of the castle and I was the princess. I suddenly realized that was the first time Id ever told anyone about that. I felt my face go hot and Alex reached over under the table and rested his hand on my leg. Why are you blushing? I was babbling about a fantasy I had when I was twelve. It was kind of embarrassing. You dont have to be embarrassed to tell me anything. I thought it was cute. I would love to take you to Irnd. We can even stay in a castle if youd like to. Really? Heughed. Really. Can Michaele too?Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. Michael always gets an invitation. We finished our huge meal and then Alex tried to talk me into dessert. I quite literally could not eat another bite. When we stepped outside, my breath was taken away by the sky. The moonlight was like a diffuse ocean above us. The colors of it lessened the inky ckness of the night, but it was still subdued enough not to dull the magnificent stars that glittered across the dark expanse. Oh, Alex! Look at it. Its incredible! He wasnt looking at the sky, he was looking at me. Youre incredible. I see things so differently when Im with you. Do you have any idea how long its been since Ive even looked at the sky other than to check the weather? I dont, but its sad. Im amazed by the sky its just an endless pte of glorious colors. He cut my words off with his lips. After another breathtaking kiss, he said, Im amazed by you. Forty-One ALEXANDERs [POV] For a few blessed weeks, Victoria, Michael, and I enjoyed our lives together as a family without any lurid news stories, ex-wives, or vindictive ex-boyfriends showing up to shatter the peace. Just when I thought things had settled into afortable, normal state, however, life once again came along to prove to me that it was in charge. Vicki had been more than right about the nanny. Mrs. Yost was wonderful with Michael. Id installed a nanny cam in the nursery, not for her specifically, but the thought of my son being abused or mistreated was almost more than I could bear. Id watched it after each time the nanny hade to stay with Michael and Id seen her be nothing but sweet and gentle and kind to the baby which did both mine and Vickis hearts good. She had also been right about the other girl Tracy, which was what was bothering me today. I had gone to work in the morning after having breakfast on the terrace with Vicki. After I left for work, she and the baby went to do some shopping and have lunch with Liz. My morning meeting was canceled so I didnt have to stay in the city as long as Id expected. When I got home, Tracy was in the office with Karen. I said hello to them both and then I headed down to the basement. I was just nning on maybe shooting a little pool or ying a video game or two. It wasnt often that I had a free afternoon all to myself. I bent over the pool table and I was about halfway through my first solo game when I heard, Nice view. I turned and Tracy was standing in the doorway. Oh, hi Tracy. Im sorry, were you not finished cleaning down here? She walked over close to me and smiled. Im finished. I finished this morning. I just came down to say hello. Oh um, okay. Hi. She giggled and said, Why dont we have a drink? I looked over at the clock above the bar. It was eleven-fifteen. Arent you working? She stepped even closer, so close that if the pool table hadnt been right behind me, I would have taken a step back. As it were, she had me semi-trapped. Ive pretty much got everything done besides, you cant get fired for having a drink with the boss. That triggered a memory and suddenly she had my attention. Where did you hear that? She put her fingers on my chest, in between two buttons that were undone near my neck, and said, Just a little recording that Cassie let me listen to. Damn it! I stepped sideways and when she reached out for me again, I caught her wrist in my hand. Dont touch me. She raised an eyebrow and smiled. Its okay, Cassie picked up the tapesst time she was here she didnt leave a nk one. Nobody has to know. What are you doing, Tracy? What is this about? I want you, Alex. Id be willing to walk into a court ofw and tell the judge that Cassandra paid me a lot, to get inside this house and close to that baby. I was suddenly nauseated. Id hired someone interested in bringing my family harm. Vicki had a feeling about her and Id just blown it off and hired her anyways. Why does she want you close to my baby? She reached up with her free hand and let her fingernails lightly scrape down the side of my face. Huh uh, lover. First, you and I try out that bed over there, then Ill tell you everything I know. By that time I dont know how interested youll be. Youll want seconds, I promise. Youre insane. You need to get out of my house before I call security and have you removed. I let go of her wrist. She smiled even broader and shrugged, If thats the way you want this to y out, its your loss. Before I could say anything else she jumped on me. She threw her arms around my neck and pulled herself up and pressed her lips to mine. Just before I saw Vickis face in the doorway behind us I thought, this is what I get for bragging about how good life was going. Damn it! Vicki turned around and left. I unhooked Tracys arms from around my neck and pushed her back a little too hard. Her back hit the wall on the other side of the room. Youre fired, I said. You have exactly two minutes to get off my property before I call security and the police. I followed Vicki then. She was fast. By the time I got up the basement stairs, she was gone. I ran into Karen on the ground floor and said, Did you see Vicki? Yeah, I was holding Michael and she took him from me and went out the front door. Damn! I took off through the front door after them just in time to see Vicki climbing in the drivers seat of the SUV Id bought for her. Vicki stop! She ignored me and closed the door. As she turned the ignition I made it to the window, I could see Michael in the back in his car seat, sleeping peacefully. Turn the car off. No Alex, get out of my way. Vicki! Turn it off! No! I reached in through the window and turned it off and took the keys. She looked scared and like she was about to cry. It wasnt my intention to scare her but she needed to hear me out before she took off half-cocked with our baby. Listen to me, okay? What is there to say, Alex? Im so stupid. This is why you pushed to hire her Oh, God! Thats where you take them all, isnt it? There was nothing special about me, just another eager staff girl that you can take down to the basement and Dont say it! That never happened with Tracy and it was never going to. She threw herself on me. She rolled her eyes. Vicki, listen to me! Have I given you any reason not to trust me up to this point? I could see the wheels turning in her head. I promise you, baby. I love you. You are the only woman that I want to be with. I didnt n anything that happened between us but I wouldnt change it either. I didnt invite that girl to the basement you were right about her and I should have listened but nothing happened! I just when I saw her kissing you Vicki, think about it again, okay? Picture it in your head was I touching her? Were my arms around her? Was I even really facing her? The answer is no! She trapped me against the pool table and I took a step to get away from her thats why I was standing sideways when you walked in. She started crying harder then and suddenly said, Im sorry, I shouldnt have jumped to conclusions! Now I feel like an idiot! I opened the door and pulled her out into my arms. Petting her pretty blonde hair I said, Shh! Dont ever feel like an idiot, baby. Youre so far from that. You were right; she was bad news. Im the idiot for not listening to you. Shes working for Cassandra, she says Cassie has a tape of us that day in the basement. She pulled her head up and looked at me. The poor thing her eyes were all swollen and red. A video? No, at least I dont think so. She just said tape and she quoted something I said, so I think its true. Whats she going to do with it? I mean, Michael is already proof that we were together. I dont know. Tracy said something about Cassie wanting her to be here to be close to Michael. Michael! What does she want with Michael? Shh baby, its okay. Shes gone and Michael is safe. For now! She has ns for him. Would she kidnap him, Alex? Oh my God! I never even thought about the ramifications of having a baby thats worth billions. I feel sick. No baby, please dont make yourself sick. Cassandras a nasty human being, but shes not a kidnapper. Shes not poor or broke, even without my money. There would be no way that she would be that desperate. You dont know that for sure though. Did you suspect her of taping your basement? Even a chance that she would consider it would be too much. Do you want to know what I think about that? She put a recorder video or otherwise in your basement. That wasnt about you and me at all, that was about you being down there every day having parties and being with different womenContent property of N?velDra/ma.Org. Forty-Two She suddenly realized what she was saying and said, Im not trying to say anything to hurt you, baby. Im sorry. I know you were hurting and going through a rough time. I smiled at her. Its okay. The fact is that I lost it for a while. I did a lot of things during that time that Im ashamed of. Youre probably right; Cassie probably ns on using the tapes to ckmail me and some of the others on the tape. But baby, please dont worry about her trying to take Michael. Hes never out of our sight or Mrs. Yosts. Ill have security around the house increased even more. She looked into the car at Michael. I could see on her face that she was trying to believe me. Changing the subject a bit she said, How would she know who the voices belong to, are you sure she doesnt have video footage? I dont know, she might. Im sorry baby, Im not sure of anything at this point. VICTORIAs [POV] After a couple of weeks of peace of mind, Alex was back on the phone with hiswyers once again. I want to call Cassie, he said. I want to give her a piece of my mind. Shes lost hers. Do you think that would make things worse? Yeah, I do actually. Im not going to call her. Ill call Noel instead and maybe we can way her before she gets to use those tapes for whatever she nned on using them for. While he was on the phone, I sat on the sun porch with Michael. Wed gone shopping with Liz this morning, but he had an upset tummy so instead of having lunch, Id brought him home. Im not sure if it was better that Ide in and walk in on Tracy kissing Alex or not. I believed him when he said she kissed him and he was trying to pull away, but I couldnt erase the image from my mind, nheless. I looked out across the beautiful property we lived on and tried to finally let reality set in. Yes, I loved this man beyond reason and I wanted his son to be raised with two parents and given every advantage, but did I want to raise a child that was constantly being threatened? How would it affect him when he got older to be followed around by security constantly, to have to always be careful where he went and who he spoke to, to not even be safe and secure in his own home? My head was spinning. I hadnt thought any of this through obviously, until now when it was toote and he was already being threatened. Hey! I looked up and Alex was there. Hi, what did Noel say? He held out his arms and I gave Michael to him. I could suddenly see by the look in his eyes that he was having the same sorts of thoughts that I was.C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org. He was going to get in touch with her attorney and try and scare them. If she was taping me in my home after she already moved out, its illegal and she wont be able to use the tapes in court. He sighed heavily and said, But he doesnt think that shes nning on using them in court. ckmail? Its a possibility. Hes leaning more towards her getting money from the tabloid shows on television for them. Wow, this woman needs a hobby. Heughed, sadly. Yes, she does. It seems thattely, her hobby is making us miserable. Im not going to let her keep doing this to us. Im going to find a way to stop her. Who is it youre going to stop from doing what? I looked up and a middle-aged man was standing in the doorway. His hair was full and tinum, his face was tanned and he had Alex and my sons hazel eyes. I assumed that I was looking at my sons grandfather, which Alex soon confirmed. Dad, what are you doing here? His father raised an eyebrow and said, Is that any way to greet your father? Is that my grandson? Im sorry Dad, I wasnt expecting you. Yes, this is Michael. He held our son out and his father looked him over. Then he looked at me and I stood up. This is Victoria, Dad. Hello, Mr. Reigns. Victoria, its nice to finally meet you. He looked back at the baby then and said, And Michael, its a pleasure. Alexs lips twitched as he said, Would you like to hold him? His dad looked up at him and smiled. Id love to hold him. Let me sit down though, its been a while, I dont want to drop him. Alex looked at me and smiled. Mr. Reigns sat down and Alex handed Michael to him. Michael must have sensed that his father was no longer holding him. He blinked open his little eyes and looked at his grandfather. Well hello there, little Prince. Michael stared up at his grandfather and the older man stared back down into the babys eyes. It was a precious moment and if Id known him better, I would have taken a photo of them. Alex let him soak in his grandson for a few minutes and then he asked again, What are you doing here, Dad? Is Mom here too? He looked up from the baby reluctantly and said, I had business in town. Your mother will be joining me on Saturday. She is anxious to meet this little man too. He beamed down at Michael again with pride in his eyes. Alex looked both amused and surprised by the effect our son was having on his father. Oh, thats great Dad. Where are you staying? They should stay here, I said. Alex gave me an incredulous look but his father looked up at me and smiled. We would love that Victoria, thank you. I dont know if Alex told you but our home here is undergoing some major renovations. He hadnt told me, but asking them to stay seemed like the right thing to do at the time. I could tell by the look on Alexs face that he didnt agree. But, with a forced smile, he said, Of course, you can stay here, I just wasnt sure if youd already made other ns. Nope, no ns. The older man was staring at the baby again. I knew Alex didnt have the best rtionship with his father, but it was so cute to watch him with the baby. He rocked back and forth gently in the chair and made faces at Michael as he did. Lunch is ready sir, Karen said, suddenly appearing in the doorway. Thank you, Karen. Dad, have you had lunch? No, and Im famished, the older Reigns said. Here, Ill take Michael and put him in his crib, Alex told him. Mr. Reigns reluctantly relinquished him. Alex looked at me and said, If you dont mind taking my father in for dinner, Ill join you in a few minutes. Of course. Mr. Reigns, shall we? Please Victoria, call me James. I didnt think I could do that. I just smiled and he and I went out to the dining room together. The maids were serving the soup and we both took our ces at the table. After Esther, one of the kitchen girls that Karen had recently hired, served our Lobster Bisque soup and left, Alexs father said, Im sorry we didnt make it home sooner to see the baby, Victoria. Youlle to realize one day that this job of being a parent is a hard one one of the hardest you will ever have to do. There is no real instruction, and unfortunately, youre going to mess a lot of it up along the way. I can only imagine, sir. He smiled and said, Alex seems so at peace with the baby in his arms, but I could tell when I came in that there was an issue he was worried about. I wasnt sure how much, if anything Alex wanted me to tell him. Its his soon-to-be ex-wife, is what I finally said, Shes causing as much trouble as she possibly can for us. He drew his brows together and said, What kind of trouble? Um I think maybe I should let Alex fill you in on all of that. I wasnt about to be the one to tell his father that his ex-daughter-inw had tapes, possibly videos that could be very harmful to his sons and possibly even his entire familys reputation. Forty-Three What is it youre trying to get out of her, Dad? I was just asking her what kind of trouble Cassandra was up to. Alex looked at me and his father went on to say, Dont be angry with her, I could tell you were upset when I came in and I asked about it. All she would say is that Cassie is causing trouble. What is she up to? I can talk to Bill. Alex rolled his eyes and said, Dad, I appreciate that you want to help, but this isnt graded school. Talking to her father will undoubtedly not make things better in this case. What is it that shes done? While we ate, Alex told his father about Cassie refusing the settlements that his attorneys have offered her,ing into the house and being found in Michaels room, andstly, installing a recorder in the basement and hiring Tracy to spy on us somehow. James Reigns listened quietly until Alex was finished. I could see his face going through a gamut of emotions, especially when he mentioned that she was in the babys room. When Alex finished his father almost looked sick. You have to have security around him constantly! The way he said it gave me chills. It was as if he believed Michael was imminently threatened. Dad, like I told Vicki, I dont believe even Cassandra would stoop to the level of kidnapping a baby. You dont think so but do you know so? His father raised his voice and pushed him back from the table. I could see the pulse throbbing in his neck. This was quite the reaction one that surprised me and looked like it was shocking Alex. No Dad, I guess I dont know Ive already increased security. Are you okay? James ran a hand across his face and said, I just cant believe its happening again. ALEXANDERs [POV] My father was acting so far out of character that I almost didnt recognize him. First of all, showing up here was strange in and of itself. I had only seen my parents once in the past three years and that was at a friends wedding that we all just happened to be attending. My entire life, my parents had been a force to me. I waspletely intimidated by them both. My father was so well-respected by everyone. I watched people practically bow at his feet my entire life and that left me awed by him. Most of the time though as I was growing up, he seemed distant and almostpletely disinterested in me. Every Friday night I would have dinner at the big table with my parents. My mother would sit across from me, cold and distant as always and my father would say, Talk to us about your week son. I remember when I was little, I would get excited about telling them everything Id done and learned throughout the week. But as I got older and I realized that they only asked me about my week because they felt obligated to it stopped being fun or exciting to me. After that, up until the time I was taken and left at a boarding school in Switzend, we ate our Friday meals in silence. Dads interest in Michael was bizarre to me, especially since during my obligatory phone call when Michael was born, I hadnt heard from either him or my mother.This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. Now he stood here, looking like he was about to have a heart attack over threats to my son that have never even been made directly. He was frightening Victoria and making me suspicious of his motives. I stood up and went over to my father who was pale as a ghost and suddenly looked his age. Dad, have a seat No, we need to call the police. Dad, theres nothing to report right now. My attorney has already gotten a restraining order against Cassie thats why she hired Tracy toe in here, Im sure. Michael is safe. You saw that for yourself. You must have also seen all of the security on the grounds when you got here Im worried about you. Please sit down before you fall, okay? He nodded slowly and allowed me to help him into his chair. After I made sure he was in and back, I scooted his chair up as if he were a child. This whole scene was bizarre. I sat back down and reached over and squeezed Vickis hand. Her eyes were as wide as saucers and I know my fathers babbling had to have terrified her. I looked back over at him. He had his elbows on the table and his hands in his hair. He pulled his head up slowly and looked at me and then he looked at Vicki. His eyes suddenly looked vacant and for a fraction of a second, I wondered if he was taking some kind of drug. He finally said, Your mother and I never told you because you were so young when it happened and we didnt want to frighten you. He stopped there and several seconds passed before he said, You had a brother. I stared at him, in shock. There was something wrong with him. Maybe he already had a stroke and it affected his mind. I had a brother, Dad? When? What happened to him? I didnt expect a rational answer to any of it. They werent rational questions because none of this made sense. When you were about three, your mother and I had another child. His name was Christopher James Reigns. He was a beautiful boy just like you always were. The old house was happy and full of people in and out all the time. We had a nanny for both of you, but back then your mother only used the nannies if we were going somewhere that you wouldnt be allowed orfortable. She was a good mother, she was a happy person, we were happy. So what happened to Christopher? Did he die? We dont know. I think thats the worst part the not knowing. Im sure it was the worst part for your mother. She didnt want to leave the house in case they called. Cell phones were still only car phones back then. Dad, Im sorry, but youre not making any sense. He looked up at me and Vicki again as if hed forgotten we were in the room. Then he wrinkled his brow. God, he looked so old all of a sudden. Let me start at the beginning. You were going to turn four and we were getting ready for your birthday party. Your mother always went over the top, she was so crazy about her boys, you know? We had people in and out, strangers, workers, there was going to be a carousel and a bounce house and a petting zoo. Normally the staff would do the shopping but your mother was so excited about the party and she wanted to take you with her and let you pick out your theme. So anyways, that day Christopher was left here with the nanny. I was at work and you and your mother had gone shopping. I remember it was exactly 3:02 p. m. when I got the call He was shaking and sweat was beginning to form on his brow. Vicki got up and went over to him. She crouched down on one knee so that she could see his face. You dont have to do this now. You probably had a very long trip. You should go try and rest Dad smiled and put his hands on either side of Vickis face. Youre beautiful. I dont ever want you to have to go through what Alexs mother did. No woman should ever have her babies taken away its not natural. My wife was taken from me the day that Christopher was. I could see that both he and Vicki had tears in their eyes. I suddenly got a chill. Whatever he is talking about really happened. Oh my God. Dad, Vickis right, if this is too hard we dont have to do this now, but I do want to know what happened, eventually. He shook his head. Ive put it off for over twenty-five years because it was too hard. I need to do this now. He smiled at Vicki and patted the side of her face and then he said, That phone call came from the police. Christopher was reported missing from his crib by the nanny at 2 p. m. They waited over an hour before they called me. That day there were twelve workers there that werent regr staff ording to the security logs. Those people were all questioned and cleared. The nanny was questioned and cleared, all of the regr staff and even security were questioned and cleared. Did you get a ransom demand? I asked him. Forty-Four He nodded. It was almost two whole dayster when they called. The person that called used one of those machines that scrambles and changes your voice. They said they wanted two million dors in cash. I wasnt the kind of wealthy that you are son. Much of my wealth in those days was in assets stocks, real estate, and business ventures. I told them I would get the money but I would have to have a day or two to get it together. They told me I had twenty-four hours or they were going to bury Christopher alive and we would never see him again. Your mother and I began scrambling to sell anything and everything we had that we could sell, the cars, boats we pulled out every extended line of credit that we could, all of our savings, your savings everything. By the twenty-second hour with help from some very good friends, we were able to make the two-million. We sat by the phone and waited. Twenty-four hours went by and nothing happened, and then forty-eight and seventy-two. They never called back and we never saw our son again. Oh my God! Vicki had her hand over her mouth like she was going to be sick. She was no doubt thinking about our son. I was trying to wrap my head around something that happened to alter the course of my entire life and I didnt know anything about it. It was surreal, but it exined so much. Did you look for him? Of course. We never stopped. Ive had a staff of private investigators doing nothing but looking for him. Every male childs remains around the age that he was are DNA tested and my investigators make sure that Christophers DNA is on file with every state agency. weve never found a trace of him, anywhere. We all sat silently for the longest time. What was there to say? I had a brother and then I didnt. My parents had two sons and then they didnt. People or a person thought that they could put a price on a childs life and the end result was the destruction of a family. Vicki finally broke the silence by saying, If youll both excuse me, Im going to check on Michael. Are you okay? I hated the thought of her having this in her head now, worrying about our son every minute of every day. She came over and bent down next to me. She kissed my cheek and pressed her mouth to my ear and said, Im okay. Were all going to be okay. Take care of your father. I nodded, but when she was gone I had no idea what to say to the broken man in front of me. I suddenly felt like I didnt know him. Before, I was frightened of him, but I at least knew how to feel. Now I am at aplete loss. Do you want to go into the study and have a drink, Dad? He shook his head slowly. Finally he looked up at me and he said, Your mother and I know that we were wrong. We know that we cheated you we just didnt know how else to deal with it. It was a protective mechanism, I suppose. I threw myself into work and your mother withdrew and you were left out there to flutter in the wind all alone. We were terrible parents and nothing I can say now can make that better. I got up and went over to the chair next to him. I sat down and said, We cant change the past, youre right, but now that I know about Christopher I can at least understand what happened. I feel so bad for you and Mom. Im sorry, Dad. My father did something then that I cant ever remember him doing before. He reached out and hugged me. He pulled me in so tightly that he cut off my air, but that was okay, for the first time in my life I felt safe and loved in my fathers arms. VICTORIAs [POV] When I left the dining room, I really thought that I was going to be sick. I couldnt even imagine going through what Alexs parents have been through and surviving it. I went up to Michaels room and even though I had the monitor in my pocket and I could hear his even, ubored breaths, I was still in panic mode until I saw him. He looked so peaceful and perfect and I was tempted to pick him up and hold him. I wanted to feel him in my arms, make sure that hes real. I knew that was me being selfish, so I pet his soft little head and sat down next to the crib instead. I sat there and watched him sleep and I wondered what my life would be like if he was taken away from me now. I shivered and realized that was the only thing that could ever possibly convince me to take my own life. I sat there for close to an hour with those depressing thoughts running through my head and by the time Alex found me there, the sun had gone down around us and the room was dark. He did the same thing I had done first; he put his hand gently on Michaels back to feel the rise and fall of his chest and then he pet his soft hair. He knelt down next to me andid his head in myp. I stroked his hair gently wondering what he must feel like to find all of this out after so long. Are you okay? he asked me after a while. Im good baby. How about you? Im okay. Its hard to mourn someone that you never knew. I feel so bad for my parents, and really guilty for all of the things I thought about them in the interim. But like you said, you didnt know. So, their behavior rightly felt strange to you, and wrong. But I keep looking at our little angel and trying to imagine their pain and I cant evene close. Youll never have to feel that kind of pain Im going to make sure of it. When I woke up the next morning, Alex was gone and there was a note on his pillow. It said, I have to work for a few hours and then meetings withwyers. Call me if you need ANYTHING and take one of the security men with you if you go anywhere. I love you! I love you too, I said aloud to the room. I missed him already. I got up and picked up the baby monitor. There was no noiseing from Michaels room at all. I grabbed my robe and when I pulled open the bedroom door, Karen was there talking to the new upstairs maid.C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org. Good morning, Victoria. Good morning, I said quickly, turning towards Michaels room. Hes not in there. What? Oh my God! Where is he? That quickly I could feel my blood pressure go up and my heart race. Karens face fell and she said, Oh dear, Im sorry. I didnt mean to frighten you. Mr. Reigns has him down in the sunroom. Alex? No, James. I had to take several deep breaths to get my heart rate down. Karen watched me with wide eyes and then she said, Im so very sorry. I managed a smile and said, Dont be, Karen. I overreacted. Thank you for letting me know. I smiled at them both and went down the stairs. James and Michael were indeed in the sunroom. James had his back to me but I could see Michaels little face looking up at his grandfather as he held him out in front and sang to him. He was singing, You are my Sunshine and Michael looked enthralled. I waited un til he finished and then I said, Good morning. James turned towards me and looking abashed he said, Oh, you caught me. Good morning. It was a beautiful rendition, wasnt it Michael? My baby was craning his neck and his beautiful eyes were trying to track my voice. Its the little things like that when youre a parent that makes your whole day. James noticed too. He smiled at the baby. You hear your mama, dont you handsome boy. Here you go, theres your mama. He handed him to me and said, Thank you for him. Iughed. Youre wee. Im d you like him because theres a definitive no return policy. Forty-Five He looked sad and I realized that probably wasnt the smartest statement instead of what hed told us the night before. Im sorry, that was insensitive of me. He shook his head. Please dont apologize; I know that you didnt mean anything. You know something Victoria? What sir? First of all, stop calling me sir. Its James. Anyways, I absolutely cannot stand Cassandra. I never could. I didnt care that she was from the same social ss as Alex, she was just rotten to the core and I knew it the first time I met her. I dont know if Alex told you or not, but Im a pretty good judge of people. He did tell me and I agree with you about Cassie, Ive always thought the same thing. Well, what I wanted to tell you is that I think my son did about one hundred percent better this time. I read all the crap the tabloids printed and I could care less about any of it. Anyone with half a brain knows they dont print the actual truth in those rags. If Alex loses a customer or two because of it, thats their loss. I honestly dont think anybody in this day and age is going to care anyways. My point is I hope youre not letting any of it bother you. I know that all of this unwanted attention is probably new to you. It is and I was really worried about it at first. I wasnt worried about how it made me look; I honestly could care less about that. I was worried about Alexs business and I am worried about my son reading it someday. You know with the inte now, nothing ever goes away. He nodded and then looked at the baby who had snuggled against my chest and went back to sleep. Hes a Reigns, so he will have to be taught about the press and the paparazzi at a young age, unfortunately, but I dont think theyll be able to tell him anything thatll make him think poorly of his Mama. Thank you. He nodded. Im going to see what Cook has cooking in there. Ill let you two get on with your morning routine. He left and I sat in the rocking chair next to the window. The sun was streaming in and I leaned back and closed my eyes. After a minute Michael started fussing and when he did, I opened my eyes just in time to catch the sh of a shadow at the window. I screamed causing the baby to cry. I didnt realize there was security inside the house, but a huge bald guy came running in. What is it, Miss? There was someone at the window. He called on his radio for backup as he ran out. I took Michael and went out of the ss-enclosed room. I was suddenly afraid to stand next to a window; what was happening? Victoria, are you okay? James and Cook ran out of the kitchen. Yeah, there was someone at the window. Security went after him. Cook put his arm around me. James looked torn as if he was thinking about going after them himself. Before he decided to do that, the big guy came back in. He was talking on his radio and carrying Jason by the scruff of his neck. I lost it as soon as I saw him. I pushed my poor baby into a shocked Jamess arms and while the security officer still held him, I pped him hard across the face. You son of a bitch! The security officers lips twitched. Cook wasughing outright and poor James still looked shocked. You know this guy? Mr. Security asked me. Yes, unfortunately. This is Jason Bowers, my ex-boyfriend. The security officer whose name badge I can see now says Joe, tossed Jason into a chair. I could see then that his hands were cuffed together at the back with a pair of stic cuffs. Dont move, he said, threateningly. He got back on the radio and gave his superiors Jasons name. They told him the police were on their way. What were you doing here, Jason? How did you even get on the property? I wanted to slug him again. The coward wouldnt even look up at me. Hes not talking to me either, Joe said. Of course as soon as I got ahold of him I shoved his face into the pavement and cuffed him. I guess hes not fond of forey. Jason was still looking at the floor. I looked at Joe and asked, Did someone call Mr. Reigns or should I do that? Hes been called, Joe said. Good, thank you. I took the baby from Jamess arms and told him, Im going to feed him and then shower. Will you let me know if they need me before that? I cant stand here and look at him or my kick-boxing sses are going to start kicking back in. James smiled and said, You pack a mean punch there. You go on ahead and I will call you if they need you. Still shaking from either fright or fury or both, I headed up the stairs. I sat in the nursery, far from the window even though it was upstairs, and fed Michael. He ate like a little glutton, finally passing out like a drunk on New Years Eve. I put him down gently in his crib and taking the baby monitor, I headed for the shower. I showered quickly and dressed. When I came back out, there was another security officer at the door of Michaels nursery. He saw my curious look and took out his I. D. and held it out to me. I went over and looked at it and then I handed it back and peeked in at the baby. Thank you. He gave me a nod and I went back downstairs to see what was happening down there. I found them all still on the sunporch, only now there were two more security officers and two police officers, and one man that looked like a detective in the room as well. Vicki! I turned around and Alex was there. He opened his arms and I folded into them. Are you and Michael okay? I nodded and pulled back just a little so that I could see his face. Were fine. Im sorry you have to keep rushing home. Youre never going to get any work done.This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org . Heughed. I dont care, as long as you two are okay. I hear I shouldnt make you too mad either. Dad says you fight like Ali. Iughed too. Not quite but yes, not making me angry is a good thing. Did this idiot say what he was doing here? Before he went upstairs he didnt say anything. His mouth probably hurt, he told me with a wink. I looked in at Jason. He looked so pathetic. Just a year ago he was on top of the world. He had a great job and a big circle of friends. I have no idea how he fell so hard and so fast. He was still looking at the floor and refusing to speak. The man in the suit came over to me and said, Mrs. Reigns? Victoria, I said. I wanted to say, Not yet, but I wasnt sure that was appropriate in this situation. Victoria did you see Mr. Bowers outside the window? I nodded, But, I only caught a sh. I dont know if he was actually looking in or just running by. It doesnt matter. This is private property either way. Id like to know how he got in here. I had trouble at the gate. Who was there when you came through? Alex asked. The detective looked at his notepad and said, Elliot. Alex shook his head like he didnt know him but I had a sudden thought. Whats hisst name? The detective looked down again and said, Hanson. Oh my God! What? Alex and the Detective were both looking at me. Elliot Hanson is Jasons best friend. Theyve been friends since they were kids. Damn it! Alexs face was bright red and his fists were clenched. He took out his phone and called the front gates. Is Elliot Hanson still here? No. He left about half an hour ago. Okay, I need his home address. Ill get it for you sir and call you right back. Just text it, thanks. He disconnected the call and looked at me again. What does he look like? I havent seen him in a while, butst time I did he had short dark hair and a mustache and goatee. Hes about six foot and hes broad-shouldered, usually. Forty-Six INTERMISSION Kenzie & Jonas [POV] I heard the sound of a text tone in his hand. He nced at it and said, Okay baby, thanks. Im going to go with them. James was standing behind me. Im going too, he said. Alex looked at his father like he was going to protest but something on James face changed his mind. Alex what if its not safe? I had a really bad feeling about this. I didnt want him to go. I was suddenly afraid for his life. Ill stay out of their way and let them do their job, but when they have this creep in custody, I want to be there to hear what he has to say for himself. I nodded slowly. I was worried and I felt sick, but I wasnt going to be able to stop him. If I thought I could get away with going, I would go too. Be safe. I will. He kissed me softly and said, I love you. I love you too. I watched him go, surrounded by his security staff. The two officers that the detective left behind was getting Jason to his feet. He looked like an old man trying to stand up, Joes tackle must have done a number on him. I walked up to him and he flinched. Good, I want him to feel afraid and humiliated. The sight of him alone disgusted me. Dont worry. Im not going to waste my time hitting you again. I just want you to know how disgusting I think you are. The only ce I ever want to see you again is in court. You dont understand, he whispered. What Jason? What is it that I dont understand? Theyre going to kill me. Who? The people I owe a quarter of a million dors to. How the hell do you owe so much money, Jason? He didnt say anything. Gambling? Youve been losing at the track again and borrowing money? He still didnt answer. I knew his fondness for the track; that had to be it. You know what, I dont care. You thought that you could get money to pay your gambling debts by hurting my family? Still nothing. The officers on either side of him were looking at me. Just take him, please. I cant stand to look at him. When Jason was gone I went up and sat in Michaels room. The security officer was at the door and Michael was still asleep but after finding out that one of them was working with Jason, I didnt trust anyone anymore. PROLOGUE Kenzies [POV] Houston, Texas Torn from the pages of my book, our love story was over before it ever really began. Well, that was if it was even considered one, to begin with. The chapter had been so short, yet itd also been both the best and worst time of my entire life. As I sat on the cold, hard ledge atop Cournd Hall, regret and shame filled me. I just cant escape you, Imented as I realized who the Cournd was in this particr building. No, it wasnt Jonas, but generation after generation of his family. Id heard about those before him. Who hadnt? Yet, I still deluded myself into believing that he was different. Maybe, Id just hoped that you were. He wasnt different, though. As I recently found out, Jonas made the things his elder brother did, appear mild inparison. Body counts aside, Id never even heard of Logan Cournd engaging in the same deceitful activities as his younger brother. Of course, just because I hadnt heard about it, didnt mean it never happened. After all, he had to have learned it from someone. Still, as the warm spring breeze lifted the loose, dark tendrils of hair framing my face, none of that counted. Itd only be a matter of time before everyone at Spencer Academy knew what Jonas had done. More importantly, theyd know what I had done, too. Despair began to fill me at that prospect. Good girls like me didnt have premarital sex, especially, with the captain of the football team. But I had, and itd been the best night of my young life. Now, the pleasure Id felt then threatened to strangle me like a noose around my neck. What am I going to do? I didnt have any friends, and there was no one to share my despair. If Daddy finds out My thoughts drifted to my father. George Broderick, minister at Life Pointe Baptist Church, would surely have me sent off to a convent. Or worse. Thomas and Ethel Broderick had a farm in midwestern Nebraska, and the very idea of being shipped off to live with my grandparents had me looking down at the pavement below. I scrubbed my hands down my face, the movement made easier by the dampness of my cheeks, courtesy of the tears Id been crying for thest hour. Everyone in school had to know what hed done to me by now, so I certainly couldnt show my face inside those halls. Not now, and maybe not ever again. Id been duped and would be the mockery of our entire school. God knows Id heard about every other conquest of Jonass, although hed denied most of them to me.Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. People just like to talk, hed exined, and Id stupidly believed it all. It hadnt been the only lie Id fallen for over thest couple of months. I like you, Kenzie. Youre everything I never knew I wanted. I sarcasticallyughed at those words, which now viciously taunted me. I care about you. Those had been the worst because theyd made me discard my values, principles, andmon sense in a pile at my feet. Theyre all going tough at me, I cried out loud. Why, oh why had I believed Jonas Cournd! I stood and started to pace back and forth. Id made such a mess of things, and just the thought of having to see him for thest couple of months of school would be torture. We were even seated within arms reach of one another at graduation which seemed like an eternity to this when now, it was closer than ever. A few more errant tears rolled down my cheeks as they stubbornly refused to stop falling. I had to think of a way out of this situation Id stupidly put myself in. If only there was a way to go back in time to the period when no one knew who I was or even cared. If I could go back there, Id certainly make sure to steer well clear of Jonas Cournd. I couldnt, and now I had to quickly think of a solution. Maybe it wasnt even as bad as I thought. After all, the only one who would possibly tell my father would be M. The girls mother, Caroline, was the biggest busybody in the entire congregation. The woman wouldtch on to this gossip like a dog with a bone and spread it around to anyone and everyone she saw. The news would then reach my father. I could already see next Sundays sermon being directed at me, and what my father considered a sin. Wed only moved to Houstonst summer, and now it didnt look like Id even make it here a year this time. Ever since I was ten, my family moved from one ce to another for a multitude of reasons. Id never been the cause, but this incident would certainly change all of that. Id brought shame to my entire family, and Id never live this down. Fuck! Cursing was something else my father considered a sin, but by this time, I was too upset to care. Sirens red off in the distance, or at least I thought theyd been far enough away until the shrill shrieking got closer. Secondster, I realized two police cars and an ambnce were out front of the school. Sensing the oddity here and forgetting my problems for a moment, I peered over the ledge again just in time to see the officers and paramedics file out of their vehicles. Mackenzie Broderick, one of the uniformed officers called through his megaphone. It was then that I realized exactly why they were there. The police had been called because of me. Shocked, I stepped back. Did the authorities think I was trying to jump? Of course, they did. Why else would they be gathered floors below me while calling out my name? Just great. If the entire student poption didnt know what Jonas had done to me, they would now. Id be the center of every scious story told in those halls. Everyone would want to know what I had done and why, and the rumor mill would run rampant with different variations of the truth. Most would involve them talking about how I was suicidal. Forty-Seven My anxiety kicked up a notch and I wobbled as a faint sense of lightheadedness passed over me. This was bad. More than that. Panic welled up inside. Surely, I could just go back into the school and exin how this was all a mistake. I began to shake, knowing fully well the damage had already been done now. I had nowhere to run. Nowhere to go. My parents had to have been called by now. Just the thought of disappointing my father made me sick with disgust. Itd only been two years since his heart attack and if this didnt send him to an early grave, my actions-however incorrectly perceived as they were-would send him there for sure. I began to pace once more and at the sound of a familiar voice, I turned and red at the intruder. Step away from the ledge, baby, Jonas instructed as he took a step forward. Dont you ever call me that again. You stay right there where I can fucking see you. My fear over everything was reced by my anger at the boy in front of me. Just over six foot with an athletic build, he was physically imposing. He was also so damn striking that the mere sight of him still made my chest ache. He was a redhead, but no one would ever call him names like Ginger or Carrot Top. He was so fucking gorgeous, and a legend at school. God, I needed to quit ogling him, because it would only build up his ego even more, but it was easier said than done. After all, itd only been days earlier when he had stood behind me and lowered the straps of my prom dress. I could still feel the caress of his breath as he trailed kisses along my bare corbone. His hands had lightly groped me in all the right ces that night. Even now, my traitorous body still yearned for more. Thankfully, it was my head in control now. Well, maybe partially my emotions as well, but definitely not my recently awakened libido. When Jonas ignored my request and took another few steps in my direction, I backed up instinctively. Just weeks earlier, hed cornered me much like he was trying to do now; the only difference was that I wouldnt be falling backward onto a soft bed, but would instead fall to my death. He mustve realized how perilously close I was to the edge of the roof because he suddenly backed away and threw his hands up in the air. Whoa! Ill back up, but please, juste back inside the school. Even his voice did things to me as a shiver wracked my entire frame. My chest was aching by now, the rapid pace of my heart rate causing the organ to clench painfully as it nearly beat out of my chest. It was also breaking as I looked at the boy Id given every part of myself to. Hed never cherished it, just like my father had warned since I was twelve and developed breasts. Boys can never appreciate your gifts or return them. As you grow older, youll be faced with temptation, but you must trust in your faith and resist. Hed gone on to tell me the importance of saving myself until marriage, but that warning and message had gone unheeded because I had bought all of Jonass lies and fallen into his bed, anyway. The magnitude of that mistake weighed heavily upon me. They think Im crazy. I was merely stating the obvious, and at the look of concern on his face, Iughed sarcastically, fitting the very image I was hoping to shed. H-how could you fucking do this to me? As Jonas opened his mouth to speak, I raised my hand to silence him. His expression softened even more, and I could have sworn I saw a twinge of regret in his hazel eyes until he blinked. He stepped forward again, causing me to step back. The sudden motion sent a wave of nausea rolling over me. Even in the midst of all that, I stupidly stared at him with such longing. It hadnt been just one night I needed to force myself to forget, but rather all the weeks that lead up to it. Hed said and done all the right things, making me fall sopletely in love. I actually considered changing colleges to follow him. It hadnt been the only stupid thing Id done. In my head, Id nned our entire future together from marrying sometime between our junior and senior year of college to having three kids: a boy and two girls. Maybe I am crazy. Id seen and nned for a future he never intended to give me. All of his actions and words had been nothing but lies. They were levels to the game hed won, and it didnt matter what hed taken from me as long as he emerged the victor. Looking back at it now, our entire rtionship had been one sick and twisted game, and Id been nothing more than a pawn. The legend of his brothers reputation would be seeded by Jonas, and when I ended up plummeting to my death, no one else would ever be able to top him. Hed be that high score others in the arcades strived to beat, but never came close to.C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org. A sob escaped me even as I wobbled angrily on me feet. I t-trusted you, I managed to get out between shallow breaths. It was an understatement at this point, but all I could audibly voice. I hate you, I added secondster. Im sorry, Jonas said, finally speaking despite my desire for him not to. Sorry? My voice elevated just before I released another sob. You are sorry, but as a person, not for what youve done to me. Hyperventtion got the best of me as my anxiety reached its peak. Another wave of dizziness passed over me, and I stumbled. Frantically, I tried to grab on to anything. Jonas, probably having seen my current state, rushed to my aid. I held on to his arm, but I refused to look into his face. God, how I wanted to, just so I could memorize it one more time. He was so fucking beautiful, but I knew itd only hurt more. Instead of sneaking a peek, I closed my eyes and savored the feel of his arms around me, knowing theyd never be there again. Even that moment, like every other one between us, was short-lived because what felt like mere secondster, I was being pulled away from him. Everything else happened in a blur and I slipped into unconsciousness, onlying to when in the back of the ambnce with my worried mother by my side. Itd be thest time Id see the Houston skyline as the ambnce rushed me to the hospital, but then again, Id already known that. It was also thest time Id see the boy who made me dream, only to viciously rip it away. Forty-Eight Jonass [POV] Ten Years Later: Manhattan, New York Pushing the blueprint away, I scrubbed my hands down my face. My mind was racing a million miles a second and I couldnt focus on what could potentially be the newest property for the Cournd Hospitality Group, or CHG as it was known internationally. When my paternal grandfather, William Cournd, died, I inherited the multibillion-dorpany and all of the problems it had. My grandfather, even at the ripe age of seventy-four, gambled heavily and thepany was nearly in shambles at the time of his death. Itd taken me thest seven years to get it back into the ck. The time and effort had taken more than just a financial toll on me. My personal life was shot to hell and as I looked at my desk, I could see a key sitting there, the metal gleaming in the strip of sunlighting through the window. I wanted to blow off all of my responsibilities and leave to find a piece of pussy for the night. My thoughts tended to border on vulgarity, and other than money and power, sex was the only other thing I tended to think about. So, everything Ive heard about you must be true, myst nights conquest had told me when I rolled out of her bed around two this morning. I knew women talked, and hell, a lot of men did, too. Now, Anabelle Fordham had joined a long list of females who expected things of me theyd never get. Hell, by now, those women likely had a support group formed and everything. I shook my head. Women were the least of my problems. The few times I tried to be something more than a fuck boy, they developed unrealistic expectations which I could never deliver. Itd end bitterly. No rtionship had ever ended worse than the one Id had with Mr. Cournd. Theres an Oli- my secretary started as she stood in the open doorway. Thanks, Edith, I interrupted. I had been expecting the mans call for thest half hour. It was his fault entirely that I was still here in my office and not sliding a few hundred into a strippers G-string. Using this as a much-needed distraction, I picked up the phone and hit the blinking key on the base of it. Oliver. I apologize. Myst meeting rante, Jonas. I wanted to check in to let you know that everything is all set on the Manhattan project. CHG Seaport was thetest property for the Cournd Hospitality Group. It was a luxury, waterfront hotel on South Street that would soon open for business. With my busy work schedule in other locations, I wouldnt have as much time to spend here anymore, so I enlisted help. I had filled all positions over thest several months except one and Oliver was with the consulting group that had been responsible forpiling, potential chefs whod open and run the hotels service restaurant. So you havepiled a list of suitable chefs? I asked. I had been very specific about qualifications because this was the only CHG property in the Northeast, and our name was synonymous with luxury. Yes, weve put together a list of twenty candidates vying for the contract. Theyre going to be there He paused for a moment which had me looking at my calendar. Lately, most of the weeks seemed to blur together. It was Wednesday, which meant one thing. I have to fly to California to handle something, but Ill be back on Friday. Ill put them up for the week, and after getting to know them and sampling their work, I will make my choice. Having to fly to the West Coast, then back to bang elbows with chefs whod likely do anything tond a contract had its pros and cons. For me, itd likely be more con than pro, but the sooner I had someone in ce, the sooner I could officially open my newest venture. My eyes moved to the blueprints of the hotel, and I shook my head. Id deal with CHG Seaport when I returned from Los Angeles. Ill check in with the teams and make sure everything is set, Oliver told me, interrupting my thoughts. Great, I responded, then added, Ill see you in two days. After disconnecting the call, I stood up and walked to myrge office window. The Cournd Hospitality Group was in one of the tallest high-rise buildings in Manhattan with ster views of downtown New York City. As a Titan, I was literally on top of the world in more ways than one. I just couldnt help feelingtely as if something was missing. Cas, Anton, and Mase would tell me it had to do with my bachelors ways, but that seemed to be the only thing that distracted me from the stressful hell my job could be at times. While being with a woman, I had no thoughts in my head other than how to make theme, so I could do the same. I was very sessful with dozens of women at my beck and call, so I didnt know what hade over me recently. Maybe, Id take a vacation once this hotel officially opened. I lived a great life, as exhausting as it sometimes was, and I shouldnt be anything other than ecstatic since I had everything I couldve ever dreamed of in the palm of my hands. Power Money Sess An endless supply of women Those were all things Id dreamed about since I was the star quarterback on my football team. Id been offered athletic schrships to dozens of different universities across the country. Wanting to get away from Houston for more reasons than one, I settled on Stanford University. During the Summer of my freshman year, I went through the standard testing all other iing recruits did, and that was when those dreams came crashing down around me.This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org . Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. I could still remember those fateful words. Your son has a condition that not only thickens the walls of the heart restricting blood flow to it, but the valves could close leading immediately to cardiac arrest, the team doctor had exined to my parents when they were called to California to have the news broken to me. I was arrogant enough to believe there was a pill or something which could control it, but there wasnt. There were no surgeries that could help either, causing my dream of ying professional football to end in an instant as the heart condition was an automatic disqualifier. After switching my mindset, I poured all of my energy into a triple major. Five yearster, I graduated with a masters degree in business administration, urban development, and civil engineering. Upon graduation, I went to work with my grandfather, eventually earning the respect and experience needed to take over thepany when he finally passed away. It happened less than three years into my career. Now in that same amount of time, I had brought thepany back to its former glory, and I hadnt looked back since. A knock cut short my reflective moment and I turned toward Edith. Ive emailed your flight information to you as well as the list of chefs thatll be attending the event at CHG Seaport. Is there anything else you need from me before I leave for the day? There isnt. Have a good night. The older woman smiled at me, then left my office doorway, leaving me alone once more. The woman was around fifty and reminded me a lot of my mother. She had the same shade of pale blonde hair that Gabrie Cournd did, and both had simr streaks of gray running through them. You and your brother are going to be the death of me one of these days, she used to tell me and my sibling. It was funny at the time, but as I got older, I could look back and see how much hell we gave her over the years. Id like to stand there and think I had made amends, but now, she had her sights set on something else I had no intentions of giving her. She wanted grandbabies, a suggestion which Id shoot down. Hell, I hardly ever bedded the same woman twice, so children were out of the question. Every time I thought of that preposterous idea, Id chuckle. Pushing her wishes aside, I forced my thoughts back to the present. It was Wednesday evening and I had ns to meet my best friends at the Vault. I couldnt stay toote because tomorrow morning, Id leave for Cali before jetting back to New York City to spend an entire week with various chefs at the new property. If everything went ording to n, Id be able to find someone suitable within that time. Afterward, I could focus on the ns that had been drawn up for a property in Seattle, close to the Space Needle. I rolled down the sleeves of my dress shirt, then picked up the suit jacket andid across a nearby chair. Edith had mentioned emailing everything I needed to me so there was nothing left for me to do here. Grabbing my briefcase and the keys to my F-Type Jaguar, I locked up my office and left to meet my friends. Forty-Nine I took the elevator downstairs and when I entered the parking garage, my favorite sportscar was parked in the first space in front of an engraved que that read CEO. At just twenty-nine years old, I ran a sessfulpany. It was hard to believe, especially since I was such a dumbass while growing up. Once I didnt have sports to distract me anymore, I buckled down and focused on my studies. I learned everything I needed to to run a ce like the Cournd Hospitality Group. The day Id had my name added to the title had been one of my brightest moments, even more so than my three graduations. I hit the keyless unlock button on the key fob and got behind the wheel. Because Oliver had been runningte, forcing me to stay at his office longer than Id anticipated, I didnt have time to go home and change clothes before meeting up with some of the other Titans. It was just a few shots after all. When finished with that, Id go home and try to get some much-needed sleep. Starting the car, I left the confines of the parking garage and soon was out on the city streets. It didnt take long to get to the Vault, which was an institution among those in my circle. The nightclub was owned by Mason Steele, who Id known for almost my entire adult life. We were usually inseparable, but that had been before Rhyann Ward came along. She made my friend happy, though. If he wanted to y house, who was I to deny him that? What worked for him and my other two closest friends didnt for me, and it never would.This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org . Downtown NYC was a madhouse this time of night and parking was limited. I lucked out when a BMW was leaving just as I pulled up. I quickly parked in the space, then headed inside. I didnt need to wonder where the Titans were gathered because I already knew. A new Titan had been added to the local ranks, and he was not unknown to me at all. Kristopher Simon still had the same shit-eating grin on his face Id be used to over the years. Wed met in our freshman year of high school, and bonded once we both found out wed lost our virginity to the same cheerleader on the varsity team. Now, he was married to Hayley Banks and was some hotshot doctor at NYU. Like me, hed always been a bit insufferable, but after meeting one of the Queen Bitches, hed allowed himself to get ensnared in her web, and there was little I could say to warn him. The damage had been done already, especially since the two were now expecting a child together. Despite turning in his bachelor card, the two of us still had a lot inmon. Judging his closeness to the other Titans, it looked like they also shared things inmon. Kris had an older brother like I did, and both of them had a certain reputation at Spencer, so it was pretty much a given that wed follow in their footsteps. High school parties with booze and sex became the norm and maybe itd been the sheer number of partners or the alcohol itself, but I couldnt even recall most of them. All I knew was that I and my friends had worked our way through the JV and varsity cheerleading squads before moving on to the various girls athletic teams. Like the Simons and Cournds before us, we ran the school, so when I was challenged by Kris to do the unthinkable, I eagerly epted. I wanted to be even more legendary than Logan, and I supposed I still was, considering what had happened days after my senior prom. That day was one I kept buried in the deep recesses of my mind for many reasons, none of which mattered anymore. What the hell are you looking at, man? I asked him as I took a seat beside him on the stage. Kris chuckled, but he didnt say anything in response. I shook my head in amusement before looking up to see one of the dancerse on stage to perform. I smirked at the redhead. What they said about us in bed was true. I knew it had been when it came to me, but as I watched Allison Porter grab the pole, my dick hardened at the memory of how wild shed been with me that one night. She was into kinky shit, everything from whips to chains. She wanted to be tied up and spanked, which I had been more than happy to do for her. Id fucked her tight pussy so hard itd taken her hours to gain enough strength to slip out in the early morning hours. I smirked at Mason, especially because his woman was best friends with Allison. Like men, most women talked, and I didnt even need to know what they said or thought about me. I had enough notches on multiple bedposts, so I didnt need validation. Fucking a woman to exhaustion was all the proof I needed. A woman had never faked anything with me, and shed never have to. Going back for seconds? Anton asked. I grinned at him, knowing exactly what he was insinuating. It wasmon knowledge among the men that I preferred one-night stands. They were a lot less sticky, and they presented little problems. God knows I had avoided my fair share of trouble over the years except for the end of my senior year of high school because of Kristophers dare. Once Mackenzie Broderick left school, my ce in Spencers history was cemented. Id never allowed myself to fall into that kind of trap again, and I had no intentions of starting now. I also wouldnt let my past drag down my evening. Mason had never liked to mix business with pleasure, which simply meant there were more employees at the Vault for me to choose from. The newest waitress was looking fucking hot in her leather skirt andce corset. She stopped in front of the table, and I had a good idea of what she was thinking simply by the way she looked at me. I smirked, especially when she leaned across the table and showed glimpses of her surgically enhanced rack. Need a drink, hun? she asked. I gave her a curt nod, then turned back to the other Titans. Drinks were already in front of them, and I decided to order the same. She disappeared but quickly returned with a ss of the Dalmore 18 YR Scotch. We all grabbed our shots and tipped them back before starting a conversation about my uing trip to Cali. We talked for a while before I came up with an excuse to leave. It was gettingte and when the others had be engrossed in a conversation, I asked our waitress what time shell be off. It happened to be now, so I waited out front for her while she clocked out in the back. When she stepped outside, my eyes traveled over her scantily d body. Smirking, I opened the door to the taxi, then let her rattle off the address to her ce. In the morning, Id be sober enough to return to the Vault for my car, then Id catch the red eye to Los Angeles. Tonight, Id just do the norm and fuck her to multiple orgasms, then forget her name by morning. Fifty Kenzies [POV] Dear Lord, please tell me that youve at least gotten your stuff packed? I asked Reece, my best friend, and sous chef. Its not me that you should be worried about, she replied before pulling her dress over her head, then discarding it into a pile with what appeared to be at least five others. My bestie waspletely beside herself over staying at the swanky new hotel on the Seaport to help me try tond what would be a life-altering opportunity for the two of us. Wed been best friends since Id arrived in Nebraska, after being sent away from my home in Houston at the end of my senior year of high school. Itd been a very dark period, and one I tried not to think too much about. It was still hard with so many reminders, but cooking allowed me to focus on a creative outlet that distracted me from all that was wrong in my world. Reece had been there beside me the entire time, and it was why when I moved to New York to expand my culinary expertise, she followed me, and wed been together in a small one-bedroom apartment ever since. What Icked in style, however, my bestie didnt. Upon moving to the city, she engrossed herself in anything fashion-rted she could while still helping me. She cared about appearances, and she knew about thetest fashion and essories, whereas I was moreid back and basic, as she liked to say. At her words about my dress, I frowned at her. There was nothing wrong with what I had chosen for myself. It was a ck dress with no frills, but I preferred it that way. We had to impress this Oliver guy, and I didnt want him to look at me and automatically dismiss me as some society girl. It was already hard enough to stand out in a male-dominated industry, so I wanted to draw attention to what mattered and minimize the attention I received for things that didnt. As I looked at the pile of dresses on the floor, I nervously bit my lip. I had nned to change for tonights party once we arrived at the CHG Seaport hotel, and maybe it was for the best that Reece was taking her sweet-ass time making up her mind when it came to what shed wear. I could see the general direction my friend was going in, and I now wondered if my choice was too basic after all. I didnt want to have the attention focused on my attire instead of my skill, but I did need to at least attract some attention, or else I ran the risk of being overlooked altogether. I needed this job more than Ive ever needed anything else in my life. As a private chef, I worked with a few clients, mostly meal prepping, along with catering their soirees and such. Having my actual restaurant would put me on apletely different level in my career and set me up for life, especially since it would be located in a luxury hotel chain. I hadnt done much research on it, but I did know it was renowned, which in turn would make me much of the same. It just sucked that so many other chefs were all vying for the same thing. I hope youre not nning to wear that to the festivities tonight, Reece remarked, interrupting my thoughts. Of course not, came the quick reply. I have a dress in the other room. Because Reece hadmandeered the bedroom for her private fashion show, I grabbed the few I owned off the rack, dumping them into the living room where I had decided on one. Which one? she asked, and any other time, the concern in her voice wouldve beenical. Its the one I wore to that girls birthday dinner a few months ago. I was very introverted most of the time, and I had been that way all my life. Many had tried to get me out of my proverbial shell, but only one had ever been sessful, and even he had encountered resistance. Maybe itd been the challenge, or perhaps he was that shallow and cruel, but my social awkwardness hadnt managed to turn off my high school nemesis. Itd been a terrible time in my life. I was a junior in high school and Houston had been the seventh move since ninth grade that my family made. My father was a minister, so we often traveled wherever his job took him. Sometimes, hednd a more permanent gig, but often it was just fill-in work, which made it hard on his children who always had to be uprooted. I never really got a chance to get to know other kids, so I bided my time by myself. After meeting Jonas Cournd, however, my entire life went to hell in more ways than one. He didnt just use me, but he destroyed something deep inside of me, and my mind had never been the same again. After what happened on the roof that day at Spencer Academy, my parents shipped me off for a short stay in the psych ward before having me finish myst year in Omaha. I eventually moved to Lincoln where I enrolled in sses at a localmunity college, and that was when Reece and I first became friends. I couldve never made this move to New York City, or put myself out there enough to audition for this contract, without her.Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. That would be more fitting for a funeral, and it will be your social one if you dont take this more seriously, Reece lectured, causing me to snicker. Whats so fucking funny? I picked up a silky dress with what appeared to be fur on the cor and shook my head. It looked more like something one would wear to bed, so I dangled it in front of my friends face. Something more serious like this? She grinned, then snatched the dress out of my hand. I have plenty of others you can borrow. You need something sexy and memorable. Before I could even open my mouth to protest, Reece deposited a few into my arms. This isnt necessary, I tried telling her only to be shushed. Reece was like a woman possessed as she started pulling various dresses down at such a quick pace my head begin to spin. I didnt even know when she bought all of these, but I kept my arms outstretched until Id had enough. Im sure I can find something among all of these. With that, I turned around and escaped into the safety of the living room. This apartment was so small, and as I looked around at the cramped quarters, I realized I could use a change of scenery and more space. Maybe if Ind this gig, I could get a kitchen designed for a chef instead of a student or vacationer. And best of all, I could get two bedrooms, which would allow me some privacy. I tossed the dresses onto the couch, then stared exhaustedly down at the rainbow of colors, sequins, andce. My heart rate began racing as I looked at the daunting task ahead of me. If things were this difficult just trying to get ready for the audition, I couldnt imagine how much more stressful everything else would be during it. Knowing that I shouldve just thrown in the towel. If I allowed this to get to me, more than my feelings and aspirations would be dashed. I couldnt afford any mental setbacks. Youre impossible, I muttered under my breath about my friend. Thankfully, I was nowhere near as picky as Reece when it came to fashion, so Id still likely find one before she did. Needing to choose something, I flipped through the selections. We had a mirror on the back of our front door, so I would take each one and move in front of it. I would hold a dress up, and on asion, Id even press one against me as I stared at my reflection. I could tell by the material that these dresses werent your normal department store type, so I made mental note to abstain from red wine or anything else which might ruin some of the delicate fabric. I had looked through almost half of them when Reece entered the room and grabbed a red one from my hand. Ill be wearing this one. I shook my head, then looked at a gold, sequined one. It was gorgeous and quite revealing. I could never pull something like that off so I went to set it down, but before I could, Reece grabbed the remaining dresses and tossed them into the pile with the others. This one will be perfect, and I even have heels to match it. Even though we had moved from the Midwest, Reece always had a morous side to herself, so it was not surprising in the least to hear her tell me that. Following my bestie back into the room, it didnt take long to locate the aforementioned stilettos I now hoped I could walk in without breaking my neck. I hope I dont break my damn leg. When I mentioned that, sheughed but otherwise told me she was ready. Not wanting to give her enough time to change her mind, I put our dresses into the luggage bag, then went into the living room to put the heels in my suitcase. Neither of us had a car, not that this city required the use of one. From the taxis and subways everywhere you turned, public transportation was the least stressful way to go. Years earlier, I was diagnosed with a few different things, and stress was one of the main factors that impacted my mood. It was more detrimental to me than to someone who was not bipr. I usually managed to keep things even-keeled, and I just hoped this audition wouldnt set me back. We took our bags and went downstairs. We didnt have elevators or even doormen like so many other buildings did, and I was nearly out of breath when we managed to make it out onto the streets. I already had an irrational fear of beingte, so I didnt want to take the subway. Grabbing Reeces hand, I dragged her with me to the nearby cab, then rattled off the address of the hotel. Fifty-One Upon arrival, we checked in and went straight to our rooms. I tried not to pay too much attention to the expansive lobby which was so far out of my wealth bracket that I was scared to know how much a single night would cost. Thankfully, the ce hadnt opened up yet for business, and Oliver had put us all up in guest rooms for the duration of this audition process. I still had no idea how the entire thing would work, but I did know we would have challenges we had to pass to move on to the next round. I almost felt as if this was an audition for one of those cooking shows I liked to watch so much when I had time. Many were even filmed nearby at the Food Network studios. I had to have my wits about me, and I was thankful tonight would just be a simple meet and greet with drinks. This room is nicer than our entire apartment, Kenzie. Reece spread her arms wide to highlight her point. I didnt need her to state the obvious. I can only imagine how beautiful the kitchen in the restaurant will be. I hope we get this gig because I never want to leave. Reece had what I affectionately called a champagne taste on a cheap wine budget. I wasnt as into names and my needs didnt require as much money as hers but to each their own. If I was able tond this job, Id make enough to get us something better than what we currently had, although it would still likely pale inparison to this ce. Reece walked over to the beds to decide which one she wanted while I looked out at Pier 17. Id seen a concert the summer before there, but I had never actually considered working nearby. I was starting to see thingse into focus as I thought about the clientele the surrounding attractions would draw, and it would help me n a menu around those demographics. Damn, you should see the size of this bathroom, Reece remarked before she rejoined me. We could fit our entire apartment inside of it. I giggled, then said, I highly doubt that. Maybe youre right. Its huge though, and even big enough for the two of us to get ready together. I sure hoped so because wed learned early on when we moved into our current apartment that the two of us couldnt be inside of the bathroom at the same time. Those first few days had been rough, and we were at each others throats. We couldnt even brush our teeth at the same time, but we eventually came up with a routine and we havent had many problems since. Ill be ready in about a half hour. Me, too, I replied, then I went to grab my luggage. Since Reece had already chosen her bed, I took the other and opened my suitcase atop it. Since Id only brought one, outside of the luggage bag, it didnt take me long to put my things away. Seven days, if I was lucky. Id have that long to impress whoever this developer was. I had never heard of CHG before, and Olivers name wasnt familiar to me. I interviewed virtually with him, and he seemed like a nice guy. I just hoped my culinary skill would prevail. If I ever expected to break out of the rut I was in, I needed something substantial to change the tides. I was excited, albeit a bit nervous, but I was also hopeful. Channeling that, I unzipped the luggage bag and pulled my dress out. It was gorgeous, even if I was just now realizing how promiscuous it truly was. Maybe itd been the lighting in the apartment, or the fact that itd been sitting on top of Reeces sequined throw in the same color, but now a small bit of panic filled me. The dress would be so short on me, especially since I was taller than average women, and Reece. The back of the gown was long, which was where the modesty ended. In the front, I would be lucky if it came mid-thigh. I wanted to see how bad this would be, so I undressed and once I had the dress on, I cringed. It was worse than I had anticipated. Youll be putting your best foot forward in that, Reece told me as she whistled at me. Im putting my entire leg forward. Why did I ever listen to you? Because Im right, she answered, and I shook my head. I then turned to Reece, and she looked gorgeous in the red dress shed chosen to wear. It was low cut, but it looked a hell of a lot more conservative than what I had on. Debatable, Imented before grabbing the matching shoes. Once I had them on, I moved closer to the mirror. Damn, you look better than I ever have in that dress, Kenzie, Reece admitted as she stood behind me. Again, doubtful, but thank you. I appreciated thepliment, but I knew my friend was stunning. Tall, with long legs, she looked like a supermodel. Her skin hair teeth and everything else was wless.This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org . Let me do something with your hair, she told me as she tugged lightly on my ponytail. I didnt protest because I knew I couldnt show up with my hair this way. I sat down in the nearby chair and allowed Reece to brush it out. She worked her magic on my thick, blonde mass, then we were ready to go. We left everything but our cellphones and keycards inside the room before taking the elevator to the lobby. Once we were downstairs, I noticed several familiar faces walking around. These men and women were my peers most of the time, but for the next week, they were also mypetition. I needed to remember that, so when one or two would smile at me, I would politely do the same, but I also sized them up in my head. Reece started to pull on my arm, and I followed her while hoping the entire time that I didnt fall t on my face in front of everyone. Soon, we found a spot off in the corner near anotherrge wall of windows. Champagne? one of the waiters asked, and Reece grabbed herself a flute. I did, too, although I didnt know how much of it that I would drink. Holding my ss, I turned my attention to the view outside. This ce is so beautiful. I can already see myself buying a few peaceful minutes from the restaurant just looking out at the pier. You and me both, Reece agreed, then sighed. Remember, were in this together. Ill never forget that, I promised. Reece had uprooted her entire life and moved halfway across the country with me, and Id never take her sacrifice for granted. She worked with me at the moment, however, I knew if she ever had the opportunity to do something in fashion, she would leave me. I would encourage her to do so. Cheers, she eximed, interrupting my thoughts. We clinked our sses together in a toast. After I took a small sip of mine, I remembered why we were there. What do you think hes like? I heard hes hot, she replied, and I remembered Oliver from a previous meeting and scrunched up my nose. Ive interviewed Oliver, and he isnt- Oliver? Sheughed. Hes theckey. Before I could ask her what she meant, Reece turned back around and tugged on my arm. Oh my God. I think thats him. Really? I asked, then spun around. The guy she was pointing at was not the one I had met on those virtual calls, yet something seemed oddly familiar about him. At that moment, my hands started to shake on their own. There was something about the build of the redhead standing across the room with his back turned to everyone. I couldnt quite put my finger on what about him was so familiar, only that my heart began to beat rapidly in my chest. A fine sheen of sweat started to bead above my brow. Maybe it was the champagne interacting with my medicine. I was about to set the flute down and switch to water when the man turned. The ss slipped from my hand as I stared at the one whod once been my nemesis. This couldnt be happening. The ss dropping and shattering on the marble floor caused several others to turn and look in our direction, which wouldve made me cringe any other time. Quick, Reece. What does CHG stand for? Are you ok- she went to ask. Just tell me, I implored. Cournd Hospitality Group. Fuck! Just breathe. Youve got this.C-Cournd, I whispered. Yes, and the developer is- Jonas Cournd, I answered for her. Yes, thats him. Reece seemed intrigued while I was praying the floor would open up and swallow me whole. I stole another nce back at Jonas, and this time, I realized he was staring directly at me. The room began to close in on me, and I was now sweating profusely. I knew this was the beginning of an anxiety attack, so I quickly excused myself and rushed out onto the travertine patio just outside the ballroom. Fifty-Two Jonass [POV] I already hated being here, and if there was anyone else in my organization that I trusted to handle this, I wouldnt be. As a Titan, I was used to attending various parties, but as my eyes moved over the crowd of chefs, I was used to seeing a hell of a lot more eye candy at those than I would find here. My suit was already scratchy on my skin, and all I wanted was to find a woman to warm my bed tonight, so I would have something to focus on. Seeing how daunting the task of identifying someone here would be, I was now d I had spent a few minutes back in my room with one of the porn videos I had made with others over the years. My friends often joked about my constant state of horniness, but even they had no idea how bad it was for me. Oftentimes, I would bed someone and go through the motions because something inside of me craved sex, but the satisfaction would be short-lived. I couldnt even remember thest time I had gone any substantial amount of time without a woman to upy my time, but I might end up testing that this uing week.This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. Earlier, I hade downstairs to get myself a drink before the party started, but I ended up getting a rude awakening instead. There were twenty chefs already awaiting my arrival, most flocking to me as soon as Id stepped inside the room. Knowing Id be working closely with one of them, I spoke politely with those who greeted me before I was able to escape upstairs. The blonde on that particr video had been freakier than most, and if she had been in New York City, I mightve gone back for another taste of her. Focus on work, man, I reminded myself, then cleaned up and headed back downstairs. Even more, chefs had joined the others, and I knew Id need something a hell of a lot stronger than champagne if I expected to get through this party, so I opted for my favorite aged scotch. I had just gotten a ss in hand when amotion across the room caught my attention. At the sound of shattering ss, everyone got quiet and looked in the same direction as me. A champagne flute appeared to slip from a womans hand. Color bloomed in her cheeks, the tinge of red so dark I could see it from here. I took a few seconds to give the woman a quick appraisal. Whoever it was, she was gorgeous, apparently from my vantage point. I had a thing for blondes, although if being honest, I wouldnt kick a woman with other hair colors out of my bed either if their bodies looked like hers. I tipped back my scotch and watched her closely. She was having an animated conversation with an equally beautiful woman until she looked over at me. Our eyes met and something about her struck me as familiar, but I couldnt quite put my finger on why that was. I narrowed my gaze, then watched as she bolted outside onto thenai. Cursing under my breath, I made a beeline for the same exit shed just escaped to. I needed to make sure she was okay, plus it might help me understand where I had seen her before. It was likely that wed done something with one another, and if so, she couldnt have been very memorable if my mind was already drawing a nk. She either recognized me from somewhere, or she was embarrassed to have dropped her drink. If that were the case, I would be a good host and let her know there was no need to cry over spilled milk, or in this case, Dom Perignon. I weaved through the swaths of others before I finally made my way out the door. I saw her immediately. She was standing with her back to me as she looked out over the water. Her small frame shook as if she was crying. Slowing my steps once I was a few inches away from her, I reached out to touch her, but I immediately drew my hand back. I sucked when it came to dealing with emotional females, and had for as long as I could remember. I shouldnt be, considering I often encountered them on a more regr basis than Id prefer, but unlike the awkward morning-afters with different one-night stands, I couldnt just put my clothes back on and leave to make it all go away. I didnt want to frighten this woman, so I waited a few seconds. She was lost in her dilemma that she failed to acknowledge my presence. Finally, I manned up and softly cleared my throat. Miss. At the sound of my voice, her entire body stiffened. She drew one of her hands in front of her, and a few secondster, she turned around. Her eyes raised to mine, and I once again detected something familiar about her, but still didnt know why. By the way, she shifted nervously on her feet, something told me she recognized me, too. But from where? Have we met? I finally asked as I reached out to try to help steady her. She shrank away from me and said nothing, however, defiance now filled her eyes, but I had no idea why. If she would just speak, or even give her name, then I might be able to ce those eyes with someone from my past. God knows I would hope Id remember those luscious lips, but so far, I hadnt. Most men didnt have the same problem I did. Tonight was just a reminder of that. While it shouldve been obvious who she was and why she had such a vtile reaction to me, it wasnt. The truth was, Id been with a lot of women in my lifetime, and I traveled often, so she could technically be anyone from anywhere. My name is Jo- I started to say before she cut me off. I know exactly who you are. Her voice seemed rtively familiar, too. And your name is The blonde hesitated for a moment before mumbling a single word, Mackenzie. Mackenzie? As her name rolled around in my head, this time, I was the one to take a step back. I blinked a few times as her name continued to echo. It couldnt be. Could it? Kenzie Broderick? Hershes dropped, and I didnt miss her slight flinch when I said her full name. At that moment, all of my sesses slipped away, and I was no longer the same confident man Id been when I first stepped outside. As the silence thickened around us, I was now that terrified kid on the roof at Spencer Academy. After all, itd been thest time wed seen each another. Shed found out about the dare and raced to the rooftop where others were afraid she was going to jump. I had yed that off as foolishness, but when the teachers became concerned and I heard sirens, the magnitude of what I had done to her had sunk in. I rushed to the roof myself, hoping I would get there in time. I did, and the paramedics were able to get to her before she did anything crazy. The only other thing I had heard afterward was that she had beenmitted to a psych ward, before moving awaypletely. Id been wracked with guilt, and it was probably thest time I had experienced that with any woman, but Kristopher and others had told me it wasnt my fault. She had some sort of underlying mental condition, so my ying her hadnt caused the breakdown. I epted that and left things alone, then I focused on graduation and college. Now, I was staring at her as she nervously fidgeted. Back then, she had long dark hair that was straight as a board, whereas tonight, it was golden blonde and hung in waves. Shed had a glow-up, and my twisted one-track mind was now wondering how much better shed be in bed, given she was a virgin that one night wed had sex. Even though it seemed as if I had pushed herpletely out of my mind, I supposed that I hadnt after all because here I was, remembering more than I should have. As we stood close to one another, memories of thenky girl Id befriended came rushing back. Shed been the biggest challenge, and in a way, the biggest conquest of mine, too. My eyes moved quickly down her now curvy frame, and my dick hardened painfully behind my zipper. She was fucking hot. She was no longer wearingrge bifocals and baggy clothing. Now, she was in a dress that, in the front, barely went halfway down her toned thighs. There was arge slit on the side, and as if she knew where my attention was focused, she turned away enough to impede my view. Fifty-Three Shed once been a dare, and I wanted to be more ashamed, but I still wasnt. You think youre so damn irresistible, Jonas. If so, you shouldnt mind making a friendly wager with me, Kristopher had suggested over winter break. When Id asked what I had to do, the arrogant smirk on my friends face shouldve been enough to make me turn it down. Truth was, at that time, I truly did believe I could do anything. Whats the game, I could still hear myself saying. We both take a zero and see who can turn them into a ten sooner, came the response. Id never considered her a zero, per se, but she was the antisocial girl no one knew anything about. She had no friends, and her style seemed to be stuck in the past decade. Kristopher had picked someone thatd pose less of a challenge, but not me. I thrived under pressure and believed in my hype when it came to my charm. I hadnt been wrong either because she did eventually fall for me. Kristopher had equal sess when it came to his and instead of calling it a draw, my arrogance wouldnt let me ept a tie and I had taken it much further. Will I win if I fuck her on prom night and show you the proof? Kristopher hadughed because he thought it impossible. It wasnt like we hadnt done simr types of things in the past. Even beyond the dare, I had wanted her especially after exerting so much energy in trying to transform her image. Fucking her would be an added incentive. That shouldve been my first clue that something was fundamentally screwed up inside of me, but I ignored the obvious signs. Its all gone wrong, however, and I no longer had to wonder what had happened to her. Now, I knew. My eyes continued to trailzily down her body. She left very little to the imagination in that particr dress, and I was happy to see I hadnt destroyed her self-confidence the way Id always feared I had. I was a very virile man, so naturally, my mind immediately went to the gutter. As my gaze lingered on her thighs, I couldnt get the image of me burying my head between her legs out of my mind. Maybe, we could do it again for old times sake. I would taste her as I had on prom night, and see if I could draw out those same sounds from her. Shed been so responsive, the noises she made ingraining themselves into my memory long after. Its been a long time, I finally spoke once I forced my eyes to return to her face, one which had barely aged over the years. Her graceful features had be more pronounced, but shed always had a very pretty face and an even more beautiful smile. It couldve been my mere presence my words or she might have known what Id been thinking because she scowled, even it doing very little to mar her beauty. Annoyance mixed with the defiance Id noticed earlier, thebination making me even harder. Not long enough, she responded flippantly. Kenzie ced her hands on her hips, the action doing nothing to deter me from talking more. Id ask how you are, but since youre here and I have two eyes, I can see youre doing a lot better than My voice trailed off as I thought about thest time I had seen her on that rooftop. I never thought she was suicidal and had tried my best to break up those rumors as they made their way like fire through the rumor mill at Spencer Academy in the weeks that had followed that fateful day. She had been fragile, but Id been the one to break her into pieces. That realization stayed with me for the remainder of the year, even being a driving factor in my moving across the country to y ball. Everyone had known what Id done; the stigma of nearly driving a girl to her death suffocated me. At Stanford, no one knew me or what Id done. In many ways, Id been able to reinvent myself. Some things were harder to shed, however, and my love of partying and women were a few of them. Id never taken another dare or bet when it came to them, even though others had tried once or twice to get me to change my mind. Guilt over breaking Kenzie made sure that I never reneged on that. I did continue to treat women as the sex objects I considered them, but I made sure to let them know what to expect upfront, so there were no misunderstandings. Ive never been better, so if youll excuse me, she said as she tried to move around me. On instinct, I blocked her path. So, youre a chef? The answer was obvious, but I found myself wanting to be in herpany for a little while longer. Id never known how fucked up I had been back then until Id started talking to her in high school. Wed confided several things in one another, and thatd been something Id never been able to do with another woman since, which likely exined the string of one-night stands. Most of my issues revolved around the fact that Id been living in my brothers shadow, and as I thought about Logan, in a way, I supposed I still was. Yes, she replied quickly, then attempted to sidestep me on the other side. Blocking that maneuver as well, I just kept talking, hoping some of the small talks would settle her enough to stay a little while longer. Are you married? Kids? I had known both things had been goals of hers, Kenzie often mentioning them when we were alone together. In her locker, Id even found the notebook where shed scribbled our names together. Mackenzie Cournd. Itd been another dagger to my chest when I realized exactly how sessfully I had duped her. Maybe, she said, before adding, not that its any of your business. With that response, I looked down at both hands, none of which contained any sort of ring. She could have children but without marriage? I doubted it. She was a ministers daughter, and as such, her father had instilled certain values in her, and I doubted shed stray far from them again. Liar. Her eyes raised to mine, and there now burned a fire Id never seen before. Kenzie squared her shoulders but otherwise seemedpletely unaffected. Thats like the pot calling the kettle ck, dont you think? Boyfriend? I asked. I wouldve liked to think I was simply making conversation, but the truth was that it was more than idle curiosity. My hard dick confirmed that. Again, its none of your business, she answered as she peered over my shoulder. A slight noise behind us caused me to turn, and when I did, Kenzie managed to get away. The culprit was the woman in red that shed been talking to earlier and I watched as the two hurried back inside. I almost followed, but didnt. Instead, I turned to look out at the same view shed been captivated by when I first stepped outside. What were the odds that Id run into the one girl Id never been able topletely forget? And one so integral to my growth as a man who now despised the very air I breathed? I couldnt me her in the slightest. What Id done back to her in high school had been horrible. Itd started as a game, something I considered so harmless, but had turned into a life-altering moment. It was then I realized the targets had changed, but little else had. I was still the same sick fuck Id ever been, and it was enlightening in a way. Im sorry, Kenzie, I said out loud. For years after Id left Houston, Id wanted nothing more than to apologize for everything. Itd been a foreign concept for me and not something I had ever wanted to do before, or after, her. Now, I had my chance to do that, and if shed let me, Id even prove I was sincere.Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. I finally turned around and reentered the room, my eyes going immediately to where she stood with her dark-haired friend. Both had full sses of champagne and as I made my way farther into the space, Kenzies friend looked at me and smirked. She then raised her ss, and I shook my head. There was no telling what Kenzie had told her about me. I had every intention of going over to them, but it was time for me to talk about CHG Seaport. Heading in the opposite direction, I stepped onto the tform in front of therge drop screen with my hotel on it. I then forced myself to forget her for now and took a few seconds to test out the microphone. When I finally got it working, I cleared my throat which got the attention of everyone in the room. Good evening. My names Jonas Cournd, and Im with the Cournd Hospitality Group. Fifty-Four Kenzies [POV] Is everything okay? Reece asked me as we hurried back inside the building. Yes, I lied, even though I appreciated my best friends concern. When Reece wasnt convinced, I touched her arm softly. I just needed some air. It wasnt a lie, and public gatherings like this did tend to make me nervous. Reece knew I suffered from high anxiety, the panic attacks Id had over the years worrying her more than once. It was clear Reece thought I was having another one. While my heart was still racing and I wished the floor would open up beneath me, I knew I would be fine. What did the hottie say to you? came her next question. Nothing much, I lied again. Hoping to convince my friend to drop this conversation, I looked to the doorway at the exact moment Jonas Cournd stepped back through it. He didnt look at me which was for the best because I wasnt quite sure how I would react. Youre full of shit, Kenzie, Reece stated. Turning back to her, I red. Whats wrong with you? And while youre answering that, go ahead and tell me something else. Reece grinned. Tell you what? What the hell is up with all of these questions. You saw Jonas and dropped your ss of champagne. Reece paused for a minute, then giggled. Hell, hes hot enough to make me drop more than my ss, and you know how much I treasure my bubbly. Youre incorrigible, Reece. Do you know that? I got a smirk in response. Of course, but thats never been debatable. And Im asking you these questions because Im wor- Reece cut herself off when she covered her mouth with her palm. You and Jonas. I saw the sparks between you both from the doorway. You saw nothing of the sort, I said, trying to sound convincing, to both myself and her. Uh-huh! I was about to drop my panties for him, but if you want him for yourself, then- I dont want anything to do with him anymore. Any more? Reece caught my slip up, then stepped back and smirked. When did you knock boots with him? I heaved out a deep breath before I pulled Reece away from where everyone was gathered. Jonass deep baritone voice echoed around us, and I had to force myself not to shiver when memories came rushing back of him whispering all sorts of naughty suggestions into my ear while he pushed inside of me. Hed been my first, and whether good or bad, most never forgotten theirs, and I was no exception. I had, however, forced those memories out of my mind for as long as I could. Id been sessful for the most part, until now. I grabbed my friends arm and pulled her into the lobby where I finally stopped. Fine, you win, I told her, throwing my hands up in surrender. You remember when I told you about my first time? Back during my senior year of high school? Ahh, yes. The douchebag who tricked you into sleeping with him for clout? she replied, obviously having forgotten none of that sordid tale. Yes! Jonas is- Very excited to get to know you both, came the voice from behind us. I nearly jumped out of my skin, not expecting Jonas to be quite finished with his speech already. I slowly turned around a guilty expression on my face at having been caught talking about him. Reece extended her hand out immediately. My names Reece Bessemer, and I take it you two have met before. There was a certain question in her words, and unwilling to show Jonas how much his mere presence still affected me, I rolled my eyes at the man. Unfortunately, Reece. This is the douche. My friend gasped, and Jonas growled. I found a bit of satisfaction in the sound, and I kept my head held high and smiled. And, now you see why Im bowing out of thispetition. Im done. Reece grabbed me before I could turn fully. While holding my arm in a death grip, she smiled sweetly at Jonas. My friend and I just need a moment of privacy. My skin heated up as Jonas gave me another quick once-over. My nipples tightened, and my core clenched especially when he smirked knowingly at me. He likely remembered bedding me, which only infuriated me more. What shouldve been wonderful memories of my first time ended up being destroyed the second I saw the video of the two of us in bed together. Even now, I had no idea when hed had the time to set up the camera or whatever recording device he used. Hed been so good at deceiving me the entire time that in the end, I wasnt surprised, so it didnt matter. Jonas reluctantly walked away, leaving us in peace. I barely had time to get out a sigh of relief when Reece shook me. Youre not dropping out. I frowned. I have to. Theres no way I can suck up to him all week. While the very idea of staying terrified me, my traitorous body reacted differently. I was disgustingly aroused by the sight of him. If being shipped off to the psych ward after myst encounter with him wasnt enough to convince me to stay away, knowing he still had an equally devastating effect on my equilibrium shouldve been. Jonas Cournd was a fuck boy-in and simple. Of course, hes a fuck boy, Reece agreed, and I realized that Id spoken out loud a few seconds before. And, thats why you have to be here. I dont see the corrtion between the two. Im sure you remember the first guy I dated once we moved to New York City. He was the one who tried keeping me as a sidepiece. I was devastated. What did you tell me about men who y games? Reece asked. I shook my head. I dont remember- What did you say? Reece asked once more, interrupting me. I dont know, I responded. Knowing me, it couldve been anything. Youd said not to y games with a girl who can y them better. That girl is you. Oh, no, I quickly responded. Yes. There are multiple reasons you should. Name them, I replied, cing my hands on my hips. One, we need this exclusive contract. Just imagine the life we could live with actual job security. Reece had a good point there. You could easily win us this contract, I countered, even though I would likely still have to see Jonas even if she did. Oh, puh-leeze, Reece responded. He still has the hots for you. I saw the hard-on he was sporting, and I must say, your description did it no justice. But I digress. The second reason is that you need to do exactly what you once told me to do. Fuck with the fuck boy. No, I told her, waving my hands around like I often did when I was nervous. I couldnt. Reece stared at me for a few long seconds before sighing in frustration. Youre drop-dead gorgeous. You could have any man you wanted. What youre going to do is march your sexy ass back inside and let him know it. My eyes widened at that. I dont think thats a good idea. Hes a yer, Kenzie. After what he did to you before, its time for some payback. Wouldnt you like the satisfaction of toying with him the same way he did you back in high school? I would love to give him the payback he deserved, but I never believed two wrongs made a right. I was a lot more confident now than Id ever been back then, but I still didnt think this was the right thing to do. I knew Reece wanted me to get some retribution while also helping to trynding the gig. Focusing on that point, I shook my head before responding, I dont think fucking Jonas will make him grant us the contract. Then you havent learned anything over the years. Even if you dont fuck him, you can string him along long enough for him to think you will. Once he awards us the contract, thestugh will be yours because you wouldve finally yed him the way he yed you. Apuse from the other room had me turning in that direction. I refused to give him the satisfaction of making me a repeat notch on his bedpost, but maybe I could do what Reece just suggested. The entire time Id been at my grandparents, Id thought of little else but vengeance. This would probably be my only shot to get that. Nervously, I chewed on my bottom lip as I inwardly debated whether or not I could do this. Ill make niceties and tease him, but thats where I draw the line, I cautioned, needing to let Reece know not to get her hopes too high. At my friends delighted squeal, I cringed. Oh my God. What did I just agree to do? Youre going to make him regret the day he ever took on that stupid bet and hurt you. Ive faith in you, Kenzie. Well, that makes one of us. What if he isnt attracted to me anymore in that way? I thought about that fateful day on the rooftop of Spencer Academy. Hed seen me at the lowest point in my life and he had to have known what happened to me afterward. He probably thinks Im crazy. Reece giggled. Of course, he does, which will make him want to fuck you even more. Despite what you believe, men like having sex with crazy women.C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org. They do not, I replied, but giggled afterward. Jonas is a manwhore and would do it with anyone as long as they had a pulse, so I guess I do have that going for me. Id heard about his reputation well before wed gotten together. In my naivety, Id fallen for his lies before; hook, line, and sinker. This time, I knew who and what he was. That was my advantage. If he thought I was the same girl Id been back then, hed be in for a rude awakening. I was a confident, independent woman, and no longer had my head in the clouds. Id made something of myself and hed see the woman Id be, and it wouldnt be the same stupid one Id once been. Fifty-Five Are you ready to go back inside, Reece asked. I nodded, then stepped forward on wobbly legs. Reece took one of my hands and squeezed it. Ive got this. I will just y hard to get and- Reece stopped as she interrupted me. Forget ying hard to get. y hard to forget. Make sure to entice him enough to remember you for the rest of his womanizing lifetime. I cracked a smile. Let me guess another piece of wisdom I once gave you? Bitch, please. I have some good advice once in a while, too, Reece responded as she pretended to be offended. Yes, you do, I told her, genuinely meaning it. Well just see if this is one of those times. We finished our discussion, then walked back inside, and other than a few nervous flutters, I was as mentally prepared as I could be. I looked around the room and finally located him off in the corner talking to three of the women from a local restaurant. It was as if my eyes had a mind of their own because they automatically rolled back into my head. I kept my gaze on Jonas, ignoring the fact that he wasughing at whatever the blonde was saying. Hiking my dress up a little more, I winked at Reece, then left the safety of my friend behind as I made my way across the room. Game time! My knees were knocking together the closer I got to Jonas. Just as in high school, he drew quite the crowd. Other female chefs I knew from regionalpetitions were hanging on to his every word, and I remembered seeing that all too well many years ago. Once wed started dating, hed stop everything when I was around. Itd helped me buy his lies even easier because he seemed to have eyes only for me. I see no one else when youre around, Kenzie, he used to say, and now all I could do is roll my eyes in remembrance. For all I knew, he was telling any one of them the same thing. This whole preposterous idea was quiteughable. If only I knew then what I knew now. Hell, I mightve never known to begin with if others hadnt gotten a hold of that video. If they hadnt, there was no telling how long he wouldve strung me along afterward.Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org. Oh my God, shes so pathetic, was what Id heard from others as I walked down the hallway that fateful day. I hadnt known who they were talking about or what, until two of the cheerleaders stopped at my locker as I exchanged my Physics book for an English III one. Did you have a nice prom? the ringleader of the two had asked me. The question had been so random. I wasnt sure what was going on since the two had never really talked to me before. Maybe, they had seen Jonas and me at the prom, and they were finallying around. After all, he had been telling me that others would eventually see me the same way he did. Yes, Id answered. It was a great night. Before I could ask either if they did, Pa, the other cheerleader, snickered. I bet she had an even better night afterward. Mallory had nudged her arm, but it didnt stop the blonde. Oh, Jonas. Right there! Again! She emphasized it with smacking sounds one would make when they were kissing. What are you talking about?Id asked, turning what had to have been a bright shade of crimson. Youre so big, Jonas. Pa kept on. I dont know how youll ever fit inside, Mallory added before both women erupted into a fit of giggles. I had known at that moment that they knew, but how? That seemed to be the million-dor question. Id pushed past the cheer bitches and stormed down the hallway toward Jonass locker. On the way there, others pointedughed, and I saw another boy looking down at his phone as he showed someone what was on it. His guilty expression the second he looked up and saw me made me stop, and I grabbed it from his hand. When I stared down at the video ying, the entire hallway seemed to start spinning. There, for everyone to see, was me naked on the bed with Jonas, at the hotel wed gone to after the prom had wrapped up. Hed taken my virginity that night, but I also realized at that moment that hed taken so much more. Id love to say everything was a blur afterward, but I couldnt because I remembered every agonizing detail of that day because, for years, itd rey over and over in my head like a record on a turntable. Id dropped the phone and started to run through the maze of whispers andughter. I didnt even want to see Jonas at that point. I needed air because my chest had constricted so tightly that I found it hard to breathe. I ended up on the roof where the humiliation had only just begun. Someone had told the principal I was not only upset but potentially up there to hurt myself. I wouldnt have put it past either Pa or Mallory to have done it. Id never found out who it was, but it didnt matter. Id never see any of them again. Myst journey of shame through those halls had been when the EMT rolled me out to the waiting ambnce, this time leaving them with even more to talk about. Now, I watched as Jonas smiled, the pearly whites of his teeth drawing my attention to that mouth of his. By the time Id gotten to the University of Nebraska, Id dated a few guys, but none so memorable. Despite those rtionships, Id never forgotten my nemesis or the things he could do with those lips and tongues of his. As hed smirk at certain things these women were saying, I could still remember the way hed brought me to my very first orgasm. Itd been beautiful, explosive even, but itd all been a lie. Our entire rtionship had been one. I was nothing more than a pawn he used to further his reputation and cement his legend. Why am I even here? It was a question I was now asking myself although I knew the answer. Despite that inner knowledge, Reeces earlier words about toying with him the same way he did me, entered my mind. Yes, I would. And, Im going to make him regret ever using me in high school. How I didnt know, but I would think of something. All I had to do was remember my end goal which was to win this contract, then Reece and I would reap the benefits of this hotel. By the time the luxury rooms were all rented, and the money started flowing in, we would celebrate in Cabo, or perhaps Bora Bora would be better, especially this time of year. I was smiling over the idea of spending an entire week partying on some tropical ind with my best friend. Thered be sun, cold drinks, and enough cabana boys to fill our time. Before I could make any of that a reality, I needed to ensure I got the gig. Unfortunately, that meant Id need to cozy up to the man whod not only broken my heart but forever cracked it in the process. You can do this, Kenzie. y him like a toy for a week, then walk away. It seemed simple enough, so I stepped forward, then walked around the other women. Jonas seemed as surprised as they were, which Id use in my favor. I mightve overstepped my bounds when I reached out and touched his arm, but I didnt care. Im sorry to interrupt, but I was hoping I could have a word with you, I told him, and when the other women just stood there, I added, privately, Mr. Cournd. I heard a few sneers, but he excused himself and motioned with his hand for me to go back outside. I nced over and could see Reece off in the corner giving me a thumbs up. I was so thankful to have my bestie there, even though I knew Id likely need a whole army in order to pull this off. I wasnt always the most outgoing of people, and I wasnt even sure how seductive I could be, but I had seen enough with Reece, so I was willing to give it a try. After all, he was a notoriousdies man, so it couldnt be that hard. You wanted to talk? Jonas asked once we reached the same railing Id been standing at earlier. Ahh, yes, I replied. I remembered how much confidence other women I looked up to possessed, and I needed to channel some of it now. I had made a fool of myself more than once before in my life, but I did it with my head held high. Smiling coyly much as my friend would, I looked up at Jonas. I wanted to apologize for earlier. I I started talking and forced myself to swallow down the mouthful of bile at having to apologize to the man whod destroyed me a decade earlier. He was still so arrogant it radiated off of him in waves. Even now, he smirked at my apology. It once again brought my attention to his lips that I needed to forget. At least for now. Its surprising, to say the least, he replied, still practically grinning from ear to ear. But I suppose it shouldve been expected. I arched my brow at him. It shouldve? I asked in confusion. We havent seen each other in a long time and thest time we had, it was pretty intense. Fifty-Six He wouldve gone there now just when I was trying to build up enough confidence to get back on his good side. Thest two times wed been together had been the best and worst times of my entire life. Granted Id been a virgin at the time, but the sex between us that night had been mind-blowing. My entire body reacted to the memoriesing back to me. If I focused on them, instead of his betrayal afterward, I might be able to do this. It was a big misunderstanding that day. I had to swallow the half lie. Yes, my actions had been misinterpreted, but there was no mistaking the reason I ended up on that roof, to begin with. I hardly even think about it. Earlier, I was just a little surprised because I hadnt expected to see you here is all. Jonas seemed to be buying what I was selling because he moved closer and I resisted the urge to flinch when he ced a hand on each arm. I did shiver, however, which made him grin harder. And is my being here such a bad thing? Hell yes!No, of course not. Weve grown adults and all of that is in the past. The lie slipped so easily off of my tongue. Hoping to sell it more, I made the mistake of stepping closer, now practically into his arms. His chest was hard against me, and I felt something else I forced myself to not think about. Bringing one of my hands to the front of his suit, I dragged my manicured nails down the front of it. I was hoping we could start over. Start over, he said a few times as if he was digesting what I had said. I kept a smile on my face, one that betrayed my feelings, and then finally took a step back. My names Mackenzie Broderick, and its very nice to meet you, Mr.? I paused, then extended my hand out to him. He instantly clutched it with his. Cournd, but please call me Jonas. I had a few other choice things to call him, but I needed to remember this was all a charade. Jonas, it is then. There were a few moments of silence between us before he spoke again. Its a pleasure to meet you. I hope we see a lot of each other over the next few days. Im serving drinks on the rooftop deck tonight so you should bring the woman I saw you with earlier. The pleasures all mine, I told him while keeping a forced smile on my face. Drinks sound lovely. Ill let her know. Jonas released my hand, and I ignored the goosebumps that ran up one length of my arm and down the other. Ill see you in an hour. With those final words, he walked back inside. I waited until hepletely disappeared from view before releasing the breath Id been holding inside. My skin still tingled from his touch and I realized now that I might be in over my head. He walked inside grinning like a Cheshire cat. Do I even want to know what you did to him out here to put it on his face? Reece asked when she joined me. I hadnt even heard my friende outside, but I was d she did. It was nothing. He invited us up to the roof for drinks and I epted. It all sounded so simple, but when I turned to go back inside with Reece, I knew this was about to get a lot harder. JONASs [POV] In New York City, real estate came at a premium, so most built up instead of out, and I was no exception. It was likely the reason so many buildings had a rooftop deck. The weather wasnt always amodating enough for us to use them year-round, but on nights like tonight when it was, there was no better view I could think of. I stood off in the corner but kept the sight of buildings and water in my view as I watched the beverage caterers finish setting up the bar. This would be a draw to the ce, especially on nights when concerts were being yed next door at Pier 17. I had spared no expense when it came to building CHG Seaport because, with most hotels located in other parts of Manhattan, thepetition was limited, which meant more money for me. The neighborhood had gotten a facelift, and as more businesses like mine opened, the value would just increase. It was another reason I was able to hold this recruiting event, and also why I had those caterers bring a big enough selection to appease even the most finicky of drinkers, myself included. Just an hour ago, I thought I might need more to drink than Id nned, but Kenzie seemed to have mellowed. I didnt want to be se about what had happened between us in high school, but that was all water under the bridge as far as I was concerned. I wanted to be honest and say I had never acted that way with another woman after her, and while I stopped doing dares and taking on bets where they were concerned, I still fucked just as many, and maybe more. I used to rack my mind wondering what I couldve done differently in high school, and other than choosing not to film the sex, I couldnt say for sure I wouldnt have acted the same had the events that fateful March not happened. It shouldve been a downer to know Id driven a girl to such a dark ce, but it hadnt been enough to conform me. Sex. It was such a natural thing, and no matter how much I might want to stop my yer ways, it never stuck. If I wasnt having sex, I thought about it. And when my thoughts would go there, Id get pleasure in some way whether it be a random hook-up, or at times, my hand. Orgasms were like a drug, and withdrawals from them were not something I had any desire to go through. I wasnt aplete manwhore, though. Deep in the recesses of my mind, I would remember the way I had almost ended a girls life. At least now, I could finally put those guilty thoughts to rest because I had seen her once more, and she was doing even better than I ever thought shed be doing. The introverted teen with gangly legs and sses had grown into a very hot woman. I thought back to her in that dress. The old Kenzie wouldve never worn anything so revealing, but I was d the new her did. She still had the same long legs that made me think of little else but draping them over my shoulders as I feasted on the prize between her thighs. When wed had sex after the prom, Id be surprised about several things, none more so than realizing how easily I could bring her to an orgasm with just my tongue. Most virgins didnt have multiple orgasms their first time, but she had. Id made here with my mouth, fingers, and twice with my cock. It was those memories that now had me rock hard. Would she be interested in a trip down memoryne? I wouldve automatically dismissed the idea after Id hurt her the way I had with that damned video, but she still seemed attracted enough to me, so who knows. I thought back to earlier in the evening when shed put her hands on me, then dragged them lower. Id never cursed so much about clothing as I had at that moment. I wanted to feel her hands on my bare skin, and her touch much lower. Youre not here to fuck the women youre auditioning. Even though I told myself that more than once since I left the ballroom, my body was slow to ept it. Typical. Id try to use logic in one head, but the lower one would have different ideas. The view is gorgeous from here, a woman said from behind me. I turned to see Leeann DeSoto standing there. Although the woman was very pretty, she didnt evoke the same response in me that Kenzie Broderick did. Still, I looked back over my shoulder and decided not to rule out the possibility of my initial n didnt work out. You cant even see the water from here at this time of night. She slid closer, her hand brushing over my arm. I wasnt talking about the ocean. Leeann then winked at me, before asking, Would you like a drink? I could get us both one.This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. I cleared my throat. Im good at the moment, but please feel free to help yourself. I will, and just a word of warning She stopped for a few seconds, then touched my arm once more. Drinking makes me loose, and some have said I can be a bit of a wild woman. She then sauntered over to the bar, leaving me with that vision. Fifty-Seven I shook my head. Back in the day, Id take that warning and would show her how the same could be said about me, but right now, I wasnt thinking about hitting the sheets with her at all. Leeann was very attractive, around the same age as me and sessful, based on the resume shed practically recited earlier to me before Kenzie rescued me from her clutches. Now, more than ever, I hoped she showed up as promised. Look who I found, Leeann announced, gaining my attention again. Hello, Mrs. Robe- I started to speak before the dark-haired woman interrupted me. Its Ms. Roberts, she corrected me, drawing special attention to her title. Of course, Ms. Roberts. I turned to Leeann. Go ahead and show her to the bar, Miss DeSoto. The blonde was about to say something else but thought otherwise. She grabbed her friends arm, and the two walked over to the corner station so Julie could get a drink. I moved away from my current spot and saw a group of male chefs off in the other corner. Figuring now was as good a time as any to introduce myself, I walked swiftly over to them. There were four men, and although they appeared to be having an animated conversation, I used their presence to my advantage anyway, thrusting my hand forward. Hey, guys. I didnt get a chance to formally introduce myself earlier. Im Jonas Cournd. When the first of four guys rattled off his name, I didnt even catch it as I was distracted by Kenzie and her friend entering the deck area. Both had changed out of their earlier dresses and while that was a shame, I was enjoying the sight of my ex in tight leather pants and a shirt that barely covered her midriff. My eyes traveled down the length of her toned body, my dick getting harder with each second I drank her in. I glimpsed at the bright red heels she was wearing, and they were ones I certainly wouldnt object to her keeping on while I fucked her. And Im Jonathan Price, another of the men said loudly. Its nice to meet you all, I told them. I was about to speak to the others when the two women made a beeline for the bar area. Excuse me, I see someone I need to go and greet, I stated quickly, then moved off to the side to continue my appraisal, choosing not to meet up with Kenzie at the bar because Julie and Leeann were still there. I was physically rooted in ce, but that was my feet only. My eyes moved with her body, not missing the slight sway of her ass as she walked. Shed always been somewhat pretty, but now, she was hot as fuck, and the hardness of my erection confirmed just how affected I was. Kenzies hair was still down, the long, silken waves cascading midway down her back. It looked like spun gold, and no one wouldve ever been able to guess she was a natural brte. The longer I looked, the more my thoughts were now on wrapping it around my wrist as I fucked her from behind. It was almost as if she knew what I was thinking, or possibly sensed it, because Kenzie turned around. With a cocktail in her hand, she aimed a wink at me. I leaned against the wall. Her eyes stayed on mine the entire time, then she and her friend stepped away from the bar to take a seat at one of the nearby tables. My attraction to her kept me captive even when she set her ss down on the small table and plucked the cherry from her ss. When she ced the piece of fruit, stem and all, onto her tongue, I stiffened. Dear God! I knew exactly what she nned to do when it disappeared into her mouth. Still, I watched and grinned as she kept her eyes on me. I could see the movement of her luscious lips, and secondster, she stuck her tongue back out and removed what looked like a knotted stem. Fuck. If I hadnt been hard enough to pound nails already, I would be now. Kenzie held it up before tossing it onto the table. She then returned her attention to her friend and their drinks. This woman was certainly not the girl I remembered at all. I often thought about who shed once been, and even entertained the idea of one-day making amends with her. Now, I wanted to fuck the woman shed be six ways to Sunday. And damn if Idst an entire week without touching her. When Leeann and Julie left the area and most everyone else was talking among each other, I moved over to where Kenzie was sitting. Her friend noticed my presence but did not attempt to warn her, so I was easily able to sneak up behind my ex-lover. Leaning over her shoulder, I stared at the stem, then her ear as I lowered my head. Impressive skills, Miss Broderick. She shivered, especially when I kept my head in the same spot, knowing my warm breath would tickle her skin. Kenzie stayed still for a moment before throwing her head back. I backed away, then looked into her upturned face. It is Miss, yes? I asked, not wanting to cross any boundaries. Thered been a time when it didnt matter whether a woman was attached in any way or not, but Id matured over thest decade. Now, I had enough single women at my disposal that I need not involve myself with unwitting drama. I wanted this woman so badly that I wouldnt have any qualms with throwing decency to the floor along with the clothes she was wearing. I waited with bated breath for her to answer, finally heaving a small sigh of relief when her friend responded for her. Kenzies single, she stated, earning a smack from Kenzie. I reached across the table and picked up the perfectly knotted cherry stem. Very impressive, indeed. You should use this card trick more often. She let out a throaty giggle until I lowered my mouth back to her ear. Ill let you in on a little secret, though. And that is? she asked, a bit breathlessly. I traced the lobe of her ear with my tongue before whispering into it, Youre not the only one who knows how to work their tongue. She gasped, and I chuckled. But then again, you already know that. The very first orgasm Id ever brought her to had been with my tongue. I could still remember how sweet shed tasted. Id been insatiable, using every trick I knew at the time to keep her squirming. Shed been nervous at first, but when she got closer to shattering, Kenzie had allowed her body to move of its own ord. The tension and stiffness fell away as she writhed atop the luxury linen, then came on my tongue. Now, I wanted to recreate that moment, and to hell with whoever happened to be around. I just saw someone I know. Ill be backter, the friend stated as she suddenly rose from her seat. She looked right at me and winked. Much, muchter, she added. Reece, Kenzie called out in warning. Youll be fine with me. I dont bite much, I told her, taking a seat opposite her. Kenzie flushed, which I considered interesting. Either my presence still unnerved her, or shed just been thinking about what I had. She shed a nervous smile at me before tucking some of her long hair behind her ear. Shed once been an open book to me, but now she was an enigma. There was a sliver of what looked like pain inside of her eyes, but it was mostly masked by something else I couldnt quite put my finger on.This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org . Are you going to stare at me all night? she asked, breaking up my thoughts. And if I was? I asked, then arched my brow. I wanted to do something to her all night, but it wasnt ogling her unless she meant after Id fucked her senseless. Kenzie smiled, this time a little less politely. She leaned across the table which pressed her breasts closer together. My eyes immediately dropped to her ample cleavage and they mightve stayed there had she not chosen that moment to speak. In that case, Ill give you a reason to stare. I smirked, even though I was unsure of where she was going with that until she stood up. She finished off her drink, then picked up the cherry stem. I watched as she tossed it onto the top of her ss. I still couldnt wait to put her tongue to work, and I knew I would by the time this week was over. Hell, if I yed my cards right, itd be before sunrise. Take a good look at my ass as I walk away because it will be the closest youll be getting to it, she told me before leaving. Fifty-Eight Doubtful, I smirked as she disappeared into the crowd of other chefs. Kenzie wanted me. This much I knew. Now, it was up to me to convince her otherwise. My smirk widened as a few ideas popped into my head. That luscious mouth of hers would be wrapped around my cock sooner rather thanter. She might want to think she has the upper hand now, but Ive yed enough games to know a bluff when I saw one. She was about to head down a dangerous path, and one I traveled often. After all, I didnt just y games; I invented most of them, and she was ying right into my hand. Unfortunately, until I got her exactly where I wanted her, my hand would be the closest thing to my dick. Kenzies [POV] My hands were shaking by the time I got back inside the building. Jonas was the same despicable pervert hed always been, and I was now having second thoughts about ying this game, after all. He deserved for someone to treat him the way he did so many others, and while I could take him down a few notches, was it wise to do so? The door closed behind me, and I sagged wearily against it. While I was nervous about reopening past wounds, I was also curious as to how hard hed fall from grace if I followed through with everything. Id been at the bar and heard those other two women talk about him. It seemed as if his reputation preceded him. I had been in New York for almost a year, and in all that time, I hadnt heard his name mentioned once. Leeann had said he was some sort of Titan, and I had no clue what that meant. Maybe, it was corporate lingo. It could be, but something told me it wasnt. I pushed off the door and decided to go back to my room to do a bit of research. I had no idea where Reece was, but I knew she would be able to find me if needed. I walked to the elevator and within seconds, I was descending to my floor. While I hadnt known he owned this ce, much less was the one interviewing and auditioning prospective restaurant owners, I now wondered if he did. He seemed genuinely surprised to have seen me, but he was always a great actor. Youre so easy to talk to about anything, Kenzie. Youre so different than the other girls our age, hed once told me. I could now remember that day like it had been yesterday. Wed been on a small boat his parents owned and sailing around Clear Lake. It was winter, although the temperatures there rarely reached the extremes as they did in New York City or even Nebraska. I was in a pair of sweats with a matching hoodie, and he had on a pair of low-slung jeans, and a rock T-shirt under his lettermans jacket. Wed been on the boat for over a half hour, but it felt like itd been a lot longer. He was the king of multitasking, easily navigating the vessel while also talking to me. I was wrapped in a thick nket, and staring at him with such adoration. I like listening to you, Id told him. Hed looked over his shoulder at me and shed his boyish grin, before turning back to the water. Being out here on theke makes me forget about my problems. Problems?Id asked, almost shocked that he had any. Jonas was wealthy, so he didnt have to worry about money. He was also the star quarterback and the most popr guy in school. I didnt know what he had seen in me, but it was something as if he was here with me and not somewhere else. I never talked much to anyone, about anything, but he made it easy to confide about what life was like for me, always having to move from one ce to another. I wanted to say I understood how military children felt, but thatd be a lie. They had to worry about their parents at war, while the worst thing that had ever happened to mine was the heart attack my father had a few years earlier. Even then, it hadnt been an upational hazard, but a result of poor life decisions he made when it came to his diet and exercise. Jonas eventually stopped the boat, then he moved closer to me. I scooted over so that he could sit beside me, even sharing the nket hed graciously thought to bring with us. I stared up at him and hoped he nned to borate on what hed just told me. I wanted so badly to ignore the doubts and insecurity that followed us by humanizing him. Jonas Cournd wasrger than life, and a legend at Spencer Academy.This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org . What do you see in me?Id asked before I could stop the question from slipping out. I like that I can tell you anything. Id smiled at him, and concurred that I felt the same. He then cupped my face between his palms and my lips pursed together as I anticipated our first kiss. It had eventuallye, but not at that moment. He just held me for a few minutes before pressing his forehead to mine. Its hard having to live up to someone whos seemingly better at everything than you, hed told me. Thats impossible. Who could be better than you? Even looking back at it now, I was such a damn fool. He was probably giddy as hell knowing I was so besotted with him. My brother, Logan. I feel as if I need to be smarter more talented more liked, but its so exhausting because I feel as if I am the sequel to an already highly rated movie. It hadnt been the first time hed talked about his older brother, and I wondered now if he had truly ever felt any of those fears and vulnerabilities that hed bared to me. Id reached up and cupped his face. When Id pulled away, I looked back into his eyes. You dont need to live in his shadow. Youre your person, and a great one at that. Hed then leaned in and kissed me. Itd been the first time anyone had ever done so with me. I was terrible at it, I know, but as his lips moved over mine, I tried to mimic his actions. Id been kissed by parishioners and family members, but those had been on my cheeks or forehead, and never where he was kissing me now. Itd felt nice. I didnt feel any pressure, and even when he used his tongue to wedge apart my lips, I allowed it. The boat gentlypped about in the waves, but it was all forgotten as we sat there and kissed. Time had stood still, and Id realized at that moment I had fallen for him. That scared me, but since he was so chivalrous and kind, I didnt run as I should have. Instead, I continued to foolishly fall, and until I saw the video, I kept hoping everything else had been a mistake. There was no denying visual evidence, and a part of me died that day in those dreadful halls. Hed stolen my trust virtue and innocence. From there, I was ckballed within my own family, and a few tears slipped down my cheeks as I realized how long it had been since I even talked to my parents. I think it had to have been my graduation from the University of Nebraska. My aplishments hadnt made them love me again, because they returned to Arizona where they now lived, and I was left to wallow in the guilt of my failures. Now, Jonas was back in my life, and he wanted to pretend as if all I had lost hadnt been much, after all. He was probably off with a cheerleader that weekend while Id been the one strapped to a bed in some psych ward. I had alternated between anger over being punished for needing some air and depression when I realized maybe subconsciously I had wanted to die. I was put on different types of medication, some causing me to zone out on everything. I couldnt live as a zombie, even though not feeling or dealing with life did sound nice. Eventually, they diagnosed me with not only anxiety but bipr disorder as well. I spent weeks in that hellhole being poked, prodded, and pumped full of drugs. It was no wonder I was angry, but it was such a powerful emotion and one I found hard to hold on to. Reality would sink in, and I would be inconsble. I withdrewpletely until my mood leveled out. It was a push and pull, and even once free of the institution, the reminders of what I had gone through had truly done a number on me. The next several months were the hardest as I kept alternating between rage and sadness. I wanted to end my life, and one night, I almost did. Fifty-Nine Would this little game of Reeces make me crack again? As I stepped out of the elevator once the doors opened, I ambled back to my room. My steps faltered once or twice, and I couldnt wait to get out of these heels. I almost wished I knew where Reece had run off to because I didnt want to have to wear these if I needed to go find her. I decided to change shoes, then I would go back to the roof. If I was lucky, Jonas would be busy with some other woman, and I wouldnt be so tempted to push him off the rooftop to his death. Sure, he yed me for a fool when we were younger, but the price I had to pay for trusting the leech was one much greater than the one he had to pay. If it had been anyone else to have done something so despicable, they wouldve at least been suspended, but when I asked my mother what had happened to him, she had shaken her head. Iter learned nothing had happened because the Cournds had a fucking building, and their legacy spoke volumes. Mine did, too, and I was probably the example they brought up to other girls to this very day. I pulled my key card out of my pocket and slid it into the door. As soon as I stepped into the room, I came to a stop. There, on the bed was Reece and an up-anding chef that had once been on one of thosework cooking shows. Kenzie! Reece cried out, stricken as soon as she saw me. I-I can exin, she stammered. The guy pulled the nket tighter around them as I stood there with my mouth agape. I knew she had mentioned seeing someone she knew, but I had thought it was a lie to give Jonas and my privacy. Kenzie, I she started, then paused. By the way, she moaned right after, I knew he was still inside of her. Sense finally returned and I immediately turned around. She called out to me again, but I fled from the room. I had no idea where to go, but the rooftop wasnt an option. The hotel hadnt opened yet to the public, but from what we were told at check-in, all the amenities were avable to us. I could go downstairs to the indoor pool, or take out my anger in the fitness center, but I slipped my heels off and carried them with me back to the elevator. I took it down to the ground floor, and within minutes, I was walking along one of the nearby piers. I paced back and forth as a form of meditation and only stopped when a sudden pain made me. I lifted my bare foot and grimaced when I noticed the splinter I now had. There was a bench not far away, so I hobbled over to it and sat down. It didnt take long to pull it out, and I cursed inwardly at the soreness I would now have tomorrow, especially when I would need to be on my feet for several hours during the first challenge. I needed this gig, but if it was up to Jonas Cournd, Id never get it, especially if I didnt fuck him. Hell, there was no saying I would even if I did. Nothing seemed to have changed with him over thest decade, so I wouldnt be surprised if he intended to string me along, then rip everything away. A negative cloud hung over my head and my shoulders sagged. No, not this time, I thought. If anyone was going to end up fucked and without lube, it sure as hell wouldnt be me. Id make him pay for something for the first time in his life, and I wouldnt do it at the expense of my career. Perhaps my pride would take a bit of a hit, but in the end, it would be worth it once he was ruined once and for all. Now, about this Titan stuff. I pulled out my phone and swiped the messages from Reece as I intended to ignore her for the time being. I pulled up the inte and when the word brought up basic information, I added his name to it and went from no useable results to about fifty million of them. Clicking on images, my heart clenched painfully in my chest at the sight of him living it up with different girls on his arm each time. Jonas was still so damn gorgeous, the years doing nothing but making him even more irresistible. He was so recognizable with his bright red hair and piercing hazel eyes. I continued to skim over the many photos of him, and I saw him in various states of dress and undress. He was casually styled in some, half naked in others, and then there were the suits. He gave brand-new meaning to the words sharp dressed man. Beyond the outer exterior, I could see the one thing that hadnt changed. He was smirking in nearly every one of those photographs, and it was that arrogant expression I wanted to wipe off of his face at the end. I had just made up my mind fully because honestly speaking, Id been on the fence with Reeces idea until this very second. I closed my eyes and tried to picture him in pieces. God, it would be such a beautiful sight, and in his moments of weakness, I would exploit his fame and finally be able to im vengeance as I yed this monster from my past. Fuck, the monster might be a bit exaggerated, but he was a bastard. I kept my eyes closed, and remembered back to our encounters earlier tonight. The wind blowing around me was cool, but if I focused on those stolen moments, I could almost pretend it was his breath. I remembered the feel of his tongue on me, especially my ear, and I couldnt help but allow my mind to drift even farther down the rabbit hole.C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org. As I imagined that same wicked mouth on mine, then lower to my neck and even breasts, I let a soft moan slip out. My hands moved to the top of my shirt to a ce where I was now imagining his lips and teeth. Hed graze my corbone and when my fingers slipped to my nipples, they were hard and aching. I pinched them together and imagined they were his teeth as he bit down on them. I rubbed my thighs together. I was so fucking horny, but I couldnt let my aroused state weaken me. This was a game, and Id need to keep my poker face on at all times, except maybe now when I could let my overactive imagination help me take the edge off. One of my hands slid lower, and I cursed the tight leather pants I had chosen to wear. I rubbed myself through them since I couldnt touch my bare, wet flesh. I still had my eyes closed, squeezing my lids tighter as I thought about the shirtless photographs Id just seen of Jonas. Hed always been in ster shape, even back in high school. He came from a family of athletes, and it was not surprising hed maintained his physique. I was now picturing all that hard muscle under my palms as he rose above me. Hed spread my legs apart, then There you go, Kenzie. Ive been looking all over for you, Reece told me as she intruded on my private moment. Unsure of how much she saw or heard, my eyes flew open and I thrust my hands to my side. I didnt know you were in the room. I would- I thought you mightve gone back to Jonass room, and seeing an ex-lover from my past, I wanted to throw a little something on him for old times sake. Im sorry. I let out a sigh. I told you I wasnt going to have sex with Jonas. I simply n to fuck with him. Fuck him fuck with him They mean the same things to me, she replied. Im going to make him beg for it, and once he does, I will turn him down. That n sounded so damn easy. For all I know, though, he might just move on to the next avable woman if I did. Still, I had to try, and if he chose to go somewhere else, I would have to seduce him back until he suffered enough. Youre only hurting yourself, Kenzie. Give that man a piece and get him sprung. Iughed. You watch too much television. You- I watch porn, she interrupted. And your little solo performance was kind of hot. I- You mustve sent your lover away too early. No worries, though. I was just sitting here thinking about things. I wasnt doing- Uh-huh. She snickered. And I know exactly who you were thinking about. We have an early morning. Lets go back to the room. As we headed back toward the hotel, I heard her alternating between moaning and making kissing sounds. I didnt know what to do with her at times, but as we passed a Cournd Hospitality Group sign, I was d she was here with me. Sixty Jonass [POV] Sitting upright in bed, I squinted my eyes. This throbbing needed to dissipate, so I scrubbed my hands down my face a few times, pissed at the hangover I hadnt had in years, and also that something upset me enough to cause one. Drinking alone wasnt my style. It had to have been alone, because I saw no empty condom wrappers or naked females in my bed, so something had caused me to call it a night, and without any entertainment. As I tried to think back to the day before, I realized I was doing well enough to remember my fucking name at this point. I forced myself to my feet, then padded barefoot into the bathroom of my suite. I had one at each property, and every single one had been customized to my needs. It was a perk that came along with my title in thepany, and Manhattan would be no exception even though I had a penthouse on Park Avenue as well. I turned the tap of the faucet to the coldest setting, and let it run for a few seconds before I sshed some water onto my face. My beard needed trimming as it had now gone from a five oclock shadow to something a bit longer in twelve hours. As I pulled out a pair of trimmers, I also grabbed the aspirin. Today was the first day of the challenges for all of the chefs, and Id need something. Just the thought of having to hear pots and pans nking as they were moved around by the interviewees made me wince in pain. I popped two aspirin into my mouth, then chased it down with some of the cold water. Then, gathering the shaving cream and aftershave, I turned the tap to warm, and let it run for about a minute as I got ready to shave. I normally did my grooming when it came to things like a beard, so it didnt take me long to have it back to perfection. Upon gazing into the mirror, at first, I saw my own eyes, but the longer I stared at myself, they began to turn from my usual hazel shade to one more bluish-green. It was then that I remembered why I came back up to my room alone and got inebriated. Kenzie Broderick. I dropped my head as soon as her name was out of my mouth. I threw it out there as if it was leaving a sour taste when the reality was that I was only upset about it because I hadnt gotten her in my bed. I turned on the water in my shower, and then went back into my room to pull out the clothes I nned to wear today. I could go casual but decided to dress it up a bit by pairing a long-sleeve gold shirt with a pair of dark cks. I returned to the bathroom, ditched my boxers, then stepped under therge shower head. Kenzie. I never expected to see her again in my entire life, yet here she was. I could only imagine the ribbing I would get from my friends like Caspian, Anton, and Mason if they knew someone from my past had just reappeared like this. Cas had experienced something simr himself a few years earlier with Paisley. No, this was a different set of circumstances. I was not going to suddenly fall in love with her. I hadnt loved her back before she hated me, and I had no intention of trying to change her mind now. Well, at least not about that. As I stood under the scalding water, I did want to do one thing when it came to her. I leaned back against the shower wall, then fisted my cock in my hand. Damn, she looked hot as fuck in those tight pants and barely their shirt. All I had thought about after shed left the rooftop was following her back to her room and seducing her right out of the sexy outfit. Id let her go, however, because shed been feeling herself. I could tell shed been toying with me, and getting great satisfaction from doing so, but she would soon see that you couldnt outy a yer when it came to the games I mastered. I cursed as my hand stroked my cock from base to tip, never getting the image out of my mind of the woman spread wide open for me. Id seen her long legs in that dress, and I wanted to mark those toned inner thighs with my teeth. It was likely the reason why I turned down four different offersst night to getid. I couldve had two women in my bed, and bloodshot eyes fromck of sleep instead of alcohol. I didnt want to think about them, or drinking. I wanted to keep the vision of Kenzie fresh in my mind. Climaxing was as essential to me as breathing was to others, and I never went a day without an orgasm. Id always heard it called the little death and one of these days, itd finally take me out, but not before I fucked her tight pussy again. God, I could clearly remember every second of that one night with her now. With most women, I could barely remember their names afterward, but with Kenzie, I remembered the way she smelled like raspberries as I lowered the single strap of her prom dress, and how her skin tasted the same. Id seduced her with my kisses, then once I had her naked, I settled between her thighs and licked every inch of her before tongue-fucking her to an orgasm. She shattered apart so beautifully, her innocence on full disy as she wondered what her climax was, and it soon mixed with bashfulness when the truth settled in. Her skin turned a rosy shade, and it was warm to the touch. I had wanted to feel it against me, so after Ipped up her juices, I worked her back into a frenzy with my fingers. My hand had gotten a workout that night, as it was now. I groaned at the roughness of my palmpared to what I knew would be the softness of hers. I stroked myself harder, especially when memories of me finally covering her body with mine came rushing back. Id wanted to take it easy on her, but she made me so damn hot for her that it was an impossible feat. I had guided my cock to her tight center, but before I could thrust into her, she grabbed my hand. Youre so big, Jonas, shed cried out. Itll be okay, Id tried assuring her, all the while trying to remember this was what I had devoted three months of my time for. All those dates andte-night talks I had to fuck her. I not only had my reputation on the line, but my sanity was at risk, too. Im scared, shed said, and I groaned out now just as I had back then. This ispletely natural. Its supposed to happen. I had realized she was sheltered, but I had never realized that no one had ever given her the talk. That moment was not the right one to try, either. I had here on my tongue, and my cock was so fucking hard. The girls I fucked regrly never yed hard to get, most usually begging me for it at this point. Mallory had first been jealous of the attention I had given Kenzie until Kristopher had told her it was all part of a game. Id realized that same night how much it had turned her on. She hadnt even waited to get home before she removed her panties. I ended up fucking her on the side of the road once we entered the gated confines of her neighborhood. I dont know how youll ever fit inside, Kenzie had added. This will feel good, I promised her, then in one thrust, I destroyed her. Crossing the finish line with her despite the cost had the same effect on me today that it had back then, except now, I didnt even try to hold anything in. That night, I had fucked her over and over until she couldnt take it anymore. She fell asleep in my arms, and when she stirred a few hourster, I fucked her a final time, then left her there on the sheets, a small patch of blood serving as a ring reminder of the innocence I had taken from her. I leaned back against the wall and continued to stroke myself. She wasnt the same girl shed once been. Now, Kenzie was a seductress and had a body to match her wanton teasing. She mightve wanted to feel as if she had the upper handst night, and I had allowed it, but she wouldnt get away so easily the next time.This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. Sixty-One I nned to fuck her until she screamed my name, and I wouldnt care if the entire hotel heard her. Damn, I almost felt like busting another one, but I knew I had to get downstairs soon. Id invited these people here to audition for a prize. Whoever won the contract would end up with their restaurant in a Cournd Hospitality Group hotel, and that alone was worth six figures. I could carry on with extracurricr stuff after the business was handled. I didnt get where I was in life by having a one-track mind. I could fuck the memories of Kenzie right out of me, while also finding the best fit for the CHG Seaport. Whether it would be her, remained to be seen, and it would be separate from anything else we did together. I kept that in mind as I got out of the shower and dried off. I stayed in just my towel as I brushed my teeth andbed my hair back. Afterward, I discarded the towel and got dressed. The pounding in my skull had disappeared with the earlier racing of my heart, and I smirked. There wasnt anything in life that an orgasm wouldnt cure. Id add masturbation to the growing list of hangover remedies. Once I was fully dressed, I scrolled down my contact list and ced a call. As soon as it connected, I spoke, Is everyone downstairs already, Oliver? All except for two, and Ive told them to pack their bags, he answered. Oliver already knew I needed to weed down this list of twenty candidates, so now there would be just eighteen more to go. Im on my way down. Have some coffee ready for me. I then remembered the hangover I woke up with and a cure my friends swore by. And a banana. I grabbed my briefcase and left the room to work on other CHG work while the cookingpetitions carried on. Outside of nning to sample everything served, I had neither the desire nor time to stand over them and micromanage everything the chefs did. After hearing that two had left thepetition, something made me think about Kenzie and how she mentioned quitting the night before. It would be a shame if she did leave, but it didnt mean I still couldnt put the moves on her if she had. I could also let her go, and chalk it up as a been there, done that life lesson. I arrived downstairs and the ballroom had been converted into multiple workstations. There were to be twenty small kitchens, and as my eyes skimmed the room, I realized the two that had left were chefs Id briefly interacted with the night before as I was leaving the rooftop. Kenzie was still there, and as my eyes narrowed on her, I smirked. She looked a lot different than she had the night before. While shed tested the limits of my restraint with her sexy outfits, today she looked a lot more like she did when we were in high school. I ignored the bun shed pulled her hair into, and focused on the T-shirt which clung to her full breasts. My gaze traveled lower and she was wearing a pair of loose yoga pants. She was moving back and forth between the stove and the counter where she appeared to be prepping something. Her friend was right beside her, and the two worked together like a well-oiled machine. I finally turned away from them and moved to the empty table in the front. A few minutester, I had myptop powered on and the ns for the Seattle location were already pulled up. Thered been some issues with a potential permit, so I focused on it, only turning away when my coffee and banana were set down in front of me. I was all business, but if things went well tonight, itd be ytime, and I knew which toy I wanted. As a Titan, I always got what I wanted. With that thought in mind, I grinned and began humming as I scanned over the permit issue and fired off a few email responses. Kenzies [POV] Id had a fitful night of sleep, all thanks to Jonas Cournd. I didnt know why I was even allowing myself to think about him at all, but I tossed and turned until early morning as thoughts of him consumed me. They ranged from wanting to fall back into the same trap I once had and relive prom night with him, to mainlymitting homicide. I finally managed to make it through the night, and when I left the room and showed up downstairs early, I was d to not see any sign of him. Knowing Jonas, he was likely shacked up in his room with some female whose name he would forget when the sun rose in the sky. I didnt care. It wasnt jealousy I was feeling. I hated him, and others could have him. I only needed this contract long term, and in the immediate short term, this cup of coffee. Id inhaled three of them before Reece joined me. All ready for these challenges? shed asked me. I nodded. If she only knew the full story. I kept my ns for Jonas Cournd to myself, then we waited as others eventually joined us. All but two chefs arrived, and I knew thispetition was getting serious if they were already gone before they could crack an egg or boil a pot of water. I wouldnt worry about others. I used to have an unhealthy fascination with reality television, and I knew people formed alliances on those shows. They ended up focusing on outside drama than whatever theyd been brought there to do. I wouldnt fall into the same trap, so I ignored everyone else and took notes along with Reece when Oliver started talking. I noticed Jonas had still note downstairs yet, and hopeful it might mean he wouldnt be the judge, after all, I had allowed myself to calm down. As soon as I was settled, he emerged, looking just as hot in the daylight as he had under the moonlit skies. Just my fucking luck, I muttered under my breath, earning a snicker from Reece. She was thrilled to see him, and I knew why. Reece had talked me into giving this man a payback and knowing that most of my friends ns ended in disaster, I shouldve politely pointed that out and moved on. I was an obvious glutton for punishment because, after a second and third thought, I wanted to make him pay for what hed done to me. In the end, Id likely lose my contract for a restaurant, but if I could make him suffer for the first time in his entitled life, I would risk it. Knowing that set me on edge. Why was I still giving him the power to destroy me, especially knowing Id only be destroying myself in the process? I did force those thoughts from my head and settled into a routine. Today, we had two different challenges, one timed and the other untimed. During each of them, I asionally nced over at Jonas who appeared deep in concentration on whatever was so intriguing on hisptop. It could be business, but knowing him as I did, I wouldnt even be surprised if it was porn. After all, he was quite nifty with a damn video camera. As those memories resurfaced, I almost wished I knew what te he would be trying so I could poison him, or at least send him to the bathroom for a while. His suffering didnt have to be permanent. It just needed to happen so I could what? As that question lingered in my head, I realized there was no true satisfaction in that. Hed send me home, and nothing would change.This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. He would continue to grace the citys society pages and I would be back to prepping meals for soap opera actresses and models, and hed be sleeping his way into the Guinness Book of World Records. I eventually stopped thinking about him and focused on the food. After four years at the University of Nebraska, I had gone to Europe for a whole year of cooking lessons. I learned the tricks of the trades from those French pastry chefs, perfecting macarons that were light, yet chewy and a popr item for catered events. I had then trained in Italy, learning how to marry certain vorbinations together to create somethingforting, but with a modern twist. There were also lessons in Spain, Germany, and even Switzend. If I did manage tond this contract, I wanted to make sure to incorporate everything I learned, while also highlighting the plentiful ingredients found locally. For that reason, I intended to serve several seafood dishes and farm-quality ssics. Sixty-Two Kenzies [POV] Id done more than learn how to cook over those four and a half years. I had also learned the business side of things, and I knew locally sourced ingredients would not only be a selling feature, but they would allow me to cut out the transportation costs, which would help food costs exponentially. I was very confident in my culinary abilities, but I wished I could say the same about my seduction skills. Its overdone, Reece told me midway through the day. Huh? I asked as she broke through my thoughts.All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. The shrimp. Its overdone. Youll need to start it over. I looked down and realized she was right. It was a true role reversal right now and I shook my head, needing to clear away the clutter inside. It was hard, however, when the one dominating my thoughts was sitting about twelve feet away from where I stood. Youre right, I told her, then sighed. I tossed the seafood into the trash and picked up a clean pan. I filled it part way with water, then salted it generously. Poaching anything required concentration, and I needed to use all of mine, or else I ran the risk of losing this challenge. Failure wasnt an option for me. Things had been hard recently financially, so I needed to not allow past exes to blow my chance at a future. Thest thing I wanted was for me and Reece to have to move back to Lincoln, or worse, Omaha. With my mind, where it needed to be, I added a few aromatics such as lemon, peppercorns, and parsley leaves, then allowed it to boil before I removed it from the heat. I waited for all the bubbles to subside and added in my cleaned and deveined shrimp, then ced a cover on the pan to allow them to cook. Thankfully, this part of the appetizer could easily be redone so my earlier negligence didnt set us back too much. Its not like you to be so distracted, Reece whispered. I bet a certain redhead is to me. I turned and red at her. That redhead was distracting so she wasnt wrong, but he was also not going to be the reason I lost focus. Hed already annihted me once, and I wouldnt give him the chance to do so again. Still, I couldnt help but steal a nce in his direction, and I realized he was looking right at me. I rolled my eyes, hoping hed see, before removing the cover from the pan once the shrimps were opaque and pink. If you say so, Reece added. Just get me the cocktail sauce from the fridge, I told her as I ced the cooked shrimp into an ice bath. They needed to chillpletely before I could serve them, so I moved on to the other appetizer dishes. Our challenge was to create three different ones, and outside of the shrimp cocktail, I nned to also make a lobster crostini and sweet chili cmari. I knew from my research on the Titans that many had expensive tastes, so I tried to elevate what I had. Jonas had spared no expense when it came to fresh ingredients which made that easier, and I had to admit it was nice to work in a space where I could move around freely and not have to worry about elbowing Reece or stepping on her feet. I was sure she appreciated that as well. Reece returned with what Id asked for and we finished up the rest of this untimed challenge. A few others were ahead of me, so I waited my turn. I was nervous, and even more so because of who was judging thepetition. The prize wasnt a check that would barely pay a few months rent in some small building space, but something that would change my entire life. This was an investment in a future Id been nning for over thest several years. It would just so happen that the one person I couldve gone the rest of my life not seeing would be the one making that decision. I had to impress him, even if I would rather swallow ss. The others all moved along and eventually, my turn had arrived, and both Reece and I ced the three appetizers onto the table in front of him. I was so nervous that my knees were practically knocking, but when he looked up and shed me one of his customary smirks, I steeled my resistance to him and straightened my stance. What are you serving us? I cleared my throat, then smiled politely at Oliver who was sitting on one side of him. On the other, there was a local chef I recognized, but couldnt ce. We have a shrimp cocktail, lobster crostini with a tomato and champagne sauce, andstly, theres breaded cmari served alongside a sweet chili sauce. Sounds very appetizing, the chef proimed, and I smiled. I loved cooking. Itd been such a useful outlet for me once I was released from the hospital. My grandparents had been apprised of why I had toe live with them, and itd been a hard period. What no one knew at Spencer Academy was that memories werent the only things that followed me to Nebraska. When in the psych ward, it was determined that Jonas had left me with a permanent reminder of what wed done. A little over seven months after arriving in Nebraska, Id delivered a baby girl with bright red hair and those same hazel eyes that were staring at me now. I tried not to think of Victoria, because to the entire world, she was nothing more than my niece. My older sister had trouble conceiving and when I found out I was pregnant, I made the decision to let her adopt her. I had no means to support myself, much less a child, so itd been a no-brainer. At least this way, I was able to watch her grow up, even if it sometimes ripped my heart out to do so. I couldnt think about Tori, or anything else other than this contract. I needed to make it to the next round, and as the three sampled some from each te, I stayed calm. Reece was holding one of my hands and gave it aforting squeeze. I hadnt met her until after Id had Tori, so she had no idea, and the way she kept looking between Jonas and me, it was now for the best. She had already suggested that I y this man, and in the heat of the moment the night before, it seemed like a much better n than it did right now. Delicious, Jonas finally said, then licked his lips as I watched. That tongue of his had always been wicked, and remembering what hed told mest night, I shivered slightly. I cant wait to taste more. From the way his eyes were practically glued to my legs, I knew what hed been referencing, and something told me it wasnt food. Thank you, I mumbled, then Reece and I removed what was left of the tes, and stepped aside so the next chef could be judged. He wants you, Reece stated as we carried the tes over to the sink. I rolled my eyes again. You need to forget about this. I changed my mind about it all. You what? she hissed softly. I cant do it, I whispered back. It had seemed easy enough, but it wasnt me. When I arrived in Omaha in the predicament I found myself in, I had been ovee with rage and despair. I had not only been humiliated in front of everyone twice but I also was now forced to carry a child he created during that unholy union. I had pretty much closed myself off from everyone and everything, spending all of my time alone in my room. With each bout of morning sickness, difort from my summer pregnancy, andter the fourteen hours ofbor Id endured, I had sworn to make him pay one day. That time was now, but I couldnt make him atone for the past because he held my very future in the palm of his hands. I disagree, but its your choice, she replied. I smiled at her. If anyone knew how bad I could make a life for Jonas, it would be Reece. After all, he hadnt been the only one to try to y me for a fool. I was better equipped for Bobby Jenkins, however, than Id ever been for Jonas. We dated for a few months, then he decided to try to make me a side piece by getting married to someone else and not telling me. I wasnt proud of the way I acted afterward. I did more than break up with him when I found out. Id done all the normal things from crying over a quart of ice cream to burning all reminders of my time with him. That hadnt been all, though. I keyed his car, ttened the tires, and essentially stalked him until what I was doing finally sank in. Sixty-Three I suppose in a way I wanted to show the world I was tired of being yed for the fool. During my more manic phases, I could break others in the way that they broke me, but unlike Bobby and Jonas, it would alle crashing down on me to the point where I couldnt even get out of bed for days. The constant crash and burn would take its toll on me. Id finally pull myself together, oftentimes after having my meds adjusted, and then I would hold my head high and avoid all triggers. If I wanted this contract, I couldnt hide from Jonas or fear for my sanity. Oh my God, weve moved on to the next round, Reece proimed excitedly. I blinked a few times to focus on the present, then her words sunk in. Really? I shouldnt have been surprised. The judges did enjoy the appetizers, and that included my ex. I could finally breathe easily, especially when I noticed that eight more chefs were leaving the makeshift kitchen area. If I counted the two that never showed up, we were now down to nine chefs outside of myself. It was a much more manageable number and that set me at ease. Maybe I can do this, I murmured. Jonas had been sitting there practically the entire time and I had remained a professional. It didnt even matter that I wanted to stab him in his cold heart with a dull knife. I resisted the urge, as I would all others, and got through thesest six days the best I could. Im happy to say that youve all made it to the next challenge. Itll be thest one of the day, and youll have exactly two hours to prepare, cook, and te your creation using a few signature ingredients, Oliver instructed, and I waited for him to tell me what they would be. Youll need to use filet mignon, red wine, and gorgonz cheese. My mind was in overdrive as I immediately thought about miniature beef wellingtons. I had made them for various events, and I didnt even need a recipe to follow. I walked to the cooler and grabbed some puff pastry dough, and when I returned, Reece smiled. She knew exactly where my mind had gone, and as she went to gather the rest of the ingredients, I started to prepare. From time to time, I could sense Jonas staring at me. I didnt know whether it had been because of who I was, or if he was giving every other chef the same attention, but I wouldnt let him distract me. In the kitchen, I was in my zone, and there was little room for juvenile ex-manwhores. With the time constraint and my ambitious appetizer, there was little for anything. I seasoned the steaks and got a sear on them before handing the meat off to Reece to cool. As she took the cremini mushrooms and made a paste with them, I started toy out the puff pastry on a floured board. I heard a lot of chatter around me, but my sous chef and I worked just fine together, so there was little conversation that we had to do. I then began topose the miniature beef wellingtons. I was taking a risk because if wed erred on any of these steps, we would be eliminated and not even around long enough to see what tonight would bring. Id made these many times, so once the little pastry bundles were all sealed up, I slid the cooking tray into the oven and said a silent prayer. Twice, I kneeled in front of the oven to see how they were cooking by gazing through the door. The second time that I did, I rose to my feet and looked directly into the eyes of thest man I ever wanted to see.C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org. I could get used to the sight of you on your knees, Kenzie. I just bet you could. I red and didnt give him the satisfaction of a response at first until he smirked at me. Its too bad that youll never get the chance. Tsk. Tsk, was all he said, before giving Reece a wink when she came to check on me, then he walked to the next station. What was that all about? she asked. Nothing. Just Jonas being vulgar, I responded. But it wasnt anything because now I could imagine myself in the exact position that he wanted me in. What the hell is wrong with me? Its been a few weeks since youst broke up with whats his face- she started before I interrupted. His name is Derrick, and we werent sexuallypatible. That had been an understatement. What do you mean? I realized then that I had never told her why we stopped seeing each other. Lets just say that we yed for the same team. I wanted sex with him, and he wanted it with the guy next door. Ouch. I thought shed leave it at that, but she grinned cheekily. And now, you and Jonas want each other. You should throw something on him, and leave him feigning Thatll teach him to y women. That was doubtful. I was pretty convinced he was the same asshole hed always been, so odds were that I would be the one left hanging and not him, unless The sound of the timer going off forced me back to the present, and I went to check on the beef wellingtons again. We now had just fifteen minutes left, and I needed to leave mine in for another five. I checked the dry red wine sauce, and at thest minute, added gorgonz cheese to it. The rest of the time was spent in a flurry as we garnished the tes, then delivered them to the judges. I cut, and while I shouldve been happy about being one of the final seven chefs left, I was still angry that the one I needed to impress was Jonas Cournd. Of all the cookingpetitions and hotels in the world Please tell me youre not wearing that to karaoke tonight, Reece implored, breaking me out of my preupation. Then I wont, I answered, before adding, because I dont n to go. Id had enough of trying to schmooze up to my ex. Was he actually that, though? In my head, wed been exclusivelymitted to one another. I had given him my virginity after all. Now in hindsight, since I was nothing more than a game to him, I doubted he considered me anything back then. I was the stupid one imagining ce settings and color schemes for our wedding, while hed been anticipating the reaction hed get from his boys when they saw the video of us and what I thought had been a private moment. Oh my God. Id been so stupid back then. Even now, I was bordering onplete lunacy for even sharing air with him. My thoughts returned to his friends, and I wanted to roll my eyes as I remembered every one of them, especially Kristopher Simon. I shouldve known something like reuniting with Jonas would happen after I had catered a society wedding a few months back for the same man who used to be his best friend. Id been able to stay hidden mostly from view, especially since his fiancee, Hayley, had been inplete control of the menu. I shouldve turned down the job, but it paid well, and living in Manhattan, I needed all the money I could make. It had never crossed my mind that the groom was the same one from Texas, although it would have the moment I had seen his face. The one time he was supposed to be there to sample my tasting menu before the event, hed been called away for emergency surgery, so my moment of shock happened at the ceremony itself. Id not seen Jonas there. I stayed in the back and left as soon as the festivities were over. I hadnt wanted to see any of the other guys or girls, who had made my life hell after the prom. Thered been rumblings that my client was just as malicious as those other kids had been but in New York City. I thankfully hadnt had to like those that hired me. I only needed to do what they paid me to do. I did it with Kristopher and Hayley, and I would do it with Jonas Cournd, even if the mere thought made me nauseous. Lord knows he made sure I was that way for several months more as the morning sickness I had with Tori had been brutal. He knew nothing of his daughter, and I intended to keep it that way. To the world, she was my niece, but to me, she was my greatest blessing and most heart-wrenching mistake all wrapped into one. My sister and her husband gave my daughter a good life, and that was more than I likely couldve given her on my own. Sixty-Four What do you mean youre not going? Reece was now standing in front of me with her hands on her hips. Im not in a partying mood, I told her, then feigned a yawn for good measure. Im quite tired. You can sleep when youre dead, she retorted, then grabbed my arm and pulled me toward the closet. Youll never get into his good favor by avoiding him. If only it was that easy. To Reece, I was simply trying to keep my distance. She had known he screwed me over in high school, but she had no idea to what extent, and I intended to keep it that way. Why is this so important to you? I had to ask, and Reece released my arm. I heard that others in the industry are supposed to be here for tonights party. Jonas has invited the creme of the creme when ites to high society. There are even going to be a few fashion icons. Ahh, so that was it. I knew Reece fancied herself a fashionista, and that she wanted to break into the fashion world. It was the main draw that had convinced her to follow me to New York. She had aspirations outside of the kitchen, and I needed a sous chef I could trust. It was mutually beneficial for us both. You can still go down there and mingle. Its not the same. She pouted. If youre not going downstairs, then neither am I. I watched as she was about to remove her dress. Fashion was very important to Reece, and after all that shed put up with for me, I knew I owed her this much. No, stop. Ill go. Her hand dropped immediately, and she smiled brightly at me. Thank you, Kenzie. The next few minutes went by in a flurry as my friend handed me various articles of clothing. I eventually settled on a peach dress if one could even call it that. The material hugged me so tightly that I was afraid to breathe for fear of popping a stitch. That irrational thought soon faded once I paired it with brown, thigh-high boots. The hem of the dress rested just above the top of the leather and I wasnt revealing nearly as much as I had thought I would be. I went into the bathroom to spend a few minutes fussing with my hair. Leaving the blonde curls loose, they cascaded down my backside and another memory came rushing back, this one making me re now, whereas in the past it wouldve just made me cry instead. Jonas loved to pull hair during sex. It was something I so vividly remembered, and I knew the longer length of mine had to have made him want to do so again. Id even wager a bet on it. I then smiled over that because I knew itd be a cold day in Hell before it led to anything hed want it to.C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org. I lowered my gaze and my eyes traveled slowly down my body. This particr dress had a plunging neckline which highlighted my ample cleavage. My breasts ached as I thought about how badly I needed them touched because it had been a few months since Id had sex with anyone. With Jonas still possessing the ability to arouse my body so effortlessly, my nipples practically throbbed but Id have to ignore them. Later, Id escape back here to take care of my needs myself. Continuing my self-appraisal, I adjusted one of the thin straps holding my heavy breasts up, then I dropped my gaze lower. The dress was pulled in tightly, the fabric wrapping horizontally around my torso and hips, and squeezing in everything. Just breathe, Kenzie. Jonas wont be able to take his eyes off of you, Reece said as she stood in the doorway of the bathroom. Thats probably what Im most afraid of, I muttered softly under my breath. Raising my voice back to my normal tone, I added, We should probably get this over and done with. I didnt need to bring much of anything with me, and opting to even leave my phone in the room, the only thing I grabbed was my keycard. Reece and I took the elevator downstairs and when we arrived in the ballroom, it waspletely transformed from earlier that day. Gone were the makeshift kitchens and pantry, and now strobe lights shed overhead and more people than I had imagined were dancing or off huddled in small groups together. It reminded me a lot of our prom. I had never gone to a formal dance before, so I had no idea what to expect. This was a very mature partypared to the other as I quickly learned. There were no quirky themes orme decorations. Jonas had gone all out in a couple of hours since wed stopped cooking. There were many men, most of whom I recognized from the society papers, including several men also known as Titans. If youve seen one, youve seen them all. What? Reece asked, and I shook my head. Its not important. Lets go get a drink. I didnt have to suggest that twice to Reece. She practically dragged me to the bar set up in the corner. I recognized the mobile bartender as the same one from the roof the night before, and he was so good that hed even remembered my drink of choice. I thanked him for it, then moved off somewhere more private to drink it. From where we stood, I could now see different people going on and off the stage. Some possessed a little musical talent, while others sounded like wounded animals or worse. I wasnt self-conscious about my singing abilities because I had been in choirs since I was older enough to talk. My father was a minister, so he was always heavily involved in all things church-rted. His wife and all their kids had been made to sing on Sundays, and it was something I wasfortable enough doing. I became preupied as I thought about what I would sing. So far, the song selections had ranged from country to pop and everything in between. Most of the partygoers were more interested in talking among one another, usually only looking up to acknowledge the performances with a small round of apuse when they were over. Surprisingly, I hadnt yet seen Jonas and I was about to tell Reece how happy I was about that when the hairs on my arms stood up. Goosebumps rose on my flesh and I casually looked over my shoulder and right into a pair of intense eyes. Hed been checking out my ass, and for once, I was d I was wearing something so form-fitting. Youve been spotted, Reece proimed, and I slightly shook my head over how excited she was about that. He can eat his heart out, I responded, then took a sip from my drink. When I turned away from Reece and back to where he stood, Jonas was gone. My hackles went up, and it didnt take me long to find where hed gone because momentster, one of his strong arms wrapped around me. I tried to move out of his grasp, but it was too firm for me to do so without having to fight him off. If I did that, itd draw unwanted attention toward me. I epted that I was essentially trapped, and as my nose sniffed appreciatively at his cologne, I secretly didnt mind it for a few seconds. I was wondering if you nned to make an appearance, he murmured as his mouth moved close to my ear. His warm breath tickled my sensitive skin, and I shivered. Free drinks and hot men. Whod miss that? He chuckled, and I had to admit that the deep timbre of it still did things to me. Im all the man youll need. I did pull away at that point, then turned in his arms. When our eyes met, I smiled. Thats cute, but youre no longer my type. He chuckled and pulled me close enough to feel his hard erection against my belly. It was a difficult task to stay unaffected, but I managed to do so even as he leaned in and nipped at my ear. Liar. Of course, Jonas would know he was the only one I was looking at in this entire ballroom, but I would be damned if Id ever openly admit that to him. Thinking back to high school, I wouldve dly shouted about him from the rooftops, but seeing as I dont care whether you believe me or not. If youd like proof, maybe I could borrow your video camera so I could sh- Sixty-Five Jonass growl stopped me in my tracks. I still had a smile on my face and gathering the rest of my bravado, I leaned in and brushed my lips softly against his. It was a kiss-off, and we both knew it. I let my mouth linger for a few seconds before pulling away from him. The events of thest few seconds had caught him enough off guard that I was able to fully break free of him. I set my ss down on the nearby tray and scampered away. It wasnt long before I made my way to the stage. There were many songs I could sing for him, and most would be from the same artist. I could go with one of my favorites and I almost did until I thought about the lyrics. Like the singer would say about knowing where things would lead, I did as well. It was for that reason that I ignored Jonass James Dean vibes and chose something else from the pop star instead. I took the stage and I didnt even have to scan the crowd to see if he was watching me because I arrogantly knew he would be. Jonas would also know that these lyrics held meaning if he listened to them close enough. I didnt worry about that as I started to sing about how I knew hed been trouble, yet I allowed him to pull me in deeper. Deeper. For a moment, my thoughts took a detour as I remembered him on prom night. I want to sink so deep inside of you, hed told me as he held me close against him on the dance floor. I hadnt known exactly what hed meant untilter when we were all alone. Hed been so big and had stretched me so wide, but the pleasure each powerful thrust brought me made the physical pain fade. I cant get deep enough, hed rasped against my ear at one point before hed shifted his angle of pration. My eyes then found his from the stage, and I continued to sing about how Id been nothing more than a notch on his bed and something else filled me. Id never really gotten to tell him how much hed hurt me with what hed done because after Id been taken off of the roof that day at school, Id never seen or heard from him again. And as the words about the singers saddest fears slipped from my mouth, I realized that like she was singing about her man, mine had never loved me either. I finished the song and felt a desperate need for a drink. I usually kept any alcohol consumption to a minimum because of the different medicines I had to take for my manic depression, but having so many memories of my painful past with him still lingering in my head, I grabbed the ss of vodka and mmed it back. I moved over to an empty bench and sat down. Reece was nowhere to be found, but I knew shed find me when she was ready, so I nned to sit there all night until someone sat down beside me. I looked up and into a pair of intense hazel eyes. Grumpily, I asked, What do you want? I didnt know why Jonas even tried. He had to know Id never do anything with him, and if he didnt, Id have to make sure to tell him as much. Nice song choice. Im not a fan of hers, but Id listen to anything you sing. Uh-huh, I told him, my voice abination of boredom and annoyance. I even yed the role as I craned my neck to look around the ballroom as if I was looking for someone in particr. Your friend is talking to a local designer here. She- he started to say until I cut him off. Im not looking for her. I turned quickly enough to see his eyes narrow slightly. Quite proud of that, I smiled sweetly. There are a lot of hot men here tonight. You might have better luck shooting whatever game you n to shoot elsewhere. I knew he was very flirtatious and seductive as well. I had never been allowed to date before Id met him, and I had to hide our true rtionship from my family for those few short months. I shouldve known then when I had to lie to those I loved that any path including Jonas Cournd had to be paved with bad intentions. He then set his hand on my thigh and I hadnt realized how much the dress rode up until he did. The touch of his hand to my bare skin sent a jolt of electricity that seemed to detonate deep in my core. My body still wanted him. That seemed to piss me off more than his fingers as he worked them higher. Right before he could slide them beneath my dress, I pped his hand away. Dont touch me, I told him. Surprisingly, he did remove his hand. Jonas stayed there beside me though, and I knew he was plotting his next move. I shouldve used that as my cue to leave, but a part of me was a glutton for punishment. That part of me was also curious, and it overruled the logical part of my head. You tease me, then push me away. If I didnt know any better, I would think you still believe the two of us to be in high school. His words nearly made me seethe. No, I dont think so, I answered honestly. Back then, I foolishly hung off of your every word, but not now. Not ever again. He returned his hand to my thigh, and I hadnt anticipated it, so I jumped slightly. He smirked the same panty-melting kind that also spoke of his arrogance. I wanted to wipe it right off of his smug face. Were both adults now. Theres so much Ive learned since prom night. He then lowered his head to my bare shoulder. I didnt shiver this time, and instead sat up straight and tried to remainpletely unaffected. All I need is for you to give me the word, Kenzie. Hearing my name fall from his lips only increased my anger. Of course, he wanted me to beg him to fuck me again. I wasnt some virgin anymore that had rose-colored sses on. I was much wiser, and a hell of a lot more jaded, too. Ill give you two. He grinned, and I leaned in close to him. Being the aggressor, I bit at his full bottom lip and ignored the urge to fuse my mouth to his and kiss him. When I pulled away, I quickly rose to my feet. Fuck off! I was close to fleeing, but he had risen as well and pulled me close. Now my ass was flush against his erection, and I couldnt control the slight tremble that washed over me. You and I Were inevitable. The sooner you admit you want me, the sooner I can show you all the things Ive learned in our years apart. I can- I dont want to see anything youve learned, I lied. Tsk, tsk, Kenzie. I could make you moan, whimper, and cry. He then slid his hand up my dress, and I knew the moment he realized how wet I was. And I can even make you scream. Thats not happening, I managed to get out before I spun out of his grasp. Maybe not now, but I think by the end of the night, youll be singing a different tune. He then brought two glistening fingers to his mouth and I watched in horror as he sucked them into his mouth. You still taste so damn good. I rolled my eyes at him. Your arrogance knows no bounds, Jonas. Go run along and find someone wholl be an easier conquest for you. I- Before you tell me that seducing you will be hard, save your breath. I enjoy games as much as the next person, but just know youll never win, Kenzie. I created most of them, so the best thing to do is just admit the attraction is still here and- His arrogance knew no limit, and I sneered at him, before interrupting, I dont want you. He chuckled, and it was the knowing kind that shouldve made me nervous. Youre already wet, and thats the hardest part. Youlle to me and we both know it. If I didnt get away from him, I wouldnt need to because Id likely fall at his feet like all those other girls used to do. I squared my shoulders and held my head high. Since you think you know me so well, I would be worried about that if I were you. I stopped to cup his hard-on with my hand. Remember, Im a crazy bitch. Certifiable, so think wisely about pursuing me because this toy you love so much, I could destroy it and you.C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org. I then released my grip on him and left him standing there stunned. I now had the urge to sing again, so I kept his shocked face in my head and walked to the stage with a smile on my face. Sixty-Six Jonass [POV] Id almost had her, and while she tried to get thest word in, we both knew that resistance would be futile. I still turned her on, and Id be damned if Id let that go to waste. I would likely never see her again after this week, especially if she didnt get the contract, so my time was limited. She wanted to be chased, and I supposed, in a way, I understood that. She had been y in my hands back in high school, but a lot had changed since then. She was no longer the straightced book nerd I remembered. She was a vibrant, sensual woman, who was as curious as I was as to whether there were still any sparks between us. Whered you run off to? Caspian asked as he came up on me. I was just talking to someone, I replied, then looked over my shoulder and narrowed my eyes as I watched Kenzie take the stage again. Something told me to listen closely to this next song as it was likely aimed at me. Ill be right back. I left Cas standing there and moved closer to the stage. The song started and I took my ce against the wall. Every inch of her was on disy to me, from her slim waist and hips to an ass I wanted to mark in some way. Since she was turned away from me at the moment, I could see her pert backside and all that long wavy hair that hung down her back. I was already hard, it being a permanent state for me, but she seemed to make it worse. She started to sing and that smoky voice of hers caused more than just me to stop and listen. I smirked, and that was when she turned around, those sultry lips and piercing gaze now directed right at me. Her cocky expression and the words being sung kept the grin on my face. If she thought she could scare me off with them, she was wrong. I didnt want love or anything else she promised in the song. She wanted to talk about mistakes and games, and I could provide her with both. It didnt escape me that it was what had gotten us in trouble all those years earlier. Once word got out at school about what she had almost done, and my part in it, most of the other girls kept their distance from me for a while. It had allowed me to focus on my grades, but Id be lying if I didnt admit to being pissed that my entire n had blown up in my face. No one wanted to fuck with me for at least a few weeks fearing that I would drive them fucking crazy too. Remember, Im a crazy bitch. Certifiable, so think wisely about pursuing me because this toy you love so much, I could destroy it and you. Shed just warned me before walking away, but she wasnt the only one to have changed since high school. I was now content with who I was. I made no apologies for being me. Wed soon see if she was right about loving the yers, but whether she was or not, I sure as fuck loved the game and she would be my pawn once more. I didnt need forever or anything else. I also didnt care about her ex-lovers and anything they might have to say about her. I had volumes of books like that myself, and she would do best to heed the advice of any of them when it came to me. Kenzie continued to sing about rose gardens, thorns, and perfect storms. I kept grinning throughout because nothing she said would convince me to stop pursuing her. The moment she finished and stepped off the stage, I went in search of her. I saw her say something to Reece before she looked everywhere but where I stood, then fled to the stairwell. Taking long, but leisurely strides, I followed her and was inches away by the time she finally made it there. The door swung back as she escaped through it, and I slipped in before it could hit me in the face.C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org. Was it, Kenzie? I asked the moment she hit the first step. She froze before she could take another one. Slowly, she turned, and I was enjoying her stricken expression more than I should have. Moving toward her, I soon stood eye-to-eye with her. W-was what? she asked nervously. I wrapped my hand around the back of her neck and pulled her close. Our mouths were so close to one another that I could not only hear the hitch in her breath but feel it as well. The high. Was it worth the pain? I knew she had enjoyed losing her virginity to me. She was so vocal even back then. I didnt know how loud she could be until I thrust into her tight, innocent pussy and fucked her. She came so many times that night, and I had to. Fuck, I wanted to lose myself in her again. And as I looked into her eyes, I knew she wanted the same. N-no, she stammered, and I reveled in the fact I could still make her so nervous. But it could be, I told her as I dragged my free hand down the side of her face. She slightly trembled beneath my palm, and I continued, Ever since weve reunited, there has been nothing else on my mind other than this other than us She grabbed my hand and thrust it away from her. There is no this or us, she retorted, using air quotes to emphasize those two words. I chuckled. She might want to deny this spark, but I sure as hell wasnt about to do the same. You say that as if you are certain. I am, she responded, even though the slight shakiness in her voice directly contradicted that. I moved closer, and she nearly stumbled. Springing into action, I pulled her back into my arms, then spun her around so she was now pinned between me and the wall. Damn, now thats a position I wouldnt mind getting her in. High school was a mistake, she whispered. I had to agree with parts of it, but I wouldnt right now. I shouldnt have yed her the way I had, but itd been a harmless game until it wasnt. I remembered that day on the roof and how scared I was that I hadnt been able to talk her down. Shed hated me, and itd been rightfully earned. I thought she nned to jump and maybe she had. It then reminded me of her warning before taking the stage when she confessed to being certifiable. It was all part of her game, right? High school was the past, Kenzie. Werepletely different people- Are we really? she asked. I leaned in and brushed my nose against her soft cheek. Fuck, I wanted to feel every inch of her naked body against mine, but until the opportunity presented itself, I intended to make do with what I had. Youre not anything like you were back then. She let out augh while trying to move her face away from my mouth. Im not a virgin anymore, and Im not a fool for your games. Other than that, Im still the one who hates you. Hate is such a strong word, I told her while using her actions against her. I was now able to kiss my way from her cheek to her ear. Strong words do cause strong emotions. I wouldnt mind hate fucking you all night long, Kenzie. She let out a small whimper, especially when I tongued the shell of her ear, then bit down on its fleshy lobe. I teased her for a few seconds until she tried to push me away. There will be no hate fucking or anything else, she managed to get out. Nothing has changed with us, and with you. Youre still the same asshole youve always been. Im not trying to be a notch on your bedpost ever again. I stopped what I was doing and stood there for a few seconds. She still hated me and assumed I was the same person Id always been. Stepping back enough to give her space, but not enough for her to flee, I looked directly into her watery eyes. Im a very different man, Kenzie. Different because of you. She let out a sarcasticugh. Yes, and Im sure the society pages filled with you and hundreds of women are a sign of that. So, shed looked me up. I had to think by her shocked reaction on the opening night of thepetition that she hadnt known I owned this hotel, so it had to have been after wed reunited. It made me even harder knowing that while I was celibate and using my hand to live out fantasies of fucking her, shed been doing the same thing. Sixty-Seven Tabloids lie, I warned, and I knew that firsthand. Of course, no one was more victimized by those sleazy rags than Anton and his wife. Manwhores do too, she answered.This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. I grinned once more. You cant believe everything you read. And for the record, some of those were not one-night stands. Ive had rtionships with- Ha, she huffed. Your idea of a rtionship is probably a three-day fucking weekend. Im not interested in being one of them, so- I cut her off by fusing my mouth to hers. My hands worked to pin hers above her head while my tongue loosened her resistance. She was likely right on a number of those points, but I knew this girl, or at least I once thought that I did. Once she seemingly rxed, I pulled both wrists together and held them with one hand while bringing the other to her body. I ran it slowly down her side as we continued to kiss, then brought it to the bottom of her dress. Kenzie offered no resistance when I lifted her leg and pulled it against me. She was trembling, but made no efforts to flee. I had never forced myself on a woman, and I never would. I had never needed to. I did need to prove to her that there was still something between us, though. My mouth continued to move hungrily over hers, and she returned very ounce of desire I shared for her. Kenzie could protest until the sun came up, but shed never be able to convince me that she didnt want me as badly as I wanted her. This was all a game to her now, as it had been to me back then. We were both older and wiser, age and experience honing our skills. I ran my hand up and down her upper thigh before finally releasing her hands from my grasp. Now with both of mine free, I lifted her other leg and she was soon pinned to the wall with her legs around my waist. That allowed me to cup and squeeze her breasts. Kenzie moaned against my lips, and she rubbed herself against me. I wasnt used to this wantonness from her, but I liked it. In thest two days, I had imagined all the different ways I would fuck her once I got the chance, and tonight might be the night to act on those instead of just imagining them in my head. My head was one fucked up ce. I would never deny that. The way I craved sex wasnt natural. It couldnt be, but I treated it as such, anyway. When I wasnt fucking a woman, I was thinking about it, and my hand got as much of a workout as the rest of my body did during the two hours I spent daily in the gym. I had an unhealthy rtionship with porn, and watched it probably just as long each day. Id been like this as far back as I could remember. By the time the other guys on the football teams were realizing what sex was, I had already worked my way through the cheerleading teams and was well on my way through other womens sports. Id lost count of how many women Id fucked over the years, and while I barely remembered any of their names, I knew that wouldnt be the case with Kenzie. She was very memorable in more ways than one, and I realized I needed this for more than sexual gratification and bragging rights. I needed to rece thest memories I had of her with others, and maybe then I could finally put her and our past where it belonged. After I worked my hand into her dress, I pulled my mouth away. Youre so fucking hot. It was the only thing I knew to say at the time, and when I pressed my forehead to hers, I continued to roll her hard nipple between my fingers. Such ttery will get you- Everywhere, I replied, then smirked. But Im only interested in- I actually meant to say it would get you nowhere. Now, let me go. Is that really what you want? I asked as I trailed kisses across her breastbone. I wont lie and say you dont affect me in some way, but I am not going to sleep with you. Then, its a good thing that sleep isnt what I want to do with you. I cut off any responses when I started to kiss her again. I half expected her to push me off, and I wouldve let her go at that point, but she was now tugging at my clothes in the same desperate haste as me. I slipped one hand between her legs, and just as Id thought, she was still very wet. I rubbed along her slit, and other than a few twitches from her, she let me touch her. My thumb circled her clit, and the ensuing whimper against my lips had me doing more. I inserted three fingers into her, and she greedily mped down on them. I thrust them in and out, all the while continuing to rub her sensitive bud with the pad of my thumb. She was liquid fire, and I wanted to be burned. It would be so easy to tear her panties away and fuck her like there was no tomorrow, and I mightve done exactly that if I hadnt heard my name being called. Jonas, Mason Steele called out. Theres an issue in the ballroom, man. I pulled my fingers out of Kenzie at the same time I stopped kissing her. Her breaths wereing in deep pants, and I inwardly cursed the fact that I would have to let her go tonight. There was no telling what the issue was that needed my attention, but I knew she wouldnt wait around for me to handle it. Im sorry, I told her, wondering how many times Id ever uttered those words out loud to a woman and meant them. I helped Kenzie back to her feet, then turned to my friend when he called my name again. Im on my way. Kenzie didnt say anything as she hastily pulled her dress down as far as it could get. She then bolted past me and Mason, and headed toward the elevators. I shook my head and realized the opportunity that was now wasted. I would try again tomorrow. I began to follow my friend back into the ballroom and nned to take swift, decisive action against whoever dared to ruin all I had managed to put together tonight. Id likely be using my hand instead of Kenzies tight pussy, and someone would pay dearly for that. Sixty-Eight Kenzies [POV] Reece had gotten in well after midnight, not that I was fully awake until that time myself. After escaping Jonass clutches in the stairwell, I spent over an hour in the bathroom, trying to ease the ache hed created inside of me. I didnt know why I couldnt just thank God for the intervention and leave it at that. Instead of being grateful to have narrowly missed what would inevitably be a disaster, I was in the shower, using my fingers in an attempt to rece the feel of his as they stroked me earlier. His mouth was wicked, but the way he curled his index and middle fingers to reach that one spot inside of me was downright lethal. I hated him, yet I wanted him to fuck me, and not just in the room I shared with my roommate, but in the stairwell where anyone could happen to see us. He pinned me to the wall and had my dress up around my hips. Someone hade upon us, and still, I wanted Jonas to finish what he started. For all the progress I had made to stay in control so far, it was all for naught because I couldnt resist him now any more than I could back in high school when I bought all of his lies about love and a future together. I focused on that and eventually came on my fingers, then headed off to bed where I was when Reece came back inside. She hadnt been alone, so I feigned sleep and had to listen to her and the man she was with a go at it until I did fall asleep. My best friends cries and whimpers, and the sound of the headboard hitting the wall made me long for what Jonas had started, and when I pretended those noises wereing from me, I nearly came alongside Reece. I had tried to pretend as if I was over him, but the truth hit me squarely in the eyes this morning as I tried to cover up the dark bags underneath them. I still wanted him badly. I didnt know if it was just so I could show him I wasnt the same scared teen I had once been, or if it was to fuck with his head this time around. Thetter seemed to stick with me, so that had to be it. I had applied a bit more makeup to my eyes and prayed that todays challenges wouldnt melt it awaypletely. Once we got downstairs, I was relieved to see that the first one involved baking, which was one of my favorite things to do. When I moved to my grandparents house after Houston, my grandmother would remind me of how I used to bake cookies on Christmas Eve with her every year when I was a child. Those memories hadnt been very eventful ones back then, but having lost the woman two years earlier, I now cherished what I shouldve back then. Were going to make French toast, I told Reece, and she furrowed her brow at me.This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org . Isnt that too simple? I understood what she meant, so I shook my head. I then grabbed my notebook and drew one of my favorite childhood ssics for her to see. It was easier to do that than try to exin what it was named. The recipe called for fresh fruit and cream which was rather simple, but there were ways to elevate it. Instead of the normal fruitpote on top, I would make it a boozy one by adding alcohol to the macerated berries. Ahh, I see, she told me, then went to get the fruit we would need while I debated on what type of liquor would taste the best between bourbon and champagne. My thoughts immediately turned to Sundays fun-day toast, which was something I had made with Tori on herst birthday. Shed been so excited that she couldnt sleep the night before it, so I took her into the kitchen, and we made a mess along with memories I cherished. As I looked up and saw Jonas typing furiously on hisputer, I realized that it was something he was missing out on, too. He couldnt miss what he never knew he had, I realized, so I turned my attention back to my recipe. I eventually opted to keep things light by going with grand Marnier to macerate the berries. The liquor would give it a citrus kick. Reece soon returned with a trio of strawberries, blueberries, and raspberries. I also wanted orange to zest over the top so as she began to prepare those, I quickly dashed back into the small pantry to grab the liquor and the other piece of fruit. When I returned, Jonas was gone. I wasnt sure whether he nned to return or not, and I honestly hoped he wouldnt. Oliver had been quite the critic of not only my dishes but all of the other contestants as well. He knew vorbinations, and technique, and had a refined pte which was likely the reason hed been hired to oversee thispetition with Jonas. I have a few strawberries left over, Reece told me, and I almost told her to put them back until I thought of a ting design. No, keep them here. We can cut them into roses and soak them in leftover Grand Marnier. We can then use them on the side as an edible garnish. Never put anything inedible on a te, my first cooking teacher had drilled into my head from day one. This would be both beautiful and taste delicious. It would also hopefully help elevate me to the top of the list. Reece used to defer tasks like this to me, but wed worked on ting techniques a lot over the years and she could turn the fleshy fruit into a flower even better than I could. I watched as she so effortlessly worked on the first one, then I turned to sneak a peek at mypetitors. They were turning out to be fiercepetition. I quickly turned back around so no one would see me staring. Thest thing I wanted was for any of them to pay attention to what I was doing. It didnt look like anything extravagant going on at the two stations I had nced at, which set my mind at ease. I focused on my custard for my French toast, then sliced the brioche into thick slices. I soaked them in the liquid, but I knew they wouldnt get soggy. I had perfected this dish over the years, and I realized it had been a while since I had made it. Oftentimes, I cooked and baked for others while doing the minimum for myself. I couldnt even remember thest time I had brunch, even though we used to have them a lot on Saturdays while growing up. I made sure my griddle pan was hot, then I ced the sliced bread onto it and cooked all six pieces until they were browned evenly on both sides. I had a thing about tes, and I made sure to grab ones that were slightly curved on each side, so by the time the berries and sauce were added to them, none of it would leak over the side. Two minutes, Oliver warned. Thankfully, I was almost done. I quickly whipped up a small batch of sweetened cream and ced a dollop atop the boozy berries. I then used the strawberry roses as a garnish and had just wiped thest errant drop of liquid from the te when he called time. Jonas never returned for that judging, and I hoped he stayed gone for the other. The night before, I had almost given in to him right in the stairwell where anyone couldve caught us, and someone did. I was so relieved that someone had intervened before I threw what little virtue I possessed away for him. And damn, how I wanted to. Jonas had an uncanny ability to make me forget all rhyme and reason. He was so seductive, and even though I knew he was a jerk, somehow, it only made me want him more. As memories of his fingers inside of me and his mouth on mine came rushing back, I reached over for a clean towel to dab my forehead. Reece nced over at me once or twice, and I could tell by her smirk that she knew what had gotten me all hot and bothered. I was d when we were told to concoct something else for brunch that included one cold element. Stop staring at me, I told her with a knowing smirk. The asshole wasnt even there and yet he still managed to affect me. Were going to make a lime granita with a pistachio shortbread. After the heavier earlier submission, I wanted to showcase some of my other techniques, and who wouldnt like something cold and refreshing to share with a batch of cookies? Baking those was something else I tended to do with Tori when in Arizona. She loved being in the kitchen, and it always made my heart swell with pride to see her enjoying the same things I did. The same things her birth mother did. Sixty-Nine I had to stop referring to her as mine because the truth was that she had been signed away. I was just so thankful I got to watch her grow up and be a part of her life. If she had been adopted by anyone else, I wouldve missed her very first. I was there when she said her first word took her first step went to her first day of school lost her first tooth had her first haircut Those things might not mean much to a lot of others, but they meant the world to me. I forced myself to stop thinking about her and turned my attention back to the cookies. The recipe was a tried and true one, and something I often baked when cateringrge events like Kristopher Simon and Hayley Bankss wedding. I still couldnt believe I hadnt put two and two together until itd been almost toote. I never came in contact with the man whod been a reminder of my past. I had wanted nothing to do with Jonas Cournd, at least untilst night. I scowled and threw the ingredients into the mixer. Id only needed all-purpose flour, powdered sugar, salt, unsalted butter, unsalted pistachios, an egg yolk, and fresh vani. As they all mixed, I looked over at Reece who was currently working with the lime. I then decided that I wanted to elevate what would be the frozen concoction, so I went back to the makeshift pantry and grabbed the bottle of rum. When I returned to my station and opened the bottle, a voice nearly made me jump out of my shoes. Drinking this early? Jonas asked. I couldnt decide whether I was mad that he returned or not, so I looked up at him and rolled my eyes. Im sure Im not the first woman youve driven to drink. He chuckled, but the smile he tried to force didnt make it to his gorgeous eyes. You mustve had a rough night, he remarked, then leaned in closer as he dropped his voice to a whisper. I thought about you and what we started in the stairwell, too. My face med a bright shade of red, but other than that involuntary action, I rolled my eyes. Actually, I whispered back, my night was never better. This drink is more in celebration of the bullet I dodged. His smile morphed into a scowl and I turned away from him. I shouldnt be baiting the very man who held my culinary career in his very hands. Even Reece looked over at me and shook her head. I decided at that point to remove the shortbread dough, and I spent the next several minutes rolling it out before cutting out evenly shaped rounds. Reece continued working on the granita. She started by bringing the water and sugar to a boil, then reduce the heat. By the time I had put the cookies into the oven, she was mixing the juice of the limes into the syrup and I quickly added a few teaspoons of the rum before she brought the mixture to the st chiller. As she did that, I went in search of some sses and small tes, then returned to our station. I could smell the cookies, and after peering through the oven door, I pulled them out so they could cool. I had the perfect sses for the granita, and after making a sugar rim, I put them into the regr freezer to keep them cool. There were still seven otherpetitors and I wanted to make sure my frozen part of the challenge wouldnt melt before they had a chance to taste it. Knowing Jonas, he would save my stuff forst for no other reason outside of his desire to watch me squirm. Even now, I couldnt forget how his fingers felt so natural inside of me as if my body was made for his touch. Hed kissed me, touched my breasts, and had nearly gotten me off right there when I was miraculously saved from myself. The devils in you, Mackenzie, my father had told me that day in the hospital. Hed then go on to tell me a lot more about sin, including the fact that I needed to rid myself of all traces of it before it killed me. Those words hadnt stuck with me until now. I nced over to where Jonas was and could see him smiling freely as he talked to Leeann. The woman was very promiscuous, but from what I heard, she did possess a lot of talent in the kitchen. She was a very realpetition and as a twang of jealousy rose inside of me, I realized it was more than just this culinarypetition. I didnt want to care about what he did, and with whom, but a part of me couldnt help it. I was doomed to repeat the actions ofst night if I didnt find a way to stop it now. The impending sense of panic was already welling up inside of me, and the longer I watched the two, the harder my heart began to beat. I tried controlling my breathing, but it was bing more erratic. Pain gripped my chest and even as tears welled up in my eyes, I couldnt stop it from squeezing me tighter. A thin sheen of perspiration rose on my skin and Reece had to have noticed how white and mmy Id be because she quickly dragged me away from everyone and into the pantry area.C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org. Its going to be okay, Kenzie, she tried to assure me, but my entire body was shaking by this point. This cant be happening now, I bemoaned, and she tried to shush me as she pulled me into her arms. Reece rubbed my back and rocked slightly with me. Shed seen me in this sort of state more often than she shouldve ever had to, but it never changed her opinion of me. Shed been the only true friend I had ever had in my life, and I realized at that moment that if I got this contract, I was going to let her go. It wouldnt be because I didnt appreciate everything shed done for me over these years, but more because she deserved so much more than Id offered her so far. I would front her half of the expenses while she tried to break into the industry in which she belonged, the one that held her heart. As I imagined her strutting down the catwalk during one of those fashion week shows, my breathing began to even out. I then pictured her face gracing the covers of all those magazines she subscribed to and left all over the apartment. Reece deserved to live her dreams, and I would make sure to support her every step of the way with them. Eventually, I used my happiness for her as an anchor and was soon pulling away. What happened, Reece asked, knowing that there were triggers to these attacks, even though a few dide on without any notice. Nothing that matters all that much now. I saw Jonas with Leeann and knowing what lengths she would go tond this contract I stopped, unsure of how to even exin what Id been feeling other thaning out and just admitting the obvious. I just sort of freaked out thinking about her sleeping with him for this gig. Thats why you should up your game, Kenzie. Keep him too distracted to mess with skanks like her. I shook my head. I hadnt told Kenzie about the night before, and I wasnt sure I wanted to. I am thinking this game might be the wrong move. If you think that, then- I do. I want to make him suffer, but this isnt the way to go about it. I realized that now, but when we returned to our stations and I saw him being equally as friendly with another of the female chefs, that earlier jealousy returned. I refused to give it life, and soon we were given a two-minute warning. As Reece went to get the granita from the st chiller, I took the cookies and began to fumble around with my ting, not liking any of the ways the final product looked. I even broke a few of the shortbread cookies in the process and was immediately d I had baked almost a half dozen extra ones. Reece brought me a new set of tes and seeing the spot it had for the ss, I waited for her to set them in ce before I spread out a small stack of cookies beside it. I then finished with a simple garnish of lime. I hadnt realized when Reece had found the time earlier, but she had cut them into a tulip shape, and I knew it drew attention to a dish that would keep me in thispetition. Seventy The buzzer finally sounded, and everyone stepped away from their dishes. As I had suspected earlier, Jonas did save mine forst, and I was thankful to have frozen the sses first. The three judges all remarked on the delicateness of the granita and the crunch of the cookies. All in all, I was pleased with what I put out until I ended up in the bottom three. Itll be okay, Reece told me once I was told to join the other two chefs in front. I walked and took my ce beside them, not missing the catty remark Leeann let out as I passed by her. I stood tall and held my head up high. I knew I had a great dish, so I chose to channel that confidence. The seconds of silence threatened to unravel it somewhat, but finally, Oliver spoke. There was one set of dishes that were good enough to advance. Mackenzie, you can go back to your station. Jonathan and Celeste, your time in thispetition are over. I released the breath I had been holding and hurried back to the safety of my station. Reece hugged me, and I watched the two eliminated contestants as they left the room. Celeste had been the one Jonas had been talking tost, and inwardly, arger part of me was d she had been sent home so she couldnt be near him again, rather than her leaving because of the threat she posed to my culinary future. Jonass [POV] There had been no festivities tonight. A problem had arisen with one of my other hotels, and I was trying my best to not have to leave thispetition. After todays challenges, I knew Oliver had wanted to send Mackenzie home, but I had overridden it. Did I do it because I thought she was the best chef there? No, I had done it for more scious and selfish purposes. I knew deep inside that I wouldnt see her again once thepetition was over, so I wanted her to stay in it as long as she could. If I ended up having to jet off to California, her time here could be finished tomorrow, and she would leave without either of us getting what both of us wanted. She was here for more than a roll in the sheets with me. I knew how much she wanted this contract, but I also knew women and there was no way she could tell me there wasnt an attraction between us and not be lying. I sure as hell would never admit to not wanting a desirable woman, including a past lover I had almost driven to her death. The more I reminded myself of that day on the roof, the more I hated Kristopher for releasing that tape. Hed been the one to set up the camera equipment while I had been seducing her on the dance floor during the prom. Something had told me to call it all off, but I was young and stupid, and shed been my greatest conquest. Since I had gotten into sex, Id never had any problem in getting it until it came to her. She was a challenge in more ways than one. She also had been a friend, and that was something no other woman Id bedded had been. I dont trust that you wont alter the film, hed told me. Against my better judgment, I had told him to set it up. I then went through with it all, and as she had drifted off to sleep in my arms that night after I had destroyed her innocence, I had briefly wanted more with her. I never got to know whether that fleeting thought had been a subconscious desire, or just some post-orgasmic foolishness on my part because Kristopher uploaded the video for all to see. I had never thought he meant to make it public. I had fooled myself into believing it was just him needing to see and verify that it had happened. I shouldve known better, but I didnt, and a girl I liked nearly jumped to her death. Id never been more scared of anything that day. When I thought she might leap from the building, fear gripped me so hard. Thankfully, she had not, and I tried alleviating my guilt by reminding myself of that. Itd been a substitute at the time, but now, I didnt know. She turned out well, and I couldnt help but think it was despite, rather than because of me. I hate you, shed told me not long ago. I smirked. She might think that, but her body said something altogether different. My cock hardened as I remembered the way she wantonly rubbed herself against me in the stairwell. Kenzie wanted me, and it was no secret I wanted to bang her like a screen door in a storm. I dropped my head and took a deep breath. It was bad form to mix business with pleasure, and that was essentially what I would be doing with her if I followed through on seducing her. As much as I knew that, something inside of me was scratching and wing its way out. Id always had urged, as far back as I could remember, but I couldnt tell when theyd first started and why. I used to go to my uncles cabin each summer. Logan used to as well until hed gotten old enough to stay home and get a job. I loved going to the mountains in New York City, but then I didnt. I still couldnt remember why, though. All wasnt bad because itd been where Id met a number of the men who called themselves Titans.All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. These guys were my friends and one of the main reasons I moved back to the city all those years ago. I used to think it was because of Cournd Hospitality Group, but I couldve relocated it all to California, yet I didnt. As much as I loved Manhattan and the life I had created here, having to drop it all for even a week was bing more than I could take and itd only been a few days. I only had a few more to go before Id be back in my current lifestyle. While it shouldve been bearable, my cock was so fucking hard, and my hand was doing little to help with things. I know Anton, Caspian, Mason, and Kristopher liked to tease me about my need for sex, but no one understood the impulsiveness of it. It was almost like a sickness, a drug, or something I couldnt shake loose. I knew my promiscuity was rted to some sort of problem, but it was better to ignore whatever it was versus actually acknowledging it. Deciding that staying in my room and trying to jack myself off to porn wasnt productive, I changed clothes and headed downstairs to the fitness center. It was vacant, which wasnt a surprise to me, so I had my choice of machines. I bypassed all of them and looked over at the punching bags. It would sure as hell burn enough energy off that I might even forget I was celibate for the first time in my sexual history. After I put on a pair of gloves, I started at the speed bags. I gave it a few punches, waiting each time as it would spin before I settled into a routine. Left Left Right Right Right Left I alternated between bags as Inded punch after punch, however, the controlled rhythm didnt resonate with the roiling thoughts inside of me. It was proving to be a good workout, so I focused on it for another fifteen or so minutes before I saw a blonde out of the corner of my eye. Kenzie. I wasnt sure if she had even seen me. She didnt enter the gym, instead walking straight past it and over to one of the saunas. She stopped to read the instructions posted on the door, then slipped into the room beside it. I knew she was in there getting undressed. The sauna required nothing more than a towel and the very thought of her naked body had my cock throbbing. I should leave her alone, and just when I had convinced myself to do exactly that, she emerged with just the white terrycloth wrapped around her curvaceous frame. I could see the swells of her breasts poking out from the top of the towel, and when my gaze moved lower, I also saw her toned thighs. Id nearly been between them the night before and the memory of my fingers inside of her tight, wet pussy had me abandoning my earlier thoughts altogether. I didnt know how long she would be inside there, so I disappeared into the same room, and saw her clothing neatly in a pile on the seat of a chair. Her panties drew my attention right away and I couldnt stop myself from picking them up. They were silk, and I suspected she would feel much like it once I got her onto my sheets. Still unable to exercise any control, I brought them to my nose and inhaled her scent. There was a damp patch on them, and I knew she had been wet and likely came down here to distract herself. Seventy-One Id never believed in letting an opportunity go to waste, so I stripped out of my clothes and grabbed a few towels of my own. I wrapped one around my waist and took the others with me as I entered the sauna. Kenzie had been leaning back with her eyes closed, but when the door opened, hershes fluttered open. Her eyes widened and before she could get up, I set down the other towels and took my ce on the bench below her. She tried to rise to leave, and I stopped her by cing my hand on the top of her thigh. Dont go, I told her. Confusion warred in those cerulean depths, and she sat back down. Are you following me? I chuckled at her question. Would it bother you if I was? I remembered how much she used to hate it when I answered questions with a question. She always gave me the same look she was now, one which was equal parts ring and exasperation. I smirked, especially when she let out a huff. It would because that would make you a stalker. Have you ever been stalked before? I asked, suddenly wanting to make sure she hadnt been before I made things worse. That seemed to be a habit with me. No, she hedged, then turned a slight shade of red. Im just sure that someone like Leeann would appreciate this level of attention more than I would. My grin grew wider. She was jealous. I ran my tongue over my bottom lip, all the while trying to resist the temptation to tug on her quivering one with my teeth. Im not attracted to her, Imented, not even sure why I should have. Hmmm, was all she said before she leaned back and closed her eyes. Whats that for? I asked, then noticed the hint of a smile as she stayed quiet. I shook my head. Women. Id never understood them as long as I lived and breathe. I knew their desires, but outside of that, they were true mysteries, and ones I had stopped trying to solve many years ago. We sat there in rtive silence until she cleared her throat. Do you often pick up women in rooms such as this? I nced up at her, and I could see her looking down at me with fascination. Not particrly, I answered honestly, then added, but there is a first time for everything. Hmmm, she repeated. Are you going to tell me what youre making that noise for? She let out a soft giggle, then shook her head. Again. Women! I went to look away, but when I tried, she moved, and the towel slid farther up her leg. Unable to resist, I reached out and touched her. She practically jumped out of her skin but settled when I started rubbing my fingers up and down her dewy flesh. Your skin is so soft, I told her, not missing the slight hitch in her breath as I moved a little higher this time. Kenzie didnt swat my hand away or even voice a verbal protest, so I leaned in and reced my fingers with my lips. Kenzies [POV] This was more than awkward as we sat there, and I wanted to rail at him for touching me, but the truth was that it felt nice. Most of the men Id been with since he had been so different. I tended to control things when with them, while Jonas flipped the script. After hed hurt me, I wondered if I would ever have sex with anyone again. I was pregnant, so that helped, but after Tori was born, I realized I might be weary, but I wasnt dead. Hed awakened urges inside of me that would no longer stay silent. The first man after him had nearly ended in disaster. I had beenparing the two until I realized how crazy that was. Once I separated my past from my present, I began to enjoy the things my body ached for, including Jonass mouth as it skimmed the inside of my thigh. I was feeling the heat, and not just the kind one would expect to find in a sauna. His touch set my body aze, which was why when he used his hands to raise the towel higher, I didnt even offer an ounce of protest. I shouldve, but Id had trouble gettingst night out of my head. We shouldnt be doing this, I told him when hepped at my salty skin with his tongue. Were two consenting adults, Kenzie, he pointed out, just as he shifted his body so that he was now kneeling in front of me. I knew what he was nning, but did nothing to stop him from undoing the knot in my towel and opening it. I was on full disy, and I didnt miss the way his eyes darkened as he drank the sight of my naked body in. He spread my thighs wider, and when a small bit ofmon sense came back, I mped them closed. He grinned as if my sudden shyness was all a game. Of course, it was to him. I knew howpletely hed nearly destroyed me thest time, yet my core ached to feel him inside. We stayed still for a few seconds, staring directly into each others eyes until he reached around me and drew me in close. His mouth touched mine just as itd donest night. And, as I also did. I offered no resistance to him. His lips were fused to mine and when he thrust his tongue inside, I wrapped my hands around his neck and held him there as I fought for some shred of control. It was all fading as I surrendered to him. He mustve realized when I did because I felt him insert two fingers inside of me. I shouldve pushed him off, but the truth was that it felt too damn good. An urgent need inside of me built, but he kept the mes controlled by the slow and leisurely way he caressed my inner walls with those long digits. His kiss was more desperate, however, and a direct contradiction to his other actions.This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org . That kiss matched the intensity inside me, and when he added a third and fourth finger, I nearly came. Leave it to Jonas to know exactly where my spot was located, and waste no time getting there. Others in the past struggled mightily when it came to things such as that. Jonas had no problem whatsoever, and I knew why. Forcing those reasons out of my head, I focused on the pleasure he was wringing from me. Once he started to rub it firmly under his fingers, I couldnt help but whimper against his lips. I needed to be fucked so badly, and my hand or any toy I owned wouldnt do the job. God, how I hated this man, yet wanted to fuck him something fierce. Jonas stroked that spot and it wasnt long before my entire body tensed as I came. It was such a subdued orgasm, and I needed more. He pulled away and the mes in his gaze matched the color of his hair. I gripped his head, pulling at the shorter strands as he said nothing. He just lowered his head, and I cried out the moment his tongue touched me. Just likest night, anyone could walk in, but I didnt care. When he thrust his tongue inside of me, I cried out his name. It brought me briefly back to our high school days when I had no idea of the ugliness the world possessed or the pleasure his actions would bring. Focusing on thetter, my head lolled from side to side as his tongue was reced once more with his fingers, and hetched on to my clit. Itd been a while since Id had sex, and even longer since I felt a mans mouth on this part of me. Jonas was once attentive and patient, whereas now, he was showing me just how much he wanted me, and we both needed the same thing. He ate me voraciously, and it wasnt long before I wasing for him once more. This time, he increased the speed of his fingers until a smaller, albeit less intense, orgasm ripped through me. I was panting heavily at this point, and when he finally moved away, there was nothing I could say that would be witty or even put the ball back in my court. In the game we were ying, he had taken this round. Or had he? Jonas stood up and once he did, I tugged at his towel until it fell free from his body. Seeing his cock as it bobbed against his toned abdomen, I was briefly reminded of my thoughts the first time I had seen him naked. I had wondered if it would fit, and I quickly learned that it did so perfectly. You have learned a few things with your tongue, I finally remarked, and it earned a grin from him. Seventy-Two He grabbed his cock and my mouth watered to taste him. I was about to reach out and take what I wanted, but he fisted a handful of my hair and pulled me close before I could. Ive been waiting since the night we reunited to feel your hot mouth on me. Suck it, he told me as he brought it to my lips. I finally reached out and swatted his hands away. My tongue darted over my lips and I traced the head of his cock. I could see him shift on his feet and knowing I would need to move lower to fully suck him inside, I moved into position. Jonas offered no protest, and his groan the second my mouth covered his head made me inwardly beam. I teased him momentarily, before I licked him from base to tip over and over, then used my mmy hand to get him even harder. It was like silk on iron. He was so fucking big. I then took him back inside of my mouth and proceeded to show him every little trick I had learned with my tongue, and it wasnt long before he growled out my name, and rewarded me with his seed.C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org. He came so hard, and I was held nearly immobile as he gripped my hair. I wrung every drop from him, and when finished, I gleamed victoriously up at him. As soon as our gazes met, he used my hair to yank me up to my feet. The sharp bite of pain only echoed the one in my core that would never be alleviated until every inch of him was inside of me. Our mouths hovered just inches away from each others and something struck me. Condoms. Do you have one? He hadnt worn them the first night, and naively, I hadnt cared. I did now, however, and I couldnt let anotherpse in judgment result in something so beautiful yet equally heartbreaking at the same time. Fuck, he cursed. He released me from his grip, then turned to pace. I have some in my room. Of course, you do, I replied, then grabbed one of my towels from earlier and wrapped it around me. Unless, he said, then stopped short. There is no unless, I quickly responded. I wont have unprotected sex with you, or anyone else. I dont usually do that, either, he replied flippantly. I watched as he scrubbed his hands down his face, then finally, he turned to me. We can take the service elevator upstairs to my room. It had taken him no time toe up with a solution, and I was sure this service elevator that he spoke of would get much use in this hotel, and it likely did in all of his other locations. In thest few days, I had researched everything I could about him and hispany. If only I had done the same before applying for thispetition, I wouldve never shown up. I would also not be about to take his extended hand and follow him to hisir, either. He grabbed a towel as I did take what he extended, and the two of us slipped out of the sauna. No one was out and about so we were able to make it to the elevator. He pinned me against the wall after hitting his floor key and kept me distracted with that wicked mouth and fingers of his. By the time we made it to the room, I was close toing again. He was either as desperate as I was or he knew because he went right for the box of condoms and had one on in record time. I was then picked up and dropped onto the bed. His entire weight came down on me, but I was able to spread my legs, anyway. He settled between them, and I gasped when he thrust to the hilt in one fluid motion. Fuck, I cried out, then my voice was drowned out by my whimpered mewling as he began driving into me hard and fast. This was exactly what I needed, and I clung to him as if he was my lifeline. I knew the protection he offered was nill, yet I still let him sweep me farther away from rtive safety. His hands moved to my breasts, and he pinched, squeezed, and massaged them while mming into me, hisrge cock hitting my back wall with each thrust. I was so close, and a few secondster, my entire body seized up. Iming, I moaned, seconds before I shattered. He lowered his chest over me, the angle of pration now different enough to trigger another. He buried his head between my neck and shoulder, and shortly after, he came as well. He then released what sounded like an arrogant chuckle, but I was too exhausted over the multiple orgasms to care. I closed my eyes and waited until he pulled out to reopen them. Once I did, I saw him discard the used condom and grab another foil packet. My eyes widened, and he smirked. As hed done our only other night together, I knew he intended to fuck me as many times as he could. I shouldve protested, but when he rolled me onto my belly, my body betrayed me. It wasnt long before he was pushing into me from behind. He weaved his hands back into my hair and pulled it like I knew he liked to do. I lifted my ass and let him fuck me to another couple of orgasms before he found his release. Id always wondered if he had truly experienced pleasure with me that first night, seeing as I was so inexperienced, but I harbored no thoughts about that this time. He was as equally sated by me, as I was by him. There was no question to be asked or even internally debated. The only one that remained was whod be the one to walk away first this time. Remembering our prom night, I needed to make sure it was me. Iy there for a while, pretending to sleep. When his entire body rxed, I looked over at Jonas in his light state of slumber, and I knew all I would have to do was touch his cock and hed likely reawaken. I slowly and deliberately slipped out of bed, found a shirt of his, then did the walk of shame back to my room. Reece was sound asleep when I stepped inside, so I quickly slipped into bed and closed my eyes. This time, I remembered the two of us how we now were, and the memories would hopefully not hurt me as much ten yearster. Id been groggy as hell when I woke up, and my limbs were sore, too. The rest I managed to get did nothing to erase what I had done with Jonas Cournd. As I rolled over in bed and pped at my phone to turn off the rm, I wasnt sure whether I regretted what had happened between us or not. The longer Iy there, the more I did. I was supposed to fuck with his head, not fall into his bed. What have I done? I bemoaned. Hopefully what I think that you did, Reece said when she emerged from the bathroom. I hadnt even realized she was up, and wondering if I had managed to oversleep, I scrambled upright in a panic. Oh my God. What time is it? I was freaking out, thinking Id end up like those other chefs on the first day of thepetition. They werete and subsequently canned. Dont worry, she told me as she sat down on the edge of my bed. I couldnt sleep. All I keep thinking about was yesterday. Me too, I responded. Good. She seemed relieved, and I didnt know why until she continued. Being in the bottom three sucked monkey balls. We have to do better today. Okay. So, we were not talking about not forgetting the same thing. She was thinking about thepetition, while I was still in some blissful type of post-orgasmic haze. Yeah, that too. Too? Reece asked, and I realized where I had erred. Just where did you gost night? I tried to y it off. I went to use one of the saunas downstairs. And And, what? I found one, stayed inside of it longer than I should have, and came back upstairs. Bullshit, she spat out, but not in anger. Youre lying. Im not lying. I did go upstairs, just not to this room initially. Reece pped her hands together once. Does this mean what I think it does? I fell back against my pillows. I slept with Jonas. God, what have I done? Reece climbed into bed with me and pulled me into her arms. You mightve saved our asses. I was thinking we needed toe up with some killer recipes for a bunch of different things and pray that any could be used in whatever todays challenge ended up being, but now- Seventy-Three Now, nothing, I said. I didnt sleep with him for any unfairpetitive advantage. If I had, I would be no better than he was back in high school. I mightve been ying a game with him, but not that type.All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. I didnt mean it like that, she rified. Inquiring minds have to know, though. Know what? This was a prime example of why I didnt confide too much about my sex life to anyone, including my only friend in the world. You know, she responded, then gave me a nudge. How was he in bed? The same? Better? Or worse than you remember? Oh! I supposed I could talk about that. It wasnt as if my crimson cheeks didnt say enough already. He was even better than I remembered. And, he was right about his tongue. I then let out a sigh. There was likely a good damn reason why he was so good when it came to having sex, and that was practice. I was sure he had a harem of women in every city he went to. Hed never hurt for a date back then and now that he was a billionaire, I doubted he had any problems now either. Besides being sexy as hell, he was flirtatious, enigmatic, and very confident, so much so that his arrogance became part of his charm. How I had wanted to wipe that smirk off of his face. I had tried, but ultimately, I believed I failed because if I knew him, he was likely lying in bed, grinning as he thought about how easily I allowed him to seduce me again. I dont think we have anything to worry about, but if youre still unsure, lets get our ducks in a row before we go downstairs. Can I at least shower? I asked her, and when she let me go, I wriggled out of bed. I grimaced once or twice at the soreness, and when I made it to the bathroom, I almost hated to wash his fingerprints off of me. I turned to the sides and could see where hed gripped my hips while fucking me. It hadnt felt so rough at the time, but seeing as I bore evidence of it now, I knew that he was. When I turned on the water, I was still surprised at how hot it got so quickly. I shook my head and stepped under the spray. I expelled a few breaths, then leaned back against the cooler wall of tile, my thoughts immediately returning to the night before. Id never be able to erase those memories from my mind, and that made me scowl. Of all damn men to give the time of day to, why oh why had I allowed it to be him. My hands moved to my breasts and I squeezed them much as he had, but my touchcked his finesse. They physically ached, as did the area between my legs. My core clenched, and as much as I was reminded of him fucking me, I knew I had a few more days to endure. Unfortunately, that was exactly how many of them I had left before thispetition was over. My thoughts then turned to something Reece had said, and while she pretended I had misinterpreted her, I suspected I had hit the nail right on the head. She thought my sleeping with him would at least keep us in thepetition longer. After all, he seemed to be settled in here and I hadnt seen any other woman taking a walk of shame out of here, so he had to be alone. I could fuck him every night until the end, but if he chose someone else over me after that I didnt even want to think about it. I needed this contract even more than the others did. Most of them worked in area restaurants, while I catered out of my studio apartment and scrimped and scratched for every cent I could, just to make ends meet. The clothes and confidence I tried to wear since arriving here were nothing more than a facade encouraged by my bestie. I wasnt this promiscuous dick-tease, and I certainly didnt even have my ducks in a row. Hell, most of them had taken off, and I was left with a wounded one and possibly a few pigeons. Jonas had this impression I was all put together, but it was the farthest thing from the truth. He didnt know how fucked up I was in the head. As it was, I took a cocktail of medicine, and without it, I was likely to go off the rails and hurt myself, if not someone else. Despite it, I epted my condition and tried my best to live a normal life, but the fear that gripped me about losing control was never far from my mind. Trust was taboo for me after what Jonas did to me. I let out a sarcasticugh. He had be as sessful as I always knew he would, and if things had been different and Id been more to him than some toy, then maybe we mightve ended up together after all. If we had, though, I would be the one lying in bed at four a. m. each night, unable to reach him. Hed be off at clubs and parties with other women in his arms, and Id be at home with the same hole in my chest that I left that roof with. Itd always end up that way unless one of us did something to alter fate. Could I set things straight with him now so that everything would be out on the table? I wanted to, and knowing what I had to do, I grabbed the soap and began to wash. I needed him to know thatst night had just been two adults acting on impulse and not some calcted move by me to further my stock. If I won the contract, I needed to know I had done it on my own, and not because he liked the way I deep-throated his cock. His taste was so addictive, and Id be lying if I said I didnt want to touch him more. I want him. God help me, but I do. I buried my face in my hands, and when the water ran cold, I turned it off, then got out of the shower. I needed to talk to Jonas before thepetition advances. It was the only way Id be able to even concentrate today. Seventy-Four Jonass [POV] I was slightly disappointed I didnt get to wake up with Kenzie this morning. It was the first time I had felt something like that for anyone, and honestly, it left quite a sour taste in my mouth. Rolling out of bed, I trudged to the bathroom and turned on the shower. As I let the water run, I quickly brushed my teeth and had been about to get inside when I heard a knock on my door. I threw one of the oversized bath towels around my waist, then walked to the door. I wasnt expecting room service, and when I peeked through the peephole, I smirked and opened the door. I was just thinking about how regretful I was to not wake up beside you this morning, Kenzie. Come on in. She hedged slightly; her gaze fixated on mine until it wasnt. I noticed where her eyes had dropped, and I couldnt help but continue to grin at her. She wanted me. That much was obvious as she gazed hungrily at me. My cock hardened as I pictured pushing her to her knees and fucking that sweet mouth again. This morning, being gentle with her was out of the question. I would hold her head still, then fuck her until she swallowed every drop, and then some. Are you going toe inside? She quickly nodded, then stepped past me. I closed the door and leaned against it as she walked to the center of the room and turned around. I think we need to talk. Oh no! Not those infamous words. No good conversation between a man and a woman ever started with them. I arched a brow at her before responding, Therere better things I can think of us doing with our mouths. Im sure there is, she retorted, then continued. But Im serious. We need to talk aboutst night. We didnt, so I let out a partially frustrated sigh. What happenedst night waspletely natural and- Yes, yes. I know. I need you to know that whatever I did with youst night wasnt some ploy to try to influence your decision about the She trailed off, and I knew where she was heading with it. I never thought it was, Kenzie. I normally didnt mix business with pleasure, at least more than once, but as I eyed her in what I hade to expect her to wear in the kitchen, I wanted to with her. And often. G-good, she stammered, then shed me a polite smile. Before I knew it, she was headed back to the door. I blocked her way and when she looked up at me, I stared down into her eyes. I wanted to kiss her. Hell, I wanted to bend her over the nearby table and fuck her, too. Her lush lips parted as if she was debating on saying something. I reached around her head and pulled her close. Before she could do more than hitch her breath, my mouth was on hers. She was hesitant at first, but as I licked the seam of her lips, they parted, allowing me to work my tongue into her mouth. She was putty in my hands by the time she fully relented. Deepening the kiss, I still held her head immobile, especially when I pinned her against the closed door. Her small hands moved up my bare chest, and I wanted to feel more of her skin against mine. They moved up and down my frontside until she reached around me and gripped my shoulders instead. I pulled away and trailed kisses down her neck, once or twice, even burying my head in that delectable crook of her neck. Her moans soon turned to cries, especially once I dipped a hand in the front of her pants. I need to go downstairs, she managed to get out, and I smirked against her flesh. Youre not expected down there for another hour. Stay with me, I said, not sure if it was more like a question than amand. I Ahh she said, and when I bit down on her throbbing pulse, she cried out, Jonas! Youre not ying fair. I loved to hear my name on her lips. Almost everyone else called me JC, but never her. I had tried once or twice back in high school to get her to do so, yet she never would. There were so many ways she was different than everyone else I yed with. While some dly epted their ce in my world, she had not only challenged me at every turn, but she made sure to show me in so many ways how she didnt belong there, and never would. It shouldve been a turn-off, but it had the opposite effect. Kenzie made me want to prove to her that she did. I bit along her soft skin, while slowly working her pants halfway down her thighs. I continued to kiss her as I removed her top, then her bra. Take your clothes off and join me in the shower. This time, I didnt stall. I told her exactly what I wanted her to do, and I was more than pleased when she gave me a nod. I dropped my towel and watched as she swallowed hard. She was still a bit shy around me, and I had to admit it turned me on even more. Once she was naked, I grabbed a condom from the pile on the table, then motioned with my hand for her to go first. I pped her ass as she crossed the threshold of the bathroom. Last night, I had envisioned spreading her cheeks apart and fucking her there, too. While shed once been tall and gangly, she now had a curvaceous frame that made men like me want to explore every inch of it. God, I was hard enough to bust right now if I kept thinking along those lines. I had to be inside of her, and it didnt even matter where. I tore the foil packet at record speed and had my cock sheathed before she could even fully enter the ss stall. I quickly followed and picking up where we had just left off, I pinned her against the wall and kissed her once more. This time, my hands went directly to her pussy, and secondster, I inserted three fingers inside of her. She whimpered against my lips as they went straight for the kill. It didnt take long before I had her shaking in my arms. The moment she came, I pulled them away, then lifted her body and pushed inside of her. She was still in the throes of an orgasm, her inner walls mping down around my cock as I tried to work it in. Kenzie was so fucking tight, and she felt like heaven. She also felt like hell. It was an irresistiblebination that had me needing to focus so that I didnte like the schoolboy she remembered me being once upon a time.This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. I thrust into her, hard and deep, while my tongue tangled with hers. I loved when she touched me, so when she dug her nails into my shoulder, I didnt even flinch. It made me m into her even harder. Fuck! She was killing my restraint, especially once she began raking her nails down my back. She was making sure she left her mark, and I supposed most of the women I slept with had tried to do the same. Unlike all of them, she didnt have to try nearly as hard, but I sure as hell wouldnt fault her for trying. The bite of pain from her ministrations only made me harder. How in the hell have I gone without this all these years, I asked the second I pulled away. I didnt want to see the pain in her eyes when shed think about the reasons, so I buried my face against her neck before I decreased the speed of my thrusts. What Icked in speed, I didnt in power. I was fucking her so hard I was surprised a tile or two hadnt cracked in the process. Jonas, she cried out momentster as her second orgasm swept over her. She was so tight that I had to truly fight my way inside of her. I needed to feel every inch of her wrapped around me. Lifting her even higher, I changed the angle of pration and fucked her to a third before I growled, then came inside of her. Well, inside the condom. I came so damn hard, however, that I wouldnt be surprised if it spilled over. That very thought shouldve had me scared, yet with her, it didnt. I didnt know what the hell was going on with me when it came to Kenzie. Yes, I regretted what I had once done to her. Because of that, I shouldnt even want to be with her now, and certainly notter on. Somewhere inside my head, I hadnt dismissed the possibility, and that shouldve made my balls shrivel up in fear. It didnt. It had to just be this moment. Disappointed to let it end, it finally did when I pulled out of her. Waking up to sex is even better than coffee, I remarked with a grin. Color flooded her cheeks, but she stayed silent. I disposed of the condom, then proceeded to wash the two of us before helping her out of the shower. She wouldnt let me towel dry her, so I busied my hands as I dried off myself. She soon disappeared into the bedroom and by the time I joined her, she was already dressed. I could see how nervous she was, which was almostical, considering all that wed done in here, the sauna, and even the stairwell the other night. Seventy-Five Never pictured you as the fuck-and-duck type, Kenzie. She turned at that moment and leveled me with a re. I learned from the best back in high school. Touche, I responded, then walked over to the closet to pull something out to wear. She stared at me briefly, then smiled. Im sorry. I hadnt nned to do that when I came up She stopped, but I knew what she was about to say. Its cool, I told her, then added, but could we go another round? I was teasing, but her stricken expression was worth it. I need to go meet up with Reece. I just wanted you to know that I wasnt doing any of this for any type ofpetitive advantage. Of course not, I answered. I had no idea why she would think Id suspect her of that. Leeann DeSoto had tried, and it was one of the reasons I had rebuffed her attempts every time. Were professionals, Kenzie. She let out a small breath, then headed to the door. Kenzie disappeared through the door and once it was closed, I threw on some clothes and handled a few phone calls including one for the Seattle project. It appeared like Ill have to spend a lot of time in the Pacific Northwest soon. Before I could, however, I had to wrap up thest loose end here at CHG Seaport. That task was what had me grabbing my things to go downstairs. Kenzies [POV] Reece had been smirking at me since I hade back to our room. It wouldnt have taken a rocket scientist to know why, but I ignored her teasing jabs. Her fears when I had first woken up were valid, and I needed to take my mind off of a certain redhead and ce it all on the challenge ahead. There were very fewpetitors left in thepetition so my chance to score the contract was improving. I wished that wouldve made me less nervous, but it didnt. It scared me even more. There was a certain expression I had always heard growing up, and even now, it still made my face scrunch up in disgust. Always a bridesmaid, but never a bride. It was true. I was always good enough to fuck, but not to settle down with. And it wasnt just my love life where I always seemed to be a runner-up. I had applied to more kitchens than I could count when I first made it to New York City, and each time, I had gone for multiple interviews only to finishst in the end. I never got those jobs, but women like Leeann DeSoto did. The restaurant where she currently worked had passed me over for her. Youre looking lost, Kenzie, Reece whispered, and I realized I was just standing there in the pantry, staring off into space. Im okay. Im just trying to find the ginger. I- Its right here, she told me, then reached around me to grab the fibrous root from the shelf. Thanks. I grabbed it from her, then headed back to our station. We were supposed to put together a three-course meal using inspiration from at least five different cultures. I had chosen to do a Mexican tbread for the first course, followed up with ginger chicken tacos and a slice of barbecued pork banh mi, andstly an apple strudel for dessert. I would be incorporating Italian, Latin, Asian, American, and German influences into my courses. Thankfully, a lot of the vors I nned to use could be incorporated into different types of cuisine. My culinary training in Europe was going to pay dividends here. A lot of the other chefs in thepetition tended to cook the same types of food, so I hoped this would set me apart and not be too ambitious toplete. I returned to my station and ignored his searing gaze Jonass and started to prepare the ginger for the tacos. Reece soon took her ce beside me and as she worked on getting the proteins seasoned and ready, I did the same for the vegetables. This far in thepetition, it was important to have nothing out of ce. Every cut and chop had to be perfectly uniformed, and nothing could be under or over-seasoned. If anything was, I would be walking out of this hotel today. I wondered if Jonas would potentially seek me out after thispetition was over, and I shook my head wryly. Of course, he wouldnt. I looked back down at the cutting board and cursed. Reece stopped what she was doing and looked over at me just as I scraped the oregano into the trash can. I had chosen the wrong kind. Mistakes like this would end my chance at survival in this city and business. I shook my head at her, then hurried back to the pantry to find the correct kind. I returned, washed my cutting board, then picked back up where I left off. Once I had all the different herbs chopped, I pushed them off to the sides. Recing that board with another, this time I began to peel and chop the apples. My great grandfather was German, and this dessert was one that my grandmother used to make for him until his death. It was the only dish of mine that didnt include some other element in it, but I was confident that the vors would exin why. This recipe was special to my family, and as such, I didnt want to tinker with it. I knew exactly how it would look, smell, and taste. I just hoped the judges would appreciate the sentimental value of this dessert. Once I got it all in the pan, I ced it in one of the ovens. When the counter was sparkling clean, thats when I decided to get the things out to make a vani ice cream. A good apple strudel had to have that. I would also dust it with powdered sugar, and my mouth was already watering thinking about how good it would taste. My opinion wasnt the one that mattered, however, and when I nced over at Leeanns station, I could see her holding out a fork of something for Jonas. Whatever shed prepared, he seemed happy enough with it. He even grabbed a second bite. I rolled my eyes slightly, then turned to the rest of the items I needed to prepare. Most of the meat was already cooking, and the prep was all done, so I moved closer to Reece and started to carefully inspect every element. Dont pay her any attention, Kenzie. Leeann is a slut, and everyone knows it. It doesnt appear that you were the only one getting busyst night. I normally didnt care about gossip, but I looked up at Reece. What? Had Jonas fucked her first, then me? Or was I the starting course? Bile rose in my throat. No, not him, she quickly replied, which rxed me slightly. Then who? Oliver, Reece answered, and I looked over at the man standing beside Jonas. Damn! And while I hadnt fucked Jonas for any advantage, I would never be able to say the same about her. Oliver was grinning from ear to ear, and I could see how happy he was with whatever she was now letting him a sample. Things like this were exactly the reason I would never get ahead. She had tried to put the moves on Jonas, and when it didnt work, she moved on to another judge. Sometimes, Jonas would disappear during the taste testing and if he did now, Oliver would likely award Leeann the entirepetition. I wanted to cry at the unfairness of it all, but the two men were walking straight toward me. I smiled when they reached my station, and then onmand, I exined what I would be serving them. Oliver seemed preupied and I knew why.All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. A small pit formed in my stomach, but I pretended to be calm and collected. Jonas at least seemed interested enough in what I was serving, and after my description, the two left. I let out a harsh exhale, and Reece looked at me in question. I shrugged. Neither had asked for a taste and when I had suggested letting them sample the menu, both had declined. I didnt let that bother me and just focused on preparing everything. The ting was on point, and I knew I had married the vors to perfection. I was very confident going into the judging aspect of it, but it all dissipated when Oliver kept finding fault with anything he could. And it wasnt just mine that he did. He criticized everyone except for Leeann who got rave reviews for the simplest of dishes. Youve given us all a lot to think about. We need an hour to talk this over. I have a bartender at the downstairs bar, so get yourselves a drink, Jonas told us, and we all filed out of thepetition area. Seventy-Six I was so nervous and a bit lightheaded. I needed to get my medicine, so I excused myself and walked up to my room. I was always very careful to keep up with all my prescriptions because they were so vital to me and my mental health. That was why when I got to my room, I was surprised to not see my bag there. I looked in the closet, under the beds, the bathroom, and even around the room. Dont panic, I thought as I tried to remember where Id had itst. The morning came into focus and I remembered grabbing it on my way upstairs to see Jonas. I had left my bag in his room when wed had sex earlier. I pped my hand against my face. I couldnt just go up to his room, and I knew Id have to think of a reason to returnter. For now, I needed to remain calm. I did do one more search of my room to be sure, then returned downstairs. Reece was at the bar and talking animatedly to someone on her phone. I left her there and walked to the nearby bathroom. When I opened the door, I heard hushed voices and stopped to listen. Ollie told me I have this in the bag, Leeann was telling her sous chef. The women cackled, but I stayed quiet. What about MacKenzie? Jonas seems to like her a lot. I noticed he gravitates toward her at events, the woman asked, obviously not as confident as Leeann. He probably just wants to fuck her. He has worked his way through most of New York City over the years, so its not surprising that he would eventually turn to the gutter. They bothughed, and I wanted to say something so badly, but I willed myself to stay still and more importantly, quiet. Ollie will convince him to pick me. He would rather be anywhere but here, and the sooner he decides, the sooner this can be over for him. I did also sweeten the pot by suggesting what Ill do with him once this is over. I had heard enough. I needed to tell Jonas. I didnt want to do this because it would help me, but because it was wrong. It was hical if anything else, and as I slowly slipped away, I realized having sex with him also fell into that category. I was about to join Reece, but I thought back to this morning. I had not done anything with him because I had wanted some sort of advantage. We have history, and like every other dumb mistake in my past, I had allowed it to repeat itself. My heart pounded wildly in my chest, and the pain that came out of nowhere nearly doubled me over. I was sweating profusely, and the flight instinct was strong inside of me. That small voice told me to flee, but I wouldnt repeat the same mistakes of the past. I had to see this through. I also had a responsibility to warn him about Leeann. As I kept telling myself that, I headed back to thepetition area. The judges were still in deep conversation. I rounded the corner, unseen, and as I opened my mouth to speak, Jonass words had me stopping in my tracks. I agree. Leeann has put out the most consistent dishes in thepetition so far. I need to turn this restaurant over to someone I know can handle it. Shes been an executive chef for several years, whereas Kenzie just cooks on the side. Cooks on the side? I wanted to march over there and tell him catering was much more than that. The only thing stopping me was that he seemed to havee to that conclusion on his own and without Olivers prompting. He truly didnt want me for anything more than a ything. I stepped back and just as I was about to spin around, my shoe scuffed the floor and all three judges turned to me. Kenzie? he asked, and I dropped my gaze. I couldnt stand there and let him see me cry, and I was perilously close to doing exactly that. I swallowed hard, then bolted. I ran past the two women exiting the bathroom and ignored their snickering. They didnt even know what upset me, but I knew Leeann would put the pieces together. I heard Jonas call my name, but I was able to get into the elevator. I needed my medicine pronto. I had no idea how I would get it, but once the door closed in front of Jonas Cournds sexy face, I pped the button for the top floor where his room was. Once the doors opened, I ran to his suite. I toyed with the handle and tried to jolt it open, but it was no use. I needed a key, which I didnt have. The earlier panic returned twofold, and I banged my head against the hard frame a few times. It was then that I remembered a movie that Reece had dragged me to a few months before. It had thieves in it, and I remembered how they used paper to jimmy open a locked hotel room door. I was about to discard that idea. I didnt have it was then that I remembered the list of dishes Reece and I hadpiled. Reaching into my back pocket, I pulled the page out and folded it in half. The movie characters only needed a few seconds to do what took me nearly two minutes to do. Once I had the door opened, I slipped inside. I didnt see my bag out in the open and thinking maybe I had grabbed it before leaving, I was about to admit defeat. As I walked around the small sofa to the door, I nearly tripped over something but caught myself just in time. When I looked down, I let out a sigh of relief at the sight of my purse. I scrambled to unzip it, then I grabbed the medication bottle and took two of the Lithium out. I needed a drink and seeing the mini fridge, I walked over to it. I set the two pills onto the table as I retrieved a bottle of water, and I was about to open it when the door to the room opened and a frantic Jonas loomed over the threshold. What the fuck are you doing in here? were the first words he asked. I had been caught breaking his room. If he didnt think I was crazy before, he did now. I wanted to rail at him, despite what he might think. I had yed right into his hands. He probably only convinced Oliver to keep me another day so he could seduce me as he so easily had. I had yed right into his hands, and now I wouldnt let him make a fool out of me, though. I couldnt tell Jonas I was looking for him because I had essentially mmed the elevator door right in his face. I also couldnt tell him the door was unlocked because hed know better. He owned this hotel, and his room was likely the most secure one of all. I could only hope to distract him so he wouldnt call the police on me. They hade for me once because of him, and I wouldnt allow my peers to take the ce of those students back in high school, all watching as I was escorted to some psychiatric ward or precinct downtown. I heard you, I told him. I heard everything. He looked guiltily at me as I ced my hands on my hips. I apologize for upsetting you, but Leeann is the be- Cooks on the side. I seethed. I came from around the bed, and I was now standing close to his desk which was mere feet from where he stood. Im a fucking caterer.This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. Duly noted, he replied, then went to advance closer until I grabbed themp from the desk. Put that down. I let out a sarcasticugh. My thoughts were racing a mile a minute, and my anger was growing even quicker. When Jonas went to step forward, I threw themp in his direction and didnt even care when it came crashing down beside him. Jesus Christ, he muttered. What the hells wrong with you, Kenzie! Dont you say my name, I warned, all the while looking for something else to throw in his direction? How I wished this was in the kitchen because I would cut him with one of my fucking des. Jonas took a step back, then looked at me with the same hint of concern he once had. It was almost as if we were transported back in time to a period I would rather forget. But I couldnt stop thinking about it. There was so much I needed to say, and thered been no time to get it all out. That had fucked with me for years until I thought Id been able to put the past behind me. It was all a facade. Id never gotten closure and while he could call security on me, no one was taking me out of here until I got everything out. Havent you hurt me enough? Seventy-Seven My voice didnt even sound like mine, but I knew the question was. Jonas raked one hand haphazardly through his hair. Im sorry. That hadnt been my intention. When I said what I did about your upation, I hadnt meant it- Thats not what the hell Im talking about. I began to half pace in a straight line, never fully taking my eyes off him. You gave her that job after sleeping with me, and you knew youd give it to her all along. I believed you when you said you hadnt slept with her or nned to, but- Listen, Kenzie. Ive never fucked her, nor do I intend to. Since we checked in, the only one Ive been with is you. I- Liar, I spat out, then grabbed the nearby phone. Jonas would probably definitely think about bolting things like this down after I left, but itd be too little, toote. I wanted to strangle him where he stood with the cord. Im not lying, he implored. Now, please put the phone down so we can talk about this like adults and not like- Like children? Teenagers? What we were the first time you hurt me? My mind had now gone back to the roof, and the pain I had felt then was only amplified by the existing kind I felt now. How could you record me Us and show the entire school? His shoulders sagged slightly at my question, and he turned away from me so I couldnt see his face. Was he smirking? Laughing? Upset? Angry? I realized it didnt even fucking matter. Eventually, he did turn to me. Im sorry. That tape was never meant to be seen like that. I let out another sarcasticugh. Oh, so it was an oopsie? I wasnt buying that at all. He looked remorseful enough, or at least as much as he was capable of looking, but I also knew what a great actor he was. He had yed me like a fiddle by making me believe he was truly interested in me. Its all been part of his game. He never liked me and only spent time with me because of a bet. I was never the prize, but simply some irrelevant pawn in the sick and twisted games he yed with his friends. You made me trust you only so you could turn around and betray me. Im sorrier than you will ever know for what I did to you all those years ago. I thought we had put that in the past a few days ago, but now I see we- Put it in the past? After what I lost, you expect me to see your fucking dimples and offer forgiveness? Growing more agitated, my underlying condition didnt help. I was so fearful of the manic part of my bipr disease, and that only stressed me out more. I lost the love and respect of my parents and siblings I wasbeled crazy and sent to a psychiatric ward for over a year. Instead of walking down the aisle and epting my diploma, I was being poked and prodded, and force-fed medicine. I- Im so sorry. It was never supposed to go that far. I was supposed to have just recorded the two of us and that was it. Fuck, none of it matters now. Whats done is done. Whats done is done? I asked in disbelief. I spent months in hell, but were supposed to let bygones be bygones? Fuck you, Jonas Cournd. My anger had truly reached its boiling point and I threw the phone which just narrowly missed his head. I was looking for something else to throw when he grabbed me and my bag, then dragged me to the door. I spun on him at that moment and smirked. Whats ironic is that I was supposed to have been the one to have yed you this time around. You mightve seeded in destroying me again, but you still lost because you didnt know that thered been another yer all along. Youre talking crazy, he told me, then stopped when he realized what he said. I still grinned at him. He might think I was certifiable. I had earlier warned him of it, but hed been yed and had never even realized it. Am I? What are you talking about? Who is this other yer? he asked, then shook his head. On second thought, I dont even want to know. Just leave and donte back here Kenzie. Leeann has been fucking Oliver all week so that he would give her the nod when it came to the contract. I desperately needed this, but even I wouldnt sink that low. Youve been yed because youve already eaten out of her hand and she didnt even have to fuck you to do it. With that, I turned and walked out of his room. My limbs were weak, and I was shaking like a leaf, but I did manage to make it to the elevator. Descending to my floor, my thoughts spiraled to my bestie. Reece. Fuck, I had not only ruined everything in New York for myself, but I had for her, too. I dropped my head back and allowed what I knew would be the first of many tears to fall from my eyes. This contest had been myst resort here in the city, and I had no idea where I would go next, or even what I would do. The elevator stopped and as I went to step out, a wave of nausea washed over me, and I tumbled forward. My bag was still open so everything fell onto the carpet. I dropped to my knees and crawled around as I started to pick up the belongings from my bag. That was when I noticed the bottle of Lithium. I kept it out and scrambled back onto my feet. After staggering to my room, I got inside and managed to get my dosage down just as Reece walked into the room. Jonass [POV] Leeann DeSoto had been sleeping with Oliver? I still couldnt believe it. And who was there to say it was true? Kenzie was upset I had chosen the more qualified chef over her. I could understand how itd anger her, but Id made no promises to her that she would emerge victorious. I shook my head while closing the door, then looked at the brokenmp and phone in pieces on the floor. Id have to have housekeeping clean that up, but first, I needed some fucking aspirin. I walked over to the bed and noticed the pillsying on the table. I often left aspirin and water nearby since Id checked in to this ce. Because I wasnt out relieving my urges in other ways, I had reverted to drinking, which often left me slightly hungover in the morning. One of the few times I didnt feel so damn wasted when I woke up was this morning because I had been in bed with Kenzie all night long. I sat down on the bed and closed my eyes. Shed been so responsive to me, and none of the deep-seated hate shed just shown had been present. Shed been nothing like the innocent virgin shed been back in high school. She was confident sexy and so damn unforgettable. Hell, Id even broken my own cardinal rule, the one put in ce after my first time with her. Fucking hell, I muttered, then removed the top from the water bottle.This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. Picking up the pills, I popped them into my mouth, then chased them down with the water. Afterward, I dropped my head into my hands. They were slightly shaky, but they had been that way since she left. How in the hell could I have fucked everything uppletely once again? It was a question better left unanswered. After this, Kenzie would never speak to me again, much less fall victim to my charms. But why would I even want her? She was unstable. Her whole production this morning had likely been part of her gamey and probably wasnt even true. If she hated me as she imed, why would she have ever agreed to sleep with me, unless there was something in it for her? She was trying to put her own failed ploys onto Leeann because she knew the woman had secured the contract. That had to be it. Right? Seventy-Eight Telling myself that was one thing, but convincing myself of it was another altogether. I could remember how shocked shed been to see me, and how hurt, too. Id thought it was too convenient that she suddenly did a one eighty where I was concerned, but shed had many opportunities to get closer to me sooner, but shed run each time. I seduced her. Maybe, that had been her intention all along. Shed wanted me to chase her, and once she gave in, shed be able to turn things around in her favor. It doesnt make sense, I said out loud. I could clearly see Leeann trying to fuck her way to the top, but that never seemed like Kenzies style. If I truly believed that, however, why was I trying to excuse Leeann while convicting my ex. I thought back to karaoke night and the second song she sang started to echo in my head. The screaming crying and perfect storm part did turn out to be true, as did the torture. I scrubbed my hands down my face. She had warned me this would end one of two ways, and I definitely would wear the mental scar once more. Since you think you know me so well, I would actually be worried about that if I was you. Remember, Im a crazy bitch. Certifiable, so think wisely about pursuing me because this toy you love so much, I could destroy it and you.C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org. Shed literally had my dick in her hands, and I didnt believe her. She was clearly unstable, and yet in all of my arrogance, I took her warning as some type of forey. I was now questioning if perhaps I wasnt certifiable as well. Shed also sang about warning me off of her, and looking back at it now, shed been right. Id been stupidly thinking with my cock, and had taken that as more of a challenge. I rose from the bed and started to pace. Curses flew unfiltered from my lips, and I didnt care. I could hear a female voice telling me to watch mynguage, but I didnt give a damn what my step aunt used to say back then, so I sure as fuck didnt now. I kept walking, practically in circles, until a wave of dizziness washed over me. I needed to sit, but as I headed back to the bed, my knees grew weak. The faintness was only intensifying, and unsure about what the hell was wrong with me, I moved over to the bed as quickly as I could, just barely making it there before I copsed atop it. Something was definitely wrong with me. The physical symptoms continued, and it wasnt long before I was curled up in a fetal position, wondering if shed put some sort of hex on me. It seemed ludicrous, but I put nothing past her. As the room spun out of control, I eventually rolled over onto my back and stared at the ceiling. Her voice floated around me, the words she sang during karaoke echoing in the air. As her voice grew louder, the words started to blur together. I couldnt tell where one ended and the other began. My body was shivered with pain, most urring in ces I had never experienced it before. Even the biggest drink fest had never left me so fucked up. College had been one never-ending frat party, and no matter how much booze I consumed, nothing made me as restless, yet sick, as I now was. Minutester, I quickly rolled over and fumbled around for the garbage can, finally finding it in just time to throw up. I lost count of the number of times I vomited, but eventually it stopped, and I was able to roll back over. My throat ached and more. In fact, my entire body throbbed in one ce or another. I was also shaking uncontrobly. Leave it to me to catch the fucking flu, I muttered, then clutched my stomach as another sharp ache pierced me. I was not only in pain and generally feeling unwell, but I was also tired. I was fucking exhausted which was new for me. With my lifestyle, I was used to getting a few hours of sleep at a time. My busy social life didnt leave much time for rest, especially whenbined with my extremely taxing work life. I was not only supposed to wrap this up today, but I was due in Seattle tomorrow. A new project usually excited me, but I wasnt in the right frame of mind to enjoy it. Just thinking about it had a migraineing on. I was a very healthy person, so to be afflicted so severely with this wasnt like me. I closed my eyes, and while I couldnt see her, I could smell her tantalizing scent and hear that torturous voice. She was no longer singing, but it was high pitched. Itd been how she sounded when I ate her sweet pussy, and because she tasted so good, I did it a lot. The only thing better than tongue or finger fucking Kenzie was thrusting deep inside of her. This was usually when my dick would throb incessantly until I took things into my own hands. When I reached down there, for once, I wasnt even hard. I must really be sick. I opened my eyes which turned out to be the wrong thing to do. I could now see her above me, but not like she had looked when she rode my cock this morning. She was smirking at me, a cherry on her tongue, as she tried to draw me in. She had done it once, and unable to fight her, I reached for her but encountered nothing but air. I groaned, then turned as the overwhelming need to heave struck me again. Puking whatever was left in my stomach from all the earlier menu tasting, I wiped my mouth with the back of my hand. The trembling had intensified even more, as did the fatigue. Knowing the best thing I could do was sleep, I managed to get the nket up and over me and closed my eyes. Iy there huddled under the covers as my body grew weaker. My heart rate was still strong and so was my breathing, although it was a bit heavier than usual. I couldnt escape her, even in sleep. My warped mind kept shaking up all the memories I made with her, and then a few unrted ones woulde tumbling out. Everything was jumbled inside of my head. This had to be a punishment of some kind, if not voodoo itself. I scowled as I imagined her with a doll resembling me, and then pictured her pricking me in one ce or another. Each time she did, the physical effect was felt instantaneously. I shouldve never let her leave. She mightve even been right, and if so, my arrogance wouldnt ept that for once, she had the upper hand and won. Thered been no contract given to her, but she would move on and do great things. As horrible as I felt in this moment, I would be lucky enough to survive the night. She was my wet dream in even the most fucked-up fantasies. And of course, those would all belong to me. I let out another groan before cing a pillow over my head. I needed to kick whatever this was, and determined to do so, I finally forced my thoughts away of her, and eventually fell asleep. Seventy-Nine Kenzie Phoenix, Arizona I was mortified to have acted the way I had. I supposed it shouldve been expected that I would eventually have a manic episode. Because of the alcohol Id been consuming during thepetition, I had stupidly cked up on my mood stabilizer. Thebination of pills that had been prescribed for me were meant to be taken together or else they threw everything out of whack. I didnt need to lose it, and yet I had, and in front of the veryst man I had ever wanted to see me weak like that again. That regret only made the depressive state I slipped into afterward even worse. Reece had been there for me the best she could. You need to take some time away, shed told me, and I had to finally agree with her logic. Thest thing I needed was to be in Manhattan when CHG Seaport opened and Leeann DeSoto introduced her signature restaurant. That contract was everything I had worked so hard for, but I had taken my focus off the prize and instead chosen to y for a different kind. In the end, I still lost the game and so much more. I dont want to leave you here by yourself,I had told her. Itd been my fault she was even in New York, to begin with. I had a level of responsibility to her, and to leave would just be shirking it. I loved her. She was my one and only friend. I couldnt do that to her. Our week at the hotel wasnt aplete bust. I have secured a few jobs, so you have no reason to not go somewhere to get away for a bit, shed responded. I cant expect you to pay for- Look, Kenzie. Youve supported me every day since we first met, and this is my chance to pay you back for all of that. I will be fine here in the city and youll still have our closet toe back home to when youre ready. If youre sure, I- I am, shed responded even more emphatically. Call me when you get to wherever youre going. From there, I packed up three suitcases and headed for the airport. As I sat on the ne, I couldnt help but wonder if Jonas would even realize I was gone. It was then when I had to remind myself that he would forget about me now just like he had before, and that was assuming he hadnt already. After all, I had assaulted him during our confrontation. No, I couldnt stay here in the city any longer. It wasnt big enough for the two of us, so one had to leave. He belonged here. After all, he was a Titan, and I was just another in a long line of sexual conquests, and likely the only one that had foolishly not learned her lesson the first time around. I doubted many women returned to his bed, especially with the way he liked to y the game. Unlike before though, I had given it a shot myself this time, but my hand had still been a losing one. The words to an Adele song echoed in my head. He always seemed to win the games he yed, and he always would. There was something about him that both scared and intrigued me, as it had so many others. He possessed a certain charm that made the women around him drop to their knees. I wasnt even immune to him, even after what hed already done to me before. I had thought he was the love of my life back when I was nothing more than a child, naive to the cruelty of the world around me. I was more jaded now, and having seen it all, I still allowed myself to fall into his trap. Now, leaving was like setting fire to the rain, my tears bing those very drops that she sang about. I swore back in high school that itd be thest time I cried over this man, yet here I was, with my face pressed to the ss and a scalding trail of moisture rolling down my cheeks. Itd taken two stops and several hours, and I waspletely cried out by the time I arrived in Phoenix, or so I thought. Once I got settled into my sisters guest bedroom, the tears returned, and I had to bury my head under the pillow to muffle the sound. I had allowed the pity party to go on for two days until I did as I had to before and picked myself back up. I had to dust off the pain, and while vowing to never allow myself to get mixed up with the likes of Jonas Cournd again, I just hoped I could stick to it this time. Why are you so sad, Auntie Kenzie, Tori asked me on the third night when I was been out by the pool just staring listlessly at the water. My daughter climbed into myp and I held her against me. God, she was exactly what I needed, and in a way, she had been a decade earlier, too. My pregnancy with her changed me in ways that only something so profound could, and any pain I thought I had experienced with Jonas was multiplied tenfold when I had to hand her over for good to my sister and her husband. I knew they would give her a great life, and they had. Like I had done back then, I knew that I would eventually put thesest few weeks behind me again because, with Tori in my world, I couldnt do anything but seed. I squeezed her back as she hugged me tightly. Im not sad, I lied, Im just tired. Well, that hadnt been aplete fabrication. I was exhausted, even if it was more mental than physical. The rapid shifts in my mood always took such a toll on me, and I was surprised I was even up and out of bed so quickly. Then, I should read you a bedtime story so you can get some rest. I smiled and kissed the top of her small head. She was so kind and innocent. She didnt know the type of people that made her, only the god-fearing ones that were raising her. She had a heart of gold I hoped she never lost. I did eventually go back inside, and I slept for what felt like two more days, then I forced myself to join thend of the living. Thankfully by that time, my moods had stabilized as I had gotten back onto a routine with my medicine. I even had a telehealth visit with my therapist from New Yorkter on in the day. Id get through this recent breakdown, then Id be able to figure out what I was going to do with my life. Are you sure youre okay, sis? Madeleine asked me, and I nodded. I will be. Thank you so much for letting me stay for a while. I knew it must be awkward to have me here, but since I didnt interfere with her parenting, and I would never tell Tori how closely rted we truly were, I think it helped. It was likely those reasons alone that had her agreeing to this indefinite visit. Its no problem at all. Im taking Tori to school, then we can meet upter for lunch if you would like. Id love to, I told her. After shed thrown out the name of a ce, I made sure to store it on my phone. Id figure out directionster. That lunch date resulted in something more than just sibling bonding. Wed gone to a chic restaurant downtown and it was when everything changed for me. I ended up meeting an investor who was looking for an executive chef for the restaurant that he was having built.All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. Oh my God. You have to try it, Reece told me the moment I phoned her from the car with the news. Im not sure. I think this might be too much, too soon when ites to having to audition for a rest- This isnt the same thing, and hes not your ex who couldnt keep his hands and eyes off of you, she told me, always being the voice of reason during times like this. I just dont want to ruin any other opportunities. I know, Kenzie. Youre so uber talented, and if Jonas Cournd was too stupid to see it, then its his loss. Dont close yourself off to everything else because of one ass, even if it was a sexy one. Id let out a smallugh, then sighed. Ill interview and see where things go. Eighty When I hung up the phone, I still wasntpletely convinced, but I nned to at least try. I was in my sisters home and I needed to either look toward something that could sustain me or else decide where to go next. I wasnt sure I could go back to New York City, even if it had begun to feel like home. I had no ce in this world. I never really belonged anywhere Ive been, and I wondered if that would end up being my lot in life. I needed to remain optimistic, and when I told my sister I would try, she was pleasantly excited for me. If I did manage tond this job, I would be close to some family, and maybe one day I could even regain forgiveness from my parents and forge a rtionship with them as well. If not, I did have Tori, and watching her grow up into a strong, beautiful woman would mean everything to me. I kept that optimism even when my therapist warned me to not take on too much at once. She wanted me to focus on recovering which was understandable. Id never been the type to just twiddle my thumbs, so I went against her warning and called the investor. He owned another property in Glendale, so I borrowed my sisters car and drove the twelve miles from her house to the restaurant where I would have to prepare a four-course meal consisting of an hors doeuvre, appetizer, entree, and dessert. Id been thinking of options and finally came up with a trio of different types of bruschetta, chili lime prawns, and crab cakes for the first course. Then, the entree would be a ribeye steak with potatoes and asparagus followed by a dessert sampler. I hoped to showcase enough technique that I wouldnd this job and finally be able to start over. I could then save up and get my car and a ce to live, then I would send for Reece. New York City was a muchrger city than Phoenix, and the culinary scenes were different, but I was determined to put my best foot forward. The new prospect of finally gaining financial security for the first time in my life helped invigorate my spirits and optimism. I arrived at the restaurant with a few minutes to spare, and I used everyst one of them to give myself a mental pep talk. This man wasnt Jonas, and I didnt feel the same sort of pressure I did at the CHG Seaportpetition. There was no one else there, so I only needed to focus on the things I could control. You need to stop buying trouble, Kenzie. Youll do great, Madeleine had told me on my way out the door. She was right, and not only because she sounded wise like our mother. God, how I missed her over the years. I missed my father, too. The very thought of living the rest of my days without some sort of forgiveness ate at me daily, especially since I was there in Phoenix with my sister. The two women were so alike that it was quite eerie, yetforting at the same time. Thanks, Id responded, and now I was still mouthing the same thing, but to God who mustve been looking down at me and not punishing me as badly as I was myself. Are you ready, Miss Broderick? Yes, I replied, smiling at the man who held my immediate future in his hands. It wasnt long before he exited the kitchen, leaving me to my own devices. I stared at all of the equipment and couldnt help butpare it to the small kitchen I had back in New York City. It would be a dreame true to open a restaurant here. I took a deep breath, then set forth prepping everything. It seemed funny to be doing this without Reece, but I had to let her chase her dreams for once. I could do this, and finishing just in time, I did. I made sure to te each course onto the three tes. I didnt know why judging tended to be done in threes, but I was quite pleased with the first dishes. Two members of the hotel staff carried the tray of tes out to the others while I went to work on ting the next course. This same routine waspleted until every item prepared was taken to the dining room. I soon followed and couldnt help but twist my nervous hands inside the pocket of my apron. They were now on the dessert sampler, and I was pleased with the expressions on their faces as they sampled the cake, tart, and three different types of cookies. The recipes were ones near and dear to me but elevated enough to appease the most finicky of palettes. When thest fork had been set down, I winced at the metal nging but kept myposure. This meal was quite delicious, Miss Broderick. Weve been sampling different menus for the better part of two weeks and yours was by far the best yet. Thanks, I told him, unable to hide the smile threatening to break free. I wasnt sure if this meant I got the job or not, so I managed to keep a teensy bit of joy inside until I knew for sure. We want to offer you a chance to open and run your restaurant. We- Oh my God, I blurted out, and upon realizing what I had done, Iposed myself again. I would like that very much. From there, the opportunity I had prayed for in New York City finally presented itself to me, but in a different ce and by a different man. Thank God for unanswered prayers. Jonass [POV] Seattle, Washington I left New York City as soon as the ink was dry on the contracts for Leeann DeSoto. Something felt wrong about hiring her after all that had happened, but I didnt have time to vet more people. Despite Kenzies usations, the chef came highly rmended by her previous boss, and it was someone we knew well in the Titan world. I signed my part of the documents and headed straight to Seattle on my private ne. I still didnt feel too well, although I had no idea why. Maybe this was what stress did to someone. I thought I had a handle on things in the past, but this past week or two had proven me wrong. I was possiblying down with something, and if the change of scenery in Washington didnt help, I would reach out to Kristopher to see if he could figure out what was wrong with me. There had to be something if for no other reason than the fact that I hadnt picked up a woman since thepetition ended, nor had I allowed my normal flight attendant to distract me mid-air as I so often did. I got to the hotel where Id be staying and even though I had the numbers of four different women in the area, I hadnt even thought about using any of them. I was now in my bed looking out the window at the Space Needle. Thendmark was alit in magenta, and as I locked in on the beams of colored light, a sharp piercing pain reverberated in my skull. Id gotten a few of these headaches since my fight with Kenzie. I thought the first time or two had been because of her, yet here I was, almost two weekster. This had to be tension which would hopefully abate in theing days. If it didnt, I would need to see someone. Just my fucking luck, I cursed under my breath. I turned onto my side and now my sight was set on the cream-colored walls of my bedroom suite. It was certainly more calming, and the longer I stared at nothing, the more familiar it became to me. Lately, I had been dealing with more than these ungodly headaches. I also had trouble concentrating on almost anything. I was nauseous, and experiencing bouts of stomach issues, but thankfully they went away within a day or so of getting them. For all I knew, I mightve been food poisoned. I shouldve checked with Kristopher, but I had decided to go at it alone. Now, I was finally starting to feel a little more like myself. Tomorrow, I would have the first set of meetings with some investors. I wanted to take advantage of Seattles natural beauty and add another west coast property in the process. Im not sure adding a location there will serve Cournd the best right now, one of my grandfathers long-term advisers had told me the minute I had mentioned this location. On the contrary, I think it will be perfect. Its conveniently located, and we stand to attract both domestic and international travelers, especially with its proximity to Canada.C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org. I hadnt cared whether the man liked it or not. My grandfather had left me in charge, so he saw something in me that he didnt in those he considered his closest confidantes. I was the CEO, so while the board could dy projects, they couldnt stop them from ultimately happening, which was something they came to realize during the first year Id worked here. Itd been hell trying to navigate around the corporate red tape, but I had, and the ces I had developed were some of our most profitable resorts in all the portfolio. I mightve been a screw-up most of my life, but once I settled down and focused on my studies back at Stanford, I poured everything into those sses and emerged more qualified than these very men who dared to question me. I closed my eyes. I wouldnt let the uing meeting scheduled for the morning upset me. It was likely my dread over the whole damn thing that had my head aching the way it was. I had been working on these numbers for months and I was confident I would be able to sell the others on my vision, too. You could sell hay to a farmer, a soft voice inside of my head echoed. Eighty-One I kept my eyes closed and knew exactly whose voice it was, and when. Kenzie and I had been at a park back in Houston. She used to like to be out in nature, so I had made sure to do a lot of outdoorsy things with her. Sometimes, we did nothing more than throw a nket onto the ground and sit under one of those magnificent oak trees near the school. The first time she had muttered those words, I had been telling her how worried I was about telling my father where I wanted to y football. Shed been so attentive, and listened to me discuss the pros and cons. Shed always been an objective and calming influence on me. Hay to a farmer?Id asked, and shed giggled. I have Midwestern roots, shed finally answered. Besides, I would think youd know a thing or two about farms in Texas. Our worlds were sopletely different. I was born into a very wealthy family and the closest I came to a farm was the horse barn at the edge of our massive property. I was never much of a rider myself, but my mother was. She was an equestrian, and had even won numerous awards and medals in her youth. Shed tried to pass down her love of it to her sons, but I hadnt been interested. I enjoyed sports and adventure. So, I take it you arent a cowboy? shed also asked. I had rolled her underneath me, then lightly kissed her lips. She was a virgin, so I had done all the right things and said all the right words to keep her hanging on. No, unless you count Halloween costumes over the years. Would you like to see me in a hat and pair of boots? Shed shaken her head, then pulled my mouth back to hers. Looking back, thered been a warmth that emanated from her, but I had thrown it all away for bragging rights. I still didnt know what itd been that I felt for her, but there was something there beside the usual sexual lust. Youre a bad boy, Jonas. The voice now echoed through my head, but it hadnt been Kenzies. It was a females, and as I tried to recall whose it was, another sound pierced the memory before it disappeared. I opened my eyes and rolled onto my back. I ran my hand through my hair. It was getting long, and I was in desperate need of a cut. I had a barber in the city, and after tomorrows meeting, I nned to book an appointment. I was tired of just sitting here in the room, but I didnt feel like mingling with anyone. After the shit had gone down in high school with Kenzie, I had withdrawn from friends and activities that I often enjoyed, including sex. It seemed no matter how many years passed, I seemed to be repeating history once more. I got up and walked to the mini fridge. I needed to stop thinking about the fight we had before she stormed out. I had every right to be mad at her this time. She was the one whod broken into my room, then she had the nerve to use others of doing the same thing she had done. I need you to know that me doing what I did with youst night wasnt some ploy to try to influence your decision,shed told me the morning after. Shed looked and sounded so sincere. I hadnt even thought she was capable of something like that, but did I actually know her any more? Did I ever actually know her to begin with? That question had me pacing back and forth until I finally stopped in front of the wet bar. Grabbing a small bottle of whiskey, I opened it and swallowed the contents inside in one swig. I then tossed it into the garbage can,pletely missing it altogether. I lost the love and respect of my parents and siblings I wasbeled crazy and sent to a psychiatric ward for over a year, where instead of walking down the aisle and epting my diploma, I was being poked and prodded, and force-fed medicine. That was also something shed told me, and as her words repeated themselves over in my head, I hung mine in shame. I was patting myself on the back for declining party invitations and refraining from sex for a few weeks while her entire life was in shambles. After a short amount of time, I had picked back up where Id left off as if nothing had ever happened. As if wed never happened. And after I moved to California, I had tried to pretend she had never been in my life to begin with. It had almost worked until shed shown up at the hotel in Manhattan. Were grown adults and all of that is in the past.Kenzie had said it so convincingly, but hearing the anguish in her voice the day I caught her in my room ryed something much different. I was actually hoping we could start over. Kenzie had never meant to start over. She had tried ying me, but for what? The contract. As she found out, sleeping with me didnt guarantee her a thing. In the end, it was all for nothing if that had truly been her n. The girls are going to see your cock and theyre going to say and do all kinds of things to get it, came the same voice from earlier. I had no idea whose it was, and after mming back another shot bottle of whiskey, I returned to bed. I had to be hallucinating. It wouldnt be the first time. Once or twice, Id remember simr types of things, but when at my uncles cabin in the New York mountains. It was one of my favorite ces to go, and I often spent the entire summer there. Logan did, too. Then, all of a sudden, he refused to go. I closed my eyes again after leaning back against the mound of pillows. My hand was resting on my chest as I tried to recall what had happened. It wasnt long before it drifted lower. Before I even realized what I was doing, my hand was on my cock and I was stroking it. Youre going to make some woman very happy with this one day. That voice. As I stroked myself harder, I tried to recall it. I knew what shed been referring to, but when and why? You get so hard, and you stay that way, too. If Allen was like you, then I wouldnt be here. Allen. That was my uncle which meant that Carolina. I kept my eyes closed, and now focused in on the blonde. She had a huge fucking rack, and an ass so firm that you could bounce a quarter off of it. She was ten years younger than him, and my father often called her a gold digger. Shed always been very nice to me and my brother, and as I tried to think back to those summer trips, things became much clearer.C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org. It was no longer my own hand stroking my cock, but hers. I remember the coolness of her wedding ring. At the time, it had felt wrong, but I had never remembered any of it happening, and I had no idea why I was now. Her mouth would then rece her hand, and I allowed the newly recovered memory to y. You taste so good, shed tell me as shepped at my cock. I was maybe about thirteen, and with my youth, I had very little self-control. As if I was standing there beside my younger self, I would watch myselfe in her mouth. Shed then rise up and disgust filled the current me as I watched her wipe her lips afterward. Her nails. They were always some shade of purple, which was something I once asked her about. Its my favorite color, and you should always surround yourself with your favorite things, had been her response. Ive missed you, Jonas, shed tell me each year when I would return. Now, I knew why. My step aunt had been molesting me, and that mightve been why Logan eventually refused to go. Did she seduce him, too? Or drug him? As I tried refocusing on those trips, a crack sounded in the air and a blistering stripe of fire raced across my thigh. I dropped my hand from my cock and thrust the nket off of me. There was nothing there that I could see, but the pain had been so intense it couldnt have just been in my dreams. Youre a bad boy, Jonas. Im going to have to punish you now, shed say. Eighty-Two THE LAST THREAD P-please, dont, I could hear myself cry out before her hand would cover my cock again. Then tell me youll leave Sabrina alone. You were flirting with her earlier, and you know I dont like that.She then squeezed me so tight with those fucked up gloves of hers, and I finally responded when I began seeing stars. Ill leave her alone, I had promised her, and I had. I stopped going down to the local malt shop with everyone else, and I stayed at the cabin with her. Carolina had forced me to do her bidding, and Id been too young and dumb to fight her on it. When I would return from Texas, there would be an ache inside of me, and only sex seemed to relieve it. I would sit in my room and jack myself raw until I made my move on one of the cheerleaders on the varsity team. From there, I built up my body count, and to this day, I was still doing the same. None of those women, or the ones today, did I ever have to put any effort into seducing. Whether it was my name poprity status wealth or power, whatever I wanted came so easily to me. Maybe that was why I actually felt something when it came to Kenzie back then, and because she wasnt so easily swayed a decadeter, either. Id never had to get to know those Id fucked, because it was never more than a one-night stand, or on rare asions, two or three. And that was likely the reason I still went through with prom night even though itd been wrong, and I knew it. I could recall that night so clearly now. Id taken her back to the hotel, and I tried to not let her know what I was looking for when I got in there. Kristopher had nted the camera, and after a while, I zoned it all out and stole the innocence of a girl who Idter destroy. I was a bad boy then, and maybe even a worse man now. I never made you any fucking promises this time. This fuckingpetition. Id had no idea shed be one of the contestants, and I shouldve sent her away the moment I did find out. The truth was that her food was good. Maybe shecked some of the finesse Leeann had, but her vors had been good. She also had a passion for cooking and looking back, Id never asked her what hers had been in high school. During that time, I gleaned a little information about her, then used it to seduce her. I never asked her about her hopes dreams or fears. I simply used her to further my reputation. I was supposed to have been the one to have yed you this time around. You mightve seeded in destroying me again Fuck, I cursed, then got back up. Im so fucking sorry, Kenzie. So fucking sorry. And I didnt even mean that in just an apologetic way. I was the same fucking douchebag she had referred to me as when talking to her friend that first night at the hotel. No matter what I did, or didnt do, we always ended up in the same spot. I had no idea how to deal with women because the truth was that I didnt understand anything when it came to them outside of sex. Orgasms and nights of their lives? I could give them that in spades, but when it came to anything else, Id destroy them. Not them. Her. Theres someone out there for everyone, my mother would tell me until my dad would interject. Dont fill his head with all that the one stuff. He has a career in football to focus on. Id always high-fived my father, but he was as wrong as I now knew I was. My mother had been right. In a way, Carolina had also been right, too. I was bad, and girls just wanted physical gratification from me. She had been the one to teach me that, but I had somehow shoved it far from my mind. My mother, though. She knew there was someone, and I now knew it, too. Kenzie is my one. Saying it out loud made it so real. Or was, because I let her get away. ALEXANDERs [POV] Dad and I followed the police and security in my SUV. Neither of us spoke. I couldnt believe how close we had juste to losing Michael. I could see Dad out of the corner of my eye. He looked worn down and I wondered how much of that was PTSD from re-living the worst part of his life. Elliot Hanson lived in a nice neighborhood in Redondo Beach. It was a high-rent district and when we pulled up into the circr driveway Dad said, He must have been winning on those ponies at some point. Maybe or maybe this isnt the first kidnapping attempt hes been involved in. The detective came over to my window and said, I need you guys to park it on the street and wait there. Can my security man go in with you? Yeah, Joe cane in. Okay, thanks. It was hard, but Dad and I did as he asked. I parked along the street and turned off the car and then we watched. We were parked out of the line of fire if it came to that, but we could see the detective and two officers that had joined him here and Joe, at the front door. They knocked and a few secondster the door was pulled open by a busty blonde in a bikini. She had a surprised look on her face and I could see her shaking her head. The detective must have asked to be let inside because she stepped back and let them pass. She did something before she closed the door that Dad and I both noticed; she looked over towards the garage. I turned the ignition of the SUV back on and waited.This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. Maybe three minutes passed when we saw him. At least we had good reason to assume it was him. A twenty-something-year-old guy in a muscle t-shirt and jeans with tattoos covering his arms was pushing a street bike out the side door of the garage. We waited and when Elliot hit the street, he took off fast. I took off after him and handed Dad my phone. Call Joe, hes in the house with the detective. Tell him whats going on. Dad pushed the call button and secondster I heard him say, Joe, this is James Reigns. Alex and I are chasing Elliot. Hes on a Honda CRV street bike. Its green and hes heading north on PCH towards Carnelian. Okay. No, tell him were following at a safe distance and so far I dont think he even knows that were here. Okay. Dad hung up and said, The detective says for us to stay back, hes putting out an APB so if we seew enforcement we need to stop and get out of the way. Yeah, okay. Right. Im not stopping until Elliot does. I want this to be over. I want to enjoy my beautiful family for a change without all of this drama. We followed him up to Carnelian and he made a right on Ardmore. I looked at Dad and he said, Im on it. I saw him send a text to Joe and then he said, Hes headed to Manhattan Beach. I nodded. I still didnt see any cops. Where the hell are they? Elliot did not indicate that he knew we were behind him. I kept following him as he made a left on Manhattan Beach Blvd. He was heading straight down towards the beach. He pulled into the lot near the pier and got off the bike. I parked the SUV and saw Dad sending a text as I got out. Id taken about two steps when Elliot looked over and saw me. I might not recognize him, but he sure as hell knows who I am. As soon as he saw me, he took off running. I took off after him and heard Dad getting out of the car behind me. Elliot was running towards the sand instead of away from it which I thought was strange. There was no Marina here, so he couldnt have a boat. He ran into a mens restroom and I went in after him. That was my first mistake. Hello, Mr. Reigns. Elliot had a gun pointed at my face. Hello Elliot, is it? Eighty-Three The bastard smiled. Lock that door behind you. I did as I was told and then he said, Nice to know you finally know my name. You drive by me every day and cut me a check once a month and Ill bet when they figured out it was me that let Jason on the property you had no idea who I was. Youre way too important to worry about the little guy who protects your precious estate and your illegitimate family. He was goading me. He wanted me to make a move. I wanted to, so badly. I wanted to feel my fist connect with his face and I havent been in a fistfight since high school. I wasnt going to give him the satisfaction, however. If he wanted to shoot me, hed have to do it from where I stood. I heard my father begin banging on the steel door. The little building is brick and the door is about two inches of steel. Its made to withstand the high tide. It was also a fortress. Elliot knew what he was doing when he came in here. What do you want, Elliot? Money, of course. Im sick of watching you stinking rich people unt your wealth while the rest of us have nothing.This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org . I cocked an eyebrow and said, That house in Redondo Beach is pretty nice. It belongs to my girlfriend and shes about to kick me out. The IRS and child support take most of my checks. Im barely left with enough to pay rent much less pay for anything else. I borrowed a lot of money from a guy who is demanding payment. Im not going to let him take it out of my hide while I watch you pigs live like royalty. So you thought youd just steal a baby and solve all of your problems? That was stupid Jasons idea. I was going to snatch the maid who is suddenly the hoity-toitydy of the manor. So what now, Elliot? Theyre not just going to let you walk out of here. If you kill me, youll be up for murder, so far, you havent done anything. You might be better off calling this whole thing off now. Im not going to jail and Im not going to get killed by some damned loan shark. What I am going to do is live out the rest of my life on afortable ind somewhere at your expense. I felt my blood pressure rising. The thought of this man with his hands on Vicki or Jasons with his hands on Michael I felt like my head would explode. I forced myself not to react. I could still hear Dad pounding. He sounded desperate. I opened my mouth I wasnt sure what I was going to say, but I was interrupted by the sound of a mans voice over a megaphone. Elliot Hanson, this is Detective Ss of the L. A. P. D. My phone number is 555-6718. I need you to call me Elliot. Lets work this out without anyone getting hurt, okay? Elliot looked like he was thinking about it. He finally reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone. Before he could even dial, it was ringing. He pushed ept and put it on speaker. The detective waited for a beat and then he said, Elliot? Are you there? Im here. Is Mr. Reigns with you? I didnt say anything; I looked at the sweaty man with the gun and waited for my cue. He finally said, Yeah, hes here. Hes here to help me. Okay, can I talk to him, Elliot? Can I hear him say hes okay? Elliot gave me a chin nod and I said, This is Alexander Reigns. So far, Im fine. Good! Good! Thank you, Elliot. Now we need to work on getting you two out of there and somewhere safe, okay? No. Were noting out until I hear a helicopternd out there. He was staring at me, gauging my reaction as he said, Mr. Reigns is going to arrange for a helicopter for me and some spending money. Once thats where well be on our way. He was going to use me as a shield. That wasnt my biggest worry though. I was worried that he was going to get away. Elliot, thats not the best idea. Youre still in misdemeanor territory here Shut up! Elliot hung up the phone and then looked at me and said, Give me the number. What number is that, Elliot? The one that gets me a helicopter. I gave him the number of my private hangar. When the phone was answered he motioned at me with the gun and I said, Hi Becky, this is Alex Reigns. Hello, Mr. Reigns. How are you today? Im in a bit of a pickle here, Becky. I need to speak with Doug now. She must have heard the urgency in my voice because I heard her yelling for Doug right away. When Doug got on the phone he said, Boss, whats going on? I just heard a news brief about you being taken, hostage. I need you to listen carefully Doug. I need you to bring the chopper out to the south end of Manhattan Beach andnd it on the sand near the bathrooms. What? Sir, Ive never I know, Doug. Im sorry to ask. I wouldnt if I had any other choice. He hesitated and then he said, Is this cleared withw enforcement? It will be. Okay sir, Ill be there as soon as I can. Thank you, Doug. I hung up and told Elliot. You need to let them know hesing. Elliot curled his lip and said, You do it and then call whoever can get your money out of the bank. I want two million in cash. Do you know how long it will take to get that much cash together? They have an hour before I start shooting you in your limbs. I called my PA next. Amanda, its Alex. Alex? Oh my God, are you okay? I just saw on the news Amanda, I need you to listen to me, okay? First of all, I need you to call and make sure Vicki and Michael are okay. I dont know if shes seen or heard any of this. Call the house and tell them to make sure the television and radio are all off. Okay Good. Next, I need you to call Brent and Han at the bank. I need two million in cash ASAP. Tell them to get it from wherever they need to take it. I need it quickly And unmarked, Elliot said. And unmarked, I told her. Okay boss. Are you okay? I will be. Hurry now Amanda, please. Eighty-Four VICTORIAs [POV] I was still sitting in Michaels room, watching him sleep when I heard Lizs voice in the hallway. Is she sleeping? I got up and stuck my head out the door. She looked at me with a mixture of relief and sadness. I wondered how she knew anything was going on. Cook must have called her. Come on in, Liz. She came towards me and threw her arms around me. She hugged me so tightly that I could barely breathe. Are you okay? Yeah, Im okay. Its been a strange morning. Oh my God, you dont know The security officer stepped in then. He was on the phone. I was looking from him to Liz and I chose her first and said, I dont know what? Miss Victoria this is a Detective Ss from the LAPD. He wants to speak with you. Oh my God! Alex! I grabbed the phone. This is Vicki. Is Alex okay? This is Detective Ss. Im a hostage negotiator Hostage? Alex is a hostage? Oh my God! I know its hard Miss but if you calm down for just a second, Ill fill you in. Okay. I listened quietly as the police officer told me the man I loved with every fiber in my body was trapped inside a stone room on the beach with a maniac with a gun. I could feel the bile rising in the back of my throat and my hands were shaking so hard that I dropped the phone. I dropped down into the chair and bent forward with my head in my hands. I was going to throw up. Liz picked up the phone and said, Vickis not feeling well. Is there anything else you needed to tell her? She put him on speaker. No maam. Just let her know were doing everything we can and well let her know as soon as we have a resolution. Liz hung up and handed the phone back to the security officer. He said when we have a resolution, not when hes out safe. Oh honey, they have to say that Im sure theyre doing everything they can to keep him safe. Hes alone in a stone box basically with a desperate man who has a gun. What can they do? I dont know, she said. She looked like she was going to cry. But I do know that Alex is smart. You tell me that all the time. He loves you and Michael and hes going to do whatever it takes to get back to both of you in one piece right? I nodded. Suddenly my stomach rolled and I had to run into the bathroom and vomit. When I emptied my stomach I sat on the floor sweating and shaking for a long time. What would I do if I lost him? I cant lose him. Please God, let hime home safe. When the shaking subsided enough for me to stand, I pushed myself up and washed my face, and rinsed my mouth. Then I went into the bedroom. Liz was waiting there for me with Michael in her arms. She got that I didnt want him alone without me even having to say a word. I love her. I walked over and opened the oak cab where the television was. When I picked up the remote, Liz said, Are you sure you want to do that, honey? I nodded. I need to know whats going on. She didnt say anything. She knew arguing with me would do no good. When the television came on I flipped through the stations. There was a Special Report about the hostage situation at every local station. I settled on one and sat down on the bed next to Liz to watch the drama unfold on live TV. The anchor was standing in the parking lot at Manhattan Beach. I could see the pier and the water in the background as well as the bathrooms. There were police everywhere and a SWAT van. Were in Manhattan Beach where a real-life drama is unfolding. Alexander Reigns, the CEO of Reigns Biotechnical is reportedly inside the restroom building behind me bei ng held at gunpoint by a man named Elliot Hanson. Hanson is reportedly an employee of Mr. Reigns. There is some talk of attempted kidnapping and another man in custody; well bring you more on that as ites in. For now, this is Maggie Brown for KTLA. I changed the station. The reports were almost identical on every station. Miss? I looked up and Cook was in the doorway. He was holding my phone. Id left it downstairs in the sunroom earlier. Yes? Its Amanda, Mr. Reigns PA. I jumped up and grabbed the phone from him. Amanda, do you know anything? Nothing more than you probably know. I can hear it in your voice, youve heard right? Yes. I did talk to him, Victoria. He sounded okay. You talked to him? How? He called me on the kidnappers phone. He needed me to take care of getting some money together. I need that number. Um it was blocked. Youre a terrible liar Amanda. I need the number, now. She gave it to me, reluctantly. As soon as I disconnected from her, I blocked my number and called it. It rang for times and I finally heard, What? With a tremor in my voice, I said, Is this Elliot? Yes. Who is this? Victoria. Well, well, little Vicki. Thanks for calling. Its been a long time. So long that you never even recognized me at the gate yesterday Elliot, please dont do this. Why Vicki? Because you say so? Because youre suddenly so important that we should all bow at your feet? You didnt recognize me because you didnt even look at me. You used to be one of us, but how quickly they forget when they screw the billionaire.All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. Why, Elliot? Why would you and Jason do this? Jasons a pathetic idiot. He needs cash and he wants you. He wanted to take the baby and then lure you there after him. Where? Where was he going to go? Huh uh, Im not an idiot. I have to go, Vicki. Im a little bit busy here. Wait! Elliot, please let me talk to Alex. There was a pause and then suddenly I heard the most beautiful sound in the world, Alexs voice. Vicki? Oh, Alex! Baby are you okay? Did he hurt you? No baby. Im not hurt. Im fine. I love you. I love you too. Oh, baby, I need you toe home safe. Please give him whatever he wants. I will. Iming home to you baby. I love you. I love you. Aw, isnt that sweet Not! I think Im going to be sick. Elliot disconnected the call. I was still holding the phone, shaking like a leaf again. Karen was there, standing next to Gregory. Miss Victoria, Im going to call the doctor. No, dont. You need something for your nerves. My nerves will be fine as soon as Alexes home safely and nothing else is going to help. I wont be sedated and sleep through this. Gregory and Karen left and the security officer posted himself outside the master suite. I walked over and sat down next to Liz and looked at my sleeping baby. I held out my arms and she handed him to me. I hugged him to my chest and rocked him back and forth. Daddy will be okay baby. Hell be home soon. Daddy loves us. The tears Id been holding back all morning finally started to flow. Liz put her arm around my shoulders and we sat there for what seemed like forever. Suddenly I heard the anchor on the television. Mr. Reigns private helicopter has justnded on the beach. A few minutes before that happened, we saw the police let a man who I am told is an employee of Chase financial bank goes past holding a briefcase. Hes putting it on the helicopter now. Oh God, what if he takes Alex with him? Dont get yourself worked up again honey. He has what he wanted now. Maybe hell let him go I closed my eyes and said a prayer just as I heard the anchor say, The police have been ordered to lower their weapons and stand down. We expect Mr. Reigns and his captor to emerge any minute from the bathroom I held my breath. It seemed like hours passed before they showed the bathroom door open slowly. Alex stepped out with his hands in the air, God please keep him safe. We can see Mr. Reigns behind us here and there is his captor behind him. I cant see but it looks like he has the gun to Mr. Reigns back Oh, my poor Alex God help him, please. I love him so much. Theyre walking towards the helicopter. It looks like hes taking Mr. Reigns with him. Oh, God! Oh no! There was a sudden, deafening sound of a shot. I saw Alex fall sideways and suddenly the camera was pushed to the side and the anchor was saying, There was a shot fired! A shot has been fired! Everything went dark. Eighty-Five VICTORIAs [POV] When I came to I was told that the helicopter left without Alex. Alex had been shot and taken to Cedars Sinai Hospital. My room was full of people, some of them I didnt even know. Liz was still there with the baby, thank God. I have to go. Liz nodded. Ive got Michael. You go take care of his daddy. I looked at the security officer and said, Can someone take me to him? I will, Vicki. Alexs father was standing in the doorway. James! Is he okay? He looked so broken that I almost didnt want him to answer. I dont know honey. They took him in an ambnce and I came straight here to get you. Okay, lets go. I kissed Michael and James and I was taken out by security and loaded into the back of one of their ck SUVs. We sat there quietly, both of us lost in our thoughts for the forty minutes it took us to get to the hospital. When we got there, we were ushered to a waiting room on the second floor and told that Alex was in surgery. The doctor would be out to talk to us when he had news. We sat there quietly too for a while. James finally asked, Can I get you some coffee or water Vicki? No thank you. He got up and came over to sit by me. I was afraid he was going to talk and tell me that everything was going to be okay. I didnt want to hear that right nowhe didnt know what things would or would not be. But Id been wrong. He just took my hand and held it tightly, continuing to sit silently with me as we waited and waited. When the doctor finally came in, it took my brain a few seconds to process it. I looked up and saw a gray-haired man with a stone face. His movements were all sharp and he was staring at a chart in his hands. James and I both got to our feet and once again, we waited. When he finally looked up at us with gray eyes framed by gunmetal gray lenses he said, Youre Mr. Reigns family? Yes, James said. Im his father James and this is his fiancee, Victoria. The doctor nodded and said, The shot was close range but luckily it hit the spleen and exited out the other side. It didnt strike his spine or any other vital organs. We removed his spleen and repaired an artery in his abdomen. Hes going to be sore but in a day or two barring infection or any other unforeseen events, hell be just fine. I felt like Id been holding my breath for a day and a half. I let it out and then James and I embraced. I could feel him shaking or maybe it was me. I let go of James and looked back at the doctor and asked, When can we see him? Hes in recovery now. As soon as hees out, well let you know. Only fifteen minutes and one visitor at a time until hees out of ICU. James and I nodded and thanked him. When he was gone, James embraced me again and said, Thank God. I was thinking the same thing and thank him myself in my head. This could have gone so much worse. James phone rang and he took a step towards the door as he answered it. At first, he didnt seem to know who it was. After several minutes I heard him say, Thats great news. Thank you for letting me know. He hung up and looked at me with a smile. They have Elliot in custody. Oh thank goodness. Did he hurt anyone else? No, but Alexs pilot took one of his security officers with him in the helicopter. Elliot didnt know he was there. When theynded, he was taken into custody and no one else was hurt. I breathed a sigh of relief and dropped down into the chair. It was over, finally. James and I waited another hour before a nurse finally came out and said, Mr. Reigns is awake. We looked at each other and James said, You go. I smiled and all but ran after the nurse. I wanted to believe he was okay, but my heart wouldnt fully ept it until I saw him. I followed the nurse to a set of double doors. She swiped her name badge and the doors swung silently open and with ease. A sharp puff of air hit my face and I smelled bleach. The walls in the ICU have painted a soft cream color and the white linoleum floor was so clean that it was almost blinding. There were ss cubicles along each side of the hallway and I followed her to thest one. This one had the curtain drawn around it. She pulled it back and I sucked in a breath. My beautiful Alexy in bed. His eyes were closed and his long eyshes fanned out over his high cheekbones. Wires came from his chest and ended at a heart monitor high up on the wall. He had an IV in one hand with three different bags of fluids running into his body. I went over close to the bed and just stood there for a few seconds watching the gentle rise and fall of his chest. I could see the vein in his neck pulsing and I finally breathed a sigh of relief. I leaned over the bed and gave him a soft kiss on the lips. I felt him twitch and then I felt the flutter of his eyshes against my face. I lifted my head slightly and watched as he pulled open his eyes. When he saw me, he smiled. Hi beautiful, he croaked out. The poor thing sounded like a frog. Hi yourself. How are you feeling? As I got shot, he said, with a weak grin. Oh, baby! Im so sorry! Shh, Im okay. The doctor told me Im okay. Didnt he tell you that? Yes, but I didnt believe him. I needed to hear it from you. He smiled again. Consider yourself informed, he said. Im fine. I felt a tear roll down my cheek and I wiped it with the back of my hand. Why are you crying? Im going to be okay. Happy tears, I told him. I love you so much. When you get better, youre going to be in so much trouble for doing this to me. Heughed and then winced. Dont make a guy who just had surgeryugh. I love you too. I kissed him again and then just sat there with him until the nurse told me my time was up. I squeezed his hand and said, Ill be back. He was almost asleep. Okay baby. I love you. Alex was in the hospital for four days. On the third day of his hospitalization, I decided that I wanted him toe home to a house with no drama finally. Jason was in jail on charges of conspiracy tomit a kidnapping, vition of a restraining order, and trespassing. Elliot was in jail on charges of conspiracy tomit a kidnapping, false imprisonment, and attempted murder. The only issue left to be dealt with was Cassandra and I had an idea that I wanted to try out. James had Alexs phone when he was taken, hostage. He left it with me when he flew back to Tuscany to fly back out with Alexs mother the following day. I turned it on, found Cassandras number, and wrote out a text. This is Victoria. I need to see you. Several seconds passed and I got one back. Is Alex okay? Hes fine. I need to see you. About what? You and I have some things that need to be settled. For one thing, Im afraid that you were right. Alex was asking for you at the hospital. I need to know what it will take for you to stay away.All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. It was longer that time before she sent back, Venice tea room. One oclock. Ill be there. Now, I just need to figure out how to get there without alerting anyone who might try to stop me. I fed my beautiful boy and then I handed him over to the nanny, Mrs. Yost. I went downstairs then and found Liz in the kitchen with Gregory. Hey, how are you feeling today? she asked. Im good, much better. Were one day closer to Alexing home. I cant wait. Eighty-Six VICTORIAs [POV] Liz and Gregory smiled. Us too, she said. I need a favor though. Name it, she said. I need a ride to Venice Beach. I dont want to take security and if I try and take my car, theyll insist. Were just going to tell them youre taking me to the hospital to see Alex. Okay Liz and Gregory were both looking at me curiously. I sat down at the table and said, Its time for a much overdue conversation between Cassandra and me. Im meeting her at the Venice Tea Room at one oclock. Gregory cleared his throat and said, Ill get your breakfast. He jumped up and went over to the stove. Liz looked at me long and hard and then she said, Are you sure this is a good idea? Its the best one I have, I said, trying to lighten things up with a smile. Im not leaving you there alone. Fine, but Cassie cant know were together. Okay, I dont like it but I know if I say no that youre stubborn enough to go anyways without me. Yes, I am. She rolled her eyes. I hugged her. Thank you. She looked over at Gregory with love in her eyes and then back at me. I owe you, she said. Liz and I got to the tearoom just before one. She went in first and then I did. When I got inside I saw there were very few patrons. Liz was at a table by the window. I couldnt see Cassandra yet. For one? the hostess asked me. Um Im meeting someone here. Im right here, Cassandras voice came from behind me, shed just stepped in. The hostess led us back to a table. I could see Liz craning her head to watch. I gave her a hard look and she rolled her eyes again and turned away. Cassie and I sat down and after the hostess left she said, So why all of a sudden am I supposed to believe that Alex wants me back? I shrugged. I dont care if you believe it, but you have to ask yourself why I would tell you this if it wasnt true. Im devastated. I stood by him through all of this and when he woke up in the hospital, he asked for you. I thought it was the medication talking but hes been cold to me and I heard him asking one of the security men to get his phone and call you. Ive had the phone. I hid it. She was looking at me through narrowed eyes. After a few seconds, she said, So why are you here telling me? I want to know what it will take to get you to give up on Alex and go away. I think in time, he can learn to be happy with me Sheughed haughtily. I wanted to p her but I refrained. Why would I want to take some paltry settlement when I could have it all? Because you dont love him, Cassie. I do. And what makes you think that I dont love him? I can see it on your face. You could have money to do whatever you wanted if you epted my offer. You could have a different man every night if you wanted until you find one that you love. Ive found mine and I dont want to lose him. Ive already turned down Alexs pitiful offer. How can you do any better? James is in town, did you know that? Alexs father? Yes, and you are not his favorite person. Sheughed. That goes both ways. He likes me and he is more than willing to help me make you go away. No, I dont think so, she said. I think I like being Mrs. Reigns. I always knew that Alex would want me back. I tried to look sad, or mad. Wouldnt you rather be free to see whoever youd like? Alex cant be trusted to be faithful Hes an idiot. All he had to do was wear a condom and I would have never known that he screwed the maid no one would have. Ive never been stupid enough to turn up pregnant. Of course, for you, that was a smart move. Hes always been too trusting. I love him. I didnt get pregnant on purpose. Its ironic that all of that time, Alex was trying to get me pregnant and I was smart enough to take my pills. All he wanted from you was an afternoon tryst and now hes saddled with a kid. Ironic, I said sarcastically. Then I changed my tone to a pleading one and I said, Please Cassandra dont take him away from me. Dont you see that you never had him? Like marries like. He should have learned how to have an affair on the down low like the rest of us do. Its perfectly fine to screw the servants its just not okay to have a rtionship with them. I tried to look confused as I said, So you and Alex knew that each other were having sex with other people?All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. Of course not. I mean, its assumed, but Ill be damned if Im going to tell my billionaire husband with the original copy of the prenup that Ive had sex with the gardener if you get my drift. Armando? That was a genuine shock. Armando cant be over eighteen or neen years old. She smiled lustfully and said, You should have tried him out while you had the chance. He was the best lover I ever had. Much better than Alex. Please dont take him, I forced a tear. She smiled again. Bitch. I need to use the restroom. I think Im going to be sick. I got up and quickly walked to the bathroom at the back of the little tearoom. I ducked inside and locked the door. I opened my purse and pushed rewind on the Dictaphone. I only rewound it for a second and then I pushed y. Cassandras voice floated out. She clearly stated that shed slept with the teenage gardener and that he was the best shed ever had. I smiled. That should do the trick. I sshed some water up on my face and went back out. Cassandra was gone. Liz came over and said, She ran out of here like her ass was on fire. Iughed. She thinks shes going to see Alex. I took out my phone and called the hospital. I spoke to the charge nurse and told her Cassandra was likely going to being by and trying to see Alex. I told her there was a restraining order in ce. She assured me that she would not be let in and security would be called. I hung up with a smile. Can you take me one more ce? I asked Liz. Of course. Where to? Wilshire Boulevard. I had Liz drive me to Alexs attorneys office. I asked to see Noel and when the receptionist let me in, I sat the Dictaphone down on his desk and pressed y. His face went from confused to ecstatic when he heard Cassandras voice and words. How did you get this? I shrugged. Her ego couldnt help itself, I guess. I think she might be in for a rude awakening in a few minutes though shes on her way to the hospital and theyre going to be expecting her. He grinned. Youre amazing. I raised an eyebrow and said, Is that an apology for all the things you said about me when Alex found out I was pregnant? Um yeah, sure. You do know that I was just doing my job. I get protective of Alex. He hates the legal stuff and Im always afraid hell get taken advantage of. I smiled. I know you were just doing your job, protecting him. I wouldnt have it any other way. I agree with you that he trusts easily, but its part of what makes him so special. He needs someone like you to keep an eye out for predators. Keep it up, okay? And please, dont let Cassie take anything important to him. Noel looked at me with his intense blue gaze and said, I think that Alexander has seriously re-evaluated his priorities. Nothing much seems to be important to him, other than you and Michael. He called from his hospital bed yesterday and told me to give her whatever she wants and get her out of your lives. I dont think that will be necessary. I think that we will be able to at least protect his assets for his son. He stood up and shook my hand. You can bet I will. Michael is as important to me as Alex is and do you want to know what else? Sure. You are too, Victoria. Im sorry we got off to a rough start. Me too, I told him with a smile. Alex has good people in his corner. Thank you. Eighty-Seven He picked up the Dictaphone and held it up. No, thank you! This is exactly what we needed. That was thest stop in what I felt was a productive afternoon. I had nothing but high hopes for the future from this point on. I feel strongly that we had already experienced the rough patches. From here on out, it should all be smooth sailing. Liz took me back home with a big smile on my face. I was happily anticipating Alexs return from the hospital in the morning. The coastline sparkled brilliantly in the morning sun. The small private area of the beach was surrounded by chalky white cliffs that looked like a big ribbon, jagged and folded along the shoreline and then disappearing off into the distance. Beaches of rocks stretched out on one side of the cliffs and the other side was an area of nothing but pure white sand. The waves crashed against the rocks and sand, foaming up and then being sucked back in and underneath the aquamarine expanse of the Pacific Ocean. Off in the distance standing like a sentry against the blue sky was a tall white lighthouse. The seagulls squawked and called to each other beside the waves which were the only sound until the harp began to softly y. The people in the starch white chairs with pretty pink bows tied on them stood up and turned to look at the bride. I stepped out of the temporary tent that had been set up for me to get ready and squinted into the sun. After my eyes adjusted, I could see that everyone was looking at me. I usually dont like to be the center of this much attention but today, I was reveling in it. This is my day mine and the two most beautiful men in the world who were standing at the altar waiting for me, waiting for our family to finally be joined together as one. Liz was there as my matron of honor. She was wearing a light pinkce dress and she had been very excited about not having to wear shoes. And yes, I said the matron. She and Gregory had sneaked off to Las Vegas a few months ago and tied the knot. Ive never seen her so happy, and now Cook has a partner as interested in helping out the homeless as he is. Liz was using her talents with people, teaching sses and giving talks about the day-to-day activities that are difficult for people who live on the street. Shes another reason why I feel so lucky. I couldnt have special ordered a better friend. James was Alexs best man. He cried when his son asked him. He looked so proud now at his sons side and with his grandson in his arms. Weve alle so far and I like to think we have baby Michael to thank for most of it. Alexs mother was on the right and mine was on the left in the first row near the altar. They were so different and yet here they were, about to be family. Alex didnt even balk when I said I felt like I had to invite my mother. I would have felt so incredibly guilty if I hadnt. I neednt have worried about him though. Of course you do, shes family. Im so darn lucky. I dont know what I ever did to deserve him, but I will never take him for granted. Im going to do anything and everything for the rest of my life to make him happy. I feel so pretty in my wedding dress another thing mother was disappointed about. She thought I should have picked out one with a huge train and pearls and lots ofce. What I wanted was simple like me. I dont think that being married to a man with a lot of money changes who I am. This dress is me and I love it. Its a cream-colored antiquece gown and as I began my ascent up the aisle, it fluttered out behind me. I wore a hand-crafted wreath of white flowers in my loose hair and I carried a bouquet made out of white orchids. I was barefoot and so was Alex. I saw my mother nce down distastefully at my feet as I passed her. I smiled. She shook her head. Alex wanted to be casual too. He wore an off-white linen suit, and he wore it well. He was smiling at me and the look in his eyes told me that he felt the same way about me as I did about him. I looked then at our little man who just turned onest week. He was chattering in his grandfathers arms and reaching out his arms and legs, wanting to go jump in the ocean no doubt. I blew him a kiss and he squealed. My heart is so full.N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner. I reached the altar that was decorated with precious shells and orchids. A sweet, delicate scent wafted from them and added to the ambiance of the day. Alex reached out and took my hand. He squeezed it and I shuddered and thought about how close Ide to losing himst year and how quickly he had bounced back. He has nothing but a couple of small scars left from that horrible day he tells me they make him look tough. I already thought that he did. Cassandra had epted the offer Alex put in front of her out of the blue right after she got out of an overnight stint in L. A. County Jail for viting a restraining order. Maybe she had an epiphany in jail, or maybe it was Armando meeting her the day she got kicked from jail and letting her know that as insurance for his job he had kept a video of them together, and in an attack of conscience he had decided to turn them over to Mr. Reigns. Last we heard she was living in Hawaii. The tapes are in the vault along with the Dictaphone for safekeeping. I hope the Hawaiians can handle her. Alexs mother is still somewhat cold and distant, but at least now he understands that its not about him. He told me that its easier to ept now that he understands the reasons behind it. Once things finally settled down after the court cases and the divorce, Alex hired a security firm to help his fathers investigators to look for his brother. Perhaps no one will ever know what happened to him, but I say a prayer for them every night that someday they will find their child and bring him home. She is starting to warm up to Michael and has shown up with James every day this week and gone on their walk with them. I even caught her taking a package of Goldfish crackers out of her purse to give to Michael before they left. When I told Alex heughed and said that when he was a boy she would have never considered putting a snack in one of her thousand-dor bags. Michaels charms must be melting the wall around her heart, I said. Alex nodded and said, She would have had to be the ice queen for them to not. James and Alex are closer than they ever were and James even bought a house not too far from us so that he could see the baby whenever he wants to. He hasnt been back to Tuscany and Alexs mother being beginning to go less frequently. James takes Michael for a walk every day. Michael is growing attached to him and although hes only a year old, he seems to know each day that its time for his grandfather toe and get him and he wants to wait by the door. Im not sure if its possible, but I think that James may have found his fountain of youth. The more time he spends with Michael, the younger and more energetic he looks. My mother is the same as shes always been. I can see her now, searching the audience of our guests, looking for her next victim. She is who she is and she is my mother, so I deal with it. The day she got her invitation to the wedding and saw that it was going to be on the beach, she nearly choked. The beach? Seal Beach? Why on earth when you could get married anywhere in the world would you pick a ce where you cant even wear pretty shoes? Its our ce, Mom. Alex and I both love that ce. Its where we want to start our lives together. She sighed heavily. I didnt care. I was marrying the man of my dreams, the father of my baby and I was nothing but happy about it. Eighty-Eight {}CARRY MY BABY{} My mother was just who she was and that would never change. She still doesnt get me either. The day that I started school for my Physicians Assistant Program she asked me, What is the point in marrying a billionaire if youre still going to work? I told her the honest truth, Love. Pure, unadulterated love. She sighed and rolled her eyes. I just smiled at her. Ivee to believe that is how she shows her love. Anyways, I know for a fact that shell be impressed when the helicopternds to take us to our honeymoon in the Cayman Inds. T.. H.. E.. E.. N.. D Watch out for the Continuation {}CARRY MY BABY{} Synopsis Have my baby. That was what my single dad best friend Seth said to me while I was waitressing at the diner. His little girl wants a sibling. But Seth is a workaholic millionaire and doesnt have time to meet someone. Someone who wont screw him over, like his kids mother. Only problem is this someone has secretly been in love with him since high school. Ive been hiding it forever, not wanting to risk our friendship. Sleeping with him is my biggest fantasy. And Ive fantasized plenty, being a virgin. Another thing he doesnt know. Now I have to make the biggest decision of my life. Is having a no strings attached affair just to make a baby better than never having him at all? Prologue Seths [POV] Almost five years ago The guy in the suit in the mirror wasnt me.N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner. He couldnt be. I wasnt ready to pack it all in yet. Id only graduated college a couple of years ago. Marriage? A baby on the way? Fuck, middle-aged guys did that stuff. Me, I was still young and fancy-free. But I wasnt. Not anymore. Not since the morning, Marjorie Maplewood had walked into my office at Hamilton Realty, waving around a white stick that didnt belong to a popsicle. This kid is yours, Hamilton. Dont try to pretend it isnt. What are you going to do about it? It had never urred to me that the child wasnt mine, but Id probably stared at her for two full minutes before finding my voice. Marj hadnt appreciated that, and shed burst into such loud sobs that my loyal assistant, Shelly, ran in from the reception area with a handkerchief, a mint, and plenty of judgment. An hourter, wed been engaged and nning a wedding. Okay, maybe two hours. Now I was facing my reflection in a spotted mirror in a back room at Our Lady of Peace Church, and the ticking minutes might as well have been a time bomb that wouldnt be kind enough to kill me. Jesus, youre an asshole. Shes the mother of your child. And I was marrying her. I knew my duty. It wasnt our childs fault. Truth was, I already wanted that baby. I had as soon as Id stopped panicking. Hell, I was still panicking, but I was moving forward anyway. A soft knock came at the door and I turned, expecting my father. He was one of the few pleased as could be about this union. Marjories family wasnt as well-to-do as ours, but they had good social positioning. My father sold the property for a living as did I now and was always negotiating deals and searching for angles. My mom left the family when I was a kid and certainly hadnt softened him. If anything, hed be harder and more inflexible. Everything has a price, Seth. Even people. Especially people. But it wasnt my father. The woman standing in the doorway, her dark hair wreathed in a crown of tiny wildflowers, would never worry about social standings or brokering deals. She called me on my shit and made meugh while doing it. Hey you, Ally said, and I smiled for the first time since Id walked into this narrow, stuffy room. What that said, I didnt want to analyze. She took a step forward and for a moment, light surrounded her, making her pale blue dress seem even paler. Almostwhite. And if I tilted my head, that crown of flowers on her head could be attached to a veil. Almost immediately, the tightness in my chest eased and I could breathe again. I wasnt going to run out of oxygen before I even walked down the goddamn aisle. Ally Cat, I said, my voice sounding scratchy even to my own ears. I moved forward and gripped her shoulders, drawing her back enough that I could search her eyes. Then she slugged me in the gut and the spell was broken. I wasnt marrying Ally. That wasnt what we were about. We were buddies. Wed met in Mrs. Danforths third period English ss in tenth grade on the second day of school. Ally had been absent the first day, and I was a transfer from the godawful prep school my father had sent me to in Connecticut. Idsted a year there, which was three years fewer than my twin, Oliver. Then Idnded in public school in our tony small town, still unsure if I was making a colossal mistake sure, prep school had sucked, but school was never fun and Id been half as interested in starting Of Mice and Men as I was at looking down Marcie Culpeppers V-neck top. Then Ally had hurried into the ssroom, her hair done up with crazy sticks, her arms full of books, and dropped into the empty seat beside me. Shed taken one nce at the way I was hunched over my desk to ogle Marcies boobs and smirked. Between that and the fact that Id assumed shed ditched the first day of ss, Id figured she was totally badass. I found outter her mom was sick and shed stayed home with her to keep herpany. But my badass opinion of Ally had remained all these years. This badass chick was my best male friendwho just happened to have a pair of tits. Sure, asionally, I noticed more about her than a friend should. Like how her hair always smelled like fucking sunshine, or that her legs seemed six miles long. I always shut that crap down immediately. Shed been dealing with her mothers illness all along, and with every passing year, her mom grew frailer. I was Allys support system. The only certainty she had in her life. Just as she was mine. Seth? Hey, wise ass, you okay? I flexed my hands on her shoulders, not quite ready to let go. Normally, I didnt grab hold of her as if she was my only lifeline, but it sure as hell felt as if I was facing an abyss. One of my own making. Whats going on? She reached up toy her hands over mine, and the softness of her skin made me swallow hard. I had to haul myself back. To remember who I was marrying. Nothing. Last minute jitters, I guess. I smiled and let her go, tucking my itchy hands into my pockets. Ally smiled, rxing finally. Understandable. Its not every day that Scorer Seth gets put on lockdown. See, she was d I wasnt going there too. Shed even mentioned my old stupid high school nickname. Scorer Seth, the guy who never missed when he set his mind on a woman. Now I was engaged, and of course, Ally wouldnt want me going there. But she never had. Our entire friendship, wed kept each other firmly in the friend zone. It was safer. Didnt make sense to risk screwing up a good thing, not when we had so few others we could count on. We were it for each other. And we always would be. Scorer Seth never learned. Giving in to the urge to touch one more time, I reached up to adjust her flower crown, and she immediately followed my hand to adjust it herself. That was my girl, always double-checking my work. I grinned and moved back to the mirror to work some more on my tie. My eternal downfall. Knowing that, she let out a sigh and walked over to fix it for me, aplishing the task in two seconds t. When she started to move back, I grasped her wrist and her gaze flew up to mine. Promise me this wont change, I said urgently. What? She let out a nervous littleugh, the kind I rarely heard from her. No matter what, Ally had her shit together. You want me to promise to always fix your ties? Okay, I can do that No. I want you to promise well still be this way together. That just because I have a wife now, well still be likethis. I gestured between us with my free hand. That you wont pull away. Sheughed again, averting her gaze. Telling me without words shed intended to do exactly that. Well always be friends. But your wife will be your best friend now. As she should be. If youre worrying about me, dont. Im good. She tried to shake off my hold, but when that didnt happen, she shook back her hair instead. Ive got it all handled. What if I dont? I dont want this to change. Fuck, Al, youre my best friend. Gently, she pulled away. Well always be friends, she repeated. I better get to my seat. Its almost time. Break a leg, Hamilton. She shed a weak smile. Or whatever you say in times like this. She leaned up on tiptoe and kissed my cheek. Im so happy for you. She was gone before I could reply. I reached up to cup my cheek. My skin was still tingling from her lips. She hadnt promised me. The only promises I could count on now were my own. The ones Id already made to my unborn child, and soon, to my wife. I would do what was right. Eighty-Nine Prologue Seths [POV] Almost five years ago The guy in the suit in the mirror wasnt me. He couldnt be. I wasnt ready to pack it all in yet. Id only graduated college a couple of years ago. Marriage? A baby on the way? Fuck, middle-aged guys did that stuff. Me, I was still young and fancy-free. But I wasnt. Not anymore. Not since the morning, Marjorie Maplewood had walked into my office at Hamilton Realty, waving around a white stick that didnt belong to a popsicle. This kid is yours, Hamilton. Dont try to pretend it isnt. What are you going to do about it? It had never urred to me that the child wasnt mine, but Id probably stared at her for two full minutes before finding my voice. Marj hadnt appreciated that, and shed burst into such loud sobs that my loyal assistant, Shelly, ran in from the reception area with a handkerchief, a mint, and plenty of judgment. An hourter, wed been engaged and nning a wedding. Okay, maybe two hours. Now I was facing my reflection in a spotted mirror in a back room at Our Lady of Peace Church, and the ticking minutes might as well have been a time bomb that wouldnt be kind enough to kill me. Jesus, youre an asshole. Shes the mother of your child. And I was marrying her. I knew my duty. It wasnt our childs fault. Truth was, I already wanted that baby. I had as soon as Id stopped panicking. Hell, I was still panicking, but I was moving forward anyway. A soft knock came at the door and I turned, expecting my father. He was one of the few pleased as could be about this union. Marjories family wasnt as well-to-do as ours, but they had good social positioning. My father sold the property for a living as did I now and was always negotiating deals and searching for angles. My mom left the family when I was a kid and certainly hadnt softened him. If anything, hed be harder and more inflexible. Everything has a price, Seth. Even people. Especially people. But it wasnt my father. The woman standing in the doorway, her dark hair wreathed in a crown of tiny wildflowers, would never worry about social standings or brokering deals. She called me on my shit and made meugh while doing it. Hey you, Ally said, and I smiled for the first time since Id walked into this narrow, stuffy room. What that said, I didnt want to analyze. She took a step forward and for a moment, light surrounded her, making her pale blue dress seem even paler. Almostwhite. And if I tilted my head, that crown of flowers on her head could be attached to a veil. Almost immediately, the tightness in my chest eased and I could breathe again. I wasnt going to run out of oxygen before I even walked down the goddamn aisle. Ally Cat, I said, my voice sounding scratchy even to my own ears. I moved forward and gripped her shoulders, drawing her back enough that I could search her eyes. Then she slugged me in the gut and the spell was broken. I wasnt marrying Ally. That wasnt what we were about. We were buddies. Wed met in Mrs. Danforths third period English ss in tenth grade on the second day of school. Ally had been absent the first day, and I was a transfer from the godawful prep school my father had sent me to in Connecticut. Idsted a year there, which was three years fewer than my twin, Oliver. Then Idnded in public school in our tony small town, still unsure if I was making a colossal mistake sure, prep school had sucked, but school was never fun and Id been half as interested in starting Of Mice and Men as I was at looking down Marcie Culpeppers V-neck top. Then Ally had hurried into the ssroom, her hair done up with crazy sticks, her arms full of books, and dropped into the empty seat beside me. Shed taken one nce at the way I was hunched over my desk to ogle Marcies boobs and smirked. Between that and the fact that Id assumed shed ditched the first day of ss, Id figured she was totally badass. I found outter her mom was sick and shed stayed home with her to keep herpany. But my badass opinion of Ally had remained all these years. This badass chick was my best male friendwho just happened to have a pair of tits. Sure, asionally, I noticed more about her than a friend should. Like how her hair always smelled like fucking sunshine, or that her legs seemed six miles long. I always shut that crap down immediately. Shed been dealing with her mothers illness all along, and with every passing year, her mom grew frailer. I was Allys support system. The only certainty she had in her life. Just as she was mine. Seth? Hey, wise ass, you okay? I flexed my hands on her shoulders, not quite ready to let go. Normally, I didnt grab hold of her as if she was my only lifeline, but it sure as hell felt as if I was facing an abyss. One of my own making. Whats going on? She reached up toy her hands over mine, and the softness of her skin made me swallow hard. I had to haul myself back. To remember who I was marrying. Nothing. Last minute jitters, I guess. I smiled and let her go, tucking my itchy hands into my pockets. Ally smiled, rxing finally. Understandable. Its not every day that Scorer Seth gets put on lockdown. See, she was d I wasnt going there too. Shed even mentioned my old stupid high school nickname. Scorer Seth, the guy who never missed when he set his mind on a woman. Now I was engaged, and of course, Ally wouldnt want me going there. But she never had. Our entire friendship, wed kept each other firmly in the friend zone. It was safer. Didnt make sense to risk screwing up a good thing, not when we had so few others we could count on. We were it for each other. And we always would be. Scorer Seth never learned. Giving in to the urge to touch one more time, I reached up to adjust her flower crown, and she immediately followed my hand to adjust it herself. That was my girl, always double-checking my work. I grinned and moved back to the mirror to work some more on my tie. My eternal downfall. Knowing that, she let out a sigh and walked over to fix it for me, aplishing the task in two seconds t. When she started to move back, I grasped her wrist and her gaze flew up to mine.N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner. Promise me this wont change, I said urgently. What? She let out a nervous littleugh, the kind I rarely heard from her. No matter what, Ally had her shit together. You want me to promise to always fix your ties? Okay, I can do that No. I want you to promise well still be this way together. That just because I have a wife now, well still be likethis. I gestured between us with my free hand. That you wont pull away. Sheughed again, averting her gaze. Telling me without words shed intended to do exactly that. Well always be friends. But your wife will be your best friend now. As she should be. If youre worrying about me, dont. Im good. She tried to shake off my hold, but when that didnt happen, she shook back her hair instead. Ive got it all handled. What if I dont? I dont want this to change. Fuck, Al, youre my best friend. Gently, she pulled away. Well always be friends, she repeated. I better get to my seat. Its almost time. Break a leg, Hamilton. She shed a weak smile. Or whatever you say in times like this. She leaned up on tiptoe and kissed my cheek. Im so happy for you. She was gone before I could reply. I reached up to cup my cheek. My skin was still tingling from her lips. She hadnt promised me. The only promises I could count on now were my own. The ones Id already made to my unborn child, and soon, to my wife. I would do what was right. Ninety Allys [POV] I hopped back a good three feet, but it was way toote. Aww,e on. I stared down at the puddle of coffee dripping from the worn Formica tabletop to the red vinyl booth. The cracked pot in my hand held a jagged edge that could be a prop in a Quentin Tarantino movie. Right down to the coffee-stained orange lip. If I had to sacrifice myst pair of white Converse sneakers to the coffee gods, at least it shouldve been goddamn full octane coffee, not decaf. Im sorry, Mrs. Diggs. Dont move, okay? Mrs. Diggs, one of the diners regrs, shuffled to the end of her booth and cupped her mug in her manicured hands. She picked up her feet d in bright orange and white sneakers as the coffee raced toward the wall of windows. I winced. Dammit, the baseboards needed a scrub again. Maybe I could convince Mitch to let me stayte ore in early one day. Id been picking up as many shifts as hed allow me to, but at least if I did this it wouldnt require talking to people. I was pretty much talked out. Are you all right, dear? Fine. I just dont want you to get cut, okay? Give me a quick second and Ill brew you a fresh pot. Disgusted, I dropped my threadbare towel over the ss and scraped the shards into a pile as I shimmied my way out from under the table. Sage, can you grab me another towel? I hollered over my shoulder. My best friends head popped out from around the corner. I gave her a rueful smile as I lost the battle against the river of coffee. Sage rushed over with a pile of towels and crouched beside me. She blew a honey blond curl out of her face. No matter how many pins Sage Evans jammed into her twisting pile of curls one invariably escaped. Luckily it only enhanced her heart-shaped face and huge green eyes. What happened? She started mopping up the escaping coffee. Careful. I grabbed her hand just before a hook-shaped shard of ss took a chunk out of her palm. Jeeze, what did you do? I set what was left of the pot on the table. One too many times left on the burner while empty is my guess. I barely tapped the side of the table and pop-crash. Coffee. She wrinkled her nose. Full pot no less. I managed not to let the growl or the string of swear words free as I reached back under the booth and mopped up the coffee under Mrs. Diggs feet. Okay, youre set. The woman put her feet down as I crawled back out from under the booth. A pair of dark jeans and ck boots stopped two inches from my coffee-sttered khakis. I knew those boots. My gaze skipped up to the way his jeans molded to strong thighs and a bulge behind his zipper that had caused me way too many sleepless nights. My best friend since high school tucked his thumb into his pocket and drummed his fingers lightly against his leg. Is this a new customer service thing? My mouth tipped up at one corner. If he only knew what kind of service I wanted to offer. Jerk. Even with the slightly burnt decaf wafting up from the floor and covering me from knee to toes, couldnt forget that partthere was no denying Seth Hamiltons delicious toasted sugar and sex scent. It was some ungodly expensive cologne. I wasnt exactly proud of the fact that Id gone to a department stores counter to take an extra whiff of it. Id hunted it down so I didnt seem like some perv by burying my face in his chest to get a better inhale. However, the bottled version wasnt nearly as divine as it was on Seth. Probably had something to do with his stupid pheromones. Or the fact that his rmingly perfect body chemistry made everything smell good even during that one night we spent together with his daughter up all night with a fever. Ive relived that night more than I care to admit. Not the awful part. Im not a freak. But I cant help remembering the aftermath when we melted into a heap on the couch in half-hystericalughter from exhaustion and relief. Yeah, so I shouldnt have noticed, but Im human. It wasnt like I jumped him. I thought about it for a hot second. To be honest, I think about it all the damn time. When you didnt get any attention of a sexual nature, it tended to take over the whole frontal lobe. The fact that he was so delectable didnt help. However, the idea of tilting our perfect friendship into naked time was too much to deal with. Much of my life was the same refrain. Me lusting after my best friend. Himpletely clueless. Me more than willing to let him stay in the dark. It was a pathetic song that I couldnt stop ying. I scrubbed my tingling palms on my thighs and noticed his untucked white dress shirt. He was still wearing a navy sport jacket so he wasntpletely off the clock, but definitely not in sales-mode. His dark hair was tousled from the breeze off the water, a pair of mirrored aviators hid his equally dark eyes, and his perpetual scruff made my insides buzzy. Who the hell needed caffeine when Seth came into The Rusty Spoon? Or the thoughts of me on my knees in front of said man. Good God, pull it together, girl. I pped my thighs to kill thest of the buzzing. Hi. Hi yourself. He bent at the waist and I got a st of that sugar sex. He took off his sunsses and his eyes crinkled at the sides as he smiled. His gaze slid from me to Sage. Two woman job? Must be serious. Hey, Pita. Sage rolled her eyes before bunching all the towels together. Ill put on that pot for you. She stood up and dropped the pile on the lunch counter so it wouldnt drip all over the floor.This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org . Thanks, I murmured. Wow, ten points for the full-on shatter, Ally Cat. He helped me to a standing position, then hustled around the counter for the garbage and dragged it over to me. He must have heard the crunch and click of ss because he cupped his hands around mine and pulled them over the bin. I didnt bother trying to save the towel, just shot the whole thing in the trash. No cuts? Im fine, Dad. Or I would be if hed let me go. Because seriously, I couldnt deal with tingles on top of mortifying coffee stters. Not that I wasnt used to the eternal stains that were part of being a waitress at the diner. It just seemed extra embarrassing in front of Seth. He flipped my hands palms up then coasted the pads of his fingers over the tops. All good. I curled my fingers into my palms. Told you. The only casualty is my Chucks. He nced around the garbage to my shoes. Yeah, theyre toast. No, Ill just use them as my new mopping shoes. He frowned. What? Nothing. The little wrinkle between his brows cleared as he noticed Mrs. Diggs in the booth. Arent you looking lovely, Mrs. Diggs? New workout gear? Charmer. But she preened and smoothed her bejeweled hand over the expensive designer Adidas jacket in the same orange and white of her shoes. Nice to see someone watching after our Alison though. Always. Oh, brother. I turned to the counter lined with red vinyl stools and copsed into one to take stock of my situation. Most of the coffee had hit the floor and my shoes, so I guess that was something at least. I stalked down the aisle and inwardly groaned at the squeak of my rubber soles. I hustled to the carpet in front of the door and scuffed my feet. I could actually feel the coffee squishing inside my shoes. Ugh. My life-up to my ankles in crap coffee. Of course. I went around behind the counter to take care of the pile of towels Sage had left. Whats up, Seth? You dont usuallye in thiste. I actually have some papers for you. My gaze swung back to him. He nodded to the back of the diner where he always sat. Can you take a few minutes? It was only then that I noticed the folder in his hand. The white Hamilton Realty logo scrawled across the dense green glossy folder. My stomach twisted for a whole different reason this time. Moms house. My house. What could have been my house if it wasnt full of shitty memories and the stench of too much antiseptic. I closed my eyes as a wave of exhaustion chased the sad. It had been three months since my mom had finally passed away after a soul-crushing bout with cancer. Shed always been fragile, but thest five years had about killed me too. By the end, all I wanted was peace for her. And maybe a little for myself. I only let that part out in the deepest, darkest parts of the night where sleep and waking ovepped. When the quiet was finallyforting and the hiss of the oxygenpressor wasnt my constantpanion for the first time in too many years to remember. But then the rm pushed me out of the quiet and into my current reality. Bills, life, the diner, nsall jumbled together in my little nner. And the little secret pocket where Id stashed the page of sses I wanted to take. I had sent off for a few brochures from schools in New York City, and I looked at them now and then. It had been so long since I could think about what I wanted that I honestly wasnt quite sure what to do. But it didnt stop me from poring over my brochures and the college catalog online. Too bad dreams didnt pay the bills. I pressed a shaking hand over my belly. Yeah. Let me make sure I can take my fifteen. I hurried over to the sink. My rings clicked together as I soaped up my hands to get the coffee smell off them. Mitch, Im going to take my break. He only grunted. Typical. Sage, you okay? Ninety-One She waved me off. Sure. Take it now before the biddiese in for the early bird special. Truth. I smoothed my hand over my apron and stuck my order pad in the front pocket. I double-checked that I had three pens as I always did. Patrons were notorious thieves. Not sure why they wanted my cheapie Bic pens, but they were forever walking off with them. Stop stalling. I was tempted to roll my eyes at myself, but that took too much energy and I didnt have much to spare. I grabbed a fruit te and a scoop of cottage cheese to get me through the rest of the evening. Sage and I might have time for a bite after the dinner rush, but more often than not, it just rolled into the dessert business and the endless coffee mug crowd. I snagged a menu on my way down the aisle to him. Seth was sprawled in his favorite booth, his long legs encroaching on my side. I kicked his boot as I sat down and dropped the menu in front of him. How you dont have that memorized is beyond me. He straightened and ced his phone face down on the table, then propped the menu against the wall. Just coffee this time. Oh. Have an appointment? I ate a forkful of my cottage cheese. He sneered at my te. So gross. I forked up some more and held it in front of him. So good. Gross. I snagged a piece of pineapple to go with my forkful and chewed with a smile. How would you know? You still wont try the wonders of my fruit te. Its a texture thing. And yet youll eat grits. Only Angelos grits. Which reminds me. He flipped over his menu. I have been dreaming about his kitchen sink omelet. Kindame dreams. He nced over the menu. I cant have dreams about you naked all the time. Har-har. He winked at me and I tamped down the hormones prepared to leap across the table. Sage came over with a grilled cheese sandwich and slid it in front of me. In her other hand was a pot of coffee. What are you having, Seth? I frowned. I didnt order this. Sage put her hand on her hip. That fruit thing isnt going to hold you over for the rest of the day. Thanks. My ass wont thank you, but I do. Your ass is just fine. Sure is, Seth agreed. What the hell was up with thements? He didnt notice my ass. Did he? I shook my head and peeled the triangles apart as theva-like mixture of cheddar and gouda that spilled onto the te made me moan. The cheese was my downfall. I could pretty much give up anything except that. Noticing Seths smirk, I dragged my fingertip through the cheese and brought it to my mouth. What? Should we leave you alone? Fine by me. Well live happily ever after, wont we, you gooey piece of perfection? Seth shook his head. He flipped his mug right side up on the saucer. Ill just have coffee. You sure? Sage asked as she poured. Yeah. I want that omelet, but itll have to wait until next time. Sage nodded. You got it. She nced at me. I got Mrs. Diggs. Oh, crap. I forgot. I swiveled to smile at the older woman. No worries. She wasnt mad? Sage shook her head. Too busy staring at this ones ass. She nodded at Seth. He waggled his eyebrows. Sage rolled her eyes. Ill leave you guys to it. As soon as she walked away, Seth folded his hands on the folder. So, about the house. I looked down at my sandwich and picked up half. Want? He smiled. I wouldnt want toe between you two. I shrugged. Fine by me. I sucked at sharing anyway. If he wanted to keep it about business, I could do that. Howd we do? He blew out a breath. Id prefer to leave it on the market so we- Nope. Cant. John Chandler gave me three months to sell and here we are a week past that. His eyebrows snapped down and his jaw muscle flexed. Id bet twenty bucks he was grinding his mrs. But it was my decision, not his. I told you I could- Nope. I yanked a napkin out of the dispenser to degrease my fingertips before I covered his clenched hands. You know I cant. Hed been trying to throw money at all my problems for years, but my answer was always the same. Even if he had more money than most of the Crescent Cove poptionbined, I couldnt take money from a friend. Especially not Seth. God, not him. Let me talk to John. We throw him a hell of a lot of business. I can pull a favor. No. I had a feeling the three months Id been granted was already one of those favors. No matter how much history I had in this town, a banker wasnt going to let me slide when it came to primend, even if it was on the fringes ofkefront property. Add in the mortgage I could barely scrape together now that my mothers social security was gone and the only math that made sense was selling the house. John Chandler over at Crescent Cove Credit Union might be a sweet man who coached Little League on the weekends, but he was still a businessman. And there were rules. Rules I was intimately aware of. My mothers modest life insurance policy did little more than cover her burial and a small memorial service. Ive got a guy whos buying up some of the older He trailed off. I squeezed him onest time before sliding my hands back across the table and picking up my sandwich again. Shacks? You can say it. I know my house wasnt much. He swiped his hand along the back of his neck. Dammit, Al. It is what it is. She wanted a house on theke, and it was all I could afford on my meager sry and what she had in the bank. It was enough for us. My bedroom had been little more than a closet, but my mom had been happy herst few years, and that had been all that mattered. A newpany is looking to build family houses on theke to beef up the rentals for the season. The Kennedys kind or?All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. He nodded. The middle ie kind of families. Im notpletely against what theyre doing. I broke off a corner of my toasted cheese and popped it in my mouth. Thats great. You know this town relies on seasonal visitors. Though Im d theyre not just making mansions. His eyes glittered. No. I knew Seth and his brother had been working hard to keep Crescent Cove from turning into the Hamptons part two. They were probably the only reason half the coast hadnt been razed and turned into huge houses and overpriced hotels. But the Cove was a mix of wealthy and working ss. Just the way I loved it. Though I wouldnt mind being one of the wealthy someday. And maybe if I could get the house sold and get back to even Id have at least a chance at some kind of future besides drowning in debt. Whats the offer? I listened to him drone on about the sale and the banks. I swallowed when he opened the folder and slid a printed page my way. The sale price wasnt as good as Id hoped, but it would cover what I needed it to. It would leave me with a big fat zero in my bank, but at least it wasnt a minus sign. Right now that was glorious and I was calling it a win. I folded the paper in half. Thank you, Seth. Dont thank me. Id rather you walked away or haggled for more. I lifted my chin and pushed my te away. Do you think Id actually get it? He opened his mouth. Without doing upgrades and all the things you wanted me to do to the house? He shut it. I thought so. Fuck. He slumped in seat a little. I dont like any of this. You dont have to like it. Just make sure I dont get too screwed and be my friend. Simple things. Its all I really need. I put my leg out and twisted my ankle to show off my sttered shoes. And a new pair of sneakers. Which I need to work to pay for. Just let me know when and where to be to sign the papers. I started to slide out of the booth. Your fifteen isnt over yet. I paused. Almost. Fifteen minutes goes quick. You know that. He pressed his lips together and his eyes red with something. I didnt even want to think about what they red with. It didnt happen often, but there were moments when I wondered if he thought about other, less tonic things when it came to me. But it was much easier to file those moments away as aberrations and fantasies. Just one more thing. Its never just one more thing with you. Youre killing me, Al. Right back atcha, buddy. Exasperation was the word of the day. When he leaned forward, his dark eyes were a little too serious. I straightened and pulled my hands away from my te tond in myp. I twirled my thumb ring as a sudden chill climbed up my hairline. He leaned forward, suddenly earnest. Too earnest. When Seth Hamilton acted solemn, he was up to something, and chances were high I wouldnt like it. Will you have my baby? Ninety-Two Seths [POV] Silence was not the response I expected. I wasnt sure what I did expect. The request wasnt a usual one, not even between longtime friends. Tenth grade was more than a decade in the rearview mirror, and here we were. Still friends. Best friends, even. Our friendship had survived my marriage and divorce, among other things. If this crazy request of mine didnt kill her affection for me. Anyones bet at this point. Have your babywhat? What does that mean, exactly? When I didnt immediately reply, she fanned herself with theminated menu shed given me. Okay, wait, baby means Laurie. Of course it does. Shes your only baby. Right? Right. So you must want me to babysit her or something? I can do that. Sure. Let me consult my nner for dates. I stopped her from flying out of the booth. Laurie isnt a baby. Shes almost four. As she likes to tell me, thats almost halfway to ten, and ten is more than halfway to a big person. As always, when talk of my daughter entered the conversation, Ally softened. I might have known that and used it to my advantage, if I hadnt been so addicted to how her cheeks turned pink and her smile warmed at my little girls name. God knows Lauries own mother hadnt been simrly affected. Allys love of children, and my child in particr, had weighed in heavily to my choice to ask her this very important question. And if Id watched her with my daughter a bit too muchtely, studying the exact curl of Allys hair against her neck, or the way her dangling earrings made shadows, or how her mouth curved and teased out a dimple-well, I was a red-blooded man. One who could only ignore the beauty in front of him so long without it mming him in the forehead, apparently. She is a big girl. Growing bigger every day. The wistfulness in Allys voice made me lean forward. So now that weve ascertained I wasnt talking about you babysitting my child, something you do on asion anyway, lets go back to the point of this conversation. You. Having my baby. Golden brown eyes settled on mine as a smile toyed with her mouth. You missed April Fools day by a mile, dude. This isnt a joke. Theres no hidden camera. This is just me, your best friending to you with a simple request. Her dark brows knitted. A simple request to borrow my eggs? And what would you need with another baby anyway? You already have one. You work all the time, and if you had two kids, youd have twice the work. Id have another child to love and my little girl would have a sibling, something she wants more than anything else in this world. I toyed with the handle of my coffee cup. Even more than she wants a mother, and thats the one thing I can never give her. Fucked that one up royally. Ally sighed and tweaked my pinky, curled around the cooling mug. Id barely touched my coffee. My throat was too tight. That wasnt your fault. You didnt know Marj was only it for the dough. How could you? Oh, I dont know, that she was always more concerned about fur coats and jewels than baby form and lubies? If Id been paying attention, that is. But as you said, Im always working. I heard the bitterness in my tone and couldnt do a damn thing to stop it, though I knew I was screwing this up more with every passing moment.All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. I didnt want Ally feeling sorry for me or guilted into this situation. I wanted her to make the choice because it would be good for her and good for me and Laurie. A positive thing all around. She didnt breastfeed? Is that relevant? No, not really, just that its such a healthy, nurturing experience. Its not an imperative, of course. A baby can be perfectly happy and cared for without it. Id be fine with you breastfeeding our child. Just saying those words had my stomach tightening in weird and unexpected ways. Stop it. She hissed out a breath. We dont have a child. Nor will we. I dont know why youre pursuing this, really, but its not very funny. Now I should get back to- I reached out and snagged her wrist. Let me spell this out for you before you run from me and concoct all kinds of crazy scenarios in your head. I want another child. I do not want another rtionship, potentially with a woman who would harm our baby and not be viable long-term. I just want a healthy child. To that end, I am prepared topensate you for your significant time investment. Four years at the college of your choosing, tuition free. If you desire to go to grad school, that will be covered as well. She yanked back her hand and let it drop limply into herp. Youve gone stark raving mad. Actually, I feel saner than I ever have. Instead ofmenting I cant have what I want, what my daughter wants, I can make it happen with a woman I trust. The only woman I trust. Swallowing hard, I gripped the handle of my mug and fought not to reach for Ally again. Im not exaggerating. Its you or no one. I cant risk it with anyone else. Her lower lip wobbled and I clutched the handle until my damn knuckles went white. If she cried, Id be done for. Not fair, she whispered. So not fair. No, whats not fair is that you work your fingers to the bone in this ce and you have dreams you cant see your way to because of all the bills. She clenched her jaw. As soon as I sell Mamas house What, youll barely be out of the hole? I am rich. I have more money than I know what to do with. I can make a good life for my kids. Both of them, including the one Id have with you. And youd be free, Ally. You could go to school like you want. I know you probably wouldnt want to quit here, and thats fine. But school would be taken care of, and then your dreams could be yours. Anything you want. She turned her head away and stared hard out the window at some ce I couldnt see. But she damn well wasnt seeing the tidy, well-kept Main Street of our small town, I was certain. Her gaze was farther off, on a future I couldnt imagine. For all I knew, shed leave Crescent Cove. With the money shed receive, she could go somewhere else and start over for real. I knew she loved the diner, but more than anything, she spoke of fresh starts. Hard to have one in a town synonymous with so many bad memories for her. So much loss. Sure, Laurie was here. I was here, plus Sage and her other friends at the diner. But there was a huge world out there, just waiting for Ally to make her mark. This way, she could. Without being tied down by anyone or anything. As much as I might hate the idea of going even one day without seeing her smile or roll her eyes at me or hearing herughter, it wasnt about me now. She deserved a chance to live the way she wanted to. So did I. Youre paying me for my eggs, she said quietly. Like Im a freaking chicken. Except my eggs are like fucking gold lined in tinum, if theyre worth a college education. Augh tickled the back of my throat, but it was too constricted for me to let it free. Anywhere you want, I gritted out instead. A free ride all the way. Ivy League if thats what floats your boat. Her chest quickly rose and fell, drawing my attention to her full breasts heaving under the starched cotton of her uniform. I tried not to notice. I respected the fuck out of her, but I also wanted to fuck her senseless. Something I dont think Id fully realized until that exact moment. Even knowing what I was asking of her, what it would entailId been focused on the result, not the process. Now that process was ying out in my head in lurid Technicolor, and my stiff dick was lurching against the zipper of my jeans. And she was still breathing hard and worrying the silver rings she wore on each finger, her mind whirling faster than she could give voice to her thoughts. Or else she didnt want to share. I wanted to fuck her until every one of those thoughts tumbled out of her pretty mouth. To strip her bare until she could hide nothing from me. Her innermost secrets, her hot tits, her sweet pussy. All of her, mine for the taking. But I didnt say any of that. Not yet. There was one point I needed to rify, however. You keep talking about your eggs. You think thats what I mean? I dont know what youre getting at, because this is all crazy talk. You never gave me one inkling you were thinking like this before and now youre all in on baby central. Okay, yes, I know my technique could use some work. But I figured youd say no, so if we can get to that part, then we can get to the part where I considerately give you time to think about it while I do my level best to convince you. Without acting as if Im convincing you, of course. I cant decide if youre the dumbest dude on the for admitting that or the smartest. Ninety-Three Im an excellent closer. You know that yourself. I shrugged, hoping the gesture didnt look as jerky as it felt. Truth be told, acting overly confident about this situation was the only way Id been able to gear myself up to ask her in the first ce. I was okay with her thinking I was nuts. I was even okay with her saying no. What I wasnt okay with? pulling away from me because Id officially moved out of the stress-free friend zone into the realm of one more man who wanted something from her. I did, but I wanted to give as much back. As much as she would let me. Closing is one thing. Your openers, however, suck. Ally leaned across the table and gripped my wrist, twisting my arm toward her so she could see the time as shed done a million and one times before. Normally, I barely paid attention. But apparently asking her to have my baby had subtly changed the ions and molecules in the air between us, because the brush of her fingers on the back of my hand made my balls clench. My spine locked as I fought not to draw back my hand. But she noticed that I tens, ed. Of course she did. She was as perceptive as the damn cat Id nicknamed her years ago. So, what, you want to knock me up but I cant touch you now? Youre all about that petri dish action, arent you? You dont want toe right out and admit it, but thats what your goal is. She let out a whooshing breath as if Id just handed her the winning lotto numbers. You just want to inseminate me. Okay. Better. Im not saying yes, of course. Still, even considering that you actually thought that wethat we couldis ridiculous. Leaning forward, I snagged her fingers where theyy on the tabletop, holding firm when she tried to snatch them back. That we could what? Her gaze darted everywhere but nevernded on me. You know quite well. Can you let go of me now, please? I need to get back to work. I only tightened my hold as I leaned across the table. She didnt shrink back. Far from it. Her maple syrup eyes all those rich hues of gold and brown shed and locked onto mine. That we could what, Ally? I asked again, voice low. Suddenly it was vitally important she answer me. That I hear her say the words, to solidify the reality of it happening in my head. Because it was sure as fuck real ording to what was going on in my jeans. So we could have, you know, sex. She spoke so fast that I lessened my grip a fraction and she yanked free, popped to her feet, and grabbed hold of the folder containing the contract. Both of them. Though she didnt know about the second one yet. I hadnt gotten that far. I started to lean toward her to snatch it back, then paused. Hmm. Maybe it was better she read the contract on her own. Seeing it all in print might work to ay her fears. It wasnt as if I was asking her to let me breed her and marry her and lock her away forever in my tower. It was just a simple exchange between friends. No romantic rtionship, but a pleasant, mutually satisfying one. She would give me something I wanted, and I would give her something she would never ask for but deserved. Hell, Id be happy to offer her the money right now on the spot, no strings attached, but she would never take it. So instead Id made it a condition of our bargain. All neat and tidy and written down. A wise businessman pivoted with changing conditions. And I was nothing if not my fathers son. Too slow, Ally said, her confidence returning as she clutched the folder to her chest. Better work on those reflexes of yours, Hamilton. Think youre getting old. Thanks for bringing that point up. Sit again for another moment. I inclined my chin toward the opposite side of the booth. She sighed and sat sideways on the seat, bncing the folder on her knees far from my reach. Finally reconsidering this insanity? I knew if you took a moment to just think, youd realize this is insane. Just because Laurie wants a sibling isnt a reason to be rash. Rash. Right. I stirred my now ice cold coffee and dropped the spoon into the saucer. Shes told you too? Shes told everyone. When I picked her up at schoolst week, Mrs. OConnor mentioned it to me. She had this idea that I was your girlfriend. Shaking her head, Ally smoothed a hand over that green Hamilton Realty folder that held the power to change both of our lives. Ridiculous. So you keep saying. Ridiculous youd be my girlfriend, ridiculous Id want to fuck you to make a baby. Her eyes red wide before she pped the folder on the table. Keep your damn voice down. You know how this ce is with gossip. If the wrong person hears that, theyll think you actually want todo that. My frustration level spiked, andughing was the only thing I could do to alleviate it. Along with grabbing hold of the back of my neck to rub out a particrly pesky set of knots. Not the only thing I wanted to rub out, but that wasnt going to be urring at the diner. Probably. Unless she pushed me to untold lengths. Newssh. I do want to do that. I want to spread you out on my bed and fuck you until youre so full of me its spilling out of you. And then, just for g ood measure, I want to roll you over and do it again. Her lips trembled apart and I ced a finger over them. But no, I dont want a girlfriend. I want you to have my baby, and I want it to be a good, positive thing for both of us. Unconventional, yes, but then weve always been that, havent we? I rose, unable to deny that I enjoyed looming over her while her big brown eyes tracked my movements. Seth, she whispered. Her usage of my actual name instead of some insult said volumes. The second contract, I said lightly, pulling out my wallet to leave a wad of bills on the table. Far more than my coffee and tip should cost, but I always tipped excessively, especially at the diner. Call me when youve had a chance to read it. Slipping on my sunsses, I headed toward the door. I could feel her heavy stare on my back. And knew she would probably flip open the folder to scan the contents before the door shut behind me with a cheerful tinkle of bells. Id made it up the street to my Mustang and was just about to open the drivers door when my cell vibrated in the pocket of my jeans. I pulled it out and answered her call without reading her name. It could only be one person. The one who held a good chunk of my dreams and my future in her strong, capable, ringed hands. Hi there, I said, keeping my voice pleasant. Even with my aviator sunsses, I still had to shield my eyes from the angle of the sun glinting off theke directly in front of me. That didnt take you long. I heard a hiss that I guessed might be running water then the sound disappeared. You told another human being about this crazy n? I told mywyer. Whether or not hes actually human is up for debate, but most people seem to think he qualifies. Thest hope I had was that this was another one of Seths wild schemes. You know, like when we put the top down on your convertible and drove up to the Canadian side of Niagara Falls on senior skip day without any ID. All because you woke up that day and wanted to do something fun.N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner. And you thought Id ask you to make a baby the same way. I nodded, inhaling a deep breath of water-tinged air. Sure. I can see now why youre hesitating. If you think Id view those two events the same way, no wonder you arent inclined to say yes. But youid all of it out in these papers. She lowered her voice until I had to strain to hear her over the gentlep of the water against the sea wall. You want me to get pregnant, and you want to pay me for my baby. Like I was some broodmare. A chicken and a broodmare. Nice to know how you see yourself. How I see myself? Um, no. Thats all you, bucko. I nearly smiled. I would have if this wasnt so important. I want to pay you for your time. The gestation period is lengthy, and the change in your lifestyle for that period is worthpensation. So you keep saying, she said, sounding more shrill by the minute. Which brings me back to the reason I asked you to sit down again in the diner. I was knocked off-course, but youve reminded me once again. Age. Youre twenty-eight. Egg validity is an important concern. Egg what? Validity. Once a woman nears thirty, her eggs start bing- Dude, you did not just call my eggs old. Youre fucking lucky you walked out when you did because if you were still here, Id p you until you came to your senses. Youd be pping me for a while then, because Ive thought a lot about this. For months actually. Its a sensible idea, and once you take some time to calm down and think, I have a feeling youll agree. College is expensive, and this way youll be covered. Any school you like, I reminded her. And Laurie will have that sibling we both know she desperately wants. Cheap shot, she said in an undertone. Using that little girl to get your way is the lowest of lows. But I should expect nothing else from a fabled Hamilton, now should I? Wincing, I gripped the phone tighter. Wait. That didnte out right. I meant Shed already ended the call. Ninety-Four Immediately, I called her back, but it went straight to voicemail. I braced my elbow on the roof of my car and shut my eyes, hearing her pained voice on repeat in my head. Hating every second. Fuck, I muttered, stepping back and yanking open my door. Maybe I wouldnt have to worry about her saying no. God knows Id bungled this situation in every possible way. And I might have screwed up more than just my slim chances of her agreeing to my n. I might have just lost my best friend too. Allys [POV] I stared at the ceiling and frowned at the watermark in the corner. Had that been there before? I covered my face with my arms and pulled my knees up to my chest as I stretched out my back. Id been on the floor for thest ten minutes. Mostly because my furniture was either packed or sold off. If the five dor college student special counted as sold anyway. My day had started at five in the morning to open the diner, then Id gone right to my-no, not mine anymore. The house. Now, the only thing familiar were the ghostly shapes from my mothers old medical equipment in the battered hardwood. Hospice hade to collect themst month and I hadnt had the heart toe back into her space since then. I held my hand up to catch the speckled bits of sunlight that peeked from the trees surrounding this corner of the house. Dust motes danced through the fading rays as I dropped my arms over my knees to pull them closer. My body ached almost as much as my head. Between the long hours at the Rusty Spoon and packing up the house, I hadnt had time to do anything more than fall on my face in sheer exhaustion. Lather-rinse-and-repeat. Okay, so maybe some of it was to avoid thinking about Seths question. Because if I was so tired I was blind, I didnt have to re-read the two page contract that he had tucked behind my tentative house sale contract. I released my knees and sprawled out on the floor spread eagle. What the hell had he been thinking? I was obviously going to say no. There was no way I could contemte having his baby for a college education. First of allpaying me to be his broodmare was archaic. Second, I couldnt survive it. Simple as that. My nipples hardened and I crossed my arms over my chest. See? I couldnt even think the words sex and Seth and not react. The fact that my body wasnt cooperating with my firm no was getting really annoying. I shut my eyes as the word firm teased out a memory of Seth shifting in the booth as he exined his ns for me. When hed stood over me, there had been little doubt he meant what he said. Oh, the dark denim masked most of hissituation, but there was a bulge behind his zipper that I had to stop thinking about. Where are you? Sages voice rang out from the front of the tiny house. She really just had to walk in a small circle and shed find me. Here, I called out. Should I worry that youre on the floor? I peered at the doorway, but instead of Sages face, there was a huge arrangement of lcs and daisies tucked into a copper watering can. I didnt need to look at the card to know it was from Seth. My head thunked back onto the hardwood. Dammit. I slung my arm back over my face. Why the hell did he have to remember both me and my mamas favorite flowers? Couldnt he be like the guys I heard my friendsin about? The clueless boyfriends or husbands who bought them a vacuum instead of a bracelet for an anniversary? That guy was easy to ignore. This one? Not so much. Add in thirteen years of being my best friend and I was friggin toast. Where do you want me to put this? And why dont you have any furniture? I hauled myself off the floor. ? ? By the door is fine. In fact, put it in your car and take it home. Sage put down the jumbo watering can. I will take it home, but only because its your home now too. Or did you forget that little fact? Of course not. I tucked a stray curl out of my face and back into my fraying French braid. Like a damn homing beacon, I couldnt stop myself from crossing to the flowers. I brushed the back of my knuckles along the delicate lc petals before curling my fingers back into my dirty palms. A fer of dust caked my hands, arms, and knees from packing and hauling boxes. And thats why I didnt need all this stuff. We could have put it in storage, Sage said with a flutter of hands. I dabbed at the sweat on my forehead. I needed a shower something fierce. None of it was worthy of storage. Her huge green eyes were about a blink away from tears. There has to be something you want to keep. Would that be the cracked Walmartmp, or the sagging wicker round chair circa 1994? Stop. You cant throw everything away, dammit. Sage actually stomped her foot. It was sort of cute in a fluffy half unicorn, half pixie kind of way. The unicorn half was the one that had a little mettle behind her words. She wasnt a pushover, even if she was the sweetest, most fanciful woman I knew. Some kids from the university came and took me up on my bargain basement deals. You didnt use Craigslist. When I didnt disabuse her of that little statement, her eyebrows shot up. Are you insane? And why didnt you wait until I got here? I shrugged. Not like I couldnt handle myself. You are on a semi-secluded road a quarter mile away from the road and theke. Anything could have happened. Okay, Ann Rule. Dont joke. We watch those shows together, woman. Anything could have happened. They could have kidnapped you and put you in the back of their van- Before you get all bent, there was no van, Scooby Doo Magical Mystery van or otherwise. They had an old rusted truck with a tbed that wouldnt even close properly. The most exciting part of the whole endeavor was us wrestling with bungee cords to get them safely back onto the highway. Sage tipped back her head. Youre incredible. Thank you. She shoved me. Not funny. A little funny. Her lips twitched, but she managed to keep a straight face.All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. Aww,e on, Sage. I hooked an arm around her hips before wrinkling my nose and pulling away. Sorry, Im too dirty to be touching you. She hauled me in for a hug. Dusty is part of moving. At least you smell like sunshine. How you doin, girl? God, I doubt it. But I hooked an arm around her and hugged her back. When the lump Id been jamming down my throat and belly started to rise up, I eased away from her. Im okay. At least I would be as long as she didnt look at me with those big leafy green eyes puddled with tears. My mom sent over some food for us. Not diner food? Sheughed. Not diner food. God bless her. Though its Mothers Day, she shouldnt be cooking. And God, Im sorry. You shouldnt be here helping me on her day. Sage waved me off. We all made her a big French Toast breakfast. As Sage spoke, I wandered over to the box half-full of the crocheted nkets my mom used to wear when she out here. No matter how warm or cold it was, she was forever bundled under the rainbow patchwork nket. That I would keep. And a few others. Okay, all of them. I could get rid of most of the junk wed collected over thest six years, but not those. Sage pulled the nket out and buried her nose in the ancient yarn. I had to turn away again and suck in a long, slow breath. I was not going to cry. Id already done that when Id folded them up the first time. Thevender essential oils shed been using at the very end had be her scent. As soothing and soft as her tissue paper skin. My phone buzzed again, distracting me from thoughts better left in the past. Id been in denial mode for days. Three of his messages were still on my notifications. Every time I caught a glimpse of them, I flipped my phone over and ignored. Even swiping them awa, y Id have to read something. Nope and nope. Still ignoring him? Hmm? Well, if you dont want to talk about the house or your mom, then jackass is the next best thing. I rolled my eyes as I lifted onto my toes to reach the clock on the wall. Though Sage was all about finding Mr. Right, she thought Seth was an entitled pain in the ass with a cocky attitude. Some of that probably had to do with her even worse opinion of Seths brother. And, yes, Seth was most of those things, but even when he was being aplete jackass, he was still better than most men I knew. There were some rose-colored sses involved. I could admit that much, but then he went and did things like the flowers. I fought the urge to touch them again. No. I wasnt going to dwell. Instead I brought the clock with me as I crossed the room. Carefully, I tucked the old starburst cab between two of the nkets. It might be hideous, but shed loved the rose-gold clock. Wed moved a few times over the years and it always went with us. Ninety-Five In fact, shed stolen it from a tacky hotel when I was seven. Back when my dad had still been around. Wed stayed in ces like that most of my life until he finally disappeared for good. Shed taken that clock and the fifty bucks hed left us and wed driven east until wended in the middle of New York. And that was where we stayed. Our life had been penny pinching and extra shifts and crappy little apartments until Id scraped together enough to get us this house. When the doctor had told me-told us-that she didnt have much time. Shed survived for five more years just because of Crescent Lake. Looking out the sagging screen windows of the four seasons room had been her little piece of perfection. I crossed to the La-Z-Boy chair shed lived in for thest six months. Getting in and out of a bed had been too difficult for her, but shed always wanted to be by her window. So I had made sure she had all her nkets and her window and herke view. It had been worth all her savings and mine too. Every damn penny. I jumped when Sage tipped her head against my shoulder. I rested mine against the crown of her head. Today sucks. Yeah, I know, she said softly. We stayed like that for I dont even know how long. Until my belly started howling its distress. Food didnt sound good at all these days, but man, the idea of something that wasnt on the Rusty Spoons menu sounded glorious. What did your mom pack for us? Sage grinned. Chicken and dumplings. Oh, man. Comfort food at its best. Still have tes? I can scrounge some up if you go get the food.N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner. Sage waggled her eyebrows. Deal. She crossed the room and paused at the threshold to the living room. I didnt forget my question, even if youre ignoring it. Hmm? Dont give me that innocent face, Alison Marie Lawrence. Im not done. tes! I said in a singsong voice. She blew raspberries before she banged out the front door. I sagged against the ledge of the half wall beneath the screen window. The problem with having a friend like Sage was that she liked to talk about feelings. Especially of a romantic nature. The girl was in love with love. So much so that shed had a parade of boys, then eventually men, in her life. They never stuck around long because they invariably couldnt live up to Sages high standards of romance. You just werent going to find a Prince Charming in Crescent Cove. I certainly hadnt. Though my issues might have had something to do with my caretaker status since high school. And meeting Seth. He didnt even know hed ruined me for other men. Without a touch other than a tonic hug or a game of touch football, Id been his. Pathetic. So, yeah, his current mission to steer me into Babytopia by way of his very impressive master bedroom had me ready for first ce in track and field at the other end of the county. Which was impressive since my idea of running generally consisted of dodging Sage, Amber, and Jean on National Pancake Day at the diner. Pretty much the only day every waitress was working. Okay, where are those tes? Im starving. I blinked out of my rambling musings. Honestly, there had to be something in the air. I met Sage in the kitchen and pulled down tworge bowls from the cab I hadnt quite emptied out. I had to dig through two boxes to find something to eat with. A serving fork and slotted spoon for vegetables would have to do. Sageughed when I handed her the spoon. Remember when I moved into my ce and couldnt find the silverware? I flipped over a bucket and pulled over a box to serve as a makeshift table. God, yes. We scoured your apartment. We even left the house to go to Target and buy another set. Mom called to let me know the box was still sitting under the kitchen table. Heaviest freaking box too. I stopped at the kitchen sink and washed my hands and arms with soap. Of course it had to have all my silverware and pots. I turned around and leaned against the counter as I dried my hands. It took two of us to get it up those stairs. And then it busted twenty feet from the door. Sage transferred a hea lthy portion of the gravy-thered chicken into my bowl. My stomach roared in reaction. Sheughed and put on another spoonful. Might need to zap it. I took the bowl and shoveled a dumpling into my mouth. Guess not. I grinned around a bite. So good. So are you going to tell me whats up with Seth? I choked on a bite and stood to grab my Coke Zero out of the fridge. Nothings going on. Yeah, I believe that as much as Mitchs promise of a Friday night off. You get one? Yeah, first Friday of never followed by when hell freezes over. Iughed and took a longer sip of my soda before sitting back behind the cardboard pce. I forked in a regr-sized bite and chewed slowly. While I appreciate you not talking with your mouth full, Im not reframing the question. Hes my best friend, Sage. It aint happening. What isnt? Us. We arent happening. That wasnt what Id meant to say at all, but Sage took the ball and ran with it as if I wasnt talking crazy talk. Yeah but youre simply biding your time on the sidelines. From what Ive seentely, hes finally gotten his hormones engaged. That was the problem. He was only acting on an unexpected case of hormones and some misced sense of duty. Laurie wanted a sibling and Seth never knew how to tell his daughter no. At least not about this kind of thing. And he knew I loved that little girl as much as he did. Dirty pool with a side of emotional ckmail. Oh, and couldnt forget the left turn into naked time. Nope. But then hed ruined it with a contract attached to my damn uterus. My soda frothed over the top of the lip. I hadnt realized I was squeezing the bottle so hard. Sage instantly crossed the room for a paper towel. Oh, yeah. Nothing going on. She handed me a wad of them. I crouched with a disgusted sound and mopped up the sticky mess before washing up and returning to our table. Sage spooned up a dainty portion as I hacked at mine with the three oversized tines of my fork. Id sold off my silverware since I wasnt going to need it at Sages ce. Things are weird, okay? Obviously, theyre weird. I want to know why theyre weird. Its stupid. Did you trip over his big feet and fall on his dick? Oh my God. Sage dabbed at the corner of her mouth with her napkin. Its the only thing that makes sense. Did you guys finally do the deed? Youve been holding onto that V-card forever. You should talk. Yours is as intact as mine, pal. Sage scooped up a roasted carrot. Yes, but Ive been trying to give mine away. Youve been holding yours hostage. I have not. Sage gave me a nd look. Not on purpose. Hey, it makes sense. Youve had your focus split in a few different directions. Why are we talking about this? I asked and stabbed a potato. Because thats my only guess for this weird behavior. Oh, honey. You dont even know how weird shit has gotten. Then enlighten me. Because I need to know why you arent over with Seth and Laurie like you usually are on Mothers Day. I bowed my head. If I thought about things too closely, then the guilt was going to choke me. I might be having trouble with Lauries father, but that didnt mean it was fair to stay away from his daughter in retribution. I yanked the tie out of my braid and sifted my fingers through the tangle of waves before I knotted my hair on top of my head. Itsplicated. Complicated came and went about ten years ago, hon. I didnt know if I should tell her. The fact that I was going to say no made the point fairly moot. I was saying no. I had to. Didnt I? Grumbling, I pushed my dish away and banged my forehead on the box. Okay, you have to tell me. Seth wants a kid. He has a kid. A cute one, if a little bit of a handful. Shes bright and funny and really wants a little sister or brother. Sages eyebrows shot up. Oh. He wants me to have it. Im sorry? Come again? He wants me to give him a kid. What? Like a piece of chocte? Iughed. It was either that or cry. So you see my dilemma. Not really. You already want to y Boom-Boom Room with him. This sounds perfect. You guys would make a cute couple. I mean, he can be annoying, and the idea is a bit weird, but He doesnt want us to be a couple. He just wants me to carry a baby for him and then hand it off to him like a fruitcake at Christmas. Huh. Yep. I think we might need wine. She rose and went to the fridge where a box of wine was stuffed down on the bottom shelf. She hauled it onto the counter and pulled out jelly sses from the skinny cab. When she set a ss in front of me, I took a swig of the sweet white wine. The shock on her face helped with my own insanity. It wasnt just me who had a problem with the whole scenario. It was straight-up crazy. So why couldnt I just say no? Ninety-Six Seths [POV] No mo peas. Staring at my daughters stubborn chin as she shook her head in refusal of the healthy vegetable Id added to our meals, I briefly reconsidered what Id asked of Ally. Did I really want another child? Hell, could I handle another child? Basically on my own along with the nanny I employed on workdays since I didnt expect Ally to be tied down. She could be as involved as she wanted in whatever capacity she chose, but Id proceeded as if she would choose minimal involvement. Thinking otherwise made things sticky. Made me itchy in ways I couldnt define. Now I had an almost four-year-old staring me down and a bowl of peas I didnt even want myself. But good example and all that. And if I wanted another kid, good examples were the rule of the day. God, was I crazy? Dutifully, I spooned up my vegetable. Okay, if you dont want the rest of your dinner, as soon as I finish, well get you upstairs for your bath. School tomorrow. Mrs. OConnor said youre drawing mermaids this week. That will be fun. No bath. Laurie pushed at her te and inched back in her chair, step one in lurching to the floor. She still wasnt the best at climbing but she liked sitting at the big table without a highchair. As small as she was, shed used one longer than some kids, but now she was done with it. Done with everything judging from how many times shed said no tonight. You need a bath. You were ying outside with Fritz for an hour this afternoon. Digging up Mrs. Polentis flowerbeds no less. It wasnt much of an admonition. Laurie and the neighbors cocker spaniel were so cute together. Mrs. Polenti was soft on them too, so I knew she wouldnt mind a few trampled leaves. Though as soon as I said mentioned the neighbors pup, I knew what Id be in for. Daddy, I want a dog. Like Fritz. Lauries big blue eyes zeroed in on mine. Id take care of it. Feed and walk it. What about clean up after it goes on the sidewalk? You have to scoop the poop into a bag and take it home to throw it out. Her little nose wrinkled. Eww. Part of being a pet owner, kiddo. Okay. Then Id do that too. She sounded decidedly less enthusiastic. Maybe next year, I said as I always did. Someday I intended to get her a puppy, but not until she was older and more responsible. And Id figured out juggling the whole two little kids deal. Yeah, Id been plotting this scenario for a few months. Shifting things around in my head until I could figure out how to make it all work. Ally was at the center of the n. Without her, the rest fell apart. Considering she hadnt contacted me since our conversation at the diner, that wasnt a good sign. Shed made it clear by not answering any of my calls that she needed space to think. But today was her first Mothers Day without her mom, and I couldnt just let the day pass without her knowing I was thinking about her. So Id sent a simple bouquet of flowers with a brief card and hoped that sufficed. Even if she hated me, at least she knew I cared. As far as the reverse, she hadnte by to see Laurie today, and she always did on this day for obvious reasons. I couldnt me her. Much. My offer had upset the bnce, but it bugged me that Laurie was paying the price. Not that my baby girl had mentioned Ally. Not once. She barely seemed aware of the day, though it was always a big deal in her preschool ss. Shed brought me home a card shed drawn, as was standard on a parent celebration day when the parent in question wasnt a part of the childs life. So she knew what today was. Knew what it meant. Maybe that had something to do with her cranky mood since waking up from her nap. She had to miss her mom, right? Even if theyd only spent a few months together while Laurie was too little to remember much, Marj had carried Laurie for nine months. That created a special bond. It had to. Not that Marj had seemed overly affected. Yet youre asking your best friend to bear your child then to walk away? Daddy, ice cream? Laurie picked up a couple peas between her fingers, squashing them together before popping them in her mouth. Her idea of a concession in the hopes of getting dessert. A scoop of ice cream after your bath, then you brush your teeth. I wasnt above bribery. Laurie tilted her head, her blond pigtails falling over her shoulders. Every day she looked older. The chubbiness in her cheeks was fading, and her eyes were taking on a more knowing quality I was both proud of and worried about. I didnt want her to have to face the world. Shed never be alone-not while I had breath in my body-but there were far too many things out there that I couldnt shield her from. And I would be taking on a whole new set of worries with a new one. Voluntarily. Maybe Ally was right. I had gone mad. Okay, Laurie said after a moments thought. Strawberry? Its Neapolitan, I told her. Vani, strawberry and chocte. Again with the stubborn chin. Just strawberry and brush my teeth for three seconds. Thirty, I corrected, grinning in spite of myself. My daughter was a negotiator to the core. Just like her daddy and Uncle Oliver and our father before us. Always wheeling and dealing. Thirty what? Seconds. I reached over to ruffle her cornsilk hair. She was also a con artist. You can have a scoop of mostly strawberry and then brush your teeth for thirty seconds. I looked at her te. If you eat a few more peas. With a loud sigh, she grabbed a couple and smashed them into her mouth, chewing and swallowing so fast I feared she would choke. Then she made a face. I hate peas. You liked themst week. Elizabeth doesnt like peas. Oh, so if your best friend doesnt like them, you cant like them? She nodded as if that made total sense. Ally doesnt like them either. Halfway to my feet to clear the dishes from the table, I paused. And sank back down as heavily as a stone in ake. Just her name yed me. Is sheing over today? Like an idiot, I stared wordlessly at my daughter. I honestly didnt know, and that was my fault. On another Mothers Day, she would. It was almost guaranteed. But because of my crazy scheme, Id put distance between us. And distance between her and my little girl. Ill find out, I replied, unsure exactly how. I was trying to give Ally space. Trying to not push or cause her any more difort on a day that already had to be tough. Not being there for her on this first holiday without her mom was like a physical ache in my gut. She wasnt just the woman Id asked to have my child. She was my best friend, in many ways my other half. The person I wanted with me when I was going out for a good time or just kicking back with a beer and a movie. And Jesus Christ, Id told her I wanted to fuck her. In lurid detail. The kind of detail that had kept me upte every night since, fisting my cock and imagining the shock on her face. The way her pale pink lips had trembled open, as if she was stunned I would ever say such a thing. But I had. Now there was noing back from it. We could only go forward. The one thing I wasnt going to do was apologize, because I wasnt sorry for being honest. I was just mad at myself for not realizing sooner that the asional flickers of interest Id dismissed as being due to a lengthy dry spell were so much more. It wasnt like I wanted a rtionship. Experience had taught me I sucked at those. Enjoying the process of getting Ally pregnant, however, was apletely different ballgame. If she ever talked to me again. Which I wouldnt know unless I tried. Ill call her, I decided, standing up and grabbing Lauries te as she reached for another couple of peas. I waited while she grabbed them and pushed them into her mouth, shaking my head with a smile. Fork next time, youngdy. She gave me a toothy green-smeared smile. Call Ally now? I could do that. Sure, why not? It wasnt a big deal, calling my best friend on an important holiday. That Id told her I wanted to fuck her until my cum spilled out of her was incidental. Besides, I didnt want it to spill out. I wanted it to stay inside until her belly grew rounded with my baby. Our baby. Swallowing hard, I carried our dishes to the sink and rinsed them off before loading them in the dishwasher. Why dont you go up to your room and pick out what you want to wear tomorrow then start getting ready for your bath? Sending Laurie off to dig through her drawers was always a dangerous proposition, but she preferred to dress herself these days, even if that meant she ended up more often than not in mismatched-and sometimes strange-outfits. Not like I was the fashion police. She was reaching for her independence, and so far, we hadnt yet hit an impasse. It wasing, I was sure, but it wouldnt be over rainbow leggings and light-up sneakers. Okay. She heaved herself off the chair, her feetnding on the tiled floor with a thud. She circled the table and grabbed me around the legs, hugging me hard. Love you, Daddy. Then she ran down the hall, ponytails streaming, and I grinned. Moments like that were why I wanted another one. Also, possibly a healthy streak of masochism. After I heard Lauries footsteps climbing the stairs, I dried off my hands and tugged out my cell from my pocket. No missed calls or texts, which meant Ally hadnt responded to the texts Id sent. Id only checked twenty times today, so not sure when I thought they mightvee in. Nada. Nyet.From N?velDrama.Org. Eh, fuck it. I was calling her anyway. She couldnt hide from me forever. If her answer was no, well, Id just have to change her mind. Steeling my shoulders, I hit the number one saved number. She didnt answer for so long that I figured Id get a voicemail. Hi. She sounded tired. Ninety-Seven My hackles rose. Everything rose, truthfully, including my dick. Since when did her silky voice have the power to wake up my cock? For that matter, since when did I hear her voice as silky? I was on the verge of turning in my man card and signing up for eternal blue balls all in one week. Hi. How are you? Im okay. How are you? So she thought we were going to keep it cordial as if we were strangers. No dice. Why do you sound exhausted? I asked. I stayed upte fucking my neighbors. Is that all right with you? That I gripped the edge of the sink instead of realizing right away that she was screwing with me proved how messed up I was. Shed said things like that a million times, and Id tossed back my share of those kinds of replies as well. We didnt get overly personal when it came to sex, but wed never shied away from most topics either. I didnt know much about her sex life, and I was okay with that. Or I had been until I had decided I should be part of it. For babymaking purposes only, of course.This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org . Mutual orgasms would just be a bonus. I know today is a rough day for you. I rxed my grip on the edge of the sink. I wanted to make sure you were okay. Yeah, its been rough. A lot of days have beentely. She let out a breath and I wished like hell that there wasnt a phone between us so I could hold her. Not to make a baby. Not to soften her up for my wild n. Simply because she was my closest friend, and her pain was palpable. Wannae over? I asked softly. At any other time, I wouldnt have had to voice the question. She wouldve just shown up, and we wouldnt have talked about the meaning of the day other than to maybe hipcheck each other or sling an arm around each others shoulders before she left for the night. We werent touchy-feely. She was basically like my best guy friend, except she was even better-and she also had one hell of a body, which thankfully was only a recent obsession of mine. Very recent. If Id allowed myself to notice her curves before, we couldnt have remained tonic friends for so long. Id have banged her and probably driven her out of my life years ago. There was a reason I didnt try to have rtionships anymore, and it wasnt just because I didnt trust easily. I wasnt built to be a married guy. Or maybe that was just what I told myself. Do you think thats a good idea? she replied, just as softly. Why the hell not? Youve spent part of every Mothers Day here since Lauries birth. Hell, even w hen Marj was pregnant, you were the one here on Mothers Day making a fuss over her. More of a fuss than I made. By then, things had been so strained between Marj and me that Id had trouble tamping down on my feelings long enough to do my husbandly and fatherly duty. But Id made breakfast and gotten her flowers and tried to pretend we were a real family. And Id ignored my bitchy wife when she crabbed about Ally always hanging around instead of appreciating her kindness. Being a mom is special, Ally said, and I felt like an asshole all over again. So is being a dad. Yeah, it is. I grabbed a sponge and wiped halfheartedly at the sink. Look, Im not asking you toe over here so we can discuss things. I mean, unless you want to. Why would I want to? Ive spent thest few days hoping you had developed amnesia and had forgotten the whole asinine idea. I tried to rein in my temper. Id told her we didnt have to discuss this right now, and today was a difficult day for her. Of course she wouldnt be in the best frame of mind. Judging from your silence, you havent. So Im not really sure what else we have to say to each other, since youve lost your goddamn mind. Telling me you wanted to- She broke off and hissed out a breath. Lunatic. Is telling you I want to have sex with you that startling that you think I mustve developed a mental condition? When you say it like that Yeah, maybe. It certainly came out of left field. Though I get that its just the means to an end to you. No, it isnt. Yes, it is. No, it fucking isnt. Okay, maybe it started that way, and maybe I never noticed you had tits before, but She huffed out augh. See? And theyve been here all along. I just never saw you that way. Intentionally. Not because you arent hot. Youre just- Not your type. Yeah, yeah, Hamilton, I know it and Im cool with it. We stay in ournes. Youre the one whos suddenly swerving all over the ce. Maybe this is just the male version of a ticking hormonal clock. I didnt know it happened to dudes, but possibly something went off inside you and you panicked. Its no big. We can just move on from here and forget we ever brought up the subject. Wrong answer. It is big, and if you ever stopped freaking out at the mere idea I could want to fuck you, youd find that out for yourself. You want to fuck me to make a baby with me. A baby you can then raise as a storied Hamilton child without my involvement to taint him or her. Her words stole the breath from my chest. You honestly believe Id view your involvement that way? I dont know. Youre the one who told me I could run off and be a free bird as soon as I gave birth. Didnt really seem like you wanted my input. And for that matter, I wouldnt do it anyway, so why are we still talking about it? Because you cant seem to talk about anything else. Which is pretty damn funny considering you supposedly find the idea so off-putting. Me thinks thedy doth protesth too much. Oh, fuck right off. Id love to. When can I expect you? She growled at me and the tight band around my chest loosened for the first time since Id walked into the diner during her shift on Thursday. That sound was pure Ally. She might be annoyed and questioning my mental bnce, but she didnt hate me. And I wasnt entirely convinced she hated the idea of us making a baby either. I could work with both of those things. Look, well just hang out. Lauries been asking for you. She has? Ally cleared her throat. Again, using your child is a dick move, Hamilton. Im not using her. Just saying Im not the only one who misses you. All right, so I hadnt intended to phrase things quite like that. I didnt miss her. Did I? That would be nuts. It had only been a few days since wed seen each other. You couldnt miss someone in that time. Even if the tightness was back in my chest at the possibility she wouldnte. Now youre sweet talking. Pulling out the big guns, huh? Nah. I havent pulled out the biggest gun yet. But if youd like me to Hear that sound? Its me not being amused by your sexual innuendoes. Who mentioned sex? I used my most innocent voice as she audibly swallowed augh. You filthy-minded pervert. Yeah, its all Daddy! Laurie screamed from upstairs. I didnt think. I barely held on to the phone as I rushed down the hall and up the stairs, my only thought my little girl. Seth? Seth, what was that? Did I hear a scream? Oh my God, was that Laurie? Is she okay? Turning the phone against my shoulder, I hit the top of the stairs and booked toward Lauries room. She wasnt in there, but the door to her en suite bathroom was open. And water was running. Oh fuck, I muttered, my heart mming in my ears. Seth? Goddammit, Seth. Even Ally shouting into the phone couldnt distract me from crossing the room to the bathroom. I stepped over the threshold, my eyes bugging out at the sheer number of bubbles flowing everywhere. The tub was full and the bubbling water was still rising, and in the middle of it sat my little girl, her hair wet, and her eyes wild. I cant turn it off, Daddy, she shrieked as I moved forward and did the honors, barely managing not to curse a blue streak. I pulled the stopper up, rather amazed that Laurie had thought to put it in, and waited while several inches of water flowed down the drain. Her assorted Care Bears and other toys floated in what was left. Laurie squealed in dismay. My bubbles! Yeah, well, my bathroom floor. Why are you in here? You were supposed to pick out clothes and get ready for a bath, not start it yourself. Seth! You better answer me, you jackass! Is she okay? Somehow I smiled in the middle of chaos. That was the gift Ally had given me since the first day wed met. Ninety-Eight Once the water was at a much more reasonable level, I put the stopper back in and brought my phone to my ear. Your god-daughter chose to nearly flood the bathroom instead of waiting for me to start her bath. Laurie popped halfway out of the water, her little face screwed up in annoyance. I do it myself. Oh really? And you did a fine job. I braced my fist on my hip. Im going to let out some more of this water and No. Bubbles. I like it. Laurie crossed her arms and red. Is Allying over? See? I said into the phone. Did you hear that? The princess herself just requested you. Dont be mean to her. She just likes her bubble baths. Fine. She couldnt have waited five minutes for me to get up here and start her bath for her? Spying the almost empty bottle of Cookie Monster bubble bath on the side of the tub, I sighed. And maybe not finish off the bottle of bubbles in one go? Theres some left. It needed more, Laurie said stubbornly, plopping back down in the water and sloshing a small tidal wave over the side. Women, I muttered. Sorry were such a trial to you manly sorts, Ally said, but the dry humor in her tone made the year Laurie had just chopped off my life worth it. Daddy, out. Laurie stuck out her chin. Private now. Say what? Daddy, private now! She flung a handful of soapy water at me and I backed into the other room, casting a nce at the ceiling. She wont let me stay in the room for her bath. Since when? Ask her. So you gonnae over or what? My bathroom tiles will thank youter. Daddy, Laurie called. Shut the door, pweese. Did she just ask you to close the door? She sure did. And I was doing it-partially, though it was damn sure staying cracked so I could keep an eye and both ears on the situation-because hell if I knew what was protocol at Lauries age. Id been unsure about continuing to help with her bath as she grew older, but sometimes Ruth, the nanny, wasnt there to help. I was her father, for fucks sake. It was my job. But if Laurie felt ready to do it on her own, I supposed I could give her that space. Especially if Ally could help make sure my daughter and my bathroom survived intact. Fine, Iming over. But to see Laurie, not you. Whatever. Im grateful regardless. Bring alcohol. Moscato? Ally asked, mentioning what wed turned to more often than nottely. Nah. A six-pack of whatever you find at the corner store will do. A thud came from within the bathroom and I tipped back my head. Make it a twelve-pack. And hurry. Allys [POV] I hung up the phone and frowned at Sage when she took my ss and poured it into hers. Hey. Youre going off to y mommy to jackass. She snorted. Now that I know he really wants you to y mommy it makes it a little more amusing instead of just annoying. You think its annoying? She shrugged as she swirled the wine. I think its very suspect that he calls you with a SOS a lot. Hes just a little overwhelmed. Uh-huh. And he wants another one? I crossed my arms. I could feel the sweat and grit on me, but I didnt have time to get changed and I definitely didnt have time to take a shower. Maybe if he saw the real me hed get that ridiculous idea out of his head. I wasnt mommy material. I knew a few tricks when it came to Laurie, but it was because we were buddies. Not due to a maternal instinct-mostly. It still didnt make sense that he wanted me to be a gestational host to his spawn. A spawn he nted himself. Thank God for padded bras. Otherwise my damn nipples would be on disy. Just thinking about him nting anything inside me stirred me up in ways I didnt want to examine. And if my hand strayed a little farther down my body to cup my middle, then I was entitled. It was still a shock to think Seth might want me that way in any capacity. At least if we did a fertility clinic then it wouldnt be somessy. Getting skin to skin would only screw things up. I wasnt exactly the type of girl who could remove myself from the sexualponent. And it was only partially because I hadnt gotten truly naked with anyone in my life. Id had a few opportunities, but it never seemed to work out. I wasnt as picky as Sage, but I was definitely a special head case thanks to my home situation. Since my mom had only been gone for a handful of months, it didnt make sense that Id jump right into the dating scene. Especially when I didnt have time to sleep let alone try to form coherent sentences during a date. Did I mention that this situation was fucked up? Because it so was. I grabbed my purse off one of the two chairs left in the kitchen. You good to get home? No problem. She gulped down the remaining butter-colored liquid and set the sses in the sink. I frowned at her. Sage rolled her eyes. That wine was like drinking a diet, watered down beer. Better safe than sorry. Okay, big sis, rx yourself. Just because Scorer Seth wants to get jiggy with it doesnt mean you have to analyze every move Im making. I know. I blew out a breath and wondered why Id ever told her about Seths old high school nickname. I know. Good. Now do I need to give you the talk? Horrified, I unrolled the sleeves of my T-shirt. What talk? I think you know about the birds and the bees. At least I hope youve at least watched those romantic cable movies after midnight that are almost porn. Um, thats a little TMI, dont you think? It wasnt, but I was great at stalling. Is there anything off the table with us at this point? I now know you have been propositioned to be a gestational incubator. I suppose not. And no, Im good, thanks. Think I know how Tab A fits into slot B. Big Tab A, from all the talk Seth was throwing around. Probably trying to sweeten the pot. Sage nced at my shirt. At least that parts fitting. I nced down at my I Cant Adult Today shirt and my cutoff shorts. I really wished I had time to change. Then again, the quicker I got Laurie settled, the quicker I could go home and soak in a tub before work in the morning. Or maybe I would just climb in with the kid. I shook my head. No, that wasnt happening. Extra time at Seths was a no-go tonight and for the foreseeable future. I grabbed my iPad and my iPencil and dumped them into my purse. My Christmas present from Sethst year kept his daughter endlessly entertained. Couldve been the eight coloring apps I had on it too. Hurrying outside, I waved to Sage as I climbed into my trusty Subaru Outback. Then I headed to Seths ce on the opposite side of theke. My old house was on the fringes of town, but Id made this trip plenty of times. And most of them actually didnt involve a cry for help from Seth. He was a really good dad, but Laurie was asserting her independence. She was very much like her father, and Id known they would butt heads eventually. I toyed with my arrow ne as thekeside road curved around the bend. The gazebo and the pier came into view. It waste enough that most of the pedestrian traffic was light as people finished up dinners and the shops started closing up for the night.This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org . It waste for Laurie to be up. If she was already down for the night by the time I got there, I was going to string Seth up by his short and curlies. My car made the steep climb up to the mansions on the far side of theke. They were surrounded by gates of all kinds to keep the riffraff out, and the moneyed in. The house Seth had chosen for his home with Laurie after his divorce definitely wasnt at the top of the scale, but they definitely werent slumming it. Hamiltons never did. ording to my mother, a Hamilton had been in residence since the town had been established. In fact, the town had nearly been named Hamilton Cove, but some of the residents had fought for the name to be a bit more weing. Hamilton sounded so stern. Much like the men, and the women, of the line. Seth even had his moments of stoic behavior, but Laurie had definitely changed him for the better. I parked in the long, winding driveway and sat with my fingers wrapped around the steering wheel. There were wear marks from a hundred thousand miles of me gripping them. From the various levels of news about my moms sickness, to money issues, to frustration-all of the handprints were carved into this wheel. Tonight it was nerves and frustration adding anotheryer to the already worn gray leather. I wasnt ready to face Seth, but his little girl trumped all. In fact, she was the reason for much of the drama in my life right now. Seth wouldnt have looked twice at me if Laurie hadnt vocalized her very passionate view on having a sister. A brother wasnt really in her purview, though Seth tried to indicate she was open to either. We both knew it was female or bust in this princesss life. Ninety-Nine I leaned over and dug my sandals out of my canvas bag, swapping my dusty ancient sneakers for morefortable shoes. Especially if bath time troubles were in my future. I was pretty sure my poor feet swelled to double their size the minute I took my sneakers off. I needed to be horizontal for a week. My heart raced at the thought. No. No. No. Not that kind of horizontal. I peered into my bag for any other goodies. I was good at packing extras of most things, including clothing, but nope. Dusty T-shirt and cutoffs it was. My backup shirt had been used when a toddler sprayed me with ketchup yesterday. I mmed the door and tromped through the river rock edging the wide driveway, then up the grand staircase. Sr lights red fromrgemps nking the double entry door. The aged walnut wood screamed of money and affluence. I didnt even get the pretense of knocking. A blood-curdling scream had me pulling therge door open. Laurie Elizabeth Hamilton, that is enough. A rare bellow from Seth kicked my heart rate into high gear as I hit the stairs at two at a time. No boys allowed! I washed your hair two days ago and you didnt say a thing then, youngdy. Uh-oh. Hed dragged out youngdy. This wasnt going to be good. I came around the corner to find a frazzled Seth crouched next to the door with his fingers fisted in his hair. The dark wavy strands were sticking up in damp tufts. Wet splotches arced across his chest and his arms were beaded with water. Didnt even let you get a towel, huh? He spun on the balls of his feet and stood. Thank God. He was wearing his oldest jeans-you know, the kind that were worn at all the good stress points-with bare feet and a waterlogged blue Oxford dress shirt open a few extra buttons to show off way too much of his chest. There was obviously no justice in this world. I just tried to go in again. Im her father, for Gods sake. We just had a bath the other day without incident. That was the other day. I swallowed down my nerves. If he could act normal, I could act normal. I strode down the hall and knocked on the door briskly. Hey, can Ie in, munchkin? Ally! Do you have my Care Bear bubbles? Honey, you dumped your tubby bubbles, remember? Seth called through the door. No! My bubbles. I want bubbles. I looked over my shoulder. Does she mean like blowing bubbles? Seth tipped his head back. So much throat and chest on disy. His chest was mostly smooth save for a sprinkle of dark hair between his pecs. Id seen him without a shirt a million times, but now just seemed so much worse. God, stop looking. Honey, we y with those outside. No! Laurie screeched. My eyebrows shot up. Tell me you have bubbles. His dark brows knitted, then cleared. Yes. I have to go get them. He started to stride down the hall then stopped. Are you okay?N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner. I rolled my eyes. Youre asking this now? His gaze dropped to my chest and his eyes heated briefly. Your shirt says maybe not. I nced down at the words on my chest and cursed my headlightsing out to y. Timing was wrong as always, but this time there was a weight to it I didnt want to examine. At all. Yeah, well, adultinges around whether you want it to or not. I opened the door and slid inside before he could say another word. The little girl in the tub obliterated any other issue I had with daddy dearest. I put my hands on my hips. I hear youre giving your dad some trouble. Laurie grinned up at me, her freakishly long eyshes starred from the water. She was sitting in about six inches of water that was mostly foam. She also had an array of stic ducks, fish, whales, dolphins, and yes, Care Bears in the tub with her. She held a bright pinkted puff in her hand as she painstakingly washed her blue Care Bear. Fittingly, it was a stic version of Grumpy Bear. Just like me. Well, until this little girl was in my space. I couldnt be grumpy around her, even if I wanted to strangle her sometimes. Cuteness always won out. She smiled up at me with a dimple winking. This is a girls party. I kneeled beside her and brushed her damp bangs out of her face. Is that so? She nodded and bit her lower lip in concentration as she washed under Grumpys armpit. Grumpy is a boy. She looked up at me with a knitted brow so much like her fathers. A blond version, but all the rest was the same. Grumpy is a bear, she said as if that made all the difference. I supposed for an almost four-year-old, it really did. I shrugged. All righty then. I turned on the taps to add to the water to bubbles ratio. From the looks of the bottle on the side of the tub, Laurie had been using a heavy hand. When she lifted the bottle and started to pour more on the puff, I made a grab for it. She stuck out her lower lip. I need that. I swooped up a froth of bubbles and settled it on top of her puff. There you go. When she still frowned, I took another dollop and settled it on her nose. She giggled. Now we were in business. By the time Seth came back, I had her hair washed and was chaperoning her hygiene rituals. Id already made the mistake of trying to help there. Id been an independent kid too, but I didnt remember a lot about my childhood. Just moving a lot. And Id learned to shower far earlier than a lot of my friends. Sitting in bathtubs in some of the ces wed lived wasnt the best idea. Seth knocked on the door. No! No boys. A clunking sound made me frown and then Sethscrosse stick came through the door with a bottle of bubbles in theting. Iughed and stood. Laurie giggled. Thank you, Daddy! I took the bubbles. Youre a dork. Daddys a dork. Great. Thanks. Shell be saying that for days. Fitting. Har-har. Everything okay in there, girls? Its way past bedtime. Almost done. Laurie pped her hand on the water. Go away. Im going. I snaked a finger through the crack in the door and flicked a nail over the back of his hand. Were fine. He let out a slow breath. Thanks. Of course. I rubbed my hand over my breastbone and went back to his daughter with the bubbles. I unscrewed the cap. Okay, you get one st of bubbles for each friend you finish washing. Deal. She dunked her dolphin into the water and it came out gleaming. She set it on the shelf along the back of the tub. Go. I pulled the double wand out and blew out a stream of rainbow bubbles. Me. I want to do it. Two more of your buddies and you got it. The big whale and baby whale got dunked and deposited on the shelf. I dunked the wand and handed it to her. No, I want to do it. You are wet and soapy, kiddo. We dont want these to fall in, do we? She scrunched up her nose and lips. No. I guess not. She shrugged and took the wand. She blew too hard and only got three bubbles. Hey. I took it back and dunked. Easy. Soft. Yes, just like that. When the stream of bubbles floated up, she pped. Five minutester, there were many squeaky clean fish guarding her tub and a pruny almost four-year-old standing with a purple towel on her head and fluffy pink Care Bears towel wrapped around her. Before she could find another reason to extend her bath time, I swooped her out and deposited her on the bath mat. I wrapped another towel around her and started a rubdown. By the time she was mostly dry, she was still giggling and I wasughing with her. I hadnt even known this was exactly what I needed to even me out. Okay, Daddy, were ready. He opened the door so fast, I knew hed stood out there the entire time. I wasnt sure how I felt about that. Didnt he trust me? Then I looked down at the crazy monkey in my arms and her adoring eyes only for him. There was no way I could get upset about that. Laurie reached for him and suddenly I was forty pounds lighter. He looked down at me, his eyes shing for a moment as he dropped his gaze over my wet shirt. I pulled it away from my traitorous nipples and turned away from him to pick up the bubbles and empty bottle of soap. He cleared his throat before burying his face in Lauries neck. She giggled and squirmed, causing the towel on her hair to fall to the floor. Im just going to get her dressed. Yeah, good idea. Ill just clean up. Dont worry about that. Youve done more than enough. Its fine. No, really. The nanny will take care of it. Right. Of course he had a nanny for her. Id talked to her a million times. I didnt know her duties included cleaning a bathroom, but he was right this wasnt my house or my life. He just wanted me to create a human, not take care of one. Even if he did call on me to help. Would he do the same with my-our-his God. How would I even ssify him or her? Mine? Ours. I fisted my hands into my hair and tugged out my messy bun. Fuck. One Hundred In the hallway, I could hear giggling and Seths baritone voice. The love obvious between them. His heart was so huge for that little girl. It might be a little more reserved for others. He used charm to deflect emotions for other people in his life. Id seen it firsthand. The way my customers reacted to him. That half-grin and easy way with conversation left everyone at ease. And half the towns female poption would jump at the chance to do what hed asked me to do. But they would want more. Every woman wanted more in his eyes. Mostly because of the lenses that Marjorie had left behind when shed walked away from Laurie. He just assumed most women wanted something from him. And part of me understood that. He could grant me opportunities that Id have to work my ass to achieve. But then again, they would be my achievements. No one elses.This content belongs to N?/velDra/ma.Org . Part of me wanted to just up and leave this town and start over. Even if that meant I would be in debt up to my eyeballs for the next thirty years. It would be my debt, and my life, and a fresh start. I lifted the towel that had fallen off of Lauries head and hung it on the pink unicorn hook on the wall. And because I couldnt stand to leave the mess in the bathroom, I listened to Seth tell his daughter a bedtime story as I tidied up. When the rumble of his voice faded and I heard his footfalls, I shut off the light and met him in the hall. He frowned at me. I told you I held up my hand. Already done. I crossed to him and ducked under his arm to enter Lauries room. His burnt sugar cologne mixed with the baby shampoo scent of his kid and my hormones decided that was the perfect aphrodisiac. Did I mention my life was unfair? I focused on the little lump on the middle of the full-sized mattress. The bed was way too big for her, but she was surrounded by Care Bears and stuffed animals from various Disney movies. Dory, Hank, and the guppy from Little Mermaid guarded her. A nightlight spun from her bedside table, shooting starlight around her room. Pink and perfect in every way. This little girl had everything I didnt have growing up. No wonder he wanted to give her the world. I just wasnt sure I was the one to help him. Shes out. I lifted my shoulder in reaction to his deep voice against my ear. He slid his arm around my waist and pulled me away from the doorway. He shut the door most of the way, then pulled me down the hall. I dont want to wake her. I nodded. Understandable, of course. He needed to back up though. I couldnt handle him in my space for extended periods of time. Even if Id initiated it this time. What the hell had I been thinking? Oh, right. I wasnt really thinking. Actually, it had been a luxury I couldnt afford for years. I was really good at ignoring my feelings for him. Why did he have to go and ruin it? Now all I could imagine was what he tasted like. Fuck. I tried to pull away, but he pulled me back against him. Dont go. I closed my eyes. Please dont. Dont what? His nose coasted around the shell of my ear. Touch you? Im filthy. He buried his nose in my hair. You smell like lcs and sunshine. Liar. Baby shampoo and lcs? I tried not to smile, but I had no defenses for this man. The worst part was I was sure he knew that. And Seth Hamilton was always on the look out for weaknesses to exploit to get what he wanted. How the hell was I supposed to move out of his crosshairs? Did I want to? His hand slid along my midriff, his thumb grazing the underside of my breast. I groaned. Honestly, you have to pick now to do this? Ive been thinking about this for days. I turned in his arms. So this was all a ruse? No. This was thest act of a desperate man. Shes been a handful all night. She misses you. Low blow. Youve spent Mothers Day with us since Marj left. I shut my eyes. I know. Didnt he realize how hard this day was for me? Not only because it was Mothers Day for Laurie, but the first without my mom? He knew on some level. Hed sent me flowers, hadnt he? But all my emotions were raw today. It just wasnt fair that he was right here and finally noticing me. Except he wasnt seeing me as a partner. No, he was only seeing me as a woman because I had a functioning uterus. He wanted something from me. It was just handy that he was attracted to me. It was how the world had propagated all these years. Just a biological response. He swiped his thumb along my jawline. I know today was rough. And it waspletely unfair of me to push you toe over here and save me. I ground my teeth together and growled. I looked up at him. Dont be sweet, dammit. His fingers slid up into my hair and he gathered it tight at the nape of my neck. You got it. I didnt have time to dodge or pull away from him. I didnt have the heart to do it either. Id had a truly shitty day and I wanted to see what all the fuss was about. Finally. For years Id seen womene and go from his life. A knowledge always seemed to live in their eyes when they touched him. I wanted that too. I wanted to feel something other than sad and frustrated. I met his gaze. The dark, turbulent anger swirled with something else. Something I couldnt define. I had a limited scope with men, but I had some. Nothing came close to this man though. I shifted against him and my damp T-shirt met with his wrinkled Oxford blue. Working ss and old money between us in every way. And then none of that mattered. He lowered his mouth and covered mine. My eyes fluttered shut and I fell into the kiss. Nothing soft and hesitant here. He was no fumbling boy. I was pretty sure he hadnt been one of those in a very long time. His other arm wrapped around me from the back, gripping the hem of my shirt until his fingers curled into the belt loops of my shorts. His grip drew me up until I rose on my tiptoes, desperate for more. He dragged me closer and opened me for his invading tongue. No easy transition into a carnal kiss. Instead it was a tempest of vors and heat. I curled my arms around his neck and hung on, giving back as much as I could manage. I was out of my league. Hell, out of the gxy, but I was determined to show him I belonged here in his arms. Before I could allow myself to analyze that little thought, I was swept up into Hurricane Seth. He turned me around and pinned me to the wall, my toes dangling off the floor as he ground his hard cock against my shorts. God, yes. My fingers dug into his shoulders and I groaned into his mouth. We were a tangle of tongues and limbs. His hand coasted down my waist to my hip before a groan buzzed through my tongue and along my mouth. Mine? His? Who knew? Then he swept lower to hook my knee and drag my leg up around his hips. I hopped up with the other and finally his hard length was right where I needed it. The seam of my cutoffs dug into my panties and the little bit of friction was better than anything Id done alone. Sweet merciful heaven, there was a God. Not that Id tell Seth he was on par with God. He didnt need that kind of help ego-wise, but yes. So much yes. My sandal thumped to the floor and my eyes flew wide. We both froze, praying that the noise didnt wake the little girl across the hall from us. Right across from us. What the hell was wrong with me? I struggled and pulled my mouth away from his. Put me down, I whispered. Its fine, he said against my cheek. She didnt wake up. Shes a heavy sleeper, except for the nightmares. He grazed his mouth along my cheek to my jaw and headed for my ear. Nightmares? I shook my head to clear it. We cant do this. He jerked his head back. What? Why? Because were right down the hall from her. God, what the hell was I thinking? You werent. That was the good part. I wiggled until I slid down the wall and my foot hit the floor. We can go downstairs. What and make out on the couch like teenagers? We can go to my room if it makes you feel better. No, it doesnt make me feel better. I pushed him away from me and jammed my foot into my shoe. None of this makes me feel better. I promise you I can. His eyes were hot and his shirt was wrinkled. Oh, and another button hade free thanks to our little mauling makeout session against the frigging wall. The little bit of hair at the center of his chest arrowed down his hard abs that were now showing. One Hundred & One Yeah, I was so not looking. I pulled down my shirt and cursed my overstimted body. Everything was hot and tingling and it was all so wrong. I spun on my heel and silently sprinted down the hallway to the stairs. I heard him curse under his breath behind me, but I kept going. Yeah, I was running. Sue me. There was no way I could handle any of this today. Not emotionally and definitely not intellectually. Id found out why Seth made all the girlse around. Five more minutes and I would havee. And that was five minutes I could never get back, nor live through over and over again. He caught me at the door and jerked me to a stop before I could make it to the safety of the night. To the normalcy of my piece of shit car. Dammit, Al. He turned me around and gripped both my upper arms. Why are you running? We cant do this. Not now. His dark eyes fired. Why not? My chest was heaving. My fight or flight instincts were in full-on escape route mode. Please let me go. I dont know if it was the please or something he saw in my eyes. Whatever it was, he dropped his hands and I stumbled back and out the door. I didnt look back to see if he followed. I could only pray he wouldnt. My breath returned to normal when I was inside my car. I finally dared a look and quickly returned my eyes to front and center. To the moonlit water off the bank of his property. To theke that had been the only home Id ever truly known. I had to. I couldnt watch him stand on that huge staircase and drive away from him. So I stared out the back window until I was on the road again, and I didnt look into my rearview mirror. Not even once. Seths [POV] Shaking off the rain on my hair, I stepped into the darkened, intimate atmosphere of the Sherman Inn. My stomach was roaring and my mind was in knots. As for my dick, I wasnt going there. It had taken me days of wearing her down, but Ally had finally agreed to meet me for dinner and some time in town on Friday night. Some time probably being an hour or less, considering her skittish tone as wed talked that afternoon. But hell, after Sundays kiss, I considered it huge progress that she was talking to me at all. Shed run awful damn fast the other day. I couldnt even really me her. Id pushed for the kiss to happen and it had still almost blown my fucking head off. Table for two, please, I told the maitre d. I was runningte, but Ally tended to run eventer so I felt safe in assuming Id be snagging our table. Normally, I wouldve ced a reservation, but this wasnt supposed to be a date. Reservations screamed dates, ording to Ally, so shed wanted us to try our luck for a table. At one of the busiest restaurants in Crescent Cove on a Friday night at the start of summer. Right. This way, sir, the maitre d said, proving me wrong. Even as I followed the tall, severe-looking man in ck, Allys voice echoed in my head. Hamilton money buys tables. You dont need a reservation. Watch. Did someone just leave? I asked. The maitre d shot me a cool smile. On weekend nights, were booked solid all day and night. Your table, sir. He gestured toward a secluded corner table with ake view and candles flickering under ss domes. You know who I am then. Why I needed the confirmation, I didnt know. Maybe some part of me hoped Ally was wrong. She had to be wrong now and then. It wasnt as if I didnt know my familys influence in Crescent Cove. Of course I did. Hamilton Realty had been a fixture in themunity since my grandfather was a young man. I was also a regr at the Sherman Inn. But Id never seen this guy before in my life. Yes, sir. He pulled out a chair and gestured. Your server will be here in a moment with the wine list. Yourpanions name so I can direct her to your table? Alison Lawrence. She should be here soon- Right behind you, she said cheerfully. Got a table, huh? shemented as I turned and tried not to swallow my tongue. She wasnt wearing anything special. Correction-she wasnt wearing anything I hadnt seen her in a hundred times before. She had on a pale yellow sundress with tiny purple flowers, cowboy boots, and a tight jean jacket, with her long hair flowing in every which direction and matted a little from the misty rain. It didnt matter. She was simply stunning. How hadnt I noticed before? Miss, the maitre d said, pulling out the chair opposite me while I stood and stared. Mutely. Smooth, dude. Real smooth. Ally shot me a sidelong nce as she skirted around me to slip into her seat. Thank you. Enjoy your meal. The maitre d melted away and almost immediately, our server appeared.N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner. I dropped into my chair and epted the wine list, ordering a bottle of rose for the table before my brain clicked back into gear. Ally kicked me as soon as the server went to fulfill my request. Hi there, remember me? I wanted a martini. Since when? Oh look, my lips coulde unglued long enough to stick my foot between them. Since I felt like a damn martini. What is wrong with you? She leaned forward andid a hand on my forehead. Youre flushed. Do you have a fever? Some virus is running through Lauries ss, so maybe. I eased away from her hand and she picked up her napkin. Her touching me right now was not the best idea. My cock thought it was awesome, but that part of me wasnt known for its good judgment. And you left her with a babysitter just toe out with me? Shes not sick, I snapped irritably. And I left her with her uncle. Oliver took her to the Faraday party so he doesnt have to stay long. Ally paused midway through spreading her napkin on herp. He brought your little girl to a fancy work party? Why didnt you go? Because Im having dinner with you. Oh, right, because this is such an important event that you cant miss it. I havent seen you since the weekend. Every time I stop in the diner, youre not there. Darn. Mustve missed you. She nced out the window. Damn rain. Can barely see theke. Yeah, youre wet. I brushed a damp curl away from her cheek and she bristled, backing away from my touch just as Id done. My words hung in the air between us. Heavy, rich with meaning well beyond what Id intended. In your dreams, Hamilton, she said, her taunt falling short of the target. She didnt know my dreams. I was only beginning to fathom their scope myself. Our server returned with our bottle of wine. After pouring it into two sses, I ordered Ally a martini even though her stare nearly burrowed a hole into the side of my head. If she wanted a martini, a martini she would have. With an extra olive I could steal. He probably thinks Im a wino, she muttered as she opened her menu. Cant please you, woman. Sure you can. Stop ordering for me like this is a date. We never order for each other. I beg to differ. Did you or did you not order the tiramisu for me thest time we went out? Thats because it was a sacrilege youd never had it. And you licked the te clean. She disappeared behind her menu and I grinned down at mine, barely resisting the urge to make a sly remark. Thank God we were back on an even keel. If she stayed hidden behind that menu, I might not be starstruck by just the sight of her again. Maybe I did have a fever. Through our sds, braisedmb for me and chicken parm for her, and our tiramisu desserts-hey, I could admit when Id seen the error of my ways-we kept the conversation light and easy. She had two martinis and a ss of rose, and I had two sses of wine. Neither of us were drunk, just rxed. Easy with each other, as wed always been. After the weirdness Id introduced into our rtionship with my contract, it was nice to be chill enough tough and tease each other as we usually did. My getting annoyed at her mention of a cute guy seated in her section of tables at the diner was new, but I chalked that up to thinking way too much about her reproductive organstely. Thoughts in that direction tended to spread. Kissing her senseless the other night-and being kissed back the exact same way-also probably didnt help. I didnt actually care if she found another man cute. Bully for her. Okay, so I cared. A lot. And that mightve been when Id decided to go for that second ss when I usually stopped at one when I was driving. But we wouldnt be on the road for hours yet, since we intended to walk the shops that lined Main Street and head up the pier to check out theke. If the freaking rain ever decided to stop screwing with our ns. One Hundred & Two We had summer splendor to appreciate, goddammit. Also rain meant Ally was more likely to make excuses about cutting the night short. I wasnt in any hurry for that to happen. At least until we squabbled over splitting the bill. My insistence on paying added an extra sour note to the evening, but I pretended I didnt notice her dismay and headed up the street in the light drizzle as nned. Eventually, she caught up with me, grumbling only a little. Cowboy boots probably werent the best choice of footwear, though I do like how they make your legs look. You cant see my legs in this dress. Sure I can. Its dark out. Your point? She blew out a breath and turned up the walk to one of the quaint old homes in our small town that served as a shop in this case, a year-round Christmas store. You cant see my legs and you have no reason to check them out in any case. I can see your ass too. I tilted my head as she climbed the stairs to the shop. Its kinda perfect. I miss the old Seth who never said shit like this. Blind Seth who never noticed what was right in front of him? Yes, Blind Seth was awesome. She rolled her eyes at me over her shoulder and opened the door before I could, slipping inside. She didnt hold the door for me, and even that made me grin. Damn, I liked having our rhythm back. Even if it was now heavilyced with innuendoes, we were on track once again. Mostly. As always, Ally touched every trinket and ornament she came across. She was so tactile. Always had been. She imed not to have a special affinity for any holiday, but she took every opportunity to visit this shop and pick up something small for Laurie. An ornament for the tree, or a little figurine she might like. She never stopped thinking about my little girl. Shed love this, dont you think? Ally angled her head to study a tiny ballerina with a glittering tutu hanging from one of the higher branches of a Christmas tree. Her cowboy boots made her taller, but she still had to stretch to reach so I helped her by tugging the loop off the branch. She loves pink, I agreed. Well get this for her, and something for your new tree with Sage. Oh, Christmas is so far away. No further for you than it is for Laurie. I moved around the tree and picked up a shimmery silver arrow ornament, cupping it in my hand when she tried to get a peek. Its a surprise. She tugged on the sleeve of my suit jacket, but I kept my fingers in a tight fist. Shaking her head, sheughed. Youre a silly man. You havent had nearly enough silly in your life for a damn long time. Something shifted through her expression and I leaned down to speak against her ear. Let me give you some things you arent used to tonight. Well start with silly. I grabbed a string of mini mingo lights off a small tabletop tree and draped them around her neck without revealing the ornament hidden in my hand. It was difficult since she kept trying to get a glimpse of it, but I had big hands and stealth. And long jacket sleeves I could slip it into. After Id paid-and insisted she wear the still blinking lights out of the store-Ally shook her head and aimed for the next shop. This time, we walked together. Our hands brushing back and forth, fingers colliding, wrists bumping. Neither of us making the grab. Best friends didnt hold hands. God knows we never had before. But tonight, I wanted to. I wanted her fingers to clutch mine as I pulled her in close by that strand of madly blinking lights and met her smiling mouth with my own. Id give my right nut to keep that grin on her face. Pay any price. Risk anything. Even us.From N?velDrama.Org. In the next store, she browsed the kitchen gadgets and cookbooks and household knickknacks with her typical curiosity. Her gaze touched every item before her hands followed suit. I swallowed hard, imagining what it would be like to be the object of all that fascination. To be her sole focus, even for an hour. For a night. She bought a cow salt and pepper set and some hot cocoa mix and we headed to the coffee shop where we studied rows of truffles through the ss cases and debated hot apple cider or cappino. She went for the cider and I chose ck coffee with a shot of maple. Maple like the golden brown eyes that smirked at me when I gave in and dumped some cream into my coffee. Getting to ck only was a process for me, one she was sure Id never manage. She thought I enjoyed my sweets too much. If she only had a clue. Outside the rain had started anew, so we ducked into another shop, this one with ship memorabilia and nautical apparel. I grabbed her a tote bag and tucked her mingo lights and her surprise present and her kitchen shop purchases inside then threw it over my shoulder, ignoring herughter at the picture I made in my business suit. Whatever. It was only half a business suit, since I had jeans on with the shirt, jacket and tie as always. Perk of owning my own business. Casual Fridays were every day of the damn week. The next time we slipped outside, the rain had lessened, so we decided to take that walk on the pier. The long length of it was draped in white lights, and the tiny flickers bounced off the rippling expanse of dark water that stretched far in the distance. At the end of the pier, she stopped and leaned over the railing, her dark hair billowing behind her in the wind. Her flirty dress clung to the backs of her thighs and her ass, and the illicit glimpse I took of both probably had something to do with why I crowded her against the rail. I didnt move back as she stiffened and regained her full height, her ringed fingers suddenly clutching the rail. Personal space, Hamilton, she tossed back, but she didnt look me in the eye. Ever heard of it? Ive been giving you all kinds of space. Testing us both, I gripped a handful of the fabric swishing around her thighs. Step one to touching her bare skin. Doesnt seem like its getting me anywhere. Since when is it supposed to? Were friends, remember? There was no missing the thread of desperation in her tone, even with the wind kicking up and making it harder to hear her. I didnt need to grasp every nuance in her voice to know how she felt. Her body was telling me with every rigid, unyielding curve. She was holding herself as far away from me as she could, practically leaning over the water. Her reaction was a clear sign to back off. To steer clear. Not interested, pal. Hate to break it to you. I could almost hear her lobbing the words at me even in the heavy silence of the night. But it wasntpletely quiet. There was the wind, and thepping water, and my heartbeat thudding crazily in my head. In the distance, people wereughing, and music was ying, and life went on. Out here, it had stopped. Suspended in a moment wed never get back. As if she sensed me moving too close, she whirled around, nailing me in the gut with her elbow then pressing her spine to the railing. Her gaze never lifted above my Adams apple. Here we go. Shouldve known youd try this. Always gotta close the deal, and so much for giving me space to make up my mind. Ha. Like you or Oliver ever give anyone a chance to say no. You cajole and wheedle and insist- I braced my hands on the rail on either side of her hips. I havent said a word about it tonight. Youre the one who has it in your head every time you look at me. I dropped my voice. Speaking of, why dont you try doing that? How am I supposed to not think about it? You didnt ask me to to go for takeout or on vacation. Hell, you didnt even ask me to have a crazy fling, as insane as that would be. Alison. Look at me. Her eyes flickered up to mine and away, holding on some far off spot while the lights danced along the gold of her irises. She might not be able to meet my gaze for long, but I was riveted on hers. On how she couldnt seem to take a full breath that didnt shudder out between her parted lips. I didnt look lower because I couldnt. One glimpse of those perfect tits straining the cotton bodice of her dress and Id be a goner. When she didnt make an effort to shift her focus to my face, I gripped her chin in fingers I deliberately kept gentle. I didnt want to scare her any more than she already was. Hell, any more than I was too at this moment. So much hung in the bnce, far more than contracts and deals and egg meets sperm. Im not forcing your hand, I said quietly, staring at her eyes though she wouldnt look any higher than my mouth. I told you what I want, what is important to me and why. Now the balls in your court. You cant make a move like this based on the whims of a three-year-old. Its not logical. She wants a puppy too. Is that next? Maybe, but puppies are easier to get my hands on than babies. And Id rather like to see what abination of our DNA would look like. Gold eyes, maybe, crazy temper, a slightly hystericalugh? Should I invest in earplugs? Ugh. Youre impossible. She nudged me back, and I went, but only far enough for her to move to the opposite railing. Lauries going to change her mind, decide she doesnt want a sibling after all, and then what? My birth canal isnt the customer service counter at Macys. Youll be stuck with the kid. Though my temper jumped to life, I leaned back on the railing. Perhaps if I adopted a rxed pose, the rest of me would follow suit. Mind keeping your voice down? Theres not many people out right now, but theres enough. Are you kidding me? Its storming. They cant hear us. As if shed called down the rain, lightning forked through the sky and thunder rumbled in the distance. One Hundred & Three Okay, keep screaming. Im cool with it. And guess what, Lawrence, I want the child too. Toplete my family. Not that my family isntplete now, but I want another baby. Is that so crazy? If I was a woman, no one would be questioning why Im doing this. Wrong. Big time wrong. Theyd be thinking you couldnt get a man and wanted a love substitute. Well, thats not entirely wrong. I cant get a man, but I have to admit I havent tried. Her lips twitched. Youre such a jackass. Yeah, and I can see why youre wary about crossing streams with me. Hamilton men arent easy to take on. Why we all end up divorced and bitter, or in the case of my twin, just the bitter part. I moved toward Ally, boxing her in again neatly against the rail. Some part of me enjoyed doing that far too much. Why Im giving you an escape hatch. Do the deed, make the baby, escape while you can. Her lips trembled. Thats not why at all. You just want the kid, not a woman. Oh, I can assure you thats not true, especially right now. I tipped up her chin. God did me a favor by blinding me to your beauty all these years. Otherwise I wouldve had you under me before we made it out of high school. She rolled her eyes. Do these lines work on other women? Because gotta say, Im not falling for them My mouth covered hers just as thunder shook the sky one more time, but the crack wasnt enough to disguise her moan. She lifted her hands up to my chest and I didnt press for more, just kept my lips against hers, sucking down her stato breaths while I gave her the moment to ede or shove me back. Then her fingers curled into the fabric of my dress shirt and it was on. I buried one hand in her hair, tilting her head back so I could have her the way I needed to. The sweetness from our tiramisu and her strawberry lip gloss battled in my head, setting off a furious pounding in my groin that had nothing to do with making a baby and everything to do with getting her naked. Now. Whatever it took. I lowered my hands to her hips, fisting the cotton that barely hid her curves from my view, twisting it as our tongues touched and tangled. Without warning, I lifted her up on the railing and she gasped, wobbling, her hair streaming behind her as her honey eyes went wild and frightened. Ive got you. Tightening my hold, I moved between her legs and ran kisses over her delicate corbone, tracing the edge of the arrow ne she never took off. Aiming lower, burying my face in her cleavage so that her frantic heartbeat seemed to throb in tandem with my own. Turning my head, I nipped the side of her breast through the material, just to hear her broken moan. She didnt disappoint me. One hand gripped the railing and the other came up to grasp a handful of my hair as I lowered my mouth, making a wet path to where her nipple stood so tight and proud. I couldnt breathe. Couldnt think past wanting her. My sanity was gone, blown away with the rising wind.From N?velDrama.Org. Hovering there, my breaths puffing out against the swelled flesh, I searched for words. Something to make this okay. Her legs trembled on either side of my hips, and I was holding onto her with every bit of strength I possessed. Her long dark hair blew against my face, tickling my skin, and I was helpless not to suck her nipple between my teeth, to scrape the edge of them over that sensitive tip. A quick yank on my hair drew me closer, not away. Thank fuck. Only half aware of the rain now pelting my back, soaking through my jacket and shirt to the skin, I sucked on her, already thinking about how I was going to get inside her. This wasnt the end. I couldnt have her walk away from me tonight like she had on Sunday. Not if I wanted to survive it. She bent forward, leaning over me, her hair surrounding us as I tugged at the fabric and thecy bra beneath. A hint of pink gleamed wetly in the darkness before she covered herself, her long fingers caging in her nipple. Keeping it from my mouth. Acute regret cleaved through me. I set her down on her feet, already fighting to shove myself back in line. My tongue buzzed from the taste of her, from the tang of my own needs. I couldnt go home and jack myself off again with her vor on my lips. Jesus, Id go mad. Sage is home, she said, and I stared at her, not understanding. She doesnt usually go out on Friday nights. She pinned me in ce with her stare and clutched her arrow ne. Your house is on the other side of theke. The Inn. If theres a room, well do it and be done. Joy coursed through my body, and I nearly freaking dropped to my knees in gratitude. Then what shed said sank in. Just do it and be done, I repeated. Just like that. If there isnt a room, that means this is a mistake. Hell, it probably is anyway. She started hurrying away, her heeled boots cking on the cobblestones of the pier. But youre the big stud, Mr. Important, so see if they give you a suite. Text me the number if you get it. Ill find you. What the hell are you babbling about? I caught up to her in a couple long strides, seizing her arm and spinning her to face me. Youll find me? Where are you going? You may not care about being discreet, but I do. Ill go back to my car, give it some time. Go up once its not obvious weve gone frigging nuts. And well take care of thisissue. This issue? The one where I want to fuck you until youre hoarse from screaming my name? She nodded primly. That one. I didnt mention the baby n. She didnt either. Okay, so we werent going there. At least we were going somewhere that might lead to my balls getting some goddamn relief. But that whole getting it over with thing? Was not happening. And she would soon realize that, toote for her to do anything but lie there and take every bit of what I dished out. I tugged out my phone and hit the speed dial for my brother. Rock-hard dick or not, my little girl was my number one priority. Laurie? I asked as soon as my twin answered, turning away so I didnt have to see the melting expression that overtook Allys face. Shes fine. Curled up with some rum and an episode of Empire. What? Oliverughed. Make that rum raisin ice cream and an episode of some Care Bears crap on Disney. So easy to rile, brother. How was the party? Good. She was a hit. I collected numbers like it was my damn job. Now to sort through the prospects. Christ, only my brother would use his three-year-old niece both as a way to ditch a party and as date bait. Can you keep her tonight? I know it wasnt part of the deal Well, now, this is interesting. What happened to Ally? I swallowed and tried toe up with something that wasnt a lie. And also was absolutely not the truth. ns changed. Can you keep Laurie or not? Ill be there early to get her. Of course I can. This Care Bear shit isnt half bad, if youre practically wasted. Before I could question him, Oliver sighed. I had two fingers of Scotch. Your child is perfectly safe. Thanks. Ill owe you. Tell her I love her? Out of the corner of my eye, Ally turned away, and if I wasnt mistaken, lifted her fist to her mouth. Will do. Whatever happened to your ns, hope its good. Dont forget the condom this time, little brother. Oliver clicked off before I could toss something back, probably rude as hell. Pocketing my phone, I dipped back my head. The relentless rain streaked down my face as I hauled in a breath that didnt do a damn thing to ease the constriction in my lungs. Time to get this night moving. First, some insurance she wouldnt run. Ally, I rasped, sure she could hear me, rain or no rain. She turned, studying me warily. Your panties. Give them to me. What? Her mouth rounded. I moved in closer and spoke against her hair, raising my voice just above the rain. You want to be discreet. I do too. I also want to smell your pussy before we get in that hotel room. Take them off and give them to me. I eased back enough so our eyes were level. Nice and slow. Even with the weight of what we were about to do between us, it was good to see I could still shock her. Enough that she seemed to move as if she was in a trance, casting a quick nce around to discover what I already had-the driving rain had sent the few tourists still wandering about scurrying into pubs and the ice cream shop, seeking shelter from the storm. Right fucking now, the storm was inside me, throbbing in my head, my dick, my chest. Everywhere shed touched and the ces she still hadnt. But she would. She shifted closer to the railing, reaching out to use it for bnce. And bent to whip off her panties, barely even ncing my way as she pressed them into my hand. Warm. Even with the cool rain sluicing down my neck and face, there was no denying the heat I held in my palm. Blinking the water out of my eyes, I held her gaze and lowered my head, drawing in a deep breath of Ally and rain, mixed together. Her excitement and the burnt ozone in the air, colliding together and somehow mixing. Sweetnessyered over fire. Helpless to resist, I buried my face in them and she watched me, hair streaming back from her face,shes starred, mouth trembling and used from mine. The tip of my tongue touched the delicate fabric and she shuddered visibly, hauling her thin jacket in more tightly around her body. We were both soaked to the core, but shed had a goddamn head start. Stepping in close again, I flexed my groin lightly against hers. Her breath hissed out. She was well aware of how shed affected me. Ill text you the room number. If you donte to me, Ill find you. She said nothing, her soft exhtions somehow loud in spite of the storm. A finger under her chin brought her face up to mine. Every moment you make me wait is one more Ill spend between your legs, making you beg. Cupping her panties in my fist, I stepped back. The choice is yours. One Hundred & Four Allys [POV] I copsed against my seat and mmed the door closed. Rain thrummed against the roof of my car. Again, I was sitting behind the wheel with decisions whirling in my head. Id walked away from him a few nights ago. Okay, ran. I wasnt proud of it, but my self-preservation instincts had been in full effect. And Id been able to ignore him for thest few days. Moving out of my house and into Sages apartment had taken up some time. Falling on my face in exhaustion had been the only way to survive after Sunday. Now I was right here again. Choices had been made. Panties had been surrendered. I bounced my head against my headrest. I hadnt even blinked, just forked them over. I wasnt that girl, dammit. Or maybe I was. I squirmed in my seat as rain and my own slickness soaked my dress and coated my inner thighs. The rain had activated the dryer crystals Id splurged on and my entire car smelled like wet springtime and a hint of sex. Harbingers of the night toe? Hed promised to make me beg. And sweet Jesus, I believed him. The pocket of my denim jacket buzzed against the side of my breast. I hissed out a breath and fumbled it out. Just a single number. Seventeen. Was it wrong that Winger immediately popped into my head? And right now, I felt like an illicit seventeen-year-old girl making crazy decisions. Of course, things would have been a lot easier if I had lost my virginity at seventeen like most of the girls Id known in high school. But no, had to tack on another decade for me. Late bloomer times one thousand. A secondter, another text came through. Countdown begins. Trumpets were ring in my brain. Europes The Final Countdown was on repeat. God, I needed to get a grip. I curled my fingers around my phone and stuffed it back into my pocket. I couldnt evene up with a pithy reply. All we did was swap barbs. That was what we did. And all I could think of replying was Okay. Yeah, not even close to worldly. Just dumb. So I didnt reply at all. Part of me wanted to race inside and get it over with. I hadnt been lying when Id said that to him. As insane as it would be to do this with Seth, I was so damn overdue that my ovaries and hormones would officially go on strike if I said no to this opportunity. I had a feeling my sanity would be added to that list as well. I shouldered the door open and winced at the grinding metal on metal action of the hinge. Time to oil that one up again. I needed to make this carst a little longer. The winters were rough on cars in this area of New York. Snow and salt were as stubborn and bitchy as my boss, Mitch. And I was officially stalling in the worst way possible. My phone buzzed again. Youre dangerously close to being carried in here, damn the consequences. Yeah, no. That wouldnt do. I could walk-well, drive. I could just turn over the engine and drive home. He wouldnt follow. Maybe. The heat in his eyes had been as thrilling as it was terrifying. There was no turning back on tonight. Honestly, thered been no turning back for me the moment hed let me know he was interested in seeing me naked babymaking or not. I dashed out into the night and headed for the front door. I couldnt get in the side entrance since I didnt have a card key. Evidently, I hadnt thought this out very well. I kept my head down and skirted around the edges of the lobby. My hair hung in wet, ropy ringlets down my back. Not an inch of me was dry. And I do mean not an inch. At any second, it felt like everyone in the room would be able to tell I was sans underwear. The cute yellow dress had been a nice idea when Id left the house, but now it was the consistency of damp tissue paper. Good thing Id made sure all the important parts were nice and tidy. God, what a thought. Could people see my littlending strip through the skirt of my dress? Would Seth when I went upstairs? I dragged the edges of my jacket together to cover up my nipples, which were definitely on disy. Id worn a sheer bra so it wouldnt show through the summery dress. Mistakes firing every-damn-where tonight. I nced up to get my bearings and the woman behind the counter made eye contact with me. I couldnt remember her name, but shed been in the diner. Everyone in the damn town had been in the diner at one time or three. Fuck. Quickly, I looked away and sprinted for the elevator, holding my skirt down with the other hand as I darted through the doors. I pped the button for the second floor, desperately happy there was no one else in the elevator. I should have taken the stairs, but the possibility that my ass could be on disy if my skirt red up had nixed that idea before I could even slot it in my brain. The doors opened onto the ornate floor. The hotel was high-end with an ornate brocade runner over a finely stitched ruby carpet. The walls were a textured cream with paintings and sconces giving it a rich, old world feel. Rich was the name of the game. New Ennd money with a side of stately age. Outside myfort zone by miles. Hell, again this one could be measured by gxies. All of this was Seths life, not mine. Even his booty call couldnt be normal. Thankfully, the hallway was empty and quiet. I sure as hell hoped it was soundproofed to go with the fancy-ass decor. I nced at my watch. Evidently, I would have some begging to do. Why did I find that so hot? The feminist residing in my chest should have been appalled. Or maybe shed request equal rights all around. A little tit-for-tat on the begging. He could start. Maybe. Oh, who was I kidding? I would be the one standing there like a deer in headlights, praying he wouldnt figure out just how much I sucked at this. A fumbling idental orgasm when I was neen was as close to experience as I had. And when I said idental, it was the Gods honest truth. Enough friction could eventually give anyone an orgasm, even if it was a depressing and awkward trip to the finish line. It wasnt Craig Kimmels fault-well, not entirely. Wed just had no chemistry. I couldnt say the same about Seth. Id felt the pull the very first day Idid eyes on him. Me making a mad dash for ss and him amused at my graceless entry. I wasnt sure when Id been slotted as the best friend. Maybe it had been that first day wed met when Id been wearing a shapeless sweatshirt over my pajama top and hed instinctively saved me from a tardy slip on the second day of the school year. Or maybe it had been when Idughed at him for checking out the chick in front of him as if her boobs were mana from heaven. All I knew was Id never had a chance before now. And it was both hrious and terrifying. I just wasnt sure which one was going to win out. I slowly crept down the hall as the numbers increased. Seventeen was at the end of the hall. A suite, Id guess, with a huge bed with sumptuous sheets and ss. And I was a drowned rat on her way to getid. A testament of my life to date. Before I could lift my hand to knock on the door, it flew open and Seth reached out to drag me into the suite. Good guess there. Everything was as high-end as the hallway, but right now, I didnt care. Right now, there was only him and me and a shing need in his eyes that mirrored my own. His gaze dropped to my dress and the naked excitement went dark as his brows lowered. I looked down at myself. In the brightly lit living space, there was no denying the see-through nature of my dress was even worse than Id feared. My nipples pushed at the thin material of my bra and right on through to the cotton dress. You walked through the hotel like this? I lifted my chin. Someone kept me out in the rain.From N?velDrama.Org. He stalked to me and dragged my denim jacket off. My skin instantly flooded with chill-bumps, making my nipples even tighter. His hands fisted at his sides and the muscle in his jaw pulsed. Didnt he like what he saw? I crossed my arms over my breasts, but he pulled them back to my sides. No, dont cover yourself. Then why do you look like youre about to go all T-Rex at the end of Jurassic Park? My question became more a squeak when he spun me around to look at the back. Jesus fuck. He fell to his knees and I yelped as his fingers raked up the outside of my thighs. This perfect ass was onplete disy to everyone? I tried to turn around, but he held me still. Well, someone demanded my panties. The reply ended in a growl of exasperation. I didnt understand him at all. My skirt rose as his touch grew bolder. When the cool air of the room hit my over-sensitized flesh, I had to bite back a whole different kind of growl. His fingers went from my thighs to the heavy curve of my ass. He lifted my dress higher and I tried to move away from him. I know I? ? m not perfect. His grip intensified as his tongue flicked over the crease where my butt met thigh. I wobbled on my feet, but he held me still. This ass is perfection. He filled his hands and I wanted to die. I could only imagine how much flesh overflowed even his big hands. No matter how much running around I did, I had a butt for days. Probably because of my deep and abiding love for ice cream. Living over an ice cream parlor definitely wasnt helping my affliction. Open your legs, Al. Seth, I dont need all this. Im totally a sure thing. Then open your fucking legs. My boots thudded on the carpet as I widened my stance. I felt ridiculous. On disy in a way Id never imagined. One Hundred & Five He bunched up my skirt and maneuvered me until I was actually sticking out my ass. Before I could p his hands away and smack him for being so ridiculous, his warm, wet tongue slid between my thighs and along my dripping pussy. The little squeak became a moan as I dragged in all avable oxygen in the room. I had no choice but to bend my knees or Id topple onto my face. He didnt let up. Didnt give an inch. Or rather he gave me a lot more that I thought was possible with just his tongue and lips. He curled inside of me and carved out every space, every drop of wetness and I lost my bnce as the room fuzzed. I grabbed for something and found his wrist. He held my ass apart to get deeper. Leaving no part of me untouched. I didnt have time to be embarrassed. There was nothing but his tongue and his hands, holding me open. I gripped his wrist and his hand turned to lock onto my arm, then he did the same with the other until I was tethered to him. I should have had control at that point, but there was no controlling this man. There was only surviving. And I wasnt entirely sure that was possible. His devil of a tongue slid between my folds and up to my clit then back until I was a mess. God, I didnt have any resistance to this insidious level of seduction. He yed my body like he yed his pianote at night when hed had too many sses of whiskey. He let one of my hands go and slowly slipped a finger inside of me. I purred out his name and my body went tighter and tighter in reaction to his invasion. I was helpless against his mouth and the pressure of the pads of his fingers at my clit. The first orgasm sucker-punched me. Somehow I didnt even realize Id coasted up and through the teasing and into the victory circle. My thighs shook and my scream ended in his name. Fuck, youre so damn tight. He pushed a second finger inside me and I arched to get away from him. My body was too sensitive as I soared and crashed in the space of thirty seconds. Thats it, baby. Give me everything. I tried to curl into myself, but he wouldnt let me go. My knees trembled and the heel of my boot tapped out the little aftershocks as my body tried to process this level of stimuli. He stood up and buried his face in my neck as he turned his hand and fucked me with his fingers. I cried out as the pleasure twisted into pain. Seth, wait. He paused. Im sorry. Was I too rough? You soaked my face, so I thought you were with me. He made sweet hushing sounds against my ear. Im sorry. I got too into it. I breathed through the invasion of just two of his thick fingers. How the hell was I going to take his cock? God, I was so over my head. Dont tense up. He wrapped his other arm around my waist and fit his cock against my ass. Youre perfect. Were so good together, cant you feel it? I nodded, but I couldnt think around the invasion of his fingers. He pulled out of me and went to my clit. Sweet little circles until youre ready for me. I want inside you so bad I cant think straight, but I can wait. Ive waited this long, right? Heughed against my neck and I wanted to weep in reaction. My stupid virginity was going to ruin everything. Where did you go? Never mind. His eyebrows snapped down and he pulled his fingers from between my thighs before turning me toward him. No, not never mind. No matter how much I want you, if its too soon, Ill survive. I promise. I shook my head and wrapped my arms around his neck. No. I want this more than you could ever know. His fingers dug into my hips. Thank God. I stared at his chin and traced the bristles of his scruffy face. My fingertips went farther down to his neck, where his Adams apple jumped under my touch. The vibration of his growl made my skin prickle. Somehow Id thought I could just walk in and make this work. It wasnt as if I was aplete novice about sex. I hadnt actually had it, but I was a woman with needs. Some nights the only way Id gotten to sleep with the stress and frustration of my life was to take care of myself. But Id been deluding myself that itpared to reality in any way. He lowered his face until our gazes collided. What? I Youwhat? Heughed. You can tell me anything. You know that. His dark brows pinched together. Has someone hurt you? No! Oh, God, no. I blew out a breath. I was doing this all wrong. I slid out of his arms and paced the wide living space. Its not that. In fact, quite the opposite.From N?velDrama.Org. He tunneled his fingers through his hair and gripped the back of his neck. His anger and heat had ignited a dangerous prickle of excitement in my bloodstream. That hed been so upset on my behalf was only one of the reasons I was so head over heels about this idiot. What does that mean? As a hint of something I couldnt read filled his eyes, suddenly it was Seth who was pacing the length of the room. He tugged the tails of his shirt out of his jeans. You arent telling me what I think youre telling me. I pushed a wild curl out of my face. My hair was finally drying and my curls were a little intense, thanks to the rain. I mean, I know its crazy, but look at it from my point of view. Im always working, or I was always taking care of my mom. I didnt really have much time to date. I couldnt spit out the word. I knew he needed it, but I just couldnt get it off my tongue. I blocked him from making another path across the Aubusson carpet. Seth. No. Dont you Seth me. He grabbed me by the upper arms and lifted me onto my toes. You spit it out right now. Ive sort of never done this with a person before. He dropped me back onto my feet and staggered back as he jammed his fingers into his hair. He pulled until his thick near-ck hair was as wild as mine. No one has ever been inside you? I winced. It was kind of crazy when he put it like that. And I felt even more stupid. I folded my arms over my chest. Its not a big deal. He crossed to me and lifted me up, then crushed his mouth to mine. Well, okay then. Guess that talk was over. He curled my legs around his hips and walked me through the suite and kicked open the door to the bedroom. He set me on my feet at the end of the bed and lifted my dress over my head before I could say another word. I crossed my arms over my chest again instinctively. My boobs were too big and my ass too shapely. Id gotten my hourss figure from someone in my family. My mother had been slight for as long as I could remember, but there were pictures. Ones with her smiling on the shore of Crescent Cove in a bikini. We could have been twins once upon a time. He pulled my arms away. No one has ever touched you here? He skimmed the back of his hand along the swells of my breasts. The bra was too flimsy to really hold me in, but it went with the dress. And like the dress, the sheer factor was very in his face at the moment. He circled his fingertip around my nipple. No one has sucked on these? I swallowed as I swayed on my feet. Im not aplete nun. He peeled back the nude colored nylon and hissed. Did he know to touch you like this? He tugged my nipple with his first two fingers until the skin stretched a twinge past pleasure into pain before he let it go. My nipple tightened even more and the quick rush of blood under the dark rose flesh made me gasp. No. He reached around me and unsnapped the bra and eased it over my shoulders, then set it with my dress on the chair in the corner. He lifted each of my breasts until they filled his hands, and my nipples were trapped by his thumb and forefinger. No one has ever taken the time to find out just what you need? I tipped my head back and fought against the quick rush of tears that hade out of nowhere. No, I said brokenly. I will. Ill make sure I know every inch of your precious body. He released one of my breasts and his hand slid lower. He coasted over my waist to the soft skin just above my slit. And no one has been here? I shook my head. Just me. His nostrils red. At night? In the dark? I swallowed. Not often, but sometimes when the loneliness was too much. Show me. I shook my head. Show me, he said more forcefully. I want to make sure Im doing it right. You are. My lower lip trembled. Everything has been right. I was too rough. No. I just wasnt ready. He led my hand to my pussy and made small circles. My cheeks burned at just how wet I was. No, definitely not like when I touched myself. I was fuller and more swollen. My body had reacted to the differences and made room for my fingers and his as I gasped. Like that? His voice was like gravel and his eyes were a touch wild, along with being kind. I didnt really want kind. I wanted the Seth who couldnt wait to get his hands on me. I wanted the man who was so hot for me he couldnt wait to touch me. Hesitance was thest thing I wanted. I slid my fingers out from under his and held him to my entrance. You know what I need. I need you to trust that. I trust you with this. I lifted trembling fingers to the buttons of his shirt. I trust you with me. Swallowing hard, I pushed his shirt open and over his shoulders. We struggled with his cuffs and finally he was as bare as me from the waist up. I took a tentative step closer to him and had to take a slow breath when my breasts touched his chest. The soft hairs along his abs felt different than the more wiry ones between his pecs. Both of them were rather glorious. I chased the wonder and hoped it would lead me away from the nerves multiplying in my belly and brain. I wanted this with everything inside of me. Even knowing things would change between on us on a fundamental level, I couldnt turn away from him any longer. He kicked off his shoes and I did the same with my boots. His pants hit the floor next and we stood in front of each other nearly naked. Me,pletely, but I was sort of d hed left on his ck boxer briefs. I wasnt sure I was ready to see just what my choices had led me to. Especially with the bulge tenting under the snug cotton. I lifted a shaking hand to his shoulder and he swept me up into his arms and deposited me on the mattress. Were going to take this as slow as you need to, all right? What if I want fast? I scuttled toward the head of the bed. One Hundred & Six He grabbed my ankle and widened my legs before fitting his shoulders between my thighs. Oh, theres no way were going fast. He grinned up at me and I was relieved to see the thrill in his eyes again. Challenge epted. I could see the change building inside of him. I was pretty sure I was in a lot of damn trouble. When he lowered his head and slipped two fingers along my slit, I fell back against the pillows with a groan. He looked up from between my thighs. Lets just make sure youre ready for me. Now that I know I need to be a little more careful. Not too careful. Its not supposed to hurt. How many virgins have you deflowered, buddy? He twirled his tongue around my clit. Just one. When I tensed, he grinned. This one. Oh. So its technically a first time for both of us. He rolled his hips into the mattress and I was suddenly very jealous of the high thread count sheets and his cotton underwear. I wanted him to roll those hips against me, dammit. Im a big guy. Im used to having to get a woman ready for me. Oh, thats very kind of you. He grinned then dragged the t of his tongue over my center. Jealous? How would you like it if I was talking about another cock inside me right now? His nostrils red again. Ill be the only one inside this pussy from now on. You dont own me or my pussy. He dragged in a breath and slipped those two fingers in further. I arched under him and groaned when he stretched me further. He went at my clit as a man possessed. I pped the mattress and bowed up and pushed pillows out of the way as he drove me up and through another orgasm. Not sweetly. No, Id asked for the sweet Seth to step aside and it seemed like that was exactly what I was getting. Part of me wanted to tweak the demon out again, but I couldnt quite breathe yet. The lights in the bedroom were sparking and my thighs wouldnt stop quivering. Mine, he muttered and went in for another round I was weak and my elbow copsed beneath me as I giggled my way through the band of hysteria around my chest. How many orgasms were too many? He blew over my clit and I shuddered and tried to roll away from him. Seth, please. I like when you say that word. Dont get used to it.All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. He inched up my body finally and settled his hips between my thighs. He pressed his cock against my pussy and I cried out. Christ, I might juste from that little touch. Every nerve ending was firing and my synapses had crossed and recrossed until I was so wrung out, I was ready to flip him over and take care of things myself. Too bad he was so goddamn tall. And the endless flexing muscles of his shoulders and thighs were deceptively heavy. A perfect kind of heavy. One I could be addicted to. No. Dont go there, girl. I sifted my fingers through his sweaty hair and gave him a longzy kiss. He groaned against my lips and his hips shifted. God, yes. Finally. I need you inside me. I dont want to hurt you. Its not like you have a damn python in your pants. I stroked my fingers down the intricate tattoo along his left arm. I rarely got to see it since he was almost always dressed for business, but the white snow leopard was stunning. Using his skin tone and a deft hand, the artist created a stunning animal that climbed up his arm and over part of his shoulder. I leaned over and licked the muscles that twitched and flowed under the art. The cats blue eyes were sharp and assessing, and the ws and jaw were in mid-attack. Just like him. Sleek and panther-like, with a bite that could surprise you when you werent paying attention. He finally lowered his boxer briefs and butted the head of his cock along my pussy. He leaned down and tugged at my lower lip. Someday I want to watch these full lips widen around me. Take me deep. I swallowed a shuddering breath. I wanted that too. I wanted everything. He reached for the bedside table and a ck wrapper sitting on the corner. My eyebrows shot up. Everyone, even a virgin, knew what a ckbeled condom meant. He slid the length of his cock along the outside of my lips until the red head rested right above my slit. Good grief, he wasnt being boastful with the Magnum condom. I was a dead woman. He leaned back until he was kneeling between my legs and I was suddenly worried that maybe I wasnt ready for this. As he rolled the condom over his length, the almost angry hue of his cock made me wonder just how on edge he was. I looked a little closer at his face. Because, seriously, I needed to not look at that monster between his damn legs. Sweet merciful heaven. There was a tension around his eyes and his lips were pinched. Hed been giving me the royal treatment to make sure this night was amazing for me. Now Id have to figure out how to give some of that back. I reached up to cover his hand at the base of his cock and pulled him back down over me. The tension Id been trying to avoid suddenly didnt seem to be so overwhelming. I guided him between my legs and he slowly slid inside. My body was never going to be ready for him, not to this level. Not until he stretched me and made me his. He paused and blew out a slow breath. I reached around him and gripped his ass to pull him deeper. Ally- But he groaned and his head tipped back. His neck rippled with each swallow and the tendons raised in reaction. I let out my slow breath as I took him deeper, stretching, opening. But then he was just mine. Just everything. I wrapped myself around him and my hips lifted to meet him as he slowly withdrew and pushed forward. God, he muttered against my neck. I tightened my grip around his shoulders and my legs around his hips until we were moving as one. I wanted more. I wanted it harder. Some part of me was craving the stretch, but he kept each stroke measured. He reached between us and suddenly, with a few flicks of his talented fingers, he tripped me back into the whirling pleasure. Hed truly primed me for this moment. He pumped inside of me a few more times, his rough movements just what I needed, and I cried out. I wasnt ready to be done. But the orgasm mmed into me just the same, and the chain reaction seemed to pull him under too. My name was a prayer on his tongue as he kissed me through the end of his release. I encircled his shoulders and held on as he shook over me, and there was an overwhelming sense of peace that flowed through his muscles. He rolled off of me and disposed of the condom with tissues from the bedside table. His eyes were so heavy, I wasnt sure he was still awake. When he rolled me under him and threw a thigh over me, I knew he was half asleep. The actual confirmation came a momentter when he softly snored in my ear. Seriously? I tried to move him, but I was utterly pinned. Afterglow, my ass. He had tapped out. One Hundred & Seven Seths [POV] Holy fuck, I was dead. No, wait, I was still alive. That was oxygen puffing out of my lips against the pillow under my cheek. There were definite scratches on my back from- I jerked up in bed, gripping my head so it didnt revolve off my neck. I wasnt in my bedroom at home. Swanky suite. Friday night in the summer, all booked up, but I got a room for sex because I was old town money. So that meant I got to fuck a beautiful girl on the fly since no one wanted to deny my dick a thing. Sweet. Christ, was I hungover? No. Fucked over. Completely. Id had the best sex of my life, and now I was in an empty bed. Eyes still half closed, I swung out and patted the sheets. Ice cold. Shed been gone for a while. Probably the moment I passed out. And passed out about summed it up. Id drained what was left of my smarts and my sense into that magnum condom and gone to sleep quicker than a drunk at the tail end of a bender. Wasntpletely my fault. I hadnt had a childless night for a while, and my little girl tended to have a few crappy dreams. Monsters with snapping teeth. Wild dogs. Demons in closets I had to dispel with wise words and hugs in the dark. I wasnt even going to touch on exactly how long it had been since Id had sex. Well, sex with someone other than myself. Self-created booty calls happened often, but with an actual flesh-and-blood woman? It had been a while. Hell, Ally was the woman, even if I hadnt fully realized it before Id presented her with that contract. Id been rocking a boner ever since. So yeah, Id been kind of pent-up. Exhaustion had imed me swiftly, and it had been much preferable to fighting to stay awake to talk about Way too much. No wonder shed sneaked out on me. Supposed best friend, and Id dirty-talked her and taken her virginity-which was not my fault, since shed never seen fit to tell me that little fact until we were getting naked-then fallen asleep as if it was any old night. Jesus and I thought my brother was a douche? He had some stiffpetition for the title. Forcing my heavy eyelids open against the sun trying to carve my brain in two, I nced around and wished for alcohol. Maybe there was something worthwhile in the minibar. Those days are over, pal. They ended right about when the condom slipped when you were banging Marjorie in the Mustang. Now youre a responsible father, remember? I braced my head in my hands and sucked in a breath. Responsible, right? I had to pick up Laurie. It had to be mid-morning from the amount of sunlight, and Id told Oliver Id be there early. Rubbing my eyes, I kicked off the sheets. And noticed a bright red splotch on the fitted sheet. Christ. Id tried to be careful, to take it slow, but I hadnt at first. Id rammed my fingers into her like a damn bull, and shed never. Before I could argue with myself, I fumbled for my phone on the nightstand. I had to know she was okay. She could hate me, probably did, but I couldnt move from this room until I knew she was all right. Shed certainlyest night, and I was pretty sure shed been right there with me for most of it, but she wasnt here now. She was alone, and I couldnt fucking bear it. I typed out a quick text. Missed you this morning. Oh yeah, that was how to demonstrate my concern. By couching it in a healthy streak of douche swagger. She answered swiftly. Had an early shift at the diner. Eggs Benedict & burnt coffee wait for no man. You didnt even leave a note. Good lord, I might as well have taken out my tampon with that statement. She was probablyughing at my pathetic ass. From her next reply, it was close. Was I supposed to? Didnt realize wed progressed beyond booty call status to something else. I gripped the back of my neck. Yeah, so she was annoyed. Whether it was because Id fallen asleep right after or because wed had sex in the first ce was anyones guess. The only way to find out for sure was to piss her off enough, to be honest. I know youre unfamiliar with booty call protocol, but yeah, its good to let the dude know youre leaving in case he wakes up with a hard dick and wants round two. Her response was instantaneous. Sorry, Charlie, that was a one-time event. But good luck finding a more suitable partner. I hear Tinder is nice. Tinder, huh? Have you tried that? Is that why you couldnt find anyone to finish the job? Thank God you came along. Willing prick and all. Youre such a good Samaritan. When I can walk straight again, Ill send you a thank-you note. Pride surged first. I was a man, after all, and fucking a hot chick until she couldnt move was pretty much every dudes dream. But she wasnt some random hot chick. This was Ally, and she wasnt just a conquest. Shed been a virgin, for fucks sake, and if she was hurting from myck of finesse, Id seen off my dick. Okay, maybe take a swing or two at it at least. Ah, to hell with it. I was asking, straight out. Are you all right? Physically? I was rough. Fine. Dandy. All good under the hood. I didnt mean to fall asleep. Laurie wakes me up every night & super-charged to put me down for the count. She took longer to reply. Just as well. Talking makes stuff messy. We did it, its done. While I was pounding a dent in the mattress beside my hip, she texted again. Hows L? Dont know. Havent gone to get her yet. Just woke up. I shouldve checked with Oliver first, but I was worried. Dont be. Im perfect. Thanks for not making this weird, okay? Gotta go. Work calls. Kiss L for me. Al,e over for dinner or something? I waited a few minutes for her to answer. When it became clear she wouldnt, at least anytime soon, I headed into the bathroom and took care of business. The shower beckoned, but I wasnt in that much of a hurry to wash her off of me. Especially since I was fairly certain this would never be happening again. Forget making a baby. Our friendship was probably in shreds. Never learn, do you? Thest time you thought with your dick, you ended up married to a woman you hadnt even intended to keep dating. Of course, that was entirely different, and out of that rtionship had sprung the best thing to ever happen to me. Sure, Id been divorced by the age of twenty-five, but eh, shit happened. Especially in my family. The key was getting out of a bad situation. With Ally, Id been thinking practically. The kid thing had been building for a while. Approaching her about it had onlye about after Id mulled it over from every direction. Sure, they were sticky parts. Ill admit I hadnt expected the sex thing to go down so well. I mean, she was beautiful, no denying that, but I didnt want to fuck every lovely woman I saw. And it was Ally. So, yeah, the lust had been a surprise. Even more so? The morning after, I wasnt regretting wed done it so much as I was regretting we hadnt done it again before she split. And there had been no babymaking involved. Just Ally and her soft, lc-scented hair and rain-soaked skin. Her full lips and her curves and those perfect thighs, spreading for me Swallowing hard, I braced a fist on the sink. Maybe Id better take an ice-cold shower so I didnt go to my brothers with a damn hard-on. A nce at my phone made me curse. Almost noon. Laurie was probably wondering where I was. Oliver too. My brother didnt like his schedule being disrupted, so hisck of a phone call was surprising. I texted him as I grabbed my jeans off the floor. On my way. Sorry. She ok? Whos this? Not my derelict brother who was probably gettingid this entire time while I doted on his offspring. Despite my bleak mood, I grinned. Leave it to O. I wish they gettingid. More like sleeping it off. Is it being the previousying? Gentlemen dont kiss & tell.N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner. Waiting Asshole. Ill be there in a few. I finished dressing and went downstairs to check out. The woman behind the desk didnt wink or waggle her brows or do anything to indicate she knew Id gotten a room for sex, but it was pretty obvious. I lived on the other side of theke. Sure, my excuse of having a few too many to drive home might hold water, but small towns and suspicious minds went together. As long as no one had seen Ally enter the hotel too, all good. I didnt care what people thought of me. Thank you so much, Mr. Hamilton. Pleasee again. And give our best to Ms. Lawrence. I stared at the concierge for so long that my vision blurred. Then I shook my head and strode toward the door. Maybe she knew Ally and I was friends. Sure she did. And maybe wed be the hottest topic of gossip by lunch. Probably before then. I just hoped Ally didnt have to deal with shit at the diner. One Hundred & Eight The drive to Olivers ce didnt take long. He lived about a mile away from me, also on theke. The Hamilton family home was about a mile away on the opposite side of Olivers. We were like three points of a triangle of dysfunction with beautiful views of the water. I pulled up behind Olivers BMW and parked in the circr drive. To torment myself some more, I checked my silent phone. No response from Ally. Surprise, surprise. I jogged up the steep flight of stairs to the porch and went inside without knocking. I followed my little girlsughter into the kitchen, already smiling. No matter what kind of shit brewed in my gut, hearing Laurie was the way to put me in a better mood. Especially when she was covered in chocte chip batter from making cookies with my not so stern, older-by-six-minutes brother. Well, look who it is, L-monster. Oliver swung Laurie up onto his hip and carted her over to me. He was all smiles, but his eyes were a little wild. I knew that look well. Daddy! Laurie said, already extending her arms to me and leaning half out of my brothers hold. Hiya, sweetie. Sorry I wasnt here sooner. I grinned and took her from Oliver, setting her on my hip as he had done. Every now and then it urred to me how simr our mannerisms were. Oliver didnt have any children, of course. I wasnt sure he ever would. Hed used my experience as reason to double and triple bag ever since. For all I knew, he couldve gotten snipped, hed been that freaked out about unnned procreation. But he was a damn good uncle, as evidenced by my little girls giggles as she recounted her night with my brother. We watched movies. Poor Dory. And Hank. Unca O loved Hank. Laurie looked back at my brother for confirmation. Didnt you? I did. So much so that I decided I need Hank bedding for my ska King bed. I may have to get it handmade, but such sacrifices are made for love. Oliver ruffled Lauries messy blond curls. Right, baby girl? Unca O has the biggest bed ever. Laurie held out her hands as far apart as she could, tilting precariously on my hip until I righted her. He said it has enough room for all his favorite bigdies toe over for sleepers. Sleepovers, Oliver corrected, winking at me before he turned away to clean up the cookie mess on the counter. I narrowed my eyes at Os back. That sounds fun. We should do that sometime. What do you think? You, me, and Ally! Shelle over for a sleeper. And her friend. The one with the bouncy hair. Laurie grinned. Like Goldilocks. Your hair isnt too far from Goldilockss hair yourself, princess. Oliver turned back to brush a kiss over Lauries hair while mouthing the word no at me. That sounds fun. Im not sure Ally and Sage could make it, but we should ask them. And well get lots of snacks. All your favorites. Cheetos, and caramel popcorn, and gummy worms. Wouldnt that be fun to eat all of that in Uncle Olivers big special bed? This is how you repay me, Oliver muttered, shaking his head as he swept the tray of cookies into the oven. Yes. So much fun. And we could get a puppy too. Lauries big blue eyes glowed. Puppies love sleepers. Right, Unca O? Sure. Why the heck not? Might as well get a marching band in there too. Im sure it could be arranged. Ill get back to you. Oliver flipped me the bird behind Lauries back and I swallowed augh. Half an hourter, we were eating warm chocte chip cookies while Laurie yed on a nket in the living room. Dory was on TV again and Laurie was babbling happily as she dressed the dolls Oliver had bought her to leave at his ce. And I was shoving cookies in my mouth faster than I could speak, so hopefully I wouldnt have to. Out with it. If Im on overnight babysitting duty, youre at least going to tell me which townie is now off-limits. I picked up a stray chocte chip and popped it between my lips. You have a filthy mind. Yeah, and you are long overdue for a reckless night. I hope it was worth me missing three hours of sleep because L kept waking up. Fuck, more nightmares? Thats a new thing. Well, rtively new. Thest six months or so. I chalked it up to her seeing a movie she shouldnt have. Yeah, some of those porn chicks have traumatized me too. Oliver gave a mock shudder, but I could tell from his furrowed brow that he was worried. How bad was it? Not awful, but she was spooked, so I read to her and she eventually fell back asleep. Just once? Oliver shifted on his stool. Three times. Ahh, fuck. I raked a hand through my hair, guilt swarming my belly like drunk locusts. While my little girl had been crying in her sleep, Id been fucking Ally. Father of the year material for sure. Jesus. Im sure its just a phase. Kids go through tons of them. Remember that year you wouldnt eat anything but bologna and cheese sandwiches? It wasnt a year, more like three months, and this is a bit worse. I wonder if-From N?velDrama.Org. Oliver held up a hand. Dont even say it. If you mention that bitch, my good humor will be ruined. I leaned forward. Regardless, shes her mother. And maybe theres just no getting around that fact. Hearing myself, I frowned. What business did I have trying to set up this arrangement with Ally? My needs-and even Lauries-werent all that mattered. Id told myself I could be both parents to my children, but maybe that was crazy talk. I couldnt magically be the childrens mother. And when it came to the baby I had with Ally, he or she would have a mother. The best mother. Even without seeing Ally have kids of her own yet, I knew that just from watching her with Laurie. So how could I ever consider Ally might want to have a baby and walk away? Christ, I was a selfish fuck. No wonder Ally didnt want to talk to me. Id thought up the most insane n ever and Id asked her to make the ultimate sacrifice for a few pennies. All right, a lot of them, but still. Exchanging a child for a college education was nuts. Ally wasnt Marj, and asking her to make a deal like that proved that I didnt deserve a best friend like her. I just fucking hoped shed give me another chance. Seth? Shaking my head, I held up a finger at my brother and yanked out my phone. I texted Ally as fast as my fingers would work. Im so fucking sorry. More sorry than youll ever know. She didnt respond, and by now, I almost didnt expect her to. I couldnt have screwed up this situation any more if Id tried. I jerked to my feet and almost without thinking, tucked two cookies in my suit coat. Chocte chip was Allys favorite. Oliver rose, clearly reading my intentions to split. Youre leaving? Just like that? Yeah, I have shit to fix. Im sorry, man. I really appreciatest night. I pped him on the shoulder and went to talk to my daughter. She wasnt in a hurry to go, of course, but I mentioned a possible hot fudge sundae at the diner in her future if she came without a fuss. More sugary snacks werent the best idea, and Id probably pay the price for the rest of the weekend, but desperate times. Oliver shook his head before I carted Laurie and her bag of toys and clothes out the door. Whatever youre up to, I hope it ends well. Me too. Ill call. I was already halfway down the steps with Laurie, who was waving frantically at my brother. Bye Unca O! Bye bye! One Hundred & Nine Bye sweetness. Be good for your Daddy. She wriggled in my arms, smelling of powder and chocte. We go see Ally? Yep, were going to see Ally. But Daddy needs to talk to her alone for a few m inutes, so Aunty Sage will keep youpany. If Sage was even working. And if Sage didnt hate me too for being a jackass and debauching her roommate, assuming Ally had told her what had happened. Part A and Part B. Shit, Id asked a virgin to have my baby. Not knowing she was a virgin didnt make it any better. Somehow I should have known. Ally was a lockbox under the best of circumstances, but something like that Not to mention that Id agonized more than once about her choice of dates over the years, imagining her going home with some of them and needing to drink to get the pictures out of my mind. Id been certain it was just my streak of protectiveness in her direction kicking in, but what if? What the fuck if? I ced Laurie in her car seat and adjusted the belt, snapping it into ce. Extra sprinkles on your sundae if youre good for Aunty Sage. Sage has pretty hair. Yellow like mine. Laurie touched her curls. Yes, just like yours, though yours is the prettiest in all thend. I leaned forward to kiss the tip of her nose and she giggled. A minuteter, we were on the road to the diner. I debated giving Ally a heads up that I was stopping by, then decided a sneak attack was best. I wasnt trying to corner her or convince her of anything. All I wanted to do was look her in the eye and make sure she was okay. And to apologize. Possibly fifty times or so. I parked up the street from the diner and released Laurie from her car seat prison. Setting her on my hip, I checked my jacket pocket to make sure the cookies were still intact. Laurie wasnt about to miss a chance for more sweets, however. She got one forbidden glimpse of them and screwed up her adorable face, her big blue eyes going shiny with unshed tears. For me? she wailed. For me? God save me from women. I truly wasnt equipped to deal with them. Every time I thought I could handle the task, new obstacles were thrown in my path. I dug out one of the cookies and resigned myself to a sleepless night with my child. Just as well. God knows I had no other reasons not to sleep at night. Last nights event had been a one-off, certain to never be repeated again. Virginity destroyer. The little bell over the diner door dinged as I entered with a now contentedly munching Laurie. She was spewing crumbs all over my wrinkled dress shirt, but my attention snagged on all the faces that turned my way. It seemed like every patron in the ce was staring at me and Laurie. All but one person with a high, bouncy dark ponytail, and that was because she had her back to me. Luckily, she was talking loudly enough that I could hear her just fine. Oh, not you too, Sally Mae. As I was just telling Vern, I was just helping him with a problem. You know, as a friend. Sally Mae was looking past Ally at me. She cleared her throat. Uh, dear, Im not sure Certain issues of a performance nature, Ally went on. Any good friend would help. Now would you like eggs over easy like usual with red potatoes and a side of sausage? We have the summer fruit cup on special today. Comes free with any meal. Alison, I said in an undertone. Allys shoulders went tight in her uniform, but she didnt nce my way. Didnt acknowledge me at all. The fruit cup has blueberries, honeydew, pineapple, and slices of fresh strawberries. The first crop this year from Happy Acres Orchard, right down in Turnbull. Alison, I said again. Laurie finished scarfing down her cookie and pulled her choctey fingers out of her mouth. Ally! Yeah, my best friend might be able to ignore me, but she definitely couldnt ignore my little spitfire. Ally turned, a genuine smile creasing her face and lighting up her honey eyes. Hiya you. Whatre you doing here? She moved forward and snatched Laurie out of my arms without acknowledging my presence. Look at these cheeks, all covered in chocte. What has your daddy been feeding you? Cookies. Unca O and me made em. Daddy brought you one. Daddy actually brought you two, but a certain thief felt the need to sample more of the merchandise. I cupped my daughters head, leaving my hand there until Ally had no choice but to meet my gaze. I texted you. Sorry, working. And gossiping. About problems of a performance nature. The diner was far too quiet around us, and I wasnt about to give the town anything more to chat about today. Is Sage working? Sure am. The cheerful blond crossed the restaurant with a tray full of dishes. How can I help you? Sage asked as she passed us, stopping to say something to Mrs. Negley in one of the booths.All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. They both giggled and nced my way. Fabulous. By the way, I said, raising my voice, focusing on Allys face as it paled, we both know my performance was just fine. Spectacr, in fact. Enough to knock you right out? Sage asked, blinking innocently when I narrowed my eyes. Back room, Ally muttered, handing off Laurie to Sage without even waiting for my direction. Even with all this shit between us, we had a rhythm. A damn fine one, in and out of bed. Fuck performance issues. Mine had been spot-on. Sage hugged Laurie and carried her to an empty booth. How about a nice cup of fruit while your Daddy and Ally talk? Ice scream. Daddy promised ice scream. Laurie nced my way and banged a tiny fist on the table. With sprinkles if I was good. Were you good? Yeah, put a hot fudge sundae with sprinkles on my tab. A small one, I said out of the side of my mouth. Sage nodded. Will do. Ally was already headed down the hall that led to the bathrooms, the break room, and the storage room, so I followed, figuring shed aim for the break room. Instead she went right for the storage area. The second I shut the door, she whirled on me. What was I supposed to say? Everyone knows, Seth. Everyone. Someone mustve seen us at the hotel, or hell if I know. I started to reply, but Ally wasnt finished. They asked me questions all shift. I had to make a joke out of it, so people didnt think you and I could that we could ever be Had to make a joke out of me, you mean. I tucked my thumbs in the pockets of my jeans. Think you got your wish. Probably half the town is now wondering how I even managed to make my daughter. She bowed her head and her jaunty ponytail drooped over one shoulder. Im sorry. It was just a joke to save face and I guess I went too far. Save face why? Even if someone got the idea that we were together, why not just roll with it? Roll with it? Are you crazy? I must be, considering thest week. I stepped forward and forced the irritation from what shed told people out of my head. Whenpared with my recent sins, it didnt really rank. I texted you that I was sorry. She tucked a stray curl behind her ear. For what, exactly? I never should have asked you to have my baby. Allys gaze shot to the door as if she expected it to blow open at any moment. About time you realize that. It waspletely unfair of me. Im not enough to be both mom and dad to a new child. I mean, with Laurie, it just worked out that way, but to set up a situation where Im the only one making all the decisions for another child isnt right. Im simply not enough. What the hell are you talking about? Ally stepped forward, going toe to toe with me. Laurie is a happy, well-adjusted little girl. She adores you. Im not her mother. I can never be her mother. I swallowed hard. No matter how much I love her, its not the same as You think a child knows the difference as long as theyre treasured? Sure, they might wonder what if, but theckes from not being loved enough, not from whether the person who tucks them in at night was mommy or daddy. I didnt know my father, and I grew up just fine with only my mom. She was everything. Ally gripped my wrists and jerked my arms until my eyes snapped up to meet hers. She was way more than enough. Your mother was amazing. Youre right. She was. And so are you. Laurie couldnt be any luckier if she had two parents. No one could love that little girl more than you do. Just like youd love that new baby. I never doubted for a second that you were enough. It wasnt that. I didnt know you were a virgin. If Id known Its not about that either. Her nails scraped my wrists, and the bite of pain made my cock spring to life. I wasnt proud of it, but this woman was like a goddamn torch to my libido. One taste of her hadnt been enough. Would never be enough. Then? I asked softly, fighting the urge to cup her cheek so she had no choice but to look into my eyes. I hated that she never fully looked at me anymore. That was a new thing too. So much of this was new, and she wasnt the only one struggling to keep her footing. With every step, I felt as if I was sinking in quicksand. Youre the most important person in my life. If this goes sideways and I lose you she began. Not gonna happen. Even after the past week, I didnt have to fake the confidence in my voice. We are solid. Always. No matter what. A baby would change things. You thought youd make it easy on me, give me the chance to walk away. But I couldnt. Just like I cant turn my back on you or that little girl. Her face tipped up to mine and her pleading tone cut me to the quick. Do you honestly think I could walk away from a child wed made? So do it with me. Her mouth quivered. What? Have the baby with me and well raise it together. Why the hell not, right? Were both single, and were friends. As close as could be before sex, and now thats obviously a go too, so why not? I rushed on, the idea gaining speed. I didnt know all the logistics of what I was suggesting, but right now, I didnt care. This way, we could both get what we wanted. And I wouldnt lose her. She wouldnt walk away from town for school, or if she did, shede back. Shed alwayse back to me. To us. Ally backed up and spun around, facing the stacks of boxes along the far wall. What about Laurie? The question barely registered, because all I could think about was that she hadnt said no. One Hundred & Ten Hadnt said yes either, but she definitely hadnt said no. She wants another sibling. You know that. But if its me you have the child with, wont it confuse her? Weve spent years telling her we are just friends. She loves you. Shed be thrilled to have you around more. As would I. Unable to stay away a second longer, I wrapped my arms around her from behind. She not only bristled, but she pulled her body not so subtly away from mine. Something else she was always doingtely. Now that I knew she was attracted to me too, it seemed like just one more confusion to pile onto the rest. But maybe she wasntfortable being attracted to me yet. In her mind, we were still off-limits. Still strictly friend-zoned. Hey, I said gently. Its just me. Last night doesnt change all that came before. She let out a brokenugh and I swallowed over the dust in my throat. Does it? Sheughed again, weakly. I know youre not a chick. Not so much, no. But yeah, for women, sex changes stuff. Probably not all women. Im sure there are plenty who can do it and not overanalyze, but Im not one of them. Not when its you. I stroked a hand over her arm. Plus, it was your first God, dont. She buried her face in her hands. So embarrassing. What is? Im almost thirty and I hadnt done it with anyone yet. Im a freak with super-high expectations. Having super-high expectations makes you a freak? Good to know. Carefully, I turned her to face me and skimmed my thumb down the side of her throat. The skin was more than a little pink there, and my dick stirred again. My stubble had branded her as surely as my cock had. Mine. I would always be her first. No matter what. Im d it was me, I said hoarsely, tightening my hold on her throat. That brief show of dominance had her ncing up warily, but she didnt back away. That it was us. You gave me a gift I wont ever forget. Yeah, well, ditto, Hamilton. She took a breath and the next time she spoke, her voice was stronger. It didnt quitepare to your Mustang exploits for your first time, but as far as first time fucks go, it probably wasnt too bad. Probably not. I brushed a kiss over her forehead and she softened in my arms, melting against me in a way that didnt make me want to stop kissing her. Or touching her. Ever. Now we have time to perfect the technique, I added as lightly as possible when my vocal cords were squeezed as tight as my swollen cock in my jeans. Do we? Oh yeah. If you want to. I wrapped my hand around her ponytail and tugged. With or without a baby, I want you again. In every goddamn way possible. Her chin trembled. But the baby is important to you. You wouldnt have gone to awyer to draw up a contract if it wasnt. It wasnt ark. I was tempted to deny what shed said, but I couldnt. She was the only person Id always been honest with. Her and my little girl. Yeah, it matters. Not just because Lauries asked for one. That might be a passing whim, who knows. I shuffled my feet, feeling idiotic. Still, telling the truth was important. Growing up without my mom around for more than random holidays was rough. Not because my dad raised us, but because he wasnt into it. He cared more about his work. And yeah, I know I have the tendency to get caught up too, so I want some insurance Laurie has what I did. Your twin, Ally whispered. Yeah. We always had each other. Even when he stole my Legos or hid the second Xbox controller or put rice in my socks, the little fucker. I had to grin. She should have that too, and soon, before the age difference is too much. Shes already almost four, and its not like theres anyone special in my life. I sucked in a breath. Except you. She shifted out of my arms, but not before the wetness in her eyes stole the oxygen right back out of my chest. AllyN?velDrama.Org: text ? owner. Give me a few days, okay? Some time to work through all of this, to figure out how I feel. I wanted to argue. To try another tack. That was what I did. I negotiated for new angles, new perks to throw into the deal. Whatever it took to close the sale. And she deserved so much more than that. Okay. I nodded and shoved all the jagged edges inside me back in line. As long as you need. She nced back, surprise erasing the raw emotion on her face. Seriously? Maybe I wasnt the only one who needed to getid. Iughed, shocking us both before I leaned forward to press my lips to her forehead again. Definitely not. Though it about killed me to walk away from her, I headed for the door. I ced my hand on the knob and looked back, memorizing the way the lone overhead bulb gave her dark hair an angelic glow. But those deep brown eyes were temptation unparalleled. If people ask what we did in here, dont suppose you could say you found out my little problem was miraculously solved? Her lips twitched. Never said it was a little problem, Hamilton. All your problems, she cleared her throat, are huge. I grinned and stepped out, shutting the door behind me. Now I just had to wait. A peal of girlishughter flowed down the hall and my grin widened. And eat ice cream with my baby girl. One Hundred & Eleven Seths [POV] No, Bart, I dont foresee any additional holdups with the check. Like I told you yesterday, were just waiting on the bank to Fucking bureaucrats, Bart Jenkins mumbled. I dont have time for their bullshit. Maybe if I golfed more often with old man Chandler, Id get better service. Doubtful. Ive heard his swing is killer. Hed probably annihte you. Bart huffed out augh. You know, Hamilton, youre the oddball in your family, arent you? Your father and Oliver, theyre the serious ones. The sharks. You just make jokes and amble through life, smiling at everyone while you quietly pile up your assets. Some of my friends would debate the quietbel, but yeah. Thats me in a nutshell. I smiled and kicked back in my chair, crossing my legs at the ankle on the edge of the desk. It was almost lunchtime, and I was starving. Maybe Id meander over to the diner and Nope. With a side of hell no. Ally had asked me for space to make up her mind, and I was going to give it to her even if it drove me crazy. I was already more than halfway there, so it wouldnt take long. All right, Ill check in again tomorrow. Bart sighed. I hate fucking waiting. You and me both, I said under my breath as I hung up. Phone in my hand, I debated my lunch choices. If I wasnt heading to the diner, I needed some sustenance. Maybe Id ask Shelly to pick me up a sub when she was down at the bank since Thursday was payday. Thursday already. I hadnt talked to Ally since Saturday afternoon. Almost a freaking week. But who was keeping score? Not me. I scarcely had even noticed that we never went this long without talking. Even after the kiss following Lauries bathtub adventure, wed bumped into each other at the diner midweek. Bumped into meaning Id gone over there intentionally because her blueberry pie was the best on the, but whatever. I wasnt going to do that this time. Even if it meant I starved to death. I reached for my office phone just as the button for the receptionists line lit up. I grinned. That woman was a godsend. Hey, Shell, can you stop by Jersey Angels while youre out at lunch? Sure. Pastrami on rye, light mayo, extra Russian, leaf lettuce, not shredded, tomatoes, extra peppers, and onions? Youre the best. And a brownie. Cheesecake if they have it. Damn sweet tooth. Of course. Grape soda? In front of anyone else, I would be slightly embarrassed about my pedestrian food choices. Shelly, however, had worked for the family business for more than a decade. She knew my weaknesses. Even those that came in purple cans. Yes, please. Thanks so much. No problem. One more thing, sir. Ahh, Christ, not the fucking sir shit I broke off as the door to my office swung open and Ally stepped inside carrying a Hamilton Realty folder. The one that contained the contract Id had drawn up, probably. Why else would she be toting around a folder? I swallowed deeply enough that Shelly probably heard it. Maybe Ally too. Fuck, had she always been this beautiful? Probably. Id just been blind. Aplete fool. Sorry to interrupt, Ally said tentatively, gripping the folder until it dented. Good sign? Bad sign? Impossible to say for sure. She mightve returned the signed version, or she could be plotting to throw it in my face. With Ally, one was never certain. Just another thing I loved about her. tonically loved. Like a friend, I had sex with. Great sex. Youre not interrupting, I said to Ally. You know you have a standing invitation. Just a second. I returned to my phone call. Thanks so much, Shell. Gotta go. I clicked off without finding out if Shells one thing was to announce Allys impending arrival. It didnt matter. Id deal with anything elseter. Like next year. Its the middle of the workday. I shouldve called first, but No need. Standing invitation, I repeated, rising anding around the desk. I met her at the door and closed it, using the wood for support as I indulged in a nice long look at her. You look incredible. It wasnt an exaggeration. Her dark hair had been left long and loose, flowing down her bare back. She had on a red sundress-type thing that showed off her breasts and narrow waist, not to mention her long legs that went on forever and ended in strappy red sandals. Even her toenails were a dark, vampish red. My tongue tingled. Id never been one for sucking on feet, but for her, I just might start. Her cheeks reddened. Seeing Ally blush was a new thing. I liked it. A lot. Thanks. Had the day off today, so I figured Id wear something fun. She walked toward the windows, checking out the view from this floor as she always did. The building that contained Hamilton Realty had a primo view of theke, and today the sunshine was dappling the restless water. It was breezy today, and the whitecaps proved it. Day off? Imagine such a thing. Feigning nonchnce, I sat on the edge of my desk. No part of me was nonchnt around her, not anymore. Not after wed had the most amazing sex of my life and all I wanted was to do it again. And again. Oh, and maybe have a baby with her. Even that paled inparison to fucking her. Of course, the insistent pressure on my cock was making everything pale inparison to sex right now. Not just sex. Sex with this gorgeous, funny, intelligent, perfectly imperfect woman. Then Jean called off and Sage is probably going to get stuck working a double, but she was insistent she needed the money. I thought she was set financially from her parents. The Hummingbirds Nest always did well. They certainly got a nice check from the sale of the property. I frowned. Why did I care? Sage was a nice girl, and I didnt want her to struggle financially, but her family wasnt exactly poor. At least I didnt think so. Her parents had sold their B&B and retired to the west coast, leaving their sheltered only daughter on her own. Working at a diner. Hmm. So yeah, maybe they hadnt left her as much as I thought. Not my business though. Ally shifted away from the window, standing sideways so she was framed in sunlight. It did, but Sage wants to make her way. A loft on theke doesnte cheap. I should know, I said drily, seeing as I brokered the sale. Yes, real estate guy extraordinaire. She fingered her arrow ne. Is your father back yet? Later today supposedly. Al, why are you here? A wrinkle formed between her brows. I thought you said I had a standing invitation. You do, always. But youre fidgeting and youre holding that folder and cmon, you dont care where my dad is. Youve never liked him. More like he never liked me. I wasnt good enough to be friends with you. He never said that. Not once. But it was heavily implied. And of course, hed wonder what you saw in me. Our worlds couldnt be more different. We just happened tond in the same ssroom in the same high school and somehow we ended up here. I pushed off the desk and stalked closer. Somehow now that Id been inside her, even having a rooms distance between us seemed like too much. Right here. I brushed my hand down her hair and she shuddered, and fuck if that didnt make me harder than steel. My father hasnt mentioned you in years. She rolled her eyes. Probably hoping if he denies my existence in your life, Ill disappear. I dont give a shit what my father thinks, and you shouldnt either. Sorry to say, Im not as good at going with the flow and just doing it as you are.? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. Just takes practice. Id be happy to demonstrate anything youd like. Mmm-hmm, I just bet. Her lips twitched with the beginnings of a smile, then she pushed the folder at my chest. Okay. One Hundred & Twelve I took the folder with suddenly boneless fingers, but I didnt open it. Okay?All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. Okay, Ill do it. Ill have a ba Fuck yes. Threading my hand into her hair, I tugged her against me and dragged her lower lip between my teeth. Her pupils red wide and I did it again, making her moan. Say it again. You didnt She paused to drag in the air. You didnt let me say it the first time. Sorry. Say it now. Bossy. She smiled as she stroked a hand down my tie, and I swear she might as well have stroked my dick. It may be the craziest thing Ive ever done, but Ill have a baby with you. I nted my mouth over hers, slipping my tongue inside. She curled hers around mine, all heat and need, as she rose to her tiptoes and tightened her grip on my tie. Pulling me closer, sinking deeper into the kiss. I dropped my hand from her hair to her ass, palming it brazenly, hauling her against me so that she could feel the rigid outline in my pants. She gasped, her eyes popping wide, and I relinquished her mouth long enough to fumble for her hand and drag her around my desk. I opened the top drawer and threw the folder inside without looking at the contents, then pointed at my chair. Wait here. I opened the door and leaned into the hallway until I caught Shellys eye. She had the phone cradled against her ear. Hold all my calls until further notice. She nodded and waved me off. It didnt look like shed be going out for lunch just quite yet, which might be awkward if I gave a shit. I stepped back inside my office and shut the door, locking it. Then I nced toward my desk. Ally was not sitting. She had her arrow ne up to her mouth, between her teeth, sucking on it as I hadnt seen her do in a million years. Nervous habit 101. Whatre you doing? she a sked as I skirted the desk. Coming toward her like a damn panther scenting his mate. Because she was. She would be. Again and again, until we aplished our aim. Not just mine. Ours now. That it was a joint mission made it more important. This would be the biggest thing wed ever done together. The absolute best. A little of her, a little of me. Combined into a little person with all their hopes and dreams and wants. It was scary as fuck to do this again. To make the choice this time. The circumstances werent perfect, and most people including the members of my own family would think I was loco forever posing the suggestion. They would think she was just as nuts for agreeing. But in my gut, this felt right. Being with Ally had felt right since the very first day. Nothing else in my life had ever felt this natural. This perfect. I picked up my desk phone and set it on the floor. Then I did the same with my iMac, power strip, and various peripherals. Overkill, perhaps, but I wanted us to have space. Seth God, that tremulous tone of hers was making my balls throb. Once Id gotten the tech stuff out of the way, I leaned over the desk and swept everything to the floor, blotter included. Ally screeched and jumped back, sending the desk chair rolling away across the hardwood floor. Worked for me. I needed room to move. I didnt mean right now, she said as I approached. Like right this instant. You didnt, but I did. Youre at work. She took a step back, then another, finally bumping into the wall. Clients areing and going. Oliver is on the other side of this wall. In the field, I said easily, drawing her purse strap down her arm before setting the small, weathered bag aside and caging her in with my arms on the wall. But I wouldnt care if he was standing in the hallway. Let the jealous bastard listen. At her gasp, I dropped my mouth to her ear. I cant walk out of here until Ive had you again. Youre insatiable. I never guessed. Did you think about me in bed? I trailed my finger underneath her jaw and down along the tops of her cleavage. She fought not to shiver and to hold my gaze, but she was on the verge of losing it, I could tell. I thought of you. Liar. You did not. Only when you went out on dates with assholes, I admitted. And it was entirely unwitting. I tried to stop it. To not see you in my mind naked and writhing on their sheets, mainly because no one was ever good enough for you. She lifted her chin in challenge. But you are? The question stopped me in my tracks. A tremor went through my hand and she mustve noticed because she gripped it and held it against her cheek. This is where you say yes. That youre everything I could ever ask for in a guy. More than. And you fuck like a goddamn champ, even though technically, I dont know the difference. Just roll with it. Theugh started in my gut, spilling out of me with a freedom that had never urred with anyone but her. I buried my face in her hair, pulling in deep breaths of her summery scent. It centered me, just as it always did. She was the embodiment of theke and the town that had been my home for my entire life. Memories of the long summer days wed spent chilling with a pic basket by theke or doing way riskier stuff like joyriding in my dads Porsche when he was away stretched out in my mind, somehow reflected in her eyes. She was safe, home, and family in a way no one else had ever been except my brother. And now she was so much more. That fresh air-in-a-bottle scent of hers was capable of making my dick hard in an instant. The way shed tied off her sundress so neatly behind her neck, made me imagine the strapless bra she had on underneath. Or nothing. I was voting for nothing. Fuck, I had to see. But firstfirst, I had to make sure. Sucking in a breath, I turned around and braced my hands t on my now-bare desk. Thats whats wrong? Her tremulous question nearly broke me. I didnt want her to ever doubt the effect she had on me for a moment. Id already fucked up so much with my stupid contract and crazy scheme to have a kid when if Id just talked to her, and exined where my head was at, maybe we couldve made some decisions together. Id caused her to think that any attraction I might have in her direction was just based on my wanting to knock her up. Truth was, Id been trying my goddamn hardest not to notice her that way for years. Now I didnt have to shove those errant thoughts away. We were both single. There was no reason we couldnt do the family thing our way. With sex and kids and our own rules. Love wasnt a necessaryponent. At least romantic love. I didnt see her that way. Of course not. I mean, I loved her, but to love her romantically would be taking a huge fucking risk. The biggest of them all. Hey. She stepped forward and stroked my back, and even in that single touch, she conveyed her growing confidence. Not in general, but in this particr space with me. Youre running hot and cold. Iughed. Far from it. Im so hot right now that Im amazed I havent torn a hole in my pants yet. So why did you pull back? For fucks sake, I knew she was blushing just from that little breathy catch in her voice. I knew so much about her, and instead of that making this boring, almost routine, it made every moment better. Bigger. I wanted to find out everything I didnt know. How her eyes hazed over as she came, the tremble of her lips just before she went over. The way shed soak my dick with her release. Without a condom between us this time. I pressed my palms into the desk, searching for rity. For restraint. Every time, it feels like Im pushing you. I expected her to argue. Thats what she did what we did. Instead, she reached around me and stroked my cock through my pants, so slowly that I hissed air between my teeth. Mmm. You werent lying. Christ, that little purr in her throat? Gonna be the death of me. She didnt wait for my affirmation. Her first task was to undo my belt and toss it on the desk, where it hung half off like a waiting snake. The metallic sound of her undoing my zipper seemed loud in my head,peting with the throb of my heartbeat. She dipped her fingers inside, grabbing my shaft through my boxers. I was so hard that just her light grip had my balls drawing up, full and tight. I might not nt a baby in her this afternoon, but it wouldnt be fromck ofing. Holy shit. It was going to happen whether or not I wanted it to if she kept touching me like that. As if she heard my thoughts, she pushed down my pants and my boxers and turned me around to face her before going to her knees. I didnt breathe. Didnt make a sound. Just watched and waited as she stroked my dick from root to tip and flicked her gaze from mine to my length, over and over. One Hundred & Thirteen It fucking grew in her hand, and sheughed. Softly. Like a damn vixen. Some magic trick, she whispered a moment before her lips engulfed the tip. I grasped the edge of the desk and threw back my head, fighting not tomand. It would be so easy to grab a handful of her hair and pull her down my length, but she probably wasnt ready for that. Her tentative licks and sucks were working magic all their own. Undo your top, I rasped. Let me see you. She kept me in her mouth while she reached up with one hand to undo the tie behind her neck. The red straps fell and my breath caught as I waited to see if she had on a bra or not. She didnt. Holy fuck, those gorgeous bare tits had been pushing against the material all along. You went out like this. I reached down to twist her hard pink nipple and she gasped, her fingers flexing around my dick. Showing off all this perfection. I gave her other nipple a twist and pre-cum slipped from the head of my cock. Saying nothing, she leaned forward and licked it up. Its only for you. Again. Her mouth was full of me again, precluding talking, but I didnt care. As much as I was dying for her to suck my cock until I spilled myself in her throat, I had to hear her say it. Say it again, I demanded, hooking my hands under her arms. She barely had an instant to release my dick before I drew her to her feet. Say it, I repeated,tching my mouth onto her tight little nipple and pulling it between my teeth. Her moan made my erection lurch into the softness of her belly. But I didnt stop working her nipple, using her teeth and tongue. She writhed against me as I pressed my hand between her legs, right through her dress. Gonna walk out of here with a wet spot so everyone knows? Her hips pulsed, driving her covered pussy against my hand. I couldnt wait another second. I dragged the dress down her body, letting it pool on the floor around her red sandals. She wore only a scrap of white panties, and yes, they had a telltale wet spot right in the center. I growled. All for me. It was my turn to drop to my knees. Locking my gaze on hers, I licked that damp spot, again and again, groaning as her taste filtered through the fabric. Sweet. So sweet. Peeling the material away from her swollen lips, I flicked her clit with just the tip of my tongue. She whimpered, swaying on her heeled sandals until I banded an arm around the backs of her thighs to keep her still. Taking off her panties would require too much time but I had to have her. Opening my mouth over her pussy, I ate at her like the starved man I was. The man she made me. Her legs trembled so I hauled her closer. Impatiently, I yanked at the thin material, almost as shocked as she was when it gave way. I shot her a nce and her wide eyes tore augh from my chest as I tossed the strips aside. Thatughter ended in her moan as I resumed my task. When the angle wasnt good enough, I rose and picked her up, setting her on the desk. I kissed her, nting my mouth over hers as I yanked up her legs, cing her heeled feet on the edge. Spread open obscenely in front of me, the tatters of her panties still guarding part of her pussy, she shivered. And I looked my fill, drawing my fingertip through the wetness she was making for me. Say it again, I said as her dazed eyes lifted to mine. Tell me who this belongs to. Seth, please. She bit her lower lip. God, its you. Its always been you. Okay? Her breathless, annoying words shed through the roar of blood in my head. Always. Yes, fucking always. I dipped my head and cupped her breast in my hand, squeezing it so the nipple stood taut and proud. Then I licked my way around it as she dropped her head back, her long dark hair trailing over the desk. Brushing my knuckles over her soaked slit, I found her clit, so hard and full and pulsing lightly under my touch. I circled it again and again while I sucked on her breasts, switching my attention from one to the other. Her whimpers grew and I slipped my fingers lower, pushing them inside. In. She lifted her hips off the desk, her thighs falling open even wider. A sterling invitation. I bent to lick her, sealing my lips around her pulsing clit as I rocked my fingers in and out. She grabbed my hair in her hands, pulling me against her without shame. That just turned me on more. Barely aware of it, I fisted my throbbing cock in one hand as Ipped at her pussy and she gasped, making me lift my head. She was watching me jerk my cock, honey eyes wide. Fuck. Like this? Regretfully, I slid my coated fingers out of her pussy, swallowing a groan at the way her body clutched at me. I slicked those wet fingers over the side of my dick, making it jump. Allys eyes ate up the wet trails I left behind. So wet. Gonna get even wetter before I get inside you. Not possible. She was staring at my hands, watching me work my length. You look bigger in daylight. Thanks. I think. I had tough again, even if it hurt. Christ, even that movement had my erection stretching farther up my stomach. Oh, its apliment. She licked her lips and my balls tightened. Your cock is beautiful. Beautiful, huh? I undid my shirt and dumped it on my chair before the following instinct and grabbing her hand and bringing it back to my cock. She didnt balk. Far from it. Together, we stroked my erection until I was panting. Fuck, I gotta have your pussy. But first Holding her gaze, I grasped her fingers firmly in mine and brought them back between her legs. She pulled back slightly but I kept my hold steady until she rxed again. Slowly, I rubbed her clit with our joined fingers. Her wetness seeped between them and she let out a few broken breaths, not quite moans but almost. Her thighs shook. Seth, she whispered. Already I was learning her tells. Yes. Come on our fingers. She licked her lips and dropped her head forward, her long hair tumbling over her gorgeous tits as her chest rose and fell. Without my prompting, her fingers sped up and she lifted her head, her pupils ring before she closed her eyes and her hips rose from the desk. She came silently, her body shuddering and her pussy contracting beneath our fingers. And it wasnt enough. I needed more. Before shed even stopped spamming, I gripped my cock and lined it up with her slit. She registered the movement and opened her eyes, letting out a gasp at the nearness of my erection to her pussy.All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. Bare. No condom this time. I was going to spill myself inside her, intentionally. Fuck, my dick was rock-hard just imagining it. Youre sure? I murmured. You want me toe inside you naked. Want me to fill you up with my cum. It was probably cheating to stroke my cock, knowing how it affected her, but she couldnt nod fast enough. God, yes. Want all of that inside me. She rubbed her damp fingers over her mouth and I lurched in my fist. Please. Suck them, I said, and she edged the tip of one inside. That red nail dipping just past her lips as hershes fluttered and her tongue sneaked out. Taste your pussy as I did. So fucking sweet. She whimpered and drew the finger deeper. Then I gripped her wrist and brought her hand to my mouth, tasting the finger she hadnt yet, savoring her vor as I pulled back and mmed home. Goddammit, I hissed, registering her broken moan. Still so fucking tight. Are you okay? Eyes wild, she nodded. Yes. So full. Fuck me. I pulled her finger out of my mouth and pressed her hand to the desk. Better reach back and hold on. She did as I asked and I slid my hand up her leg, gripping her thigh to drag her closer. Hooking her ankle over my shoulder, I wrapped her other leg around my waist. Swiveling my hips, I let her get used to the feel of me inside her for another moment C bare, finally bare C before I drew back and mmed home, rocking the desk on the floor. She gripped the edge of the desk with one hand and pressed the wrist of the other against her mouth to stifle her sounds as I pulled back and did it again, over and over. I leaned forward, grinding my pubic bone against her clit, pushing her hand away to smother her cries with my mouth as I fucked into it until she was shaking with the need toe again. I was way fucking past the point. She gripped me like a fist, squeezing me past my endurance until I had to switch positions or end this right now. I shifted her opposite leg to my waist and picked her up, holding her on me, lifting her up and down with every thrust. She clung to me, her kisses biting, her moans spilling out like the liquid coating my cock. I could hear each stroke. Smell the scent of us together like the sweetest, dirtiest perfume. Ours. One Hundred & Fourteen Hating to break our connection for even a second, I withdrew and set her on her feet before spinning her around so she faced the desk. I pushed her down and cupped her perfect ass in my hands, tracing that silky pucker between her cheeks while she bit her knuckles to keep from crying out. And I plunged. There was no hiding her moan this time. It seemed to fill the office, or maybe it was just my head. Either way, as I pulled back and drove home again, that sound spurred me on. I needed to hear it again when she soaked my dick. Hell, while we soaked my desk. I wanted every dirty drop inside her, but I wanted the proof of the ce I worked every day too so I could never forget. She was mine. Always had been mine. Now I was going to fill her up with my release. Scooping her up, I reached around her to rub her clit. Hard, fast. She scrabbled to hold onto the desk and bucked back against me, her ass bouncing. Come with me, I grated out. Going to. Her ragged response had me hauling back and shoving deep as I circled her clit. She splintered apart around me, and I couldnt hold on. I managed to pull out once more and sank home while she was stilling, her relentless spasms milking my cock. I turned my head and bit her shoulder, sinking my teeth into her flesh as my hips flexed and I squeezed out every drop into her giving pussy. Oh shit. She pped her hand against the desk once, twice. Tapping out. Groaning out augh, I pulled out of her. Dont move. Not gonna. Cant. As carefully as possible, I gripped her hip and turned her over, hoisting her legs high. She gaped at me. What the hell are you doing? Keeping my cum inside you. She threw an arm over her eyes, chest still heaving. Her tits were distracting as fuck, and my supposedly used-up dick was already waking again. Thats not necessary, is it? Cant be too careful. Good to thest drop, she muttered, and Iughed. Allys [POV] Id just let a guye inside me, and he was now out in the receptionists area, discussing lunch with his secretary. He had a secretary. The guy Id just fucked to make a baby. A baby, for Gods sake, when I wasnt even entirely sure how to make Eggs Benedict. That logic didnt fully track, but it did for me. I had cum running down my thighs so much for your legs up trick, Hamilton and the dude Id banged like a drum was ordering me a smi sub. Sweet since it was my favorite. Holy crap, I had to get out of here. First, I had to get to the bathroom. My gaze swung wildly around the office. Spotting a closed door, I let out a breath. Of course, he had a private bathroom. I bent to gather my discarded dress. No panties, since they were destroyed. Good thing they were a Walmart special and not La Pe. Not that I owned any La Pe, but, Panic babbling had officially overtaken my brain. I wasnt as weirded out by this whole thing as I was the first time wed had sex God, we were on multiples now but the addition of procreation followed by shared smi was upping the strange factor. I needed to get cleaned up and get out so I could think without those sexy chocte-brown eyes unraveling me. Was that so much to ask? After tugging up my dress and tying the straps behind my neck, I reached for my purse and cleaned up as quickly as I could with the single tiny tissue fine, cocktail napkin inside. Then I carefully walked on my tiptoes to the bathroom, more to remain as tidy as possible than to hide my escape. Tiptoeing wasnt particrly easy in heeled sandals, but I was used to several foot tricks to distract myself from long hours waiting on tables. Prancing sideways to that closed door like a polo pony, however, was a new one. I grabbed the doorknob and ducked inside, shutting my eyes with a grateful breath. Even having another door between us was a relief. Harder for him to work his magic on me through multipleyers of wood. Then I opened my eyes and discovered the supposed bathroom was a dusty storage closet. Shit. No private bathroom meant I had to leave the office and slip down the hall. Which might not be so bad if Shelly wasnt at her desk, but since hed been talking to someone out there, chances were good it was her. And oh my Lord, the humiliation. She had to have heard everything Seth and I had done. We werent exactly quiet. Id tried to be, but this was all new to me and I guess good sex meant making a lot of noise. Then again, maybe it was just as Seth had said he didnt mind if others heard. Was that his kink? The depositing-his-cum-inside-me thing seemed like another one, even if it did have an established end purpose. Still, did he have to relish it quite so much? I rubbed my forehead. Okay, time to think. I still needed a bathroom, and I wanted some air, and I was also hungry, ording to the roar currently emanating from my stomach. Oh, lookie there, that window led to the fire escape. Score. Of course, there was the small matter of my still slightly damp thighs, but delicate steps. Forget the walk of shame. Id patent the matching tiptoe. I crossed the room, dodging boxes and misceneous paper goods, and stopped at the window. The fire escape snaked down the side of the building. Perfect. I could slip around Barbs Bakery and into the alley, then cross the street and cover the short distance to the diner. Where I would finish cleaning up, fold up this beautiful dress, and put on the spare uniform in my locker so I could get to work. Day off or no day off, I needed some normalcy in my life. Routine. A way to keep my hands and my mind upied. My spine prickled and I gripped the window, pausing long enough to haul in a breath. Maybe I shouldnt do this. I couldnt keep running out on the guy. Though this wasnt that, precisely. I just needed to work. To figure out why Id had sex with my best friend twice and was now trying to have a baby with him, without happening to mention the pesky fact that oh, Id been in love with him forever. No big. That wasnt all that relevant anyway. We were having sex, werent we? Id never even expected to have that much with him. Anyst flickers of hope in that direction, small and rare as they were, had been stomped out when hed married Marj.? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. Even after theyd divorced, that hope hadnt returned. I was nothing if not pragmatic, and Seth and I worked as friends. Lovers were something else entirely. But we seemed to be working there too. At least physically. Though that was pretty much a key-in-lock situation. I shoved up the window. Yeah, I had to get out of here. Gingerly, I climbed out, adjusting my dress as I went, and turned to push the window back down. I hurried down the surprisingly sturdy metal steps, sure everyone in town could see my midday flight. At the bottom of the steps, I realized I didnt have my purse. Fuck. Id just have toe back for itter. There was no way Seth wasnt back in the office now. Besides, I lived with Sage and she would have a key. There was nothing I needed urgently in my purse. I rarely used my cell phone and Id walked over to Seths from the loft so my car keys were still in our apartment. Other than a spare tampon, breath mints, and my wallet that contained a slim ten singles, my emergency credit card, and my drivers license, the bag was empty. And I wasnt risking running into Seth again right now, whether or not that made me a coward. Now I was a coward who was ducking my head and rushing across the busy street to the safety of the tree-lined opposite side. Tall, stately buildings shielded me as I jog-walked to the diner, smiling at people as I passed, still walking like I was carrying a ss time bomb between my jittery thighs. Nah, not a time bomb, just Seth Hamiltons possible progeny. The diner was like an oasis in the center of Main Street. I slipped inside and immediately aimed right for the back, tossing smiles and hellos as if they were confetti. But the second that swinging door shut behind me, I closed my eyes and breathed. Just breathed. Made it. My state of euphoria was short-lived. What the hell are you doing here? Swallowing a sigh, I lifted one lid and faced my best friend. The other one, with cherub blond curls and green eyes, didnt miss a trick. I work here,st I knew. Today is your day off, Sage said as if Id forgotten. Youre all dressed up and everything. Love the shoes, by the way. Thanks. My favorite pair. I almost said my only dressy summer pair, but she already knew that, living with me and all. Shed seen the pathetk of nice clothes and shoes Id moved into my closet. I sucked at Girling. Yet you sneaked in here, all spy-like. So whats up? I want details. Sage crossed her arms over her ample breasts. Id been envious of her rack a time or two until Seth had shown such appreciation for my set. Now it was hard to want any others. Nope, I didnt have it bad or anything. Badder, since Id been sunk over him, to begin with. One Hundred & Fifteen I grasped Sages arm and towed her along with me past the kitchen and out the door to the back hall and onto the storage closet where Id had that confab with Seth almost a week ago. A week where Id spent more nights tossing and turning than actually sleeping. Id nearly confided in Sage about Sethstest suggestion, but I hadnt because I didnt know what shed say. Would she tell me hed gone off his rocker and run while I still could? Or would the diehard romantic inside her insist I throw all caution to the wind and have a baby with the man Id loved for so long? So what if he wasnt suggesting a real rtionship? Those were so 2016. Besides, it wasnt like Id ever had one thatst more than the change of a calendar from one month to another. A few dates, and a few makeout sessions, and things always petered out. A therapist would probably say I drove men away and had too high expectations. Id say that Id spent so many years being a caregiver to a woman I owed everything to and loved so much that I was too tired to waste emotional energy on dating. Id already used up so much on just getting through every damn day. But being with Seth didnt require that whole getting-to-know-you dance. Even sex with him had been surprisingly effortless. We had a rhythm, even when he scared me shitless with this hidden dominant side of him and dirty talk. Dirty talk, for Gods sake. From Seth. To me. The girl whose hair hed held back after the prom when I lost every bit of the tequ Id loaded up on to try to have a good time and get wasted with my friends. Id never been skilled at cutting loose. As proven by the fact that the first time I had sex it was with a man who wanted to impregnate me, so obviously, I made weird choices. And now I was going to have to admit them. Out loud. I opened the storage room door and pulled Sage inside with me, shutting the door safely behind us. You have to swear not to breathe a word of this to anyone. You have to promise me. Sage pped her hands on her hips. You think you need to ask? Of course, your secrets are safe with me. She held out a handy, pinky extended, and I smiled a little as I hooked mine with hers. To the grave, she said solemnly, and my smile turned into a slightly misty grin. To the grave, I echoed. Did you make love with him again? Tell me. Her eyes gleamed and she leaned closer, reminding me of a nosy news reporter. Her face was a few inches below mine but it didnt lessen the invasive factor. Was it amazing? The first time isnt supposed to be, but the second She sighed dreamily. Were their sparks? I slid away from the door so she couldnt hem me in. She was like a pug adorable, pushy, and relentless. Dont call it making love. Thats creepy. We fucked. Both times. I knew it. I knew you had that sex flush going on. Youre the same color as your dress. Was it incredible? Was it all you hoped for? Did he give you a climax? More creepiness. No, he didnt give me a climax, he helped me to get there but Id like to think I had a lot to do with it myself. The mind is the biggest sex organ, you know. But it was better this time. It had to be better because youre barely answering my questions. I gripped my shoulders, turning away to stare at a dusty corner of the storage room. Id run from Seths right to this one, and every bit of my flight was weighing on me now. Hed been so incredible, so careful to make sure I was right there every step of the way, and Id repaid him by taking off. Again. It was more than I ever imagined, I said softly, swallowing over the grit in my throat. He was almost desperate to have me. I never fathomed that could be real. That he could want me the way I always The same way you wanted him. Yeah. But he did. Oh, Ally, thats so awesome. She stroked my arm but didnt try to get me to turn around. Under her relentlessness was a heart of pure tinum. Did he take a long lunch break or something and bring you back to his house? Handy living so close. Heat sted my face. Um, no. Dont tell me he went for a room at the Inn again. Is he just trying to make tongues wag? Not that either. I cleared my throat. We did it in his office. You did it in his office? she screeched and I winced and covered my face with my hands. If there was anyone left in town who didnt know that Seth and I were pping skin, there wouldnt be after this conversation. Yes. Please keep your voice down. Like where, on the floor? I shook my head. Against the wall? Sage lowered her voice about a quarter of a decibel. On the on the desk? The sheer scandalization in her tone made meugh.All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. Its not that shocking. People have office sex all the time. Theres even a category on porn sites. There is? And why are you going to porn sites? Never mind. Dont want to know. Anyway, on the desk. Really. She whistled. Wow. I cleared my throat again. Yeah, it was fairly wow. I didnt expect that when I went there, by the way. I just came over to tell him all systems were a go, and he surprised the hell out of me by You said yes? Oh my God. Sage let out an excited peal ofughter and darted in front of me before pulling my hands off my shoulders to grip them. So you could be pregnant, like right now? This very instant? Oh God, I need to prepare. Well need to have a shower. Are you nning on finding out the sex? We can go neutral theme for the party. Sage. I huffed out augh. The first time, he used a condom. But this time he didnt, right? Sage demanded. So you could be with child right now. One Hundred & Sixteen Allys [POV] I swear to God, hearts swam out of my best friends eyes and aimed for the ceiling. Imagining exactly that only made meugh harder. With child? Really? What are you, a nun? I wiped my eyes and found Sages smile had vanished, along with her bubbly excitement. Yeah, guess I kind of am. She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. I should get back to work. I didnt let Jean know I was taking a break. My stomach clenched and I grabbed her arm. Wait. That didnte out right. It wasnt a virginity dig. Hello, Im barely not one myself anymore. Theres no barely not a virgin. Either youve ma fucked or you havent. And you have. Twice. Yeah. I wanted to smile, and it so wasnt the time. The nunment wasnt referring to that, though. I meant you make it sound so spiritual. So holy. Sometimes people just lean over a desk and get plowed into from behind. She forgot to be mad at me long enough for her eyes to go wide. That sounds hot. It was. Extremely. And he didnt use a condom this time. No. Since Sages imminent flight risk seemed to have passed, I released her to rub my throat. I was having Sething shbacks, and the heat between my legs was swiftly outpacing the flush in my cheeks. He did not. Did it feel different? As you know, no condom vs condom. Yes. It felt very different. The biggest difference was when he I couldnt tell her this. I couldnt tell anyone this. Dear God, I had to tell someone. After he, um, let go inside me, he did this thing. He, ah, lifted my legs. Straight in the air. So So the ejacte didnt run down your legs. Sage fanned herself. Lordie, Im about to blow. Iughed again. Skip using the word ejacte, because it was ick, but yeah, me too. It shouldnt have been hot. It freaked me out more than a little. But it was hot. Everything he does is hot, and now I might be pregnant, and I should be running in the other direction. Instead, even though its insanely premature to even think this way, I cant help wondering what if I cant do this for him. What happens then. If you cant do what? If I cant give him a baby. Just saying it sounded ridiculous, so Iughed again, right on cue. I wasnt prone to fits of tears all that often. Hystericalughter was another story. Im untried in that area, you know? I could have fertility issues. We could be a mismatch. So many reasons why this might not work, and thats not even why Im wigging the most. Sage just waited. I loved the guy before we got naked, I whispered. Now I cant imagine life on the other side. Where he gets where he wants or he doesnt, but he can move on. What if he cant? What if he feels the same way as you but, I dont know, concocted this borate ruse so he doesnt have to put anything on the line? Oh please. Seth Hamilton? Do you not know the guy? He oozes confidence. He could have any woman he wants, and And he wanted you. Not just you, but to have a baby with you. A lifetime bond, Ally. Do you get that? You have a kid with someone, youre not walking away. Even if you think you can, theres always that tie. That piece of you linked. Shaking my head, I rubbed at the sudden moisture in my eye and looked away. Anywhere but at her. He wanted to pay me off for my egg. Send me away and raise the kid on his own. He might not think Im a bad risk DNA-wise and even thats a crapshoot with my familys history but as for me, he didnt even want me at first. At first? She inched up on her tiptoes and got right in my face. Lawrence, youre holding out on me. I sniffled. Stupid allergies. After I bailed on him after we did it when he found me here at the diner the next day, he apologized foring up with such a crazy n. And he suggested we do it together instead. I dont know, it couldve just been his new way of getting me to say yes. Have it together. Raise it together. Yeah. Sage let out augh. Girl, I might be the virgin, but youre the dummy. He so wants to put you on lockdown. Forget put a ring on it. He wants to put a baby in it. Youre being silly. He just wants a kid for Laurie, so she has a sibling like he did before theyre too far apart in age. You just said he could have any woman. Does that or does that not include their wombs as well? She propped a hand under her chin. Wonder what the average woman would say if a man like Seth Hamilton asked them to have his baby. Hes a wonderful, devoted father already, and hes rich, smart, suave, kind-hearted, and judging from todays office performance, a near stallion in the bedroom Olympics. Im sure hed get few takers. He didnt ask them, did he? He asked me. I shut my eyes. He offered me money, Sage. As if I wasmon As if he wanted to make things easier for you and knew youd never ept the help any other way. Sages voice turned soft. Honey, you dont always make it easy for people to love you. Me, I make it so easy that people arent interested. Sheughed weakly and my eyes popped open. Theres a fine line between ying hard to get and being impossible to get. Youre practically a fortress, and Seths the only man brave enough to try to find a way in. He was always in, and he never even knew it. And now my shitty drugstore mascara was running from the heat in that stuffy room. Never buying that brand again. Nope. Al, after he put your legs up, she paused to fan herself again, what happened next? We talked for a minute or two then he went to speak to his secretary about lunch. I gripped my stomach. The hole inside it was growing faster by the second. Wonder if I can grab a hamburger before my shift. Im starving. His secretary was right there the whole time while Sage blinked and swallowed. Stallion, she said reverently, and I had tough or flush forty shades of red. I probably did both, but I wasughing too much to care. What happened after that? Youre talking hamburgers, so what, you didnt like lunch? I didnt stay. My daughter fell off quickly. I left. With his knowledge? Or did you run away again likest time while the poor guy wasnt even aware? When I red at her, she lifted her hands, palms out. Just calling em as I see em. You ditched the dude at a sensitive moment. Question is, was it onceor twice? It wasnt like that. I paced away from her and pushed a hand through my hair. And inhaled such a strong whiff of Seths cologne that he might as well have been standing in the room with us. Because he was all over you. Up against you. Inside you. Christ. If you say so. It was awkward with Shelly right outside. She probably heard, and this is all new to me, and God, its still so strange to face him after having him- I exhaled. Its so intimate. I dont know how to do it intimately. My leaving is doing him a favor, saving him from all the awkwardness. Im sure he appreciates it. Jerk. I turned to smack her, but she darted away and reached for the doorknob. I gotta get back. But its your day off. You should probably take it. Run home, take a bubble bath.All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. Oh, God. Her mention of bathing reminded me that yeah, I could use some serious bathroom time. Yes, let me go take a quick shower. Ill be back in half an hour. Can I borrow your key? I forgot my purse. She rolled her eyes and lifted hernyard with her keys off her neck and pulled it over her head. So that means hell have to chase after you. Unless that was exactly what you hoped. She handed me the key. If it was, I have to say good move. I never think that clearly in the heat of the moment. One second you think Im a skank for ditching him. I shook my head, running my thumb over the battered edge of the key. The next Im the chick with all the moves, and lets face it, I so am not. Youre the one who has hottie Seth all tied up in a knot. Id say you have a lot more going for you than you know. She winked and ducked out the door, closing it behind her. A secondter, the door opened again and she stuck her head inside. Oh, and start thinking about that shower. Ille up with a theme, but gender would help my design. Get out of here. Gone. And Ill make sure that hamburger is waiting for you at your preferred table in the back once youve showered. She winked. A mother-to-be needs her calories. She shot back out the door before I could screech. Despite everything, I grinned. And nced down at my mostly t belly, hating that she was making me wonder. It was too soon. It couldnt be a thing already. Id know, wouldnt I? Maybe even the instant it happened. How could you not? Something that incredible, that special, taking ce inside you One Hundred & Seventeen Allys [POV] Dear Lord, I was sounding as woo-woo as Sage. I shook my head and aimed for the door. I needed to run down the street to our loft and get cleaned up. Then Ide back and eat my hamburger oh God, so hungry and read a book on my day off, instead of panic-working. I could handle all of this. Maybe Id take that meal to go and eat on a bench near theke. A pic for one. Yay. Not. Half an hourter, I was freshly showered and changed into a pair of Capri jeans and a tank top. I felt like me again. Dresses were fun, but Id always be jeans and T-shirt sort of woman. Reason twelve-hundred-fifty Id assumed Seth could never see me as more than a friend. He preferred the uber-feminine type. Or at least he had. I wasnt sure what he preferred anymore. The bell dinged as I stepped into the diner, and this time, I didnt hunch my shoulders. I wasnt running away from anyone or anything. I wastaking a paused. There. That sounded better. Mature. Of course, that maturity fell away the instant I glimpsed dark hair shot through with silver and a twin version of the man Id just had sex with seated at the booth beside the one I always selected. Awesome. I stered on a smile and went right up to their table. This was Seths family, after all. Id just say hello and escape to my booth while clinging to my gratitude that they hopefully hadnt overheard Sexathon 2017. Alison, Mr. Hamilton said before I could speak. Youre not working today? he asked, taking in my attire. I was probably imagining the faint sneer in his voice. Had to be. Hed never been warm to me, but he usually wasnt rude either. Militantly civil was a more urate description. Nope, day off, I said as cheerfully as I could manage. Nice to see youre back in town. Sessful trip? Of course. He went back to his menu, signaling our brief exchange was over. Okay then. I shifted to nce at Seths twin. As always, their simrities nearly knocked me off my feet, especially when I could still smell Seths scent on my skin no matter how much soap Id used. Hi, Oliver. Al, he said, smiling thinly. Havent seen much of youtely. Oh, Ive been around. I gripped Sagesnyard hanging out of my jeans pocket. Well, I wont disrupt your lunch Did you and Seth have a falling out? I frowned, unsure if Id heard Oliver correctly. What? Are you and Seth beefing? His lips twitched and for a second, I almost smiled too. Seth was the lighthearted twin, but asionally, the normally uptight Oliver let loose with a sarcastic remark or a joke. No. I tucked my hair behind my ear and hoped my embarrassment didnt show on my face. The inferno inming my cheeks didnt give me much hope. Im fine. Were fine. Why would you ask? Just havent seen you two togethertely. Oliver smoothed a manicured hand over theminated menu he had to have memorized by now. The diner wasnt his typical hangout as it was Seths and it wasnt Mr. Hamiltons but it was almost impossible to live in Crescent Cove without patronizing it now and then. Youre usually glued at the hip. The only other time you werent was when he was married, and even that was a brief interruption. Marjorie couldntpete with you. The corner of his mouth ticked up. Not sure any woman can. The hum of conversation around us had nothing on the buzz in my brain. What are you talking about? He adjusted his tie, stroking it as if he was already bored with the conversation. Nothing. Nothing at all. Why, Alison, you didnt know Oliver introduced Marjorie to Seth? He thought she was just the sort of woman his brother was Mr. Hamilton fell silent, and when the heavy beat of approaching footsteps cut through the chaos in my head, I understood why. Oliver was as dense then as he is now. Hey, Dad. Good trip? Before his father could answer, Seth rested his hand on my lower back. Even without looking at him, the weight of his stare seared the side of my neck. Hey, you. And the natural world order is restored, Oliver said, ncing pointedly between me and Seth before shing me an I-told-you-so smile. I was afraid you mustve been dead in a gutter somewhere if Al was left alone for more than a moment or two. Oh, and love your new essory. Its so you. I nced down and bit my lip at the sight of my bright red patent leather dressy purse in Seths big hand. He didnt relinquish it, and I didnt ask. Such aedian. With his free hand, Seth brushed my hair away from my cheek and I bristled. We were affectionate in public, but not to this level. Did you eat? he asked in a way that, didnt befit a guy whod just been ditched post-sex for the second time or b, my purely tonic friend. Rather than reply, I jerked my chin at the burger at the next table. My stomach promptly grumbled, making Sethugh and steer me in that direction. Lunchtime. See youter. You dont want to eat with your family? I asked out of the side of my mouth. I work with them every day. I dont have to eat every lunch with them too. So much for being polite. Nice to see you, Mr. Hamilton. No matter what Seth did, I never forgot my manners. What, not nice to see me? Oliver smirked and wiggled his fingers. No, Seth responded before I could, guiding me to one side of the booth. I pried out the well-worn paperback Id shoved in the back pocket of my capris before sitting down. Seth dropped into the bench on the other side. I frowned at him, well aware we couldnt have anything resembling a semnce of a normal conversation. He simply slid my purse across the table and lifted a brow at the book I still clutched. The Sun Also Rises? So? I enjoy the ssics. I picked up my burger and bit in, letting out a moan. Sage had made the burger just the way I loved them medium rare, extra mushrooms and pickles, light on the ketchup and mayo, heavy on the cheese. I was so into it that I didnt nce at Seth again until Id taken another bite, chewed, and swallowed. He seemed to be short on air. He was breathing too fast, and hed grabbed hold of one of the stacks of napkins toy across hisp. Not because he was afraid of flying pickle either, I was willing to bet. I giggled. Honest to God giggled like a high school girl. And risked his family overhearing me as I leaned forward and whispered, You cant be. He nodded frantically and Iughed harder. You think its funny. What was your first clue? I bit in again and deliberately did a Meg Ryan-style eyes-rolling-back expression just to make him lose his mind. Payback is a bitch. His low, intimidating tone had me wiping my mouth with my napkin and reaching for my nonexistent ss of water. Guess Sage hadnt thought of everything. Hey Jean, he said to my passing coworker before I could find my voice. Mind getting thedy a ss of water? She seems parched. Seth. Didnt see you sneak in here. Jean smiled so widely that I was amazed Seth didnt get sunstroke. She was sixty if she was a day, but he had that effect on women. All women. Even me. Especially me. Jean, its okay. I can go get it myself. I started to rise from the booth, but Seth held out a hand, stopping me. Day off. Sit. I was too surprised by his authoritative tone to argue. More dominance from him, this time outside the bedroom. Just like that night hed ordered for both of us at the Sherman Inn. It wasnt as if I didnt want my voice to be heard, but something about him asionally taking charge worked for me. Lord, I was fucked. Its no trouble. Be right back. Jean bustled toward the kitchen. A momentter, Sage returned with my water, not Jean. She made a big production of setting it on the table and smiling at both of us, making enough small talk to set my teeth on edge. And look at that, didnt realize yall hade in too, she said to Oliver and Mr. Hamilton at the next table. Is Jean taking good care of you? Not as good of care as you would, Im sure. I wasnt positive, but I got the feeling Oliver winked at her because she blushed twenty shades of red. Hamilton men are charmers. Why theyd charm the panties off a woman before she knew otherwise.All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. You dont wear panties. Cmon now. Mr. Hamilton cleared his throat and lifted his menu like a shield as he leaned forward to talk to Oliver. His smile dimmed, but only slightly. Sage was still beet-red. I do so wear panties. Not thongs either. Thongs ride up your crack. Ask Ally. Mid-picking off a slice of pickle to eat, I paused. I did not look at Seth. Sage. Just saying. Anyway, I gotta get back. Call me if you need anything. Not fucking likely, I said under my breath. The moment she was gone, Seth leaned forward and mouthed, You wear thongs? Then he cocked his head as if he was imagining what I had on under my denim capris. One Hundred & Eighteen Allys [POV] I ignored him and popped my pickle into my mouth. Lauries birthday is next Saturday, he said after a few moments of charged silence had passed between us. Oliver and their father wereughing quietly in the next booth, and Seth was eye-fucking me with enough force to have my clit pounding. It was kind of impressive if I didnt want him to stop. Right now. This instant. Okay, maybe tomorrow. Shes going to be four, he added as if I didnt have the date circled and red-starred in my nner. I want to have a big party. Will you help? You want to have a big party in a little over a week. Have you nned any of it yet? Figured out a guest list, sending invitations? He bit the tip of his thumb and shook his head. No, not exactly. What does that mean? I havent nned it at all yet. I sighed, the joy from my orgasmic burger already fading. People need more notice than a week. Its almost summer. Little kids have activities and family stuff going on. I know, and I should have done it forever ago, but I got busy at work. Lauries counting on it. His dark eyes silently pleaded with me. I pointed. That look is getting you nowhere. His lips curved and he mouthed, Already did. I pried off thest pickle round on my te just for the pleasure of tossing it at his smug,ughing face. I dont have my nner with me here, but we need to figure some stuff out. So Ille over tonight. The way he tucked his tongue in the corner of his mouth didnt make me think he had party nning in mind. More like he was envisioning how many spots in my loft he could desecrate. Your child, I reminded him. So you cane over, he said. I have work early. Soe over tomorrow. He leaned forward and skimmed his fingers over the back of my hand. Come every day. Incorrigible, and no. We can do this via Skype. He did that tongue in the corner of his mouth thing again. I can work with Skype. I reached for my purse and pulled out the pen and small notepad tucked in my wallet. He had to spring this on me the one day I didnt bring my nner. Before I could begin my list of what we needed to aplish, he grabbed the pad and my stubby pen. He scribbled something and turned the pad my way. Why do you have a condom in your purse? I red at him and wrote a quick reply. You went through my purse, you bastard? He took back the pad. You ditched me again, your fault I had to look for clues. I snatched the notepad. I just needed time to myself. To process. He eyed me suspiciously. Girl thing? I nodded. It was a little insulting, but hell, lesser of two evils. Then I returned to an earlier point of contention. You were looking for clues that include condoms? He snatched it back. Condoms? Is there more than one? Despite myself, Iughed. He was so ridiculous sometimes. I took the notepad and wrote what I felt was a reasonable reply. No. Just the one. Id gotten free at a bar some time ago, but whatever.From N?velDrama.Org. I thought it was good to be prepared. Wasnt sure if youd want to go for the gold yet. Thought you might want to practice first. The look he gave me after reading my words sent a jolt of pure arousal through me. Especially since he didnt look away as he wrote out his response. Oh, I want to practice. Over and over. But every time I want to be dripping out of you like I was this afternoon. I clutched the pen and breathed. Honestly, that was all I was capable of for about thirty seconds. Youre saying that stuff with your dad and brother two feet away? Dont you have any shame? I nudged the pad at him and he grabbed it up fast enough that he tore the edge of the page. Oh yeah, I do. Notice I havent thrown you on this table yet and fucked you right here? Trust me, thats a feat. He started to push the notepad back then took it again before I could. You keep licking your lips and looking at me and looking away, and I know what all those signs mean. You want it too. Want me? I read his words and debated aeback. They were what we exchanged. Always, over everything. Rarely serious, always messing around and antagonizing each other. That was our way. Telling the truth was so much harder. Duh. Okay, I didnt say it was a reveal worthy of Dr. Phil, just that it resembled honesty. Hesitantly, I slid the pad back to him. Heughed. Just sat thereughing at me, or with me-hell, maybe at us-and Iughed too because he wasnt the only one who was ridiculous. We both were. For a moment, he just stroked the pen. That shouldnt have been sensual, but somehow it was. When he started to write, I inched forward on my seat, too eager to see his message to wait until he passed it back. Skype tonight? I nodded and he wrote more. Naked Skype? I shook my head, smiling faintly. Maybe a still or two? I bit my lip, pretending to think it over. For sustenance during toddler party nning. Maybe, I mouthed, knowing Id probably send him any naughty pictures he wanted. Even if I blushed the whole time. This was Seth. I didnt have to worry hed upload the pictures on the inte or do anything sketchy with them. We could have the worlds biggest fight and never speak to each other again and Id never have to worry about that. He was a decent, honorable guy. So why I had been so sure he just wanted me for my eggs? It was as if Id read that stupid contract and forgotten everything that hade before. But God, I couldnt forget what hade since. He smiled and scribbled a single word on the pad before nudging it back. Tonight. He kissed his fingertip and pressed it to the back of my hand before sliding out of the booth. The gesture was so sweet, I sat there dazed while he said goodbye to his family and loped out of the diner, every one of his long-legged strides doing something funny to my belly. Oliver got up to go to the bathroom and I tucked away my notepad. Might as well wait to take notes when I spoke to Seth. I grabbed my book and was about to take off when Mr. Hamilton turned in the booth to smile at me. But it was the expression of a shark who scented blood. Mine. Its never going to happen, you know. He stretched his arm along the back of the booth. Youve yed a long game, but hell never settle down with you. My spine locked and I gripped my well-loved book until the pages crinkled. I think you have me confused with your sons ex-wife. I dont y games. Except wasnt that exactly what I was doing? Pretending I wasnt in love with Seth. That I could have a baby with him and wed still be friends and everything would be hunky-dory. Having a baby together was a life changer. A friendship changer. What would our new reality look like on the other side? No? I bet Lauries mother would have something to say about that. Not Seths ex-wife. Lauries mother. Another reality I didnt like to face. That little girl didnt just belong to him. She had a mother out there, and whether or not shed been paid to split-and had epted that payment-she coulde back anytime. Rules were made to be broken. Contracts made to be ripped up. Bonds to be rebuilt. Lauries mothers feelings have nothing to do with me. Now if youll excuse me No? She knew you would always be between her and her husband and she grew tired of second ce. Mr. Hamilton shifted back to face forward, adding over his shoulder, Laurie not having her mother around is on you. Oliver approached the table as I stared at the back of his fathers head. Seths twin hadnt returned to his table, hede to mine. Hey Al, you know next time you dont have to whisper Oliver stopped and frowned. Are you all right? Youre shaking. Fine. Im fine. I grabbed my purse and started to slide out of the booth, but he halted my movement with a hand on my arm. Dont touch me, I snapped. He immediately drew back. Okay. I wont touch you. Do you need a ride somewhere? Oliver, Mr. Hamilton barked, but his son didnt pay him any mind. Im fine. Really. I just need some air. I think Im getting the flu or something. I attempted to get out of the booth and this time, Oliver let me pass. My mistake was ncing up into his dark eyes, so familiar and so foreign at the same time. They matched Seths in color and shape, though not in feeling. Not in humor or mischief. No one was like Seth. And maybe that did make me a game yer because Id been lying all this time. To myself most of all. Now I wasnt the only one without a mother. Laurie was too. I wasnt dumb enough topletely believe what Mr. Hamilton had said, but if any part of it was true, it was too much. Swallowing hard, I sidestepped Oliver and hurried out of the diner. One Hundred & Nineteen Seths [POV] My day was going to consist of chaperoning twenty-four-year-olds-and a three-year-old or two-and instead of drinking beforehand as any other intelligent father would be doing, I was again trying to bathe my daughter. Without sess. I thought boys were the ones who didnt like to take baths, I muttered as Laurie gripped the edge of the bathroom door with both hands so she couldnt be nudged any farther into the bathroom. Ally, she said again. At this point, it was starting to be a chant. Shell be here in a little while. Wouldnt you like to be all dressed in your pretty party dress for her? Shes so excited to see it on you. Since the only reason Laurie even had a new party dress to wear was because of Ally taking pity on us anding shopping with usst weekend, Id wanted Laurie to be ready when Ally showed up. But naturally, my willful child was not having that. God forbid I demonstrate mypetency in parenting even once per month. Hell, per year at this rate. Wait for her. Laurie changed tact and decided to push the door shut, effectively shoving me into the hallway. I mmed a hand on the wood, halting her efforts. It wasnt much of a victory, considering she was four and all, but hey. If you want to take a bath by yourself, fine. Ill wait out here. But you have to start now. Your friends will being over soon and we cant wait for Ally. She might bete. Or note at all. I didnt truly think shed bail on Lauries party. There was no denying Ally had been weirdtely. Our Skype session had gone in a surprising direction, though shed still helped to n Lauries party. Forget helped. Shed asked all the questions and made most of the phone calls to make it happen. That was my girl. She got things done. Even if she didnt have nearly as much to say to me anymore. Ever since Id presented her with that contract that was now collecting dust in my desk drawer where it belonged shed beenoff. That was probably understandable since it involved a big life change. And seeing her best friend in a different light, yadda, yadda. Then there was the girl processing thing shed mentioned. And shed been a virgin. Fuck, Id been the only man to ever have her. Still couldnt believe it. I shut my eyes. I was not getting an erection right now. Just was not gonna happen. Moving on. Wed been on a damn roller coaster since that day. Having sex represented the highs. Wed been together another two times over the past week, which wasnt exactly optimal for pregnancy achievement, but I was rolling with her schedule. She imed she was busy. That was the same reason she gave for never staying for more than a few minutes afterward. A couple of nights ago, Id made the mistake of falling asleep after wed christened the couch. Unsurprisingly, Id awakened alone. Most of the time, she was oddly quiet and not as eager to toss back her usual zingers. The one ce she was uninhibited was in bed. Or against the wall, since that seemed to be our favored spot. We hadnt done it in a bed again since the first time. I also hadnt been able to lift her legs in the air again. That was all right. I was just as happy keeping my cock inside her until she squirmed. I was all about improvising. You stay out. A thud against the door indicated my little girl was leaning against it. Shoving me into the hall wasnt enough of a signal. She wanted me to get the message loud and clear. Ally awesome. Daddy-major suck. The door needs to stay cracked if youre getting in the tub. And you are getting in the tub, Lauren Elizabeth. The cry on the other side of the door surprised me less than the windy sigh and tap of heels. This again? I turned to see Ally marching down the hall toward me, once again in heels, her hair up in someplicated knot thing, and her dress Fuck, her dress was like sheer gauze or something. A pale lc wrap that hugged her curves and made me harder than the wood my daughter was currently pounding against. Front door was unlocked. Mmm. I couldnt currently speak, and from Allys little smirk, she knew what her outfit was doing to me. This wearing dress thing of hers was all new. I fucking loved it. Down, boy, she said, pressing her knuckles against my chest as she grabbed the bathroom doorknob with her other hand. Laurie, honey, its Ally. Can Ie in? Moving quickly, I snaked my hand into the back of her hair and yanked her mouth to mine. I had to. There wasnt conscious thought involved. She drove me to a point no other woman had before. Some kind of fruity lip gloss mixed with cherry c hit my senses and I slipped my tongue inside, already desperate for more. She moaned her hand curling into a fist on my shirt. And Laurie opened the door. Gotta say one thing about my daughter catching me kissing Ally-it stopped her tears. Immediately. Instead, she started to giggle. She pped her hands over her face as I drew back, not looking at Ally because I knew shed be giving me that usatory re shed patented in tenth grade.N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner. Nice job, Hamilton. You fucked up again. I cleared my throat. Allys here. Laurie giggled more. Ally swept into the bathroom and lifted Laurie onto her hip. That caused the wrap dress to shift and bunch in ways that had me shifting and bunching like a motherfucker. I turned away. Christ. Id need a cold shower myself if I didnt find a distraction. Watching Ally with my kid wasnt going to work either. It might slow my roll sexually, but seeing them together churned me up in a different way altogether. Made me think impossible things. Ones like maybe we didnt have to be friends who had a baby. Maybe we could be more. A couple. For real. With two children instead of one. A fucking family. Were you giving your Dad a hard time again? Ally swept Lauries sweaty blond hair back from her brow. Todays your big party. You dont want the birthday fairy to hide all your presents. I winced. Laurie was half and half on believing such things. If she decided you werent telling the truth, she was apt to call you a big fat liar. Delicate, my child was not. Birthday fairy? Laurie screwed up her mouth and looked at me. Daddy? I pointed at myself. Are you asking if Im the birthday fairy? Or asking if I know the birthday fairy? Both. Real? she demanded. Ally sent me a secret smile over Lauries head and I wouldve sworn this was her form of payback for having the softest, fullest lips Id ever kissed. Ally is the birthday fairy, know why? I took advantage of Lauries curiosity to once again step foot into the bathroom. Shes the one who made your party as magical as its going to be today. But you wont get to enjoy it if youre not clean. Dirty girls dont get to y with their friends. Laurie sighed and tugged on one of Allys brown curls that hade loose from her updo. In the light from the window, all the red highlights in her hair made it look as if it were streaked with fire. Christ, I was barely a dude anymore. Anytime now, Id whip out paper that curled at the edges and startposing sos about the wonder of a summers morn. Or Allys pussy, which probably meant I wasnt quite ready to give up my man card yet. You do my bath? she asked. Ally stroked Lauries hair. You sure you dont want Daddy to do it? Or he can stay with us. How about that? Laurie shook her head and stuck out her lower lip, her mostmon expression these days. I sighed. I have to get the grill started anyway. Whose idea was it for me to feed hamburgers and hot dogs and veggie burgers to twenty kids and their parents, anyway? Yours. I mentioned catering. You said you could handle a little grilling. That it was your manly duty. Ally hid her smile in Lauries blond hair. I said nothing about my manly duty. Just that I like grilling. So go grill then. Weve got it under control. Ally shifted Laurie in her arms, tipping her upside down until she squealed. Dont we, shortcake? Yes! Okay then. I can tell when Im not wanted. I turned in the doorway. No bubbles this time though. It has to be a quick bath. Your friends will be here soon, and you dont want me entertaining them. Why not? Youre so good at ying horse. I narrowed my eyes at Ally. Yeah, and if I throw out my back, guess wholl be rubbing itter? Ally took long enough to reply that I wondered if what Id said was more sexually explicit than Id intended. Especially since Laurie was ncing between us as if we were the most fascinating people ever. Shed never seen us kiss before. A hug here or there, a yful shove, sure. But anything resembling making out, absolutely not. Thats what you think, Ally finally responded. Id suggest you invest in some Icy Hot, pal. Im going to start the grill, I muttered, deciding my best ce was far away from where I could somehow scar my impressionable daughter. I might be tempted to kiss Allys smart mouth again and then Laurie might end up in psychotherapy yearster because I couldnt control my hormones. When they finally came downstairs, the first wave of dogs and patties was on the grill and Id already fielded two phone calls from crazed parents who were having issues with their rounding up their kids. One of Lauries preschool ssmates and her little brother were both attending the party, and their frantic mom had called tomiserate about trying to get them ready. I figured she was just exining why theyd bete until she asked me out after making a DILF joke. I wasnt an idiot. I knew that among many women of childbearing age, I was considered something of a prize. An employed man who was willingly parenting his child singlehandedly-though not necessarily with any skill-was a unicorn, except my horn was in my pants. And many of them wanted to ride it. Usually, I managed to divert conversations away from the topic of dates or finding a good woman to settle down with. I mustve been off my game today because this one had broadsided me and Id ended up fumbling through an excuse and hanging up on her. I didnt have an answer to why I couldnt go out with her. Technically, Ally and I had no rules. No arrangement precluded either of us from seeing anyone else. We were friends who were fucking and trying to have a baby. There was no box to tick on Facebook for that one. Even itsplicated didnt begin to touch the reality of our existence. But I didnt want to date anyone else. And I sure as fuck didnt want Ally too. Ever. Theres Daddy. Wait til he sees you in your pretty, sparkly dress. Allys voice carried out to me. When she stepped out on the deck, carting my daughter in her arms, the inane thoughts in my head spewed out. What does your Facebook status say? I demanded as if it was the most important question in the world. Ally shifted Laurie in her arms. What? Look at her dress, shemanded. Lauries grin tilted precariously. And her big blue eyes filled with tears. Ah, fuck. One Hundred & Twenty Seths [POV] Look at you in your beautiful dress, I said, setting down my spat to step toward them. I reached for Laurie but she pushed out a hand, nudging me back. With her other hand, she clung to Allys neck and buried her face in her chest. The look Ally gave me was mutinous. I stroked a hand over Lauries curling wet hair. She burrowed more into Ally. You look like a princess, honey. All these purple sparkles. She didnt reply. Ally just red. What do you say you open one of your presents before your friends get here? I wasnt above bribery. Besides, I was keeping a pretty big secret about the party. But hell, it was supposed to rain, and how else could we entertain twenty kids indoors? Laurie lifted her head and knuckled one of her eyes. Lets go downstairs to the family room. I checked the food on the grill, making sure I could leave it for a moment or two. You want to man the grill then while I take her downstairs? Ally stuck out her chin and her hand. I can do it. Fine. Well be right back. I exchanged the spat for my daughter and had to swallow a chuckle as Ally poked at the simmering meat. Even after all these years of working at the diner, she still wasnt very adept at making food. Laurie poked me in the chest. Down. Sure, Ally could carry her all over, but me? Not gonna happen. Swallowing a sigh, I set her down and she immediately took off down the hall, reaching up for the doorknob that led into the basement. She couldnt quite turn it herself so I helped, and she rushed down the stairs. And stopped at the bottom, still gripping the railing. Saying absolutely nothing. I came down the steps behind her and taking advantage of her surprise, swooped her up again and set her on my hip. Its a giant sandbox. I walked around the edges of the most contained mounds of sand Id had trucked in on a whim yesterday while Laurie was at Pre-K. Id had to pay outrageously for it, as well as call in a few favors, but I now was the proud owner of a shit-ton of sand that would be hauled out tomorrow at great personal expense. Not to mention all the furniture in this room had been shoved in the spare room and would need to be brought back out again. Too bad Laurie was frowning at the giant, cool-as-fuck sandbox as if she didnt get what it was. See, look. I put her down outside the sand and bent to grab one of the oversized beach balls Id added to the sand. I tossed it across the sand and it got stuck, so I leaned forward to grab it- And my mischievous child saw fit to push me into the sand, letting out a huge squeal ofughter. Think thats funny, huh? You rascal. I darted forward on my knees and snatched her up, lifting her sideways and holding her over a big pile of sand. Maybe I should push you in the sand too. No, no, Daddy, no! The door upstairs opened and closed and footsteps sounded on the stairs. I turned, still holding my squirming kid, to see both Ally and the mother whod asked me out on the phone, Tina, gaping at me. You filled your entire family room with sand? Incredulously, Ally hurried down the rest of the stairs and hiked up her dress to pick her way around the sandbox. You do realize how impractical that is? How youre never going to manage to get every grain out, and its going to embed in the floorboards. Theres safety rubber underneath. I nced past her at Tina. Hi there. Is anyone manning my grill by any chance? Yes, Mr. Robinson from down the street took over. Tina was worried about you. Said you guys were setting up a date when the phone disconnected. Oh fuck. Al- Then we heard squealing and hurried down here. Ally bent gingerly to push one of the intable beach balls across the sand. I cant believe you did this.? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. First time of many I had a feeling Id be hearing that today. I righted Laurie in my arms and gave her a quick hug. Your friends are here. Why dont you go back upstairs with Mrs. Johnson while I talk to Ally? Okay. As soon as I set Laurie back on her feet, she scampered off, scattering sand. Then she spun back around and charged up to me again, gripping me around the legs. Thank you, Daddy. It came out sounding a little like Tank Eww, Dabby but close enough. Though Tina held out a hand for Laurie, she was staring fixedly at me. I hope we can continue that conversationter, Seth. Its probably good if we dont. I smiled at her to soften the blow. Immitted to someone right now. But thank you for your interest. It was a toss-up and one of the women gave me a more scathing nce. Cmon, Laurie, Tina said. Lets go upstairs so you can say hi to everyone in your pretty dress! Laurie trotted along after her, chattering happily. The door shut behind them, and Ally kicked one of the beach balls hard enough that it nearly took out the TV on the other side of the room. Committed right now? Like this instant? You shouldve given her an end date. Dont want her to get discouraged and give up too soon. Ally aimed for the other beach ball and did the same thing, this time nearly missing the onemp wed left behind because it was also on the opposite side of the space. Lawrence had some serious leg power. Which wasnt hot at all. Not even a little bit. I scratched the back of my neck. It wouldnt do to seem pleased by this recent turn of events. Being stupidly overjoyed that she was jealous was simply not appropriate. I should be ashamed. I might be tomorrow. Or next year. Im getting the feeling youre angry. Oh, are you? Are you now? What was your first clue? She crouched to pick up the stic bucket and slotted scoop, and I quickly rushed over to take it out of her hands before it left a dent in my wall. Dont crowd me. I wouldnt dream of it. I tossed the toys aside and hooked my fingers on the bodice of her dress, hauling her against me. You know, I thought this purple was my favorite color on you, but I was wrong. I bit down on her lower lip, tugging it between my teeth. Its green. She shoved at my chest and moved her face away from mine. You think this is funny? More like ridiculous. I dont know what idea you had about this whole impregnate-my-bestie scenario, but while this is going on, youre not going to be hitting on other chicks. Noted. And if I do get knocked up, youre not going to be bumping uglies with anyone while Im waddling around in muumuus. Its not going to happen. Also noted. Will you be barefoot while walking in muu-muus? Ill probably need pictures if so. She poked me in the side. This isnt a joke. I get that you just cant help being so damn sexy that women throw themselves at you right and left, but you better-freaking try. I cocked a brow and framed her cheeks between my hands. Im going to need you to repeat that. All of that. Like twenty times. Feel free to add some heavy breathing around the sexy part for effect. Her lips almost twitched into a smile, but she wouldnt meet my gaze. Hey. Nothing. Ally Cat, I said softly, and she looked up at me, her golden brown eyes wary. Im not interested in that woman. In any woman, for that matter, except the one standing in front of me. I didnt say you had to lie. Just while youre dipping your wick in this pot, youre not going to in any other. All Im saying. Your pot is all I need or want. I nearly added more. So much more. Every hour that passed, I had more inside me for her, and I was just beginning to untangle what that might mean. But she wouldnt have believed me anyway. Not now. Maybe not ever. The corner of her mouth ticked up. You do have your form of sweet talking, gotta give you that. I have my form of many things, as youre learning. I brushed a kiss over her ear. I asked you what your Facebook rtionship status was. I think we need toe up with one for this. Oh, we do, do we? Because being a Facebook official is very important. It is. I reached down and cupped her ass through her thin dress, swallowing a groan at the barely there outline of her panties beneath. Would they be whitece? Blush pink? Maybe some other nearly translucent color that would never be enough to hide her swollen pussy from my gaze. If another guyes near you, even looks at you, I may rip his eyes out. Just fair warning. Is that so? Her breathless question had me tightening behind the zipper of my pants. So you might want to consider a Facebook status as a humanitarian gesture. A warning sign to save other men from a fate worse than death. Ive never seen you get violent. Or jealous. For that matter, Im simply not the kind of woman men go batty for. She shrugged and shifted her feet. I think its because Im missing the feminine gene. Im wearing this dress right now, and all I want to do is take it off and get back into my jeans. You think dresses are what make you feminine? I looped a couple of strands of her hair around my fingers and tugged. Id say what makes you feminine is that youre the bravest, smartest, most kickass woman Ive ever known. I lowered my voice. And the way you purr deep in your throat when youe. That too. What am I, a cat? But there was no mistaking the pleasure in her voice. The pleasure Id put there, just by telling the truth. My reply was smothered by her cing her hand over my mouth. No pussy jokes. We have to get back upstairs. Mmm-hmm. I nudged her hand aside and squeezed her ass one more time. Dont suppose youd be willing to y sex-on-the-beachter? I dont have an ocean nearby, but I do have this nice pile of sand I gestured. The sand thing was really sweet. Laurie will always have these memories in years toe. Not sure she likes it either. Sure she does. Wait until all her friendse down here and see this. Its like a kids dreame true. Yeah, yeah, theyll love it. Now back to sex. She grinned. As nice as this sand is, you also have a nice big bed. She patted my stomach and my cock jumped visibly enough that sheughed, her eyes dancing. Thumbs up? Up. I cupped my hand around her neck and brought her mouth to mine, sinking into a kiss that was equal parts need and want and relief that she was still mine. This hadnt ended yet. Shed be in my bed tonight, and if I was lucky, again and again after that. For as many tomorrows as I could beg, borrow, and steal. Her tongue slipped along mine and she moaned as I cupped her cheek, tilting her head so I could take more. Always more. Her body curved into mine and I hooked my foot through hers, desperate to feel every part of her flush against me. The sound of a clearing throat had us jerking apart. I blinked away the Ally haze and shifted my gaze toward the stairs, somehow not surprised my cat-quiet brother was standing there with one eyebrow winged up. Then he nced around the family room, his frown deepening. If thats truly sand, your contractor deserves a bad review on Yelp. One Hundred & Twenty-One Allys [POV] Are you Daddys girlfriend now? I stilled the backyard swing with my foot and turned toward Laurie. It was the end of a long day of children running andughing, and asionally crying, usually after tripping on a toy or being denied something vitally important. Like a second hot dog. Or a Transformer. Or for one little boy, not being allowed to take home the bunny wed seen scampering through the yard. That led to Laurie once again asking for a puppy. Seth had said no, as he always did, but he was weakening. Softie. I smiled and stopped fingering the ends of Lauries curls long enough to remember her question. Not the best time to zone out and think about Seth and floppy-eared puppies. A nce at the back door told me Seth still wasnt on his way back outside. He was probably eating a scoop of ice cream for everyone he put in our bowls. Wed had cake earlier, of course, but the man had a sweet tooth for days. Not that I could talk. I was starving. Again. And I still hadnt answered Lauries question. Im still exactly what I always was to him, and you. I pushed off with my foot and the swing kicked into motion again. Unless you dont like what you saw today, I said carefully, hoping I was just referring to that aborted kiss shed witnessed outside the bathroom.All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. It certainly hadnt been the only incident of kissing or touching today. Seth couldnt keep his hands off me for long. I wasnt much better, especially when Tina sashayed past, her attention still far too focused on him. Id had a lot of years of toning down my jealousy where Seth was concerned, but sleeping with him mustve toggled off that switch because Id found myself cleaving to his side more than once. Maybe it was the way he smiled down at me or brushed his hand over my hair or whispered something for my ears only. Hed always treated me as if I were special, and now that we were sleeping together, his attention was even more potent. Even more dangerous. Laurie fluffed out her sparkly purple skirt, her forehead wrinkled. I had a feeling she had something she wanted to say but maybe didnt know how. I understood far too well because I did too. Ever since Mr. Hamilton had put that stuff in my head about driving away Marjorie, Id been full of guilt. I tried to dismiss it as just his way of getting me out of his sons hair and his bed. But maybe there was a kernel of truth. Honey, I hope you understand Im not trying to take your mothers ce. I wouldnt do that. You have your Daddy, and he loves you so much, and I love you too, but But not like my mom. Her chin wobbled and I shifted toward her, my chest tightening until I couldnt breathe. No, no, thats not what I meant at all. I just meant I would never try to take her spot, to try to pretend Im your mom, even though Id like nothing better. I swallowed over the lump in my throat and reached for her small, chubby, popsicle-stained hand, squeezing it tightly. Being your mom would have to be the best thing in the world. She stared hard at me, that wrinkle deepening and reminding me so much of Seth. Then why cant you? Such a simple question, with such hard answers. Thest thing I wanted to do was to give her false hope that her mom mighte back into her life. From what I understood, that wasnt going to happen. I also didnt want to indicate I could fill that role. I didnt know how to be a parent, which probably made this whole situation that much crazier. I so didnt feel equipped to take care of anyone. Not even myself sometimes. After years of caring for my mother, my reserves were low. I wasnt sure I could provide for anyone else. If we had a baby together, Id be in that caretaking role all over again in a much more formal role than what I had now with Laurie. Did I want that? Even as I asked the question, the answer came through loud and clear. Yes. Yes, I wanted a baby. I always had, though I wasnt sure it would ever be in the cards for me. Rarely dating tended to limit ones chances of finding someone. Someone else anyway. Id found my someone early, and hed found others while I waited. And thats exactly what Id done. Waited for years for a bus that mightve never stopped for me. Before Id found more with Seth stumbled into via idiotic baby contract Id found a strong, pure love for his little girl. One that would never go away. I will always be here for you, no matter what, I whispered, making her a promise in my head. My heart. Whatever happened with Seth, Laurie would always have me in her life. I might not be your biological mom, but I love you just as much. I stroked a hand down her hair. So if theres ever anything that bothers you, or you want to talk about, Im here. Okay? Laurie didnt say anything for a long time. Then she hurtled herself into my arms, clinging tight. Just when I was sure shed move back and run across thewn, she nced up at me. Can you marry my Daddy? Panic wrapped around my throat and squeezed. Um. Laurie nodded enthusiastically. I could wear this. She pulled at her skirts, her smile wide. Please? It sounded sweet, and my heart broke a little that she wanted that. She wasnt the only one. Maybe someday, I murmured, hoping like hell I wasnt cursing the situation just by saying that much. In my world, wishing for more got you less. It was so much easier not to hope. Or dream. The back door opened and Oliver and Seth stepped outside, carting bowls of ice cream. They were so different despite looking alike. Olivers hair was shorter and straighter, cropped close to his head. Seths tended to get shaggy when he wasnt paying attention. Seth had scruff, and Oliver was militantly clean-shaven. Seth wore jeans and a raggedy T-shirt, and Oliver had on a dark suit sans tie, his idea of casual wear. I was pretty sure every single woman in town and some not spent a good chunk of their time trying to figure out how tond one of them. Some industrious types mightve imagined snagging both for a night or three of fun. Not that they did stuff like that, at least that I knew about. And I would have because Seth had never been quiet about his hookups. Killing me a little with every damn one. Who wants ice cream? Seth called, rushing down the steps with Oliver at his heels. Oliver hadnt said a word about what hed witnessed before the party. Id expected him to make some snarky remark about the kiss, but hed just nted me a knowing smile now and then as if he were sharing some private joke. Id expected more surprise from him to be honest. Unless maybe others had seen something between me and Seth I never had. Mainly because Id been so afraid to wish. Wanting was bad enough. Me, me, me! I want ice cream, Laurie said, pitching sideways off myp and nearly tumbling to the ground. I caught her just before she went flying, and Seth shot me a panty-wetting grin. Nice save, Lawrence. He sat on the other side of the swing and held out a small bowl of ice cream for his daughter. Neapolitan for Princess Laurie, he said formally, making her giggle as she settled between us and dug in with her spoon. Why isnt this cozy, Oliver said, passing Seth the bowl of ice cream he carried after Seth gave me his. Isnt it? Seth returned before I could reply. Dont you have the stuff to do at home? I gasped. Seth, dont be rude. He wants some alone time with hisdies. Oliver winked at Laurie. Especially Princess Laurie, who was the most beautiful girl at the party. Laurie giggled and fumbled with her spoon, getting more of the ice cream on her face than in her mouth. I immediately turned to help her and looked up to catch Seth watching me far too closely. Okay, Im outta here. Oliver leaned forward to brush a kiss over Lauries head. See ya, squirt. Sleepover on Friday night? Yes! Great. Bet your Daddy will enjoy his sleepover too, he said out of the side of his mouth when Laurie went back to attacking her rapidly melting ice cream. Seth flipped his brother a discreet cheek middle finger, and Oliver backed away,ughing. Goodbye, Alison. I was flushing, I just knew it, so I decided to just wave a few fingers while I shoveled in ice cream. One Hundred & Twenty-Two Allys (POV] We stayed outside, eating ice cream and swinging and talking until it was nearly twilight. By then, a full Laurie had burned off her sugar high by racing around the yard in pursuit of one of the myriad balloons that hung from every tree and post. There was a lot of clean-up left to be done and not even referring to Seths giant sand pit in the family room that had barely been used but when I stood to see to it, Seth pulled me back down, so close that our thighs rubbed together. Youve done enough today. Time to rx. Oh yeah, like I could do that when he was stroking my hip through my flimsy dress. All the while, I made sure Laurie was still upied with her balloon and not watching us. We cant just leave everything out here. If it rains tonight So stuff will get wet. No big deal. Theyre folding tables and cheap tablecloths. Easy to rece. But that all costs money. No reason to what are you doing? I asked breathlessly as he inched my dress up to caress my bare skin. Not nearly enough. He turned his head into my hair. Next time, dont wear panties. I want easier ess. I snorted out augh. Dude, you want me to gomando at a childrens party? I was running around all day. Pretty sure a random kid doesnt need to see my muff and be scarred for life. Seth chuckled and tugged at the edge of my panties. Id love to see your muff. He dropped his voice until it was barely a whisper over my skin. Ive been fantasizing all day about going down on my knees between these pretty pale thighs and licking your pussy until youe all over my chin. My fingers slid off the condensation on my empty bowl of ice cream. Hi, little ears nearby. Shes not paying attention. He tipped up my chin with his thumb. Sometimes he seemed to have ten hands and he knew exactly how to use all of them. Stay over tonight. Arguments formed in my head. It had been a long day, and I wanted my bed. Needed that space to myself to regroup after the confusing feelings being with Laurie and her friends had stirred up in me. Id enjoyed ying with them and keeping them from getting into too much mischief. It was tiring, sure, but it was rewarding too. Add in Lauries questions and the whole Tina thing that morning and the conversation with Seth that hade afterward, and I was seriously in want of some alone time. But then I nced over at Laurie, babbling to herself as she sat on the grass and poked at her Sleeping Beauty balloon, and absorbed the warm muscles pressed against my outer thigh and I didnt want to leave. My loft with Sage was fine. I liked it well enough, and maybe someday it could be a home. This ce and these two people had been home for me since the day Seth bought the house, right after his divorce. Okay. Seth frowned, his expression so like his daughters when she was trying to puzzle out something. Seriously? I fought not to smile. Seriously. Babycakes, its bedtime. Laurie nced up and pouted. No. I had tough. He was about as transparent as ss. How about a story first? She needs a bath too, I added under my breath. Another one? Seth asked, sounding as petnt as his child. Twice in one day? A little soil never hurt anybody. Laurie picked that moment to stand up from the ground, revealing the streak of dirt down one leg, ending in a glob on her frilly white sock. I nced pointedly at Seth. Not it, he said under his breath. Ill do it. Chuckling, I pressed my bowl into his rock-hard belly and rose to go scoop up Laurie off the ground, balloon and all. Bath first, then a story. Can even have bubbles tonight. Yay. Laurie wrapped her arm around my neck and pushed the balloon in my face. Here. Thanks. I grinned over my shoulder at Seth, and he was doing that way too intentionally watching things again. It made my knees tremble and my belly does somersaults and my skin feel too tight all over. Especially since he was smiling, his eyes warm and brown like melted chocte. He liked seeing me with Laurie, almost as much as I enjoyed taking care of her. Maybe my reserves for taking care of others werent nearly as low as Id believed. Somehow taking care of her and of Seth filled me up in other ways. Youing in? He stretched out his legs, still holding both bowls of ice cream. Just the shift of his pose widened his legs enough for me to see exactly what was going on in his jeans and thete-day sun wasnt creating any shadows. That gloriousness was all Seth. I wet my lips and looked up into his eyes. He did the same, except on him the gesture waszy and lion-like. A king surveying his backyard kingdom, and I was one of his belongings. That shouldve set my hackles up, but instead, all it gave me was a flutter, way down low. Ill be right in, he said. Nodding, I juggled his daughter in my arms and smiled. You ready for bath time and a story? Maybe Mr. Peppermint and the Pushy Poodles? Yes! She gave me a loud smacking kiss right on the mouth. Love you, Ally. It didnt matter that love you, Ally sounded like club eww, Awee. It was probably the sweetest moment of my life. Sucking in a breath, I tipped my head down to hers. Love you right back. The rustle of grass behind me gave me a second to regroup before Seth pulsed his hips against my ass. He truly didnt care that he was harder than wood and just the feel of him against me was enough to soak my panties. Hed probably done that intentionally. Same reason hed casually looped his arm around my waist and caught his fingers in the unused belt loops of my dress. My two favorite girls, he murmured, his breath warm on the nape of my neck. More flutters, by the dozen this time. I adjusted Laurie in my arms and gave Seth a quick upturned smile before gently detangling myself and heading for the porch stairs. In we go. Not you, Daddy, Laurie said, and Seth gave a big sigh. Yes, I know, banned from my bathroom. Or am I now exiled from the house too? Laurie clutched her balloon and stuck out her lower lip while she thought. Come in. Thank you, Princess Laurie. Seth ate up the steps with his long-legged strides and opened the back door just in time to let us pass. After you, Princess Ally Cat. Cat? Lauries head came up and she grinned toothily. I like cats. She turned her head and stared hard at her father. My little sissy wants a cat. I lifted my brows. Id heard much talk about how Laurie wanted another sibling, and supposedly it had spurned Seths crazy babymaking idea. But Id never heard Laurie talk about the sibling as if she was real one who could make pet requests, no less. Your little sissy? I asked through the cotton in my throat. Did you fill out an order form? Laurie giggled and dangled from my neck, stretching her arm out as long as she could so she could epass her father too. Boys suck. Nice, kiddo. Seth sighed and tweaked her nose, meeting my gaze over her head. My child has very specific requests. They seem to get more specific by the day.From N?velDrama.Org. The way he was looking at me again God, it was as if he could see inside my womb and nt a kid there a girl, because hey, ask and ye shall receive from the sheer force of his stare alone. He could get me in the mood to practice, that was for sure. Or a dog, Laurie added. My sissy likes dogs too. It was so weird tough about something that potentially had a big effect on my life too. If she got that sissy she wanted, itd be via my girl parts. And I didnt mind that thought. One bit. Good to know. I brushed a kiss over Lauries forehead and sneaked a nce at Seth. Well see how that whole ordering thing works out. One Hundred & Twenty-Three Allys [POV] It was a dangerous thing to say. To pretend we were a little happy family. A happy, normal family, who wasnt ying house for the sole purpose of procreation. But right now, with Seths gaze hot on mine, and his hand on the small of my back, it certainly didnt feel like we were ying. Nor did it when we tucked a freshly clean Laurie in her bed-Seth had waited in his bedroom, as requested-and she asked me to read her story. I figured shed want her dad to read it to her since he was right there, but nope, she pushed the book into my hand and then patted both sides of her bed so we could sit on either side. My voice was trembling as I started to read about Mr. Peppermints pushy poodles. The story was lighthearted and fun, and Laurie giggled as the pushiest puppy fell face-first in a puddle. But by the time the puppy was plopped in the kitchen sink to get cleaned up, Laurie had fallen asleep, her cheek smushed adorably into the pillow, and her damp golden ringlets draping like spun gold across her face. I touched them without being aware I intended to, cupping her soft skin in my hand. Watching her chest rise and fall with her even breaths. You love her too, Seth said, and there was more than certainty in his voice. There was awe. Gratitude. Even relief. I nodded. Yes. Didnt you know that? His Adams apple bobbed as he adjusted her thin nket. He wouldnt look at me. Different seeing it. He brushed his hand over her hair, nearly bumping my hand. The ink that swirled up his forearm caught my eye, and following the path higher to where it disappeared under the sleeve of his T-shirt was imperative. Id studied his tattoos so many times. The snow leopard one, and most of the others too. Hell, Id been there as he added to the collection over the years. But it was so much different when I could touch them. Touch him. Different seeing this too, he added huskily. I didnt need an exnation of what he meant. He was reading my desire as inly as I was sending out those signals. Because he could read me. Hed always been able to, and Id finally dropped my shields when it came to wanting him. Now he was getting the whole story. Or a lot closer to it. In silent agreement, we eased back from Laurie and rose, trooping silently out of her pink bedroom. Seth stopped to turn out her Winnie the Pooh light, leaving her cheerful carousel nightlights to illuminate the room in case she had a nightmare. He never wanted her to wake in the dark. He quietly shut the door behind us, then he reached for me. Hands grasping my face, he brought his mouth down hard on mine. Lips that were soft in contrast to his rough touch teased me into responding. Encouraging me to keep up. I went up on my tiptoes, clutching his shirt, my nails digging into his skin. He made a hungry noise in his throat and nudged me into the wall, hiking up my leg to wrap around his hips.N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner. He shoved my panties aside and slipped his fingers inside, burying my moan under his insistent kisses. His daughter was feet away from us, safe behind the door, but God, his bedroom was just down the hall. We couldnt wait. Just could not. Wed spent so many years stuck in the space between friends and more, and now that wed moved forward, there was no slowing this train. It rode it or There were no ors left. Sweet mercy, I wanted to ride. I reached up to tangle my fingers in his hair as he pushed his fingers deeper into my pussy. I couldnt keep from crying out and he kissed me harder, so hard that I couldnt breathe. My head was spinning fromck of oxygen and I was wet, so wet. His thumb brushed my clit over and over while his fingers pumped, and God, I was shameless about rocking into his movements. I couldnt get enough. When he moved his head, I chased his mouth, my teeth scraping his lips, our noses bumping as I sought his tongue. I needed it almost as much as his touch, working its wicked way on my body. He was turning me inside out, owning the parts of me only he knew. They were his. I was his. Goddammit, not like this. Not this time. Abruptly, he yanked back his hand and I whimpered, dropping my head to his shoulder to breathe. I was so close. A heartbeat away. I was throbbing so hard, and I could hear him licking his fingers. Jesus. Then he fisted his other hand in my hair and tugged it back, offering me his fingers while his wild eyes settled on mine in the dim light of the hall. In my bed. Not against another wall. Not again. Consumed with my taste in his skin, I nearly didnt hear him. He watched me suck on him and growled, backing me into the wall again. Bending his knees, he drove up his hips and the rigid column in his jeans rubbing against my clit was almost enough to push me over. Almost. I gasped, dizzy, still holding onto his hand as I licked his fingers. I couldnt stop. And he thrust up against me again with only the thin barriers of my panties and his jeans between us, hitting the angle just right. So good. I dropped my head back, closing my eyes as shes of light went off at the edges of my vision. It wasnt an orgasm but it was the next best thing. I couldnt stop shaking. If hed shoved me down on my knees and told me to deep-throat his cock, I wouldve done it without blinking. Anything he wanted. I wanted it too. Anyway, he could give it to me. Christ, youre so fucking hot, he mumbled, buzzing his scruff along my cleavage, on the verge of popping out of the top of my dress. How did I miss it? Asshole. Indignation fought its way through the heavy lust pulsing in my lower belly. In my breasts. Hell, everywhere. I bit his palm, making himugh. Instead of arguing with me, as was our way, he dropped my leg and swooped me up in one smooth move. Epically smooth, since I started to screech and he caught my mouth with his before I could. If I hadnt been more than a little off-center from my near-miss orgasm and being hauled into the air, I wouldnt have kissed him back. Probably. But damn, he was good at it, and he kept me thoroughly distracted as he carried me down the hall and backed into his room. He kicked out and shut the door, managing not to m it. His next move was to flip on the lights. I expected to be tossed onto the bed like a sugar sack, but he ced me on his messyforter carefully, as if I was made of porcin. Never know, he whispered, reading my thoughts as he drew his fingertip down my belly. I was still reeling from that when he stepped back and reached behind his head to drag his T-shirt off. Golden abs covered in swirling dark ink rippled, and I swallowed hard, suddenly riveted by the sh of his navel above his jeans. He undid the button teasingly, leaving it gaping while he stepped toward me again where I was spread out on the bed like his feast. Quaking, wet, needy. All for him. I still wasnt through kicking his ass for his missing my hotness-thoughe on, my hotness was debatable anyway-but he was already peeling off my dress as if it served as wrapping for his very favorite present. He touched me reverently, pulling the fabric aside to bare my bra and tiny panties before dispatching those too. Lowering his head, he licked one tight nipple, his gaze locked with mine. Every minute movement made me clench inside, tighter and wetter than Id ever been. I syed my legs wider so he could move between them, already writhing against the soft spread under my back. Tell me what you want. I shook my head and shut my eyes. Dammit, he was supposed to know. Wasnt that his job? Best friend and all, for fucks sake. He was supposed to know I was dying for him to keep doing that to my breasts while he fingered me and made mee. Then he was supposed to move down my body and- Thats it. Tell me. Every dirty word. I blinked. Had I spoken? Oh, that wasnt good. Except maybe it was because he was doing all of that. His big hand covered my pussy, rubbing gently before he parted my swollen lips and stroked my clit in circles. Over and over so that I had to grind myself wildly against his palm. He released my achy nipple with a pop and slid down my body, his intended target clear. Instead of closing my eyes again, I leaned up on my elbows and licked my lips, ready to watch every lewd moment- Daddy! One Hundred & Twenty-Four Allys [POV] The cry from down the hall had Seth scrambling back so fast that I nearly fell off the bed. I grabbed hold of the bedding and tried to haul myself up, but all the build-up without a finish for a second time was giving me one hell of a head rush. Almost in slow-motion, the doorknob started to turn. Seth flung himself at it while I scrambled for my dress, for a corner of theforter, hell, even for a damn shoe to cover my nakedness. I settled for Seths T-shirt which hed tossed on the footboard and yanked it over my head just as Seth blocked Lauries flight into the bedroom. Whats the matter, sweetheart? Come here. He scooped her up in his arms and cupped her head, holding it to his shoulder while he pivoted and ascertained I wasnt shing any T and A at his young daughter. I was already rueing not grabbing my dress, because what was I supposed to do to cover my lower half? Lace panties were not adequate. But without any alternatives, I tugged theforter halfway over me and tried to unobtrusively tug them on. And Laurie was crying, and it just did not matter. Nothing did but make her feel better. As soon as Id yanked them up my ass, I flung off theforter and scrambled to them. Whats wrong, honey? She cried harder and clung to her father, and for the first time in a long time, I felt as if I didnt belong. As if I didnt have a right to intrude. This was a private moment between them and I wasnt her mother. I stepped back, pushing my messy hair away from my face, and wouldve aimed for the bathroom-possibly to have a good cry, though I was even sure why-if Seths voice hadnt stopped me. Ally, cmere. Frowning, I looked back to see Laurie knuckling her red eyes with one fist and reaching for me with the other. I moved toward them and took her chubby hand. Seth shifted to slide his free arm around my waist. Lets go back to your room. His voice was low and soothing. Well read you the rest of the story from earlier. Laurie curled into his chest while I rubbed my thumb over her soft skin. Spend the night? she asked me, peering out from underneath her fathers chin. Hershes were starred with tears. Seth answered before I had a chance to think of an answer. Yes, Allys spending the night. Shes going to be spending the night a lot more from now on. Okay? Laurie nodded and stretched out her other arm to me so I could take her. I nced at Seth, and he held her out to me as if she were mine too. Eyes scratchy all over again, I pulled her into my arms and buried my face in her still-damp hair. Storytime, Seth murmured, and I nodded. Together, we walked down the hall to Lauries bedroom. Gently, I unwrapped her from her ferocious hold on me and set her back on her bed, taking my spot again on the side as if I belonged there. Seth sat on the opposite one. We took turns reading the story, with Seth ying the part of Mr. Peppermint while I yed Mr. Peppermints nosy neighbor. By the end, Laurie wasughing at our exaggerated y-acting, but her eyes were heavy with fatigue. Well stay until you sleep, I said, fussing with her sheet. Seth nodded. It didnt take long, maybe ten minutes. We waited for another fifteen beyond that, sneaking nces at each other to make sure she was out. Then we tiptoed back down the hall to his room and carefully closed the door behind us. I like this on you, he said, fingering the hem of the shirt that brushed my thighs. I still hadnt feltfortable wearing it without pants in front of Laurie, but at least it had covered everything. Mostly. I started to shrug off thepliment. My emotions were raw and jagged and all over the ce. I was still horny yet I wanted to sniffle. So much was changing, and even trying to hold on to what I knew was impossible. Nothing was the same. Not Seth. Not even me. I like wearing it, I said instead, turning my cheek against the worn cotton and taking a nice big sniff of Seths sugar sex cologne. So dont take it off. He gripped my hips and pulled me close. I can do what I need to do over, under, and through it. That sounds promising. And filthy. Filthy promises are the best, baby. The affectionate term made me cock my head at him. I was still Ally, he was still Seth. We fucked, but the baby was new. He took that moment to grip my chin and haul my mouth to his. And like always, his lips were tender when everything else about him was hard. Especially the stiff cock trapped in his jeans between us. I want you so much, he said between kisses, and I nodded because I got it. Every part of me was trembling to be with him again. Craving that instant when hed slide inside of me and fill me up. But Laurie- Might wake up, I finished. Come to bed. He gave me a quick smack on the ass, making meugh. I skirted around the bed and got in while he quickly shed his jeans, boxers, and sneakers and followed suit. Now what? Move toward him? Cuddle with my pillow? Wait for him to be bowled over by the sight of my corbone revealed by the cor of his T-shirt? He didnt suffer from such indecision, however. He just hooked his arm around my waist and dragged me closer, covering my mouth with his before I could so much as sigh. I need you, he said, and I couldnt argue. I needed him too. So much. Will do betterter, promise, he said, anchoring my leg over his hips. I wasnt fully sure what he was apologizing for until the damp head of his cock rubbed against my slit. I bit my lip as he slid in, relishing that stretch even as I winced. All right? He frowned. Youre big. God, I love virgins. Not a virgin anymore, wise ass. Slugging him in the chest while his cock was inside me was a new thing, but it fit us somehow. As did him gripping my thigh and shifting me slightly on my back so he could thrust in and out, over and over, until I couldnt do anything but dig my nails into his shoulders and try to hold on. Damn straight you arent a virgin. He cupped my breast through his T-shirt, rolling the nipple through his thumb and forefinger. Goddamn, woman, I love fucking you. If only Id known. So many things nearly sprung from my tongue. I knew. I always knew. At least I wished it could be like this with us. But I didnt say anything, just savored the way he was moving inside me. The rhythm he was building, stroke by stroke. Now this pussy is mine. This too. His hand spanned over my belly and shock and pleasure and fear twined inside me, each fighting for dominance. All fucking mine, he said, staring straight into my eyes as he pulled back and sank home, deeper than before. He braced, on one hand, rising above me, his muscled, tattooed chest glistening with sweat in the faint moonlight. Im gonnae inside you. So fucking deep. Part of me, the side that stayed safe behind a wall of sarcasm, shouted out a mental insult. Yeah, yeah, so do it already so I can finallye too. But the me who yearned to belong to him only nodded and moaned, scraping his back, jerking her hips to prod him to go harder, faster. God, Ally. Desperately, he sucked on my breast through his T-shirt, getting the material all wet. My pussy throbbed in tandem with the nipple between his teeth. You feel so damn amazing. Wanna fuck you over and over, fill you up with my kid. God, I want that. I tried to swallow over the dust in my throat, to blink away the haze in my eyes. I was so twisted up, so hot and achy all over. All I needed was toe. Then I could think again. The friction of his movements ground against my clit with every pass, and Id been so long denied now that probably a strong breeze couldve set me off. I cried out, turning my head to bite the pillow. Yeah, yeah, thats it. He leaned over me, speeding up until his sweat dripped on my lips. And God, even that was hot. The salt burned where hed bitten me through our crazy kisses. Fuckinge on me. Now. It wasnt instantaneous. Maybeter I could take pride in that. But straining toward that peak and not getting there made me frustrated enough to drag my nails down his arm, ripping a groan from him that sure as hell didnt sound like pain. Especially since his cock started to jerk and spurt inside me. And that was what did it. Not his breathless demands. Just feeling him let go so far inside me, that sticky warmth making me feel so full. It didnt matter if I was imagining I could feel it or not. Just knowing he wasing inside me bare was enough to make me give in too, my hips rising and falling against the mattress as moans I couldnt stop tumbling from my lips. Ones he didnt try to cover up. Ones that made him groan and keep pounding into me with his half-hard dick until we were broken and sweaty and panting. He dropped his head to my breast. I stroked his hair, the words on my lips.? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. Finally, the truth would be out there between us. No more secrets. I love you. But in the end, I couldnt ruin the perfection of this moment. I couldnt ask for more when hed already given me so much. More than Id ever thought could be possible between us. Maybe wed even have a baby together. Our kind of family. Our kind of miracle. One Hundred & Twenty-Five Allys [POV] I didnt realize Id dozed off in his arms until I tried to move. The watery fingers of early morning light peeked through the edges of his dark curtains. Hed pinned me against him and the mattress with his leg and arm. I tried to be annoyed. It would be easier if I was, to be honest, but I couldnt work through the msses-thick emotions threatening to choke me. Love. Greed. Need. I wanted to belong to him so very badly. Almost as overwhelming was the equal need for him to belong to me. And that was so very dangerous. I wiggled out from under his arm and he moaned into my ear. Where are you going? You said youd stay tonight. And I did. Its morning. No. The word was more of a moan and rumbled through his chest and along my back. I missed the whole thing? We were a little tired. There were many little boys and girls, and a very excited one who didnt want to go to sleepst night. Thena nightmare. He curled his arm under me and danced his fingertips over my inner thigh. There was also another not-so-little girl who tired me out. You wouldnt be calling me fat, would you? God, no. Perfect. He skimmed his finger over my thigh to my hip and cupped my ass to shift us even closer. You fit me in every way. I bit back a moan. Sex is easy, Seth. Were good at that. Yeah, we are. Its more than that and you know it. I stiffened and tried to wiggle free again. I didnt want to hear this now. Not when he was all soft and rumbly with sleep. When he could say things he didnt mean. I longed to hear them so badly, and it was way too easy to believe him while my shields were down. Exactly why I didnt want to stay the night with him. Pillow talk was dangerous. Recriminations were even worse. He rolled me over and nudged my thighs open. Seth. I wasnt sure I could resist him and he must have heard the warning in my voice. He settled down until I couldnt move, but he didnt slip inside. He could have. He was hard and I was weak when it came to this part of us. Instead, he cupped my face. I love that you slept with me all night. That you allowed me to fill you up and hold you close. That even now we may have a family growing between us. But thats not all this is about. It hasnt been for a damn long time. I closed my eyes. I couldnt face those dark eyes. I knew he loved me in his way. The hugeness of our history would always be full ofplicated emotions. But there had been so many changes around us and between us. Ally. His voice was low and patient. I tried to move my hips a little. Maybe I could distract him. He groaned and buried his face in my neck. No fair. And Im not letting you distract me. Open your eyes, babe. The different endearment startled me enough for my eyes to pop open. Yesterday hed called me baby. Now babe. The couples vibes were everywhere, but I didnt dare believe them. If I did and he was just being affectionate-like he might be with a friend he loved but wasnt in love with and liked bang ing-I wasnt sure I could survive it. There you are. Dont shut me out. I dont like it. Thats not what were about. Weve always had each others back. I know. I hated that my voice was so tentative and shaky. He was right. I was the one changing things, not him. Well, minus his insane idea that had started all of this in the first ce. But I was the one who couldnt box up my emotions when it came to him any longer. Things are different now. Not for me.? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. Well, they sure as hell were for me. Could he not see that? Was this ever going to work between us if I had to pretend every day? I leaned up to kiss him. To distract him so I could finally get some much-needed space, but he turned away from me. Distracting me again. I dont just want this. I love this part of us, but the family were creating is even more important. For Laurie, I said on an unsteady breath. Not just Laurie. For us. We both came from families that were a hot mess. I want Laurie to have an amazing mom as well as a sister. Thats because of you. I swallowed down the huge lump in my throat. Id never believed I would be a mom. His little girl was more than I could ever hope for. And if I couldnt have all of Seth, at least Id have a part of him. At least a child between us could be enough. I learned from the best. I blinked away the rush of tears. You sure did. I wanted your mom to adopt me. One of the many reasons I want you in Lauries life. Cant you see how perfect this is? How we are? Im so not my mother. Youre even better. I tried to shift him off me. Stop. I dont need you to butter me up. I already said yes. Thats not what this is. He let me up but didnt move away. He reached for me, gripping my hair and dragging my gaze up to meet his. I couldnt imagine anyone else being the mother of my child. I wish you were Lauries mother too, but I cant wish away her mother because shes part of Laurie. And Laurie is perfect just the way she is. Yes, she is. But the fact you love her sopletely makes up for the rest. The rest. Aka his brief, shitty marriage. My chest tightened. It was my fault Marj had left. Hed just admitted as much. Every part of me wanted to roll into a ball. I was the reason that little girl didnt have a mother. He lowered his mouth to mine. Dont cry, baby. I know you miss your mom. I clung tighter to him, letting him believe the grief living inside me was because of my mother. I missed her desperately, but I also knew she was at peace. And she hadnt been for a long, long time. My tears mixed with his soft, sweet kisses. Because I didnt have it in me to say no. And because I needed this as much as I needed oxygen, I melted into him. Soft and gentle as rain. Maybe, just maybeas healing. I strained under him as we moved together faster. As the morning light streamed over our bed, with Seth braced over me, I wound my legs and arms around him as if Id never let go. When he came inside me, I held nothing back. He nearly shouted out his release when I lifted my mouth to swallow it down inside me. I held that too. I held every piece of him close. I trailed my fingers up his back until his breathing evened. I liked the stillness of the morning and my brain was too wired to drift off again no matter how tired I was. I sifted my fingers through his shaggy hair. The dark curls twined and teased my skin. Even in sleep, he was hard to ignore. A thud from out in the hallway made him jump. Laurie? I kissed his temple and slid out from under him. Ill get her. Go back to sleep. Are you sure? His dark eyes were blurry and unfocused, but the father in him was ready to get up and take care of his little girl. It melted my heart even more. Yes. Well make some breakfast. He curled his arm under the pillow and slid the rest of the way off me with a low groan. That sounds amazing. Ill be down in just a few He didnt even finish the sentence. Iughed and pulled the sheet up over his distracting ass. I slipped out of his bed and darted for the bathroom. Id fallen asleep wearing his T-shirt, but it was hopelessly wrinkled. I tossed it into the hamper and nced at the huge ss shower. Those jets would probably feel amazing. A second thump from down the hall and Lauries exaggerated shush put an end to that fantasy. I cleaned up as best I could before rummaging in Seths drawers for something to wear. I hadnt packed an overnight bag, so a pair of boxers and a T-shirt would have to do. I darted out the door, closing it quietly behind me. Down the hall, Lauries door was open and her dolls and Care Bears were arranged around a white table. A stic tea set from one of her friends was set up ever so carefully. Except for the teapot that had somehow ended up under Lauries bed. Lauries tousled blond hair was a halo of snarls around her head. She was searching around the room, picking up toys and discarding them. Under your bed. Ally! Her huge blue eyes went wide and she pped her mouth shut. Shhh, she said through her fingers. I tried not tough. Nothings going to wake your dad up right now. But if youre looking for your teapot, it somehow got under your bed. Share Bear was very rude. It came out more like berry rood, but she was too adorable to correct. One Hundred & Twenty-Six Allys [POV] She was a super smart kid and often spoke in a manner that seemed far beyond her years. But sometimes she was just a four-year-old. Well, thats not good. Why dont you grab it and well go down and make some breakfast for Daddy? Laurie crawled across her rainbow rug to the ruffle of her bed. There you are. You are, I corrected. Thats what I said. I snorted. She picked up her teapot and set it on the table then proceeded to take each of her stuffed animals off the table. You can bring down one of your friends. She looked up at me with her arms full of Care Bears. But Ally. Were going to make pancakes. It gets too I trailed off when she dropped three out of the four in her arms and ran for the door. Sticky. I crossed my arms. Laurie? She halted. Yes? Is that how you treat your toys? She scrunched up her face and hugged Share Bear tighter. Um, yes? I dont think so. She sighed dramatically. Okay, but only because I should put my friends on my bed. She set Grumpy Bear and Leo on the bed. There, just like Daddy. Grumpy? No. Friends in bed. All snuggled like you and Daddy. My eyes widened and I choked. Uh, lets go downstairs, okay? Okay. Can we have chocte chip pancakes? How about a banana? She put Share Bear in a headlock as we neared the stairs. Ohh. Ive never had those before. Never? We need to fix that ASAP. How about banana with peanut butter? She squinted up at me. I dont know. That sounds gross. Banana and Nute? Now were talking. Iughed and took her hand as we went down the stairs. Sounds like a n. When we got downstairs, I pulled out the ingredients for pancakes. Id been with Seth when he picked out all the things for his kitchen. I knew where almost everything was. Well, except for the cinnamon. I opened the doors and backtracked to the pantry. What are you looking for? Cinnamon. Oh. Laurie zoomed out of the kitchen into the hallway. She came back with a white bag full of supplies. She couldnt quite lift it, so she dragged it along the floor. Daddy went to the store for cookies stuff. Thank goodness for Daddy, I murmured as I reached for the bag. I got it. I held up my hands. All right. I watched her as I pulled down the cast iron skillet and started the bacon. She huffed and I prayed the bag wouldnt explode as she dragged it over the threshold and every grout line of tile. When she stopped in front of me with the biggest smile ever, I decided right then and there that Id have cleaned up five pounds of flour and sugar for her withoutint. When did you get to be such a big girl? Im four, silly. You sure are. She looked up at me with the bag straining from her fingers. Okay, you can have it now. I lifted the bag onto the ind counter. Youre such a big girl, Im going to make you help me with the mixer. You are? Yep. Wheres your stool? She zipped away again and pushed the stool Seth had bought so she could help him cook. How many times had we both cooked dinner with her? A dozen. More? Had to be more. And yet Laurie seemed even taller now. She was growing out of her baby face and chubby legs and arms. My eyes misted. She wasnt even mine, but I was mourning the loss of the baby Idwell, Id helped raise. The nights when Seth was beside himself with worry, the triumphs, and even the meltdowns. Id been here with him more than not. Until my mom had taken a turn for the worse. There had been little room for anything other than her at the end and Id missed out on a lot with Laurie. I didnt realize how much Id missed this little girl until now. She climbed up on her chair, then held up her hand. Oh. Forgot. She mbered down and I had to stop myself from helping her as her feet dangled before she dropped to the floor. Instead, I busied myself with flipping the bacon and pulling off more strips from the package. I tightened my hold on the tongs when she skimmed too close to the counter. She was so very independent. Allowing her to do things for herself was one of the hardest things Id had to learn. She made a beeline for the far wall. There were two adult-height hooks with a ck and white apron on each, then a shorter one adorned with fairy wings that held a smock and two child-sized aprons. One purple with yellow flowers and a hot pink one with white butterflies. Laurie went right for the pink. I grinned and followed her. Think your Daddy would mind if I borrowed his? No. Just dont touch Unca Ollies ck ones. He no like people touching his stuff. I grabbed the white one and looped it over my head. Seth was quite a few inches taller than me, so I had to tuck it up a little higher before wrapping the strings around my waist. Laurie pulled the pink strap over her head and twisted around in circles to try and get the ties around the back. When she made three rotations, she finally huffed. Can you help me? Iughed and crouched down in front of her. Of course. Turn around. She spun around and lifted her hair out of the way. She smelled of baby shampoo and watermelon. I dragged her in for a quick squeeze and tickle. She giggled until I lifted her to set her on the chair. I can do it! I know you can, but I need to get you in front of the mixer real quick. Your dad is goinge down as soon as he smells bacon and coffee. I reached for the coffeemaker that was always full and ready to go in the morning. One thing Seth never skimped on was his java. Laurie wrinkled her nose. Coffee is gross. Coffee is heaven, but its not for little girls. Im a big girl. Yes, but not quite big enough for coffee. She made a little humming sound. I do want it anyway.From N?velDrama.Org. Coffee is mana from heaven. The deep voice behind me made my skin instantly flush. Seth slipped his arms around my waist and dragged me back against him. He tucked his chin into my neck. I thought I liked the T-shirt, but those boxers are giving me ideas. Right then, I was very d I had an apron on. I elbowed him and Laurie giggled. Hi, Daddy. Hi, Munchkin. What are you making? Were gonna make nana pancakes, she said. Banana pancakes? I could go for those. He flicked his finger under the apron and stroked across my belly. Are you having a craving maybe? I rolled my eyes and slipped out of his arms. I felt weird cuddling with him in front of Laurie. Weird because I wanted it so very badly. Her eyes tracked over us and a lopsided smile tugged at her lips. Daddy has scruffles. I slid my palm over my neck. He does. You have red marks all over. Did Daddy y tickle monster with you? Seth snorted and covered hisugh by turning toward the bacon on the stove. Dont eat all of the bacon. I nced over my shoulder and sure enough, he had a piece in his mouth. Just one. I moved to Laurie and poured flour and cinnamon into the mixer. I can do it! I winced. Sorry, kiddo. You can crack the eggs. Hang onto your chair. Mkay. I swung over to the fridge for supplies and with my arms full, I couldnt avoid Seths ambush. He cupped my face and settled a soft kiss on my lips. He tasted like toothpaste and bacon and all of that was wrapped in his toasted sugar scent. Daddy! Lauries giggle filled the room. Sorry. He turned and did the same to his daughter, you know, without the tongue part though. My system had little time to readjust from the highest highs of touching him, and sleeping with him all night, and now to domesticity. It was all so jarring. For so long wed made sure to keep things tonic. Id been careful not to allow our interactions in front of Laurie to be too familiar and now it seemed like every boundary was gone. Was it just my imagination? Or maybe I just wanted it that much. Ally, we need to start making the pancakes. Right. I blinked out of my stupid overthinking moment and grabbed the bananas on my way by. I dumped all the fixings on the counter and went to work teaching Laurie how to make banana pancakes. By the time we were done, we both were covered in flour and my arms were dusted in cinnamon. The three of us soon figured out a system for the pour, flip, and finish of each silver dor pancake. Seth stole a kiss when I passed him the cup of Nute. Hey. None of that. He leaned down with a smile and nibbled at the corner of my mouth. Was just getting the bit of chocte there. Uh-huh. I flicked out my tongue to find hed been telling the truth. Now, dont tease a man. I have other things I want to do with that tongue. My stomach jittered and my heart pounded. Before he could lean down again-and God, did I want him to-Laurie yelled from the dining room for the chocte spread. Coming, Seth said against my mouth. Not yet. His smile slid from sweet to calcting. Oh, Ill fix that soon enough. Daddy! Iid my hand against his chest. Go on. Well finishter. Oh, you will. Again and again. I swallowed as he backed through the swinging door. I quickly washed my sticky hands and grabbed the bacon to follow him when I caught the telltale colors of our high school on an envelope stuffed in the napkin holder on the counter. I set the bacon down and slid the card out. Seths bold checkmark was the first thing I saw. I scanned upward and my stomach pitched. Reunion. God, how could it be ten years already? Ten years and Id done absolutely nothing. I dropped the invitation and had to curl my fingers into my palm. For Gods sake, they were shaking. One Hundred & Twenty-Seven Allys [POV] Seth pushed his way back into the kitchen. Whats taking you so long? Your pancakes are going to be ice-cold. I looked up at him. Hey. Are you okay? He rushed forward and slid his hand along my hip. Fine. Just gotta get the bacon. He frowned down at me. I know that fake smile. Thats the one you give Patty Duncan when shes gossiping. Its nothing. His gaze slid down to the counter. I forgot, I was going to mention that to you. I wasnt sure if they were forwarding mail to your new ce. I gave Jill your new address, but I wasnt sure if you got the invite. He stroked his thumb over the raised type on the card. Im excited to see people. Yeah. My voice was t, and I had to tamp down my astonishedugh. No way did I want to go back and see those people. The high school held a lot of crappy memories for me. My mom was sick on and off, along with generally just felt as if I didnt fit in. Id never reallye to terms with being the best friend of one of the most popr guys in school. Not that Seth tried to win over people. He just attracted them without effort. He was the anti-me in so many ways. He picked up the bacon. Yeah, Brad and JT texted me. Theyreing in from California. The Three Musketeers ride again. Come on, lets eat. Right. I followed him and tried to shake off the dread filling my chest. Seth set the bacon down as he filched another piece. Hey, Munchkin. Did I ever tell you that Ally and I went to school together? Laurie was nibbling around a misshapen pancake on her fork. A ring of chocte stained her lips. Mmm. Big kids school? Or like me.From N?velDrama.Org. Half-day pre-K is almost big kids school. I smiled. We went to high school together. Youll go to high school in about forty years. Lauries mouth rounded and Iughed. Not quite forty, but close. Dont want you to grow up too fast, munchkin. He took a bite from his te and popped another piece of bacon in his mouth. These are good. Then he pushed his chair in so he could round the table to go to the hutch. My stomach dropped as he licked his fingers and pulled out the yearbook standing beside his senior picture. He still loved looking back on those glory days. God, you still have that? He grinned and sat down at the table. He pushed tes out of the way and flipped pages. Of course I do. He spun the book to show his daughter. Do you remember Daddys friends? Brad and JT? Laurie cocked her head. I do think so. He was grinning down at the picture of thecrosse team. I remembered how amazing he looked on the field. All those muscles and aggression wrapped in a boy bing a man. And now he was so much more than the cocky kid on the field. And me? Not at all. I was stuck in the same time as if ten years hadnt gone by at all. Before I could stop it, I blurted out my disbelief. You want to see those people again? All those judgy people. Heughed and looked up from the pages. Well, most of them are still in town with us. Not like its a big deal. Besides, I have everything I could want. He swiped his hand over Lauries head and then tickled behind her ear. Laurie grinned around a slice of banana. I stabbed at my pancake and forced down a few bites. Of course, he did. All the things he wanted were right in front of him. And me? I was looking in on the world again. The almost family behind ss. I was good enough to make a baby with him and to help take care of his daughter, but I wasnt part of them. Not really. He flipped the page. Oh, man. Remember those letters we had to write to our future selves? God. I dont even remember what I wrote. I certainly did and it made everything worse. I pushed back from the table and picked up empty tes. Id barely eaten, but my stomach was twisting so much I couldnt choke down anymore. Done, sweetie? Laurie was poking at the banana on her te instead of eating. She set her fork on her te with a nod. Seth didnt look up from the glossy pages. I got it. You cooked. I can clean up. I nodded. Okay. I need to go upstairs and get dressed. What? He stood, closing the book. Why? I thought we were going to hang out today. I didnt agree to that. I have to work. As it is, Ill probably catch him-um, heck-for beingte. He nced down at his watch. You dont usually go in until ten. I swallowed. I couldnt be around him right now. Too many memories were bumping into my pathetic reality. I need a shower and to go home and get dressed. He sighed. Are you sure you cant call in? Some of us dont have that kind of luxury. Seth blew out a breath. Dammit, you know I didnt mean it that way. Dor to the swear jar! Laurie chirped happily. I wiped my fingers on my napkin and pressed a kiss on top of Lauries head. You tell him, kiddo. Thanks for helping me cook this morning. She grinned up at me with chocte smeared all over her face. Thanks, Ally. Daddy will wash your face. I gave him a pointed look and escaped. Not that I got too much of a head start. Five minutester, he was bounding upstairs with The Care Bears ring from the living room. Id slipped into my dress from the night before. Hello, walk of shame. Do you have to go? I do. I didnt want to turn and look at him. He was too good at making me forget just what this was between us. I had to remind myself that we werent a happy little family. No matter how much I wanted it to be so. He crossed to me. Can youe back tonight? Im tired, Seth. He tugged me into his arms and linked his arms to my lower back. We have babymaking to aplish. One more reminder. Thanks, buddy. I pushed out of his arms. Can we take tonight off? Is everything okay? He slid his fingers into my hair and turned me toward him. Fine. Im just tired. Someone didnt let me sleepst night. Please dont see my fake smile. Just let me get out of here. Id like to not let you sleep again tonight. He tipped up my head and pressed a kiss on my lips. I closed my eyes and let him kiss me. I almost let myself slide back into him. Back into the status quo, we found without skipping a beat. I cupped his face and ended the kiss. Tomorrow, okay? He sighed and pressed his forehead to mine. All right. I have a ton of meetings tomorrow anyway. I guess I should get ready for them. The birthday party kind of took over. See? Perfect. I swallowed down the lump in my throat and stepped back. Ill text youter. He frowned and twisted his fingers around mine. All right. Grabbing my purse, I strode out of the room and jogged downstairs. I didnt wait for him. I couldnt. Not if I wanted to leave. I stopped in and said goodbye to Laurie, but she barely looked away from the screen. The Care Bears were far too enthralling. He followed me to the door and dragged me back before I could go down the front porch steps. The kiss was hot and heavy and the lump in my throat grew evenrger. So much that I thought I was going to choke. I wouldnt cry. It wasnt his fault I didnt know how to keep up with how things were supposed to be. I wasnt supposed to want more. I pulled back and smiled. Ill see ya. His smile was soft and sweet and it took everything inside me not to let the tears brim over. See ya tomorrow. Sure. I turned to leave and he snagged my hand. Hey. The munchkins graduation? God, Id almost forgotten. Of course. I wouldnt miss it. Are you okay? His eyebrows lowered. Yes. Just cant believe shes growing so fast. I sniffed. At least these tears made sense as far as Seth was concerned. Right now I was more than willing to hide my face in his shoulder. Shes getting to be such a big girl. Heughed. Im so d Im not the only one freaking out. Not just you. But if I didnt get out of there I was going to melt down and that wouldnt work. Hed never believe it was just Laurie growing up on us. Him. Me. Sort of. God, what a damn mess. I stepped back again. Ive got to work. All right. But hey, wear something extra pretty. Not that youre ever anything else of course. He kissed my temple. But I want to show off my girls. Ill do my best. There was no way I was going to be able to hold off all the emotions running amok in my damn head. I ran down the driveway to my car. I turned to wave at him. As soon as he went back inside, they fell. I couldnt have stopped them if I wanted to. One Hundred & Twenty-Eight Allys [POV] I sat in my car nibbling on oyster crackers from my stash from the diner. Id been aplete wreck the whole night and anything I ate this morning made me nauseous. Oliver and Seth stood together under the stately oak tree at the edge of the property. Main Street was alive with pedestrian traffic thanks to the shops, and the forty or so parents trying to wrangle children. One of Lauries boyfriends-the girl had a few-had escaped for theke. Westons dad, Dare Kramer, had him tucked under his arm as he hauled him back up to the white folding chairs. He was a handful, but Dare was patient if a little frazzled most of the time. Another single dad stepped up when needed. There were far too few of them in this world. All the little perfect pieces of the town I loved so much. The perfect ce to raise a kid. Id been doing it for years, and now Seth was dangling it in front of my face. It was so hard to say no to. Especially because of the little girl twirling around between the twin brothers. So different, and so much the same. Even here, both of them were dressed for work and somehow were on the opposite ends of the spectrum. Seth with hisid-back summer-weight zer in a perfectly eptable wheat color over dark jeans and a white dress shirt sans tie. And then there was Oliver, who looked like he was about to head into the city for a meeting with people on Wall Street. His navy Seville Rowe suit was crisp and perfect even with the sun beating down on them. The only thing that matched the two men was the indulgent smiles of Seths daughter. She was full of happiness from the color purple and pink dress with butterflies dotting the hem, to her slightly crooked blond braids. Somehow Laurie had turned into a little girl instead of staying the baby Id helped to raise. Even when Id drifted away from them for a few months, she was so much mine in more ways than I ever wanted to face. Why the hell couldnt I just calm down about all of this? Let things happen as they happened. Because you love him madly. I slumped down in my seat and cursed when Laurie spotted me. No turning back now. I took a swig from my water to swallow the paste the crackers had be in my dry mouth. I swung the door open and caught Laurie against my leg before she could knock me down. Hiya, munchkin. Yay, you came. Of course I did. I wouldnt miss it. I crouched down in front of her and smoothed a flyaway blond curl around her ear. I love your dress. Daddy got it for me. Did you guys go shopping together? Yes. She buried her face into my neck and looped her arms around my neck. Do I have to go up there? Iughed and wobbled on my heels thanks to the gravel path. No. You dont have to. But dont you want to go up there and show your dad what a big girl you are? She shook her head against my shoulder. I swung her up into my arms. Yes, you do. Youll be up there with all your friends. And you want to show off your pretty dress, right? Yeah. Her voice was small but less scared. See? Oh, and you get a diploma. Just like the big girl you are. Diploma? I shifted her onto my hip. Yep. A paper that says you are a very important little girl. Even though we already know you are, right Dad? Seths eyebrows shot up behind his aviators. Of course. He gave his little girl a huge smile. What are we doing? he asked out of the side of his mouth. Shes a big girl now. Shes going up on stage to get her diploma. Oh, right. Definitely. I cant wait to take a million pictures of you, munchkin. He poked his finger into her side and she wiggled in my arms. No, Daddy. Okay, maybe one hundred pictures? She giggled. No. Ten is good. Sethughed. Ten, huh? Yes. One for you, one for me, one for Grandpa, one for Ollie She put her hand against my cheek. One for Ally. Shes just like a mama, right? I nearly dropped her. Seth moved in close to me and slid his hand down my back. Would you like that, baby girl? Big girl, Laurie said quickly. Sorry. My big girl. Seth brought his hand up to my ponytail and stroked it absently. Our big girl. Laurie leaned into me and tangled her fingers in the chain of my arrow ne at the nape of my neck. I would. Then she reached up to her dad. A lot, a lot. I swallowed down a lump threatening to strangle me. Seth hugged us closer to him. Id like it a lot, a lot too. I looked up at him, but couldnt see exactly what was going on behind his mirrored sses. But his familiar scent of smoky sugar and coffee mixed with the watermelon scent of Laurie made my head spin. Did he have any idea what he was saying? Was he saying it? I opened my mouth, but screeching feedback from the podium cut me off.All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. Laurie winced and pped her hands over her ears. Loud. A woman in a bright yellow dress leaned into the microphone. Parents, were just about ready to begin. How about that? Its time to begin. Ally and Uncle Ollie will be sitting with me right there. Seth pointed to the left side of the folding chairs. Lets bring you up there, okay? He swung her out of my arms and up high in the air. My pretty girl is graduating today. Sheughed and clutched at his arms. Carry me, Daddy? You got it. He turned back to me. Ill meet you up there? I nodded and blinked back the sudden wash of tears threatening again. God, hadnt I cried enoughst night? I met Oliver at the chairs and noted that only the three of them were reserved. None for me? Oliver looked up from his phone. He took the program off the chair to his left. I saved you a seat. Wheres your father? I sat down and crossed my legs under my long summer dress. Olivers jaw flexed. Not here. Right. I swallowed and turned my attention to Seth and Laurie. How many times had the elder Hamilton bailed on these things? And yet there was Seth, bent down talking to Laurie as the teacher lined them up. He never missed a single event for her. Somehow I knew he was giving her a pep talk. A single fatherpletely devoted to his little girl. Even if his father and mother had been less than ideal in that arena, Seth had excelled in parenting. So much so that she was afraid shed never live up to his ideals there. He headed back to them with a sweet backward wave to his daughter before he took the seat beside me. His knee bounced as he cracked his knuckles. He scrubbed his palm down his thigh with augh. Im nervous. Crazy, right? First of many graduations. I smiled up at him. He flipped his hand, palm up, and spread his fingers. I guess youll just have to hold my hand through all of them. My throat clogged again, but I couldnt resist the gesture. Iced my fingers with his and turned to watch our little girl. For the first time, I felt like we could be a unit and it scared the crap out of me. One Hundred & Twenty-Nine Seths [POV] What was that old saying? Can never go home again? I was learning that applied even when youd never left your hometown. The old homestead wasnt all you couldnt return to. You also couldnt go back to high school and pretend you were still eighteen when all you cared about were the three Ps-partying Pabst, and pussy. I still loved pussy. Allys in particr. I sat back in my chair and rubbed my forehead. I didnt want any other. Ever. Christ, lightning bolts hurt. This one had jabbed me before, causing sizzling little bursts of revtion-usually quickly ignored-but now reality speared me between the eyes. We werent just making a baby. We were making a living. I think we need to go out the night before the reunion and get fucking trashed, JT said on the phone, and I grunted. Not in agreement. Not in approval. Nope. Wasnt gonna happen. I have a kid, you know. I cant just spend the night getting lit. So what? I might have a kid out there too, somewhere. You dont see it slowing me down, man. JTughed heartily and I swallowed a sigh. Id called JT to rehash old times while I ate half a turkey sandwich at my desk in between meetings with clients. Afterward, I intended to bike ride down to the bank before my te of appointmentster in the afternoon. It was a nice day out. Maybe Id even stop at the bakery and see if they had any of those half-moons Ally liked. If I brought a couple to the diner, maybe shed soften up enough to talk to me. It had been several days since shed left my ce in a rush. Surely by now, she had to be over the whole wanting space thing. Or whatever it was. Her weirdness had started right around when shed found that reunion invitation. But that didnt make sense. Shed had a good time in high school too. Or so Id thought. All I knew was that right now, JT wasnt funny, and I wasnt feeling the old-times gig as much as Id expected. Maybe because the best part of my past was also part of my present-and hopefully my future. Yeah, well, mine lives with me, and Im not going out to get wasted. Shes already spent the night with her uncle once this month. So what? Kid needs some freedom. Freedom like I had? My dad never gave a shit if I was home, but I better not do anything to tarnish the precious family name. Even as I said the words, I regretted them. My dad could be thoughtless, and he definitely wouldnt win the father of the year award, but he hadnt been a bad parent. At least hed stuck around, unlike my mother. Unlike Lauries. Fuck, were we doomed to repeat every pattern in our lives? Just like Id pulled a page out of my fathers ybook by paying off Marjorie, Id tried it again with that stupid contract. I yanked out my top desk drawer where the contract still resided. I was going to set that stupid thing on fire. Ally and I didnt need signatures between us. We werent about that. We made our own damn rules. Look, dude, Im just saying itd be fun if we cut loose and partied as we did in the old days. But if youre not cool with that, then I and Brad will just see you at the reunion.All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. Thats probably a better idea. Maybe we can get a beer afterward, I added, though I already knew that probably wouldnt be happening. Ally would be with me, and shed been ufortable when the subject of high school hade up. I wasnt entirely sure why, but it didnt matter. If she didnt want to do the whole reunion thing, wed make our appearances, talk to a few people, and split. I preferred spending the night with her and my little girl anyway. Sure, man, whatever you want. Im just d to be seeing you and Brad again. Ive been missing those old days something fierce. Nothings been like them, you know? We had the life back then. His words were still echoing in my head after Id hung up. Id had fun going down memoryne for a few minutes the other day, but perhaps I didnt need that st from the past as much as Id thought. My present was pretty damn awesome. I pushed aside the remnants of my turkey sandwich and flipped open the folder. I would tear up the contract. And in case of Ally didnt get how serious I was about her-about us-Id bring the damn thing back to her in pieces. Maybe then shed rx a little and let things happen. If that was even what she wanted. My gaze scanned the page on top automatically. Shed faxed over the house paperwork separately, so the only thing that should be in this folder was the contract Id given her. And it was, all signed, sealed, and delivered. Just not with her name. Your Ally Cat was written in her tight little scrawl, and fuck if it didnt make me smile. She was mine, and she had been since high school. And if we went to that reunion together, there wasnt a person there who wouldnt know it. Especially her. I shoved the folder across the desk and rose. Nope, I wasnt going to tear up the contract. Not where I had it in writing that she was mine. Id take proof in whatever way I could get it. She wasnt going to shut me out forever. Id made it halfway to the door when Oliver swung into the room, his briefcase in one hand and his eyebrow already climbing for greatness. So you drove her away, hmm? Frowning, I stopped dead. Drove who away? Why, Alison, of course. Shes the only woman in your life, isnt she? Perhaps not. Oliver moved forward to sit on the corner of my desk. That would exin the secrecy. You have to know friends with benefits never work out well long-term. Or maybe you dont. Consider it free advice. Just another of Olivers- You dont have any friends, so what would you know about it? I muttered, not caring if the jab hurt. My brother certainly never worried over much about his pointed remarks in my direction. Olivers Life Lessons, he called them. I usually offered a lifted middle finger as thanks. I know Alison has called out sick all week to work and Sage grew desperate enough to ask me if Id seen her. I indicated I had not. Shes not warming your bed either. As if hed dropped a giant weight onto my shoulders, I returned to my desk and sank into my chair. Shes called in? She never does that. Maybe she isnt feeling well. Hope bloomed inside me as I did some quick calctions. It was early, but possible. She could be feeling some twinges if something had taken root. But she hadnt called me. I reached for my desk phone just as Oliver snatched up the folder. And started to read while I stared almost unseeingly at him. My slowness to react had to do with the possibility Ally could be pregnant. That was the only reason I had for not leaping to my feet and yanking the folder out of my snoop of a brothers hands. Well, now, isnt this interesting? A baby contract. Is Ally feeling the need to procreate? She is nearing thirty. I can see why shed want to move on that sooner rather thanter. Give me that, you jackass. And no, Ally wasnt feeling anything. I was the one who wanted the baby. As if hed dropped a giant weight onto my shoulders, I returned to my desk and sank into my chair. Shes called in? She never does that. Maybe she isnt feeling well. Hope bloomed inside me as I did some quick calctions. It was early, but possible. She could be feeling some twinges if something had taken root. But she hadnt called me. I reached for my desk phone just as Oliver snatched up the folder. And started to read while I stared almost unseeingly at him. My slowness to react had to do with the possibility Ally could be pregnant. That was the only reason I had for not leaping to my feet and yanking the folder out of my snoop of a brothers hands. Well, now, isnt this interesting? A baby contract. Is Ally feeling the need to procreate? She is nearing thirty. I can see why shed want to move on that sooner rather thanter. Give me that, you jackass. And no, Ally wasnt feeling anything. I was the one who wanted the baby. One Hundred & Thirty Seths [POV] Olivers brows snapped down as he peered at me over the folder I wasnt getting back unless I wrestled him to the ground-and that might end up happening. I think you better cut back on those vitamins youve been taking. That ginseng-Biloba must be messing with your wiring. My wiring is just fine. You have a baby. Why would you want another? Laurie is four. Hardly a baby. And Im not justifying my decisions to you. I narrowed my eyes. Why is it so shocking that Id want another kid? The first one came out pretty damn good. She did, but one is plenty. What do you think youre going to do? Quit your job and y house husband? He nced at the contract. Seems like you just want her eggs and want her gone. Paying for her school, huh? Guess that exins why Sage mentioned her applying for sses in New York City. Free ride. Oliver probably kept talking, but I wasnt listening anymore. All I could hear in my head on a constant loop was that shed applied for school in New York City. Miles and miles away. I had no right to feel hurt. That had been what Id suggested all along. Wed make a baby, then she could go to school wherever she wanted. In the back of my mind, Id always known it was a real possibility whether I gave her the funding or not. Ally mentioned wanting to split town was less frequent these days, but now and then, it still came up. She wanted a fresh start. Hell, she deserved one. My money could give her that. Equal exchange. And hey, she could alwayse to see our kid on weekends and breaks and holidays. The city was only a little over four hours away. Not that far at all. Fuck. I mmed my fist into the desk, barely registering the sting. Oliver shut the folder. Didnt know she was applying to schools in New York City? No. I mean, I told her anywhere was fair game. You told her. As if she isnt an unencumbered adult capable of making her own choices. I stayed silent for that one. The truth hurt as much as my now aching knuckles. Dont know if you know this, but Dad paid off mom. My head snapped up. What? She didnt just take off. They made a deal. Hed finance her lifestyle elsewhere if she didnt try to take him for half in the divorce, thereby forcing him to expose her cheating and other misdeeds in court. Neither of them wanted messy, so she went for it. Last I knew, she was living in Cabo with her new family. Cabo? I rubbed my thumb between my eyes. Who the hell lives in Cabo? Our mother does. From what Ive heard, we have a younger half-sister too. Unsubstantiated, of course. Dad isnt exactly forting on the subject, and the inte coughs up only so much. I didnt say anything. My mind was so full of Ally that I couldnt focus on anything else. If she missed work, she mustve gone to New York to scope out schools. There was no other exnation. If she was truly sick, she wouldve been home with Sage. And she didnt have any other friends in town shed stay with. Nor did her budget extend to spur-of-the-moment vacations. I did drive her away. Somehow. I braced my elbow on the desk and raked a hand through my hair. I dont know how to do this. Every time I think were getting somewhere, we lose even more ground. Hamilton men are meant to be single file. Normally Iughed off Olivers certainty in that direction. For a long time, Id been half-convinced of the very same thing. Not anymore. Meant to end up like Dad, you mean? Bitter and alone, with only his money to keep himpany? Oliver adjusted his tie. He has two rather strapping sons as well. One more so than the other. Keep trying with your workout routine. Persistence is key. I tipped back in my chair. Fuck, Ol, how do I fix this? No sooner had the words left my mouth, than I shook my head. No. Never mind. I did not ask for your advice. Theres desperate and then theres suicidal. Maybe I should fix this.From N?velDrama.Org. What? No. God, no. Hisughter was rich and throaty, like any good movie viin. Seriously, man, pull yourself together. I thought you only wanted to use her eggs. And from the way you were making out the other day at Lauries party, he cleared his throat, Im going to guess you already achieved liftoff there. We werent making out. It was a kiss. We just kissed. Hmm, and here I thought you knew how babies were made already. Oliver whisked his fingers over the hairline straight seam of his trousers. That might exin a lot. Despite everything, Iughed. Why are you still here? Because you need help, and Im a giver. You dont even like Ally. I dont know why, but you dont. You are as dense as a two-by-four without all the uses. He gave a heavy sigh when I stared at him. I was jealous. Possibly. Of Ally? Why? Not of Ally, per se. Of your rtionship with her. The two of you have always been a unit against the world. Before Ally, it was you and me, in case youve forgotten. Its different with Ally. No kidding. But you never fully realized just how much. I shook my head. No. Not until now. Even Marj- I stopped. You introduced me to Marj. Kept telling me she would be great for me. Oliver shrugged and set aside the folder beside my sandwich wrapper on my messy desk. I never thought youd knock her up. Or marry her. One kind of led to the other, I said drily. Yes, well, some of us know how to bag it up. Then again, youre going bag-free intentionally now, so theres no understanding you, brother. Oliver rose and nced down at me with all the paternalism being two minutes older brought to bear. Let me try to fix this. No. Not. You dont even know what the issue is, and Im supposed to let you sweep in and muck things up even further? Shes left you without a word. What further muck can I cause? I had no answer for that. As for not knowing the issue, its fairly clear. You made up a nonsense reason to sleep with her that didnt require brutal honesty, and now youve finally realized youre in love with her. Thatsplete- I exhaled. urate. Now youll be stuck with a kid too when all you had to do was admit you wanted to fuck her. Like she wouldve said no. That woman has looked at you with heart eyes since day one. So not true. I drive her crazy. If she had heart eyes-whatever the fuck that is-she wouldnt run away from me every time I get near her. Its like I have a fungus or something. Oliver held up his hands, palms out. Officially entering territorybeled do not need to know. Iughed again. Oh, and the stuck with a kid part? Wrong. I want that kid with Ally more than anything. I want a family with her. Goddammit, we already are a family, and I want it to be official. Oliver shook his head. Oh no, you dont. I already reached my wedding quota with you, pal. One was awful enough. Another would be beyond the pale. I didnt say we were getting married. Yet. But now that the idea was rattling around in my head, I had to admit it wasnt displeasing. She was having my baby, assuming all went to n. Why not be my wife too? Why not? I repeated under my breath while my brother gazed at me as if Id grown horns, a tail, and sprouted red skin. Before you hear wedding bells, Romeo, you need a bride. Yours is currently MIA. I offered to help you, but if youre so certain you can continue to bungle this all on your own, then fine. Seth! We both nced toward the doorway as Sage scuttled into the room. That was a misnomer. A few days ago, Sage mightve scuttled. Her self-confidence seemed to waver with the tide, and she often seemed content to hug the wall. One Hundred & Thirty-One Seths [POV] Today was a different story. She walked into my office with her head held high and her assets swaying. Visible swaying in her tight denim miniskirt and a top that barely covered her breasts. Not that I paid overmuch attention. Sage was a cute girl and I imagined she had gotten more than her share of catcalls on her way over here in that outfit but my eyes were solely on Ally. Now and forever. What are you wearing? Oliver demanded, shocking me almost as much as Sage, who had just noticed he also was in the room. Shed zeroed in on me at my desk like aser pointer. Pretty sure theyre called clothes. She sniffed at Oliver and returned her attention to me. Ally hasnt been to work for three days. She hasnt been at your house so you can impregnate her, has she? My eyebrows lifted. So much for assuming Ally had employed discretion regarding our activities. Thanks to Ally sharing with the diner patrons herical observations about my prowess the day after wed first had sex, Id understood it was known that we were lovers. But being lovers didnt mean babymaking necessarily. What has she told you? Are the private details besties confide in each other important? Im her best friend, and yes, they are. No, youre the best friend with a dick, which automatically slots you lower on ount of the dick. She likes my dick, thank you very much. Oliver stepped away. Awkward moment. If she liked it so much, why did she run away? She never misses work. And she hasnt slept in her bed. So whose bed is she sleeping in? Sage stepped forward and impaled my chest with a me-red nail. Huh? Thanks for the vivid picture, but I can guarantee shes probably sleeping alone and is perfectly safe. I tried to ignore the icy jabs of panic pricking between my ribs. Shes extremely level-headed. Sage made a noise in her throat. Until she hooked up with you. Since when do you hate me? I held out my arms. I always thought we were good. You could hurt her, so I have you under a very watchful eye, buddy. If shes with child, she doesnt need additional stress from your inconsistency. With child? Oliver snorted. Wee, Madonna. Oh, and Ill have you know, Seth said they only kissed. The virgin birth, is it now? I did not say that. I said when you saw us never mind. As if Id never spoken, Sage whirled on Oliver, swinging her hips in a way that made my brothers eyes re wide. Did I ask you? No. Why are you even here? Dont you have shameless hussies to lie with? Shameless hussies? The fifties ended a lot of time ago. Oh, and newssh. He dropped his gaze lewdly to her attire. Depending on point of view, you might fit into one of those categories youre casting aspersions on. I winced. Now he was going to get it. And he deserved it too. Instead, Sage beamed. Really? Do you honestly think so? She fluffed her hair. Im going for a new look. Wholesome hasnt been working for me. Why? Im hoping to encounter no-strings sex, she said matter-of-factly. Oliver smirked. Encounter it? Like sex is a living, breathing entity of its own? In my world, it might as well be. She nced back at me. Anyway, thats irrelevant right now. Im worried about Ally. I am too. But Im sure shes fine. Youve tried calling her? I dug out my phone. I hadnt done anything but text her now and then, wanting to give her time and space. No more. Yes. She worked on Sunday, and mentioned to me she was taking a few days of personal time. But she didnt book it with the boss, just keeps calling in sick. I dont know whats going on. You think she went to check out a school? Sage shrugged. Maybe. She didnt say much about that either. Just that she had to start going after what she wanted and she was interested in Baruch in the city. She tugged up her V-neck top. Maybe we should drive down there, scope out the situation? Scope out what situation? And I think we need a bit more to go on than to just pay a visit to some random school. Oliver nced at me. Im going to y a hunch, and if it pans out, Ill get back to you. Oh hell no, Sage said. Any hunches get routed through me. Shes my best friend. She pointed at me. Quiet, you. Youre the one who wouldnt know how to give a girl the fairy tale if someone gave you a picture book with directions. I stayed quiet. I was still tangled up thinking about my supposed inconsistency. And handing out fairy tales what the fuck was that about? Perhaps I was the cause of Ally being so wary to take the next step. Mainly because Id never told her I wanted to. But she was my closest friend. Surely she knew what I was thinking before I did. All of this had taken me by surprise. I was still feeling my way. Its not like I was some expert. Id never fallen in love with my best friend before. Never wanted to be with someone so much that everyone and everything else except my little girl paled inparison. So maybe I was screwing this up without even knowing it. By noting clean. By not being clear and saying the words. By not giving her the goddamn fairy tale. Im handling this on my own, Oliver told Sage. I may bepletely off-base. In any case, I have private business with Alison myself. I pushed my phone back into my pocket and crossed my arms. I was still working out the proper method of handling this, but the phone was not it. No fairy tales are granted there. What private business? I demanded. Private, Oliver repeated, already moving toward the door. If I find out anything, Ill be in contact. Sage chased after him. Ill tail you in my car if you dont tell me where youre going. Hisughter drifted down the hall. Honey, you couldnt keep up with me if you had a Ferrari. Stay here, pet. Pet? Sage spun around and propped her hands on her hips. Hes aplete jerk. How can you even stand him? I jerked a shoulder. Probablyes from sharing a womb. It creates a bond. Ugh. Sage flopped in the chair opposite my desk. Hes going to find her and make everything worse. She needs the womanly touch, not an interfering male. Ally knows her mind. She can handle Oliver. I gazed at the folder on my desk. My fingers were itching with the need to trace the words shed written. Your Ally Cat. I pulled out my phone again, ignoring Sages curious stare. While Oliver did his reconnaissance, I was going to make some preparations of my own. If she wasnt mine yet, she would be. Before I could dial, a knock sounded at my door. The door opened. Seth, the Parsons are on their way in to sign the papers for the My father broke off, his gaze alighting on Sage. Well, hello there, Sage. What a pleasure. I didnt expect to see you here. My fathers smile could have burned a hole through the ss. Hi, Mr. Hamilton. Im sorry to interrupt business. Sage was already jumping to her feet. No, no, youre never an interruption. Stay, please. He nced between us, a disturbing glinting into his eyes. I can talk to Sethter. I frowned. What the hell was his deal? He was always sweet as could be to Sage. He was kind to almost everyone in town except Ally, which royally pissed me off. Of course, Sages parents had justnded one hell of a nice deal when they recently sold their B&B to a developer who had ns to make sleepy Crescent Cove more cutting edge and more in line with the times. Whatever that meant. As much as I hated thinking my father was that shallow, this certainly wasnt the first time Id been confronted with the evidence that money was all that mattered to him. But it would be the first time I called him on it.From N?velDrama.Org. No, we need to talk right now. One Hundred & Thirty-Two Seths [POV] I rose and walked to the door. Sorry about the timing, I said to Sage as she sailed out. It cant be helped. Par for the course from a Hamilton, she said under her breath before turning a sunny smile on my father. Have a nice day, Sir. It was good seeing you again. You too, Sage. Dont be a stranger. Youre wee here anytime. With a bounce of her blond curls and a flounce of her non-flouncy skirt, she was off. I closed the door and turned back to my father. He raised an eyebrow and gestured with the Hamilton Realty folder in his hand. Why do I know this has nothing to do with the Parsons deal? Because unlike you, work isnt the center of my world. Forget center. Sometimes its barely even in your peripheral vision. Huffing out a breath, he sat in the chair Sage had vacated and crossed his legs. What is it now, Seth? I didnt sit. I leaned against the desk beside him and crossed my arms. Im starting a family with Ally. Wow, those words didnt burn my throat nearly as much as I feared. Not because they werent true, but because they were. Saying them to my father was acknowledging their truth. Their power. And from the expression on my dads face, I might as well have thrown down a gauntlet. Is this about that contract business? I didnt ask how he knew. In an office this small with paper-thin walls, he couldve easily overheard us talking. Which also meant Shelly had probably heard Ally and me having sex. That should probably embarrass me. And yet I wanted to tell the world she was mine, in every possible way. Even the graphic, inappropriate ones. Or Oliver could have told him. I wouldnt put it past my twin to have hopped on the phone with my dad the minute he walked out the front door of the building. But hed said he wanted to fix things with me and Ally. Telling my dad wouldnt fix anything. Then again, there was mywyer. Mywyer golfed every Sunday with my father and had a shark emblem on his golf shirt rather than an alligator. Talked to Artie, hmm? My father nced away, all the proof I needed. Dont be ridiculous. That would vite client confidentiality. Yep. Id called that one right. At least it hadnt been Oliver whod bbed. I didnt want to have to kick his ass after he was purportedly doing me a favor with Ally. Though, God, Id sunk low if I was epting his help. Olivers love life was even worse than mine. He went through women-like ties. He probably used ties with women, since his tastes veered toward the dominant side. Yet another thing I had no desire to ponder. That contract was a mistake. My father didnt reply for a long moment. But she signed on the dotted line, didnt she? She agreed to take money for your child. Just like Marjorie did. He lifted his head and narrowed his flinty eyes on mine. Women are all the same, Seth. You may think me wrong for offering a payout to your mother. The truth is, it was a test, and she failed. Ally didnt fail, and what the fuck kind of test is that to do on someone you love? You dont love her, my father scoffed. How the hell do you know? Because you didnt love Mom? Because I didnt love Marjorie the way I should? I loved your mother. You will never understand. Then tell me. Exin it to me. Im begging you. I spread my arms wide. Im standing right here, waiting. Listening. She wasnt faithful to me, he said in a nearly inaudible voice. Laughter ripped from my chest. So? You werent faithful to her either. Thats why we have that damn camp that you refuse to go near any longer. Which mistress lived there, Dad? He didnt look at me, just cracked his knuckles. It doesnt matter. Your mother was unfaithful first. She bore another mans child. He forged ahead before I could finish processing what hed said. Did he mean the daughter shed had with her new husband? Orworse? Do you even know if Laurie is yours? Did you ever ask for proof? he demanded. Though I knew the question was just his version ofshing out, it hit me square in the gut just the same. I started to respond, but he cut me off, his low voice as brutal as a whip. Or did she use her as a bargaining chip as your mother used you and your brother? I gripped the back of my neck. Laurie looks like me. Shes mine. But you know what? Even if she wasnt, it wouldnt matter. Deep down, it was true. I couldnt deny it would hurt like a bitch to find out she wasnt my child biologically. But Id get over it. Because she was mine in every way that counted, and I didnt need a useless slip of paper to prove it. Every time she called me Daddy, I knew the truth all over again. She was mine and I was hers. Against all odds, wed made a family. And now with Ally, hopefully, our family would expand. Sure, it wouldnt. My fatherughed mirthlessly. How much of your savings did you use to buy her safety from her mother? She wasnt in danger from Marj. Not physically. But neglect is just as hurtful. I wouldve emptied my bank ount to ensure my baby didnt have to deal with a parent who didnt want her. He lifted his head. So would I. I exhaled and moved around my desk, dropping into my chair. She didnt sign it. Ally. She wouldnt. Even when she said she had, it wasnt legal. She didnt want a contract between us. If Id been thinking straight hell, if Id been less of a coward I never would have either. When my father didnt speak, I leaned forward and braced my forearms on the desk. I dont know why you dont like her, but I hope to God its not for the reason I think. Because all these years, Ive told myself theres some good in you, some decency. If youve let your feelings about her bank ount color your attitude toward her all these years I trailed off before I said something I probably wouldnt regret. Defending Ally came before everything else except protecting my daughter. You would see it that way, he said tiredly, and I jerked up my head, shocked to hear the fatigue in his tone. My father was a bull of a man. Strong, healthy,rger than life in every way. Years had passed since Id looked at him and seen him as anything but a force of nature. Until now. Now the lines on his face seemed like a roadmap, where most of the best days of his life were behind him. I swallowed hard. Then exin it to me. Please. She has the power to break you. You just insinuated I dont love her, and now youre saying she could break me? I wanted to see if you truly knew your mind yet, or if you were just ying games with a future you werent ready for. His shoulders rxed. Maybe its finally time. Words left me. Justpletely vanished from my head. I was you once. He leaned back in his chair. I loved your mother more than was wise, and what did it get me? Christ, did everyone see what I couldnt when it came to me and Ally? I exhaled. What I didnt have the balls to acknowledge? You were smart enough to tread gently. Because you knew. You understood that once youmitted to her, there was no going back. I wasnt sure he was saying that as a positive thing, but I nodded. Youre right. There isnt. I love her and I want to spend the rest of my life with her. Coming clean didnt scare me anymore. The truth just filled me with a sense of rightness. Like Id been traveling down a road with my headlights off, and now Id finally turned them on. My future was right in front of me, and all I had to do was reach out and take it. And nurture it, care for it, and protect it with everything I was. My father nodded and steepled his hands over the folder in hisp. Does she feel the same? I dont know. I hope so. I think so, maybe. I blew out a breath. But if she doesnt, Im a patient man. Ill just keep at her until she has no choice. He surprised me byughing. Stubborn to a fault, you and your brother. Questions sprung to my mind about what hed said about my mother having a child with another man, questions I wasnt sure I was ready to hear the answers to. Not now.? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. Today Ally and Laurie and our future family were where my head was at. As well as my heart. Yeah. Not too bright when ites to pleasing a woman either, I added. My father coughed and I smiled. Not like that. Were both good there. Well, I know I am. Hes probably just all talk. He is about most things. My smile grew. I meant more about saying the words, giving out the romance. I kinda suck at that. Oprah, he said gravely. Iughed. What? She told women not to settle. Now they all want a free car and a fairy tale. Back to the fairy tale. The universe was trying to send me a message. I was listening. If any woman deserves one, its Ally. She deserves the big dream, all wrapped up in a big bow. Maybe I did too. I reached for my phone. I had some preparations to make before the reunion on Friday. It was fucking fairy tale time. One Hundred & Thirty-Three Allys [POV] I snagged my keys on the way out the door. My phone was in my back pocket, but it was off. I wasnt stupid about going out without it, but I didnt want to talk to anyone. All the voices were too confusing. Sage and her effervescent positivity. Seth and his seductiveugh rolled in innuendo and faint promises. Laurie and her wide smiles and happiness. All of it was too much. I didnt know which to trust, especially when my voice was so very silent. Tucked in like a turtle in front of a predator. The problem was, I didnt know where to turn, so the shell seemed prudent. Only my shell was Seths house-again. This one is not often used. One of the half dozen properties his family owned on the cove. Whispers always called it the Mistress House after one of the Hamilton men who kept his affairs away from the main house. Now it mostlyy empty and one of the ces I could be alone in this town. Everyone in and out of each others business was generally afort to me, but right now every person I ran into wanted to know when Seth and I were going to get married and make babies. How that little tidbit got around, I had no clue. But I figured a certain blond might have something to do with it. The diner was the center of the town in more ways than one. And teasing Seth about his manly bits in front of a dozen patrons certainly didnt help my cause. No one could have a fling in this town. Even if the mere idea of fling and Seth in the same sentence made my chest tighten. Hed never been that for me, even when I wanted him to be. When the idea of making a kid with him took hold, thered been little hope for my heart to truly stay mine. It had always been his, but only Id known it. That had been somehow easier than this. All my dreams and happiness were wrapped up in his little girl and the man himself. I wasnt sure I could face all of that again. Loving him could be the one thing that would break me in the end. I hiked up the grassy hill into the trees and the path that rounded Crescent Cove. The house was beautiful, but not as pristine as the other Hamilton holdings. But that didnt much matter when it came to the view. Theke, the town, and the little gazebo looked picturesque from here. The sun glittered off theke. No mirror sheen here. No, our cove was choppy and a bit wild. It suited me right to the ground. The idea of moving out of Crescent Cove killed me. Because if things didnt work out between us, Id have to leave. I couldnt face seeing him in town no matter what happened. My hand slid over my t belly. Especially if a child was growing inside me. Would he get what he wanted and be done with me? Or just keep me around in a mothers capacity? Would I be forever on the outside looking in? I honestly wasnt sure how I was going to do that. Even though I wanted a family so very much, I wasnt sure I could take half-measures now. Id hiked these hills for days and still couldnt find an answer. I looked away from the town and the water and caught sight of the little abandoned church on the far side of the cove. The only thing there now was the cemetery. The town had taken the church in the center square as their own since Id been a kid, but the cemetery had always been up away from the water. I hadnt been there since wed buried my mom that one sunny day. Id been at peace about her leaving me. Mostly because the woman Id loved had left long before. Even at the end when her body had turned on her sopletely, shed had a sweet smile until the very end. She just hadnt been my mom. I ducked through the trees and up the less-used path to the little church. There was an old dirt road that the processionals used, but I didnt want to drive up. The stretch of muscles and the sun helped nausea that had been living inside me for thest week. Another thing I just wasnt quite ready to face. As evidenced by the stic bag tucked away in my knapsack at the Hamilton camp. The one burning a hole in the worn canvas. Id traveled over two towns to buy it. In a nearby city where no one knew who I was. Id wrapped the box in two bags and shoved it deep down. Fitting since all I ever did was shove things down so I didnt have to look at them. It was getting tiresome. I lifted my face to the sun and uncapped the water bottle at my hip. Even if I didnt want an answer just quite yet, I wasnt stupid. A few hours in the summer sun could put me down like a puppy. So I guzzled down half the bottle and stuck it back in its little holster. I kept hiking, taking a shortcut across the trail and up instead of around thezy walking trail. Right then it felt more important to get to the little hill under the Japanese maple at the far side of the cemetery. The headstones came into view and my chest ached. I ran my fingertips over the old stones at the front. The mausoleum to the left with Hamilton engraved across the top told the history of our town better than any story in the library. Huge. Moneyed. Overwhelming. I turned away from the testament to privilege and status toward the edges of the cemetery where the plots were smaller, but no less taken care of. To the ivory angel standing guard over my moms grave. She was small and fairy-like beside the simple marker with her name and the dates. I brushed away the leaves and tugged out a few weeds before dropping cross-legged in front of her headstone. Hi, Mom. I didnt even know what I wanted to say, but it felt good to say hello. I cleared my throat. I hope you can hear me. Even if you cant, Ill just pretend. Im good at that. I dashed away a tear I hadnt realized was rolling down my cheek. So, I did a thing. I swore I wouldnt, but I did it anyway. I didnt mean to. Honestly. I look back now and wonder how Isted as long as I did. Thats probably one more lie Ive told myself. Iughed before leaning forward to brush away dust on the base of her headstone. I love him, Ma. So much that it scares the crap out of me. Like my chest feels overfull with it. And his little girl? God. Shes the sweetest thing. Shes gotten so big since youve seen her. I dashed away another tear. I think youd remember her. Seth used to bring her to see you, but I know the stuff they gave you had you really out of it. But I remembered the smiles. Whenever Laurie came over, there was always a smile on my moms face. Of course, that little girl brought the sunshine with her everywhere. My little girl. She was mine for all intents and purposes. Just like Seth. I bowed my head as the tears kept flowing. They didnt hurt though. It finally felt freeing. I miss you so much. Sage is good to talk to for most of this mess Im in, but I miss crawling up next to you on the couch and letting you y with my hair while you told me everything was going to work out. Because Im so afraid it wont. Im not sure I could bear it if he doesnt feel the same. But it felt like an empty fear. There was so much in my head. The touches, theughter, the little moments with Laurie. And then me running. Always running away when things got too big, felt like too much. Instead of staying to see how things went, I escaped before the answers could hurt me.N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner. I tipped my head back to the sun and the breeze lifted my hair to whip my ponytail around. Iughed and brushed back the tears. Okay, I got it. If I didnt stick around, I wouldnt have to face reality. The reality of asking for more. For deserving more. I brushed my hand over my middle. For hoping for more. I think Im finally creating a family of my own, Mom. I huffed out augh when the breeze whirled around me and leaves danced. I know I am. I pressed my palm to the cool marble stone. I know you always loved him. And you probably knew I did this whole time, too. One Hundred & Thirty-Four Allys [POV] I sniffed as the tears dried and the sun peeked from the clouds that were ever present thanks to theke. I spun around and leaned against my mothers headstone and let the sun soak into my bones. It was peaceful here and that had been a raremodity in my lifetely. When a handful of people came to pay their respects to their own families, I stood and brushed off my pants. I kissed my fingertips and touched the angel then the marker. Keep watch over her. I went for the winding road this time. Then followed it down to the little pic area to feed the bold ducks who swarmed the children. By the time Id gotten to the little cabin Id been hiding in, I was finally hungry. I climbed the back steps to the kitchen and unearthed the peanut butter crackers Id brought with me. It was the only thing that didnt seem to annoy my touchy stomach. Cleaning up was definitely in order. I was dusty from the trails and sweaty from the sticky humidity clinging to the air. I grabbed my bag on my way down the hall to the small room with ck and white tiles. My shower was infinitely more luxurious. The apartment I shared with Sage-sort of, considering I spent most of my time with Seth or working-had two shower heads and steamed up to a life-changing level. But the ancient w-footed tub would do for today. In fact I dug into one of the lower cabs and found an old bath bomb Id left here a few summers ago. The girls from the diner had given me a big spa kit to rx. Since I wasnt great at rxing, Id left it here when Id done overnight with Laurie. The only kind of camping Id ever do was spending a night in this cabin. I filled the tub and dropped the purple rock into the water. It fuzzed and bubbled, releasing the sweet scent of lcs and vani. I turned on my phone for music and flicked away a dozen messages that came through. I wasnt quite ready to face all my realities just yet. I shrugged off my clothes and stepped into the scalding water with a hiss. Nope, it was time for some Keith Urban and a bath to clear my head of thest of the cobwebs. It was hard to empty my brain. I kinda sucked at it, to be honest, but I had to try. I had to allow myself to think through my options. A glossy brochure stuck out of the top of my bag. Carefree students walk up pathways lined with lush green grass with stately buildings behind them. That could be my life. My hand crept over my t stomach. Or maybe I could embrace another life, while still achieving my hopes of getting my education. My mom had dreamed of me leaving and doing something grand. Shed worked her fingers raw to tuck a little away for me until she couldnt keep pushing on anymore. The thing was, I didnt have to leave my home and start over in a new ce to have a new beginning. It was hard to imagine a more perfect ce for me than Crescent Cove, wrapped around the water. My home was here. My job, my friends. Sage. Seth and Laurie-my family. My heart. The pregnancy test hiding at the bottom of my bag. It was probably too soon. My period waste. But that happened sometimes, so most likely it was nothing. I wasnt going to take the test here in any case. When and if I took that step, I would do it with Seth. My fingers drifted up to cup my sore breasts. My nipple tightened at his name lingering in the fringes of my brain. Seth, whod shown me just what Id been missing this entire time. I slid up higher to my neck and the curls at the nape of my neck. Would our little one be dark like us? My rich brown hair, and his near ck? Or would her hair be auburn like my moms? I lowered myself into the scented water that was rapidly cooling. So much to deal with, so much to n. So much to discuss with Seth. I stood up and rinsed with the little handle shower head. It was time to stop hiding. I liked to think it was easier, but that wasnt the truth either. I tucked a towel around me and drained the tub, rinsing out thest of the bath bomb as I drip-dried enough to tug on my clothes. My worn jeans that I couldnt part with, the oldcrosse shirt Id stolen from Seth. Always Seth. I wandered back out to the main living space and my gaze drifted around the rustic, ss-walled room. Wed sprawled on the faded green rug on the first day of sses wed skipped together a junior year, passing back and forth a bottle of some foul-tasting stuff Seth stole from his dads liquor cab. Hed stopped short of getting drunk, but I hadnt. Id savored the freedom ofughing at nothing and lying on my back on the sun-warmed floor, staring up through the skylight at a sky full of marshmallow clouds. I was the girl with too many responsibilities, and hed always been my ticket to fun and possibilities. He still was. I sat on the couch and reached for my iPad. I flipped the cover closed and tucked the tablet into my bag, setting it on the wicker chair beside me. I couldnt even pretend to care about the school schedule in there anymore. As much as I wanted to make my mother proud, and spread my wings, I had to admit the truth. Online sses might be something I investigated more someday, but right now I was firmly invested in my life just as it was. Part of me always wanted to see what was out there, but my current reality was looking better and better. If I didnt chicken out before I went for what I truly wanted. The thwack of the screen door dragged me out of my musings. No one knew I was here. I reached for my purse and the can of pepper spray I kept in the zipper pocket. Sage insisted I carry it at all times, even when I had nothing but my wallet in my pocket. Alison? I sagged back against the chair. Not a burr. A Hamilton. Back here. What are you doing here, Oliver? He stepped into the sunroom, his back ramrod straight. His impable three-piece suit didnt dare look wilted. My T-shirt was already sticking to me. The little house by the water was usually cool, but there wasnt a single cool corner of Crescent Cove right now. Humidity and heat sat over the town like a shroud. Not that youd know it from Oliver. Finally. Do you have any idea how many people are looking for you? I told Sage I needed a few days. I lifted my chin. I wasnt feeling so hot. The whole town is buzzing about this stupid reunion and here you are, tucked away. All the sureness Id been feeling filtered right out of me. The reunion was tonight. Ignorance was bliss. Why did he have to remind me?Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. He tilted his head. May I? I shrugged. Its your ce. I sighed. Actually, no. How the heck did you know Id be here? He paused mid-step over the threshold. Because Ie here to think too. I frowned. Youre the one whos been staying here? His eyebrow rose. Just how often do youe here, Alison? Not often. Its been months, actually, before the past few days. I didnt think anyone came here, but the sheets in the bedroom were far too fresh. Oliver let out a frustrated sigh and tugged at his tie. Yes, well sometimes one needs the simple and the quiet to think. May Ie in? He owned the ce, and he was asking me for permission. Unusually sweet for Oliver, but I needed some kindness right now. Desperately. Depends. Are you friend or foe? I hope friend. I couldnt remember thest time I had seen Oliver show an emotion other than disdain or disinterest. Especially toward me. Why? Fair question. I believe we may have gotten off on the wrong foot. For thirteen years? I think that would be an understatement. He dipped his hands into his pockets. The Hamilton men arent known for their grace with the fairer sex. Maybe you and your father, but Im pretty sure Seth got the brunt of your share. Probably true. And yet Oliver is the one who found me, not his brother. Did Seth even notice Id been missing? And now I was just being melodramatic. Seth had been texting me a few times a day every day. Id told him I needed a little thinking time. One Hundred & Thirty-Five Allys [POV] I slid my hand over my belly self-consciously and sat forward, hunching my shoulders. I was already going into a protective mode for a child that may or may not even exist. Is Seth with you? No. I breathed out a sigh of relief. Good. Is there a reason you wouldnt want to see my brother? No. I shoved my keys and pepper spray back into my bag. Yes. I stood and crossed to the windows of the screened-in porch, hoping for a breeze off the water. It had helped earlier, but my mom wasnt talking now. The vast, mirror-likeke shone in the distance. Now I could see the white string lights around the gazebo. The night was creeping over the town and the sun was sinking behind the trees with fantastic red and pink shes across the sky. Music andughter traveled with the asional snatches of breeze on a heavy night. The pier and park were all tricked out all ready for the reunion. It was time to celebrate the ten years of our lives wed put behind us. Ten years Id spent not moving forward. I swallowed hard. I dont know. That would be why Im here. I dont know anything. Not surprising since my brother is the king of cowards. What? I turned back to Oliver. No, hes not. He- No, thats exactly what he is. Both of you are. Theres a reason no one ever fit either of you over the years. I may not want to tie myself to one woman, but Seth has been a family man since the moment that little girl was put into his arms. I just put the wrong woman in his path. I flinched. What does that mean? Oliver tugged at his tie again until it snapped out of his cor. He jammed it into his pocket before shrugging out of his suit coat. Its too sted hot. I lifted a brow. I thought you were impervious. Yeah, well, dont look at the line of sweat down the middle of my back. Im not a fucking machine, no matter what you people think. I I didnt even know what to say to that. Oliver had always been cool and aloof around me. Had I started it? Or had he? He blew out a breath. This wasnt where I wanted to go with this. Im here to save my meathead brother from making a mistake. Meathead? I blinked. First, he was de-suiting and now he was in-speaking. I squinted at him to make sure he wasnt Seth ying a joke on me, but the edges of his tattoo told me better than anything else. They were both covered in ink, which was interesting considering Olivers penchant for suits. But their ink was as opposite as their personalities. Seths was dark and heavy, while Olivers contained more streaks of color. Not that I would ever mistake the twin brothers for each other. The differences were staggering to me if no one else. But there was a new glint in Olivers eyes. Frustration and an openness Id never seen before.? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. Look, Ally. He swiped his hand over the back of his neck and my heart melted. Such a Seth gesture. For the first time, he looked and acted like his brother. They always seemed like the opposite sides of a coin. I may have had an idiotic moment when I pushed Marj into Seths life. Intentionally. I wrapped my arm around my middle, the quick sh of pain hitting me harder than I thought it would. I knew it. At least a part of me always knew Oliver didnt want him with me. And it wasnt like the revtion was a total surprise. Oliver had mentioned introducing Seth to Marj at the diner. But a casual intro wasnt the same as an intentional one. I could tell from Olivers expression hed had a method to his madness far beyond Seth just meeting his friend. Why? Because he didnt need me anymore, dammit. My eyes burned and I blinked away the quick rush of tears. What? Of course, he did. Of course, he does. Youre his brother. The minute you came into his life, there was nothing else. We even went to different schools, for fucks sake. He was supposed to try out public school for a year and thene back to prep school junior year if he didnt like it, but he met you. He didnt want to leave here after that, no matter what he thought of the school. He didnt say that, but thats the truth of it. I frowned. You think he chose me over you? I know he did. Olivers dark eyes were fierce. And I hated you for it. Stupid, petty, and small, I know, but I did. Were just friends. You were never just friends. You both may have hidden in that role for the majority of your rtionship, but deep down, you both knew it wasnt just tonic. I I had to swallow hard. Id always loved him. Even when my mothers caregiving took over my life, Id always put him in the back of my mind as the end goal. The unattainable goal. Maybe that was why I couldnt ever choose a college away from Crescent Cove. The only thing Id ever really wanted was here-Seth, and the family we could make. Simple maybe, but honestly, it was the only thing Id ever really wanted. I love him so much, I whispered. Just saying it was like dropping a burden. Id held those words back for so long. I know you do. Oliver sighed. And he loves you too. How can you- Look, if you want to question it after all this? After he found every reason in the known universe to get you to stay in his life, then I dont know what to tell you. But I had to at least try to help out for once. Because that man is drowning. Youre everything he ever wanted, hes just too stubborn to put thebel on it because hes afraid youll run. Oliver shook his head. Youre both so fucking afraid. Well, look at where wee from. Guess what, sweetheart? We arent what wee from. Were exactly what we choose to be. You want that idiot I call a brother, then you go after him. A loud pop and whistle startled me and I swung around. A huge spray of white fireworks fanned up into the night sky. Then in the center of it was a spray of red that shot out in dual arcs. A heart. My vision wavered when another one went up. Then another. A session of them lit up the cove and kept oning. Well, finally. I tried to turn back to Oliver, but I couldnt pull myself from the disy. Theyre beautiful. And I should be enjoying them with Seth, not locking myself away in the little shame-shack his family-owned. Wed spent hours here as kids. We told each other secrets, we even confessed a few dreams, and shed some tears. But this was our past. And out there was our future. Those hearts had to be a sign. I stepped forward, then stilled, clutching my arms around my middle. Stop fighting it. Why the hell are you so afraid? I whipped around. Youre one to talk, Oliver Hamilton. I dont see you getting caught up with anyone. No one has ever mattered enough. No, you never let them matter enough. I was breathing heavily. But he was right. Id let fear rule my life for long enough. Im sorry. That was uncalled for. I know how it is to hide. Olivers chin lifted. Theres a difference, Alison. I tilted my head. So much Seth in him and yet, not nearly the same. He put Laurie first-put me first in so many ways. Maybe Oliver would finally get that someday. But now I had to trust in Seth. And myself. Im going after him. I grabbed my bag off the chair. Hallelujah. Oliver lifted his arms and then waved to the window. He even gave you a map for once. Huh? I hooked the huge hobo bag over my shoulder and made sure I had my wallet and keys. My fingers brushed the early pregnancy test at the bottom of the bag. The fireworks. He said he was going for the fairy tale. My eyes flooded. He did? Thats him? God, you guys are so dense. Of course, its him. Even if he paid to put hearts in the sky, you still question it? I dashed away tears with my wrist. Guess he should have taken out a skywriter. Ill tell him to do that next. Iughed and jangled my keys. Lets hope it doesnte to that. I swallowed down the nerves threatening to slow me down. Its time to go get my man. Finally. One Hundred & Thirty-Six Allys [POV] I ran through the cabin and out the front door. My fingers shook as I got in the car and tried to get my keys in the ignition. I saw more sparks through the trees and the fireworks floated higher into the sky with each explosion. The white made a crinkly fuzzing sound that made my skin crackle in reaction. Another heart speared the sky. Then a session of three. For all of us? The family we made? The red and white shimmered as my eyes burned. I mmed my car into drive and hit the winding road with a scatter of dirt and gravel in my wake. Theke never felt so big as it did tonight. In my head, I knew it was a mere seven minutes into town. Thirteen years of traveling these roads had left an imprint. I could probably drive them blindfolded. Good thing since my eyes kept filling and ncing up to the sparkles and hearts dotting the sky. Iming. I didnt realize Id said it aloud until my voice wavered. Sureness filled my chest and my heart pounded in my head, echoing in every nerve of my body. I finally turned onto the main street and mmed the heel of my hand on the steering wheel at the line of cars. Some were leaving the park, but others were simply sitting there in awe of the light show. Theke held fireworks for the Fourth and sometimes Labor Day, but it was pretty rare. They were expensive and the restrictions were a headache. I only knew it because Id stupidly signed up to help with one of the celebrations. Sage was a joiner and a pleaser. Watching her flounder during the Fourth of July preparations a few years ago prompted me to help. Never again. Small towns were full of way too many helpful hands that never ended up doing anything butin. No thanks. Id rather volunteer to babysit a dozen three-year-olds. And right about now, Id empty my bank ount to get rid of every car on the road. I looked around for a ce to park, but of course, that wasnt going to happen either. My fingers ached from squeezing my steering wheel in frustration. I rolled down my window and looked for a break in the line of cars to get to a side street at least. I pped the side of my old car when the hearts started slowing in the sky. I didnt want him to think I wasnt paying attention. I scanned the people on the sidewalks. I was about ready to scream for help from sixteen-year-old Madison Kohl when a familiarugh floated my way. Sage. I twisted and turned to look for her familiar flyaway blond hair and my mouth dropped at the bouncing curls that swung down a womans back. A woman with more curves than Id ever seen in Crescent Cove. Sage was talking to the new teacher, Mike London. And had she just tossed her hair over her shoulder? Sage? She twirled at my call and then pped her bare thighs. Sweet hello, was she wearing Daisy Dukes? Finally! Where the hell have you been? She turned back to Mike. Um, sorry. I didnt mean to curse, Mr. London. Mike. Right, Mike. Sages voice was unusually breathy. Her sunny smile lit up her face and Mikes eyes zed over. Of course, half of that was probably the minuscule strappy tanktop Sage was wearing that showed off just how generous God had been when stacking her deck. Jeeze. Can youe over here? Sage nced up and down the street before she carefully picked her way over the cobblestones of the sidewalk to the asphalt in her espadrilles with the navy ribbons climbing up her ankle to calf. Are you cock-blocking me? Id have to have a cock, Sage. Oh, right. She huffed out a breath. You know what I mean. I mmed my car into the park. I knew I was going to regret asking, but I just had to know. What the heck are you wearing? Oh. She frowned. Dont you like it? You look hot as hell, girlfriend. She smiled. Well, thank you. Just something I found in my closet. You did not find that in your closet. Sage gave a long sigh. All right, it was a store in Laurel. This isnt exactly the kind of thing you can buy in Kinleighs? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. That was for sure. But if Kinleigh got a look at the outfit, she might make some changes to her little shop. Can you drive for me? What? Sage looked over her shoulder at Mike and wiggled her fingers. Just a sec, she called out. He waved and then slid his fingers into his thick ck hair. Isnt he dreamy? I blinked and peered around her, then back at Sage. For real? I mean hes cute right? Um I honestly hadnt looked at anyone since Seth in so long it felt foreign to look at a man objectively. I guess. You guess? Do you see how he fills out a pair of jeans? I mean hes from Texas first of all and then he wears honest-to-God cowboy boots. The kind that is broken in because he rides real horses. I mean just wow. I nibbled on my bottom lip. Im sorry. Can I be the altruistic best friend tomorrow? I need your help. Of course. Im sorry. Im just not even paying attention. All these sted hormones are messing me up. Thats why Im on the hunt. I figure I gotta get this virgin thing done. How else am I going to breathe in this town? All the lovey stuff with you and Seth. I mean he did those fireworks for you, you know? I resisted the urge to roll my eyes. I know. Im trying to go find him. But I waved at the traffic snaking down Main Street and around the park. Oh. She grabbed my door handle and hauled me out of the car. Of course. Honestly, that man finally is listening and you went MIA. You two are going to be the death of me. You had something to do with this? Well, not exactly. I just told him that hed have to be knocked over the head before he did something really special to let you know how much he loves you. My eyes filled again and I blinked the tears away. I simply didnt have time for them. The sky was smoky with the aftermath of the fireworks, but they were getting few and far between. Well, I hope so. Oh, girl. He does. How can you even question it? Ill remind you of this conversation when youve got real hearts in your eyes, not just the lusting kind. Sage blushed and fussed with the strap of her tiny tank top. He is dreamy. But were not here to talk about Mike London. Go get that big hunk of real estate before he turtles again. You do have a way with words, Sage. She bumped me out of the way and slid behind the wheel of my old car. Go on. I looked up at the sky, then to the pier. There was only one ce that would allow for that kind of fireworks. Can I have my bag? Right. Sage leaned over and hauled my backpack onto herp. Good, Lord. Its my life. She handed it through the window. Now go get him. I grinned. Thanks, Sage. I didnt do anything. He had all the bright ideas, I just told him to get with the program. Just like Ive been telling you. I resisted the urge to roll my eyes. Actually, as ofte, shed beenmenting how stupid Seth was, but it was just easier to nod. I took off across the street and through the grassy hill that lead to the path around theke to the park. My heart raced inside my chest as a single heart speared the darkness. My legs pumped and I was eternally grateful for my sneakers right then. They squeaked as I rounded the bend and the gazebo and lights came into view. So close. Dont lose patience with me now. A stitchnced my side and I slowed to a fast walk. I was not a runner by any means. I could hike for days, but speed was not my thing. I stared up at the star-strewn sky as sulfur and smoke burned my nostrils. Please, just one more. The pop and whistle of a single me speared the sky. And there was a huge purple heart shining in the sky over theke. A lonely boat was tethered to one of the fishing docks off the shore. Two men stood on the little steel deck. But only one mattered. The tall, broad shoulders of Seth beside the short burly man. They were arguing. Only snatches of conversation came across with the wind as it kicked up. Seth was shoving his hands into his hair and pacing the tiny space. I dropped my bag as I got to the end of the pier. Relief bubbled up inside me and out on a sobbingugh. Seth! The wind had kicked up and the boats along the pier were mming around. There was no recognition. Just more of Seth stalking around with his phone to his ear. I dug into my bag, but I couldnt find my phone in all the clothes and books inside. I stood up again and climbed onto the lower rungs of the rail enclosing the lookout end of the pier. I cupped my hands around my mouth and yelled his name again, but the wind was too strong and just kept snatching my voice. I turned around and saw people at the other end of the pier. Some I knew, some I wanted to forget. But so many of them-and they were all voices I needed right now. I jumped and waved. When Brad, one of Seths best friends, broke off from the group, I quickly motioned him closer. Can you help him hear me? Nodding, Brad waved people up from the gazebo to the wide pier that jutted out of the park. Our entire ss-or what was left of it at thiste hour-came tromping toward me. My eyes burned as everyone came to help. People Id barely spoken to in my myriad of sses started jumping, shouting, and waving. Girls, I recognized, and others I didnt were jumping up and down like manic puppies. Brad slung an arm around my shoulders and hauled me in close. He was a bit rounder than I remembered from school, but he was still one of Seths sweetest friends. Jessica, the head of the cheer squad, was clutching my hand. I cant believe how romantic this is. Is this man for real? Yeah, he is. She sighed. Youre so lucky. I dont think my husband has ever done anything like this for me. Like ever. Onest firework whistled into the night sky and the white sparks illuminated Seths body. I yelled his name and the crowd around me parroted it behind me. Finally, Seth turned around on the small dock and held his arms out. He tipped his head back and did a fist-punch into the air a Bender from Breakfast Club and Iughed. Jessica squealed in my ear and then started hopping around with the other cheerleaders. Brad pped me on the back as Seth jumped into his boat and headed my way. My heart raced as I picked up my bag and made my way through the dozens of people. The guys from hiscrosse team started chanting Seths name andughter thundered over theke. I took a shaky step onto one of the docks lining the right side and waited for him toe to me. One Hundred & Thirty-Seven Seths [POV] I pushed the little speedboat farther than I should, but Crescent Lake had never felt so big in my goddamn life. Fireworks had brought her to me. Id hoped, but I knew it was a big gamble. If my girl wanted to stay lost, she would stay gone. I blinked away the grittiness from the wind and spray off the water. The only thing that mattered was getting to the pier. Lenny let off one more spray of white crackers and a waterfall from his waning arsenal. Id been worried we were going to run out of them before she showed up. But there she was. Standing among a crowd of our peers from graduation day. All the people who had rallied around me in my days ofcrosse. While not as big as football, we enjoyed a status of our own. Slight ouws with our contact sport that was even rougher and tumble than the towns beloved football. Ally hadnt been in that scene. Shed always been on the fringes thanks to her mothers health. And if I wasnt such an asshole I would have realized that before I got so excited about the reunion. But here they were, all behind her hooting and hollering like we were at a champion game. She moved to the side ramp where the docks were. I rode the waves I was making with the motor on my speedboat. I rarely took it off my dock preferring to drive most of the time. Not to mention the small nightmares that my little girl would go flying off the back and be lost in theke. So, yeah not so much of a boat guy these days. But right now? Right now all I wanted was to get her alone. I wanted to tell her everything that was bursting out of my chest. It started with the silly hearts Id shot off into the sky. I needed to get her attention. She couldnt deny that I was making a statement now. She couldnt hide behind the little lies we told herself anymore. I fishtailed on a wave and bumped over the wake I made in my haste to get to her. I finally made myself throttle down the engine so I didnte in too hot. I didnt want to hurt the one person on this earth who had been created for me. The one person Id been desperate to lock down only to do the exact opposite in every way. Thest sparks of the waterfall fireworks lit her beautiful face and the smile split her face. She dropped her trusty knapsack by her feet and folded her arms as I slowly puttered to the dock. Brad and JT were hooting behind her as well as a few catcalls from other members of my team. The front of my boat bumped into the mooring as I tossed a rope up to tie me off before I drifted back out to the cove. She rested her sneakered foot against the sloping bow and tipped her head. Had to make a spectacle? I widened my stance against the wild rocking from the waves. Yep. Dont you do anything small, Hamilton? Nope. I leaned forward. Ive got a secret. Is that right? Her lips twitched as she tried not to smile. Yeah. Its kinda a big one. Though maybe not such a big secret now. My stomach pitched in time with the waves banging my little boat against the moorings. She pushed her chocte and caramel hair out of her eyes as it whipped around her shoulders. Im listening. I looked behind her for a second. No one was dispersing. At all. Everyone was leaning in to see what I had to say. I took a deep breath. I valued my privacy, but this was important. I love you, Alison. In a big, stupid, crazy way. So much that I cant even put it into words. Her dark eyes widened and her hands fell to her side. What? You had to know. Her hand flew up to her mouth as a smile broke between her fingers. I nced behind her and growled when I spotted JT with his hands over his heart. She waved her hand to the idiots catcalling behind her. Never mind them. Im not sure I heard that. I pulled out of the slip that was too far away from her and moved closer to her. I love you. I wanna marry you. Marry me? I gripped the throttle and spun around until the boat was sideways at the end of the slip. I held my hand out to her. Yeah, you. This is the marrying kind of love. Being the mother of my kid is a kind of love. The one I already have, I quickly corrected at her crestfallen face. I want to build a life with you and a family. I want forever, Ally Cat. She blinked madly and looked down at me, her hands fisted at her sides. Please take a chance on me, Al. She lifted her bag and tossed it into my boat then jumped in and I caught her. There was nothing else I could do. I wrapped my arms around her waist and dragged her into me. Youre killing me, Alison. I love you so much. Her voice was ragged and her eyshes starred with tears. Besides, if I didnt I would have after you gave me fireworks for Gods sake. Go big or go home, baby. She lifted her arms around my shoulders and went on her tiptoes. I like the idea of going home. Jessica made a whoop-whoop call and everyone pped on the pier. I settled her in the seat beside me and throttled back away from the dock and waved. JT curved his fingers around his mouth. Lucky bastard! Youre damn right I am, I called back. I sat down and dragged her close as I opened up the motor again and raced across the cove to my house-our house. We couldnt talk above the wind and waves, but I didnt need words right now. I just needed her by my side. It only took a few minutes to get to the dock by my house and to moor the little speedboat. I tied off and jumped out to help her up on the dock. She wouldnt look at me as I handed her the oversized knapsack she forever carried. There was no way I was going to stand for that. Not now. I dragged her close and lowered my head to catch her mouth in a swift, hot, heavy kiss. I poured everything I couldnt say into her. She made a little squeak and gripped the front of my shirt. I swear youre all Ive ever wanted. I was just too stupid to say it out loud. All I could think about was fucking things up between us and losing you forever. Im still going to have nightmares about it, I said with a harshugh against her mouth. But its better than not having you be mine. And most of all is yours. I touched my forehead to hers. Its scary as hell to know you could break me into pieces. Id never. Her voice was a sandpaper whisper. I know. Thats what I figured out. I trust you. Her fingers twisted tighter into the dress shirt I was wearing. Thats all Ive ever wanted. Just you. Well, you got me. And youre never getting rid of me, baby or not. Ally would always be enough, even if a small part of me wanted a baby to make it just that much more amazing. And if you want, we can practice all night long. Lauries at my dads ce. A little hup bubbled up in her bubble ofughter. Yeah, about that. She dug her hand into the endless bottom of her purse and she came out with a little white bag. There was just enough illuminationing from the sr lights that lit up the dock and the path to my house for me to see a telltale logo through the stic. My chest tightened. I pushed it back and my breath stalled. Are you? I wanted to wait for you to do it with me. I lifted her into my arms, her canvas bag and the test crunching between us. Can we do it now? Is it too early? Sheughed. Its a little early, but this test is made for that. I blinked away the quick prick of tears. I didnt want to ask, but I knew I had to. Is this okay? I mean its okay if youre not. We can wait until we get married. You know, make it all official. And if you want to do the school thing I swallowed down the nerves. I didnt want to wait, but I would for her. Id do anything for her. I dont remember saying yes. Or are you asking? My breath stalled. I mean, youre going to say yes, right? She tried to keep a straight face, but her lips kept twitching into a smile. Her fingers slid up my chest and around to the nape of my neck, then finally to the longer part of my hair where she could grip me tightly. I just might. I looped her legs around my waist and kept on walking. Well, then Im just going to have to convince you. She giggled. Put me down, you idiot. And let you run again? I think not,dy. Im never running again. I lowered her to their feet. Mostly because I was afraid Id do something stupid in the dark and drop her. No way was I ever going to let anything happen to her. I took her knapsack and stuffed the test back in and put it over my shoulder, then turned her around and pped her ass. Get going, weve got a test to take. She dashed forward and we both ran up the stone steps to the house. When we reached the back porch stairs, I couldnt wait any longer. I scooped her up at the threshold and rushed through the house, depositing her in front of the bathroom door. Okay. Go, you know. Do whatever it is you do. What if I dont have I pushed her into the bathroom and turned on the taps full strength. Need a ss of water? She pped me and took the bag before shoving me out the door. Neanderthal. I paced outside the door and was sort of d that she left the water running. Not that her peeing on a stick was weird much. I mean, I did have a kid. Bodily functions were just part and parcel of my day. But this was a really important stick. She opened the door and I spun around. Well? Five minutes, buddy. My shoulders slumped as she dried her hands. Thats forever. I looked down at my watch and set the timer. She grinned and walked into my space. Then maybe we should make out for a few minutes. Well, I can certainly do that. I lowered my mouth to hers and slowly drew out the kiss. I tried to concentrate on the little things I knew she liked, but I kept sneaking nces at my watch. She plowed her fist into my belly. Youre incorrigible. I rubbed my ribs. Ow. I cant help it. She tried to hide behind her curtain of hair, but I saw the nervous smile peeking through. You want to know just as bad as I do. No, I dont. Well, maybe. What time is it? She grabbed my wrist. It has to be time. Its only been three minutes. She dropped my wrist. Ugh. I tried to loop my arm around her waist but she wiggled free. I lifted her off her toes. Seth, dont try to distract me now. You had your chance. She couldnt stopughing. What time is it now? Twenty secondster. I banded my arms under her butt and lifted her until our mouths lined up. I stared at her as our lips met. It doesnt matter what it says. She looped her arms around my shoulders. No? I shook my head, but then my timer started beeping and she scrambled down and we both raced to the bathroom. She elbowed me out of the way and grabbed the little stic wand. What does it say? I said over her shoulder. Her hand flew up to her mouth. I banded my arms around her waist as we stood in front of the stick. Its okay, Al, weve got Positive. I swear I went blind and dumb for a full ten seconds. What? Positive. She twisted in my arms. I think were having a baby. I crushed her to me.From N?velDrama.Org. Seth, the stick. Who cares. Im getting that sucker framed. My girl said yes, and the test said yes. Best day ever! I didnt say yes, yet. I scooped her up into my arms again and strode out of the bathroom. Oh, you will. She grabbed my shoulder. Youre so certain? I locked my gaze with hers. More certain than Ive ever been about anything. Her eyes were shiny, but the biggest, brightest smile lit her face. Finally, I got the words right. One Hundred & Thirty-Eight Allys [POV] The air was crisp, and the wind fluttered the curls cascading down my back. Thece of my veil lifted and settled around my shoulders to brush my arms. Fingertip length. All the things Id learned about weddings had gone in one ear and out the other, other than a little of the background on my veil. The piece offered a touch of the traditional. As did the empire cut of the gown that hid some of the swells of my belly. I slid my hand over the bump growingrger every day. February wasing like a freight train and so here I wasgetting married on the first of October. I peeked around the gazebo to the long pier I had to walk down. Alone. Im here, Im here. A little voice carried on the wind. I nced behind me to see Laurieing around the corner in her pink tulle and ribbons. What are you doing down here? Youre supposed to be next to your dad. Nuh-uh. I walking you down the aisle, silly. My eyes burned. Oh, sweetie. She held out her hand to me. Such a big girl these days. Four going on forty sometimes. Her nightmares had faded away with family reading time every night. Wed all settled into a crazy sort of normal. Its okay, Mommy. Im a big girl, I can do it. Oh, I know that you can. I just thought you had to be brave for Daddy. She shrugged and stepped next to me. Nah. He has Unca Ollie. Are you ready? Sage rushed down the hill to fuss with my train. What did you do? I told you to stay still. I looked over my shoulder at my maid of honor decked out in a navy off-the-shoulder dress. Wind. Sage sighed and set down her tight bouquet of Gerbera daisies in burgundy, orange, and gold. Youre going to take off like a sailboat today with this wind. She fluffed my little train and shifted one of the buttons off my bustle. Why had I let her talk me into this thing? It was too formal for an outdoor wedding. I should have just gotten the little tea-length dress. Sage tucked the daisy crown behind Lauries ear. Hey little mama, what are you doing down here? Im gonna walk Mommy down the aisle. Laurie clutched my hand. Oh, I swore I wasnt going to cry until the actual ceremony. Sage tipped back her head and blinked rapidly. Youre just the best little girl. Laurie smiled brightly. I know. Sage and Iughed. My maid of honor pped her thigh. Well, I think its time to get this show on the road. I know theres a very nervy groom waiting at the end of that pier. I slid my hand over my bump and the little boy kicked around like crazy. I think both of us I looked down at Laurie and swung our sped hands. All three of us are ready to go down. Laurie patted my belly. Hes gotta stay in there cooking. Iughed. Yes, we still have a few months to go. Okay. Im heading down. Sage picked up her bouquet, stood, and looped her arm around my waist. Im so happy for you. Thanks. My eyes misted. Now go, before I start bawling. You know all it takes is a stiff breeze these days. Sage fanned her face. Right. No tears. At least not for a few minutes. She blew out a breath. Was the pier always that long? Iughed. Yes. At least weve got two hotties to look forward to at the end. Yes. Well, at least one. Laurie wrinkled her nose. Ew. Sage shook back her blond hair and checked her earrings. Here we go. My mouth went dry as she walked over the uneven ground on her stilts. I had no idea why Sage was suddenly interested in fashion and things like heels, but she pulled off the look. As for me, I and my ballerina ts were going to do this long walk. I tightened my hold on Lauries hand. You sure about this? She nodded. I cant wait for Daddy to see your pretty dress. Then lets do this thing, huh? I bent down, wrinkles in my dress damned. I kissed her cheek. Im so excited to be marrying your dad. Me, too! Laurie moved forward, tugging me after her. Lets go. There was no slow processional down the pier. White and red daisies dotted the railing withce snapping in the breeze. I didnt get to take it all in. I didnt even get to catch my breath before Seth came into view. He took a step forward, and his brother yanked him back. Seth lifted his fisted hand to his mouth and the shock and happiness on his face tumbled every nerve out of my body. Laurie and I nearly jogged down the pier to get to him. To get to my very happily ever after. I nced down at the daughter of my heart and then at the man whod owned it since I was fifteen years old. Sage took the bouquet I forgot I was holding and then it was Seths hand in mine. The preacher behind Seth cleared his throat as he looked down at Laurie. Would you be giving this beautiful bride away? Laurie squeezed my hand and looked down at her feet, then up at her father. She nodded. I would. Seth crouched down and held his arms open. Thank you, Munchkin. Sheunched herself into his chest and he gathered her up against his hip, and never let go of my hand. He turned to me. Youre so beautiful. I love you so much. I leaned in to rub my nose with Lauries. Both of you. His eyes were red-rimmed as he brought our joined hands to rest on the little life between us. I sniffled andughed then all three of us turned to the preacher. Were ready. Are dirty hot rockstars more your speed? Especially the babymaking kind? ROCKSTAR DADDY Never trust a cold condom. Wait, let me back up. Im Ken McGuire, and Im a rockstar in hiding, at least for the weekend. Enter Maggie Kelly, the famed Kelly virgin C AKA my small hometowns favorite good girl. Did I mention shes really good? And Im so not.From N?velDrama.Org. Except Maggie isnt a virgin any longer. She just went through a rough breakup due to her exs penchant for strippers. And I dont want to be a rockstar this weekend. Not with her. I just want to be Ken, the wolf to her Little Red Riding Hood. The guy who shows her all the dark, dirty things she never dared to dream of. In return, she gave me something I never dared to dream about either a baby. A family. Our family, if I can convince her Im worth the risk. Authors note: this book may be called Rockstar Daddy, but the emphasis is on lots of babymaking practice,ughter, a few tears, and a serious case of insta-love. One Hundred & Thirty-Nine I was the jackass who had grown up on the outskirts of Turnbull, New York, the snow capital of the northeast, and had escaped to sunny LA only to return. Voluntarily. No one had held a gun to my head or shackled my wrists. Nope, Id strapped my surfboard to the roof of my SUV and made the trek home to buy property on the very edge of town. Outside of town, truth be told. Because the icy tundra in the city proper haha wasnt enough for me. Might as well build a damn shack with my own two hands and surround it with pine trees and solitude. So much freaking solitude. True, it was just my vacation home. Cue moreughter. My ce to escape from the rigors of being a famous rockstar. At least the rockstar part was right. In my head if nowhere else. The famous? Working on that. Wilder Minds first single was due to drop just after the holidays, and our manager, L Crandall, was prepping us for the big time. A lot of that was smoke and mirrors designed to build us up into being the showmen we werent quite yet, but under her bluster, there was a kernel of truth. Wilder Mind was poised to take on the world. Me? I was poised to chop some wood so I could hole up in my cabin and spend New Years Eve soaking up the silence. No otherpany. No other voices. Especially no incessant interview questions or even the shrill scream of fans. Not that wed dealt with much of that yet. Only a taste. A hint of things toe if we were lucky enough to make it big. In the meantime, it would be just me and my old Taylor acoustic, a roaring fire, and a case of Coors. Hey, I never said I had highbrow tastes. So sue me. Blowing out a breath, I heaved the ax through the chilly air, savoring the pleasant burn in my muscles. I was chopping way more wood than Id need for a weekend at the cabin. If I was lucky, Id make it back to Turnbull a few times over the winter. With the single dropping, wed be branching out. Spreading out to do shows some distance from LA, which meant all the press that went with that. Id be talking myself hoarse before I was expected to go up and bleed out onstage for the price of a ticket. That was my role. My new role. The one Id craved since I was a kid with a cheap thrift store guitar, a joint in my back pocket, and the requisite amount of teenage angst that made me think I could be a great songwriter. Now I was getting my shot, and the batteredposition notebook Id been lugging around for years first in backpacks, then in briefcases during my brief stint working at Ripper Records was getting a workout. Just like my arms. I mmed the axe into the snowpack and threw back my head. Shit. The chill seared my lungs, yanking out my breath in icy puffs. And I still wasnt smart enough to go inside.N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner. Nope, I kept splitting logs, continuing until the overcast afternoon turned into dusk. The foggy dark hung in ribbons of mist around my forest, and I didnt stop until the distant cry of a lonely coyote made me think maybe it was time for that fire. We didnt get a lot of coyotes out this way, but we had some. In this dense forestation, you got quite a range of creatures. Even the asional ck bear. My mom had told stories about oneing up to the back door and rattling the knob of her folks old ramshackle ce, but I had to think that was bullshit. Maybe I just hoped it. If a frigging bear couldnt just break down a door, fuck the rest of us who rued being so goddamn polite all the time. Still, much as I lobbied for the rights of bears and coyotes, I wasnt stupid enough to be whaling on logs after dark. Not when I had a twelve-pack and a hot shower waiting for my sore ass. Getting soft, I muttered after stowing the axe and piling up the wood to haul inside. I grunted as I made my way around the side of the cabin in the knee-deep snow, part of a cord of wood in my arms. I needed to hit the gym harder before Wilder Mind went out on tour. My body freaking hurt. I was covered in sweat. Probably looked like a frigging maniac with snow sticking to my beardy face. I jumped around night after night onstage in closet-sized clubs and bars, but I wasnt as hardy as when Id lived in good old Turnbull full-time. Back when Id worked on cars and picked up odd construction jobs to get by. It had been blind luck and a dose of small-town friendliness that had even gotten my ass out to LA. Ls mom and pop ran the local orchard, and my mom had gotten to talking to Ls mother one day about how I didnt want to be stuck working construction for the rest of my life. One thing led to another and under six monthster, Id been on a ne out to LA to meet with Donovan Lewis, the head of the recordbel L worked for. We hit it off and though I didnt know shit about selling anything that didnte in a bucket or wrapped in cellophane, Id ended up as an ount rep. Representing artists. Me. The guy whod barely graduated high school but could schmooze a quart of milk out of a cow. Or so my mom had imed to Ls mother. Because a way with cows surely meant a way with egotistical, often drugged-out musicians. Right. Somehow it had worked through. L said I had a knack. Donovan had given me raises. A bunch of them, in short session. The mogul some jokingly referred to as Lord Lewis didnt shortchange his talent, and hed seen something in me. I owed him and L a shit-ton of gratitude. First, for hiring me to represent some of their musical acts, and then for trusting me to front a band. The band part I had more familiarity with. Id been stroking an acoustic long before Id stroked my first girl. Lets just say Id done my share of touching both, and leave it at that. One more thing about Turnbull? They had some damn fine women, but it was hard to see them clearly under all theyers of outerwear when it snowed for what felt like half the freaking year. I preferred California women anyway. They seemed more good-natured as a rule. Maybe all the sunshine and hot temperatures put them in a better mood. And goddammit, I loved a woman in a bikini. When I reached the front of my property and heard the squeal of tires, I didnt react fast enough. Put the image of a half-naked, tanned woman in the mind of a man whod nearly frozen his nuts off and who wouldnt miss a car fishtailing off the road. Right into my ditch. Tires spun, spewing up snow and dirt and tiny rocks, and a horn went off about sixteen times. And I stared, my wood in my arms. Shocked as hell that anyone had evene down this practically deserted road in the first ce, never mind taking the curve way too fast and going ass up in the ditch. One Hundred & Forty Kens [POV] The chick was now attempting to shimmy her way out of the drivers side window. Painfully. With no shortage of groans and screeches and noises, no adult female should ever make.Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. Since she was moving and frantically at that I had to figure she couldnt be too badly injured. Still, she could have harmed herself shed yet to realize. With more than a small sigh, I set down the wood on the short set of steps to the cabin, brushed off my hands on the thighs of my jeans, and trudged down the snowy hill to where the squealing damsels car was lodged. She turned her neck and gave me the biggest, brightest smile Id ever seen. I was a little taken aback since she was half in and half out of a window, and her car was fucked up, if not totaled. It appeared to be an older model under the snow and grime, and an ident like hers could screw up the frame. If that happened, the vehicle was shot. Not that she seemed worried over much. Hi! she called over the rushing wind, her voice as cheerful as her expression. Thank God for you. I didnt know how to respond to that, so I came around the ditch and eyed her lopsided car. Yep, well and truly stuck. She blinked at me from under the pink fringe of a stocking cap. Its just a little fender bender. Oh yeah? Then why are you climbing out of the window? She wiggled. Because the door wont open. Seems a bit worse than a fender bender to me. I came around the drivers side, hooked my hands under her armpits in her heavy down coat, and simply plucked her out of the car. Only afterward did I think of possible internal injuries. Though what possible injury couldve allowed her to jump and dance around now that shed been freed, I did not know. The other thing I noticed about her right away? She was dressed as if she was inpetition with the Michelin man, except her bulk was made out ofyers. Manyyers. She had earmuffs under her hat to go with her bulky scarf, huge coat, ski pants likelyyered over thermals and some serious freaking boots with enough snaps and ties to secure a horse. And yet she was still jumping around, blowing on her gloved fingers, andughing like a crazy person. Whoa, that was nuts. I seriously feared for my life. I saw Jesus and heard angels and all that stuff. She frowned at her car with its likely bent axle. I paid extra for the best snow tires. I still skidded. That seems like a warranty vition. Dont you think? What I thought was this chick was going to talk my head off. The forecast predicted two feet today. Typicalke effect. Are you not from around here? Though it was hard to believe someone from a warmer climate wouldve been that well-prepared, maybe. They did tend to have thinner blood than us hardy northern types. Though what the hell was I saying? I was a California boy now too. Happily. Id never actually heard someone roll their eyes at me before, but her disgust was palpable. Hello, look at me. Do I seem unprepared for this weather? If anything, I overprepared. In my trunk, I have a spare battery kit, a First-Aid kit, a tire repair kit Lady, I got it. Youre prepared. You just spun out. It happens. She propped her hands on her hips. Or at least where I figured her hips would be. Hard to tell with her coat. Very pragmatic of you, buddy, but now what? Im stuck and I need to get to Mrs. Pringles before she goes to New Years Eve mass. This is her first year without her husband, and she puts on a brave face, but she and Joe were so in love. It was sweet to see. And if I cant get there before mass, then Ill have to wait until she gets back, or worse yet, go join her in the church, which would be okay except I kind of got exmunicatedst year. I wiped away the kes collecting on my face. I wouldve hoped my expression coupled with how I looked mightve intimidated her big, burly, bearded but if anything fazed this one, it wasnt me ring at her during her endless monologue. Im sure Ill regret asking this, but why, exactly, do you need to go to grandmothers house? She brushed snow off the arms of her coat. It wasing down faster than she could efficiently whisk it away. Oh, shes not my grandmother That was a joke, Red. I gestured toward her attire. Red and pink everything, which didnt go together but somehow seemed to suit her. You also have a car instead of a basket, but let me mix a metaphor or two. Ah. Big bad wolf, is it then? Sorry, you dont seem to fit. She marched toward me and grasped the side of my pants. Wile E. Coyote sweats arent exactly scary, tough guy. Dont touch, I growled and that made her step back and cock her head, much like a puppy. Instead of a floppy ear, she had the bouncy pouf on top of her hat. I cant just touch you. She seemed to think about that. It was getting darker, and the snowkes falling between us wereing faster and harder. But if I wasnt mistaken, she was pondering thatment as if Id just said the most important thing shed ever heard. No, she said after a moment. I guess you cant. You shouldnt. Just because Derek ran off with Trini isnt a reason for me to let strange men touch me. Especially ones wearing sweatpants. Whats wrong with sweatpants? The most ridiculous thing about this whole conversation? I didnt want to touch her. I was almost sure. So what if it had been a while for me? That was by choice. God knows I had women throwing themselves at my front, back, and center, and it only promised to get worse as things took off with the single. Id backed off the fuck-and-duck game simply because Id gotten bored. I was tired of fake women cloaked in pretenses who just wanted me for my fame. As much as I exploited my growing fame to get any damn thing I wanted. Never said I wasnt a fucked-up bastard, now did I? Theres nothing wrong with them, per se. Theyre just not fashionable. Even though my face felt like it was freezing into ce, I cocked a brow. Oh, and that eye-searingbo you have on is? You practically have on a snowsuit. Like a child. Her cheeks reddened. I dont know how I could tell the difference considering shed been awful damn pink from the wind to start with, but somehow I knew Id gotten to her. Im not a child. Im a grown woman who likes to be prepared. Huh. I crossed my arms and jutted my chin toward her car. So hows that working out for you? She stepped forward, kicking up snow with her gigantic boots. Then she let her gaze wander down the front of me and let out a little harrumph. And you know what else? Statistics say that eighty-eight-point-six of grown men who wear sweatpants are either still living in their mothers basements or theyre serial killers. Deliberately, I moved into her space, dwarfing her with my size. And yet again, she did not back down. Those are some odds, Red. Are you feeling lucky? One Hundred & Forty-One Maggies [POV] I was supposed to be afraid of this guy. That was what he wanted me to be anyway. Why else would he be looming over me as if he wanted to do me bodily harm? But I wasnt buying it. Lets go over the evidence. Wile E. Coyote sweats. Enough concern to pluck me out of my car like a wilted vegetable. Back to the Wile E. Coyote sweats. Also, possibly the kindest, softest, most intriguing brown eyes Id ever seen. Surrounded by a frame of inkyshes. Such a heavy fringe that snow kept gathering on them until he grew impatient and blinked it away. But that was neither here nor there. First of all, there are most likely no serial killers in Turnbull or the surrounding towns. Thats extremely improbable, given the size of the poption. So are your dumbass statistics, but I didnt call you on them, did I? I wasnt pouting at being called a dumbass. Lord knows Id been called much worse. As the youngest of six, Id gotten used to verbal abuse at a young age. I almost enjoyed it. Just because I looked small and defenseless didnt mean I was. I tended to sneak up on people like a bunny. Aww, shes so cute and fluffy-CHOMP. Then again, youre not making any effort to assist a stranded traveler, so maybe you are nning to Ted Bundy me. Wheres your fake cast, huh? I gave his arms in the sleeves of his surprisingly thin coat a nce before pretending to search the snowbanks around us. Wheres your VW Bug with the passenger seat taken out? What the hell are you talking about? Ted Bundy. One of the most famous serial killers of all time. Dont you people respect the titans in your field? What people is that, exactly? His bored tone was making me feel stupid. So much for going toe-to-toe with this giant behemoth. He didnt find me amusing and he had no intention of helping to free my vehicle. So time for n B. Ill just get my bread. There was no helping my clipped tone as I stomped back toward the ditch. Not that I could even be sure hed heard me. With the howling wind and the crunch of my boots on the snowy, uneven ground at the side of the road, maybe he hadnt heard a word Id spoken. Then his big hands mped around my upper arms and he hauled me back as if Id been on the verge of falling into a fire pit. Hold it. What bread? Kindly unhand me. He made a low noise in his throat and without looking back at him, I knew hed done that cocked brow thing again. Pretty hot. I couldnt move one eyebrow independently of the other, so I tended to appreciate skills in others that I did not possess. You have no reason to try to get back in that car. Yes, I do. I need my bread before it gets cold. I sighed. Well, any colder than it already is. My hot bag can only do so much. Your hot bag? Woman, you make no sense. Stop calling me woman, and its an insted bag to seal in warmth. I used it to protect Mrs. Pringles bread. Its her favorite, pumpkin chocte chip. I craned my neck to look up at him, intending to shove his big paws off me, but his head was tilted and his lips were parted, revealing just a hint of bright white teeth. And those dark assessing eyes were searing right through every damnyer of my clothing. Kindly unhand me, I repeated, not missing the slight chatter of my teeth. I wished I could me the cold. It was so much worse than that. I was by the side of the road with a disabled car and a possible Ted Bundy wannabe with soulful eyes, and I didnt even really care that he was keeping me from my bread. Mrs. Pringles bread. Same difference. You might injure yourself further if you attempt re-entry. Let the professionals handle it. Further? I frowned. Im not injured. Was I? Quickly, I took stock. Everything still worked. Arms, legs, mouth. Definitely mouth. Sure, my heart was beating a bit too fast and my thoughts were skidding out of control, but that was normal for me. My dad called me fanciful, which he partially med on my obsession with the macabre. My mama said I spent too much time with my head stuck in a book. My brothers-all three of them-called me some variation of Magpie, my childhood nickname that had stuck like a damn flytrap. Maeve and Regan, my perfect older sisters, just sighed at my supposed antics and went on with their lives. So yeah, mental babbling was typical for me. And often, actual babbling, though the dude hulking over me was not inspiring to foam at the mouth as I usually might. I didnt know men like him. The guys I attracted were safe, nice boys. The kind who went to church on Sundays and pulled their elderly neighbors newspaper out of the bushes and always referred to my parents as Sir and Maam. They didnt have edges. They didnt skimp on their manners. They didnt miss their morning shave. As far as assisting someone with car trouble, they wouldve been sweet and helpful and fixed the problem before I could ask. Not brusque and dismissive and now rough as the brute hauled me around and set me a few feet away from my vehicle. Stay there. He pointed at me. Im going to take care of your problem so you can get on your way.? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. About time. Do you have a truck hoist? He was already moving toward my car. He studied the door for a moment, then yanked on the handle. It opened for him with only the slightest effort. Traitorous car. Fumbling inside, he realized my window was the crank-up kind and shut it so the front seat didnt fill with snow. Guess the door wasnt so stuck after all, he shouted over the wind. I rolled my eyes. Sure, if I had the strength of an ox, no problem. I asked if you had a truck hoist? A truck hoist? he echoed, clearly not paying attention as he studied my car. Yes, to pull me out of the ditch. No, I dont have a truck hoist. What I do have should do the trick though. He shut the door without grabbing my bread or any of my belongings, then climbed out of the ditch, pulled a cell phone from his pocket, and hit a button. Smugly, I might add. This man did not have an air of friendly cooperation, that was for sure. As for neighborly concerns? Nope. Nada. After a minute, his smug expression ttened. His mouth thinned out and he gazed at his phone as if hed misdialed. He hit a button again, waited, then yanked the phone from his ear. What the fuck? I tried not to nch. Of course, Id heard swearing before. I was a college student, wasnt I? But in my family home, we had a tip jar. Anyone who swore put in a five-dor bill. Forget a one-dor bill. My parents had wanted us to learn appropriate words swiftly, and parting with five dors of our allowance had worked fast. Pretty sure this dude didnt have a jar. If he did, hed probably smash it with one of his hammock fists. Is there a problem? No. Not. The tow truck ce isnt answering. No big. Its New Years Eve. You dont say? I ignored his sarcasm and lifted my voice to speak over the growing wind. The darker it got, the more frigid it was growing outside. But Id be damned if I shivered. If he could seem impervious to the weather, so could I. If youre not using a nationalpany and instead supporting a local business, its not surprising. This is a holiday. Therefore, holiday hours. Thank you, Miss Know-It-All, but Im well aware of this particrpanys hours. Its a family business. Your family? Yet you dont own a truck hoist? I cocked my head. Seems fishy. I said family business, not my business. Ah, like your dad? Or your brother? Look, they arent answering, so well have to just wait. He nced around at the gathering snow as if he nned for us to wait at the edge of the road. If that was the case, I was going to try to get back into my car. As much as I loved Mrs. Pringle, I knew my stomach was on the verge of roaring. That bread was going to be mine. Id skipped lunch, and boy oh boy, I knew better than to take shortcuts. They never paid off. Okay. Well, thanks. Even if he couldnt be polite, I could. I appreciate your But I wasnt a liar. Conversation. I couldnt be certain in the near darkness, but I was almost sure his lips twitched. Conversation, is it? I shrugged. Come on, he said, indicating with his chin for me to head up the short incline to a dark, forbidding, tiny house. Immediately, my back went up. And my spidey senses started to tingle. Or that might have been my extremities due to frostbite setting in. No, thank you. I dont think thats a good idea. Ill just stay here and call AAA. You have AAA? Of course I do. I bit my lip, vividly picturing the expired notice on my desk at home. Id paid that, right? It had been at the top of my To Do list, but with the holidays Okay, maybe not. You seem uncertain. Not really. One Hundred & Forty-Two Maggies [POV] He gusted out a sigh. Its freezing out here. Lets go inside and get warm. Ill call the towingpany againter. If theyre not answering now, I shouted over the wind, moving closer when my voice seemed to get sucked away, what makes you think they willter? Its a holiday. People are out celebrating. Are you? He pointed at himself. Am I? No. Not everyone is in a fucking party mood. Nowe on. When I didnt budge, he gave me a stern look that made me half expect him to haul me over his shoulder like a sack of Maggie. Then he let out another of those windy breaths. Please? My frozen face cracked into a smile. Did that hurt? A little. Not as much as my nuts shriveling up into my spine though. I swallowed. Along with not hearing a ton of swear words daily, I also wasnt privy to men referring to their nuts as if that counted as ordinary conversation. Hi, my nuts hurt. Pass the crackers. You, um, should go inside then. That sounds painful. It is. Come on. I wont bite. Are you sure? Now he did more than almost smile. He barked out augh. Not unless you want me to, honey, and even then, Im pretty sure you arent my type. He tilted his head and lifted his voice above the howling wind. Im not into church girls. Even the exmunicated kind, which does sound interesting. It is. No, Im not telling you. I rubbed my mittened hand over my stinging cheeks. What happens between a girl and her priest is private. Wow. Some Thorn Birds shit? Kinky little thing, arent you? Was that approval I saw in his midnight eyes? Theyd warmed. Speaking of kinky Hardly. I sniffed, and not out of haughtiness. I had to sneeze, and I had to pee. I was also freezing and starving and desperately in need of a long, hot shower. Then again, did I dare get naked within the same four walls as this guy? Even if I wasnt his type? Serial killers had types too. They also didnt kill everyone they met. I couldnt be sure this guy was safe, but if I wasnt in his target victim group, he could be a homicidal lunatic and I wouldnt necessarily be in danger. Plus, I knew some judo. Oh, the rationalizations a girl who urgently needs a bathroom will make. Okay. Ill go inside with you. Briefly. Until we can reach the towingpany. Otherwise, I will have many people out looking for me, and they will descend on your ce like a swarm of locusts if Im not home in a matter of hours. Much to my consternation most of the time. I was well and truly sick of being so overprotective by my family, though I loved them for their concern. It was just hard to have much of a life when you were watched like a rabid animal expected at any moment to go on a rampage through town. In truth, I just mostly studied and worked, along with spending time with my bestie and my boyfriend. Yep, not going there. Not if I tie you up and make you call them to say youre okay and not to look for you. Then I might throw your chair in the basement and leave you without food and water. His voice was entirely too serious, which was how I guessed he was lying. It was a gamble, but I was going to bet that the usual serial killer didnt advertise his intentions so brazenly. You forgot to add that youd have your way with me first. Hoping, Red? Before I could stammer out a response, he grabbed my arm and towed me behind him. Not my type, remember? I didnt say yes, I called. He promptly ignored me. After dragging me up a short snowy hill, we made our way up a scarcely shoveled path to a short set of rickety steps. He stopped to pick up some wood, then stomped up the steps and pressed his shoulder into the door. Come on, he shouted in my general direction before barreling into the dark house. Hell, I didnt even know if it was truly his. He could be an illegal squatter there for all I knew. The fact of the matter was that I knew most of the people in Turnbull. This was on the outskirts, true, and the asional person came or went without stirring my notice, but we lived in a small, self-contained area. We might be surrounded by trees and hills and blocked in by mountains of snow for almost half the year, due to our proximity to Lake Ontario, but we kept track of our own. Also, it was hard to make quick getaways when a snowpocalypse wasnt a disaster so much as a way of life. Biting my lip, I cast a nce back toward the road. In the time it had taken us to walk up to the house-though calling it that seemed to be an overstatement-my poor car had be even more buried. The snow wasnting down in kes now. More like pellets. Red, he growled. Forget the damn bread. Something about his irritation made meugh. I pped a hand over my mouth, then bent at the waist when moreughter rolled out. I couldnt catch my breath and what breaths I could take wereced with ice. Crappy time to be on the verge of hysteria. Guess my ident had shaken me up more than Id thought. Or else it was due to the man himself. So I stood up straight, threw back my shoulders, and strutted inside in my giant boots to my beheading.N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner. At least hed turned on the lights. As I shut the door behind me and shifted to survey my surroundings, from down the hall came a string of curse words shot off in session like gunfire. My eyes widened. If he was trying to ease me into feelingfortable before he struck, he wasnt too good at it. Are you okay? I asked carefully, darting nces right and left as I crept up the hallway to where his voice wasing from. And stopped dead at the mouth of the sparse, rustic kitchen. He was standing at the stove in nothing but a pair of silky ck boxers with a spat in his hand, poking at whatever congealed mess was in his dented pan. It was one like youd see in a camping kit, meant to be used on nights under the stars and no other time, ever. But that was his home cookware. Fit him somehow, as did the intricate swirls and lines of dark ink that wrapped around his muscr shoulders and biceps. More ink covered his back and sides. He was a human canvas, tattooed and rippling with muscle. I didnt find that arousing. That he was the exact opposite of mynky, inkless ex was merely something I noted. Fucking burner is fucking out. He stabbed at the red mass in his pan. Without sparing me a nce, he continued. Why are you still dressed like a damn pr bear? Get out of those wet clothes. You were standing in a snowbank for a good fifteen minutes or more. Pr bears dont need clothing, as they have fur. That he only growled made meugh. And cautiously unwind my scarf. While he continued to fiddle with the non-working stove, I cleared my throat. You have a microwave. Just heat the soup. Cautiously, I stepped closer and peered at the gross stuff he kept trying to stir. That is soup, right? Yes. Tomato. I was going to make grilled cheese to go with it. Cant now, because fucking burner is- Fucking out, I finished, surprised by how liberating it felt to curse. There werent any tip jars here. No furnace either apparently, as it was nearly as cold inside as it had been out. Or else Id caught a serious freaking chill. Look at you. Your teeth are chattering. He turned to me and yanked off my fuzzy hat, causing the long hair Id tucked underneath toe tumbling out. He gazed at it as if he was surprised I had hair at all, then managed to shake off his shock and tugged off my earmuffs too. Sound rushed into my ears, including the uneven hiss of his breaths through his tightly clenched teeth. I raised my gaze to his. He was staring at me in a way I wasnt used to from men. When a girl grew up in a small town with three strapping, overprotective brothers, she got used to guys being too afraid to take their shot. As such, Id grown ustomed to dating safe, parental-friendly boys. I liked them. They were predictable. No serial killers in the bunch. None of them made my blood heat the way this one was with merely a heavy-lidded look. He gripped my hat and earmuffs in his hands, crumpling them. This close to him, without even the buffer of his clothes, he seemed even more huge. Tall, muscled, dangerous. I didnt know that kind of male. Had never wanted to. Until now. Keep going, I said softly, challenging myself as much as I was him. I gestured to the rest of my outerwear. Lots more clothes to strip off me, Wolf. One Hundred & Forty-Three Youre going to be a daddy. Those were thest words I ever expected to hear. As one of the fabled Hamilton twins, I enjoy my life just as it is. Why wouldnt I? Check out my stats. Co-owner of Hamilton Realty, a multimillion-dor business. Doting uncle to my niece, Laurie, and my soon-to-be nephew. All-around sexy, single guy who doesnt do strings ever. Then I went to Vegas with my sister-inws best friend, Sage. Choices were made. Alcoholic beverages were consumed. Virginities were taken. Hers, not mine. Then Sage announced Id knocked her up. And oh yeah, she doesnt expect me to take an active role, because she knows I cant handle anything except my d*ck. Say what? Shes so wrong, and Im going to prove it to her. Im going to im my baby and Sage. Sages [POV] Earth to Sage. Hello. Anyone home? My best friend Allys voice only vaguely registered behind me. I just needed one more minute. This was a very important task that couldnt be put off a second longer. In the Facebook search bar, I typed Moose Masterson. Hmm. Moose wasnt his real name. What the heck was it? Chewing on my thumbnail, I dug through my memory banks from high school and grinned. Murphy Masterson. Bam! My thumbs blurred over the tiny keys and triumphantly, I waited as Facebook searched for the man who had to be my one true love. Or my one good hookup, which would suffice until I found a candidate for the love stuff. My results were a big fat goose egg. Undeterred, I spun to ask Ally if she remembered Murphys middle name when my best friend skidded to a halt behind me, far closer than Id expected. She was carrying a partially full coffeepot, and she iled as we collided. I tried to steady her, but the coffeepot bobbled, and the next thing I knew, I had thankfully not entirely scalding liquid soaking the front of my newly cleaned restaurant uniform. Fudge! I shouted, and approximately half of the restaurants patrons turned to look at us. That was only like three people since we were halfway between the lunch and dinner rush. Ally was nearly nine months pregnant and as round as the big table in the back, but shed managed to maintain both her footing and herposure. Unlike me. Of course, her new perfume wasnt Eau de java. I didnt even like coffee. Well, unless it was as close to ice cream in a cup as possible. She patted my ample chest with the napkins she was yanking out by the sheaf from the nearest table dispenser. I couldnt even be embarrassed about extreme nipping right now. Holy crap, that had been hot. Are you okay? Are you okay? Ally repeated, setting down the coffeepot and shuffling to the next table for more napkins. Oh God, did you get burned? Thank the Lord you starch your apron to within an inch of its life. Its probably liquid-proof. Funny. Leave this. Ill take care of it. Oh, and do you remember Moose Mastersons middle name? She didnt reply. Guess that wasnt important right now. My cobwebbeddy garden could wait until the rest of me had been dried off. I shook my damp phone and set it on a nearby booth as I untied my soaked apron and peeled it away from my top. Raising my brows, I deliberately wrung out the apron onto the newly polished floors. By me. Who would be washing them again, since Ally was not in the condition to be doing such tasks? God forbid she squeeze out a football-sized child if she bent over wrong. This was what I got for looking for love onpany time. Ill clean this mess up as soon as I switch to my backup shirt. Holding my soaked apron far out to my side, I walked between the tables toward the storage room, squeezing out my shirttails with my other hand as I went. Why the heck not? Id be cleaning up the floor again anyway. I swiftly realized why not when Greta, the new day-shift manager, bellowed through the kitchen as I hurried through it toward the break room. Why is that floor a blooming mess when were about to serve our dinner patrons? Its my fault. Ally hurried into the kitchen, her hands full of wet napkins. I spilled coffee on Sage. It wasnt her fault. Sage, who was very obviously breaking our electronic resource policy during work hours? Greta gave me a hard stare. Im sorry, I began, hunching my shoulders. Showed what I got for chasing wild hair into certain sex. There was no such thing as certain sex in my world. Wasnt that why I had endured almost half a dozen near-V-destroying misses? Get cleaning that mess up. Mitch will be in soon, and we dont want him to see this ce looking like a wreck. On it, Ally said. Ill take care of it before I leave. I dont think so. I flew forward to grab her arm, though Id already started unbuttoning my shirt. But hey, modesty wasnt importantpared to protecting my preggo bestie. Like Hades. You go sit down and rest those swollen ankles. Or go back to filling the ketchup dispensers like you were earlier.N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner. But No ifs, and, or buts. Youre going out on maternity leave this week. Ill be darned if you do anything to cause my nephew to pop out early. Okay, so the child wasnt technically a rtion of mine, but close enough. I intended to spoil him as if he were family just the same. Ally rubbed her lower back. My kid isnt that touchy, and neither am I. Besides, it was my fault. The bnce is all off right now. Ill take care of it. Evidently, Greta was not moved by our touching disy of bestie concern. I dont care which of youdies gets out there and cleans up that coffee, but one of you better get your behinds moving right now or else. I was about to tell Greta what exactly she could do to my behind as in kiss it when the sharp click of expensive shoes made me turn around. And came face to chest with Oliver Hamilton. He towered above my five-two by about a foot. Or three. Even though he was an identical twin, there was no doubting which Hamilton I was eye-to-pec with right now. Seth never wore full suits, instead often pairing dark jeans with a jacket and shirt, sans tie. Oliver seemed to wear nothing else. Id only seen him in jeans twice, and once was when he was helping Seth with some work around the house. The jeans had looked fresh off the rack. Just as todays suit looked custom and exquisitely cut to fit his chiseled frame. He had no business being back here. It was bad enough that Seth showed up in the diners kitchen all the time, but now Oliver? But Oliver went where he pleased and was rarely told no. Hello, I dont think weve met, he said in his smooth, deceptively calm voice. His eyes, however, zed like charred embers from a fire. So dark they couldve been ck, especially when he looked pissed. Like right now. I blinked. You forget to take your meds again, Hamilton? What are you doing back here? Employees only. But he wasnt speaking to me. No, his attention was squarely fixated on Greta, who seemed caught between squirming and fluttering at being under the relentless scrutiny of such a dominating man. Either that, or Gretas tighty-whities were a size too small. Which would exin a lot. Oh, I know we havent. Greta was instantly all aglow, a bright smile wreathing her normally stern face. She pushed past me and held out a hand to Oliver. My name is Greta Conrad. Im new in town. Just moved herest week. Old friend of Mitchs. He owns The Rusty Spoon, she added proudly, as if Oliver would be impressed by her important friends. I hid a smirk behind my hand. Not so much. Oliver just stared at her hand without taking it. Lovely. Let me tell you who I am. My name is Oliver Hamilton, and Alison is my sister-inw. He jutted his chin at Ally, who was turning the shade of the tomatoes lined up neatly on the kitchen ind. So, I would greatly appreciate it if you refrained from making physical demands on a woman who is nine months pregnant. Or else Ill be forced to contact mywyer, and no one wants that, do we? Oliver, Ally said weakly. Im fine, and I only have two days left- Do we have an understanding? Oliver interjected, staring hard at Greta. Gretas smile was long gone. She nodded quickly, then pinned me with a look. What about this one? Is she your sister-inw too, or can she actually work to clean up the mess she caused? I bristled. Oliver hated me. Lord only knew what hed say. Probably tell Greta I could clean the floors and the toilets too, for good measure. Shes on a break right now. His gaze dropped below my face and lingered. She must be, since she isnt even fully dressed. I let out a startled squeak and grasped my half-open shirt tighter to my now heaving bosom and raced into the back hallway. I beelined for my locker in the break room, moving as fast as my sensible soles would carry me. Thank heavens the break room was empty. See, the universe could be benevolent now and then. Talking to Greta and Ally with my shirt half open over my granny bra hello, DDs require more support than your average demi cup was one thing. The line cooks had been on a smoke break out back, and Id been flustered enough not to give them a second thought. Jean, one of the other waitresses, had probablye in and gone out without my notice, but she probably wore granny bras too. Oliver, however, was a very different story. Rule number one of having a mortal enemy never let them see you sweator walking around in your underwear, especially if it wasnt remotely sexy. I spun thebination on my locker. Okay, so he wasnt my mortal enemy. We didnt have any grievous reasons not to like each other, except that he slept with any female who moved, and I couldnt get any action unless I paid for it. Not that I should hold that against him, but I did because he was a humorless boob who took himself far too seriously. And who had just swept in and defended his sister-inw and me, sort of like a knight in Hugo Boss. I tossed my wet apron into the bottom of my locker and whipped off my shirt, dropping it in the same pile. Id tidy upter. The important thing now was to grab my highly revealing tank top great job in choosing a spare shirt, past Sage and apron. Well, after I used some of the tissues I kept for emergencies to blot my considerable cleavage. At least the coffee hadnt done much more than slightly irritate my skin. The pinkness was already beginning to fade. Small favors, because an ER trip for burned boobs was thest way I wanted to spend the afternoon. I peered into my bra and peeled the cotton away. Ick, some of the coffee had soaked through. I didnt have a spare bra with me. My locker was only so big. At this rate, Id need to store an entire new outfit in there. Handily, my loft was close by. I could sneak out and run over to my ce, then take a quick shower and scrub my cheeks until I stopped blushing like awell, a virgin. I tugged out my tank top and spare apron, slipped them over my head, grabbed mynyard with my apartment keys, and mmed my locker door shut. And turned to find Oliver standing in the doorway, arms folded over his distractible chest. Jesus Christ! Youre like a goddamn cat, always sneaking around. One Hundred & Forty-Four Sages [POV] So much for my New Years resolution to stop swearing. I never used to, but working at the diner, Id picked up the habit. Since the first of the year, Id been trying Seth and Allys swear-jar trick. Theyd started the practice to cut down on swearing so their daughter Laurie didnt overhear bad words, but Id decided to employ it too. Thus far, Id had to trade in my swear jar for a swear milk carton. The stic gallon size. And it was only approaching the end of January. I do not sneak. I followed you at a reasonable pace, but you were far too involved in your task to notice me. He cocked his head. I must say, your sense of fashion is truly unique. My first inclination was to make another undignified noise and wrap my arms over my chest. But the apron was thick and, all things considered, offered decent coverage. The tank, not so much. Whatever. Id be damned if I acted flustered around him again. Id be darned. Whatever. Id just count this day as one big swear and put a twenty in the dang carton. Do you have a purpose in being back here or did you just want to make an already shitty day worse? No one could say I didnt go all in with breaking my resolutions. An unnamed emotion flitted through his dark eyes, but hiszy, curious pose never changed. You dont have to tolerate this, you know. Shes new, trying to prove herself. Im sure shell be perfectly fine once she settles in. I wasnt sure of that at all, but I wasnt going to spill my guts to a guy who didnt really care one way or the other. You have money from the sale of the bed-and-breakfast, he continued as if I hadnt spoken. You must. Your parents wouldnt have taken off in their Airstream and left you penniless after such a profitable sale. How do you know how profitable it was? Dumb question. Hamilton Realty was run by Oliver, his brother Seth and their father, and theyd handled the deal. Even if they hadnt brokered this particr one, real estate transactions that urred in Crescent Cove were their business. They knew what would be hitting the market before the owners had made up their minds.? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. Now Oliver was trying to peer into mine, and I didnt appreciate it. Working isnt merely about materialpensation. I sniffed and looped mynyard around my neck. Which required me to lift my arms, of course, and shifted the apron in a way I wouldnt have thought much of, if not for Olivers sudden shift back from the door. He didnt leave, just backed into the shadowy hallway. I frowned. Weird. I hadnt forgotten the deodorant today, had I? There was no way to discreetly check, but then again, I couldnt smell anything but coffee right now. Good thing I was learning to almost like it. So, you expect me to believe you work here for the satisfaction? Does that include the bunions youre trying to avoid by wearing such ugly shoes? This time, I did gasp. There was no avoiding it. When dealing with a frenemy, not much was off-limits. But insulting a womans shoes? That was beyond the pale. They are exceedinglyfortable. What exactly is it that you want? And why are you hiding in the hallway? Im not hiding. His voice sounded strained as he stepped forward, moving quickly enough that he seemed to be right in front of me in two long-legged strides. I have a meeting Imte for, and I almost forgot to give you this. I was still trying to adjust to his sudden nearness-how could I smell his spicy cologne even over the coffee?-when he plucked an object out of the inside pocket of his jacket and dangled it in front of me. Missing something? he asked when I didnt move. How could I? Id just identally cut my gaze to his waist. And below. Right below. To where either his impably cut suit had a design w or else he was facing an affliction even a virgin could spot from five feet away. He was hard. I was almost positive. Surely, even I could detect an erection despite my limited experience. Sage. Eyes up. His voice was pinched. Utterly without amusement. Because it was fine if he sorta-kinda ogled my breasts, but I wasnt allowed the same courtesy. Not that I was ogling so much as trying to understand. Did he have one of those conditions where a swift breeze got him going? Or could it be No. My breasts werent enough to get a man like him going. They were perfectly nice breasts, even attractive breasts, but he was a man of the world whod bedded who knew how many women. Women who didnt save La Pe for dates. Bi-monthly dates, if those women were me. My head came up and my gaze connected with my iPhone. And I cursed mightily my genius idea to put the screen on never off so I could sneak looks at work without taking the time to enter my passcode. Moron. Moose Masterson, hmm? Olivers tone was thoughtful. Any man named Moose must be worth a furtive work search. He is. I tried to snatch back my phone, but he simply held it higher. Just out of my reach. Not difficult, since I felt as if I were shrinking in direct proportion to his overwhelming height and breadth with every passing moment. And his erectmember was right there. Who is he, exactly? An old friend? Why do you care? Can I please have my phone? There was one other question that I nearly asked as well. How can you be so gant about telling off Greta and such an utter prick when ites to dealing with me? But I didnt think I could use the word prick when there was a live-action one a few inches away. I couldnt even be chill about it, because fully functional cocks were a rare bird in my life. Sometimes being a virgin totally sucked. All right, all times. Certainly. I even cleaned off the coffee for you. His thin smile was about as warm as the expression of a cobra before it struck, but he handed over my phone just the same. Just making idle chitchat as you stand about in your bra. Im not only in my bra, smart ass. I have a tank on. Relieved to have my phone back in my possession, I closed the Facebook app and pulled up my texts. The first one was from the radio station where Id won a trip to Vegas. Id pushed it off as long as possible, suddenly not as excited for my out-of-state hookup possibilities as Id once been. That deted-dick date Id had over the holidays had kind of killed my optimism when it came to sex. If a guy couldnt keep it up even when I was the next thing to naked in front of him, what chances did I have ofpeting with Vegas showgirls for indiscriminate sex? Precisely none. Then again, Oliver either had a medical condition or he found my bare arms arousing. And he was peering over my shoulder, the snoop. Not that again, he muttered near my hair, clearly scanning the bright-red ssh of text. Love in Vegas? Last chance? As if anyone would rush to go on a radio-sponsored trip. What do you get, twoplimentary flutes of champagne and a mint on the pillow in your low-level suite? Maybe he hadnt really been hard. Shadows could do many things. Hadnt that been what Id told myself when it seemed as if Jim hadnt been that excited as Id stripped? Id told myself to keep my eyes on his and seduce him with my gaze. Id paid for that one with a limp lizard-and not of the gecko variety. Why dont you just take the cash prize instead of the trip? Oliver sounded so pragmatic, and a part of me wanted to giggle since I was solely focused on his cock. Wouldnt that shock the stiffness right out of him? Huh, there was one way I could answer the erection question once and for all. If I could find enough balls to get the job done. Finding enough clits just didnt have the same panache, so Id have to stay with the not anatomically correct reference. Im taking the trip, I said firmly. I intend to go and have an amazing time. Freewheeling drinking and debauchery in a town where no one knows who I am. Youre still nning on going alone? Sure. I shrugged and pretended to be absorbed in the text Id already read and reread three times. Truth was, I was obsessed with my science experiment. I was going for it. In a second or two. That isnt safe. Especially if youre nning on drinking. You need your wits about you, or a trustedpanion to ensure that- My best friend is too knocked up to go, so what do you expect me to do? I shrugged again, rushing on. Itll be fine. What can possibly happen? Other than Ill getid. Most likely, that wouldnt happen. I talked-and thought-a good game, but I probably wouldnt be able to pull the trigger with a stranger. Even if that trigger was made from flesh. Oliver sucked in a breath and edged back from me. You could get into trouble. Not far enough though, and not fast enough. I could be like a snake too, fast and lethal. I jerked back into him, deliberately making contact with one certain vital area. My eyes went wide. My nipples decided to join the fracas. Between my legs, previously dormant areas flowed likeva over Mount Vesuvius. Erection sighting confirmed. And how. The only thing I hadnt plotted out was what to do once Id discovered he was hard. My body was wedged against his and neither of us were moving and um, hi, awkward. Even if my hormones were in sudden overdrive. They had no morals or sense. Oliver is the enemy, remember? Even if he is built like a Magic Mike stripper. Feels like you have trouble in your pants, I managed, as he made a choking sound that couldve been a groan or possibly the precursor to a cardiac event. And like the sexually un-liberated woman I was, I fled. One Hundred & Forty-Five Olivers [POV] Sage opened her locker long enough to grab her coat, then tugged it on and disappeared through the rear break room exit. I stared after her. Her leaving was both a curse and a blessing. Trouble in my pants? Thats what she called it when a man was helplessly aroused by the sight of her in simple white cotton. I wasnt proud of it. Id tried to hide my predicament by remaining in the hall. But Id followed her to give her back her phone-and yes, perhaps get another glimpse of her curves-so Id had to man up. Now she probably thought that I wasnt well-endowed because Id been on the way down from an erection. Thanks to reciting the times tables backward in my head, no less. Even that had scarcely been enough tobat her allure. The scent of her brought back memories of summer. Sunshine and green grass and the breeze off theke. A sorely needed reminder of warmer afternoons on this frozen, chilly gray day. Layered overall had been the aroma of strong ck coffee. It had smelled a damn sight better on her than it tasted in the cup. But my control had saved me from reacting as much as I could have. I wasnt a teenage boy any longer. Bad enough Id popped a semi in the first ce. At least I could get it back in line. Id taken pride in the fact that I could stand that close to her, surrounded by her perfume with her scarcely concealed breasts right there, and manage to remain merely at half-mast.From N?velDrama.Org. And now she probably thought half was as good as it got. A growl worked its way free of my throat. Trouble. Id give her trouble. How I wasnt exactly sure. She didnt like me. I wasnt overly fond of her. Her decision-making skills were questionable at best. epting random radio station contests to travel alone to the city of sin and searching for men on the inte named Moose, for Petes sake. Unless that was why she found mecking. A man named Moose probably hadnt been named for his mammal-sized brain. But I was not a small man myself. Far from it. Even if I was now tempted to make a stop in the mens room just to reassure myself of that fact. Another thing I was tempted to do was follow Sage to grill her about her exact meaning. Perhaps Id gotten it wrong. We sparred often, and rarely spared feelings. I didnt have to worry shed look up at me with a trembling chin and tears in her eyes. On the surface, she appeared fluffy and sweet and easily hurt. In reality? She had a backbone of steel and a smart mouth to match. As for her tits, I wasnt going there. They werent relevant. I wasnt even usually a breast man, though obviously, I could appreciate a fine pair. If I had to single out a part, asses were more my thing, but I tended to view women as a whole as exquisite creatures. Besides, the brain was the sexiest organ of all-and Sages enticed me beyond measure. It was so twisty and detoured in so many ways I didnt expect. Like why a homespun woman like herself whose persona practically screamed I knit my cable-knit sweaters and binge-watch HGTV and collect mementos for my future two-point-five kids hope chests was so hell-bent to getid in Vegas. It must be the virginity thing. Id been ate bloomer myself, not having sex until freshman year of college. Near misses had urred a few times before that, but Id attended an all-boys private school and had been focused on keeping my GPA at a level beyond my fathers reproach. Seth had been thedies man in the family. Id been the well-behaved one who never made waves. I frowned as I tugged on my tie. Some might still say I was the well-behaved one. Which burned my craw more than a little. But Id never wanted to risk my future. Hadnt our father drummed that into my head enough? Wrap it up, or youll be sharing your fortune with a gold digger. That message had been received loud and clear. Not as well as my twin, however. Hed ended up with Laurie from a backseat mishap, but she had turned into the best and brightest part of his life. Now he was married to his high school best friend and they were having a baby and were blissfully happy. As for me, I was at loose ends. Nothing new theretely. The business was booming. Our tourist hamlet of Crescent Cove was nestled just close enough to theke to bring visitors to the area in droves. The Airbnbs and bed-and-breakfasts in town were making money even now, despite it being the coldest part of winter in New York. Sages parents ce had been equally profitable until theyd traded it all in for early retirement and days of seeing the world through the tiny windows of a house on wheels. Theyd sold it to those who saw progress much differently and believed Crescent Cove didnt have to remain the same to be true to its historic heritage. Sage would not agree. I did not doubt that. She was on her own in town now. Her parents are gone, and her best friend and roommate Ally was newly married and expecting. I supposed it made sense Sage wanted some adventure in her life, but the free trip shed won from a radio station wasnt the answer. Hell, shed probably get to travel coach for her trouble. Then there was Moose. That name sounded vaguely familiar. I hadnt attended high school with Seth and Ally and Sage, though shed been a couple of years behind them and hadnt known them then. Id been exiled at prep school, but still, a lot of the usual suspects whod attended the local high school were townies and hadnt gone far. Id have to ask Seth if he remembered- No, I would not. Moose Masterson and Sages romantic difficulties were not my issues. She was a friend of my sister-inws, so of course, I was concerned about her well-being, but concern had its limits. It stopped far short of the bedroom. And ndestine Facebook searches. A couple of waitresses entered the break room, chattering andughing before suddenly falling silent. One of them was middle-aged and behaved as a grandmother might with most patrons who came into the diner. Not me, of course. She treated me as if I were as deadly as a rapidly mutating virus. The other woman was quite young. I shifted, epassing them both with a smile. Hello, Jean, I said, swiftly turning my attention to the petite redhead at her side. You must be new? Y-yes. My name is Stacy. Stacy Bennington. Nice to meet you. I held out a hand, simply to be polite. Im Oliver Ham- Shes in college, Jean snapped, grabbing the redheads arm and hustling her away from me. Lovely. I couldnt even attempt to exchange friendly greetings with the women in this ce without them getting all prickly. Almost at once, Sages voice invaded my brain. Your reputation precedes you, manwhore. This room is for employees of The Rusty Spoon, Jean said from behind me. And only them. Okay then. I saluted them. Have a good day,dies. Stacy blushed, and Jean shot me eye-daggers that Sage wouldve appreciated. She mightve even been a student at Jeans knee herself. Guess I was going to take my coffee to go. Hopefully, Ally would be ready to leave. Id had a purpose for visiting the diner this afternoon, and it wasnt to get every female in the joint riled up. Why I wasnt even sure. I was a decent person. I volunteered at the soup kitchen. I babysat my niece with the minimum amount of bribery. I prided myself on getting my clients the absolute most money possible for their property. I was a fine brother, brother-inw, son, and friend. I even braked for squirrels. Just because I enjoyed bedding beautiful women for a brief time before parting mutually satisfied, did that make me worthy of being treated like a pariah in my hometown? Yes, invisible Sage affirmed. Absolutely. I adjusted my tinum cuff links branded with the Hamilton crest and walked down the hall with my dignity intact and thest of my erection firmly banished. At this rate, I might not ever get hard again. Who was I kidding? I had a date with Urs on Friday night, and she was ravishing. She also didnt have a problem with our arrangement being casual. She did not. One Hundred & Forty-Six Olivers [POV] At the mouth of the hallway, Ally was waiting, already d in her steel-blue coat, the belt wrapped tightly around her burgeoning midsection. Id seen enough sonogram pictures to know there was a human baby in there, but without the pictorial evidence, I mightve believed she was about to birth a baby T-Rex. She was normally on the slight side, but my nephew had changed all of that and given her a lovely glow to boot. Finally, Ally said, wringing her hands. I was wondering what happened to you. I told you Id be right back after I delivered the phone. Right back? That was fifteen minutes ago, and Im starving. So sorry to keep you waiting. I put a hand on the small of her back and steered her to the door. You do realize youre in a ce where they serve food. Ugh, no way. I cant eat anything here right now. She touched her belly and grimaced. You know what I could go for though? I was afraid I was going to find out. A greasy fast-food double cheeseburger. Her eyes lit as she grinned up at me. Maybe a strawberry shake to dip my fries into. Ooh, yes. Smothering a sigh, I eased the door open and nudged Ally out onto the icy sidewalk. Wed had a rare break in the weather, but by the steel gray of the sky and the scent of snow in the air, it wouldntst long. Lake effect snow was predicted for overnight and might even be starting as soon as the eveningmute. Id probably still be stuck in the drive-thru checkoutne. You know, Im pretty sure handling cravings is my brothers job. He did the crime, he does the time. Ally snorted. Hes handled plenty of my cravings. Includingst weeks pickles and heavenly hash ice cream. I dont want to know. I was a decent person, not a saint among men. Besides, its your fault Seth couldnt drive me home today. Oh. How do you figure that? He had to get some morest-minute stuff for the baby today, and we couldnt go on Friday night as we nned because of your date. So, because I have a life and cant always watch the rugrat, Im the problem? You try shopping with a four-year-old and youll see the logic works. Oh, I have. And you decided to have another one precisely why? The joys far outweigh the trials. Oh, Oliver, seriously? She stopped at the curb and put her hands on her hips. In this weather? It snows half the year here. If you want to enjoy a sports car, you have to take advantage of clear days. Besides, I didnt know Id be called into service for you until after lunch. I bent at the waist and made a big production of opening the passenger door of my vintage coupe. Youll fit if youre careful. Ill give you carefully. She shot me a look Jean wouldve apuded and wiggled and shimmied her way into the seat, waving off my help. I shrugged and shut her door, then rounded the hood. Some people just didnt appreciate a kind gesture. No sooner had I pulled away from the curb did she drop her next bomb on me. Not Dairy Burger, sheined as I turned left to head toward a local establishment. I want McDs. Of course you do. You try being pregnant. Cravings are a very specific thing and substitutes will not do. I shuddered. Id rather castrate myself with a jar of Vaseline and a pair of pliers. Theres an image. She giggled. Urs would be so disappointed. I turned onto a side street to reverse direction. Naturally, McDonalds had to be the opposite way. She wants me for more than my manly attributes. That earned me another snort. Yeah, shed be happy with the other thing in your pants too. Except for that ones square and made of leather. You have a suspicious mind, just like my father. And you dont? I did, which was exactly why it had taken me longer than my twin to start circting much socially. What could I say? Id always been an overachiever. But I was not a manwhore, despite what some might think. I was far more discriminating than many gave me credit for. Being wise isnt the same as being suspicious. For that matter, a man can enjoy dinner and drinks with a woman without engaging in the pleasures of the flesh. Frankly, it disturbs me that everything bes about sex with you women. Us women? Which women are you referring to, may I ask? And everything is not about sex with me right now. I can verify that its been exactly three weeks and- Enough. I held up a hand. If you want your strawberry shake to dunk your French fries in-disgusting, by the way-youll cease that line of conversation. Then what women do you mean? I could hear her grin in her voice. I saw Jean and Stacy go into the break room after you. Did Jean give you a hard time again? Ally examined her manicure. We know Stacy wouldnt have. I bet you left her mute. I didnt respond. Somehow, I had a feeling it didnt matter what I said in my defense. The scarlet M had been affixed to my chest in indelible ink. Or was it Sage who ruffled your feathers? Ally continued, drumming her fingers on the door. She was pretty POd because of the coffee spill and Greta. I wouldnt take it personally. When do I ever take her scurrilous personality personally? I signaled to turn into the McDonalds, smothering a sigh at the half dozen cars ahead of us in line. Didnt anyone ever eat at home anymore? Shes going on that trip this weekend. To Vegas. Im sure you heard about it. Shes been talking about it since- Halloween, I interjected sourly. Yes, Ive heard about it. The trip where she hopes to get possibly kidnapped and sold into the sex trade by unscrupulous individuals. Ally gasped. You did not just say that. A woman is entitled to go have a good time. I didnt say she wasnt. But it can be dangerous for a naive young woman to travel alone, especially when shes made it quite clear shes leaving her inhibitions at home. Not everyone is worthy of trust, and Im just concerned she may not make the best choices if the men she meets arent upfront with her. I shrugged and tapped the gas to move forward half an inch. Not my problem. I knew it. Ally snapped her fingers. I could tell you were concerned. As I would be for anyone in such a situation. Right. If Seth said he was going to Vegas to find a hookup, youd surely get your boxers in a bunch. In case youve forgotten, Seth is married, so I would get a goodwyer on speed dial for him, I smirked. But no, I wouldnt get my boxers in a bunch because hes a man of the world and- Cut the crap. Its because hes a man. Full stop. Hes not Sage. I hit the gas again and stomped harder than was necessary on the brake. Double cheeseburger, you said? Why does that make a difference? I tapped my fingers on the wheel and prayed for patience. Large fries, was it? With arge shake? Oliver, seriously. Do you think shes going to get in trouble or something? Ally bit her lip. Ive never been to Vegas. Is it that bad? I was tempted to regale her with statistics that would make her ponytail spin, but she was pregnant. On the verge of popping, no less. She did not need undue stress or spection. Its arge urban city, with everything that goes along with it. But most likely, everything will be fine. Shes never even traveled out of New York. Ally fiddled with her wedding ring. Not even for college. She went to a SUNY school, so she could be nearby toe home to work at The Hummingbirds Nest whenever her parents needed her. Breaks, summer vacation, and stuff like that. She found out they were selling the ce while she was home for a break and put her degree on hold, purportedly so she could help with the sale. But that was the end of that. That fit Sage all too well. Even though I didnt know that much about her, it was obvious she was a people pleaser. Just not an Oliver pleaser, since clearly, I was a threat to the happy domestication impulses of every woman in town. I wouldnt be surprised if one day I walked into the diner to see a photo of myself with a sh through it and the words just say no stered over my face. She never went back? I gave the gas a light tap and we surged forward another couple of inches. We might be able to order sometime this century. Not even for a night or online courses? No. The news her parents were selling rocked her. Shed lost that impulse to make spaces pretty, I think because she didnt feel like she had her own home anymore. Then we moved in together, and I bailed on her too. Ally sighed. We have a spare room at the house. More than one. Ive debated asking her to move in. So she can be your live-in babysitter? Well, thats handy. Ally paled. How can you say that? I wasnt sure why Id said it. My sister-inw wasnt a user. Besides, I was their favorite victim for a babysitter, not Sage. I could only imagine the fun Id have watching two of their offspring, especially when one of them could indiscriminately spray me with pee. Clearing my throat, I wrapped my hands around the wheel. Just two cars left. It sounds as if shes been convenient for a lot of people, including ones who love her. Ally fell silent. My first impulse was to change the subject. Apologize. Something. Ah, hell, this was why I stuck to pleasant meals that were heavy on flirtation and innuendo with women of the opposite sex. I didnt know how to converse with them otherwise. Youre right, she said finally. That wasnt my intention, of course. But shes so good with Laurie and such a natural at making a house a home She sighed. Wed probably end up leaning on her without meaning to. It was my turn to remain silent-minus my growling stomach. Maybe a double cheeseburger didnt sound so bad after all. That was what I got for sitting in line looking at signs advertising the ce for fifteen minutes. Theyd made me long for grease. A momentter, I finally rolled up to the ordering box and asked for two of what Ally had requested. She gaped at me as I rolled forward in line toward the next window. How did you know I wanted two fries? Im not sure I can manage the two burgers though, but maybe One is for me.? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. Oh. Her brows rose. Wow. She was quiet for half a second. So, Friday night with Urs? Got anything else nned for the weekend? I made a nomittal sound. Usually, questions like that led to marathon baking sprees in my kitchen, with Laurie and mepeting to see who could be covered in more flour. No other ns? she pressed as I tapped the gas and moved forward in the endless line. No, I said finally, guilt gnawing at my spine. I did love Laurie, and we hadnt had much time to hang outtely. What do you want from me this time? Let me guess, a trip to Chuck E. Cheese? She mentioned that thest time I saw her. Or maybe a viewing of thetest Pixar ssic at the movies. As long as it isnt a repeat of that vile Trolls. Aww, Trolls was super cute. Weve watched that three times so far as a family. This is why youre the procreator and Im just the benevolent uncle. I made a gimme gesture with my fingers. Now out with it. What do you want from me? She bit her lip before a slew of words tumbled forth. For the record, I did not like any of them. I wouldnt normally ask this, because I try hard not to meddle, and shes old enough to do what she wants and live her own life, but I cant help being a little anxious. With the babying so soon, my fledgling new mom senses are going all haywire, and wed appreciate it if you could maybe just do this one thing for mefor us. Seth would be happy too if he knew he didnt have to talk me off the ledge while she was there. She paused long enough to fill her lungs with oxygen. So, can you go with Sage to Vegas? I wasnt sure, but I think she batted hershes at me. Pretty, pretty please? One Hundred & Forty-Seven Sages [POV] I put aside all thoughts of Olivers erection. From what Id heard from girlfriends over the years, it often didnt take much to get them going. There was even that song Jizz in My Pants where the guy got excited by the breeze blowing and eating grapes and all kinds of crazy things. That hadnt been my experience, but someone always screwed up the curve. Leave it to me. Considering Oliver being sexually aroused by me-me, specifically-was too far-fetched to swallow. I had good breasts, but from what Id heard, he saw that part of the female anatomy too often to get excited by mine. Unless mine were more stupendous than I believed, and Jims underperforming penis could not corroborate that fact. Regardless, I was moving on. As the weekend neared, I called the radio station and tried to reschedule my trip one more time. For April or May, perhaps. When Ally would be able to travel and might relish an escape from her newborn. So I liked to delude myself. So sue me. The radio station, however, was not into delusions. Youve rescheduled multiple times already. Shit or get off the pot. Said more nicely, of course. Slightly. I was so at odds about how to proceed that I didnt even try to find Moose again. That hadnt gone well the other day, and heck, if I was going to Vegas anyway, why look for an old man when I could potentially find a new one? Again, I realized this was unlikely since stranger danger was a real concern vis mydy terrarium. But fantasies are free. Moose probably wouldnt be that thrilled to hear from me in any case. Id identally stomped on his shoe while dancing at the prom, and Id broken a bone in his foot. If only Id known back then that the death of my love life had already been cast. And it was firmly set on crazy eights. Friday morning, I woke for myst shift at the diner before my few days off with a migraine and a tickle in my stomach. I was sure I wasing down with a raging case of the flu. Id picked up Laurie from school a few days ago and chatted with her teacher and some of her ssmates, and naturally, the ce was rife with the virus. I was ill. I could not travel. A day at work being barked at by Greta without even the softening presence of my bestie-who was now out on maternity leave-did not improve my condition. I crawled into my bed at ten pm with the reassuringugh track to the Golden Girls lulling me to sleep, confident that the fates were instructing me not to travel to thend of lust. My pristinely hyphenated state would continue. Strangely, I was okay with it. Perhaps the answer was to consider alternate situations where my virginity would be a bonus rather than a seeming detriment. Like the nunnery. I would spend Saturday looking into those options, just in case. Even without traveling to engage in carnal desires, I didnt intend to pursue bing a nun right now. Things werent that dire. But if in, oh, five to ten years, I still hadnt found someone to share my bed-if not my life-with Well, Id always been at peace in the church and I had a damn fine singing voice for hymns. The no-swearing thing would be a requirement though. Id have to trade in my stic gallon jug for a legit old-fashioned milk can. I slept fitfully Friday night, certain I would wake on Saturday too sick to fly. It was only the polite thing to do, not contaminate my fellow passengers. Instead, I woke before my rm, stretched, and realized I felt absolutely fine. There was no way I could back out now. On the bright side, Id packed the other day. My wardrobe was a mix of fun, flirty, casual clothes and more formal pieces for the evening. I would only be there Saturday and Sunday nights, returning Monday, so the trip didnt require a ton of outfits. Still, I fretted over including one more pair of strappy heels just in case. I only had three pairs, and the other two were already in the suitcase, along with my ts. I was so unprepared for Vegas and had been flip-flopping so much about whether I truly wanted to go that Id done little research and hadnt booked any shows. Luckily, the radio station trip included two tickets to see Celine Dion, who I loved, so I had one nights entertainment all set. Sunday night, Id wing it. See what developed. That was kind of what this whole trip was about. Being spontaneous. Letting the winds of fate and change blow me to my destiny. And so on. Id probably end up watching cable in my room and binging on cheap wine from room service. Once Id double-checked my suitcase and carry-on onest time, I detoured to the bathroom to put one more lightyer of moisturizer on my face and hands, since Id read nes were extremely dry. This was my first ever flight, and I did not want to meet my future with dry skin. Oh God, what if I hated flying? Id probably be a nervous flyer. I tended to be nervous about most new things, part of why I stayed in myfort zone. Not today. Today, I was taking a big fat leap. My phone beeped with a notification. Look at that, the Uber was outside, right on time. Keep, I was doing this. All by myself. First vacation in forever, my first solo trip, and my first flight. Across the country, no less. I might even be proud of myselfter if I didnt spiral into a panic attack before I even arrived at the airport. The plus side was that Id nned. Needed paperwork and information were gathered and at the ready. I breezed through TSA, though I had to lift my travel-appropriate light sweater and thin shirt underneath when something buzzed around my waist and they needed to verify I wasnt packing heat. Then I was on my way, my step buoyed, excitement finally beginning to overtake nerves. Boarding time was upon me, and I was ready. Sin City and I were about to interface hardcore. I gripped the handle of my carry-on in my fist and walked down the aisle of the ne, searching for my row. Wow, pretty nice seat. Id heard coach wasnt much to speak about. Maybe I didnt have caviar dreams, but I was quite happy with my amodations so far. Besides, they were free. Turned out I was near the back. All good there. It seemed as if the ne was nearly full already. Id been near the back of the line due to an unfortunate mishap with my shoe strap. No matter, I was here now and my seat was right There. By the window. But before I could get to it, I would have to climb over arge lumberjack-appearing man in jeans and nnel with a beard long enough to French braid, and a rich-looking guy in a snazzy suit. Wait a second. I knew that rich-looking guy. What the hell are you doing here? I demanded, nting a hand on my ample hip and ring over Lumberjacks head at the businessman beside him. One I was quite well acquainted with and did not have fond feelings for.From N?velDrama.Org. Especially right now, when he was about to hijack my big solo adventure for reasons unknown. Pfft. Oliver removed his dark sses-why he was wearing them on a ne, I didnt know-and gave me a thin, forbidding smile. I do believe this is a public,mercial flight. Though God knows why anyone would voluntarily choose to travel this way. Hey, Lumberjack rumbled in a deep voice that fit him all too well. He speaks. I asked you how you were before and you just grunted. Im not on this flight to make friends and influence people. I frowned. Thats just rude. Why are you here again? Before Oliver could answer, I gave Lumberjack my brightest, friendliest, Crescent Cove hometown smile. I must ap apologize for my enemys behavior. He doesnt get out much. Im doing quite well, myself. How are you, sir? The lumberjack flushed. H-hi, he said, and Oliver made a noise that sounded like disgust, or possibly indigestion at his pre-flight breakfast. Im doing good. Well, I mean. Thank you. He quickly tugged my small bag out of my hand. Let me tuck that away for you. He bent over to slide it under the seat in front of him. Lordy, he was big and broad all over. How did he even manage to wedge himself in that small space? Why, thank you. That was very sweet of you. Whats your name? I held out a hand. Im Sage Evans, and Im twenty-six and an Aquarius. Just had my birthdayst week. Truthfully, Im on the cusp, but I identify more with my Aquarian nature. Aquarius? Oliver shook his head. Why dont you tell him your favorite color and preferred meal while youre at it? Hot pink and a nice steak sub with extra peppers and onions. I smiled, though inwardly I was cringing at being quite so honest. There was nothing sexy about admitting you liked to load up on onions, but then again, I wasnt trying to make a date. Just a friend. And yes, I also wanted to rile Oliver. Since he was doing a bang-up job at trying to look as if he couldnt care less about the conversation-not-obviously, I was sessful. Pink is a nice color on you, Lumberjack said, shifting in his seat and inclining his chin at my thin cardigan. I like steak sandwiches too. Except he pronounced it sammiches, which was pretty cute. Would you please, sit down, he added after a moment. Your feet must be getting tired. Okay. But Id like to sit next to you, not by the window. I gave Oliver a hard stare. Youre still sitting next to me even if I move into the window seat, Oliver said as if I wasnt smart enough to figure that out on my own. But he moved next to the window just the same. One Hundred & Forty-Eight Sages [POV] I shrugged. At least one of my seatmates will be pleasant. Lumberjack rose so I could enter the row and I sat down, careful not to touch Oliver in any way. It wasnt easy. He was a big man himself, though much more densely packed. There was no chance hed invade my personal space. I imagined that was probably one of Oliver Hamiltons life credos. Stick to yourne. But I tended to sprawl. These seats were tiny for a full-figured woman like myself. Id just have to be careful to not edge onto Olivers side, no matter how much I might be tempted to. What are you doing here? I hissed to Oliver the second the lumberjack asked the flight attendant for coffee. He smoothed his spring-green tie as if he didnt have a care in the world. As I stated before, this is amercial flight. I dont have to exin my presence here to you or anyone. Uh-huh. Youre here because you think I need a chaperone. Even as I said it, I argued with myself. Oliver didnt like me. Why would he give a whit if I traveled to Vegas to get my freak on? Which wasnt seeming likely any longer anyway. Id be happy to gamble a little, maybe shop, enjoy the warm weather, and sleep in a different bed for a couple of nights. If I met a nice guy to have dinner with, that would be a plus. But I sincerely doubted Id be able to spread my legs with a stranger, no matter how much I longed to be wild. I simply wasnt. That didnt mean I couldnt move past myfort zone. Youre a grown woman. You dont need anyone watching over you. I angled my head. Why do I feel like theres a buting? This trip will allow me to pursue some business interests, so its a twofer, you could say. You have no business dealings in Vegas. Thats incorrect. I always cram as much into trips as I can, and this presented an opportunity for both business and pleasure. Oh? What pleasure, exactly, do you think youll find?Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. I didnt care. Truly. But he was Allys brother-inw, and we were in for a long flight. Might as well make conversation. It wasnt as if I could get him tossed off the ne. As hed said, he had the same right to be here as anyone else. And if there was a small-very small-part of me that was happy he was here, well, then Id squash the heck out of that shit. Uh, crap. Why, the pleasure of time spent with a friend. His smile was about as trustworthy as a bank robbers. Ive traveled alone often, and its a bore. I thought you might enjoy having someone with you to y travel guide and offer some insight. Ah-ha! I knew you were here to spy. On what, perchance? His ck eyebrow winged up and something quivered inside me that didnt bear examining. Your attempt to meet a man for illicit activities? Pardon me for interrupting, but I couldnt help overhearing, Lumberjack said, his brows pinched together. Thats not safe, Miss Evans. Unless you operate under a buddy system. I gave him a tight smile. Call me Sage. Oliver leaned over me and gave Lumberjack a look that mightve been deemed friendly if one were optimistic. Dont worry. Ill serve as her buddy. There was no stopping my snort. You dont have the slightest clue how. Do you even have any friends other than Seth and Ally? And theyre rted to you, so they dont even count. As soon as the snarkyments were out, I regretted them. Oliver brought out my sarcastic side, but that didnt give me the right to be mean. Im sorry. I swallowed hard. That was uncalled for. He was strangely silent, shifting his dark, unfathomable gaze to the window. I do not, he said after a moment, and my chest squeezed with regret and shame. Since when was I so callous? That wasnt me. Sure, I enjoyed sparring with Oliver, and our snippy rtionship was different from any Id ever had before. Generally, people liked me, and I usually felt the same. But from day one with Oliver, wed been like fire and water, blending awkwardly at best. At worse, we bickered over every frigging thing. That didnt give me cause to be hurtful. Especially if he did care enough about me to bother flying to Vegas-in coach, even-just to make sure I was okay. He wasnt a man who did many extras for anyone who wasnt one of his loved ones, and those were few and far between. Warmth spread beneath my breastbone. Perhaps he didnt hate me as much as Id believed. Do you want to be friends with me? When he didnt reply, I tried not to fidget. Or fill the space with babble. He turned his head and caught me in a stare so intense, I might as well have been rooted in ce. I couldnt breathe, couldnt think. He simply nodded. When he shifted away again, I released a long, shaky breath. Whoa. Ill be your friend too, Lumberjack offered, and as I nced at him, I realized he was gazing at the side of Olivers head. Oliver was abjectly ignoring him. Aww, thats sweet. I squeezed Lumberjacks beefy arm and grinned up at him. Me too? O-of course. The smile he shed me was without guile. The exact opposite of Olivers, and yet I felt oddly pulled to him. Was it because he was the first man Id spoken to for more than a moment during my hookup quest? Oliver, that is, not Lumberjack. Lumberjack was kind and seemed like a good person, but he stirred nothing in me. Not that Oliver did either. Of course not. That would be lunacy. I hadnt even had a drink yet. The minute that in-flight sign went on though, it was on. I couldnt wait to enjoy my first experience with day drinking. The asional ss of wine with lunch did not count. As for Oliver, I must be ovting or something. There was no other earthly reason why he would do anything for me other than cause me angina. Oliver leaned across myp again, and his gaze dropped to my hand still sping Lumberjacks biceps for an instant before he smiled at the other man. Im a Leo. Lumberjack locked his jaw. Uh, I dont know signs and stuff. I didnt know why I wanted tough, but I so did. Whats your birthday? July eleventh. Cancer. Youre an empathetic man. No wonder you offered to be Olivers friend. You have a benevolent soul. Leos, however, can be proud and unwilling to ept help. Theyre also arrogant and usually have flowing manes. Hmm, not so much with you. I cocked my head and studied Olivers almost military-short cut. The front was long and sometimes swept into his eyes, only to be ruthlessly pushed back. Like right now. Im not some hippie, he muttered, sitting back and pulling out a tablet. He immediately began to type with his thumbs. Conversation over. Okay then. I leaned toward Lumberjack. Dont mind his manners, I whispered. Hes new to the friend thing. I heard that, Oliver said without looking up. Should I cling to your arm too to show our friendship? Reluctantly, I let go of Lumberjack. He was nice and sturdy to hang onto. Good thing we were about to take off. I was ready for that drink. The requisite pre-flight warnings were recited and I listened with rapt attention to the various safety checks mentioned. So exciting. I couldnt wait to put all of this in my memory nner once I was back home. Oh, picture! Id almost forgotten in my exuberance. Tugging out my phone, I snapped pictures of the inside of the ne, including one of Lumberjack, who smiled widely. When I turned the phone toward Oliver, his glower was enough to have me lowering it. Id just substitute a picture of Oscar The Grouch in his trash can for Oliver. Sighing, I tucked away my cell. The lights went down and I put on my seat belt, prepared for liftoff. This would be the fun part. Once we were in the air, Id have to take out my backup sweater from my bag for my legs. It was chilly in here. A thunderous rolling sound filled the ne and my stomach heaved, falling approximately to my knees. I screeched and grabbed an arm, except this time it wasnt Lumberjacks. Oh my God, what is that? Turbulence? Olivers chuckle wouldve infuriated me if I could fully process it through the roar in my head. You cant have turbulence until youre in the air. Stay calm. Stay chill. Millions of people do this every day. The floor seemed to shake under my feet and I gave up all pretense of being rxed. I buried my face in Olivers shoulder and let out a whimper. To my utter shock, he cupped the back of my head in hisrge hand and stroked my hair, saying softly to Lumberjack, First-time flyer. Lumberjack replied something that sounded like lucky you before another rumble urred and some definite whooshing. I could tell we were rising because my belly was flopping like anded trout, but Olivers caresses on my hair were surprisingly soothing. Just another minute or two and well level out. I didnt say anything, since I was still clinging and hiding my eyes like a terrified child. No doubt about it, this would mortify meter, but right now? I was quite enjoying being nestled up against Oliver. Must be the adrenaline drop after my fight-or-flight response. Also, he smelled freaking fabulous. How had I never noticed before? Granted, Id never had my nose buried in his clothing before-and pressed against a firm, rippling muscle-but still. The scent was an intriguing mix of cedar that reminded me of the closet in my room at home, soap, and the light tang of clean sweat, allyered with some high-end musky cologne. Delicious. Damn near edible, if I wasnt in the midst of a panic attack. The ne seemed to level out at about the same time his hand stopped moving over my hair. Are you sniffing me? he asked against my ear. His warm breath ruffled my hair and a shiver moved through me that had nothing to do with the drafty ne. What was wrong with me? I never reacted this way to him when we were in Crescent Cove. Sure, I mightve brushed against him now and then, just because he was such a solid hunk of man meat, but it wasnt sexual exactly. More like I was in a drought of attention from the opposite sex and he was aplete ass, but he was so very male. You smell like cedar and musk. Musk? That word is horrifying, right up there with moist. I frowned and finally pulled back, though I maintained my hold on him just in case the ne did make any sudden moves. Not likepersonal musk. His eyebrow did that arching thing and I coughed into my hand. Like the scent in mens cologne. You know. Its a proven fact that particr smell arouses most women. Oh, is it? Is that why youve cleaved to me like a barnacle on a ship? Here I thought it was because you were an uneasy flyer. I jumped back so fast that my elbow pegged Lumberjack in the arm. Oops, sorry. You can hold on to me again if you like. His hopeful smile was in direct contrast to the noise Oliver made in his throat. I couldnt define it precisely, but it reminded me of a possessive, irate cat. Part growl, part grunt, all alpha male. Jeez, I did need to getid. I was obsessed with manly attributes. Kind offer, but I think the time for concern has passed, Oliver told Lumberjack as if he had any right to speak for me. Says you, I muttered. The ne was rocking. Lovely. Now that is likely a bit of turbulence. There are storms in- One Hundred & Forty-Nine Sages [POV] I covered my ears and blocked Oliver out. La, cant hear you. I figured that childish gesture would be enough to make him retreat into whatever hed been doing on his tablet. Instead, he wrapped his arm around me and tugged me closer, tucking my head under his chin. My seat belt impeded movement, but we made it work somehow. Better? The word rumbled through his chest and straight into mine. My response was something akin to ughkmph. That damn cologne again. Was it a hormone provoker or something? And I was cold, and he so was not. His chest was so solid, as was his grip around my shoulders. I wanted to cuddle in and stay a while. Not because it was Oliver. Of course not. Just because I was nervous and chilly and overwhelmed. He was also slightly hot. Only slightly. Truth be told, his twin was better looking. The other girls at the diner had conducted a poll once, minus Allys input. Even pre-wedding, shed been Seths best friend and hardly impartial. Every one of the other women had said Oliver was the hotter of the two, on ount of his suits and a general air of imperviousness. Like he was a king and any woman would love a chance to sit on hisp. Me? Id picked Seth. He was friendlier. More approachable. Less likely to have an object dart stuck up his bum. Right now, though, I was having no problem with any part of Oliver. And that wholep-sitting thing? It mightve happened if these seats had been a tad wider.? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. Youre shaking. Wheres your coat? Oliver tugged at the sleeve of my thin sweater. This is hardly capable of keeping you warm. It took me a moment or seven to gather my wits enough to speak. If Id had a few more muscles in my throat, I probably wouldve purred. Going to Vegas, I mumbled, fighting the urge to press my nose into his neck. There were nice gestures and then there was using them as an opportunity to cross the line. I had boundaries. Not now. But in general. Your point? Youre in New York now. Or you were when you got on this ne. Didnt want to pack it. All I needed was a couple of pretty dresses, strappy heels, and maybe a bathing suit-gah! I reared up, banging the top of my head against his cier of a chin. We both groaned, and the sounding from him was far sexier than it shouldve been. That did it. I was finally caving and buying a bullet when I returned home. Something had taken over my libido and all rationality had flown out the window. The release had to be the answer. Either that or a lobotomy. I rubbed my head, staring at his tie so I didnt have to meet his eyes. Dark as shrapnel, fiery like burning coal. Sorry. I just realized I forgot my bathing suit. Dammit. Darn it. I sighed. Shouldve brought the jar with me. Now Ill have to keep notes. At least half of what you say makes no sense. Im unsure if Im the only one who misunderstands you, or if youre just generally iprehensible. Lumberjack leaned closer. I aint got the foggiest either, friend. Oliver smiled tightly. Thank you for the corroboration. I keep a swear jar; you know, as Seth and Ally do. Oliver rolled his eyes. That infernal nonsense. Yes. You think swearing around a youngster is proper? I think life is a hard, scary ce, and swear words are the least of anyones concern. Gotta part ways with you there, bud. Lumberjack shook his head. Some words just arent appropriate for little ears. Or Sages since shes self-censoring. As you will in that arena. What, pray to tell, caused you to nearly break my jaw with your rock-hard head? Hello, I already said it. I forgot my bathing suit. Which royally sucks. Not that I know how to swim, but Id nned to lounge by the pool- Bikini? Oliver asked, and there was no missing interest in his tone. Not his eyes, since I still hadnt chanced a look there. Um, no. Try a modest one-piece with a skirt. Why? Oh, I dont know, because this body isnt meant for- Heid a finger over my lips. Stop right there, because whatever you say is only going to piss me off. Lumberjack had to chime in. Hes right, you know. Your body is just fine. He cleared his throat, possibly from the way Oliver lifted his head as if he were scenting blood. Pardon me. I didnt mean anything unsavory by that. Just that youre a beautiful woman, Miss Evans. A lump was growing in my throat. Whether from Olivers quick rebuke of what Id been about to say or Lumberjacks praise, I didnt know. Two handsome men were indicating they found me attractive. It wasnt even that I disagreed. I had the same issues as anyone else, but most days, I thought I had a pretty face. A nice enough body, if a little on the plump side. Just not bikini-worthy. Ill buy you a bikini, Oliver said, dropping his finger from my mouth as if the discussion was over. I can buy my bikini. Good. The matter is settled. It so wasnt, but I sat back in my seat and bit my lip. I wasnt buying a bikini, but maybe Id go for a skimpier two-piece. Even go wild and skip the skirt. That would be fun. Oh, and since were on the topic of buying, I took the liberty of upgrading your hotel suite. Ill be right next door. Dont worry, a connecting door is between us, but you can lock it to your hearts content. Since I was still pondering swimwear, it took me a second to catch up. Excuse me? The radio stations amodations were shit. His bold statement made me wince. You need a swear jar too. Maybe a swear suitcase. And you dont even know half of what I say when Im sufficiently motivated. I frowned. What do you- The pointed expression he wore clued me into my naivete. In so many ways. Oh. Yes, oh. Do you truly have any objections to a nicer hotel suite? You dont travel much. Why not do it up right? Youre not supposed to be taking over. This is my chance to be independent, to live a life untethered. I had moreints, but they werenting out fast enough. Probably since I was still wondering what Oliver sounded like when sufficiently motivated. Only academically. As far as personally? Nope. So didnt give a fig. Be as untethered as you wish. I will be too. Oh, no. You are not picking up women while I have no choice but to watch. I wasnt yelling. I was almost positive. Until the small child, two aisles ahead of us started to scream and his mother turned to re at me. Mind keeping your voice down? Mind not behaving as if youre my sugar daddy? First, youre shouting because youre concerned Ill pick up women and force you to watch. Now youre calling me your sugar daddy. Kindly pick your argument. Either. Both. You werent even supposed to be here, for fucks sake. I held up a hand in the direction of the aghast mother. Sorry. Sorry. Ill rein it in. Honestly, I wasnt sure I could. My emotions were swinging back and forth harder than the ne had started to. Which was just fabulous. As if he knew I was on the verge of panic again, he simply drew me in and stroked my hair again. Long, even, gentle strokes that had me closing my eyes despite myself. Youre my friend, remember? As Im yours. Thats the spirit in which I upgraded your suite. I grunted and clung. Any other proposed changes, Ill ask first. Thank you. I appreciate that. As for the other He didnt respond long enough that I eased back and tilted my head. Picking up babes? I prompted, unsure why it mattered so much. He was single and unencumbered. His love life wasnt my concern in any case. Especially since Id intended to perhaps make a love connection myself if the fates were kind. But Oliver was far too good at the dating game. Id probably developparison-envy and freeze up. That simply wouldnt do on my first freewheeling vacation. I exhaled, my shoulders rxing. That sounded usible. Thank God. Otherwise, I would have to admit that Olivers endless hookups bothered me. And that was crazy talk. His lips quirked. I can guarantee Ill have my hands full with one babe all weekend. He didnt give me a chance to reply before his finger pressed into my lips again. Youre far more than a babe, so dont quibble. I couldnt quibble. Not when his voice had gone husky and rough and his eyes were beckoning mine, forcing me to look into them or perish. The arguments flew right out of my head. With his certain victory in sight, he tugged me back against his chest. I went because there wasnt anywhere else I wanted to be just then. Even though he was a bossy jerk who was already trying to control things. Even though we could fight over the weather. Even though he wasnt even supposed to be there. I was so very d he was. One Hundred & Fifty Olivers [POV] Holding Sage Evans ranked up there as one of the biggest mistakes of my life. Not because I didnt like it. The exact opposite. I wasnt a cuddler after sex. Definitely wasnt a Spooner. Unless I was forking, I usually took a hard pass. Just not my thing. I hadnt been raised with much affection, and Id never developed any particr affinity for physical closeness that didnt involve my dick. Crass, but true. Sage curled into me as if I was her shelter in a brutal storm. Fanciful, but still a fact. She purported not to like me or had before wed embarked on this flight yet she snuggled into me as if she were starved for that kind offort. I wouldve said I wasnt. I was touched often enough to suit my needs. Or so Id believed. Not like this. Nothing like this. She was so soft. So yielding and trusting. At least in this moment and this space, if in no other. Her long blond hair was in a messy ponytail, the wild waves trying to escape, and it took everything I possessed not to bury my face in the thick, fragrant strands. Sunshine in a bottle, that was Sages scent. Clean clothes drying on a clothesline in the summertime. Warm, inviting. Intoxicating. And that wasnt saying a damn thing about how she felt. She was curvy as hell, and lets just say my cock had no problem with me being cozied up to the parts of her Id only ogled the other day. Her impossibly full breasts tucked against my chest would probably live in my fondest jacking-off fantasies for the next few months. If not years. She eventually moved back, once the flight had stabilized and the ride had be smooth as satin. I pretended to be so absorbed in my work on my tablet that I didnt hear her chatting brightly with her new friend, who probably wouldve offered to marry her if theyd had another few hours on the ne. s, they did not, though they exchanged numbers when they parted. Rob also gave me his number, since he was now my friend too. There was talk of getting together for drinks once we were back in New York. He was a nice enough guy, but Id just file that idea under the heading not going to happen. Sage might not like the idea of watching me hook up, but guess what? The feeling was mutual. Though it did bear questioning why she cared about my dating habits. I knew why hers interested me. She was too sweet, inexperienced, and naive. Men were, by andrge, pigs. She was Allys best friend. Hell, my entire role for being here on this trip was to ensure she had a fun, safe time. That was why Id wanted to growl at Rob every time he so much as smiled at her too warmly. He hadnt been properly vetted yet, that was all. That could be the only exnation. We collected Sages eye-searing-pink suitcase from the conveyor belt and arranged for a car over to the hotel. Once we were in the backseat, she pulled out her phone and started texting, ignoring me entirely. All right then. Ally says hello. I nced up from my iPad. Hello, Ally. The kid still inside? Sage sighed. Must you sound so dispassionate about your nephew? Whos being dispassionate? I asked a question that proves my concern. Sure it does. She went back to texting. Id just returned to reviewing the contract Id be presenting to Stanley Curtis next week for the purchase of a dairy farm on the outskirts of town when Sage let out a gasp and my head snapped up. Which triggered the pain in my jaw from her head colliding with mine. Because shed forgotten her bathing suit. Sweet Jesus. As if I needed to put a picture of her in swimwear in my brain. What is it? Ally found the cutest Yankees outfit for the baby. Look! She thrust her phone at me. A tiny slugger outfit was spread out on Ally and Seths bed. It was cute. Hardly worthy of a gasp, however. Lovely. Sage yanked back her phone. See what I mean? Dispassionate. Im in the middle of work. Remember, the business you said I didnt have in Vegas? This particr contract had nothing to do with Vegas, but she didnt need to know that. Distraction and subterfuge were nine-tenths of thew. Youre intruding on my vacation, you can at least have happy vacay vibes. Not so much, since ording to you, I cant even have sex. I didnt know why Id said that. I didnt want to have sex. Unless she was up for- Nope. I was shutting down that line of thought this instant. My happy vacay vibes were evidently residing in my pants, and I wasnt about to give them carte nche. Sage narrowed her eyes. You said this trip a very short, two-day trip, I might add was for you tobine business and being a friend to me. Unless that was Hamiltons spiel and youre really here to make sure I have no fun while you have every naked kind you can fathom. If so, dont you think thats taking our frenemy thing a little too far? I set down my tablet, more amused than annoyed at being interrupted. Maybe it was the warm Nevada air working wonders on my mood because I never felt so benevolent toward her when we were back home. Then again, shed never spent half a ne ride almost in myp either. Is that a word they use in the tabloids? Frenemy? Next, are you going to say stop trying to make fetch happen? Sage gaped at me. Youve seen Mean Girls? I do know my pop culture references. Yet you didnt know frenemy? She went back to texting. Probably watched it with some chick you were trying to bed. Actually, no, I saw it with Laurie. Shes four. Mean Girls is too advanced for her. And three-fourths. She gave me a serious side-eye. Shes got a case of hero-worship for that Amanda person. The one who dressed as a mouse. Anyway, I didnt turn it on for her. She got control of the remote and had watched half of it before I realized what she was watching because I was buried in work. I heard that fetch nonsense before I turned it off. You cant let children ever control the remote. Its not safe. Yes, well, that page of my parenting manual was torn out before I got it. Also, in case you didnt notice, I sketched a finger over my face, not a parent. She made an indignant sound. Some things you just know. Perhaps if Id spent years practicing for my future family with my Wetsy doll and Easy-Bake Oven as you have all your life, then yes, I would. Her face seemed to crumple for a moment, the brightness in her eyes fading before she lowered her head and returned her attention to her screen. Effectively blocking me out. Just as I deserved. Asshole. Being rude to her was like kicking a puppy. The banter was one thing. But it was far too easy for us to cross that line. Just as wed nearly crossed another line earlier when shed been nestled against me. Or perhaps the almost-line-crossing had all been on my side since shed managed to keep her wits about her just fine. Youre headed to the Golden Apple? the Uber driver confirmed. Yes, I answered when Sage remained mute. She still wasnt happy Id upgraded her room. Stubborn woman. Not rooming together, I hope. Because you two are a Dr. Phil episode waiting to happen. The driver chuckled at his own joke. I would never room with him. Who knows, I might look at him and get designs on his penis. Sage pretended to shudder while the drivers shoulders shook in not-so-silentughter. Next thing you know, Id whip out my Easy-Bake Oven and try to pie him into submission. Oh, you wouldnt have to pie me. I have a feeling Id be quite willing. I gave her my friendliest smile, all the while plotting how to get her back for thistest indignity. My penis didnt want her to have designs on it. So there. Liar.N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner. Of course, you would. Manwhore to the rescue once again. I heard manic tweeting from her phone that indicated she was ying some game. One Hundred & Fifty-One Olivers [POV] I chose to ignore her. Asinine conversations like this one could be had in the privacy of our suite, or better yet, not at all. Oooh, manwhore. She just dissed you, man. Usual thing for her. I smiled thinly and returned to my contract. If she decided to flirt with thistest stranger, I wouldnt interfere. Id eded to Allys wishes ande on this trip at thest minute because I truly did care about Sages well-being. Most likely, she wouldve been fine on her own. I wanted to make sure of it. As for her hooking up with someone? Not my concern. I might have to grit my teeth a few times, remembering how perfectly shed curved against me on the ne, but pleasures of the flesh were fleeting. And shed probably never even shut up long enough for us to have sex anyway, were I interested in daring such a thing. Jeez, a virgin. I hadnt even been with a virgin when I was one myself. My first lover had been older than me by a decade, and quite experienced. Something every virgin deserves for their first time. Do you mean that Sage deserves someone with your experience for her first time? I wasnt debating with myself. I was going to finish reviewing this contract and send it off to Shelly, our admin at the real estate office.N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner. Then I was going to imbibe heavily in the libations avable at the hotel while escorting Sage on her super fun vacay,plete with air quotes. The driver finally pulled into the circr driveway in front of the Golden Apple and we disembarked. Check-in went quickly, though Sage was oohing and aahing enough that even the other tourists seemed entertained by her. The ce was pretty blinged out, I had to agree. Faux gold was everywhere, and the chandeliers were so huge that the prismatic light was blinding. We were ushered into a gold elevator and to our connecting suites with enough fanfare that I was d Id sprung for the extra expense. Sages beaming smile was worth it as shemented on every amenity. s, her glow disappeared the minute the door of her suite closed behind the porter whod dropped off our bags. Id have to cart mine next door to my connecting room, but no matter. Ugh, I need a shower. That flight was so long. She flung herself on her bed, spreading her arms wide. One shoe dangled off her foot and her clingy leggings were definitely doing their job. We traveled from one coast practically to the other. I picked up my bags and prepared to head into the other room. I needed to freshen up a bit myself. Take a shower and maybe a nap. Ill pick you up for ate dinner at She popped up on the mattress. No way. I only get one vacation like this. Im not sleeping it away. And hello, marble tub big enough for two. Forget a shower. She tugged off her cardigan, revealing a tiny cami beneath with straps that kept tumbling down her arms. Fuck, did she not have on a bra? She had to. With all of that natures bounty going on, no way could she stroll around freely. Maybe one of those shelf-bra thingies? Hmm, or Hey there, earth to Oliver. She snapped her fingers. You gonna hang around in here all day so I cant try out the Jacuzzi, or did you want to join me? She asked the question with a smirk, fully intending for me to say no. She didnt have a bathing suit after all. And I was a gentleman. Except maybe not right now. I was still smarting with annoyance from the car and perhaps I was curious to see just how far shed go. To see how far I would go. You know, I could use some water therapy myself. I set down my bags and undid the button on my suit coat. My winter jacket from home had been tucked away the moment we stepped off the ne, and even my suit felt stifling in this heat. Going from minus-five to eighty-five in one day was inhumane, so why not hop into a sizzling Jacuzzi while I was at it? Especially when Sage was now staring at me as if Id just sprouted horns and fangs. You cant use the Jacuzzi right now. Im going to use it. Didnt you just offer to share? She swung her legs over the side of the bed. You cant be serious. Taking a dip in a Jacuzzi is no more intimate than in a swimming pool. Though you dont have a suit, so hmmproblematic. I tapped my chin. I suppose you could ask the concierge to get you an emergency one from one of the shops. Theyll do that, you know, with the proper encouragement. I dont have a ton of money for tips for things I can just as well buy myselfter. She tucked her hands under her arms. You brought a suit? I did. I always enjoy a swim or two while Im staying at a hotel. Ive never stayed at one before. This is all so new. I swear, Im in my mid-twenties and its like Ive never done anything at all. She heaved out a breath. You know what? Fine. Share the Jacuzzi with me. Ill just improvise for a suit. I was entirely too on board with that idea. Ill go get it started, I said, both to give her privacy and to give my overeager dick a chance to settle down. She wasnt even getting fully naked, for pitys sake. Maybe canceling my date with Ursst night had been a mistake. Evidently, Id needed some serious relief. Id never slept with Urs, despite the prevailing opinion. Wed been dating for a month or two, not exclusively on her end, but on mine. It was an exceptionally busy time at work as people prepared to put their homes andmercial properties on the market at the first hint of spring, so Id been content to attend the opera and the theater with her and leave it at that. Wed never crossed to the physical level, but not for herck of interest. Id been the one to put on the brakes, time and time again. I didnt even know why. Now, as I readied the Jacuzzi for Sage and swiftly shed my suddenly way too tight, restrictive suit, it made sense. Much as I hated to admit it, the idea of being intimate with Urs had never given me one-tenth of the excitement as hot tubbing with Sage. Urs was safe. Predictable. She didnt want much from me, and I definitely wasnt looking for more from her beyondpanionship. Sage, however, was a forbidden fruit. My sister-inws best friend. Everything I should never want, and smart-mouthed and sexy to boot. I had been entrusted with keeping her safe, but anything beyond that would be risking my rtionship with Ally. Sage was like a sister to her, and Ally wouldnt believe I could want anything other than sex. Hell, even if I did, I wasnt sure Id believe myself. I slipped into the water and let out a sigh as the heat seeped into my aching muscles. Damn, this felt good. Sage would love it too. Instant stress-reliever. Minus us being in there together, which would probably ramp up the tension for an entirely different reason. Getting this close to her with only hot, bubbling water between us was dangerous. A fact that was driven home when Sage hesitantly stepped into the bathroom wearing a pair of short, tight, ass-hugging sleep shorts and her silky cami. Now I could tell for certain it had a shelf bra because just her cautious footsteps were making her breasts bounce in ways that should be illegal in all fifty states. Dont, I gritted out when she moved to cover herself with her arm, already self-conscious. Dont hide. Her throat bobbled, but she let her arm drop. Im not sure why youre doing this. Or why Im doing it. She stepped back, already reaching for the knob on the bathroom door. You can just use it now. Ill use itter. You dont have to worry that Im getting the wrong idea. Im not. Were just two friends in a Jacuzzi. Trying to be friends, I amended. Not sure well get there easily. I like the touching-you part of friendship. She cleared her throat. I mean, I dont get hugs much anymore. My parents are traveling, and Ally is the size of a beluga, and well, she hugs her husband, not me. I guess Im just a tactile person and Cmon, get in. I motioned to the tub. Friends share hugs. Friends hold each other. Yeah, its the dick thing kind of holding me back. Pardon? She bit her lip. You were hardst week. In the break room. And I kind of figured it was because you might be one of those guys who could get aroused at anything, and I wrote it off. But now youre giving me that look again, and if Im hugging you Ill be seized by a wave of uncontroble lust and will insist on having you, right here, right now. My tone was dry. Let me assure you, I am in full control of my impulses. Nothing will happen other than a friendly embrace. Okay. She took another step forward and stopped. This isnt weird? I mean, even hugs feel like crossing a line somehow. Plus, it seems harder for us to be friendly toward each other than it is for other people. Understatement of a lifetime. She consternated me almost as much as she intrigued me, and I was positive the reverse was also true possibly without the intrigue. Though she certainly seemed curious now. Were in Vegas, right? She nodded. And on vacation. So, what happens on vacation in Vegas stays in Vegas. When you put it that way, Im in. She crossed the rest of the way to the oversized hot tub and stepped in, pausing to let out a breath. Whoa, thats warm. It is. One Hundred & Fifty-Two Olivers [POV] She swallowed, eyeing me up and down. You have on boxers? Yes. Figured it was easier than grabbing my trunks. Okay? Sure. Same thing, pretty much. She sucked in a breath and slipped into the water, submerging all the way up to her neck in a surprisingly graceful slide. That feels so good. She closed her eyes and gripped the sides of the tub, her legs rubbing along mine before she moved them slightly away. Bubbles are the best. They are. We shouldve ordered you some champagne before we got in here. Why? What are we celebrating? Lots of things. You took your first cross-country flight today. Youre on vacation in Vegas. First, stay in a hotel. You have probably never had champagne either. Busted. She lifted her voice over the bubbling of the tub. But Im not much of a drinker. Vacation, I reminded her, flicking my fingers over the back of her hand on the side of the Jacuzzi. Her eyes opened warily, but no fear resided in their depths. She mightve been initially uneasy about getting in there with me, but her anxiety was already disappearing. Youre allowed to do things outside yourfort zone. Even encouraged to. Thest time I drank more than a ss or two of anything was, hmm, probably at my parents going-away party after they sold the B and B. The mention of the B and B made me draw my hand back into the water. It reminded me of what shed lost, and how much the business had meant to her. Easing away was my kneejerk response to anything emotional. She frowned as if she was surprised Id stopped touching her. I definitely hadnt wanted to. And that was dangerous all the way around, friends or not. Did you get loaded? She smiled at that, idly itching her calf with the opposite foot. No. A little tipsy, but I stopped after three. Ive never been all the way drunk. Not even at college? How is that possible? Some of us went to school to study, you know, she teased. I do know, actually. I wasnt a partier either, not in prep school and not in college. And I didnt have sex until I was neen, so before you think I was out there spreading my seed far and widenot so much. Why had I shared that with her? It wasnt relevant at all. Yet she leaned forward, her heavy breasts bobbing slightly out of the water. Big, taut nipples made my throat go dry, and much as I tried to keep my gaze above her neck, I simply could not. See, thats the look. Hmm? That look, right there. The one where you get all wolfish. Her teeth grazed her plump lower lip and my cock twitched. It was a miracle it didnt pop over my damn waistband. You really are attracted to me, she said after a moment, almost to herself. Me, specifically, not just because youre horny. The thought that it could be otherwise was so ludicrous that Iughed. And kept right onughing as she stared at me until that lip shed been tormenting trembled and she nced away, hiding her face from my view. Sage. Look at me. She shook her head. It doesnt matter. It does. It matters very much why a beautiful woman like yourself needs to constantly search for validation. You dont understand. Then exin it to me. Im notpletely without self-confidence. Its just if you have enough near misses, you start thinking youre the problem. Especially if the guy youve told yourself will be the one who cant even get it up when youre on top of him. I nearlyughed again, but I swallowed it down. One more careless reaction like that would send her fleeing from me, and I didnt know if shed ever peel open her shell again after this vacation. Carefully, I inched forward in the tub, slowing but not stopping as she looked back at me, pupils wide. My legs slid against the outside of hers as I moved as close as I could withoutpletely invading her personal space. Any man who wouldnt treasure being intimate with you is a goddamn idiot. She shut her eyes for an instant, and I was deathly afraid she was crying. But when she opened them again, they were clear and dry. You of all people know I have my ws. You sure do. Hey, making me feel better or what? My lips twitched. As do I. But youre a gorgeous woman, and youre trusting and sweet and probably too good for any asshole who ever tried to touch you. I gripped the sides of the hot tub to keep from reaching for her. Proving my asshole status for sure. Not yet. Let here to you, in her own time. Or maybe not at all. You swear when youre turned on, she murmured, her breath hitching. That small, involuntary sound was enough all on its own to make my body strain toward hers. That she was already learning my tells? Well, that was just the bonus round. Before I could figure out an appropriate response to that, she slid forward in the tub, slipping her legs over mine until our chests and our centers were far too close. Loosely, she linked her arms around my neck, testing my resolve to keep my eyes directly on hers. You give good hugs. I took that for an invitation and wrapped my arms around her, pulling her in so that she was practically straddling myp. But I didnt grind into her or line up our mouths or any of that. I just drew her in and inhaled the fresh scent of her hair. Then she twined herself around me so trustingly, as if wed never fought about anything, and I was a man she could lean on rather than despise. She sighed, so softly that I almost missed it. Her forehead rested against mine and we just breathed together in the steamy, fragrant air. I make bad choices, she said into the silence. I pick emotionally unavable men. The term wouldve made me roll my eyes any other time. Not now. Because as awful as it was, and as much as I didnt want her to suffer any pain ever, I couldnt help owing a debt of gratitude to those faceless, nameless men. Thanks to them, this woman was in my arms. Like you, she added after a moment. If I were to pick you-which Im not, by the way, not at all-but if I were to, youre unavable. Doesnt seem like it right now, seeing as youre almost in myp. Her mouth curved. You know what I mean. You dont want a rtionship. You just want sex. She wet her lips and shifted higher on my legs, gazing down at me with her face framed by the sexy blond tendrils of hair that had escaped her ponytail. I agree. Ive decided rtionships arent for me. Theyre too hard- She swallowed, casting a quick look between us. Difficult. Putting a different name on something doesnt change the reality of what you want. Saying it was worse than I expected. It meant I had to acknowledge her truth and abide by it. More than anything, I didnt want to be another man who hurt her. Even unintentionally. No, it means that I want both things-sex and love, and if one doesnte with the other, well, believe me, Im okay with the one for now. Someday, Ill find my big love. I didnt say anything. I didnt have to, since Sage was good at filling in all the awkward silences. Ally found hers years ago. Thats why she was a virgin, why she saved herself for Seth though she didnt fully realize thats what she was doing. Can we not talk about my sister-inws virginity? Unless your goal is to kill my erection, and if so, aim achieved. Her big green eyes sparkled as she circled her bottom on myp, just enough to have me stifling a curse. Not even close. Vixen. But her gaze had taken on that faraway look again. My parents too. My daddy always said the first time he saw my mama, he knew she was the one for him. They met in grade school. Isnt that romantic? Your mama looks just like you, so I believe it. Sage blinked and tilted her head, considering me in a way that made my skin prickle. You can be sweet. I see now why you get so many women to go to bed with you. I have to admit, I didnt understand the appeal before. There was no stopping myughter this time. Say exactly what you mean, why dont you? Did you sleep with Ursst night? I hadnt been expecting that one. You knew about our date? Of course. You know how big Crescent Cove is. And youre a mover and a shaker. Lord, this woman. But for some reason, I was inexplicably d I could tell her that Id spentst night alone. Not because I wanted to influence her or convince her that I was a decent guy, one like Seth. Worthy of being a big-time love. Impossible. Me? I was the kind of man a woman mentioned in passing in her diary. Skilled lover. Made a mean balsamic salmon. Didnt call after the second date. No, I didnt sleep with her. We canceled our date. I kept my gaze trained on hers. Weve actually never slept together. No way. Yes, way. No way. I had to chuckle. No, we have not. Trust me. I was there. But shes beautiful. Poised. She sighed wistfully. She has a game. Xbox? Now it was her turn tough. Guess your knowledge of pop culture isnt asplete as you believe. No, silly. I mean, she has skills. The game at attracting the opposite sex. Talent at keeping them interested. Just in case youve forgotten, youre sitting on a mansp right now. I nced down between us. And I can verify hes very interested. Painfully so.N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner. You arent shy. Youve never asked me out. You havent asked me either. She sniffed. Thats usually the mans job. She sighed again. Especially if the woman is a big ol coward. Besides, we fight all the time. So? Fighting is forey. Is it? She cocked her head again. Is that what Ive been doing wrong all this time? Listen to me. You have done nothing wrong. Youre perfect just as you are. Any man who cant see that is blind or stupid or both. Is this your erection talking? she asked dubiously. I do get more charitable at certain times, yes. The corner of her lips lifted. But no, that has nothing to do with this conversation. And as for being a coward, what about Moose? Dont tell me you didnt intend to invite him over for some barbecued brisket and sweet tea. I stopped making that when we sold the bed-and-breakfast. Damn shame. Best in the state. Hell, best north of Louisiana. And I could now verify shed bewitched me in some unknown way, because here I was, praising her down-home cooking when I had the hard-on from hell. Her cheeks flushed. Aww, thank you. You really think I should make some for him? I nearly growled. No. You couldnt even find him on Facebook, Ally said. No, thats true, but- Forget him. In a second, Id be pounding on my chest like a caveman. If you want to try out your cooking skills, Im game. Are you asking me out? I tightened my hold on her. She was a glorious armful, and I liked her just that way. More like Im asking me in. Oh. She blinked. Ohh. I didnt mean Okay. Im game too. And if were being honest about our wants and all She took a deep breath. Id like to watch you make yourselfe. One Hundred & Fifty-Three Sages [POV] I was probably suffering from heat exhaustion. Was that possible from hot tubbing? If not, I was apt to be the first known case. Why else would I ask my frenemy to jerk off for my viewing pleasure? Not that he was going to do it. I could tell he was suffering from a serious case of shock, but he didnt seem too inclined to abide by my request. Were on vacay. I tried to keep my voice light and not reel back from being turned down. I was so attuned to the possibility that it was hard for me not to just immediately shut down. Vegas, remember? And youre ufortable Blue balls dont kill, princess, I guarantee that. Princess. Had he given me a nickname? Should I balk at it, in light of womens lib? Fuck no. A sexy dude with an erection for me could call me anything he liked. Within reason. No, I know. But this trip is about new experiences, and Ive never What? he asked, so carefully that a part of me hurt. How could he be this sweet right now and have hidden it so well from me for so long? Was I that oblivious? Or had it taken a moment like this, far away from our family and friends, to strip down to the essence of who we are? Of course, we were physically stripped most of the way too. That probably helped. And he was aroused. Hed already said it made him more charitable. So, what if we did something anything at all and we left this room and he went right back to being dickish Oliver? What if I went right back to being shrewish Sage? Perhaps those were our assigned roles, and we couldnt change them. It was like an adult reenactment of The Breakfast Club, except our version of detention on Saturday was griping through a lunch shift at the diner. Then again, he did have a kinder side even away from Vegas. Like how hed stood up for Ally at the diner with Greta. And even how hed taken time away from his busy schedule toe to Vegas with me. Sure, Id focused on the fact that he might be trying to slow my roll, but the truth was, he didnt have to bother. That hed taken a weekend out of his life toe here with me-business or no business-said a lot. It said he had to care, if only because I was Allys bestie. So maybe he didnt find it easy to ess the more approachable side of himself. I would have to be more tolerant and give him a chance without preconceived notions. Before my parents had sold the bed-and-breakfast out from under me, Id never been so quick to judge. So eager to dismiss and berate. Id once been hopeful enough to believe everyone was a decent person, even if sometimes the decent was slow ining. Today was the first chance in a while that I could try reiming my former self. Id just aim for being a bolder version now, the type of woman who asked for what she wanted and believed she could get it. That she deserved it. This conversation was part of phase one. I just had to woman up and go for it. Okay, so Ive jerked off a guy, I said hesitantly. I have done that. Strangely, he didnt look pleased. But as far as giving a blowjob, I paused as he made a sound I couldnt identify, no. Ive never done that. Also, Ive never, ahh, jerked a guy topletion either. And Ive never watched one self-stimte. If apound phrase was capable of killing a hard-on, that might be it. Or maybe if you started talking about musk again. I took a long, heady sniff near his neck. Its like an evergreen musk. So sexy. Mixed with that cedar thing you have going on, its like my closet back home. Oh, and my Hope chest. You have one? Why am I not surprised? I ignored him. My nana used to line it with these cedar sheets that smelled just like this. I turned my head and licked his earlobe. Oh my God, I just licked Oliver. I was taking this go for what you want credo seriously. Did you just lick me? He sounded strangled. No? If this was a pool, Id dunk you for being a liar, and a horrible one at that. Since it isnt one, I have no other recourse. Carefully, he wrapped his hands around my waist, lifted me as if I were made of air, and set me down a safe distance away. Not very far, since the hot tub was only so big. And our legs were tangled, and oh Lord, I was breathing so hard that I gripped the side of the tub to try to get ahold of myself. You smell very good I began. He held up a hand. Lets just table that discussion for now, shall we? Okay. At least he wasnt suggesting we never speak again. What should we talk about then? If your request was serious, Ill oblige you. Far be it from me to further dy a womans carnal education. The way he talked was such a turn-on. Truth be told, I got even hotter when he talked like that while acting like a dick. I just liked the softer side of him too. The one who said nice things and held me and didnt make fun of me for having the same amount of experience as a high school senior. Heck, freshman. Its probably not fair. I swept my loosened hair out of my face and fought the urge to fix my straggly ponytail. I was afraid to do anything that might make him change his mind. I get to watch, and you get nothing. He chuckled darkly. Oh, Ill get something. Ill get toe, though itll be far inadequate to other ways Id much prefer to find release. His near-ck eyes glittered and made me quiver deep inside. Ill also get to watch you watching me. And thats arousing? Very much. His throat moved as he swallowed. If we were more well-acquainted, I might ask you to remove your top to give me visual inspiration. Or better yet, Id ask you to do the same as me. Except youd be sitting on the edge. He jerked his chin at the side of the hot tub. So, I could see every movement of your fingers. I was blushing, I just knew it. My face felt like a freaking torch. But I was so excited I couldnt think straight. Was this happening to me? This infuriating, sexy-as-hell man truly wanted me? He was even willing to go through my probably bizarre steps rather than, oh, just, you knowmaking out and having sex like normal people did every day. Especially people on vacation. Especially when this was exactly what Id told everyone I was looking for. No-strings-attached sex. Yet Oliver was different. He was Allys brother-inw, and wed have to see each other everywhere. At holiday dinners, at the diner, walking down the flipping street But do you think it wont be weird if he chokes the chicken in front of you? Its practically the same thing, except you dont get the O. Assuming I didnt spontaneouslybust the second he whipped out his cock. There were no guarantees there. Sage? See, that worried expression mixed in with the lust. That was what was messing me up. More and more evidence was piling up to make me think he truly did care about me underneath all the bluster. Perhaps fighting was forey, and wed just had a super-long extended session of it. Sorry. Im just having an out-of-body experience. I inhaled deeply and reached for the hem of my cami, pulling it over my head before I chickened out entirely. He just wanted to look. I had a nice rack. I even thought they were better than nice when I wasnt obsessing over Jims failure tounch. And I was done with thinking about any other man than the one currently staring at me as if he wanted to eat me alive and then lick his fingers. I dumped the cami on the floor and sat back, stretching my arms along the sides of the tub, gripping the smooth material to keep from bolting. That kind of focused attention was new to me. Overwhelming. Addictive. Youre magnificent, he murmured. Another inward breath. I could feel my confidence swelling like a balloon with every moment he remained fixated on my breasts. He wasnt even trying to hide his avarice. I was flushed all over, and a nce down proved that pinkness wasnt just in my cheeks. Between the heat from the Jacuzzi and my embarrassment and arousal, my normally pale skin was a deep red. And my nipples were like tight cherries, dipping above and below the water every time I shifted. I was shifting a lot. Squirming. Thank you. I gulped more air. Your turn. Unlike me, he didnt hesitate. He rose onto his knees, gripped the waistband of his boxers, and eased the stic over hiswow. I only caught a brief glimpse before he dropped below the bubbles to get them off. He tossed them over the side to join my cami. I studied the pile of our clothing, only turning back to him when the rush of water dragged my attention back to my current situation. I was regretting now my limited experiences with porn. Maybe then Id be morefortable watching as he God, he was gripping his cock. Hisrge, fully erect cock. I was not equipped to handle this. And in this case, I was not speaking metaphorically. Jim was not built like you. I covered my mouth with my hand, figuring my identalment would make him growl again, but instead, he only smiled, slow and wide like a Cheshire cat. Of course. Because men always had to have the biggest and most powerful tools around. Or at least believe that they did. I lowered my hand and decided to say something else I was thinking. On purpose this time. Youre so big, I breathed. He gave himself one long, slow stroke, then licked his lips. Do you want to touch me? Fifteen minutes ago, I probably wouldve said no. Next level. Not ready to go there yet. Not with Oliver. But now, I inched forward, my new resolve filling my chest. Just do whatever youd like. His voice was low, guttural. Impossible to resist. My gaze flickered up to meet his while I brushed my fingertips over the swollen, damp head. He hissed as if Id burned him. More. I did it again, fascinated by how his muscles tightened and the veins bulged and shifted under his taut skin. His flesh was so much darker than mine. He was covered in lots of dense, dark ink. Swirls of intricate lines climbed his left arm creating a leopard with fascinating blue eyes. As his muscles rippled, so did the dangerous cat. More artwork reminded me of tribal swirls Id seen on a few famous actors. It was much more interesting to see it so close, especially where I could touch it. So different than my virgin skin. Virgin everything. His part-Italian heritage allowed him to tan, whereas I only crisped up like a lobster, and just sliding my paler hand against his length was oddly exciting. Every part of this was. We were so different, with so many angles that could rub and spark against each other.? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. One Hundred & Fifty-Four Sages [POV] I slipped my fingers farther down his shaft. Loosely, his fingers encircled the base, holding his erection up for my perusal. I wetted my lips as I wrapped my fingers around his width. Tried to anyway. They didnt quite meet. Taking cues from his breathing, I shifted my hand, tentatively moving it up and down. Testing him and myself. Id done this before, but no other man was quite like Oliver. Not only was he holy flipping hung, but his stare was also a physical thing. I could feel him watching me rather than watching the movement of my hand. Maybe he was making sure I wasnt about to freak out and run screaming from the room. Panicked little virgin. Not anymore. That confidence balloon inside me was still growing. The bubbling water was like a cushion, hiding some of the choppiness of my breathing. I was nervous, but not scared. He was waiting for me, leaving the ball-balls, as it were-entirely in my court. I wanted to y. Lowering my head, I licked the tip. Quickly. There was no lingering, not yet. But I was curious how he would taste, and that little burst of salt on my tongue spurred me on. As did his rumbling groan, trapped in his throat. God, what would it be like to hear hime? To make hime? Again, he whispered, but he didnt have to. My mouth was already watering for another longer taste. Still sping him in one hand, I used the other to hold back my sloppy ponytail as I went down once more. This time, I circled my tongue around the domed head,pping up the wetness there, returning to do so again when another pearly dropped immediately formed. I did it again and again, just focusing strictly on the tip, letting the power of this moment surge inside me until I had no choice but to try for more. To open my mouth wider and move my head down so that he rested on my tongue, and then to take more and more. Water teased the tight tips of my breasts as I took him deeper. He was swelling even further, the weight and pressure of him causing me to try to take too much, too fast. I wanted everything. Easy. His voice was a rumble, barely audible over the bubbles. I inhaled through my nose, tears sparking briefly in my eyes as I stopped him just before my gag reflex engaged. The sound of the bubbling water and white noise buzzed in my ears, nearly blocking out everything. His hand was on my hair now, stroking gently just as hed done on the ne. The feeling instantly calmed me and allowed me to take more. It was as if doing this one thing was now my purpose. Pushing his control and stretching mine. Giving him pleasure. Giving it to myself. He undid my ponytail and my hair fell forward, sticking to my neck and chest, partially hiding my face. He gathered it up in his hand, drawing it back so carefully. Collecting each strand, pulling it back so nothing could impede his vision. He was watching every slide of my mouth, every flick of my tongue. Every alteration of my position so I didnt take a mouthful of bubbles instead of him. When I hollowed my cheeks and sucked, he groaned, and I tilted my head, squinting to watch the flex and bob of his Adams apple through the hazy sheen of tears. Id pushed myself a little too hard but the slight burn in my throat was a badge of honor. Id made him feel good, so good that his shoulders were strained, and his chest was heaving, his previously tender strokes on my hair bing almost painful. I craved that too. He hauled himself back, and I watched the visible battle take ce on his face. He was trying so hard not to rush me, not to hurt me. But I wanted that part of the experience too. I wanted him mindless over me. I drew back just far enough to whisper against the shiny tip. More. Our gazes connected and I knew he understood. The jets rose and frothed around my belly and teased my breasts as I eased myself closer using our height difference to my advantage. I pushed him back against the edge of the tub and gripped the side for bnce. The heat and thrill of controlling him-even a little bit-left me lightheaded. I slid my mouth down his shaft, taking as much as I could. He didnt deny me that bite of pain. I wasnt sure if I liked it, but my body certainly did. My clit fluttered and I pressed my thighs together to try to get some relief. He mustve noticed, because he reached for me with his free hand, his expression questioning even as his lips parted to drag in the air. Subtly, I shifted away. This wasnt about me. Not now. Id take my enjoyment from seeing this through. Every time it got to be too much, I eased back, caught my breath, and used my hand. Slow, fast, sometimes just grasping him before I swallowed him down again, as far as I could before the water and my limits impeded me. But when I finally got up enough nerve to let my wandering fingers sneak beneath his shaft to the sensitive sac beneath, he dragged my head up, his eyes wild. Im going toe. My heart was crashing into my ears, throbbing between my legs. I didnt hesitate. My whole body was attuned to him, flushed and prickling with need. Please, I murmured, telling him with my eyes what I craved. I needed to know. Sage, he gritted, and my name at that moment was a benediction. I dont want to overwhelm you, but I cantI cant. Dont hold back. I let go of the tub and trailed my nails up the inside of his thigh, so close to his groin that his big body jerked. I want it. And I did. That woodsy, manly scent of his was driving me crazy,bined with the much more intimate smell of sex. I liked his vors and his textures. Him. Proving it, I dipped my tongue into that tiny slit at the head of his length, and he growled, fisting his hand in my hair, holding me right where I was. Pinned by his power and his dark, demanding eyes. His other hand worked his shaft in tandem with mine, the pressure of his grip showing me what he preferred. Making me speed up until it was a race that could work him harder. Open, hemanded. My lips barely parted in time. The first spurt hit my tongue, heady and potent. I didnt have time to swallow before there was more, spilling into my mouth, slipping out the sides. I sucked and sucked, letting out a humming moan while he shuddered and pumped into me, not checking his strength. I felt used in the very best way. When I wouldve slumped onto my side right there in the hot tub, he dropped down and dragged me on top of him, fusing his mouth to mine. There was no sweetness to his kiss. It was pure savagery, chased by the vor of him. He groaned at that too, his hand turning gentle in my hair again. His strokes down the long length turned rhythmic, lulling me into a secure space. My heartbeat slowed even as we kissed as if Id ridden to the very top of a roller coaster and now was the long, endless drop. But at the bottom was Oliver to catch me. I want to take you to bed. We did this all wrong. Though I was sure he wasnt criticizing, the word hit me in the chest just the same. As if he could read me already, he cursed under his breath and cupped my cheek, his thumb feathering over my swollen lips. No. This wasnt wrong. This was the most incredible experience Ive ever had. I frowned, sure Id misheard him. Beginners luck? I managed, surprised that my voice was barely a rasp. Giving a blowjob was way more physically demanding than it looked. I rubbed my achy jaw. I wondered if there was a workout program. His lips curved. Youre a natural seductress, just as I knew youd be. But I should have kissed you first. His gaze dropped to my breasts and singed me like a brand. Everywhere. I couldnt help gripping his thighs tighter with my own. His hand moved down to my hip, his blunt-tipped fingers sneaking under the clingy cotton of my shorts. The intention in his gaze left no mystery. If I gave the slightest hint I was interested, he would go down on me. Fuck me and fill me until I was utterly ruined for any other man. He didnt need to say those words for me to hear them as clearly as if hed spoken aloud. Even after what wed shared, I wasnt ready. Not quite yet. I wanted to bask in this feeling for a little while longer. To savor this heady sense of power before he used his to y me open andy me bare. At his mercy. Id like that. As his hand climbed higher, I cupped it and held it still. Later. I took a bolstering breath. First, Id like some dinner before we go see Celine Dion. Dont worry, I have two tickets.? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. His brow furrowed. Why would I worry? Who would ever want to see her voluntarily? Ta-da. Just like that, he was back to being a dick. His hadnt even stopped throbbing against my belly yet. I do. I mbered off him, and yes, I might have delighted in deliberately standing over him so he could get an eyeful of my breasts. I was still tempted to cover them, but his expression was so hungry, it was impossible to worry over much about jiggling. I climbed out and picked up my cami before passing him his boxers. If youd like to join me, youre wee to. But if youreing along, dont dally. If not, I walked to the door and waved over my shoulder, see you when I see you. He swore as I pulled the door shut behind me. One Hundred & Fifty-Five Olivers [POV] Death by Celine Dion was an actual thing. Who knew? I would, by the end of this night. Worst of all, the evening had started so innocuously. Well, after the blowjob that nearly blew my damn head off. But once Id gotten out of the hot tub, wrung out my shorts, and slipped into the shower to clean up, my mind started to clear. Some. I was still revved up, almost to the point that I wouldve sworn I hadnte. And I had. Incredibly. Right into the waiting mouth of the most gorgeous pain in the ass, Id ever known. She was waiting for me when I got out of the shower. Not knowing what exactly her idea of dinner consisted of, Id gone with a te-gray suit and vest, sans tie. She had on a slinky navy sheath that hugged her curves, and her still-wet hair hung in long, curling waves down her back. My fingers had tingled at the sight of it. Fisting it had felt way too damn good. Natural. As would taking a palm to her tight little ass. Her smile had been saucy as if shed been let in on a big secret. Knowing. Yet she didnt have a clue of all the pleasures that awaited her. Assuming I didnt kill her before the end of the night. We ate at a swanky restaurant called Caribou, and she was her usual self with everyone who helped us the maitre d, our server, and the manager who walked around making sure everyone was happy with their food. Yet she barely spoke to me. She ordered salmon with a small green sd, and we shared an appetizer of stuffed mushrooms and lots of awkward silence. Were regrets setting in already? For dessert, she selected a piece of cake with chocte ganache and raspberry ze, big enough to share. I wasnt huge on sweets, but they looked delicious. I was about to dig in when she let out a small sigh. Celine Dion is who I listened to when I found out my parents were selling the bed-and-breakfast. She helped heal me. I wouldveughed at the healing part if she didnt seem so serious about it. One point for keeping my damn mouth shut for once. I continued slicing off a thin wedge of cake before transferring it to my te. How did she do that? I had no warning. Well, a little warning. I came home on summer break, ready for another summer of helping everyone, and my parents sat me down in the great room and told me they had exciting news. I thought maybe wed been featured in one of the big touristy magazines or something. She rested her cheek on the back of her hand and dipped her fork into the puddle of ze that had umted on the te. But she didnt eat. They didnt even ask me or let me down gently, or hell, even gives me a chance to put some funds and resources together. It was a done deal. They were selling the bed-and-breakfast and retiring to travel, and wasnt that so wonderful for me? Id be truly on my own. But it wasnt wonderful. You didnt want to be on your own. When she didnt reply right away, I gestured with my fork. Eat your cake. She startled at my stern tone, though sheplied without hesitation. No balking whatsoever. She hadnt minded my dominance in the Jacuzzi, which fascinated and intrigued me. I wouldnt have guessed she had a submissive tendency in her body. Surprise, surprise. There was something there. A fledgling, untried part of her she likely hadnt had a chance to express. I hoped to find out more about that side of her. Not now. Now we had a much thornier topic to discuss. No, I didnt want to be on my own. My life had been about my family and working at the bed-and-breakfast every spare moment. Id hoped one day to make it my own. That dovetailed with what Ally had told me, but it was always better when it was corroborated from the horses mouth. Did you inform your parents of that? Sage dragged her fork through the curls of ganache, spearing one and then delicately eating it off the tines. I was certain she wasnt trying to be alluring. It was as natural as her innocence. Completely intoxicating. I thought they knew. It wasnt as if Id hidden how much I loved the hospitality industry. I minored in it in school. My free time was theirs for years. I loved the work, so it wasnt a hardship. And I was good at it too. But they never asked you if you wanted to take over, and you never told them you wanted to. You also never want back to school. Why should I? Id gone to school for interior design and hospitality, and now the bed-and-breakfast was gone. Or it was going. By then, they already had prospective buyers. I didnt have a business background to raise that kind of capital on my own, she added as if guessing my next question. Besides, they didnt think I could do it alone. Maybe they were right. Do you truly believe that? She jerked a shoulder and set down her fork. Shed eaten a few bites after my directive, but shed swiftly slowed down again. Im sure it doesnt make sense to you. Youve never struggled with your confidence. Thats not true. But even if it were, I know I can ask for help. There are people I can turn to. Options always exist. Even as I said the words, they rang hollowly in my ears. Me, ask for help? Id never asked anyone for anything. Couldnt. It was as if my vocal cords froze up when I made a request that required someone to do something for me out of the kindness of their hearts. So, Imanded and cajoled, and if that didnt work, slyly threatened. Id honed those skills through years in the real estate business. My father tolerated no fools and put up with no weakness, including from his sons. Especially from his sons. It all seemed so overwhelming, so I shut down. They offered me a small piece of the selling price for school, and I invested it. You have no intention of going back to school. Didnt I just say that? Why should I? I dont need to have stage rooms in my daily life. I work in a diner. And the education in hospitality Ive already received is more than adequate to deal with my customers.N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner. You also have no intention of touching that money. Her defensive posture matched the re of annoyance in her eyes. They sold something I loved. No, I dont want the money. I have no use for it. I do fine at the diner. My default reaction was tough. Snidely, as my father would have. The sound rumbled in my chest and her head lifted her soft, wary gaze hardening. So I shoved it down. I wasnt my goddamn father, and my father wouldnt have tolerated such rudeness toward Sage in any case. The senior Hamilton had always loved her. Id once believed it was because her family was made up of well-to-do, salt-of-the-earth types who pleased his Puritan soul. Now, I wasnt so sure. It mightve just been the magic of Sage Evans, making friends out of foes everywhere she went. Tell me how Celine healed you. Not saying it sarcastically was a challenge and a half. Jesus, being a nice person was difficult. She sniffled. Her eyes didnt look wet, thank God, but there was the emotion behind the gesture. You dont care. Yes, I do care, or I wouldnt have asked. She took another bite of cake, but she wasnt getting nearly the pleasure from it Id expected. Id rather been looking forward to watching her enjoy the types of cuisine she didnt get at home. Instead, shed been glum, and it probably had to do with my hasty dismissal of Celine not blowing me in the hot tub. Small favors, I supposed. I have trouble letting my emotions out sometimes. My dads a real stoic type, and my mom is so emotional that she used to make me vow not to be like her. So I stuffed down everything. Watching Titanic and listening to My Heart Will Go On loosened the logjam. She gestured with her free hand at her chest. In here. Rather than say something I was certain would not help, I made a humming noise and forked up more cake. Winning this trip and tickets to see her, well, it seemed like kismet. I was fine with going alone. She tipped back her head and nced at the ceiling. Fine, I was hoping to meet someone who might enjoy her too. There have to be men who arefortable with their sensitive sides, right? Sensitive sides, sure. Guys with sensitive sides who will make your eyes roll back in your head and listen voluntarily to Celine? I shrugged. Few and far between, princess. The sweet name just slipped out, as it had earlier. But all at once, a change seemed toe over her. She straightened and her eyes cleared, and she smiled in that same sexy way she had back in the hotel room for a brief instant that had made me think shed forgotten all about the Celine nonsense. You know, youre right. Im putting far too much importance on this. She leaned forward, and like the lech I was, my gaze dipped to the plunging vee of her dress. God, she had some rack on her. Now that Id seen thempletely bare, I was even more riveted by them. Christ, stop acting like you just got out of prison. Eyes up. Shes speaking to you. Ive never had a nickname before, except my mom. She calls me a few things, but sweet pea is her favorite. She smiled so shyly that my goddamn heart lurched. I like a princess. I shifted toward her across the table, extending my arm so I could rub my thumb over the corner of her mouth. Missed a dab of cake, princess, I said deliberately, drawing my thumb back to suck it into my mouth. She watched the movement avidly, her breath rushing out between her parted lips. Its okay if you dont like Celine. Maybe you could gamble while Im at the show? she asked breathlessly. I had to smile. She was giving me an out, but she wasnt missing a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity even if I wasnt interested. She was so much stronger than she gave herself credit for. So much more alluring. I will admit shes not my favorite, but shes extremely talented. If youd like to go, were going. We are? The glow on her face was worth enduring anything. Even a warbler with an annoying ent. Absolutely. I inclined my chin toward her te. If you finish your cake. She dug into it eagerly, and just watching her eat was a pleasure unto itself. She was so lusty in everything she did at least when she stopped letting fear rule her. I couldnt wait to see her blossom even more. Once shed finished her cake and Id paid the bill after a scuffle, since she wanted to use her dining allowance from the radio station we went outside to catch a ride to The Colosseum. No, never mind riding. Its such a beautiful night. I want to walk. Sage sped my hand,cing her fingers with mine as she gazed up at me. Okay? Saying no to her was going to be a problem, I could already tell. Instead of an answer, I squeezed her hand and waved off the waiting car. One Hundred & Fifty-Six Olivers [POV] The weather was balmy and perfect. At first, she didnt get too close as we walked, though she never broke the link of our fingers. But then she cuddled in, resting her head against my arm now and again as she noted the sights and I offered my insight. I wasnt a Vegas connoisseur, but Id visited a few times. None of those trips had been like this. Id always traveled alone, and I lived my life mostly by rote. Seeing things without truly experiencing them. Sage made that impossible. God, I love palm trees. Theyre so majestic. I wish we had them in New York. It felt good tough. Not thinking that will happen. The climate isnt quite hospitable for them. But theyre so pretty. Look at all the stars. She tipped her head back against my arm. How can you even see them? The dazzling lights of the strip nearly rendered it impossible for me to make them out. I have excellent eyesight. Besides, when else will I have a chance to see real Vegas stars? Ill fill in the damn dots if I have to. Dang, she corrected as I chuckled. We could rent a car tomorrow, take a ride out to the desert. You could see them so much clearer out there. She smiled up at me, subtly tightening her hold on my arm. It was as if some kind of barrier had broken between us as soon as shed grabbed me in fright during the ne ride. I didnt want that barrier to repaying. Ever. Id like that. Assuming we dont spend all day in bed. She grinned. Which we cannot, because hello, were in Vegas. I swallowed and my tongue ended up near my knees. Holy fuck, how could one barely dirtyment make me harder than the sidewalk we were walking on? So how do you feel about gambling? I was supposed to talk now. I was having enough trouble walking due to the sudden constriction in my trousers. Its entertaining enough, I managed. Barely. In limited doses. What do you y? Barat, I said sinctly. And? Barat. She frowned. What about slots? What about them? Do you y those? They look really fun. I saw this Friends episode once, you know the one where Ross and Rachel ended up married- She broke off and cocked her head. Why are you smiling like that? Youre unique. Thats one way of putting it. She propped a hand on her hip. I bet youve never seen Friends have you? No. The title seemed too banal to merit interest. She rolled her eyes. Your banal is the rest of the worlds must-see TV, boyo. She tugged me with her up the street. Wed reach The Colosseum one of these days. Well watch it together. I know all the good episodes and the ones to skip. I have Netflix. She raised her brows at me as if she expected me to argue, or perhaps to make Celine-Dion-level insults.Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org. I did neither. It had already urred to me that this trip would end in under forty-eight hours. If I didnt figure out a n to ensure shed continue seeing me once we returned home, she probably would not. As soon as we resumed our regr routines, I had a feeling shed be back to hating my guts and voting against me in polls about which was the hottest Hamilton twin. And yes, Id heard of that poll, and yes, I knew shed been the only one to vote Seth ahead of me. Id been amused at the time. Hate and love were opposite each other across such a thin line. Now the reality of our lives wasnt all that funny. It would be too easy for us to fall into typical patterns and lose whatever this was. I didnt know yet. Didnt have a fucking clue. But I wanted a chance to let it evolve without meddling brothers and nosy sisters-inw and just daily life intruding. When? I asked. She pursed her lips. Youre agreeable? I nodded. Hmm, well, we probably wont have time this trip. You dont mean Gravely, I nodded again. You want to see me when were back home? I always see you when were back home. Practically daily. Not like that. She waved her free hand. I mean, this kind of seeing. She lowered her voice and leaned in. The kind where I put my mouth on your manly bits. I choked out augh. God, she was something. Well, that part can always be negotiated, but were friends now, right? I guess. Such enthusiasm truly warmed a mans heart. But I sensed I needed to tread gently here before I sent my little deer fleeing into the woods. Friends watch TV together. They eat meals together too. They do. She squealed and pointed at a ne going overhead with a message trailing behind it. Oh my gosh, look! Its a marriage proposal. Aww, isnt that the sweetest thing? Shouldnt something like that is kept private? She gave me a cial look that said Id probably be watching Friends by myself. In the dark. In my boxers while holding a bottle of Molson. Do you know anything at all about romance? I thought you were considered suave with thedies. The women I typically date arent looking for romance. I bet, she muttered darkly, not so subtly moving away from me. My phone buzzed at my hip and I picked it up, intending to ignore the call. It was my brother. Why was he calling instead of texting as he normally did? Oh shit, was it the baby? I hadnt gotten any of those infernal twin vibes that always seemed to assail me when my brother was in paineither physical or severe emotional but maybe distance affected the reception. Wed never tested the boundaries of the supposed twin bond. I tried to dismiss it as hogwash most of the time anyway. I swallowed hard and epted the call. Is the baby okay? Beside me, Sage stopped walking and put a hand to her mouth. The baby is fine. How is Sage? I slid a sideways nce at her and minutely shook my head. Other than you scaring her witless by calling, shes perfectly fine. Whats going on? And how are you? That exined why there were no twin vibes, and it wasnt due to location. The jackass was on a scouting mission, probably thanks to his lovely wife. Having the time of my life. Ive never had a more incredible trip. Beside me, Sage tilted her head and narrowed her eyes. Filled with all the sights and sounds of a splendorous Vegas Cut the crap. Have you slept with her or not? I cleared my throat. Luck ily, the sidewalks were filled with so many revelers and tourists, all heading in and out of the casinos and hotels, that Sage couldnt have heard Seths booming voice if she wanted to. And she did since she was walking on her tiptoes to try to get closer to my ear. I switched my cell to the other hand. I can vouch there has been no sleeping. Seth swore. Shes a virgin. You know that. How could you? Somewhere down deep, something akin to hurt red. I didnt care that I was known as a womanizer in town. I knew the truth, that I treated women with respect and told no lies about my intentions. But to have my brother my goddamn twin act as if I was some horny asshole whod dragged Sage into a bathroom to join the mile-high club was too much. Didnt you practically do just that? You dragged her into a hot tub. She told you she rarely received physical affection anymore. Are you honestly surprised she soughtfort from you? You were avable. Convenient. What happens in Vegas shes already been reluctant to make ns with you afterward. Sage stopped walking and pointed at a boutique that was still open. I didnt understand what she meant until she darted into the shop. Maybe she had heard. Or maybe she just wanted to shop until she dropped. Who even knew anymore? We havent slept together, I said through gritted teeth once the door closed behind her. Happy now? Seth audibly exhaled. Yes, I am. Ally said she wasnt worried since Sage hates you, but I told her not to diminish your skills at the woo. Skills at the woo? Is that some childish reference to performing oral sex on a woman? Sethughed. Hardly. You know, wooing a woman. Youre good at it. And Sage is an easy mark. Tell her shes pretty, spend some time with her, and shes likely to confuse sex and love. Whoa there, sex and love? On the first day, were traveling together. Also, dont you think you should give Sage a bit more credit? When he didnt respond right away, I shook my head. You and Ally are a pair, all right. Both im to love her but dont see her for half of what she truly is. Hmm. Sounds like a little more than thementary of her frenemy, dont you think? Maybe youre the one confusing sex and love already. Im not confused about anything. You, however, are confused if you think Im going to continue this conversation. Goodnight, Seth. Give Ally my best. I clicked off before he could do more than sputter. As much as I didnt want to find any value in what hed said, he was probably right about one thing. Sage was in a sensitive spot right now. She wanted fun and adventure, and maybe that was making her less than choosy about herpanion for such. Ide along on this trip, not by her choice. Maybe the hot tub adventure had been about proximity more than the boiling over of repressed sexual desire. She was a virgin, after all. She had to be boiling so hard that she was capable of setting herself ame. That didnt mean she was boiling specifically for me. Sage deserved more credit, and so did I. Just because I wanted Sage for reasons that extended beyond this trip, didnt mean the opposite was true. I wasnt fully certain what all those reasons were yet or when exactly theyd taken root. But perhaps it didnt matter. What happened in Vegas might stay in Vegas. And that was a game I didnt intend to y. The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!