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Asking for a Friend More Money
LAYTONSunday morning arrived hours before I was ready for it to. I woke up to my phone ringing and groaned, hoping it wasn’t Clayton Reeve with another annoying surprise. Rolling over on my bed to grab my phone on the nightstand, I frowned when I saw it was Craig.“This better be urgent if you’re calling at seven-thirty on a Sunday.” I greeted, falling back onto the bed. “What’s up?”“You have to get down to the site,” Craig said, his voice strained and tense. “I’m sorry to be bothering you this early, but we need to talk and we need to do it now.”I sat up, immediately getting moving. Craig wasn’t the kind of guy to make a call like this lightly. If he was calling this early to tell me we had to talk, there had to be a problem. “What’s wrong?”He exhaled a deep breath. “It’s not good, but we’ll talk when you get here.”We ended the call on that note and I hurried to get showered and ready, arriving at the site less than thirty minutes after he called. It was a cool morning, crisp an
Asking for a Friend Who is This Guy?
LAYTON“I said it with such a straight face because it’s true.”His laughter ended abruptly and his brows pushed together. “You’re not fucking with me? You actually spent the day with Marissa and her kid and enjoyed it?”“Yeah, they’re both great. I took them fishing. I even taught Annie how to bait a hook and everything.” I said proudly, and I was damn proud of it. Having Annie look at me like I was a superhero because I knew how to fish had been strangely satisfying. Knowing that I had taught her something she was likely to remember, and maybe even brag about being able to do so gave me a sense of achievement.Craig’s jaw dropped as he watched these thoughts play out. “You took them fishing and actually spent time talking to the kid?”“Are you going to repeat everything I say today?” I teased, smirking.He nodded. “If you keep saying shit I have to repeat to know I understood it correctly, then yes. I didn’t even know you fished, and it never occurred to me that you would even know
Asking for a Friend Shopping Around
MARISSASunday was a girls shopping day for Annie, Denise and I. My little girl was fast becoming not so little anymore and was growing like a weed. In the past few weeks, she’d gotten so much taller that she had outgrown some of her clothes and most of what was left wasn’t going to last her much longer either.Denise wanted to pick up something new for herself as well, so she decided to join us. The mall was quieter than usual since it was a Sunday morning. Most people who were there had gone for brunch and just hung around the food court. The shop assistants smiled lazily and had none of their usual bustling energy as they flitted between customers.Annie held my hand as we made our way to her favorite shop, a department store for kids, with toys everywhere and even a huge doll house. Chatting to Denise while we walked, she looked up at her with wide eyes. “Guess what! We went fishing yesterday with Mommy’s boss.”Denise smiled, shooting me a wink over the top of Annie’s head. “Yeah
Asking for a Friend Shadows of the Past
MARISSA“Honestly?” I started, then took a deep breath as I paused to consider my answer. “He’s so much more than I was ever expecting him to be. You should have seen him with her.”“I would have loved to.” Denise said. “Maybe next time, if you think there will be a next time.”“I think there will be,” I answered, hoping I was right. I would only get to talk to Layton about what his thoughts of the day had been once I got to the office on Monday, but I was feeling optimistic. Unless I had been completely wrong, he had enjoyed the day as much as we had. “I wasn’t sure he was going to enjoy having a child around, but he did.”“Gushy much?” Denise teased.I felt my cheeks heating, but I nodded. “I am gushy, because he made me this way. I really never imagined he could be as perfect with her as he was. I’m so surprised, but I guess I shouldn’t have been. He’s just—I don’t know, there’s so much more to him than meets the eye.”“And you say you’re not in love with him?” She said it with a w
Asking for a Friend Happy Monday
LAYTONAt the office early on Monday morning, I pulled out the project folder for the site I visited the day before with Craig. I knew Marissa had built in that buffer in case of unforeseen expenses and this morning I wanted to make sure we would be able to afford to offer the workers the increases they had asked for.I was interrupted by a soft knock and knew before looking up that it was Marissa. I got a whiff of her perfume as soon as she opened the door and I smiled as I looked up. “Good morning.”“Happy Monday,” she said, striding into my office. It didn’t bother me anymore that she just came in without waiting for me to invite her. It was a sign of familiarity appreciated now.She smiled at me, looking fucking gorgeous in a plain pair of blue jeans with a white blouse and a black suit jacket. She looked relaxed, professional and sophisticated all at the same time. I didn’t know how she did it, but she always looked damn good to me.Knee high black boots with a low heel made her
Asking for a Friend Always Amazing
LAYTONAnnie leaped off the stool she was sitting on when she saw me walking into the kitchen. “Layton! I’m so glad you’re here.”“So am I, kiddo.” I bent down to hug her, noticing both Denise and Marissa watching me do it. “What?”Marissa shook her head, her ever present smile relieved. “Nothing. How was your day? Thanks for coming.”It clearly wasn’t nothing, but I wasn’t going to push her. I assumed it was weird for her to see me in her house with her daughter and friend. Lord knew it would be strange for me to have her in my apartment with Craig around. If Annie was there too, I would think I was dreaming.I would probably have to childproof my apartment before Annie ever got there, though. If you needed to child proof when a kid was six. I was going to have to look into that. I was drawn out of my thoughts when I realized Marissa and Denise were both looking at me expectantly.And then I realized I hadn’t answered her yet. “My day was you know, day-ish. Nothing exciting to report
Asking for a Friend Like a Family
MARISSASeeing Layton sitting down to dinner with all of us was a little surreal. When I first met him, I never would have been able to picture this scene. I wouldn’t even have been able to picture him in my home.He seemed too big for it. Both in physical stature and in presence.And yet—it felt right that he was here. I’d been thinking that way a lot lately, but somehow everything about him just felt right to me. I took it as a sign that we were both exactly where we needed to be and tuned back to the conversation happening around me.Denise had been drilling Layton since—oh, pretty much the moment he set foot in the house, but it didn’t look like he minded it. He kept up with her and worked through it all, question by question, and seemed to be enjoying himself in spite of the inquisition she was putting him through.Before he arrived, Denise and I had talked about all the questions she had for him. I asked her to take it easy on the poor guy, but evidently she had decided against
Asking for a Friend Cryptic Clues
MARISSADenise pushed out her chair, standing and giving Annie a hug goodbye. “I should get going, too. I’ll see you first thing in the morning.”Layton followed her out after saying goodbye to both Annie and Denise, but he paused when we got to the porch. Denise drove away and he took my hand, holding it gently. “Thanks for supper. That was really fun.”“Despite the world’s most comprehensive game of twenty questions?” I asked jokingly.He nodded. “It felt a little like giving an interview for an autobiography I didn’t know was being written, but that’s fine. I like that she’s so protective over the two of you.”“She’s been an angel in our lives.” I agreed, seeing an opening to ask him my burning question, even if I was unsure about whether I should pile on any more tonight. “Can I ask you one question of my own?”“Sure,” he said wearily. I held onto his hand tighter, rubbing my thumb over his knuckles. “What’s one more question?”My lips quirked up into a smile. “You’ve answered so
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Asking for a Friend Epilogue Part 2
LAYTONIt was still early, the sun wasn’t even fully risen yet. Annie and I had both snuck out of bed early this morning to make this breakfast. Marissa was fast asleep, lying on her side on the bed.Annie set down the tray and the glass and shook Marissa’s shoulders. “Mommy! Wake up Mommy! We have a surprise for you.”Marissa’s eyes blinked open slowly, confusion clouding them until she rubbed it away as she sat up and took in the scene in front of her. “What’s all this?”“We’re celebrating,” I told her. “I spoke to Craig earlier. They’re on their way to the site for the final clean up. The building’s finally done.”Her lips curled into a sleepy smile. “I can’t believe that it’s over. It’s really all done?”“It’s really all done,” I confirmed, picking up the tray and placing her plate on it on her lap. “Eat up, we’ve got a lot of celebrating ahead of us today.”“Shouldn’t I be the one feeding you breakfast in bed for this?” She asked, frowning slightly. Lifting up the duvet, she patt
Asking for a Friend Epilogue Part 1
LAYTONIn the past two months since Annie’s first ballet recital, there had been three more. Which were four more recitals than I ever thought I would attend. Or actually enjoy.But I did enjoy them. I enjoyed them so much I was even starting to consider myself something of an expert in ballet. I knew was arabesque meant, what pas de deux was, and that attitude referred to a position in classical ballet, and not a little girl shaking her finger in your face.I watched Annie practicing every night, since I had now officially moved in with them. So officially that there was a tenant renting my place and everything. Marissa didn’t know it yet, but I had been looking at houses for us online for the last couple of weeks.Most of my furniture was now in storage since our house wasn’t big enough for all my furniture and all of Marissa’s. I didn’t love the thought of my stuff gathering dust in a storage unit and I wanted us to have a place that was truly ours, not mine or hers.I had to wait
Asking for a Friend Tiny Dancer
MARISSALayton also threw himself deeper into his commitment to our family. He started driving Annie to school sometimes or offering to pick her up. He took her fishing a few more times and taught her how to play catch.Our lives together was everything I was ever too afraid to hope for. Watching him watch her recital now, tears burned the backs of my eyes.His eyes still hadn’t left the stage for so much as second and I could see the pride he was feeling, I felt it too. He was so much better of a father to Annie than Brice ever could have been. And he stepped into that role gracefully and seriously.I wondered if he would bolt when he eventually realized she was starting to look at him as her dad, but he’d done the complete opposite. On the contrary, he freaking loved being her ‘dad.’The final notes of the recital ended, the girls all dipping into low bows as the hall exploded in applause. Parents leaped to their feet and Layton and I joined them.“She was fantastic,” he yelled into
Asking for a Friend Sixth Months of Heaven
MARISSALayton’s eyes were glued to Annie on stage. Watching him now, it was hard to remember a time when I doubted his love or his commitment to her. Or to me, for that matter.The past six months had been perfect. A fairy tale I never believed was in the cards for me. But somewhere, somehow, someone sent Layton to me and let me keep him.After I finally told him I loved him, there was no turning back. And neither of us wanted to. We came clean to Annie about our relationship that same week and she was thrilled.She hugged both of us and refused to let us go. That next week Layton stayed over for the first time that Annie knew of. She was so excited when she saw him arriving with an overnight bag that she zoomed and bounced around all night before finally crashing hard. When she fell asleep, it was on the couch between us.Layton had insisted on being the one to carry her to her bedroom and when he came back to the living room, he had this expression of absolute serenity on his face.
Asking for a Friend Living the Dream
LAYTON“I was just thinking about something that happened with Annie a few weeks ago,” I told him, shaking the memories out of my head. As the site came back into focus, I noticed how much progress there had been in the week since I was last here. “It’s looking good, Craig. You guys are really outdoing yourself on this one.”“We’re doing our best,” he said, shrugging. “I encouraged you to do this by yourself without that other asshole involved. Least I can do is to have your back now that you’re actually doing it.”“Thanks, man. I appreciate it.” I still couldn’t believe some days that this building really was all mine. I tried not to think about it too much, since there was still a lot that could go wrong. I didn’t want to tempt fate by thinking about how well it was going. “Has the flooring been delivered yet?”“Right on time,” Craig said. “They delivered on Friday morning as promised.”I breathed out a sigh of relief. The people who manufactured the flooring called two weeks ago to
Asking for a Friend We're a Family
LAYTONSix months after Marissa first told me she loved me, I walked onto the construction site where the museum was just about done. The scaffolding was coming off today and the team was moving inside. We had two months left to go, tops.The past six months had been the best months of my life. By a long shot. The museum was progressing without any major hold-ups, which was more of a relief than I cared to admit out loud.Marissa, Annie and I were doing better than ever. In the last few weeks, we’d started talking about moving in together, and I was sure it was going to happen soon.I knew it was going to be an adjustment to live together, especially for Annie and me, but it was what I wanted more than anything. I wanted to wake up next to Marissa every morning, to have breakfast with her and Annie before we headed to work.I wanted to be there to tuck Annie in at night and to spend lazy weekends with them. Only a year ago, if anyone had told me I would ever want that kind of life, I
Asking for a Friend Tasting Him
MARISSAStars exploded behind my eyelids. The intensity of the orgasm building inside me was astonishing. My body was going to be blown to dust when it hit, but I couldn’t freaking wait for that glorious release. I gripped the sheets harder, trying to anchor myself against the powerful sensations ripping through me.My hands flew to his hair next, tugging it as I held him to me. Knowing my body better than I did, he knew exactly what I needed. Bringing his lips to my clit, he sucked the little bud in between them and flicked it with his mouth.That perfect pressure sent my body skyrocketing. I stifled a cry, relieved somewhere in the back of my mind I had the pillow handy and crushed it over my face. Sensation crashed into me as I came, overwhelming me with a pleasure I would never get used to.Floating in a bubble of ecstatic bliss, my body went limp. When I opened my eyes, Layton was there wearing a satisfied smile.But it was too tight, too strained. His muscles were tense and his
Asking for a Friend Raw
MARISSALayton’s lips on mine were the best thing that I’d ever felt and I never wanted him to stop. I writhed against him, feeling him hard as steel against my center as he continued to kiss the crap out of me. He dipped his head lower and licked a path to my breasts, his hands on the hem of my shirt.There was something we had to do, somewhere we had to go. But I’d lost track of my train of thought. Warm hands came up to cup my breasts over my pajama top, his thumbs dragging over my puckered nipples. A shiver ran through me. I was so damn wet. I wanted him so bad.“Cold?” Layton asked huskily.I shook my head, closing my eyes for a second as I tried to find words. And figure out that gnawing feeling that we had to move. “No, just—”Layton gave me a sexy, knowing smile. “Me too. Let’s take this to your bedroom, shall we? We definitely shouldn’t let Annie find us like this.”Fuck.Annie.Of course, that was why we had to move. I nodded at Layton. “Let’s go.”His hands dropped to cup
Asking for a Friend Prove It To Her
LAYTONHolding the NDA out to her, she took it and her eyes dropped immediately to the signature line. Which was blank. “I didn’t sign it. I told him to tell Banks where he could shove his insane requests.”Marissa blinked, a huge smile spreading on her face. “Annie’s sleeping, but would you like to come inside?”I nodded, pulling her into my arms as the door closed behind me. Marissa lifted herself up on her toes and kissed me, her fingers winding into the hair around the nape of my neck. When we broke apart, she kept her hands where they were and spoke with her lips inches away from mine. “I love you, Layton. I love you so much.”My heart hammered louder and harder than it ever had before. It was trying to beat its way out of my chest to climb into hers. That was what it felt like, anyway. It already belonged to her, it might as well have done it.I blinked at her, taken aback by hearing the words I wasn’t sure I would ever hear from her. “Could you repeat that?”She smiled. “As man
