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2024-10-29 19:42:56Related chapters
Asking for a Friend Concerns
LAYTONMarissa smiled coyly, looking at me through her thick lashes. “So do I, and while you make a compelling argument, we can’t just flake.”“There has to be some perks to being the boss,” I argued. “We can go over those files of yours after. I’ll tell Carrie it’s going to take a few hours and we need to go review the files somewhere else.”“A few hours, huh?” Her cheeks flushed. “You’re feeling awfully confident today.”I scoffed, “I’m always feeling confident. And you know it. You also know my confidence has never been unjustified.”“Let’s just say you’ve got one very satisfied customer right here,” she winked before dropping her eyes back to the file. “But these guys won’t be unless we actually get to it.”“You’re no fun.” I wadded up a napkin and chucked it in her direction. “I’ll satisfy them anyway. Might as well satisfy you first.”“That’s such a line,” she smothered a giggle, arching an eyebrow. “Are you being serious or are you just messing with me right now?”“Depends. Are
Asking for a Friend Marking Her Territory
MARISSAA huge black sedan pulled up outside of our office building. Layton and I were waiting for a car Banks had insisted he send. Layton told him we could get to New Hampshire on our own, but the man wouldn’t hear of it.The driver of the huge black car got out, wearing a full freaking uniform complete with a hat and gloves, and walked up to Layton. “Mr. Bridges, my name is Victor. I’ll be your driver today.”What? This was the car Banks sent for us? My jaw threatened to drop. How many people did Banks think Layton was bringing with him? The thing looked like it could easily fit ten.Layton glanced at the car, lifting an eyebrow before he school his expression and nodded once. “Thank you, Victor.”“Do you have any luggage?” Victor asked, then spotted the overnight bags we each had next to us on the sidewalk. Without asking, he picked up both bags and deposited them in the trunk before coming back for us. “I’ll keep your bags while you’re in the meeting with Mr. Banks, and I’ve been
Asking for a Friend Meeting Mr. Banks
MARISSAEight minutes later and exactly, to the minute on time, yet another young woman came down a hallway to our right. “Mr. Bridges? Mr. Banks will see you now. Please follow me.”We did as she asked, being led to a conference room with a table the size of my house in the center of it. I was starting to wonder if this Mr. Banks had something to make up for, since his car, building and table were larger than life and he only seemed to have young attractive girls working in his office.I smirked, catching Layton’s eye. It was no wonder he had no use for such luxurious, ostentatious things. He had nothing to make up for.He narrowed his eyes questioningly, but I shook my head. I would have to remember to tell him later. He would get a kick out of it. At that moment, the conference room doors swung open again and a fifty-something man in an impeccable suit stepped through them. There were some gray strands interrupting his otherwise jet black hair and his eyes were almost the same colo
Asking for a Friend None of the Credit
LAYTONThree weeks after New Hampshire, I still hadn’t given Banks an answer to his odd request. I couldn’t really believe he would even ask such a thing, it was unheard of. As far as I knew, anyway. I’d done some homework since getting back from the meeting and it turned out that every property Banks owned had him listed as the architect.I didn’t know why the hell it was so important to him, but it was clearly something he’d been doing for a long time. Most architects didn’t have the money to cover the cost of a building if he threatened to pull out if they didn’t give him credit. I wasn’t most people.But I still hadn’t decided what I was going to do. Despite the fact that my inheritance was large enough to tide over several small countries for a year, and I’d had my own success and didn’t live too extravagantly. I had paid a small fortune for my apartment, but I figured that was both an investment and my sanctuary.My car was nice and I wore only tailored clothes. I wasn’t selfish
Asking for a Friend It Is a Big Deal
LAYTON“Do you think Banks would consider having both of your names on as architects? It’s still super unfair, but at least you don’t lose credit completely,” Marissa suggested, but I shook my head.“I asked him that about two weeks ago. He didn’t even hear me all the way out before he turned me down. I think he only took the call because he thought I was calling to tell him I would sign his NDA.”Marissa frowned, scrunching up her nose. “He’s being such a child about this. Like, ‘Yes, I like that. I must tell everyone I was clever enough to design it.’ What an idiot. Not even Annie would do something like that. At least I taught her to share. It doesn’t look like his mother succeeded in teaching him even that. Or some commonly accepted values like giving credit where credit is due.”“I don’t know what his issue is,” I shrugged, because his motivations didn’t change anything. He was adamant about canceling the agreement if I didn’t sign all credit over to him. He said it wasn’t worth
Asking for a Friend God Complex
MARISSAFrustrated over Layton’s attitude about Banks wanting to take credit for his design, I left the office after our meeting. The only good thing that had come out of the day was meeting Craig.Layton talked to me about Craig sometimes and he mentioned him often. I knew Craig was not only Layton’s preferred contractor, but also his best friend.Meeting him was a big deal for me, and I’d been nervous about it. But it turned out I didn’t have to be. Craig and I were on the same line of the same page about the Banks thing, and generally speaking, Craig seemed like a great guy.I was surprised by how relaxed and easygoing he was. Before I got to know Layton, I wouldn’t have thought there was one easygoing bone in his body. I definitely wouldn’t have expected his best friend to be a guy like Craig.He had an easy smile, could talk the ear off a donkey if he liked you it seemed, or listen seriously when the situation called for it. It didn’t hurt that he wasn’t an ugly guy either. In fa
Asking for a Friend Ballerina Angel
MARISSA“Beautiful,” I almost whispered, my voice thick with emotion. “You look like a ballerina angel.”“What’s a ballerina angel?” Annie giggled, scrunching up her nose.I shrugged. “It’s the most beautiful angel of them all.”She laughed again and then went back to studying her reflection in the mirror. “Do you think I need other shoes?”On her feet were silver slippers with tiny pink bows at the back of her ankles. She held her left foot up to me so I could get a good look at it. “No, baby. I think those are gorgeous. They go perfectly with that dress.”“That’s what I think, too.” Denise agreed. “You’re perfect, darling. Absolutely perfect. I think you’re ready to party.”“Agreed,” I said. “But I also think you should get out of that dress for now, before it gets dirty.”Annie tended to get dirt on her even when she slept, or that was what it felt like sometimes. I wasn’t one of those neurotic moms who refused to let their child get near dirt, I thought it was good for them to get
Asking for a Friend Another Video
LAYTONOne of the things I loved most about my apartment was the view. It was in one of Boston’s old corner buildings and had a hundred and eighty degree view of the city below.I sat in my kitchen with a glass of water in front of me, my tie hanging loosely around my neck. I was already dressed for the office party later, but I wasn’t in much of a party mood.If my girls weren’t coming with me and Marissa hadn’t mentioned earlier how excited Annie was about the party, I would have gone to do the opening and then come straight back home.A night on my couch sounded like a much better idea than a night out. Especially because it was a night out during which I had to make a decision I really didn’t want to have to make.I didn’t feel like there really was a right decision to make in my situation. Every time I thought I knew what I was going to do, I realized I didn’t actually want to do whatever it was I’d decided on.It was annoying the shit out of me. I usually made up my mind fast on
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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
