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Puzzle Pieces
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2024-10-29 19:42:56Related chapters
Asking for a Friend A Surprise
MARISSA“These pancakes are so yummy.” Annie sighed contently, helping herself to another one from the stack sitting on the kitchen island between us. Tiny spots of blueberry specked the fluffy golden disks. Even if I had to say so myself, this was one of the better batches I’d ever made.Meticulously poring over the recipe and actually paying attention while I was cooking them before Annie woke up definitely paid off. I wanted to do something nice for her and Denise to apologize for the gloominess I had tried, and failed, to hide all weekend.Since they both loved blueberry pancakes, it felt like a good place to start my apology. Annie and I were having breakfast by ourselves for now. Denise called earlier to say she would see us today, even though it was a Sunday and one of her few days off, but to carry on with our breakfast without her.I didn’t know what she was doing, but apparently it was going to take her awhile. Curious and suspicious, I was glad I had already mixed up the pa
Asking for a Friend Brilliant Aviation
MARISSAThe aeronautics museum was a sight to behold. It was a massive, sprawling complex filled with high ceilinged hangars and some of the most incredible feats achieved by man. Denise, Annie and I joined hundreds of other visitors in gaping at the displays of man’s attempts to conquer the very skies above.What I hadn’t known before we arrived was that there was a memorial exhibit dedicated to Jeffrey Bridges himself open until June. My eyes filled with tears when I spotted the sign pointing in the direction of the exhibit and I blinked at Denise, totally unable to keep from throwing my arms around my friend. “You’re truly incredible, one of a kind.”She smirked, returning my hug. “That I am, my dear. But so are you, both of you.”I couldn’t believe my eyes when we stepped into the exhibit. There was almost an exact replica of his office where you entered, complete with several paintings and framed blueprints that sure looked real hanging exactly where they used to be on his walls.
Asking for a Friend Peace Offering
LAYTONThe office was tranquil at this time of the morning. I had a good thirty minutes of peace left before the others started arriving and I intended to use every one of them and even soak up the very last second of that time.I was finally making some progress on the blueprints I spent last week struggling with. Getting that video from my dad was the kick in the ass I needed to just get started.Nothing like being demeaned and basically told how useless you are for a bit of inspiration when you’re in a slump. I snorted quietly to myself. That exact phrase could have been my dad’s motto and I found that really sad.Three and a half hours ago I arrived at the office in the blackest part of the morning, glued my ass to my chair and refused to move until the damn design started coming together. Eventually, my stubbornness paid off and I finally had something of a vision for the tree house.I had promised Craig I’d meet him on another site early this morning, but I was tempted to push o
Asking for a Friend Just an Update
LAYTONMarissa’s shoulders slumped before she squared them again. Uh-oh. Oh no. I know that look.Before I could stop her from saying her piece despite my saying I didn’t have time, she locked her eyes to mine and said confidently, “If I have to wait for you to have time to talk, it’s never going to happen. I want to fix this, Layton.”Fuck. And so she said it anyway. Standing up from my chair, I grabbed my coat hanging from its backrest.If she’d said those words to me weeks ago, I would’ve stayed to hear her out. I would have called Craig and pushed the meeting back to next week if that was what it took. I was humiliated now to think how badly I’d wanted an explanation from her. Back then. Not now.If she came to me a day, two or three, or even four days after pretty much telling me to go fuck myself, I would’ve tried to fix it. As things stood now though, she’d made herself plenty clear that day and every day that followed. “There’s nothing to fix, Marissa.”“But,” she started, as
Asking for a Friend The Blueprints
MARISSAAfter Layton stormed out of his office, I stood there gaping in the doorway. I knew I had screwed things up between us, but I hadn’t expected him to be quite such an asshole about it. On second thought, I really should have seen it coming.Sucking in a deep breath, I tried to come up with a different plan. The office was still quiet and it would be a little while before anyone came in and found me standing like an idiot half in and half out of Layton’s office.I was surprised by how much his cool, dismissive attitude hurt me. When I saw him last week, he was just as cold. I guessed I thought he might have thawed out over the weekend, for some reason. I had hoped he would, given that our first conversation after I’d told him we were done was over and the ice was broken.Sadly, I had let myself believe that the first time would be the worst and that it could only get better from there. It looked like I was wrong. Clenching my fists, I bit back a flood of anger.Yes, I had screwe
Asking for a Friend Ransom
MARISSAObviously, that approach didn’t work. The plan I was hatching now was more devious, but its chances of success were relatively high.The one thing I knew about him for sure was that the man was the ultimate perfectionist about his work. If he started with these blueprints, which a quick peek confirmed he had, he wouldn’t start over.What he was busy with would eventually become the perfect work for his client. Starting over wasn’t an option, because it was just right the way it was. Or it wouldn’t have been at all.And that was where Plan B came in. Walking to his desk with as much confidence as I could muster, so I looked like I was exactly where I was supposed to be just in case someone came in to ask what I was doing in here, I carefully rolled up the blueprints and tucked them under my arm.I carried them to my office, hid them safely away from potentially prying eyes and grabbed one of my sticky notes. After scribbling a quick message, I went back to his office and stuck
Asking for a Friend Scout's Honor
LAYTONAlem Seafood was an interesting choice for someone who supposedly wanted to talk. It was well-known enough, with reasonably priced, good food. Plastic table cloths covered white plastic tables yellowing with age.The multicolored tablecloths got replaced often enough and were practical given the amount of butter, garlic and other drips that came off the food. They were either green or red and white checkered, giving the place a real old-timey feel.It was almost always packed with locals, which made it an odd choice to pick for any kind of serious talking to take place. Alem was loud and lively, almost always having a live band playing into the night.If it was an intimate discussion you were after, you weren’t going to have it easily at Alem. But perhaps that was the point. Marissa was bubbly and boisterous and fun, just like the restaurant she chose.I wondered if she was more comfortable at this neighborhood favorite because it was more suited to her personality than the pla
Asking for a Friend About Annie
LAYTONAt the same time I made my suggestion that we order dinner, she said, “I’m sorry for the way I acted.”“I’m guessing that’s a no to ordering immediately, then?”She nodded, finally lifting her eyes to mine. There was genuine regret in them. “I should have told you that I have a daughter, and I shouldn’t have reacted the way I did. It was rash and stupid. I was a mess and feeling so guilty for missing a bunch of calls about Annie being sick and I took it out on you. Unfairly, I might add.”“Thank you.” I wasn’t above acknowledging how hard it must have been for her to not only admit she’d been unfair, but to have come to the realization in the first place.Over the last few days, I thought some about what Craig had said about his own mother’s protectiveness. I was by no means ready to forgive or to forget, but I had to get through dinner to get my blueprints anyway, and I was curious.“You having a daughter isn’t a problem, Marissa. I—”“I know,” she nodded hard, her golden curl
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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
