“Of course.” Jade pulls me into another hug. Her perfume, mixed with that new-mom scent, fills my nose. “And stop worrying about staying with Anton. You’ve known him forever.”“That’s what worries me.” I step back, wrapping my arms around myself.Max closes the back door with a solid thud. “Ready to go, hon?”“Remember what I said about the job?” Jade slides into the passenger seat. “Show him what you’re made of.”Soon, my parents and sisters are near Jade’s car.“See you soon,” Mum says, rapping her knuckles over the side window of Jade’s car.I sigh as everyone waves as their car pulls away from my parent’s home. Wondering if I will get the same treatment when I leave later today.I doubt that very much.A hand touches my lower back.I know it is him.It’s the same gentle touch that sends electricity down my spine every time his body touches mine. It doesn’t matter that I’m wearing a tee shirt. I always seem to get a thrill from his touch.I know I shouldn’t.Not only is he Dad’s fo
AntonMy knuckles whiten against the steering wheel as I drive back to my townhouse. Scarlett’s perfume fills the car—a gentle mix of vanilla and something floral I can’t place.She shifts in her seat, crossing her legs. A sideways glance catches her profile. Those full pink lips curved up in a slight smile. The streetlights paint shadows across her face, highlighting her cheekbones before my gaze lowers to her Eiffel Tower print tee-shirt, and then I see the whisper of fabric over her bare legs.I snap my eyes back to the road.Focus on driving. Focus on anything else.I grip tighter. She tests every ounce of self-control.“Your place is in a lovely area.” Her voice breaks the tension as we pull into my driveway.“You’ve been before,” I tell her. Clenching my jaw. “And I like the area because it’s a short commute to the office.” My words come out rougher than intended.She turns toward me, and I feel her gaze on my face. I also feel as her eyes roam down my body, and it’s like the to
But I can’t. Not like this.I swallow hard. “You are welcome in my home. You deserve to have someone look after you, and that is what I’m going to do.”Her breath catches, a small sound that nearly breaks my resolve. I force myself to release her arms, step back, putting space between us before I do something we’ll both regret.But the way she looks at me—like I’ve given her the world with those simple words—makes me wonder if either of us would regret it at all.I turn back to the stove, stirring the pasta. “How’s your studying going?”“Good, I’m on track. Though I want what Jade has too.”“Oh?” The wooden spoon circles the pot.“I want a baby.”The spoon slips from my grip, clattering against the pot. Heat floods my body at her words, at the image they conjure. “What about law school?”“That’s Dad’s dream, but I can have both.” Her wine glass clicks against the counter. “And I’m scared I’ll find it hard to conceive.”“You’re only nineteen. You’ve got plenty of time to worry about th
Scarlett“Hello,” I grumble the next morning, as I answer my mobile phone. My alarm hasn’t gone off yet, and I curse my friend as I see her name on the screen.“Hey Scarlett, how are you getting on with your secret crush?”I glance at the time and drop my head on the pillow. “It’s six thirty, Hetty. What are you doing?”“I want the tea.”“There is none.”She laughs. “Of course there is. Now start by telling me how he looked at you? Did his hand linger anywhere on your body for longer than necessary? Did he look at you weirdly?”“Ugh! He showed me my room, made me dinner, and it was more awkward than I expected. So, I’m going to pretend I’m not living in his house for a week. He looks at me like he’s still embarrassed that I tried to kiss him at the wedding.”“He would never kiss you in front of all those guests. Just turn on the charm while you’re living with him, and he’ll be eating out of your hand in no time at all.”“Do you think?” I ask, hopeful.“Yeah, of course. Just don’t be m
“Not really.” I sink deeper into the pillows. They smell like Anton’s laundry detergent.“Tall, dark hair, killer smile? He asked about you.”“I don’t—”“If you say no, I’m going to drag you out myself.” Her voice turns serious. “One night. That’s all I’m asking. It might send Anton crazy.”“I doubt it.” I sigh, knowing she won’t drop this night out, but also because I know Anton doesn’t want me. “Fine.”“Really?”“Yes.” Maybe Anton will be relieved to have the house to himself. To not worry about running into me in the hallway or catching glimpses of me in silk pajamas. “What time?”“Straight after college. Bring some clothes with you to the gym. We’ll start at The Lock & Key.”“Okay.” My stomach twists at the thought of leaving, but I push the feeling aside. “But I’m not staying late.”“You’re sleeping at mine. No arguing.”I roll my eyes.Her laugh echoes through the phone, and it’s as though she can see me. “Bring that black dress. The one with the—”“Okay. I need to go.” I cut he
“You’re up early.” His gruff voice makes me jump.I turn to him. My eyes bulge as I try to withhold a squeak as Anton walks in. He is only wearing fitted boxer shorts that leavenothing to the imagination, and a thin dressing gown which is not, but really should be, tied at the waist.When he's in a suit, everything about him radiates power and dominance. But now he is almost naked, and I feel dominated in a different way.Suit or not, the power rolls off him.He’s a big man. He towers over my father, who stands at six feet on the dot. But unlike my father, Anton is big all over—all over.I swallow.I need to stop looking right away.His thighs are large and firm. Taut, defined muscles cover his stomach, and he has a delicious V that ends underneath the boxer shorts I’m staring at—and can’t stop.Stop staring at him.My gaze quickly rises, as does the heat on my face.“Where are you going?” he asks, like my staring is normal in his world.“I’m meeting Hetty.”“You haven’t had breakfast
AntonI sit in my car as it idles on the opposite side of the road to where Scarlett is in a bar with her friends.My jaw aches from clenching my teeth not only because she disobeyed me but also at each time she flings her head back and laughs at what her male friend says.It’s not like I haven’t watched her from afar before, but then I was merely a stalker, but today, I’m her guardian and I’m fucking fuming with her. One day and she is already going against me.Me.The man who has had her back whenever her father has said disgruntled, and sometimes unkind, things about her.She doesn’t know how much I've protected her in the past.But I’ll bide my time before I make my move. Because when that happens, she won’t have a clue what hit her.But right now, my sole focus is getting her in the car and then home. Then...who knows?I’ve gone crazy the entire day, since seeing her this morning, hearing her whimper as I held her against the wall. Then, like now, I want to lick every inch of her
She pushes her chair back and stands before she disappears from the table and my view. One guy keeps looking in the direction she went.Does she have a boyfriend?Her father mentioned nothing about any men in her life. He told me she never has the time, and that she is a good girl that likes to study.Which really means he never asks her.Finally, Scarlett strolls back to the table where her friends are at, but she is looking out of the window. I glance down the street at where she looks and then back to her and I think she’s spotted me.Fucking good job.“Now come to me,” I mutter.Because Scarlett has always been mine and now she is nineteen, I am going to finally have her. Because ever since her delectable curves hit a year ago, I’ve wanted her for my own. It was probably about the same time my marriage went downhill. Not that it was ever on a high. Cassandra and I were two people who had very different dreams, and once I realized how much I wanted Scarlett, I was happy to let go o
* * *On Wednesday evening, I left the office before Aiden and drove straight to his place. I was relieved that I’d gotten my daily run in with nausea done around lunchtime. In his apartment, I made sure I’d thrown in the last few things I needed for the trip and then made myself a cup of coffee. I didn’t usually drink it past two or three in the afternoon, but lately, I could sleep at the drop of a hat. I’d been miserably tired in our last brand development meeting, and I was worried that Blake had taken my half-closed eyes as some sort of come on.He wasn’t happy about Aiden coming to the charity ball, either. He tried to play it off, but we could tell that his joke about how surely Aiden had more important things to do wasn’t a joke at all. I’d never tell Aiden, but more and more, Blake was starting to give me the creeps. Even though I’d made it perfectly clear my only interest in him was professional, he still let his gaze linger too long on mine. I’d taken to wearing oversized c
LAYLAI didn’t know what was up with me, but I was determined not to let it ruin my first trip with Aiden. Maybe it was just an extended work trip where we would be up to our old tricks in a new city, but it was still ourfirst vacation. Besides, whatever was going on with me wasn’t like any cold or flu or food poisoning or allergic reaction I’d ever had. It was waves of nausea that struck at strange times, peaked violently after about half an hour, and left me tired but functional for the rest of the day. For the most part, I could hide it from Aiden. He was busy doing a week’s worth of work in two and a half so we could leave for New York after work on Wednesday.Because he was so busy, I was home more, and it was Liv who caught me dry heaving in the bathroom one afternoon.“Whoa,” she said, gingerly placing her hand on my back as if she were considering rubbing it. She changed her mind at a particularly violent retching sound that, as usual, produced nothing. Backing into the doorwa
AIDENI had to tell Jack. I could tell the secrecy was beginning to gnaw at Layla. She was right–there was a point when it had been fun. Clandestine. Now I just wanted to be able to take her out to dinner on our side of town without fear of who we might run into. I wanted to think about our future together without the threat of Jack’s reaction overshadowing it.The problem was, I didn’t know how. The other problem was, the person I normally would have asked for advice was Jack himself. Maureen was my back up, but I couldn’t go to her either. So that was why I found myself telling Carl, my mentee, about it.I don’t know how it came up. It sure as hell wasn’t like he asked,hey man, how’s your love life?Strangely, Carl listened. When I was done, he said, “That’s a real fucking pickle, rich man. What are you going to do about it?” His voice was its usual mixture of disdain and sarcasm, but I sensed that he was genuinely interested.“Hell if I know,” I muttered. I was already regretting t
“I bet she would have planned great vacations for you,” I said quietly. I set down my glass of wine and reached over to squeeze his hand. He didn’t let mine go though, when I went to pull back. Instead, he rose in his seat and tugged me up, too. We kissed across the small bistro table. A warm, heady kiss that was sweeter than the dessert.After we sat back down, I rearranged my napkin in my lap and said in my own carefully casual way, “Maybe one day I can plan a vacation for all three of us.”Aiden shot me a grin. He looked almost normal again, though the fire was still simmering in his eyes. “Maybe,” he agreed. “I guess you two should meet before we fly off to the Bahamas together.”“It’s only fair,” I agreed. “I mean, you do knowmyparents.” I held my breath until Aiden laughed. We were getting better, but the subject of my parentage was still loaded. “I do want you to meet my mom,” he said, sliding his credit card into the bill holder and pushing the last of the dessert closer to me
LAYLAAiden and I were still careful at work, but we let our guard down outside of it. We went to dinner together on the other side of town, and once in a while, he even spent the night at my place now that he knew that Liv and Bran were in on the secret.Liv and Bran had their own secret they thought they were keeping, but Aiden and I were experts at this by now. We knew my brother didn’t really crash on the couch at the end of a long night, and we heard him on those nights he pretended to leave and then doubled back.It was nice to see my brother and my best friend falling for each other, even if it was kind of strange. I hoped that when he eventually found out about me andhisbest friend, my dad would feel similarly.“Don’t count on it,” Aiden said when I mentioned it one night. We’d driven across town to eat at a restaurant we figured was far away enough that no one we knew would be there. We were doing that more and more. It was starting to feel normal to be out with him in public
“Layla went home sick. I’m just checking up on her.”Our footsteps echoed loudly on the uncarpeted steps. By mutual agreement, we’d both turned toward the stairwell rather than waiting for the dodgy looking elevator. Bran was ahead of me, and I thought I saw a ghost of a smirk on his face as he turned to go up the next flight. But all he said was, “Cool,” in a voice so indifferent I wondered if I’d imagined the smirk.Thanks to Bran, I didn’t have to knock. The door was propped open on its deadbolt because they were clearly expecting him. He walked in and gestured for me to follow.I’d never been inside Layla’s apartment. I’d only waited out front while she ran in to grab something. It was… fine. Not the kind of place I thought she should be leaving the door propped open, but it could be worse. It had style, even if I wasn’t impressed by the elevator or the security.“Layla,” Bran called. “Your boss is here.”Two voices came at once. An unfamiliar one that said, “I’m on a call!” and t
AIDENWhen I heard that Layla had gone home sick, I texted her.Are you going to my place? I’ll try to leave, too.She didn’t answer. I figured she’d take a nap, but hour by hour crawled by without a response. At lunch, I stepped outside and called her. It went straight to voicemail. I texted again, but I was starting to get the bad feeling that this silence had nothing to do with a cold or a nap.At four, I told Maureen I was leaving early.“You’d better not be sick, too,” she warned.“I’m not. I’ll be online.” I was too distracted to worry about whether she thought it was suspicious that I was leaving early.“What about the happy hour?”I’d already been walking toward the door, but now I pulled up short. I’d forgotten all about the damn happy hour. It wasn’t for anything in particular, just a monthly get together where I got face time with anyone who wanted it, and we patronized our favorite local bar. It wasn’t the most important thing in the world, but I tried to never miss it.“S
Joe glanced at me, sensing for the first time that this news might not be as benign as he thought. “Um, yesterday?” He scratched his nose and eyed me, checking to see how that information went over. When my face darkened, he added, “Maybe. I don’t remember.”“Well I just talked to Maureen about it yesterday morning, so either it was yesterday or it was really early this morning,” I said evenly.“Yeah, it was probably yesterday.” Joe pulled an apologetic face. As if he were the one with something to apologize for. Then he wrapped up his uneaten egg sandwich and made a quick exit.I stayed in the break room for another few minutes, trying to get a handle on my anger. My tendency was to go with the emotion–let it swell and break and deal with the cause of it. I didn’t like to let things fester. This time, though, I really did try to tame it. I asked myself if I was being unreasonable–maybe this wasn’t actually Aiden treating me like a child. Maybe there was some way in which he could ask
LAYLAI sensed Aiden’s mood even before I saw his face. It was the way he moved when he came out onto the balcony. A stiffness in the set of his shoulders that was echoed in his face when he turned around. He lowered himself into the chair beside mine without kissing me first.I closed my book, keeping my finger between the pages to save my spot. I had a pretty good idea what this was about.Aiden didn’t waste time getting to the point. “You went around me.”“I went up the chain of command,” I countered. “I report to Maureen.”“I don’t give a damn who you report to at work. You went aroundme.” He bit off the words. “Not as your boss, but as your–whatever the fuck we’re doing is called.”“I think that about describes it,” I drawled, hoping to tempt him out of this fight. I dogeared the corner of my page and set it down beside my chair.Aiden wasn’t tempted though. Or amused. If anything, his face grew stormier. “If that’s all it was, I wouldn’t bother.”I stood up and slid into his lap