Lanie“Pick up, pick up, pick up,” I mumbled into my cell phone as I searched for a parking place. It had been a few days since I’d seen Andrew, and it made me antsy. Something about a client file that he needed to spend some time with. “Better than a woman, I guess.”The voicemail picked up. “This is Andrew Marx. I’m unavailable right now. Leave a message with the pertinent information and I’ll call you back.” The beep filled my ear, causing me to jerk back.“It’s Lanie. I wanted to see if you were free. It’s Sunday around lunchtime. I just got to the Derek Gallery on Phantom street. I’d love for you to come over here with me.” I took a short breath, trying not to sigh. “Hope you’re doing great. Miss you.”I dropped the call and grumbled under my breath as I finally found a place to squeeze my car into. The gallery had people in a long line around the building. No way I was standing in the freezing cold, waiting to get inside.I loved art, and I loved Matt and Erica more, but me and
Lanie“Lanie.” Andrew shook his head. “Let’s not do this. I just put a ring on your finger.”“Answer my questions.” I gave him a look that could start fires in a fantasy world.“I’ve been swamped with trying to not only figure out what went wrong with the account, but in trying to woo this client not to leave. She’s got a sizable investment account with my firm. It’s not as easy as just putting her off.”“And she’s flirting with you?” I stiffened as Matt and Erica walked up.“Andrew. Good to meet you. I’m Matt Bryant.” Matt extended his hand. My friends stood beside me, as if offering an odd sort of support. It left me wondering if I needed their help. Were things going downhill? Sure as hell felt like it.“Nice to meet you too.” Andrew narrowed his eyes a little. “You’re not related to Kent Bryant, are you? You look a lot like him.”Matt chuckled. “He’s my father. I got more of my mom’s talents I guess.” Matt glanced around and smiled. “Damon is the accountant like my dad. I went a d
AndrewA little later that afternoon, Thomas knocked on my office door and walked inside. “You wanted to see me, sir?” He was an up and coming advisor, and I had my eye on him for promotion in the next six months or so.“Come on in, Tom. Have a seat.” I stood and moved behind my chair, gripping it as the younger man walked over and sat down. “I have a project I need you to spend some time looking into, as well as the members of the group that are looking to own/control the project.”Tom pulled a small tablet out of his coat pocket and nodded. “Absolutely, sir. Give me the details, and I will get after looking into it.”“Robert Jacobs stopped by last week and told me that Kent Bryant was involved, as well as his son, Damon. They would be looking to provide the accounting part of the arrangement. I’m not sure who else is being considered for the team, but for the standard investment portion, they’ve invited Alex Reid, head of Reid Enterprises in New York. They’re asking us to consider s
Andrew“Boss?” Robin knocked and stuck her head in. “Don’t forget about your appointment in fifteen minutes. You need water or coffee?”“No, but I do need you to order flowers for someone for me.”Robin lifted her eyebrow as a smile moved across her face. “Not a problem. Is this for business or pleasure?”“Pleasure.” I pulled out my chair and sat down. “Send them to Lanie Jacobs. Should be an apartment complex. Red roses. Lots of them, and put on the card that I’ll see her tonight.”“And that she’s the best thing in your day?” Robin’s smile widened.I rolled my eyes and leaned back. “Sure. Why not?”She clapped her hands and turned, walking back out. “I’ll take care of it for you, Mr. Marx. Nothing to worry about.”I was rather impressed she hadn’t asked if I were dating. The ladies in my office had been taking care of me for ten years, urging me to get back out into the world of dating and find someone. They were nosy, pushy, and they cared.Maybe too much.*Meeting after meeting, a
Lanie“You really didn’t have to come here, you know? Your vacation is almost over. You should be enjoying your break.” Raven turned her head and gave me a look that said she was right.I chuckled. The kid wasn’t a kid anymore, but a young woman with a good head on her shoulders most of the time. Andrew had to be proud, or maybe he saw her as my father saw me. Young, inexperienced, immature.“I wanted to see you.” I glanced down at my hand, the big ring on my finger grabbing my attention immediately. A bittersweet feeling about the engagement had taken over my heart. I was grateful and excited but a bit apprehensive because of my conversation with Matt and Erica the weekend before. The worst part was that in some small way, they were right.It was rushed and maybe done for the wrong reasons on Andrew’s part, but we did love each other. That was enough surely.“Hey, did you hear me?” Raven reached out and cupped her hand over mine. “Where are you today? Not here.”I snorted. “When did
AndrewI paused just outside of the country club and shot Lanie a text that I wanted to see her. She didn’t respond right away, but she would. After tucking my phone into my pocket, I walked in looking for Saxton.The playboy extraordinaire sat at the bar, women on both sides of him. I moved up behind him and tapped him on the shoulder.“Andrew. Good to see you.” He offered me a warm smile and a hand to shake.“These beautiful women don’t know you’re married?” I shook his hand and smirked.The girls scattered like roaches when the lights came on.“Sorry.” I laughed and dropped down next to him. “I had to.”“Man. Really? Shit.” He glanced behind him, shaking his head as if still trying to convince the women that he was, in fact, not married. The guy would most likely live alone forever. He seemed to thrive in that state.“Thanks for meeting with me.” I lifted my finger toward the bartender and caught the guy’s eye. “Bud Light in the bottle please.”“I’m always willing to carve out time
AndrewI drove to Lanie’s in silence, my mind spinning in a million directions. The Bartlet account was squared away again, and Liza would be heading back home in the next few days, which was a blessing. The woman was far too comfortable in her own skin. I needed to assign her to someone else, but Thomas was about the only one I trusted to take on such an important account.“She’d eat that kid alive.” I pulled into the apartment complex and parked, sitting in the silence for a few minutes. It was odd to find myself at forty-five, sitting outside of an apartment building, gearing up to go in and make love to my girlfriend.It felt like a movie, one that I’d lived twenty years before.“Stop it,” I barked at no one and got out of the car, grabbing the bottle of wine I’d picked up from the country club gift shop before leaving. I needed to get my mind off work, but I couldn’t seem to shake the excitement bubbling up in me over the possible mastermind opportunity with a few other guys at m
LanieMy whole body was on fire for him. I spread my legs farther and slid my fingers into his hair, massaging his scalp as he rolled his tongue through my folds. The pressure of him forcing two thick fingers into my body caused me to buckle, letting go of my orgasm. The tension in my back fled as I arched and cried out his name, riding the high he offered me.“Enough,” I cried out and pushed at his shoulder.He glanced up, his lips wet, eyes wild. I could love him forever. Fuck everything else.“No. It’s enough when I say it’s enough.” He kept his eyes locked to mine and leaned down, softly licking at my swollen skin. The delicious pull on my clit as he sucked it into his mouth had my eyes rolling back in my head.“Okay. Just don’t stop.”He moved back and pressed his fingers back into me, fucking at a steady pace as he watched me. “So what is it, baby? Keep going or stop?”“I don’t know.” I gripped the sheets and groaned at the delicious tension building in my stomach. “I want you.