LanieAndrew asked me to marry him.I glanced down at my ring as his seventeen-year-old daughter Raven went on and on about the Pinterest boards we needed to review and create. The moment hit me again so hard it brought tears to my eyes.For years, I was the bridesmaid but never the bride. I couldn’t help but wonder if it was really my turn.Andrew touched my arm and smiled as I shifted my attention to him.“You okay, baby?” His warm smile and kind eyes helped to push away all the questions racing through my mind, the doubts and concerns.“Better than okay.” I moved into his arms, ignoring poor Raven as she sat in her hospital bed.His lips were soft on mine, his grip tight. I melted against him and let the high emotion roll over me in chill-bump inducing waves.It was my turn.“Eww!” The sound of Raven gagging caused Andrew and me to pull apart, both of us laughing at the sarcastic girl.“Like you don’t suck face with Jason.” Andrew turned to face her and crossed his thick arms over
Lanie“I love it.” I walked over to Matt as he stood. Matt continued, “Please have loads of kids. I’ll take Erica out of town from time to time, and you can have your fun.”He pulled me into a tight side hug; the guy was like the brother I never had. “Hey. All joking aside, I do agree with Erica. You’re not in a hurry, Lanie, and you’re worth so much more than you know. You deserve a man that’s going to treat you like a princess and adore you no matter how he’s feeling or what comes up. I think you’re settling, but I support what you decide.”Tears filled my eyes, and I snuggled into his side. “I love him, though.”“Do you? Or do you love the idea of him? Of getting married and starting your life?” Erica moved in front of us. “And I’m not trying to upset you. For shit’s sake, it’s been me standing beside you all our lives. I want this for you more than you want it, but I’m with Matt. You’re a special woman. You deserve more than you’re giving yourself.”“You don’t know Andrew.” I wip
Andrew“Got everything you need, sir?” Robin poked her head into my office and gave me an inquisitive look.I glanced down at the papers scattered all over my desk. “Yes. Please hold my calls for the morning. I need to figure out what’s going on with the Bartlet account.”“Understood.” She closed the door behind her, leaving me to stew in my silence.Nathan Bartlet had left me a long message the day before. Some of his investments were not performing as they should. It would take a while to dig into the situation, but I needed something to get my mind off my personal life anyway, or so I hoped.“Ten years,” I muttered to myself. My sweet wife had been gone ten years, and there wasn’t a day that went by that I didn’t think about her. She would have been at Raven’s bedside at the hospital day and night if she were still around, her maternal instinct second to none.Standing, I rubbed my chest and walked toward the tall glass floor-to-ceiling windows that looked out on the city of Seattl
Andrew“You did?” Bob dropped back down, his face growing pale. “Without asking for our blessing?”“I’m sorry. It happened so damn fast, and I got your blessing when we spoke about the two of us dating, but I know it’s different. Between all of the drama with Raven and work being so crazy lately, I fucked up. Forgive me, old friend.”He glanced down at his hands and back up to me. “You know I love you like a brother.”“I know. I feel the same about you.” I sat back down to keep our eye level even. “And I love Lanie, too.”“Why did you break up if you love her?” He put on a fatherly face. “Seems like neither of you knows what you want if you’re coming together only to break apart. It’s a bit confusing from mine and Janice’s perspective. I’m sure you understand.”“I do.” I shook my head, trying not to hold back from him. “I was confused. I still have a few worries that I can’t shake, but I want to start rebuilding my life with someone, and Lanie is that person. I’m not at all unsure of
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
Andrew“How are you doing?” I rubbed Lanie’s shoulder, feeling silly for asking the question.She huffed out a breath, looking out the window instead of at me.I nodded. Right, then.What was it I learned in that maternity class we took? For the life of me, I couldn’t remember one thing. My pulse was racing a million miles an hour, and all my nerves were bunching up in my stomach.Lanie exhaled again, long and low, as she had another contraction.The door opened, and the doctor strode into the room with a big smile. “Let’s check you out,” she said.Lanie just pressed her lips tight together and nodded, her face growing red.“You’re doing great, honey,” I told her.She smiled up at me, but I could see the exhaustion in her eyes. She was ready for this to be over with.Taking her hand, I held it tight as the doctor checked her dilation.“Ten centimeters,” she announced. “We’re ready to push.”“Thank god,” Lanie gasped. She gritted her teeth and squeezed my hand so tight, I thought it wa
LanieI whisked the curtains open, taking in the white beach and the sparkling blue water. Palm trees and other foliage covered the far side of the bay. A few people surfed, but other than that, the area was empty.“Oh my god,” I breathed. “It’s beautiful.”Andrew’s strong arms wrapped around me from behind. “Yeah?” he murmured, laying a kiss on the side of my neck.We’d gotten to the resort after dark the night before, and all I’d really gotten to see were the patios and the lobby. I’d pored over the brochure, though, listing all the things I wanted to do.“I can’t believe we’re here for a whole week.” I rested my arms against Andrew’s.“What do you want to do today?”“Mm.” I leaned against him, thinking about it some. “Sunbathe? Take a surfing lesson? I dunno. What do you want to do?”“Spend time with you.”I spun around to face him. “I like that answer.”A knock on the door made me look over his shoulder. “It’s so early. Who is that?”Andrew shrugged but couldn’t hide the knowing l
AndrewThe door of the old house opened, and Erica came out first. She smiled at everyone over her bouquet, and a low whistle came from somewhere in the crowd.“Inappropriate,” Saxton dramatically gasped under his breath. For a moment, my nerves loosened, and I almost laughed—but Raven was coming out the door then.She wore a blue dress like Erica, just cut in a different way, with the skirt longer and no sleeves. Smiling wide, she made her way down the aisle. She walked with the slightest limp, one that might have been unnoticeable if you weren’t paying attention. It was the one leftover symptom from the car wreck, something that would likely be with her for the rest of her life, as she’d broken her leg so badly.The limp didn’t get her down, though. Overall, she’d been positive about the whole thing. Now, as she reached the end of the aisle, she looked my way and absolutely glowed.Love and pride filled my heart. Our relationship had gone through some tough times, but the last six m
Andrew3 Months Later – The Wedding“Your tie looks fine,” Bob told me.“Huh?” I dragged my gaze away from the line of trees ringing the field. “What’s that?”“You were messing with your tie again.” Bob grinned. “You ever wore one of those before?”I frowned. “Almost every day.”Bob clapped me on the back. “I was kidding, Andrew. Relax.”I took in a long breath. “Sorry.”All around us, wedding guests chatted and catering staff hurried to and from. The day was amazing, a balmy June morning. The venue Raven and Lanie had discovered couldn’t be more perfect. What was once a mansion on the outskirts of the city had been turned into a preserve complete with hiking trails and a covered area for events.“Were you this nervous?” I asked, looking Bob over.I expected him to answer in the negative—Bob was just that confident about everything. I’d only asked because I needed to keep myself busy somehow. If I didn’t spend the last fifteen minutes before my wedding talking, I’d probably die of anx
LanieLast night, he’d pulled out every time and played it safe. I knew we were taking baby steps. Going from using a condom every time to suddenly doing away with them was a leap. But I was on birth control, which I’d told him, and immediate pregnancy was extremely unlikely. I just wanted to know what it felt like to have his come fill me up.“Please baby,” I moaned. “I want to feel you.”Andrew groaned above me, and his hands tightened on my ass. I was doing him over with this talk, and I knew it. He loved it. And he probably wanted the same thing I did. So I encouraged him again by looking over my shoulder and looking him in the eye as he fucked me.“Andrew,” I purred. “Fuck me until you come inside me. Please.”And he did. He bucked wildly against me, and I came as he shot his warm silky load inside me. It was what I had needed. A closeness that we’d never experienced before. He was bent over me and kissing my spine and my shoulder blades as his orgasm ebbed away and my body thrum
LanieI woke up in the morning with Andrew’s hand on my hip. I was lying on my side, and he was behind me. I could feel his cock pressed against the small of my back. His breath was on my neck, and his closeness turned me on immediately.I was always horny in the morning, and waking up next to him was intoxicating.It was early. The room wasn’t as bright as it would be at say, seven or so in the morning. It must have been earlier, maybe six, possibly just after five. But we were both awake, and I wanted to take advantage of it before I had to leave for work at eight thirty.My life had somehow mended itself. Erica’s weekend getaway had helped, and so had Andrew’s willingness to take a good hard look at himself in the mirror and figure out what he wanted and whether or not he was willing to do what it took to get it. He shifted against me and yawned deeply.“Morning,” I whispered.His hand moved around my hip to my belly, and he pulled me in closer to him. His cock shifted between my a
AndrewHow had it taken me so long to figure out that this was what I needed? I hadn’t felt this good in years, or maybe even a decade, to be honest. Hell, maybe longer. My career had consumed my life. I’d nearly let it destroy my relationship with my daughter. Had it not been for Lanie, my life would have already imploded. Not only did she rescue the crumbling relationship with the person I loved most in this world, but she also showed me support and kindness and softness.“You’re a lucky bastard.” I smiled to myself as I rolled out of my chair and made for the kitchen.I chopped up some strawberries and tossed them on a bed of whipped cream. I added a sprinkle of icing sugar and some chocolate drizzle and left it in the fridge so that the whipped cream wouldn’t melt by the time Lanie came back down.I waited, much too nervous to do anything but pace the kitchen floor for a whole thirty-five minutes before Lanie appeared in the kitchen doorway. She was wearing a smile that eased my n
AndrewWhen I told Lanie that Raven was home, it took a lot of effort for us to cool down. We were all giggles and flirting as we went to the kitchen and each got a glass of water. Then we went out back to the patio and sat in the sun. Lanie kicked off her sandals, rested her feet in my lap, and let the sun kiss her bare legs. I ran my hands up and down them as she told me all about her weekend with Erica.“It really was beautiful there,” Lanie said. “We should go some time. You’d love the hot springs. I can only imagine how stunning it would be in the winter. And cold.”“I’ll take you whenever you want to go.”“I’ll tell you when I start to get the itch again.”“Good. What else is new? Tell me.”Lanie shrugged and sipped her water. “Besides getting totally pampered all weekend? Not much. I had some good chats with Erica, though, and I was able to sort through some things that were taking up too much space in my mind. Things about us.”“Oh?”“We need to be better at communicating,” sh
Lanie“Lunch on the corner. I saw you guys walk by and had to come after you.” He ran his hand up my hip to rest it on my waist. “Lanie, I have to apologize. I’m sorry for all this shit the last few weeks. I’ve been an ass. I want to make this work. Really. I want to be with you.”I thought I might start crying. Again. But I held on to my emotions and smiled instead. “I want that too. So badly.”He kissed me again. My heart raced and tried to fly out of my chest.He broke away and threw his arm out to flag down a passing cab. We both piled into the back seat, and he told the driver his address. Then he pulled me into his lap, pushed my skirt up so he could rest his hands on my bare thighs, and crushed his mouth against mine.“What about your car?” I asked him and pressed against him tightly.“Fuck it. I’ll get it later.” He slipped his hands into my hair and pulled me down for another long round of kisses.I clung to him and didn’t care that there was someone in the car with us. He wa