Two weeks after the near disaster at Ginger’s place, I sat at the hotel’s reception desk, hiding a yawn behind my hand. It wasn’t the best form to be showing potential guests, but then, there hadn't been any for the past few days. And still, I was forced to sit at the reception and wait for the off chance that there was someone that needed a room. I would have been in my apartment, but my sister had been out for the week, so I was taking on her reception desk duty.I was just glad I didn’t have to take over the cooking. That would have been a disaster.It was fucking boring, though, and I was tempted to just head up to my room and sleep, even knowing I couldn’t. I leaned my elbow against the counter and rested my hand on my palm, closing my eyes for a moment.“Are you sleeping on the job, big brother?”I blinked my eyes open to see my sister just walking into the hotel.“Oh,” I muttered disinterestedly. “You’re back.” She gave me a look of disapproval, but I just checked the time and
The bell above the salon’s door rang, and I looked up to see a new client coming in.“Can you take care of them, honey?” Mom said, busy with her client.I’d only just sent someone out and had sat down to take a quick break, but I heaved myself up with a quiet sigh to get to work.“Please take a seat,” I said politely, pointing the woman to a chair in front of the counter. Once she sat down, she told me what she wanted to be done, and I got to work.I’d been doing this for the past two years. There wasn’t much I could do during the pregnancy, and then afterward, I spent a lot of time looking after Fern. It took a while, and some beauty classes for Mom to even allow me to work in her salon, but I’d done just about everything once already, and at this point, it was all just routine.In no time at all, I was done, and the happy customer was leaving the salon, along with the woman Mom was working on, so we both got a moment to relax. Until the bell rang again, and I groaned.“I’ll get this
I sat beside my dad’s bed in the hospital, watching him sleep. I was feeling exhausted because getting him to sleep hadn't exactly been easy.Dad was the same as always, if a little more unhinged than before we lost Mom. Being in the hospital was making him even worse, and if he wasn’t trying to escape, he was complaining about everything and bothering the other patients. Most of the nurses were sick of him already, and it was only the second day since Scarlett and I managed to get him admitted.“Is he finally out?” came a whisper from behind me.I turned to find Scarlett peeking her head into the room.“He’s out,” I confirmed.She let out a sigh and walked inside, and I gave her the stink eye.“You could have come in here and help, you know,” I grumbled. “You’re still Daddy’s little girl, after all. He’d be more inclined to listen to you than me.”“But I thought the two of you needed some downtime,” she scoffed. “You have been gone for four years, after all. How much did he eat?”I g
Later that night, while I was laying down on my bed, all I could think of was Ginger and how much I missed her. It had been way too long already since the last time we slept together, and I missed it. There was no way I could just sleep over at her place again. Not unless she moved out of her mom’s place, and I couldn’t just drag her to my place, either, because it would mean spending time away from Fern and explanations to her mom that I wasn’t ready for just yet.I rolled over onto my back, folding an arm under my head, the other going across my stomach as I stared up at the ceiling, trying to convince myself just to fall asleep already. It was starting to become annoying, since it seemed like my old insomnia was coming back to haunt me, and I hadn't carried any of my meds with me. I tried closing my eyes and emptying my mind.After a long moment and still no sleep in sight, I sighed and opened my eyes, sitting up. Maybe a quick, warm shower would be enough to leave me feeling a lit
I was locking up the salon one evening. It had been two weeks since Ben left, and I missed him terribly. At first, when he told me he was going to stay over longer because his dad’s health had taken a turn for the worse, I had been a little worried.But, I really trusted him. So I didn’t think too much, even though it wasn’t the one week he’d initially promised me. I was okay with it, because he was still calling me and Fern every day. There had been no more sexy video calls after that first one, partly because I was embarrassed I’d actually gone through with it, but also because I didn’t want to risk it. I usually left my room unlocked for my daughter’s sake, for when she had nightmares and didn’t want to sleep by herself. She almost caught me that night after I’d already cut off the call with Ben. I’d still had my lingerie on when she walked in, but I managed to hide behind the sheet until she’d fallen asleep on my bed, then gone to get changed before lying down beside her.Ben had
Finally, after two weeks of us being apart, I managed to get back home. It was only for a short break before I had to go back. Dan had gone over Scarlett’s decision and appeared with Makas to keep her company, so she and Dad could survive at least a day without me.I was hurrying to Ginger and her mom’s salon to see her before she closed. It was pretty late already, so she might have closed, but I wanted to try and surprise her. If I didn’t find her there, I’d probably just call her so she could come out. I wanted to have a talk with her mother properly before I showed up at her doorstep asking her to lend me her daughter for a night out.But by the time I got there, it was with disappointment to see that the salon was closed. I parked my car and got out, and stepped up to the door, but I couldn’t see any lights on behind the blinds.“Damn,” I muttered, feeling regretful.It only lasted for a moment, though, and I started the walk toward Ginger’s home as I pulled my phone from my pock
It had been a week since Ben and I declared our relationship official. He’d even managed to talk to my mom, and while the conversation had been hilarious in a lot of ways, especially seeing how my mom had Ben cowed, it ended well. Mom forgave Ben for breaking my heart, and he swore to her just as he had to me to never break it again.Like me, Mom believed his sincerity, and so, while things had changed, it was as if we were picking up where we’d left off four years ago.The next step, was to let Fern know, and we had plans to do it that day.It was a Saturday, and the whole family was out on a trip to the park, with Mom, me, Fern and Ben. I’d invited Scarlet and Dan with their son, but Ben had let me know they wanted time to themselves, so they’d be joining us another time.Ben and I mostly just watched from a bench as Fern played around with the dogs, and Mom was with her. Ben was too nervous to go and join her this time, and he sat with me. Mom didn’t last long before she had to go
I was a single dad who loved to break the rules.Just because I had a son, didn’t mean I didn’t deserve some fun.When my ex-colleague Ivy recommended her friend for a vacancy, I was intrigued. Willow was a small-town-girl looking for some big city action, and I was more than prepared to help her find it.I knew I should be more professional but playing with my associates is what got me through. In the courtroom, I had a reputation for being sharp as an arrow, and in the bedroom for playing dirty. I wasn’t expecting Willow to be anything more than a way to pass the time. I planned to keep her close enough to enjoy and far enough away to protect my heart.I wasn’t prepared to get hurt again. My son had to be my top priority.But Willow isn’t anything like my ex-wife, and being a dirty daddy suddenly wasn’t enough.
“Thank you so much, ma’am,” the woman sitting across from me at my desk said as she rose. “I didn’t know how I was going to get through this on my own.”“You’re not on your own,” I said soothingly, getting up and holding my hand out to her.We shook hands, then she made her way out of my office, and I sat back down in my chair with a sigh. I gave a quick look at the documents I still had open on my desk, then I put them together and found a folder to put them in.I leaned back in my seat and relaxed, letting out a sigh. With my last client for the day gone, it was about time for me to close up work.My phone buzzed where I had it on the desk, and I picked it up to read my message. Seeing it was from Sebastian, I smiled as I opened it. The message was short, let me know he was on his way to pick me up and about five minutes away. I texted back quickly, letting him know he could pick me up outside. Then, I got up and started packing.I hadn't forgotten what day it was, and I’d made sure
After the dinner I spent at Willow’s place, I invited her to my home after I confessed that I lied to her friend. It was funny watching her ask about why I was divorced, and what happened, sure I have a fucked up sense of humor at times, but the look on Ivy’s face was priceless.I didn’t include the protective best friend that would attack her with a bunch of private questions. I teased her a lot for it since it happened, and she blushed and grumbled every time, but I was glad she had a friend that was so fiercely protective of her, even if it was aimed at me.We went our separate ways at the end of work, and Willow arrived at my place early. I hadn't even started cooking yet, but I didn’t mind it. I went to open the door for her and pecked her lips as I let her in through the door.“Hey,” she said, looking around. “Where’s Andy today?”I hummed, leading the way to the kitchen. “I wanted it just to be the two of us today, so he’ll be staying at his mom’s for tonight.”In the kitchen,
Ivy and I moved between the kitchen and the dining room, setting the table up. She’d left the kids at home with Chad and had insisted on joining me at home for dinner when she heard I was inviting Sebastian to my place for the first time.My mom didn’t know about this, but I was pretty sure Ivy planned on taking that position, and it left me exasperated, but I wasn’t going to push her away, either.“Why hasn’t he arrived yet?” she asked critically, narrowing her eyes at the front door. “You let him know dinner starts at seven, yes?”I sighed at my friend’s antics. “I did let him know. He’s probably busy making arrangements for Andy before he even comes here. Cut him some slack, would you? Besides, it’s only five minutes past seven. He should be here soon.”“Men need to know how to be punctual,” she said defensively. “If he can't even keep the time, how can he keep you happy?”I stopped whatever I was doing to give her a look. She wasn't difficult on purpose, I knew she was truly worri
I had my chin resting in my and, elbow braced on the desk, with my other hand tapping out a restless rhythm. I was staring blankly at my computer, knowing I had work to do, but I didn’t have the concentration for it.My mind, at that moment, was full of thoughts of Willow.Like I’d promised her, she no longer needed to follow me around constantly. It wasn’t as if she was my assistant or anything, she’d just been following me to learn the ropes on her own. I hadn't liked her following me around, but it was more for personal reasons and not because I didn’t have faith that she could manage on her own.Now that she was working on her cases, not only did I not see her as often, but I couldn’t just keep interrupting her work to have her come to my office for insignificant things. I was technically her boss, and I should be encouraging her to work, not the other way around.At least she was no longer ignoring me outside of work, though. That time it happened, I’d been worried about blowing
I stood in front of Sebastian’s desk in his office. I had my hands clutched in front of me nervously. I had been standing for a whole minute, and he hadn't let me know what he wanted yet.Is it…because of that? No way, right?After worrying about him only wanting me for sex for weeks, I did something about it. I didn’t have the courage to ask him outright, but I did do something for myself. I stopped taking all his summons. One out of five times he asked, I still went, but I was tired of getting led by the nose already.If he was going to ignore me at work, unless I needed to work with him, I was going to do the same. Also, if all he was going to do was ask me over for a fuck and nothing else, I didn’t always have to do what he wanted. I didn’t know if he would get tired of me or what, but if he stopped calling me over, I would be disappointed, but I would move on.Does he want to talk about it?This was what I’d been hoping for when I started changing my attitude. We’d been in this s
I started to object, but he pressed himself against me, and suddenly all I could think about was the prospect of getting to explore that body in detail, the one that I’d dreamed about touching every night. His muscles were hard, as I took my time dragging my fingers through every groove and channel as he slowly started to strip in the living room. I felt like a born-again virgin. Every part of him was so well defined. It was even sexier now in the flesh and not covered with his shirt and tie. This was the real strength, potent and dangerous. I loved the way his body tensed at those brief moments of contact. I assumed he was almost as ready to explode as I was. I spun him around, and teased him, brushing my breasts across his skin while my hands cupped his ass, because I was naked in his bedroom and I wanted complete control. He tried to take me in the living room, like a hungry wolf. I refused, and he carried me up the stairs like a caveman ready to take me.His ass was tight and per
Several days after I left for my trip, I landed back home early on Wednesday morning. Since I’d left my car at the airport when I left, I just picked it up and made my way back home.I was happy to be back in the country for several reasons. For one, I was in a country where just about everyone spoke the same language as I did. I’d had a translator following me everywhere on my trip, and it only made me think of Willow trailing behind me all day at the office.The other thing I was happy about was getting to see Andy again.I’d been too busy to try and check up on him. Even when I had time, it wasn’t enough to do much. I was either being entertained by my hosts, or being led around, or in a meeting with a bunch of executives. I had almost called back a few times, especially after I saw how many times Willow tried to contact me, but I didn’t want to be distracted, either. By both Willow and Andy.Hopefully, she was fine while I was away. Andy, too. He could be a handful, but she did sa
“When is this guy going to call me,” I muttered to myself, pacing around the dining room.There was entirely no way I could work with that brat around. Not to mention, even with my boss away, I would still have to go to work. It was Sunday, Sebastian was supposed to come back on Wednesday. But I figured he would at least call to ask how the little guy was doing.Not that I knew what I would tell him. I couldn’t say that his son was a little demon and that I couldn’t keep looking after him, especially not after I’d spoken with such confidence.Really, what had I thought when I did that? Though it was more like I hadn't been thinking at all. The conversation we were having was awkward enough already, so when I heard his nanny had quit and he needed someone to look after his son quickly, I said I would do it.What am I supposed to do, though? I understand why that nanny quit, now.Besides, it wasn’t like he was paying me for this, or I would get extra pay at work for this. I wanted to k
What the fuck was I thinking?Saturday wasn’t even over yet, but I was already regretting my decision to agree to be a nanny for my boss’s son. Andy was just too much for me to handle.Why did I even offer in the first place? Because whenever I saw Sebastian, I couldn’t help but get all weak in the knees. He was sexy, and with the arrogant way he carried himself while at work, he knew he was right in more than just his looks. Whenever I was around him, I tended to find myself so damn quiet like a sinner in church, but I wasn’t in church I was in the office.Where did I even get the confidence to claim I’ve babysat before? I wasn’t good with kids, not one little bit.I heard something else crash, and I winced. I felt more weary than alarmed, though, because this wasn’t the first time I’d listened to the noise. I got up from my small dining table and walked back into the living room, where Andy was. The living room and small dining room were connected through an archway, so I could keep