I noticed the driver was turning into a stunning neighborhood. It would seem every house had significant amounts of land. Almost all were gated. As soon as the driver made a turn, I leaned forward. We were still close to the river and if I had to guess, I’d say his house backed up to it. The driveway was winding and when the estate finally came into view, I was pleasantly surprised. I don’t know what I expected but while the Tudor-style mansion was massive, it had a homey quality. There were twinkling white lights in the trees, which added to the beauty of the landscaping.
The colors of the flowers and blooming shrubs were stunning, highlighted by the sunrise, the crisscross of colors across the sky breathtaking. I’d feel like a princess if I didn’t feel so filthy and out of sorts.
“This is yours?”
“It is now. My grandparents owned it, then gifted it to me. My brother got their summer house.”
“Summer house.”
“Yes, a stunning Mediterranean that suits Greg very well.”
A few seconds passed and I was struck by the odd tension between us. “I’m sorry about your loss. I can tell you were close to them.”
“Oh, they’re still alive. They’re on an extended tour of Europe in their eighties. They didn’t want to be tied down to real estate any longer. We French Canadians live a long and happy life.” He grinned as the driver stopped in front of the house, keeping the vehicle idling.
“I’ll park it in the garage, boss,” the driver said.
“Thanks, Marcel.” Joshua seemed more formal than he had in the States, as if being back home meant he had significant responsibilities. He climbed out, immediately walking behind the back of the SUV.
As he pulled me from the vehicle, there was a sparkle in his eyes. “You’ll be comfortable here.”
I took one step forward and winced. “Ouch.”
“You stepped on a rock. Here. Allow me.” Before I had a chance to object, he scooped me into his arms, cradling me against his warm body and taking long strides to the house.
“I’m not an invalid.”
“No, but we don’t want you to hurt yourself. Now, do we?”
“Well, shoes would be nice.”
He laughed as he walked up the stairs. “You’ll have an entirely new wardrobe by this time tomorrow.”
“I’m not certain my bank account can handle purchasing a new wardrobe.” Which was a partial lie. I’d scrimped and saved as much of my paychecks as possible, putting them into savings and stocks, giving myself an allowance that I adhered to strictly.
“You’re my guest,cherie. You will not be paying for a thing.” He flung open the door, his strides remaining powerful, as if the king had arrived home.
While something told me there had to be servants running around, I was pleasantly surprised an entire staff didn’t greet us. I noticed a sweeping staircase, but the house had a homey feel to it.
“You can let me down now,” I told him.
“Not yet,cherie. Would you like to go to bed or prefer that I show you around?”“I’d love some coffee.”
“I think I can handle that.” He grinned as he continued carrying me down a long hallway. When he walked into the kitchen, I couldn’t have been more surprised. It wasn’t perfect as if the room was never used. There was clutter on the island, a bowl of fruit including grapes and bananas, mail on the kitchen table, and a half-eaten bag of cookies. What?
He groaned as he sat me down, moving immediately to the chocolate chip yummy goodness. When he growled, prepared to shove them wherever they were supposed to be, I couldn’t help myself, snatching the bag from his hand. As soon as I pulled one into my fingers, he slowly turned his head, lifting his gorgeous eyebrows.
“What?” I asked as he shook his head. “Breakfast of champions.”
“Don’t you know sugar first thing in the morning will stunt your growth?”
There was something about the lightness in his voice that allowed me to feel a moment of peace. Even joy. I spun around in a circle, giggling when I noticed his crazy expression. “From what you’ve already told me, I amallgrown up.”
“Mmm… Maybe I’ll need a reminder later.”
“Besides, you need to live a little dangerously. Have a cookie.” I laughed after making the statement, finishing my cookie then grabbing another. I couldn’t remember the last time I’d eaten anything. I grabbed another one, dancing in front of him. “Open your mouth.”
For a few seconds, I was certain he was ready to admonish my ridiculous behavior. As he slowly opened his mouth, he issued a growl. In true naughty girl fashion, I shoved the entire cookie into his mouth. I couldn’t help but burst into laughter from the look of shock on his face. I backed away as he tried to grab me, twirling in a full circle as he chomped.
Coughing, he wiped crumbs from his luscious lips, narrowing his eyes. “I will get you for this.”
“Sure you will.”
He moved toward a coffeemaker that looked like it had seen better days, pouring out what was left and rinsing the cannister. When he pulled a grinder and a bag of coffee beans from his cabinet, I was fascinated just watching him.
He seemed to sense I was doing so a few seconds later, studying me as he pressed the on button for the grinder. When he gave me a heated look, his nostrils flaring as his chest rose and fell,I was suddenly pushed into a moment of stricken awe. I was in another country with a man I barely knew. And I felt almost as if it was a tempting, passionate adventure instead of what it really was.
A chance to find the killer and exonerate the man I cared about maybe a little too much. I took a deep breath, looking away, embroiled in dark and ugly thoughts.
“What’s wrong,cherie?”
“Nothing. You surprise me and I didn’t think that was possible.”
“Why?” He pulled out a scoop, grabbing a filter then placing several heaping scoopfuls of coffee into the coffeemaker. The aroma was incredible, a hint of chocolate easy to detect.
“Because you don’t have staff making you coffee, ordEricag them around like the prince of tides you are.”
He chuckled at my reference. “My mother made certain her children knew how to do everything on their own, including laundry. That’s one of many things I hope to teach my children.”
A strange look crossed his face, one that I couldn’t read. I grabbed another cookie, placing the bag on the island and moving to the other side of the room, gazing out at the backyard. “I have no doubt you’ll be an amazing father,” I cooed. “It’s beautiful here.” I could just make out the river from where I was standing, the backdrop of very large trees and rich-looking grass adding to the level of comfort.
“I always loved coming here as a kid. My grandfather had a tire swing installed and my brother and I spent countless hours jumping into the river.”
“I can see it. You kept the swing all these years?”
“It’s new,” he said, half laughing. “The old rope rotted away.”
“Please don’t tell me you still jump into the river.” When he didn’t say anything, I turned around. That’s when I noticed artwork on the side of the refrigerator held by colorful magnets. A strange feeling tore through me as I walked closer, studying the six or so drawings.
In crayon. Bright. Bold. Crayon. The pictures were incredible, brilliantly crafted, but obviously done by a… child given the medium selected. I turned my head, trying to think of what to say.
He followed my gaze, taking a deep breath. “I should have told you before.”
“Dear God. You’re married.”
When he lifted a single eyebrow this time, I wasn’t certain what to say or think. Before either one of us could say anything, I heard noise, and I could swear the sound was made by little feet.
Seconds later, a little boy popped into the room, racing toward Joshua, who immediately dropped to the floor, opening his arms wide. He was wearing Superman pajamas, his little bare feet drawing my attention.
“How’s my boy? I’ve missed you.”
The child nuzzled against Joshua but said nothing, yet I heard small squeals of joy. I remained frozen, uncertain what to think. I’d found out everything there was possible about the man, but nothing had indicated he had a family.
Joshua slowly rose to his feet, the boy in his arms. “Christopher. I’d like you to meet a friend of mine.” He nodded toward me, takinga single step closer, his eyes imploring mine as if fearful I’d say something to frighten the child.
The little boy turned his head, staring at me so intently I was taken aback. There was no doubt they were father and son, the little boy’s eyes exactly the same as Joshua’s. I walked closer, trying to think of what to say. “Hi, Christopher. I’m Selena.”
Frowning, Christopher studied me intently then turned away.
“He’s shy,” I said.
“He doesn’t speak, at least right now.”
“Oh, I’m sorry. He’s deaf.”
“No,” Joshua said and tickled the boy’s tummy. “He hasn’t spoken since he came to live with me. He witnessed something that bothered him. He knows sign language, something he learned from one of his teachers. I’ve yet to master it.” When Joshua tried to sign something to his boy, I laughed at the same time that Christopher did.
“Why are you both laughing at me?” he asked, easing Christopher back to his feet.
“Because you said you hoped he would grow pig ears,” I signed as I spoke. I lowered to my knees, signing my name and telling him I was happy to meet him. Christopher’s eyes opened wide, as if no one around him was able to speak in his language.
I could tell Joshua was watching our conversation intently, unmoving the entire time. As Christopher told me several things about himself in a huge flurry, I laughed and smiled the entire time. He loved art. He adored superheroes. And cookies. The kid was amazing.
So was his father.
“I’m sorry, Mr. James. He knew you were home and refused to wait.” I hadn’t noticed when someone else walked into the room.
“That’s not a problem, Margaret. This is a friend of mine, Selena Barrios. She’ll be staying with us for a little while. My buddy boy here was just getting to know her.”
The woman looked at me with disdain, including my bare and now dirty feet. “Well, it’s time to get you dressed, little man.”
Christopher nodded once then looked at me, signing one last time. All I could do was laugh.
“What does he want?” Joshua asked, his entire brow furrowing.
“He asked if he could have a cookie.” I winked at the little boy.
“Not before breakfast,” Margaret snapped, which prompted Joshua to throw out his arm.
“Not so fast.” He gave me a sly look then walked to the bag on the counter, pulling out a single cookie. “I’ve been told this is the breakfast of champions. How do I sign cookie monster.” He tipped his head toward me.
Laughing, I showed him and when Joshua repeated it, I pressed my hands over my mouth. It was the sweetest moment I’d seen in a long time.
The little boy giggled as only kids could do, gingerly taking the cookie from his father’s hand. Then he spun around, his eyes lighting up.
“Go with Margaret, my little cookie monster. I’ll come see you in a little bit,” Joshua said.
I remained quiet as Christopher thumped out of the room, Margaret following him, but not without giving me another look. “She doesn’t like that I’m here.”
“Margaret is old school, extremely disciplined. I assure you that she doesn’t like me very much even though I pay her twice what she’s worth.”
“He’s your son.”
Joshua shoved his hands into his pocket, walking toward me, crowding my space. Just taking a deep whiff of his intoxicating aftershave was a reminder of everything we’d shared. “Yeah. He was brought to me after his mother was murdered in front of him. She hadn’t told me she was pregnant. We were together one night. We parted ways and I thought nothing of our few hours together. Much like I’d done before.”
“I don’t know what to say.” And I didn’t.
“There’s nothing to say. I should have told you.”
“No wonder you were desperate to get back.”
He studied me. “The kid has been through a lot. I’m not the best father in the world, uncertain I wanted to keep him around for the first month after he’d arrived. He had a tiny suitcase, a bookbag full of books and toys, and nothing else but a letter from his mother written a couple months before she died.”
“Why was she murdered?”
“I honestly don’t know. Lily was a free spirit, living life to the fullest. That’s what attracted me to her in the first place.”
“I can tell you have thoughts about what happened.”
Joshua nodded several times. “If the kid hadn’t hidden in a closet, he would have been taken. That’s my belief. They came looking for him. I can’t prove it, but that’s what my gut has told me.”
“You think it’s because of you.”
As he reached out, lightly brushing his fingers down my cheek, a powerful moment of sadness collided with the strong sense of duty. It was as overwhelming as the electricity he exuded every time we were together. “I’m certain of it. I refuse to have any additional casualties in my life. If I’d known Christopher existed, I would have taken steps to ensure his and Lily’s safety. She lost her life because she wasn’t certain she could trust me. In my mind, maybe she was right.”
“You can’t think that way. What happened was out of your control.”
“Was it really?” He lifted his gaze, studying me as if searching for an absolution that I couldn’t provide. “Anyway, her murder was traumatic and very bloody and the kid lived through it all. I can’t imagine the horror he endured but after reading the police report, I did what I could to find her killer.”
“That’s why he doesn’t speak.”
“Yes. His brain shut it out and everything else. He was almost comatose when he arrived, requiring someone to feed and bathe him because he stopped being able to do it for himself. That kid has come a long way. The doctors say eventually he will decide to speak again when he believes the world is safe, but that I need to give him time. And as you’ve already figured out, that’s not an easy thing for me to do.”
I nuzzled my face against his hand, wishing I could find the right words. “You need to be patient with yourself, and you needto forgive the man inside. You’re exactly what your son needs. That’s why he said what he did.”
“Meaning what?”
“That you were his hero.”
I’d caught him by surprise, the sadness fading, a quiet look of delight drifting into his eyes. “I’m no hero, Selena. Not under any circumstances. I was exactly what I purported myself to be. A ruthless killer, a bastard of a man.”
“Yet you risked your life to save me, the woman dead set on putting you away for a long time. It almost seems like you care about me.”
His laughter brought another smile to my face. “Caring about you is easy. You amaze me, Ms. Barrios. Sign language and all. You’re beautiful, brilliant, and bold. There isn’t a better combination. I am curious why you learned sign language.”
“My sister started losing her hearing when she was six from a horrible illness. I learned so we could talk. My skills are pretty rusty though. She moved across the country with her new husband for a fantastic job she adores. We rarely get a chance to Facetime.”
“My son doesn’t think your skills are rusty. I’ve never seen him so excited to be able to talk to someone.” As he cupped my face, I wanted nothing more than to fall into his arms.
“I’m glad I could help.”
“I think I’ll keep you around.”
I was starting to get used to the idea, although I wasn’t certain what that said about my sanity. At that moment, I didn’t care.
He made that choice for me, wrapping his arm around my waist, dragging me to my toes. As he captured my mouth, all sense of danger and timing, fear and anxiety flushed away, if only for a few precious seconds. I was amazed how much I was still thrown by his dominating actions, his refusal to accept no for an answer. I could only imagine just how powerful he was in business.
As he swept his tongue inside my mouth, I felt lightheaded, unable to keep from yanking at his shirt, sliding my hands underneath to touch and knead his heated skin. His thick muscles. Another wave of need tore through me, my heart racing as the longing took hold. I was in the man’s house, in his life. I’d just met his son.
And we both remained in significant danger not only to our jobs and reputations, but to our lives as well.
Yet I’d never felt so tingling all over, or so safe being with someone.
Including my father.
He ground his hips against mine, telling me in no uncertain terms what he had in store for my body and soul.
What I continued to wonder was whether or not he’d already captured my heart.
Selena“I’m going to fuck you the way you deserve to be fucked. Then I’m going to start all over again.”There was nothing quite like awakening to the memory of his voice inside my ear. His voice. Joshua. As I opened my eyes, I took a deep breath. His scent lingered on my skin even after taking a shower. I lifted my arm, pulling it to my face and nose, tingling all over from the way he’d held me in his arms.You’re losing your mind again.I laughed softly, almost able to see the inner girl standing in front of me, admonishing my thoughts. I was dreaming about the perfect man when my world had been ceremoniously ripped out from underneath me. Yep. I was definitely losing it.But what a way to go. Right?A hero.I couldn’t blame Christopher for hoping that’s what his father was. I’d wondered during my fitful hours of sleep whether the little boy knew who and what his father was. I’d seen such a tender side to Joshua that I hadn’t believed existed. He might be a monster to the rest of th
Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed Mikey giving his boss a sly grin, which I wanted nothing more than to be able to wipe off his face.“Not so fast,cherie. Mikey. Leave us alone for tonight. Gather the troops, including my brother for a meeting in the morning. Contact my father as well. I want it held at his house.”“You got it, boss.” While his face registered surprise, Mikey said nothing else before taking long strides out of the room.I took a deep breath, doing what I could to ignore the crap on the oversized screen. They were going on and on about it, dissecting my entire life. Where I’d gone to school. Where I ate lunch on a regular basis. Where I lived. Nothing was sacred.Joshua placed whatever drink he had on his desk, clipping off the television then walking toward me slowly. “Here’s what we’regoing to do. We’re going to make dinner and enjoy an evening. The news broadcast was meant to put the fear of God into us. That’s not who we are or what we’re made of. Tomorrow we’
JoshuaI felt her presence behind me and for the first time since my little boy had entered my home and my world, it felt natural to be a dad. I’d never anticipated that having a woman in my life would change my attitude or alter my needs, but that’s the way it was every time I was around Selena.She’d been playful and silly, exactly what both Christopher and I had needed tonight. I’d never seen my boy react that way he had around anyone. While Margaret was good at what she did, trustworthy to keep a close eye on him, Christopher certainly had never been enthused about her strictness or basic attitude. I’d chosen her on purpose, trying to allow Christopher to heal without having a mother figure in his life to confuse him.Or remind him of what he was missing. What else had I been so wrong about?“Now, can you go to sleep for me, cookie monster?” I asked as I tucked the covers under his arms just the way he liked for me to do.He nodded, grabbing and squeezing his favorite bear that he
Even her lovely voice held an indication of pouting, something I also craved hearing. She managed to bring back an entirely different level of joy that I wasn’t used to but wanted more of. While she tried to fight me as I removed her bra, she was laughing the entire time, her eyes lighting up with a fire unlike anything I’d ever seen. “Then you would be wrong.”After scooping more of the melting cream into my hands, I slathered her breasts, concentrating on her nipples. She took several gasping breaths, slowly ceasing to fight as I lowered my head, sucking on her taut nipple. The taste was sweet, and it had nothing to do with the ice cream.“Oh, my. You’re so bad. So very… bad,” she whispered, running her fingers in circles over my chest. As she fought to remove my shirt, I finally jerked it off with one hand, tossing it aside then returning to the sweetest duties in the world. She licked her lips, her eyes unfocused as she reached for my cock, her sticky hands stroking me through my
SelenaThe intensity of our passion was crazy, the feel of being in his house and his bed enthralling. I was lightheaded from the craziness of how hard I’d climaxed, his mouth an incredible weapon. I licked my dry lips, my pussy muscles spasming from the force he’d used, and I was still trying desperately to free myself. I’d never been restrained like this, the feeling of helplessness creating anxiety as well as another jolt of heated electricity.I could barely feel my legs any longer, the raw rush of adrenaline mixing with the ferocity of electric current almost unbearable.“Oh, my God. Oh… So big.” His cock seemed to fill me completely, which added to my breathlessness. I blinked furiously, half laughing, half moaning as he pulled out, driving into me again.Joshua was a creation of beauty, easy on the eyes, but there was so much more than his sensuality. He hadn’t just awakened the darkness inside of me; he’d lit a fire under the woman as well.Maybe his strength had boosted my res
Maybe I was thinking too much like a conspiracy theorist, but I was exactly in the same mindset as Joshua. Refusing to leave any stone unturned. After printing a few files that I preferred looking at on paper, I moved to the second jump drive, the one stolen from Christine’s office. The moment I shoved it into the system and pulled up the files, I could tell exactly why Joshua had been concerned.Everything was password encrypted. Even if I knew Christine more personally, it would take hours, maybe days to try to figure out her password. That was assuming that she’d used just one. For all I knew, this could have come from someone else, the password only existing in her mind. Fuck. I tried a few, including her birthdate, but that didn’t work.I wasn’t tech savvy enough to know how to go about setting up a search system. What would I do instead? I started jotting notes.A few minutes later, I realized I wasn’t alone. When I looked up, the fact Christopher was watching me intently, his l
Joshua“It’s not Damien.”Hearing Liam’s first words and the way he said them was a clear indication that something more substantial was wrong. “How have you made that determination?”“Because he was gunned down outside of Miami a month ago.”That was news I hadn’t anticipated. “You’re certain of it.”“I have connections in the city, my friend. There is no doubt.”“Assassination style?”“Yes,” Liam hissed.“If I had to venture a guess, I’d say you should look into whether or not you have an issue with the Baranov clan.”“They’re being watched.”“Are you certain about that?” I asked, which I could tell irritated him but at this point, I couldn’t ignore any suspicions. And after what Selena had said, the red flag remained raised.“I am curious, Canadian. What are you getting at?”“Perhaps you should check on the name Brandon Zimmer. See if he’s a large player in their organization. From what I understand, his sister is a defense attorney in Louisville. She would have access to informati
“Shit,” Greg said. “I think I need a drink.”“I think we all do,” Pops said.“What happened during that period of time?” my brother asked as the tension mounted. I sensed my father was reliving the experience, the various emotions crossing his face disconcerting.I knew how to play the waiting game for seeking revenge better than anyone. Often choosing the right time to strike would save lives, even property. However, from what I knew about several Bratva organizations, they weren’t well known for their patience or their humanity.“The world of organized crime was different back then,” Pops started. “It was brutal, more like the Old West than what you see now with computers and hackers as employees. I was raised on violence and bloodshed, enough that the streets and sidewalks were often painted with the color red from whatever weekend slaughter had occurred. You hear more stories about the New York syndicates, yet their murders were kids playing in a sandbox next to what we faced.” He
“That’s for me to decide.”I nodded and took a deep breath. “I do love you, Gina, and if you want me, I’m in this for the rest of our lives.”“I should be mad at you,” she said as she stood up and approached me. She reached up to cup my face with her hands. “But I love you for putting aside your happiness for your family.”“Does that mean that you’ll take me back?”Gina smiled and leaned into me as I wrapped my arms around her. “Of course.”I grinned and stood, picking her up and spinning her around in a tight hug. She laughed and wrapped her legs around my waist.“I love you, Gina.”“I love you too.”When I captured her mouth in a searing kiss, all felt right with the world. Her hands sank into my hair, holding me to her as I carried her across the beach and into the house.I nipped at her bottom lip, and our tongues tangled as I took her down the hall. She moaned as I spun and pinned her against the wall, rolling her hips and grinding her core against my hardened cock.With a groan,
BrandonAmaliawatchedmeasI carried plates of food to the kitchen table. I sat in front of her before taking my own and sitting beside her. She sighed and picked up her fork, moving the roast potatoes around the plate.“You know, she loves you,” Amalia said.“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” So instead, I focused on slicing my chicken into small pieces. I didn’t want to be having this conversation right now.“And I know that you love her. What I’m struggling with right now is why you still haven’t told me I will have a sibling.”I nearly choked on the chicken I had just put into my mouth. I reached for my water glass and took a long sip before looking at Amalia. She leaned back in her chair and crossed her arms.“Where the hell did you hear about that?”“Gina told me. I’ve been talking to her a lot the last couple of days. Did you know that she’s thinking about leaving Silverlake? She might move back to the city.”I froze, my entire body stiffening as I looked at her. While I k
Gina“You’regoingtohaveto talk to me sooner or later,” I said as I stood beside Amalia in a coffee shop. It had been nearly a week since the breakup, and she had ignored every call.I tried going to her house when I knew Brandon wasn’t home to see her. During the first visit — when she didn’t think I was coming — she had answered the door.Talking to her since then had been nearly impossible.Amalia sighed as she approached the counter. She gave the barista a small smile. “Two large mochas, please.”I smiled, but my stomach was tossing and turning. I felt like I was going to be sick. This was the first chance that she had given me all week.“I don’t want to throw our friendship away over this,” Amalia said as she looked at me.“Then there’s something else you should know before we get into everything,” I said, knowing I couldn’t keep the baby a secret.Amalia needed the whole truth before deciding whether to forgive me.As soon as our drinks were made, Amalia led the way to a booth in
“And what did you do? You hurt me anyway.” Amalia’s eyes were glassy as she glanced away from me. “I want you to end it with her.”“Then I’ll do it.”The words hurt me to say. It felt like I was ramming a knife through my chest, but my daughter was the only family I had left. I wasn’t going to alienate her. If breaking up with Gina was what it took to keep my daughter in my life, then that is what I had to do.“You’re too old for her. What the hell happens when you get even older? Will she spend the last good years of her life changing your diaper?” Tears tracked down Amalia’s cheeks. “And what about you? Are you going to spend the next few years trying to keep up with someone as young and ambitious as Gina?”As much as I hated to admit it, Amalia was making all the points that had spent the last several weeks circling through my mind. I knew that there was no way I would be able to keep up with Gina forever.That was supposed to be a problem when we got older.“Break up with her, Dad
“My dad asked me a while ago if it would be okay for him to start dating again,” Amalia said as she looked at me.A wave of panic raced through me. Does she know that I’m seeing her dad?“I think he’s ready to get out there and try again. It makes me feel better about maybe moving away from Silverlake. I didn’t want to leave him here alone, but if he’s ready to start seeing someone, maybe he won’t be as lonely as he has been.”“You’re okay with him dating again?” I swallowed the lump in my throat and hoped I didn’t look guilty.“It’s not the easiest shit I’ve ever thought about, but I know Mom would want him to move on again and be happy.”“What if you don’t like the woman he’s with?”Amalia shrugged before lifting her hands and swaying to the music. “I don’t think I get much of a choice in it. My dad isn’t the kind of man who would date a woman if he didn’t think it was serious.”I nodded. “That makes sense. He seems pretty rational.”“He is.” Amalia grinned and stopped dancing long
Mateo shook his head. “There has to be more to it than happiness. Let’s pretend that the potential career damage isn’t a factor. Have you ever thought about what your daughter will think about this?”“Don’t drag Amalia into it.”“You need to weigh all the options and stop thinking with your dick.”My hands clenched into fists as I bit back the words on the tip of my tongue.“Consider what you’re doing,” Mateo said as he stood up. “The cleaners are only here once a week. You’re lucky that they found it before someone else did.”I crossed my arms and arched an eyebrow. “Do I need to worry about you?”“Me? Telling people about your little office affair? No. I may not support your actions, but you have been in a better mood since you started seeing Gina. And I like her. She’s got a backbone.”Mateo grinned and left the office, closing the door behind him. I sighed and ran my hands down my face when he was gone.Keeping my relationship with Gina a secret would be more complex than expected
“I don’t know if this is the kind of thing you can get over.”He took my jaw in his hand and tilted my face up to his. His lips are soft as his mouth brushes against mine in a tender kiss.It was easy to lose myself in Brandon instead of thinking about everything else in our lives, so I did. I nipped his bottom lip, deepening the kiss. His tongue tangled with mine as I moved to straddle his lap.My arms drape over his shoulders, my fingers sinking into the soft hair at the nape of his neck. Brandon’s hands slid beneath my shirt, his fingers setting fire to my skin as he worked his way up to my breasts.He cupped them, his thumbs brushing over my nipples as I rolled my hips. My back arched as his hardened cock pressed up against my core. I rolled my hips again, trying to build the friction between us and relieve some of the tension building.Brandon groaned, his tongue sweeping through my mouth as he pulled my shirt over my head. His head dipped forward, and he sucked a nipple into his
GinaOver the last two months, hiding my relationship with Brandon has been getting harder and harder. Nevertheless, we do our best to keep our relationship a secret.However, Amalia has nearly caught us a few times.I snuck out Brandon’s window more than once and ran to my car parked down the street. The next day I would have to listen to Amalia telling me about her theories on her dad’s dating life.She was sure he was seeing someone, which made me feel worse. Amalia would lose her shit if she found out that I was the mystery woman sneaking out in the middle of the night.It was getting too stressful to hide it from her, but it was too late to turn back.I’m falling for Brandon.Hell, I’ve already fallen. He had me at hello, and I’ve been enamored by him every moment since, even though it would have been better for the both of us if I wasn’t.I sighed as I leaned over the sink in my bathroom, my stomach tossing and turning.I had been holed up in my apartment for the last week, feel
BrandonAmalialeanedbackinher chair, tilting her face and closing her eyes as she soaked up the sun and the salt air. It wasn’t often that I got to see her this relaxed as she lounged by the ocean.We tried to make time to get lunch together once every couple of weeks, but with both of us having careers, it could be hard to find the time. She had her career, and I had mine.Throw sneaking around with Gina into the mix, and I had even less time than I used to spend with Amalia.“Okay,” I said after our food was delivered. “How is work going? Do you have any shows coming up?”“I’ve signed on for New York Fashion Week next year.” Amalia took a bite out of her lobster roll and shrugged. “Other than that, there’s not a whole lot going on. I’m building a new line, but some designs aren’t coming together quite right yet.”“I’m sure you’ll figure it out. New York Fashion Week is huge, though. We’ll have to have a party to celebrate. Congratulations.”“I don’t think that I want to do anything