The Perfect Bastard - LK Collins

Table of Contents Prologue Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Chapter 7 Chapter 8 Chapter 9 Chapter 10 Chapter 11 Chapter 12 Chapter 13 Chapter 14 Chapter 15 Chapter 16 Chapter 17 Chapter 18 Chapter 19 Chapter 20 Chapter 21 Chapter 22 Chapter 23 Chapter 24

Chapter 25 Chapter 26 Chapter 27 Chapter 28 Chapter 29 Chapter 30 Chapter 31 Chapter 32 Chapter 33 Chapter 34 Chapter 35 Chapter 36 Chapter 37 Chapter 38 Chapter 39 Chapter 40 Chapter 41 Chapter 42 Chapter 43 Epilogue Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Chapter 7 Chapter 8 Chapter 9

Chapter 10 Chapter 11 Chapter 12 Chapter 13 Chapter 14 Chapter 15 Chapter 16 Chapter 17 Chapter 18 Chapter 19 Chapter 20 Chapter 21 Chapter 22 Chapter 23 Chapter 24 Chapter 25 Chapter 26 Chapter 27 Chapter 28 Chapter 29 Chapter 30 Chapter 31 Chapter 32 Chapter 33 Chapter 34 Chapter 35 Chapter 36 Chapter 37 Chapter 38

Chapter 39 Chapter 40 Chapter 41 Chapter 42 Chapter 43 Chapter 44 Epilogue

THE PERFECT BASTARD

LK COLLINS

CONTENTS About LK Collins The Perfect Bastard Prologue 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. 21. 22. 23. 24.

Present Day Roan Mia Roan Roan Mia Roan Mia Roan Mia Roan Mia Roan Mia Roan Mia Roan Mia Roan Mia Roan Mia Roan Mia

25. 26. 27. 28. 29. 30. 31. 32. 33. 34. 35. 36. 37. 38. 39. 40. 41. 42. 43.

Roan Mia Roan Mia Roan Mia Roan Mia Roan Mia Roan Mia Roan Mia Roan Mia Roan Mia Roan

Epilogue Acknowledgments For Our Readers UNPLUGGED Synopsis 1. Quinn 2. Merritt 3. Quinn 4. Merritt 5. Quinn 6. Merritt

7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. 21. 22. 23. 24. 25. 26. 27. 28. 29. 30. 31. 32. 33. 34. 35.

Quinn Merritt Quinn Merritt Quinn Merritt Quinn Merritt Quinn Merritt Quinn Merritt Quinn Merritt Quinn Merritt Quinn Merritt Quinn Merritt Quinn Merritt Quinn Merritt Quinn Merritt Quinn Merritt Quinn

36. Merritt 37. Quinn 38. Merritt 39. Quinn 40. Merritt 41. Quinn 42. Merritt 43. Quinn 44. Merritt Epilogue Acknowledgments

ABOUT LK COLLINS

LK Collins is the naughty alter ego for the husband-and-wife duo behind multiple bestselling and international bestselling novels. This real-life couple is downright dirty in the bedroom, which bleeds through the pages of their steaming hot stories. While LK writes the books, Mr. Collins, the tattooed god himself, is the mastermind behind so much of the pageturning sexiness. If you are looking for a scorching read with chemistry so intense it jumps off the pages, then an LK novel is for you. From stand-alones to series, their stories will have you blushing and panting, ready to reread them the moment you’ve finished. The heroes are alpha, demanding, filthy-talking men

that will do anything for their girl…or to get them. For more from LK Collins, visit www.authorlkcollins.com You can also stalk…I mean follow us even more here: Newsletter Facebook BookBub Instagram Twitter Goodreads YouTube Pinterest Reader Group

THE PERFECT BASTARD

Copyright © 2017 LK Collins Cover Design by Prezident Collins Edited by Ashley Williams, Adept Edits Proofread by Janice Owen and Leticia Sidon Photography by NejroN and Gemenacom All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing. This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any

resemblance to any actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental. The author acknowledges the trademarked status and trademark owners of various products referenced in this work of fiction, which have been used without permission. The publication/use of these trademarks is not authorized, associated with, or sponsored by the trademark owner.

DEDICATION

To my father, thank you for molding me into the woman that I am. I love you.

PROLOGUE

DAMN IT, Roan, you told me you were done fighting. My wife, Georgia’s voice replays in my head, just like it always does when I walk through the front door of our Boston home. Except this time, she isn’t here to say it or to give me that look, the look that breaks my heart. It’s the same look I’ve grown to expect from her over the years—a mix of love lost and lies. But this is my life; it’s no one's fault but my own. I could try to blame a million different things for why my life’s fucked up, but none of it would help Georgia to understand who I am and why I have to do what I do. Regardless, I know where my anger stems from. It all began the first time my dad hit my mom. I was young, maybe eight when I saw it, and I will never forget the feeling of anger that brewed inside me. I lived scared for years, fearing

what each day would bring us. Then, one night when I was fourteen, things got so bad that I couldn’t take her screams, so I tried to stop him. He beat the shit out of me. I always vowed to do everything I could to protect my mom. Unfortunately, she died of a drug overdose a few weeks later. Drugs were her way to numb the pain like fighting is for me. I head into our bedroom, still looking for Georgia. She’s probably passed out drunk like she normally is. I think she’s testing the limits, seeing how far she can push me before I say something. Maybe she’s pushing because she wants me to say something, so I show her some interest. It’s our own fucked-up mental game that we play. I want her to stop drinking, but she won’t because I won’t stop fighting. I glance into our bedroom, but she isn’t there. A light shining beneath the bathroom door down the hallway catches my eye. It’s the girls’ bathroom, and at this time of night, the light shouldn’t be on. I open the door and spot the two of them huddled on the bathroom floor. My world stops. Little Maisy, who is only five years old, is hunched over the toilet throwing up, and Rianna, who is just seven, is rubbing her back. I rush to their sides, and Rianna clings to me. “What’s the matter?” I ask just as Maisy sits back on her heels. Without letting go of Rianna, I

wipe Maisy’s mouth clean with a washcloth and then pull her tightly against my chest, too. The warmth of their little bodies is the reason for my existence and the only reason I stay in my dysfunctional marriage . . . it’s all for them. “She woke up sick,” Rianna says. “But I couldn’t find Mommy.” Poor Maisy is exhausted, barely able to keep her eyes open. As much as Georgia and I have our issues, I fucking love her. If she isn’t home and left these girls alone, especially with Maisy sick, something’s wrong. My stomach churns in fear, knowing . . . something isn’t right. “Did she tell you where she was going?” “Uh-uh,” Rianna says through a yawn, and as I sit here with the two of them, nothing makes sense. I know Georgia, and no matter how messed up she is, she wouldn’t leave them. Would she? Standing, I carry them both to Rianna’s bed and lay them down together. They have their own rooms but prefer to sleep with one another, which is okay with me. I pull the covers over top of them, and Rianna asks me, “Will you find Mommy?” “Yes, baby. I will.” “’Kay, night, Daddy.” Then she rolls over and closes her eyes. My reassurance settles her. I can see it come across her little face as she settles deeper into the pillow. She trusts me, as she should. I’m her father, I’m nothing like the man who raised me, and I swear to God, I’ll do anything to keep it

that way—always. “Night, baby girl,” I tell her and grab my phone from my pocket, dialing Georgia’s cell number as I close the girls’ door softly behind me. Her phone rings in the distance somewhere inside the house, and when I follow the noise, I spot it on my nightstand along with a handwritten note. Roan, I’m sorry. I can’t do this anymore. I’m not happy. This life we created is not what I want for myself or you or our girls. I’m a terrible mother. The demons inside me are so strong that they scare me some days, and I don’t want the girls to be affected. I hope you know that I love you and I always will. Take care of my girls, Georgia

CHAPTER 1

PRESENT DAY

AFTER A HELLISH DAY, it feels so good to be home. I grab an ice pack from the freezer for my face and head into the basement and toward my daughters’ bedrooms. I was up at five this morning, got the girls off to school, did a full day at the office, and ended it all with a workout at the gym. I can still taste the blood in my mouth from the sucker punch I took while sparring tonight. I open Maisy’s door and find her long blonde hair fanned out on her pillow. The room is silent and still as she peacefully sleeps. She may be twelve now, but she’ll always be my little girl. Careful not to wake her, I lean down and kiss her cheek, admiring how beautiful she is. She’s the spitting image of her mother, and sometimes the resemblance is too much to handle. The light is still on in Rianna’s room, which isn’t surprising. Poor

girl never sleeps. Georgia’s sudden departure was particularly hard on Rianna. She remembers so much about her mom and how it was after she left. For a long time, she missed her terribly, but as she grew older, that love and longing turned into anger. Still, to this day, it disturbs her. A fourteen-year-old shouldn’t have to struggle with anxiety like she does. I reach for the door handle, twist it, and find it locked. “Ria?” I call out, “You up, baby?” “Uhhh, yeah, one second, Dad.” “Why’s the door locked?” I ask, jiggling the handle. She never locks it. “Sorry, I didn’t mean for it to be.” She opens the door and stands in the way, blocking my entrance into her room. She looks entirely too nervous for someone who locked the door by accident. “What’s going on?” I ask, and she shakes her head. “Nothing, what happened to you?” she asks, nodding to the ice pack I’m holding against my cheek. “Oh, one of the guys got a little wild sparring tonight. Nothing to worry about.” And it’s the truth. After Georgia left, I stopped fighting and have been dealing with my issues another way—keeping everything bottled up. But none of that matters. I vowed to focus one hundred percent on the girls

and always will. Rianna is still blocking the doorway, so I glance over her shoulder and raise an eyebrow. “Can I come in?” “I was just going to bed, Dad.” “Then I’ll tuck you in.” “Dad, I don’t need to be tucked in anymore.” “Sure you do.” I push my way into her room. When I see what she is hiding, my fists ball at my sides. Anger consumes me, and the overwhelming need to kill the boy in her room engulfs me. This is why I used to fight! It kept my temper under control. Nowadays, it’s even harder not having the release like I used to, sparring helps, but it’s nothing compared to unleashing a beating upon someone. However, I can’t let myself get out of control. “Sup, Mr. R.?” Nate, a young boy from down the street, asks without bothering to move from his spot. On her bed! Why is he in her room at this time of night? Why is he in the house at all while I’m not here? I take a deep breath through my nose and remind myself to not snap . . . he’s only a kid. “What the fuck is going on here?” I ask Rianna, who’s chewing on her fingernail nervously. She looks at him and then me. In the moments I wait for her to respond, I swear to God it takes every single

ounce of willpower I have not to drag him out of my house by the holes in his stretched earlobes. “We were studying,” he says, and I glance at him, not buying his bullshit lie for one second. “At ten thirty at night?” “Yeah,” Rianna agrees. “Where’s your backpack, Nate?” “What do you mean, Mr. R.?” “To study?” Jesus, this kid is fucking stupid. “Oh, snap, I left it at school, that’s why I came over so Ria could help me.” Don’t call her that! Rianna’s eyes are now firmly locked on the floor, and she’s chomping her nail as if it’s her meal ticket out of here. “Nate, it’s time for you to leave.” My voice is barely audible as I speak through gritted teeth, but he understands every word I say. I just want him gone. “All right, have a good night then.” He has the balls to wink at Rianna before looking her up and down as if he could eat her. The way he stares as he walks out of her bedroom makes me lose it. I reach over and take him by the throat, slamming his skinny frame against the wall. “Dad, don’t!” Rianna yells and pulls at me. I don’t move. I just look into his scared, pathetic eyes and force myself to remember that they are

kids. I loosen my grip and tell him, “I don’t want to ever see you in my home or around my daughter again, you got it?” He nods rapidly, and when I let him go, he stumbles up the stairs and out of my house, coughing the whole way. “You can’t do that, Dad,” Rianna yells at me, clearly pissed off. When I turn toward her, her Tshirt is twisted from clawing at me, and I see a hickey on her chest. It makes my stomach queasy. It can’t be real . . . can it? My hand moves in slow motion, as if they too think my eyes are playing tricks on me, and I push the fabric out of the way, exposing another hickey on her. She’s covered in them. She swats at my hand, and I dart into her bathroom, barely making it to the toilet as the remnants of what’s left in my stomach creeps up the back of my throat. In this moment as I kneel on the floor, I can truly say I am the world’s biggest failure as a father. She is my little girl, and what she is doing . . . oh God, I get sick again. They would’ve been better off with a drunken Georgia than with me.

CHAPTER 2

ROAN

I DIDN’T SLEEP for shit last night. I’m sure Rianna feels just the same. She wouldn’t talk to me or look at me after what happened, and I guess I can’t blame her. Maybe I should’ve been a little more understanding and not let my temper get the better of me. I should’ve talked to her instead of freaking out, but all my restraint was gone the moment I saw those hickeys. It was almost an out of body experience. For fuck’s sake, she’s only fourteen . . . well, almost fifteen, but still, we haven’t even had the birds and the bees talk . . . I hadn’t thought I needed to have one with the girls yet. Jesus Christ, we do. As I get dressed, I wonder how the hell I’m supposed to do that. Goddamn Georgia for leaving, it’s times like this that I hate her the most. The

times when the girls really need their mom, but she’s not here. No, instead of being here for the two people she helped create, she’s off on some wild bender, probably drinking herself into oblivion. There’s only so much I can do as a man raising two girls all alone. After she left, it was a solid week before I heard from her, and when I did, there was no convincing her to come back. About a year later, she served me with divorce papers, which included her relinquishing her parental rights. Talk about kicking us while we were down, not only did she walk out but also she legally disowned us all. And what pisses me off more than anything is what all this has done to the girls. I couldn’t give a shit about myself; I was a terrible husband. We were young when we met, and I didn’t know the first thing about love. But the girls? They didn’t deserve to be abandoned by their mother. “You got five minutes,” I holler down to them. The bus will be here soon, and I’d like them to eat something before they leave. I look into the fridge for something to make. Christ, I’m still half asleep as I try to function. Maisy comes upstairs and gives me a hug, “Morning, baby girl.” “Hey, Dad. What happened to your face?” she asks pulling back from me. “Oh, I got caught with a right hook sparring last

night at the gym.” The girls don’t know I ever fought, and I want to keep it that way since it’ll only complicate things. When I was fighting, it wasn’t as if I did it for the money. I make a good living from my day job as an engineer, especially now that Chandler and I started our own business. I fought to release the pain and agony that had built up inside me for so many years. The need to fight was so great that I felt like a junky that had to get their next fix. I lost Georgia over it. But I’ll be damned if I let it get in the way of my girls. I haven’t fought anyone since the night Georgia left. Now, I just keep that pain pent up inside of me. Whether it’s wrong or right, I don’t know . . . it’s the only way I know how to be. “I’m gonna take a bar,” Maisy says and grabs two, I assume the second one is for her sister. “Love you, Dad.” She gives me a quick hug, but before I let her go, I say, “Would you please tell Rianna I said I am sorry?” She nods, obviously already aware of what I’m apologizing for, and then kisses my cheek. Her eyes are identical to Georgia’s, so big and blue, ready to take on the world around her. It kills me that her mom doesn’t want to be here and a part of all this with her. Rianna comes flying up the stairs and gives me a cold, “Bye, Dad.” “Bye. Love you,” I tell them just as the door

slams shut behind Rianna. My phone rings in my pocket, and I pull it out before swiping my finger across the screen. “Hey, man,” I answer, probably sounding a little monotone from my failed father of the year act. “Whoa, who died?” Chandler, my best friend, and business partner asks. “Piss off,” I say and grab a coffee mug. “What is it with you always talking about my dick? You like me or something?” “Far from it,” he chuckles, and I’m not in the mood for his antics today. “Did you call for something important?” “You really are in a shit mood today. Wanna talk about what happened?” I pop a k-cup in the coffee machine. Chandler is the last person I want to talk to about this, but I don’t have anyone else to talk about this stuff . . . he’s all I got. “I caught Rianna and some boy in her room last night.” “What the fuck? Isn’t she twelve?” “Fourteen, but still. How does she even know what to do?” “Don’t you remember how we were when we were fourteen?” “We’re guys, that’s different.” “I don’t think so. Kids nowadays are sexting and shit at her age. It’s a scary world out there, my man. I’m so glad I don’t have kids.”

“Fuck, don’t tell me that,” I gripe and rake my fingers through my damp hair. The thought of either of my little girls doing anything like that makes my stomach queasy all over again. “So, did you kill the fucker?” “No, I wanted to . . . but he’s just a kid.” “Hell, I would’ve.” “I should’ve. He left hickeys on her chest and —” “Oh fuck, are you serious?” “Yes!” “Have you had the talk yet, about the birds and the bees?” “Fuck no!” I basically holler. “You want me to ask Mia to talk to the girls with you?” “No, don’t bother her.” Mia is the last person who’d want to help me. “It’s not a bother, she’s back in town. For good this time.” She is? Fuck! “Oh. I had no idea. It’s all good, man, don’t worry, I’ll handle it.” “You sure? I think you might need a woman’s help with your problems.” “Fuck you, I don’t need anyone to help me.” “Calm down, what’s the big deal?” The big deal is that she’s your sister and we fucked and never told you. Oh, and let’s not forget that I haven’t seen

her since that night, which I try to avoid thinking about at all costs because Mia does something to me. “There’s no big deal, man. I just don’t need you to go out of your way and call her about it.” I know the second he brings up my name, she’ll want nothing to do with it . . . or me. Mia was the first woman I was with after Georgia left me, and I was in no shape to be doing what I was doing or trying it for the first time with someone as amazing as Mia. After we hooked up, I never heard from her again, which is probably because I bailed in the middle of the night. Then she went off to college, and that was what? Four years ago. “Okay, why don’t you ask her yourself. She’s coming into the office today.” Motherfucker! “Yeah? What for?” I try to act cool. “She’s been asked to speak at The Society Of Women’s Engineers. They are having a conference here next month, and she wanted to see if she could interview me as part of her presentation. You know she snagged a sweet engineering job at Mantis? That’s actually why I called your cranky ass.” “No, I had no idea she worked there. That’s great for her, but why would she want to interview you for her speech?” “Uh, because I am the coolest engineer in the fuckin’ state of Massachusetts.”

“Don’t you mean you’re one of two?” “Right, I forgot about my partner, Mr. Perfect.” “Fuck you, asshole.” “No, fuck you, man. You need to get your ass in here. If I’m getting interviewed, so are you. We’re a package deal, baby, remember?” “Whatever. I’m not a package deal with anyone. I’ll be in the office shortly.” Chandler and I hang up, and my mind is spinning. If he ever found out about what happened, he would kill me. Mia is the one person in this world who means anything to him. Both his parents died in a car accident when he was twenty, so he stepped up and raised Mia after that. It’s a job he’s always taken seriously, and he protects her at all costs, which is good. It will help me to stay away from her. That in and of itself is going to be a miracle if I can pull it off. She’s the only person who has made me feel anything since Georgia. God, I can still remember the look she had in her eyes when we fucked. It was the most gorgeous expression I’ve seen. Even though I knew we couldn’t be together. I’m too fucked up. What we did was wrong and never should’ve happened. We both gave into the heat of the moment, but I was in no place emotionally to be with her, and I let the pain of my past get the better part of me. That I’ll always regret, but my life is full of them, so I’ll add it to the long list.

CHAPTER 3

MIA

HE ISN’T GOING to be there. He isn’t going to be there. He isn’t going to be there. I keep repeating that to myself as I fight to get my thigh highs up my legs. I asked Chandler if I could interview him because he’s like the king of the engineering world and this opportunity to speak in front of so many amazing women only happens once in a lifetime. Chandler agreed, so I have to believe that it’ll be only him. Plus, I can’t make him suspicious of what Roan and I did in the past by asking any more questions. But the butterflies swirling in my stomach are intense, and I wish they’d stop. Something is plaguing me, screaming at me and telling me that Roan will be there. If he is, what the hell am I supposed to do? Shake his hand and pretend as if I’m not mentally replaying the amazing sex we had

and how he left me without so much as a note or thanks for a good time? Regardless, none of that truly matters. What he and I did is so far in the past that I’m sure he doesn’t even remember it. Too bad I haven’t been able to forget it. I haven’t met a single man who could even come close to how amazing Roan is. Every man I’m with, I find myself comparing him to Roan. Which is so wrong considering he was never really mine in the first place. Roan was always Chandler’s best friend, my old brother’s wingman. Growing up, I had an insane crush on him, but he was always too old for me. Then, one day, he wasn’t. I was a woman, and he was a man—a gorgeous, perfect, and sexually tempting man. We shared a summer of flirting, emotions ran wild, and then he gave me the most mind-blowing sex of my life. My chest heats as I remember that night. At first, he was sweet and so very, very gentle . . . as if he was scared he was going to hurt me. When I asked for more, he unleashed a beast, and I loved every single second being with him. I thought he did, too, but obviously, he didn’t. Chandler: You bringing me Starbucks, baby sis? Me: If I can ever leave my house, sure. Chandler: What’s the holdup? Me: Nothing, I’m on my way!

I yank up my other thigh high and slip on my favorite black heels, the ones with little bows on the back, and head out of my new condo. Being back in Boston is still a bit surreal. After I left for school, I never thought I’d return. It’s the place my parents died. Minus Chandler, there is nothing here for me. But I couldn’t turn down the job I got after graduation, even though it came with a transfer home. After stopping at Starbucks and picking up both my and Chandler’s drinks, I park in the garage of his office building and take the familiar elevator ride to the eleventh floor. My heart is beating rapidly, not knowing if Roan will be on the other side of the elevator when it opens. If he is, I just need to remind myself that I vowed to focus on my career and let anything we ever were, go. Thankfully, I find only my brother and the receptionist, as he leans over her shoulder showing her something on the computer screen. He looks up when the elevator doors slide closed behind me and gives me a big smile. “There’s my sister,” he says, coming over to me and kissing me on the cheek. His light blond hair needs a trim since I last saw him, but other than that, he hasn’t changed much at all. “How are you?” I ask, passing him his iced coffee. “I’m good. I was just showing Veronica here

how to filter through all the crap emails we get. You remember that, huh?” I nod with sympathy. If it’s as bad as it was when I interned here, she’s in for it. “Veronica, this is my sister, Mia,” he introduces us. “It’s nice to meet you,” I tell the cute brunette before shaking her hand over the desk. “You ready to do this?” he asks. “You have no idea.” I follow Chandler away from the reception area and down the hallway of glass-walled offices. My eyes are on Roan’s office, remembering just which one is his, and when I find it empty, I feel like I can breathe. Thank God. Then Chandler opens the door to another office across the hall from Roan’s, and my heart stops. He switched offices. Roan is sitting behind his big desk with his phone pressed to his ear, the tattoos on his arm are peeking out from beneath his suit. He’s as gorgeous as I remember. Dark hair, dark eyes, and a smirk that has starred in my dreams. I’m basically panting and a flurry of emotions roars through me as I come face to face with the perfect bastard again. When his eyes flick to the door, they lock with mine and his demeanor changes. I’m not sure what he’s thinking, but all the oxygen is stripped from my lungs, and I swear at any second I could faint. I pull my eyes from his gaze purely out of self-preservation.

Hold it together, Mia. “Off the phone, fucker!” Chandler scolds him. From the corner of my eye, I catch Roan flip him off, and then I nervously sip my coffee. It’s the first drink I’ve taken, and the shit burns my fucking mouth. I about whine from the pain, pissed that companies find it necessary to serve flaming hot drinks to their guests. Still, when Chandler looks back at me, I have tears in my eyes. “You okay?” I nod. “I burned my mouth on my drink.” “Damn, you want some ice?” “Please,” I tell him and head around the corner into the conference room as he goes toward the kitchen. My tongue feels like I just swallowed a layer off it. I set my stuff on the table and take a seat, not sure how I’m going to get through this. My insides are a mess, which I should be used to considering they are always a mess when Roan is around. Then he walks into the room, distracting my every thought. I swear my body temperature rises a couple of degrees. “Mia, how are you?” he asks. His voice is deep, and my name rolls off his tongue like silk. He extends his hand, and I stand to shake his hand, but he pulls me into a tight hug, spinning my mind back to that night. To how badly I wanted him, to how badly I still want him. Fuck, we were amazing together, but he didn’t feel it.

“I’m good,” I tell him into his ear, smelling his scent. It’s the same as it’s always been. “You look good,” he tells me and finally lets me go before sitting at the head of the table. “Thanks.” I sit to his left as Chandler comes in and sets a cup of ice next to my coffee. Roan made me forgot all about my tongue. Chandler sits across from me, his attention so fixed on his phone that he doesn’t notice the way Roan is staring at me. I swallow, trying to ignore it as well. I can’t fall into the same trap that is Roan. Not again. “So, you gonna ask Mia for her help, or what?” Chandler blurts out, placing his phone on the table. I turn to Roan, raising an eyebrow in question. “Nah, I told ya, I’m good.” “Come on, man. You’re far from good,” Chandler says, leaning back in his chair, resting his arms behind his head. “What’s the matter?” No matter what history muddies the water between us, these two have never been cryptic around me. “Roan needs to have the birds and bees talk with his girls, and since his loony ex-wife bailed . . . I told him to ask you.” “Really, it’s no big deal,” Roan interjects, and I’m thankful he doesn’t want my help on this one. Honestly, the last thing I want to do is help him talk to his daughters about sex.

CHAPTER 4

ROAN

SHE HASN’T CHANGED one bit. She’s still as beautiful as ever and smart as hell, too. I hadn’t expected her questions during the interview to be so on point. Being around her again makes it impossible not to remember how she looked beneath me. Every single second we were together is etched into my memory. The way she said my name. How she liked it rough—the way I like to fuck. She made me crazy, hell . . . she’s making me crazy right now. Even though it could never be more than the one night, I’m still pissed at myself for leaving her the way I did. I should’ve stayed all night and explained how I was feeling. But instead, my stupid ass bailed. Chandler steps out to take a call, and she’ll barely look at me as she rushes to gather her things,

which makes me rake my hand through my hair in agitation. We used to be pretty close, friends even. But we never really spent time together until she interned here. Then there were a lot of early mornings, late nights, and even weekends spent working on projects that brought us closer together. So, even though I get why she’s cold toward me now, I hate it, and I hate myself for ruining what we had. “Have a good day, Roan,” she tells me, slinging her purse strap over her shoulder, and I have to make this right. “I’m sorry, Mia.” My voice is barely a whisper, but she brings her eyes to meet mine. “For what?” She laughs a little awkwardly. “For what happened.” “What are you talking about? Nothing happened, remember?” She raises her eyebrows at me. I know why she says that; it’s because we agreed not to tell Chandler before we even slept together. It doesn’t make her indifference toward me any easier to handle. “You know what I’m talking about.” “I’m sorry, I don’t, Roan.” She sticks to her guns. It’s one of the things I find sexiest about Mia. Her strength and resilience are unlike that of any other woman I’ve ever known. I step closer to her, moving until my body is a

few inches away from hers. She ignites everything inside me, just as she always has. My brain is screaming at me to stop, to let her go. But my body wants the opposite. Too bad for my body, Georgia fucked me up in a way I can’t seem to move on from. She broke something in me that I’m pretty sure will never repair itself. It’s why I ended things with Mia before they started, because I’m no good for her, and I’d end up ruining her life like I did Georgia’s. Still, I have her attention, and I don’t know if I’ll have it again anytime soon. “That night was amazing,” I tell her and touch her face, her soft skin scalding the backs of my knuckles. She backs away as if my hand is tainted with the plague and glances to the door. “Just let it go.” Those little words knock the air from my lungs. It’s as if she can’t feel the spark between us anymore, which maybe she can’t. I had my chance, and I killed it. I know better than anyone how it feels to be walked out on. Even then, that didn’t stop me from leaving Mia that night. It’s been years since Georgia walked out on me, and the pain is still so strong. It must have taken me too long to say something else, because the next thing I know, Mia turns her back on me and leaves. I feel like a fool standing in the middle of the conference room

watching her walk away. I’m still standing there and staring at the door when it opens again, and Chandler walks in. “Where’d she go?” he asks. “She had to go.” “Without saying bye?” “She said bye to me.” Chandler pulls out his phone and calls her. As soon as she answers, he lays into her goodnaturedly. I’m not sure what it is about Mia, that makes me so irrational, but there is something. Something within her that tugs at my heart strings, something that makes me want her more than I’ve ever wanted any other woman in all my life. I head into my office to find the light on my phone blinking. I check the message, and by the time it ends, my heart is in my throat. I grab my car keys and bolt out of the office without a word to anyone, heading to the girls’ school. When I get there, Maisy is sitting waiting for me just outside the nurse’s office, and I rush to her side. “What happened?” She has ice over her lip, and her only answer is to point into the clinic at another girl who has blood running down her face. I won’t believe for one second that my little girl did that to her. “She was running her mouth about Ria, saying

she was a slut, so I hit her.” Hearing my baby girl use that word makes me cringe. “Did she swing first?” She shakes her head, and I sit in the stiff ass chair next to her, wondering why in the world this is happening. “Come on, Maisy, you know the rules. You don’t swing until the other person does.” “Dad, you weren’t there. She didn’t only call her a slut. There were other words, too.” “Then you tell a teacher.” “And what, be a snitch?” “Oh my God, Maisy, you’re in seventh grade for Christ’s sake.” “So?” She may have her mother’s eyes, but that natural instinct to fight lives just as much inside her as it does me. The other girl’s parents walk in, and we both stop talking. The mom and the dad glare at Maisy and me. The girls go to a private school, so everyone knows everyone here, which isn’t always the best thing. The mom continues to shoot us hateful looks as the dad talks to the receptionist. I really want to yell at her and tell her to teach her daughter some manners, so my daughter doesn’t have to do it for her. The only thing I actually do is run my hands over my face and hope they don’t decide to press charges. The odds don’t look in my favor as the parents rush into the clinic, so I

prepare myself for the worst.

CHAPTER 5

ROAN

THE THREE OF us are sitting in the kitchen, and I know now is the time to talk to them about sex, but first thing’s first. “Cell phones!” I reach my hand out to the girls, and they both stare back at me as if I’m speaking a foreign language. “Dad, you can’t do that!” Rianna argues. “I didn’t even do anything wrong.” “Yes, you did. Having a boy in your room without asking and doing God only knows what late at night is not okay with me. You’re both grounded for a week.” “A week!” “Yes, a week. Now give me your phones.” They don’t budge. “Fine, I’ll just call the cell phone company and have them shut off, permanently.” Reluctantly, they both hand over their electronics.

My skin crawls as I consider how to start the actual conversation I need to have with them. These are my little girls, I can’t imagine them ever being intimate, nor do I want to. So, I do what any rational father would do. I chicken out, leaving them alone. I head into my bedroom to try to figure out what the fuck I’m going to do with them, and grab my phone. “What’s up?” Chandler answers on the first ring. “Oh, man, where do I begin?” “That bad?” he asks, referring to Maisy. I texted him from the school and filled him on what had happened. “Yup, she got suspended for three days, and I grounded them both for a week.” “Damn, you’re a hard-ass.” “She’s lucky the parents aren’t pressing charges.” “True, you wanna meet for a drink and chill out?” I look at the clock, it’s a quarter past seven, and I know the girls will avoid me for the rest of the night, so why the hell not. “Sure, where at?” “Pasqual’s?” “Okay, I’ll head there now.” We hang up, and I grab a twenty from my wallet before heading out of my room. The girls aren’t in the kitchen any longer,

so I go into the basement, and they both look at me from the couch with hate written all over their faces. Well, they can hate me all they want. “I have a meeting tonight, but here’s some cash if you want to order dinner.” “We don’t have phones, Dad!” Rianna says in a condescending tone. “There’s a house phone and plenty of delivery menus on the fridge. No boys, you got it?” Rianna rolls her eyes, and I wish I knew where our relationship took such a wrong turn. After Georgia left, we were so close. We couldn’t breathe if we weren’t together. Recently, it seems we can’t breathe when we are together, and I have no clue what changed things. But I guess that is part of raising a girl, a teenage girl. “Okay,” Maisy answers. It’s the best I’m going to get, so I leave them in peace and head to meet Chandler. Neither of them bothers to say bye. I know as angry as the girls are at me, they are still way better off than I was at their age. I was doomed before I even had a chance, which makes me think about Georgia. When I met her, I was convinced she was going to be the one to save me. She made me feel alive. The woman was so goddamn beautiful and vibrant that she distracted me at a fight and I almost got knocked out. But I recovered—like I always do—and ended

the fight so I could meet her. A month later, she was pregnant with Rianna. We were only eighteen, and the rest is history. She finally gave me a purpose. Looking back on things, I know the girls are what kept us together for as long as we were. Well, for as long as Georgia could handle it before leaving. Our relationship wasn’t all bad, as fucked up as it was, we had some really good times. I loved her unconditionally, drinking and all. I just wish she’d loved me the same way and that I wasn’t second to her drinking. I’m not too blind to my own faults. I may have loved her with every breath I took, but I still put her second to my fighting, which made me just as bad as she was, or worse. Since it took her leaving to get me to stop fighting. When I walk into Pasqual’s, Chandler already has a table in the bar area. I wave to the hostess as I go to greet him. “What up, bitch?” I chuckle and give him a friendly handshake. “Not much, what’d I miss today?” He looks off, pondering my question, and then says, “Veronica gave me an amazing blow job in the conference room.” “What the fuck? We just hired her.” “I know, isn’t she hot?” “You gotta stop banging all of our receptionists.”

“I didn’t bang her,” he says as the waitress brings the drinks he already ordered for us. “Close enough.” As she sets a third drink down across from me, I know Mia will be joining us shortly. Shit, why didn’t I ask if she was going to be here? When she was in college out of state, I never had to worry about it, but now that she’s back in Boston, I guess it’s going to be a problem. She’s gonna hate to see me. “You didn’t want to bang her, did you?” “Who?” I look up at him, pulling my eyes away from the third drink. “Veronica, dumbass.” “No! So, did you bang her?” “She sucked me off and then laid me back on the table and rode me, I didn’t ask her to. Technically, I didn’t bang her, she banged me.” I take in a huge sip of my whiskey and can barely swallow it before Mia walks through the door, drawing all my attention—and that of every other man—toward her. I don’t look at them staring, though. I already know it will just piss me off and likely land me in a fight I don’t need. “Mia!” Chandler hollers and waves her over to us. She smiles until she sees me, and that look changes. Goddamn it!

As she walks to us, I swear it’s as if she’s floating. Her long, light brown hair bounces with each step, and her plump tits move in sync with her. I swallow, willing my cock to stay down. It was already pulsating during the interview today. “Hey, Mia,” I say quietly, sounding and feeling a lot like a pussy. “What’s up, sis?” Chandler stands and gives her a hug before they both take a seat. She doesn’t even offer me a handshake. “How are you guys?” she asks, and I nod, feeling like a bobble head. “I’m good, Roan . . . not so much. His girls are a mess. I know he said he doesn’t need your help, but after today, I really think you should help him out.” “I can’t help him,” she says firmly and presses her hand against her chest. Her fingers against her skin remind me of how good they felt around my cock. God, what I’d do to feel them again. “Sure you can. Tell her what happened, Roan,” Chandler says. The waitress walks by, and I order another drink along with a round of shots. There is no way I’m getting through the night sober. Hell, I could use more than a shot right now, but I’ll take what I can get.

CHAPTER 6

MIA

AS MUCH AS I’m pretending to be pissed that Roan is here, I’d probably be even more pissed if he weren’t. Deep down, I hoped he would be here tonight. The way my insides ignited seeing him again is something I can’t let go of, no matter how much I want to. I would never admit it aloud, but my mind has been consumed by all things Roan all day. And as cold as I act toward him, it’s all a front . . . a lie to hide my true feelings because I’m still hurt and pissed at him for leaving me the way he did. “So, that’s my dilemma,” Roan says, sipping the last of yet another drink. I have no idea what he just said, but I play like I do. My brother rolls his eyes and finally says, “I’ll never have kids!” “Fuck you!” Roan jives back.

“Fuck you,” Chandler says. “I raised her. I’m done.” He’s referring to me, and how after we lost our parents, he became my legal guardian. His phone buzzes on the table, and like usual, it distracts him. He’s like a dog seeing a squirrel when it comes to his phone. Roan looks at me with that all-to-familiar look, and I can’t keep my eyes on his. I have to look away. Focus on breathing, Mia. “Fuck,” Chandler mutters under his breath, but we both hear him and look over. “What’s the matter?” I ask, and he turns his phone toward us, showing us a familiar naked woman on the screen. “Is that Veronica?” Roan asks. The name registers in my mind, but it takes a second for it to click. It’s the cute receptionist I met earlier today at their office. No way is that her. “Yep, I’m gonna go get me some of that.” Without another word, he’s gone, taking the small amount of ease I felt with him. Roan and I anxiously look at one another, and I say, “I should go, too.” “Okay,” Roan agrees with me, but the truth is that I don’t want to go anywhere. I still want him in every way imaginable. Even if it ends the same way, I can’t deny what I’m feeling. God, I’m pathetic.

“Do you want me to walk you to your car?” he asks. I’m about to tell him yes when the waitress stops at our table. “Another round?” I swallow, letting Roan make the decision, and my heart hurts when he says, “No thanks, we’re done.” The waitress hands him a bill, which he pays for in cash. I reach into my wallet to give him some money, but he has that look in his eyes, the one that says, “Don’t you fuckin’ dare.” “Where are you parked?” “Just down the street.” “Okay.” He stands, and I follow, letting him lead me to the door. I sense everyone watching us, but I only have eyes for Roan. No one in this world compares to his dark eyes and dark hair, and it kills me that all we’ll ever have is that one night together. The evening is cool, and a shiver runs through me. I run my hands up and down my arms. Roan removes his coat before sliding it over my shoulders, which makes me smile a bit. At least that part of him hasn’t changed over the years. Always the gentlemen. I dip my chin without him noticing and breathe in his intoxicating scent. “Thanks,” I tell him. “Anything for you. You know that.” His words have a deeper meaning, and even though I know

he’s trying to be sweet, they hurt me. “How do I know that?” I question him, the alcohol making me feel very brave. “You’re right, Mia, you shouldn’t know that.” “Then why say it?” I argue. “It was a mistake.” “Just like the night we were together. That was a mistake, too, huh?” “No. Never.” I don’t believe him for one second. “Then why leave me like you did? You snuck out after you promised me you’d stay.” “I had to, Mia.” “You didn’t.” I stop walking and let the anger race through me as I look into his alluring eyes. “I did. It was the right thing to do for you.” I scoff and give him an incredulous look. “Since when do you get to make those choices for me? You left me like some trashy whore with no good explanation and then never spoke to me again. How can you even think it was the right thing?” “Because I’m fucked up!” “So am I . . . we all are! Don’t you see that?” “I’m sorry,” he whispers, looking down at the ground, his jaw tightly clenched. He’s starting to shut down, which is something I know well. There were so many times when we worked together that he almost gave in, but each time ended with the same hands in the pockets, closed off, jaw tight

expression. He fought the connection between us for so long and then when he finally gave in, I thought I’d gotten through. Something within him changed for that one night, but like all things in my life, it was too good to last. He’s looking off in the distance, not making eye contact with me. “You’re doing it again.” “Doing what?” “Pushing me away.” “No, I’m not. I’m walking you to your car. I let you borrow my coat. I’m trying here, Mia.” Angrily, I push his coat off my shoulders and tell him, “I don’t want your coat or a simple walk to my car. I want you to let me in.” I can’t believe the words I just spoke as they ring in my ears. “I . . . I’m no good for you, trust me, I wish I were.” “That’s bullshit, and you know it. You feel what I do just as much, but you’re too afraid to give in because of what Georgia did to you.” “That’s not it, Mia.” His words are a lie, and each deceitful syllable breaks my heart. “Then tell me what the fuck it is?” I plead with him, as I grab his face and try to force him to look at me. But he refuses to turn his head. “This is the only chance I’ll give you, Roan!” He stands frozen, the emotionlessness from him pushing me further away. I remove my hands from him, and he doesn’t move. I step away, silently willing his eyes to find

mine, but his gaze stays locked somewhere in the distance. It’s then that I realize what a fool I am. All these years, I thought that maybe if I had just one chance to tell him how I felt, it would be enough. Clearly, I was wrong. So, I pull together the last of my self-respect, turn and walk away.

CHAPTER 7

ROAN

WATCHING MIA WALK AWAY from me kills me. I don’t want to push her out of my life, but it’s for her own good. She deserves so much more than I can give her. A man . . . a real, unbroken man who can treat her like a princess. I lift my coat from the ground and bring it to my nose. She barely wore it for five minutes, but I can still smell her on it. Anger consumes me, knowing I’ll never be with her again. An inevitable rage seemingly comes out of nowhere, and I only know how to get rid of it one-way. I need to fight. I walk back to my car, keeping my head down and my eyes to myself. “I want you to let me in.” Her words ring loud in my mind. No, she doesn’t!

She may think that’s what she wants, but she doesn’t know me, not the real me. The side that is a barely leashed monster isn’t something she would want, the same way Georgia didn’t want it. As much as I yearn for her, I can’t be with her. I get into my car and call my buddy from the gym to see if he’s still there to spar with. I need to do something. As the phone rings, I hear a honk and look in my mirror to see a car waiting for my parking spot with their blinker on. I barely started the engine, so I ignore them, knowing I don’t move for anyone, but they honk again, and the guy throws his arms up in the air at me. I toss my phone aside, not sure if I hung up or not and open my car door. “You leaving or what, bro?” some young punk asks me as I stalk toward his sleek black Mercedes. I reach for his door handle, yank it open, and drag him out by his throat. “You’ll know I’m leaving, when I’m fucking gone,” I tell him and cock back a right jab, looking him square in the face. “I don’t want any trouble,” he says, but before he can speak another word, I land the hardest punch I can manage. My knuckles pop against his skin, the impact so loud my ears buzz, and that one hit lays him out cold. His body folds like a crushed can, and I toss him back into his car, get into mine, and drive off.

My left hand is on the wheel, gripping it tightly, and my right is still balled into a fist. The feeling of his skin beneath my knuckles is so freeing, but that one hit is not enough. Fury still consumes me. One-hit fights never do shit for me, I should know that. But sometimes I’m a loose cannon. As I drive home, I try to focus on breathing and staying in control, but I can’t shake the way things ended between Mia and me. I pushed her away because I shouldn’t care, or feel the way I do about her. She’s young and has her whole life ahead of her. The last thing she needs is me—a divorced man with two teenage daughters—dragging her down. Plus, I’m not a good person. I can’t even hold it together long enough not to attack some kid who honked at me. I need to keep things in my life focused on my daughters, the way I have been doing since Georgia left. It’s what got me this far. Giving into Mia that one night was a mistake, one that I can’t make again. Logically, I know that. However, the thoughts and feelings she rips out of me are gonna make me lose my mind, which I’m only hanging on to by a thread. Pulling up to my house, I take in a deep breath of air and then let it out before heading inside. I never know what to expect from the girls anymore. For all I know, there could be some raging party going on.

There isn’t. Everything is quiet. I head down to the basement to check on them. As I reach the bottom of the stairs, I smile. They are lying together on the couch, tucked under one of Georgia’s favorite blankets, watching a movie. Their tired eyes are blinking slowly, and it takes me back to when they were younger. Rianna reaches for the remote to pause the movie, and I tell her, “Don’t.” Sitting next to her, I wrap my arm behind her, and to my surprise, she cuddles against my chest the same way she did when she was little. I touch Maisy’s cheek, my hand still stings from the events of tonight. But she grabs it, kisses the top, and then holds on to it, making everything feel better. My heart pounds from being this close to my little girls. They may be growing up quickly, but they’ll always be little to me. The closeness in this moment is everything to me, and as clouded as my brain can get sometimes, I have to always remind myself how much they depend on me. I can’t be doing crazy shit like I did tonight hitting that guy. If I were to get caught . . . then what? They would end up moving in with Chandler? I couldn’t even imagine. It really sucks that both Georgia and I were cut from some shitty cloth, but we were. I think that’s what drew us together in the first place. We were young, and at that point, we were the only right things out of so much wrong. I don’t want that

for my girls, I want to be what’s right.

“BREAKFAST IS GETTING COLD,” I holler down the stairs to the girls, and it isn’t a few seconds later that they come up. “Hey, Dad,” Maisy says with Rianna in tow. “Hey, girls. I made your favorite.” “Wow! What’s the occasion?” Rianna asks. Her usual sarcasm is in full effect this morning. “No occasion. I just wanted to cook for my girls.” Really there is a reason. I feel bad for grounding them and the way things have been between us lately. I know my girls; it’s totally out of character for Maisy to be fighting at school and for Rianna to have a boy in her room. Something else has to be bothering them, and as much as I hate to talk about my feelings, I’m gonna have to open up if I want them to do the same. We all sit to eat my signature French toast. I can’t cook many things, but I can cook a damn mean French toast. “Just ask him,” Rianna mumbles and gives Maisy that look. She swallows and says to me, “Uh, I know we’re grounded, but—” “You’re not grounded,” I interrupt her, which surprises them. “What? Why not?”

“Because I know the anniversary of your mom leaving is coming up and that’s always hard.” Neither of them responds. Really, what could they even say to that? So, I continue, “You both know I love you dearly; you’re everything to me, and sometimes I go a little off the deep end trying to protect you. But I wanna do the right things. I don’t want to screw up like your mom did.” “Dad, you’re not a screw-up. You’re the best dad in the world,” Maisy says, so sweet with unconditional love. “Yeah, you’re nowhere close to how Mom was.” I understand why they would say that, but the truth is I’m more like their mom than they probably know. I just work damn hard to keep my issues hidden. “I appreciate you both saying that, but I want you to know you can always come to me to talk. You don’t need to handle your problems other ways, like fighting”—I look at Maisy and then turn my eyes to Rianna—“or with boys.” She gives me a wry smile. “You know we’ll always come to you, Dad,” Maisy says, and as much as I hear her words, their actions lately have proven otherwise. But I trust my girls; I have to. They’re all I have in this world.

CHAPTER 8

MIA

“THIS PLACE IS SICK,” Chandler says, looking at the city view from my balcony. “Yeah, you think so?” “Fuck yeah, I do. You’ve done great for yourself, sis.” “Thanks.” “So, when do I get to read your speech?” he asks me, sitting next to me on my outdoor sofa. “Um, hopefully, I’ll have it done this weekend. Then I’ll send it to you.” “Send it to Roan, too.” “Ah . . . okay.” “Something wrong with that?” I shake my head, feeling my anxiety spike. Don’t act stupid, Mia. “Not at all.” “Come on, Mia. You aren’t really gonna lie to

me about him forever, are you?” Shit, Roan told him. “What are you talking about?” I’m all nervous energy as the words tumble out, and I grab my bottle of water from the table, fidgeting with the label. “About Roan.” “What about Roan?” “Well, I know you like him. That much is clear. I can tell by the way you look at him and get all quiet and shit when he’s around.” I laugh awkwardly. “I don’t like him.” Maybe Roan didn’t tell him. “Seriously? It’s me you’re talking to. I know how to read women.” Does he ever. My brother, the womanizer, can probably read minds. Then mine flashes to Roan’s mouth on my body and . . . “See, right there, you’re thinking about him, and you have to stop.” “I’m thinking about my speech. Don’t act like you can read my mind.” “Deny it all you want, but I know what I see, and I really can’t emphasize enough how bad of a choice it would be if you and Roan hooked up. He’s not the one for you. Hell, he has more baggage than a crowded seven forty-seven.” Roan definitely didn’t tell him. “I really don’t know what you’re talking

about.” And thankfully his phone chimes. Like a distracted dog, he looks at it. I wonder if I could distract him with perfume or something the next time he starts to grill me about liking Roan. “Then you won’t mind if I invite him out with us tonight?” I shake my head, not about to give my brother so much as a hint of him being right. The chirp of him sending a text goes off, which is shortly followed by receiving one. “All right, let’s go.” Coolly, I get off the sofa and traipse back inside my house to grab my purse from the kitchen. “You coming?” I call over my shoulder, but he’s so lost in his phone he hardly responds. “Roan asked me if you were coming.” The quirk of his lips taunts me with what he knows, but I refuse to admit. As if this is a game to him. “What did you say?” I ask locking my back door after he walks through it. “What should I say?” “Say whatever the fuck you want, Chandler! I don’t like him.” “God, you’re pissy tonight, maybe I don’t want to hang with you at all.” “I’m sorry.” I really am. It’s not fair that I’m taking my frustrations for Roan out on him. “I’m just stressed about the conference. I’m the youngest one speaking and—”

“And you’re gonna do great, Mia. You know why? Because you’re my sister and you’re fucking amazing!” I smile as he slings his arm over my shoulder. “You know I’m only teasing you about Roan. I know you don’t like that old fucker.” If only he knew. We make the short trip on foot to one of my favorite restaurants, and I pray now more than ever that Chandler never finds out what Roan and I did. I just added insult to injury by lying to him. As we enter, the hostess is on the phone, and when she looks up at us, her expression changes to anger. Chandler whispers in my ear, “Shit . . . I fucked her.” Of course, he did. “Who haven’t you fucked?” I quietly ask. “A lot of women.” We both smile at the poor girl, who throws us a hateful glare as we make our way into the bar area without her assistance in picking a table. “Aren’t you scared of diseases and shit?” I ask as we sit at a table just like we did the other night. And I wonder if that’s why he likes to pick his own tables. “Nah, I keep my boy wrapped up.” Too. Much. Information. I shake my head, trying to erase the image of my brother and a condom. Hell, it’s so wrong. In order to burn the image out of my brain, I order a double rum and

coke with a shot of Patrón. “Damn, someone’s ready to party!” He has no idea. Before I can wash my worries away in endless amounts of alcohol, Roan walks through the front door. He looks mouth-watering in his dark jeans and a white dress shirt with the sleeves rolled half up, showing me his tattoos that I’ve missed. His hair is damp, as if he just got out of the shower, and . . . I can’t stop staring at him. He’s looking around for us, and internally I fight the ball of butterflies that are flooded inside my belly. Then he looks at me. “Motherfucker,” I grumble and glance in the other direction. “What did you say?” Chandler asks me. “Who? Me? I didn’t say anything.” I shake my head, pissed for making such a simple and stupid mistake. And before Chandler can give me any more of a hard time, Roan is at the table. “Mia,” he says in his rich voice just as the waitress sets our drinks down. I slam the shot and tell her, “I’ll take another.” The guys stare at me as if something is wrong with me. I bite back a scoff. Between the three of us, I’m the most normal one. So I give them a tight smile and then lift my drink to my lips and take a sip. “What’s up, man?” Chandler asks him. “Not much, just hung with the girls today.

You?” “Didn’t do shit. Hey, did Veronica tell you she was quitting?” “No, why.” “I went into the office to check on a few things, and she was there packing her desk.” “What did you say to her?” “Nothing, what was I supposed to say?” “Uh . . . ask her what she’s doing.” “Nah, I know it’s because of me. She wanted to stay the night at my house the other night, and I told her fuck no.” “Chandler, you can’t talk to women like that,” I scold, and Roan nods in agreement. But the comment he made reminds me of the night Roan left me. A jolt of pain shoots through my heart. “I didn’t ask her for this shit. She came on to me. She was the one who initiated it. It’s not my problem that she didn’t listen when I told her I don’t do relationships.” The waitress sets another shot down, and Chandler watches me slam it. “Slow down, would ya?” I roll my eyes, and Roan looks between the two of us. “What’s going on?” “You want to tell him, or should I?” Chandler asks, and Roan’s face drains of color. He’s worried that my brother found out about what happened between us. “What’s to tell? I’m stressed about my speech.”

Roan lets out a deep breath; clearly, relief rushes over him. I know with not only how Chandler is acting but also with the way things ended for Roan and me, I have to let go of my feelings. I can’t keep living my life like this.

CHAPTER 9

ROAN

I DON’T like watching Mia drink as much as she is. She can say it’s about her speech, but she has another month before she has to give it, so I know something else is bothering her. “I’ll have another,” she slurs to the waitress, and Chandler shakes his head at her. She boldly flips him off, and the waitress leaves to grab her another round, probably thinking that we’re nothing but a shit-show. Chandler’s phone rings . . . again, and of course, he answers it. If he’s not working, he’s trying to talk his way into a girl’s pants. When he stands and heads for the door, Mia’s drunken eyes follow him. “Would you slow down, for me?” She looks at me, resting her chin atop her hand. “Why? Why would I do anything for you, Roan?”

“Come on, don’t be like that.” “No . . . you don’t be like that. We’ve already established that you don’t get to tell me what to do.” I don’t respond, and a moment later, she heaves a deep sigh, stands, and stumbles off to the restroom. Chandler comes back to the table, and when I look at him, he’s practically bouncing with energy. “What’s up?” I ask. “Nothing. Mia in the restroom?” “Yeah.” “Listen, I wanted to ask you a question.” “Sure, what’s up?” “You don’t like her or anything, do you?” “What? Me? No way, man.” “You sure? I just sense something going on between you two lately.” “Yeah, for sure, I’d tell you.” “Good, thank you, man. I mean if it were any other girl, I wouldn’t care, but she’s my sister and all the family I have. I’d hate for something to go on between you two, and it come between us. Plus, she’s had it rough in the dating department, and I just want the best for her.” I should be mad that he doesn’t think I’m good enough for his sister, but I agree. Chandler knows just as well as I do that she and I together would be bad. So, I’m gonna take his advice and stay as far away from her as I can.

“You have nothing to worry about, bro.” “Good, listen, I gotta go handle some business if you know what I mean. Can you get Mia home safely?” “Of course.” “Thanks, I owe you,” he says and pats my shoulder on his way out. And like that, he’s gone. Chandler has always been all over the place. I find it a bit funny that he can get a phone call, draw the line between Mia and me, and then be on his way. That’s Chandler, though. The waitress sets Mia’s new drink and shot down, but I know I’m not gonna let her have them. “We’re actually done, could I get the bill?” “Sure thing.” Mia still isn’t back when the bill for two beers, four drinks, and four shots hits the table. Jesus, no wonder she’s still not back from the bathroom. I leave cash on the table and head to the back hallway leading to the restrooms. “Mia?” I call out and knock on the bathroom door. She doesn’t answer, and I glance behind me. There isn’t anyone there, so I push the door open just far enough to peek inside. It appears to be empty, so I slip in. The bathroom is noiseless, so I move to the only stall with a closed door. “Mia, are you okay?” “Get out of here, Roan!” she yells at me. I laugh. She really should know me better than that.

“Let me in,” I tell her. “No!” “Come on.” I hear her move around, so I back up, giving her enough room to open the door and walk out. “Why are you in here?” “I got worried, you’ve had a ton to drink, and I didn’t know what was going on.” “Chandler is going to kill you.” “He’s gone,” I tell her as she washes her hands, looking back at me in the reflection of the mirror. Even drunk, she is gorgeous. “You need to leave, I’m not your problem to worry about.” “I’m not leaving, Chandler asked me to get you home safely.” She shakes her head as she pulls some paper towels from the dispenser, dries her hands, and then braces herself against the sink. For drinking as much as she did, she seems to really be holding her shit together pretty well. “I’ll get myself home.” She glares at me and straightens. Then she backs up and stumbles, but I somehow catch her before she falls. The instant that my hands wrap around the heat of her body, all I want to do is pull her closer. Mia is perfect. Everything about her is what I want. But I can’t give her what she needs—what she deserves—plain and simple. With that thought, I loosen the hold I have on her body. The look in

her eyes is dejected, and it breaks me from the inside out. “Will you at least let me drive you home?” “No, I’m not getting in your car with you, Roan.” “Well, you’re not driving in your condition,” I tell her, and she lets out an aggravated sigh before shoving through the restroom door on a mission out of here. I’m close behind her. I don’t care what she says, I will not let her drive like this. As she walks, she doesn’t look back, and I don’t stop following. After a few blocks, she stops in front of a sky rise, and as she reaches for the door, she looks over at me as I cross the street. I make my way to her, catching up to her before she goes inside. This must be where she lives. “You can go now.” Her tone is aggravated as the wind whips around her. “I’ll walk you to your door.” It earns me a glare, but she relents and heads inside. She doesn’t say a single thing as she leads me to the elevator, and then we ride it up to her floor. God, I hate how I’ve lost her. The doors open, and she walks down a long hallway and to her front door. “I’m home, happy?” she asks and glances over at me. A stray piece of her hair is stuck to her bottom lip. Gingerly, I reach for it, prepared to have my hand slapped away.

“I’m the furthest thing from happy, Mia,” I tell her, removing the silk strand from her mouth. My thumb brushes her lip. The point where our bodies connect is so small, yet so fucking powerful, that all the blood rushes to the tip of my shaft. In this moment, I want nothing more than to throw her over my shoulder, carry her inside her apartment, and have her again. I won’t do it. Mia is too extraordinary of a woman, she deserves someone to give her the world, and unfortunately, I can’t be that man.

CHAPTER 10

MIA

ALMOST TWELVE HOURS have passed since his finger was on my lip and I can still feel his touch. The way my skin burned and my body hummed with want was unreal. It wasn’t just the alcohol pushing me on, either. It was Roan, it’s what he does to me. It’s what he’s always done to me. There is no explanation for the way he can make me forget about the world around me. My cell phone rings, and I reach for it, still halfway lost in thought. I don’t know who the number belongs to, but it doesn’t matter. “Hello,” I answer, and when his deep voice sounds, my heart thuds. “How’s my girl doing?” “Oh my God! Tobias, is it really you?” “It’s me. I told you I’d call you the second I was back in the States.”

“I thought you weren’t going to be back for at least another year.” “Me, too, but our work in Lithuania is done, so I got to come home.” “Home as in Boston, home?” “Yes!” “Oh my God,” I say again, my voice full of excitement. “We have to do dinner and catch up.” “I’d love that,” he says, and I don’t think I realized how much I missed him until now. When he left to go overseas and do missionary work, it killed me. That last year of school without him around was terrible, I felt so alone. I’d lost my best friend. “How’s tonight, seven o’clock, I can pick you up at your place?” “I’d love that, I’ll text you my address. God, Tobias, it’s so good to hear your voice.” “You too, Mia, you too.” After talking to Tobias, it’s strange how I actually have something to look forward to after work. Tobias is . . . how do I say this? Things were so complex between us. He is my ex . . . kind of. No. Not my ex. We were, I mean are best friends, and one night, we let alcohol get the better of us. That led to us hooking up, or trying to, but Tobias is gay. And then it really made things super awkward for a while. I had no idea he was into men, but once he

explained that he’d been struggling with it his whole life and was scared to accept it, I understood. I’m still not sure if he’s come out of the closet yet or not, though. The rest of the day flies by, and before I know it, I’m the last one in the office. Before getting up from my desk, I click save on my speech and then print it. I’m going to have Tobias read it tonight because I know he’ll give me honest feedback. My phone rings and I answer, slinging my purse over my shoulder. “What’s up, Chandler?” I ask. “Please tell me you don’t have plans tonight.” “Why?” I chuckle. “I can’t get ahold of Roan, and I’m bored!” “I’m sorry, I have a friend coming over for dinner.” “Who? Do I know her?” “No, Chandler! You don’t . . . and it’s a guy.” “What the fuck?” I sigh. He’s such a hypocrite. He’s with a different girl every night, but the second I even hint at seeing someone, he freaks. “It’s Tobias.” “Ew, that douche from college who broke your heart?” “He didn’t break my heart. Do you listen to anything I say?” Chandler must remember how upset I was after Tobias left to go do missionary work. I really was a mess.

“So, what? Are you two fucking?” “Oh my God, who asks that?” “I do. So, answer me.” “No, he’s my friend—end of story.” I never told Chandler that Tobias is gay. It isn’t my place to blab his secret, and I’m pretty sure I’m the only person he’s told. “Maybe you feel that way, but he’s a guy, and he’s gonna want in your pants. I’m coming over.” “Chandler, if you show up at my house tonight, I will never talk to you again.” I put my car in park before going inside. “You couldn’t do that.” “Oh, I could. Now, I’m sure you have about a gazillion women you can call to hang out with. Or how’s this . . . have a night alone.” “Clearly, you’ve lost your mind. I don’t hang out alone. Have fun with ‘your friend.’ Good night, Mia.” He hangs up, and I head into my apartment. As I enter, I set my stuff down and slide my shoes off. God, my feet feel so amazing against my plush carpet. As much as I want my feet not to hurt anymore, I want wine more, so I move to the kitchen and grab a bottle, a wine key, and a glass. My phone chimes with a text just as I’m popping the cork. Tobias: What do you think if I bring some takeout over and we eat in and just catch up?

Me: I was just opening a bottle of wine. You know I’d love that. What are you thinking? Tobias: Thai? Me: That sounds great. Tobias: You want your usual? Me: Yes, please. The door is open, so just come in. I swear Tobias and I lived on Thai food in college. There was a little hole in the wall place right across from campus, and we’d eat there at least five days a week. Tobias: Great, see you soon. Can’t wait, Mia. We hang up, and I take my large glass of wine with me into my bedroom, relishing in the sweetness as it rolls down my throat. I strip off my uncomfortable pencil skirt and silk top. In turn, I pull on a pair of yoga pants and a T-shirt. Right as I pull my hair up, there is a knock at my door. I swear if it’s Chandler, I will kick him so hard. I know there is no way it’s Tobias yet. Yanking open the door angrily, I’m completely taken aback to find Roan standing there with his head bowed. He runs his fingers through his hair as he brings his dark eyes to mine. God, the way he’s looking at me makes me weak in the knees, and I’m not really sure what to do. “I’m sorry, I should’ve called first. But I don’t have your—” “It’s okay,” I nervously respond, gripping onto the side of the door as I search for the strength to

pull myself together. “Come in,” I tell him and step aside. I can’t believe he is here. Why is he here? He walks past me, and my eyes drop to the way his dress slacks hug every delicious curve of his ass. Then as I look down at myself in my frumpy clothes, I feel a bit mortified. “Do you want a glass of wine?” I ask as I grab mine, hoping I can find some encouragement within it. “No. I’m good. Your place is nice, Mia.” Shit, don’t say my name like that. “Thanks, I . . . I like it here.” “You lived here long?” “No, not long at all.” He’s staring out my balcony at the view of the Massachusetts Bay, and like I always do, I get lost in him and how fucking perfect he is. But as he turns around, his forehead is creased, and it’s clear that something is bothering him. “Do you want to talk about it?” I ask. “Not really.” “Then why are you here?” “I didn’t know where else to go, Mia.” Fuck. He did it again. “What happened?” I push him, knowing that it’s the only way I’ll get anything from him. If I don’t, he’ll stand there brooding until I shut the lights off and go to bed.

“You know how Chandler was giving you a hard time about helping me with my girls and the birds and bees talk?” “Yeah.” “Well, I had the talk, and my oldest isn’t a virgin.” I don’t really know what to say to that, so I say the dumbest thing I probably could. “Oh my God.” I flush and mentally berate myself. That’s the best I could come up with? I could only imagine how hard the news was for him to hear. Tears prick his eyes as I search for the words to make things better, but I have nothing. Reaching over, I touch his hand, and he flips his palm to mine and twines our fingers together. Before either of us can speak another word, Tobias barges through my front door and bellows, “Honey, I’m home,” giving us his best Ricky Ricardo impersonation. I’m sure the entire building hears him, and I want to laugh. This is something he used to do all the time in school, but the expression on Roan’s face keeps the smile far from mine. “Shit! I’m sorry, I didn’t know you had company,” Tobias says, and I turn my attention to Roan, whose eyes are bouncing between Tobias’s face and the bags in his hands. I know exactly what this looks like to him. He’s pulling away from me and striding to the door before I can so much as take a breath.

“Roan, wait!” I call out, chasing after him. He doesn’t stop and somehow slips into the elevator. When I reach it, the doors are closing, and the look on his face breaks my heart. Fuuuuuckkkk! Angrily, I bite the side of my index finger. How could this go so wrong? I glance down the hallway at Tobias, who’s watching me from the entrance of my apartment. His blue eyes show worry, and his perfectly combed hair is exactly as I remember. “I’m so sorry,” he says when I’m back within earshot. “It’s okay.” “Is that him?” Tobias asks as he sets the bags on my counter and I lock the door behind us. He is the only person in the world I ever told about Roan. “Yeah, that’s him.” “He’s younger than I expected.” “What do you mean?” “I don’t know, you always talked about him like he was eons older than you.” “He is . . . like almost a decade older than I am.” “Whatever, I thought he was like fifty, not thirty.” I shake my head as a smile pulls at the corners of his lips. “It’s too good to see you,” he says, opening his arms wide for me. I walk right into them and hug him as tightly as he hugs me. “You, too.”

“Wanna talk about why he was here?” “No.” I sigh. It wasn’t as if Roan came here to confess his love for me or anything. He came to vent. As much as Tobias loves me, I know he wouldn’t have any interest talking about a teenage girl’s sex life. “Come on, you know I’m the only person you can talk to about him.” I sit on the couch and take a gulp of my wine as he looks at me, waiting for me to respond to him. “Don’t look at me like that. It really was nothing.” “Well, if it was nothing, then why aren’t you telling me,” he says. “He just showed up. He’s having some issues with his daughters, which is what he was telling me about when you barged in.” “Was this the first time you’ve seen him since you got back? Hell, the last I heard, you hadn’t even seen him since that night.” “I avoided him for a while, but my brother invited him to an interview I did. That’s where it all went wrong, Tobias.” “You know you wanted to see him. Mia, he’s the one for you.” “No, he’s not.” “Come on, don’t be like that. I know you pretty damn well. We spent years together in college and you compared every guy to Roan. You’re only into him, and that’s okay. Clearly, he’s into you. He

came here tonight to talk to you about his problems.” “And I ruined it, now I’m sure he thinks that I have some secret boyfriend.” “No he doesn’t, and you know what? You can tell him I’m gay.” “I can?” The news of Tobias being so open about his sexuality comes as a shock. “Yeah, I’m finally out of the closet— completely.” “Well, that’s great news. What made you finally do it?” I ask him and give him another hug. I know how worried he was about telling everyone. “I met someone in Honduras, and everything changed. He showed me how to accept myself first, and by doing that, I’ve had the confidence to tell my family and, just like you told me they would, they were happy.” He has tears of joy in his eyes, and I couldn’t be happier. “Now, enough switching the subject here. You have to talk to him, Mia.” “I’ll try, but he won’t listen. He’ll just push me away like he always does.” “Then make him listen to you. If I learned one thing about you over the years, it’s that you’re the strongest woman I know and so determined. Roan might need a little coaxing, but you can do it.” “You really think I’m strong?” “Absolutely, I do.” “But what if I tell him and he feels the same

way? I still have my brother—Roan’s best friend and business partner—to worry about. He doesn’t want me with him.” “Fuck that. Does he run every woman that he’s with by you? Call you up to ask your permission?” I shake my head, thinking about what Tobias just said. I hate that he’s right. I . . . I can’t let Chandler run my life. Yes, he raised me and probably thinks what he’s doing is best for me. But he doesn’t understand what I feel deep inside for Roan. Hell, I’m not sure if I even understand it. But what I do know is, I’ve been with other guys and nothing or no one compares to him, and it isn’t just that one night he and I shared. It’s so much more. Roan was always there for me, especially when my parents passed. Deep down, I think I’ve loved him my entire life. He is truly the embodiment of what I want. I’m just not sure how to make it my reality.

CHAPTER 11

ROAN

THE GIRLS AREN’T TALKING to me. Well, they aren’t talking to me any more than usual. And after these last few days of silence, I’m not sure what to do. I’m lost—angry—upset that so many things are the way they are in my life. I should be grateful I have two healthy daughters and a killer job that more than pays the bills. But I’m just fuckin’ terrified that I’m ruining their lives. After I caught that fucking boy in Rianna’s room again—this time they were making out in her bed—I freaked out. It, in turn, led to the birds and the bees talk and ultimately her confession of not being a virgin. Which at fourteen years old is too young. Hell, I don’t even think I lost my virginity until I was sixteen. Regardless, my reaction to it all was . . . dreadful. In my defense, I have no clue how

I’m supposed to be okay with the news that my little girl is sexually active. Then the shit that went down with Mia . . . God, it’s taking everything I have to keep that out of my head, too. I can’t believe I finally got up the courage to go to her. But I just felt like I needed her, a woman, to help me understand what Rianna told me. But she has a fuckin’ boyfriend, and like a dumbass, I had no idea. Getting up from my couch, I grab another beer, and just as I crack it open, Rianna comes upstairs from the basement. She rolls her eyes at me and turns right back around. “Come on,” I groan to her retreating back. It’s obvious she’s still pissed at me, but fuck, give me a break. I’m really trying here. The steps halt creaking, a sign she’s stopped walking, and she asks, “What?” I take a deep breath, wishing I could shake some sense into her but knowing I can’t. “I’m sorry, baby girl.” There’s no response, and I hit my forehead with the palm of my hand. Think, fucker, think. The stairs squeak again, and I just blurt out the only thing I can think of. “I was thinking of going camping this weekend.” The squeaking stops again. “You were?” she asks, and the question in her tone settles my

stomach a little. Camping is what we always used to do as a family. Before Georgia left, we went all the time. “Why?” she asks and finally comes upstairs so I can see her face. “Why not?” “Uh, we haven’t been since before Mom left.” “I know, and lately things have been rough between us all, I thought it might help.” Hell, what can it hurt? “Aren’t I grounded again?” she asks. Referring to the order I threw down after catching that fucker in her room again. God, why does my brain go there? The thought alone makes me angry. “Ria, I’m trying here.” She shakes her head and says to me, “Then stop controlling everything we do.” “I don’t mean to. I try to give both you and your sister space, but what you told me and then this boy being in your room twice now has really messed with my head.” “Well, you don’t need to worry about him anymore because he broke up with me.” That little fucker. I’m going to kill him. “Oh, Ria,” I tell her and walk across the room so I can pull her into a tight embrace. How could he do that to her? Be with her like that and then just break up with her? She holds me back the way she

used to when she was little. Hugs from her like this are something I miss so much. No matter how old she gets, I’ll always think of her as my little girl. “I’m sorry.” She sniffles against my chest, and I pat the back of her hair, holding her just a bit closer. I’m not really sure what to say. She’s too young to be upset about a boy, especially to have a broken heart over one. Yet, here she is. She should have her mother to talk to. Anger boils like an old friend inside me, and I swallow it down. We don’t need Georgia; we only need each other. “So, what do you say? Wanna get out of here and go camping?” She nods, and I hope it will help, hell . . . what can it hurt?

“YOU DO REALIZE you picked the busiest weekend in the world to go camping, don’t you?” Chandler says to me through the phone, as I load the last of our gear into my SUV. His words are a blur because all I want to do is ask him about Mia and find out if she is really seeing that guy. He hasn’t said a word about it, which is unlike him, so maybe he doesn’t know, either. “You hear me, pussy?” he yells. “Yeah, I fucking hear you. Winter Island State Park was the only place that I could find with any spots left, and I need to get away, so we’re going.”

My head is so full, I feel like it’s about to explode. “You know why they have open spots? Because it’s near that creepy ass ghost town of Salem, and no one wants to go there.” “Whatever, you know that’s all a myth, right?” “Fuck you, those witches still live there.” “And what, you think they are gonna come to the campground and fuck with me?” “Absolutely I do, man,” Chandler says, and I can’t help but chuckle at him. “You’re out of your mind, you know that? I can’t believe I’m saying this, but you should come camping, too. You need some fresh air to clear your head.” It’s a hollow suggestion. There is no way in the world he’d go camping. “Fuck you!” “Sure thing. I gotta hit the road.” “Sounds good, have fun being murdered by a cult of witches.” “Bye, douche bag.” “It was nice knowing—” I hang up on him and shake my head. Only Chandler would be scared of witches. Regardless of how busy it’s gonna be, I’m still excited to go. We’ll have our own spot and our peace and quiet to recharge. I slam the back of my SUV closed and head inside, yelling, “Ready?” to the girls as I head to the basement.

“You’re not bringing that,” I hear Rianna yell and it stops me short. Maisy and Rianna are standing at the bottom of the stairs, and they have a framed picture of Georgia between them. “It’s only a picture.” “Yeah, and it’s weird you wanna bring it. Mom isn’t dead. If she wanted to be here with us, she could be. She left us, Maisy.” Rianna tugs the frame, but Maisy doesn’t let it go. As I look at Maisy gripping onto the frame, I can tell she is hurting. I make my way downstairs. “What’s wrong?” “She wants to bring that with us, and it’s weird, Dad.” “Give your sister some slack, okay?” “Why, you don’t give me slack?” I take a deep breath, doing my damnedest not to fight with them this weekend. “Will you give us a second?” I ask Rianna, and she trudges up the stairs with her backpack in hand. Maisy sniffles and I reach for the photo out of her grip, which she hesitantly gives over to me. “Don’t cry, honey.” It’s a photo of Georgia fishing from when she and I first started dating. She was pregnant with Ria and looks so young. “Why did mom have to leave us?” I’m not sure how to answer her. In the years since Georgia left, she’s never asked me that. I can’t say it’s because I wouldn’t stop fighting or because she chose

drinking over her own family. There is no way I’m telling her that her mother just didn’t love us enough to stay. “Sometimes people change; one day you’ll understand.” She blinks at me with her big blue eyes, watching as I flip the picture over and pull open the back of the frame. “Here, keep this in your pocket,” I say as I hand Maisy the picture.

CHAPTER 12

MIA

“I CAN’T BELIEVE I let you talk me into this,” Chandler complains as he drives us toward the coast. “Whatever. Just enjoy getting away from life.” When Chandler told me that Roan was going camping and invited him, I knew that was my in. It was my way to force Roan to talk to me and not run like he did the other day. I need to explain so much to him. I’m sure it will initially piss him off that I’m there, but I’m following my heart, I have to. “How much longer until we are there?” he asks. I pull up the map on my phone, the reception is getting spotty, and it makes the app crash twice before I get an updated estimated time of arrival. “About another half mile and then the entrance is on your right.”

I cross my arms and sink into my seat, preparing myself to see Roan. I look out my window and hope that this goes well. Even if we don’t end up together, I want us to be friends like we used to be and I want him to know I am there for him. The sun is starting to set as Chandler slows and pulls into the campground. The place is packed with campers, RVs, and tents. Chandler makes the loop, and we both look for Roan. “What kind of car does he drive?” I ask him. My answer is Chandler slowing and pulling to the side of the narrow dirt road. Roan and his two girls are sitting around a campfire to our left. Shit, his daughters are here? Chandler parks and shuts the car off. Roan is looking at us, and I’m frozen, suddenly too nervous to get out. “What’s the matter?” he asks me. “Oh, nothing. I just didn’t know we were camping with his girls. I thought it was just the three of us.” “Shut up, I told ya they’d be here,” he says and gets out of the car. No. No, he most definitely didn’t. I would’ve remembered something like that. Sometimes, I swear he thinks shit, and since his mind is all over the place it never comes out of his mouth, but he truly believes it does. Roan begins to walk toward us, and I consider sinking down to the floorboard in hopes he won’t

see me. This was a bad idea. What was I thinking? “You coming?” Chandler asks as he pushes open his door. I so wish I had another option. I thought I was ready to face Roan, but . . . I’m not. I’m the last person in the world he’ll want to see and how am I supposed to handle being around his daughters. If they so much as get a sniff that I’m into him, they’ll hang me. “Come on!” The door shuts behind him, and I force myself to move. Roan’s eyes are on me the second he lifts his sunglasses. His face is scruffy as if he hasn’t shaved in a week and his eyes are cautious. He’s wearing a hoody and snug jeans that hug him perfectly. There is also a beer clenched in the palm of his hand. “You don’t mind that we crashed your party, do you?” Roan shakes his head at Chandler, then sips his beer. “Not at all, I told you that you needed some fresh air. Mia, how are you?” “I’m . . .” I’m fucking nervous. “Good.” Chandler goes to the back of the car to unload it, and Roan turns his intense eyes back on me. “Your boyfriend know you’re here?” “He isn’t my boyfriend.” “Whatever you say,” Roan responds unforgivingly before chugging the rest of his beer, tossing the bottle into the fire, and walking off.

Shit! This is going to be harder than I thought.

CHAPTER 13

ROAN

I CAN’T BELIEVE she’s here. I mean, why? Part of the reason I came camping was to get away from all the shit that is spinning inside my head about her. After her boyfriend barged in on us, my mind just got more fucked up. I don’t care what she says about him, a friend wouldn’t do that. I saw the way he looked at us, at her . . . so she’s only lying to herself. “Would you sit?” Mia scolds Chandler, and I can’t help but grin. He’s dying without his phone. Like, I think it is literally killing him. And every noise in the distance has him looking around, scared that a cult of witches is gonna jump out. “How is there not a cell phone tower close by?” He doesn’t even miss a beat as he holds his hand a bit higher in the air. I want to ask him what he will do if he finds a signal but has to hold his hand like

that, but Mia laughs at his desperation. The sound hits me in a way it shouldn’t. “We’re camping, that’s how,” she says in response to him. “What if we have an emergency?” “The witches wouldn’t let you make a phone call, anyway,” I tease him, and he walks farther away. It’s late as hell, the girls crashed in their tent about an hour ago. I’m not sure how they feel about Mia and Chandler being here, but they seemed okay about it. “Dude, sit the fuck down,” I yell at Chandler as his pacing makes the smoke billow in my direction. “This blows,” he says. “What did you expect?” I don’t want to be rude, but he doesn’t have to be here. He made a choice to come out here with Mia in tow. “I don’t know, I expected more than . . . this.” He waves his arm, gesturing to our surroundings. I open the cooler next to me, pull out a beer, and toss it to him. Maybe if he gets drunk, he’ll calm down and just chill a bit. “Fuck that, I’m going to bed.” The beer comes flying back in my direction, and I catch it in one hand. “Sleep well, the witches will be here soon to take you to your séance,” I tease to his retreating back.

He flips me off. “You coming, Mia?” “I’ll be there in a bit. I’m gonna finish my drink.” He nods, and then he’s gone. I’ve been in a lot of uncomfortable positions in my life, but this is by far the worst. I have no idea what to say to her. Mia is sitting across from me, and the campfire is casting her in an orange glow that makes her even more gorgeous. I pick at the label on my beer as the tension between us gets thicker. It shouldn’t be there at all. I shouldn’t be mad about the guy who walked into her apartment. I have no right. Everything should be kosher between us. She is not mine in any way. We had a one-night stand so fucking long ago, and we are both adults. We . . . I should be able to just get past it. But fuck . . . she makes me want so much more. “Roan?” Her voice is just a whisper, but every syllable awakens my insides. “Yeah?” I respond, holding her gaze. “Will you take a walk with me?” My mind spirals as all sorts of thoughts run through it. From my pinning her against a tree and fucking her to her falling asleep in my arms, sated. I don’t know why I’m all over the place when it comes to this woman, but I am. It’s probably better if we don’t. That’s what I should say, but instead, I nod and tell her, “Sure.” She stands and stretches. A tiny moan leaves

her body as she lifts her arms high above her head, causing her shirt to ride up. The skin of her sexy stomach peeks out at me, and I almost tell her to stop. I get up myself and focus on staying in the moment. Mia sticks her hands in her hoody pocket, and then we both begin to head away from camp. The stars, the moon, and a few dying campfires are all that light our path. “Thank you,” she says. “For what?” “For giving me a chance to explain things.” “You don’t need to explain anything, Mia, you know that, right?” “But I do. That guy at my house the other night is not my boyfriend. He really is only my friend.” I want to believe her, but for some reason, I can’t. “Okay,” I tell her and let her keep talking. She’s the one who asked me to come on this walk. “He and I did hook up in college, once. We were drunk and somehow got carried away. Regardless, he’s gay and in a relationship and one of my very best friends.” “Why are you telling me this?” I ask her, not giving a shit who she has or hasn’t been with. Though, I’m sure her sleeping with a guy who turned out to be gay is an interesting story. “Because I want you to know that I’m not with anyone.” I open my mouth to tell her that where

she’s about to go is a bad idea, but she keeps talking. “Yes, you and I had one night of completely mind-blowing sex that I can’t seem to forget. But when you stormed out the other night, I realized that, even if we are never together again in that way, I couldn’t stand the thought of you not being in my life. Roan, I’ll always be here for you if you need me.” “I appreciate your honesty, but my problems aren’t yours to deal with, they’re mine and mine alone.” She stops walking as we reach a bench and exhales, looking up at the night sky before taking a seat. I sit next to her and can tell she’s thinking about her next words carefully. Then, when she says them . . . I’m shocked. “Roan, I’m done playing games. Don’t you see that I want your problems to be mine, too?” “No, Mia. Please don’t go there.” “Why? Because Georgia fucked you up so royally that you can never move on and love again? What she did really sucked, Roan, but we’ve all been through some shit in our lives, and what happens to us, doesn’t make it okay to just roll over and give up.” “I’m not giving up,” I challenge back, hating how fucking well she knows me. “Then what are you doing?” “I’m trying. I really am. Every day, I fucking

try. You think I want to be this way? You think I want to feel stranded and alone, as if I can never love again because I’m too goddamn scared that person will leave me, too?” She shakes her head, her gorgeous fucking head with that long hair piled high and those big eyes, those big innocent eyes that do things to me. I grab the sides of her face, holding on to it as she breathlessly says, “I don’t know what to think because you won’t talk to me.” “I tried that night we were together, and . . . I couldn’t do that to you.” “Do what?” “Ask you to give up your life for me.” “I wouldn’t be giving up a thing. Being with you is something I want, Roan.” “Why?” “I have no fucking clue.” “There are so many men in the world, Mia,” I whisper, and she nuzzles closer against the palm of my hand. I’m still holding onto her face as she closes her eyes like she’s fearful that this is all going to end. “There are, but all I see is you.” She opens her eyes, watching me. Since Georgia, Mia is the only woman to make me feel anything, and in this moment, I know she sees all the things I’ve held back. “Like I said earlier, if nothing ever comes of us, I just want to be there for you.”

“I can’t be your friend,” I tell her with a chuckle. But it’s the truth. “You deserve better than me.” I keep trying to push her away, knowing I shouldn’t let her sacrifice herself for me. Hating that fate keeps trying to shove us back together. I should pull away and walk off. It would be the right thing to do. Before I can pull my palms away from her face, she runs her hands up the front of my chest. Electricity charges everywhere she touches. Then she’s sinking her hands into my hair and tilting her face just a bit as I lean in closer to her. I groan and drop my gaze to her lips, remembering what they taste like, what she tastes like. And like that, our mouths collide with as much force as a jet taking off. Fuck, there is no stopping this. I hold her tightly, and she climbs on top of my lap, straddling me. She tastes just as I remember and feels the same, if not better, in my arms as she did that night. God, she is so fucking perfect that it terrifies me. It’s part of the reason I left. If things end badly, I don’t know what I’ll do with myself.

CHAPTER 14

MIA

BEING in Roan’s arms again feels unreal. I want to pinch myself to wake up. This can’t be real, can it? His short hair is soft between my fingertips, reminding me of how it felt all those years ago. His hands roam my body while his cock grows insistent between my legs. I don’t care that we are in the middle of nowhere. I’d let him take me right here, right now. “We can’t do this,” he says. His words don’t touch the inferno inside me. “Yes, we can.” I continue on and bravely begin to fumble with the button of his jeans. But he clenches my wrist in his firm grip and says, “No, I mean here.” “I can’t wait any longer.” “You have to.”

“Please,” I beg him and peck his lips. He kisses me back, and I do it again and again, each time he returns the gesture, sending a tiny spark into the air above the inferno that is still raging. I get what he’s saying. He means out here in the open, but I don’t care, it’s dark, and I don’t want to wait a second longer. This is what I’ve wanted for so long. He grips my hips in his strong hands as I’m straddling his body. The strength of them pulls an indulgent noise from my lips a split second before I lean down and smash my lips against his once more. “Please,” I whisper, softly nibbling on his bottom lip. He tosses his head back and reaches between us, unbuttoning his pants. I can’t see what he is doing, but I can feel it, and when he takes my hand and wraps it around his cock again, I remember every detail of his hard shaft, and it causes me to scoot off him. Kneeling between his legs, I don’t waste a second, sucking and swallowing as much of him as I can. His hand knots into my hair with a tight grip pushing and pulling me along with my movements. Each thrust of him against my mouth makes my pussy clench. Fuck, I want him. “God, I love your mouth,” he grumbles and then pulls me off him. I stare up at him, panting, wanting more. I know my eyes are full of lust as his

hands lift me to a standing position. Immediately, his hands find the button on my pants. He flicks it open, and then I shimmy, helping him work them down. My jeans are still bunched around my ankles when he pulls me toward him, my knees touching the rough wooden bench as he spreads my pussy wide open, rubbing back and forth across my sex with his skilled fingers. The friction makes me shudder, and I feel like I could collapse. “I don’t have a condom,” he says. Neither do I, but I’m on the pill and haven’t been with anyone in so long that I know I’m clean four times over. “I don’t want to use one,” I tell him. “Are you sure?” “Uh-huh.” “You on the pill?” “Yes.” With the one simple word, he pulls me down onto him. His body is so warm against mine that I want to blend into it. My feet are bound together by my jeans, and our thighs are skin to skin. But nothing compares to the feeling of him inside me . . . again. God, what I’d do to be completely naked with Roan. My daydream breaks when the head of his very stout shaft presses against me just where I need it. I move slowly, trying to cherish this moment. Roan’s dick throbs inside of me, causing me to moan loudly, and he clamps a hand over my mouth. I

stare down at him, the moonlight barely illuminating his face as I try to get a read on what he’s thinking. But all I can see in the reflection of his dark, alluring eyes is myself. “No noises,” he whispers, and I nod. He lets go of my mouth and together—frozen—we just sit. His cock is pulsating, making me wild. I need him to move. I need to feel what it’s like to be with Roan again. So I start to arch my body up and down as he matches my movements, filling me so completely I could cry. God, I’ve missed this. My body buzzes with intemperance, and he pulls my lips to his, kissing me, a tender yet powerful connection. I don’t think there is anything better than the feeling of his mouth on mine and his dick inside me. I whine, clenching his shaft with my pussy muscles as my orgasm knocks on my door. His hands slide to my ass cheeks, and he takes both of them in his palms. “Harder,” I whisper, and he spreads me wider, slamming me just the way I love. Just the way he did all those years ago. I fight my orgasm with everything I have, but it’s a lost cause. It crashes over and through me, hard and soft and violent all at once. Moaning into his neck as every single muscle in my body tenses, I ride the orgasm. Roan doesn’t stop what he’s doing. He continues stroking and fucking me like only he knows how, and I fall

far from this world. On my way out, I’m rewarded with a little more satisfaction as I feel him come inside me. Connecting our bodies in a way I never dreamed would be possible again.

CHAPTER 15

ROAN

MIA and I stayed up all night talking. Not about anything in particular either, just talking about everything and anything. By the time the sun broke the horizon, washing everything in a gorgeous sunrise, I knew I wanted my future to include Mia. She’s so amazing. Truly, in every way possible, she is perfect. It’s all too much to fight any longer. I never thought I’d have the chance to sleep with her again, or that if I did, I’d be ready. But last night with Mia gave me hope. She made me see that maybe I can move on, in my own way and on my own time. There isn’t a single doubt that I’m ready to take that step forward with Mia by my side, helping me every step of the way. She won’t pressure or push me. We will learn to be whatever it is that we are meant to be. “What about Chandler and the girls,” she asks,

her eyes shining in the morning light. “I don’t know what we should do.” “I feel the same way.” “Let’s wait to tell the girls. They love you and Chandler so the transition could be rough on them. But we should tell Chandler now,” I tell her, not wanting to lie to my best friend. I cup her beautiful face, and she rests her head against my chest. I hold on to her the same way I have all night long— reverently. “When you say now, do you mean like this weekend?” “Or when we’re home, so the girls aren’t around in case he flips out.” “I don’t think he’ll understand either way.” “He will, trust me.” “I do, but I know my brother better than anyone.” Her brother’s ears must’ve been burning because as soon as the words leave her mouth, he starts calling our names. “Really? He’s up this early?” I shrug. I have no idea how early he normally gets up. “Just trust me. He’ll be okay.” She nods, but the fear of confessing to Chandler that something is going on between us is apparent. “God, I’m gonna miss those lips all day.” She giggles and stands just as Chandler rounds the bend, and we both laugh at his pathetic appearance. Camping does not suit him at all.

“Oh my God, are you okay?” Mia asks him. He is hunched over, and his face is pinched in pain. “What the fuck does it look like?” he yells and shakes his head, barely able to stand all the way up. “What happened?” I ask him. “Sleeping on the ground fucked my back up.” He glares at me as if it’s my fault the ground is hard. I chuckle at him. “What?” he yells at me, clearly wanting to take his frustrations out on someone. “Nothing.” “What the fuck is up with the smirk then?” He finally straightens and stretches his arms, trying to relieve that pain in his back. “Just woke up happy, that’s all.” He rolls his eyes at me and then turns to Mia. “What about you? I didn’t even hear you come to bed.” “I was in late and out early. The ground does suck.” She’s all innocent excuses, and I force myself not to pull her into my arms again. “Fuck, I don’t think I can do it again.” “I have an air mattress in the car, we’ll blow up for tonight.” The look on his face when she tells him that is priceless. I’m sure she’d planned to sleep on it last night, but seeing as we got carried away and never slept, that didn’t happen. “Fuck, why you holding out on me?” he gripes, and she cracks up again.

“I didn’t mean to.” “Whatever, what are you fuckers doing up this early anyway?” The pain in his back must be working itself out because his snark is back in full swing. Mia and I glance at each other. She waits for me to say anything, and right as I consider telling him, the girls round the bend, so I wait. “We watched the sunrise together.” “Wow, how fucking lame is that?” Mia slaps his shoulder, and he flinches as I stifle a yawn. The exhaustion of staying up all night is beginning to creep up on me. I can feel it in my body as we walk back to camp. “Morning,” I tell Rianna and Maisy once we are close enough to camp. “Hey,” they call out, and I stack a few logs on the fire in preparation for cooking breakfast and making coffee, but before I can proceed, Rianna asks me, “Can I help?” And I swear to God I heard her wrong. The kid is still barely talking to me, much less offering to help me with anything. “Sure. Grab the matches and lighter fluid from that table.” I point across camp, and she heads off to collect them. After the wood is stacked, Rianna drenches the fire, and I walk her through each step to make sure she understands how to stay safe when lighting a fire with lighter fluid. Times like this really make

me miss the days when she would allow me to teach her. Maisy watches as Rianna strikes the match and tosses it on the wood. A huge ball of flames billows into the air above the stack of wood. I glance at Rianna, who has a satisfied smirk on her face. Even though I’m through the roof about Mia, this is why I came camping, after all, to be with my girls. I can’t forget what’s most important. The flames are warm, and I wrap an arm around each of them. Maisy sniffles and I glance down at her, worried. She’s holding the picture of Georgia. “She’s not ever coming back, is she?” I know she misses her mother terribly, but I can’t lie to her. “No, baby, she’s not.” Maisy tosses the picture into the flames. The orange embers quickly melt away the image, and together, the three of us stand in silence, watching the last of the picture turn to ash.

CHAPTER 16

MIA

AFTER LISTENING to Chandler bitch all morning about how bad his back hurt, I finally go and buy him some Aleve. Rianna and Maisy come with me, and I hope they can’t sense how nervous I am to be alone with them. But with their chatter in the background, I’m sure they haven’t. “You want some?” Maisy asks, sticking some bag of sugary candy next to my head. “No thanks,” I tell her as I pull up to camp, my mind on one thing and one thing only—Roan. God, being with him last night was a dream come true. The way his hands ignited my body from the inside out and how his lips made me hum with pleasure was almost too much. It was all so mind-blowing. I can’t imagine what sex with him in a bed is going to be like again. “Thanks for taking us,” Rianna says as we get

out of the car. “Of course,” I tell her, only half paying attention to them as we walk deeper into camp. Roan’s heated eyes are on me, making me blush a dozen different shades of red. “Finally!” Chandler complains and reaches for the medicine. I hand it to him, and he tears the box open. “You find the place okay?” Roan asks. “We did.” “Took ya long enough,” my brother grumbles, and I wish I would’ve bought him the PM version. “Good,” Roan says, ignoring Chandler. “What’d you guys do?” I ask and take a seat. “Just this,” Chandler says in a condescending tone. He’s seriously cranky, which is ironic considering I was the one who stayed up all night. “Maybe you need a nap,” I tell him, and he waves me off. I let out a sigh and focus on Roan. My sexy and gorgeous Roan. He’s lacing a fishing pole, his hands working the line so perfectly that it makes my tummy clench a bit. After he ties the last knot, he asks Chandler, “You sure you don’t want to come with us?” “Nah, I guess I’m gonna take a nap on the air mattress my sister was holding out on.” “Mia?” The way he says my name makes me squirm a bit as I stand. “Sure.” I try to sound cool. The four of us

venture off toward the water, but cool is the last thing that I am.

“YOU WANT ANOTHER BEER?” Roan asks me, the fire crackling as we sit around it. “Please,” I respond and can’t help but stare at him as he gets up and goes to the cooler. It’s been a long day as I try to keep my hands to myself. Knowing I can touch him and he wants it makes it almost impossible. Almost. The girls have long since passed out, too tired from fishing and swimming to keep their eyes open. I, however, have reached the point of being so tired I’m wide-awake. “Why do you keep staring at each other like that?” Chandler’s question comes completely out of left field, but he is drunk after all. “What are you talking about?” I ask him. “I’ve noticed it all day.” “You’re just drunk.” Now is not the time to tell my brother about Roan and me. “So? I’m not blind.” Roan hands me my beer and then takes his seat, I glance at him for help with this. When he speaks, I swear I haven’t heard him right. “You’re right, man, something is going on between us.” Chandler doesn’t speak as he gives him a whatthe-fuck look, and his whole body seems to sober.

“Don’t fuck with me like that.” “I’m not.” “Mia?” Two sets of eyes land on me, and I swallow hard. “It’s true,” I tell him and shrug. I know how my brother is. He will never be okay with this. He doesn’t think Roan—or anyone, really—is ever going to be good enough for me. “Stop fucking with me, it isn’t funny,” he says and slams the rest of his beer before tossing the empty can in the fire. “I’m not,” Roan tells him. And he stands, looking between the two of us. “How long?” Chandler asks, swaying as he stares at me. “It just happened,” I tell him. “No, come on.” “It’s the truth,” Roan tells him, and my brother waves Roan off, glares at both of us, and then stumbles to his tent. We both watch a bit shocked that what we just told him caused him to basically walk off and ignore us. I’m not sure how I expected him to respond. Maybe yell and scream and threaten Roan. Never did I think he would just . . . walk away.

CHAPTER 17

ROAN

“YOU GUYS HAVE FUN?” I ask the girls as we drive home from camping. Mia is particularly quiet next to me, and I know she’s thinking about her brother. “It was great, thank you, Dad,” Maisy says, bringing me back to the present. “Of course,” I shoot her a smile in the rearview mirror and am rewarded with one right back. Maisy turns her attention to the scenery. Mia glances at her phone, and I ask her, “Did he text you yet?” Chandler wasn’t there when we woke up this morning, and he isn’t picking up his damn phone. She shakes her head, and I have no clue what to do. If being with her means I lose him as a friend, then it’s a risk I’ll take. It doesn’t mean I want her to be miserable or feel guilty about anything,

though. “Why did Chandler leave so early?” Rianna asks. “His back was bothering him.” I lie, and I hate it. How can I demand honesty from the girls when I’m sitting here lying to them? “It was uncomfortable sleeping on the ground,” Maisy says, and I nod even though I don’t actually know. Sleep was the last thing that Mia and I did all weekend. “Are you girls cool if I drop you off? Then I’m gonna help Mia unload her stuff and take Chandler’s to him.” “Sure, that’s fine. So, when do you wanna get our nails done, Mia?” Rianna asks her, surprising me. My eyes flick to Mia next to me, and she smiles. “Whenever you want, your dad has my number so just have him text me.” “Okay,” she happily answers just as I pull up to my house. The girls get out and give us a wave as they walk up the driveway. I watch until they are inside before pulling off. “They like you,” I tell Mia, but victory with the girls doesn’t help. Chandler has her so upset. “What are we gonna do?” she asks me. “Give him some time and hope he gets over it?” “I don’t think he will. He raised me, so who I choose to be with is a big deal in his eyes.”

“Then let’s go talk to him and make him see why we want to be together.” “Are you sure this is what you want, Roan?” “What do you mean?” I ask her, confused. “I just mean, before we make a big ordeal about everything, are you sure you want to do this, to be with me?” “I don’t know what has gotten into your head since the other night, Mia, but I’ve never been more sure about anything in all my life. Please don’t question us ever again.” “But we’re gonna face a lot of challenges. My brother is just one of them.” “You think I’m scared of challenges? My whole life has been nothing but a fucking challenge, and now that you’ve finally made me see what I want and that I can have it, I’m not giving that up—no matter what or who stands in my way. Like that ex of yours, you better make it fucking clear to him that I’m in the picture now.” “Who? Tobias?” “Yeah, if that’s his name.” “Oh my God, Roan, you’re crazy! I told you, he’s gay.” “But at one time he was unsure and slept with you, right?” She moans and says, “It was a mistake. I promise you have nothing to worry about with him.”

“Better not,” I grumble. “You know, he’s the only person I ever told about you.” “You did?” “I did. I met him after we hooked up, and I moved away for college. He could see there was something really bothering me, so I confided in him. He is a good friend. He’s been rooting for you and me all along.” “I still don’t trust him; he’s a guy.” She giggles a little, and I fall a little deeper for her.

CHAPTER 18

MIA

CHANDLER WASN’T HOME. We banged on the door and waited outside forever but didn’t get a response. “His phone is still going to voice mail,” Roan says. “He needs to understand where we are coming from, and in order to do that, I think I may need to talk to him alone.” “Are you sure?” “Yeah, I am.” “I can be there with you if you want.” I laugh. “It wouldn’t be me talking to him alone if I brought you with me.” He nods, understanding, and I stand on my tiptoes so I can give him a peck on the cheek. He clearly doesn’t like it and grabs my face in the palms of his hands holding me in place. “Call me as soon as you’re done.”

“Okay.” Very possessively Roan leans down and kisses me just the way he wants to. I melt in his hold, feeling so weak in my knees I think I may fall. Far too soon, he pulls away. “Come on, I’ll walk you out.” After we load Chandler’s stuff into my car, we go our separate ways. I dial Chandler one more time on the drive, hoping he’ll pick up. He doesn’t, and I don’t bother leaving another voice mail. If he’s not home, I’ll just wait at his house as long as I need to. I really don’t get why he is acting the way he is. It’s not as if Roan is a bad guy or anything. He’s Chandler’s best friend and business partner for Christ’s sake. Maybe that’s what I should make him realize: that out of everyone in the world, Roan is exactly the guy he can trust with my heart. With that decided, I park on the street and walk up to the front door. All it takes is one knock for Chandler to answer. “What’s up?” he asks a bit blasé. “Why are you ignoring me?” “I’m not ignoring you.” “Uh, seeing as I had to come to your house twice now to talk to you, I’d have to beg to differ.” “I dropped my phone in the fucking toilet when I got home, it’s in a bag of rice. He points to the kitchen counter and steps aside so I can come in. “I went to get a new one, but of course, they have to

order it.” “So, you’re not mad at me.” “Oh, Mia.” He closes the front door and takes a seat on the sofa, patting the cushion next to him. “I’m not mad, I just don’t want to see you make a mistake.” “I appreciate you looking out for me, you know that. You’re the only family I have. But this is Roan we’re talking about, not some random guy.” “I know, that’s why I’m acting the way I am.” “What do you mean?” My brother is quite possibly the most confusing man in the entire world. “If he hurts you, I’ll have to kill him. Then what? I’ll lose my best friend, too.” I take in a deep breath and relax a fraction. That’s what this is about. Why he’s been so persistent about us not getting together. “This thing with Roan and me . . .” I wait for him to look at me before continuing, “It isn’t new. We have a past.” “A past?” he asks, utter confusion plastered across his face. “Yeah.” “What do you mean?” “Don’t freak out, okay?” “Just talk, ’cause I’m really close to freaking out.” “You remember when you let me work at the

firm before I started school?” “Yeah, when you interned.” “Well . . . Roan and I hooked up.” “Shut the fuck up, he doesn’t just hook up with girls, Mia.” “Well, he did with me.” “So, what? You two were dating then?” “No, I mean the attraction between us has been there for a long time. But we were only together once. We only decided to give it a shot two nights ago.” “I love you both. I really do, but come on, why him with all his baggage?” “You can’t help who your heart wants.” I’m not sure if he understands what I mean. My brother has never been with anyone more than once that I know of. I only hope that one day he can find his own happily ever after. I’m not saying that’s where things with Roan and me are headed, but one thing I do know is that when I’m with him, I’m the happiest I’ve been. “So you love him?” “I don’t know. Like I said, we just decided to give it a shot. I’m sorry that I didn’t tell you before about our past, but I didn’t feel a need to. Now, though, I want you to understand that regardless of what happens with Roan and me, nothing between the two of you will change.” “That’s fine, but if he hurts you . . . I’ll . . . ”

“Do nothing, because I’m sure he’ll have a damn good reason for it.” “Fuck, I hope you’re right.” My brother pulls me into a tight embrace, and I hold him back, so grateful that I have him.

CHAPTER 19

ROAN

ME: How did it go? Mia: Good, better than I expected. Me: Yeah? Mia: I told him everything about us and our past. Me: Shit, you did? “Who are you texting, Dad?” Rianna asks me as the refrigerator dings at me to close it. “Oh, Chandler.” “I thought it was Mia,” Maisy says. “Yeah, why?” I ask, wanting to know what gave me away. “I don’t know, just did.” “I like her, she’s like the older sister I never had,” Rianna chimes in. Shit! That’s the last way I want them to feel about

her. “You know she’s not much younger than I am,” I tell them. “And she’s not much older than we are.” Which isn’t exactly true since Mia is twenty-three. “What’s Chandler saying?” This from Rianna as she takes a seat at the table. “Not much, just talking about work.” “Really? Cause he just pulled up out front.” I glance out the window. Shit, he’s really here. “Yeah, I know,” I tell them and act as if I was expecting him as I rush outside before he can come in and spill the news to the girls. “What up, bitch?” he calls out and gives me a friendly handshake. “Not much, what are you doing here?” “Came to see my best friend, is that cool?” I keep my voice low, so the girls have no chance of overhearing me. “I talked to Mia, she told me that you two talked.” “We did, and I have to say, I’m a bit disappointed that you lied to me.” “What are you talking about, I didn’t lie.” “All those years ago, man, why wouldn’t you tell me?” I glance over my shoulder and then back to him. I know we need to talk about this, but this conversation isn’t happening in my driveway. “The girls are right inside, bro. I really don’t want them

to know yet.” “All right, let’s go grab a drink.” I nod and head back inside to the kitchen, tell the girls I’m leaving, and head back outside. “You want me to drive?” “Nah, I can.” I get into his car, and once the door is closed, I know I have to tell him my side of things to make him understand. “When Mia and I hooked up, I was in a really rough spot. It wasn’t long after Georgia left, and I was still a mess. I don’t think I really understood what I was doing until it was done. I looked at your sister, who was so amazing and had her whole life ahead of her, and I knew I couldn’t ask her to give up college and be with me. I’d already ruined one relationship and couldn’t even love myself, much less her. “Then why sleep with her?” “I was weak and vulnerable, the attraction had been building between us for months while she worked at the firm, and I gave in. I’ve always known she was too good for me.” “Damn straight, she still is.” “I know, and I’m not sure why she wants anything to do with me now, but if I can promise you one thing, it’s that I’ll always treat her like a queen. Always.” “Fuck! You! Man!” he says in as calm of a tone as I’ve ever heard him use, enunciating each and

every syllable to the fullest. “What?” “You really do like her, huh?” “I do.” “And you’re gonna take care of her, no matter what?” “I will.” “Then I guess we have something to celebrate, don’t we?” He parks his car in front of a local bar, and we both get out. His response has surprised me, which I guess it shouldn’t. Chandler is my best friend, and I knew in the end that he’d understand.

CHAPTER 20

MIA

“YOU KNOW you really are needy today,” I say to Roan as I shift so I can hold my phone between my ear and shoulder. “Who me?” he responds with a crackle in his voice that makes me weak in the knees. “Yes. It’s like you miss me or something.” “I do. How was it? He try to hit on you?” “No, Roan, he actually brought his boyfriend to lunch.” “Really?” His voice is full of incredulity, which pulls a small smile to my lips. He really can’t believe that I have a friend, who is also a man, and that friend has zero interest in me. “Yeah, why do you say it like that?” “I’m just wondering if it’s really his boyfriend or just a play to get into your panties. Maybe they both want in?”

“Oh my God, Roan, you need to stop it, he’s harmless.” “Maybe to you, but he’s been with you like I have and . . . it fuckin’ makes me sick.” “All right, can we just drop the whole Tobias thing? Plus, you’ll be happy to know he’s going on another mission.” “A little,” He huffs. “Okay. I’m sorry, I won’t bring it up again.” “Good. Now, what’s the plan for tonight?” We’ve been sneaking around because his girls still don’t know, so I never know what we will end up doing. From phone sex to real sex, I’m down for anything. “What do you want the plan to be?” “Don’t talk to me like that.” “Like what?” His voice drops and takes on a grave tone. “I’m in public and . . .” “Am I turning you on, baby?” “Maybe.” “God, I could bend you over this desk right now and fuck you so hard.” “I gotta go,” I tell him, walking back into my office. My cheeks are a shade of red that I don’t think they’ve ever been. “Bye, baby.” I rush to the safe confines of my office, and I hear Jasmine our receptionist call out for me, but I

don’t stop until I the have the door closed soundly behind me. With my back resting against it, I try to calm my heart from slamming inside me. My eyes are closed, and Roan’s deep, familiar voice startles me. “That was fast,” he says with that same crackle from before. My eyes fly open, taking in the entire room. Holy fuck, he’s here. That’s why Jasmine was yelling for me. He’s in a gray suit, white shirt, and no tie. His hair is a mess as if he’s been running his fingers through it all day. I drag my eyes down his body to find his very apparent and hard cock straining the fabric of his dress pants. His hand is over it, and I’m thankful the windows are frosted so no one can see in. “What are you doing here?” I whisper. “What does it look like?” he asks and stands, his large frame towering over me. “No,” I whisper. There is desire in his eyes as he reaches past me and flicks the lock on the door. “Don’t tell me no.” There is no stopping him. He gently kisses my neck and whispers, “Tell me yes.” “No,” I tell him again. He’s out of his mind. We can’t do this here, but he rebuts it again. His lips have my heart racing. “What if—” I try to ask, but he cuts me off and grips my hips tightly in his firm hold, kissing my

wildly, grinding into me. I try to stay quiet, but each thrust of his hips grinding into me has me spinning higher, faster. He unbuttons my shirt and yanks one of my breasts out, devouring it. Finally, I give in, knowing there is no stopping this. My hand grips the back of his hair as he moves between my breasts, nipping and sucking. Each point he touches blazes with fire. When I’m about to explode, he drops to his knees. He hikes my skirt up and licks the tops of my thigh high stockings, groaning as he works. My breathing is crazy fast, and as he pushes my panties to the side, I press my head into the door, holding my breath as his tongue slips between my folds. He sucks and licks my clit, causing pleasure to race through me. He takes one of his hands and guides it up my body until he’s at my mouth. All the while he’s still torturing my pussy. I bite down on his finger and wrap a leg over his shoulder. Fuck, I’m so hot right now. I suck on it as he quickly pulls my orgasm out of me. The second I come, my body rattles. I fight to stay quiet, and thankfully Roan ads a second finger to my mouth, causing me not to make a noise. I give myself over to the pleasure, enjoying it like a never-ending wave. My body coils tightly before exploding from the inside out. It’s always the quiet orgasms that are the best. Roan takes his time to ensure I bask in the

hedonism to the fullest. Once I’m completely done, he pulls back, stands, and drops his pants. The moment his cock is free, I can’t take my eyes off it. Cum beads at the tip, begging me to drop to my knees and taste it. Oh my God! “On the desk,” he orders me sternly. But I don’t move quickly enough for him, so he moves me himself, bending me over flat on the surface. My skirt is still pushed up, so I wait, panting and causing the papers under my cheek to flutter with each exhale. He spreads me wide, and I ask, “Are you sure the door is locked?” “Mm-hmm.” And like that, he’s filling me. A few swift pumps and he is nuzzled balls deep. I whine, gripping the edge of the cherry wood as I push back against him. Roan starts to move, holding my body so fiercely as he fucks me hard and fast enough that his balls slap my clit. The noise makes me worry others may hear, but he’s hitting me just where I need it, so there’s not a thing I can do to stop him. Roan lets go of my body, and for a moment, I think he’s gonna take things slow. But boy am I wrong. He places both his hands next to me on the desk, caging me in, pushing harder, and pounding deeper. He is blissfully relentless. “You drive me crazy,” he groans in a deep tone

that sends pulsing vibrations through my core. I’m just as crazy, just as turned on and just as hot as he is. Another orgasm is close, and as I feel the beginning of it, he asks me, “Do you want my cum?” I nod and tense, allowing the pleasure to rock me to the core. As I let go, so does he. My body is so tuned into what we are doing that I feel each pump of his white, filling me. His hands change to fists, and I wish I could see his face. Then he leans down, his chest to my back and our faces cheek to cheek while his cock still twitches inside me. “Thank you for that,” he says. “Thank you,” I tell him, not sure where it came from but positive that it has to be the hottest thing I’ve ever done.

CHAPTER 21

ROAN

I KNOW I have to go. After all, it was reckless and irrational of me to come here like this, but when she told me she was having lunch with her ex, I didn’t know what else to do. I had to. She has her eyes closed, and I kiss her cheek before pulling out. My dick is screaming at me, angry our time has to end. “Can I still see you tonight?” “Of course.” She stands and cleans herself up with a few tissues. “Your place?” “Where else?” I chuckle, knowing it was a dumb question. We haven’t told the girls about us yet, and even though Mia says it doesn’t bother her, I can’t help but worry that maybe deep down it does. “We could do my place after the girls are

asleep.” “No, I don’t want to put you in that position.” “Okay, I’ll miss you, beautiful.” “I’ll miss you, too.” The next kiss I give her is a hard meeting of lips before I straighten and smooth her hair down, so she doesn’t look like she just got fucked. I open the door to her office and look all around. There’s not a person looking in my direction, and when I glance back at Mia, she is behind her desk, but her eyes are on me. I give her a wink and exit. I check my phone on the way out and see a bunch of missed calls from Chandler, I contemplate calling him back, but I’ll be in the office shortly and honestly, need a few minutes to compose myself. That was unreal. Mia is unreal. My cock is still throbbing on the drive back to my office, but I know I have to get back to work, so I force my thoughts off her. I park my car and head in, getting a text from Mia on the way. Mia: Did that really just happen? Me: What? Me eating your sweet pussy then fucking you on your desk? Mia: Oh my God, don’t say things like that. Me: Why? Does it turn you on? Mia: You’re a piece of work, you know that? Me: So I’ve been told. “Where the fuck have you been?” Chandler

yells at me the second I enter the office. “I had a lunch meeting.” “With who?” “A client, what’s your problem, man?” “My problem? My problem is you missed the meeting we had with Alexander Construction, and now they are threatening to not even look at our bid! You knew that deal through and through. I fuckin’ needed you!” “It wasn’t on my calendar,” I argue back and pull up my phone just to be sure. There’s no way I could’ve missed it. Shit! How did I miss it? The Alexander deal is absolutely on my calendar. “I don’t know what’s going on with you lately, if it’s my sister or something else, but you need to pull your shit together.” “I will, I’m sorry,” I tell him, and he walks away pissed off. I glance at our new receptionist, Casey. She looks petrified from behind her desk. It’s her first day, so I’m sure she thinks she signed on to work at a nut house, which we really aren’t that far from. “Sorry about that,” I tell her, and she gives me a small smile. I walk into my office, completely frustrated with myself.

CHAPTER 22

MIA

I’D FOLLOW this man into a fire if he asked me to. “Don’t stop,” I tell Roan as he nestles in between my legs, his messy dark hair between my fingertips, and his sweet, tantalizing tongue is torching my clit, so aggressively that my entire body is burning. We didn’t even make it through the front door of my house tonight before our hands were all over each other, and I don’t think I’ve ever been more turned on than I am right now. “Yes,” I moan, my one single word causes him to push me out of this world. My body shakes and vibrates as he uses his tongue to lick the most amazingly earth-shattering orgasm from my body. Once I settle, he kisses his way over my hip bones and up my body before straightening and presenting me with his cock. I take the tip of him

into my mouth, swirling my tongue all around the head. I don’t know if it’s how into him I am or what, but I swear I’ve never enjoyed sucking a cock as much as I do his. But he only lets me get in a few bobs of my head before he lifts my ass over the edge of the couch and takes his shaft in his large, controlling hand. I’m sweating and anxious as I wait for him to enter my body, and as I look down at my pussy, he pushes into me, blending our bodies together as one. The sensation I love hits me hard. He fills me so completely I can feel him everywhere, and once he is fully seated, I reach up and tease my own nipples, our eyes connected in this heated moment. “I love your body,” he tells me, trailing his hands up my stomach, until he reaches my breasts, urging my hands out of the way so he can hold them as he moves inside me. He has no idea, I love his body just as much. I toss my head back, my body being held in place by the pleasure and his throbbing cock. Each time he moves out, I whimper, and when he slams back into me, I arch and meet him. I’m swimming in the sensations that are rocking me to my core Lifting my head up, I lock eyes with Roan again. When he feels me start to tighten and quake around him, he lets go, holding me tightly, pounding me fiercely. Together we spin out of this world, and

I happily go where his body takes mine.

“MIA! Mia! Mia!” everyone chants as I lift my bowling ball from the belt, slip my fingers into the three holes, and take in a deep breath. I glance back at Roan, prepared to throw my last ball as he coolly sips his beer. His girls are basically on the edge of their seats, chanting my name over and over again, clapping each time. Chandler is stone silent, his competitive nature is in full effect today. Obviously, he doesn’t want me to do well. We decided it would be girls versus guys, and the three of us definitely have had the advantage over them. I squint down the lane and try to shut out the noise of other balls crashing against pins. One glance to my left and then one to my right gives me the all clear. I lob the ball down the lane, putting my signature spin on it. It curves right, and then banks left, slicing every single pin down. I know Chandler is fuming. He is the one who taught me to bowl like this. I scream and jump as Maisy and Rianna crash into me. We all hug, celebrating our sweet victory. “How’d you guys like that?” I rub it in, and they both grumble. I’m not sure how I bowled three strikes on my last frame, but I did, so we win fair and square. Almost as if we planned it, Maisy, Rianna, and I all hold our hands out with our palms

up. Reluctantly, Roan and Chandler pull their wallets out and hand us each a twenty. I take my two and give one to each of the girls. “Wow, thank you, Mia,” Maisy says and gives me a hug. I glance at Roan as Rianna hugs me, too. Maybe telling them about Roan and me won’t be as hard as we think it’ll be. “We’re gonna use the restroom,” they say and skip off, giddy as can be. Roan finishes the last of his beer then pulls me down next to him. “You’re so gonna pay for this later,” he whispers into my ear. The closeness of his lips to my body makes me shiver. Chandler has his nose in his phone, and like usual, it makes him oblivious to the world around him. But when he glances up and sees Roan and me this close, he says, “Oh fuck, would you two stop that? Isn’t it bad enough that I’ve had to watch you eye fuck each other all night?” I giggle, and Roan kisses my forehead before looking in the direction the girls went in to be sure they aren’t coming out. “It’s been fun, but I’m out of here.” Chandler is back to looking at his phone as he says it. “Oh, come on,” I holler after him, and he flips us off. “What’s his deal?” I ask Roan, knowing I’ll need to move out of his arms at any second. “He’s pissed at me.”

“Why? I thought everything was kosher?” “We were, but when I came to your office today and . . . you know.” I do know, and even now, my heart is kicking up a rapid beat just thinking about it. “I missed a really important meeting. We’ll likely lose the deal because of it.” “Why did you miss it?” I ask him. “It slipped my mind. I was so focused on you and where you were that I totally forgot.” “Why, Roan? Don’t you trust me?” “I absolutely do, but I know how men can be. He was confused at one time, what’s to say he doesn’t go there again? And I know you’d tell him no, but what if he didn’t take no for an answer.” “Clearly, you have no idea how into you I am.” “Why don’t you tell me?” He raises his eyebrows, and I want to fuck him right here, right now. “I wouldn’t have gone to lunch with him if I thought for a second he was into me. He’s moved on and is happy. And for me, I don’t want to be with anyone else—ever—except for you, Roan.” “Thank you. For so long, I was convinced that Georgia fucked me up too badly to ever be in another relationship, but you made me see that she didn’t. Thank you for that.” I want to kiss him so badly, but I can’t. From across the room, we spot the girls coming toward us and scoot apart.

“Are we still grabbing ice cream?” Maisy asks us, and Roan tells her with a huge smile on his face, “If you’re paying.” “No way, we earned that money.” “Ha!” He laughs so loudly that both his girls beam back at him. “I think you mean Mia earned you both that money.” “Whatever!” They say in unison and begin to walk out. Roan and I follow them, and when we are halfway to the door, he swats my ass hard, I about yelp from the sting. The ice cream place is next door to the bowling alley, and as we look over the menu, Maisy sidles up next to me. “What are you getting?” “I’m not a big ice cream person.” All three of them look at me as if I just said the meanest words they’d ever heard. “We can’t hang out with you then,” Roan jokes, and I frown, nod, and pretend to leave. Rianna stops me by yanking my arm. “Then you’ve never had ice cream from Charlie’s. The stuff from here is amazing. Any flavor, I promise will have you hooked.” I turn to Roan. “What are you having?” “Mint chocolate chip.” His answer is instant as if there is not another flavor he’d consider. “What should I get?” “I’d say we could share, but . . . ” But we can’t. Then the employee asks me,

“What can I get for you, ma’am?” “I’ll have what she’s having.” And I point to Maisy. “We’ll make that two garbage cans,” he says. Garbage can? What in the world did I order? “You’re gonna love it,” she says reassuringly, but I’m skeptical. Like a gentleman, Roan pays for the order. I don’t even know what mine is, so I turn to Maisy, who is already devouring hers, and I ask, “What is in this?” “It’s basically every candy bar you can think of, crushed up inside vanilla ice cream,” Rianna says. “Try it,” Roan tells me, and I do. As I take my first bite, my mouth goes into flavor overload. I swear every taste bud is enjoying a different sensation. From Reese’s to Milky Way, to Almond Joy and Snickers, this is by far the best ice cream I’ve ever had. “You like it?” Maisy asks me. “I love it!”

CHAPTER 23

ROAN

THE COOL WATER runs down my body, keeping my dick calm, but my mind is on Mia. Even though we snuck in a quickie after work, having to keep my distance tonight during bowling made me want her even more. She told me she was okay if we spent the night apart, but I don’t think I can. Once the girls are asleep, I have to go to her. After rinsing off one final time, I get out of the shower, dry off, and then pull on a pair of sweat pants. I reach for my phone to text her, but it isn’t on my nightstand where I could have sworn I left it. Figuring I must have left in in the kitchen, I toss on some clothes and am halfway down the hall when my feet stop. Rianna is leaning against the sink scrolling through my phone.

I swallow, wanting to freak out. How dare she just take my phone, but as she looks up at me, the hurt across her face is clear. Normally, I wouldn’t mind her being on my phone, but I know she had to have seen my messages with Mia. “Are you really with her?” “Let me explain, Ria.” “Explain what? That you kept it from us to protect us?” “It’s not like that, honey.” “Yes, it is. You basically lied. Were you ever gonna tell us?” “Yes, we were, very soon.” “But you didn’t. And you’re the one who’s always on my case about being honest.” “I know, I just . . . ” I trail off, not really sure why I didn’t tell them. They’ve been through enough already in life that they would have understood. It may have taken some adjustment, but they would have been okay with it. My only foot to stand on right now is that I’m the adult in this situation, and while I do strive to understand them, I’m still the parent, and I don’t really need to explain myself to them if I don’t want to. “She’s like half your age, Dad.” “No, she isn’t, Ria. I’m thirty-two, and she’s twenty-three, that’s only nine years.” “Add seven more, and she’s half your age. Maisy is gonna be so hurt.”

“She’ll understand, she likes Mia.” “She likes any woman that she can pretend is Mom, but what happens when you two break up? What’s that gonna do to her?” My phone chimes and she tosses it to me. I look at the screen to see a text from Mia, and when I look back up, Rianna is gone. Fuck! Knowing I need to be the one to tell Maisy, I don’t bother texting Mia back. Instead, I fly down to the basement. Maisy is on the couch, and Rianna is nowhere in sight. “Where is your sister?” I ask her, but she shrugs. “Can I talk to you?” “Sure.” She closes her journal and sets it on the table, so I have her attention. I take a seat next to her, trying to figure out how to tell her. You’d think with how much I thought about this that it would be easier. “Are you okay?” I nod. “Yeah. I am. That’s kinda what I want to talk about.” God, she really does have her mother’s eyes, and I pray that she understands. “I’m seeing someone.” “You are?” “I am.” “Is it Mom?” My heart breaks a little more with each of the three words. But that pain is quickly replaced by anger. I still can’t fathom how Georgia could leave, especially the girls. They are both so

amazing, and she for some reason couldn’t choose them over her own selfish habits. “It isn’t Mom, honey.” “Who is it?” “It’s Mia.” “Really?” Her lips stretch into a hopeful smile, and I relax a bit. “Yes.” “I thought you two were just friends.” “We were at first, but lately, we’ve grown to be more.” “Well, I like her.” “Me, too. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you sooner.” “It’s all right, Dad.” It was just that easy. She just smiled and said it was okay. I pull her into a tight embrace, so grateful that she understands and wish Rianna were the same.

CHAPTER 24

MIA

“I CAN’T BELIEVE she got into your phone,” I tell Roan as I lie in my bed, wishing he were here with me. “I can, she’s at that age.” “What do you mean?” “She’s . . . angry and looking for any reason to take it out on me, or anyone for that matter.” “Why would she go through your phone, though?” “Honestly, I think she suspected something was going on. She’s been questioning me a lot when I’ve been on it, asking me who I’m texting and stuff.” “Kids are so smart these days. “Yeah, they are.” “How’d she take it?” “At first, not well at all. But I talked to her

again, and I think she’s coming around.” “Anything I can do to help?” “What do you think about coming over here for breakfast tomorrow?” he asks me. “I’d rather you come over here now.” “Me, too,” he groans, and I roll from my side to my back, squeezing my legs together as I picture him next to me. The thought alone has my mouth salivating. He makes me wild, and I hope it never wears off. “So, are you coming?” he asks. “Maybe.” “Good, what are you wearing?” His voice is deep and seductive when he asks me. I glance down and tell him, “A bra and panties.” “Fuck. That’s it?” “Yup. Your favorite ones, too.” “Not the black lace ones?” “Yup.” When I wore them for him, he peeled them off with his teeth, so I assumed he approved. “Are you trying to kill me?” he grumbles. “Never.” “I don’t buy it. My dick is so hard that it’s . . . basically screaming.” “Then stroke it.” “Will you play with yourself?” I moan into the phone, my hand already between my thighs. “I’m wet for you, Roan.”

“I bet you are. You’re so naughty.” “You make me naughty. God, I wish your cock was in my pussy.” “Jesus,” he hisses the word, and I rub faster, back and forth, my mind racing to the other day at my office. Roan and I have had a lot of sex in the short time we’ve been back together, but that was one of my favorites. “I want you.” “I want you,” I breathlessly respond. “I can feel you around me.” “Uh-huh.” I move quicker, imagining him stroking his large shaft. The thought makes my toes curl, and my insides burn. “You want my cum?” he asks, and with those four little words, my body spirals and I moan, falling into the pleasure. My hand can barely move to pull my orgasm all the way out of me as my hips buck and twist. When I finally settle back into my skin, I’m on my side, no longer holding on to the phone. As I bring it up to my ear, I’m rewarded with the last of his grunts. “I swear to God, Mia Cavalano, you’re gonna be the death of me.”

CHAPTER 25

ROAN

MIA and I are sitting at my kitchen table, waiting for the girls to wake. My palms are sweaty, and I have no clue why. This should be a happy time, a time when I’m at ease, not a nervous wreck. Now that us being together is out in the open, I have a stress weighing over me that I can’t shake. Maybe it’s because I deprived myself of what I had wanted for so long that I had forgotten what it felt like to have something for myself. Maybe it’s because I’m waiting for the other shoe to drop. Either way, it’s a strange feeling. “Would you stop?” Mia asks me and touches the top of my knee as it uncontrollably bounces. “Everything is going to be okay.” “I know it will be.” I don’t really believe that, but I’m trying to get there. “It’s no different from when we used to hang

out before they knew.” Yeah, except they do know, and I’m worried how Rianna is going to treat Mia and how this all is going to affect Maisy. Footsteps sound on the stairs, and I’m out of time to worry about it. “Morning,” I tell the girls as soon as I see their tired eyes. “Oh, hey,” Rianna says, followed by a mumbled good morning from Maisy. “She’s staying the night already,” Rianna mumbles under her breath when she sees Mia. I’m not gonna tolerate her acting like that. “For your information, no she didn’t. But what if she did, she’s my girlfriend, Rianna.” Maisy sits at the table with an apologetic smile on her face as she looks at Mia, and I wish I’d made things work with Mia all those years ago. It would have made things so much easier now. “Ria, please sit with us.” Reluctantly she does, but I do get an eye roll along the way. “I asked Mia to come over this morning so we could all go to breakfast.” “She’s not gonna replace, Mom,” Rianna blurts, and I go to scold her, but Mia touches my hand and stops me before the words I can never take back spill from my mouth. “Girls, I’m not here to take anyone’s place. I’m here because I care for your dad, and I really like the two of you as well.”

“We like you,” Maisy says. “Isn’t that right, Ria?” She nods, for which I’m thankful. “Why don’t we start over then and pretend today is day one. There is nothing but a fresh, clean slate behind and ahead of us, okay?” To my surprise, the girls nod, and I’m shocked by how amazing Mia is. “My name is Mia, it’s nice to meet you.” And with those words, a new beginning starts between my girls, all three of them.

AFTER BREAKFAST, Mia decided to take the girls to get their nails done, which they’d planned to do for a while. I just didn’t think I’d get roped into the whole ordeal. But here I sit, my feet soaking in a tub of hot, bubbling water. Mia reaches over and presses a button on the arm of my chair, I glance down, not noticing it until now and all my senses awaken as a back massage begins. That’s what these chairs are for and why women always look half asleep when they are here. I close my eyes and rest my head back. “You good?” I open one eye and give her a crooked grin. “See, I knew you’d love it.” The girls giggle coming over to us, and I force both my eyes open. They each have a bottle of nail polish in hand.

Rianna is holding a neon yellow one, and Maisy has a soft pink one. “What’d you pick?” I ask Mia. A split second later, she shows me the black bottle of polish. I swear my cock swells a little when I see the color. I can just imagine it on her toes, matched with that sexy black lace bra and panty set that could bring a grown man to his knees. “You want polish?” A Vietnamese woman asks as she takes a seat on a small stool in front of my chair. “Who, me?” I look behind me as if she’s talking to someone else.” “Yes, you, honey.” “No.” “You sure? I do clear for you.” “No.” The girls are all laughing, and I look at the door, prepared to make a run for it.

CHAPTER 26

MIA

“YOU WERE AMAZING TODAY,” Roan tells me, closing his bedroom door. I look back at him and feel just the same. Together we conquered a moody fourteen-year-old and a sensitive twelveyear-old. “Take your shoes off,” he says, and I do as he asks without taking my eyes off him. He reaches for the hem of my shirt; the simple connection of his fingers against my stomach has my body buzzing. “Should we wait?” I know the girls are still up watching a movie in the basement. “Nope, not unless you can’t be quiet.” “Well, that’s always hard to do.” Which is true. When he touches me, I can’t be held responsible for the noises I make. His answer is to tug my shirt up and over my head.

I find myself chewing on the side of my lip to try to stay quiet, and as his hands move to the front of my jeans, a small whine rolls out of me. “What was that?” he asks, and I shake my head, pretending as if it wasn’t me. Looking down at him so sexily on his knees. God, I love him on his knees. He has my pants at my ankles and is staring at my pink panties. “What is this?” he asks me. “What do you mean?” I ask. “Where are the black ones?” “They got a little wet last night.” He lifts my feet one at a time to remove my pants and then slides my panties down and off. “I don’t like, pink.” “Why?” I reach behind my back and unsnap my bra, letting it fall to the floor. “Just don’t.” “I never knew you were such a lingerie snob.” He laughs a deep bellowing laugh before standing and undressing. With both of us completely naked, I reach for his shaft, but he pulls away. “No, I want this,” he says and cups my pussy, pulling my body close to his with a firm arm behind me. I lean in and kiss him, and the second our mouths connect, there is no stopping us. His hands move to my ass, and he grips it hard. I wrap my legs around him, and he takes me to the nearest wall,

hoists me up, and slams into me. I whimper against his mouth from the pain and pleasure. Roan pulls away and grumbles, reminding me, “Stay quiet.” And I do, which only makes things that much more intense as we fuck. His strong hands have a secure hold on me, and I keep my focus on one thing and one thing only. Not making a noise. He moves so perfectly, hitting everything the right way with the right amount of pressure that my insides heat and I tremble, my orgasm already so close. I dig my fingernails into his back. He grunts, filling me with his cum, and that alone, makes me shudder and tighten around his thick cock. As our bodies slow, Roan peppers kisses along my shoulder and neck. “Stay the night with me?” he asks. “I don’t want to push things with the girls.” “You’re not, they truly love you.” I roll my eyes. Surely he forgot about breakfast this morning. It was rough before our clean slate, and I want to respect them, so I don’t want to push things. “Let’s do something tomorrow before the week starts,” I offer the compromise. “Is there any way I can convince you otherwise?” “I don’t think so.” He lets me go and then shockingly gets to his knees, pleading up at me with a frown on his face

and his hands in a prayer position. “Please?” I yank him to his feet. “Don’t do that. Walk me out.” It’s his turn to roll his eyes, but in the end, we both get dressed, and he reluctantly follows me out of his bedroom. I head into the basement to say good night to the girls, who are both passed out on opposite ends of the sofa. “They look so small,” I tell Roan. “They are. No matter how old they get, they’ll always be my little girls.” I know that is truly how he feels and how he’ll always feel, which is one of the reasons I care for Roan so much. He sees what’s important in life. He can look past the moments of bratty teenager attitude and only see his little girls.

CHAPTER 27

ROAN

SUNDAY FLEW by in the blink of an eye. I don’t know how or why, but it did. As I stare at my computer, trying to search within myself for the motivation to accomplish something—anything, it’s really hard. My mind is on one thing: Mia. So, I send her a text. Me: Lunch? Mia: What time? Me: Now? Mia: It’s barely nine in the morning, are you drunk? Me: Fine, breakfast? Mia: I have a meeting at nine, wanna do eleven? Me: Sure, I’ll pick you up.

Mia: Please make sure there is actual food involved, I’m starving. Me: Oh, I got something you can eat. Mia: Goodbye, Roan. I set my phone on my desk, determined to get some work done and somehow find myself on a flower delivery website. I end up making a call and a paying a hefty fee so they deliver the arrangement in the next hour. Just as I’m hanging up, Chandler strolls into my office. “How was your weekend?” he asks, dropping into one of the chairs in front of my desk. “It was good.” “I called you to hang out, you lose your phone?” “No, it was an interesting weekend.” “Yeah, why’s that?” Interested, he leans forward on his elbows. “The girls found out about Mia.” His eyes go wide, and he cups his chin in one hand. We had talked about how I had no idea how to tell my girls that I was seeing someone, so he knows just how badly the conversation could have gone. “Found out or you told them?” “Rianna got into my phone.” “No shit, don’t you have a password on it?” “I do, but she figured it out.” “How’d she take it?” “She was angry, Maisy was better.”

“How’s Mia?” “She’s great, she actually flipped the whole thing around and somehow got Rianna to give her a chance.” “Really?” “Really. She’s fucking amazing, man.” “Damn straight she is, you being good to her?” “You know it, just sent her a huge ass bouquet of flowers.” “Good man.” “What’d you do this weekend?” “You mean who?” He lets out a laugh and settles back into his seat. I should have known better. “Casey!” “Oh, fuck, the new receptionist?” “Yup, she’s a spitfire, too.” “You have to stop doing that.” “Why?” “Because, man, they are our employees.” “Whatever. I’m cool with you and my sister, so why can’t I bang our receptionists? You know what I think? It makes them work harder.” “Shut the fuck up,” I tell him. “It makes them fall head over heels with Mr. Non-committable and quit shortly after. Plus, one day, one of them is gonna sue your ass.” “Yeah right, they wouldn’t have a case. You should see the text messages these girls send me.” “Fine, but I swear to God that if she quits, I’m

hiring a guy.” His phone buzzes, and just like that, our conversation is over. “Catch ya, later, man,” he says and leaves my office.

CHAPTER 28

MIA

I GET as much work done as I can prior to lunch, and before I know it, Roan is standing in my doorway. His hair is wild, and his dark eyes are undressing me as he comes in and closes the door behind him. “It smells like flowers in here.” He braces the sides of my chair, and I unleash a dazzling smile on him. “Thank you for them. I love them.” “Anything for you.” And he aggressively claims my mouth. I get lost in his kisses, forgetting everything else around us. But then he suddenly pulls away, leaving me panting and wanting more. He reaches for my hand, and I look at it perplexed. “You said lunch had to involve food, right?” I did, but now I just want to skip the meal and continue on with him.

I tell myself that I’ll have him later, so I take his hand, and we leave my office. On the walk, he is particularly quiet, and I have no clue why. It’s not like Roan, which makes me worry. We are seated at a small table inside the comfortable restaurant when he asks me, “Is this okay?” “Yeah, it’s great.” I look around at the gorgeous place he’s brought me to. “Good.” He scans over the menu, and I ask him, “Are you okay?” Roan sets his menu down and looks at me with nothing but honesty in his eyes. “I’ve never been happier, Mia.” “Me, either.” And that is the God’s honest truth. I guess he’s just enjoying the moment. “So, what are you getting?” he asks me, and I shake my head, I really have no idea. “They have a great clam chowder, you wanna split a bowl to start with?” “Sure.” I decide on a wrap for my lunch, and after we order, Roan clears his throat apprehensively. “Did I tell you Maisy’s birthday is this weekend?” “No! I had no idea.” “Yup, she’s gonna be thirteen.” “What does she want to do?” “She wants to have a bowling party, I wonder

why.” “That would be fun.” I laugh and give my head a tiny shake. “No betting this time. I would feel bad taking your money two times in a row.” “It will be, and she said she wants to have a home-cooked meal after the party. You know my cooking is not the best, so I was hoping you could help me.” “Are you kidding me? I’d love to.” “Thank God, I really want her to have a special day. I feel like all her birthdays since Georgia left have been sub-par at best. She deserves more.” “Then we’ll give her more.” With those words, the last traces of anxiety have melted from Roan. He’s completely at ease now, that’s what was bothering him. He’s worried about giving Maisy a special day. “What else can I help with?” I ask him. “Well, cooking with me is gonna be a huge help. Then there is her gift, I have no clue what to get her.” “We could take Rianna with us to buy her a birthday gift. You know she’ll know exactly what to get.” “God, Mia, is there anything you’re not good at?” “Hmmm, I’m not the best at speaking in public, which reminds me, my speech is next week.” “Are you kidding me? You’ll do great.”

“Maybe in your eyes. But I’m speaking in front of like a thousand people, it’s terrifying.” “So what? I’ll be right there in the front, so if you get nervous, just have your eyes on me.” He gives me a wink, and I don’t have the heart to tell him that I’m not sure that’ll help. If I keep my eyes on him, who knows what’ll happen. I’ll probably start to stutter and say all sorts of crazy shit.

CHAPTER 29

ROAN

“ARE THEY CLOSED?” Mia asks me. “Yes.” I’m lying back on her bed with my eyes tightly shut, waiting for whatever surprise she has. My insides are coursing with adrenaline. My body is completely aroused. Everything from my cock to my ears—which are listening to her pad quietly around me—are completely focused on her. “You’re killing me,” I tell her. “Am I now?” she whispers into my ear, and I had no idea she was this close. She drags her tongue down the side of my throat and straddles my body. “Don’t open them.” “Fuck!” I grumble. “Uh-huh,” she says, lathering my body with forceful kisses until she finally grips my dick hard at the base and begins to stroke upward toward the tip. I can feel her ass cheeks close to my shaft,

making me almost lose it. “I’m opening them,” I warn her, and her free hand lands softly over my closed eyes. “Don’t.” “Why?” I ask, not even sure why I can’t look at her. My hands have roamed every square inch of her body, and she’s naked, so it’s not a new outfit she wants to show me, so damn it, I want to see her. “I read an article in a magazine that said sex is sixty times more intense if you keep your eyes closed the entire time.” “Shut up, really?” “I’m serious,” she says, and with that, I gently pull her hand from my eyes and open them. She’s braced over me, as she positions my cock at the heavenly gates of her pussy. I thrust up into her and slam my eyes shut. Maybe she’s right. With my eyes closed, my senses are more aware. She gasps from the fullness and settles down around me. I let her move for about a minute before I flip her to her back. Her tiny body lies beneath mine, but she rolls her hips, meeting me at each thrust. Her legs are spread wide, and I hook one arm under her knee, opening her even more. Opening my eyes, I can’t help but watch my cock, which is so hard that the veins are bulging, as I move in and out of her. The tightness of her cunt already has me close. “I swear your fucking pussy is like gold.”

“Mmmmhhh,” she moans, and I close my eyes again raking my fingers of one hand through her hair and to the base of her neck, holding her tightly. Each time I move, she whines. The tone is a straight connection to my balls, and I have no clue how I got so lucky. “Harder,” she requests, and that’s just what I want. Gripping both her hips in my hands, I hold her body in line with my cock and fuck her senseless. It’s hard to keep my eyes shut, but fuck was she right, it’s so intense. I make it about ten pumps before my orgasm takes over, and I let go, enjoying every single second of the pleasure that satisfies my body. I collapse on top of Mia. “That was the best orgasm ever.” “Yeah, it was.” She pants the words softly against the crook of my neck. I must’ve been so into mine that I didn’t notice hers. “This whole eyes closed thing was good.” “It was, huh?” She looks up at me, and I don’t know how God made her so perfect. “You’re amazing.” “Stop it,” she says. “What? It’s the truth.” She tenderly kisses me, and I feel my cock growing hard again. “You’re an animal.” I am. “For you.” Her pussy is wet, sloppy from our orgasms.

Then I hear her stomach grumble, which stops me completely. “Are you hungry?” “Yes. All I had today was lunch.” “You have to feed this body,” I tell her and slip out of her. She watches me clean my cock off then slide on a pair of sweat pants. “Clean up, and I’ll feed you.” “I bet you will,” she says to me from her spot nestled in the messy confines of her bed. I head into her kitchen and look in the fridge. She really doesn’t have a lot of food. I open her freezer and pantry and then decide on heating up some of those cheap frozen burritos. “What are you making?” she asks coming out wearing my shirt. “I like you in my clothes,” I tell her. “Well, that’s good because I’m keeping this shirt.” “Okay,” I tell her and open the microwave to flip the burritos. “Oh my God, I’m so embarrassed you found those.” “What?” “The burritos.” “Whatever, these are the bomb. I lived on them for years in college.” She gives me the look that melts my heart. The microwave dings and I take our food out and offer her first pick. We eat in a comfortable silence, and I don’t think I’ve ever felt

more content, and not just with Mia, but with the small things in life.

CHAPTER 30

MIA

“HAVE FUN,” we tell Maisy as we drop her off at a friend’s house for a sleepover. It’s operation birthday preparation. We walk back to the car, comfortably hand in hand. Rianna is in the back seat on her cell phone, oblivious to the world around her, and Roan whispers into my ear, “You look hot today.” I look down at my skinny jeans and a red Tshirt. “Really?” There is laughter in my voice as I pull my car door open. “Yes, really.” “Really, what?” Rianna asks from the back seat. Both of us get quiet as we try to think of a proper response. “Oh, your dad was just saying how the time has flown for you girls growing up.” I turn and watch as she rolls her eyes, which are

still focused on her cell phone. I can tell today is gonna be a rough day with her, and I have no clue why. Maisy is so easy and sweet. But Rianna is so up and down and all over the place. I’m sure it’s just her age, but I don’t remember being that way when I was a kid. At all. “So, Rianna, you have any ideas what we should get Maisy?” “Like, what I think she needs?” “Sure,” I agree, just happy that she is talking. Roan winks at me, driving us to the mall. I’m sure he’s enjoying her talking, too. “She needs a pair of headphones. That music she listens to is crap and so annoying.” I laugh a little and rephrase my question. “What do you think Maisy wants?” “Dad and I always get her a new journal, maybe we could find a really nice one and have her name inscribed on it?” “That’s a great idea,” Roan says. “Oh, and you know what else she needs? Her room is still My Little Pony. We gotta redecorate it.” “Your mom painted that mural, Ria,” “Yeah, and she’s not coming back, so let’s paint over it.” I can see Roan’s hesitation. He and I haven’t talked about the mural. I saw it in her room once but didn’t think much of it. Clearly, he is worried

about taking that away from Maisy. “There’s a store in the mall. I think they have removable wallpaper. That might be a good idea for the mural; best of both worlds?” Roan pulls into the mall, and we head inside. He comfortably wraps his hand around mine, and I love how even though Rianna is still adjusting to us, he isn’t shy about showing me his affection. As we begin to browse our way through, Rianna snaps a picture of a display in a store window. “What’s that for?” “That outfit is to die for,” she gushes, making sure her picture is a good one. I look at the skinny jeans and black mid-drift Tshirt with the word “love” across it. “Why don’t you try it on?” Roan’s hand tightens around mine, and I look over at him, knowing maybe I’ve hit a sore subject. “Dad won’t let me wear anything that show’s my stomach.” “Oh, come on, look at the mannequin, you can barely see any of its stomach because those jeans are so high waisted. Plus, what does it hurt to try on? Then your dad can see what it looks like on you, right?” She looks at Roan, and so do I. “Oh fine,” he gripes, and she squeals as she runs into the store. “But if it looks ridiculous, you’re gonna tell her no.”

“It won’t. Plus, would you prefer her in a pair of high waisted skinny jeans or a pair of daisy dukes? “True. But her stomach . . .” “Give her a little room, she’s almost fifteen, she’ll remember this moment. Trust me.” We walk into the store, and Rianna is closing the curtain to the dressing room with her outfit in hand. Roan and I take a seat on the large red ottoman to wait for her, and he whispers into my ear. “God, I’d love to fuck you on this.” I giggle and wonder if all couples are as insatiable as we are. “Promise you won’t hate it, Dad,” she calls out, and he glares at me. I pinch him, and he yells, “I promise.” Then the satin curtain opens and out she comes. The jeans fit her tiny body flawlessly, and the shirt is actually a bit big on her, which I like because it covers her stomach even more. I glance at Roan, who is smiling as he says, “It looks nice, Ria.” “Can I get it?” she asks enthusiastically. “Sure.” “Yes!” She jumps up and down and then runs to hug him, then me. I hold her back, loving how something so simple has made her so happy.

CHAPTER 31

ROAN

“YOU WERE GREAT TODAY,” I tell Mia as I pass her a cold beer. “Thanks.” She seems shy in her response as if she doesn’t believe me. “I mean it, from the wall paper idea to the outfit with Rianna, you’re incredible.” “So are you, Roan,” she says. I love when she says my name like that—so low and seductive. I can’t wait to hear her scream it later. Sitting down on the couch, I stretch my arm behind her, and she nuzzles against my chest. “What do you wanna do?” I ask. “Just this.” “Yeah?” “Uh-huh,” she tells me, and I kiss the top of her head. My phone vibrates, so I set my beer down, pull it out of my pocket, and see a message from

Chandler. Chandler: Drinks? “I think your brother is having a hard time adapting to us.” I show her the phone, and she smiles. “You think?” We both laugh. To say Chandler is having a hard time is an understatement. He’s bored out of his mind. He’s been dependent on me for so long now that he’s straight miserable. “Should I invite him over here?” I ask, feeling bad deep down. “Sure,” she says, and I love how easygoing she is about everything. Me: Wanna come over here? Shoot a game of pool and have a few drinks? Chandler: Abso-fucking-lutely! “What’d he say?” I show her the phone again. “Why don’t I go home so you and he can hang out alone? He needs it.” “No!” I shout, and she laughs hard at my outburst, covering the bottom of her nose, so beer doesn’t come out of it. “I can come back after he leaves.” “Are you sure?” I ask, not really liking the idea of her leaving but knowing that I need to spend some time with Chandler. “Yeah, I’m sure.” She looks up at me, and I cup the side of her face with my right hand and hold her in place as I kiss her tenderly.

“God, your lips . . .” I whisper against them, and she pecks me one last time before getting up and walking to the door. She drives me nuts. Sitting here lost in a lust-filled Mia daze, I find myself tearing the label off on my beer bottle. What did I do before her? I get up and grab another beer before I rack the pool balls, and there is a knock on my door. “Come in,” I holler, already knowing it’s Chandler. Once I have the game set up, I turn to him and spot the bottle of Patrón and six pack in his hands. “Damn, woman, were you, like outside my house?” I tease him. “Maybe. I’ve fucking missed your fine ass,” he jokes as he sets the stuff on the counter. I take out two shot glasses as he cracks open the bottle. “What have you been up to, man?” he asks me. “Not much, getting ready for Maisy’s birthday.” “Oh yeah. When is it again?” “Friday,” I tell him as Rianna emerges from the basement. “What up, girl?” he asks, and she gives him a side hug. “Not much.” She grabs a soda from the fridge. “You’re looking super fly tonight.” His words make her smile. She’s still wearing the outfit from today. “Thanks, your sister bought it for me.” “No shit? She does have good style. She got it

from me.” “She’s pretty cool.” Rianna tosses the words over her shoulder as she heads back downstairs. “The girls are warming up to her?” he asks. “Yeah, for sure.” “Nice, things still good between you two?” “Yup.” “Then, where is she?” “She went home so we could have some guy time.” “Damn, I raised her well.” “You did. So what have you been up to?” I ask, feeling like I haven’t seen him outside the office since Mia and I got together, which is probably exactly the case. “Nothing. You’ll be happy to know that I haven’t slept with Casey . . . again.” “No?” I ask confused because she hasn’t quit yet. “Nope.” “Really?” “Yeah.” “Why not?” I blurt out and hand him a shot. “You said not to.” “Like you’ve ever listened to me.” We clink our glasses and knock back the shots. I instantly feel the liquor burn in the bottom of my stomach and love the sensation. “Ready to lose a game of pool?”

And he tells me, “Fuck no!”

CHAPTER 32

MIA

“BABY?” Roan asks when I pick up my phone. “Yeah?” I respond, looking around my apartment. I must’ve fallen asleep on the couch. It’s after two thirty in the morning, and I do my best to wake up. “Are you coming back?” His voice is a mix of slur and heat and lusty impatience. “Are you drunk?” “Maybe.” I giggle at him, never having heard him drunk like this. “You realize it’s almost three in the morning?” “I know, and I’m so fucking horny for you.” “Oh my God, Roan.” “What? My cock wants you, please come back, I’m too drunk to drive.” I glance at my bag on the floor by my front door. I’m all ready to go, I was just waiting for him

to call. “I’ll be there soon.” “I’ll be waiting,” he tells me, and then I disconnect the call. The drive is quick, especially at this time of night. And within fifteen minutes, I’m pulling into Roan’s driveway. His house is dark, so I quietly let myself in through the unlocked front door and head straight to his bedroom. When I reach it, I’m shocked at what I find. Passed out on top of the covers is Roan. He’s naked and has his dick in his hand. His snores fill the room, and I go to his side to sit on the bed, admiring everything about him. While I stare, my heart skips a beat, and I resist the urge to not snap a picture of his gorgeous tattooed body. “Roan?” I whisper and kiss him tenderly on the lips. He kisses me back, stretching his body, but his eyes never open. He lets go of his dick and wraps his arms around me, pulling me completely on top of him. I hold on to him the best that I can, sneaking my hands underneath his shoulders. He kisses the top of my hair as I settle my cheek against his chest, listening to his heart, which is softly beating in my ear. The sound is soothing, and before I know it, I’m drifting off to sleep with him. I’m not sure how long I slept, but I wake to my pants being removed. My eyes flutter open. The first light of the day is shrouding Roan’s body as he

kneels next to me. He smiles, and I return the gesture as his fingers ghost over my skin, sending electricity coursing through me. Then he lies on his side, my back is to his chest as he lifts one of my ass cheeks and spreads me open wide for him. The tip of his shaft is warm against my sex, and I’m almost panting in expectancy. He doesn’t make me wait long. Everything inside me is on fire the instant he enters my body. He kisses my shoulder, and the sensation of his lips on my skin makes me whine for more. The things he can do with his mouth are magical. “Yes,” I whimper as he pushes and pulls in and out of me, so slow and methodical. Rubbing me just right. Just where I need. “Fuck, you’re tight,” he grumbles, and I clench his shaft even harder. He sinks his teeth into my neck, and my body bows away from his. He holds me against him, closer and tighter. “Don’t pull away from me,” he says. Jokingly, I move away again, but this time he flips me face down. His cock still inside me pinning me against the mattress, as he stretches my hands above me, and locks his feet around mine. I’m stuck under his control, and he’s relentless, barreling in and out of me. The softness of the morning is gone. I find myself lifting my ass into

him while I moan into the pillow, loving every single second of his intense attack. “Fuck, Roan,” I whisper, barely able to get the words out. “You like getting stuffed?” he grunts into my ear, and all I can do is nod my head. Somehow, the pleasure is off the charts, more intense than ever before. Any control that I had or thought I had is now long gone. He has complete power over my body, and there is not a thing I can do. My pleasure is at his mercy. He strums it and coils it tight, demanding I go higher and higher with each thrust and nip. I squeeze Roan’s hands tighter, so hard my knuckles hurt as my trembling orgasm takes over, vibrating through me just as his cum fills my body and his barely restrained grunts fill my ears. Together we lie spent, our bodies settling, his heart wild against my back—such a contrast to the gentle pulse I fell asleep to. I hope every night ends just like that and every morning begins just like this.

CHAPTER 33

ROAN

“I THINK it’s a perfect gift.” Mia smiles at me as I hold on to the tiny heart pendant, rubbing my thumb over it again and again. “Can I get this one engraved?” I ask the jewelry store employee. “Yes, sir.” “I’ll take it then.” At this point, I would have taken it anyway. Mia and I have been shopping all day, and I want nothing more than to get out of here. “Good choice,” Mia says, and I can’t help but lean down to drop a kiss to her perfect lips. “Thank you for today.” “Are you kidding me? I had so much fun.” She bends to collect the bags she set down while I was talking to the clerk, and I point to something else in the case, mouthing to the employee that I want it,

too. Mia doesn’t notice, and for that, I am thankful. My phone vibrates, and I pull it out to see a text. Rianna: We’re starving! Are you almost done, can you bring home food? Me: Yup, just cashing out at the last store now. What do you girls want? The woman walks over, and I hand her my Amex card before she says the total. We really abused it today. “The girls are hungry, what do you feel like?” “Whatever they want.” I text Rianna back. Me: You girls pick and text us your order. Love you. I sign the receipt, and the woman says, “The engraving should be done tomorrow by five.” “Great, if I’m not available can my girlfriend pick it up?” I glance at Mia, who has wandered over to another case, and then I slip her necklace into one of my bags. “Yes, of course, what is her name?” “Mia Cavalano.” “Fantastic. You’re all set, have a wonderful night, Mr. Reddick.” When we leave the store, the mall is desolate, and I ask Mia, “What time is it?” “Nine fifteen.” “Damn, woman, you are a shopaholic.” I’m

normally the guy who knows exactly what he wants and is in and out of the mall as fast as humanly possible. So, for me to spend the whole evening here is almost unheard of. After loading all the bags into the trunk of my car, I get a text. Rianna: We really want Taco Bell. Me: Seriously? I text her back and then show Mia the screen as a huge order pops up in another text. And then Mia’s response is not at all what I expect. “It does kinda sound good.” “Oh my God, what is wrong with you women?” I pull out of the lot and head to Taco Bell. After ordering thirty dollars worth of their food, my car smells like it, and I can’t lie, I’m kind of excited to eat it. “So, is there anything else we need to do before the party?” Mia asks me. “I don’t think so. The bowling alley is handling everything.” “What about her home-cooked meal?” “Oh shit, yes. Let’s talk about that with her tonight.” I pull into my driveway and turn the car off. Before going inside, I grab Mia by the side of her face and kiss her softly. Her lips mold against mine, making my cock throb. As fast as the kiss starts, it stops, and I rest my forehead against hers for a

beat, trying to get myself under control. “Ready to go eat this crap?” She nods happily, and I don’t think there is anything that could ruin our day. It’s been perfect. But as we walk through the front door, a very familiar face looks over at me. My world stops. I can’t breathe through the anger that pulses violently through me. What. The. Fuck. Standing in the middle of my living room is Georgia. Rianna is screaming at her to leave, but Maisy is clinging to her side. My insides are spinning, spiraling deep into emotions I can’t decipher. My grasp of reality slips through my fingertips. Maybe this isn’t even real at all. I close my eyes, hoping they are just playing tricks on me, but Rianna’s verbal assault is relentless, and when I open them she is still here. I go into defensive mode. “Rianna stop!” I shout. Tears are rolling down her face as she looks at me, waiting for me to make this right. “Take your sister downstairs.” “No, Daddy!” Maisy looks over at me. Georgia’s arms are clenched so tightly around her tiny body it makes my vision tint in red. That woman has no right to hug Maisy after abandoning her. Those hands that I used to love and do

anything for, which broke me in the most unimaginable way, should never get to hug her daughter again. “Your mom and I need to talk,” I kneel in front of Georgia so I can look Maisy in the eyes and block out the fact that I’m so close to my ex that I can smell her perfume. “If I let go, she’ll leave again,” she whispers, hiccupping. I hope Georgia is paying attention and really getting a good look at all the pain she has caused these two girls. “I won’t let her leave yet, I promise, baby.” Georgia loosens her hold, and Rianna snatches Maisy away as if Georgia has the plague. I watch my oldest drag my youngest through the living room and down the steps to the basement. Once the girls are out of sight, I glance over my shoulder, expecting Mia to be standing in the doorway. She’s gone. Fuck my life. “What are you doing here?” I snarl, even angrier that she’s affecting not just the girls but also Mia. “It’s good to see you, too, Roan.” Her condescending tone is too much. How dare she just come into my home like this and expect to exchange friendly chitchat. “Fuck you, don’t play games with me, Georgia.”

“I’m not playing games. I came back for Maisy’s birthday, that’s all.” “Why didn’t you call me first?” After all these years, why this birthday? “I don’t have your number.” “It’s the same fuckin’ number it was when you lived here.” Goddamn, it’s really fucking hard to keep myself composed. “You would know if you had bothered to call at any point in the last seven fucking years.” She runs her fingers through her long blonde hair, and it isn’t until this moment that I realize that she’s sober. I haven’t seen her sober for a long, long time, so this is a sight. “I wanted to call. You have to believe me,” she says, and those few words are the last she should say. “Why? Why the fuck should I believe anything . . . anything at all that you say? You left me with a goddamn note, and you left our little girls alone in the middle of the fucking night. You’re a horrible person.” “I know I am and that’ll always be my greatest regret in life.” “Good, I hope it keeps you awake at night. Just like it does to Maisy and Rianna.” Tears stream down her face, but I don’t give a shit. I hope she cries until she’s stuck alone in the middle of a lake of her own tears. “I wanna make this right. I wanna make

everything better.” “Fuck you! There is nothing left for you here, you can’t undo what you did.” “I’m so sorry, Roan.” I rake my fingers through my hair in frustration and look around my house, wishing I had a way out, a way to make this all stop.

CHAPTER 34

MIA

MY HANDS ARE STILL TREMBLING as I try to unlock the door to my condo. My insides are a wreck, and I have no clue what to do. Never in a million years did I ever consider that Georgia would show back up. Although, I should have prepared myself for it. I mean . . . why wouldn’t she, especially around one of the girl’s birthday? Finally, I get the fucking door open. My purse falls to the floor, and I head straight to the kitchen. Grabbing an empty wine glass and opening a bottle from the fridge, I sulk to my sofa, the image of her there and Maisy clinging to her is burned behind my eyelids. I’m barely able to pour myself a glass, but I know my nerves need it. I could imagine what Roan and those girls are going through right now. And as much as I wanted to stay and help, I couldn’t. It isn’t my place.

Do I have a place? Now that Georgia’s back, will it be for good? Is Roan going to end things with me to be with her? My stomach feels queasy, and I just want to talk to Roan to make everything better, but I can’t. He’ll call when he can. Leaning my head back, I contemplate what to do, but I’m too lost in the sea of what-ifs and emotions. Chandler. He would know what to do. He always does. I pull out my phone and dial. “Chandler?” My voice breaks over his name. “What’s wrong?” he immediately asks. “Oh, fuck,” I cry, unable to spit the words out. I don’t want to say them. “What the fuck’s going on, Mia?” “It’s Roan.” “What do you mean? Is he okay?” There is no easy way to put it, so I just say it, “Georgia’s back!” “Motherfucker,” he gripes. “Where are you?” “Home.” “I’ll be right there.” The phone falls from my ear, and I collapse to my side, sobbing into a pillow. I’m not sure how long I cried for, but it feels like a lifetime before the security of my brother’s arms wrap around me. “Shhhh,” he says softly, but I can’t. What I waited so long for, now hangs in the balance. After losing my parents, uncertainty is not something that I deal with well.

Chandler doesn’t say another word for quite some time. He just lets me be, and as my body settles, he finally asks me, “What happened?” I fill him in on all the events of the day and night. When I’m done, he’s silent for a moment before saying, “So you just left?” “Yes. I couldn’t stay there, it wasn’t my place.” “Have you talked to Roan?” “No.” “I can’t believe that fucking cunt is back. After all these years, she has some balls to walk back in as if nothing happened.” “You should’ve seen the way Maisy was clinging to her. It broke my heart to see her that way.” “It’s sad. It’s fucked up. It isn’t something a child should ever have to deal with.” “I know it, and Rianna was screaming at the top of her lungs. Maybe I should’ve stayed for the girls?” “No, leaving was right. Roan needs to do this on his own. He’ll do what’s right and call when he can.” “What’s that mean?” “It means, he’ll make the right fucking decision. He won’t choose that bitch, not after what she did.” Oh fuck, Chandler’s words have my head spinning, he thinks that Georgia is here for more than Maisy’s birthday, too. “Maybe he should be

with her.” “Why?” “For the girls.” “Are you fucking kidding me? Do you not remember how crazy that woman is?” “Not really, I was young when they met.” “She’s a certified nut bag, plain and simple. Just keep your shit together, sis, you’ll be good. I promise.” My brother pulls me into a hug, a tight hug, and I try my damnedest to take his advice.

CHAPTER 35

ROAN

ME: I’m so sorry for earlier, baby. I don’t even know what to say. I’ll call you as soon as I can. I send a text to Mia, wishing she were here to help me chase away the last three hours of my life. They just keep spinning over and over in my mind. Fuck! Never in a million years did I think Georgia would just show up like this and for her to do it right around Maisy’s birthday is so fucked up. “You okay?” Rianna asks as she takes a seat across from me, and I give her a reassuring nod. The laughter from Maisy and Georgia in the basement is a loud echo, and I just want her to leave. “Yeah. You?” She crosses her arms on the table and rests her chin on them. “I don’t know, Dad. How can she

just waltz in here after all this time and expect us to just welcome her with open arms?” “I don’t know. It’s fucking crazy to me. What did she say to you?” “Just that she works at some rehab place and is sorry and wants to be part of my life. But you know what?” I can see the anger this has caused her, and it makes me want to kill my ex. “I don’t want her to be part of my life.” “Don’t say things like that, she’s the only mom you’ll get.” “Yeah, and I’ve turned out fine without her. Giving birth to us doesn’t give her the right to do what she’s doing.” I catch something out of the corner of my eye. It’s Georgia and Maisy. They are holding hands, and Georgia, who obviously heard exactly what Rianna just said, has tears in her eyes. “Uh, I’m gonna go for the night, but if it’s okay with you, I’d like to come back in the morning.” “Girls, can you give us a minute?” Rianna leaves the table, giving me a small smile, and after one last hug and kiss, Maisy reluctantly lets go of her mother’s hand. Once they are out of earshot, I turn to Georgia and level a stern glare at her. “I don’t think that’s a good idea.” “Why?” “Really? That’s what you’re gonna ask me?” “Yes, Maisy is through the roof, and Ria will

come around.” She crosses the kitchen and sits at the table uninvited. I stand angrily. “No, she won’t. You don’t know her. You don’t know what leaving did to her. Georgia, I’m sorry, but it’s not your choice to just come and go when you please anymore, or did you forget that you signed away your parental rights?” Her mouth drops open, and I dig the knife a bit deeper. “Just because you’re ready to be a part of their lives, doesn’t mean they want you to be. Being a parent is about being there for your kids when they need you most, even when you feel like you can’t or don’t want to. And I know better than anyone what that means since I was all those girls had for the last seven years. So . . . no, you can’t come back here tomorrow.” Tears pool in her eyes, and she says to me, “I live every day with the regrets for what I did to my girls. Please don’t stop me from making it right.” “There are some things you just can’t make right,” I tell her, not budging. “You should leave. Don’t come back.” With those words, she sits stunned, looking up at me with a blank expression. I don’t think I could hate a person more than I despise her. Without another word, she leaves, vanishing into the darkness like she did all those years ago. God, I pray that I never have to see that woman again. Ever. Downstairs, I find the girls in Maisy’s room.

They are sitting on the floor, and I join them. Rianna leans her head against my shoulder, and Maisy looks at me with red-rimmed eyes. “I don’t even know what to say to you girls.” “You don’t have to say anything, Dad,” Rianna says. “I do. It’s my job to fix all this.” “There’s nothing to fix,” Maisy says. “Mom wants a fresh start, and I think we should give it to her.” “Why?” Rianna scoffs and her eyes widen. “Because she feels terrible for what she did.” “As she should, Mais. She left us, don’t you see that?” “I . . . I do,” she says with a small tremble in her bottom lip. “I also see that God answered my prayers and brought my mom back to me.” “We were fine without her, why do you think we need her?” Rianna asks, and the level of maturity that this conversation has is too much to handle. The girls shouldn’t be dealing with issues like this. “Why don’t we all sleep on it and talk about it at breakfast?” I suggest. Maisy yawns, and I’m happy they agree. For tonight, at least, I just need to be done with everything. After tucking them both in bed, I drag my exhausted ass upstairs. I’m not exhausted from anything physical; though, spending hours at the

mall should have done that. It’s mental exhaustion that has completely depleted me. I toss the uneaten Taco Bell into the fridge, grab my phone from the table, and wander into my bedroom. Mia’s bag of clothes stares at me from a chair by the window, and I check to see if she texted me back, but she didn’t. So, I call. I strip my clothes off as I listen to it ring. She doesn’t answer, and I’m forced to leave a voice mail. “Hey, it’s me. I don’t even know what to say, babe. I . . . I fucking miss you. I’m sorry you had to see that shit. Please call me, she’s gone and won’t be back.” I disconnect and then turn the shower on, getting right into the cold water. The chill sends a shiver running through me. As I stand there, waiting for it to warm up, I imagine punching the wall so hard it cracks the hard tiles. Everything that Georgia did infuriates me, but more importantly, the way this is fucking with my girls is about to send me over the goddamn edge.

CHAPTER 36

MIA

THE SUN IS warm as it shines through the windows of my condo. I passed out last night after drinking three too many glasses of wine and taking a couple Tylenol PM. I don’t think I’ve slept that hard since I was a kid, but apparently, I needed it. My first thoughts are of Roan, and I roll to grab my phone. After reading his message, I listen to his voice mail, and my heart misses a beat. She’s gone and won’t be back. I dial his number, waiting for him to grace me with his voice, to calm my weary insides, but his phone just rings and sends me to voice mail. I hang up and send him a text instead. Me: Don’t be sorry. I’m sorry for you. Call me. I press send and close my eyes. The haunting images of Roan’s gorgeous ex-wife plague me, tossing me back and forth between jealousy and

fury. I could only imagine what he went through seeing her again. How he had to deal with the fallout by himself. My feet hit the floor, and I’m getting dressed before I even realize it. I have to go to him. On the drive, I contemplate grabbing some Starbucks, but really, I just want to see Roan. As I pull down his street, I check my phone to see if he messaged or called me at all, but he hasn’t. When his house comes into view, my foot lifts from the gas pedal, my whole body a sudden ball of nerves when I see a car in his driveway. Georgia. She’s getting out of the driver’s side and is dressed in the same clothes as yesterday. She has a tray of drinks, four drinks to be exact, in her hand and a bag of food in the other. Why would Roan say she was gone? Did she stay the night? I drive by as tears cloud my vision and go straight to my brother’s house. How could this be happening? How could he take her back after all this time? It has to be because of the girls, but he didn’t even talk to me first. Was he just going to forget about anything we ever shared? No. That wasn’t Roan. He wouldn’t do that. So, why was she there in the same clothes? Finally, I pull up to Chandler’s, rush to the door, and pound on it as if my next breath depends on him opening it, which is exactly how I feel right now.

“Chandler!” I call out, feeling myself losing my grip on reality. Then my tired and barely dressed brother answers the door. “You okay?” he asks as I hurtle myself into his arms. He holds me back, my grip is fierce around him as a sob rips from me and the tears finally fall in rivers down my face. “You have to calm down,” he tells me, but I can barely breathe as he guides me to his couch and urges me to take a seat. “Sit, I’m gonna put some pants on.” I nod, falling into the sofa. When he’s back, he takes my hand in his and asks, “What happened?” “I-I . . .” My words are a stutter, and I take a deep breath, knowing being this upset is not good. “I went to Roan’s today, and she’s there.” “Shut the fuck up.” “I swear to God, she was bringing them breakfast, but last night, he left me a message saying she was gone and wouldn’t be back.” “Have you talked to him yet? I’m sure there’s an explanation.” “No, and I think she stayed the night, she was wearing the same clothes.” There is a long pause, and if I listen close enough, I could probably hear the hiss of my brother’s anger rising. “I’m gonna kill that

motherfucker.” “Stop it,” I tell him, swiping an angry hand across my cheek. “I mean it.” “Would you be serious right now? You aren’t going to go over there and kill him.” “Yes, I fucking am!” he shouts at me, and I place my head in my hands. Arguing with Chandler about killing Roan is not what I need. I need his help, and I need him to tell me what to do. “You will not.” My words sound final, and he glares. “I need you to call him and see if you can get a read on things.” “Fine.” He huffs and grabs his phone from the other room, and when he returns, he has the receiver up to his ear. My insides are a huge mess, waiting for Roan to answer. I worry that if he does, he’s ignoring me on purpose. “What up, bitch? I’m not sure what the fuck is going on, but I need you to call me, like ASAP!” He hangs up, and I shake my head, not sure what to do. The only thing I can think is that he’s trying to decide if he wants to make things work with her. “You wanna go over there and find out what the hell is going on?” “No, not with the girls home. I don’t want to cause any issues.” “I don’t give a shit about issues. This whole situation is fucked up! You’re a mess, and he’s not

doing a damn thing to make it right. I’m not okay with that.” Maybe my brother is right. Maybe we should go over there to see what’s going on. But, Jesus, I don’t want to pull the girls into this. My very next thought is the one that pulls me to my feet. I wasn’t the one who did this. Georgia did that by showing up like she did.

CHAPTER 37

ROAN

I WAKE to voices and clatter coming from my kitchen. Perking my ears up as I roll over, I narrow my eyes when I realize it’s Maisy and Georgia. Why is she here after I told her not to come back? I shoot out of bed, spot the Starbuck’s coffee on my nightstand, and straight want to fucking throw it against a wall. That cunt was in my room. How dare she? I pull on my pants from yesterday and charge into the kitchen. Their eyes are on me, my rage is so apparent that Maisy’s eyes go wide and Georgia goes completely still. “Georgia, may I speak with you . . . outside?” I grit out through my clenched teeth. “Yeah, sure. Did you see the coffee I brought you?” she asks, which just reminds me that she thought she still had a right to walk into my

bedroom. I barrel past her without so much as glancing at my daughter. Outside, I stand waiting with my hands on my hips. She closes the door behind her and comes to a halt a few feet away from me. I try to keep my voice down, so my neighbors and Maisy don’t hear me. But to make my point very fucking clear, I step a mere inch or two from her face, looking down into her eyes. The eyes that I once loved. That were once the key to my existence. Now, all they are is a connection to Maisy. “Did I not make myself clear last night?” “What do you mean?” She bites her bottom lip as if she’s trying to turn me on. It makes me want to vomit. “I told you to leave and not come back here. You can’t just waltz in here and play mommy. You’re fucking with her emotions, god damn it.” Georgia touches my arm, and I want to slap it away. But before I can pull back, Chandler’s brakes squeal as his car comes to a halt. She removes her hand and steps away from me just as my very angry best friend barrels from the car. “Really? So this is how you’re gonna treat my sister?” he yells, his strides eating up the distance between us. I look past him and into his car to see if Mia is in there, but the windows are tinted, so I’m unsure. “Not now, man.”

“No? So when?” he asks. Georgia backs up even more, and before I know it, he’s body checking me. “When you break her heart even more by choosing to be with her?” And he points to Georgia. “What are you talking about, bro?” “I’m not your fuckin’ ‘bro’ anymore. We’re done, damn it, and so are you and Mia. You can have this washed-up whore and the little pathetic life you always dreamed of.” “Are you fucking crazy? That’s the last thing I want, I was just telling her she needed to leave.” “Whatever. Keep the lies coming, you fucking pussy.” He places both his hands on my chest and shoves me backward. I swallow, trying to hold back the anger—anger over Georgia showing up, anger over Chandler showing up making accusations, and anger at myself for not going to Mia last night, but my vision blurs. All I see is red, and I swing, taking my anger out on my best friend. One hit and he falls to the ground. I jump on top of him, swinging. In the background, I hear screaming, but nothing can stop me. Nothing until her voice and her hands break through to me. “Stop it, Roan,” she orders, and like that, I freeze. Slowly, I feel myself coming back. My vision begins to focus, the red fading away. Breathlessly, I look at Mia, her tear-streaked face hurts me. And as quick as her hands were on me,

they are off. I reach for her, but she pulls away. “Come on, Chandler,” she says, helping her brother up. “I’m sorry,” I tell them, Chandler’s nose is bleeding. He takes his shirt off and covers his face. Jesus, what is wrong with me? “Please don’t go,” I plead with her, still kneeling on my front lawn. I hate that I’ve hurt her. “Let me explain, baby. It isn’t what you think.” “You made your choice,” she says and looks at Georgia, who is holding on to Maisy. Rianna is also behind them, watching the scene play out with tears in her eyes. I have no clue why she would think I chose Georgia, but before I can ask, or move, or respond, they are gone. I place my head in my hands, the turmoil of Georgia returning is nothing compared to that of Mia leaving. Tears break the rims of my eyes, and I stay frozen, kneeling in place as the pain breaks me from the inside out. Then something clicks. That is how I’ve always lived my life. Frozen in time, taking whatever comes my way and just dealing with it. I’m done. I took a leap being with Mia, and goddamn it, it was the best decision of my life. So, I’ll be damned if I lose the best thing that has ever happened to me. Standing, I take one large step and look Georgia in her pathetic eyes. She isn’t going to come in here and ruin my life, not after all this time and what she

did to me. “You need to get off my property now, or I’m calling the cops. You wanna see either one of these girls, then get a fucking lawyer. You signed away your parental rights, Georgia. I didn’t.” I open the front door, and the girls go inside without me having to say another word. Rianna hands me her mother’s purse, which I toss to Georgia’s feet before following the girls in and slamming the door behind us. This is my house, and she isn’t going to come in here and turn my world upside down. “She signed away her rights?” Maisy asks from her seat at the table. I never told them that, and now I have to explain. Slowly, I make my way across the room, knowing this has to be hard for her to not only hear but also to process. “She did.” “Why?” “I don’t know, honey. Only your mother knows the reason.” She blinks rapidly, staring off into nothing. I wish so badly I could take this pain from her, but I can’t. I can only help her process it. “I’m sorry you guys had to see all that.” “It’s okay,” Rianna says, my strong girl makes me more proud than I think she could ever truly know. “We’ll be fine, just like we always have been.” She leans and wraps her arms around her sister. “You need to make things right with Mia and

Chandler,” she adds, and as exhausted as I am, I know she is right. Both girls nod their heads in agreement, and I know what I have to do.

CHAPTER 38

MIA

ONE BREATH in and one breath out, that’s all I can focus on since being at Roan’s. My heart is still in a tizzy, never having felt such pain. And my fingers still itch to touch him, just like I did earlier today after I pulled him off my brother. Him punching my brother isn’t what kills me the most, though. It’s that I’ll never be able to touch him again. He made his choice, and I have to accept it, no matter how badly it hurts. After leaving Roan’s, I went back to Chandler’s place. He’d helped as much as he could, and I’m shitty company right now, so I came home. My heart is broken, and it will be for quite some time. Regardless, I’ll never forget Roan and what we shared. I guess the saying, “It’s better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all,” is true.

Even though every single fiber of my being aches, I wouldn’t change a thing about the time that Roan and I shared. A knock on the door startles me. I get up, assuming it’s Chandler checking in, but as I look out the peephole, I’m taken aback. It’s him. It’s Roan. He pounds again. His head is bowed, so I can’t see his face. I wish I could. I have no idea what to do. “I know you’re in there,” he calls out. “I saw your brother.” Shit! I look around my condo as if it holds the answers, but really, I know all the answers are standing on the other side of the door. “I’ll wait out here all day and all night if I have to, baby.” The word “baby” chokes me up, and I open the door. An exhausted but still gorgeously sexy Roan looks at me through his dark and charming eyes. “You don’t have to do that,” I tell him, referring to waiting out there. Roan has always been my weakness, and I have a feeling he always will be. He barrels in, crashing our mouths together, and in this instant, the pain begins to fade away. He’s back in my arms, and greedily I accept him. Even if he chooses Georgia, I’ll take anything I can have from him. And I always will. At first, our hands and mouths are a tangled mess, but he slows his kisses, and after one last

slow lingering brush of his lips, he pulls away. “I’m so sorry for everything. Chandler told me what you saw when you pulled up and what was going through your head.” I cringe as I remember exactly what we saw—Roan and Georgia nose to nose, her hand on his arm as she leaned into him. “I couldn’t imagine, babe.” “It’s okay, you’re free to make your own choices, even if I don’t agree with them.” “What do you mean?” “I mean about choosing to get back with Georgia. I get it, she’s the mother of your kids.” “Are you fucking crazy? I didn’t choose to be with her. I was out there to tell her that she needed to leave, that she wasn’t welcome in my home. I wanted to make it very clear that I didn’t want her back, but I also didn’t want the girls to hear, which is why we were outside. Didn’t you listen to my voice mail? I told you I kicked her out.” I dip my head, ashamed that I didn’t believe him. “I thought she stayed the night, did you notice she was in the same clothes?” “I didn’t. I was so angry the only thing I was focused on was getting her out of my house.” “So, you’re not getting back with her?” I ask again, needing the reassurance. “No, baby, not even close.” “I . . . I’m sorry. I’m sorry for Chandler and—” “Don’t say another word.” I stop talking,

listening to Roan the way I always do, and he looks deeper into my eyes. Deeper than he ever has, and my heart melts as he speaks the words, “Mia Cavalano, I fucking love you.” “What?” I respond, clearly not hearing him right. “I.” He kisses my forehead. “Love.” He kisses my nose. “You.” He kisses my mouth, and his arms hold me to him as I look up at him in shock. Surely, I’m dreaming. He didn’t just tell me that, right? “You don’t have to say anything, baby. I just want you to know it.” And he swoops me off my feet, carrying me to my bedroom. I hold on to his neck and gaze into his eyes as my mind processes everything. Softly, he lays me back on the plush fabric of the comforter before crawling in next to me. As I breathe him in, his hand moves to lovingly cup my cheek and I speak the words I’ve know for a long time. “I love you, Roan.” His eyes light up, and he shifts so he’s on top of me, pressing me firmly into the mattress. “Say it again,” he orders, and in one swift breath, I whisper, “I love you, Roan.” His cock hardens against my pelvis, and he rocks his hips against me. “Again,” he commands between kisses, and I speak the words, loving that not only can I be honest but also that he

reciprocates. My hands trail up his back beneath his T-shirt. The tightness of his skin and muscles feel amazing. He groans into my ear and pushes my shirt up, exposing my stomach and then my breasts. The second he sees my nipples, he dips his head and flicks his tongue back and forth over them, bouncing between the two. I moan, pleasure glowing through my whole body as I fumble with his button and zipper. Once they are finally undone, I reach in and grasp his shaft. “Fuck!” he groans. I push his pants down as far as I can, and he kicks them off the rest of the way. Impatient, my hand moves up and down, stroking his cock. I need to taste him, so I bend and take him into my mouth. My free hand cups his balls, which tighten as I massage them and suck his glorious length. “Yes, baby,” he says, coaxing me on. Every ridge of his dick feels remarkable, and I get carried away, going faster and firmer. I feel him grow harder, and the next second, he’s pulling my mouth away from him. “I don’t want to come yet.” “Please, give it to me,” I beg him, needing it. Needing him to relinquish his pleasure at my control. He smirks and shakes his head, giving me the

look I love as he slips back into my mouth. He lets me control the pace, but I’m not timid, and I don’t go easy on him. I take him deep into the back of my throat, humming around his head, which makes his thighs shake under my palms. Grunting a loud mixture of pleasure, he comes while cursing my name. I swallow all that he gives me, loving the power I have. He pumps short quick jerks in and out of my mouth, giving me every last drop. My pussy is so tight it burns, loving this moment and this man. Before I know it, I’m stark naked and bent over. Roan slams into me, causing a ticking time bomb of wicked ecstasy to begin its countdown. “Oh God,” I cry out. “I’m Roan, not God, baby.” “Yes, Roan,” I barely choke out the two words as his hands grip my hips and his bone-hard dick takes me out of this world to a place where dreams are made. His balls slap my clit, and the head of his cock rubs my favorite spot. Moving my ass to meet his thrusts, he is relentless, not showing me or my body an ounce of mercy, which I love. This is how I like to be fucked.

CHAPTER 39

ROAN

“COME HOME WITH ME?” I ask Mia. Our bodies are wrapped around one another’s beneath the covers of her messy bed. I’m asking her nicely, but deep down, I know I won’t take no for an answer. “I don’t know. I don’t want to complicate things with the girls.” “Are you kidding me? They want you there. Rianna is the one who told me to go and make things right with you.” “She is?” “Yes.” And honestly, I think it would help to have Mia there to talk about things. This whole situation has been nuts. But that’s what Georgia does to me—she makes me lose my mind! “Okay.” Her response is just what I wanted, and it makes me feel like everything is going to be all

right. We get up and get dressed, I look at how sunken in her stomach is, and it breaks my heart knowing I hurt her. “When is the last time you ate?” I ask. She shrugs, and I tell her, “You have to take care of yourself.” “I know,” she whispers, the pain still evident in her eyes. “I’m sorry, Mia. I never meant to hurt you.” “Would you stop being sorry? We’re good.” She sits astride my lap, and I hold on to her. “Yeah, we are good.” She kisses the side of my mouth, and for some reason, I’m taken back to the time in my life where it all went so wrong. “Will you promise one thing?” “Of course?” “That no matter what happens, you’ll never leave me. You’ll always talk things through with me.” “I promise.” “I mean it. When we walked into my house and found Georgia there, I didn’t want you to go. When I turned around, and you were gone, it almost broke me.” “I didn’t know what to do, Roan.” “I know. Just don’t leave me, no matter what happens.” My arms are around her, and it makes me feel so good, so settled as if everything in my

world is right. Had she stayed, all of this could’ve been avoided, and I have a feeling she sees that, too. I’m not blaming her. She doesn’t hold a single ounce of fault in this whole situation. I am the one who hid from my problems, and I did it for too long. I’ll never do it again. She stands and laces her fingers through mine, leading me through her condo and to her front door. “I’ll drive.” Not able to fathom being away from her for one second. “Are you sure?” I don’t answer her. Instead, I open my passenger car door and usher her inside. Then I slip in behind the wheel and start the engine. “Do you want to eat before we go back?” “No, we can go see the girls.” “And you will, but you need to eat.” “Okay,” she agrees and then shifts so she’s facing me. “What did my brother say?” “At first, he was ready to continue trying to beat the shit out of me.” “Really?” “Really. His nose is all bruised, and you know how he feels about his face.” She laughs, which is a sound I love. “After I got him to calm down, we talked for a while, and he understood it was a big misunderstanding.” I flip my blinker and pull into a parking lot, nodding to the neon sign for the diner.

“Here good?” I ask. “It’s perfect.” “Good.” We get out and head inside. While we are being led to our table, I shoot a quick text to the girls, asking if they want anything. “You ever been here?” I ask her. “No, you?” “Yeah, a few times. They have the best chicken and waffles.” “I don’t know how you could eat that, it’s so gross.” “Whatever. It’s like a delicacy in the South. Have you ever tried it?” “No.” “Then don’t knock it.” “Hi my name is Pam, I’ll be your server. What can I get you two to drink?” “I’ll have a coke,” Mia says. “Make that two,” I tell the waitress. She walks off, and we both look over the menu. I know I’m getting the chicken and waffles, so I set my menu down and look across the table at my beautiful girl. “What?” she asks without looking up. “Nothing, just admiring the view.” She looks behind her as if there is anything more gorgeous than her, and I laugh. “Really?” Her cheeks blush, and she sets the menu down. I reach across the table and take her hands into

mine, holding them tightly as her warmth fills my body. “I love you, Mia.” “I love you.” Her response sounds so natural and effortless as it leaves her perfect lips. I have no fuckin’ clue how I got so damn lucky, but for some reason, I did. If I had to go through everything all over again just to end up where I am now, I would do it in a heartbeat.

CHAPTER 40

MIA

“SEE NOW you’re a chicken and waffle fiend,” Roan teases me. I must’ve eaten more of his food than he did, but he seemed okay with that. He opens the front door to his home, and I tense, still envisioning Georgia inside. “What’s wrong?” “Nothing,” I tell him with a tiny shake of my head. “You sure?” “Yeah.” We walk inside, and he calls for the girls. They come up from the basement and both smile when they see me. Each gives me a tight hug, and Roan sets the food on the table before moving to grab two plates. “We’re happy you’re here,” Rianna says. “Thanks. I’m sorry you both had to go through

that.” “It isn’t your fault,” Roan adds as he fills their plates. Maisy seems a bit quiet, and I want her to know that I’m here to help. That I feel bad for what she’s going through. I know what it’s like to lose a parent. I lost both of mine. So maybe I can shed some light on the situation and help Maisy see that she’ll be okay, no matter what happens with her mom. I sit at the table with the girls as they begin to eat, and Roan stands behind me, gently massaging my shoulders. “I want you both to know, that I’m here to help in any way I can. I know your mom being back is . . . difficult.” “She’s not back,” Rianna says around a mouthful of food. “Dad kicked her out.” Maisy drops her fork against the ceramic plate, clearly upset, and I touch Roan’s hand, knowing we have to make this right. He sits down as well. Now the four of us are at the table. “Saying your mom could never see you again isn’t my choice to make. It’s yours. Mia helped me see that today.” Tears fill Maisy’s eyes, and I hate the impact this is having on her. “If we let her back in, she’s just gonna eventually leave us again,” Rianna says. And Maisy answers her, “But what if she doesn’t?”

The two girls look at one another as Roan and I sit back. They are both smart, capable girls who can make their own decisions. Yes, Roan and I will be here if they need us, but he’s right. This is their choice, not his. “What if?” Rianna asks. “Can we not talk about this now?” Maisy counters. “You can do whatever you feel is right,” Roan reassures them. They finish their food quietly, and I’m not sure what to say. Then they put their plates in the sink and give us each a hug before heading into the basement. “Are they okay?” I ask. “Yeah, they are. They just need time.”

“I HAVE A SURPRISE FOR YOU.” “A surprise?” I ask, giving him my undivided attention. I love surprises. “Close your eyes.” I look at him and remember the time I told him to do the same thing. He just smirks and waits for me to comply. I finally close them and can hear him shuffle around. After an eternity passes, which was really only like thirty seconds, I can’t take it anymore. “Can I open them now?” “Nope!”

I place my face in my palms, hoping he hurries the hell up. “Now?” I ask again. This time he laughs as I feel the bed sink under his weight as he settles next to me “Sure.” I open them, and stretched out on the bed next to me is a naked and sexy Roan. He doesn’t have a shred of clothing on him, but he does have a tiny teal box lying on his stomach. I swallow, recognizing the color from the jewelry store we were at the other day, and reach for it. He stops me with the gesture of one finger in the air and says, “Strip for me first.” “Really?” I ask, and he nods so seductively slow. I stand at the end of the bed, the plush carpet soft beneath my toes as I reach for the hem of my shirt. Roan’s dick is hard, and he takes it in his hand, slowly stroking himself while I strip for him. “Like this?” I ask and drop my shirt to the floor. “Just like that, baby.” I turn my back to him, drop my shorts, and then hook my thumbs through the sides of my panties, and give him a coy smile over my shoulder. My movements are slow as I draw the tiny fabric down my legs, bending at the waist to give him a fabulous view. He makes a choking noise that borders on animalistic, and I know I’ve done my job well.

“So perfect,” he grumbles as I straighten and glance back to see Roan biting his bottom lip. I move to him then, and he lets go of his shaft as I climb onto the bed and settle so I’m straddling his hips. My sex is pressed against his dick. I swallow watching him hand me the present. When I take it, his hands clench my thighs, and I hold my breath as I open the box. Staring back at me is a single key on a chain. It’s as familiar as if I’d owned it for a lifetime. “Oh, Roan.” “You like it?” he asks and sits up, looking in the box with me. “I love it, how did you know I wanted it?” “I saw the way you stared at it that night.” “Did you buy it when I was there?” “Yup.” “I’m—” He presses his forefinger to my lips. “Mia, this is the key to my heart, I’d like to give it to you if you’ll have it.” “Is that even a question?” My words are quick and full of all the love. He takes the chain from the box and unclasps it. I hold my hair out of the way and lean down so he can place it around my neck. He effortlessly locks it together, and I rise, looking not just at the necklace but also at him. The weight of it around

my neck is something I’ll cherish and hold onto forever.

CHAPTER 41

ROAN

“DO you need me to grab anything else?” Mia asks me. I look around the room at the bowling alley and think we have everything we need for Maisy’s party. “Nope, just missing you, beautiful.” “I’ll be there soon,” she tells me before we hang up, and I take a moment to admire Maisy. She is chatting with a group of girls she invited to the party, and I don’t think she could be more excited about today. “Do you think she’ll show?” Rianna asks me, and I know she’s referring to her mother. “I don’t know. When I talked to her, she sounded off.” “What do you mean?” I’m not gonna beat around the bush. “I think she’s drinking again.”

“Really? Why?” I didn’t want to talk to Georgia in the first place, but Maisy said she wanted to give her a chance and that she wanted me to invite her to the party, so I called. “I could just tell in her voice.” Plus, when I called the place she said she was working at, they said they don’t have an employee by her name, but a patient. And I still wonder why would she be in the same clothes for two days in a row when she showed up? In all honesty, I think she’s hit her rock bottom and only came back for a free place to live. But I won’t give that information to Rianna; it’ll only hurt her as she and her sister decided to give Georgia a chance. As their father, it’s my job to protect them . . . always. “You really think she’d do that to Maisy?” “I do, honey.” I hate to tell Rianna this, but I know she’s strong enough to understand. Alcohol addiction is no joke, I’ve seen the struggle firsthand with Georgia, and it’s a very sad, sad thing. “I hope she doesn’t ruin the party, Dad.” “I won’t let that happen.” The host comes in, letting us know the lanes are ready, and a flood of girls head for the door. She moves out of their way and comes to stand by me. “Will you be bowling, sir?” “Ah, probably not.” “Come on, Dad,” Rianna says, and I roll my eyes.

“Fine, I’ll need a size eleven shoe,” I tell the girl. “And we’ll also need a woman’s seven,” Rianna says. I look at her confused. “It’s for Mia.” “How do you know her shoe size?” “We wear the same.” “Oh, good to know.” Right as I finish the sentence, the door opens. All the wind is stripped from my lungs as Mia stands there in a tight ass pair of white skinny jeans and . . . oh fuck, her nipples are hard as they scream at me to suck them through her soft gray top. “Hey, babe,” I tell her and kiss her cheek. She kisses me back and then hugs Rianna. “Where’s the birthday girl?” Both Rianna and I point into the bowling alley where the group of girls now are. Mia sets the presents on the table, and we head toward Maisy. “She here?” Mia whispers, and I shake my head. I think we’re both on edge about what the day will bring. I could only imagine a drunken Georgia giving it a last-ditch effort and ruining the day. “There’s the birthday girl!” Mia exclaims, sweeping Maisy into a big hug. The two embrace as the host sets our shoes on the floor. I smile at Maisy as she holds Mia back, she doesn’t seem to be bothered one bit by the fact that

her mother is missing, which is surprising to me. However, I’m proud of her. I’m proud of both my girls. They have learned to be without their mother, so this is second nature to them. The way life is supposed to be, I guess. “Dad, will you help me program the names?” Rianna asks, and I sit next to her on the tiny bench as we divide up the two lanes. The girls are all laughing and yelling, having a great time and I know we’re in for a fun day. As the games begin, I sit back. Mia plops down on my knee, arousing everything inside me. “She seems happy,” she says. “She is.” And it’s the truth.

AFTER FALLING and busting my ass, then laughing so much about it while we bowled my abs hurt, we’re finally done. I’m not sure how many games we played, but it was a lot, and it felt good to just act like a kid again. Not to stress about all the problems in life. The day went off without a hitch, and that included the absence of Georgia, which really didn’t seem to bother either of the girls. I look in the rearview mirror at Maisy and catch her attention. “Did you have fun, birthday girl?” “Oh my God, Dad, it was the best. Thank you for everything!”

“Of course.” I would pull the sun from the sky if it made her happy, so a bowling party was nothing. We park in the driveway next to Mia’s car. She left the party early to start on Maisy’s birthday dinner. I have to be honest, I fuckin’ love coming home to her in my house. “It smells so good,” Maisy says as she and Rianna crowd around Mia. “I hope it tastes just as good,” Mia retorts. I walk up behind them all and look into the bubbling marinara sauce. With my chin on Mia’s shoulder, I kiss her cheek and hug my girls. “What can I help you with?” Maisy asks. “Not a thing. This is your birthday meal.” She giggles and says, “Can we bring my presents in?” I nod, causing her and Rianna to run off. “What can I help you with, beautiful?” I slide my hands around the front of her and then glide them up her sexy body. My cock hardens behind her, and I pull her backside against it. “I think I got it.” “Good. Can you turn it down for a bit? I want you.” “Mm-hmm,” she moans too softly as I kiss her neck. “I need you, now.” “Later.”

“Don’t say that.” I rub her tits, knowing what it does to her. She just gently urges my hands away. “After dinner.” “You’re killing me.” She looks over at me and rolls her eyes. The only reason I relent is that the front door opens, reminding me that we aren’t alone. Now is not the time to mess around, but she makes it so hard to control myself. The girls sit at the table to go through Maisy’s gifts. Mia opens the fridge, takes out the salad, and passes it to me. “Can you put this on the table?” I listen to her like I always do. Then she gives me some plates and silverware so I can set the table. Within ten minutes, we’re ready to eat. “Is it done already?” “Yup, and it’s hot, so be careful,” Mia says, carrying a huge tray. I never envisioned her as the domestic type, but boy does she fit the part. As we begin to serve ourselves, I pay particular attention to Maisy. She has a permanent smile on her face today. I really think she had a good time, and that is all that matters. The necklace I bought for her, which I know is her favorite gift, hangs around her neck. “The food tastes amazing,” Maisy says, shoving another bite of pasta into her mouth. Her words move me to take my first bite, and I’d have to agree. Mia is a great cook.

“I got this, I got this,” Rianna suddenly says in a deep mocking tone, and I know just what she’s referring to. The girls all bust out laughing, referring to my little slip I had at the bowling alley today. “You know, in my defense, they just waxed those floors.” “You aren’t supposed to step across the line,” Mia says. “You sore, dad?” Rianna asks, making them all laugh harder. “I didn’t fall all the way down!” I try to defend myself, but we all know I was completely flat on my ass when I fell. The girls erupt into a chaos of laughter. But it’s a sound and sight that I love. My girls, all three of them, together and giving me a hard time—the way life’s supposed to be. After we eat, Mia says, “Come downstairs. We have one more present for you.” “You do?” Maisy’s eyes go wide, and she’s already headed down. “Yup!” We all follow her downstairs. While I had the girls out all day on different adventures, Mia spent the morning getting Maisy’s room ready. Maisy is basically bouncing up and down as Mia reaches for the door and Rianna asks her, “Are you ready?” “Yes!” she shouts, and Mia flings the door open. I haven’t seen the room yet, but it is amazing.

The new teal and leopard theme looks awesome, and the removable wallpaper is perfect. Maisy clasps her hands over her mouth and tears break the rims of her eyes as she spins around in her new room, taking it all in. “Oh my God,” she cries out, and we all freeze and exchange a worried look. For a split second, my stomach drops and I think she’s about to turn and start screaming at me. Instead, she launches herself into my arms. “Thank you, Dad.” “You’re welcome. Happy birthday. Now, go check it out!” She and Rianna both take running leaps at the bed, and I lean closer to Mia. “Thank you, Mia,” I whisper to her and then kiss her on the cheek.

CHAPTER 42

MIA

“GOOD LUCK TODAY,” Roan tells me as I prepare to leave and head into the office. Today is the day I’ll have to stand in front of like, a thousand people and give my speech. “God, I’m nervous as hell.” “Stop worrying, you’ll do great,” he encourages me. “Are you sure you can’t come?” I ask. He told me that he would be right up front and if I got nervous, all I would have to do was look at him. “I would, but Chandler and I have a meeting with Anderson Construction to make up for the one I missed when I was with you, so I have to go to it.” “Okay,” I tell him, knowing he has to go to his meeting, but I wish more than anything he could cancel. He takes my chin between his thumb and

forefinger. His eyes consume mine as he leans in and kisses me. I kiss him back, softly. Then he leaves a trail down my neck, sending shivers through me before landing a final one on my necklace. My stomach flips when he does this. He did it once last night, and I thought it was just a fluke, but having him do it again tells me that it isn’t. “Call or text me before and after, okay?” I nod and then take one last kiss before leaving. It’s so early the sun is barely up, but I have to get into the office and practice my speech. I should’ve been doing it this last week, but with everything that happened, my speech was the last thing on my mind. Hell, I even missed a few days of work, which is unlike me. When I get to the office, I park in my usual spot and then head inside. There isn’t anyone here yet, so I flip a few lights on and spend the better part of the morning practicing my speech between filtering through emails and voice mails. “How are you feeling?” my boss, Anita asks me from the doorway of my office. I blink, trying to figure out what she’s talking about, but then it clicks. I told her I had a stomach bug when I was out last week. “Better, thank you.” “Good, so you’re ready?” “As ready as I’ll ever be.” “You’ll do great. You’re a great public speaker

so don’t let your head get the better of you. These women are all excited to hear you.” “Thank you,” I tell her and do my best to remind myself of that. Anita leaves, and I gather my things just as a flower delivery arrives. The smell invades my senses, reminding me of the last time Roan sent me flowers. If only he could be there today for me to lean on, then I think I’d feel differently. “Thank you,” I tell Jasmine, our receptionist. “You’re most welcome. They’re beautiful.” She sets them on the edge of my desk, and I remove the note card. To my beautiful girl, Thinking of you always. Good luck today, you’ll do great. Love, Roan Oh, how that man knows the way to my heart. “We’re heading out now if you wanna join,” Anita says as she blows by my open office door. “Sure, I’ll be right there,” I call after her and grab my phone, wishing I had time to call Roan. I have to settle for a text. Me: On my way out. Got the flowers, love them and you. I’ll call you when I’m done, baby. I send the message with a smile on my face and know I will do great.

CHAPTER 43

ROAN

“MR. REDDICK?” Casey chimes in on my phone. “I have Mr. Anderson for you on line three.” “Thanks,” I tell her and glance at the clock to make sure I haven’t somehow missed the meeting again. “This is Roan.” “Morning, Roan. It’s Thom, how are you today?” “Very well.” “Good, listen, I hate to do this, but I have to reschedule our meeting for today.” “Oh, is there a problem?” “No, just an overlap in the schedule, but I didn’t want you guys to think we were bailing, after the mishap with the last meeting. If it’s okay with you, I’ll have my assistant reschedule with yours for later in the week.”

“That’d be fine. And thanks for telling me in person.” “No problem.” We hang up, and I get up from my desk, heading straight to Chandler’s office. He’s leaning back in his chair with his feet propped on his desk. The phone is pressed to his ear, and as he talks, he bounces a racket ball against the wall. He sees me and chucks it at me. I catch it and bite back the wince. The fucking thing came at me so quick my hand stings. I bounce the ball as I wait for him to finish his call, and once he does, I toss it back and tell him, “Thom just rescheduled.” “What the fuck, why?” “He said just an issue with the calendar, should be back on later in the week. I’ll check with Casey to be sure.” “All right.” “So, if you’re cool, I’m gonna head to Mia’s conference, I might still catch her speech.” “Yeah, man. Go.” I go back to my office and grab my phone. I’m not sure if I’ll get there in time to hear her speak, but I’ll still get there with enough time to catch her. The hotel the conference is at is just a few blocks away, and I follow the signs that lead me to where she is speaking. The doors are all closed, and I go back and forth about opening them and interrupting, but then a woman walks out, and I slip

in. The room is packed. Every table is full and up on the stage is my girl. The lights are shining down on her, illuminating her like an angel. She has her hands wrapped around the podium, and I cross my arms, leaning back against the wall as I get lost in not only her but also her words. She speaks my language, hell, she might be speaking it better than I do. When it comes to engineering, I thought I was at the top of my game. Clearly, she’s surpassed me. Everything she is saying makes sense. Then somehow, her eyes lock with mine. She stutters for a moment, gripping the podium harder, and I give her a wink. She recovers quickly and effortlessly, and I’m officially in awe of everything about her. As her speech comes to an end, I find myself very turned on. It doesn’t help that as she leaves the stage, her skirt seems to be shorter than it was this morning. I lick my lips, watching her for as long as I can. Then another woman steps up to talk, and the crowd becomes restless. I’m so busy scanning the room for Mia, I almost miss the door to my right opening. I turn and find her standing in the hallway, motioning for me to join her. “You made it!” she exclaims once the door is closed again. “I did, and you fucking killed it up there.”

She blushes and grabs my hand, leading me away from the doors. I happily follow, not knowing —or caring—where we are going. I’d chase her into hell at this point. Then she opens the door to a family restroom, and we both go inside. I press the lock button firmly, followed by slamming her back against the wooden door, and then drop to my knees. She grips my hair, and I push her skirt up, not wanting anything in the way as we fuck. “Is this shorter than it was this morning?” I ask. “No,” she answers, and once I have it bunched at her waist, I push her panties aside and begin to flick my tongue back and forth over her clit. “Yes,” she whimpers, and that one single word brings me to my feet. I rip my cock free, needing inside her, and plunge into her. She’s so wet she swallows me whole. Her legs bind around me, and I begin to move. Fire burns through my veins, and it takes everything I have not to grunt barbarically as we fuck. God, she’s so tight. Her cunt milks my dick, and together we get lost in a world of pleasure. It’s a place that I’ve only ever been to with Mia, and I wouldn’t have it any other way. Nothing else matters when we are together; there are no worries or stresses. She gives me the reassurance that everything will be okay, and that

feeling is something I’d give my life to hold on to. Without it—without her, I am nothing.

EPILOGUE ROAN

“TO ROAN AND MIA,” Chandler, my best friend and now brother-in-law says as he finishes his speech at our wedding reception. I look over at my girl, dressed in all white and beautiful, and she leans her head against my chest. I kiss the top of her hair, loving how even now that she’s my wife and we’ve been together for well over a year, she still drives me crazy. “You tired?” I ask as she yawns. “I am. It’s been a long day. Hell, a long week.” And I couldn’t agree with her more. We did a destination wedding in Cabo San Lucas, and even with the hotel handling most of the details, getting everyone here for this date was a lot. The girls are on the dance floor, dancing and enjoying themselves. We let them each bring a friend, and I think totally hit the jackpot being on their good-side

by doing that. The memories of their mother seem so distant; Mia has filled the role perfectly. Since the day I told Georgia to get a lawyer if she’d wanted to see the girls again, she has gone AWOL, she’s ceased all contact, and this time I really hope it stays that way. The girls are better off without her. “Let’s get to bed, beautiful,” I tell Mia, catching her yawn again. “I don’t want the night to be over.” “Neither do I.” And it’s the truth. I want to go back to the moment she walked down the sandy beach, the sun high above us. I knew in that moment that my life was complete; nothing could make it any better. “’Kay, let’s go,” she agrees, and I look down at her tired eyes. Many of our guests have parted for the evening, but to those that are still here, I holler out, “Thank you all for coming. I’m gonna take my bride to bed!” The room erupts into cheers, and I swoop Mia off her feet. The mound of fabric that is her dress bunches beneath my fingertips. She giggles, and I catch sight of Rianna and Maisy waving, trying to not have to leave. “That means you guys back to your room as well.” The girls happily oblige as I hear them following behind us. Glancing down at Mia as the moonlight

reflects in her eyes, it reminds me of the night we got back together. “I love you,” I tell her, the weight of her in my arms is something that I’ll always cherish. “Night, Dad. Night, Mia,” the girls say entering their bungalow, which is next to ours. “Good night, love you,” we both say in sync. And I pull out the key to our room, unlock the door, and carry Mia inside. “What should I do with you, Mrs. Reddick?” She giggles, and I contemplate tossing her on the bed. But the truth is, I don’t want to let her go. “You can do whatever you want with me, Mr. Reddick.” “Yeah?” I ask, and she nods, a hint of mischief in her eyes. “But first, I have to do something.” I raise my eyebrows, not sure what she could have to do. Reluctantly, I set her on her feet. “Close your eyes,” she tells me and right away, I argue back, “Not again.” “Are you disobeying me already?” “I’ll close them, but only for thirty seconds, that’s it.” She swiftly kisses my lips and then places her tiny hand over my eyes. “Make sure these stay closed.” “Yes, ma’am.” I hear her laugh as she moves to the other side of the room. She better not be getting

out of that dress without my help. “You better let me take that dress off you.” “I will.” It sounds like she is far away, and it makes me count. It isn’t long until I sense her standing in front of me, and I want to look down at her. I want to undress her and fuck her and have my way with her, my wife. “Open them.” Her voice is uneasy, and I immediately look into her eyes, wanting to demand she tell me what changed in that last twenty-six seconds. She takes my wrist and places something in my palm, but I’m too worried about the look in her eyes to care about what she just gave me. “I don’t know what this is gonna say.” I realize then that I’m holding on to a pregnancy test. My insides run wild as my brain processes what she just told me. I stare at the screen, and she stares at me. We’ve never talked about kids, if I wanted more or if she wanted to have any of her own. “I couldn’t wait any longer, I’m ten days late for my period.” She’s still looking at me as the screen on the digital test flashes a single word: Pregnant. I hold my breath, processing the news. She is carrying a baby, my baby. I’m having a baby with Mia. And before she can stress any longer about my feelings, I say to her, “It’s positive.” Her eyes, which are rapidly filling with tears, move to the test, and I hand it to her. She looks at the screen

unsure, and I know after all she has done for me, now is my turn to do the same for her.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

William, how do I express my gratitude for your help with this book? It seems each time gets harder to put into words, but one thing that’s easy to express is my undying love for you. Thank you for allowing me to follow my dreams. I wouldn’t be able to do this without you. I love you, always and forever. To my grammatical team: Ashley, you are not only a remarkable editor but also such a wonderful person. Thank you for teaching me, helping me, guiding me, and making me laugh along the way. Leticia and Janice, you two are the best wing women a girl could ask for. Thank you for having my back and for helping me with yet another story! I must give special thanks to Kristi and Linda with Foreword PR. You are both amazing, and I’m so appreciative of your help and support. I can’t

wait to see where this journey takes us. Crystal, you really are my rock. Thank you for sticking by me through thick and thin. I’m still not sure how I got so lucky as to have you on my side, but I did, and now you aren’t ever allowed to leave. Last but absolutely not least. The readers, reviewers, and bloggers. What we do here as LK Collins would not be possible without each and every one of you. So, from the bottom of our naughty little hearts . . . thank you!

FOR OUR READERS

If you loved The Perfect Bastard, we’d love to hear your thoughts. Please consider leaving a review on Amazon. My husband, AKA “The Prezident” and I read every single review. It’s the best way to give back to the author. Finally, if you loved Mia and Roan and would like to take a ride with Chandler in his own book, please add The Ruthless Bastard to your Goodreads TBR list. Now, as our free gift to you, please enjoy UNPLUGGED in its entirety. UNPLUGGED is a story about a week of sex with no strings attached gone wrong.

SYNOPSIS

Merritt is an alpha male with a dirty, sexy, luscious mouth. He'll screw you senseless while talking filth. Prepare to have the panties melted right off you while reading UNPLUGGED. From the moment I laid eyes on her, I was doomed. Quinn Whitmore was unlike any other woman in the world. She was it for me. That spark, that instant connection, became my sole purpose for breathing. Her laugh would take over a room. Her smile brought me to my knees. And her body was…pure perfection. When I met Quinn, she was fresh off a nasty breakup and had ruled out all men. She wanted to spend the week in the Rocky Mountains unplugged

from the world, unwinding and focusing on herself. So I decided to let it go. But my mind wouldn’t. Every thought suddenly became consumed with Quinn, and I knew I had to have her. So when she finally agreed to a week of just sex, no strings attached, I took the deal and ran. It would give me time to fuck my Quinn obsession out of my head. But, man, was I wrong. A week wasn’t enough. A lifetime wouldn’t be enough. The problem…Quinn was hiding a secret—a secret that would ruin my life. And ruin it she did.

COPYRIGHT

The story of Quinn & Merritt Copyright © 2016 LK Collins Cover Design by Prezident Collins Edited by Lisa Christman, Adept Edits Photography by Copyright: Volodymyr Tverdokhlib All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing. This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to any actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental. The author acknowledges the trademarked status and trademark owners of various products referenced in this work of fiction,

which have been used without permission. The publication/use of these trademarks is not authorized, associated with, or sponsored by the trademark owner.

DEDICATION

Crystal, thank you for all that you do. This one’s for you, babe.

CHAPTER 1

QUINN

SLOWLY, I creep up the snow-packed driveway, thankful that I have my new Jeep to navigate the slippery terrain. As I put the SUV in park, Ted opens my door, his adorable green eyes sparkling in the last of the evening sunlight. “Fancy new car you got here,” he says. Ted is my best friend, Willow’s, husband. “Why, thank you. I did sign the biggest client my office had this year.” He takes my hand as I steady myself, planting two feet firmly on the icy ground. A chill runs through me, and I zip my coat. “God, it’s cold.” “But beautiful,” he says, and we both look up at the shimmering white flakes coming down hard. “Come on, let’s get inside.” I nod and open my rear door, handing him my bag. Then we walk up to the gorgeous winter

retreat that Willow’s brother, Ari, rented for the week. Every year he puts together one of these trips, and it’s what I look forward to most in the wintertime. It’s the same group of people every year, and we’ve all become like family. Most of us went to college together and now meet to spend time catching up, skiing, and snowboarding somewhere in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado. It’s not far from where I live in Denver, and with how crazy my job and life can be at times, especially as the holiday’s approach, I can always use the time away…this year in particular. Ted and I kick the snow from our boots as Willow and Kami greet us at the door. “Oh my God!” both girls exclaim. “You look so adorable,” Kami tells me and gives me a tight hug, followed by Willow. “This place is stunning,” I say to them. “Isn’t it? Ari did awesome this year. Come on, let us show you to your room.” Kami’s boyfriend, Jacob, and Ari are zoned out on the TV, watching some sports game. “Hey guys,” I say as I walk by and they both nod their heads followed by a simultaneous, “What’s up?” “Awesome place, Ari. Thank you.” “No problem,” he says, still focusing on the TV, and the girls show me around and then take me upstairs. As we head down the hall, it’s clear Ari has the master; he’s paying after all.

“So, here you are,” Willow says opening the door to the rustic-inspired bedroom, with two twin beds made out of real trees. My room is right across from her and Ted, and next to Kami and Jacob’s room, so we’re all sandwiched in together. “Wow, I’m totally gonna feel like a little kid sleeping in here,” I tell Willow and Kami, as I plop down on the couch in the room to take my boots off. My bag is already by the door. Ted is such a sweetie. “So, how are you holding up?” Willow asks me. “I’m okay,” I tell her, the tears already pricking the back of my throat, and even though I try and push them away, it’s hard. Kami gives me a huge hug, and through an exasperated sigh, I say, “I’m not even sure why I’m upset.” “Breakups are always painful, babe.” And they are, even though my ex and I were only together for a handful of months, it was a fast and furious romance. He’s that big client I signed through my work, and he literally swept me off my feet. Flying me around every weekend to be with him as we traveled all over, and I just went with it. I completely let my guard down and in the process made myself vulnerable. It really was an awesome few months of my life. Until the day he broke up with me for really no reason that I could see. The pain of thinking about it is still so hard to handle. My relationships always seem to end badly, this one

included, which makes me feel like there is something wrong with me. I’m really hoping with this trip I can let it go, even if only for this week. “Have you heard from him at all?” Kami asks. “No, thank God. I’m sure he’s moved on,” I tell the girls, and I’m sure he has. “Well, I say you forget all about that douchebag,” Willow says, and I smile, changing into a pair of sweats. “I’d love nothing more than to forget about him.” “What do you ladies say, let’s make this the best week ever? We are going to be completely relaxed, calm, and unplugged from the world, okay?” She looks at me with that look, and I know what she means. I take my cell phone from inside my purse. I’m reluctant to hand it to her…but I’m aware of the rules on these trips…so I do. Kami and Willow hug me. Willow looks into my eyes, reading me, knowing me so damn well. “Let it all go, babe. This is a fresh start!” “I will. Thank you both for picking my ass up.” “Of course. Meet ya downstairs?” “Yeah, I’m just gonna use the bathroom real quick.” After I finish, I stare back at my reflection in the mirror. My dark blue eyes are tired and my straggly caramel colored hair is a mess. Christ, work really kicked my ass this week. I never knew

managing other people’s money could be so much work. Now that I’ve been promoted to Investment Advisor within a huge financial firm, I realize how easy I had it before. The snow made my hair such an unmanageable snarl that all I can do is use the hair band from my wrist to hold it in a messy ponytail. My wool sweater looks ridiculous with my gray sweats, so I take it off, then go and dig through my bag for something more comfortable and less itchy to wear. One of the things I love about these trips is just being able to chill and relax and not care how I look. Ari is like a big brother to me, and the other guys are taken, so I have no one to look good for. Suddenly the door opens. “Here you are, man,” Ari says, walking in with an unfamiliar guy, and I scramble to cover my breasts. “What the fuck, Ari?” I yell, and both he and the new guy gawk at me. Looking back at his sexy face, I’m not sure what to do, so I storm into the bathroom and pull whatever t-shirt I’m holding over my head. Then I stand there trying to decide if I should walk out. Or maybe I should wait for someone to knock. Ari said, “Here you are?” What does he mean? This is my room! Who is that guy? “Quinn?” Willow calls out and lightly raps on the door. I open it, and she says, “You okay?” “I’m fine. What the fuck is going on, though?” “I’m sorry, Ari invited a friend of his. They

used to work together. He didn’t think he was coming…but he’s here.” “And he’s staying in my room?” “Well, if you’re okay with that. But if not, I can see if he can sleep on the couch or something?” “No, don’t do that. I don’t want to cause any drama.” Ari puts this all together and is so cool about paying for everything. “He’s his friend; I’ll be fine.” “Are you sure?” she asks with a frown on her face. “I’m sure.” We walk out into the bedroom. On the floor at the door is the guy’s bag. I follow Willow downstairs, and as I look around at everyone, I spot him bullshitting with the guys. He’s got messy brown hair and muscles for days. He senses me coming down and looks at me, making my heart thud. I glance away like I didn’t notice, but I can feel his eyes still on me. He keeps talking to the guys but watching me. “I need a drink,” I tell Willow. My nerves are shot, having the two of them walk in on me like that. Thankfully Kami is making some sort of concoction in the kitchen. She’s our resident mixologist—literally—she worked at a high-end cocktail bar when we were all in college, and you can always count on her to make the best drinks. “Here you ladies go,” she says, passing us some foofy pink drinks.

“Hey, Merritt, you want a beer, man?” Ari asks him. “Sure,” he says and walks into the kitchen, stopping right next to me. I swallow, sipping on my drink, gazing off, not sure why I’m so nervous. Minus the fact that he saw my tits, I don’t even know him. “Hey, I’m Merritt, sorry about earlier.” “It’s all good.” I sip on my drink again as he extends his hand to me. I look down at it for a moment and completely clam up. “You’re supposed to shake it,” he whispers, leaning into my ear. He smells good, and his warm breath on my skin makes me tighten my pussy. I chuckle a little to myself, then take his hand in mine. “I’m Quinn,” I tell him. “It’s nice to meet you,” he says, his brown eyes dancing in the low light of the kitchen. “Here you go, man,” Ari says and hands him a beer. “You two get a chance to meet yet?” he asks us. “Yeah,” I respond, watching Merritt’s lips and the way they mold around the end of the beer bottle, eyes still watching me. God, I don’t know what it is, but he’s so hot and alluring to me, which is the last thing I need right now. I can’t help but think by the way he’s looking at me that as much as I wanted this week to be about myself and relaxing, he’s going to make that very hard—if not

impossible—to accomplish.

CHAPTER 2

MERRITT

“WHAT ARE YOU DOING?” Willow asks me, in a stern warden-like tone. Glancing up at her from my phone, a little confused by her question, “Jussssst workin’ a little.” “Ari, did you not tell him about the rule?” Rule? “Oh, I told him,” he says, grabbing another beer from the fridge, but he definitely didn’t tell me about any rules. “So, what, since he’s your friend, you’re gonna let him keep it?” Keep what? Ari rolls his eyes at his sister, and I really have no clue what they are talking about. Ted leans over and says, “I’d give her your phone now, if it was me.”

What the fuck? Willow outstretches one hand to me, with her other placed on her hip, and I’m in shock. Is she for real? I’m working on a three hundred-million-dollar deal, and she wants my phone? “I’ll stay off it,” I tell her and place it in my pocket. The room erupts into chaos, everyone yelling and arguing. Well, everyone, except for Quinn. She’s sitting in her chair smirking, sipping on her third pink girly drink. So unbelievably gorgeous that I could fuck her, right here and right now, in front of everyone. She shrugs her shoulders at me, and I ask her, “Did you have to give yours up?” She nods and I look at the ceiling contemplating my options. I’ve never been without my phone— it’s my lifeline to my job, and my job is my life, so they go hand in hand. “Can I just send this last email?” I ask Willow and reach into my pocket, but she snatches it out of my grip like it’s a stack of cash, and I get up feeling like I’m stuck in a house with a bunch of crazy people. Why can’t we have phones? As I grab another beer, Ari hollers over to me, “You’ll be fine, man, trust me.” I flip him off. Out of everyone, he should know how important my phone is to me. The girls all begin to clean up from dinner, and without my phone, I find myself watching Quinn. And it’s not because she’s the only single girl here, it’s because I’ve never seen a chick so confident.

Wearing a pair of sweats and a t-shirt, with her hair pulled up. “You know you got that deal in the bag,” Ari says, bringing me back to the moment. “How do you know?” “I’ve heard through the grapevine, man,” he says, and what Ari knows is typically the truth in our business. “Well, nothing’s done until it’s done. Plus, you know my dad will freak if I don’t close it. He didn’t even want to let me take this week off.” “Fuck your old man. You gotta keep him outta your head when you’re working.” I nod, hearing Ari’s words, but actually listening to them is an entirely different thing. My dad owns the company I work for, which is a very prominent oil and gas business with offices all over the US. Ari used to work for him too and left to join a corporate venue. Now I run the western US, and the deal I’m working on is to expand into Canada, which would make us one of the top three largest US producers of oil in North America. Quinn’s laugh echoes through the house, pulling me out of my mind fuck and back to her. “So, what’s the deal with that chick, Quinn?” I ask the guys. “She’s Willow’s best friend, has been for years. She’s like family,” Ari says as Jacob is shuffling a deck of cards. “You pussies bring your wallets?”

Although Ari inadvertently left out the whole “no cell phone” thing, he did tell me about this. Every night is game night, most of which involves an actual cash pool for the winner. “Yeah, let me go grab some cash,” I call, walking upstairs to get my wallet out of my bag. I go into the room I’m staying in and chuckle at the small beds. I didn’t notice them before. Probably ‘cause all I noticed were Quinn’s tits, but I’m not sure if I’ll even fit. Digging through my bag, I find my iPad. Fuck yeah! The temptation is too great to resist, and I take it into the bathroom. I power it up and hope it gets service up here. I’m sure it will if my phone did. Sure enough, it does, and as I scroll through my emails, I’ve already received six new ones, on a Friday night no less. As I begin to read them, I’m startled by Quinn as she barges into the bathroom, and I freeze, looking at her in the reflection of the mirror. “Shit, I’m sorry,” she says, but smirks when she sees my iPad. “It’s all good. I…I…” I stall, not sure how to explain myself. She and Willow are tight, so I’m sure she’s on her side when it comes to this whole no phone thing. She looks down at my iPad and says, “You better not let Willow catch you on that thing.”

Standing next to me, she sets a small bag on the counter and unzips it. “I can leave,” I tell her. “No, you’re fine. I mean, we are going to be sleeping together.” She takes out a contact lens case, and I can’t focus on anything else, except for her words. “Not like that,” she says. I nod, going back to focusing on my email. Being this close to her, alone, has my mind on other things. Goddamn, she smells so good; she’s very distracting. “What’s so important on there anyway?” “Fucking work,” I tell her, and when I think about it, I realize that I hate that it runs my life, but it does, and I’m not sure how to change that. “What do you do for a living?” she asks me. “I’m in oil and gas. You?” “Investment advisor.” Nice, she’s got her priorities in check, that’s for sure. “So, no wife or girlfriend?” she asks me. “No, you?” “Wife or girlfriend?” she gapes back at me, holding one of her contacts on her finger. “You know what I mean.” “No, thank God.” “What’s that mean?” I ask her, a little offended by her remark. “Nothing, it’s just…I was with this guy for a bit, and he turned out to be a total ass. Let’s just say it didn’t end well and left a sour taste in my mouth

when it comes to men.” “I’m sorry,” I tell her as she slides on a pair of glasses. “It’s all good, it’s not your fault. This vacation is not about the past, Merritt, it’s about unwinding and letting go…” She trails off as her eyes get wide thinking about something, and I wonder what happened to her. What did her ex do that made her so anti-men? She recovers and looks down at my iPad, so I lock it. “I’m sure the whole no electronics thing seems crazy, but you really should try it. Once you’re unplugged from the world, it’s refreshing.” She goes to leave the bathroom, passing me close enough that I smell fresh rain and something else, the combination coming from her skin makes my cock twitch. Then she licks her lips —such a tease—and breezes past me. Her scent and her mouth, God, I fucking love it, I want it. Grabbing my wallet, I drop my iPad in my bag and head back downstairs for something else to drink, something stronger, something that will tame the animal inside of me that Quinn is tempting. Because right now, for some reason, this chick has my head spinning, and I have no clue why. Not that I’m complaining, ‘cause she’s hot as hell, and I’d love to fuck her. But she’s fresh off a breakup and doesn’t want anything to do with men. So for once I’ll spare myself.

CHAPTER 3

QUINN

“ARE YOU GUYS READY?” Kami asks as she holds up the box for some new game that she’s brought. The guys all gripe, not liking to be taught something new, but she quiets their complaints by saying, “Stop it…you’ve all played UNO, right?” “Yeah, when I was in kindergarten,” Ari grumbles. She ignores him and empties the contents of the box onto the table. In the center of the coffee table is all of our contributions to the pot, which I really hope I win. Last trip, I won five out of the six pots. Merritt comes into the living room with a glass of what looks like Scotch on ice in his hand. He must really hate not having his phone. “You mind if I sit here?” he asks me, and I shake my head, tucking my feet further underneath me. As I lean on the arm of the couch, Kami is

rambling away, and I find my eyes wandering, taking in glimpses of Merritt. He’s muscular, but not too big, clean-shaven and his hair looks like he just ran his fingers through it. The sleeves of his black dress shirt are rolled up, and his thighs are straining the fabric of his jeans. Biting my bottom lip, I look at his cock, and Jesus, it’s... “Any questions?” Kami asks us. I blink wildly, like a kid on the first day of school that hasn’t a clue what to do. Merritt passes me a blank card and a tiny marker, and I look at it, perplexed. Peeking around the room, everyone is writing on their cards, and I whisper to Merritt, “What do I do?” “Write a rule or something.” “A rule?” “Yeah, like something the person has to do that picks the card.” “Can it be anything?” “I think so.” “What did you put?” I ask him. “I’m not telling; she said not to.” He covers his card, and I sigh in frustration. I have no clue what to write. The only things that come to mind are just dirty. What is wrong with me? As everyone hands her back their cards, I go with it; no one will know I wrote it, right? Remove one piece of clothing, jewelry excluded. Kami collects the cards and then passes out our

hands. “God, I feel like a kid,” Ari complains. “Trust me, man, this one is fun,” Jacob chimes in. “I had Kami sucking my cock the other night on every other hand.” She hits him on the back of the head, and we all laugh as she blushes, obviously still thinking about their game. Oh God, did someone put a card like that in there? As we work around the room, playing a traditional game of UNO, I begin to think this isn’t so bad, but my eyes are on the little machine that sits in the middle of the table which has our cards all inside of it, and I wonder what’ll happen when we have to use it. Then Willow lays down a card that has a picture of the machine and grabs the lever. The entire room silences, telling me that no one wrote anything nice on their cards. As she spins the tiny slot machine-like device, we wait for it to stop and when it does, she asks, “What does that mean?” It’s got a picture of a blank black card on it with a question mark. “Oh, that one means you pull a card and do whatever it says,” Kami tells her. “But I thought you said that we could choose who had to do it.” “If it gives you that option, then yeah. But it didn’t.” “Just pull the card, babe,” Ted tells her, and reluctantly she does, rolling her eyes and being all

dramatic. With the card in her hand, she’s just looking at it, not saying a word. “What does it say?” I finally ask, hating the suspense. “Make out with anyone in the room for one minute.” “Who put that one in there?” I ask, and Kami says, “Were you listening to anything I said at all? I told you, you’re not allowed to say.” Willow drops the card on the table and grabs ahold of the sides of Ted’s shirt as she whips her hair around. I giggle, what is she a 1980’s porn star? Then she climbs on top of his lap and begins to kiss him. As I finish my drink, Merritt asks me, “You want another one?” “Sure.” He gets up, and I follow him into the kitchen. “Did you write that?” I ask him. “No, I thought you did.” I smirk and awkwardly look at Willow who is still going at it with Ted. His hands are on her hips, then Kami yells, “Time.” And they slowly stop. “Who would you kiss, if you pulled that card?” Merritt asks me, refilling my glass. Sipping on my drink, I look around the room, filled with all of my closest friends and know my options are limited. Really it’s Ari or Merritt, and Ari is like a brother to me, and I bet Merritt knows that, so he’s expecting me to say him. I look up at him, and he winks at me. That is his card.

Sonofabitch! “It’s a hard choice between Willow or Kami, maybe both!” His mouth drops open, and I strut off to the couch. When I sit down, he’s still standing in the exact spot I left him, watching me. He shakes his head with a smirk on his face. “So what do I lay down?” I ask as Willow’s blue card with the machine is on the top of the deck. “You’ve got to either match the picture or color.” Looking at my hand, I have one card with a machine on it, but I’m not about to make that move, not until I see what else these crazy fuckers have written down. Merritt sits back down next to me, and I lay a blue six, then Ari lays down the dreaded card with the fucking wheel on it again, and he spins the machine. This time it’s got the same blank black card with a question mark, but it’s surrounded by tiny arrows. “That one means you can choose anyone to pull a card, or you can yourself,” Jacob tells him and Ari looks at Merritt. “For real, man?” “Yeah, why not?” Merritt grabs the machine and takes the top card out. I look over at it as he reads it. “Take a tequila body shot off anyone in the room…except yourself.” He holds his breath, and I do the same, knowing he’s gonna pick me. He won’t pick one of the other girls. He might pick Ari to be funny, although I sure as hell hope he doesn’t.

As I wait, the anticipation has me questioning things. “Quinn?” he asks me and everyone cheers. I roll my eyes at their response and take his hand as he leads me into the kitchen. On the center of the huge island is so much liquor you’d think we were hosting a frat party. My heart is beating profusely, and my stomach is in my throat. I glance at the girls, and they get up, following us for a better look. “Oh, come on, you guys,” I complain as they all crowd around us. Merritt pours the shot, then grabs a lime and the salt. Now that he has everything he needs, he turns and zones in on me, his eyes carnal, like he’s about to eat me alive… or tear my pants off and fuck me. I swallow nervously, and he looks at my throat, gently placing the lime backwards in my mouth before I can say anything. I guess I don’t have a choice on where he places the salt. His eyes scan my body, and I swear he can hear my heart pounding, it’s so loud. With no warning, he leans into my neck and licks it slowly. I keep looking off, nervous as shit; like not making eye contact with him is going to make me any less turned on than I already am. He’s not giving me room to breathe and grabs the salt, pouring it on me like a pro. Once it’s added, he braces his weight on either side of me on the counter top, then says, “Look at me.” I pull my

eyes away from the ceiling and zone in on him. Helpless under his control, with the lime keeping me silent, he smirks, smashing his body against mine, the bulge of his cock pressing into me, and I about gasp. Then his lips are on me again as he sucks hard, pulling up on the skin of my neck. The girls squeal, and I want to whimper, it feels so good, but I resist. He knocks back the shot, and I about drop the lime as he comes in on me, giving me a little nudge before his lips brush up against mine. Everyone hollers and I blush a shade I haven’t in a long time. Redder than I think Kami did earlier remembering her UNO game with Jacob. Men don’t typically do this to me. No, wait, they never do. I’m always in control; it’s how I get them to like me, but with Merritt, the control I normally have is stripped away as he owns it, suddenly making me question everything.

CHAPTER 4

MERRITT

TAKING the lime wedge out of my mouth, I whisper into Quinn’s ear, “Would you still kiss one of the girls, now?” She shakes her head, and everyone shuffles back to the living room, not hearing what I said to her. I still have her pressed up against the counter with my body, completely motionless. The sexual tension between us is heavy. I’m not sure what it is about her, but she makes me want her like I’ve never wanted a woman before. I didn’t like how she told me that she’d kiss a girl over me. And to most guys it would probably be a turn-on, but not me, not when I want someone. I don’t share. Our eyes still locked on each other’s, she knocks back a swig of the tequila straight from the bottle and grabs another lime, biting into it. The juices squirt, landing on my cheek, and I chuckle at

her outburst, backing off, releasing her. Immediately, she darts back to the couch, and I have to give my cock a moment to go down. Her tight ass is so hot jiggling beneath her sweat pants. Feeling satisfied, I refill my glass and sit back down next to her so we can continue our game. As turn by turn goes on, the cards keep getting worse. These people wrote some fucked up shit down. One of the cards says to remove a piece of clothing, and as I look at Quinn, with both of her feet bare, I can’t wait ‘til she picks that card again, ‘cause she’s gonna have to take off either her pants or shirt. “UNO,” Willow calls out, the game close to coming to an end. But not before Quinn lays down a card that activates the wheel. As we all wait for it to stop, the six cards have been reshuffled and added back in, so it’s anyone’s guess what will be picked. It lands on her, and she rolls her eyes, reading the card out loud to us, “Do twenty jumping jacks.” Both Ari and Jacob had to do it earlier, and it was pretty funny to watch them. But there’ll be nothing funny about watching Quinn’s hot ass do it. She gets up a little wobbly from so many drinks and begins. Coolly, I drink my Scotch, trying not to stare at her, but it’s hard with her tits all over the place. Is she even wearing a bra?

As she jumps and we all count for her, she’s back to looking in the corner of the room. I lean back in my seat, placing my hand on my thigh. Her eyes move to me, and I have to battle with my cock to stay down. I can’t tell you how many hard-ons I’ve gotten tonight. “Twenty!” The room erupts, and she plops down smelling even better than she has all night. As we work back around, Willow ends the game, cheering as she lays the final card down and collects her winnings. The guys all toss their hands on the table, pissed that they lost and I couldn’t care less. Getting up, I decide to sneak away to check my email, hoping I’ve received the final confirmation that the Canadian deal is closed. Heading into the bathroom, so I don’t get caught, I haven’t missed anything new. I mean, other than the normal bullshit that always goes along with these deals. So I respond to a few emails from earlier, and when I walk back into the bedroom, Quinn is lying on the couch, her head resting on the arm and her eyes are closed. Was I in there for that long? Looking downstairs, the house is dark and quiet. Everyone went to bed already? Turning back, I feel bad for Quinn sleeping on the couch like that; she looks uncomfortable. “Quinn?” I shake her a little, and she groggily looks

up me. “Yeah?” she asks me. “Come on, get in bed.” She nods and sets her glasses on the arm of the sofa. “I didn’t know which bed you wanted,” she says to me. “I don’t think I’ll fit in either,” I tell her and pull the covers back for one, and she crawls in, yawning so adorably. My eyes are on her lips, and as I cover her up, she’s already out. Grabbing my iPad, I sit down on the couch so thankful that I brought it with me and see an email from Ari. That motherfucker! To: Merritt Smith From: Ari Andersal November 02, 2016 12:23am Told ya, you’d get the deal. Attached is an email from the landowners in Canada thanking Ari for his and his company’s time, but saying that they are taking our bid on the deal. The news is fuckin’ awesome. Typing up an email to Ari, I thank him for sending me the message, then quickly email my dad to share the good news that will make his night. After I hit “send,” I rest my head back and look over at Quinn. My heart starts to pound, watching her. I don’t get what it is about her. Maybe it’s the fact that she doesn’t seem to be into me. You know that saying, you want what you can’t have? And clearly,

I can’t have her. She’s anti-men and all. Leaving the room before she catches me watching her like a weirdo, I leave my iPad on the couch and go raid the fridge for a midnight snack and another drink. With a fresh beer in my hand, I eat a cold piece of pizza and gaze out the windows at the vast snowy view. It’s gorgeous here compared to the heat of Texas that I’m used to. Finishing my beer, I contemplate another, but I’m spent, I really am. I’ve been up since five this morning and need to sleep, so I trudge my ass back upstairs and quietly open the door. Quinn is still out as I grab something to change into. Going into the bathroom, I turn the shower on. Steam quickly fills the room as I brush my teeth and lose the reflection of myself in the mirror. Stripping naked, my cock is half hard, like it’s been all night, and I get in the shower, hoping some hot water will keep it at bay. It scalds my skin, and I let it. I need something else to focus on, my mind drifting back to earlier tonight. To the way Quinn’s skin tasted beneath my lips and how her tits bounced under her t-shirt. Running my hands through my hair, I pop open my shampoo…the smell of mint always makes me feel good. Then washing my body with a bar of soap, I admit it’s a lost cause—there is no taming my dick tonight; it’s not going to go down unless I

get my cum out. Looking down at it standing straight up, I grip the base, stroking it tightly. Holding it firmly in the palm of my hand, the tip pulsates, and my balls tighten. Sitting down on the ledge in the shower, I rest my weight back on the cool tile wall and stroke myself. As I close my eyes, Quinn’s ass comes into my mind, and I’d love nothing more than to fuck it, to see her naked and have my way with her. She might act like she doesn’t want me, ‘cause she’s been hurt and all, but if she’d let me, I’d have her begging for more. And the second that I imagine her on her knees sucking me off, I let go, cum flying in the air as my body tenses and all the pent us sexual tension that is inside of me flows out.

CHAPTER 5

QUINN

MY MIND IS fuzzy as I take in the bedroom and try to unscramble the events of last night. How did I get in this bed? Heck, how did I get upstairs? Focusing on the clock to read the time, it hits me, and I remember how sweet Merritt was when he put me to bed. Getting up to use the restroom, I spot my glasses on the arm of the couch. As I place them on my face, I glance around and notice Merritt isn’t in here. I can tell he slept in his bed, though, with the sheets all twisted up and pillows half off the bed. Opening the bathroom door half asleep, there he is, on his iPad as he brushes his teeth at the same time. “Morning,” I tell him, and he winks at me. I close the door to the tiny room with the toilet. After I’m finished, I walk out, and he asks me, “Did you sleep well?”

“Yeah, really hard. You?” “Not so good.” “I’m sorry.” “It’s okay.” Splashing some water on my face, I notice he is glaring at his iPad like something is really bothering him, and I have to ask, “What’s the matter?” “Just work shit.” “See? That’s why you need to stay off that thing. For all I know, my work could’ve burnt to the ground, but I’m not stressing about a thing.” He thinks about my comment like he is actually considering it, and I outstretch my hand, wondering if he’ll really give up his iPad. “Can I at least check it once a day?” he asks. “No!” I shake my head and place my other hand on my hip, so he knows I’m dead serious. “Okay, let me just email my assistant.” I smile, loving that he is actually going to unplug. I get that it might sound dumb, but until you try it, you don’t realize the power electronics have over you. As I wait for him to finish his email, I brush my teeth and comb my hair. I’m pretty sure we are skiing today, so I’m not gonna bother putting on any makeup. Then I hear him hit send as I put my last contact lens in. I figure he’ll leave his iPad on the counter, but he walks off with it.

“What are you doing?” I stop him from leaving. My hand hits his rock hard chest, the connection between us instantly so strong. My insides ignite the same way they did last night when he pinned me against the countertop and took a body shot off me. Losing myself in him, I forget all about his iPad as he trails his fingers up my arm and cups my neck. My eyes close, feeling the moment to the fullest. I’m not sure why I’m letting him touch me like this when I don’t even know him, but something inside me wants to. As I open my eyes, he’s even closer to me, his hot breath on mine, and I figure he’ll kiss me. Bracing my weight on the countertop, I wait… He slips around me and walks off with his iPad. Jesus, I wanna yell at him for leaving me panting, but I don’t. My neck is still warm where his hand held it, and I touch it myself, feeling the warmth beneath my fingertips. It was as if he was claiming and possessing me, in a way I’ve never experienced, but I liked it, and I’m not sure why, seeing as men have always hurt me in the end. So why would Merritt be any different than the rest? A knock on the door startles me. “Come in.” Willow is ready for the day; her long red hair pulled up, and makeup perfectly applied. “I brought you coffee.” I take the cup from her, wrapping my

hands around it. The warmth settles the sexual tension that is rifling inside of me. “You sleep okay?” I hear her words, but my neck can still feel his damn fingers on me. “Quinn?” “Yeah, I…I, uh, passed out and slept super hard.” “No issues with Merritt?” “Nope,” I respond and take a sip of my coffee. “Okay, well…I was just talking to Ted about the driving situation today, and with everyone’s gear, we’re gonna have to take two cars. Are you okay driving?” “Sure.” “Awesome, thanks, babe.” She leaves the bathroom, and I don’t have long until we have to leave. So I have to pull my shit together. Digging through my suitcase, I pull out my thermals and ski pants. Getting dressed, I spot Merritt’s bag on the floor and am tempted to look through it for his iPad. Walking up to it, I look down and right as I bend down, Kami barges into the room and scares the shit out of me. “Do you have a hair tie I can borrow?” I pop up like I wasn’t doing anything wrong, and thankfully, she’s oblivious. “Yeah, in my makeup bag in the bathroom.” She rushes in and just as fast, charges out, tying her hair up on top of her head. “You ready?” “I think so; I need food.”

As we walk out, I look down at Merritt’s bag and wonder why it even matters to me if he has his iPad or not. He’s the one that’s not getting the full experience of the trip, not me. “You want sausage or bacon in your breakfast burrito?” Ted asks me, cooking in the kitchen. “Neither.” “She’s a vegetarian,” Willow reminds him. “Really? Why?” Merritt asks like it offends him, chowing down on a burrito himself, the tips of his hair sticking out from beneath his beanie. “For a few reasons.” “Which are?” I’m not sure why the question peeves me so bad, but it does. It’s none of his damn business. “Are you a vegetarian or vegan?” he persists. “What’s it matter to you?” “I’m just asking, what’s your problem all of a sudden?” Everyone in the room looks at me, and I realize how ridiculous I’m being. Just because he’s driving me sexually mad doesn’t mean that I have to be such a bitch to him. Two can play at his game, and that is what I fully intend to do. “Vegetarian and for health reasons.” “That’s cool.” Ted passes me my burrito, and I peek inside, just to be sure there is no meat. As I begin to eat, we decide the driving arrangements for the day. Ari

and Merritt will be with me, and Kami and Jacob will ride with Ted and Willow. Watching Merritt joke with the guys, I remind myself why I’m truly here—for a week of relaxation, unplugged from the drama of my life and definitely no guys. Time and time again, I’ve fallen into the same trap that always leaves me heartbroken in the end, and I won’t lead myself down that road again…no matter what.

CHAPTER 6

MERRITT

SITTING in the back seat of Quinn’s Jeep as she drives us to the ski resort, Ari is on his phone, which I have no clue why he was able to keep it with the fit that Willow threw when she saw I had mine. But that’s not what’s really on my mind. It’s Quinn. My eyes are on her in the rearview mirror as she drives, controlling the car effortlessly as we trek up the side of the mountain. Every so often, she keeps glancing at me, making me wonder if she wants me just as much as I want her. “Would you turn the radio up?” She smiles at my request as Ari gripes under his breath at his phone, emailing or messaging only God knows who, and I have to admit, even though I didn’t give her my iPad, being unplugged from the world right now feels really good.

“You like Stateless?” she asks me. “Yeah, they’re one of my favorite bands.” “Me too.” “You ever seen them live?” “I really wanted to when they came to Denver and played at Red Rocks, but the tickets sold out in minutes.” “I’ve seen them a few times; they’re pretty incredible.” “Really?” Her eyes beam, and I love to see the excitement in her expression. Quietly, she sings along to the song; her voice is beautiful, and then Ari blurts out, killing the moment, “You know what, man? Your father is a fucking prick.” “Ha, and you think I don’t know that?” “I swear, he’ll throw money away, just to make my life hard.” My father was pissed when Ari made the decision to leave his company and join forces with one of the big timers in oil and gas. I couldn’t care less—I just wanted to see my friend happy, and working under my father, Ari wasn’t. “What did he do?” “He got word of our bid on the Matrix land in North Dakota and offered the seller a million dollars more than us when he wasn’t even part of the bidding.” “A million dollars?” Quinn chimes in, obviously

she thinks she didn’t hear the amount correctly. “Yeah, a million.” “You don’t know his father; he’s ruthless,” Ari says, and I couldn’t agree more. When it comes to business, he doesn’t let anyone or anything get in his way. I don’t agree with half of the stuff he does, but at the end of the day…he’s my boss, and if I want to inherit his company one day, then it means I’ve gotta put up with his shit…all of it. Ari is glaring out the window, deep in thought, and I wish I could fix what my dad did. “I’m really sorry, man.” He nods, brushing me off as Quinn parks her SUV. We all get out of the car; my balls are already freezing. Ari’s phone rings and he answers it, walking away from us and towards the lodge. “It’s gorgeous here,” Quinn says, taking in the view. The sun is peeking through the clouds, trying to warm the day, but it’s not helping. “It might be pretty, but what’s it, like, ten below?” I complain. “Don’t be such a baby,” she tells me as we get our gear out of the back of her vehicle. “So, you ski a lot?” I ask her. “When I’m not working I try to, you?” “Not as often as I’d like. Work seems to run my life these days, and when I get a moment away, I end up catching up on sleep.” God, that sounds lame, but it must not be because she agrees with

me. “I totally get what you’re saying. I took a long weekend last month and had all these plans, but got nothing done. All I did was sleep.” Jesus, not only is she hot as hell, but her work seems just as important to her as mine is to me. She is a one-eighty from the chicks I’m normally interested in—the first issue is always that I work too much. “You guys ready to get smoked down the hill?” Ted asks with his head out the window as he pulls up next to us. “You wish,” Quinn says, and the other guys gather their gear before we all walk inside the mountain lodge to get suited up. The girls are in front of us, and I find my eyes on Quinn’s body… again. Even beneath her ski outfit, every curve is calling for me. “You hit that shit last night?” Jacob asks me. “Nah, she passed out.” He nods and says, “You gonna?” “Fuck, I’d like to.” “Did you bring extra hand warmers, baby?” Kami asks him, and I hope the girls didn’t hear us. He passes them to her, then offers me a pair. Gladly, I accept, really wishing they made a pair you could tie around your ball sack. After we are all suited up, I spot Ari at the bar. He’s still on his phone and waves us to go ahead.

“He’ll find his way,” Willow says, not caring that we leave him, and I kinda feel bad for leaving him. “What about his gear?” “I left my car unlocked,” Quinn says. Getting in the line for the chair lift, it’s apparent that Quinn and I will be riding up together. The other couples are lost in conversation, and I’m not sure where to begin. It’s a long ride up and being so close to her has my mind on other things. We take a seat, our thighs touching as we make our incline up the mountain. Quinn looks out at the vast Rocky Mountains, taking in the view once again and I swallow, wishing I could find some damn words to say. Thankfully, she makes it easy and pulls out a small flask from the pocket of her light blue coat. She takes a swig then passes it to me and says, “Let it all go, Merritt. There’s nothing you can do about anything from up here.” She reads me well, and I knock back a drink, her words resounding inside me. I hate that my father has upset Ari, and I want to undo what he’s done, but with my dad, no one tells him how to do things, and out of anyone, I know that best. The sting of the tequila warms my throat, reminding me of the body shot I took off Quinn last night. “You gonna let it go?” she asks me. “I’m trying.”

“You don’t want to be like Ari, stressing over work when you could be enjoying all of this, do you?” She opens her arms wide, making me take in the sights of the ski resort. “I don’t, but he’s pissed at what my dad did, and I feel bad, like I’m partly to blame.” “You didn’t do it, did you?” I shake my head, and she says, “You’re not your father. Let it go and Ari will too.” She’s right, I need to, and he will as well. We each take another sip, the chair lift smoothly taking us up the mountain, and she asks me, “So, are you going to give me your iPad or what?” “No way!” “Come on.” She bites her bottom lip, and I’d love to feel her mouth around my cock. “Let’s say I do. What do I get in return?” “Nothing!” she exclaims, like thinking of repaying me is a cruel punishment. “Come on; I can think of a lot of things I’d do in exchange for handing my iPad over to you.” “Okay, then name some.” I’m still holding the flask and take another swig before giving it back to her. “I’d like to kiss you, for starters.” “But I wouldn’t kiss you back,” she says, and I lean into her, smelling her sweetness, knowing she can’t resist the sexual tension. She’d kiss me, and

she knows it, and right as I go to connect our lips, the chair lift reaches the top of the hill. “Welcome to the top,” someone says, and she panics, tossing me the flask as she wraps her hands around her ski poles. I screw the top on it as I position my board on the ground. She pushes herself forward, and we get off the lift just in time, making our way over to the group. I stick the flask into my pocket. “You guys all cool if we start on this blue slope?” Ted asks everyone, and I buckle my left foot into my board, stoked to head down. We all agree, and Quinn asks me, “You have the flask?” “Yup, and you still owe me that kiss.” I take off, following everyone, leaving her behind. Looking back at her, she’s right behind me as she digs her poles into the thick snow and pushes right on past me. “Fine…if you can catch me.” She breezes on by, and I cut the edges of my board, working to get traction as I try and catch up to her, but damn, she’s fast. “She always that quick?” I holler over to Willow. “No, she must be showing off.” I smirk and make my way down to the bottom, loving the feeling of the alcohol coursing through my system and not focusing on anything else but my next move. I lose sight of Quinn, and once I reach the bottom, I don’t see her. Then I look to my left, and

she’s in line for the chair lift. I throw my arms up at her, and she gets on a chair, riding up to the top… alone. “Man, she dogged you,” Ted says, and I get in line with the group riding up by myself. With the flask in hand, I take advantage and finish it. The alcohol is flooding my veins, and I realize how it makes me feel warmer. When I get off the lift, Quinn is waiting for us. “Why’d you dog me?” I ask her, using Ted’s word. “I told you to catch me, but I guess you were too slow. So now it’s your loss.” I laugh at her remark as she reaches into my pocket and takes the flask out. She’s gonna be pissed that I drank it all, so I strap up my left foot into my board and get a head start, laughing as I hear her coming after me. Up ahead I spot a grove of trees and bank left, turning into them. I have to slow my speed, and when I glance back, Quinn is still following me. Once my board comes to a complete stop, I unstrap both of my feet and look at her, desire running through me as I step to her. “You drank my entire flask?” she huffs, and I don’t answer her, just stalking towards her, wrapping my arms around her body, zoning in on those sexy fuckin’ lips. She doesn’t protest or say another word; she just stands there all bundled up and naturally beautiful. The only sounds are her ragged breathing

and the tall pine trees as they sway in the wind above us. “I’m gonna kiss you,” I tell her and then my lips are on hers. Our cold noses seem warm against the bitter chill, and I relish in the feeling. Her lips so full and soft, I love how she tastes. Her tongue strokes in sync with mine, and I don’t want to stop. Holding her body close to mine, she whimpers, and my cock begins to grow— even in the frigid winter temperature, she can still turn me on. God, she tastes so amazing. I want more with Quinn. I need to have more. I will have more. I’ll have every single bit of her if it’s the last thing I do.

CHAPTER 7

QUINN

WALKING BACK into the lodge after a day full of skiing, my legs are so sore and tired. I don’t feel like I can take another step, and as I sit down, relief heats my limbs in the most delicious way. “Hey, did you see Ari at all today?” Willow asks me. “No, I thought he was just in here drinking.” I glance over at Merritt who is bullshitting with Ted and Jacob, the three of them oblivious to Ari’s absence. “Do you guys know where Ari is?” Willow asks them, and they all three give her a blank expression and shake their heads. She walks away from us and over to the bar, asking the bartender a question. “What did he say?” I ask her as she comes back to us. “He doesn’t know shit.” “Should we go back to the house?” I offer.

“I think so; it’s not like him to just disappear. You know he loves skiing.” Loading up in my car, Merritt sits in the front seat. Since our kiss in the trees, nothing has changed, and I like that. “Where do you think he is?” I ask him “You wanna know my honest opinion?” “Of course I do.” “He’s probably banging some chick he met today.” “Really? You think so?” “I do. I bet he met her at the bar and after getting pissed about work…” he trails off and I couldn’t imagine Ari doing that. He’s such a nice guy on these trips. “You look shocked.” “I am.” “Why? We all fuck.” “I know, I just think of Ari like a brother, so I can’t imagine him doing that.” “Well, you don’t know the guy I do.” “Is that the way you are?” I ask him, wondering if he’s only coming on to me so we can fuck. “No way,” he’s quick to answer like he’s the total opposite. With my hands wrapped tightly around the steering wheel, I put my car in park back at the house, and I can’t help but wonder if he’s lying. “What, you don’t believe me?” he asks, sensing my doubt. “Not really.” And I’m not sure if it’s that I don’t

believe him, or I’m just trying to push him away. Men have me so twisted up lately, I don’t know what to believe anymore. “Whatever, Quinn, you don’t know me.” He gets out of my car, pissed, and I follow behind him, heading inside and straight for the liquor, needing a fuckin’ drink. “Ari?” Willow calls out, and before he can answer her, Ari is in Merritt’s face, shoving him backwards. “Did you really think I wouldn’t find out?” “What the fuck are you talking about, man?” he challenges back, looking down at him. “My stocks, man. You fucked me.” Ari shoves him again. “I didn’t do shit, man!” “Fuck you!” “You don’t know the whole story.” And this time Merritt pushes him back, obviously agitated, so hard Ari falls to his ass. He flies to his feet and swings, catching Merritt with a hard right hook in the face. The sound of Ari’s fist against Merritt’s skin echoes in the room, and I close my eyes clenching the bottle of tequila. The noise somehow pierces from my gut to my head. I open my eyes and thankfully Ted and Jacob have jumped in and are pulling the guys apart. “That’s enough,” Willow shouts, and Merritt has his hand over his face, blood streaming down

his arm as he walks away from all of us and towards our room. Running after him to make sure he’s okay, I realize I’m still holding a bottle of liquor as I enter looking for him. I find Merritt in the bathroom, leaning on the counter with a towel pressed to his face where Ari’s fist hit him, and I pass him the bottle. “You okay?” I ask and he nods. “What’s he talking about?” He takes a swig and looks right at me. “After he left, he’s been waiting for the money from the stock he had in the company. My father has been stalling on signing off on them, dicking him around and shit. So I had them transferred into my name and was going to pay him what they were worth. I hate seeing him get screwed over by my dad, you know?” “And now he thinks you bought them behind his back?” “Yeah, and what pisses me off the most is that he’d even think I’d do something malicious to him. He’s my best friend.” “Then talk to him.” “No, fuck him, he swung first.” Obviously, Merritt is letting his feelings get the best of him, so I figure I can’t push him. “How did he even find out?” I ask. “Probably my dad. He’s been trying to drive a wedge between us since he left the company.”

“Why would your dad do that?” “You don’t know my father. He needs to control everything; he was pissed at me when he found out I bought them.” Merritt takes another swig, and I place my hand over his, wanting to look at his face. Holding on to the towel, he lets go, but looks down at me and even in this crazy ass moment, it seems I’m all that matters. Gently, I lift the towel, but his face is still bleeding, split wide open. “How’s it look?” “Not too bad,” I lie and press the towel back against his face. As I hold a little pressure, he winces. Staring into my eyes, he reaches up and runs his thumb over my bottom lip. My insides heat from the touch, the effect he has over me is unreal. I’m not sure what to do. My mind is telling me one thing, but my heart, my poor damaged heart, is telling me another. However, before I can battle with the decision any longer, we are interrupted by Kami as she brings in ice and a first aid kit. “How’s it look?” she asks, and I stupidly respond, still in a daze, “Good.” I pull the towel away. The bleeding has slowed, and Merritt looks in the mirror at his face. “You think this looks good?” he complains. “I meant it looks better.” I open the first aid kit and find a few butterflies to place over the cut. “It might need stitches,” Kami adds, and he brushes

her off, taking another swig of liquor. I’m tempted to take the bottle from him, he’s been drinking all day, and now with this, he might end up fighting with Ari again. “Or not…let me know if you guys need anything else. We’re ordering pizza for dinner. Any requests?” “A veggie one, please.” “Merritt?” “Nah, I’ll probably be leaving soon.” Kami leaves, and Merritt is giving me that look again, making my heart race a million miles a minute. “Leaving, why?” “I don’t know anyone here, and I’m not about to deal with Ari and his shit when I was just trying to help.” “But, you know me.” “That doesn’t help right now. I shouldn’t have come. I have a ton of work to do.” “Merritt, I get that you want to go, but Ari is your best friend, right?” “Yeah.” “Then talk to him before you leave. Trust me— you don’t want to run from your problems.” Hearing the words myself makes me feel like that is what I’m doing, pushing aside the pain of my breakup this week. But maybe that is what I need to be doing, in order to get past what I’ve been through. I’ve gotta let it go, the same way Merritt

needs to let the drama with Ari go too. He studies me as I look at the cut on his face. “Are you sure you don’t want to have a doctor look at this?” I ask him. “Yeah, it’ll be fine.” “Okay. But, before you make your mind up and leave, I want you to know, I’m sorry about accusing you of not being a good guy,” I tell him, feeling bad for insinuating such a thing earlier. Cleary he is a nice guy—look what he did for Ari. “It’s all good. You just went through a breakup, so your heart is guarded, I get that.” “Thank you.” “Of course. So I guess I’ll go and see if I can hash this shit out with Ari.” “Yeah? You want me to come?” “No, Mom, we’ll be good, I promise.” “Mom?” I respond back to him, my mouth gaping open. He winks and kisses my cheek—his lips on me again are a surprise but have me wanting more. I don’t know what it is about him that makes my insides a flustered mess. I’ve never had a man make me feel like this, ever.

CHAPTER 8

MERRITT

“SO WE GOOD, man?” I ask Ari after I explain everything and we finally get to the bottom of the shit my dad tried to pull. “Yeah, sorry I jumped to conclusions.” “It’s all right. You know I’m always gonna look out for you.” “And I appreciate that.” “Of course, brother.” “You know your old man is fucked up, though, right?” “You don’t have to tell me. I deal with it on the daily and only because soon the company will be mine.” “Damn straight it will.” We exchange a hand slap and then go downstairs. The group is all seated around the dining room table, and Quinn smiles when she sees

us together. The doorbell rings, and Ari and I grab the abundance of pizzas that were ordered. “Jesus, how many pizzas did you think we needed?” Ari asks Willow. “What?” she replies, acting like it’s no big deal. As we set the pizza down in the kitchen, Quinn comes over to us and says, “So, are you guys good?” “Of course, thanks for pushing me to talk to him,” I tell her. “Anytime.” “So in order to keep the peace going, I’m declaring tonight pizza and water night,” Willow announces. “What?” The room erupts in chaos at her crazy ass remark. But I’ve learned that when it comes to Willow, she’s a bit controlling, and you just don’t argue. “I’m serious, Ari, you had way too much to drink today, and the rest of you were hitting the flasks all day.” “Come on, Willow,” Kami pleads. “Nope! It’s gonna be an early night. We have ice fishing in the morning, and after skiing all day, we could use a chill night and some rest.” Ari walks over to the fridge and grabs a beer, twisting the top off and dropping the cap to the floor. Willow is stunned as he slams half the beer and says. “How about pizza and beer night, nothing

hard?” She rolls her eyes as everyone cheers like a bunch of kids who just got their way with their parents. I glance at Quinn, and she smiles back at me, both of us knowing our bottle of tequila is still in our bathroom. I grab a beer from the fridge then take one out for Quinn too. As I pass it to her, she smiles, the most adorable expression on her face. “Did they get your veggie one right?” “Uh huh, it’s kinda hard to mess up, though.” “I wouldn’t know; I don’t eat veggie anything.” I open one of the boxes and pull out a piece of pepperoni. As I eat it, Quinn says to me, “What do you say we go take a few shots?” I wipe my hands clean, loving the idea. The rest of the room is engulfed in conversation making it easy for us to slip away. I lock the bathroom door, so we aren’t interrupted again, and Quinn hops up on the countertop. “So, is Willow always so controlling?” I ask her as she unscrews the bottle. “Yup, but she’s always been that way, and we’ve all learned to accept her because she really does have the best intentions.” She knocks back a swig then passes me the bottle. “It can be annoying though.” She nods and the room is filled with an awkward silence, and I’m not sure what to do. I take a second drink, the alcohol burns, but I love it, and then give her the bottle again. “So ice fishing

tomorrow, you ever been?” I ask her, things…still awkward, and she grins. “Every year, you?” “When I was younger. I used to fish all the time, but never ice fishing. Now with work, I don’t do much of anything else.” “So…if your work is so crazy, how come you came on this trip?” “Ari has asked me for the last three years straight, and I turned him down. This time, I was gonna do the same, but the truth is, I needed the break. My dad and I are at each other’s throats.” “Why do you work with him? He sounds really terrible.” “Oh, he is. He has that dumb old school mentality and thinks everyone has to do what he says ‘cause he’s ‘the boss.’ My opinion doesn’t always matter; it’s just about closing deals and making money.” “Can’t you go elsewhere?” “I could, but he’s set to retire soon, and then the company is mine. I’ve worked so hard, and it’s right at my fingertips.” “Wow, that’ll be awesome.” “It will be. I turned down a full-ride basketball scholarship to Duke, so I could work for my dad. So I’ve gotta make sure this pays off.” “You play basketball?” “I did. I always wanted to join the NBA, but it

was such a gamble and working for my father wasn’t. It was a sure thing, the safe thing, you know? Enough about me, what about you?” “Oh, there’s not much to me,” she gets shy, and I’m not sure why. I snatch the bottle back from her, and she laughs at me. “Don’t be stupid. I told you, now you tell me,” I nudge. “Umm, let’s see, I graduated from CU Boulder in Colorado with a Master’s degree in finance and got hired at the first firm I applied to. That was three years ago. Now, I’m an investment advisor with them. I was recently promoted after signing the biggest client they had in the Denver office this year.” “No shit, that’s fucking awesome.” “Yup! Not my proudest moment, though, considering the client was my ex. But the job is sweet, and even though things with him ended badly, as least I got something out of the deal.” “That’s kinda funny.” “No, it’s not!” She glares at me and snatches back the bottle, her sexy blue eyes glimmering in the bright light of the bathroom. “What else?” “What do you want to know?” “You have siblings?” I ask her. “No, you?”

“No. What about your parents?” I ask. “They live in Denver in the house I grew up in. I go to dinner at their house once a week.” “Lucky! I wish I had that. The last meal I ate with both my parents was when I was a kid.” I’m not even sure why I told her that. It makes me sound like a bitch, but all the alcohol has me spinning. “I’m sorry.” “Not a big deal, my dad was always busy working, so he was gone, now I’ve joined him.” Stepping to her, standing between her dangling legs, I lean in, not even thinking as I brace my weight on the countertop and blurt out, “I want to kiss you again.” “Quinn?” Willow calls out before she can answer, knocking on the bathroom door. Hanging my head down, the moment—yet again—ruined. I look into her eyes and she responds, “I’ll be right out.” “Are you okay?” “Yup.” “Have you seen Merritt?” She looks at me with wide eyes and I holler out to her. “I’m here; Quinn was just checking my face.” Willow rattles the doorknob and I hide the bottle under the sink, then unlock the door and ask Willow as I open it, “Do you think we should

replace the butterflies yet?” The question distracts her. She studies the cut on my face as I stand really close to her and then she says, “No, it looks good.” “Cool, thanks for cleaning it.” I walk off leaving the girls like nothing was going on with Quinn and wink at her, looking back at her still sitting on the counter, in the exact spot where I left her. My cock wants her and is pissed at me for leaving her. But before the night is over…I’ll have her.

CHAPTER 9

QUINN

“WHAT WERE you guys really doing up here?” Willow asks me. “Nothing,” I lie and know it doesn’t suit me as all the blood rushes to my cheeks. “Don’t lie to me.” “I’m not, we were just talking.” “In the bathroom?” “What’s that matter?” “Seems a little strange.” “I came to take my contacts out, and he asked me to look at his cheek, then we got to talking.” I start to take my contacts out, my reflection blurring from so much liquor and she says to me, “You like him, don’t you?” “I don’t like him; I don’t even know him.” “Listen, you’re a big girl and can do whatever you want, but Ari has told me stories about shit

they get up to, so I’d watch yourself.” “Stories?” I question her. “Yeah, some shady shit went down in Vegas with them one time, like Hangover style.” I laugh out loud at Willow, sliding my glasses on my face, and turn around. “Do you not remember college? You slept with half of the football team, and now you’re giving me advice?” “You bitch! That was forever ago. You weren’t innocent yourself, Miss Cocksucker.” “No, I wasn’t, no one is. Plus, nothing with Merritt has happened or will happen. He’s a sweet guy, end of story.” My best friend hugs me, always trying to look out for me. “Shall we share a beer, Mrs. Controlling?” “Don’t call me that.” “Okay, how about, ‘Mrs. Water And Pizza Night’?” She hits my arm, and we head downstairs. Everyone is putting on their coats and boots, and I’m not sure why. “Where you guys going?” I ask. “Fire pit,” Kami tells me. Ted is already outside, lighting all the heaters that line the deck. The gas fire in the center is blazing, and I grab my coat, sliding my boots on at the same time. We all flood outside and Merritt hands me a cup. “Here’s a fresh beer for ya.” I look in at the liquid and know right away that it’s not beer.

“Thanks.” The air is cold as it whips around us. I take a seat on one of the benches that surround the pit and sip on the strong ass drink I’m holding. “It’s not that bad out here,” Willow says. “Did you bring s’more stuff?” Kami asks. “Dammit, I knew I was forgetting something.” “Damn, Mrs. Perfect forgot something,” Ari teases her. Willow glares at him and I suggest, “We could play Truth or Dare?” “No way,” Ted says, “Last time that happened, I froze my balls off.” “What happened?” Merritt asks him. “I had to do a naked snow angel.” “Oh shit.” “Yeah, not fun.” “I’ll play, if everyone throws in a hundred,” Ari says. “Why does it always have to be about money?” Willow asks him. “Uh, because it makes it so much more fun.” “I’m down,” Merritt adds and then the rest of the group agrees. “Sweet, that’s a seven-hundred-dollar pot,” Jacob exclaims. “What are the rules?” Willow asks. Of course she needs to know the rules. “Rules? We don’t need rules, sis. If you won’t

do a dare, then you’re out, last person gets the money.” “Whoa,” Ted chimes in, “What if we don’t agree with something?” “Then don’t do it, Ted,” Ari says to him like he’s a moron, and Merritt and I calmly sit back sipping on our drinks. “Quinn, why don’t you start? It was your idea.” “Okay.” I wrack my brain to think of a question and decide to ask Merritt. “Truth or Dare?” “Truth.” “Oh, come on, man,” Ari gripes, and I ignore him, continuing on with my question. “Have you ever had a threesome?” He smiles and responds, “No.” The play moves to my right, and for some reason, I believe him. Then Merritt asks me, “Truth or Dare?” “Truth.” “Do you spit or swallow?” “Swallow,” I tell him and take a big gulp of liquid. Swallowing it, the sexual tension between us is off the charts. Ari is next and asks me, “Truth or Dare?” I roll my eyes, and he says, “What? You wanted to play this game. “Fine, Truth.” “Do you like it rough or slow?”

“Ari!” I shout at him, and he waits for me to answer. “Come on, seven hundred dollars is on the line,” he challenges me to answer. “Fine…slow.” Merritt is watching me, the same way he did the first time he walked in on me shirtless, eating me up, and I cross my legs to stop my clit from twitching. Willow is next and says, “Quinn, Truth or Dare?” “What the fuck, you guys?” “You wanted to play,” she reminds me, and I blurt out, “Dare.” “Oh…I didn’t expect you to say that.” We all laugh at her dumb remark. “I’ve got a good one. Give a lap dance to anyone for a minute.” “Oh…that’s so original,” I tell her, and she sticks her tongue out to me. I sense Merritt lean back, thinking he’s got this in the bag, and I get up bending down in his ear as I bravely whisper, “Maybe later.” Then walk off and straddle Willow. She is shocked as I hold on to her neck and begin riding her body. Everyone cheers me on, and she just covers her face, completely embarrassed. After my minute is up, I tell her, “Maybe you shouldn’t pick on me.” Ted gives me a break and asks Willow, who is still beet red, “Truth or Dare?”

“Truth,” she’s quick to answer. “What’s your favorite type of porn?” “Ted,” she scolds him, and I find it funny how a bunch of adults turn what is usually an innocent child’s game into something so inappropriate. “Anal,” she whispers, and we all bust out laughing. Who knew our innocent controlling Willow was into anal? Next is Jacob and he asks Ari the question. “Dare,” he responds. “Give me a blowjob.” “Baby!” Kami scolds him “What the fuck? No way, man.” “Guess you’re out! Remember the rules?” “Fuck you!” He flips him off, and Kami asks me, “Truth or Dare?” I roll my eyes, finishing my cup of liquor. “Truth,” I respond scared that she will pull what Jacob did. “Does size matter?” “Hell yeah, it does,” I blurt out, and everyone is quiet. I maybe could’ve answered that one a little differently. It’s my turn, and for some reason, the money isn’t coming into play at all. I just want to ask Merritt. “Truth or Dare?” “Truth,” he responds, and I’m surprised. “What is your best sexual experience?” He licks his lips and then asks me, “You want me to be

honest?” “Of course.” “I don’t think I’ve had it yet.” His words and that fucking smirk ignite something inside me. He’s speaking to me; I can feel it. And I’m not even sure why. Why am I intriguing to him? He’s sexy and successful and can have his pick of women, but he wants me, and as much as I don’t want to admit it, I want him to.

CHAPTER 10

MERRITT

“SHHH,” I tell Quinn as she eats a piece of cold cheese pizza in the kitchen. It’s way after midnight. The rest of the house is asleep, but we are still up, drunk off our asses and having fun. “You’re going to wake up Mrs. Controlling.” She laughs loudly, not caring who hears her. We have to be up for fishing in a couple of hours, and I don’t want to go to bed. Looking down at her and her sexy body, her tits are popping through her shirt, and I can’t help myself. Leaning in, I kiss her, tasting her sweetness again. She melts in my arms, moaning against my tongue as she wraps herself around me. Taking my fingers, I knot them into the back of her hair, holding and controlling her. My cock is rock hard, and to my surprise, she reaches down and grabs it, clenching it through my pants. I press myself

against her, the alcohol urging me on. I want her. Fuck…I need her. She tilts her head back and looks into my eyes, telling me she wants me too, so I lift her t-shirt, exposing her perky tits. “I wanna fuck you so bad,” I whisper softly into her ear as I squeeze both of her hard nipples in between my fingertips. Moving her hand inside my pants, she grips my shaft and says, “Then do it.” “Right here?” I question her, looking around the kitchen. “Mmhmm.” Reaching over, I turn the light off, hoping if anyone wakes and comes down here, they won’t see us. I pull my pants down as she takes hers off. “Are you on the pill?” I ask quietly, and she nods spreading her pussy lips open for me, telling me that she doesn’t want to use protection as much as I don’t. Her cunt is gorgeous, shaved so beautifully, and before I can do anything else or move her to the couch or our room, she pulls me towards her, her tight, wet slit sliding around me as I sink inside her. “Shit,” she moans, and I nestle myself all the way into her, my arms wrapped around her. She grips my dick firmly, and as much as I want to pound the shit out of her, I remember her saying she likes it slow. Gently I pull back, her cunt holding on to the skin of my shaft. She braces her weight on the countertop and with my free hand, I push her shirt

up, holding onto one of her tits as I move my cock, pleasing us both. “Fuck,” I murmur and glance down, loving how I look moving in and out of her. My hard shaft is bulging as her sweet pussy swallows me whole. She moves with me, and I already want to come. Reaching down, I rub her clit, wanting to push her there too, and her face twists as she whimpers. “Uh huh, like that.” “Are you gonna come on my cock?” I murmur. She cries out loudly, my words turning her on and I cover her mouth to quiet her noises as cum suddenly explodes from my balls, shooting deep inside her. Heat radiates from my head to my toes, the feeling of letting go so intense. As I fuck her and hold her in place, she begins to writhe, giving over to the pleasure. Once our bodies settle, I don’t want to stop, and she looks at me as I continue to move, with a smirk on her sexy face and asks, “Jesus, did that really just happen?” I nod, still hard, and pull my cock from inside her, we both look down at it covered in her wetness, and I ask her, “Wanna do it again?”

REACHING next to me for Quinn, she’s not there. I liked cuddling all night and fucking her once

more. Opening my eyes, I look at the other bed and then roll over, taking in the room. Something moves on the floor and catches my eye. I laugh at Quinn who is sleeping in the most uncomfortable position. Pinching her nipple through her shirt, she looks up at me with a huge grin. “How you feeling down there?” “Did you really let me sleep on the floor?” Her voice is raspy, and I chuckle a little. “I have no clue how you got down there.” She sits up and stretches, her tits straining the fabric of her shirt. “Don’t do that.” “What?” “That!” I point to her hard tits, and she laughs, getting off the floor. I pat the bed next to me, and she climbs back in, our bodies immediately close together. “Can I fuck you again?” “What are we even doing, Merritt?” “What do you mean?” “We went from strangers to overnight lovers and…I’m not looking for a relationship, I just got out of a fucked up one.” “Well, I’m not looking for a relationship either, but I can’t deny that I like your pussy…a lot.” She looks into my eyes. “So just sex, that’s all you want?” “Sure.” “What about next year’s trip?” “I’m sure I’ll be busy with work. After this

week, you’ll never see me again. Let’s have fun. We obviously have an attraction to one another, and then we can go our separate ways.” She swallows like the decision is hard to make. My cock is throbbing for her like it has been since I laid eyes on her perfect body. I push it against her ass and kiss the top of her shoulder. She exhales, liking the attention. Then I slide my hand down the side of her body and put my hand inside her pants. “Just this week?” she asks. “Uh huh.” I roll her onto her back and begin a trail of kisses along her jaw as I finger her, slow and gentle, like she likes. I’ve never been with a woman who likes it slow. They always want more, harder, faster, but not Quinn, and I think I can get used to it. The smallest, slowest movements push her over the edge. There’s a knock on the door and we both freeze. “Quinn, Merritt? You guys up?” Willow calls out. “Yup, we’re up.” She answers for the both of us, and I add a second finger inside of her, stroking her pussy as I look at her. She has her eyes closed, lying in my arms, under my control. Her breathing is fast as I finger her, adding a third finger, and she turns her face towards my chest, quieting herself by whining into me. “Come for me,” I order her, moving my hand faster, and boy does she. Her body shakes as she lets go,

gripping my fingers, making my dick want to explode as she begs me for more. As she settles, I think she might want it hard and fast. The second I picked up speed, she let go. “Can I suck you off?” I nod and slip my pants down. She brushes her hair over to one shoulder as she grips my shaft and then swallows me whole. Her mouth, so warm and tight. I urge my hips towards her, meeting her movements, and begin to fuck her mouth. “You want my cum, don’t you?” I ask her quietly, and she nods, moaning again, eating all of me up. My balls tighten watching her stretched lips— they are so fucking hot—and as we gaze into each other’s eyes, I can’t fight it, or stop what she is doing to me. Letting go, I barrel myself deep into her throat as my cum drenches her. I hold on to her hair, groaning harshly, giving her mouth a few last pumps. She licks me dry but seems to want to keep going, and the truth is, I don’t want to stop. I could go at it all day with her. I’m not sure what it is, but being with her is easy and fucking good, really good. “You better try to be quieter next time,” she tells me. “Not a chance that’ll happen with that mouth of yours.” She lifts my shirt and begins to kiss my lower

stomach. “I’m gonna have to fuck you, Quinn,” I warn her, but she doesn’t stop. “Did you bring—” Willow barges in and I cover myself up as she freezes when she sees us together like we are. Quinn shoots upwards and out of bed. I sit up and look at Willow who is standing in the doorway shocked. “I’m sorry, guys.” “It’s okay,” I say and wonder why Quinn flew out of bed. You’d think her mom walked in on us or something. “I’m gonna shower,” I tell them and adjust my cock under the covers, before leaving them so they can have a moment together. I’m sure Willow has about a million questions, and I’m not down to be there when she asks them all.

CHAPTER 11

QUINN

MERRITT CLOSES THE BATHROOM DOOR, and Willow looks back at me with wide eyes, like a mom who just caught their kid in bed with their teenage boyfriend. “What’s going on?” “Not much.” “Quinn, don’t lie to me. I’m your best friend.” “We were just talking, and you startled me.” She crosses her arms. My best friend knows me so much better than that. “Did you guys hook up?” “Maybe, and so what if we did?” “Quinn,” she sighs and sits down on the bed. She pats it for me to join her and I’m sure I’m about to get the mom lecture. “Do you really think hooking up with Merritt is a good idea, after what you’ve just been through?” “What does my past have to do with any of

this?” “I don’t want to see you end up hurt again is all I’m worried about.” “That’s not going to happen, don’t worry.” “How do you know?” “Merritt and I agreed that whatever happens here, stays here. Plus, we’ll never see each other after this.” “Until next year’s trip.” “He’s not coming.” “You really thought this all out, didn’t you?” “Yes, I did,” I tell her because I don’t want to end up hurt again either. My heart is guarded, and I’m going to keep it that way. “So was he good?” “Oh…now you want to know.” She bumps me with her shoulder and nods. “Really good and big. I couldn’t deny the attraction between us anymore.” I try and keep my voice down, so he doesn’t hear us. She holds her hands a distance apart, trying to gauge his size, and I look at them mouthing “bigger” to her, and out walks Merritt with a towel around his waist, already fresh from the shower. My eyes eat him up, and right away, I’m shocked— he’s tattooed. I had no idea. He was inside me— twice—and I never saw his chest. Willow puts her hands down and swallows, she’s looking at what I’m staring at too. “So…you

have that thing I needed to borrow?” she asks me still gawking at Merritt.

“BIGGEST FISH of the day gets three hundred and fifty dollars,” Ari says as we all get situated around the fishing holes the guys drilled. It’s surprisingly sunny and not too cold. I jig my pole off the bottom of the lake, and Ari says to me, “You know you’re only scaring the fish away by doing that.” I stick my tongue out at him. He’s just trying to get under my skin. Every year this is the one thing I consistently win. I grew up fishing with my dad— he’s the best, so I’ve got a trick or two up my sleeve. “Don’t be jealous. You can just hand the money over now, if you’d like.” The guys all bust up laughing, and Merritt asks me, “You’re really that confident?” “I’ve won this every year we’ve fished…so yeah, I am.” Merritt rolls his eyes, and just then I get a nibble. I wait for the second bite before hooking it, and once I do, they all gawk at me. The fish must be big as the tip of my pole is bent like an “n.” It’s fighting coming up, and I keep the slack tight, taking my time. Kami gets one on too, and I see the frustration on Ari’s face as we both battle.

Pulling my fish up, it’s massive. Ari throws his pole down and storms off walking in a big circle like a baby. “Oh…come on,” I holler to him as I remove the hook from its mouth. Right away it’s obvious it’s a keeper. The rest of the morning goes by the same. I keep hooking fish after fish. The others do too, all except for Ari and Merritt. Ari keeps glaring at me, and I look outside of our tent for Merritt but don’t see him. He walked out a while ago, I assume to pee or something, but hasn’t returned. Knowing I am in the lead fishing wise, I reel in my line and go in search of him. At the edge of the lake is a small hill and I can see the top of his hat. Walking to him, the ice cracks beneath my feet, but I know it’s safe. They race Jeeps on this ice every year. When I reach Merritt, he has his hands beneath his head and is watching the sky. “Hey.” “Hey,” he responds with a huge grin on his face. “What are you doing out here?” I ask. “You want the truth?” “Always.” “Trying to keep my dick down.” “Really?” “Yeah, I…I don’t know if you have dry lips or something, but the way you keep licking ‘em has my dick ready to fuck your mouth.”

I giggle a little and lie down next to him. “I don’t think I’ve ever been fucked in the mouth.” I look up at the sky, the fluffy clouds slowly rolling by as they morph into all sorts of different things. The sun is warm, the reflection on the snow helping it to warm me. “You should let me do it to you then.” “Okay.” “Really?” “Sure.” “When?” he questions me turning his head and the second I respond, “Now,” he reaches over and pulls my body on top of his. Taking my nose, I brush it against his, looking into his clear brown eyes. “You smell good,” I tell him. He kisses me, our mouths lingering together for a moment. “I love the way you taste.” And with those words, we get lost, kissing one another. With me lying on top of him, his rock hard shaft is grinding against me, and I push back against him, wishing he were inside of me. My gloved fingers dig deep into the snow and a cold breeze whips through the air, covering us in a fresh blanket of whiteness. We stop kissing, but our mouths are still connected. I shiver, and he does the same. “Holy fuck, that was cold,” I speak against his lips as I pull back a tiny bit.

“Yeah, it was.” “We should probably stop.” He agrees and even though I said it, I don’t want to, but the truth is, this isn’t the place to be messing around. “Come on. I need to catch a fish; I can’t have you one upping me,” he chides. “You’d need to catch seven to beat my six,” I gloat and hop up, brushing the snow off of me. Walking back to where the group is, he wraps his hand around mine, the gesture catching me off guard. We agreed to fuck, nothing more, so him holding my hand worries me that he’s got other intentions.

CHAPTER 12

MERRITT

“IT’S ALL THERE,” Ari tells Quinn as she counts her winnings from today. “I’m just making sure; I know how you like to scam people.” “Please, that was one time and not my fault.” “What happened?” I ask. They both look at each other, waiting for the other one to tell me. “The rental car company never charged him the year before last, and he didn’t tell them.” “Would you?” I ask her, and she nods, not giving it a second thought. “No, you wouldn’t.” “Yeah, I would.” “Whatever.” She rolls her eyes at me, and I could spank her right about now. Ted finishes cleaning the fish that we all caught today. Everyone except for Ari caught one, which was kinda funny to see how

much of a baby he was about it. Quinn walks off to help the girls, and I ask Ari, “What’s the plan tomorrow?” “I’m not sure, maybe skiing again.” “What if we go snowmobiling or something?” “That’d be fun. You wanna book a place, and I’ll pay?” As we talk, I have my eyes on Quinn’s ass. “No. I’ll pay.” “So did you hit that yet, or what?” I nod, and he gives me a fist bump. “Was it good?” “Fuck yeah, sweet pussy.” “So what’s the plan?” “No plan, we’re just gonna hook up this week and then go our separate ways.” “Wow, look at you. You guys talked this shit through and everything.” “I’m gonna go look at booking something for tomorrow. Jacob, Ted, you guys down to snowmobile? “Hell yeah.” I grab a fresh beer from the fridge and head off to the bedroom. Sitting on the sofa, I grab my iPad and do a Google search. “What are you doing?” Quinn asks me, coming in with a serious expression on her face. “Wow, you just couldn’t stay away, could ya?” She shakes her head and locks the door, then kneels between my legs. Her bottom lip is tucked

tightly into her teeth as she lifts my shirt and then unzips my pants. By the time she wrestles my cock out from inside my underwear, it’s rock hard. All of the blood is rushing to the tip. She licks her lips and then takes me into her mouth. She’s so eager as she sucks me, making my entire body tingle. I can tell by how fast she’s going that she wants more. Pulling her back, I stop her and stand up. Then direct her to sit down on the sofa. Taking my clothes all the way off, she watches me intently, my body wanting her even more. “You know, I didn’t know you had tattoos,” she says. “No? Do you like them?” I ask her as she inspects my covered chest and I direct her to lean back. So trustingly she does, and I hop up, placing one leg on the couch, leaving the other foot on the floor. “Open wide, baby.” She listens like a good girl. It’s one of the things that turns me on so much —she’s so willing. I nudge my dick into her sweet, sweet mouth, bracing my weight on the wall behind us as my hips move in and out of her fucking tight lips. Her tongue swirls around me, and I don’t want to gag her, but I’m so unbelievably horny that I just go farther and farther. And before long, I’m barreling in and out. She has her hands clenched around my ass cheeks, her fingernails digging into my skin. “Yes, that’s it…take all of me.”

She moans letting me push and pull in and out of her mouth. Her hands keep pushing me faster, and as my balls tighten, I fight the feeling. Not already. Then there’s that goddamn annoying knock on the door…again. Fuck, it always seems to come at the wrong time. “You guys coming to the hot springs with us?” Willow asks right as my come hits me. I pull out of Quinn’s mouth, gripping my shaft at the base, in hopes I can stop it. “Yup, we’ll be right there,” she says back, and it’s a lost cause. Cum shoots right onto her face. I jerk myself, relishing in the release. Quinn opens her mouth for me and lets me come on her tongue, licking up every bit she can. “God, she has the worst timing,” I tell her, aggravated, as I squeeze out every last drop. “You think?” “Clearly! I’m not done yet, Quinn. I still want to fuck you.” “I guess it’ll have to wait then.” She slides out from underneath me and digs through her suitcase. Her ass is bent over, and my needy cock tempts me. Pulling down her pants, I spread her pussy and slide right into her. “Oh fuck,” she cries out as I fill her, but she doesn’t stop me. I hold her ass cheeks—they both fit so comfortably in the palms of my hands—as I

begin to move, in nice, long, slow thrusts. She reaches for the dresser in front of her and holds on to it. Her reflection stares back at me in the mirror; she still has a little cum on her face, and it’s completely hot. Her eyes are so gorgeous and wanting. “Take your shirt off,” I order her and right away she listens, moaning into the side of her arm to keep quiet. “Can I go faster?” I ask her, needing more. With Quinn, I always need more. She nods and I pick up my pace a little more each time until I reach the point where my balls are slapping her clit. Her tits bounce with every thrust, and she holds on, letting me give it to her harder than I ever have. And at this moment, I don’t want this to end at the end of the week. I don’t want to stop what we’ve started. I just want to have her and be with her and fuck her, whenever I want, with no rules.

CHAPTER 13

QUINN

AS THE SNOWFLAKES swirl around us, the heat of the hot springs has our bodies blazing. It is amazing how something so natural and from the earth can not be affected by the elements above. The air is freezing, but the water is a consistent one hundred and two degrees year round. I can’t stop looking up at the twinkling stars, so bright at this elevation, and even more illuminated through the sheet of whiteness coming down from the sky. Everyone is blitzed out of their minds, yelling and talking way louder than needed. But thankfully it’s just us here right now, probably because it’s so cold out. I have a good buzz on and am totally content in this moment with Merritt’s arm behind me. I never imagined, being so skittish about men because of

my past, that I’d be anywhere near ready to let a man close to me, even for sex, let alone this kind of intimacy. But I have, and with Merritt, I like it. The entire group undoubtedly caught on to us hooking up when he held my hand to help me into the water, but no one said a thing, like it’s normal. “No, Merritt said he was taking us snowmobiling tomorrow,” Ari shouts, and I glance up at him with a smile. What a sweet gesture. “I am,” he tells everyone. “Did you get it booked?” Ari asks. “Absolutely, we need to leave at about ten.” As everyone goes back to their conversations, Merritt whispers into my ear, “I didn’t book it yet. I got a little preoccupied with your mouth and that sweet pussy of yours.” My cheeks blush like a schoolgirl’s, and I look at him, turned on again. He takes his hand and slides it inside my bikini, rubbing my clit with his fingers. My body heats from the friction and the steam of the water. “Not here,” I tell him. He pouts, sticking his bottom lip out, and I kiss it. The group must be watching us ‘cause they all whistle and cheer. I smile and lean my head back a little embarrassed. “Don’t stop!” Ari yells. Merritt lifts my chin, bringing my eyes up to his and kisses me again as he pulls me onto his lap.

With my fingers laced behind the back of his head, I stay up to my neck in the water and zone everyone else out focusing only on Merritt. On the movements of his tongue and the way his hands on my body make me want to do things I’ve never dreamed of doing. Like letting a man sit me down on a couch as he fucked my mouth and then came on my face, the way he did earlier. I’m not saying I’m a prude. But when it comes to sex, my experience has been very vanilla. A little foreplay, then your typical positions. Nothing rough or out of the ordinary. I mean, just the way he bent me over tonight and fucked me so hard until I came was unreal. He slows the kiss, our foreheads resting against one another as he says, “Come on, let’s go, or I’m gonna end up fucking you right here.”

MY HEART IS THROBBING as Merritt kicks the bedroom door closed, a feeling I’m familiar with, and I begin to worry that this won’t stop at the end of the week. But it has to. I’m not ready for another relationship. Merritt is great; he really is, but…it can only be about the sex for both of our sakes, and I’m starting to feel more for him when I shouldn’t be. He sets my wet body down in the bathroom as he turns the shower on, and I blurt out, “Promise

me at the end of the week this will end?” He looks back, caught off guard and a little confused, and responds, “Yeah, why would you think it wouldn’t?” I look around the bathroom, searching within myself for the words to say to him, and he cups my face. “What’s the matter, Quinn?” “Nothing, just promise me that at the end of the week, this will end.” “You know it will. We live in two different states and lead crazy busy lives.” I nod registering his words. “We good?” “Yeah.” “Good. Now don’t ruin this moment. Remember what you said when I met you?” I shake my head, only able to remember him walking in on me shirtless and the feeling of sheer shock that a stranger saw me half-naked. “You told me, ‘This vacation is about unwinding and letting go.’ Now that’s what you need to do. Give in to what your body wants and stop worrying about the rest, okay?” I nod as he takes both of his hands and cups my cheeks, studying my lips before he leans into them and kisses me. The gesture is so tender and sweet that I melt into him, letting all my fears of betrayal and hurt wash away. This won’t go past this week; it won’t. Slowly, he takes one of his hands and slides it down my body, untying my swimming suit at every

point where it’s knotted. As it falls from my cold skin, I stand naked, and he removes his shorts joining me, his cock bobbing as it springs free. Then he steps into the shower, and I gladly follow. His dark brown eyes glimmer in the low light of the bathroom and I try to listen to his words. Letting go of all the shit that has happened to me, that’s made me so guarded. This is just a week of sex, and that’s it. The warm water pelts my skin as Merritt takes each of my breasts into his hands and licks the nipple of one and then the other. I knot my fingers into his hair and reach for his cock with my other hand, gripping him hard around the base of his shaft. He groans from my touch and as I begin to jerk my hand, pleasing him, he pulls my body towards his and then slides inside of me. “Oh God,” I cry out. “Let me hear you,” he commands, and I moan into his ear, making sure that I keep my noises under control, so the rest of the house doesn’t hear as they were obviously interested in what we were doing. As we stand fucking, his big cock rubbing me right where I like, I focus only on the pleasure, because that is what this is all about.

CHAPTER 14

MERRITT

WITH QUINN’S hands wrapped tightly around my waist, we fly through the forest, leading the group back to the lodge from our snowmobiling trip. It’s been such a fun day, lots of laughs and good times. I somehow was able to find a place to book us last minute, and I’m glad I did because it’s been the most fun we’ve had. With the lodge in sight, I pull the throttle all the way back, knowing whoever makes it there first wins. But behind us, I hear some ruckus. Releasing my grip, I glance back and spot Ari flying through the air. Oh, fuck! Immediately, I hit the brakes, and we skid to a stop. He’s lying on his back, heaving for air. I can hear it from fifty feet away, and I panic, not

knowing what to do. None of us have cell phones, then Quinn, thinking quickly, says, “I’ll run to the lodge.” As fast as I can, I go to my friend’s side as he lies on the snow, gasping, his face strained…he can’t breathe. “Shit, man, are you all right?” He’s wincing; his eyes tightly closed as he rolls back and forth in pain. Willow runs over to us, followed by the rest of the group and she’s freaking out. “Oh my God! Are you okay?” He doesn’t respond to either of us, and I feel fucking terrible that my dumb idea did this to him. “Just hang on. Quinn went to get help.” His breathing sounds horrific, his face keeps getting redder and redder, and I shake my head wanting to help him, but not knowing how to. “Calm down, Ari,” Willow says to him, and he snaps at her. “It fucking hurts!” Dammit, I’m so fucking pissed that I came up with this stupid ass idea. Quinn comes back over to us with a few guys from the rental shop, and as they kneel around him, we all back away. “Thank you,” I tell her. “Of course, is he okay?” “I’m not sure.” She wraps her hand around mine, squeezing my fingers tightly. Her warmth comforting me in this fucked up moment. As I stand holding her back… we just watch.

An ambulance pulls up at the lodge, and a few paramedics rush over to us. One of them is carrying a body board. I hate seeing my best friend in pain. It makes me sick. This is my fault. The tall trees spin and snow whips through the air as I stand completely frozen. Ari and I might fight like brothers, but that is because we are brothers. Maybe not through blood, but he is my best friend. My gut tightens in fear watching him get strapped up to the board and then get carried away. Willow is close behind, and we all follow them. Finally, I ask before the ambulance doors close, “Is he going to be okay?” “He will be. It looks like he has a collapsed lung from the impact of the crash. We need to get him to the hospital quickly.” Willow looks at me from the back of the ambulance, and I could punch something, so pissed this happened. Then they are gone. “Come on.” Quinn tugs my hand, pulling me towards the car and in a daze, I get inside. “He’s going to be okay,” she tells me. I nod, listening to her words, trying to believe them as Ted drives us away.

AFTER WHAT SEEMS like hours of waiting for

an update, Willow finally walks out. Quinn’s hand is still wrapped around mine, and I don’t dare let it go. The comfort of holding on to her has made me not lose my mind while we’ve been waiting. “How is he?” “He has a couple cracked ribs, one that punctured his lung and was making it hard for him to breathe, but he’s going to be okay.” Thank God. “Can we see him?” I ask. “He’s resting, they have him on a ton of drugs. He said for us all to go home and get drunk, for him.” “That sounds like him,” Ted says, and Quinn kisses my cheek as I let out a breath of air that I feel like I’ve been holding on to all day. “Merritt?” Willow says, as we all stand and prepare to leave. “He said to tell you he’ll pay for the snowmobile.” “No, fuck that. I don’t care about the money. I shouldn’t have booked the trip to begin with.” She smiles and says, “Don’t think like that. We had fun.” “Yeah, but look at Ari.” “He’ll be fine, and you didn’t make him crash, he did. He’s reckless, and we both know it. It’s how he lives.” “Thanks for saying that,” I tell her.

“It’s the truth.” She gives Ted a hug and kiss. “Do you want me to stay?” I ask her, “I don’t mind at all.” “No, you go back to the house and relax.” “No, you go. Let me stay.” “Are you sure?” she asks me. “Yeah, of course.” “Okay, he’d probably rather you be here anyway. He should be released in the morning, so I’ll be back early. Thank you, Merritt.” “Absolutely.” Still holding on to Quinn’s hand, I look down at our fingers and bring them to my lips as her blue eyes look deep into me. “Go get some rest, sexy.” She blinks a few times before offering, “I can stay with you.” I smirk. “Look at you; Miss This-Can-OnlyLast-A-Week doesn’t want to be away from me.” She pulls her hand away, and I kiss her cheek, then whisper into her ear, “If you stayed, I’d have to fuck you, and I don’t think Ari would appreciate that. He’d want to join in, and I’m not about to share you.” She nods with a smile, and I breathe her scent in one final time and then realize that everyone is watching us. “Bye.” “Goodbye,” she says back, licking her bottom lip knowing just what that does to me. “He’s in room 110,” Willow gives me a hug and

then they are all gone. My eyes are on Quinn for as long as I can see her, and then I shake my head. Just a week, I remind myself…that’s it. Walking to find Ari, I follow the signs to the rooms from 100-119. As I stand in his doorway, he is asleep, and as quietly as I can, I step inside. He looks up at me right away, his eyes glossy and tired. “What’s up, man?” “Not much. How you feeling, Spiderman?” He chuckles. “Sore as fuck, but the medicine is hella good, and my nurse is fuckin’ smoking.” “You gonna hit that shit?” I tease him “I wish. I can barely breathe. Where’s Quinn, she let you off your leash?” I give him the middle finger. “You know me; no woman’s gonna tie me down.” “I don’t know; you seem to like that one.” “She’s cool, sex with her is off the charts, but we already agreed to things being just this week.” “That’s good, man, you gotta focus on work. It’s not long until you own that company.” “I can’t wait, Ari. You have no fucking idea.” His eyes get heavy as I contemplate how those words could never be more true. I can’t wait for the day my dad turns the company over to me. I deserve it, and it can’t come soon enough. I’ve put up with more of his shit than anyone really should, and I’ve sacrificed more than I’d like to admit. But in the end, I’ll have it all.

CHAPTER 15

QUINN

“CAN’T SLEEP?” Kami asks me, walking downstairs as I gaze at the last of the embers of the fire. “No. You?” “Me neither. Jacob is tossing and turning and talking and snoring.” I laugh at the image and tell her, “Grab a glass, come join me.” She looks at the bottle of wine on the table in front of me. Bringing an empty glass over, she fills hers up and takes a seat next to me on the floor. “Why are you up?” I hand her Merritt’s iPad which I used to check my email, and unfortunately there was a new message from my ex. As she reads the email, she grimaces and then sets the iPad down. “Why don’t you block his email?” she questions me. “I have, and he just keeps creating other bogus

new ones.” “Then change your email. You don’t deserve to be spoken to the way he does.” “I guess a part of me was hoping that he’d see I blocked him and know how hurt I was and apologize for everything.” “Quinn, guys like him don’t say they are sorry. They’re one hundred percent assholes, and you need to stay away.” “I hear ya, Kami.” Her words make sense. But a part of me still misses what we had. It might have been a short-lived romance, but he was really sweet and good to me. Until he wasn’t. “What are you thinking about?” she asks me. Swallowing a large gulp of wine, I tell her, “That I need to pick better guys.” “Like Merritt?” I shake my head, but she can see that just by saying his name, I get lost in thoughts of him too. “You like him, don’t you?” “No, I like sleeping with him, but that’s it.” “Sure, Quinn.” She clearly doesn’t believe me, but she also doesn’t probe further. Regardless, her comment has my head spinning. Do I like him? Is there more to what I am feeling with him than just sex? Is that what all this is about? It’s not that I want my ex to apologize or for anything with him to work, maybe I want things with Merritt to work. Jesus, this is all so frustrating. Even if there was a

way, I couldn’t give in to it—we live so far apart and are both basically married to our careers. Neither of us has time for anything else, especially a relationship; that much is blindingly clear. “Merritt is a good distraction, I’m having fun on this trip, but it’s nothing serious and won’t last past this week.” “But, what if it did?” “It won’t, Kami.” I refill my glass and top hers off. “Enough about me, how are you and Jacob?” “All right. We’re good; he’s been trying really hard.” A few months back Kami and Jacob went through a rough patch, she was feeling a total disconnect from him and finally confronted him about it. He blamed it on the stress of work, and I guess made a change. I think Jacob is a good guy and really loves her, he just needed a reality check. Sometimes we all do. I got it when my ex broke up with me. It was a clear sign to stay away from men. They aren’t good for anything, except their dicks, which in turn reminds me, I could use Merritt’s right about now.

DAMMIT, I drank too much. I haven’t even opened my eyes yet, and I can tell it’s going to be brutal. Taking in a deep breath. I stretch and then blink a few times. The image of

Merritt startles me. “What the fuck?” “Sorry,” he responds innocently sitting on the edge of the bed next to me. “It’s okay. Were you watching me?” I ask. “No!” He rubs the back of his neck, undoubtedly lying, “I just sat down.” “How’s Ari?” “ He’s good; he’s here.” “Really? That was fast. What time is it?” “Two.” “In the afternoon?” “Yeah, have you been asleep since last night?” “Uhhh, I fell asleep at about three.” “Damn, staying up that late, I could’ve fucked you so many times.” I get up to pee and know later on that’s all we’ll be doing. “Nice shirt.” I look down and realize that I’m wearing one of his t-shirts. I must’ve put it on when I was drunk and stumbling into bed. “Thanks, I’m keeping it. I’m gonna shower and try to wake up.” Turning on the water, I pop a few aspirin from inside of my makeup bag and look back at my pale reflection in the mirror. God, I look like shit. Getting into the shower, I try to wash away all of my worries and the fucked up thoughts that are still going through my mind.

CHAPTER 16

MERRITT

I GO to follow Quinn into the bathroom because I need to fuck her and now, but my iPad stops me dead in my tracks sitting on the couch in the room. I left it in my bag, so why is it out? I grab it and open it up. On the screen is an email: To: [email protected] From: [email protected] November 3, 2016, 1:15am Quinn, I can see you blocked my email, why…I’m not sure. Well, let me assure you this will be my last one to you. You’ll never see me again; I’m done with you. I’m not sure why I wasted my time with your stupid, immature, fat ass in the first place. Obviously, I made the right decision when I let you go. Everything I ever told you or promised you was

a lie. I hope life screws you over, the way you deserve, we both know you were only with me for my money. Go fuck yourself, Quinn! Reading the hateful email again, I am in shock. What kind of a cruel person would speak to anyone like that, especially a woman? Quinn is amazing and deserves the world. She is not fat, stupid, or any of the things he called her. Clicking “reply” to the message, my blood is so hot as I contemplate a response. To: [email protected] From: [email protected] November 5, 2016, 2:18pm When you hit send, you should be more careful of your words. I’m with Quinn now and just read your email. Obviously, I can tell right off the bat that you are a fucking lunatic. What a way to talk to a woman—no wonder she found a real man. Let this be a warning that if you ever try to contact her again, in any way, or upset her, I will personally find you and make you fucking pay for it, the way you deserve! Now go fuck yourself, you prick! Without hesitation, I click “send” and log out of her email. Then I take a deep breath and strip naked, finding her just getting out of the shower. “I was going to join you.” “Maybe later,” she says, with the most gorgeous expression. Swiftly I kiss her, then get into

the shower myself. “So did you miss me last night?” I ask her as I begin to wash myself. “Maybe.” “Damn, why you gotta be so cold? I missed you.” “Really?” “Uh huh. What did you do without me?” “Played spin the bottle and made out with everyone.” I open the shower door and glare at her as she combs her wet hair. “I’m joking,” she says. “Please, don’t fuck with me like that. I don’t share well.” She smiles and nods as I close the door. “I got drunk with Kami, and we just chilled.” “That’s cool.” She doesn’t bring up her ex emailing her, and I’m not sure if she would. I mean, we’re not together, even though I told him we were. But I want her to know that I’m here for her no matter what or how fucked up the situation is. “How’s Ari doing?” she asks me. “He’s good. You know how he is…he’s a funny fucker; there’s not much that can bring him down.” “Not even spending the night in the hospital?” “Nah, he was laughing the whole accident up and digging his nurse, who in my opinion was like a four out of a ten. I think the pain meds had him seeing shit or something; it was funny.” “You can always guarantee that he’ll make you

laugh.” “True.” I get out of the shower and right as I open her towel, there is a knock on the door. “Seriously? I feel like I’m living at home again.” She grabs her towel from my grip and winks at my cock as she slips out of the room. Drying my body, I think of those hateful words that make me want to find the guy behind them and smash his face in. But I remind myself of what she wants, and it’s just this week…nothing more. So it’s not my place.

AS I SIT BACK DRIVING Quinn’s car to pick up dinner since Ari can’t go out, I can tell she is watching me. “What?” I ask. “Nothing.” She looks out the other window, and I spot the restaurant up ahead. There is a parking spot on the street, and I snag it, parallel parking her Jeep. “You want to wait in the car?” I ask. “No, I want to come.” We both get out. The chill in the air is pretty rough, and I wrap my arm around her, pulling her body tightly to mine as we walk along the sidewalk. “Thanks for driving,” she tells me. “Of course, anytime. I’m sorry you have a headache.” “It’s okay; it’ll go away.” I open the door to the lavish restaurant that Willow ordered dinner from and the hostess greets

us and then asks, “Just two of you tonight?” As much as I’d love to take her out on a real date, that’s not why we’re here. “Uhh, no. We have a pickup order.” “What’s the name?” “It’s under ‘Willow.’” The girl looks at the computer screen, totally lost, and I glance at Quinn, giving her that look. “Umm, it looks like the kitchen is just starting on your order now, would you mind waiting about ten to fifteen minutes?” “Okay,” I respond, the chatter and commotion so loud, I’m not even sure if she heard me. Quinn and I sit on a bench by the door; she rests her head on my shoulder, and I tell her, “I really hate it when people ask me if I’d mind waiting. What I want to say is, ‘Do I have another choice?’” She laughs a little and then responds, “Me too.” The noise somehow gets louder in here, I can tell it’s hurting her head by the way she’s squinting her eyes, so I direct her to stand, and we head outside. “Why don’t we wait in the car?” I tell her. “Okay,” she says and as we walk back something in the window of one of the stores catches her eye. She does a double take, and I try to see what it is, but there’s so much in there that I can’t tell. “Let’s go inside,” I offer, and she smiles.

Walking into the long and narrow store, the atmosphere is calm, and the lighting is bright, showcasing the shelves packed full with so much crap. This has got to be a tourist hotspot for sure. Quinn goes right for the window and touches a thin, elegant silver bracelet with some sort of a charm on it. “That it?” I ask. “Yeah. For my sixteenth birthday, my parents got me a bracelet just like this, and I wore it everywhere.” I can tell by the monotone to her voice, that she no longer has it. “What happened to it?” “I don’t know. I had it one day, then it was gone the next, I have no clue where it went. I’ve searched for years, and it’s never showed up.” I slide it off the jewelry holder and place it on her wrist. She looks down at it with a smile, so genuine and happy. “Get it,” I tell her. “I don’t have my wallet.” “I’ll buy it for you.” “No, I couldn’t.” “It’s no big deal, please.” She flicks the tiny charm that is shaped like a box and says to me, “Can I pay you back?” “I’d rather you didn’t.” “That looks gorgeous on you,” the store clerk comes up and says. “Thanks,” Quinn tells her, and the clerk asks us, “Can I help you find anything

else?” Reaching into my pocket, I grab my credit card and pass it to the woman, “Nope, just this.” The woman walks off to ring the bracelet up and Quinn wraps her arms around my neck, kissing me gently. “Thank you, I’ll repay you.” “You’re welcome, and no, you won’t.”

CHAPTER 17

QUINN

“YOU DIDN’T TELL me you found your bracelet,” Willow exclaims as I find myself playing with it the way I always used to. “I didn’t. Merritt bought it for me tonight when we were waiting for dinner.” “Really?” “What? You think I’m not capable of buying her things?” he chimes in. “No, that’s not it. I’m surprised she let you buy it, being Miss Independent and all.” “Oh, she wanted to pay me back. She even got all stupid about it when we got home, but I put her in her place.” I look at him, and he winks at me. I did get a little upset when he refused to take my money once we returned to the house, but I didn’t throw a fit. “Did you put a wish in it yet?” Willow asks me.

“No, I’m still thinking on it.” “Wish?” Merritt asks me. “Yeah. You’re supposed to write a wish down, fold it up and place it inside the box.” Merritt nods his head, and as we look at one another, I find myself thinking about my wish and what it’d be. What do I really want in life? Just then Ari emerges and slowly walks downstairs. “You shouldn’t be up,” Willow says, running to his side. “I’m fine,” he brushes her off and tries to make his way to the couch, but she turns him around and walks him right back to bed. “Night, Ari,” we all yell and he flips us off. He’s obviously struggling being stuck in bed. “I’m turning in too,” I tell everyone as my head is still giving me a dull throbbing pain. Walking upstairs, I lie down on the bed, closing my eyes, hoping by morning that my head feels better. As I lie there, I find my mind is on Merritt. He is so sweet and caring, which is the last thing I expected him to be. He’s not like any other man that I’ve been with. I hate that we’ve only got two days left, so I want to make the most of it. Quietly he enters the room. “Night, guys,” Willow says walking by. “Night,” we both respond and I look over at him. He has a bottle of water in his hand and passes it to me as he sits down.

“You feeling any better?” “Not really,” I tell him and take a small sip. He pulls his shirt over his head, and my eyes are drawn to his amazing tattoos. These beds are so small, as he climbs in behind me we barely fit. But I’ve grown to like snuggling together when we sleep. Wrapping his arms tightly around me, I close my eyes. The room is very tranquil; the warmth of his body along mine is so comforting. “What are you going to wish for?” he asks me, touching the small box on my bracelet. “I don’t know yet,” I answer him honestly. My mind is sending me so many mixed signals, making me feel things with Merritt that I never imagined I would. But I push them away to protect myself, the only way I know how, the way I promised myself I would after my last breakup. I stay in this moment because I’ve learned better than anyone that these two days will fly by and as soon as we leave here and go our separate ways, he’ll forget all about me. I remind myself he’s probably no different than the other men I’ve been with. Even if he seems different now.

WAKING UP, the sun is barely lighting the morning sky, and I have to pee. Merritt is sound asleep, still holding my body tightly against his. Gently, I kiss his arm, then lift it and slip out of his

hold. Looking back at the way he stretches in the tiny bed, it’s obvious his large body is way too big for it. Traipsing into the bathroom, I realize that my head no longer hurts. Thank God, I don’t think I could’ve endured another day of pain. After I’m done peeing, I wash my face and then go back into the bedroom, but Merritt is no longer in bed. I glance around the room and before I can spot him, his arms are around me. He’s standing behind me, his large cock ready and hard for me. “Morning,” he says, his voice rough as he guides me to sit on the couch. I look up at him, stark naked and so fucking hot. He takes the sash off of one of the curtains and places it over my eyes, awakening all my other senses. Forcefully, he tightens it behind my head and asks me, “Do you trust me?” “Should I?” I ask him in return. “I hope so.” Then he directs me to lie back, my eyes fighting to see what he is doing, but everything is dark. Taking his fingers, he slides them beneath the sides of my pants and shimmies them down my legs; then he removes my shirt. My heart is pounding, eager for what he has in store. His hands are on my body, touching and teasing my tense skin before he spreads my legs wide and settles between them, blowing a cool breath of air

on my wet pussy. He says, “Mmmm, you smell like heaven.” I urge my hips towards him as I try to look through the sash, but I can’t see a thing. He separates my pussy and wraps his lips down around my clit. Right away, I tense, and he begins to kiss and flick back and forth with his tongue, pleasing me. I moan loudly, and he covers my mouth, quieting me, but not breaking our contact. As he pleases me, I fight what he is doing not wanting to give over so fast, but an intense orgasm hits me automatically, causing him to push hard against me, pulling it out of my system, like it’s his to control. My muffled noises are quieted by his hand as he cups my mouth a little harder. My body stops pulsating, and he pulls away. I wait for what is next, and he begins kissing me, all over. My fingers are knotted in his hair loving how his lips feel on my body. “You taste so good,” he tells me. “Let me taste you,” I tell him, and he doesn’t answer. Instead he continues kissing me. Even though I just came, my body is horny and eager for him. I allow him to take his time, dousing me with affection, and then he stops and nudges his cock against my lips. I open wide, taking him in, wishing that I could see him, but also liking the way the blindfold has me lost in a world where only Merritt

and I exist. I moan against his shaft, gripping the base as I suck him. Every contour of his rigid dick etches itself into my memory. He moves slowly but gives me all of him. I grip harder, and he doesn’t last long before he pulls away. I lie there, breathless and panting, wanting more of him. “Why did you stop?” I ask and before I can answer, he’s inside me. His hands hold my legs open wide, so our bodies blend close together. He moves in and out of me, causing every fiber of who I am to focus only on the pleasure and as I get lost in this moment, he asks me, “Does this have to end?” I contemplate how to answer him, and slowly, lift the blindfold off of my eyes. He looks at me, so wantonly and even though I’m scared, I don’t want it to end either. But deep down, we both know it has to. It’ll never work. And if for some reason we were to force things and give it a try, I’m not ready. I’m damaged and need to fix myself before I can even think I’m emotionally able for a relationship.

CHAPTER 18

MERRITT

AFTER QUINN and I fucked this morning, she’s been quiet…more distant, and I know it’s because of the question that I asked her this morning. I knew I shouldn’t have said anything; it was in the heat of the moment, and I let my mouth speak what I was feeling. She couldn’t even answer me; she just shook her head, and now…everything feels different. She agreed to a week with me, and that’s it. So I’ve gotta let go of any thoughts I’m having about wanting more. Plus, who am I kidding? I don’t have time to date. I barely have time for myself when I’m home. “I’m gonna go for a walk,” she says, grabbing her scarf and gloves. “Can I join you?” I ask, wanting to get things back to normal between us.

“Sure.” I get dressed and meet her downstairs. Since Ari got hurt, we haven’t done much as a group, minus hanging out at the house, which is understandable, but at times it’s boring. Willow and Ted are watching a movie on the couch with Ari. Kami and Jacob must be in their room. As we step outside, the cold air sends a chill through my bones, and I zip my coat. We walk down the driveway, and automatically I grab her hand, she blinks a few times, searching for her words and I just want to try and fix things. “I’m sorry for earlier. I shouldn’t have opened my mouth.” “It’s okay. I’m sorry for how I acted too.” “Don’t be,” I tell her. “I shouldn’t have asked you that. We had an agreement, and I got carried away in the heat of the moment and—” “It’s okay, Merritt,” she cuts me off. “You don’t need to explain yourself. It’s not you that’s messed up, it’s me.” “Can I ask you something, Quinn?” “Sure.” “What’s happened to make you so scared to date again?” She laughs awkwardly, “I don’t know what it is, but all of my relationships always end badly.” “Why do you think?”

“I don’t know. Ever since high school, every relationship I’ve been in has ended because either the guy has lied to me or cheated on me.” “You know I’d never do that to you, right?” She rolls her eyes and doesn’t respond, looking over at me. “I mean it, Quinn.” “You and I don’t even live in the same state. Have you ever tried a long-distance relationship?” “No, you?” “Yes, my last one was, and I’m telling you, I won’t do it again. I’m sorry, it has nothing to do with you. I like you, and the time we share together, but once we are apart, I’m sure your feelings will change, and like I said, I’m not ready to date. I need some time to fix myself.” The ground beneath us shifts, the sound of the cracking is so loud that I’m not sure what to do. And before I can react to her wide and scared eyes, I realize how bad of an idea it was to walk on the lake we fished a few days ago with how sunny it’s been. “Don’t move.” “Okay,” she says, visibly scared, but trusting. As I step to my right, the ice cracks. Quinn falls in, her screams echoing off the canyon surrounding us. Instinctively, I reach for her arms and hold on to her as I’m now lying flat on my stomach. Her face is contorted with fear. “I got you. I got you,” I tell her and know I have to get her out of the freezing

water quickly. Scooting myself backwards, I slowly pull her out and pray that the ice doesn’t give again. Each shift of our weight causes a thud beneath us. My heart pounds harder than I can ever remember. Quinn is frightened, I can see it in her eyes, and I pray that I can get us out of this. It doesn’t take me long; I’ve won half of the battle. With both of us lying on the ice, her teeth are chattering, and very calmly I tell her, “Spread your legs apart and scoot to the edge of the ice, it’s not too far.” “No, I’m not leaving you here.” “Goddammit, Quinn, go!” I yell at her. Tears fill her eyes, and she scoots away from me. I can feel each time she moves, and the ice makes noises beneath my body. Waiting for what feels like an eternity, I can’t believe this has happened. Then she finally says the words. “I’m off the ice.” Taking in a deep breath, I contemplate getting up and running. Wondering if I could outrun the cracking ice, like in the movies. But I don’t dare risk it, not while Quinn’s shivering body is waiting for me. As I scoot along, the noises have me fearing I won’t make it. But Quinn’s eyes keep me going, and finally, I make it off the ice. She throws herself around me, and I lift her wet, shivering body in my

arms, jogging back to the house as fast as I can. “Are you okay?” I ask her. “I think so.” Her lips are blue and teeth still chattering. Rushing inside, everyone looks at us, shocked, as I burst through the door and I head straight towards our bathroom. “Oh my God, what happened?” Willow asks. “She fell through the ice,” I respond and start the shower. Quinn is standing in the middle of the room, clearly in shock as her body is trembling. “Shouldn’t we call 911?” Willow asks. “She was only in the water for thirty seconds tops; she’s not disoriented. I don’t think she needs to go to the hospital.” “Quinn, do you want me to call an ambulance?” Willow asks her, and she shakes her head as I help her undress and then get her into the shower. The hot water surrounds her body, slowly calming her chattering teeth. “Can I get you something?” Willow asks her. “Dry clothes,” I tell Willow and strip naked myself, getting inside the shower while Willow is gone. Quinn’s body shakes as I rub my hands up and down her arms, trying to help circulate her blood. Slowly, I watch the life come back to her as the color returns to her face. Thank God, she’s okay. I’m not sure what I would’ve done had something

happened to her. “Thank you for saving me,” she says, and I kiss the top of her wet hair. With Quinn in my arms, I have a tight hold on her, realizing in this moment as we stand here together, just how precious life is. Today we both could’ve died and then what? What would things be like in a world with no Quinn and no Merritt? The thought is unsettling, and I hold her tighter and harder. Processing the reality that after tomorrow my life will not have Quinn in it, and I don’t know how to deal with that.

CHAPTER 19

QUINN

SITTING on the edge of the tiny bed that Merritt and I shared for the better part of a week, I’m really going to miss this place. Looking at the door to the room and the spot where we first laid eyes on each other, I never thought I’d feel the way I do about him, but he’s shown me so much and proved to me that maybe not all men are alike. This week has been such a whirlwind. It has flown by; from body shots, to being kissed in the forest, to a game of Truth or Dare like no other, to watching the clouds roll by, and to the most mindblowing sex, it’s all been the best, and I’ll always hold those memories close to me. For Christ’s sake, he saved my life. “You ready?” Merritt asks me, popping into the room. “I am.” I take his hand, and he yanks me off the

bed. “I’m gonna miss your lips.” “Just my lips?” I tease him as he kisses me. “Yup…that’s all.” I smile and follow him as we head downstairs to say goodbye to everyone. “Thank you for such an amazing trip,” I tell Ari as I hug him and unfortunately squeeze a little bit too hard. He winces from the pain. “Sorry.” “It’s okay. Anytime, Quinn, you know that.” Smiling back at him, I say my goodbyes to everyone else. “Call me as soon as you’re home,” Willow orders me and hands me back my cell phone. “I will.” Taking it back from her, I realize I really don’t want it. This time away from obsessing over my phone has been so unbelievably refreshing. But this trip is only a week; now it’s back to the real world and real life. “What time is your flight?” I ask Merritt as I hug him and he says, “Two-thirty.” “I’m gonna miss you.” He cups my face looking deep into my eyes. “You still have to drive me to the airport, so you’re not rid of me yet.” I smile, and we look around the house one last time. Then head outside where we all load up and go our separate ways. As the other group leaves, Merritt and I sit in my car, so many emotions running through me. First of all, I hate goodbyes

and even though I only wanted a week, the thought of ending things here with him is hard. I plug my phone in and exhale. He takes his hand and rests it atop my knee reading me well, “Thank you for everything, Quinn. I’m really gonna miss you.” “Of course. I’m sorry,” I apologize as tears fill my eyes. “I just hate goodbyes.” “This doesn’t have to be goodbye,” he says, and a part of me doesn’t want things to end. It’s not fair of me to place him in the same group as all of the other men I’ve been with. He’s different; he’s proved that time and time again. So would it be so bad to give things a shot? Looking into his sexy eyes, I’m reminded of all the things he’s done for me, from saving my life, to my bracelet, to cuddling in the world’s most uncomfortable tiny bed. To the hours on end, we’d just talk…about nothing and everything all at the same time. But before I can answer him, my phone chimes on and the familiar noise draws my eyes to it. Tell your boyfriend he better watch his fucking mouth and man up saying what he emailed me to my face. I blink processing the text as another, and another chime comes through. “What’s the matter?” Merritt asks me. The familiar stomach churning feeling of betrayal that I have grown to know so goddamn

well rains down upon me. How is this possible? What does he even mean? “Quinn?” Merritt asks me again and then it hits me. I checked my email from his iPad when he was in the hospital with Ari. “Did you email my fucking ex?” He shifts in his seat, visibly uncomfortable. “Did you?” I ask again, this time more agitated. “I did, I saw the email he sent to you and had to.” Jesus Christ, he’s just like every other man out there. And just when I was beginning to think that he was different, he’s not. I’m not even with him, and he’s already gone behind my back and done something to hurt me. “Why wouldn’t you have told me?” “The things he said to you were so awful.” “They are just words. It wasn’t your place; responding is what he wanted. It’s giving in to him. I even blocked his phone number, and he keeps using other numbers to contact me.” “That’s why I contacted him—he’s a bitch and needs to be put in his place.” “You don’t know him, Merritt; there’s no putting that man in his place…trust me.” “I could with my fist!” “But it’s not your place. Don’t you see that? This is just another reason why I need to be single. I don’t need anyone making choices for me.”

Starting my Jeep, I pull away from the house and head towards the airport. I don’t want him to miss his flight. He’s quiet as I drive. I don’t think either of us saw things ending this way, which is funny because there wasn’t supposed to be anything between us to begin with. We knew at the end of the week our time would end and that is exactly what it’s come down to. Stopping at his terminal, he reaches for the door handle. But doesn’t get out. He leans over the center console and cups my cheek, his warm hands so soothing against my skin, but I fight the feeling. “Just so you know, last week was one of the best of my life, and I was only trying to help you with the email…Goodbye, Quinn.” He kisses me one last time and stupidly, I let him. He ignites so many emotions inside my belly and then just like that…he’s gone. The pain of watching him walk away hurts so much. I’ve grown to like our time together more than I’d realized, and in a way…depend on him. But I remind myself that we can’t be together. He’s got a busy life as do I, neither of us has time for a relationship. Sitting here, I realize just how lonely of a life I lead. Merritt’s words that last week was one of the best of his life is just how I feel. And even though I’m mad as hell at him and as much as he says he was trying to help me and thought what he was

doing was right…it wasn’t. The truth is, he didn’t tell me. He just swept it under the rug. I find some peace in reminding myself of that as I drive home. If he could so easily brush that away, he’d do it again and again in a heartbeat. I made a decision to focus on myself after my ex broke up with me and that is exactly what I’m going to keep doing.

“I’M HOME,” I tell Willow as she answers her phone on the first ring. “Oh, good, was the drive okay?” “Yeah, not too much traffic.” Opening the door to my quiet condo, everything is as it was when I left it. “You guys make it home yet?” “Almost, maybe another thirty minutes or so.” Willow and Ted live down south in Colorado Springs, which is about an hour from me. “All right, well, I’m gonna unpack and do some laundry before heading to my parents’ for dinner.” “Tell them we said hi.” “I will. I…I might also shut my phone off tonight.” “Why?” “My ex, he keeps calling and texting me, I need a break from it.” “Don’t do that, Quinn. Put a stop to it. Call and have your phone number changed.” “I’ll think about it, I promise. Bye, babe.”

I hang up my phone and then power it down. I think it’s come to that point, where I need to just turn it off. And in all honesty, Willow might be right; I might need to change the phone number too. Even if it is a pain in the ass, the comfort of knowing he can’t call me will be worth it in the end. Unzipping my suitcase, I begin to sort through all my clothes so I can run a load of wash and I notice the sash that Merritt used as a blindfold on me is tucked to the side of my bag. Slowly, I pull it out and written across it in what looks like thick black marker is his phone number. The memories of our time together all come flooding back to me. God, we had fun, so much fun. He was amazing and sexy and fulfilled so many desires inside me… but sadly I push them away…I have to…to protect myself. Tossing the sash on my bed, I let it go and keep my head on straight as I throw a load of laundry in the wash, then make the short trip to my parents’ house. Pulling up to it, my mom is standing in the driveway with her hands on her hips, while my poor dad is on a ladder stringing more holiday lights along the gutters of the house. “Wow, more lights?” “Yeah, I just felt like it needed that little extra oomph,” my mom responds and gives me a hug.

“It looks great. Hi, Daddy, be careful.” He curses under his breath, clearly frustrated to be adding more lights to their already outrageous setup. You know those houses your parents would always take you to when you were a kid, the ones with lights that music would play to? Well, that’s my parents’ house. They go all out every year and have nonstop traffic driving by for the entire month of December. As my dad comes down the ladder, he gives me a hug and says to my mom, “Is that all you want added to the roof? Because once I put this ladder up, I’m done until January.” She laughs him off, not answering him, and it’s because she’ll want to add more or make a change like she always does and he’ll gripe and moan, but he’ll do it…for her. We follow my dad in through the garage and the second we enter the house, the smell of her amazing vegetable shepherd’s pie invades my senses. “I made your favorite,” my mom says. “I can smell it.” “So how was your trip this year, dear?” She always loves to hear about all of the things we do and the games we play, like she’s vicariously living through me. My dad is already lounged back in his recliner watching TV in the living room. “It was good. I had to share a room with a guy, so that was unexpected.”

“Oh?” “Yeah, he’s one of Ari’s friends. They used to work together.” My dad turns the TV up, still hating to hear me talk about dating or men in any fashion. “How’d that go?” “Good, he was nice and…” I trail off, what am I even trying to say? Am I going to tell her that I like him? Why would I do that when what we had was only for a week? It was a one-time thing, and now we’re done. “And what?” “Oh nothing…he was a real gentleman, he even bought me this.” I show her my bracelet and her eyes beam touching the locket. “Oh, Quinn, it’s just like your old one.” “It is. We found it in a store in Steamboat.” “That’s where your dad and I got yours.” “Really?” “Yes. How nice of him to buy it for you.” “Well, I didn’t have my wallet, and I tried to pay him back, but he wouldn’t let me.” “It’s lovely, dear…really lovely.” And it is. Looking at how happy my mom is that I’ve got a new bracelet makes me realize that I’ve got Merritt to thank. And maybe, I need her unbiased opinion about everything. She is one of my best friends. I tell her everything, so she knows about my ex and would understand if I told her about my and Merritt’s one-week agreement. She

might be able to shine some clarity on things.

CHAPTER 20

MERRITT

IT’S BEEN a week since I left Colorado, and I still can’t shake Quinn from my thoughts. I swear I think about her constantly. When I go to bed, she’s the last thing I think about, and as soon as I wake up, she’s the first thing on my mind. I miss her. I miss holding her, fucking her, and just being with her. I’ve never met a woman quite like her; she’s gorgeous and sweet, funny and sexy. She’s everything that I’ve been looking for, and unfortunately, she’s emotionally unavailable. I’d hoped by now that she would’ve called or texted, as I left her my number…but still not a single word. “Mr. Smith,” my receptionist, Suzy, chimes in through my phone. “Yes, ma’am.” “I have your father for you, on line three.”

“Thanks.” Looking at the button, I contemplate not even answering it. My dad has been a real piece of work since I got back. “Hey, Dad,” I reluctantly answer. “Dammit, Merritt, why didn’t you tell me that the Serranos weren’t renewing their lease with us?” The Serrano Family is a prominent farming family in the plains of Colorado who lease us over fifty acres of oil-producing land. “I did. I emailed you about it before I went to Colorado.” “No, you didn’t. And now I have to hear about it from that little prick of a friend of yours who betrayed us that he got their lease. You know how I feel about giving Ari any of our business.” “I’ll find the email and forward it to you again, but I told you.” “What’s it matter now? They’re gone.” “Here it is, your exact words were, ‘Fuck, them. We don’t need their piddly fifty acres.’ So I let it go.” “Well, you shouldn’t have. You know how I can overreact sometimes.” Understatement of the fucking year. Pinching the bridge of my nose, I’m so aggravated. I get distracted as a new email comes through. “Did you fucking hear me?” “No, I’m sorry someone came into my office,” I

lie. “I want you to get the Serranos back. Understand?” he barks at me and hangs up. Of course he does. It’s all mind games when it comes to my dad. So I dial Ari’s number to even see if he signed the deal for real or not. “What up, bitch?” he answers, obviously feeling better and back to his old self. “Oh, you know, I’ve just got my father up my ass.” “Tell me about it; he’s fuckin’ nuts.” “If I didn’t know better, I’d think he needed to be committed.” He laughs at my comment, and so do I. My father is always the brunt of our jokes, though I’d never say any of these things to his face. “So what’s up, man? You been talking to Quinn?” “Nah, she hasn’t called me.” “Really? Must be busy. I’ll shoot you her contact info.” “Thanks, brother. So did you really sign the Serranos?” “Hell yeah, I did.” Dammit. “What would it cost me to get them back?” “Are you kidding me?” “No, unfortunately, I’m not. He wants them back.” “Fuck, man! Does he want them back, or does

he just not want us to have them?” “What’s the difference?” “There’s a big difference. When are you gonna let him stop making decisions for you?” “Don’t even start, I’ve had it up to my neck with him, but you know my hands are tied.” “You better fucking pay me so well when you own the company.” “You know I will, you’ve already got a running tab.” “Let me see how far along the paperwork is, and I’ll get back to you.” “Thanks, man.” Ari and I hang up and right away his email comes through. Reading Quinn’s contact info, I have to reach out to her. I miss her, and I want to know if she is really done with me. Was it truly a one-week thing and nothing more? Anxiously, I go into my personal email and begin to type her a message, but the words just won’t come out right. As I read the email again, I try to not secondguess myself before hitting send. To: [email protected] From: [email protected] November 14, 2016, 6:05pm Quinn, I hope you’re doing good. I miss you. You should call me sometime. 361-555-1789.

Merritt

CHAPTER 21

QUINN

TOUCHING MY BRACELET, I can’t shake Merritt from my mind. I got his email as I left work, and I don’t know what to do. It’s been a week, and I’ve tried my hardest to push him as far out of my head as possible, but my mind is still consumed with the time we shared together. My mom even agreed that right now, I need to focus on myself… but I just can’t seem to do that. For some reason, he’s got this hold over me that makes me want to be with him so bad. As much fun as we had together, though, it’ll never be more than that week in the mountains. As I play with my bracelet, the box pops open. I still haven’t put a wish inside. I need to—that is the point of these. As I close it, I need to shake him from my mind. He’s all I’ve thought about for the better part of

this last week. Even though I’m still pissed at him for emailing my ex. The doorbell rings and I get up to answer the takeout delivery that I ordered. “Thank you,” I tell the guy, passing him a twenty-dollar bill. Sitting back down with my bag of food, Merritt’s email taunts me, still illuminated on the screen of my laptop. I know he loves Chinese, we ordered it one night for dinner, and he ate so much it was really disturbing. Grabbing my phone, I snap a picture of the bag of food and decide to text it to him. What’s the harm in that? There’s nothing wrong with me reaching out to a friend, right? I ordered enough for even you, wanna join me? I hesitate sending the text and decide against it. I’ve just gotta stop this, and as I go to delete the message, I accidently hit send. Shit! It’s not but half a minute later, and my phone is ringing. I glance at the screen, and sure enough, it’s him. I let it ring for what feels like a dozen times, my heart pounding, so many emotions reeling through me. And then…finally, I answer. “Hello?” My voice rattles and I clear my throat. “Hi,” his voice so deep. Reminding me of when he’d whisper into my ear, making my pussy twitch, and I look to the ceiling wondering how he can

have this power over me. “You got my email?” “I did.” “What did you order me?” he asks. Opening the bag, I take everything out. “Let’s see…I have egg drop soup.” “My favorite.” “Fried rice and a spring roll.” “Should I book my flight now?” I giggle at his words. Even though he’s joking, I can’t help but wish he were serious. “I’m glad you reached out, Quinn.” “I’m glad you did too. Did Willow give you my email?” He’s quiet for a second and then says, “Uhhh, no. Ari gave it to me.” “Oh…I see. You just couldn’t wait for me to call you, could you?” “I didn’t have a choice—it’s been a week, and you didn’t call me.” “I wanted to, but you know why I haven’t.” “Why?” he asks me so calmly, making me say the reason out loud. “Because things with us were only for that one week.” “But they don’t need to be.” I find myself contemplating his words, with my feet huddled beneath me, not wanting to eat or do anything else but get lost with him.

“They do, and you know why.” “I don’t have to agree with it, though.” “I guess you don’t, but my ex got super crazy after your email, and I have to say I’m done with men right now.” “Then be done with men, all of them. But don’t be done with me.” “Merritt, please.” “I’m sorry, Quinn. I’m trying to respect you and be reasonable here.” “Then don’t push me.” “You texted me, remember that.” And he’s right…I did text him. And I answered when he called. If I’m going to be so anti-men why am I even talking to him? “Can I help at all?” he offers, cutting my mind fuck short. “No! No, thank you, you’ve done enough. It’s over with now. I’ve moved past it, got a new phone number, and that I think really got through to him this time.” “I’m sorry about emailing him and not telling you about it; I shouldn’t have done that to you.” “It’s all right; I get that you were only trying to help…but you don’t know my ex. He’s so crazy.” “Well, thankfully I don’t, and I don’t want to, ‘cause I’d probably send him to the hospital. Could we stop talking about him? It’s really good to hear your voice.” “Sure,” I laugh a little, and he asks me, “So,

how’s your dinner?” “I haven’t started eating yet.” “You should. I don’t mind, and you know I love the sound of your mouth.” “Stop it, Merritt.” “Sorry, I forgot, we’re only friends.” His tone is down, and I change the subject. “How have you been? How’s work and being back in Texas?” “I’ve been okay. Work’s…work. It’s nice to be home right now. The weather is great, really warm.” “Yeah? I wish it were here. It’s cold, and we keep getting tons of snow.” “You like the snow, though,” he tells me which I told him on vacation that I did. He always listens to everything I say. “I do, but it would be nice to have a warm day every so often. You can even go to the beach, can’t you?” “I can. You should come and visit me; you’d love it here.” “You know I can’t, Merritt.” “I’m sorry, I just miss you, Quinn, and I have a hard time thinking you aren’t feeling what I am.” His words bring my world to a halt. I’ve never had a man be so open and talk to me the way he is. I’ve had guys wanna see me, or wanna go out, or hook up. But no one has ever put their feelings out there the way Merritt is, and I don’t know what to

say or how to respond…

“YOU’RE QUIET,” Eve, one of my co-workers, says as I blankly gaze out the window and look at all the people bustling by on 16th Street. “Sorry. I’ve just got a lot on my mind.” “Is it work? Can I help with any of your accounts?” “No, I’m finally caught up from my vacation.” “Speaking of, how was it? You’ve barely mentioned a word about it.” “Is your salad okay, ma’am?” the waiter asks me. “Yeah, it’s good. Could I have a box and we’ll take the check?” “Is one check good?” he asks, looking me up and down. He’s cute, but his appraisal does nothing to me, not the way Merritt’s could bring me to my knees with a simple smirk. “That’s fine.” “Ooh, he likes you,” Eve says, “You should get his number.” I roll my eyes, “He’s not my type—he’s scrawny. I need muscles, something to hold on to.” “I get that, girl. So tell me about the trip.” I fill her in on all the details as we pay our check and box up our to-go food. “I can’t believe you didn’t tell me about him sooner,” she scolds me as we

make it back into our building. The warmth is so inviting. “There’s not much to tell, it was just a week, and now it’s over with.” “Quinn, you don’t believe that, do you?” We wait at the bottom of the elevator banks for a car to arrive and I look her directly in the eye. “Of course I do.” As we shuffle inside, everyone calls out their floors, and this is one of the things that drives me crazy. Why can’t people just push their number when they walk in? Eve snickers at me as I push yet another number. Then right as the doors close, someone calls out, “Hold that, would ya?” I ignore them, but the person on the other side pushes the door open button. Seriously? The stairs would’ve been faster. And as I look up, my heart skips a beat. Dressed in a sexy ass suit with the most gorgeous expression ever is Merritt, and his gaze is eating me alive. He squeezes in, placing his body right along the front of mine as he presses the button for his floor, glancing behind him. “Hey,” he says, leaning down and kissing me on the cheek. I can sense Eve’s eyes all over us, and I swallow searching for my voice. “Hi.” Suddenly I’m shy, but he’s not. Everything about him is consuming me and when he takes my hand in his, holding it tightly, the comfort I felt for the week when we were together comes rushing back to me.

I’ve missed him more than I realized. The elevator doors open at its first stop and a few people shuffle out giving us a little more room, but Merritt doesn’t give me any more space. “What are you doing here?” I ask him, knowing we only have a little while longer together. “I have a meeting with a client that Ari is trying to steal from me.” Of course, he is. “Didn’t you get my texts?” he asks. “I haven’t checked my phone all day.” “Check it.” He cups my cheek and touches my lips with this thumb. I lean into his hand, getting so easily lost in him that everything else fades away. It’s as if we are standing alone…just he and I. The elevator dings and Eve calls me to follow her as she waits on our floor. “Room 503,” Merritt says, passing me what looks like a hotel keycard, and I step backwards, not responding, but our eyes stay locked together. He licks his bottom lip as the doors close, and I’m in such a daze. “What the hell was that?” Eve shrieks. “That’s him, the guy from the week I spent in the mountains.” “You said he lived in Texas.” “He does, he’s here on business.” “You also said it was a one-time thing, so what was that?” “I have no clue.” I look down at the key card in

my hand. The name across it reads, “The Brown Palace,” which is only like the nicest and oldest hotel in the city. Eve snatches it from me and asks, “What are you gonna do? Looking to her for advice, I respond, “I have no idea.” She gives me back the card and looks like she is about to pee her pants. “Hi, Mr. Johnson,” I say as we pass one of the senior VP’s. “Oh my God, Quinn. Are you going?” “No!” I tell her as we sit down. She glares at me. “I don’t know, maybe.” Taking out my phone, I check it, and yep, there is one missed call and two missed text messages from him. I might be coming to Colorado for business today, could I see you? Heading to the airport now…dinner? I find it hard to believe that he suddenly has business here. When we talked last night, he didn’t mention a thing about it. He just kept trying to push me to admit to wanting more with him, and when I didn’t, now this morning he might be coming here. Then when I don’t respond, he’s here? He knows I’m not in any place to date or be with him. Taking the key, I toss it into my trashcan. Why should I go, because he said so? I’m done being told what to do, as much as it hurts to push him away, I’ve gotta look out for myself, no one else will.

Dialing Willow, her phone goes to voicemail, and I remember that she is in class all day today. Hanging up without leaving her a message, I call Ari. Something seems off about all of this. Merritt could’ve planned this all along, and I have to find out if he’s lying about things or if this is really a coincidence. “What’s up, Quinn?” “Did you tell Merritt where I work?” “No, why?” “Because I just ran into him in my building, and he claims he has business here. Something about getting a client back you’re trying to steal?” “Oh, the Serrano Family. Their attorney’s office is in your building. Remember when I texted you for lunch the other day? I was there to close the deal; now he’s trying to get it back ‘cause his old man is a fucking kook.” “Are you being serious?” “Yeah, why would I lie?” He’s right…why would he lie? “Hey, if it means anything, Quinn, he’s a really good guy.” I hang up with Ari and don’t know what to do. Is this all me just making this shit up in my head? Am I being paranoid because of my past? Do I let my guard down and just wander over to The Brown Palace and strip naked because that’s what Merritt wants and Ari says he’s a good guy? Work gets the best of me, and I’m thankful to

keep my mind busy. As the day flies by, I don’t know where the time has gone. Everyone around me is packing up to leave, and I feel like even though I’ve been swamped, I’ve gotten nothing accomplished. Minus making a list of reasons why I need to stay single that is so long I could make a book out of it. “Night,” Eve says, thankfully not asking me if I’m going to see Merritt again or not and I smile, finishing the spreadsheet I’m working on. My phone buzzes in my desk, and as I glance inside, I see a view of Downtown Denver. The only thing that would make this view better is you. Room 503…I’m waiting. I slam my desk drawer and pinch the bridge of my nose. Why is this happening? How could he be here and expect me to just drop things and run to him? He knows how I feel, we agreed to one week and now he’s pushing me. Looking at the picture again, I begin to dig through my trash can and get startled by my boss. “What’d you lose?” he asks, and I shoot straight up in my chair. “Oh…nothing, just a paper. I don’t want to repull the docs and search through them to reprint it.” “Ahh, okay. Well, I need a favor. We just got the signed documents in for the Torrez accounts. They’ll be here Monday morning, and I hate to ask you, but if you could work on everything this weekend, I’d owe you.”

“Stan, you already owe me,” I tell him. “I do, and I’m sorry I haven’t paid you back from the last time I asked you to work on the weekend. You can even do this from home if you want. And I’ll give you my tickets to the Nuggets game this weekend too. Will that help?” “If you have them on you now, then maybe.” He reaches into his back pocket and pulls out two tickets. But before he lets go of them he asks, “You’ll get everything, including the accounts, all set up by Monday morning?” “Sure will,” I tell him. “Thank you, Quinn…you’re a life saver.” He walks off, leaving me with a sweet pair of floor seats to the Nuggets game tomorrow night. With my trashcan still between my legs, I look in and spot the card right away. Taking it out, I toss it in my purse and grab my laptop and other things I need to get my weekend work done, taking it all with me as I leave. Walking home, my phone rings; it’s Merritt. I’m reluctant to answer; my brain is so jumbled right now but like usual…I can’t resist him. “Hello?” “Are you coming over here or not?” “No,” I tell him, waiting to cross a street. “Why not?” “I’m spent, it’s been one hell of a week back, and my boss just gave me even more work that I have to do at home this weekend. I think I just

wanna go home crash and get a fresh start tomorrow.” “I’ll come to you? I…I just want to hold you.” His offer is so sweet, how can I turn him down? But thinking about it, the truth is, once we are alone, cuddling will be the last thing we’ll be doing. We’ll fuck and probably won’t be able to stop, and what will that open up? I need to think about things for myself, for my future, to make sure I do what’s right…for me. “Not tonight?” “I’m leaving in the morning.” “Then there will be another time, Merritt.” He doesn’t respond, and I enter my building, keeping my voice down as I ask him, “Okay?” But he’s still quiet. Glancing at the screen to see if he’s even still there, he’s not. He’s hung up on me. What the fuck? Just because I need some time, he hangs up on me? How is that even fair? I didn’t ask him to come here.

CHAPTER 22

MERRITT

STARING at the blank screen of my phone, I’m aggravated at how closed off Quinn is being. I don’t get why last week it was perfectly okay for us to be together and now this week it’s not. At the time that we agreed to one week, I thought a week would be enough to let me get over my feelings for her, but it wasn't. All it did was make them stronger. She’s gotta be feeling what I am; I’m not crazy after all. I’m trying to respect her and not push things, but she won’t even see me to just cuddle, and being this close to her, yet so far away, is driving me fuckin’ mad. Refilling my glass of whiskey, my father calls me again, wanting to know if I closed the Serrano deal. Fuck him! All he cares about is business. He doesn’t care about me or what I’ve had to go through to get the Serranos back.

Sitting on the couch that overlooks the view of the city, it occurs to me that I’ve never realized how beautiful of a city Denver is. “What’s up?” I answer Ari’s call on the first ring. “Oh, man, you better close the Serrano deal, or your old man is gonna lose it.” “How much you think it’d cost to hire a hit man?” I ask him jokingly. We both laugh, and I tell him, “In all seriousness, I think I saved the deal. They’re gonna answer me in the morning.” “You mean you stole it from me?” “Fuck you; you stole it from me.” We both laugh and he says, “So I heard you saw Quinn.” “She call you?” “Yup, all worked up and shit.” “You should’ve warned me that she worked in that building.” “I’m busy, man, I don’t have time to worry about who works where and cross-reference it by your oh-so-important schedule.” “Shut up, bitch!” “So did you hit it again, get in a good nooner?” “No, and now she’s being all bitchy about seeing me.” “Who cares? She’s been hurt. You know how women are. Don’t give up on her…that’s what

she’s expecting.” Hanging up with Ari, I never imagined he could make so much sense. I dial Quinn’s number, and she answers, “Did you seriously hang up on me?” “No way,” I lie. “My cell phone died, and I just got it turned back on.” “You really didn’t hang up?” “Nope. So what are you wearing?” “Merritt!” she scolds me. The alcohol urges me on, making me very brave. This is where we first connected—sex. If I can make her see how good we are together, even through the phone, maybe I can convince her to give things with us a shot. “I get that you don’t want to see me.” “It’s not that. I’m…I’m scared to be alone with you. Just being in the elevator today was a lot.” “Do you trust me?” I ask her, the same way I did when I blindfolded her. “Yes, you know I do.” “Good, now go into your bedroom and take your clothes off.” She doesn’t answer me, and I imagine her standing there stark naked, her soft white skin, alluring and tempting. Wanting to be touched. “I’m naked.” I get undressed myself and say to her, “Look in the mirror.” “Why?”

“Trust me.” “‘Kay.” “Do you see that freckle on your right side, next to your tit?” “Yes.” “I want you to close your eyes and imagine my lips on it.” She’s breathing hard, and I grab my cock, knowing I could come at any moment, but I’ll wait for her. “Can you feel my lips?” “Uh huh.” “Good, now, touch yourself.” “Oh God, Merritt,” she moans, and I have to let go of my dick. I close my eyes, listening to her ragged breathing and hope she sees how good we are together, how fucking well our bodies react to one another’s. “Tell me what you’re doing,” I command her. “Touching myself. I just laid down on my bed.” “I bet you wish my cock was inside you, huh?” “God, yes.” “Mmm, keep pleasing yourself, baby.” “Jesus, I wanna come. Will you come with me?” “No…” I respond, and she gets eerily quiet. “Why not?” “Because I’m saving it for the next time I’m inside your sweet cunt. Good night, Quinn.”

CHAPTER 23

QUINN

READING the clock on my nightstand as it changes from 2:16am to 2:17am, I haven’t fallen asleep yet. All I have been doing is tossing and turning all night, my mind fighting with my body, the two wanting completely different things. After Merritt and I messed around earlier and he teased me and then basically left me hanging by a thread, my body is a jumbled mess. I need to see him, even though I shouldn’t. I want him one more time…but it’s such a bad idea. Shutting my eyes, I fight with my brain to be quiet and hope this time I can fall asleep. But all I hear is his voice and the way he coaxed me on. Fuck, it seems hopeless, the clock still reads 2:17am. On my nightstand is the keycard for his hotel. I pick it up, spinning it around and around in my fingers. Then, I drop it and get up, hoping that

maybe a bath will tire me out. After soaking for what feels like an eternity, it doesn’t help a thing. If anything, I feel even more awake. As I slip my sweat pants on, my clit is still twitching for him, and I’ve made my mind up. I need to go to him; I need to figure out the reason for this constant pull. Maybe one last time together will stop it. Slipping on my boots and coat, I leave. I decide not to call him, what is the point of that? I have a key after all. Hell, maybe he’s with someone else like a typical traveling man would be and walking in on it would make me be done with him in an instant. Getting into my car, it’s cold and takes a few minutes to warm up. On the drive, there is literally no one out on the roads. The drive is short, and I park my Jeep on the street outside of his hotel, then make a dash inside. The old eclectic décor seems to span from floor to ceiling. I’ve never actually been inside of this place. Looking for the elevators, I spot them, right as the desk clerk looks at me with a curious expression. I guess it could be because I am wearing sweatpants and pretty much look like a cute hobo. I press the call button and instantly the doors open. Taking the car up to the fifth floor, I’m reminded of the interaction that Merritt and I had in the elevator earlier in the day. He was so domineering, the way

he kissed me on the cheek, so close to my lips, like I was his, and held my hand while he pressed his body right along mine, ignoring everyone else sharing the space. The doors open to the fifth floor and my palms are sweaty, not really sure what I’m about to walk in on. Room 503 is at the end of the hall. As I stand in front of it, I listen for any sounds or noises, but there aren’t any. Placing the key into the door, it flashes green, and I remove it. I open the door and look around the dim hotel room. The TV is on some infomercial which is illuminating Merritt’s sexy, naked body. He’s alone, just like I hoped he would be. Quietly, I close the door and latch the lock, then take my coat and boots off, leaving them by the door. Walking to the bed, I sit on the edge of it, taking everything in. There’s a half-drunk bottle of whiskey next to him on the nightstand. He must still be naked from when we messed around earlier on the phone. Maybe this entire time, everything that I’ve been worrying about shouldn’t be a worry. Deep down, I really don’t think he’s like other guys. He could have any girl in the world. Look at him: perfect body, gorgeous face, huge cock, and he wants me. Sitting this close to him and not touching him is

driving me crazy. Getting up, I strip naked, all the while my eyes are on his dick. Then I hover over him, pressing his dick against my pussy as I brush my hair to the side and lean down kissing him. “You came,” he says against my mouth and stretches, pushing his cock against me. His eyes are still closed, but he knows it’s me. I kiss him again, and he knots his fingers into my hair and flips us over, his tired eyes finally waking. I relinquish all of my control, giving over to him, forgetting about all of my worries and reservations. “Tell me you want me,” he brushes his nose against mine. “You fucking know I do.” “Tell me, Quinn.” “I want you, Merritt. I want you inside me, I want you to—” “Like this?” I gasp as his hard shaft fills me. He pushes more and more into me, burying himself as deep as he can. With my legs held around him, I hold our bodies close, and neither of us moves. The thudding of his heart pulsating through the tip of his dick makes me want to come. I wiggle my hips, and he begins to pump, both of us getting lost…carried away in the most amazingly intense orgasms ever. That’s all it took was our connection, and we

are dangling from a cloud of bliss, falling… together. My throat is tight as I search for air, and for the first time with him, I don’t hold back. My noises aren’t quiet. I whine loudly, his thick shaft coming inside of me as we give over to the pleasure. “Yes! Get loud, baby.” He slams my pussy, our eyes locked on each other’s as he now braces his weight above me. Our pleasure ends, but our bodies stay together. Merritt isn’t in a hurry to move. Pulling the messy covers over us, he stays nestled inside of me and asks me, “Please stay with me.” I trail my fingernails up and down the rigid muscles of his back, sleep already invading me and I fight it, not wanting to drift off. Because I’m reminded it won’t be long until our time together has to, yet again, come to an end.

CHAPTER 24

MERRITT

GETTING DRESSED SO I can head to the airport, Quinn is fast asleep, I hate to wake her, but I can’t just leave her. Last night was amazing, and I don’t want to go, but if I’ve learned anything when it comes to dealing with Quinn, it’s to give her space. Sitting on the edge of the bed the way I did so often in Steamboat, I watch her. She awakes from the weight of my body and yawns. “Why are you all dressed?” she asks. “I have a flight to catch in about an hour.” “No, already?” “Yes, I told you my flight left early today.” “Don’t go,” she begs me, wrapping her arms around me and resting her face on my thigh. “I have to, plus you have work to do today, remember?”

“I can do it tomorrow. Please stay.” “Why?” “Because, it’s Saturday and you don’t have to go into work until Monday and…oh, I have tickets to the Nuggets game tonight. Come with me—you love basketball.” “Are you bribing me?” I ask her, and she nods, then unzips my pants and takes my cock out. The feeling of her hand alone makes me stiff as a rock. “Don’t do that,” I tell her, knowing if she starts with me, I won’t be able to leave her. “Stay,” she says and goes down on me. Leaning back, resting my weight on my forearms, I watch her mouth, her sweet goldmine of a mouth stretched so wide as she puts it to good use. Fire radiates from my head to my toes. I sit still, letting her have all the control and hope if I stay, this could be the beginning of us. My cum is close, and I hold on to it, fighting the feeling, not wanting her to know what she can do to me so quickly. The control she has over me is unreal…but she pulls it out of me. Taking my pleasure as if it were her own. When she pulls her mouth away, the first thing she says to me is, “So you’re staying?” “Maybe, but if I do, what does it mean for us?” I ask her. “What do you want it to mean?” “Quinn, you know I like you, and I get that

you’ve been through some shit, so I understand why your heart is guarded, but I want you to realize you don’t have to guard it with me. I’m not going to hurt you…ever.” “I want to believe you. That’s why I’m here, and I want you to stay longer. I don’t know what the future holds, hell…no one does, but what I do know is, if I keep guarding myself and living like I have, then I might push away the best thing that’s ever happened to me. I’m sorry, I just feel like my brain is all over the place.” “It’s all right, just be honest with me.” She smiles at me and says, “I’m scared if you stay, but… I’m even more scared if you go.” “Then I’ll stay, and we’ll just spend the weekend together, okay?” I ask her, and she nods, agreeing. “Good, will you hand me my phone, please?” She gives it to me and walks off to the bathroom as I email my assistant, Suzy, asking her to book me a later flight. “So, you’re taking me to the Nuggets game?” I ask her as she uses the restroom. “I am—courtside seats too.” “Wow, how did you score those?” “My boss owed me for working on a deal over the weekend.” “I’ll be sure to send a thank you myself. You hungry?” I ask her as she struts back into the

bedroom, stark naked. “I could eat.” “No, fuck that. I’m not taking your sexy ass out. I’m gonna make you my sex slave.” “A hungry sex slave is not a happy sex slave.” “Okay, true. So is there anywhere around here to eat?” “Yeah, there are a few good places, but I only have sweats to wear and you…well, you have that suit.” “I love your sweats. Let’s go. Time is gonna fly by.” I smack her ass, and she scurries to get dressed. When she is finished and looks back at me wearing a thin long-sleeved t-shirt and a red pair of sweatpants, I don’t think I’ve ever seen her look more beautiful.

AFTER BREAKFAST, we stopped back by Quinn’s so she could shower and change. I didn’t think she needed to, but I get that she wanted to. Sitting on her couch, I love her place—it’s so perfectly her. I notice a stack of paperwork that must be for her work, and I ask her, “So what is it that you actually do for a living?” “I manage people’s money. We invest in all sorts of things, from the safest of the safe to the riskiest investments. Do you have your money with a firm?” she asks me.

“No, I have it in the bank, with FDIC insurance covering it.” “You should look into your options to even make a little return on what you have sitting there. I mean, I won’t do it, not after my last experience, but I can refer you to some good companies.” “What happened, like for real?” I ask her, really wanting to know how things went so wrong with her ex. “The story is so complicated; I’m not even sure where to start.” “The beginning.” “Uhhh, God, this is so weird to be telling to you. Um, I met him out one night, having a drink with co-workers. At the end of the night, we hooked up. I left my card on the hotel nightstand, and he contacted me for business purposes. When he came in, I realized who he was and long story short, I signed him to my company. From there it was a whirlwind of a romance, until one day, he was done with me.” “So why did it end? Why was he done with you? He’d have to be crazy in my book to end things.” “He just broke it off, out of the blue, for really no good reason that I could see. It made me feel like there was something wrong with me.” Tears fill her eyes, the pain of going back there evident and I don’t want to see her upset. “I should’ve known

meeting him at a bar that it wouldn’t be anything long-term, but I fell for him…like I always do.” Pulling her into my arms, I hold her close. “Well, I’m happy it didn’t work out because it gave us a chance.” She tenses in my hold, and I can tell that I’m pushing things, so I drop it. She doesn’t say another word, and I fear that in the back of her mind, she thinks I will end up feeling the same way. That I’ll hurt her like her ex did…but I wouldn’t. Because for me, there’s nothing that could make me want to leave her in the first place…ever.

CHAPTER 25

QUINN

“DO you ever wish you’d stuck with basketball?” I ask Merritt as we sit on the side of the court before the game begins. The players are all practicing shooting and doing drills. “Now that’s a loaded question.” “Meaning?” “Have you ever dreamt of doing something, but knew deep down it was too much of a long shot?” “I’ll have to think about that one.” Then he says, “Well, for me, that was basketball. It was my life-long dream. I had scouts visiting me in high school, colleges were lined up, and I was ready to take the leap. Duke had offered me a full ride. But at the end of the day, I had a choice to make, and my father is very persuasive. He made it hard for me to say no to him.” “But you wanted to play basketball more,

right?” “I did, but he offered me more money than I was likely to get in the NBA, and I didn’t have the risk of getting a career-ending injury. He also promised me the company when he retires.” “But that wasn’t your dream?” “No, it wasn’t. But, I’ve adapted and grown to love my work.” “Merritt, that’s like marrying the wrong person because your parents want you to. When you know, it’s wrong. How could you be truly happy?” “Now, now, Dr. Phil, let’s not get carried away —no one’s getting married.” He tosses his arm over my shoulder, and I lean into him, hating how terrible of a person his father seems to be. What kind of parent would take away their child’s hopes and dreams for their own benefit? “You want another beer?” he asks me as the beer vendor walks by. “Sure.” He orders us two more, and the game begins. I love how into everything he is. Yelling and screaming, able to call fouls and plays like a coach would. All the while his hand is bracing my thigh, squeezing tighter and tighter, making my pussy wet and my body so horny. It’s just too bad that he’s not one of the players, ‘cause he should be. I can see the pure love for the

game that lives inside of him. No matter what his dad does or what career he chose, nothing will ever take that away.

“YOU OWE ME A HUNDRED BUCKS,” he tells me as we leave the Nuggets game. “You know…I blame Ari for that; he’s the one who makes us always bet.” “You can blame Jesus for all I care, but you shook on it, so you still owe me.” “Can I pay it off in sexual favors?” “What does one get for a hundred dollars these days?” “I don’t know; we can probably ask that girl.” And I point to a slutty looking woman on the corner of the street that we can see through the windows as we ride the escalator down. She looks like she’s out working. Both of us laugh as we emerge into the chilly winter night. Walking to my car, I can’t seem to get there fast enough, and Merritt is right along with me, holding my hand tightly. “Fuck it’s cold.” “Yeah, it is. You’d love Texas. Right now, it’s mid sixties at night.” “God, I’d love to feel that.” “Come visit me next weekend?” “No, I couldn’t.” “Sure you could.”

His offer, as appealing as it is, should be easy to accept. We have fun together, and it seems I’m the happiest when I’m with him. But it also makes me worry about things; I don’t want us to jump too fast, too soon. Starting the engine to my Jeep, I turn on both of our seat warmers, and he asks me, “So are you coming?” “Let me look and see when flights are, and then I’ll decide.” “What’s it matter? Leave Friday and return Sunday. I’ll even pay for it,” he’s pushing me and the offer, as sweet as it is, makes me worry it’ll make him eventually resent me. It happened with my ex. He showered me with gifts, so many of them I couldn’t see straight. In the end, he used it against me, said I was only with him for his money, which is the farthest thing from the truth. “What’s wrong?” he asks me. “Nothing.” “Don’t lie. You can tell me anything; you know that, right?” “I know I can.” Walking inside my place, his hand is around mine, and he’s dropped the subject of me going to see him…for now. I flip on a few lights, and he says to me, “You really have a sick view.” “Thanks, I love my place.” While he observes the sights of downtown

Denver, I pour us each a drink and then strip naked, doing what Merritt and I do best. Walking up to him, I can see his reflection in the glass. He’s lost in his own thoughts, and as I stand next to him, he slowly turns his head, a soft growl escaping from his throat. “Ohhh, you are so bad.” “You make me want to be bad,” I tell him and he finishes his drink in one gulp and then lifts me into his arms and cradles my body against his as he storms into my room, kicking the door all the way open and tossing me on the bed. I laugh falling against the soft fabric and watch him unbutton his tight, navy blue dress shirt. Then he takes his belt off and sets it on the bed, my heart beating faster, wondering if he’s gonna use it to spank me. Taking his pants off, his mouthwatering, huge cock makes me so wet, and he asks me, “Where’s the sash?” I point to my nightstand drawer. He pulls it out, the soft material resting comfortably in the palm of his hand. “How convenient.” Then he scoots my body up on the bed and stretches my arms high above me. Taking the sash, he knots it around one of the slats in my headboard and then secures my wrist to the other end of it. My eyes move from my hand to his eyes and he asks me, “Is this okay?” I nod quickly, never having been tied up before, but

never wanting it more than I do with him right now. With my other hand fastened in place with the belt, he then takes me by the hips and pulls me as far down the bed as he can. My upper extremities are stretched to the max; I can’t move a single muscle. Everything inside of me is on overdrive. My heart is beating at Mach speed. And he says to me, “If you come visit me, I’ll tie you to my bed for the entire weekend,” and I have to ask, “What are you going to do to me now?” “What do you want?” “I want you to fuck me and come hard.” He takes his hand and begins to rub it over my clit. I arch off the bed from the mere touch of his fingers on me, and he says, “Like this?” “That’s good, but I really want your cock.” He begins to jerk himself, and I lick my lips. “You want to suck me?” “Please.” He hovers over me, holding on to the headboard and I open wide so he can stick himself all the way into my mouth. He pumps in and out of me, my hands are tied so I can’t move and my lips stretched so wide that I can’t say a word. Our eyes stay connected, the way they always do. “God, I love your mouth,” he tells me and grunts, moving even faster. My pussy is tingling, ready and willing to be played with. But this isn’t about me, it’s about him. As he fucks my mouth, I wait for his cum, but it

doesn’t happen. Then he stops and slowly removes himself from me. Kneeling between my legs, I spread them wide as he connects our bodies. My body tenses from the fullness; his dick is so hard as he shoves into me. Holding his body up on either side of me with his fists balled, he asks me, “Why do you like it slow?” “‘Cause I don’t want it to end, so the slower we go, the longer it can last.” “That’s not true.” “What do you mean?” I ask him, and he pulls me towards him by the hips, pushing into me as deep as he can. I gasp out loud, a sensation unlike any other runs through me as his cock grinds so far into me. “Let me show you. I can make you come again and again,” he promises. A little hesitant, as I’ve never had a man make me come more than once, I nod, and he begins to move. His hands have a strong hold on my body and every time he slams into me, I cry out in pleasure. My tits bounce from the force of him slamming into me, hitting such a sensitive spot inside me, and as he picks up speed, I can’t control myself, letting go and coming hard. He controls my body, still holding on to me as he robs me of my first orgasm. I bow off the bed in his arms, fighting against the restraints, searching

for some friction. However, I can’t find any, and now my pussy is so sensitive, I feel like I could lose it, but he keeps moving. “Stop,” I tell him, just needing a minute and he shakes his head, barreling faster. “Give in to it, Quinn, let go again.” Digging my heels into the mattress, I lose all focus on reality as another blissful orgasm runs through me. I scream loudly, shaking under his control and this time I figure he has to stop…but that’s not what he does. His eyes are carnal, his grunts are the loudest I’ve ever heard, and I look at him bewildered, trying to understand what he’s doing to my body. Then he says to me, “It’s okay, baby…let go again.” Closing my eyes, I trust in him. Zoning in on the noises in the room…my and Merritt’s moans along with the sound of his balls slapping my ass…pushes me close and as I feel a blast of warm cum fill me, it tips me over, and another orgasm takes over my body. He groans, digging his fingers into my sides. I don’t fight it or prepare for what is next. I give completely over to the orgasm, and as he pounds me, he comes again, and it won’t be long, soon I will too. Looking into his clear eyes, he’s got one hell of a smirk on his face, and I say to him, “Why didn’t you do that in Steamboat?” “Because you said you liked it slow.”

He unties my hands, and I rub my wrists. “I thought I did. But had you done that, I might’ve change my mind about ending things after a week.” “Are you saying you’d stay with me for my cock?” “Maybe,” I smirk, and he begins to tickle me. “You’re so bad. Does that mean I can book your flight?” I thrash from side to side, fighting him to stop, but he doesn’t. The truth is, I don’t want him to…I never want him to stop. “Answer me,” he orders and the words roll off my tongue as if they aren’t my own, “Okay, I’ll come.”

CHAPTER 26

MERRITT

LYING in bed next to Quinn, she is peacefully asleep. It is barely light out, and I hope I don’t wake her, but my phone has been going off nonstop. My dad seems to be on a new level of craziness, now that I decided to stay in Denver for a few extra days. He doesn’t understand why and for some reason needs to know. He just keeps saying that we have so much work to do and he needs me back at the office. As I respond to his last text, I want to tell him to go fuck himself…but I don’t. I’ll be back later on tonight; there’s nothing that can’t wait until then. He doesn’t respond and looking at Quinn, she is so beautiful. An email comes through from Suzy distracting me from watching her. It contains Quinn’s flight info for Friday, and I couldn’t be

happier that she agreed to come and visit me. I respond to her and say thank you, then I forward it to Quinn. I can’t wait to have her in my bed. I’ll make true to my promise and tie her there all weekend if she wants. Just as the sun begins to pop up over the horizon, I set my phone down, wanting to make the most of my last day with Quinn. Holding her body tightly, kissing the soft skin of her neck, she wakes slowly with a grin on her face, and when she looks at me like that, my heart melts. “You sleep okay?” I ask her. “Yeah, the best.” “Good, baby,” I tell her and hold her body close to mine. She holds me back, her hands atop mine as we watch the sun crest the morning sky. “Is this what you get to wake up to every day?” Rolling over in my arms, she says to me, “It is.” and she kisses me. Holding on to the back of her head, I kiss her back. “I don’t want you to go,” she tells me. Hearing her say the words, lets me know that we are headed down the right path, it’s just gonna take baby steps to get there. “I don’t want to leave.” “Skip work next week and stay here with me.” “Ha! I wish I could, beautiful, but my dad is already throwing a tantrum with me staying here longer.” “Screw your dad. He sounds like a real asshole,

you know that?” “Oh, he is, but he’s the only father I got, and he holds the key to my future.” “You should call into work, fly home with me, and let me tie you to my bed all week. I’d make you come so many times, you’d never want to leave.” “If I miss work Monday, I’ll get fired. Remember the bribe I took so we could go to the Nuggets game? I still have work to do, and the client is coming tomorrow morning.” “I guess neither of us can take the time off of work, so we’re just going to have to make the most out of the day.” “That we are. What do you want to do?” “Oh, that’s up to you. This is your city.” She rolls me onto my back and lays her body along mine. “Let’s stay in and fuck.” “Okay,” I agree, knowing that’s all I really want to do anyway. We get lost kissing one another, then a knock on her door stops us. She looks at me wideeyed, and I have no clue what to do. “Are you expecting someone?” I ask her, and she scurries to get dressed. “No!” She shakes her head and then slams the door, charging out of the room. Curious to see who’s here and a little worried it could be her crazy ex, I get dressed and then reach for the door handle. A man’s voice stops me from proceeding,

and I listen to his words. “You look fine, baby, don’t be silly. Do you want this in here?” Rage consumes me, and I yank open the door, red-faced and on a mission to fuck up whoever is calling her “baby.” “You’re up,” she looks at me with a smile, and I ignore her, stalking towards the fridge. The guy is bent over looking inside of it, and before I can get to him, she jumps in front of me and says, “Merritt, this is my dad, Karl. Daddy, this is, Merritt.” Her dad turns around, clearly not expecting her to have company, much less a man. He’s on the defensive right away as he glares at me. After her last breakup, I understand; he doesn’t want to see her hurt again. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, sir,” I say, changing my attitude, and extend my hand to him. Reluctantly he shakes it. “Is this the guy you told your mom about?” he asks her. “Yes, Daddy. Merritt is one of the good ones, though, so go easy on him.” “Ha!” he laughs far too loudly, and I’m a little offended. He doesn’t even know me. “We’ll see about that. Have dinner with us tonight, would you, son?” “I wish I could, sir, but I’m flying home to Texas.” “Lunch, then?”

I glance at Quinn, and she nods, so I agree. Her father gives her a kiss on the cheek and me a stern look as he leaves her condo. “Wow!” I take a seat on the couch, and she sits next to me. “And I thought my old man was tough.” “Stop it. He’s really very sweet; he’s just looking out for me. After my last breakup, I was a mess, and he and my mom were there for me.” “I guess if I had a daughter and a guy fucked with her, I’d hate all men too.” “See? So you get it. Now before we have to spend the day with my dad, will you fuck me again?” “You’re a needy little thing, aren’t you?” She nods, the cutest expression across her face, and I lift her t-shirt over her head. “What are you gonna do without me this week?” “We could have phone sex?” I like the idea and that she wants to talk to me during the week. But I don’t focus on it for long as I have her with me, my hands on her body, her eyes locked on mine, and her control relinquished over to me as I slide her panties down her sexy legs, loving her naked. And then I order her to do what I want.

CHAPTER 27

QUINN

“WOULD YOU LIKE MORE SALAD, Merritt?” my mom asks as I watch my dad still glaring at him. “No, thank you, ma’am.” “What is it that you do again, son?” “I’m in the oil and gas industry, sir.” “Just like the last one,” he mutters under his breath. “Excuse me?” Merritt says. “Dad, could I talk to you alone, please?” I finally ask him throwing my napkin down, so aggravated with how he’s been treating Merritt. Heading down the hall, I storm into my parents’ office, and he follows, closing the door behind him. “What is your problem with him?” “Nothing, I don’t even know him.” “Well, you’re sure acting like you do. You’d treat a homeless person on the street better than

you’re treating him.” “I don’t like the way he stares at you, Quinn.” “What are you talking about, Dad?” “The look in his eye is a bit much. You two just met, right? And it’s as if you’re it for him.” “Then be happy for me, Dad, please? I’ve finally found a good guy. Don’t make this hard on me.” My dad steps closer to me, drawing my eyes to his and says, “Do you have any idea how hard that is for a father to do?” “I understand that, Dad. Just try…for me… please.” He kisses my forehead and then embraces me in a tight hug. As I hold on to him, I hope he can give Merritt a chance. My dad can be cold and closed off, but he is my father after all, and like Merritt said, we only get one.

“WELL, your mom is great, but I officially think your dad hates me.” “No, he doesn’t.” I glance at him as I drive him to the airport, so sad that his time in Denver has already come to an end. I really don’t want him to leave. “Why didn’t you tell me your ex was in oil and gas?” he asks me. “Because it wasn’t my place to tell and he’s a

client…so I have to protect his privacy at all costs.” “Even against me?” “Especially you, silly. If you find out who he is, I’m sure you’ll send a pipe bomb to his doorstep.” “Oohhh, that’s a good idea.” Glaring at him, he leans over and kisses my cheek. He rests his hand on my thigh, and I can feel myself already getting emotional as we near the airport. “Can we not talk about him anymore?” “Of course, babe. I just always want to protect you.” “I appreciate that, Merritt, so much. You’re so good to me.” Looking over at him, I miss him already. “Can I walk you in?” I ask him. “If you want to, sure.” “We could find a bathroom and have a quickie?” I offer with a smirk but can see he is actually considering it. Following the signs to the short-term parking, I take the first spot that I see. When I turn the car off, the tears prick the back of my eyes, and I fight them to stop. Merritt is oblivious as he kisses my neck, sucking and nipping on the skin and groping my breasts. I try and fight back the emotions, but it’s hard, and a sob creeps out of me. Alarmed, he pulls away, looking at me and once he can see that I’m visibly upset, he unlatches my seatbelt and pulls me over and onto his lap. Sitting

comfortably in his hold, I stay in this moment for as long as I can. “It’s only four days, and then I’ll see you Friday,” he tells me, trying to reassure me. “It’s not that,” I say to him, choking back a sob. “What is it then?” He brushes the hair out of my face waiting for me to tell him, and I hate to admit what I’m feeling, but he forces me to. “Tell me, please?” “I’m just scared. This has all been so perfect, and I worry it won’t last.” “What do you mean?” “A guy like you can’t possibly be content longterm with a girl like me.” He’s so confused, looking at me with a bewildered expression across his face. “Why would you think that?” I shake my head, not wanting to elaborate any further. “Never mind.” “No, don’t brush this off like that, tell me.” “It’s my own insecurities getting the best of me, and it was stupid of me to let them out to begin with.” “Nothing you ever say or feel is stupid. Don’t you understand? Talk to me.” Gazing into his sexy eyes, he cups my cheek in the palm of his hand, his other arm still holding me tightly. “You need to understand how perfect you are in my eyes. I’ll never hurt you; that’s a promise

you have to remember, okay?” Listening to his words, they resonate deep inside of me. I’m not sure why I believe him, but I do. “Thank you.” “For what?” “For understanding me and reassuring me.” “Of course. I wish I didn’t have to go.” “It’s only for a few days,” I say, trying to believe the words myself. And I’m stunned to realize how quickly I’ve gone from not wanting to see him, to dreading him leaving. Now to just make it through the week.

CHAPTER 28

MERRITT

“GOOD JOB GETTING the Serranos back,” my dad says, popping his head into my office. He’s in town for a few days, and I go to respond, but before I can…he’s gone. Obviously in a big hurry. Checking the clock, I have ten minutes before my next meeting, and I haven’t talked to Quinn all day. We missed each other this morning, and I can’t stop thinking about her. Grabbing my cell phone, I get up and close my office door as I dial her number. Looking out at the water while the phone rings, I wish she were looking at it with me. “Hey, this is Quinn, leave me a message.” “Have I ever told you that you have the sexiest voice I’ve ever heard?” I smile thinking about it. “Anyways, I might have to keep calling your voicemail and jerk off. I miss you. Call me back, sexy.”

Hanging up. I look down at my hard shaft. Seriously? Now is not the time! “Mr. Smith,” Suzy chimes in through my phone. “Your four o’clock is in the conference room.” Closing my eyes, I grab my suit coat and slide it on, but as soon as I do my phone rings. Across the screen is Quinn’s name and I answer it, not caring that I have clients waiting for me. “Hi, babe!” “Hey.” She’s quiet, and I worry something is wrong. “Everything good?” “Yeah, I’m just in the bathroom at work.” “Are you now?” My cock stiffens all the way imagining her alone in a bathroom stall. “What are you wearing?” “A tight blue dress.” “Send me a picture,” I ask her and begin to rub my dick through my pants. One comes through; damn, she is absolutely breathtaking. “God, I wish I was there to fuck you.” “Me too.” “Touch yourself,” I tell her and am rewarded with her sweet soft moans. “Mr. Smith, I’m sorry to bother you again, but your father is requesting you begin the meeting,” Suzy chimes in through the phone system.

“It’s not even four yet,” I bark at Suzy. “I’m sorry, sir.” “Tell him I’ll be there at four.” Glancing at my computer, it’s 3:58. Quinn and I won’t have time to mess around now. “You have to go?” she asks me. “I do, I have a meeting. But I’m going to have my assistant give you access to my calendar. She’ll send you the link and tell you how to look at the schedule and see where I am, this way maybe we won’t miss each other so much, okay?” “Okay,” she agrees, and I ask her, “What time will you be home tonight?” “Around six.” “Okay, I’ll call you then; make sure you’re naked.” She giggles and I hate to end our call, but I have to. “Maybe just one more picture?” I ask her, and she says to me, “Bye, Merritt.” And hangs up as I watch the screen turn black. Then I head into the conference room, thankful that my cock isn’t hard anymore. Walking in, my father has already begun the meeting. Fucking prick! Like he really cares about punctuality. He doesn’t make it to half of the meetings he’s scheduled to attend. Shaking the clients’ hands, I sit down, and my dad just keeps yapping away, reading off whatever agenda was emailed to him. I doubt he

even knows much about the deal. My phone buzzes and I can’t stop myself from pulling it out. On the screen is another picture of Quinn. In this one she’s blowing me a kiss, her huge tits are straining the tight confines of her dress, and I’m tempted to fly there tonight, surprise her, and fuck her all night. Then leave on the first flight out of Denver in time to return here for another day at the good ol’ job. “If there’s something more pressing, you need to attend to, Merritt, by all means, please do so.” Peeved at my father for calling me out in front of potential clients, I say, “Thanks, we’ve got a hiccup with the Serrano deal. I think I’ll have to fly into Denver to handle it.” Apologizing to the clients, I leave and tell Suzy to book me the first flight out of here into Denver. “Right away, sir.” She’s quick to respond, and I head into my office, making sure I’ve got everything covered for the rest of the day. Sitting at my desk, another picture comes through. Christ, this woman is killing me. Texting her back, I tell her, You better stop with these pictures, or I’m gonna book a flight out there and take you hostage. Another picture comes through, this one is of her cleavage, and Suzy chimes in. “Mr. Smith?” “Yes, ma’am.” “I can get you out on a red-eye tonight leaving

here at 12:37am, when would you like to return?” “Is that the soonest that you can find for the departure?” “It is. With Thanksgiving coming up, it seems like everyone is already making travel plans.” “Shit,” I mutter under my breath and my dad barges in my office. “Let me get back to you,” I tell her. “How come I was not aware that there was a problem with the Serrano deal?” “It just came up, right before the meeting. That’s why I was late.” Even though I wasn’t actually late and there is no problem with the Serrano deal. Giving him a reason for not being there when he wanted me will make him happy. “Can you fix it?” “Of course I can.” “Good.” He walks off; my phone flooded with a ton of pictures from Quinn, and Suzy is looking at me from her desk across the building wanting to know if I want the flight booked or not. Fuck, this is all so much to handle. I’m not sure what to do. Should I go to Denver, when I won’t even get to her house until at least three in the morning? Or should I wait for her to come here this weekend?

CHAPTER 29

QUINN

IT’S 6:15pm and my phone rings again. I hurry to finish up so I can leave and talk to Merritt. I don’t dare answer it now; ‘cause he’ll distract me and make me blush a shade of red I really don’t want anyone here to see. “Night, Quinn,” my boss says walking out. “Night,” I tell him and pack up my bag. Merritt calls me again, and I finally answer it, walking out. “It’s 6:16, my dick is not happy with you right now.” I giggle and tell him, “Hello to you too.” “Don’t be all nice and proper, this isn’t about a friendly exchange of words; this is about sex, baby.” The elevator dings as it arrives on my floor and he says to me in an aggravated tone, “Are you still at work?” “Maybe.” I push the lobby button and begin my

ride down. He goes quiet and then my phone buzzes with a text. I look at the screen and see he sent me a picture. Opening it up as I walk out into the bitter, cold night, I gasp at the sight of his rock hard dick, being clenched in the palm of his hand. “Merritt?” I scold him. “What? We had a date, and you’re late. So you better walk home super fucking fast.” “I am.” “But be safe, beautiful.” I smile loving how he’s always looking out for me. “I miss you,” I tell him. “Me too. How was your day?” “Busy, but it flew by and kept my mind off you.” “I wish I could say the same. I couldn’t shake you from my thoughts and then those pictures.” “Sorry, I got a little carried away.” “No, don’t apologize. I love them. You’re so gorgeous, you know that?” Walking into my building, I have the biggest grin on my face. He always says the right things. “Thank you for saying that.” “It’s the truth.” “God, I wish I was there to fuck you.” “I wish that too.” Opening the door to my condo, I can’t help but feel like maybe he’s lying and he’s here. He did say that if I didn’t stop with

the pictures he was gonna fly out here, so it might have spurred me to snap a ton of them and flood his phone all day with them. But looking around, my place is dark and quiet. Closing the door, I press my back to it, tears suddenly pricking the backs of my eyes. “You home yet?” “Yeah, I just walked in.” “Good! Get naked and text me a pic.” Letting my coat and bag fall to the floor, I step out of my shoes and don’t know why I’m suddenly so damn emotional. “Jesus, I’m hard for you.” Keeping my emotions in check because I don’t want him to think I’m crazy, I strip naked. “Where are you?” he asks me. “In the living room. You?” “I’m in my bed, imagining your soft lips around the head of my cock.” Closing my eyes, I imagine that I’m there too. I can feel him inside my mouth; his hardness makes me so wet. Dragging my hand down my body, I spread open my pussy lips and gently rub small circles over my clit. “God, you taste good,” I tell him. “You like me stuffing your mouth full?” “Uh huh.” “Are you touching yourself?” “I am.”

“Send me a picture.” I snap one of my body and send it to him. He groans when it comes through. “Finger yourself and imagine I’m inside you.” “Keep talking.” “I’m going to fuck you, okay?” “Yes,” I pant. “Can you feel the head of my dick as I rub it all over your sloppy pussy?” “Uh huh.” “Do you want me inside you?” “Please, I want you inside me now.” “I’m gonna go slow so you can feel every inch of me, okay?” And with those words I sink two fingers inside of myself, moaning from the fullness. “That’s it, take all of me like a good girl.” “Fuck,” I cry out, fingering myself in a way I never have before. “You’re dirty, aren’t you?” he asks me. “I am.” “You like being fucked?” “Uh huh.” “Good, now slip your pinky into your ass. I’m gonna fuck it hard this weekend.” I stop for a moment, never having had anal sex before, but Merritt has me so horny right now that I listen to him and as I use my pinky, a sensation reverberates from deep within my body. “Oh,

God,” I cry out, stroking myself and he says to me, “Are you close?” “Yes.” “Good, now go faster and come hard.” My body is smashed down into my couch; my legs spread wide, and my fingers have me so close to letting go, but I fight it, the sensation of teetering on the edge is so good. Then he grunts fiercely, obviously coming and that’s my undoing. I shake from head to toe, screaming for mercy, for him to stop, to give me a break. “Yes, baby, let go,” he orders me, and once my body settles, I realize it was me all along. His smooth voice coaxed me on, but I was in control and could’ve stopped. Removing my fingers from inside myself, I scoot up and pull a blanket from over the back of the couch and cover up my naked body. “God, that was good. You’re so sexy.” “It was. Thank you.” “Of course. So you gonna let me fuck your ass this weekend?” “Maybe. Will it hurt?” “Well, that’s up to you. If you try hard enough, you can always find pleasure in the pain.” “Would it make you happy?” “It would. I want to have you in every way imaginable.” His statement echoes deep within me. I love the

raw honesty that he always shares with me. He’s never tried to hide it, and I admire that.

CHAPTER 30

MERRITT

AS THE PLANE makes it descent into Denver, I’m anxious to get to Quinn. It’s dark as hell out, and I can’t wait to surprise her, to sneak into her apartment and slide into her bed. I just want to fuck her all night long. “Flight attendants, please prepare for landing,” the pilot says over the intercom, and I close my eyes, loving how I’m always rewarded with the memories of her. As the plane gets lower and lower to the ground, the pressure changes and I have to keep popping my ears. But something goes wrong; the pressure drops completely, and the oxygen bags fall from the ceiling. The passengers all begin to panic, screaming and trembling to get their masks on. I gasp for air reaching for mine, but it’s too far away. Everything around me silences and I close

my eyes falling from the sky… …Sitting up in my bed, I’m out of breath. Fuck, it was just a dream. It was only a dream. It’s 12:37, the time my flight would have departed for Denver, and I can’t deny that I’m a little pissed at myself for not going. Every night I’ve woken up at this same time missing Quinn. My brain sending myself a subliminal “fuck you.” Sitting up, I rub my face and look out at the water; it’s smooth as glass. Thank God it’s Friday. I don’t think I can take another night of sleep like this. Quinn will be here by the end of the day. Grabbing my phone, I’m tempted to text her, but don’t want to wake her. Lying back down, I close my eyes, hoping I can fall asleep…but I can’t. So I decide to go into the office and get a jump on my day. The sooner I’m done, the sooner she’ll be here. After showering and dressing, I make the short commute into the office. It’s pitch dark out. I park and head in, the alarm that typically sounds when I enter through the front door is off. That’s strange. Flipping on a few lights, I look around but don’t spot anyone. Then I hear a woman’s voice and spot my father’s light on. Shit, is he still here? He was supposed to fly home, or so I thought. Walking down the hall, I keep my feet light and

stop, listening to them for a moment. They aren’t talking, and I have to look. Trust me; I don’t want to, but I have to know what’s going on and who he’s with. I don’t think he’s dated anyone since my mom. Glancing in, he’s on the sofa in his office, the woman is straddling his lap as they are making out. Jesus, this is gross. I try and figure out who she is, and then I notice her sweater next to them and remember it from a meeting today. It’s one of our interns. Ah, fuck! Quietly I back up before either of them spots me and head out of the building. Bile is in the back of my throat, seeing someone so young with my father. She’s half his age! What is she thinking and how did I not have any idea this was going on? Getting in my car, I call Quinn. She answers half asleep, “Is everything okay?” “Shit, I’m sorry. I forgot the time. Call me in the morning, when you’re up.” “No, I want to hear your voice. What are you doing awake?” “You don’t want to know.” She pauses and then says, “Should I be worried?” I chuckle and look out my windshield. “No, nothing to worry about, beautiful.” “Come on; you can’t wake me up in the middle of the night and not tell me.”

Starting my car, I drive back home. “I couldn’t sleep, so I went into work and…I caught my dad with…” I trail off, not even able to speak the words. “With?” she probes further. “With one of our interns. She’s like half his age. I’m still trying to process it all. For fuck’s sake… how did I not know?” “Because they didn’t want you to.” “But he’s old enough to be her father; that’s just gross.” “Remember what you told me when we met?” “No.” “You said, ‘Everyone fucks.’” “Okay, that’s enough. This is my dad we’re talking about. Thank God I didn’t walk in on that.” She laughs at me and asks me, “Why are you at work in the middle of the night anyway?” “I couldn’t sleep. I was trying to get a head start since you’re coming tonight.” “Mmmmhhh, I can’t wait,” she tells me. “But I think I might be getting sick.” “What? No, don’t say that.” “Trust me; I wish I wasn’t…but I don’t feel well at all.” “Call in to work and hop an earlier flight. I’ll work from home today and take care of you.” “That sounds really nice.” “Then do it.”

“Can I ask you something, Merritt?” “Of course.” Pulling back up to my house, I head around back and sit on the deck, enjoying the view. “How are we going to make this work longterm? It seems we can’t bear to be apart and we’re not even together. That’s not going to get any easier.” I think about her question, and I’m not sure how to answer her. I don’t know how we got wrapped up the way we did…but here we are. I don’t usually think that far ahead…I’m a live-inthe-moment kinda guy. But with Quinn, I feel like I have to think further and prepare for more than just looking forward to what the weekend holds.

CHAPTER 31

QUINN

LOOKING through the crowds of people at the airport, I can’t spot Merritt. He said he’d meet me right when I got through security, but I don’t see him. I hope he didn’t get caught up at work. Pulling out my phone to call him, I’m startled as he grabs me from behind. “Gotcha!” “Hiiii!” I cling to him, breathing him in, holding on to his arms. “How are you feeling?” he nuzzles my neck, and I turn around. “Better,” I tell him, and he kisses me hard. We both get lost in the moment, forgetting that we are standing in the middle of the airport. His cock is growing, and I’m aware neither of us has the best self-control when it comes to keeping ourselves appropriate in public. Slowing the kiss, he rests his forehead against

mine and says, “I’m so happy you’re here.” “Me too, thank you for having me. You look really fucking hot.” “You like me in a suit, don’t ya?” I nod, and he takes my bag from my shoulder and wraps his hand around mine. He keeps looking down at me like he can’t get enough and my heart flutters. “If I don’t let you go back home, is that a problem?” I roll my eyes at him, and he says, “What? I’m just being honest.” We exit the airport, and the warm air is a refreshing feeling. “Oh my God, it feels amazing.” “Oh yeah, I forgot you’ve been used to those sub-zero temperatures.” It feels so good that I take my coat off. Walking up to his car he unlocks the doors and opens mine. Sitting on the passenger seat is a huge bouquet of flowers. “Why, thank you,” I tell him as I get comfy in his sleek Mercedes, smelling the gorgeous flowers. “My pleasure.” He tosses my bag in the trunk and then opens his door, unbuttoning his coat before he gets in. “I was gonna bring them in, but I wanted to have my hands free.” “So what’s the plan?” I ask and he backs out of the parking place. “Sex, food, sex, food, sex, food. That work with you?”

“Of course, but I’m hungry now.” Reaching over, I rub my hand over his shaft; his dick is already hard, and he says, “By all means, eat away, baby.”

“YOU SAID you didn’t cook.” I glare at Merritt as he pulls some food out of the fridge. “No, I told you, I order in more often than not. But I love to cook when I have someone to cook for.” I smile, sipping on a glass of wine as he prepares our dinner. “So no meat at all for you?” “Nope.” “Have you always been a vegetarian?” “I have. My parents are, it’s how I was raised.” “Have you ever tried meat?” “Yeah, and I really don’t like how it tastes.” “Except for mine?” He cocks his eyebrows at me and grabs his dick through his pants. “Yes, except for yours.” I kiss his neck and refill my glass, looking around his house. “Have you lived here for long?” “A few years.” “Always alone?” “Yes,” he answers, and I hate to have asked, but I can’t imagine him being all alone in this huge glass house on the water. I’d figured he shared it with an ex or something.

Getting lost in the view, he wipes his hands dry and asks me, “What are you thinking?” “Nothing. It’s gorgeous here.” “It is. The view is even better with you in it.” I smirk over my shoulder at him, and he says, “Just speaking the truth. Dinner should be done in a bit. Do you want to go sit out back?” “Sure.” He takes my hand and guides me onto the deck. The air is still surprisingly warm, and I love it. I can’t seem to get enough. We sit together on the outdoor sofa, and I ask him, “Did you ever confront the intern?” “Hell no!” I laugh and almost spit my sip of wine out. “Why not? I thought you were going to.” “I was, but then her boyfriend came and picked her up for lunch, and I don’t know. Maybe it wasn’t her in there. I didn’t see her face.” “We could spy on them?” I joke, and he laughs. “No way, I don’t think we’ll leave at all this weekend, plus, he’s back home in California.” “Why does he live there?” “It’s where our main hub is. He’s always traveling so he’s all over.” “Why do you really put up with him? Even though he’s going to one day give you the company, is it really worth it?” He finishes his wine and says to me, “What other choice do I have? I’m too old to play

basketball, and if I tried to go anywhere else like Ari did, he’d make my life hell. So I play along and do what I can to prove I’m ready to take on the company.” “You really want it that bad, huh?” “I do, more than anything…except you.” His words bring a part of me to life. I know how much running the company means to him, so for him to want me more than that is something special. “Yeah?” I ask. “Yup, and I think because I turned down my dreams of basketball, I have to make this work. I can’t fail.” I see his point—he’s following a dream that one day will pay off because he let go of his real passion when he didn’t pursue basketball. But I also hate to see the shit he has to go through to get there. It’s like when his dad says “jump,” Merritt will bitch, but then he’ll say, “how high?” and do whatever his dad wants and that is not the man that Merritt is.

CHAPTER 32

MERRITT

DRAGGING my tongue over her sensitive skin, she writhes beneath me, trying to see around the room, but the blindfold keeps everything dark. “I didn’t say you could move.” My voice is laced with passion. I have each of her hands bound to her ankles spreading her wide and helpless on my bed. I love playing with her and controlling her. I also love how willing and accepting Quinn is, too. She doesn’t judge me and is not scared, which I need in life. In most of my relationships, the moment I’ve tried to show this side, women freak; they are not accepting in the slightest. But not Quinn. From the moment I blindfolded her or tied her to the bed, she was willing and compliant, and now here she is again, powerless, letting me have all of the control.

Flicking my tongue over her clit, I tease her again, and this time, I tell her, stopping for a brief moment. “You can come now.” It’s not but another few seconds, and she’s screaming my name, coming hard. Her pussy now so wet that I can’t wait to fuck her. Pulling away, I take the blindfold off, her sexy eyes find mine, and I grip each of her ass cheeks as I nudge myself inside her. “Fuck, you’re tight,” I murmur, her pussy so constricting that it lights my insides up. Looking down at my dick, the veins are bulging as I move in and out of her. God, this is intense. Maybe it’s this angle. I watch our bodies and the point where they connect, her pussy lips spread wide, eating me up. I’d planned on fucking her ass tonight, and I still could ‘cause she has my shaft so wet that I’d have no problem going in, but this is too good. Taking my thumb, I stick it in her mouth. She sucks and bites it, crying out in pleasure as she takes all of me. And then I pull it away, rubbing around the rim of her ass, “Yes,” she begs me, and I finger her while I blast a heavy load deep inside her tight slit. She comes again, her entire body fighting the restraints, and I love to see her so hot and horny, giving over to the pleasure of what we are together. Our connection is explosive, and I hope this is just the beginning of more times like this.

Pulling my cock from her, she is exhausted, but I could go again. I remove the straps from her wrists and can tell she’s gonna bruise. “You can’t fight that hard, baby,” I tell her and kiss the tender skin on her arm. “It feels so good, though; it makes everything so much more intense.” “You like it then, being tied up and helpless?” “Yes, more than I could’ve ever imagined.” “Have you ever done anything like this with a guy before?” “Hell, no. I’d be scared and running for the hills.” “You didn’t run tonight.” “‘Cause there’s nothing you could do that could make me run.” “Thank God, ‘cause I would’ve chased you naked.” She rolls over in my arms, looking me in the eye and says, “Who knew when we met and I thought all men were dicks, that this is where we’d be?” “You didn’t ever think I was a dick, though. You just wanted mine and didn’t know how to handle it. Miss Unplugged-From-The-World, guarding your heart and all.” “Hey,” her eyebrows scrunch as she pouts a little, “I was hurt, and you…you know if I think about it, you took advantage of me. You knew it and still pursued me. I haven’t quite given in to

you, Merritt. ” “Yes, you have, and you know it. Underneath it all, I could smell the freak inside of you wanting out.” We laugh at our little banter, and I hold her tightly against my chest. Her face squished against me, and I close my eyes, owning this moment, this solitude because in just a couple of quick days… she’ll be gone, and we’ll both be miserable being away from each other…again.

CHAPTER 33

QUINN

WAKING up in Merritt’s bed, he’s lying next to me, watching me sleep and has the sexiest grin on his face. “Morning,” he says through a smile and kisses me. “Morning. What time is it?” He grabs his phone and says, “Nine thirty.” “You been up long?” “Yeah, for a little while. I handled some fires at work and thought we could get out.” “What did you have in mind?” “You ever been horseback riding?” “No, why?” “Wanna give it a try today?” “Merritt, are you a cowboy deep down?” I tease him. “Hidden beneath all those sexy layers is there a man that craves the open range?” “No, ma’am,” he shakes his head and hops out

of bed, completely naked. His ass cheeks flex with every step. “I’m calling your bluff!” I holler out, and he walks out of his closet only wearing a cowboy hat as he struts to the shower. “I knew it!” He smirks over his shoulder at me, getting in the shower, and I step over his hat that he tossed on the floor to follow him. After a very thorough washing and fucking, I think I might have to skip horseback riding. My pussy is sore from so much sex. He’s an animal; there really are no limits. On the drive, I ask him, “So, are these horses yours?” “Kinda. They were my mom’s. They were her pride and joy before she passed.” “I’m sorry, Merritt, I had no idea she was gone.” “It’s okay; she passed when I was a teenager. Sometimes, I feel like I know the horses better than I knew her.” “How did she pass?” I hate to ask but have to know. “Cancer, it came fast and took her quickly. That’s when my dad changed. Without her, he became a prick. So cold and closed off to the rest of the world. I thought it was his way of grieving and that as time went on it would get better, but it

didn’t.” “Is that also why you didn’t pursue your basketball dreams?” “It is; I was hoping if we worked together that things would get back to how they used to be…but that never happened. We grew further apart and honestly seeing him with our intern the other night disgusted me. My mom would’ve been appalled had she caught him with someone so young.” “Well, I’m sure she’d be proud of the man that you’ve become.” “I hope so, Quinn.” He pulls down a dirt road. The dust morphs around us, and I can feel the sun heating me through the windshield. We have the air on low, and in Colorado, you wouldn’t imagine running your AC this time of year. Up ahead is a large barn surrounded by acres and acres of open land. There are quite a few horses all over, and as he parks his car in front of a barn, he says to me, “There they are.” Looking inside, I see two white horses peering out at us. “The white ones?” I ask and point. “Yes, ma’am.” He hops out of the car and places his hat on his head. I laugh at his polite Texas boy “ma’am” and follow behind him, loving the way his ass looks in his jeans. “Merritt!” an older man exclaims, riding up on a horse himself.

“John, how are you, sir?” he asks, and they shake hands. “Very well, son.” “Good. This is Quinn, my…” he trails off, introducing me and I jump in, the words spilling from my lips. “Girlfriend, I’m his girlfriend. It’s nice to meet you, John.” The man tips his hat, leaning down to kiss my knuckles as I extend my hand up to him. “Likewise.” His lips are dry, but I can see there is no harm in the interaction. Merritt’s eyes are all over me, and I’m sure it’s because of what I just said. We haven’t really spoken much more about what the future looks like, but when I think about it, I want to be his and I want him to be mine. “The girls are all suited up and ready for ya,” John says. “Great, thank you.” Then he turns on his horse, and Merritt and I walk into the barn. “Girlfriend?” he asks me. “Yeah, is that a problem?” “No,” he blurts out, “No problem at all.” The horses are so curious to see us, like two children meeting new friends. “This is Bell, and this is Tink.” “Like the Disney characters?” “Yup, my mom was a huge fan.” Merritt opens the half door to their stall, and I

follow him in. He pets both of their noses, and you can see right away they know him very well, and I stand not sure what to do. He takes my hand and places it on Bell’s nose, her eyes look deep into mine, so trusting and loving. Gently I begin to pet her the way he is. “Here, touch Tink, too. We’ve gotta see which one you connect with.” As I stand with both of my hands planted firmly on the horses’ noses, I rub between their eyes and Merritt moves behind me, holding my body close to his. “What do you think, girls?” he asks talking to the horses. “Really, you sure?” “What did they say?” I ask, acting concerned as I play along with him. “They both agreed…that you’re gonna need to ride me.”

CHAPTER 34

MERRITT

“IS THERE ANYTHING I could do to convince you to stay?” I ask Quinn. “You’d have to take me hostage at this point. I have a big client at work next week that I’m taking the lead on.” “That shouldn’t be a problem. Your parents won’t come looking for you for at least a week.” “Stop it. Remember what you said last time— it’s only four days.” Holding on to the sides of her gorgeous face, I hear her words, but making myself believe them is a whole other story. I’ve grown to depend on our time together. Every interaction is so amazing. “After what you said at the barn, I want you to know now you’re mine, no more bullshit, no more wavering back and forth scared you’re gonna end up hurt. If I want to fly to Denver to fuck you and

leave, then I will, or if I want you at my house for the weekend, it’s gotta happen. I need to know you’re all right with that, okay? She nods and gives me a huge smile. “Tell me,” I order her. “Okay.” Pulling me closer to her, she kisses my neck, hugging me hard. Then they make a last boarding call for her flight, and I hate that she has to go. Yes, it’s a little overboard, but I bought a ticket too, so I could be with her for as long as possible. I don’t know what it is about her, but the woman is driving me crazy. “I should go.” “Thank you for everything, Quinn.” I kiss her again, her indulgent lips so smooth against mine. “Call me as soon as you land?” She stands and I pull her down to me, kissing her once more, then I watch her walk to the attendant, her ass staring back at me, reminding me of how amazing it was to fuck. And then…she’s gone. Standing up, I look out the window at her plane and know I need to go, or hell, I might just get on it. Walking towards the exit, I spot a bar and decide to stop and have a drink. “I’ll have a whiskey on the rocks, please.” The bartender pours my drink and asks me, “You coming or going?”

“Huh?” I respond, in a daze, already missing Quinn. “You flying in or out of here?” “Oh, I live here, just dropped my girlfriend off.” He nods and helps another customer. Drowning my sorrows in the alcohol, I pull out my phone as it vibrates. Gonna power down, thank you for everything this weekend, babe. Fly safe, baby. I hit send and set my empty glass down; the bartender refills it, and I exhale heavily. She’s mine, and it’s only four days…I can do this.

CHAPTER 35

QUINN

HUGGING KAMI as I meet her for a cup of coffee, she looks so cute all dressed up for her interview. “Are you nervous?” I ask her. “Yeah, a little…I guess.” “Don’t be, you know you got this.” “I hope so.” “So how are things with Jacob?” She smiles, sipping on her coffee and says, “Really good. We’re trying to have a baby.” “Shut up. How exciting! When did you decide this?” “In Steamboat. I forgot my pills when we went up there, and we talked about things, and we’re both ready.” Leaning over, I give my friend a big hug, so happy for her. “So you’re like trying-trying?” “Uh huh.”

“Wow, that is so awesome. You’ve gotta keep me updated, girl.” “I will; so…how are things with Merritt?” “Good.” I sound like a schoolgirl—my voice changes a pitch as butterflies take over my stomach. “It’s just so hard to be away from him every week.” “But you see him on the weekends, right?” “I do, and even though it’s all so new, there’s something about him, and us…the relationship is like nothing I’ve ever had. For the first time in my life, it feels real—genuine.” “Oh Quinn, I’m so happy for you, and what a great snag, he’s super hot.” “You have no idea. I was at his house this weekend—” “He lives in Texas, right?” “Yeah. And he has this cowboy hat, which is totally not my thing, but when he calls me ‘ma’am’ and wears it, I swear I lose all control. We even did anal,” I whisper and look around making sure no one heard me. “Really? How was it?” “So good. I was scared it was gonna hurt, but it was the total opposite.” “Damn, girl. I’m getting hot just thinking about it.” We laugh like a couple of giggly teenagers and then she checks the time, “Oh God, I’ve gotta go.”

“Good luck, sweetie.” I hug her tightly as she walks to the elevator banks and I head back over to my building. On the way, I call Merritt. “I was just thinking about you,” he answers in such a sexy tone. “Yeah, what about?” “Hmmm, let me close my door.” I hear the door latch, and then he says, “I was thinking about your ass. Fuck, I loved it.” “Me too.” “So listen, we might have a little problem with this weekend’s plans.” “What? No! Why?” “There’s a huge oil company that just came on the market. This would be monumental for our company and me if I can close the deal. Right now, I’m trying to nail down a price and if I can’t, I’ll likely have to fly to California to do it in person.” “Can’t your dad do it? He lives there.” “You know he can’t. I’ve got to prove to him that I’m ready.” My heart keeps sinking further and further down to the bottom of my stomach. As I enter my building, I imagine not seeing him ‘til next weekend, and I say to him, “I don’t think I can make it nine days without seeing you.” “Me neither, babe, that’s why I’m gonna get this deal closed, and it’s not gonna interfere with our plans…but I had to be honest.”

“I’m back at work; I should go.” “Don’t be down. I’ll get it done.” I hang up with him and wander to my desk, bummed out. Sitting down, I realize that I’m falling for him and I’m not sure how it happened and so damn quickly. The same patterns I always try and avoid always seem to happen, and this is when things begin to go wrong.

CHAPTER 36

MERRITT

“SHOULD I BOOK IT, Mr. Smith?” Suzy asks me as I stare at my computer, waiting for a response from Exlon, the company we’re trying to acquire. “Give me a little longer.” She walks off, and I pick up the phone, calling my contact at the company to see if we’ve gotten a response. There is no answer, and I’m pissed off to be dicked around so badly. I call my dad’s office to see if they’ve heard anything. His receptionist patches me through, and I ask him raking my fingers through my hair, “What if I don’t close the deal?” “Then I don’t think you’re ready to run this company.” I pace across my office, pissed, that again it’s coming down to one deal. “We need this deal, Merritt, more than we’ve ever needed to close a deal before.”

“That’s what you always fuckin’ say,” I scoff at him. “It’s like you’re changing your mind and giving me a task that’s unrealistic. You know as well as I do that we aren’t going to come to terms with them. They want way too much money.” “Merritt, you’re not looking at the bigger picture. This is how we’ve gotten to be as big as we are. I don’t have much time left here, and you know it. You’ve gotta prove to me you can steer this company into the future.” “I’m ready, and you know I am. I’ve been working my ass off for you, I got the Serranos back, and this week alone, I’ve acquired ten new sites with prime oil ready for us to begin drilling.” “Closing the Exlon deal will be like acquiring a million new sites, so if you want this company, then close the fucking deal.” Looking at my own reflection in the glass window of my office, I could go off on him for so many reasons. It’s always something else when it comes to him, another reason to stall or another hoop to jump through. He always says, “You know my time is coming…” But when? I just hope in the end it’ll all be worth it. Hanging up on him, I buzz Suzy and tell her, “Book it.” “Yes, sir,” she tells me, and I hang up, hating that I have to call Quinn and tell her that I’m not coming to Denver this weekend. But what other

choice do I have? He’s leaving me with none, like always. Closing my office door, I dial her number, and she answers on the first ring. “The flowers are gorgeous.” “You got them?” I ask, almost forgetting that I had Suzy send them to her. “I did, just now. They are sitting on my desk, and now my office smells like a garden. I can’t wait for you to see them, I’ll bring them home tonight.” “About that…I won’t make it after all. I do have to go to Cali.” “Okay,” she sounds understanding, not the response I’d expected. I guess I don’t really know what I was expecting. “You sure?” “Of course, I know how much your work means to you. I’ll catch up on some TV and see you next weekend.”

GLARING at my father as he sits next to me during our lunch with the Exlon execs, I’m pissed he showed up. This was supposed to be all me, my chance to prove I was ready to run the company, and now here he is. “Can I get another?” I ask the waiter, pointing to my drink. I haven’t said much of anything this entire time,

my dad being the center of attention like always. “Haven’t you had enough?” he asks me, leaning over, and I finish the rest of the drink in front of me not answering him. My phone vibrates, and I pull it out, I’m here, where are you? Quinn texts me. What the fuck? Like here-here? How is that possible? Looking at my phone, the screen becomes blurry. Fuck, I drank a lot. I text her back. Where? Cali, your hotel. Probably shouldn’t have given me access to your calendar. But I brought the sash. Now anxious to leave and take out some of my pent-up frustrations the way I love to most, I ask the question of the hour, “So let’s be honest.” The group of six men, my father included, all look at me. I clear my throat and try not to sound so drunk. “What’s it gonna take to close the deal?” One of the men leans forward, resting his elbows on the table and says to me, “I think about a half million more.” “What about a partnership?” I offer, knowing… I have to close the deal. He didn’t say we had to be the sole owner, just to close it. The men all seem intrigued. My father, on the other hand, is suddenly tense. “What did you have in mind?” “Let us take over your leases for one year, with the option to buy at the end of the term. It’ll give

you the cash you need from going bankrupt, and it’ll give us the oil we need to produce revenue.” The men seem to all be considering it, and my father says, “As CEO, I’m sorry, but I’m only looking to purchase your company, one hundred percent.” “A half million more,” their CEO says, and then they stand, shaking our hands before leaving the table. My father, as usual, ruined the negotiations. “What the hell was that, Merritt?” he scolds me. “You told me to close the deal, so I was closing it.” “I told you I wanted to acquire them.” “Sure, but you didn’t say how. And a lease-tobuy option is a good one. We’d have revenues coming in next month. Which is way faster than the process of purchasing them is going to be. You know with lawyers and paperwork, it’ll at least be a year, and what, are you gonna stay until that’s done too?” He doesn’t answer me, and I walk away from my dad. He’s pissed and hot on my heels. “You don’t have the authority to make those decisions,” he says. “Of course I don’t, ‘cause had I come here alone like I’d planned, I’d have the deal closed, but without the authority to do it.” Walking up to my hotel, my dad walks off not

saying anything else. I hope he feels fuckin’ stupid for shooting down my idea, ‘cause he’s gotta know it’s brilliant and the best way to acquire one of the largest commercial oil producing companies. My thoughts are cut short as I spot Quinn, as gorgeous as ever, sitting in one of the chairs in the lobby. She’s really here, and I have no clue how I got so goddamn lucky. But this shit day just turned completely around.

CHAPTER 37

QUINN

“I CAN’T BELIEVE you’re here,” Merritt says, taking me in his arms and pinning me down on the bed. “I couldn’t help myself.” “Is that why you were so cool when I said I couldn’t come?” “Uh huh,” I tell him, because as we talked on the phone earlier, I was already booking my flight. “Fuck, I’ve missed you,” he tells me, pressing me hard into the mattress and kissing me. Holding on to the back of his head, I kick my shoes off and work my tongue against his. He pulls back for a second; his eyes are glazed over and red. “Are you drunk?” I ask. “Maybe a little,” he confesses and slides off me, pushing my dress up and fingering me. “How was your meeting?” I ask, worried that

he’s drunk and handling business. “It sucked. My asshole of a dad showed up, and it really made me wonder why I even came here.” He’s no longer fingering me, just cupping my sex and I can tell that his brain is spinning. “Let it go, baby. Don’t let him into your head. We’re together now, and you can focus on me all night long.” He nods and kisses my neck. Taking him by the shoulders, I roll him onto his back. He lets me straddle him, his hands both resting on my thighs. Lifting my dress over my head, my tits spring free and his eyes get wide. “You flew without a bra and panties on?” “Maybe. Does that turn you on?” “A lot!” Leaning down, I kiss his neck, nibbling and sucking on his skin, and he moves his hands squeezing my ass cheeks, spreading them wide. Our bodies grind together, like a couple of high schoolers dry humping, and I make quick work of removing his pants. His hard cock makes me unbelievably wet, and I don’t waste a second before I settle down on it, my pussy clenching him as he pushes himself up inside me. Knotting my fingers into my hair, I bounce with him, his balls hitting my ass with every thrust, he’s moving so fast, and then he stops. Looking down at him, he’s got that look—the one that says he wants

more, needs more. Without a single word, I lift off of him. He spreads my cheeks wide, and I reach back, clenching his sloppy dick as I line it up with my ass. Our bodies connect like a puzzle, he fits right inside of me. The feeling of fullness makes me want to come undone. Still holding my ass he pumps himself in and out of me, giving me every single inch that he is. My noises arc and my breathing is so quick that I won’t last much longer. I fight to stay in control, but it’s too much. My insides quiver and the instant he really picks up speed, I come hard. “Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!” I chant, having an unbelievably intense orgasm. Each stream of his white is hot inside of me, and as he finishes, he flips me onto my back, ripping his shirt off as he pummels into me. One hand is splayed across my chest while his other holds one of my legs to the side. He’s ruthless, fucking me harder than ever, my body scooting up the bed. I reach above me, pressing my fingers to the headboard to keep myself in place. “You like being fucked hard?” he asks me in a deep, sexy tone. “Yes.” Our eyes are connected, locked on each other’s in a whirlwind of sex. With Merritt, there are no rules or boundaries, just each other’s rawest

desires, and he brings so many desires out of me. Every single hidden fantasy that I have, I want to experience them all with him.

“SHOULD WE ORDER ROOM SERVICE?” I ask Merritt, as I dry off from our shower. “If you want to, but we can also go out.” “Whatever you want to do is fine with me.” He walks up behind me, his large hands roaming my body as he rubs up and down it. “We should go out,” I tell him, knowing if we stay in, all we’ll do is fuck, and as much as I love it, I need to be able to walk normally for my dad’s birthday Monday night. “God, you’re beautiful,” he tells me, kissing my neck and then getting dressed himself. “Thank you. Would you put this on me?” I ask handing him my bracelet he bought for me in Steamboat. “Did you ever put a wish inside?” “I did.” “What’s it say?” he asks me curiously. “I’m not telling you, or it won’t come true.” He rolls his eyes at me and pretends to open the box. I smack his arm, and he acts like I have superhuman strength and actually hurt him. Giving him a hug, I kiss the spot I hit. But he tries to open my bracelet again.

“Fine, fine, I’ll tell you.” “You will?” “Yeah, ‘cause it’s already come true.” “Then tell me.” “I’m just joking.” I grin from ear to ear and grab my purse, waiting for Merritt at the door. He spanks me as he opens the door, and we wander down the hall hand in hand. He presses the down button on the elevator and says to me, “Have you ever fucked in an elevator?” “No, you?” “Nope, wanna try?” I nod and raise my eyebrows to him. As the doors open, we go to step in, but someone exits and when I see the guy standing there, my world halts. “Dad,” Merritt says, and I…What the fuck is going on? I have no clue how this is even fucking possible. Merritt’s dad doesn’t answer. Instead he’s staring at me, the same way he used to, the same look he gave me that made me fall for him in the first place. “I didn’t know you had company, son.” “Oh yeah, this is my girlfriend, Quinn. She flew in and surprised me. Quinn, this is my dad, Charles.” I swallow not sure how to respond, and he stretches out his hand in a friendly gesture as if he doesn’t know me. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Quinn.” As I shake his hand back, I’m stunned, sick to

my stomach, and not sure what to do.

CHAPTER 38

MERRITT

THEY SHAKE HANDS, and he says to me, “Merritt, I was just coming up to see you. I got to thinking about your idea with Exlon, and it might not be such a bad way to go.” “Really?” I ask him shocked. “Yeah, I mean, we do need the revenue, and I’m not gonna stick around for much longer. We should discuss it more.” “Quinn and I were going to grab a bite to eat, do you wanna talk afterwards?” “I have a meeting,” he says, and I look at Quinn, hoping she doesn’t mind if I invite him. She smiles at me, and I squeeze her hand. “Wanna join us?” “Sure, if you don’t mind?” he looks at Quinn, and she says, “Oh, not at all.” He presses the call button on the elevator and

says to us, “So how long have you two been together?” “What’s it been, babe?” I ask her, and she shrugs her shoulders, seemingly quiet. “A few months.” “How did you meet?” he asks. “On that trip, Ari invited me to in Colorado.” “Ahhh, so you know Ari?” She nods and he says, “Where should we eat?” “Wherever.” We follow my dad into the restaurant at the hotel and get seated right away. Quinn hasn’t said much, and it’s not like her to be quiet. “Are you okay?” I ask her. “Yeah, I’m just getting a migraine, that’s all.” “This okay?” my dad asks us. “Yeah, it’s great,” I respond and open my menu. I glance over mine and decide on steak and eggs. Then notice my dad hasn’t touched his, he’s studying Quinn in a very peculiar way. “So what made you change your mind on Exlon?” I ask him. “I was going to wait to tell you this on your birthday, but December 31st will be my last day with the company. That’s why I’ve been pushing you so hard. So we don’t have much time. I’ve contacted our legal team, and they are drafting up the paperwork as we speak.” “Wow, okay.”

The news kinda comes as a shock. I mean, I knew or hoped it was eventually coming, but just yesterday he was busting my balls about being ready to run the company, and now he’s having the paperwork drafted for it. “So I think we should move forward with Exlon in the way you proposed. I trust you can close the deal, however you see fit?” “Absolutely.” I’m stunned sitting here. I’ve got the girl of my dreams and what I’ve worked all my life for, is finally coming true. “So, Quinn, what is it that you do for a living?” he asks her. “I’m in the financial industry.” “Oh, what do you do?” “I’m an investment advisor.” “Nice, I should really get one of those. Do you have a card?” “Quinn doesn’t work with people she knows,” I tell him, trying to save her from the awkwardness. She already seems quiet and not herself, so I don’t want her to have to explain to my dad, who she just met, that she can’t help him. “Probably better, I’ve been there myself. Merritt and I have had our fair share of issues.” As I look at my dad, his sudden change in attitude is so bizarre that I begin to wonder if he’s putting on a show for Quinn. And if he is…why?

He’s not one to care what others think about him, so why start now?

“WELL, that was weird,” I tell Quinn as we get back to our room from breakfast. “What was?” “Uhhh, my dad, being all nice. I know you don’t know him, but that’s not how he normally is. Do you really think he’s actually drafting up the documents for the business?” “If he says so, I’m sure he is.” Quinn lies down on the bed; her eyes are heavy, and I can tell her head is killing her. “Do you have any medicine here?” I ask. “No, I left it all at home.” “Want me to go and get you something from the pharmacy?” “You don’t have to, just hold me.” Kicking off my shoes, I line my body along hers and wrap her in my arms. Breathing her in. Her scent is so amazing. I’m not sure how everything turned out the way it did, but it has, and soon I’ll be taking the first real step in owning my own company. All of my years of hard work are finally paying off.

CHAPTER 39

QUINN

WATCHING MERRITT LEAVE SO he can go meet with Exlon, I’m still so sick to my stomach, and mentally I…I’m a mess, so fucked up about all of this, and not sure what to do. I’m lying to him, and I hate it. But what do I say to him? How do I tell him? I keep asking myself over and over, and each time, I come up with nothing. My palms are sweaty, and my insides are sick with deceit. I can’t bear to hurt him; he’s been so good to me. Biting my thumbnail, there is a knock on the door. Getting up to answer it, I assume it’s Merritt, and he forgot something, but as I look out the peephole, it’s Charles, and I’m not sure what to do. “Quinn, I know you’re in there.” Placing my hand on the handle, I turn it as my heart races, and he steps inside. I back up and sit

down on the bed, barely able to look at him. He’s standing in the middle of the room, glaring down me, and I hate myself so bad. “Why are you doing this?” I can’t answer him; I can’t even look at him. “Are you doing this to get back at me?” I swallow and remind myself to remain in control. I remember how Charles can be—very unreasonable. “I didn’t know he was your son.” “Oh come on, you expect me to believe that? You’re my financial advisor. You know everything about me.” “I don’t. I never managed your accounts from the day they came into our office.” “That’s a lie, and you know it. You gloated about signing me. Bought that shiny new car.” “I didn’t, and that’s the fucking truth.” “So you want me to believe that you being with my son is a mere coincidence?” “Yes, it is. Honest to God.” “Honey, you need to get better at lying. Even you can’t believe that.” “I’m not your ‘honey.’ Merritt told you we met on vacation in Colorado, through Ari. How could I have known he was going to be there? I go on those trips every year.” “I’m not buying what you’re selling. I think this is your way of getting back at me because I ended things.” “It’s not, I love him. What he and I have is real.

We have to tell him about us.” “You’re not telling him shit!” “The hell I’m not. You can’t tell me what to do anymore.” “Come on, Quinn, we both know you’re not good enough for him. You’re just a money-hungry whore. Name your price, and I’ll let you walk, he’ll never know. But I don’t need you in his head.” “I’m not leaving him, and most definitely don’t have a price.” He steps close to me, the smell of his cologne now nauseating to me and he says, “If you won’t leave him, then I’ll show him the things you’ve done with me. I recorded them all.” “You didn’t record shit, you fucking bastard.” “The choice is yours, sweetheart. Do you think my son’s gonna want you after he sees you are my sloppy seconds?” I open the door to the hotel room, anger blazing in my eyes. “Go!” I shout, and he tries to touch me as I push him out. “Keep your fucking hands off me,” I yell and slam it. Sliding down to the floor, huddling my knees to my chest, I sob uncontrollably like a baby. How could he do this? Does he really not care about Merritt’s happiness at all? Thinking of everything makes me so sick. This will crush him. Charles is right—he’ll never look at me the same way again, no matter what.

Picking up my phone, I need to have the upper hand. I have to get to Merritt before his dad does if I want any chance of saving this relationship. But looking at the screen of my phone, I can’t bring myself to call him. I’m just in shock—stunned that this is my reality. Deep down, my gut is telling me that Charles doesn’t have a video. I’d know if he recorded us doing anything, so it’s my word against his. I imagine what it’ll do to Merritt finding out, and I can’t do that to him. He means too much to me. But what if somehow, there is a video, then what? I decide to send Merritt a text to get him back here, to talk to him, he needs to hear this from me. But as I type the words, they nauseate me. Running into the restroom, I throw everything up and lie on the cold tile floor. I can’t hurt him. I can’t imagine the way he’d look at me. Completely fucked, I stare up at the ceiling, broken from the inside out. Why is this happening to me…why?

WAITING for Merritt to return from his meeting, I’m on edge. My mind is constantly battling within itself about what to do. And as I feel like I’m about to lose it…he walks into the room. “You know, I love knowing you’re waiting for

me, baby.” I about cry, imagining that soon, he won’t want me waiting for him. “How was your meeting?” I barely choke out the words, trying to settle my belly. “It was good, I closed the deal, babe.” He is so happy, I can see the excitement all over his face, and I can’t bring him down right now. Inside, I hate myself. This man that I’ve grown to love and depend on so much, who is my everything, doesn’t know what I’ve done. Even though it wasn’t intentional, it’ll eventually come out, and that scares me. Charles is a ticking time bomb. At any minute, he’ll ruin it all, video or not. But looking into his eyes, I just need one more normal day, before I let him go. “I’m so happy for you, babe,” I tell him and hold him close. “It’s the first step in securing our future.” “Yeah?” I ask, hating that it can’t be true. This is the first he’s spoken of a future together, and it won’t happen. “Yeah, what did you think? I’d get the company, and we’d still be traveling every weekend?” “Well, I’d hoped not, I guess.” He kisses me, and I kiss him back, praying to God that somehow, our time doesn’t end, that we can persevere and last forever.

“You guess?” His eyebrows rise as he looks deep into my eyes. “You know what I mean.” “I do, I’m just teasing you. I’m so happy right now; we should celebrate.” “What did you have in mind?” “Just this…” he says, “Just this, baby…”

CHAPTER 40

MERRITT

“DOES SIX O’CLOCK WORK?” Suzy asks me, and I look at my calendar to be sure I don’t have anything pressing so I can pick Quinn up from the airport. “Yeah, that’s good with me. Did you run it by Quinn?” “I did, she’ll be able to leave work early.” My dad pops his head in, working out of our office all week, and to my surprise, he’s been pretty cool. “Quinn coming here?” “She is—Friday.” “All right. Well, I should be getting the draft back of the documents. I wanted to go over them with you when they come in if you have time.” “Of course. I’ll have time.” “Great, I’ll have Suzy add it to your calendar as soon as they come in.”

“Thanks, Dad.” My phone rings, and we both glance down at it on my desk. It’s Quinn. “I’ll let you take that,” he says, and as he leaves, I can’t help but think, maybe now he’s becoming the father I lost all those years ago. “Hey, babe,” “Guess what?” “Ummm, I have no idea, just tell me.” “I got us tickets to the Nuggets game next weekend.” “Again?” “Yep, same courtside seats too.” “Man, how did I get so lucky to snag your fine ass?” “I could say the same thing.” My phone vibrates, and I pull it away, noticing a text from my dad. “Hang on, babe.” “‘Kay.” As I open it up, it’s a video. The whole world around me freezes as I click “play.” Betrayal like no other takes over, and I can’t believe my eyes. It’s Quinn and my dad…together. Vomit rises in the back of my throat, and I try to hold it back, but as I watch the woman I’ve grown to love have sex with my own father…I lose it, gagging and throwing up in my trash can. I drop my phone to the floor, her voice as she says his name sounds just like when she says mine, and I don’t want to believe what I’m seeing. It

can’t be true…can it? “Mr. Smith, are you okay?” Suzy asks, and I shake my head holding on to the can. “Close the door,” I shout and right away she does. Pulling myself together enough to speak, I pick my phone back up; Quinn is still there, and I ask her, “When were you going to tell me, or were you?” Very calmly she says to me, “You have to let me explain everything.” “Explain? There’s nothing to explain. You lied to me.” “I didn’t mean to.” “Goddammit, how do you accidently lie to someone, Quinn?” She sobs, and as much as I just want to hang up on her, I have to know more. How? Why? When? “You’ve gotta talk to me, Quinn, or I’m gonna fucking lose my mind. My father just sent me a video of you having sex with him, and it’s all I can think about.” “He was in Denver for a meeting way before I knew you. I met him when I was out having drinks with some co-workers.” “So you slept with him? A man double your age?” “I’m so sorry, baby.” “Am I dreaming?” And I ask, “Is he your ex?” “Yes. He’s the one you emailed, but you have to believe me that I didn’t know you two were

related.” What the fuck? Am I hearing her right? “My dad?” I repeat softly; tears are in my eyes and that vile feeling of despair reeks inside of me. Closing my eyes, the usual beautiful vision of her face—that not long ago was my salvation—has been destroyed. All I can see is her and my father. “I’m so sorry, Merritt. I had no—” I cut her off, “We have the same last name and work for the same company. How did you not know?” “I didn’t even think about the last name…Smith is so common. And you know I kept my hands out of the deal when I signed him. You have to believe me, Merritt. I promise, baby.” “But you slept with him, Quinn, and then sat at breakfast in California and acted like everything was normal, like you two were strangers when he… he’s been inside of you and then I was inside of you. How am I supposed to get past that?” Saying the words makes me fucking ill again. “I don’t know,” she says, and I don’t know either…I can’t be with someone who would lie right to my face. A coincidence or not, she wasn’t honest about this, so what else has she lied to me about? “I can’t be with you anymore.” “Please, don’t do this. You have to believe me. I love you, Merritt,” she begs me and her words sicken me, how can she even say that or ask me

that? “I fucking loved you too, and you ruined that. Goodbye, Quinn.” Pressing the end button on my phone is the hardest thing I’ve ever done. I’ve lost half of myself. What I thought was the good half, my Quinn, was all a lie, and my dad, how could he? Getting up, I roll up my sleeves and storm towards his office, ready to make him pay. He didn’t need to send me the video; he could’ve told me, man to man. And she had even more chances to tell me. My insides are a mess. A complete fucking mess! Anger fills me, everything that I once thought was my foundation and I could count on has all been a lie. If they could keep this from me…what else are they hiding?

CHAPTER 41

QUINN

HAVE you ever felt like you were dead? Like part of you died, and inside of you now there is a huge gaping hole? As I lie on my couch, my arm hanging off it, dangling over the soft carpet, that is exactly how I feel…dead. Part of me died when Charles sent the video to Merritt. I underestimated Charles, which was ultimately my biggest mistake. I should’ve come clean with Merritt in California and been open with him. I should’ve followed my gut, even if it hurt him, and I’ll always regret that most. It was my one chance to save us, and I didn’t do that. There’s a knock on my door, and I get up to let Willow in. She didn’t need to drive all the way up here; I told her I was fine. But she was worried about me, and I guess I’d do the same if she were going through what I am. “How are you doing?”

she asks me, as I flop back down flat on my face before she can even give me a hug. “I’m okay,” I grumble, my voice cracking because my throat is so dry and I haven’t talked for days. “You don’t look like it. When was the last time you ate or drank anything?” I shrug my shoulders, and she takes ahold of them sitting me up, “Goddammit, Quinn, snap out of it, you’re scaring me.” “I’m fine. I ate last night!” “Good. Now you need to get your ass up and take a fucking shower. You stink.” “I don’t stink,” I tell her and smell the shirt I’m wearing—Merritt’s shirt. It still holds his scent and instantly brings tears to my eyes. I sob like I’ve been doing for days now, somehow my body still producing the tears. Willow holds me and lets me be, the feeling of her arms around me, anyone’s arms around me, is so reassuring. Giving me hope that I’m going to be okay. “Come on, let’s get you in the bath.” Following Willow, I feel wobbly, but she won’t take no for an answer. As I strip naked, the smell of lavender fills the air, reminding me of the last time I took a bath. It was in here…with Merritt. Tears again consume me, and as she helps me into the bath, my teeth chatter, and she says, “Even though you don’t want to talk about what happened again,

I really think it would be good to get it all off your chest.” Sinking as far down into the tub as I can, trying to warm myself, I know she’s right. I don’t want to talk about what happened. After Merritt broke up with me, I was a mess and could barely make it home from work. Right away, I called Willow, and she talked me through things and has been checking in on me every day. She’s also trying to get me to talk about what happened…but I can’t. “Has Ari said anything to you about him?” I ask her, hoping she’s heard something and that he is okay. “No, he hasn’t.” “Okay.” “Are you not going to talk to me about it?” “What do you want me to say?” I snap at her and her eyes get wide. “I need to know how it was possible.” “How what was possible?” “That you didn’t know Merritt was Charles’ son.” “Do you think I’m lying, Willow?” I question her and sit all the way up, suddenly offended. “No, honey, not at all. But if I know how, then maybe I can help and talk to Merritt for you.” “There is no talking to him. I lied when I found out, and he saw a video of me with his dad.” “Oh shit. But at the time you didn’t know he

was his dad?” “Of course not, I told you that. I didn’t even know Merritt existed when I was with Charles. His dad is my ex, Willow, plain and simple. I already told you all of this,” I get agitated easily, feeling like everyone is against me. “Calm down; I just want to understand how you didn’t know they were related.” I shake my head. My best friend evidently doesn’t believe me, and it makes me sick. Out of all people in the world, I thought I could at least depend on her…but I guess not.

CHAPTER 42

MERRITT

COPING with betrayal never gets easier. It seems death is easier to process. You find peace in knowing the ones you’ve lost have gone on to a better place. But with betrayal, the ones you lost and everyone involved seem to consume your mind reminding you of what they’ve done. My father, for starters, is a fucking bitch and set it all up. He knew Quinn was calling me, it was the perfect time to ruin us, and then he skipped out, and I haven’t spoken to him since he sent me the video. I get why my dad did it. Why he wanted to hurt me, even though the rest of the world doesn’t know, and when I went into his office to confront him, he was gone. Of course he was—he’s a fucking coward. I should’ve known he’d ruin my life one way or another. He’s not even my real

father, as far as DNA goes. My mother cheated on him and had me, and he acted like I was his, but deep down he always despised me. The loss of my mom was so tremendous that I thought I owed it to not just him, but her, to stick by him. I was making up for her mistake all along when it wasn’t my place. Sitting out on my back deck, my mind keeps spinning the same way it has been for days, and I can’t shake the thought that this was all a setup. I mean, how could it be a coincidence? Hell, maybe Ari is in on it too. He and my father could be trying to push me out of the business. He was always my father’s favorite, until he left, but maybe it was just a show. The same way everything between Quinn and I was…just a show. Picking up my phone, I dial Ari. I have to know; did he set this all up? Did he know all along that Quinn had been with my father? He doesn’t answer, which is not like him, but come to think about it, I haven’t been able to get ahold of him much lately. Calling Suzy, she answers right away, still at the office. “Hi, Mr. Smith.” “Hey, I’m glad you’re still there. You have Natalie’s calendar access for when she’s gone, right?” Natalie is my father’s assistant, and if I can’t get a hold of Ari, I can at least confront my dad.

“Yes, sir, I do.” “Could you look at my dad’s calendar and tell me if he has any dinner meetings tonight?” “Um, he does from six ‘til eight at Shea Rouge, but I’m not sure who it’s with.” “Awesome, that’s what I needed.” I hang up with her, grateful to have her help. Shea Rouge is in town, which means my dad is still here. Grabbing my car keys, I make the trip across town and valet. Walking inside the upscale restaurant, the atmosphere in here is calm and relaxed. It’s right on the water, and there are tons of boats docked at the marina. Taking a seat at the bar, the bartender asks me, “What can I get ya?” “I’ll take a water, please.” I need to be clear-headed and on my toes, if my gut is right. Looking around, the sun is setting, but outside, I spot my father and…Ari. They are deep in conversation, laughing and enjoying each other like they are best friends. And immediately I’m aware they are working against me. Pulling out my cell phone, I dial Ari. He looks down at his ringing phone and ignores my call, sending me straight to his voice mail. Leaving the water I ordered on the bar, I head towards them. My father laughs and places his hand on his shoulder, and I pull out a chair, sitting down, shocking both of them with my presence.

“Merritt,” my dad smiles a devilish grin, and for the first time ever, I acknowledge him as, “Charles,” and then turn to greet the latest addition to the list of people I no longer trust, “Ari.” “We were just gonna call you,” Ari says, like a fucking pussy. “Really, ‘cause I just watched you ignore my phone call.” They look at each other, and then my dad, or should I say Charles, puts his hands up and says, “Okay, you got us. We were planning a party for you when you take over the company.” “Fuck you both.” Charles smiles, and I ask them, “So was this your plan all along? To fuck me out of the business I’ve worked my entire life for?” “Let’s be honest, Merritt, you were never cut out to run the company, not the way Ari is.” “So why not fire me then, you fucking pussy?” “Because when you leave on your own, I’m done with you and neither of us is paying you a cent more.” “Neither of us? He doesn’t even work for you.” “Oh, but he does. He’s been doing plenty to make this the biggest merger in the history of the American oil and gas industry.” Ari won’t even look at me. The bitch betrayed me and now isn’t man enough to own up to it. It all makes sense now, the drama with the Serranos, the stocks, the deal in Steamboat my dad “offered a million dollars more

for.” It was all for his benefit, and they played me. “Ari left so when he takes over the company, he can bring Azures’ business too. I didn’t build this empire to turn it over to some mistake of a child and not have it be the largest oil and gas company in the world.” “Fuck you both. You’re meant for each other, you know that?” “Oh, look at you getting all hurt. Why don’t you run along to that slut I took advantage of. I’m sure she’ll still want you because we’re fucking done with you.” I ignore my father and look at Ari, and he finally brings his eyes to meet mine. “Is it all true?” He nods, and even though I knew it was, having him confirm it is a terrible blow. “Why Quinn? Why bring her into all of this?” “It was easy, man,” Ari says. “I knew you’d fall for her as soon as I put you two in that bedroom. Just look at her. You both were fucking puppets.” Standing up, I lay a hard right hook into his face. His chair flies backwards with him in it, and Charles sits stunned, looking at me as Ari stumbles to his feet, obviously wobbled. The guests all look in our direction, and I tell my dad, “He’s your fucking problem now. Just feel lucky I don’t do the same to you. I’d probably kill your frail ass.” I walk off, looking back at Ari one last time. He’s half conscious. I really should mop the floor

with both of them. The news of what Quinn did is really nothing compared to this betrayal.

CHAPTER 43

QUINN

LOOKING AT MY COMPUTER SCREEN, I’m not sure how I’m going to get through the entire day. Willow recommended I come back to work, and at the time, I thought it was a good idea. But sitting here, the faint smell of the flowers Merritt sent me still wafting in the air, looming from my trashcan, and I just can’t stop staring at the picture of us on my computer screen. God, it hurts. It’s the most excruciating pain I’ve ever dealt with, and I want it to go away. Looking down at my bracelet, the one he bought for me, I pop it open and take out the tiny, tattered piece of paper. As I unfold it, the ink has faded, but still faintly visible is his name, Merritt. What was a wish of mine not so long ago, now will never come true. Through a sob, I choke back the tears and drop

it into my trash. I’ve got to let him go…I have to. “Quinn,” the receptionist calls through my phone, almost making me jump out of my skin. “Yeah.” I try and sound somewhat normal. “Your nine thirty is in the conference room.” “Okay,” I answer back, caught off guard. I don’t have a clue who my nine thirty is or what to do about it. Going into my calendar, I wait for it to load and it’s taking forever. Goddammit! Grabbing my iPad so I can search the company name if needed and fly by the seat of my pants, I make my way across the office and stop at the door, swallowing and taking in a breath of air before I go in and put on a fake happy persona. But as I open it and step in, the wind is knocked from my lungs and I freeze. Everything around me slows. My senses that weeks ago died suddenly come back alive breathing him in, and I stand unable to move. Merritt is sitting at the head of the conference table, his brown eyes hard to read. Why is he here? He hates me. Then in that commanding voice that I’ll do anything for, he orders me to close the door. Gently I do and take a seat across from him, prepared for the wrath of what is next. In front of him is a folder. I’m sure it’s of more pictures or something that his dad sent him, and I begin to feel as though I could hyperventilate.

“How are you?” he asks. I nod, still not speaking, and he says, “It’s good to see you.” “You too.” My voice trembles; this is harder than I ever imagined it would be. He opens the folder and hands me a piece of paper. “What’s this?” I ask looking down at the blank white sheet. “You tell me, what do you see?” “Nothing,” I’m confused, but lately, that’s all I am. “I see something different.” I flip it over, the back is blank too, and I tell him, “I’m sorry, but my brain is mush lately.” “Please don’t be sorry, Quinn.” Hearing him say those words when that’s all I should be makes me cry. Why is he doing this? “I see a blank page with nothing but possibility on it.” He slides me over a pen and tells me, “If you could have anything in this world, what would it be?” I write the word you, very small, knowing he’s got to just be playing a game with me. It’s payback, I’m sure, but being in his presence, I can’t deny what I want. There is no way he’ll ever forgive me or look at me the same way, how could he? I can barely forgive myself for lying to him. I pass him back the paper, and he opens the folder. Inside is another one, and in his very large handwriting is the word, YOU. Reading it, it is hard to believe. Tears fill my

eyes, and he says to me, “I know you had no idea my father and I were related, and…I forgive you for not telling me as soon as you found out. That must’ve been a hard moment for you.” “Why would you forgive me?” I ask, needing to know his reasoning. “Because you were set up, and so was I.” “What do you mean?” “Charles and Ari have been working together to push me out of the business. From the moment you met my dad, it was all part of a plan to get rid of me.” “What the fuck, why?” “I guess because I’m not his son,” he tells me, the revelation is a giant surprise. As he explains further, it all makes sense, but understanding how Ari had a hand in it all doesn’t add up. “But you bought Ari’s stocks and gave him the money for them.” “It’s all such a shame. I’ve lived and breathed for that company since I was eighteen years old, and all along both of them were working against me.” “I get why Charles did it, but why Ari?” “We’ve all got a price, some more than others. Ari was willing to give his soul to the devil in exchange for an overinflated company that likely won’t last a decade being run the way those two do things.”

“I don’t know what to say, Merritt.” I’m at a loss for words, completely taken by surprise. I’ve known Ari for years; he’s like a brother to me. “Does Willow know?” “No one knows, baby, but us.” “Don’t call me that.” “Why?” he scoffs like I’ve completely offended him. “Because I can’t get my hopes up; I’m barely able to function as it is.” “Quinn, did you or didn’t you write this on this paper?” He holds up what I wrote. “You watched me write it.” “Did you or didn’t you know Charles was my father?” “I swear to God, I had no idea.” “Then please, let’s get back to where we were.” “But I lied to you.” “Because you played into them. They put you in the worst spot imaginable. I’ve lost almost everything, Quinn; I will not lose you too. Do you understand me?” I nod, holding back the tears the best that I can, and he stands, “Get up.” I listen right away like I always do. He steps to me, and I wait as if this is all a dream that soon I will wake from. But as he places his palms against my face, I have found my place again. “Quinn Whitmore, I love you, more than anything in this

entire world.” His lips find mine before I can speak the words back to him. He tastes like heaven, igniting everything inside of me, bringing me back to life. The gaping hole I’ve lived with slowly closes. I love him, I love him too, more than anything.

CHAPTER 44

MERRITT

“ARE THEY CLOSED?” Quinn asks me with her tiny hand around mine as she walks me down an unsteady surface. “Yes, I promise.” “You better not be lying.” “I’m not.” We stop, and she says, “Step up again.” I listen to her voice, not knowing where we are going, but knowing that I’d follow her into the depths of hell if she wanted. For Christ’s sake, we’ve been there and back and survived, so there’s not much that could bring us down now. “Okay, open ‘em!” “Surprise!” a small intimate group of our closest friends cheers. “Happy birthday, baby,” Quinn says, still holding my hand and I kiss her. It’s my birthday

and as much as I wasn’t looking forward to it, seeing as what I’ve gone through lately, she still made it a great celebration. “Whose boat is this?” I ask her, and she says, “My boss,” who comes up and shakes my hand. “Happy birthday, Merritt, it’s great to see you again.” I met him the day Quinn and I got back together. Looking around I notice Kami and Jacob and Willow and Ted. “Happy birthday,” Willow says, hugging me, a glimmer of pain still in her eye because of what Ari did. She feels bad, but it’s not her fault. Hell, it’s no one’s fault, but their own, and they got what was coming to them. After I thought long and hard about devising a plan of payback, I sold my stocks to Exlon, because Charles had weaseled out of the lease deal I made with them. Once I found out he gifted them some stocks as a cop out, I knew it was my only way to get back at him. He had no idea I’d go to them; he was blindsided…a lot like I was. But after what I went through, I was one step ahead of Charles. For the first time in my life, I had one up on him. With my stocks, Ari’s old ones I bought, and the ones he’d given Exlon, they had a fifty-one percent ownership in Charles’ company. When Exlon sent their team in, seemingly to join in as a partnership, it didn’t take them long to uncover the years of deception Charles had

skillfully conducted. Immediately they kicked him to the curb, indicting him for embezzlement. I knew Charles had always skewed the books, I just never thought I could use it against him. For Ari, he made his own bed with Azures. They handled him the same way my father was handled. They really are two peas in a pod. Maybe one day, they’ll be two peas in the same prison cell. “You good?” Quinn asks me, handing me a glass of champagne. Coming back into the moment, I pull out of the dazed and clouded mind fuck I find myself getting easily lost in. “Never better, baby. Never better.” Letting her lead me around the boat as we sail off into the night, we visit with all of our friends and family. All of whom she has arranged to be here in Denver. I haven’t been back to Texas since Quinn and I got back together, and I don’t see myself ever going back. My phone rings and I pull it out of my pocket. “Hello?” I answer. “Merritt, it’s John.” “Oh hey, John. How are the girls doing?” “They’re all right. I’m a little worried about Tink—the vet came for a visit today, and she has desmitis in her front left leg.” “Really? How’d that happen?” “She must’ve been overworking it.” “How can it be fixed?”

“She’ll need to take it easy for a while; we won’t be able to bring her to Colorado like we’d planned, not at least until she’s better. But with some time and medicine, she should be good.” “I understand, thank you for letting me know.” I hang up with him, and Quinn is concerned, “What did he say?” I fill her in, and I can see the worry on her face. “We can go back there and look for a place in Texas.” “No, I don’t want to be away from you, and your job is here. She’ll be good.” She’s got an angel in my mom watching out for her. “Thank you for this, baby,” I tell her, looking around at all the people closest to us. She smiles looking up at me with her big dark blue eyes, and I hold the side of her face, leaning down and kissing her. Her lips are so soft, reminding me of the first time we ever kissed, on the ski slope, and still to this day, that same spark lives inside me. Who knew a week unplugged from the world, that was a set up to ruin us both, could turn out to be the greatest thing that’s ever happened?

EPILOGUE I YEAR LATER

“ARE you done yet in there, my sexy wife?” I yell to Quinn as she is finishing up the last of her work. Since we got married, she likes it when I call her my wife. “I just finished,” she struts outside so gorgeous, all sexy, and sits on my lap. “How’s my husband?” “Better now,” I hold her warm body, close to mine. We are on the front porch of our home in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado, and this time of year the weather is gorgeous. Bell and Tink graze on the fifty acres of land that we own, and since we moved them here, they are in heaven. Tink’s leg has been great, they both seem in better health. I credit the elevation. “You know, we probably don’t even need to buy hay anymore,” I tell her as we watch them eat, and she says to me, “You are not about to starve

my girls.” “They are far from starved, how do you think they live in the wild? You think some sexy little lady hand feeds them carrots and hay every day out there.” “I don’t care about the wild, that’s how I do things here, in our house, and our life, and we are going to keep feeding them hay.” “Jesus, it was just an option.” She grins and cups the side of my face, still looking out at the view as she rubs me and I ask her. “Work good?” “It was.” “You get anything done today?” “Nope.” After we agreed to move up here together, she didn’t want to leave her job, so they are allowing her to work out of the house a few days a week, which keeps her busy. I’d rather her do nothing, but I get that she wants to work. I, however, am done. I will never work another day in my life. I have more than enough money to take care of us forever. “What’s for dinner?” she asks me as the oven dings as we wander inside. I always cook for her, and she loves it. “Spinach lasagna,” I tell her, taking out the hot heaping pan of it. “Smells good.” I serve us both plates as she pours us wine and then she says to me, “You know,

once I’m pregnant, I’m gonna miss wine.” “The doctor said you can have a glass every once in a while.” “Is it safe, though?” “I’m sure it is, or he wouldn’t have said that.” Sitting down to eat, her eyes are on mine, and I can’t believe this is what my life has become. From having a crazy obsessive drive to own my own company, to now being content with the little things in life. It’s a complete one-eighty, and I couldn’t be happier. “Did I tell you that Stan offered to split the season tickets to the Nuggets games next season?” “Really? Wait ‘til I tell Ted.” “No way,” she scoffs at me. “Come on; that was a one-time thing.” The last time Ted and I went to a game together, we got a little drunk and crazy and…you can guess the rest. “It better have been, because next time I’m not bailing your ass out of jail.” “Peeing in public really shouldn’t be illegal, I’m just saying.” She hits me on the arm as I pull her onto my lap. Her face is so happy in the evening light. I love to see her smile; it’s what I work for every day. Reaching down, I cup her sex. Her grin gets bigger, and I can’t wait any longer. Lifting her up, I take her into our bedroom, tossing her down on the plush fabric of our comforter. She giggles, a sound I

depend greatly upon. “Get your hat,” she tells me as I pull my shirt off over my head. “Do you have a fetish for cowboys?” I ask her in my best Southern accent. “Yes, tattooed cowboys,” she tells me and strips naked, lying there so willing and ready. “Then I better grab my whip.” Taking it from the closet along with my hat, I find her kneeling, panting for my dick. “You miss me?” I ask her and stroke myself. “Uh huh.” “You wanna suck my cock clean?” “Yes, sir.” “If I let you suck me, are you gonna make me come?” She stops me from playing and dives in. Wrapping those tight, tight lips around me. I grunt, as loud as I want, pummeling her mouth. Taking the whip, I trail it over her skin, loving how it pricks beneath the tip of the leather. Pulling back, I land a hard smack on her ass. She moans and sucks me faster. “Touch yourself,” I tell her, looking to the side as she kneels there and plays with her pussy, letting me fuck her mouth so good. I hit her again, and she whimpers for more. She rubs her pussy faster, pushing me so close to the edge, but I hold on, not giving over to her yet.

Pulling out of her mouth, she kneels panting for me, and I place the handle of my whip in between her teeth. “You know what happens if you drop this, right?” She nods and I spread open her ass and pussy, so tempted to go right where I’ll end up, but waiting because we have a purpose. Sliding inside of her tight wet slit, my balls swell, so horny for her bent over like this. I need to blow. The rule is, she drops the whip and I fuck her ass. Which will happen as soon as I come, because her ass has become both of our favorites. She can come again and again from me fucking it, but we are trying to have a baby, and that means she’s gotta let me come in her pussy first. Fucking her hard, she whimpers from the fullness, and I rub her clit. She arches upwards, her back against my chest as she coaxes me on through gritted teeth. “Yes, fuck me harder.” “Oh, you like it rough.” I barrel faster and faster, knowing this could be it. This could be the moment we create a child, and I hold her close, knowing if it is, I will not make the same mistakes that have happened in my life with our kid. Cum shoots inside of her, and she screams, dropping the whip. I latch onto her neck, loving her and these times we share together more than anything else in my life. I suck hard on the soft skin, teasing and biting her, knowing no one will see

us for weeks. Up here we are unplugged from the world, alone, just the two of us in our own oasis. A place we’ve built and cherished, a place where I’ve fallen in love with her all over again, and I hope that in nine months, it will be the three of us.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

This book is only a reality because of so many people that I’m not sure how to properly thank. So, I’m gonna do my best to try. William, your undying encouragement and vision around these stories means the world to me. Thank you for being the greatest, husband, partner, and co-worker a girl could ask for. I love you to the moon and back, baby. To my grammatical team: Lisa, my amazing editor; Leticia, Janice, and Denise, my fabulous proofreaders, that saved my ass in the end on this one; and my newfound Beta Team. You all helped to mold and create this story into a work of perfection. Thank you for believing in me. Last, but absolutely not least: the readers, reviewers, bloggers, and my ARC team. I hope you all loved Quinn and Merritt’s story just as much as I

adored creating it. What I do is for each and every one of you—thank you so very, very much for your support. If you loved UNPLUGGED, please consider leaving a review on Amazon, it’s the best way to give back to the author. We read every single review.