Unlike me, though, Christian didn’t work in public relations. This didn’t make him want to get home as soon as possible. He had to get to the bottom of thisnow,and he wasn’t scared of his expression getting slapped underneath a caption that read something stupid likeMy face when _______.“Layla, don’t you want to marry me?” His voice was loud. People around us winced into their forty-dollar entrees. The woman beside us gave up on discretion and pulled out her phone, licking her lips like this was the dessert course.I played out the possible scenarios in my head. I could continue giving Christian evasive responses, but he would continue pressing the issue. Or I could tell him the truth, cold and clean and cutting, and end this now. Christian liked it when I kept things vague–it meant he could pretend to misunderstand. And that is exactly how we ended up here.If I wasn’t clear now, I’d end up with a husband to go along with a couch I didn’t like and a dog that didn’t like me.Steeling
AIDENYou’re not supposed to think about divorce on your wedding day. It’s not good form to stand up at the altar, look at the beautiful woman in a stunning white gown in front of you, and think,shit, maybe this wasn’t a good idea. You aren’t supposed to kiss her and wish you were at an airport instead of a church, about to fly off to somewhere very, very far away.You definitely shouldn’t gaze down at her while she’s saying her vows and scan her pupils frantically for any hint that she feels the same way you do. And when you sayI do, your stomach shouldn’t feel like it’s about to fall out of your ass.I felt every inch of how wrong my life was the day I married Shara. I’d sensed it now and then, lying next to her in bed, but I’d shoved it away. It was too fucking inconvenient. It was a hell of a lot easier to stay with the woman my family adored, the one who adored me. But the wrongness fit itself around my body like a hairshirt the day I proposed, and as the months wore on and plans
LAYLAMy dad texted and called when I was in the air, somewhere between LAX and Logan International. I hadn’t even tried to get on their complimentary Wi-Fi, so I didn’t get his messages until we landed. Then I had to read his text three times before I gave up on deciphering it and listened to the voicemail he’d left.“Good news,” he announced cheerfully. “I’m leaving for the airport in an hour, so I’ll absolutely be on time.”I smiled a little. My dad had a lot of great qualities, but being on time wasn’t usually one of them. I’d originally asked my brother to pick me up, but when my dad heard about it, he insisted on coming himself.“And I found you a job! Can’t wait to see you, sweetheart.”I held the phone away from my ear and blinked at it, wondering if I’d heard him right. I went back to his text messages and now it made sense. He’d gotten me a job. I groaned aloud, causing a couple of my fellow passengers waiting at the baggage carousel to shoot me sideways looks.While I waite
The shock of it, the way the color had drained from my cheeks, the way my heart had felt like it had been skewered on that huge, two-carat, flawless diamond ring came back to me now. A ghost of the initial pain, but still tangible enough to make my breath shorten.“I remember,” I managed to say without wheezing.“He started his own marketing firm, Cross Media, about twelve years ago.”I remembered that, too. When Cross Media signed a big client that my dad knew through BU, Aiden Cross had bought him a car. My dad had tried to refuse, but a new car meant I could inherit his old Buick.“Come on, Jack, do it for the kid,” Aiden had convinced him. “Besides, this is just your cut. You just made me a fortune.”“Aiden is giving me a job?” I asked, putting the pieces together. I would have done it sooner if I hadn’t put Aiden in a box labeledoff-limitsnearly eight years ago and tried to forget he existed.“He’s giving you an interview, which in my book is as good as a job offer.” My dad grinn
AIDEN Iwas running late because even though Shara and I were divorced, she still managed to fuck up my morning. She was asking for an increase in alimony based on inflation. “I told you not to give her alimony,” my lawyer and friend, Darren Wilkes, said. “I told you it wasn’t necessary. I told you–” “I know.” Irritated, I pinched the bridge of my nose and took a deep breath. “I should have listened.” “–you didn’t even have kids,” Darren barreled on, undeterred by my interruption. He had told me, and he was going to make sure he told me so on all counts. “We didn’t have kids because I didn’t want kids. Hence, I felt guilty enough to pay her alimony.” That wasn’t the only thing I felt guilty about, but it was the easiest to explain. Shara had wanted kids, and I hadn’t, and now she was thirty-eight and looking into her options. Alimony had felt like the least I could do for wasting ten years of her life. Now, though, I wished I had listened to Darren. “The judge will laugh it
“And your newest junior marketing manager,” she said, her smile widening. Then a cautious look crossed her face. “I just want to make sure… I didn’t get this job because of my dad, did I?”I shook my head, glad I could tell her in complete honesty that it had been hers to win or lose. “No, I didn’t even tell Maureen that I knew you.”Layla looked visibly relieved, and I was fascinated by how transparent her emotions were. I was used to people in the marketing world who felt like they had to look cool, calm, and collected at all times. And I’d grown up in a place where people hid their emotions behind disinterest and hostility. Layla was an anomaly in both.“I’m glad I earned it,” she said, more to herself than me. “I’d rather not get the job than be handed it.”She might not look like just one of the Davis pack anymore, but that was a Davis thing to say. Her dad was one of the hardest workers I knew, after me. The youngest BU professor when he was hired, he’d done a lot to prove himse
LAYLAMy new apartment was only a fifteen-minute drive from Cross Media. I took the long route though, and made it take thirty. I shouldn’t have wasted the gas, but I couldn’t face going straight home. My best friend worked from home, so she’d be there waiting for a full report. Then my brother was supposed to come over after his afternoon class, and the three of us were going out tonight to celebrate.I was looking forward to it, but right now, I just needed some time alone. I needed to process what had just happened. I needed to convince myself that it hadn’t.I hadn’t just felt the same lurch of helpless lust at the sight of Aiden Cross.We hadn’t stared at each other longingly as the elevator doors slid closed.I hadn’t just taken a job where I was going to be in close proximity with him five days a week.I played the radio loud, trying to drown out the truth, but I heard it in every song. Unrequited love. Hopeless love. Bad choices. I should have switched it off the country stati
AIDENThe meeting with the brand development team got pushed, kicked to lunch, and then after lunch, and finally, we turned it into a dinner meeting. I didn’t like doing shit like that–not because I had a family to rush home to, but I knew other people did.“It’s fine,” Maureen assured me. “You know what our team likes more than their families? Family-style Italian and wine on the company dime.”I snorted a laugh and made the reservation. We liked a place calledGiussepesdown the street that had big round, family-style tables with a Lazy Susan in the middle. We went there often enough that when we walked in, they already had the large bowls of pesto cavatappi and fettuccine alfredo and vodka campanelle. There were also baskets of breadsticks, hot and shining with butter. It was simple Italian, but the pasta was made fresh in house every morning and I’d never tasted better.Our group of six fell around the table and the wine began to flow as the Lazy Susan spun and the sound of forks cl
“Mmm,” she bit her bottom lip and gripped the sink.“Don’t look away from the mirror,” I whispered in her ear. “I want you to see how much you love my cock tonight.”I lifted her ass higher and pressed myself inside her folds. She was wetter than usual as if her pussy was ready for this exact moment. It squeezed and pulled me all the way in before I could even think to tease her with the tip.A small gasp escaped her lips, “Jared!”“That’s it, baby girl.”I pressed myself deep inside her and looked at her in the mirror. The juices from her pussy glistened on her inner thighs. Her mouth moved into the shape of an “o” as she let out soft grunts of pleasure while I pumped inside of her. I moved one of my hands to the front and reached for her clit. She tightened around me and closed her eyes.“I said watch,” I slammed deep into her.She opened them again and let out another whimper.“This is your apology for me, remember?” I grabbed one of her hands and moved it to her clit. “Play with y
"Now," I ordered.She jumped and stared at me for a moment before pulling her skirt down and tossing it to the side.I jutted my chin toward the sink. "Lean against that."She pushed her ass against the porcelain and spread her legs to reveal her already-soaked thong. I licked my lips and lowered myself between her legs. She shivered under my touch and stared at me with a hint of embarrassment."This can be the start of your apology."I pulled the thin cloth away and slid a finger between her folds, teasing her entrance. Her breath became ragged as she spread her legs wider for me. The scent of her made me want to taste the sweetness inside, but I held myself back. This was her punishment and my pleasure.“Please,” Kim moaned out.“Not yet,” I growled.I slid a finger in and curled it inside her. She grew wetter from my touch, which made me want her more. Keeping myself from fucking her now was just as difficult as it would be for her. I added a second finger, twisting and twirling th
JAREDI paced around the foyer, trying to get ahold of myself. I had never exchanged that many texts in one evening with someone, let alone talked about fucking someone. It was exciting and filled me with a sense of youth I hadn't felt in a long time.With everyone suspecting something was going on, I couldn't chance us being caught another time. I made sure Jessica paid for our room under an alias, while I ordered the car to pick Kim up.I glanced at my watch. She should be pulling up soon, but I hadn't heard anything from her since I sent the location and sent the car to pick her up. I tried to not get anything too inconspicuous, but I also didn't need her coming here in an old car. A Mercedes was the perfect option and one of the only options out in the area that I could trust."Maybe she didn't understand the message," I muttered as I stared out my window. I could clearly see the front of the hotel from where I stood on the balcony. But if I saw an incoming car, I could make my wa
Mandi leaned over to glance at my phone." So, who's the guy? You keep seeing him, but none of us know who it is."I shrugged, "Guess it'll remain a mystery."Mandi pouted and walked away to join the dancing again. I was thankful she managed to snag the entire club for us for the evening. I didn't want to know the cost, but it was well worth it to see everyone happy and not getting harassed all evening though I did miss Jared.Mmm I would kill to be there with you.We could always plan our own later.He wrote back quickly,I probably wouldn't be able to keep our clothes on long enough to dance with you.Oh?Again he wrote back right away, he was getting good at this texting!If I was there right now I'd make sure to claim you so everyone knew you belonged to me.I blushed and put the phone down. I wasn't expecting him to say that, but I also wasn't against it. My phone buzzed again with another message from him.You'd be begging me to take you as I continue to fuck you until the morning
A single blue sedan pulled up to the front of the resort and we all crowded toward it before the driver could roll his window down."Please," Amanda gasped as she pushed to the front of the group. "Please tell me you're here for us."The driver picked up his phone, "Party for Amanda?""Yes!"A sigh of relief escaped all of us at once."There are others coming, right?"He narrowed his gaze and then pointed behind him, "Should be following me. Might be stuck at a red light."As he finished his statement, two other cars pulled up behind him. Each, the same shade of blue. I almost wanted to cry from joy at the thought of going into some nice air conditioning and prayed the sweat wasn't going to stick on me for the rest of the day.We all climbed into different cars at random. I chose the one closest to me to get out of the heat as quickly as possible and wipe the sweat away."Looks like you lot are planning a fun evening," the driver said and adjusted his rearview mirror to look at the ot
KIMI splashed some water on my face and stared at my reflection in the bathroom mirror. Mandi was already asleep in the room, leaving me feeling sexually frustrated once again, and alone with my thoughts.“Fuck,” I grumbled.I had hoped after dinner to meet with Jared and enjoy a nice evening, but Mandi had drunk so much that I needed to stay here with her.“Kim!” Mandi shouted from her bed. “Where’d you go?” Her voice came out as more of a whine than anything.“I’m here,” I said with a sigh, and peeked out from the bathroom. “You doing alright there?”Mandi nodded and closed her eyes again, “Can you keep it down?” She groaned. “My head hurts.”There went my plan to at least relieve myself with music and the shower again. Nothing was going according to plan.I sat on the bed and unlocked my phone. The evening was the most fun I had in a long time and dad was right about one thing, if I wanted to keep my standards high, I would have to find a guy willing to spoil me, but also one I co
Maurice turned to me and furrowed his brow, “I doubt this could be a common spoiling. Even that’s a little—“Before he could finish his sentence, the waitress walked over, “Thank you all for the wait. Would you all like something to drink?” She pointed at the wine menu in Kim’s hands.“I’m not too picky. What about you Kim?”She clicked her tongue and pointed at something on the menu, “Could I get a glass of this and a water?”The waitress nodded and wrote something on her pad before turning to the others.“Make her drink a bottle for the table,” I smirked at Kim and turned to Mandi. “I’ll cover our bill here.”The waitress didn’t argue with the request and left to gather everyone’s drinks.“You didn’t have to do that, dad.”I shrugged, “Maurice made a point that whomever she ends up with will need to spoil her here at least once. I need to make sure that bar stays high for Maurice’s sake.”The four of us continued to talk and enjoy the evening while the bride and groom sat at their o
The rest of the day was fairly quiet with most of it taken up by me wandering around and enjoying the sun next to the pool. There weren’t many kids around, which kept the place quiet and calm outside of the occasional giggling couple running off to enjoy one another. It made me miss Kim even more now.My watch buzzed to let me know the rehearsal dinner was coming up. Another benefit of Jessica adding my entire itinerary to my calendar so I received notifications in advance now.Everyone gotin separate vehicles this time instead of the oversized vans. A compliment from Jessica I imagined after complaining about it to her. Though the driving service framed it as a wedding gift for everyone, so Mandi didn’t suspect it had anything to do with me.I sat in one vehicle with Maurice and another man I didn’t know, who stayed in the front of the car talking to the driver.“So are we sharing a giant table again for dinner?” I asked to break the ice between myself and Maurice.He shrugged, “They
“No, I’ll head over there.”“Are you sure? I can call a car for you if you’d—““It’s walkable from here. Let me enjoy the nice weather. It’s been a while and I don’t need more attention brought to me. If Mandi knew the paparazzi were trying to squeeze their way out here, I’d never hear the end of it.”Jessica sighed, “If you say so, sir. Just don’t complain.”“Trust me, a walk is far better than being stuffed like sardines inside a van, with a bunch of men.”“I take it you’re not enjoying your vacation?” She typed away at something. “I can get your jet out there so you can go elsewhere for the rest of the week.”I chewed on the inside of my cheek, “No, let’s hold off on that. I might take you up on the offer later with a few extra passengers.”“The girl?”“We’ll see.”She let out a low hum then clicked her tongue, “Just let me know and I’ll have whatever you need taken care of as soon as I can.”“Thank you, Jessica. You’re great as always.”“You pay me to be that way.”I ended the cal