5. SEVERIDE

My laughter died down, but the smile stayed on my face. Shaking my head, I picked up the towel again and rubbed my hair dry a bit more before I threw it onto the bed. She was one of a kind, especially when drunk. Last night was very entertaining and something I wouldn’t forget, ever.

I dropped the towel, which was a mistake because Albany chose that moment to exit the bathroom. Her loud gasp made my lips twitch. I hesitated for a few seconds before I turned to face her.

Albany’s chocolate brown eyes slowly trailed over my body. They once again lingered on my abs before moving lower. I watched as colour slowly spread up her neck and into her cheeks.

How far down does that blush go?

My cock twitched when she sucked her bottom lip into her mouth and pressed her thighs together. She swallowed and took a step back, bumping into the door. It seemed to snap her out of whatever daze she was in because in the next seconds, she spun around and entered the bathroom again.

She slammed the door closed a bit harder and slid the lock into place.

Shaking my head, I entered the closet and pulled out my clothes. After dressing, I fixed my tie and pulled on my shoes before I combed my hair. I paused and stared as her words flashed through my mind. Reaching up, I fingered a few grey strands in my hair.

Do I really look so old?

My eyes darted over my face, I had a few crows’ feet at the corners of my eyes, but I had no wrinkles or anything. I looked good for someone my age. Was my age the reason she rejected me in the first place? No. I shook my head. She doesn’t know my age, and apparently, she wasn’t that familiar with my name.

I couldn’t decide if that was a good thing or a bad thing.

When I walked out of the closet, Albany was standing by the edge of the bed, frowning down at her phone. Her eyes snapped up to mine when I cleared my throat.

Moving closer, I stopped when I had a clear view of her.

My eyes slowly trailed over her short frame. Short but with the right amount of curves in all the right places. Her skin was pale, but not overly so, just enough to make her blush easily visible. Curly auburn hair that hung down her back last night was now in a messy bun. She had long dark eyelashes that created dark circles across her cheeks when her eyes were closed, and cupid bow pink lips that I was dying to taste.

I had dressed her in one of my old shirts when I put her in bed. It was a shirt that was too small for me but fitted her perfectly. Ending a few inches above her knees, it showed off her firm calves, slim ankles, and small feet.

“Where are my clothes?” she asked, unable to look me in the eye.

“In the washer, I’ll go get it for you.” I turned, but stopped when she spoke again.

“Why did you undress me in the first place? Why didn’t you take me home as I had—?”

“You sound like a child, Albany,” I scolded with a frown. “You passed out before I could get your address from you, and your clothes were covered in vomit. Should I have let you sleep in it?”

Her mouth dropped open and then slammed shut. When she turned her head away, I walked out of the room. Blowing out a breath, I shook my head as I walked down the stairs and into the kitchen.

“Good morning, Mr. Miller,” Fiona, my housekeeper, greeted me with a smile.

“Morning.” I returned her smile with one of my own. “I put some washing in the machine last night. Is it done?”

“Oh yes, I took it out.” She paused. “I wasn’t sure what to do with it. Do you want it now?”

“Yes, please, Fiona.”

I watched her until she was out of sight and then leaned over the island to swipe a piece of fruit from the bowl. Chewing, I retraced my steps back up to my bedroom, but Albany was no longer there.

Frowning, I checked the bathroom but found it empty.

My eyes widened when I entered the closet. The drawers were half open, and some clothes littered the floor. An alarm went off, sending me into action.

Running out of the room and down the stairs, I threw the front door open and stepped outside just in time to see Albany slipping through the gates.

“Albany!” I yelled as I hurried after her.

She glanced over her shoulder and flipped me off. Just as I reached the gates, a car pulled up which she climbed into. I stared after it as it drove away and disappeared around a corner.

“Vixen,” I muttered, turning to enter my yard.

But even though I was pissed at her, I couldn’t help but smile. That was another first for me: having a woman running off before I could even offer her breakfast.

There was no way I was going to let her off the hook so easily.

“The clothes, Mr. Miller,” Fiona said as she held the neatly folded clothes up to me.

“Thank you.” I took it from her and stared down at it silently for a few seconds before I looked up at her. “Is breakfast ready?”

“In a few minutes, sir.”

“Bring it to my office, please.” I stepped around her. “I have a few calls I need to make.”

​

***

​Raising the clothes to my nose, I sniffed at them, but they didn’t smell like Albany anymore. With a sigh, I dropped it onto the couch as I passed it on my way over to my desk. Pulling my chair out, I took a seat and opened my laptop.

As I waited for it to switch on, I reached for my phone.

Thomas’s phone went straight to voicemail. I ended the call and waited a few minutes before I tried again, but the same thing happened. One glance at the clock assured me that he had to be up already. Why was his phone off?

Shaking my head, I made a mental note to call him again later and then opened my browser. My fingers hovered over the keyboard as I stared at the screen.

Where to begin?

In the end, I simply typed in her name but paused. I didn’t know what her surname was. She didn’t have an ID with her last night since she left her wallet in her apartment. I could make some calls to figure out exactly who she was, but that was the last thing I wanted to do.

So, I typed in the name of her bakery instead.

I wanted to know everything I could about her.