Making a Choice

My heart skipped several beats as I stared at him. What was he saying? Stay with him, as who? His guest? His companion? His lover?

“You seem surprised,” he noticed.

Well, of course I was. We knew nearly nothing about each other—I certainly knew nothing about him—and making such a proposal sounded ridiculous. Of course, his offer was tempting. I would soon be penniless, and staying in his penthouse could help me save some money as I looked for a job, but how could I trust a man I had just met?

When I stayed silent for a few more seconds, he motioned his chin at Selene, and she brought our dinner. “Bon appetite,” she sang, placing a deliciously smelling plate in front of me.

I smiled and muttered a thank you to her before shifting my gaze back to Darren. He watched me with an intensity that left me breathless. I didn't think I could swallow anything at all… maybe except for the water, because my mouth turned awfully dry. I gulped down my glass and sucked in a sharp breath.

“Can you blame me for being surprised? You don't even know me,” I reasoned.

He leaned back in his chair. “I like to follow my instincts. Besides, I'm not asking you to marry me. I don't demand any life-changing declarations. For now, let's have dinner and a glass of wine.”

A slow smile spread across my lips. “That I can agree on.”

His seductive smirk reappeared. “I'm more than pleased to hear that.”

Strangely, the air around us decreased its density, and I could enjoy the delicious Beef Wellington prepared by Selene. She must have been a kitchen goddess, and I would gladly become her apprentice. Unfortunately, she left right after serving our dinner.

I barely registered when we started casually chatting about the food. He mentioned that he was a picky eater as a child, and I told him that I used to love mac and cheese so much that once I refused to eat anything else for the entire month. Somewhere in the middle of this simple conversation, I realized that I felt… comfortable around him, as if I could tell him anything.

“You're easy to talk to,” he said.

I laughed. “I was about to say the same thing.”

He locked his eyes on me. “You're beautiful when you're laughing.”

Heat flooded my cheeks. “Are you always this… charming?”

“I didn't mean it to sound like cheap flattery. I'm just stating a fact.” A boyish grin parted his lips before he rose from his seat to take the bottle of wine.

Compliments and wine certainly weren't a good combination. I figured that it would have been wise to change the subject. “So, Darren… What do you do for a living?”

“I'm a businessman,” he tossed opening the bottle. “I inherited my father's company and then opened my own.”

“Did your father retire?” I asked, thinking about Kenneth taking over the company and his father stepping down from the CEO's position.

He poured the wine into our glasses. “No. He's dead.”

I gasped and stayed silent for a few heartbeats. “I'm… I'm so sorry.”

A soft smile appeared. “Don't be. It's a thing of the past.” His voice was flat as he said it as if he tried to mask the emotions those words triggered. Drawing a deep breath, he handed me my wineglass. “What about your parents?”

I clasped my hands together, my fingers tangling in an uncomfortable mess. “I never met my father. I mean, my parents parted ways right after I was born. I lived with my mother, but when I was fourteen, she married a new guy who apparently didn't want a daughter. So she left me.”

There was a long pause. “You have been alone since you were fourteen?”

My lips twisted into a wry smile. “I lived with ‘aunts.’ They were Mother's so-called friends who said they would take care of me. Their ‘taking care’ of me usually meant me taking care of them, but it was home… sort of.”

He ground his teeth. “And then you met Kenneth.”

It wasn't a question, but I nodded anyway. “Unfortunately, he cut our happy-ever-after rather short,” I said dryly.

“I'm sorry,” he muttered.

I chuckled. “Why would you be sorry for that?”

He locked his eyes on me. “I should have found you sooner.”

My heart tripped—again. How could he say these words with such ease? He made it sound as if he… meant them. “You didn't know I existed before,” I said softly.

A sultry smirk crossed his lips. “No, I did not.” He extended his hand toward me, and I took it.

Glasses in hand, we stepped onto the balcony. The sun was setting over Manhattan, creating a truly mesmerizing view. The evening breeze kissed the naked skin on my shoulders, leaving shivers in their wake, but before I could even think of rubbing my arms, Darren covered me with a small blanket.

“Are you trying to seduce me?” I asked a little playfully.

He didn't smile. “My plans for you go beyond a mere seduction.”

I sucked in a shaky breath and stumbled back. “Why are you doing this? You don't know me…” I nervously pushed my fingers through my hair, releasing my grip on the blanket and letting it fall to the ground. “This is insanity…”

He stepped closer, taking away my glass and putting it next to his on the balcony table. “Why do you expect things to be complicated when they're not?” He inched closer, making me step back against the railing. “I find you madly attractive.” His deep voice resonated through me, setting every nerve on fire. “I'm drawn to you, to your unique… purity.” His arms slid around my waist.

“Purity?” I choked out as he drew me closer to him—too close.

“Hush,” he purred, leaning against my ear. “You're uncorrupted—an unstained being among the dark shades of gray.” He nibbled on my earlobe, causing me to gasp. “And I'm a sinner craving your taste.”

I bit my lip, stifling a moan as his lips trailed down the sensitive skin of my neck. Before I realized it, my arms circled his neck, and my fingers pushed through the thick black strands of his hair. Finally, his lips found mine, and I did nothing to stop him from claiming me. We were suddenly moving as he maneuvered us back inside the house, never breaking the kiss. His tongue explored me with lush licks, triggering wave after wave of heat. I didn't even realize when we entered the bedroom and hardly registered the moment he lifted me and tossed me onto the bed.

His touch sent my senses on fire, awakening something primal within me. He expertly unzipped my dress, stripping me of layers of fabric and leaving me with nothing but lace underwear. There was no protest—only desperate need. The long-forgotten hunger surfaced, shoving away the final shreds of reason. A weak whimper left me as he broke our kiss, causing him to chuckle. A heartbeat passed, and he pulled his sweatshirt over his head, exposing an astonishing set of muscles. God… he was beautiful. I bit my lip as my hands moved toward his carved-to-perfection body. My fingertips traced the rippled abdomen, and a low growl resonated through him. He grasped my hand and kissed my knuckles. His eyes found mine, and I shivered. He watched me just like a predator observes his prey before devouring it. And I wanted to be devoured…

Half a hectic breath later, his lips were on mine again as his hands explored every naked inch of my skin. In the surge of courage, I became more daring, savoring the pleasure and reciprocating it. He tasted like bliss I could never afford. He tasted like warmth I had never received. He tasted like… freedom.

The buzz of his phone slipped through our sultry daze, and I heard him curse in between kissing down my cleavage. He ignored it, and I sincerely wanted to ignore it too, but as the buzzing sound appeared for the second time, my reason found its way through. “Darren,” I managed hoarsely. “Maybe… it's important.”

“Fuck,” he hissed, rising and reaching for the phone. He took the call. “This better be important.” The deadly warning in his tone almost made me flinch. I saw his jaw clench as he listened to whatever the caller said. Then he thrust his fingers through his hair and answered gruffly, “I'll be there in twenty.” He put down the phone and lowered his head.

“You need to go?” I already knew the answer; I just didn't want him to leave.

He nodded before leaning over me and kissing my forehead. “Wait for me, Lilly. This won't take long.”

My lips formed a soft smile. “I'll wait for you,” I promised hastily.

He gave me another sweet kiss, and a moment later, he was gone. I drew a ragged breath and slowly rose from the bed. I was still wrapped in his scent, and God, did it feel liberating.

I picked up the dress from the floor and got dressed. It looked like I had to find a way to kill time while I waited for him to return. But as the fire within me faded, my reason resurfaced. Had I truly decided to stay with him? That thought sounded both exciting and terrifying.

Somehow, my feet led me to his study, and just like he'd said before, my suitcase and bag were there. “The letters,” I muttered, deciding that I might as well find out what that law firm wanted from me.

I grabbed the pile of letters and sat behind Darren's desk. Then I opened every one of them and started to read. I took the first one, and my heart halted. Hands trembling, I reached for another one, and then another. My head began to spin, and tears streamed down my cheeks.

I finished reading the last letter from the pile. Their content was nearly the same. They all had the same repeating words: father, meeting, only child, heiress, Hayes Global Group…

I had a father—a living, breathing father who wanted to meet with me, who waited for me to agree to meet him. Sucking in a sharp breath, I lurched to my purse and grabbed the phone. Forcing my hand steady, I dialed the number from one of the business cards attached to the letters and made the call. “Mr. Ernest Luxton?” I took the name from the card. “My name is Lilly Sand—”

“I know who you are, Ms. Sanders,” a deep voice answered.

“I'm calling b-because—”

“You'd like to meet with your father,” he finished for me. “I was instructed to take you to him whenever you want. Even now.”

I exhaled slowly, thinking about Darren and what I'd promised him. But this was about my biological father, my family, a part of the identity I didn't know I had. I swallowed a thick knot in my throat. “I'd like to meet with my father as soon as possible.”

I ended the call and forced a breath into my lungs. Meeting my father—the man I had never met—was a risk, but so was staying here with Darren. Yet I wasn't choosing between the two; I was choosing myself. I needed to know who I truly was.

I reached for the pen and paper and wrote a short note to Darren, thanking him for saving me and for his warmth. A moment later, I grabbed all my belongings and stepped toward the door. “I'm sorry,” I muttered as I walked out of his apartment.

I closed the door behind me.