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Vested Setbox 1-7 12
When we had started discussing it, sketching out ideas, listening to Maddox crunch numbers, and finally agreeing on a final plan, Aiden had jumped up, fist punched the air, and yelled, “That’s how we do it! BAM!”It stuck. Our initials, our ideas, our brand. My brothers.I had named my company the same name and brought them on board with me.There was no one in the world I trusted more than them. Our relationship, which started out as young men, had grown as we matured over the years.Aiden and I had looked at a lot of houses, dismissing them all. However, one day, we saw a worn-down Victorian house. It was a longer walk from the school, but doable. The owner was moving into a small condo, and the place was big enough we could all live there, and not run over each other. When discussing rent, I made the owner a deal. We would do the various repairs, and he would knock it off the rent. I enjoyed fixing things, and Aiden and Maddox, who had joined in the house hunt, were willing to help
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It was a one-room place. A futon served as a bed and couch. A minute kitchen with a waist-high fridge and the smallest stove I’d ever seen were against the opposite wall. Emmy’s desk and bookcase were piled high with books, papers, and her old laptop was sitting on top of a mountain of documents. A makeshift closet and laundry baskets were in the corner. The walls were blue, and she had lots of posters and pictures on them, making it cheerful. It was chaotic and small. The entire place was smaller than my closet at my house. Still, it was clean and inviting, and when I inhaled deeply, I smiled. It smelled like her.She placed the flowers on the small table beside her futon. She stroked the petals; the tender gesture so her, I had to smile once more. She picked up a shawl, and I hurried forward, taking it from her hands and sliding it around her shoulders.“Will you be warm enough?”“Yes.”“I made sure our table wasn’t under an air conditioning vent.”Her eyes glistened, and she reache
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I slipped my fingers under her chin and studied her sweet face. She was incredibly pretty. I brushed a kiss to her cheek. “If you want dessert once you hear what I have to say, it’s yours. Anything you want is yours.”She leaned closer, her voice low. “Anything?”I swallowed, my body reacting to her closeness. “Yes.”“I want your last ravioli.”Her demand was amusing, and I speared my last bite of appetizer, feeding it to her. “You drive a hard bargain.”“You know it, Rigid.” She picked up her wine. “Now talk.”I waited until the server took our plates away, and refilled the glasses. I knew the entrees would take a bit longer since they made everything by hand and to order. There was plenty of time for her to leave if she decided, but I hoped she wouldn’t go. I was more comfortable with her than anyone I had ever met, aside from Aiden and Maddox.Except I never wanted to kiss them.“I’m wealthy, Emmy. It’s not a secret. People like me are always targets for some weirdos. I get jibes,
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BentleyWe left the restaurant after a thoroughly enjoyable evening. I put aside my worries and concentrated on Emmy. She was as delightful and engaging as I hoped she would be, making me laugh and enjoy the time with her. She loved to talk about art and her studies and had a keen interest in architecture. She liked to stroll around the many museums and galleries Toronto had to offer. She told me of her love for baking and how much she enjoyed trying out new recipes; although, she admitted, these days her time and budget didn’t allow for much of either.After the whole security issue, we steered clear of anything too deep or personal. I knew her parents were deceased, and she had a brother she wasn’t close to, but I didn’t push her for that story. I told her my parents were gone too, but I had no siblings. Otherwise, we kept the topics general.She made me chuckle with her stories of her best friend, Cami, and her sister, Dee. Obviously, she was close to them. I shared more humorous i
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* * *I was a perfect gentleman until Emmy opened her door, and I followed her inside. She had left one lamp on, its glow casting a dim radiance on the room. For a moment, we stared at each other, then like mirror images, crashed together. I gripped her waist as she wrapped her arms around my neck. Our mouths met with a bruising ferociousness that startled and exhilarated me. There was no reticence in Emmy’s response—she gave as good as she got. I groaned low in my chest as her tongue touched mine—stroking, tasting, and exploring. Her blunt nails scraped the skin on my nape, making me hiss in pleasure. I traced her curves, feeling the delicate bumps and ridges of her spine, then settled my hands on her truly spectacular ass. I cupped the roundness greedily, and pulled her tight to my body, so she had no doubt what she was doing to me.She whimpered, letting me lift her so her legs could wrap around my hips, her skirt trailing on the floor. Turning, I pressed her into the wall, trappin
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“You emphatically tell me I can’t give her a laptop, but have no suggestions what would be appropriate?”“Flowers?”I waved my hand. “Cliché.”“Perfume?”“She doesn’t wear perfume.” I knew that because I had asked her what fragrance she wore since her scent was intoxicating. She told me she wore a body lotion she had made at a small place that specialized in combining unique fragrances. She wore a blend of honey and lilac that smelled incredible on her skin.“Dee worked there years ago, and gets a discount. She gives me a bottle every year for Christmas. I make it last.”I could buy her a couple of bottles of the lotion, so she didn’t have to stretch it out, if I could find out the name of the shop, but that seemed too easy.“Women like jewelry,” Maddox mused, as he strolled in.“What are you doing here?”He grinned, throwing himself on the sofa. “Aiden called and said you were going overboard on a birthday gift for Emmy and I had to come help rein you in.”“Like jewelry isn’t over th
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She led me to a display, Aiden and Maddox following behind. “These are cashmere and silk,” she explained. “Light, warm, and so luxurious. Emmy looks at them every time she comes in.”“Why doesn’t she have one?”Cami turned over the price tag. “They’re $450.00. Even with my discount, she couldn’t afford one,” she spoke softly. “Neither can I.”I lifted the end of one, feeling the silkiness of the weave. “This will keep her warm?”“Beautifully so. Yes.”I lowered my head. “Will it offend her if I get her one?” I asked quietly.Her bright eyes softened. “No, I don’t think so. She’ll be overwhelmed with any gift, but I know she’ll love it.”“Which color?”“She’d get most use of the black, probably.”“I don’t want to give her what she needs. I want to give her something she wants.”I could feel Aiden and Maddox staring at me.“Blue is her favorite color.”I nodded because it was beautiful and the one I kept looking at due to its intense color. Bright and bold, it reminded me of the tie I g
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She grinned as she listened to the pop of the cork from the champagne I had waiting and the merriment inside the car. She kissed me again before sliding into the limo. “You already did.”* * *I glanced around the table, inwardly shaking my head. If someone had told me a week ago, I’d be sitting in a Mexican restaurant, wearing a sombrero Aiden insisted we all wear as part of the birthday celebrations, drinking Margaritas, kissing a beautiful girl, and enjoying myself, I would have told them they were crazy.Yet, there I was.Emmy’s friends were hard to resist. The three of them were so different in appearance and personalities, yet there was a common bond between them. Emmy was quietly pretty with her bohemian style, while Cami’s looks were more flamboyant with her darker color and bright highlights. Dee was sedate and classy; her look polished and professional. Cami was droll, her wit and sarcasm equal to Emmy’s. Listening to the two of them was like a ping-pong match, and at times,
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