DISCOVERY (Esquire Black Duet Book 1)

by Hayley Faiman

  Her words hit a little close to home, I frown, wondering if that’s exactly what I’m doing with Brooklyn?

  Am I just playing with her until I get bored, until something else catches my eye, or until I decide she can’t handle me anymore?

  I don’t feel like this is all a game, but I definitely know there is a timestamp on our relationship.

  So, maybe that’s exactly what it is—a game. Christ, I’m such a fucking asshole.

  I’m not able to think about it long, as Meredith Dunning waltzes into my office with Peg on her heels. My eyes shift to Peg, and she looks like she’s about to explode.

  I wave her off. There’s no sense in getting pissed off about the unannounced visit.

  I doubt I’ll be getting anything else done today anyway, with Vivian’s mind-fuck of a visit just a few moments ago.

  I wonder, momentarily, if there’s a fucking turnstile in front of my office today. This is too fucking much.

  “How may I help you, Mrs. Dunning?” I sigh, not bothering to hide my annoyance as Peg closes my office door on her way out.

  She tries to look worried, to the point where she pretends to even bite on her fingernails as she makes her way toward the chair that Vivian just vacated.

  I can tell by the sparkle in her eye that she’s not legitimately frightened. She looks more mischievous than anything, so I wait.

  “It’s Curtis and that woman, that Brooklyn woman,” she says.

  I’m unable to stop myself from sitting up a little straighter at the mention of Brooklyn’s name. I should act unaffected, but fuck me, I can’t.

  Brooklyn has been living through hell, and I have a feeling it is because of these assholes.

  “What is?” I practically shout.

  She smirks but quickly covers it up, knowing she’s getting to me. “They’re in bed together. I just know it. She wants my money. She’s practically panting after it. She’s working with him so that I can’t have any.”

  I almost burst out in laughter. I control myself, but just barely. Christ, Brooklyn doesn’t have time to be in anyone else’s bed, my dick is keeping her plenty busy.

  “So that you can’t have any money?” I ask, arching a brow.

  I thought this whole thing was supposed to be about her son, not the money.

  Though I figured out the truth of it all at our first meeting, however, I almost laugh at how ridiculously transparent she is, she honestly thinks that she has me fooled.

  Nothing has been about the little boy, and everything has been about the cash.

  “I mean, the money is to take care of my son. She’s going to take my son away,” Meredith cries.

  It takes everything inside of me not to laugh in her plastic face. Fucking shit, this woman is a bitch.

  “Why would you say that, Mrs. Dunning? What kind of evidence do you have?” I ask, trying to play along, instead of kicking her out of my office for wasting my fucking day.

  I want to catch her in her own shit. I also want to try and figure out if she’s the one behind Brooklyn being harassed.

  She shakes her head before leaning as far over as she can, giving me the perfect view of her tits.

  I glance, but they’re nothing like Brooklyn’s. I find myself completely disinterested in them.

  “He’s called me a few times and I’ve heard her in the background,” she whispers.

  “Oh, yeah?” I ask, feeling my anger and blood rise, though I know she’s full of shit, I can’t help that doubt that is suddenly planted. “When was the last time?”

  “It was last night. I know she’s trying to get in there to get my kid taken from me.”

  Inside, I completely relax, letting out an internal sigh of relief. If she only knew exactly where Brooklyn was all last evening, she wouldn’t be coming at me with this shit.

  I should tell her, just to watch her reaction. If I hadn’t been inside of Brooklyn the entire night, I may have believed her, I almost did, not that she’s that convincing, she’s not.

  I’m just that fucking leery of everyone. Too bad for her plan, I know exactly where my woman was the entire evening.

  I play the sympathy she desires and tell her that I have everything under control in an effort to shoo her out of my office.

  She stands to leave, and I look down at my desk, not the least bit interested in watching her. I’m fucking relieved that she’s finally gone.

  A few moments later, Peg marches over to me, standing in front of my desk with her hands on her hips.

  “I cannot stand that woman,” she hisses.

  “Me either,” I chuckle.

  She narrows her eyes at me. “I cannot wait for her case to be over and done with.”

  Lifting my gaze up to her, I grunt. “Same here, Peg. I’m ready to get her bat-shit crazy ass outta my hair.”

  Peg seems satisfied by my response and returns to her desk. I look back at mine and know, without a doubt, that there’s nothing more I am mentally capable of doing today.

  I decide to shut down my office and head out to the gym. Maybe if I get a good workout in, I’ll be able to clear my head of all of this shit with Brooklyn—maybe.

  I need to get her out of my head, she’s worming her way in there, and it’s more than I want.

  * * *

  Once I’m finished working out, I head toward Brooklyn’s office. It’s just six in the evening, and I promised her I would be there. I don’t bother dressing back in my suit after my workout is complete.

  I’m wearing basketball shorts and a fitted, sleeveless, Under Armour shirt. Jogging from my car to her office, I’m surprised to see that it’s fairly empty inside.

  My firm stays pretty busy with hustle and bustle until at least seven every evening.

  Ignoring the few people who give me questioning glances, I make my way toward Brooklyn’s desk.

  There’s an older woman sitting a few desks away from her that’s giving me the stink eye.

  She kind of reminds me of Peg. I give her a smirk and a wink as I walk up to Brooklyn.

  Brooklyn has her head tipped down, she’s focused on something and she doesn’t even hear or feel my approach. Reaching out, I wrap my hand around her shoulder, and I squeeze.

  She practically jumps out of her chair, lifting her wide, terrified eyes up to me. My brows knit together at her shaky reaction.

  “What, what are you doing here?” she breathes.

  Crouching down beside her, I slide my hand around her waist, holding her gently. “It’s after six, kitten. It’s time to go home,” I say.

  Her eyes widen at my words and she gives me a nod. I watch as her shaky hand smooths down her ponytail and she gives me a smile.

  “Oh, it is, isn’t it?”

  She’s off, totally off, but I don’t ask her about it. Slowly straightening, my lips brush hers as I make my way to my full height.

  “Hurry, up, Brooklyn.”

  My eyes don’t leave her as she begins to shut down her computer and straighten her desk for the evening.

  She’s nervous, but I don’t know what’s wrong, she’s shaky and fidgety. I plan on finding out exactly what her problem is, what is bothering her.

  “I just. I’m going to say good evening to Kay,” she murmurs, standing to her feet. I watch as she hitches her purse over her shoulder.

  I watch her walk over to the older lady and they talk for a few moments, then she turns back to me.

  Her shoulders have lost their tension and she’s now got a genuine smile on her face, changing her demeanor almost immediately. I frown as I shove my hands in my pockets.

  “Ready?” she asks once she’s directly in front of me.

  Nodding my head once, I press my hand to the small of her back, ignoring her change for now.

  Once we’re out in front of the car, I turn to face her, spinning her around so that her back is leaning against the side.

  No longer able to ignore whatever the fuck scene that was in her office.

  “Want to tell me wh
at happened today to make you so rattled?” I demand.

  Her mouth makes that gorgeous O shape before she sighs. “Kay said some things that had me frazzled all day,” she admits. “Then, before I left, she apologized. Told me she was wrong.” She shrugs.

  Leaning forward slightly, I press my lips against hers and flick my tongue out to taste her top lip.

  That woman fucked with her head.

  I should go back inside and tell her how the goddamn crow flies, but I don’t. I have Brooklyn pressed against me, so nothing could take me away from her right now.

  “You’re good, kitten?” I ask against her mouth.

  She lets out a breathy moan. “Yeah, baby. I’m good. Let’s go home.”

  I grunt at her words. Home. I called it home earlier, and now she’s saying it.

  Being with her does make my house feel like a home. I’ve never felt like this before.

  I hope it lasts. Fuck, I hope it lasts. I know it won’t, but Christ, you can’t blame a man for hoping.

  Chapter Fourteen

  BROOKLYN

  Early morning yoga is so not my style. Yet, here I am, because a certain asshole attorney won’t allow me to work out in the evenings.

  Luckily, that means I have the opportunity to actually call Lillie today. It’s her birthday, and I haven’t talked to her on the phone once since she’s moved.

  Once I’ve stowed everything into the little gym locker, I sit down on a bench and dial her number.

  I only have about ten minutes before my class starts, but this is the only opportunity I’ll have to possibly reach her because of that damn time difference between us.

  The phone rings and rings, then finally goes to voicemail. “Hey Lillie Belle, I was just thinking about you, Happy Birthday. Call me when you get a chance, miss your face, miss your voice.”

  Ending the call, I shove my phone in the locker and lock it up. Turning to leave the locker room, I catch a glimpse at my reflection.

  It’s too damn early, but you can’t tell by the brightness in my eyes.

  I look almost high, and I know that’s because I’m here with Lucas. Because I slept with Lucas last night, because he made me come this morning.

  I look happy, and that is because of Lucas. It’s going to be the end of me, I know it, but this man is everything right now.

  I walk toward Lucas, who is running on a treadmill, and he grazes my arm with his fingertips as I pass by.

  Stopping, I turn around to look at him. He’s sweaty, his shirt discarded and hanging in the waistband of the back of his shorts.

  I lick my lips at the sight of the hair on his chest, and my eyes skim down to his abs and the smattering of hair there.

  Good Lord, I can’t believe I’m sleeping with him.

  He’s absolutely gorgeous.

  “Brooklyn,” he barks.

  I jump slightly from his harsh tone before I lift my eyes up to meet his green ones. With a smirk, he shakes his head and then juts his chin toward the yoga room.

  “Go.”

  I add a little extra movement to the sway in my hips as I make my way to the yoga studio. I can feel his eyes on me with every step that I take.

  Once I’m inside of the studio, I let out an exhale, forgetting Lucas’ gaze, I need this.

  The past few weeks have been nothing but stress, well stress and sex. I don’t deny that all of the sex has seriously come at the most perfect time. I just wish that the sex came with more of Lucas.

  The instructor calls the class to begin and I stand in mountain pose, rolling my shoulders back.

  I inhale through my nose, then exhale. I can’t clear my mind like the instructor requests.

  My head is spinning, focused on Lucas. I can’t shake him from my thoughts. He’s buried deep inside of my head, his claws dug in deep, holding on no matter how I try to clear him from my mind.

  I don’t know anything about him, other than his brother was hurt a couple of weeks ago, and he went to visit him. He hasn’t said anything else about him, or his family, since our first talk.

  The knowledge that he dropped everything to be with his brother, makes me believe that there could be more to him than what he’s giving me.

  We haven’t opened up at all to each other, which makes me believe that he’s only with me for sex and nothing else.

  He’s made it clear that’s what he wants, but stupidly, I am clinging to hope that we could be more

  I don’t know why I want more from him. I can imagine the kind of man that he is, that he wouldn’t want to settle down and have children.

  Then he does something extremely gentle, caring, and protective and he makes me crave a future with him.

  He has me envisioning a home, children, and carpooling to work together every day.

  It’s completely ridiculous.

  It’s the hopeless romantic inside of me, I’m just a dreamer, but more than likely I’m blinded by his exceptional looks and the way he makes me feel when he’s inside of me.

  I’ve never had a lover like him. Never experienced the things that he does to me, never knew that I would crave them the way that I do.

  Whatever it is, I need to get over it, and in a hurry. Every moment I spend with him, I can sense myself falling deeper, I can sense losing myself a little more to him.

  Shaking my head, I decide to focus on the rest of my yoga session. This tension in my neck and shoulders needs to be gone.

  If it isn’t, my next plan of action is a massage. With my student loans, I can’t really afford one of those right now, so this needs to work.

  “You done?” a voice says from above me.

  I’m lying in my corpse pose, still trying to force myself to relax. Opening one eye, I find myself looking up at Lucas.

  He’s sweatier than he was an hour ago, but even more delicious looking, which totally sucks. I know I look like a train wreck.

  His dark hair hangs slightly down with his head tipped to look at me, but his green eyes—they dance and even sparkle a little. His cocky smirk is firmly in place, and I let out a puff of air.

  “I’m finished. This is awful. Now I have to go through the rest of my day when all I want to do is go home and sleep,” I grumble as I push myself up on my hands.

  He chuckles. The deep sound fills the room, making my body zing.

  “C’mon, kitten. We have work to do. I have court today and everything.” He winks as he holds out his hand for me.

  Slipping my hand in his, I have the urge to tug him down on the ground and roll around on my yoga mat with him. I don’t. I resist. He’s right. We both have a busy day ahead of us.

  I was also invited to a Fourth of July party tonight, but I’m not sure I want to go. I highly doubt Lucas would join me, and since he’s made a big deal about being my shadow lately, it’s probably all moot.

  “Hurry so we can grab breakfast on the way back to my place,” he says before his lips touch my temple.

  I feel a thrill of excitement, not just because his lips are on me, but also because I’m starving and he’s going to feed me.

  I hurry back into the locker room and grab my stuff, shoving my feet into my sneakers.

  Reaching for my phone, I check to see if I have a missed call from Lillie. There isn’t one.

  I really, really, hope that she’s tangled up in bed with her pastry chef, and not feeling as down and out as I am.

  She deserves a gorgeous guy to be all enamored by her—she deserves everything.

  Making my way out of the locker room, I shove my phone back in my purse and lift my head to see Lucas standing against the wall across from me.

  “Ready?” he asks.

  He pushes off the wall and quickly closes the distance between us. He’s still sweaty, his shirt sticking to his skin.

  Offhandedly, I wonder how many other women have been right where I am.

  I try not to think about it as his arm wraps around my waist and he tugs me into his side. I can’t help but think of the women before me, a
nd also the inevitable women that will be after me as we walk toward his car.

  The past couple of mornings Lucas has come along to my gym with me.

  One because he doesn’t want me wearing my yoga clothes without him there.

  Two, because although he has the equipment he needs in his house, there’s no yoga studio.

  He knows that I enjoy my yoga at this gym, so every time we come, he grabs a day pass. It’s sweet, really.

  One of those sweet things he does that makes me yearn for more and fall in a little deeper with him.

  We ride back to his house in silence, but my mind is screaming with everything that I need to get handled today. I jump when I feel a hand on my thigh, his fingers squeeze, taking me out of my head.

  Turning my head to look at Lucas, I smile as he studies me. I am so curious to know what he’s thinking.

  I don’t ask, too afraid to know the truth. I can practically see his wheels turning inside of his head though.

  “Do you have time to fit me in for lunch? I should be finished with court by then and I’ll be right by your office,” he asks, his eyes flicking down to my lips before returning to my eyes.

  I bite my bottom lip before I speak, my heart flitting in my chest with excitement. “I can fit you in for lunch, I think.”

  He lifts his hand and wraps it around the side of my neck before he bends down and presses his lips to mine.

  “This is a tough case today. I’ll need some of your sweet cunt to relax me,” he whispers.

  His hand gives my neck a squeeze before he releases me and opens the door. I close my eyes for just a brief moment, my excitement completely vanishing.

  What an asshole—and I just take it. Grasping onto the crumbs that he throws my way.

  Damn him and damn me.

  Sliding out of the car, I hurry inside of the café, not wishing to let him see how he affects me. I need a moment to myself, a moment to gather my shit together.

  Luckily, there’s no wait as the hostess takes us back to our table. I murmur that I have to use the restroom and scurry away without a backward glance.

  Splashing some cold water on my face, I suck in a deep breath. I need to get myself together. I don’t want Lucas to know that he upset me. I’m not sure he would care anyway, he’s been kind on certain things, but sex isn’t one of them.