by V. T. Do
Shallow and cold. Spoiled, even.
But she was nothing like those images I had conjured up. She was warm and giving. She was beautiful. And she looked at me like I was her hero, coming in to save the day.
And those eyes affected me more than I dared admit to myself.
There was nothing special about the girl. And she was a girl. No more than twenty. Yet there was something about her pale, freckled skin, her long brown hair, and even her thin figure that I found fascinating.
And I was that—I was fascinated by her.
She had his eyes. That much was clear. She had her eyes. And I had wanted to keep them with me, where her every thought showed in them, enough to let me know that I fascinated her as much as she fascinated me.
I didn’t plan on meeting her at the bar. Her presence was an unpleasant surprise, to say the least, especially given my strong reaction to her. I had seen photos of her over the years. How could I not, when I had spent a good part of my early twenties finding out everything I could about Joseph Caldwell?
And she had come out of nowhere, presented to me in a pretty package, with a nice red bow to boot, and all I could think about was how hard my dick got when she turned those green eyes my way.
A complication was all she was. A complication I needed to stay away from.
For both of our sakes.
I took a sip of the scotch I’d been nursing since I got home from work. A quick glance at the clock told me it was late. I should be in bed. I had an early meeting in the morning. I had a billion things to do that didn’t involve thinking about a girl who had just become a complication.
Yet I couldn’t shut my mind off.
I thought about calling my Aunt Erin. She lived in Chicago, so I was an hour ahead of her. If I was right, she was only just readying herself for bed. But I quickly dismissed the thought. With the way I was feeling, it was best I didn’t talk to her. She would hear right through me.
I finished the scotch, savoring the burn as the liquid made its way down my throat, before setting the glass down and walking into my bedroom. I didn’t think I could sleep at all, but it was better than drinking away my complication.
At this rate, no amount of alcohol could make me forget.
***
It was close to five in the morning when I got out of bed, having only slept for three hours. By the time I was ready and out the door, New York was filled with life, despite the early hour.
I had loved New York upon first sight. It reminded me so much of the way I grew up, in the chaos it created and the way I could easily blend in the background. On the streets, I was just another suit trying to make a name for himself.
The office was only a block away from where I lived, and most days I didn’t mind the walk. The winter chill permeated my skin, but that wasn’t uncommon. I had gotten used to the cold over the years, so much so that it didn’t bother me anymore.
And then the impressive building came into view. James Ross Architectural Inc. Cole and I build this business from the ground up. We started it when we were twenty-one, and ten long years later, it was finally everything I wanted it to be, and so much more.
We now employed over ten thousand people and had offices across the nation. In the next five years, we hope to expand globally, but right now what we had was enough to keep Cole and me busy.
I walked into the quiet building. Only about a dozen people were in. In a couple of hours, the building would be bursting with people and activity. It didn’t matter that it was only six in the morning. I knew, even before I made my ascent up to my office, that Cole would already be there, working on his plans for the week. He was the only person I knew who put in more hours at work than I did.
When I got off on my floor, it was empty, save for two employees, and one of them was my assistant, Cody Reynolds. He was a recent grad, and though I had my doubts initially, he had proven to be the correct choice. He was young, and his blue-gray eyes still showed a lot of his inexperience. He was hardworking, though, and that was hard to come by these days.
He stood up when I neared. “Mr. James. Good morning.”
“Good morning, Cody.”
“Would you like your morning briefs?”
“Cody, it’s only six in the morning. How long have you been here to get my day organized?”
He smiled, a small one. “I haven’t been here that long, actually. I had everything prepared last night. I came in early this morning in case there were any changes.”
“It’s okay,” I said. “Just email me the schedule. And clear my morning for a conference call with Henry Wade at eight.”
“Already done.”
I nodded, satisfied. “Is Cole in yet?”
“Mr. Ross came in ten minutes before you did. He seemed... preoccupied this morning.”
That got my attention. I waved a hand for him to get back to work and stopped briefly in my office to drop off my briefcase before making the fifteen feet walk to Cole’s office.
He was staring at his laptop, but not doing anything. More like staring off into space. He didn’t even hear me knock. I walked in and took a seat across from him. The chair scraping against the wooden floor got his attention.
“Jesus. Don’t you knock?”
I grinned. “I did. You just didn’t hear me. Could it be a certain blonde who has stolen your attention?”
He sat up a little straighter, his posture tense. “I asked her out on a date.”
“You work fast.” I knew he’d asked for her number the night we drove the girls home—I was just surprised she gave it to him.
He shrugged. “Have to. A girl like that waits for no one.”
“Should I remind you that she’s only twenty? Still a baby.”
“With that body? Hell no. And she’s twenty. Not fifteen. Totally legal.”
I laughed. “Okay. So what’s the problem? She turned you down, did she?” I expected that. Though I’d only briefly met her, from what I’d gathered, Joey was distant. She obviously had seen a lot of shit in her life, and she was very protective of Emery.
“No, actually. She said yes.” I raised one eyebrow in question. It seemed like there was a catch. “But she said she would only go if she could take Emery along.”
The mention of her had me stiffening in my seat. Why did this girl affect me so much?
“Why would she take Emery on her date? Can’t Emery find a date on her own?” Which couldn’t be impossible. Aside from being unbelievably beautiful, she was filthy rich. No way would men let her out of their grasp if they could help it.
And what did it say about me, that I imagined pounding any man who would dare to touch her? I needed to get laid. Maybe then Emery would be out of my system for good.
“According to Joey, Emery doesn’t date.”
That surprised me. “She doesn’t?”
Cole smirked. “Why do you sound so interested?”
I shrugged, adopting a casual pose. “Merely curious.”
“Right. Well, like I said, she won’t go unless I agree to a double date.”
“A double date? And who exactly are you bringing on this date?” I had a bad feeling about this.
“You.”
“No. You know why I can’t.”
Cole stood up, obviously prepared for battle. But this wasn’t going to be a battle he would win. “She’s nothing like her grandpa. You said so yourself.”
“That’s beside the point. And sit down. I’m getting a crick in my neck just looking at you.”
He sat down. “So what is the point? That you think you might actually like her if you got to know her?”
“I know she will hate me if she gets to know me.”
“Wyatt...”
I shook my head. “I know what you want to say. I did what I had to do. I don’t regret it. But I drew up an agreement with Joseph Caldwell, and I am going to hold up my end, even if the man doesn’t deserve it. Even if he isn’t here anymore. It’s not for him. It’s for my Aunt Erin.” I
paused. “And it’s for Emery as well. She would be devastated if she knew the truth. And I won’t be the one to tell her.”
“It’s just one date. You can tell Emery it doesn’t mean anything, if you think that’ll get her to stay away from you. But I need this.”
I laughed. Now he sounded like a sappy little girl. “You need this? Did you let that little girl get ahold of your balls, brother?”
He scowled. “Look, I don’t expect you to understand. But Joey’s different, okay? I need to pursue this. I want to see where this could go. But she’s difficult, and I know she really won’t go out with me unless you both come along.”
“You really think there’s a future there? An eleven-year age difference is huge. You have more than a decade of life experience on her.”
“She’s mature for her age.” I smirked at that, and he threw a crumpled up piece of paper at me. “I didn’t mean it like that, asshole.”
I sighed, knowing I was going to regret this. “Okay.”
Chapter Six: Pity Date
Emery
It wasn’t until we got in her car that Joey dropped the bomb.
“Why didn’t you tell me?” I asked her.
“Because I knew you wouldn’t agree if I told you about it beforehand.”
“You’re right. I wouldn’t agree. I don’t need you to set me up on a date, Joey. I told you—I am perfectly happy with my life the way it is.”
She raised an eyebrow in question. “Oh, really? Name one other person you hung out with this week—hell, even this month—who wasn’t me or your Aunt Helen.”
I stared at her. We both knew the answer. “Just because I don’t have much of a social life does not mean there is something wrong with me.”
“I didn’t say there was something wrong with you. But there is something wrong about the situation. Ever since your grandpa passed, it’s like you’ve completely cut yourself off from the rest of the world.”
I seethed. “I wasn’t very social before, so that doesn’t say much.”
“No? Before he died, you hung out with Sabrina from your biochem class at least once a week. You volunteer most of your free time away, from one organization to the next. You didn’t hang out with a lot of people before, but you had a life. Now, it’s like you don’t even care anymore!”
“Joey...”
“No. Listen to me. I saw the way you looked at him. I know you like Wyatt. I know he’s different for you. I don’t know why he’s different, and I don’t know why, out of all the men in the world, you’d choose to be interested in someone like him, but you are, so don’t even deny it.”
“That doesn’t mean anything. He’s probably not even interested in me. He’s only doing this for Cole. And Cole is only doing this because you made him. Do you know what this is? This is a pity date!” My cheeks flamed in embarrassment at the thought.
I shouldn’t have cared what Wyatt thought of me. But I did, and I hated it.
“There is nothing pitiful about you, so don’t even think that.”
“What would you call this, then?”
“A gathering.”
I rolled my eyes. We were on the highway, only five minutes away from our destination. It was too late to ask her to turn around. And a small part of me, the idiotic part, was excited to see Wyatt again. It had been two days since he and Cole dropped us off at the apartment, yet it felt like a lifetime.
The events that took place that night were ones I didn’t think I would soon forget. Thankfully, there had been no nightmares yet.
It wasn’t until Joey pulled off the exit that she spoke again. “If you really don’t want to do this, I can call Cole and cancel. I’ll go out with him another night. Just the two of us.”
It was on the tip of my tongue to say yes. To ask her to just turn the car around and forget about tonight. But I knew she was excited to see Cole. And I didn’t want to come across as a coward. That would mean I let Wyatt affect me more than he should. I shook my head. “We’re almost there. Might as well. I’ll just go into this date not expecting much.” That way, Wyatt wouldn’t get the chance to break my heart. He seemed like the kind of man very capable of it.
“Are you sure?”
“Yeah. I’m sure.”
“You’re not mad at me?”
A part of me wanted to say yes. Though I knew why she’d done it. She was worried. And in her own twisted sense, she truly believed she was doing the right thing. “No. I’m not mad.”
She relaxed more in her seat. “I’m glad to hear that. And if you want to bail anytime during the night, just say the word.”
“It’s fine. I’m a big girl. I can handle this.”
She smiled, stopping at a red light. She turned to me. “Oh, before I forget, I sent you something earlier.”
“What?” I asked, pulling out my phone.
“Something you’ll enjoy.” She winked. I narrowed my eyes in suspicion.
I unlocked the phone and opened the text message I’d received from her. I was not expecting to see Wyatt’s picture attached.
“What do you think I’m going to do with this?”
“Hey, what you do in the privacy of your own home is none of my business.” The light turned green, and she moved the car forward. “I’m just saying.”
“Oh my God. Do you think I’d... I’d...”
She laughed. “It’s cute how you can’t even say the word.”
“I’m not going to do that.”
She shrugged. “Still. It’s something to look at.”
I didn’t say anything. I looked back down at the screen and took in Wyatt’s face. Joey’s flash was on when she’d taken the picture, so I could see him clearly. His eyes were narrowed in confusion, his mouth slightly open, and his dark hair was falling over his forehead. My heart ached at the sight of him.
I hadn’t even realized Joey had pulled into the parking lot until she turned off the car and the space we were in was encased in silence.
“Ready?” she asked.
I forced a small smile and got out the car. I was already shivering by the time we met around the hood of her white Honda, the car she had since she was sixteen.
She entwined her arm with mine and led me into the bowling alley. That was what Cole had picked for their first date. It seemed perfect in a way.
We walked in, my eyes roaming the place for Wyatt and Cole. They were hard to miss. Easily the biggest men there, even in casual jeans and T-shirts, they emitted power without having to utter a single word.
Joey found them the same time I did. We looked at each other. I had never seen Joey look excited about a date before, and though her emotions were carefully contained, I knew Joey. I could clearly see the excitement in her brown eyes. She wanted this. Almost as much as Cole, it seemed, considering they had just spotted us too and Cole’s smile was so wide, it could cover the entire state of Texas.
The men met us halfway. It was obvious from the beginning that Joey and Cole would be the most vocal on the date. Cole gave Joey a hug that encompassed her almost completely, his hold lingering as long as possible.
I was more formal, holding my hand out to Wyatt. He seemed amused when he took it, the texture of his skin rough against my much smoother one.
Something about the contrast made my body react in a way that I hoped wasn’t obvious.
“We need shoes,” Joey announced. She must have said something to Cole before that, but I’d missed out on that part of the conversation. She didn’t wait for a response, grabbing my hand and leading me to the counter.
The teenage boy working seemed enchanted by Joey. He stuttered over his words, his face flushed red.
Joey pulled out her wallet to pay when I stopped her. “You got dinner last time. It’s my turn.”
I pulled out my wallet and was in the process of handing my card over when a large, familiar hand engulfed mine. I stared up at Wyatt in confusion.
“I got this,” he said.
Before I could protest, he laid a h
undred-dollar bill on the counter, waving a hand at the young boy to get him moving.
After giving Wyatt his change, the boy asked for our shoe sizes. I gave him mine in a small voice, still confused over Wyatt’s behavior. With the way he was looking at me, you would think he didn’t want to be here at all. Especially here with me.
And that was probably true.
He really didn’t want to be here.
He was only here for his friend. And I made a fool of myself, because even as I’d told myself on the ride over not to expect much from this “date,” a small part of me still wanted it to go somewhere.
I’d developed a small crush on him, and I was silly enough to hope that he might feel the same way.
I turned away as soon as I was handed the shoes and took a seat on one of the benches nearby. I knew my face was red with embarrassment, and I didn’t want to look at anyone, lest they figure out my thoughts. Someone took a seat next to me, and I knew right away that it wasn’t Joey.
I could already feel my skin reacting to his closeness. We weren’t touching, but the prickly sensation was hard to ignore, as was the alluring scent of him. Strong enough for me to catch, yet not overwhelming. He didn’t wear cologne, or if he did, it was subtle. Everything else was him. Just him, a unique, contradictory blend of calm and sensual.
I looked up and found Joey across from me, already in a deep discussion with Cole. It was hard not to notice how different we were from one another. Whereas she had always been the social one out of the two of us, I had the social skills of a cat.
Wyatt and I remained sitting in silence as I switched out my shoes. When I was done, he surprised me by grabbing them and taking them to the counter for safe keeping.
It wasn’t until he was standing next to me again that I spoke. “Thank you.”
“Don’t mention it.”
“And thanks you for paying,” I said awkwardly.
His lips showed a hint of a smile. “You’re welcome.”
“You know you didn’t have to agree to this, right?”
He shrugged. “Joey wouldn’t agree unless she could bring you along.”
Well, that stung. I nodded and walked away, making my way over to Joey.
