Four Sides of a Triangle: An Austen & Cufflinks Novel (The Austen & Cufflinks Series Book 1)

by Heather C. Myers

  “I, uh…” I furrow my brow, unsure if it’s still dangerous or not for me to look into his eyes. “For business. To talk to Dean Ledger about investing in your company face-to-face in order to show how important his investment is to you.”

  “Well, yeah.” He takes a step towards me, and though my initial reaction is to take a step backward, my feet are rooted firmly into the cement. I wonder if Sam notices our little discussion, and if so, what he thinks about it. “But I didn’t have to go all the way to Australia to get it. Sure, Dean wants to see how serious I am, considering my questionable reputation, but I could have easily proved that over Skype instead of traveling halfway around the world. It wasn’t a deal-breaker if I didn’t go.”

  Robert takes another step towards me, sliding his hands loosely in his pockets, and cocks his head slightly to the side. His brown eyes are scrutinizing my face, searching for something, but I’m not so sure what that is. And to honest, I’m not sure I even want to know.

  “I left because of you.”

  Well.

  I wish I could say that his words don’t hurt as much as I expect them to, but that would be a lie. In fact, they hurt way worse. If he had reached out to slap me across the face, it would have hurt much less, I can assure you.

  “Oh.” Because what else am I supposed to say to that?

  “No.” He pauses, running his fingers through his unruly dark hair. After sighing, he takes a breath and looks back at me. “What I mean is, I left because I needed time and space to sort out my feelings. A girl like you is one in a million, Maddy, and I don’t fall in love with just anyone. It scared me, you know. This whole love thing. And I needed to run away in order to realize I wanted to come back.” He stops. “Does that make sense?”

  I furrow my brow, shaking my head, but a delighted smile touches my lips.

  He smirks. “This is all your fault, you know,” he says, taking a step towards me and sliding his hands in his pockets.

  “I was perfectly fine, hiding out in my home, drowning myself in my Scotch and not caring one iota about the company my father built from the ground up,” he says, and he begins to speak faster and faster. Now it’s his eyes that are avoiding mine, and I’m certain that if there weren’t paparazzi nearby, he would start pacing. “And then you came. You told me about the embezzling, you took care of me when I was sick, and you basically ordered me to stop being so selfish and start taking responsibility. You were twenty-one years old, and you were lecturing me, a grown man.

  “I don’t know why I listened to you. To say you inspired me would be ridiculously cheesy, and you know I don’t even like cheese. But you did something, and the next day, I reclaimed my company and hired you on as my personal assistant. And I’ve had personal assistants before, but they can’t compare to you, Maddy. No one can compare to you. Somehow, you’ve managed to crawl under my skin and make a home there, and it’s like you didn’t even try. It just happened. I couldn’t get rid of you even if I wanted to, and I don’t. I don’t ever want to get rid of you. I don’t ever want you to leave.”

  I gulp.

  Why is he saying all of these things to me? Why is he teasing me?

  “Sleeping with women, no strings attached, was my lifestyle choice,” he continues. “It was easy and fun, and no one got hurt. At least, I never got hurt because I never let anyone in. Those women were beautiful and talented on some level, but they never got to know who I am, save for the superficial characteristics I have and that I emphasize.

  “What I didn’t count on, what I didn’t plan, Madeline, was you.” He stops so he can look at me, and in that one look, I feel my heart stop. “You know everything there is to know about me, and yet here you are, at LAX, ready to pick me up. You are the longest relationship I have had with any female in my entire life. Now, I sleep with women not for the sole reason of getting my rocks off – excuse my language – and because it’s fun, but to forget you. To forget the fact that I would trade every night with any and all supermodels, starlets, actresses, singers, whatever, for one minute with you in a nonprofessional setting. But, see, even that doesn’t work because no matter how many women I sleep with, they’re not you. They’ll never be you. I can’t get you off of my mind.”

  Robert takes one more step towards me before reaching out and placing both hands on my cheeks in order to ensure I look into his eyes. He wants me to see that he means what he’s saying. And I do.

  It’s clear in the way he’s looking at me right now that every word out of his mouth is completely and wholly honest.

  “Because as crazy as it sounds,” he continues, this time softer so only he and I can hear, “I am in love with you, Madeline Perkins. It’s always been you.”

  He presses his lips together. His eyes begin searching my face, probably for reciprocation, and I truly hope he finds it because my voice right now is lost, and as much as I want to verbally reassure him that I am in love with him, I can’t. Not just yet.

  “I can admit that I was jealous of James Morris when he first got here.” This admission surprises me, if I’m being quite honest, and I blink once to let the words sink in. “I mean, here was some kid straight from New York – a published writer – who was relatively good-looking and charming and tall, and while he isn’t as financially well-off as I am, he’s definitely comfortable. And he started hanging all over you, Maddy, and I seriously had to restrain myself from punching the guy. And then I find out that he was never interested in you in the first place, but already engaged to Kim and had just been using you, well, let me just say that I had a little chat with him, and while I can assure you that charges will not be pressed and physical violence was not resorted to, he’s sorry for what he did.

  “I mean, I know I’m not a safe bet,” he says. His voice is still low but less confident than before, and his hands are still softly holding my cheeks. “I know I have a horrible reputation and I wouldn’t blame you if you’re not completely convinced because I have a new woman on my arm every week. I know I’m an alcoholic who has trouble controlling himself, especially at weddings and events that involve dancing and whenever I have to fly, but I promise that –”

  And then I can’t help myself.

  I reach up, pushing his hands off of my cheeks but only so I can easily wrap my arms around his neck, pull his face towards me, and place my lips on his mouth. Okay, so it’s the most unprofessional thing I’ve ever done in my entire career and I can hear the snapping of the paparazzi cameras, but all I really focus on is Robert’s arms around my waist, his hands pressed flat against the small of my back, the fact that his lips are responding to mine.

  And his lips – they feel like they fit mine. In a perfect way.

  And my stomach has butterflies and my skin has goosebumps and this warm feeling is taking over me and –

  We have to break apart for air, and Robert gets the biggest smile on his face that I have ever seen, where his eyes are sparkling and his eyes crinkle and he’s almost the most beautiful – no, he is the most beautiful man I have ever seen.

  “Ms. Perkins, if I’m not mistaken, I think you just kissed me,” he says in a low, husky voice, his forehead leaning against mine. “I don’t think I have to point out just how unprofessional that is, and with all these photogs around, people are going to talk.”

  I smile back at him. “Well,” I say, “I apologize for my lack of professionalism but I don’t apologize for kissing you. Especially since I intend to do it again. And I find that I don’t really care what other people think of us because a wise man once told me that the only people who really know what’s going on between us is you and me. Nobody else matters.”

  “Wow,” Robert says, pulling me even closer to him. “This guy sounds more than wise. Maybe you don’t give him enough credit.”

  I chuckle, rolling my eyes. “And by the way,” I whisper, tilting my head up. “I love you, too.”

  I think we kissed after that, but I’m still on Cloud Nine so my cognitive abilities are on autop
ilot right now, even in the back of the town car, my finger entwined with Robert’s, my head on his shoulder, and I realize that this, right here, in all its imperfect, unprofessional glory, is love.

  The End

  Four Sides and an Attitude, Book 2 in The Cufflinks & Austen Duet will be out October 31, 2018.

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  Acknowledgments

  My family

  My friends

  Jane Austen, for crafting swoon-worthy stories

  Theresa Schultz, my amazing and hilarious editor.

  My readers on Fictionpress

  Frank, Kylee & Madisyn, Josh & Jacob, for your continued love, support, and understanding

  Also by Heather C. Myers

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  The Slapshot Prequel Box Set

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  Black Eyes & Blue Lines, Book 2 of the Slapshot Series He drives her crazy - and not in a good way. But she can't get him out of her head.

  Lip Locks & Blocked Shots, Book 3 of the Slapshot Series He's the last person she should fall in love with and the only one that ever stood a chance.

  Positives & Penalties, Book 4 of The Slapshot Series One gorgeous hockey player plus one night of passion equals two pink lines...

  Rumors & Roughing, Book 5 of The Slapshot Series Rumor has it NHL bad boy Alec Schumacher is a criminal...

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