by Croix, J. H.
Addie tapped the button on the coffee maker and turned back to face me, resting her hips against the counter and curling her hands over the edge. “I know, right? When I inherited this place, I barely remembered what it looked like. We came up here for a visit when I was a little girl, but I was only six years old. My mother doesn’t think it’s been updated. I sent her a few photos on my phone.”
The doorbell echoed down the hallway. “Oh, they’re here.” Addie walked out of the kitchen.
Barnable stood up and trotted after her. Mindful he’d slipped out and gotten lost before, I followed them to the front hall. “Should we put him in a room?” I called just as Addie reached the front entryway.
“That’s a good idea. How about the office right there?” She gestured over her shoulder.
“Come on, Barnable,” I said, snapping my fingers. Amicably, he followed along. The office was like the kitchen—everything was untouched and in pristine condition. The desk looked straight out of the 1950s.
“All right, buddy, you stay here,” I said as I closed the door behind me once we were in there. Tossing one of the treats Addie had given me earlier to give to him, I left the room.
Addie had already walked the two delivery guys to the kitchen and was presently listening as they marveled at her ancient refrigerator. For the next half an hour while they removed the old refrigerator and brought in the new one, I didn’t miss both of the guys taking a gander at her sweet ass, which filled out her denim skirt quite nicely. Like me, anytime she smiled, they appeared temporarily hypnotized.
Meanwhile, I felt like a territorial dog. At one point, I was on the verge of growling. Yeah, this was so not me.
Meanwhile, my cell phone was basically blowing up in my pocket. It wasn’t like me to leave the office. In my defense, I had not originally left because of Addie. But still.
“I can’t thank y’all enough,” Addie was saying as we stood in the foyer.
She didn’t seem to be aware they might be expecting a tip, so I pulled my wallet out of my pocket and handed one over. “Yes, thank you very much.”
They left, blessedly, and Addie glanced over at me. “You didn’t have to tip them, but I don’t have any cash on me, so thank you. I’ll pay you back,” she insisted.
“It’s not a problem.”
“You never did get a chance to have that coffee I offered you when we got here, so come on. I really do appreciate you helping me this afternoon.”
As if she had an invisible string attached to me, I simply turned and followed Addie back down the hallway to the kitchen. After she poured me a cup of coffee and I took a few sips, I saw her wince slightly when she moved to set her mug on the counter.
“How’s the hand? The whole reason I came to help was to keep you from overdoing it with that,” I murmured as I set my coffee down beside hers and stepped closer.
She let me inspect her hand. “It’s fine, just a bit sore. I’ll take some ibuprofen.”
It was only when she looked up at me that I realized just how close we were standing. Maybe only a foot separated us. I wanted to kiss her, so damn badly. My entire body was humming with awareness.
Her dark chocolate eyes searched mine. The little hitch of her breath in her throat was like a whip cracking through the air. It felt as if time was suspended. I forgot to be wary, the way I typically was. There were so many people prying into my life by virtue of who I was. I rarely, if ever, let my guard down. The strange thing about Addie was she kicked down my walls without much effort.
Lowering my head slowly, I gave her the chance to step away, to bring this crazy spell of lust, fierce desire, and plain insanity on my part to an end.
She didn’t. She traced her fingertips along the edge of my jaw. Her light touch was like a tire burning on pavement, scorching over my skin. The mark felt indelible.
“I’m going to kiss you now,” I murmured, my voice gravelly.
Addie—because she was bold and sassy—smiled slightly. “Please do.”
I brushed my lips across hers, and sparks flashed. Another brush, and then our mouths melted together the moment she arched into me with a soft sigh. Our tongues tangled. What started as a sensual tease exploded as I stepped closer and slid my hand down her spine, finally palming her ass just as I had wanted to do ever since last night. She might’ve been on her hands and knees trying to break into my basement, but the view of her ass was stamped on my brain.
Addie kissed like a dream. She threw her arms around my shoulders and murmured something before her tongue swiped against mine again. I felt as if I was tumbling into a fire, and I didn’t even care if I got burned. Not with Addie warm and soft against me, kissing me as if it were the very thing she’d been meant to do for her entire life.
A muted bark punctured the lust hazing my mind. Another one came, and I recalled Barnable was waiting in the office. It took every ounce of my discipline and sanity to gentle our kiss and draw away. Addie’s eyes fluttered open. “Why’d you stop?”
“I believe Barnable is trying to get our attention.”
“Oh!” she squeaked, frantically bouncing out of my arms. I let go with reluctance, and closed my eyes as I leaned my hands on the counter while she hurried down the hall, the heels of her cowboy boots echoing with each step.
My cock was so hard it ached. I needed to get a grip. A moment later, after several deep breaths, I thought I had myself under control. I turned when I heard Addie returning to the kitchen and the sound of Barnable’s claws on the hardwood floor.
At the sight of Addie with her lips puffy from our kiss and her hair tousled around her shoulders, every cell in my body vibrated to the tune of her. I knelt down to greet Barnable because I needed the distraction.
“Hey buddy, how was the office?” I asked as I ran a hand over his back. He made a snorting sound and circled my legs excitedly.
I looked up when Addie reached for her coffee to take a sip. Straightening, I lifted my cup and drained it quickly. Setting it down, I met Addie’s curious gaze.
“I’d like to take you to dinner,” I said, surprising myself. I wasn’t surprised that I wanted to take her to dinner. Rather, I was surprised I said it aloud.
Addie regarded me across the rim of her coffee cup. “Really?”
“I wouldn’t have asked if I didn’t want to take you out to dinner.”
She wrinkled her nose and set her coffee cup down. “That was a hell of a kiss, but I’m not so sure. S—”
“That’s not the first time you started to call me something that starts with “s.” Did you forget my name that quickly?”
Addie bit her bottom lip, sending a fresh jolt of need through me. Her cheeks flushed a little. “When I first met you last night—”
“When I caught you breaking into my basement?” I couldn’t help but tease.
Addie threw up her middle fingers and then took another sip of her coffee. “Yes, when you caught me breaking into your basement for an excellent reason. Anyway, I named you Sexy Suit in my head.”
I burst out laughing. When I stopped, I shook my head slowly. “I can’t say anyone’s ever called me that.”
“Oh, I’m sure some people have in their head. Don’t play dumb, you know you’re sexy and handsome. It’s obvious you’re wealthy. I’m sure you have your pick of women. Now that I know you, I know you might be more than just a suit. You did help me with my refrigerator. You were very gracious about not calling the police on me last night, and you even personally arranged for your doctor friend to take care of me.”
“With that list, what’s the hesitation on going out to dinner with me?”
I couldn’t even believe I’d asked her that. I wasn’t used to chasing anyone. I felt knocked off balance.
Addie’s dark eyes held mine for a beat. “You’re quite right. I’ll be happy to go to dinner with you.”
As if he agreed, Barnable trotted over and nudged me in the knees. Leaning down, I scratched behind his ears before straightening again.
/> “Where and when?” Addie asked.
“If you can believe it, I’ll need to check my work schedule. How about you give me your number, and I’ll call?”
“I can definitely believe you have to check your work schedule,” Addie said with a roll of her eyes.
“Now why would you say that?”
“Because you wear suits like most people wear pajamas. You look totally comfortable, so I’m guessing you spend a lot of time in them.”
She handed over her phone after lifting it off the counter and tapping the screen open. “Just put your number in there and text yourself.”
I marveled at how trusting she was and did exactly that. A little zing of electricity zipped up my arm when our fingers brushed as I returned her phone.
My phone vibrated for probably the thousandth time today. “Clearly, you need to answer whoever’s been texting you all afternoon. I do appreciate your help, but I’ve noticed your phone buzzes a lot.”
Addie took a few steps and leaned up to press a kiss on my cheek. It was a subtle, brief touch, yet it felt as if that one little spot sent sparks scattering through my entire body.
Chapter Seven
Ryan
“Oh no, Ryan wasn’t talking late night numbers. He called me over to stitch up the woman who broke into his house,” Daniel said with a chuckle before lifting his tumbler of scotch and taking a long swallow.
I glanced to my side, casting him the glare. “You make it sound ridiculous. I was just trying to be helpful.”
Graham Morgan glanced between us. “I’m sorry, I don’t even understand the situation. I’ve never known you to call anyone late at night unless it’s got something to do with business.”
Graham was an old friend. We knew each other from high school. Although we hadn’t seen each other much for a few years, we’d gotten close again after my brother passed away. We understood each other well, if only because we both had reasons not to trust others. His ex and former best friend fucked him over, while I had my own baggage from childhood.
He founded Morgan Financial Holdings and had been just as much of a workaholic as me until he fell flat on his face in love and got married. Occasionally, we met for lunch, and I had him manage my investment portfolio. This evening, we met by chance as I was finishing up a business meeting. Graham happened to be here with his beloved wife, Soraya. She waved him off after dinner and told him to stop and have a drink when Daniel paused to chat as well.
“What exactly happened?” Graham pressed, a sly gleam in his eyes.
I took a swallow of scotch. “Well, it is kind of odd. A woman’s dog got into my basement through my neighbor’s broken basement door. You know how those old basements are. They’re all connected under the buildings. Addie heard her dog barking, and I found her trying to get through the window under my stairs.”
Graham cocked his head to the side. “Right in front on the sidewalk?” At my nod, he continued. “You didn’t call the police?”
I looked toward Daniel. “You met her. Do you think Addie was out to break in my house, or to get her dog?”
“Definitely to get her dog. There’s not a criminal bone in her body,” Daniel said firmly.
Graham threw his head back with a laugh. “That’s a more interesting meeting than I’ve heard lately. Almost as good as Soraya stealing my phone.”
“Wait, Soraya stole your phone?” I asked.
Graham shrugged. “Sort of. I left it on the subway, and she picked it up. That’s how we eventually met. I suppose I forgot to tell you that part about how we met. Perhaps your meeting with this woman will prove to be just as fortuitous.”
My mind flashed to the feel of Addie’s lips under mine during our unexpected kiss the other night.
I shrugged. Although I was irrational enough about Addie that I almost wanted to believe Graham, my well-formed cynicism won for the moment. “Dude, you think everyone’s about to fall in love.”
Unabashed, Graham shrugged just as there was a vibrating sound.
Daniel patted his suit pocket and slipped his phone out. “Oh, Lynn forgot her keys,” he explained, referring to his wife. “I need to go so she can get in the house.” He stood from the table. “Always good to see you two. You know where to find me if you want to grab some lunch soon.” He began to turn away but looked back at me. “I think you like Addie.” With a wink, he strode away quickly.
Graham drained the last of his scotch, his eyes sliding sideways to mine. “Daniel’s right. You like her.”
“So what if I do?” I countered.
Graham regarded me for a long moment, his gaze assessing. “I hope you do. Considering that you’ve always said love wasn’t worth it.”
“Oh, for fuck’s sake. Don’t get all romantic on me.” I wasn’t quite sure why I was protesting, but this entire conversation was striking a sore spot.
He shook his head slowly. “You’ve hardly even made new friends. Not since your brother died.”
I rolled my eyes. “You’re one to talk.”
Graham nodded. “Yup. I get why you’d say that. I’m just saying it’s worth letting someone in if it’s the right person. Might be good for you.” With that, he stood. “Call me soon, okay? Do feel free to let me know the next time a woman tries to break into your house to retrieve her dog,” he added with a sly grin.
Hazel stared back at me, her steely gaze holding mine without hesitation. “Stop being an asshole,” she said flatly.
Aside from a few close friends, Hazel was probably the only person in my world who had the nerve to call me out like this. She had worked for my father for years and had known me since I was a boy. I couldn’t imagine running my company without her and was glad she was completely healthy. She was my executive assistant in title, but I paid her far more than the position required because she did so much more.
Reed thin with dark hair flecked with silver and sharp blue eyes, she knew everything about our business and didn’t hesitate to keep me on track.
“How am I being an asshole? Do tell.”
I leaned my hips against the wall behind me in her office, where I stood beside the door.
“Your uncle was simply calling to check in and see how you were doing. That’s it. You don’t need to take out your bottled-up anger at your father on your uncle. He wasn’t even on speaking terms with your father for the last ten years of his life.”
I rested my head against the wall, taking a deep breath before letting it out. “Fine. I suppose you have a point.”
Hazel twisted her mouth to the side and drummed her fingertips on the desk. “Your father was an asshole. You’re not, so I hate to see you acting like one.”
“I’ll call my uncle back later this afternoon. First, I need a cup of coffee.”
“Shall I get that for you?”
“Thank you, but no. I could use the fresh air,” I replied as I pushed away from the wall and opened the door. “I’ll be back within a half-hour.”
I had a favorite coffee stand a few blocks away and did occasionally leave the office to get some fresh air and coffee. Considering that my work schedule was basically my entire life, these breaks were one of the few luxuries I gave myself.
As I was leaving the building and walking through the massive lower entrance, I caught sight of a pair of familiar boots. Lifting my gaze, I saw Addie striding quickly through the mass of people in the entrance area.
My gaze locked on and tracked her. Today, she wore a pair of jeans that hugged her full hips. She had on her fluffy white down coat. Her long loose curls tumbled about her shoulders. She pushed through the doorway into a law office, one of the few businesses on the lower floor here.
My curiosity zoomed to a peak, and I had to physically resist the urge to follow her into that office. I decided to grab my coffee and come back and wait. I wasn’t so far gone that I was going to storm in there after her.
A few short minutes later, during which I almost ran to the coffee stand and back, I leaned against the wa
ll across from the law offices. With a view through the all glass wall, I had a clear line of sight into the reception area. With the amount of foot traffic to pass through this building, I could easily blend into my surroundings. Unless someone recognized me, at a glance, I was just another businessman in a suit.
Moments later, I was rewarded for my patience as I saw Addie step into the reception area from a doorway off to the side. Even from a distance, I could tell she was agitated. She stalked toward the reception desk.
I didn’t know what the hell was going on, but Addie was clearly upset. That wasn’t okay. Not with me. My feet were moving in the direction of the office before I even realized where I was going. Swinging the glass door open, Addie’s voice reached me instantly.
“What the hell? Do y’all think I’m some kind of country bumpkin? You cannot bully me into selling.”
Chapter Eight
Addie
The haughty receptionist stared at me from behind the desk, her narrow square glasses resting on her skinny nose. “Excuse me?”
“You heard me. I would like to sever my relationship with this law firm, effective immediately. Just hand over whatever paperwork I need to fill out to make sure that happens right this second,” I said.
The woman’s eyes widened slightly. “Ma’am, did you discuss this with Mr. Huntington?”
“Oh, now you’re going to tell me we have to talk to you about it. No, I didn’t, I just stormed out of his office, in case you didn’t notice.”
I felt Ryan’s presence before I saw him. He stopped beside me, his hand sliding down my back and coming to rest at the dip in my waist. I was already flustered and furious. While his presence took the edge off in one way, it amped up my nerves in another way.
“Is everything okay?” he asked, his tone low.
When I glanced up at him and met his eyes, a little jolt of electricity zapped my system. His gaze was concerned. Of course, my body’s instantaneous reaction to him only flustered me further. My belly spun in flutters, and I swallowed as goosebumps broke out over my skin. I felt hot and cold all over.
