I Have Lived And I Have Loved: A Charity Romance Collection

by Willow Winters

Jacob didn’t back down one bit. He barked an order to the security team waiting nearby. “You, there!” he shouted, pointing at the closest guard. “Go into the elevator and get Ms. Bennett’s purse and cell phone from the box on the floor. Bring them here. Then take the rest of the items on the floor back upstairs and lock them all in my office on forty-five.”

  “Yes, sir,” the guard answered, speeding off to the elevator to do what he’d been asked to do.

  Jacob wasn’t done. Pointing at another guard standing behind the computer bank, he called out, motioning for the guard to join them. When he had, Jacob barked his next order. “Effective immediately, I want you to turn off building and computer server access for both Peter Blankenship and Jack Leahy. Tomorrow morning, we will begin a full forensic audit of the RAH books and we’ll get to the bottom of exactly what is and isn’t happening around here. Until then, Peter and Jack are on a paid leave of absence, which is considerably more generous than how they treated Ms. Bennett by throwing her out without even the most basic investigation.”

  “You can’t do this. Tell him, James. I’m the CFO!”

  Lanie wanted to shout with joy watching the asshole who’d treated her so badly be put into his place. Even if Mr. Rossi didn’t believe her, Jacob did, and that was all that mattered to Lanie.

  The group stood, awkwardly waiting until James Rossi weighed in. “You heard my son. Do as he instructed,” he told the guard.

  For the first time since his arrival, the elder Rossi turned her direction. Taking a step closer, he extended his hand. “I take it you’re the little lady that started all this hubbub.” As soon as Lanie shook his hand, he smiled, adding, “James Rossi.”

  “Alaina Bennett, sir. And I’m pretty sure the earthquake had a bit to do with how we all got here at one in the morning.”

  “Indeed. Well, it’s nice to meet you, Alaina Bennett. I was planning on stealing my son to help put his mother’s worries about his safety to rest, but I’m pretty sure she’ll understand if I tell her he was too busy safely escorting a beautiful young woman home, instead.”

  “Thank you, sir. I appreciate it, but your son has been promising me a steak dinner for hours now. Since I’m not sure we’ll be able to find a steak place open, I’m gonna talk him into taking me for a burger instead.”

  Both Rossi men broke into laughter as Lanie accepted her purse and cell phone from the waiting security guard.

  Jacob reached out his hand to her. “You ready?”

  With a little wave at James Rossi, she took Jacob’s hand, letting him lead her towards the garage. Only when they were far enough away that his father wouldn’t hear him, Jacob put his arm around her, pulling her close.

  “Consider yourself warned. I’m definitely picking up food for us, but we’re taking it to go. I can’t wait to get you behind closed doors with me again.”

  The End

  Thank you for reading! 100% of the profits from this anthology will be given to the Live A Thousand Lives charity.

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  About the Author

  USA Today Bestselling Author Livia Grant lives in Chicago with her husband and furry rescue dog named Max. She is fortunate to have been able to travel extensively and as much as she loves to visit places around the globe, the Midwest and its changing seasons will always be home. Livia's readers appreciate her riveting stories filled with deep, character driven plots, often spiced with elements of BDSM.

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  Connect with Livia!

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  Also by Livia Grant

  Black Light Series

  Infamous Love, A Black Light Prequel

  Black Light: Rocked

  Black Light: Valentine Roulette

  Black Light: Rescued

  Black Light: Roulette Redux

  Complicated Love

  Black Light: Celebrity Roulette

  Black Light: Purged

  Black Light: Scandalized

  Black Light: Roulette War

  Black Light: The Beginning

  Black Light: Roulette Rematch - coming February, 2021

  Black Light: Rolled - coming 2021

  * * *

  Punishment Pit Series

  Wanting it All

  Securing it All

  Having it All

  Balancing it All

  Defending it All

  Protecting it All

  Expecting it All

  Celebrating it All – Coming 2021

  Deceiving it All - Coming 2021

  * * *

  Stand Alone Books

  Blessed Betrayal

  Royalty, American Style

  Alpha’s Capture (as Livia Bourne)

  Blinding Salvation (as Livia Bourne)

  Out of Print Books

  Psychology of Submission, Corbin’s Bend Series

  Life’s Unexpected Gifts, Corbin’s Bend Series

  Melting Silver, Red Petticoat Series

  Call Sign Thunder

  Bite Me – Vampire Anthology

  Just Breathe – Anthology

  Royally Mine – Anthology

  Heroes to Obey – Anthology

  A Lovely Meal – RWA Anthology

  Inevitable

  By: Jenna Hartley

  Chapter 1

  Sumner

  “This can’t happen again.” His deep voice rumbled through his chest and into my ear.

  I lifted my head, my dark tresses falling over my face like the wings of a raven. “Be serious, Jonathan.”

  “I am serious, Sumner.” He shook his head, rolling away from me and swinging his legs over the side of the bed. “This shouldn’t have happened at all.” He cradled his head in his hands.

  “But it did.” I crawled across the bed on my knees. The plush hotel room smelled of sex and desire, the rumpled sheets undeniable proof of what we’d done. “It happened, and we both know we want it to continue happening.”

  I trailed my fingernail along his shoulder, studying the way his muscles bunched beneath the skin. His body was…incredible. And even though I’d now licked and kissed every inch of him, I wanted more. One night wasn’t enough.

  Hell, it had taken us months to get to this point. Months of accidental brushes in the elevator and heated gazes across the conference room. Months of pent-up tension begging to break free. But that wasn’t even the worst of it, because the truth was, I’d been waiting years for this man to notice me.

  Jonathan Wolfe, I sighed, admiring the hard planes of his back. My father’s best friend—and my boss for the summer.

  To everyone else, he was Wolfe. A successful businessman. A perfectionist. Demanding and shrewd. But to me, he’d always just been Jonathan. Beneath the cool façade was a man of warmth and kindness, a man who had always looked out for me. When I was an awkward teen, he’d always seemed so out of reach. He still did, if I were being honest.

  Which was part of the reason I still couldn’t believ
e he was lying in my bed. After a night I’d fantasized about countless times. The reality had been even better than I’d imagined. His beard scratching the delicate skin of my thighs. His hands canvassing my body. His lips…

  He stood, and I grabbed his hand, my lower lip jutting out. “Where are you going?”

  We still had a few hours until our first meeting, and I didn’t want to waste a moment. I wanted to make love and eat room service. Shower together. Just enjoy this freedom away from Los Angeles. Away from the office. Away from my father.

  He slid out of my grasp, evading my gaze as he grabbed his suit pants from the floor. “I’m returning to my room to get ready.” He pulled them up, buttoning the top before yanking his shirt from the dresser, his movements aggressive, angry. “I suggest you do the same. I’ll see you in the lobby at nine.”

  He’s serious. I frowned. I was still coming down from the euphoria of my latest orgasm, and he was ruining it. He was ruining everything.

  “What about the rest of the trip?” I’d wanted this—him—for so long. I couldn’t let the opportunity pass us by. We were going to be in New York for another week. Did he really intend to ignore this thing between us and pretend it had never happened?

  “Sumner. I—” He pinched the bridge of his nose, closing his eyes briefly. “You’re my best friend’s daughter. My fucking intern. Not to mention, you’re twenty years younger than me.”

  Twenty-three years younger. But I wasn’t going to remind him of that. Besides, what difference did it really make?

  I lifted a shoulder, enjoying the way his eyes flickered to my breasts. “So?”

  “So…you have to understand why this can’t happen again.”

  Age didn’t matter—at least not to me. I wouldn’t be an intern at his company much longer. The summer was nearly over, and then I’d start grad school. As to his final objection, I couldn’t change who my father was, but it wasn’t like he needed to know.

  I climbed off the bed, gratified by the way Jonathan scanned me hungrily. He might claim we were done, but his body said otherwise. I closed the distance between us, grabbing his tie from the armchair and looping it around his neck.

  He clenched his jaw so hard, I thought he might crack a molar. “Sumner.”

  “Jonathan.” I arched my brow, pulling him closer. “If all we have is this week, then we should make the most of it.”

  He squeezed his eyes shut, inhaling a deep, shaky breath. “We—”

  “Can,” I said, already anticipating his protest. “We can, and we should. Now—” I leaned up on my toes, pressing my lips to his jaw. “I’m going to shower.” I spun and sauntered toward the bathroom, adding a little extra sway to my naked hips. It was an open invitation, and I hoped he’d take me up on it.

  I started the water and wondered if I’d pushed him too far, asked for too much. We’d been buzzed when we fell into bed together last night—on a high after closing another big deal, which was celebrated with drinks. Despite the alcohol coursing through our veins, we’d been sober enough to know what we were doing. But now in the harsh morning light, things were different—at least for him. And I hated the idea that he regretted it, regretted me.

  I reached out to steady myself. I could never regret our night together, even if he currently wanted to pretend it had never happened. I dropped my head to my chest, disappointment washing over me. I just couldn’t see this being the end of us. Not when we were only beginning.

  But then a pair of warm arms slipped around me, his scent invading my nose. I sighed, closing my eyes as I leaned into his touch. Much as he tried to deny it, he was just as desperate for me as I was for him.

  “I knew you couldn’t resist me,” I teased, smirking at him over my shoulder.

  He growled, pulling me closer. His hard-on sought me out through his slacks, the buttons of his shirt digging into my spine. I welcomed it, welcomed the bite of pain. Because I wanted to etch this week into my memory, tattoo it on my brain the way this man was imprinted on my heart.

  “When I’m done, you’ll be begging me to fuck you.” He whispered the dark promise into my ear, and I shivered.

  As steam billowed out of the shower, he ran his hand over my breasts, my hips, my thighs. I leaned my head back against his shoulder, my thoughts as clouded as the mirror. I wanted him. I’d wanted him for so long. But his touch was rough, as if he were angry with himself for wanting me.

  “Get in,” he rasped.

  He released me, and I stumbled forward, into the huge walk-in shower. It was tiled in marble with multiple shower heads—decadent and opulent just like my night with this man had been. But like the shower, Jonathan could be cold, hard.

  I pushed those thoughts away, stepping beneath the spray of water so it blanketed me with warmth. My body was on high alert, the droplets running down my skin nearly erotic. I watched as he undressed, soaking in every inch of him as if it were the last time. Because I knew it very well could be.

  He was… God, he was so handsome. In my mind, he’d always been the most handsome man I knew. Whether I’d realized it or not, I compared every guy to him. How could I not? Jonathan was intelligent, confident, successful. For a man who owned one of the biggest full-service commercial real estate firms in Los Angeles, he really was very down-to-earth.

  Prior to this summer and my internship at the Wolfe Group, I hadn’t seen him in five years. I’d graduated high school and moved across the country to attend MIT. I’d studied hard, partied hard—had my college fun. But he’d always been in the back of my mind, and I’d followed his career online and through the snippets my dad told me.

  Jonathan swept his hair away from his face, silver smattering the temples and throughout his beard. Did he even realize how crazy he made me? He was still fully dressed, and I was already on the verge of begging him to fuck me.

  I ran my hands down my chest, over my stomach, and he watched, Adam’s apple bobbing. He stripped out of his button-down shirt, his blue eyes hooded with desire. They mirrored my own. His pants were next, his cock bobbing toward his stomach. My mouth watered at the sight.

  No sooner had he stepped into the shower than he smashed his mouth to mine, his kiss insistent, demanding. I met him stroke for stroke, his beard scratching my skin. His body firm against mine as he crushed me to him. I couldn’t breathe unless he did. Couldn’t move unless he wanted me to. And I wouldn’t have wanted it any other way.

  He dipped his head to suck on my nipple, teasing my clit with his fingers. I reached out for him, taking him in my hand, stroking him. Water streamed down my face, and I tilted my head back and opened my mouth, letting it fall over my lips, my skin, his skin. It made it seem as if he were everywhere, and it certainly felt that way as he pushed me higher and higher. With every nip of his teeth, every swipe of his fingers, I was that much closer to coming.

  When he slid one finger inside me, then another, I gripped his shaft tighter, pumping him faster. Panting. Groaning. Punishing. When he met my eyes, his were dark with lust and anger. I craved it, wanted it all. And when he gripped the back of my neck, groaning my name before slamming his mouth against mine, I came. He followed a minute later, painting my stomach with his desire.

  After a day of meetings that seemed to stretch on endlessly, I climbed in the back of the town car. I glanced outside when someone called Jonathan’s name. Holy…mother. My mouth watered at the sight of him standing on the sidewalk, back upright. His silhouette outlined against the glass front of the Empire State Building. Was there anything sexier than a man in a well-tailored suit?

  He said something and waved, then removed his suit jacket, tossing it over his shoulder before joining me. We’d barely pulled away from the curb, and his attention was already glued to his phone screen as if his life depended on it. It had been like this most of the day—he did his best to stay busy, to put distance between us. I’d hoped things would be different once we were alone again, but it looked like I was wrong.

  I turned toward the windo
w, glancing at the passing scenery. Not a palm tree in sight. As far away from LA and my dad as we could get without leaving the country. And it still wasn’t enough. At least not for him. For me… Well. I pursed my lips, watching a street performer as we waited for a light to change. I hated the idea of hurting my dad. I’d never want to drive a wedge between him and Jonathan. They’d been friends since high school. Over the years, Jonathan had been an ever-present fixture in our family, more akin to my dad’s brother than a friend.

  “Are you hungry?” he asked, startling me from my thoughts.

  I lifted a shoulder. “I saw a street vendor near the hotel.”

  “Nonsense,” he said, lowering the divider so he could give directions to the driver before raising it again. “Besides, we have reservations at La Mer.”

  I studied his expression to determine his intent, but it was useless. I wanted him to do something, say something, anything to acknowledge what had happened between us. But he was silent the rest of the ride, and so was I.

  When we arrived at La Mer, Jonathan exited first, waiting for me to emerge. He placed his hand on my lower back, his touch sending sparks up my spine. When we walked into the restaurant, the host greeted us with a smile and then led us to a table in a secluded corner.

  Jonathan held out my chair. Once we were both seated, he leaned in and said, “Did you enjoy yourself today?”

  “I’m not sure enjoy is quite the word I’d use to describe it, though I did enjoy this morning.”

  “Sumner…”

  Not wanting to give him another opportunity to shut me down, I forced myself to adopt a more professional tone. “Thank you again for bringing me. I’m learning a lot.”

  He chuckled. When he rested his thigh against mine beneath the table, I wondered if it was intentional. “Yeah. The first few days are usually pretty tedious. But the rest of the week should be more enjoyable.”