“It occurred to me that I had not congratulated you on your promotion.” Was she buying it?
“Thank you, Mr. Walsh.” She pulled away from me. “But it was not necessary. We hardly know each other.” She turned to leave, and I stepped up close behind her.
“I think we know each other very well. You did say if I ever passed through again…” I left the statement hanging in the air.
“Yes, if you were passing through, which you are not.” She turned and faced me. “Last night was nice, but it won't happen again. You’re the owner’s son.”
There was that reflex twitch that I hoped she hadn't noticed. The look she gave told me otherwise. I was not ready to answer for that twitch. I was not ready to admit I wasn’t comfortable being called Richard Van de Graaf Sr’s son.
“Aaron, why do you go by the last name of Walsh, not Van de Graaf?”
Should I tell her to mind her own business? I wanted to get to know her better, but it should be a two-way street. Was I ready for that? Was my lust for my little kitten going to send me down a road I never wanted to go?
Chapter 12
Katie
“Last night was nice, but it won’t happen again. You’re the owner’s son.” I could not make it any clearer. It was then that I noticed he had a twitch, the same twitch Braden would get when I mentioned my boss.
“Aaron, why do you go by the last name Walsh, not Van de Graaf?” Why had I not thought to ask about that earlier? A brother no one has heard of. A brother with a different last name. I hoped I had not overstepped. There are boundaries, and I may just have crossed one.
“You’re right, Miss Steele, we don’t know each other very well. Have a good day.”
Yup, I had crossed a line. Well, at least I wouldn’t have to worry about my wolf in sheep's clothing showing up unexpectedly—not unless he was willing to explain who he was and why he was really there. I assumed he was there to help his family—a family he didn't seem to know much about. Good thing I was working at The Upstairs. Aaron Walsh was becoming more and more complicated, and I did not do complicated.
Before I left, I looked back and saw Aaron at his desk working on his computer.
“Katie, I hear congratulations are in order.” I turned to acknowledge the bubbly receptionist.
“Thank you, Sindy.” I started to leave and then stopped. “Sindy, when did Richard’s office get such a makeover? I don't remember it being so open.”
“It’s very recent. I guess it was Richard’s way of telling the interns there would be no more sex in his office.” Sindy laughed. “I like this better,” she pointed to Aaron. “Quite the view, isn't it?”
I knew I had no right to be jealous, but the stab of pain in my chest when Sindy lusted over Aaron told me otherwise. He was a one-night stand. A fabulous, one of a kind one-night stand.
“Have a nice day, Sindy.” I left knowing that unlike Richard—known for entertaining the interns in his office, at least until he met Mackenzie—Aaron would be doing no such thing.
Was that why Mackenzie treated me like a sister. Beside having a lot in common, I was never one of those interns? There was no reason to be embarrassed around Mackenzie. I hadn’t had sex with her boyfriend.
But, I did sleep with his brother.
I left the main office and headed to The Upstairs. I had a secret to keep until Thanksgiving. Thank God, I didn’t have to wait long.
Thanksgiving was less than a week away.
On Thanksgiving morning, I whipped up a batch of pumpkin cheesecake tarts and took them to Uncle Andy’s. He and Anne opened the bar on Thanksgiving and served dinner to the less fortunate. I might not be able to help with the holiday tradition, but I still wanted to contribute.
Probably because of my desire to delay the inevitable interaction with Aaron at dinner, I ended up sticking around for a while to help in the kitchen. Finally, Anne became insistent that I go home and get ready for my dinner with the Van de Graafs.
“They're normal people like us, Anne. They don't expect me to come dressed to the nines. That’s not what this is about,” I defended.
“Well, you just make sure you say hello to that handsome boss of yours for me,” she giggled.
“First of all, he’s not my boss. He is the owner's son, however. And second, you're a married woman.”
“I never said I was happily married.” She nudged me and winked at her husband. “Well, if you're not going to give handsome a wet juicy one for me, then at least give him one from you. Now get out of here,” she said with a laugh.
If Anne only knew how bad I wanted to do what she’d suggested. Why couldn't he be passing through? It’s not fair, I lamented to myself. In hindsight, I wished I’d stayed in bed with him that morning.
I put on my sweater dress. I was pleased it fit reasonably well considering the weight I had gained. My tights were too constricting, so I settled for leg warmers underneath.
I was relieved to find I wasn’t the first one to arrive. I made extra tarts to take with me, and Mackenzie happily took them to the kitchen. If they didn't get eaten tonight, Richard could take them to work for the interns to enjoy. They had loved my cheesecake, and since I was now at The Upstairs, I wouldn’t have the opportunity to bake for them for a while.
I was also avoiding the main office—avoiding Aaron, but I wasn't going to be able to avoid him today. Of course, I could keep myself occupied with Hayley's son, Peyton, and Leona’s niece, Mimi.
Mr. Wolf in Sheep's Clothing was unlikely to be crawling on all fours collecting building blocks or sitting among the coloring books and crayons.
I had no nieces or nephews, but I loved kids and was happy to spend some time with them today. I mingled with the adults as well, trying not to reveal a secret that wasn't mine to tell. Mackenzie had known that telling me how important it was for me to be there was the only way to convince me to come.
It wasn't Mackenzie's fault that I was avoiding Aaron. Short of explaining why I didn't want to be there, I had no choice but to accept the invitation. It looked like he was going to be a no show anyway. Everyone had arrived except for him.
Just when I was comfortable in thinking he wasn’t coming, I recognized the roar of his bike pulling into the driveway. I took a deep breath. I could do this. I could pretend I didn't want to rip his clothes off and run my hands all over his tight toned body.
The sound of the doorbell made my stomach churn in anticipation. I missed him. I was anxious to see him. But I would sit quietly and color with the kids and remind myself why the feelings I was having were a very, very bad idea.
“Aaron,” Richard greeted, “you didn't need to bring anything.” I stayed out of sight, but I listened to Richard greeting his brother warmly in the cavernous foyer of the house.
“It’s just sparkling wine, non-alcoholic.” He’d remembered I didn't drink alcohol.
“With Haley being pregnant.” Never mind. He’d brought the wine for Haley. “And I wasn't sure if Miss Steele was of legal age to drink.” Low blow, Aaron.
“Either way, it was very thoughtful of you,” Richard answered.
No, it was not very thoughtful of him. I wanted to scream. He knew I was twenty-two, and despite what he claimed, I was sure he had brought the wine for me. He just couldn't help himself. He made sure I heard every bit of that conversation.
I was content to stay sitting with the kids, filling in the flowers in a coloring book with hot pink crayon. It kept me calm and kept my temper in check—that was until his low seductive drawl came my way. My sweater dress would come in handy today. I wouldn’t have to deal with the uncomfortable wetness in a tight pair of pants.
“Hello, Miss Steele.” Don't make eye contact. My eyes involuntarily flickered up to meet his. Shit, I made eye contact. Those predatory amber eyes were laughing at me— laughing at me for being unable to control my betraying body. Could he tell? Was he enjoying my discomfort?
Aaron took a seat at the table across from the kids. He held out his han
d and introduced himself, “Hello, I’m Aaron. Who might you two lovely people be?” He didn't baby talk; he didn't dumb it down. He reached for a crayon and a sheet of paper and began coloring with them. Traitorous munchkins—he had them eating out the palm of his hand.
I excused myself and headed for the bathroom. I wanted to check that the tears I was trying to hide were still at bay. When I saw Aaron with the kids, I knew he would make a wonderful father. That sealed the deal. I understood all too well that nothing was ever going to happen between Aaron and I.
Men like Aaron would be expected to produce an heir. I loved kids and would like to be a mother one day—on my timeline, on my terms. I had my career, and I was only twenty-two. I had plenty of time to think about kids, but Aaron was twenty-nine. It would be on his mind.
Did men have biological clocks?
I was relieved when dinner was called. That was until I followed Mackenzie’s slim pointing finger as she gestured to where I was to sit. How was I to object to being seated next to Aaron without setting off alarms or unwanted attention? Having no other option, I took my place and politely joined in on the conversation.
Aaron opened the bottle of sparkling wine. “Would you like me to pour you a glass, Haley?” He knew how to put on the charm when it suited him.
“That would be nice. Thank you, Aaron,” Haley answered, appreciative of the gesture—a gesture no doubt meant to annoy me, I was sure of it.
“And you, Miss Steele?” His eyes sparkled and a smile played at his lips. He was being coy.
“No, thank you, Aaron, and I believe we know each other well enough for you to call me Katie.” He wanted to play, I would play.
“Are you sure you won’t have any… Katie?” He deliberately drew out each syllable of my name, making me think for a few tense seconds that he was going to call me ‘kitten.’
“The sales clerk said it has a sweet undertone of honey.” His voice was husky and smooth. He was shamelessly flirting. I hoped he didn’t give away the true meaning of his description of the wine—that was meant solely for me.
“Is that so? Hmm… I’m not much for sticky and sweet. I’ll pass, thank you.” I quickly scanned the table, hoping the quiet sparring between Aaron and myself appeared to be nothing more than polite conversation.
I straightened my posture and continued to ignore his presence, knowing it would irritate him.
The conversation centered mostly around work and construction on the bed and breakfast due to open next summer. I let myself relax, which proved to be a mistake. He was biding his time, waiting for me to let down my guard.
“You're slouching, kitten,” he whispered as he brushed his leg against my outer thigh and leaned over. “Do you need someone to put—”
I pulled my chair forward and slightly to the side, pinching the leg that had been teasingly brushing my outer thigh, cutting him off in mid sentence. Aaron straightened and brought his leg around to the front of his chair.
I silently smirked. That shut him up. He had not just called me kitten. I must have let my overactive imagination take over. He would not have been that brazen.
I had put him in his place, and I was free to concentrate on the conversations taking place at dinner—free to wait for Richard and Mackenzie's big secret to be revealed.
As I chatted across the table with Haley, I felt Aaron place his hand on my thigh and slide it upward. He was apparently not finished taunting me. I was not going to let him do what I was imagining. Not here, at the table during family dinner with his family. Then again, if Mr. Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing wanted to play, I was going to play.
I opened my legs and slid myself forward, given him better access. Calling his bluff.
He wouldn't dare finger me under his brother's table at Thanksgiving dinner.
He wouldn't dare.
Chapter 13
Aaron
Mackenzie had said to dress comfortably, and for me that meant worn out jeans, a T-shirt, leather jacket, and biker boots. If Richard Sr disapproved, he didn't show it when I arrived.
I had brought some sparkling wine. It was the only thing I could think to bring. I didn’t know anyone well enough to know what kind of wine to buy, nor did I know enough about wine to make a foolproof selection. The sparkling wine I knew Katie, and possibly Haley, would enjoy.
Where was my little kitten hiding? I would have to politely make the rounds and then track her down and corner her. She had been avoiding me, I knew, but here she had no place to hide. I found her sitting at the small table Mackenzie had set up for the kids to play. She was surrounded by a rainbow of crayons, coloring with the kids.
I went over, took a seat, and introduced myself to the children. So, the kids were Haley’s son and Leona’s niece. Cute kids, I thought. I liked kids. I wondered if Katie wanted children, and whether that was a deal breaker for her. She certainly looked comfortable interacting with them. I had seen women around children who thought of them as parasites that should be hustled off with the nanny. Katie was enjoying their stories and enthusiasm.
There was something sad about the way she watched them, though, and the way she was watching me with them.
I found myself in the most fortunate position of being seated next to Katie at dinner. If she minded, she didn't let it show. I peeked at her legs as she took her seat and her dress lifted slightly. Leg warmers, not tights… This was an interesting turn of events.
I opened the sparkling wine. “Would you like me to pour you a glass, Haley?” I put on the charm. That would make my little kitten take notice.
“That would be nice. Thank you, Aaron.” At least someone appreciated my gesture.
“And you, Miss Steele?” How could she refuse when I asked so nicely?
“No, thank you, Aaron, and I believe we know each other well enough for you to call me Katie.”
“Are you sure you won’t have any… Katie? The sales clerk said it has a sweet undertone of honey.” That was the reason I’d purchased it. I had wanted to remind her of how good we had been together. I wanted to call her kitten—it was on the tip of my tongue.
“Is that so? Hmm… I’m not much for sticky and sweet. I’ll pass, thank you.” Her cool tone and calm demeanor irritated the hell out of me.
According to Sindy, before he met Mackenzie, Richard had been a whore—sleeping his way through the interns and half the seaside towns. Of course, as Katie had pointed out, I was the owner's son. I should be able to sleep with whomever I pleased, employee or not. I wanted to sleep with her.
She seemed to fit in with my family better than I did. Her conversations were natural. She did not have to pretend to want to be there. She looked comfortable, at ease.
“You're slouching, kitten,” I whispered and rubbed my leg against hers. “Do you need someone to put—” She jerked her chair closer to the table, making sure my leg was wedged between the chairs, pinching me between them.
I hadn’t called her kitten deliberately; it slipped naturally off my tongue.
She was a quick learner. She knew I was going to ask if she needed help putting that stick back up her ass. I knew what stick I wanted to help her with. She had a lot to learn, but that was a lesson for much further down the road.
She left me hanging, her eyes shifting across the table, ignoring me. I was going to see to it that she paid attention to me—only me. There was something I could teach her today.
I placed my hand on her thigh and glided it upward, contacting the seam of her underwear. She shifted in her chair, and I couldn’t help but smile. She was encouraging me, opening her legs and leaning slightly forward making it easier for me to gain access.
Well, well. My kitten wanted to play.
I pushed her underwear to the side and dipped a finger inside, playing with her folds. She was wet, responding to me instinctively. She did want me, no matter how hard she tried to deny it. Her body was giving her away. I was focusing on her face, watching as she listened intently to Richard talk about the opening of th
e bed and breakfast.
A moment later, Richard placed a ring box on the table and announced his engagement to Mackenzie. I took the opportunity to plunge my fingers into Katie’s warmth, causing her to gasp loudly.
Mackenzie noted Katie’s wide eyes and parted lips. “It is beautiful, isn't it?” she gushed.
That was what I was hoping for. Everyone believed her response was to the ring and not to the man sitting beside her—the man who was going to make her pay attention now.
I began to slowly thrust my fingers in and out, but I had to be careful. I was fucking her under my brother’s table at Thanksgiving dinner—a table full of guests. As I continued my teasing, I kept my eyes on her face. She continued eating as if nothing was going on.
So, that’s how you want to play it, huh?
I proceeded to swirl my thumb in a circular rotation around her clit. Her face flushed slightly. It was a good thing no one was directly addressing her. She wouldn’t have heard a word or been able to answer. Lucky for me, everyone was intrigued with Richard and Mackenzie’s wedding plans.
I jerked my head up in surprise. Had Richard just asked me to be the best man? Shouldn't that honor go to Aleksander, his best friend? I lost my focus on Katie just long enough to accept Richard’s offer.
My brother was taking this family thing seriously.
I was happy when the attention returned to Richard and Mackenzie and I could continue to concentrate on making my little kitten purr. How long would she be able to keep her composure, I wondered.
I was taking my time with Katie. My only mission was to make her understand that she was not going to be able to resist me much longer. It was not my intention to embarrass her, but as her breathing became heavier and more shallow, it excited me, and I pushed too hard, too fast. I was becoming aroused by her willingness to let me pleasure her.
Bastard Heir (The Heirs Book 3) Page 8
