Tucker’s eyes lit up. “I love that idea. What about kids? I know we’ve brushed over the subject a couple of times the last twelve hours.”
I took his hands in mine and kissed the back of each. “I want kids, but I also think it’s important to spend time with you. Just us. Maybe travel some and see some places we wouldn’t be able to see with a baby … or two. I don’t want to have a baby when I’m still at CMI because I’d love to be a stay-at-home mom.”
Tucker’s face lit up like Christmas morning. He reached for me and pulled me so I straddled him. My warmth pressed against his hardness.
“How many kids do you want?” I asked.
“Two? Maybe three. If we’re good at it. Well, I know we’d be good at the making babies thing, but you know what I mean.”
Laughing, I pressed my mouth to Tucker’s, and we were soon lost in one another. It didn’t take long before I was stripped bare and the man I loved moved slowly and gently inside me.
Tucker moved behind me, pulling me tight into his arms as we laid on the sofa in the most amazing after-sex glow.
“Son of a bitch!” Tucker cried out, causing me to open my eyes and see Mr. Pootie’s head buried inside of Tucker’s takeout container.
Smiling, I closed my eyes again and let my happiness settle around me.
Finally, everything was falling into place. Tucker and I were together and nothing would ever tear us apart.
If only I’d known in that moment how naïve my thinking had been.
“PULL!”
Nash pulled the trap thrower and two skeet shot up in the air. I aimed, fired, and hit them both.
“Damn, son! Have you missed one yet?” Nash called out with a laugh.
I smiled as I yelled for him to pull again. Another two went sailing, and I shot them both. One right after the other. Two shots.
“This is why I hate going dove hunting with him,” Blake said from behind me. Jim let out a laugh and said something to Blake I couldn’t hear.
“You know, you can win money with an aim like that. Oh, wait, you used to do that shit in high school,” Nash added while slapping me on the back. “Let’s get a beer.”
Putting the safety on my gun, I followed him to the back of my truck. Jim tossed me a beer, and I sat down in one of the camping chairs we had set up.
“So, the big announcement is tomorrow, huh?” Jim asked before tipping his beer back. Blake made some sort of grunting sound, and Nash gave me a stupid grin.
“Yes. The announcement is tomorrow. I don’t know why it has to be such a big deal,” I added with a sigh.
After Charlie had asked me to marry her, I had turned around and proposed a few weeks later when we were back up at the lake house. We’d been officially engaged for two weeks, and the PR people at CMI insisted Charlie make a formal announcement. After all, one of the richest women in the US was now off the market.
“Because you’re marrying Charleston Monroe. How much is she worth?” Jim asked.
I rolled my eyes. “I have no clue.”
Blake huffed. “Right.”
Tossing him a “go to hell” look, I replied, “I’m not with Charlie because of her money. I have my own money, thank you.”
Nash laughed. “Don’t be jealous, Blake. Charlie was never going to be into you. She has had the hots for Middleton here since college.”
Now it was Blake’s turn to roll his eyes.
Jim clapped his hands together. “Well, I know how much she’s worth, or at least the ballpark figure. Somewhere in the range of $2.4 billion. I believe her father was nine hundred and something on the Forbes list of richest Texans last year, so I imagine our sweet little college buddy will be right up there as well.”
“Jesus H. Christ. The two of you together will be a powerhouse. Dude, isn’t your dad’s communications company worth like $1.2 billion?”
I laughed. “Yeah, something like that.”
Nash shook his head. “Damn.”
“I’m not part of Dad’s business though,” I stated.
“You get a trust fund from it, dude, so don’t be crying poverty,” Blake added.
My eyes darted over to him. “I’m not. Never said I was. What’s your problem anyway?”
He held up his hands. “No problem. Just stating that the two of you are worth billions, that’s all.”
“Yeah well, we all know money doesn’t buy happiness, and Charlie and Tucker are two of the most modest people I’ve ever known,” Jim said.
I had no clue what in the hell Blake’s issue was. His daddy was from the oil and gas business, and we all knew he was worth more than probably both Charlie’s company and my father’s put together.
“Anyway, have y’all decided on when you’re getting married?” Jim asked. “Terri said Charlie hadn’t mentioned anything to her or Lily.”
Every time Lily’s name was mentioned, I couldn’t help but notice how Nash frowned. He’d talked to my sister a few weeks back, and I had no clue what went down between them, but every time she was around, Nash took off. Granted, Lily hadn’t been spending nearly the same amount of time with our group that she had in the past. Most of her days were filled with work and Mark. I knew my sister wasn’t very happy though. Something about her was different, and I couldn’t put my finger on it.
“I need to take a drive to check on one of the fences. You want to go with me?” I asked Nash. Jim and Blake were heading over to the skeet thrower, a bet already in place as to who could shoot the most in a row.
“Yeah, I’ll take a drive with you.”
I jumped into the truck and headed out over the pasture to the west side of the ranch. My family had owned this land for three generations. Five hundred acres just outside of Blanco, Texas. After Charlie took a ride with me out here, she opted for building a house on this land, rather than the land she’d bought in Marble Falls. We’d already met with Nash out here and picked the building site and went over the plans for the house. It meant a lot to both Charlie and me that Nash was the one building our home.
After a few minutes of driving in silence, I spoke.
“So, you ever going to tell me about what happened between you and my sister?”
From the corner of my eye, I saw Nash look at me. “You don’t know?”
I faced him, my brows pulled in. “No. Should I?”
He looked surprised but then turned and stared out the front window.
“I figured you would have known before I did.”
Now I was confused. “Why would I? Dude, I didn’t even know y’all were dating.”
“She’s pregnant. With Mark’s baby.”
Slamming on the brakes, I threw my truck into park and faced Nash. “She’s what? Are you sure it’s Mark’s baby? How far along is she? I thought y’all just broke up after Dad died.”
I threw him a million questions, but I was stunned. Why in the hell would my sister not tell me she was pregnant?
Nash’s forehead creased, and he wore a pained expression. I swore tears shone in his eyes.
Shit. What did you do, Lily?
“Lily cheated on me with Mark. She found out she was pregnant and she didn’t know how to tell me, so she broke up with me. Originally she told me she had feelings for Mark and that was why, but the other day she told me the truth. I guess they fucked in the bathroom at some work function and didn’t use a condom.”
My heart dropped to my stomach. “Was she … was she with you after that?”
He nodded. “Yeah. We’ve always used protection though, but it still hurt like a motherfucker when she told me.”
My hand rubbed over my mouth and chin. I had no idea what to say to him. I hated that he was hurting, and I hated it even more that it was my sister who was the one who hurt him.
“Fuck, Nash, man, I don’t know what to say.”
He shrugged. “I’m sorry it was me who told you. I figured Lily would have told y’all by now.”
The mood in the truck was even more somber. “I think my mothe
r knows. When I asked her about Mark, she told me it was Lily’s story to tell me. Why wouldn’t she tell me?”
“I don’t know. Maybe because we’re best friends. I know she worries still about hiding our relationship, and again, Tucker, I wanted to tell you. It killed me keeping it from you.”
Reaching over, I grabbed his shoulder and gave it a squeeze. “Don’t worry about it. We all do stupid shit when it comes to women. I want you to know I would have freaked out at first, but there’s no one else I would have wanted my sister with. You’re a damn good guy, Nash.”
He gave me a lopsided grin. “Thanks, but I’m not a rich guy.”
“Lily doesn’t care about that.”
“Maybe, but I lost her to a guy who is, and that’s a hard fucking pill to swallow.”
I couldn’t argue with him on that one. “I know this isn’t what you want to hear, but maybe this is for the best. Maybe Lily wasn’t the one.”
His entire body sagged and when he spoke, his voice cracked. “I wasn’t the one for her, but she was the one for me.”
Nash echoed the same words I had said more than seven years ago when Charlie broke my heart. I had a happy ending; I didn’t think my best friend was going to have the same. Not if my sister was carrying another guy’s child.
“Would you forgive her? For the cheating and all?”
Nash drew in a deep breath and pushed his hand through his dark hair before finally answering. “I could forgive her, but I don’t think I would ever trust her. There would always be some sort of doubt in the back of my mind, and I hate I’d feel that way. The only problem is, she didn’t ask me to forgive her, or even ask if I would be willing to take her back. A part of me would have, Tucker. I’d take her back, and I’d help her raise the baby because I love her. There’s something different about her though. I think she loves this guy, or at least loves being with him. Coming back to me wasn’t even an option.”
“Well, it might be because she’s trying to avoid a scandal in the company. Although, if she’s pregnant, I’m surprised they’re not engaged.”
“They are.”
Thud.
I didn’t think my heart could drop any harder. “What in the fuck? Since when?”
“I don’t know,” Nash replied. “She told me they were getting married within the next few weeks. Going off to some fancy island and having a private ceremony or some shit like that.”
“Damn, dude. I’m really sorry.”
A part of me wanted to drive back to Austin and go straight to my sister. See what in the hell was wrong with her. How could she not tell me any of this? I was livid.
“Do you think Charlie knew?” I asked.
“Not sure. I don’t think Terri does. She asked me this morning what was going on with Lily. She has pulled back from hanging out with Terri and Charlie as well.”
“Yeah, the only time I’ve seen her is at my mom’s once a week when we meet for dinner. Charlie has been there, but now that I think of it, they didn’t really sneak off to talk or anything.”
“Whatever. It is what it is, and I have to move on and put her behind me. All I know is, I’m not planning on opening my heart to anyone anytime soon.”
I laughed. “You say that now, but someday, dude someday.”
He snarled his lip and shook his head, silently telling me to fuck off.
“Come on, let’s check that fence and then head back. I have to meet Charlie at her place by six. The Austin American-Statesman wants a photo for the story tomorrow.”
“Why last minute?” He asked.
“CMI press sent out the announcement just a week ago, and it was the first time our schedules worked out to have it done.”
He nodded and we spent the rest of the drive to the fence in silence and most of the drive back to Jim and Blake with nothing but small talk. No mention of Lily came up again. I don’t know which of us was happier about that—Nash or me.
“TUCKER! IT’S GOOD to see you!” Marge exclaimed, standing from her chair and moving around her desk. “The photographer from both CMI PR and the Statesman are here.”
“Oh joy,” I mumbled, earning me a quirk of Marge’s brow. It was her silent way of telling me to behave. It sort of reminded me of the nanny Lily and I had when we were younger. At dinner parties, she was constantly by our side, making sure we acted appropriately.
Walking through the door, my eyes nearly popped out of my head. Standing in front of me was Charlie. She looked beautiful, as always. She wore a black pencil skirt with a light blue dress shirt that was tucked neatly into the skirt. Her hair was pulled up with just a few strands of hair down framing her stunning eyes. She looked my way and gave me a once-over. The corners of her eyes crinkled with a smile, and she flashed me a come-hither look. Her blue eyes sparkled as I drew closer to her, and I had a hard time catching my breath.
This woman was mine. This amazing, strong, smart, sexy-as-fuck woman was mine.
Leaning down, I kissed her on the lips before moving my mouth to her ear.
“I’m so fucking turned on right now. I want to lift that skirt up and fuck you over your desk.”
Her breath hitched, and she grabbed my arms. Slowly pulling back, she stared up into my eyes before lifting up on her toes and whispering against my ear.
“Good thing I’m not wearing panties then, isn’t it?”
The room tilted, and I felt like I was about to drop to my knees. “For the love of God, tell me you’re kidding.”
With a wink and a step away from me, she replied, “Nope. Serious as all get out.”
I closed my eyes and dropped my head back, letting out a groan.
“Oh, it won’t be all that bad, Mr. Middleton.”
Lifting my head and searching for the voice, I found a tiny woman off to the side. She wore a badge that read press.
“I’m Lisa Hart from downstairs in PR.”
Shaking her hand, I grinned. “Nice to meet you, Lisa.”
“This is Val, she’s the photographer with the Statesman.”
“Pleasure,” I said.
Val clapped her hands. “Okay, let’s get the show on the road.”
We spent the next thirty minutes having at least four cameras on us, all taking pictures.
“Why is everyone so concerned about our engagement?” I asked.
Charlie kept smiling and replied, “Beats the hell out of me.”
“Turn this way please,” the CMI PR photographer asked.
“Smile big! You’re the new power couple!” Lisa called out.
Charlie and I glanced at each other. The look in her eyes said she wasn’t the least bit happy about this, and I couldn’t help but agree with her.
Another voice chimed in from a lady I hadn’t seen before.
“Ms. Monroe, do you think you’ll get backlash with Mr. Middleton being the owner of a bar?”
I tensed and Charlie moved her hand over my back.
“And you are?” she asked in a sweet-as-pie voice.
“Nancy Freedom, Austin American-Statesman.”
Charlie looked over to Lisa. “Reporters? I thought this was just photos.”
Lisa’s face went white. Oh hell, I sort of felt sorry for her. This should be interesting. I could hear the bite in my future wife’s voice. I found myself wishing I could sit in on a board meeting with her sometime. I’d probably be hard as a rock when it was over.
“Um … yes … Ms. Freedom, everyone was instructed that this was a photography session only. Not an interview.”
The reporter smirked. “Well, I’m here. The question has been asked.”
Charlie stepped away from me. “I believe you’ve gotten enough photos.”
“You’re not going to answer my question? There have been rumors going around this is an arranged marriage. Is that true, Mr. Middleton? How do you think your late fathers would feel if they knew this bit of information?”
Before I even had a chance to speak, Charlie was all over this woman.
“M
s. Freedom, I’m not sure who your sources are, but I can promise you this is not an arranged marriage. As far as Mr. Middleton owning a very successful and top-rated bar here in Austin, keep your eyes open. We have a lot more things planned for us.”
Charlie took a step closer. “You see, I’m not only good in the boardroom, but I’m well versed in other areas as well.”
My mouth nearly dropped open. The reporter was taken aback, and Marge looked like she was about to faint.
The reporter forced a smile. “Can I quote you?”
“I’d be very careful what you print about what was said in this room today. I believe my lawyers have been itching for some fun lately.”
This time I couldn’t hide my smile.
“Right. Well, like Ms. Monroe stated, I believe we have enough photos. Ms. Freedom, you’re not given permission to use anything that was said in here today since I was unaware you were a reporter and let into the room.”
Marge and Lisa soon had everyone pushed out of Charlie’s office. When the door closed, Charlie’s body slumped in exhaustion. I made my way over to her and drew her into me.
“That was hot as hell, baby. Seeing you put that reporter in her place.”
Charlie’s arms wrapped around my neck.
“What did she mean by power couple?”
I shrugged. “Don’t know, don’t care. As far as I’m concerned, it’s just me and you.”
“Mr. Pootie too,” Charlie said with an evil grin.
“Yeah, that little bastard.”
Hitting me on the chest, she walked around to her desk and sat down. “Let me send out two emails and then I’m done for the weekend. How was skeet shooting out at the ranch?”
The memory of Nash telling me about Lily raced back.
“Good and bad.”
Her eyes lifted to mine; she was intrigued. “What was bad?”
I moved about in my seat, not sure how to go about this.
“Did you know Lily was pregnant?”
Charlie sat back in her seat. “Yes. She told me the night of the benefit when we saw each other.”
My eyes widened in surprise. “You knew and didn’t say anything to me?”
“It wasn’t my place to say anything. As far as I knew, Lily told you and you hadn’t said anything to me.”
Seduce Me Page 22
