Her eyes get wide, and she looks so excited. But then her little brow furrows, and she’s thoughtful. “You won’t die like my dad did, will you?”
I’m biting my lip so hard now I might draw blood. This conversation might be a little more complicated than Asher expected. But he’s a problem solver, and he’s extremely intelligent. His answer is brilliant, of course. “I can’t promise you that I won’t die, because people die every day. What I can promise is that I will never, ever leave you and your mom alone while I’m alive. I will never allow you to struggle. You will both be taken care of.” He reaches out to place his hand on mine, and I don’t pull away. “That is, if your mother will allow me to take care of you.”
I stare at our hands for a moment, and he clasps mine, and weaves our fingers together. He seems so comfortable with the intimate gesture. I smile, and glance up at him. He nods his head, as if encouraging me to say yes. How is he so sure? It’s been less than two weeks since we were first intimate, but I’ve been in love with him much longer than that.
When I look at him, I can almost believe too.
“Can we live here if you and my mom get married?” Elise asks.
“Well, no, because it’s too far from my office. But we can come here often, I promise,” he assures her.
“And you’ll give me a little sister?” she continues, as if she’s negotiating a contract.
“I can’t promise that either. What if it’s a brother?” he argues back gently.
“No, I don’t want a brother. I want a sister,” she states.
“Well, we can definitely try for a sister, how about that?” Then Asher smiles at me. His emotions are almost overwhelming, but every one of them I see in his eyes seems true and honest. I tip my head back, and he leans forward to kiss my lips gently.
“Awwwww….” Elise exclaims.
I smile, and wrap my arms around my boyfriend. I can call him that now, can’t I?
Either way, I’m claiming him and I’m not letting go.
Chapter Thirty-Four
The eleventh floor of my building has been mostly empty for years, until now. My personal storage has taken up some of the space, and gym equipment takes up one room. After the weekend in San Francisco, I decided to renovate. Now, the eleventh floor consists of a small gym, and two apartments, one for Elise and Charlie, and one for Peyton. Charlie’s is nearly twice as big as her current apartment. Her apartment has three bedrooms, one of which can be used as a playroom for Elise. Peyton’s has two bedrooms, one of which I assume he will make an office.
It’s Wednesday, three days since we returned from the beach, and I miss Charlie more than I could ever imagine was possible. Peyton has offered to spend the night, but I refused. It doesn’t seem right to me to have one of them without the other. I just inspected the apartments for the final time, and I pull out my phone to send both of them a message.
Meet me on the eleventh floor.
And then I wait. The floor in the hallway is the same as the flooring in the beach house, it looks like hard wood but it is easier to care for. I know that Charlie is fearful of moving Elise into the penthouse, because of the white décor, but on this floor she won’t have to worry about that. I’ve created her apartment to be very kid friendly. But because Peyton likes the finer things in life, as I do, his apartment is full of marble and granite.
I’m leaning against the eggshell wall in the entryway when they arrive together. She is smiling and chatting with him, and a pang of jealousy hits my heart. Their relationship is improving, and I should be happy about it but I’m not. I often contemplate the idea that I was drawn to Charlie because she could be mine, that I would not have to share her. Now, every time I see them together, or see them touch each other, I feel possessive. The thought that I set all of this in motion is not lost on me. I am trying to handle it better, but I feel myself sliding backward constantly.
Everything Charlie does seduces me, even the way she walks toward me and says, “Hello, boss.” We haven’t had much time to be intimate since our return to Wilmington. She’s been busy with Elise, plus she’s still battling her nemesis Aunt Flo. I feel almost as bad as I did while she was mad at me after our return from California. I may be experiencing withdrawals.
When she’s within arms’ reach, I take her hand and pull her into my body for a kiss. I want to remind her that she is mine first. She responds eagerly, wrapping her arms around my shoulders before she licks my lips, to lure my tongue into her mouth.
Before we can deepen our kiss, I hear Peyton clear his throat. I pull away slowly, and take her in. Her cheeks are flush, and her eyes sparkle. That reaction is for me, and only me. “I miss you, Charlotte. I must see you soon,” I whisper in her ear,
She nods slightly, and bites her bottom lip. I know it’s hard on her, being the sole provider for her daughter. This should make it easier.
I glance over at Peyton, who appears only a little less jealous than I was of him with Charlie. “I have something for you, both of you,” I state. I reach into my pockets, pull out the keys, and extend my hands to them.
“What is this?” Peyton asks, as he glances at the key before examining his surroundings.
I hand the copper key to him, and nod my head to my left. “You now possess apartment 1101, and Charlie now has apartment 1102.” I place the silver key into her palm, and wrap her fingers around it. “I know that you have apprehensions about Elise, and how our relationship will affect her, but I want you near me, both of you.”
Peyton is staring at the door, as if he can’t understand what’s happening.
Charlie turns, and sees the door on the opposite wall. She walks toward it, then suddenly turns back to look at me. I nod encouragingly.
“The gym is at the end of the hall. I’ve updated the equipment. Your keycards will let you in.” They are both very silent as they walk toward their respective doors. They both face them, uncertain of what to do next. “Open the doors, and let yourselves in.”
“You expect us to live here?” Charlie asks, as if it’s a foreign concept.
“I live in the penthouse. Anna and Rowan both have apartments on the twelfth floor. You won’t be the only occupants of the building,” I assure her.
“But we work here,” she counters, before turning toward Peyton.
“Think of how convenient it will be. The building is closer to Elise’s school. Rowan can help you with getting her there, or picking her up. Anna can cook dinner. You won’t have to pay rent, or utilities. You won’t have to worry about anything.”
The expression on her face is not what I was expecting. I had hoped she’d be happy, but she looks confused. “I don’t understand.”
“If you’d rather move in to the penthouse, just tell me. I can have it renovated so that the open space over the entryway can be closed and turned into a bedroom for Elise.” I smile at her, and take the key. “I’ll do whatever you want, Charlie. If you aren’t comfortable in an apartment, I’ll move Rowan and Anna down here, and I’ll convert the entire twelfth floor to your living quarters. Just tell me what you want.”
I unlock the door, and open it for her. The floors inside are the same faux wood, and the walls are eggshell. But the first room in the apartment sprawls the entire width of the building, with windows on both sides and a lovely view of the city.
She gasps when she follows me inside. “You can decorate it however you like, sweetheart. Or we can hire a decorator. The sky’s the limit.”
She steps toward the windows, and I allow her to explore. I walk the few feet across the hallway, and find Peyton standing just inside his door. His great room spans the length of the building. His walls are a touch darker, his floors are marble.
“This way,” I say, and take his hand to lead him through one of the doors and into his bedroom. It is positioned at the corner of the building, and two of the walls are glass. He has a stunning view of the river, and the city. “Your bed will go against this wall, and the city will be below you.”
Suddenly he wraps his arms around my waist, and pulls me toward him. “It’s breathtaking,” he mutters against my ear.
“You’ll move in, then?” I ask. Their reactions have made me unsure if I’ve done the right thing.
“Yes,” he replies, before he turns me in his arms and kisses me. The gesture is out of character for him, but I like it.
I moan a little, and wrap my arms around his shoulders much like Charlie did for me earlier. His kiss is actually gentle, his embrace warm. It stuns me a little, and I pull myself closer to his body. But before I can get too comfortable, I hear Charlie’s heels clicking on the marble. Again I am the one to break the kiss, but this time I lean my head against his chest and chuckle.
“You didn’t!” Charlie exclaims, when she’s standing in the doorway.
“I’m afraid I did,” I reply proudly. “She’s going to love it.”
“What?” Peyton demands, and kisses the top of my head before releasing me. I have no idea where this affectionate streak has come from, but I like it.
Her eyes are full of wonder when I look at her. I smile, and step toward her. “You have to see it. It’s incredible!” I take her hand, and follow her. “Come on!” she calls over her shoulder to Peyton.
I know where she’s taking me. Elise’s room is on the left side of the apartment, opposite her mother’s. The corner room had too many windows for a little girl’s bedroom, especially how I envisioned it.
“It’s perfect,” she gasps. The room looks straight off an uninhabited island. The floor is covered in a 3D sticker that looks like the beach, complete with footprints in the sand. Potted palm trees sit in two corners. Her bed, which looks like a grass hut, is above the floor. A ladder is needed to climb up to the balcony. The desk under it is made of bamboo, as is the other furniture in the room, and a brand new computer sits atop it. The area is covered in mosquito netting, to make it look more authentic. The walls are blue, and the ceiling is painted like the sky.
“This is the best part,” I inform her, as I flick off one light, before flicking on another. The night sky fills the room, along with the sounds of the waves.
“It’s amazing, Asher. You are amazing. How did you do this?”
“I called the decorator on Friday from the beach house, told him what I wanted, and he went to work. I hope she likes it.”
She smiles at me, and rests her head on my shoulder. “She’ll love it.”
“I want a pirate ship,” Peyton pipes up, from behind us.
“Then I want a princess castle,” Charlie demands.
I chuckle, and hold her closer. “You can have whatever you like, sweetheart.”
I turn off the lights, and close the door. A sign on the door says Elise. They both begin to explore, more comfortable with the idea now. I smile as I hear her say to Peyton, “I really do want a castle.”
Chapter Thirty-Five
“Mr. Peyton, I need help with homework,” Elise states, and climbs onto the couch with me. Since we moved into our apartments in Asher’s building a week ago, we’ve all found ourselves gravitating to Charlie’s apartment to hang out, at least until Elise’s bedtime. Once she’s in bed, we all three end up in my apartment, because Charlie decided that Asher’s apartment was too far away from Elise if she wakes up in the middle of the night. And as an added precaution, a baby monitor has been installed in Elise’s room, so we’ll know if she’s awake.
We’ve fallen into a routine, but I wouldn’t have it any other way. I never thought I’d get settled into a relationship with a man, and a woman who has a child, and possibly more to come, but I don’t think I could go back now. I feel like we are what a family is meant to be. Sure it’s unconventional, but we are all happy to the point of blissful. Sexually I’m more fulfilled than I’ve ever been, and I think Charlie and Asher are too.
Elise has become more comfortable with the situation as well. I can see that she pays attention to the way Asher fawns over her mom. She grins when she sees him kiss her mom’s cheek. She knows that Asher picked out her fairytale bedroom, and designed their new apartment. And she’s getting used to me being around, the uncle who sits on the couch with a glass of wine and a newspaper on my iPad. And I enjoy playing the adopted uncle, helping her out with all things technology related.
“Are you having a problem with your computer?” I ask, as I set aside my tablet and give the adorable girl my full attention.
“No, sir, I’m having problems with math,” she answers. I love the way her mother has raised her to be a respectful young lady, which I adore, but she’s also a sweet little girl. She’s stealing my heart a little more every day.
“I thought we already agreed that Asher would help with math homework. He’s the smart one. I’m the cute one,” I tease, as I reach over for my tablet again.
“I thought Asher was the cute one,” Elise replies seriously.
I hear Charlie laugh from the other side of the room. Oh, what am I going to do with these two girls?
“But he doesn’t speak English,” Elise continues. “You make sense when you talk about math… and other things.” She lowers her voice, and looks away when she says that.
That gets my full attention. Something is bothering her, and I’m not sure I’m the right person for her to talk to. “What’s wrong, Elise?” I ask, as I lower my voice as well.
“One of the fifth grade boys said something in the lunch room, and some of the other boys keep saying it, and I don’t know what it means.” She bites at her bottom lip like her mom does when she’s worried.
“Sometimes boys can be brats, and I’m sorry for that. Are they hurting you, bullying you?” I ask. My protective instinct has gone into overdrive. I know that she’s a nice girl, and sometimes they are the ones who are picked on the most. I can’t imagine how I’ll react when she starts dating.
“I don’t know. They’re saying my mom is in a threesome. What does that mean?” She’s so pure, and innocent. Her mother has done a fantastic job raising her. And now, Asher and I have come along, and ruined it all. Charlie doesn’t deserve this, and neither does Elise.
I close my eyes for a moment, so she can’t pick up on my own fear. But my eyes pop open immediately, and I look up to see if Charlie could hear what her daughter said. She’s stepped out of the room. I return my attention to Elise. She’s waiting expectantly. I don’t want to lie to her, I really don’t. But I can’t tell her the truth. Her mom should do that.
The main problem is where did the kid get his information? The three of us have never been out on a date together. There are only two people who know, Rowan and Anna, and neither of them would say anything, would they?
“Mr. Peyton? Do you know what the boys are talking about?” Elise is still waiting for an answer.
“I have no idea, buttercup,” I lie. I wish I didn’t have to lie to her. “Let’s talk about your math problem.” She frowns, and pulls her math book open.
I’m distracted, and she asks her question twice. This will need to be addressed, after Elise goes to bed. First, I will need to do some googling, after I help the little one with her homework.
*****
“What’s wrong,” Asher asks. We’re together in my brand new, humongous bed, staring out at the skyline while waiting for Charlie.
“It’s… nothing. It can wait,” I say, as I steal a glance at my tablet. I already have the website pulled up, ready for when we’re all three here. I’m sitting up in the bed, in a pair of shorts and a t-shirt. This is not how I normally prepare for bed when I know we’re going to be sleeping together. But tonight’s not a normal night. Tonight, we’re going to have an adult talk about where our relationship is going, and how to address it with Elise.
“If it can wait, it’s not nothing,” Asher argues.
I sigh loudly. Sometimes I wish I wasn’t in love with the smartest man in the world. “We’ll talk about it when Charlie arrives.”
“So it involves Charlie?” Asher is stretched out in my bed n
ude, with his laptop, wearing his glasses. He always looks super hot when he’s wearing them. I still can’t believe he’s comfortable naked, but as I’ve realized more than once, Charlie has changed him for the better. She tells him all the time just how gorgeous he is, and it’s starting to sink in.
“Everything involves Charlie.” I sigh, and hand him my tablet.
“Oh, God,” he groans after reading the article. “Who could have done this?”
“Done what?” Charlie asks from the doorway. Both of our heads turn toward her immediately. She’s wearing a light blue silky nightgown, with tiny straps and a deep V neckline. Normally I would already be turned on when she shows up, and seeing her in that gown would have caused me to pounce on her delectable body. So when neither of us reacts, she frowns. “Is the gown not pretty? I thought you two would love it.”
“No, it’s gorgeous. You’re gorgeous,” I assure her.
She looks to Asher, and he agrees. “You look amazing.”
“Then why are you two just sitting there?” She grins as she walks toward the bed.
“Peyton?” Asher says, as if he expects me to tell her.
I take a deep breath, grab the tablet, and show it to her. The headline tells most of the story. Billionaire Financier In Relationship With Two Employees?
“Oh my God!” Charlie exclaims, and jerks it out of my hand.
The story is on a gossip website, one that I would never look at. After searching the internet, though, I found several stories just like this one, all in gossip magazines. This one was the most thorough, beginning in San Francisco. There is security camera footage from the art gallery, and witness testimony from the hotel. This is followed by a detailed account of both of our moves to the Glass building. Also included is the fact that Charlie has a daughter. She’s even shown taking her to school. The site blocked out Elise’s face, but it’s obvious it’s Charlie.
Room For Three Page 18
