by Layla Hagen
This man was a wizard. How could he make food taste so good? We reached for them at the same time and Graham interlaced our fingers for a brief, sweet second, as if he couldn't help touching me.
"Best fries ever," Milo declared. Making me happy was nice. But making Milo smile? That was the way to my heart.
Once the last of the fries were gone, Milo started firing off questions again, but he was yawning and rubbing his eyes, signs that he was tired.
"Milo, say goodnight to Graham, then go brush your teeth and shower."
"I don't want to go to sleep yet. Graham and I are talking."
Graham grinned at me. I grinned back.
"Buddy, I'm going to leave too. I have to wake up early tomorrow, just like you. Responsible men go to bed early, so they can wake up early."
"I want to be a responsible man," Milo parroted back, squaring his shoulders and standing straighter. He bid Graham goodbye before heading to the bathroom. I started on cleaning the table, and when Graham gathered some plates, I shook my head.
"No, no. You cooked. I'm cleaning."
Graham came next to me, bringing a hand to my waist and tucking me into him. I nestled against him as best as I could. I'd been craving his nearness and his body warmth the entire evening.
"I had a great time tonight, Lori." He cupped my cheek, his fingers feeling warm against my skin.
"We had a great time too."
"You've got a lovely boy."
"Thanks."
As Graham leaned forward, Milo called from the bathroom, interrupting our moment.
"I'm going to see what he needs. His bedtime routine takes about twenty minutes."
"I'll wait."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes."
"Okay."
Milo talked nonstop.
"Graham is so cool," he said while putting on his pajamas. "He knows all about penalties. And he likes to talk. Can we have burgers with him again?"
"Yeah, we will."
"Yay!"
My heart squeezed as Milo slid under his covers. He was already starting to hero-worship Graham. Was I doing the right thing here? Risking not just my heart, but Milo's too? The two of us had achieved a precarious balance. Was I being selfish, choosing to bring someone else into our little world?
When I closed the door, Milo was already half asleep. He went out quickly, and once he fell into slumber, he slept through the night.
I closed the door connecting the corridor between the bedrooms to the living room and found Graham still in the kitchen. I joined him, sliding the stained glass wall closed too.
"He's asleep," I announced.
"That was fast."
"He's always been like that. He likes you, by the way."
"I was hoping he would. I like him too, and in the near future, I'd like for us to tell him we're dating."
"We will," I assured him.
Graham moved toward me until he stood so close to me that our chests almost touched. This man was more potent than anyone had the right to be.
He feathered his thumb across my lower lip, then my upper one, and I felt the gentle touch straight between my thighs. The world around us seemed to blur as he pulled me into a kiss. He traced my lips with the tip of his tongue before exploring my mouth. He wrapped one hand in my hair, tugging a little. A white-hot bolt of energy ran through me. I bucked my hips in reflex and discovered Graham was hard.
"See what you're doing to me, Lori?" he asked in a low, molten voice when we pulled apart.
"You're insatiable."
"No, you just have this effect on me." He kissed my forehead. "Now, be a good girl and don't tempt me."
"Or what?" I challenged. His eyes were hooded, and judging by the wood in his pants, he was close to the edge. What would he do if I pressed too much? I'd never been one to thread too close to the danger line, but Graham had this inexplicable effect on me. He made me want to dare more.
"I'll sweet talk my way into your bed."
"You think I'm that easy?" I pretended to be offended. Graham saw right through me.
"No, but I'm not the only one who wishes we could spend the night together."
Well, the jig was up. Pretending was one thing, but I didn't lie. Besides, I wanted to see his reaction when I admitted it.
"True. I keep daydreaming about tasting you... everywhere."
Graham exhaled sharply. He backed me into a corner of the kitchen, roaming his hands everywhere. God, I wanted him to touch me more. Why was I wearing so many clothes? I wanted those talented hands directly on my skin. As if reading my thoughts, Graham snaked one hand under my sweater, then under my bra, rubbing my nipple between his fingers. I braced my palms on those strong biceps.
“I want a taste of you, Lori. And I’ll have it.”
He pushed my shirt up then unclasped my bra. He drew his thumb around the outer edge of my peaks before giving my nipple a lash of his tongue. I drenched my panties. He smiled against my skin.
“Does this make you wet?”
I nodded.
“Say the words. I want to hear them.”
“Y-yes. It makes me wet,” I stuttered in between flicks of his tongue. He pressed two fingers against the crotch of my jeans, rubbing the fabric against my sensitive skin.
“Do you want to come, Lori?”
“Oh, God, Graham. Yes.”
He was moving his fingers fast, and even through the denim, every time he touched my clit, tremors spread through me. Then he took the hand away.
“Why did you stop?”
He brought his lips up to mine. “Because I want to touch your skin. I want my fingers inside you when you come.”
When I felt him undo the fly of my jeans and lowering the zipper, all my nerve endings felt on fire.
"I will make you come, Lori. Hard and fast."
I clenched from his dirty words and dug my fingernails into his muscle-laced arms when he touched my center. He teased my folds first, dipping one finger in between them before nudging my clit. He was kissing my neck, nipping gently with his teeth. With his other hand, he grabbed my ass, hoisting me farther up. He moved his fingers rhythmically, rubbing me until I came apart, clinging to him, burying my face in his shoulder.
“Orgasm number one,” he whispered in my ear.
“There will be more?”
In response, he slid a finger inside me, then another one, pressing the heel of his palm on my clit. I bit into his shoulder, muffling my cry. My knees nearly gave out when the second orgasm rocked through me.
"Woman, you're so sexy it's killing me."
"Mmm..." was all I could say as small tremors of aftershock spread through me. He held me for a few minutes before stepping back and washing his hands at the sink.
"Earth to Lori... everything okay?"
I nodded, still feeling a little lightheaded. "Oh yeah. Better than okay. Still on cloud nine. Might take me a while to return to earth."
"I should go." His lips opened in a gorgeous wide smile as he made his way out of the kitchen. I caught up with him in the foyer.
"Are you sure?" I moved closer, running my hand down his chest, stopping at his belt. He was still hard. Graham took my hand in his and brought it to his lips, peppering it with soft kisses.
"Yes, I'm sure. Otherwise, tomorrow morning, you'll have to explain to Milo why I'm in your bed."
"I see. Well, have a good night. Thanks for the burgers and the fries."
"So I'm forgiven for the orange juice mishap?"
"Only if you don't do it again."
"Can't make any promises. No clue how you tell him no, especially when he looks at you with those eyes. He'll have me eating out of his palm for a long time. I can tell already."
Chapter Eighteen
Lori
From: Jeff Finn
To: Lori Connor
I have rights, and you know that. But I want to solve this amicably. Get in touch with me. You’ll be sorry if you don’t.
I'd gotten the e-mail late la
st night and, as a result, hadn't slept a wink. I was still fretting over it the next morning as I took Milo to school.
Usually, I dropped him off in front of the schoolyard, but today I went right along with him. He skittered to his friend Jilly the second he saw her. Ms. Higgins, the teacher, was already at her desk, so I stopped to greet her.
"Good morning, Ms. Higgins."
"Hello, Ms. Connor. To what do I owe this surprise?"
"Oh, no particular reason. Thought I'd walk with him today."
She beamed. "You have a great boy. Was the only one who got over 90 percent on the math test last week. I'll see you and your brother at Soccer Day on Wednesday?"
"Of course." I wasn't a fan of any parents' day, mostly because it brought front and center that Milo only had one parent. He never said anything, but I saw the way he looked at the other kids, and no amount of his favorite food or goofing around on my part cheered him up after that. Quality uncle time worked though, which was why I was grateful Will was joining us. Yep, I was one big cheat, but if it worked, why not?
My thoughts returned to Jeff. What did he want? He’d said he just wanted to catch up first, and now suddenly he brought up his rights?
One thing was clear, though—I couldn't ignore him anymore. I'd hoped the last e-mail was a fluke, but since he mentioned rights now, things changed. He wanted a fight? I'd give him one. He'd broken Milo's heart by not being a part of his life, and I wasn't going to let him do any more harm. I replied to his e-mail.
From: Lori Connor
To: Jeff Finn
Why are you bringing up your rights now? You’ve had no interest in Milo. Ever.
After I left the school, I hurried across town to meet one of my assistants, Molly. We were scouting new wedding locations today. The restaurant scene in LA was ever changing, and staying on top of our game required knowing the scoop on the newest wedding venues. Today, we had three promising leads. If they cut the mustard, we'd be adding them to our list. My level of enthusiasm was surprisingly low when I arrived. I loved scouting new locations, imagining how they'd look with wedding decorations, the potential happy couples. Jeff's e-mail was still looming over me.
"Hey, boss," Molly said. "I have something for you."
She pointed to the box in her hands. I didn't recognize the brand, but by the shape of the carton, there were sweet treats inside. If Molly started anticipating my needs for sugar, the girl had earned herself a raise.
"Gimme, gimme!" I took the box with grabby hands, and my mouth watered when I discovered slices of cheesecake inside.
"When did you buy these?"
"I didn't. They were delivered. Luckily I had to pick something up from the office this morning. First, I thought maybe you ordered samples, or a local business sent them of their own accord, but the delivery guy said specifically they were from Graham Frazier. Weekend went well, I take it? He was satisfied with... the wedding?"
I nodded as I helped myself to a slice of cheesecake. Goodness, this was the elixir of life, right here. Molly was eyeing the second slice, and I realized common decency dictated that I had to share. I held the carton out for her, keeping my fingers crossed that she'd decline my silent invitation. No such luck. She downed the second slice before I even finished my own. Still, even the sugar rush from one sweet treat was an excellent mood booster. Graham had been thinking about me first thing this morning.
I was smiling when we stepped inside the restaurant. Oh yeah, this one was a winner. I felt it in my bones from the first sweep across the room. Floor-to-ceiling windows that allowed in plenty of natural light, a spacious dance floor. They even had a fountain in the patio that would make an excellent backdrop for photos. It had all the makings of a dream location.
"Ms. Connor, Ms. Black, nice to meet you." Joanna Worthington, the location manager, strode to us, shaking our hands.
"This is lovely," I said earnestly. "Can you give us a tour?"
"Of course."
"Is it okay if I take pictures while we're at it?" Molly asked.
Joanna hesitated for a moment. "Of course."
Every restaurant had a photo gallery online, but they were often only from the best angles, and I wanted to show our clients all angles. Nothing like falling in love with a location when you looked at their website and then discovering you'd only seen the good bits. Best to know everything from the get-go. While Molly clicked off the camera, I committed to memory the numbers Joanna was rattling. I didn't like them much, but I did like the location enough to persuade her to lower them.
"I'll be honest; you're charging a lot for the menu. Even your cheapest version is fifteen percent above comparable offers."
Joanna pursed her lips. Molly hid her face behind the camera. She liked to say I had all the grace of a bulldozer when it came to pricing.
"We're committed to offering our customers the best."
A rehearsed answer, but not necessarily a bad one. It wasn't good enough either, though.
"I know as a new business, you want to break even as soon as possible. But as someone who reviews dozens of wedding menu prices a week, I can tell you that the higher prices will work against you. Now, if you were to include a few standard alcoholic beverages in that price, we could work something out."
Joanna's lips were a thin line now, but I continued before she could protest.
"I don't need an answer now. I'm going to put some new packages together this week. If I don't hear from you by Wednesday, I'm going to assume you don't want to be included."
Joanna nodded, her body language somewhat steely, but I was expecting that. Still, a little time pressure went a long way.
People took forever if they didn't have a firm deadline. I hoped Joanna would cave to my request because I loved her restaurant. If not, Molly and I would find someplace else. There were restaurants at every corner in LA; it took a lot of determination and stamina to find the best ones, and I had both in spades.
"One of these days, I'm going to film you when you go in shark mode," Molly said once we were out on the street. "You had an extra edge today. That cheesecake did the trick, huh? Or was it the man sending them?"
"Careful, Molly. Attributing my edginess to outside factors is the best way to get under my skin," I said with humor.
"Oh, but it is honest."
We headed to a small coffee shop across the street to review the visit. I always liked to talk about a new location right after we scouted it, while the details were still fresh. The scent of baked goodies filled the air, and I smiled, remembering Molly's comment. She was right... sort of. It hadn't been the sugar that had lifted my mood so drastically, but the fact that Graham was just so unexpected in the best way. When Molly went to the restroom, I seized my chance and texted him.
Lori: The cheesecake was delicious. Thank you. To what do I owe the surprise?
Graham: I wanted you to start the week well.
Well, damn. What could I say to that? A second message popped up before I could swoon further.
Graham: And I wanted to sweeten you up so you'd say yes to a lunch date.
I laughed and checked my calendar, but it wasn't looking good. A lot of clients, current or potential, wanted lunch appointments because they could leave their workplace for an extended break.
Lori: Early afternoon snack on Wednesday or Thursday? My lunches are booked for the rest of the week.
Graham: Thursday works. I'm attending a team meeting on Wednesday.
Lori: What are we doing?
Graham: You'll see.
When Molly came back, she pointed between the phone and my face with a triumphant expression.
"If you tell me that grin is work-related, you're full of it."
I laughed, pointing at her notebook. "Molly, don't try to turn this into gossip hour."
As we went over the details we'd discussed with Joanna, my thoughts kept wandering to Graham. Yep, I wasn't too proud to admit to myself that I was daydreaming. But I was also afraid it was all too good to be tr
ue. While reviewing the photos Molly took, I chased those ugly thoughts away. He’d sent me cheesecake so I'd start my week well, and I was going to see him on Thursday. I didn't know what he'd planned, but I was determined to enjoy every glorious minute of it.
***
Over the next few days, Graham and I kept exchanging messages. One evening, after one of Jace’s games, he even talked to Milo on the phone and they discussed every goal and foul.
After the school event on Wednesday morning, Will had to hurry back to the station, but we were grabbing lunch together later. As luck would have it, Val texted to ask if I wanted to eat with her, so I suggested she join us.
When we arrived at his station, it was bustling with activity, as usual. Policemen ventured in and out, and stacks of paperwork were being carried from one desk to another in the open office space.
We stood by the elevators, trying to locate our brother in the crowded room. He and his partner had a designated desk, but neither was sitting at it.
"Testosterone overload," Val whispered, gazing after a tall and handsome blond policeman. "What is it with men in uniforms?"
I elbowed her. "Why don't you find out? Bet some are single. Will would be over the moon that you're finally dating someone he's probably already researched."
Val laughed but shook her head. "I'm using enough “mind” real estate worrying about Will fighting crime; I don't want to worry about the man I'm dating too. I want to date someone with a safe job. Why couldn't Will take a leaf out of Jace's handbook and pick a safer career?
"But pro soccer players get in nasty accidents all the time."
"That's supposed to put my mind at ease?"
A few minutes into our wait, one of Will's coworkers, Theresa, spotted us.
"Hey, girls. Waiting for Will? He's been in the captain's office for a while."
"Is he in trouble?" I asked.
She leaned in conspiratorially. "Not at all. Our captain wants to promote him."
"Now look at that!" Val exclaimed. "We didn't know."
Just then, Will stepped through the door at the far end of the room, waving at us and striding in our direction. Theresa took off with a wink. Val and I exchanged a glance. Yep, teasing was officially on the table.
