by Layla Hagen
"Earth to Lori!" Hailey waved her hand in front of me.
"Sorry, I drifted off. You were saying?"
"The event company my agency works with doesn't have time to take on a birthday party one of our clients wants to throw in three weeks on Thursday. I suggested your planning services. I know I should have asked before, but it was a spur of the moment thing. Are you interested?" When she mentioned the name of the client, my jaw dropped. He was a huge movie star.
"A Hollywood event? Wow. Of course I'm interested. We have other events that day, but my assistants can take care of them by themselves." I had full confidence in Molly, Valery, and Rose. This would be my first Hollywood event.
"Perfect. We'll coordinate our schedules and have a first meeting next week."
"Thanks!"
"By the way, the guy is as sexy in real life as he is on screen. Here, I've got some snapshots."
We gathered around her, peeking at her phone.
"Definitely sexy material here," I agreed. From somewhere in front of us came a low sound, like a growl. Graham was standing in front of us, feet apart, one brow cocked, bottle of wine in his hand. He'd clearly come to refill our glasses.
"Who's sexy?" he demanded.
"A movie star," I responded, at the same time Hailey said, "Her next potential client."
"He's got nothing on you though," I added quickly, trying to assess that glint in his eyes. Naughty for sure... but also feral. I felt delicious tingles everywhere.
"We'll talk about that later." His voice sounded a little rough, like he was trying to disguise yet another growl. Oh la la. I foresaw some sexy activities in the very near future.
After pouring us wine, Graham returned to the guys.
Val blew out a breath. "On a heat level from one to ten, I assume bedroom gymnastics are somewhere at twenty?"
Ah, I could have mercy on Val, but where would be the fun in that? I might not feel comfortable sharing sexy details with her, but I could definitely confirm her question. Hailey and Maddie were looking at me with equal enthusiasm.
I nodded once, rubbing my hands together wickedly and wiggling my eyebrows. They got the message. Nonverbal communication was second nature in the Connor household, what with a seven-year-old running around. Plus, certain conversations were not meant to be carried out loud when the room was so full of testosterone.
I observed Graham over the rim of my glass, drinking him in. He was wearing a white polo shirt that stretched over his muscular torso. The sleeves cut right into his mouth-watering biceps. His abs weren't visible, even though the shirt fit him snugly, but I knew they were there, mine to explore later.
Val's casserole was delicious. She made it from one of Dad's old recipes, and it included peas and garlic, as well as caramelized onions. The vapors wafting around the dining table were enough to make one salivate.
After dinner, Hailey and I cleared the table. While we were loading the dishwasher, she asked me about Jeff. Val had filled her in about his semi-threatening e-mail. After I replied to Jeff’s e-mail, I’d expected him to explain his request. Instead, he simply said he wanted to meet when he’d be in town in a couple of weeks, because he preferred to talk face-to-face.
"He’s got some nerve," Hailey said.
"Who's got some nerve?" Graham's voice came from behind us, startling us. He was carrying some glasses, which Hailey stacked in the dishwasher.
"Milo's father," I whispered.
"You're in contact with him?"
"Not exactly. He e-mailed me. I ignored him at first, but he kept insisting, so I replied. He says he wants to meet in a few weeks when he’ll be in LA.”
"Don’t worry, sis. We have your back,” Hailey said. Graham drew his brows together. He looked... mad. My insides churned. Why was he mad?
Chapter Twenty-One
Graham
Milo fell asleep on the drive to Lori's house. We didn't wake him up when we arrived. He rested his head on my shoulder when I scooped him up, and he didn't even budge while I carried him to his bed. He was the cutest kid.
There was no reason for me to linger in Lori's living room afterward. We'd agreed that it was too early for me to spend the night here, even though I wanted to. We were meeting tomorrow morning, and I'd scheduled a phone call with Nana in ten minutes, but I didn't want to leave yet.
"What's wrong?" she asked.
"Nothing."
"That's not true. You've been different since after dinner."
She'd caught on to that? I'd been hoping she wouldn't. I wanted to let the issue slide away, mostly because I wasn't sure exactly why this was bothering me so much.
"Graham?"
"Why didn't you tell me your ex contacted you?"
"I don't know; I didn't think about it."
"You told your entire family, but not me."
"Of course I told my family," Lori said slowly, as if she didn't understand where I was going with this. If I was honest, neither was I. I felt out of my depths, and I wasn't used to this feeling. "I tell them everything. It's second nature to me."
"But telling me isn't."
"Graham, we've known each for—"
"Almost two months." My voice came out harsher than I'd expected. "I didn't know you two were in contact."
"We aren't. He e-mails once a year when he's here on a conference or something, and I turn him down."
"You turn him down? You mean he wants to hook up with you?"
"Keep your voice down," she said through gritted teeth. I hadn't even realized I'd raised my voice. Fuck, what if I'd woken Milo up? I ran a hand through my hair, processing this and trying to remain calm. But I wasn’t calm, damn it. Was this a red flag? I’d taken a giant leap of faith here. If she didn’t want to share things with me, was I just being a fool?
Then Nana called, at nine o'clock on the dot as we'd agreed. "You should take that."
"We're not done here."
"We can continue this lovely conversation tomorrow. If you think you can keep your voice down."
I'd pissed her off, damn it. And I didn't have my temper under control, which was why I nodded and let myself out of her house. I answered the phone as I climbed in my car. I'd driven here.
"Hi, Nana!"
"What crawled up your ass?"
I chuckled, feeling myself calm down. Nana knew me like the back of her hand. Of course she'd picked up on my tone. I relayed my conversation with Lori to her, because frankly, I could use some perspective.
"Graham, I see her point. You've known each other for a couple of months, but she's been a single mother for seven years. It makes sense she'd tell her family. I'm guessing she doesn't know how to... accommodate you in her life. Work together. Don't insist on why she didn't tell you. Make her understand why you want to know."
“What if I’m taking things too fast?”
“You have been impulsive since you were a little boy, but your impulses have mostly led you in the right direction.”
“Except for my marriage.”
“That’s why I said mostly. But what you’ve got going with Lori, it’s good for you. I can hear it in your voice.”
"I fucked up in there. I raised my voice... she got mad." In the darkness and quiet of the car, things began to clear up.
"We all make mistakes from time to time. It's important to learn from them."
"Any other advice?"
"Pay attention to the little things. It's always the little things that make us feel appreciated. Sharing the workload in the house. A surprise dinner. A message during the day asking how our day is going. Men think it takes the world to keep women happy, but the truth is, it's simple. Bring her and the boy here. I want to meet them."
I saw my chance then and there. "You'll have to fly to LA for that."
"Don't think I don't know what you're doing, young man. I know your tricks."
"Not a trick. Just using my cards right."
"Why are you so stubborn in getting me there?"
"Because when you r
etire, it would give me great piece of mind if you'd move here. Can I get you to at least consider that?"
"I'll find myself a nice nursing home when I feel like it."
"I wouldn't let you go to a nursing home!"
"I'll have you know they're not such bad places. Sophie and Annabelle showed me some pamphlets. If you've got a nice group there, it feels like you're in a camp."
Sophie and Annabelle were part of her posse, which was comprised of a dozen geriatrics in total. I wouldn't admit it even under torture, but they were an intimidating bunch. I knew there was no point insisting on the topic of the nursing home right now. I'd circle around to it another time; try another angle.
We talked for about ten minutes, and afterward, I sat in the car for five more, contemplating my next move. I wanted to fix things with Lori tonight.
***
I knocked at her front door. The light in the living room was still on, so I knew she hadn't gone to sleep. When she opened the door, she eyed me warily.
"You want to fight some more? At least tell me exactly why we're fighting."
"I'm sorry for my outburst earlier. Jesus, I don't want to fight. I want to know these things so I can protect you and Milo. I want to be important to you." That was the crux of it, I realized. Her green eyes softened. I seized the chance and moved closer to her.
"You are important," she whispered. "I'm just not used to sharing my life with anyone outside my family."
I kissed the tip of her nose, and moved to kiss one eyelid, then the other, feeling tension seep out of her.
"Want to talk about him? I think if I knew more, I'd understand better."
She nodded, leading us both to her couch.
"I met him when we were in med school. I got pregnant accidentally. He wasn't thrilled, but for a while, it seemed things would work out. But when it came down to making plans for the future, he said he couldn't do this, that he wanted to focus on his medical career and broke up with me. And he did his med school in LA, only moved for residency. When Milo was about a year old, Jeff called me. I foolishly thought he wanted to make amends, but he wanted to get laid and thought I'd fall for it."
"If I ever meet the guy, I'll give him a black eye."
"I'm not going to hold you back. Can I ask you something?"
“Sure.”
“Are you in contact with your ex-wife?”
“No. Last time we spoke was at our divorce hearing. She moved to London after that, and neither of us wanted to stay in touch.”
“Okay.”
"So you wanted to be a doctor. Found out something else about you today."
"I did. But it wasn't doable with a baby. All those long hours at school, then the residency... so I switched gears."
"How did you come up with event planning?"
"Well, I’d always liked it. After our parents passed away, each of us was trying to do their bit in... you know... keeping the household together. Landon and Val were taking care of us while also running the pub we’d inherited and taking classes at a local college. Jace and Hailey were young. Will was watching us when Val and Landon weren't home. They didn't have time to deal with celebrations, so I started to as a teenager. Christmas, New Year, Easter, St. Patrick's Day, Fourth of July. Name any celebration, I was your girl."
"I see."
"Fun fact: if you ever plan a surprise party, don't tell Hailey. She can't keep a secret to save her life."
"Duly noted."
"So event planning sounded appealing. It was flexible, required no start-up capital. Now, I can't even imagine doing anything else."
"You're an extraordinary woman."
She shrugged. "I'm just like everyone else. I have my good days and my bad days."
"See? I need to know these things, so I can help you relax."
She laughed, snuggling closer to me. I buried my nose in her hair, breathing in her scent. It felt like home.
"You were doing fine with the grilled cheese sandwiches and the pancakes. Feel free to treat me to them anytime. How about tomorrow morning?"
"Is this your way of asking me to spend the night?"
She pulled back, poking my chest. "You're going to make me say it, aren't you?"
"Absolutely. You have no idea the kick I'll get out of it."
"What if I refuse?"
"You know how convincing I can be."
Leaning in closer, I feathered my lips over hers, skimming my hands down to her neck, pressing my thumbs over her sweet spots.
"If you do that, what I say doesn't count."
"Doesn’t it?" I dragged my nose up and down her neck, moving my hands down to her chest. She growled softly when I drew small circles around the tips of her breasts.
"Will you spend the night?"
"I'll gladly accept your invitation."
I held her close and kissed her hard, happy we'd passed this milestone in our relationship. Lori crossed her legs around my middle, and I rose from the couch, carrying her through the house to her bedroom.
"I don't remember saying you'd be staying in my bedroom," she teased. I lowered her onto my body until her center touched my erection. She gave a little gasp, pushing her hips forward.
"I'm taking my chances."
"That wasn't an invitation." She tried to glare at me.
I kissed the tip of her nose. "Could have fooled me."
When we reached her bedroom, I closed the door behind us.
"Lock it," she whispered. "Just in case."
"And here I thought you were serious about banishing me to the couch." Chuckling, I locked the door, then focused on Lori, kissing one corner of her mouth, then the other before tracing her lower lip with the tip of my tongue. She shuddered as I lowered her feet to the floor.
"You have the sweetest lips, Lori. You know where I want them tonight?"
"All over you?" Her tone was seductive and playful in equal measure.
"That's right, baby. But first, I'll drive you crazy. Turn around."
"Why?"
"You'll see. Turn around."
She swirled around, facing the bed. I lowered the zipper on her dress, letting the fabric fall to her feet. Her underwear landed on the floor next.
I brought her hands behind her, holding her wrists captive with my left hand.
"Graham," she whispered when I brought my right hand to her breasts and stroked her nipples. She tried to wiggle her hands free.
I brought my lips to her ear. "If you do that, I'll stop touching you."
She went still... until I moved my attention lower. I rubbed her clit in circles until she rose on her toes then rocked back on her heels. I couldn't get enough of her. I skimmed my hands down the back of her thighs, then on her inner thighs on my way up, dipping my thumb inside her opening. Then I followed that pattern with my tongue, until she broke out in goose bumps.
Turning her around, I kneeled in front of her, pulling her sensitive flesh between my lips and working her into a frenzy. I hooked one of her legs over my shoulder for better access, cupping her ass in my free hand, supporting her. She nearly rode me when she climaxed. It was fucking beautiful, the way she trusted me, the way she let loose. I kissed up her belly.
"Graham, I feel like I'm about to come out of my skin." I bit her shoulder lightly, moving my fingers over her folds, working her into a frenzy again. She rid me of my clothes so fast she almost tore a button off my shirt. Lori wrapped her hand around my cock, squeezing me good. Then she licked across the length, drawing circles with her tongue on the crown. I was painfully hard, and I needed to bury myself inside her.
I pulled out of her mouth, sliding on a condom, then laid her on her back on the bed, keeping her ass at the edge, placing both her ankles on my shoulder. I was standing, knees bent slightly, and pushed inside her.
"Fuck, Lori. This is so beautiful." I looked between us, at our union. I slid out and then back again slowly, watching her take me in, feeling her clench around me. She gyrated her hips, and I slammed into her harder, faster. H
er body was a work of art, arching on my thrusts. I'd never tire of her. She was trying to be silent, pressing her lips together. But her groans were guttural, and the sound of skin slapping against skin surrounded us. When I felt her tighten around me, she brought a pillow close to her, turned her head, and bit into it. While she was still shaking with the aftershocks of the orgasm, I pulled out and flipped her around so she was on all fours.
“I’m not done exploring you tonight.”
I kissed along her back, nipping at her soft skin, kneading her ass cheeks in my palms before moving to drum my fingers on her inner thighs. My erection was rubbing between her thighs. When she pushed toward me, I entered her in one swift move. She was deliciously tight. I moved in and out slowly, working her up to another orgasm. When I saw her move one hand between her legs, I swatted it away, leaning over her until my chest was against her back.
“Don’t touch yourself.”
“Graham, please. When can I come again?”
I spoke against the back of her neck. “When I make you come.”
She spasmed around me, spurring me to move faster, love her harder. When I was close to climax, I brought my hand to her clit. She exploded, and I came so hard that my vision blurred.
After I took care of the condom, we fell onto the bed, regaining our breaths. Lying next to her, I pulled her in my arms. She peppered light kisses on my chest, laying her cheek right over my heart.
"It beats so fast," she murmured. We were silent for a long time, just enjoying each other.
After a while, she asked, "What did you think about the dinner tonight?"
"It was great meeting all of them. And I'll give credit where credit is due. Val is the best cook."
"I'd love to see you two in a competition. Chef Graham vs Chef Valentina." She twirled a blonde lock around her finger.
"We could whip up one for Christmas."
She stopped in the act of playing with her hair. Her gaze searched me, as if she wasn't expecting me to think that far ahead. I was surprising myself too, because I usually didn't. But how about her? My stomach was tight as a marine knot.
"I'd love to see that."
The knot loosened. I kissed her forehead and murmured a confession. "Tonight, I thought about my dad. Trying to patch things up, see if there's a basis on which to build a relationship."
