Getting them into the house is a bit trickier. I take Hannah first, placing her seat on the floor by the stairs while I run out and get Valerie. I carry Valerie inside and lock the door behind us. I carry her up to bed and strip off her shoes before covering her up. Then, I go back down for Hannah. When I bend down to take her out of her seat, her eyes pop open and scan the room.
“Hi, baby girl,” I coo, picking her up against my chest. I carry her into the kitchen while I make a bottle, then we head up to the bedroom for the night. I change her diaper and put her into a warm sleeper before sitting down in the rocking lounge chair to feed her. My girl has an appetite, and she sucks down the bottle like usual. I burp her and lay her down in the cradle we keep by the bed. Finally, both girls are sound asleep, and I’m free to strip down and slide into bed next to my wife.
I wake several times with Hannah, repeating the process of changing her diaper, feeding her, and burping her. The whole time, Val doesn’t wake. Finally, she rolls over at seven with a startled inhale.
“Good morning,” I whisper from the chair while feeding Hannah.
“What? How?” she asks, looking around the bedroom. “How’d we get here? When?”
I laugh. “We got in around midnight last night. You fell asleep on the plane. I swung by your mom’s, picked up Hannah, and carried you both to bed.”
“I slept all night? You were up with her all night?” She stands from the bed and walks over to look down at Hannah.
“I got a few hours of sleep here and there. You must have been worn out.”
“With a new baby that only sleeps for an hour at a time, the travel, and the sex, yeah, I was tired,” she laughs. “How about I start breakfast since you took the baby shift last night?”
I nod. “Sounds good. I’m going to lay her down and jump in the shower. I’ll be down soon.”
She smiles and nods before walking out.
I finish up with Hannah, lay her down, and turn on the baby monitor so Val will hear her if she cries. Then I step into the shower, and the hot water instantly relaxes me. I can’t say that it wakes me though. If anything, it relaxes me to the point of needing to sleep. I don’t know how Val does it—keeps up with this crazy sleeping routine. From the moment Hannah was born, I’ve never woken with her. Valerie’s always insisted that she wanted to do it. After last night, I will now insist on helping her throughout the night. That’s entirely too much for one person to handle on their own.
I step out and pull on a pair of sweat pants before checking on Han and heading downstairs to find Val platting up the eggs, bacon, and toast. She has coffee ready, and two glasses of orange juice already poured and waiting on the breakfast table. I help her plate the food and I carry out plates to the table while she pours two cups of coffee. Finally, we’re able to sit down and enjoy a hot meal together.
“Thanks for letting me sleep last night,” she says before taking a sip of coffee.
“I’ll be doing that more often.”
Her brows furrow together.
“I know you insist on taking care of her, but that’s too much for you to do alone.”
“Are you crazy? No way can you keep up a sleep pattern like that while you’re working. You’ll be falling asleep at your desk.”
I shrug. “Oh well. I guess my new assistant will have to pick up the slack.”
“Did you finally get a new one?” she asks, pushing the eggs around her plate?”
I nod. “Yeah, Maddie found her. She doesn’t start until tomorrow, but she brought her to my office Friday to introduce us.”
“And?” she asks.
“And, I think you’ll really like her. Her name is Tracy. She’s Bennet’s assistant’s sister. She’s probably as old as our moms. She’s married, has six kids, and fourteen grandchildren. She’s a really sweet older lady that can keep her hands to herself,” I laugh out.
Valerie joins in on my laughter. “Good. I’d hate to have to be your assistant again just because I can’t trust other women around my husband.”
I smile. “That’s the first time you called me your husband.”
“It is. Do you like the sound of it?” she asks, standing and walking around the table. She slides onto my lap, facing me.
“I do like the sound of that. But I think I like the sound of fucking my wife on the breakfast table even more.”
She lets out a loud laugh that’s cut off by my kiss. I stand, setting her on the edge of the table and working her oversized t-shirt up her thighs. Using one hand, I push my sweatpants down my hips and position myself at her entrance. With one roll of my hips, I’m right where I need to be, where I crave to be. Valerie wasn’t something I expected, but she’s something I need more than food to eat or air to breathe. Valerie is my forever, and as long as I have her and our daughter, I’ll never want for anything.
It’s funny how things sneak up on you. One day, you’re living your ordinary life and refusing to fall in love, and then it hits you so hard, you don’t know what happened. I don’t know how Valerie worked herself under my skin so much, but I thank God every day that she did. I thought I had everything I needed before, but compared to now, I had nothing. It only took me twenty-five years to figure it out, but now I know what’s important. It’s not money, women, or a good job. It’s finding that one person that knows you, understands you, and loves you for you. It’s becoming friends, falling in love, and creating a family that will always have your back.
“I love you, Mrs. Windsor-Gregory,” I whisper against her lips.
“I love you too, Mr. Gregory,” she replies, letting her release wash over her.
***
If you LOVED My Boss’s Sister, don’t mis out on My Best Friend’s Ex.
* * *
You ever accidentally fall in love with your best friend’s ex…
And get her pregnant?
* * *
Let’s clear the bro-code air…He’s a d*ck.
A cheating, man-whoring douchebag,
And I’m not the kind of man that would mess around with a taken woman.
But when she shows up on my doorstep tear-stained and single…I can’t hold back.
One minute she’s crying in my arms,
And the next she’s moaning in my bed.
* * *
GRAB My Best Friend’s Ex HERE!
You ever accidentally fall in love with your best friend’s girl?
Let’s clear the bro-code air…He’s a dick.
A cheating, man-whoring douchebag,
And I’m not the kind of man that would mess around with a taken woman.
* * *
But when she shows up on my doorstep tear-stained and single…I can’t hold back.
One minute she’s crying in my arms,
And the next she’s moaning in my bed.
* * *
I should have walked away from this situation years ago.
Back when my best friend turned into the a$$-hole he is today.
But I couldn’t, because of her.
* * *
I told myself I was being the heroic friend,
staying just close enough to give her a shoulder to cry on every time he hurt her.
I know I should have told her the truth about him,
But I didn’t…and now it’s too late.
* * *
I thought I finally had it all…
Until he shows up and tells her I knew all along,
Shattering her trust in me.
* * *
I should have known he wouldn’t just walk out of our lives peacefully.
This time he’s crossed a line when he threatens her.
What he doesn’t realize…
I’ll do anything to protect her and our unborn baby.
Copyright © 2020 by Alexis Winter - All rights reserved.
* * *
In no way is it legal to reproduce, duplicate, or transmit any part of this document in either electronic means or in printed format. Recording of
this publication is strictly prohibited and any storage of this document is not allowed unless with written permission from the publisher. All rights reserved.
Respective authors own all copyrights not held by the publisher.
1
Levi
The day is warm and sunny as I step out of my car, briefcase in hand. I quickly glance at my watch to see that it’s going on eight a.m. I push myself to go a little quicker before I’m late. Even though I know I’m barely making it on time, I can’t help but enjoy the warmth of the day. The heat is making the potted plants in front of the office smell even sweeter than normal. So sweet, in fact, that I can almost taste them. A slight breeze blows from over the lake. The breeze from the water makes the air naturally cooler by several degrees, and it feels good kissing my warm skin. I love being outdoors – hiking, fishing, and playing sports – so having to work on a beautiful day like today nearly kills me.
Luckily for me, I’m the in-house lawyer here at Windsor, which means that if there’s nothing on my desk, I have no work to do. I’m not much of a hopeful man, but I mentally cross my fingers in hopes of my desk being clear when I walk into my office.
Just as I’m entering the building, my phone chimes in my pocket, and I pull it out to see the text message on the screen.
Nick: Hey, man. I’m back in town. Party tonight. You in?
I shake my head and slide it back into my pocket without replying. Nick has been my best friend since college. However, lately, he’s turned into a real dick. He’s always had that better-than-you, I-was-born-with-a-silver-spoon attitude, but this last year, it’s only gotten worse with the job he landed on Wall Street. He spends weeks at a time in New York, leaving his loyal girlfriend here while he works. And from the stories he’s told me, most of his non-working time is spent with women, booze, and drugs.
His girlfriend, Danielle, works here at Windsor, and I see her nearly every day. While we're on a friendly basis, I wouldn’t consider us friends, which means I can’t spill a word of what Nick tells me about his time away from her. And God knows I wish I could. While Danielle and I aren’t exactly friends, we’ve hung out with Nick on several occasions. She’s beautiful and funny, smart and sweet. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t attracted to her. But my loyalty lies with Nick, even if I don’t like the person he’s becoming.
Instead of causing unnecessary stress by thinking about my situation with Nick and Danielle, I push it all away as I step onto the elevator. I hit the button for the fourth floor and keep my eyes pointed at the doors so I can get off the moment they open. Taking a deep breath to release my frustrations, I get a whiff of a familiar perfume—sweet vanilla and lavender—and I turn my head to see Danielle behind me.
I offer up a polite smile. “How are you?”
She smiles as her eyes fall to the floor, hidden beneath her long, dark lashes. Her cheeks turn the slightest shade of pink before her eyes return to mine. “Good. And yourself?”
I nod once. “A lot better if I could be outside right now.”
“I hear ya. It would be a good day to spend outside,” she agrees, nodding her head, making her loose blonde curls bounce.
Being alone in the elevator with her causes my heart to pound and my nerves to skyrocket. I slide my right hand into my pocket. “I got a text from Nick a bit ago. He’s back in town?”
She presses her plump pink lips together and shrugs. “No idea. I haven’t heard from him for three days now. I guess I’ll find out when I go home and walk into another one of his epic parties.” She rolls her dark brown eyes. Danielle is one of those people who is always upbeat. She goes out of her way to make someone’s day, and it kills me to see her treated so poorly.
The elevator doors open. “Well, see ya,” I say awkwardly, stepping through. I turn back in time to see her lift her hand and wave goodbye between the closing doors.
Having that conversation pisses me off. Nick just got home, and he’s already setting up a party? Meanwhile, his girlfriend of the past six years doesn’t even know he’s home. And imagine getting off work and going home to find a party raging on in your penthouse apartment. No time to chill after work, no peace and quiet. Just loud, drunk people tearing up your house. For the life of me, I can’t figure out why in the hell she’s still with him.
Like most days, walking through the doors of my office is my opportunity to leave everything behind me. I flip on the light switch on and move to the windows to open the blinds. The bright city greets me and makes me long to be out there instead of in here. With the office now fully lit up, I turn to look at my desk.
Every day when I leave the office, I clear my desk completely. I hate knowing I left work piling up. I have a tendency not to rest until everything is done, and I’m a bit of a neat freak. I can’t go to sleep with a dish in my sink, and I can’t leave work until all the files are cleared. When I look down and find two files, a smile form. It won’t take long, and soon, I’ll be back outside where my heart and soul crave to be.
I sit at my desk and start up the computer. I go through my morning routine of checking messages and returning calls and emails. Finally, when everything else is out of the way, I pull the files closer so I can see what I’m working with. The first file is nothing but the start-up paperwork for a new employee. This is easy. All I have to do is pull up the saved contract that Windsor uses for all its employees, fill in the blanks, and hit print. It only takes me ten minutes to have the entire thing filled out and printed. I place the contract into the file and set it aside. Opening the next file, I find that an employee is suing the company based on wrongful termination. I scoff and shake my head. So many have tried to do this, and so many have failed. With me as the lawyer, nobody stands a chance. My contracts are ironclad. It’s not my fault if the employee doesn’t read the fine print or ask to have it explained to them.
I email the lawyer representing the client and attach a copy of the contract that was signed, highlighting the section about wrongful termination. I send the email and push away from my desk. In a way, I love this job. It pays well, and I’m on salary, so it doesn’t matter if I work forty hours a week or if I work two. Bennet knows I’m the best lawyer he could possibly have, and as long as things are good, there’s no need for me to be sitting here.
I shut down the computer and gather my things, including the file I finished. Before heading out for the day, I swing by Bennet’s office. His secretary is sitting outside, and she greets me with a kind smile like she always does.
“Good morning, Mr. Finlay. How are you this morning?”
I offer up a smile and nod. “Very well. Is Bennet around?”
“Of course. One moment,” she replies, picking up her phone and speaking so low into it that I can’t even hear her. She hangs up moments later. “Let me show you in,” she says, standing and moving toward the door.
She opens one of the double doors, and I follow her in.
“Hey, Levi. What’s up?” Bennet asks, standing up and buttoning his jacket.
I walk over and shake his hand. “Good. How’s everything going?” I ask as he motions for me to have a seat across from his desk.
“Perfect as always,” he says, sitting back down.
“Here’s the contract for the new employee that was on my desk this morning. I also handled a wrongful termination, but there’s nothing to worry about there.” I hand him the file.
He takes it and places it on his desk. “I know I never have anything to worry about with you having my back.”
I laugh as I lean forward, preparing to stand. “Well, if that’s it, I’m going to take off for the day. The weather is way too nice to spend it sitting in a stuffy office.”
We both stand, and he walks me back to the door. “I hear ya. I think I’m about to do the same. Maddie has been driving me crazy about buying a side-by-side to ride around our property. I think I’ll surprise her today.”
I laugh and shake his hand. “You got yourself a good woman. I’d spoil her every
chance I got.”
He nods. “Oh, I do,” he agrees as he pulls open the door.
“See you tomorrow, Ben,” I say, walking out with a wave.
When I finally make it back outside, I take a deep breath, enjoying the feeling of the sunshine on my face, the slight breeze on my skin, and the smell of the floral roses out front. I can’t help but look around me as I walk toward the parking lot. It seems like everyone is out enjoying this beautiful day. Everyone is walking or riding bikes around the city. There are joggers running up and down the sidewalks, tourists shopping, and students parked in front of every bookstore and coffee shop with their books open in front of them.
When I see Danielle sitting at the side of a fountain, I debate even going over. She hasn’t noticed me yet, her nose stuck in a book. Her long blonde hair is curled and blowing in the breeze. She’s completely tuned out the world around her as she reads and snacks on what looks to be carrot sticks. She looks like she doesn’t have a care in the world, and in a way, I envy that about her.
I tell myself that I shouldn’t involve myself in their business more than I already have, but my feet seem to have a mind of their own. The next thing I know, I’m standing directly in front of her.
“Taking a break already?” I ask, sitting down next to her..
When she hears my voice, she jumps out of her trance. Her hand flies up to cover her heart as a soft giggle escapes her lips. “God, you scared me,” she breathes out.
I can’t hold back my laugh. “Yeah, you seemed pretty checked out.”
His Every Desire (Contemporary Romance Box Set) Page 38
