Love, Your Concierge

by Jessica Ingro

  I picked up my spoon and slowly sipped the broth, enjoying the way it coated my sore throat.

  “Grant, I’m not sure what you’re doing here. It’s not that I don’t appreciate the soup. It’s just we didn’t part on the best of terms and I don’t think it’s a good idea that you’re here.”

  He closed his eyes and shook his head. “I really hoped you would have changed your mind after our last conversation.”

  “Well, I didn’t,” I said snottily.

  “Elizabeth, just enjoy your soup. We’ll talk more about us when you’re feeling better.”

  “There’s nothing to talk about,” I grumbled. “Does this mean you’re planning on staying?”

  He nodded his head and gave me an adorable grin. That’s when I realized I just gave away the fact that I was resigned to him staying. Shit.

  “I just don’t feel like arguing. I’m too tired.”

  “Whatever it takes, beautiful. Now finish your soup.”

  “I can’t with you staring at me,” I whined and glared at him.

  He burst out laughing rather than shrinking back from my annoyance. Bastard.

  “You’re adorable. Now eat up. I will punish you if you don’t.”

  That was the perfect thing to shut me up. I picked up my spoon and avidly ate the delicious chicken soup. The whole time I chose to ignore his chuckling.

  My eyelids were droopy once my belly was full. Grant took the tray back out into the kitchen. When he came back, he walked around the bed and scooted across it until he was next to me. He put his arm behind my head and then rolled my body until it rested on his.

  “What are you doing?” My voice was muffled by his shirt. I put my hand on his stomach and attempted to push my body up, but his arm tightened to hold me in place.

  “Go to sleep. You could barely hold your eyes open a few minutes ago, so rest.” His other hand came up and started stroking my head. I had to admit that felt nice. Really, really nice. It reminded me of my dad whenever I was sick as a girl.

  My eyes drifted shut. My mind turned off, and I fell asleep in Grant’s arms. For the first time in weeks, I slept soundly.

  ♥♥♥♥♥

  Oh yes. Right there. Oh my God. Oh please don’t stop.

  My head thrashed on the pillow, and my legs widened to allow the hand between them better access to continue doing the most divine things there.

  “That’s it, beautiful. I want to feel you come,” I heard Grant’s disembodied voice say.

  I turned my head towards the sound and moaned. I loved when he talked dirty to me. And oh God, I was about to come.

  My eyes flew open and I realized that I wasn’t dreaming. I was worked up and ready to have an orgasm in real life.

  I glanced down at Grant’s head laying on my chest and gasped when his finger did this twist thing that very well could be illegal in thirty-nine of the fifty states. And that’s when I came long and hard. The moan that escaped out of my mouth was low and guttural, it was that good.

  It had been three weeks since Grant and I had sex and I hadn’t taken matters into my own hands that whole time. That was what I was choosing to believe was the reason for my coming so hard.

  He placed a soft kiss over my shirt and looked up at me. “Are you ready to talk yet?”

  I huffed indignantly. How dare he use sex to get his way with me.

  “I don’t think so.” I crossed my arms, which served to push him away a bit.

  “Elizabeth, what am I going to do with you?” He shook his head at me like I was a disobedient child.

  “Um, I don’t know. Leave me alone?” I sarcastically suggested.

  He laughed so hard at my words that he clutched his stomach.

  “I don’t know what you think is so funny.” I gave him a scathing look, which only seemed to make him laugh more.

  “You’re absolutely adorable, love. How are you feeling?”

  “Better. Thank you.” I blocked out his new term of endearment. He was just doing it to throw me off balance. Why, I had no idea. I was just another woman to him.

  “Good. I’m glad. I have to get going. I have a prior commitment that I wasn’t able to reschedule. Now be a good girl and give me a quick kiss before I go.” He scooted up the bed, and his mouth hovered over mine. I sucked my lips in and turned my head.

  “Oh, Elizabeth. I’ll wear you down yet.” He kissed the tip of my nose and then he was gone, leaving me more confused than before he came.

  This was a definite wakeup call. I needed to keep my distance from Grant Morgan.

  ♥♥♥♥♥

  “Hi, babe! I brought you some wonton soup from down the street. Your fave,” Maya called out when she let herself into my apartment.

  She plopped down on my bed and set the bag down on the floor.

  “What were you thinking?” I asked in disbelief.

  “Um. I’m not sure I understand. Thinking about what?” She cocked her head to the side in confusion.

  “Telling Grant that I was home sick. You need to stop telling him stuff about me!” I pounded my fist on the bed next to me to emphasize my point.

  “You can’t hide from that man forever. I talked to him and I must say he got a taste of something he liked with you and he most definitely wants another. I just figured that seeing as how you need to get laid on a regular basis and loosen up a bit that I’d help that along.”

  “You know what happened. You know that he treated me like one of his common whores. You should be offended for me. What kind of best friend are you?”

  “The kind who looks out for her friend. I happen to believe that you misread the situation. That’s all I’m going to say.”

  “Oh my God. You know something don’t you? Spill it. Now.”

  “Nope. Not going to happen. You need to figure it out on your own. Did you ever think that you spend so much of your time trying to control the people and situations around you that you miss the finer details of things? I knew after one conversation with Grant Morgan that he had more than just a sexual interest in you. He sent his personal driver for you when your mom was sick. Hello? Do you still not see it?”

  I had to admit I was more than a little surprised when I learned from Madison that she had nothing to do with scheduling a car service for me that night. Apparently, George is Grant’s full-time chauffeur, and he sent him to me so I wouldn’t have to ride the train home. It was a sweet thing to do.

  “It’s all in the name of a little tail.” I brushed off her comment and went back to the fact that he was a typical man just looking to get off and get gone.

  “If you believe that, I feel sorry for you.” She picked up the bag of food and started pulling out cartons. “But I feel more sorry for Grant. I don’t think he realizes how hard headed you are.”

  “Well, isn’t this nice. My best friend sides with the man who screwed me over.”

  “Oh my God!” Maya shouted. “Stop saying that! I swear I’m about to have you committed.”

  “Can we change the subject? I’m done with this one and I’m still kind of sick.”

  “With pleasure. All your stops got done today. Oh and the Jensen’s are home now and grateful at the state of their apartment. They said they’d be giving you a bonus for all the trouble you went to in order to get it back to the condition it was in before the flood.”

  I smiled at that. I didn’t expect a bonus when I did what I did. I just knew how I would have felt being on another continent while my apartment flooded. I wanted them to not have to worry when they got home.

  An added benefit to that is that I’d be able to possibly afford to give Maya a Christmas bonus for helping me out when I couldn’t handle my workload.

  “Awesome.” I ate a wonton from my soup. “I should be back to normal tomorrow. We need to talk about Thanksgiving. I’m planning on taking a train up to my mom’s. Are you going home?”

  “Yeah. My aunt Collette is flying in from Paris so it will be Thanksgiving in the Hamptons for me. I’ll be
back on Saturday though if you want me to handle anything over the weekend.” She expertly wrapped some Lo Mein noodles around her chopsticks.

  “That would be great. I really wanted to get a good pulse on how my mom was doing. She says she’s doing well, but if I need to hire a nurse for her than I will.”

  “E, can you really afford that?”

  “No, but it’s my mom. I can’t leave her to fend for herself. My dad would roll over in his grave if I did.”

  “Okay. Just know if you need some help, I have some money stashed away. Your mom is like my second mom so it wouldn’t be a hardship.”

  I set my food aside and reached out to give her a big hug. “Thank you. You have no idea how much that means to me.”

  Leave it to Maya to get me all choked up.

  “Have you talked to Matt lately?” I asked Maya.

  “Just a bit. He’s been busy with the new office and making friends. He’s doing well though. Is he still not returning your calls?”

  “I got a text back the other day. He still thinks it’s best he gets a clean break.” I missed Matt’s friendship. I always thought when we ended things, we’d at least remain in each other’s life. I still held out hope that once the sting of my rejection wore off that he’d come around.

  “Give him time, babe.”

  “Yeah.”

  “I think we should watch the Real Housewives of New Jersey marathon that’s on tonight,” Maya said while flipping through the channels on my television.

  “Yes, please.”

  Catty fights, incessant bitching, bad hair, and ridiculous characters. Just the way a Thursday night should be spent. It was the best way to forget about sickness, perplexing man whores, and the loss of a friend.

  Chapter Twelve

  I Don’t Just Deal

  I was running late, something I completely detested. Madison had called me that morning and asked me to make a last minute stop to Grant’s with a package from his office. I found the request a bit odd and maybe a tad bit sketchy considering the fact that she called me from the office phone, which meant she was working today. When I questioned her on it, she said she was leaving early to head to her sister’s house in Connecticut and didn’t have time. Figuring that was a legitimate reason, I agreed to make the delivery for her.

  When I picked the box up from his office, it felt like I was on a stealth mission trying to avoid Grant. If it was all a set up to get me into his office, then I wanted to come out on top. Thankfully, the bitch at the front desk had what I needed seeing as how I couldn’t go back to his office since ‘Mr. Morgan was out of the office until after the holiday.’ I really hated her.

  I said a hello to the doorman that was filling in for Sal during the long Thanksgiving weekend and headed up the elevator. My foot tapped, and I glanced at my watch while the car felt like it was moving as slow as molasses.

  God, I hated being late.

  If I didn’t hurry, I wasn’t going to make the train to my mother’s, and I’d miss her surprise birthday dinner at her best friend’s house. It was her sixtieth birthday, and I didn’t want to not be there. It was bad enough my dad wouldn’t get to see it.

  Assuming Grant wasn’t home, seeing as how he couldn’t get the package himself, I unlocked the door and raced into the living area to drop it in my customary location in the kitchen. I skidded to a halt though when I saw him leaning against the wall outside the kitchen with his arms and legs crossed, like he was waiting for me. And damn it all to hell, the man looked sinfully good.

  “Shit, you scared me!” I yelled, and my hand flew to my chest in an attempt to steady its beat.

  “I see that.”

  “Madison led me to believe you wouldn’t be here.”

  “She did,” he stated rather than asked. I raised my eyebrow and put my hand on my hip while the other held his package.

  “You knew I was coming?” I asked with a voice more level than I thought possible at the moment.

  He nodded. “I did. I’m the one who asked her to get you here. You’ve been avoiding me, Elizabeth. Desperate times and all that.” He shrugged his broad shoulder and pushed off the wall. I took him in as he stalked toward me. He was wearing lounge pants and a tight white t-shirt. His feet were bare and they were as fucking hot as Hades in July. Was there anything about this man that was ugly?

  “You… You tricked me here?” I whispered, unable to move when he pulled me in his arms and pressed my body to his.

  “I did. I can’t stop thinking about you, Elizabeth.”

  Ditto, I thought.

  “I felt we were due for some time,” he said with a seductive and mischievous grin.

  “Some time to what?” My heart fluttered as his head dipped and his lips trailed up to my ear, leaving soft kisses in their wake.

  “Some time to explore this connection between us. You come alive for me in the bedroom. It’s exhilarating to watch. I almost come myself when I see how turned on you get. I can’t get enough of you.”

  “I don’t want that, Grant. I told you that I don’t sleep around, especially not with clients.” My words were meant to be convincing, but that was belied by the fact that my body sagged into his. I felt him hardening against me, and my body responded in kind.

  “So, we’re still on about that, huh? What if I told you I could easily remedy that by firing you? Would you let me take you then?” He nibbled on my earlobe. I tilted my head to the side to offer him more access, but then his words washed over me like a bucket of ice water.

  He couldn’t do that. I needed this job. He paid more per hour than any of my other clients, and his tasks were generally the easiest. When Madison told me what he was willing to pay for my services, I jumped on it. There was no way I was going to let him think I charged less.

  “No!” I shouted and pushed out of his arms. I set the package on the table and turned back to him with what I hoped was a determined expression on my face. “You will not fire me and we will not sleep together again, so stop asking already. It’s getting to be a bit creepy.” I knew I was doing an about face and was sending mixed signals, but this needed to stop if I was going to keep my sanity.

  He flinched at my lie and I knew that meant I was making progress. “You’re a lawyer. You know I could get a restraining order. Please don’t make me stoop to that level. I’m not judging you for the life you choose to live, but I will not allow you to use me just for sexual gratification. Go find yourself some other floozy to take care of your problem.” I gestured towards the erection that was now protruding out of his loose pants.

  “Fine,” he sighed in frustration and ran his hands through his hair. “You’re going to be the death of me. I wish you would stop finding reasons to push me away. I showed myself to you that night at the Waldorf, Elizabeth. Do you really believe I’m this womanizing bastard? Do you really believe I would do that to you? And can you honestly say that you think I do that with every woman I’m linked to?”

  “I don’t know what to believe anymore. All I know is I have a lot on my plate and this isn’t making my life any easier. Please,” I begged. “Stop making up sham errands for me to run. I’m probably going to miss my mother’s entrance at her surprise party now that I came here. So if you don’t mind, I’m just going to go. Have a nice Thanksgiving, Grant.”

  I turned to leave, but his hand on my arm stopped me. I looked up into his face. He looked sheepish at the announcement that his selfish behavior was costing me something important. “Take my car,” he said softly while he stared into my eyes.

  “Are you nuts? I couldn’t take your car to Poughkeepsie.” His new shiny, black Mercedes SLS convertible was his baby. It sat under a blanket in the underground garage. I know he purchased it right before I started, but I’ve never known him to drive it.

  “You can and you will. You’ll make it there in time if you don’t have to wait for a train and sit through stops.” He reasoned with me. His body moved an inch closer to mine, and his scent began to invade my space
again.

  “What if something happens to it? I could never pay you back.”

  “That’s nothing you have to worry about. Just take it. Please. I’ll worry about you if you don’t. It will be really hard for me not to stalk you if you force me to worry.” He walked over to the cabinet on the wall that housed his keys, and he handed me a set. His fingers closed over mine and squeezed. “If you don’t take the car, I’ll have to drive you myself.”

  My heart flipped at this devilish grin, but there was no way I was taking him up on that particular offer.

  “Okay,” I said and pulled my hand with the key away from his.

  “Happy Thanksgiving. I’m sorry I made you late. That truly wasn’t what I wanted.” He seemed so sincere and contrite that my heart skipped for a brief moment. He really was sweet when he did stuff like this, and it made it hard for me to stay mad at him.

  “Thank you.” I went up on my tiptoes and kissed his cheek. “I’ll be back on Sunday. Is that okay?”

  “Yes. Now go. And drive careful, beautiful.”

  “Okay. Thank you again.” I smiled and rushed to the door. I hated to admit it, but I was pretty damn excited to be driving his car.

  ♥♥♥♥♥

  “That was awfully nice of your client to let you take his extremely expensive car,” my mother noted as I downshifted the Mercedes and it purred like the sexy kitten it was. The only thing that would top this moment was if it were warm enough to put the top down and feel the wind in my hair.

  “It was his fault I was running late, Mother.” I sighed, knowing this wasn’t going to end anytime soon.

  We were on our way to her friend Nancy’s house for Thanksgiving dinner. Nancy lived in a nearby town called New Paltz. It wasn’t a terribly long drive, but it sure as hell felt that way seeing as how I had to sit through Gail Ward’s Inquisition as I liked to call it.