Always With You

by Layla Hagen

  His kiss was so tender that I couldn’t help the bout of emotion coursing through me. I couldn’t tell why, but he was awakening feelings no one had before.

  He had both hands on me now. Touching, tugging, exploring. When he reached the hem of my bikini bottoms, his fingers dug into my skin, as if it was all he could do not to rip them away.

  That snapped me back to reality. We were in a pool! Staff could walk in at any moment. I tore my mouth away from his but didn’t pull back. Merely stood there, entwined with him, drawing my breath. He kept me close, resting his jaw against my temple.

  “Fuck, Hailey.”

  I knew exactly what that “fuck” stood for: he couldn’t believe this had been so intense any more than I could. I was trembling. From a kiss!

  It was official, I’d pegged Reid Davenport all wrong. I’d thought he was broody and possibly an asshole. He’d showed me otherwise. He’d invited me here under the pretense of work and had in fact planned an elaborate date. It was as if he had a secret side that he was slowly revealing to me. I managed to gain his trust.

  I looked up into those gray-blue eyes that were so alive—not just with lust. The realization overwhelmed me. I couldn’t explain how I knew it, but that warmth and happiness in his gaze stirred so many emotions inside me. He was looking at me as if I was the cause for it all, as if I was... special.

  Maybe I was imagining it. Surely, that was it.

  “Tell me you don’t want this,” he whispered.

  “Reid....”

  His fingers dug into my waist possessively. “Tell me you don’t feel it.”

  “Of course, I do.”

  His smile changed. I pointed an accusatory finger at him. “What’s with this smile?”

  “What about it?”

  “Looks triumphant. Almost smug.”

  “Why, Ms. Connor, of course I’m feeling smug. This woman I like very much just confessed the feeling is mutual.”

  “Very much, huh?” I looked away, biting down a triumphant smile of my own. I didn’t even understand all the things this man made me feel.

  “Very much,” he repeated, feathering his lips up and down my cheek. Oh, Reid Davenport was going to be trouble. So much trouble.

  I startled when a loud banging came from a nearby corridor.

  “What’s that sound?” I inquired.

  “That would be Mr. Lawrence. He cleans the pool.”

  “He didn’t get the boss’s notice that the pool is closed for private and shameless use?”

  “He most likely did, but he likes to ignore the boss.”

  “Oh, and you don’t mind?”

  He shrugged. “Mr. Lawrence has been with us since my grandparents ran the first hotel. He’s good at his job and likes to stick to his routine.”

  We left the pool just as Mr. Lawrence arrived. He seemed to be about eighty and half-deaf and berated Reid for chasing out the guests, insisting his dad had never done this and that it was bad for business.

  “I’ll take that into consideration, Mr. Lawrence.”

  “How come he’s not retired?” I asked as we took the elevator to the penthouse.

  “He did retire twelve years ago, but then his wife died, and he asked if he could have his old job back. Kids live in another city, and he didn’t want to be by himself the entire day.”

  Oh wow. I had all sorts of fuzzy feelings for this man, and no idea what to do about them.

  I showered quickly, then put on my clothes, fidgeting when I stepped out in the living room. Reid sat on a bar chair. He was fully dressed too. I had no idea why that surprised me.

  “I’ll drive you home.” He slid from the chair, pocketing his phone as he strode my way.

  “I can just Uber.”

  “What kind of date would I be if I didn’t take you home?”

  “Hmmm... the kind who ambushes an unsuspecting woman with a five-course meal, retroactively turning a business meeting into a date?”

  He brushed a loose strand of hair out of my face, lingering with his fingers at my cheek. The contact electrified me. “So, I ambushed you, huh?”

  “Well, that might be too harsh,” I conceded in a shaky voice. How could his touch affect me so much? “Surprised me.”

  And now he was surprising me even more by not making any move to get me into his bed.

  He chuckled. “Would you like me to make a move?”

  Shit. Shit. Shit. I’d said that out loud?

  “Please ignore that. Didn’t mean to say it out loud.”

  “You fascinate me, Hailey Connor. And this was just our first date. One I ambushed you into. We’ll have a few more dates before I touch you. Before I taste you.”

  From the tone of his voice, he clearly didn’t mean tasting my mouth. My breath became more labored, and I instinctively pressed my thighs together. Reid caught the movement and his eyes zeroed in on my mouth. He was gripping my waist, I realized, and his fingers dug in so possessively, that I was sure he was a few seconds away from lifting me up on that bar and having his wicked way with me. Oh, God. If he did, there would be no resisting him. I only had so much willpower, after all, and I’d used it all up today.

  “Let’s go, pretty girl,” he murmured instead. He flashed me another smile. He was all smiles tonight. I liked that.

  My brain was foggy with lust, but even so, I knew I’d berate myself tomorrow if I gave in to more. I was fairly certain Reid could sense that, and he was letting me off the hook. Did I mention how much I loved that about him?

  We were silent as he drove, which unnerved me. I always felt the need to fill silence with chatter, but I didn’t know what to say. I couldn’t focus enough to bring up the article, and I didn’t want to bring up the other topic either. I could tell that he was completely at ease with the silence. After all, he lived in a five-thousand-square-foot penthouse by himself because he liked his space and quiet. I would go crazy. I loved that my two-bedroom house had no fences and I could hear the neighbor’s kids play in the backyard. I loved that other neighbors played music late into the night. Sometimes I sat on my porch, in the armchair I’d propped there, and just people-watched.

  When we arrived, he walked me to my door, looking around with a bewildered expression.

  “Are those kids supposed to be out there alone?”

  I laughed. “Yup. It’s their yard. Sometimes they even come to play in mine. And before you ask, the music doesn’t bother me either.”

  “I think I’d walk around wearing noise-canceling headphones. Your neighbors are insanely loud.”

  He grinned, and I returned it. Oh, Reid. What was I thinking, already imagining our next date? He couldn’t fit in my crazy life, and I couldn’t fit in his either. We were just so different.

  “Hey! Do not pick on my neighbors. I like them. They’re fun. We often get together to grill in each other’s yards, or just chat with a glass of wine.”

  Reid whistled. “Wow, just when I was starting to think you’re okay.”

  “Okay? Ouch.”

  I laughed again, not ready to bid him goodbye yet. He was, well, adorable.

  Hmm... a few seconds later, I thought of a more appropriate description. His eyes turned molten. He was looking at me as if he wanted to kiss me senseless. I was all for that, but surely he wouldn’t, here with all the neighbors—

  He did.

  Hmm... maybe we did have one or two things in common after all. His mouth came down on mine, both hands gripping my waist. Oh, this man’s kisses were just exquisite. The brush of his lips was hot, demanding. We moved until I felt the door behind my back and his hips pressing into mine. He brought his hands up to my face, his thumbs pressing gently on my skin, urging me to open up more, give him more. I moved my fingers through his hair, all the way to the back of his head, tugging and pulling. Guess I’m demanding too. I just couldn’t get enough. I was so tempted to run my fingers all over him. He had far too many clothes on.

  “Wow,” I whispered. “You’ve made an art form out of a good
night kiss.”

  “Won’t you invite me in for a nightcap?”

  “After you’ve mocked my neighbors and my outgoing nature? You, mister, absolutely do not deserve a nightcap.”

  If I invited him in, I’d want to keep him, and that just wouldn’t do. He laughed without moving his hands from my torso. I felt every single finger splayed on my rib cage as if I weren’t wearing anything.

  “I’ll do better next time.”

  Next time. My breath caught as he unabashedly looked at me. I was so close to inviting him in, but instead, I wiggled out of his grasp. I fumbled for my keys in my purse while Reid descended the steps of my porch, looking over his shoulder with a wicked expression. I realized exactly what his smile meant.

  Next time would be sooner rather than later.

  Chapter Eleven

  Hailey

  Despite going to bed late, I woke up as usual, just a few minutes before my alarm rang at six o’clock. Running would do me good. The effort of pushing myself for one more mile, then one more block, then finally just one more step had always gotten me so exhausted that in the aftermath, while I drew my breath, I could clearly see the solution to a problem I’d been analyzing for days, sometimes weeks.

  Today, I wasn’t lucky enough to get a breakthrough, even though I was breathless by the time I arrived back home. I stood there for a few minutes, just soaking in the warm sun, admiring my house.

  The façade was all plastered with red faux bricks, and the interior was an explosion of color—not all of it intentional. While the black furniture contrasted beautifully with the orange carpet, the mix of paint on the walls... was a story for another day.

  When I stepped in my shower, sweaty and on shaky legs, I still had Reid on my mind, and I was as torn about everything as ever. I knew one thing for certain though: the attraction I felt for him wasn’t fading. If anything, each time I was close to him, the pull grew stronger. I sighed, rinsing my hair thoroughly, not bothered in the slightest by the fact that I was smiling from ear to ear just thinking about him.

  I grabbed my favorite pancakes on the way to work, to reward myself for the arduous run. Most of my coworkers were horrified by my diet, but I loved my carbs and my gluten and most everything else that was considered a mortal sin in Los Angeles.

  I’d never been naturally thin, even as a kid. I might be petite, but my ass and thighs had always been on the full side.

  Running helped tone my muscles, and that was all I was after.

  “Morning, everyone,” I greeted, distributing the pancakes to those who shared my life philosophy and getting glares from the rest. I transcribed Reid’s interview first thing. Editing it took the rest of my morning. Only then did I check my emails.

  The first one I opened was from LA Lifestyle. They were informing me that they would publish Reid’s article in the next issue as long as I sent everything on time. The deadline was tomorrow. My blood boiled when I reached the end of the email. On the very last line, they also mentioned “We retain discretion to edit.”

  Oh, really? No, they wouldn’t. Not for one of my clients. I knew exactly what that line meant. It was essentially their way of excusing themselves from any libel suits if they defamed someone.

  “Editing” usually meant they’d rephrase a few key sentences so they would sound controversial and leave room for interpretation.

  Well, hell no.

  I retreated to one of the small conference rooms, as I usually did when I knew I was about to have a heated conversation.

  “Hailey,” my contact answered. Victor was a reporter in his midforties. “What can I do for you?”

  “I just received your email. What’s with that last line?”

  “It’s standard practice, you know that.”

  “It’s standard practice for field work where you draw conclusions based on snapshots and hearsay, not a one-on-one interview.”

  “We’re not going to change anything. It’s just a standard sentence in our email.”

  He didn’t think I’d be satisfied with that, did he? I might not have worked in this industry as long as he had, but I had enough life and work experience to know the only promises that mattered were the written ones.

  “I’m going to have to ask you to resend that email and specifically say that not one word will be changed or paraphrased.”

  “I don’t have time for this,” he snapped.

  “Then I’m going to have to give the story to someone else.”

  “What? You promised it to me.”

  “You also promised to publish it as I send it to you, and you’re going back on your word.”

  “You are exasperating.”

  I swallowed but didn’t let the insult get to me. Or at least I told myself I didn’t. I’d heard worse from people I worked with, and even from guys I dated who threw in my face that they just couldn’t deal with my type-A personality.

  Yes, I wanted things done a certain way. Yes, I had standards. Yes, I didn’t think it was acceptable for anyone to go back on their word in any circumstances.

  “You have until five o’clock today to send me the revised email, Victor, or I’m not sending you the interview.”

  “You do realize that schmuck needs us more than we need him, right?”

  My hackles went up.

  “Media outlets are a dime a dozen in this city, Victor. If you won’t publish it, someone else will. You might have a larger user base than others, but everyone’s been waiting for Reid’s side of the story for a while. It will spread fast, with or without your contribution.”

  “You’re going to burn bridges with your demands.”

  “I’ll end up with the ones worth keeping.”

  In truth, I did need a connection at LA Lifestyle. But a connection who always felt he had the upper hand, the final say, was of no use to my clients. I needed someone honest, someone I could count on, or there was no point. Victor said nothing. I could sense the wheels turning in his mind. To up the ante, I added, “Let me know before five o’clock,” then disconnected the call.

  Yeah, make him sweat. He deserved it. I knew Victor. He’d likely already bragged to his bosses that he had this in the bag. He’d lose face if the story got away from him now.

  I pushed Victor to the back of my mind and went on about my day. He replied two hours later with the updated terms. I smiled to myself, spinning with my chair a few times.

  I sent Reid a message, telling him the LA Lifestyle article was in the bag and that I’d map out the rest of the steps as soon as possible.

  I’d just started writing down the goals I had set for myself for April when he responded.

  Reid: Sounds like we should get together and discuss the next steps.

  I chuckled.

  Hailey: Why didn’t I see this coming? There’s no need to meet for this. I’ll email you my ideas and you can give me feedback. I’ll go from there.

  Reid: I’d rather hear your ideas in person.

  Bossy, was he? Well, I could be just as bossy.

  Hailey: Takes up too much time, and you’re not my only client.

  Reid: I can change that.

  I didn’t get it.

  Hailey: What do you mean?

  Reid: I can tell your boss that I want you to work exclusively for me.

  I stared at the screen of my phone, trying to ignore the goose bumps forming on my arms, the way my breath hitched. How could a simple message affect me so much? How could he already wield so much power over me?

  I typed and deleted about five texts before finally pressing Send.

  Hailey: I’d like to see you try.

  He didn’t reply, and I took that as him admitting defeat.

  I breezed through the rest of my tasks until lunch, when I was meeting Val. I loved having lunch with a fellow Connor. Friday dinners were awesome, of course, but there were so many people gathered together that I barely had time to interact with each long enough to lure out if they had any trouble, let alone brainstorm ways to solve the
m. I couldn’t wait to grill Val, check how she was really doing.

  “You keep feeding me,” Val complained when I ordered some more dim sum. We were in one of my favorite Chinese joints.

  “You need lots of vitamins. Need to take care of you and my niece or nephew.” I looked at her hopefully. “Do you already know what it will be?”

  Val rubbed her belly, chuckling. Her rich brown hair had an unusual glow. In fact, my sister seemed to have an overall glow I hadn’t seen before.

  “No, silly. I told you I haven’t had another ultrasound, and the baby wasn’t in a position that allowed us to see the sex last time.”

  I narrowed my eyes. “But you wouldn’t keep it from me, right?”

  Val averted her gaze. I knew it. I knew it.

  “Val, don’t be cruel. I’ve learned to keep secrets. You know I did.”

  So my track record wasn’t the best, but I’d gotten so much better lately.

  “Can I come with you at the next ultrasound?” I shook my head as soon as I said the words. “No, you’re going with Carter. Can’t intrude.”

  “You can come if you want to. He doesn’t mind.”

  Hmm... decisions, decisions. On the one hand, I’d love to hear the nugget’s heartbeat. But it was their moment.

  “April and Peyton are coming too, so it’s a party anyway,” Val said.

  I lit up, so happy about the excuse. So, so happy. “I’m in. You know what they say about parties. The more, the merrier.”

  “Now... tell me all about that client who keeps stealing you away on weekends.”

  I stared at a piece of half-eaten dim sum. Uh-oh. My secret-keeping abilities were just about to get tested.

  “Hm?”

  “I know you. You don’t work on weekends anymore. For you to be with a client on a Saturday means... he’s rather special. Which is weird considering you referred to him as a first-class asshole after the first time you met him.”