My First Love Affair (Bancroft Billionaire Brothers Book 3)

by Ali Parker

  “I’m afraid to ask.”

  “Unless you want to ride the Harley over?” I said, already knowing her answer.

  “Nope. Definitely not. I’m not there yet. I’m not saying never, but not yet.”

  “Fair enough,” I agreed.

  Chapter 46

  Adelaide

  I couldn’t believe I had agreed to go to dinner with Mason at his mother’s house. I must have been half asleep still. I had been cataloging my closet all morning. Mason finally took mercy on me and drove me home hours ahead of the scheduled dinner so I could physically dig through my closet and find something appropriate.

  “Relax,” he said for at least the fifteenth time as we walked upstairs to my apartment.

  I spun around to scowl at him. “That’s easy for you to say. You know these people. They know you and aren’t looking for you to say or do something stupid. They aren’t going to be judging you by what you’re wearing.”

  “He raised an eyebrow. “Actually, that is exactly what they will be doing. It’s what they always do, which is why you’re going with me. You’ll be my bodyguard,” he said with a grin.

  “You’re going to need a bodyguard all right, but it’s going to be needed to keep me from kicking your ass.”

  He grinned, finding my threat amusing. “I think I like the sound of that. Can we use a paddle?” he said with a wink.

  I growled and stomped up the stairs, opening the door to my apartment and walking straight to my room. I opened the closet door and stared at the various dresses, skirts, and tops hanging in the tiny space.

  “Is it formal? Casual?” I shouted, so he could hear me in the living room.

  “It’s dinner,” he answered, walking into my bedroom.

  I looked at the jeans and black tee he was wearing. It’s what he always wore. The only difference was the tee looked fairly new and wasn’t faded. That was his idea of getting dressed for a family dinner. I had a feeling the rest of the family took it a bit more serious. He told me his brothers always wore suits. I was going with a dress, but I needed to find the right one.

  I pulled out the cocktail dress I had worn on our date and tossed it on the bed. He’d seen me wear it, but they hadn’t. I pulled out a black skirt I wore for official business, not that I had a lot of official business, but when I did. I grabbed the dark-green dress I’d worn to a Christmas party with Deanna and tossed it onto the bed. I pushed things around and pulled out a summer dress that I was already dismissing in my mind, but if I added a sweater, it could work.

  “Are these the choices?” he asked.

  “Yes.”

  “Let me see what else you’ve got in there,” he said, stepping forward and gently nudging me out of the way.

  I watched as he rummaged through my closet, pulling out things before putting them back in. He pulled out a very tiny sequined skirt that I had worn many, many years ago during my clubbing phase.

  “No way,” I said, shaking my head.

  He scowled at me, reaching back into the closet and pulling the black skimpy tank top I had often wore with the skirt. “I like this. I think you should wear this.”

  “No.”

  He held both up to my body, his smile wide as he waggled his eyebrows. “I bet if you bent over while wearing this, I could see your ass.”

  I laughed. “I bet you could, which is why I am not wearing it to your mother’s house.”

  “I like this. I think you should wear it,” he said with admiration.

  “Not tonight. I’m thinking the green,” I said, picking up the dress with an A-line cut that hit right at my knees.

  He took it and studied it. “I like it, but it’s so proper.”

  “It’s supposed to be proper,” I said, running a hand over the lace sleeves.

  He wrinkled his nose. “Fine, but wear something sexy under. I’m thinking red. Do you have anything red?”

  I moved to the top drawer of my dresser and shuffled things around. I didn’t wear the red lace bra very often. It was part of the going-out-to-the-club items. I pulled it out and held it up. “Is this red enough?”

  He slowly nodded. “Panties?”

  It was probably the most ridiculous conversation I had with a man, but I dug out the matching thong that went with the bra. It had been a steal at the semiannual sale at Victoria’s Secret. “This?”

  “Oh yeah, now we’re talking. I’m going to be thinking about this all night,” he whispered.

  “Then maybe I shouldn’t wear it. I don’t know if it’s a good idea to tempt you. You’ve proven you’re not one to wait,” I told him, thinking back to the coffee shop and the close call in the elevator up to his place.

  The man was handsy and determined. I felt powerful and sexy knowing I could make him act so crazy.

  “Wear it.”

  “Fine, I’ll be back in a second.”

  He grabbed my hand. “I wouldn’t mind a show.”

  I chewed my bottom lip. “Mason, we’ve only got a couple hours. I need to get dressed.”

  “I won’t touch you. I only want to watch.”

  “God.” I groaned, closing my eyes. “You are too much. I always feel aroused around you.”

  He laughed, stepping away from me and stretching out on my bed, fluffing the pillows behind him. He folded his hands behind his head. “I’m ready.”

  I giggled, shaking my head. I wasn’t ashamed or embarrassed. I loved that he told me how much he liked my body, liked me. He didn’t hide what he was thinking. He said what was on his mind and didn’t worry about filtering it. We’d showered at his place. All I needed to do was get dressed and do my makeup.

  I sat down at my vanity, my eyes meeting his in the mirror. I often found him watching me in the mornings while I got ready for work. At first, it was kind of disturbing. It made me uncomfortable, but that had changed when I realized he was watching me with rapt interest and not any kind of judgment.

  I went about putting on my makeup, keeping it light and subtle. I didn’t want to look like I was on my way to the club. I had a feeling that was something his family would seriously frown upon. I dabbed on some lip gloss, then smacked my lips together before getting out of the chair.

  “Now, here comes the good part,” he said with a leering smile.

  I stripped out of my clothes, turning away from him to take off the bra I had on before putting on the red one. I could hear him breathing and knew he was watching me intently. I stripped off my panties, pulled on the red lace thong, and turned around to look at him.

  “Red enough?” I asked him in a soft voice.

  I could see his erection bulging in his jeans. He reached down and adjusted himself. “Dinner is going to be very long.” He groaned.

  I picked up my dress from the end of the bed and slid it over my head. “Zip me?”

  “Do I have to?”

  I laughed again, flipping my hair out of the way and letting him slide the zipper up. I moved away from him before one of us gave in to our urges. I dug in my jewelry box, putting on the plain gold chain with the letter A hanging off it. My dad had given it to me for my sixteenth birthday. It was nothing fancy, but it had special meaning to me. I knew it couldn’t compare to the expensive jewelry his family would likely be wearing, but I needed my dad close to me tonight.

  I pulled on a gold bracelet before going into my closet and finding my gold strappy heels. The outfit felt a little out of season, but it was elegant and classy. That was more important to me than wearing the latest runway fashion. I felt confident in the dress and that’s what I needed.

  I turned around to face him, my arms out. “Well?”

  He got off the bed, stopping to stand about three feet in front of me. “Baby, you are absolutely gorgeous. You look amazing. I want you to know you could show up wearing jeans and a T-shirt and I would be just as happy, but you, right now in this dress, are killing me. My brothers are going to be as green as this dress with envy.”

  I smiled, leaning forward to kiss him.
“Thank you. I’m nervous. I’m not going to lie.”

  “It’s going to be okay. We go in, we get a drink, we talk about nothing for a bit and then we have dinner. The one good thing about a big family is the conversation is always moving along. You can sit quietly, and no one will even notice. Jack tends to be a big talker. James too. Grayson is always brooding over something. Jack and James could keep the conversation going by themselves,” he assured me.

  I nodded, trying to calm my nerves. I was doing this for him. He wanted me there, needed me if his horror stories about his family meals were to be believed. I could do this for him. If he and I were actually going to have a relationship, I was going to have to get used to his family. They might end up hating me, and that was okay, but I wanted to get the first awkward family dinner out of the way.

  “I’m good. I can do this,” I said, assuring him and myself.

  “If things get ugly or if you are really uncomfortable, say the word and we’ll leave whenever you want. I don’t want you to feel out of place. I mean, I always do, but I’m used to it,” he said with a laugh.

  “I have a feeling it’s you who is going to be wanting to leave early,” I told him.

  “Probably. I usually do. I’m going to try on your outlook on life, the one where I got a new lease on life. I’m hoping that gives me a little more patience to deal with the drama,” he murmured.

  “Just remember tomorrow isn’t a promise,” I told him, something my father had taught me.

  He pulled me in close, hugging me against him. “No, it’s not, which is why I want to spend every minute I can with you.”

  We held each other for a few moments. I liked moments like this where neither of us had to talk, touch, or flirt. We could just hold each other and infuse each other with a sense of calm and belonging. It was something else we had in common. Neither of us felt like we truly belonged anywhere. While he had a big family, he didn’t feel close to them and had always felt alone. I had no family left and was truly alone.

  “You ready to do this?” he asked in a quiet voice.

  “I am.”

  “Thank you for coming with me. While I do want you to meet them, I am really looking forward to your support and having at least one person I can truly talk to.”

  I smiled up at him. “I’ve got you. We’re going to be fine.”

  He picked up the overnight bag, which I had thrown together, while I grabbed my purse. I was staying at his place tonight. I usually stayed at his place. I locked the door behind me and let him help me down the stairs. The apprehension I felt about meeting his family was giving me some serious jitters. I knew he wouldn’t let them talk shit to me and would run interference if I got the same looks I’d seen in the hospital. I didn’t want to put him in a position to need to do that. He didn’t need any more beef between him and his family. I promised myself I would smile all night. I could always cry in the bathroom later.

  Chapter 47

  Mason

  I wasn’t sure who was more nervous about the dinner. I could tell she was putting on a brave face for me and I appreciated it. I hated that she had to feel nervous at all. My family better behave themselves. It was one thing to bless me with their bullshit, but I wouldn’t tolerate them giving Adelaide a hard time. They didn’t know her and therefore couldn’t judge her. I turned the Mercedes in to the driveway, leaning out to enter in the security code for the gate.

  I heard her gasp when I rounded the driveway and the house came into view. It was an impressive house. I reached for her hand as I steered the car to a spot that would allow me to make an early escape without getting blocked in by anyone else.

  “Mason, you didn’t tell me your mom’s house was a mansion!” she exclaimed.

  “Does it matter?”

  “Yes! Are you sure this is a good idea? I’ve never seen a mansion in real life. I’m going to look completely out of place,” she mumbled.

  “Adelaide, you look like a million bucks. You are not going to look out of place. I know it looks like a lot and I suppose it is, but my mom has always done a really good job making it feel like a home,” I said proudly.

  We got out of the car. She was staring openmouthed at the landscaped grounds. The privacy fence blocked her view of the backyard, but I knew when she saw it, it would blow her mind.

  “A basketball court?” She gasped.

  “Six boys in the house, my mom insisted my dad put one in. We were kind of a rowdy bunch. She was always telling us to go outside,” I said, thinking of the fond memories when life had been easy.

  “It must have been pretty cool to grow up here. Do you have a pool?” she asked.

  I was almost embarrassed to tell her there was indeed a pool. “Yes.”

  “A big backyard?”

  I nodded again. “Yes.”

  “Wow. This is gorgeous. I would have never imagined this is where you came from.”

  I chuckled. “Me either.”

  “It looks like something I would see on TV with those big columns and the massive front door. It’s very regal,” she said, her voice filled with awe.

  “Thanks, I think. It was my dad’s dream. My mom wanted something big enough for all of us boys to have lots of space. I guess a mansion was the logical choice,” I said dryly.

  “There is so much space. I bet you and your brothers had a lot of fun running around here. You had your own little world here. With the huge fence, I imagine it was pretty safe. Your mom could send you guys out to play and not worry about you getting shot or kidnapped or someone offering to give you drugs,” she said in a way that suggested that was exactly what she’d grown up with.

  I nodded. “It was safe, but I don’t remember doing a lot of playing with my brothers,” I told her, another memory of sitting in the backyard alone while my brothers played basketball or something else.

  “I’m sorry. I think it would be very difficult to feel completely alone while you were a part of a big family,” she said.

  I nodded. “I guess. I know it was my own doing most of the time.”

  “It’s a big house, a big family—a busy family—it would be easy to get lost in the craziness of it all.”

  “Was it different for you?” I asked.

  She shrugged. “I felt alone a lot, but it was just me and my dad. If he had to work late or go to the store, I was truly alone. Sometimes he’d be watching TV and I could be right there beside him, but I would feel alone and a little lost.”

  “I guess I have nothing to complain about.”

  “You do. You felt alone and that’s what matters. We come from two very different situations, but the feelings of being alone are very much the same. Don’t think I begrudge you for what you had. You still have every right to have those feelings of being lost in the mix. Money doesn’t mean everything. You were wealthy in many ways, but I feel like I was wealthy in others,” she reasoned.

  I turned to face her, wondering how I got so lucky. “You’re pretty smart. Thank you. Are you ready for this?”

  She reached out and squeezed my hand, immediately recognizing my need. We walked to the front door where I rang the bell. Adelaide stood beside me, and by her outward appearance, one would never be able to tell she was nervous as hell. She had on that cool veneer that I loved to tease her about. A month ago, I would have called her princess. Today, I called her baby. The princess moniker hadn’t been entirely accurate.

  Jack opened the door. “You came!”

  “Good observation,” I said dryly.

  He ignored me and grabbed Adelaide’s hand. “I’m so, so sorry about that night,” he blurted out.

  “It’s okay. Mason explained it,” she said with a smile.

  “I know, but I still feel horrible for how that went down and then the hospital. Please know we were all really worried about Mason and probably weren’t on our best behavior,” he said, adding to the excuses.

  “It’s fine, Jack,” I told him, cutting off the excuse train.

  “It really is
,” Adelaide assured him.

  “Come in. Everyone is in the study. My wife is dying to meet you. My mom said Mason was bringing someone. I didn’t believe it, but here you are,” he teased.

  I gripped Adelaide’s hand and followed Jack down the hall. I could hear the soft murmur of voices and felt that familiar tension I always got when I was home. We walked into the study to find my mother enjoying a glass of wine with James and Natasha. That was different. She was always in the kitchen right up until dinner was served. I was glad Grayson wasn’t there yet. I wanted to ease Adelaide into the situation.

  My mother rose from her chair and walked toward us. “Mason, I’m glad you could make it.”

  “Mom, you remember Adelaide?” I said, making sure she didn’t ignore my date. “Adelaide, I don’t think I got around to it, but this is Kathy, my mother.”

  “It’s nice to meet you, again,” Adelaide said with a friendly smile.

  “Yes, it is certainly under much better circumstances. Come in. We’re just having a glass of wine while dinner finishes cooking,” my mother said.

  I looked at Jack who had brought Natasha over. Natasha looked more nervous than Adelaide.

  “Hi, I’m Natasha. You can call me Nat. I just wanted to personally apologize to you for that trouble at the restaurant. That was my fault. I had no idea Mason was seeing anyone. I would have never invited her. She’s not a bad person and didn’t know the situation either,” Nat rambled.

  “It’s fine,” I said, saving Adelaide the trouble. “It’s in the past. No one needs to apologize,” I said, hoping to put an end to the damn thing once and for all.

  “It really is okay,” Adelaide said.

  “Thank you for being so gracious about it,” Natasha said with a smile.

  My mother brought two glasses of wine. I took them both, not really that excited to have wine, but figured I could drink it this once. Natasha grabbed Adelaide’s hand and took her to the love seat. I decided in that moment I very much liked Natasha. I hadn’t been all that pleased with her and my brother hooking up, but I could see she was a good person. Her dad was an asshole, but she seemed good.