by Tia Siren
“Of course. I want you to get your happily ever after. I think he’s the man for you. Now I want to see him prove me right.”
I closed the door behind her, locked it, and put away the empty glasses. I hoped she was right. I wasn’t sure I was necessarily looking for a happily ever after, but I did want the best for Tommy. Whether that meant the money needed to send him to the best schools in the city or just having a father figure in his life, I wasn’t sure. I was nervous as hell about what it would mean to our lives once his paternity was unveiled.
It had to be for the better. This was the right thing to do.
So why was I freaking out about it so badly?
Chapter Fifteen
Tyler
It was a good thing I owned the company. I cut out of work early again today, leaving April to make excuses for my absence at the meetings I was skipping out on. Tonight was too important. I couldn’t possibly worry about company business.
“Should I get a car seat?” Alex asked me.
I looked at him, drawing a blank. “What? A car seat?”
“You told me I was picking up a child. How old?”
“Uh, three,” I said, suddenly feeling unsure about my grand plans.
He nodded his head. “We’ll need a booster.”
“A booster?” I felt like I was in an alternate universe.
“I’ll take care of it. Don’t worry about a thing,” he assured me.
I nodded my head. “Thanks, Alex.”
I was glad to have him, especially in that moment. I checked with my pilot, made sure all the arrangements were in place, and waited. I kept replaying the various scenarios of how the evening could turn out. I couldn’t shake the feeling that the kid was mine. I knew it was completely ridiculous and the chances of him being mine were slim to none, but a slim chance was still a chance.
“Your guests have arrived, sir,” a member of the security detail announced.
I waited in the foyer, feeling nervous as hell. Minutes later, Emily and her son walked inside. I smiled when I caught a glimpse of her. She took my breath away every time. Tonight, she was wearing a flowing black skirt, a fitted green shirt, and a pair of sexy heels that conjured up an image of her wearing nothing but.
“Tommy, this is my friend, Tyler,” Emily said, snapping my attention from her to the little boy standing next to her.
“Hi, Tommy.” I smiled at the little boy who was studying me with intelligent eyes.
“Hi,” he said in a clear voice.
“Are you two ready?” I asked.
“Ready?” Emily asked. “Are we not having dinner here?”
I smiled. “Nope. Tommy, have you ever been in a helicopter?”
“Uh,” Emily said.
“Come on,” I said, turning and leading them down a side corridor toward the helicopter landing pad.
“Tyler, I don’t know if this is a good idea. Where are we going?” Emily asked, nerves making her voice high.
“Napa Valley,” I replied. “And the helicopter is safe.”
When we walked outside, Tommy squealed, jumping up and down when he saw the sleek black chopper waiting for us. We climbed inside, Emily sitting next to Tommy, a look of worry on her face. I took a moment for me to really look at the boy. How could anyone tell just by looking that a child was theirs?
After the short ride, we were whisked away to the restaurant I had reserved for the night—the entire restaurant. We sat down, enjoying our private meal. Emily and I barely spoke to one another, as Tommy monopolized the conversation.
The kid was smart. I hadn’t had a lot of interaction with children, but I knew three-year-olds didn’t typically carry on lengthy conversations in complete sentences.
“Are you in school?” I asked him.
The kid rolled his eyes. “No. I’m in daycare. I’m ready for school. My mom says I have to wait.”
I smirked and looked at Emily. She looked exasperated. “I’m working on it,” she mumbled.
Taking a hint, I didn’t press the issue. I could see it was a bit of a sore spot and wanted to wait until we were alone to talk to her about Tommy in general.
“Are you ready for another helicopter ride?” I asked Tommy.
The kid grinned, and for a brief second, I thought I could see myself in him. His eyes looked like Emily’s, but his hair was thick, like mine, and he had a cowlick just like I did on the back of his head.
“Sit tight,” I said to Emily, standing from the table. “I want to make sure the press didn’t get wind we were here.”
I walked out of the restaurant, waiting to see if I would be accosted by a sneaky photographer. When no one appeared, I popped my head back in and gave them the all clear. Once we were back in San Francisco, Emily insisted she go home and get Tommy to bed. I invited myself to her house and was pleased when she accepted.
“I’m sorry. This is probably not something you are used to,” she said, opening the door to her tiny apartment.
“Don’t be sorry. Ever.”
“I can read chapter books,” Tommy announced.
“You can?” I said with exaggerated shock. I wouldn’t have been surprised to learn the kid could read old-fashioned encyclopedias.
“Come on, kid,” Emily said, ruffling his hair. “You’ve stayed up late enough.” She turned back to me. “Have a seat. There’s a bottle of wine in the kitchen if you’d like some.”
“Sure. Can I pour you a glass?”
“Yes, please.”
I watched her disappear into a room and heard her and Tommy talking in low voices. She was gentle but firm with him. I could see how smart the kid was and had to give her a lot of the credit. Genes may have made him naturally intelligent, but she did the rest.
“Sorry,” she said, coming back into the living room, her heels kicked off somewhere along the way. “He gets to telling a story sometimes and it can really stretch on.”
I handed her the glass of wine and watched her take a drink.
“It’s fine. He’s an amazing kid. You’re an amazing woman,” I told her, sliding closer to her on the couch.
“Thank you,” she said, barely above a whisper.
I had to kiss her. Watching her all night had been doing weird things to my body. I wanted her, but it was a different kind of need. I wanted all of her. Getting to know her and her son made me realize how special she was.
Our kiss started out slow and gentle. I took my time, letting every one of my senses absorb her. Her hand did a slow side up my arm, holding on to my bicep before moving over my neck and into my hair. She scooted closer to me on the couch, turning her body, her breasts pressing against me. I deepened the kiss, hearing her whimper and knowing she wanted me.
“Your room?” I whispered.
She pulled away, looking into my eyes. I saw the brief hesitation. I wouldn’t press her. She stood and took my hand, leading me down the short, narrow hall and pushing open a door on the left. As soon as we were through the door, I carefully closed the door behind us before moving to her and beginning to undress her.
It was a slow removal of her clothing. I wanted to touch every part of her. Once I had her completely nude, I slowly backed her up against her bed.
“Sit,” I ordered.
She did as I asked, looking up at me with anticipation in those green eyes. I quickly undid my shirt, shucking it along with the rest of my clothing. I stood before her, naked and wanting, watching her reaction to seeing my body.
She reached her hand out, her fingertips trailing over my stomach before moving to encompass my dick.
“I want you,” she said, looking directly into my eyes as she said the three words, nearly making me explode in her hand.
“I want to taste you,” I told her, slowly dropping to my knees in front of her.
Her eyes widened as she realized what I meant. I reached out, scooting her ass to the edge of the bed before using one hand to push her legs open. Her hands were on my shoulders. I could see she was going to tell me n
o and didn’t want to hear the word.
“Lie back,” I demanded.
“Tyler,” she murmured.
I shook my head and held her gaze with mine, silently demanding she do as I requested. She relaxed and leaned back. I pushed her flat on her back with my palm pressed against her chest, exposing her core to me.
“You’re beautiful,” I whispered, kissing a trail of kisses up her inner thigh, letting my breath wash over her center.
Her breathing quickened and I smiled. I kissed her nether lips, gently at first before sliding my tongue over her slit. She gasped, and I felt her rising up, her hands pushing my head away.
“Let me lick you,” I told her, my words vibrating over her body a second before I did it again.
I feasted on her body, using my tongue and teeth before slowly spreading her with my fingers. I felt her jerk as I slid one finger inside, my tongue working over the hard nub. I heard her hand slap the bed and gave it my all, licking and nibbling until she was arching and writhing with her first climax.
“Roll over,” I ordered.
She opened her eyes and looked at me in the dim light. A faint sheen of sweat covered her body, her cheeks flushed with the after effects of the orgasm. She rolled over, climbing on to the bed, perched on all fours.
I climbed up behind her, running my fingers over her swollen pussy, relishing in how wet she was before sliding one finger inside. Her hips pushed back, swallowing my finger deeper. I grabbed her hips, anchoring her body in preparation for my invasion. Using my hand to guide my cock, I found her slick opening and pushed inside her body.
“Fuck me,” I groaned, already feeling the stirring of my arousal.
I always felt like a randy kid with her. I wanted to draw out her pleasure before finding my own. She was kryptonite. Whenever I was near her, I was halfway to coming before we started. Sliding in her hot, wet sheath was too much for my self-control. Next time, I promised myself. Next time I would hold out longer and give her intense pleasure before finding my own.
I heard her moan before she dropped to her elbows, her ass high in the air, me on my knees behind her, buried to the hilt. Her hips moved a fraction, triggering my nerve endings. My fingers dug into her hips, holding her steady while I fought back the explosion ready to happen.
“Tyler,” she moaned. “God.”
I rocked against her, pushing deeper before pulling out and slamming into her again. There was another moan before she buried her face into the blanket. I was losing control. I needed more, deeper and harder. I rocketed into her in an uncontrolled frenzy, my body taking on a mind of its own. Her body stiffened and her head came up, and I felt the second her body exploded around my dick buried deep inside her. I held on to her hips, anchoring her firmly against my dick as I erupted deep inside her.
I collapsed beside her, trying to catch my breath and regain some sense of self-control. She was lying on her stomach, her face turned to me, a smile on her face.
I grinned. “You good?”
“Amazing,” she mumbled.
We stayed there a few more minutes, the dim light coming from under the door and the moon high in the sky, peeping in through the window in her room.
“Emily,” I said, my gut twisting into knots, “your son, I have to know. Is he mine? Is there a chance he’s mine?” I asked.
“No,” she said, rolling onto her back and searching the floor for her clothes. “I have to work early,” she mumbled, and I knew I was effectively being kicked out.
Getting up, I slowly dressed. She slid on a pair of shorts and a thread-bare T-shirt as she watched me. I kissed her, wanting to press her more about Tommy. She opened her bedroom door and walked out. She clearly wasn’t going to talk about it.
I gave her another kiss at the door, promising to call her tomorrow, and walked out of the building. Alex had long since gone home, which meant I would need to hail a cab. As I walked down the street toward a busy intersection, I thought about her reaction every time I asked about the boy. She got defensive every time I asked. I had a feeling he was mine and she didn’t want me to know. I wasn’t sure why, but I needed to know for sure, one way or another. It was going to always be there, lingering in the back of my mind, if I didn’t find out for sure.
Chapter Sixteen
Emily
I lazily stretched my arms over my head, loving the way my body felt. Tyler was an amazing man. I had no idea how he knew my body better than I did, but I was so glad he did. My body was more relaxed than it had been in a long time.
Rolling to my side, I stared at the door, thinking about the little boy in the next room. He was still asleep. All the excitement last night had worn him out. Thinking about his excitement made me smile. The man had made Tommy’s entire year. I loved how patient he had been with Tommy, letting him tell story after story, never cutting him off or dismissing him.
Last night, I should have told him the truth. I had intended to, and then when he asked, I lied. It had been out before I’d even realized what I was saying. The guilt was killing me. I needed to tell him. Now that I had lied to him twice, when I did tell him, he was going to be pissed. Everything had felt right with him last night. When he found out that Tommy was his and that I had lied, I had a feeling he would want nothing to do with me.
I knew he was the kind of man who appreciated loyalty. I had seen him with his driver, Alex. They seemed friendly. It was the same thing with the pilot and his security detail. The longer I kept the truth from him, the worse it would be.
My phone vibrated on the end table. I reached out to check it. It was a message from Sarah with a screenshot of me, Tommy, and Tyler leaving the restaurant.
“Dammit!”
There was another picture of us going into my apartment building. I groaned. There was a good chance there was a group of photographers waiting outside.
“Shit, shit, shit,” I muttered, throwing my faded blue comforter off and sliding my feet into my slippers.
I needed coffee to process this. The link to an article on some gossip website was sure to be an exciting read. I stood in the kitchen, sipping my coffee and reading about my life as told by a complete stranger with absolutely no facts.
Sarah called me right after I finished reading the article.
“How do they come up with this bullshit!” I whisper-shouted, not wanting to wake Tommy.
“I’m sorry. It’s all over Facebook, Twitter, and the local gossip blogs,” she said.
“How do they know he ran the show to find me? I mean, that part is true, but the rest is complete nonsense.”
“I know. It isn’t fair. Maybe you should get a lawyer,” she suggested.
I chuckled. “Oh, yes, with the millions I’m supposed to be making off him?”
“Ignore that stuff. They don’t know what they’re talking about.”
“How can they make that up?”
She laughed. “Hey, at least they haven’t figured out the real story.”
“Oh God, I have to tell him before someone takes that little tidbit of gossip and runs with it,” I groaned.
“Emily, you have to tell him! I thought maybe you had last night. I have to admit, that picture of the three of you is absolutely the cutest.”
My phone beeped in my ear. “He’s calling on the other line. I better answer.”
“Okay. Let me know what happens.”
I took a deep breath and answered his call. I didn’t get to say a word.
“I’m so sorry!” he blurted out. “I walked out there and checked around. I didn’t see anyone. If I had known, I never would have put you or Tommy in that position.”
“It’s okay,” I assured him. “It’s not your fault. You went above and beyond to protect us from the cameras.”
I heard him release a breath. “It’ll die down. This is the way it is. The show was a dumb idea. I should have known better.”
“It’s so wrong,” I muttered.
“I’ll issue a statement. I’ll refute the rumors. I
’ll call Gabe and let him know the show is over. I’ve made my choice.”
I smiled. “You have?”
“You know I have. I want you,” he said, his voice low and gravelly and ultra-sexy.
Hearing his bedroom voice made my body tremble. I took a deep breath, shaking off the warm, fuzzy feeling he had sparked inside me.
“Tyler, I don’t know if I can do this. You say this is a normal thing in your world. It isn’t normal in mine. I think we should maybe cool things down until all this blows over,” I said, hating that I had to say it.
“Emily, it’s going to be okay. This is really nothing out of the ordinary. It isn’t even that bad,” he said with laughter in his voice. “I’ll handle this. Please, don’t worry about it.”
“That’s a little easier for you to say,” I shot back. “You’re used to this. You have the means to avoid it. They’re harassing me at work, and now that they know I have a son, they’re really going to make my life hell!”
I realized I was being loud and maybe a touch dramatic. The thought of Tommy being harassed was making me a little crazy.
I heard him take in a long breath. “Relax. I will take care of this.”
“I have to go. I have a shift in a couple hours. I have to get Tommy to daycare,” I muttered.
“Daycare? On a Saturday?” he asked, like it was completely unheard of.
I rolled my eyes. “Yes, daycare on the weekends. Some people have to work weekends, you know,” I retorted.
“I’m sorry. I just meant—I don’t know.” As he rambled, I heard the frustration in his voice.
“It’s fine. I have to go,” I said and ended the call.
I checked on Tommy, saw he was still sleeping, and decided to let him while I showered. I noticed a small hickey on my chest and smiled, recalling just how it had gotten there. Tommy was awake when I got out of the shower. I quickly got him a bowl of cereal while I finished getting ready.
“Stay right here,” I told Tommy, wanting to make sure we weren’t about to get bombarded by reporters.
I opened the door, looked left, then right and didn’t see anything out of the ordinary.
