by Swan, T L
“Ten years.”
My eyes widen and my stomach drops.
“It’s never happened before,” he says softly.
“What hasn’t?” I frown.
“I’ve never thought of someone else when I was with her.”
I stay silent, waiting for him to go on.
“I wasn’t prepared for it.”
“Do you think of other women often when you’re having sex?” I ask, confused.
“God, no. I’ve never done it, I just told you. I can’t stop thinking about you. It’s constant, and it’s driving me fucking insane to be honest.”
I twist the quilt between my fingers. “So, Sheridan is your girlfriend who lives in another country?”
“No, she’s just a friend.”
“Who you have sex with?” I’m trying to understand the dynamics of their relationship.
“In the past, yes.”
“What about your future?”
“Charlotte, the only person on my mind at the moment is you. If I were with you and it bothered you, I wouldn’t be with anyone else.”
If it bothered me? What the hell?
“It would bother me, Spence, of course it would bother me. I don’t like to share.”
“Then you won’t.”
I get a lump in my throat, and I want to believe him.
Silence hangs between us.
“What are you doing?” I ask.
“I’m on a yacht, sailing around Ibiza.”
I smirk at the make-believe games he plays. “Yes.”
“And I’m working out a plan to come and kidnap this girl in London who I’m obsessed with.” His voice has dropped to his playful tone.
“What are you going to do with her once you have her?”
“What wouldn’t I do with her, if I had her.” He breathes out heavily.
I smile softly.
“I’m sorry I thought of you while I had sex with someone else,” he tells me. “It wasn’t fair.”
I frown, and for some stupid reason, my eyes fill with tears. No, it wasn’t.
“I won’t do it again, angel, I promise.”
I listen.
“Can I see you?” he asks.
“Erm.” I run through my schedule in my mind. “I have something on tomorrow and Saturday night,” I tell him.
“Sunday night?”
“We’ll see.” I sigh.
“Lottie.”
“Yes?”
“Have you ever felt like you know someone better than you actually do?”
I bite my bottom lip to stifle my smile. That’s exactly how I feel with him, and I don’t know where this attachment to him is coming from because it shouldn’t be there. I really don’t know him at all. After a pause, I reply, “Perhaps.”
“I’ll see you Sunday then?”
“Yes.” I find myself smiling like a fool.
“What am I going to do with myself ‘til then?”
“Why don’t you have a bath and spread your legs.” I smirk.
“Already done that. My dick is chaffed from jerking off to thoughts of you.”
My mouth falls open. “Spencer Jones, you are the crassest man I have ever met.”
“I’ll take that as a compliment. And I’m not crass, I’m just honest.” I can tell he’s smiling.
“Goodbye, Spencer.”
“Are you sure you don’t want to come over here and make up in person?”
“I’ll see you Sunday.” I smirk.
“That you will. I’m excited to see you.”
I don’t really want to say goodbye to him. Making up with him in person does seem like way more fun than this. We both stay silent and eventually I have to end the call.
“Goodbye, Spencer,” I eventually force out.
“Goodnight, angel. Dream of me.”
The line goes dead, and I smile goofily into the darkness.
I have no resistance to this man. None.
* * *
I walk into the ballroom with Alexander. It’s Saturday night, and we’re at a charity auction. I would rather be out with Beth, but I did promise Alexander I would come. Besides, it will keep my father and Edward appeased.
Alexander stops to talk to someone, and I look around, freezing on the spot.
Oh no.
Spencer is by the bar.
What the hell is he doing here?
His wavy hair is messed-up to perfection, and his square jaw and piercing blue eyes meet mine. Wearing a black dinner suit, he looks so handsome, and I feel myself melt a little.
He raises an eyebrow at me, and then just as suddenly as we connect, he snaps his eyes away from mine.
Spencer
“You never know what the future will bring.” Leoni smiles.
“I guess.” I sigh as I look around.
Charlotte—My Charlotte has just walked into the ballroom on someone else’s arm.
What?
Alexander York?
My skin prickles. You have got to be kidding me.
Him—my archnemesis. We’ve known each other for years and hated each other for just as long. We met at a party years ago. Alex did some trading for me on the stock market and they turned bad. Then I dated someone he wanted, and it’s gone downhill ever since. We’ve had harsh words on more occasions than I care to remember, and right now, I want to kill him with my bare hands.
“Yes, the universities are wonderful over there,” Leoni says.
I inhale sharply as I try to focus on what she is saying, although I’m quite sure she can see steam shooting out of my ears.
Was it him?
Did she sleep with Alexander fucking York?
My nostrils flare in fury and I tip my head back to skull from my beer. This woman will be the death of me. The two of them walk through the crowd, and Charlotte finds my gaze and falters, as if shocked.
She’s wearing a gold crystal-beaded dress, and her thick honey hair is set into large curls. She looks curvy, glamorous, and beautiful.
Perfect.
My cock instantly hardens with appreciation…and she’s fucking here with someone else.
I put my hand into the pocket of my black dinner suit and stare at her, my eyebrow rising involuntarily.
I’m livid and force myself to look away.
Leonie keeps banging on about the most boring thing I’ve ever heard and Charlotte stands still, her hands both clutching her gold purse nervously as Alexander stops to talk to someone. She can’t even look at me, while I can’t look away.
I’ve caught her out. This is why she won’t see me. She’s fucking him.
Agreeing to the date on Sunday night was probably just to shut me up.
I want to storm over there and drag her out of here.
I inhale deeply, trying to get a hold of myself. It’s been a long time since a woman has gotten to me like Charlotte Prescott has. If ever.
I don’t like it, I don’t trust it, and I don’t fucking want it… much to Masters’ and Seb’s amusement. They’ve told me that I am, without a doubt, the stupidest man on Earth to say that to a woman. I agree with them.
Lesson learned.
I tip my head back and drain my beer.
Alexander keeps talking then Charlotte says something to him and walks over to a table. When she gets there, she turns and walks back to the bar where I am standing, approaching me slowly.
“Excuse me.” I smile at Leonie as she talks.
“Oh, sure.” She frowns.
“Hello, Spence.” Charlotte smiles up at me.
“Hi,” I push out.
“I didn’t know you were coming,” she says nervously.
I stare at her, physically biting my tongue from, once again, losing control and showing my feelings.
“You’re here on a date?” I ask flatly.
Charlottes eyes widen. “No. God, no. Alexander is a family friend, that’s all.”
I stare at her as she dusts my arm with her hand. “Honestly, I swear.”
&nbs
p; Relief fills me, and I smirk, feeling stupid.
“Were you jealous?” she asks.
“Green-eyed monster jealous.” I sip my beer.
She’s all big lips and dimples, and I feel my lust for her all the way to my balls.
“I wish I was alone with you,” I say. Damn it, why does this woman make me blurt shit out?
Her eyes hold mine. I feel like she wants to say something, but she remains silent.
“How was your day?” I ask to make conversation.
“Good.” She smiles. “I was waiting for a phone call. Weren’t you calling me today?”
I smile, my anger dissipating. “I was waiting until I got home tonight and was naked in my bed.”
Her breath catches.
“I wanted to touch myself to the sound of your voice,” I confess.
She smirks and the air between us crackles, our eyes locked.
“You are a scoundrel, Mr Spencer,” she whispers.
I dip my head, pick up her hand, and I kiss the back of it. “At your service, my lady.”
Her hand stays in mine for an extended time and eventually good manners prevail. “Would you like a glass of champagne?”
She smiles. “That would be lovely. Thank you.”
“Back in a moment.” I walk to the bar and wait in line to order our drinks.
“What the fuck do you think you’re doing?” someone growls from behind me.
I turn to see Alexander York. “I’m getting a drink, you idiot, what does it look like?”
“I mean what the hell do you think you’re doing talking to Charlotte Prescott?”
I turn to him as my anger begins to pump. “Charlotte is none of your concern.”
“The hell she isn’t. We’ve been family friends all of our lives, and she’s way out of your fucking league.”
Unable to help myself, I smile smugly. “What’s the matter, York? You jealous?”
“Fuck you.”
I really want to say, that’s what she’s going to do later, but I hold my tongue.
“I saw you kiss her hand. What do you think you’re doing with her?”
I turn to him, raise our two champagne glasses, and throw him a wink. “Whatever the fuck I want to.”
8
Charlotte
Spencer appears through the crowd and comes to stand beside me. He passes me my drink and we clink glasses. “Thank you.” I smile.
His glowing eyes linger on my face.
“You’re staring, Mr Spencer.” I get butterflies in my stomach when he looks at me like that.
“I know,” he whispers. “I can’t help it.”
“Hello, sorry we’re late,” a girl’s voice interrupts us from behind. I turn to see a pretty woman and a man standing beside us. She’s heavily pregnant. Actually, I think she is the one from the wedding the first time I met Spencer.
Spencer turns immediately. “Charlotte, this is Julian Masters and his wife Brielle—Bree for short.”
“Hello.” I smile nervously and shake both of their hands.
They both smile back at me, and the woman hunches her shoulders in excitement before she rubs Spencer’s.
I can tell they are very fond of each other.
“Where’s Sebastian?” Spencer asks. “Typical. He signs us up for this shit and then turns up late.”
Julian smiles. “What would you expect?” He turns to Bree. “Would you like a drink, sweetheart?”
“Uh-huh.” She exhales heavily. “I would like ten glasses of champagne, actually.”
Julian raises his brow. “Lemonade then?”
“Ugh, fine.” She sighs and moves closer to me.
Julian falls into natural conversation with Spencer. I look around at all the people dressed in their black-tie outfits, and I notice that there really are some beautiful gowns here.
“When are you due?” I ask Bree, simply to make conversation.
“Seven weeks.”
“Exciting.” I smile. “Is that an accent I detect?”
“Yes.” She laughs. “I’m Australian.” She takes my hand in hers. “I’m so glad to finally meet you.” Her eyes drop down my dress. “You are absolutely gorgeous, just as Spence said you were.”
I frown. “You’ve heard of me?”
She glances at Spencer to check he can’t hear us. “Of course I’ve heard of you. Spencer has been going on and on about you since the two of you first met,” she whispers.
I try to hide my smile but fail miserably. “So, you know him well?” I ask. I don’t know why but I already feel at ease with this woman. I’m guessing she’s around my age, too.
“He’s Julian’s best friend, along with Seb, of course.” She looks over at a man with dark hair who is approaching us through the crowd. “Speak of the devil.”
“Hello, troublemaker,” Seb teases Bree as he bends to kiss her cheek.
“Sebastian, this is Charlotte,” she introduces with a broad smile.
Sebastian is tall, dark, and handsome, and he has a natural wave to his hair. Good grief, these men are seriously good looking.
Seb’s eyes light up, and he picks up my hand to kiss the back of it. “Lovely to meet you, Charlotte, but you really should run away with me instead of Spencer.” He winks mischievously.
“Hey, cut that out,” Spencer cries from behind us. “Lips off her immediately.”
Julian and Sebastian chuckle.
“Hello, Sebastian.” I smile.
“Where is your date?” Bree asks Sebastian.
He rolls his eyes. “Long story, but you’re my surrogate date tonight.”
Bree and I chuckle.
He stands and falls into conversation with Julian and Spencer.
“He seems nice,” I say.
“He’s dreamy,” Bree agrees. “But he attracts the worst women.”
“Why?”
“I have no idea. They all end up being crazy bunny boilers.”
I giggle.
Bree looks over at her husband. “Jules, how is my lemonade going? I’m dehydrating over here while making your baby.”
“Sorry, babe.” He takes off to the bar immediately.
“Are you kidding me, Jones? What the hell are you doing here?” a male voice barks from behind us.
We turn, and Spencer laughs out loud. “What the fuck, Stanton? What are you doing here?” Spencer shakes the hand of the man in the black dinner suit.
“My wife Natasha runs this charity with our friend Nicholas. We fly everywhere for them.” He points to an attractive brunette woman talking to a large European looking man. Jeez, good looks run in the family.
“Charlotte, this is my friend Joshua Stanton. Joshua’s brother Cameron studied medicine with my brother in the states. We’ve been to many a weekend away together over the years.” Spencer smiles.
“Hello.” He smiles over at me.
“Hi.” I smile back. I look at Bree who is staring at the god in front of us.
“This is Julian Masters and his wife Bree, and this is Sebastian Garcia.”
They all shake hands and the men fall into easy conversation.
“I’m on my way to the bar,” Joshua says.
Spencer’s eyes find mine. “I’ll get us another drink.”
I smile and nod, and he disappears with his friend.
“Holy heck,” Bree whispers. “Who was that guy?”
“God’s gift to women, I imagine.”
She giggles and clinks her lemonade with my champagne. “I like you, Charlotte Prescott,” she beams.
I smile. “Please… just call me Lottie. I’m trying to lose my surname for a while.”
She frowns. “You don’t like the name Prescott?”
I smile bashfully. “Yes, of course, just not everything that comes with it.”
“What do you mean?”
“My family have rigid rules.” I shrug. “That’s why I’ve moved to London. I just want to be Lottie for a while.”
She smiles. “That’s why I moved to
London, too.”
“How did you and Julian meet?” I ask.
She smirks as her eyes seek him out. “I was his nanny.”
My eyes widen. “What?”
She nods. “Yep. Cliché, isn’t it?”
I bite my bottom lip, and I take a look Julian’s way. “So, he was your boss?”
“Uh-huh. I thought I was coming over here to work for a woman, and when he picked me up from the airport I nearly died.”
I make eye contact with Spencer at the bar, and he gives me a sexy wink. My stomach flips and I have to drag my eyes back to Bree.
“It was all forbidden attraction and fireworks. Anyway, that’s enough of me, let’s talk about you and Spencer.”
My face falls.
“Oh.” She frowns. “What’s that look?”
“Nothing.” I sigh.
“You can talk to me. I won’t say anything, I promise.”
I stare at her for a moment.
She crosses her finger over her chest. “I promise.”
I shrug. “I don’t know. His playboy ways are…” My voice trails off.
She offers an understanding nod. “I can imagine.”
“It does kind of make you wonder, you know?” I shrug.
She glances over at the four men over at the bar. “The thing is, Charlotte, when you date a thirty-seven-year-old man who has never been married before, he’s going to have some baggage with him.”
I look for Spencer and, once again, catch him watching me. My heart skips a beat and I turn back to Bree. “What was Julian’s baggage?”
“God, what wasn’t Julian’s baggage? It wouldn’t fit into this ballroom.” She smirks with an eye roll.
She, too, looks at Spencer, and she smiles watching him watching me. “The way Spencer looks at you…” She hesitates.
I wait for her to finish the sentence, but she doesn’t. “What?” I whisper.
“I haven’t seen him look at a woman the way he looks at you, ever.”
Hope blooms in my chest, and Spencer comes back to stand with us again.
“How handsome that Joshua Stanton is,” Bree says without missing a beat.
“He’s okay, I guess.” Spencer’s mischievous eyes find mine. “Not as handsome as me, though, is he, angel?” He links our pinky fingers together.
My heart skips a beat at him calling me angel in front of everyone.
