by Layla Hagen
She rested her hands on my shoulders, her legs dangling around mine. She tasted like oranges and tequila, and I wanted to kiss her all night long. I explored her mouth until she pressed her entire body against mine, craving contact just as much as I did. I pulled her even closer on the edge of the chair, spreading her thighs wide. She grinned again when I pulled back, closing her eyes and humming.
“This was one for the books,” she whispered. “I think it’s even in the top three kisses.”
I laughed. Only Tess. “You have a top?”
She opened her eyes lazily, still keeping me trapped between her thighs.
“Oh yeah. I started counting when you gave me the first one, then sort of lost track after today. But this one was definitely among the best.”
I opened my mouth to dig deeper into that statement, but Tess’s phone rang on the counter, interrupting us.
“Oh, Laney’s here. That doorbell really isn’t working.”
She slid down the chair, heading toward the entrance. I followed her, lost in thought. One stood out, though: I wanted to give her the best kisses she’d ever had. The best everything she’d ever had.
Laney became one of my favorite people within fifteen minutes of meeting her. At first glance, she seemed soft-spoken, what with her blonde wavy hair and round eyes, but she managed to check on and then scold my grandmother for not going to the hospital in a way that made her cower a little.
“You’re lucky to have such a caring grandson,” she finished, prescribing something for inflammation.
“But it wasn’t hurting too much,” Gran protested. She’d only reluctantly given up on the chess game.
“You were lucky, but you could have torn a ligament without noticing. I’ve been in many surgeries caused by exactly this behavior.”
Gran sighed. “Thank you for coming at such short notice. I really appreciate it. How much do I owe you?”
Laney smiled. “Absolutely nothing. Tess is family.”
My grandmother looked between me and Tess, then Laney.
“Then stay for a drink, Laney,” Gran said.
“I suppose I can do that. But just one.”
We all moved to the bar area, and after fixing everyone drinks, I excused myself, wanting to check the doorbell before I forgot.
My grandfather had done most of the repairs around the house, and I learned to fix everything from pipes to electrical systems by the time I was fourteen.
I had a fancy alarm system installed for Gran, and the bell was wired into it. I identified the issue quickly enough, a simple electric overload. I flipped the circuit breaker back on and tested the bell. It rang loud and clear. Perfect.
I returned to the bar, grinning when everyone raised their glasses to me. They were sitting at the round table just next to the bar. Gran used an extra chair to elevate her leg.
“When you said you were taking a look at it, I didn’t think you’d actually fix it,” Tess said.
“It was quite easy.”
“He’s very handy to have around,” Gran informed Tess. “My Hector taught him to fix just about everything. Anything needs repairing, he’s your guy.”
The tips of Tess’s ears turned red. Gran noticed it and winked at me.
“Well, this drink was delicious, but I really have to go now,” Laney said. “I have an eager fiancé waiting for me.”
“We can’t compete with that,” Gran said, then turned to me. “But you two are staying, right? Tess offered to play a game of chess with me.”
She offered to what?
She could have turned Gran down, come up with an excuse. But she wanted to stay here. She didn’t mind spending time with my grandmother. I couldn’t wrap my mind around that.
After Laney slung her huge bag over her shoulder, Tess and I walked her to the door.
“I really appreciate you coming,” I said.
“Anything for Tess...and a good friend of hers.” She emphasized the last words in an amused tone.
Tess blushed.
“I’m glad she didn’t have anything more serious,” Laney continued. “It was good you called, Tess. It never hurts to double-check.”
I opened the door for Laney, waving as she left. Tess was still blushing, and I seized my chance. Closing the door silently, I pinned her with my gaze.
“A very good friend?” I teased.
Tess licked her lips, pushing blonde strands behind her ear.
“I didn’t know what to say.”
I stepped closer until I was in her personal space.
“You want to keep us a secret?” My whole body went rigid at the thought.
“No! No, I don’t want that. But I didn’t know...”
“We’re dating, Tess. As soon as we actually get a moment to breathe, I’m taking you out. But just so we’re clear, we’re dating. Seriously dating.”
Her eyes widened a little. I’d gone out on a limb there, and now I held my breath for her reaction. Her eyes widened even more, and then a huge smile spread on her face. Tess was transforming right in front of me.
I claimed her mouth the next second, sealing this step, capturing the joy of the moment.
She giggled when we pulled apart.
“Seriously dating? I like the sound of that.”
“We probably should have some rules.”
“Why, so we can break them?” she asked seductively.
“Exactly.”
Chapter Seventeen
Liam
Tess and I ended up spending half the day with Gran, and then we want back to her place, where I watched her work on her lingerie. I spent the night there, and as a result, I only slept a few hours yet again. I felt as if I was hungover, but it had been so damn worth it.
I was already looking forward to when I’d see Tess next. We didn’t make any plans—we’d been too busy devouring each other—but I wanted to actually take her out somewhere she’d like. I needed some intel on what would make Tess happy, and I was certain Skye would have no problem sharing info.
I was in a great mood when I reached the brownstone and was determined not to be an ass to anyone today. Unfortunately, I realized something was amiss the minute I stepped through the office doors.
The interns were all quiet, which never happened. And Becca was on the interns’ floor, huddled on a beanbag with her laptop. That also never happened. She liked to be alone when she was working, insisted she couldn’t focus if others were around. She was wearing David’s bulky noise-canceling headphones. I looked questioningly at Dexter, who just nodded to Becca. I went straight to her, lowering myself to my haunches so she’d see me.
She startled, taking off her headphones.
“What happened to make you work in public?” I asked.
Becca frowned, pointing at the interns. “I need people around to keep me from going inside your office.”
“Why?”
“Albert’s there.”
A vein pulsed in my temple. We had a simple agreement with Albert: we sent him a check every month, and he never, ever showed his face here. “What’s he doing here?”
“I don’t know. I didn’t ask. David left the second he found out Albert’s here.”
Which meant I had to deal with him, as usual. I rose to my feet, patting Becca’s shoulder.
“I’ll get rid of him.” I just had to remain calm and civil.
I took my time, making myself a coffee and then drinking it slowly. Dexter was looking at me with raised eyebrows. Even the interns could tell I was procrastinating. I always took the bull by the horns, but usually the opponent wasn’t someone who used to be a close friend. I didn’t take betrayal lightly.
After finishing my coffee, I went upstairs. Prolonging this wasn’t going to do me any favors, so it was better to just get it over with.
I opened the door and stopped in my tracks. Albert was sitting in my chair. That pulsing vein threatened to explode.
“Get up from my chair,” I barked. So much for keeping calm.
; “Hello to you too, Liam.”
“Get. Up.”
He held his hands up in defense, rising from the chair. I hadn’t seen him in three years, but he looked just the same. Bald, expensive jeans and shirt, sunglasses on top of his head, even though there was no sun today.
“I was just testing the...amenities. You’re spending a pretty penny on all this.”
“Why are you here?”
I sat in the chair he just vacated.
“I haven’t paid you a visit in three years.”
“Which suits us just fine. That’s the deal. You stay away, the checks come in your mail.”
Albert paced the room, looking out the window. “It’s all getting to be very boring.”
“What? Partying on money you’re not working for? I can’t imagine how that feels.”
He turned around. “It wasn’t my choice to leave. You three chased me away.”
“Because you were treating our partners like shit. You were treating us like shit. Like this company’s capital was your personal trust fund.”
“I made one mistake.”
“It was a choice. What do you want? Coming back is not an option. David can’t even be in the same building with you. Becca is still hurting every time we talk about you.”
“That’s not my problem.”
I waited for him to continue, refusing to be baited into whatever he was after. If he didn’t want to outright say it, I wasn’t going to beg him.
“I’m bored of being a silent partner.”
“Tough luck. We’re not budging on this. You signed the contract.”
He smiled sardonically. “I did, but contracts can be amended.”
“We are not interested in doing that.”
Was he really here because he was too bored spending all that money? Once upon a time, I’d known Albert well. He’d been my best friend in college. We had big dreams for this company. And then he tried to steal from us by pretending to use that capital for clients. So perhaps I never really knew him. He was a thief, and the only reason we didn’t sue the shit out of him was because we didn’t want any of this to be public knowledge. No one would want to work with us if word got around that Albert had been misappropriating funds.
“Just think about this for a few days. You can convince David and Becca to do what you say. Everyone knows you run the show. What you say goes.”
I straightened up, placing both forearms on the desk and leveling him with a glare. “And what I’m saying is that you’ll never work here again. Ever. In any capacity. Don’t show your face here again.”
“That’s not stipulated in the contract.”
“I can have our lawyers add it in a heartbeat.”
“You’re that petty?”
“No. I just protect the people I care about. David spirals out every time you show up here, and Becca’s not doing any better.”
I rose from my seat, pointing to the door. I had no patience for this anymore. He clearly hadn’t come here with a goal, just to annoy us, and this was unacceptable.
“I can talk to David and Becca,” he said.
“Don’t, or I’ll tell our lawyers to work on a restraining order too.”
He shook his head so vehemently that his stupid sunglasses fell off. He caught them midair.
“You have no grounds for that.”
“We’ll see. Get out. And don’t even think about stopping to talk to Becca.”
I didn’t even blink until he left the room. What a fucking asshole. I counted to twenty before heading downstairs.
Becca was already on her feet at the coffee machine. Her hands were shaking slightly. She had her back to the staircase, probably in an attempt to not even make eye contact with him.
“What did he want?” she asked.
“Why don’t I take you out for a real coffee?”
She turned her head abruptly. “It’s that bad?”
“No, but I think it would be good for you to get out of here.”
She smiled, nodding. “Okay, then, let’s go.”
She put on her coat, and I took my leather jacket. Once we were outside, she added, “You always know what to do when I’m pissed.”
“We’ve been friends for a long time.”
“Should we call David too?”
“No, he’s probably running sprints. I’ll deal with him later.”
We each had our coping mechanisms. Becca put up a wall between her and everyone else while David exercised until he was exhausted.
“So, tell me,” she beckoned.
“He just wanted to annoy me. Said he was bored not coming in to the office.”
“I hope you told him to fuck off.”
“Of course I did. I also added that we’re going to get a restraining order if he shows up again.”
“I don’t think we can do that.”
I chuckled, putting a hand around her shoulders. “I don’t think so either, but I wanted him to understand that no means no.”
“I’m always so on edge when he shows up. Reminds me how shitty it felt to realize he was an ass. Stealing from us. Lying to me. I thought we were in love, you know?”
I knew. It was why Becca was so beside herself whenever he showed his face.
“He’s not going to bother us again.”
“How can you be sure?”
I wasn’t, but I just didn’t want her to worry. If he did, I’d just deal with him when the time came.
I took her to the same coffee shop where I went with Tess the other day. It was chock-full today with teenagers wearing uniforms.
We sat at a table that gave me a direct view of the spot where I kissed her. I instantly felt my limbs relax, like I just downed a shot of tequila. My mood changed while I replayed the kiss in my mind, and then last night.
“What are you thinking about?” Becca asked. “You know what? Don’t even tell me. Just keep doing it. You look happy suddenly.”
“I am.”
She tilted her head, smiling. “You’ve always known exactly what to do to help me and David cool down, but we’ve never figured out how to help you.”
That was because I hadn’t known how to cool down either. But thinking about Tess had this unbelievably positive effect on me.
Becca ordered a latte, and instead of my usual black coffee, I asked for the sugary drink Tess ordered last time. It wasn’t something I’d ever order, but I wanted to do things differently for a change, taste life from Tess’s perspective.
“Okay, now I’m suspicious,” Becca whispered after the waiter left. “You’re changing your coffee order? Did aliens body swap you or something?”
“Ha! Can’t I change things from time to time?”
Becca tugged at her necklace, grinning. “You’ve had the same car for ten years.”
“It works, and I don’t need it in Manhattan. It sits in the garage all the time anyway.”
“I mean, change isn’t exactly your thing,” she said on a laugh.
When we received our order, it became clear why I didn’t like change. This drink was atrocious. Nothing but sugar and milk. I barely swallowed one mouthful. Becca burst out laughing.
“Oh my God, you should see your face. Wait, can you grimace again while I take a picture?”
Cocking a brow, I wiped my mouth with a napkin, leaning back in the chair.
“Okay, you have to tell me. What made you order that?”
“I’ll tell you on one condition.”
“Okay...”
“Don’t laugh.”
She narrowed her eyes. “I’ll try. But that warning means this is one hell of a story.”
“I came here with Tess, and she ordered that. We kissed.” It had tasted delicious on her.
“So you ordered that because she ordered it? That’s sweet, Liam.”
“You’re not going to comment on the kissing part?”
She shrugged, but her smile was infectious. “You liked her the second you saw her. I like her too. She’s good people.”
“Yeah, she is. She even came to Gran’s with me yesterday.”
Becca’s eyes widened. “You already introduced them? Wow.”
“Gran fell, and I was worried. Anyway, she came with me.”
“Is Ellen okay?”
“Yes.”
Becca was grinning from ear to ear. “I can already hear wedding bells.”
I groaned. “See? That’s why I don’t discuss my private life.”
“Okay, okay. I won’t give you shit.” She watched me intently while she ate the whipped cream off her drink with a little spoon.
“I haven’t seen you date seriously in years. Unless you’re better at keeping your private life quiet than David and me.”
“No, I haven’t. Just...”
“The usual dates that don’t pan out for anything more than some sex?”
“This conversation is uncomfortable,” I replied.
She grinned. “And why is that?”
“The three of us never discuss this.”
She took a large sip from her cup, wiggling her eyebrows. “No, David and I do. We just don’t bring it up to you. You’re so...uptight.”
My eyes nearly bulged out of my head. “I’m not... Okay, I wouldn’t use that word, but I’m not chatty.”
“Liam, everyone has their own way of doing things. I’m not judging, just making an observation.” She slid lower in her armchair, looking very pleased.
I was glad she was more relaxed. Now I just needed to track down David.
“You’re thinking about David, aren’t you?” she asked.
“Yeah.”
“Well, your work with me is done. I’ll just ask them to put this in a paper cup, and I’ll go back to the brownstone.”
“Are you sure?”
Nodding, she rose to her feet. “You’re a great friend, Liam. Thanks.”
She made kissing sounds before leaving. I cocked a brow, and she pointed a finger at me. “No, you don’t get to take this joy away from me. I will forever remember this as ‘the day when Liam ordered the same drink as the woman he likes.’”
Better than “the day Albert showed up at the office.”
After she left, I sent David a message, asking where he was.
David: Recovering. I would have kicked your ass today.
Liam: I’m at the bookstore coffee shop. Come here when you feel human again.
