by Nina Levine
“Take it from an old-timer like myself, it works wonders.”
A smile manages to escape her lips before she takes a bite. At first, she stops mid-chew, her face turning a slight shade of green, but soon after, she swallows and begins to look somewhat normal.
“I told you, right?”
“I do feel much better,” she admits, accepting the coffee I pour for her. “You’re quite the morning host.”
I can see where she’s going with this, but as much as I’d like to put her in her place, I take the softer approach feeling somewhat sorry for her.
“Believe it not, women don’t stay here.”
Her eyes draw up to meet mine with a curious gaze. “How is that even possible?”
“I’m quite particular about my routine and my bed.”
Letting out a small snort, she shakes her head. “I find that hard to believe. You seem to be a man who likes his women, and I assume your interest in them go well beyond the night and into the early hours of the morning.”
“Did my mother, or your mother, tell you that?”
“I drew that conclusion when I forgot for a moment where I was and opened your beside drawer to a bulk pack of condoms.”
My face falls flat but quick to save face, I tell her, “No glove, no love, right?”
“I didn’t realize a safe sex talk was part of your breakfast burrito cure. Thanks, I guess. Since I’m not exactly having sex with anyone, I think it’s fair to say that I’m as safe as you can get.”
I cross my arms, leaning against the countertop with curiosity. “How about this boyfriend of yours?”
She bows her head. “Nothing to say.”
“C’mon, Miss Edwards always has something to say.”
A laugh, though sinister, escapes her. “There’s literally nothing to say. We barely talk anymore, and I’m pretty sure if you troll his Instagram account, there’s someone else.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Hey…” Her eyes meet mine, but with a hopeful smile, she releases a breath. “It was bound to happen that one of us would find someone new.”
“You’re beautiful. The guys will be lining up, just like my dad pointed out.” The second it leaves my mouth, I regret telling her she’s beautiful even though I can’t stop thinking about it. But also, the thought of her dating, let alone sleeping with other men, shoots anger through me, followed by this pang I have no idea where it came from.
“Why… um… thank you.” She clears her throat. “And you’re rather handsome, so I guess it isn’t long before someone actually sleeps over in your bed because you want them to.”
She hops off the stool the same time my phone rings, and Lex Edwards flashes on the screen.
“Lex,” I answer, which stops Amelia dead in her tracks. “Is everything okay?”
“I should be asking you that,” his stern voice echoes over the speaker.
“If you’re calling about last night, Amelia is fine.”
“She’s fine?”
“Yes, I stayed around, then she happily agreed to head home, so I drove her back to campus.”
“You drove her back?” he repeated.
I hated lying to him, and why I felt the need to protect her, I have no clue.
“Of course, the streets are no place for a young girl at night. She’s fine.”
A heavy breath releases. “I’m glad you watched out for her. She hasn’t picked up my calls.”
“I know she had an early breakfast catch-up with a friend or something like that. She mentioned it on the ride home. I wouldn’t worry. She’ll probably call you once done.”
“You’re right…” Lex agrees. “I’m still going to have a word with her.”
“I understand, but perhaps, Lex, you may want to go easy on her. Remember, you were once just like her.”
She closes her eyes, listening, though I can see the worry through her expression.
“I’ll try,” his voice softens. “About Thanksgiving, you’ll join us? We’ve decided to come over, though Charlotte will let Amelia know. I insist since you’re part of the family and also because we have some details to iron out before the acquisition.”
“Sure, I’ll be there. We’ll talk then.”
Lex hangs up the call as Amelia lets out a loud breath.
“Your clothes, by the way, are washed and in the bedroom.”
Amelia nods quietly. “Why did you lie to my dad?”
Her question catches me off guard, mostly because I had no clue why I did it. I shrug my shoulders, unable to look her in the eye.
“Not sure, maybe because you covered for me that time I visited your place and snuck out to attend some party Eric mentioned. You said you wouldn’t tell, and I never got found out, so yeah…”
She nods with a knowing smirk. “I was eight. I don’t remember much of it besides hearing something about Aunt Nikki chopping your balls off.”
Laughter escapes me. “They’re in tack, thank God.”
“Good to hear.” She chuckles softly. “Thank you, Will. And you were right. I shouldn’t have endangered myself by going to a club and drinking myself into a stupor. I don’t know what I was thinking.”
“It’s okay, sometimes, we do things or act on things which have no rhyme or reason.”
Slowly, her eyes glaze over mine as she bites the corner of her lip. Standing just a few steps away, wearing my tee, I have this urge to reach out and scrape my thumb across her delicate lips. If she were mine, I’d lift the tee off, admire her naked form, then take her into my bed and own her.
Fuck.
Get rid of these thoughts.
“I’m going to get changed.” She breaks my stance, turning away, though her cheeks are flushed. “Thank you again, Will, for not mentioning this to my dad. It’s clear that he respects you.”
“That he does…” I whisper as she walks away. “That he does.”
10
Amelia
Uncle Rocky begins our meal by saying grace.
Around the table, the Romanos join my family as we celebrate Thanksgiving. Andy flew back to California to spend the holiday with his family, though they all promise to fly here for Christmas in the city.
My parents and sisters arrived three days ago, giving me ample opportunity to catch up with them, aside from Dad, who spent time working. I don’t mind because sometimes it’s good to just hang out with us girls.
Ava, of course, begged to go shopping, which I had little interest in. My thoughts for the last two weeks have become a plain old mess. I try to drown myself in studying, but instead, I find myself stalking a certain individual’s Instagram. Will never posts much, only artistic shots or, occasionally, a photo of some work event.
The whole thing is stupid, like I have a crush on him. And even then, the entire thing is completely off-limits. He’s too old for me—ten years to be exact—and I’m certain he looks at me like some teenage girl who annoys him by breaking the rules.
Across the table, I avoid his glance on more than one occasion, trying to smile or nod when needed, though leaving the conversation to everyone else.
“How is Yale going?” Aunt Nikki directs the conversation to me. “You must be all settled in now.”
“Yes,” I answer, placing my fork down. “It’s nice to have a break, though. It’s been a difficult two weeks.
The second it leaves my mouth, Will’s head flicks up, his eyes falling to mine.
“Is everything okay, honey?” Mom asks, concerned.
“Oh yes…” I choose my words carefully as all eyes turn to me. “I’m finally used to the late nights, cramming, and idiots who like to howl in the middle of the night after a drunken party.”
Uncle Rocky snickers. “I won the best howl one year. Quite the achievement.”
Mom laughs as Aunt Nikki shakes her head with embarrassment. “We remember,” they say in unison.
Aunt Nikki continues. “Thank God, Will has more sense than you.”
Sebastian, Will’s younger brother, who is Ad
dison’s age, smiles proudly. “I think Dad is a fine role model. If you excuse the crude remarks, belching, the way he leaves the toilet seat up…”
“Hey, kid, I’m paying for your fancy private school,” Rocky reminds him, then chuckles. “At least mention the empty carton of milk in the fridge if you’re going to boast about all traits.”
We all laugh, my eyes meeting Will’s as something passes between us. Everything at this table is a reminder of how silly my thoughts are. We are family, granted, and we don’t share the same blood. Still, we were raised to be one happy family.
“Will, tell me what’s happening with you? Keep it kid-friendly. We have young ones at the table,” Mom chastises.
Mom and Will have this unique bond. When it comes to Will, she treats him like a son and always has a soft spot for him. Aside from being his godmother, she has witnessed his birth and played an important role in his life from the moment he was born.
“There’s not much to tell, Aunt Charlie. We’re this close to closing a deal, hopefully in the next week. Overall, business is great. It’s a digital era, so as long as you’ve got the right idea and capital, the sky is the limit.”
“Have to agree with you, there,” Dad concurs. “The business is exactly where it needs to be. If you continue to focus on these upcoming acquisitions, you know what’s next?”
“Oh?” Mom’s face brightens. “What’s next?”
Will keeps a steady gaze and purposely avoids my curious stare, his shoulders straight with a confident pose. “London, actually.”
“This is new?” Aunt Nikki asks with trepidation. “You’re setting up an office in London?”
“Yes, if all goes to plan.”
“When?” I blurt out, then try to think of something witty to say to cover up my outburst. “Aunt Kate says that summers in London are wonderful.”
What a lame thing to say.
“It’s true,” Dad agrees with a smile. “Nothing at all like ours. We were thinking in a few months.”
“We?” I question, my gaze darting back and forth between them.
“Yes,” Will concludes, his tone rather cold. “Lexed has invested capital in our London project. If it weren’t for this, we wouldn’t be expanding at such a rapid speed. Your father has made me quite a wealthy man.”
“I saw a post saying you’re the hottest billionaire under thirty,” Ava adds with a smirk.
Will lowers his eyes, shaking his head playfully. “I know, it’s been brought to my attention by my college buddies. With much mocking, of course.”
“My son turned billionaire.” Uncle Rocky bursts with pride. “Who’d have thought?”
“Only as of last week, Dad,” Will assures him. “Doesn’t mean it’s time to slow down. If anything, we need to move faster.”
Of course, his business ties to my dad now make sense. It’s why they have so much in common and perhaps why they are quite close. It makes me feel all the more stupid for feeling whatever the hell I’m feeling.
“Enough with the boring business talk. Let’s talk about your women,” Ava quips.
Dad and Uncle Rocky chuckle at the same time. Not wanting to hear about Will’s personal life, I lower my head, aimlessly moving the peas on my plate.
“I’m not sure this is an acceptable dinner conversation,” Will gently scolds her.
“He’s got no women,” Sebastian blurts out, unintentionally. “He’s been a broody old brother with some chip on his shoulder for the last two weeks.”
“Oh,” Ava mouths, unable to contain her curiosity. “Are you in love with someone?”
The second she says it, my head shoots up. Is Will Romano in love with someone? It makes sense, he’s incredibly handsome, wealthy, and it must be someone his age. Maybe a new assistant?
Will drops his head before silence falls over the table. When he raises it back slowly, all eyes are on him, including mine.
“I’m… I am not in love with anyone,” he stammers, put on the spot. “But yes, someone has caught my eye.”
“I knew it!” Sebastian yells proudly.
“Sebastian Benedict Romano, will you calm down?” Aunt Nikki warns him.
As if she knew her son well, she changes topics swiftly. Soon after dessert is served, the younger ones excuse themselves from the table. I take the opportunity to retreat to the kitchen to help clean up, willing the questions to stop. It takes every part of me to resist asking him who this person is or even about London.
None of it matters.
Period.
An hour later, I exit the kitchen to find everyone but Will. According to Mom, he has an early morning business meeting with Dad and said goodbye. Annoyed he didn’t even have the decency to say goodbye to me, I storm off to my room to compose myself.
The room always brings back the nostalgia of my childhood. A few stuffed toys sit on a daybed looking out the window, along with a white bookcase where I keep a few things. It isn’t our primary residence, but we stay here sometimes for weeks on end whenever we do come to NY.
A pale blue box catches my attention. I move toward it, lifting the lid as I pull it out. Inside sits mementos I keep, including photos from my childhood. I recall the day Mom handed me a bunch of photos and my shock to learn you could actually get them printed.
There are so many memories, all of them which make me smile. Then, I stumble on a photo of Will and me. He would have been a teen, and maybe I was about five. His eyes are shut tight as I kissed his nose. I don’t remember it, but I do remember that no matter how much he taunted me or we argued over trivial matters, he always protected me.
We had this history, which is the very reason nothing can ever happen between us. But none of this erases my annoyance from him walking out tonight without a goodbye. What is his problem, anyway?
I decide I need to find out and clear my conscience once and for all.
I place the box back and exit my room to find my parents.
“Mom, a friend wants to catch up for a late coffee a few blocks away? Do you mind if I head out for an hour?”
“Go ahead, honey. Dad and Uncle Rocky are watching sports and drinking. You know it’s going to be a long night.”
Kissing her cheek, I race out of the room and exit the apartment until I’m all the way out on the street. I hail a cab, prompting the driver to take me mid-town.
Fifteen minutes later, I’m standing at Will’s, overcome by nerves. What the hell am I doing here? Or better yet, what the hell am I going to say?
I knock on the door, crossing my arms, only to panic from the thought of another woman being here. Shit.
The door swings open to Will rolling up his sleeves. The second his eyes fall on me, he appears uncomfortable, his eyes closing momentarily.
“Amelia? What are you doing here?”
I push past him, entering the apartment, not wanting to have this conversation in the foyer.
“Am I interrupting you… or anyone else for that matter?”
“Uh… no. It’s just me.”
“Oh, but I’m guessing she’ll be here soon, the woman who has piqued your interest?”
“Amelia.” He lowers his head.
“I don’t even know why I’m here,” I shout, pacing the space between us. “I lied to my mom and said I was going out for coffee. I just…”
“Why did you lie?” He moves closer, and highly aware of his actions, my breathing falters. “Tell me, truthfully, why did you feel compelled to lie about coming here?”
“I don’t know,” I answer barely above a whisper, dropping my head to hide my shame. “I’m confused.”
The graze of his finger touches my chin, and slowly, he lifts it until our eyes meet. “We cannot be together, Amelia.”
“I know,” I choke, holding my breath until my lips part slightly. “Just tell me to go.”
His gaze shifts, a look of torment as his eyebrows pull together, deepening the crease.
“I can’t do that…”
“Why?” I beg
of him. “Why can’t you tell me to go?”
Slowly, his head tilts upward, the piercing gaze which has tormented me in my sleep and invaded my thoughts in my waking moments, swinging like a wrecking ball ready to destroy everything I’ve worked so hard to ignore.
“Because it’s you, Amelia,” he whispers so delicately. “You are the one I can’t stop thinking about.”
11
Will
Her lips crash onto mine, the warm sensation spreading throughout my body at the taste of her mouth.
My hands wrap around her thighs, pulling her up while carrying her toward my bedroom. Our kisses deepen, soft moans escaping her beautiful lips as we come up for air.
Inside my room, a few feet from my bed, I pull away, though still carrying her. “Tell me to stop.”
Her lips crash back onto mine with urgency, almost as if she won’t allow me to step away. Slowly, I place her on the bed as she sits on the edge, looking up at me, her emerald- green eyes watching me so innocently that I know this won’t end well.
For her.
For me.
For our family.
But even with those thoughts, I’m distracted as she toys with my belt, her hair sliding across her shoulder, exposing her neck. Her skin, so delicate and pure, taunts me, making it hard for me to control my urges.
With the pull of my belt, my pants fall. I unbutton my shirt, leaving me only in my boxers. I climb on top of her, kissing her deeply before rolling her over and making her straddle me. Trailing my finger down her chest, she begins to undo her buttons, her dress falling past her shoulders, exposing her bra and panties.
Biting down, I use every muscle I have to control my fucking dick from blowing right here, right now. Every forbidden fantasy of her, all of them which have become a mind fuck over the last two weeks, is happening right in front of me.
But as our gaze locks, she removes her bra—her beautiful tits beg of me to devour. I can’t hold back, running my fingers along the curves, taking them in my mouth as she moans so perfectly, arching her back.
Every sound, so beautiful, warns me she is close when we haven’t even begun.