by Claire Adams
I leaned over the window sill and let my eyes run along the perfectly lined rows. “Are you growing weed again?”
He snorted. “No, asshat. I’m growing vegetables. I decided cleaning up my diet was way better than getting high and trying to forget I was getting fat and still not hooked up with a good woman.”
My turn to laugh. “You’re not married because you choose not to be. You’re a great guy.” I accepted a tall beer when Logan offered one. I took a long sip, letting the cool barley and foam soothe my dry throat.
He wagged his eyebrows at me. “Are you hitting on me?”
“You wish.” I sat down at the table and took another sip of the lager. It was beyond delicious, exactly what I needed after my long day. “Tell me, mate. How many years has it been since we’ve seen each other?”
“A few years, man. Too long if you ask me,” Logan said, taking a sip of his own as well.
“Agreed, but specifically. Has it been two years?” I found it a little disturbing that it had been so long. Logan was the kind of friend I could get together with no matter how long we’d been apart, and it was like we’d seen each other for the last time the day before. I was lucky, and I knew it.
“The last time I was in London maybe. I wasn’t in the city the last time you were in the States on business.” He shrugged and drank deeply from his beer before setting it down. “You have to tell me the full deal on Harry’s wedding and this new girl who seems to be creeping into your life.”
Warmth rushed up my neck to coat my cheeks. The last thing I wanted was for Logan to judge me for falling for Molly. Or maybe it was the sleeping with Molly part. Something had me on edge about all of it.
I shrugged. “I told you that Harry has turned into a complete asshole. I’m not sure when it happened as we’ve not really stayed in contact over the years, but somewhere along the way, he decided that cheating on his fiancée was a good idea.”
“That’s rotten.” Logan shook his head. “And especially right before the fucking wedding.”
“Right?” I leaned back in my chair, emotionally taking off a load. The rest of the evening was mine to do anything I wanted to do. Scary enough, all I could think about doing was finding Molly and dragging her into bed with me. Sex sounded lovely, but holding her close to me while I drifted off to sleep sounded even better.
The woman was quickly becoming my comfort, which wasn’t a good thing. She had a life to rebuild, and I wasn’t sure that she wanted me in it. Not that I could blame her. Her recent adventures in romance had done everything but literally rip her heart from her chest.
“And you helped his ex-fiancée out by letting her shack up with you?” His tone was even, but I didn’t like the insinuation. Molly was a great girl and only stayed because I pushed her to.
“Yeah, I did.” I tapped the table as my thought jumped from moment to moment with her. “I just couldn’t let her go back to America so torn up. She’s a unique woman for sure, and I believe that she was hurt by everything, but not devastated.”
“Really? Keep going.” He sat down and leaned toward me, his eyes filled with interest.
“Well, as fucked up as this is, I think their marriage was more of a business proposition than a real courtship.” I glanced down at my drink and continued. “I think she cared for Harry, and that they could have become something, but he was in a hurry to gain another tax deduction, and I think she enjoyed the idea of Europe and the security she thought he could provide.”
“That’s no reason to get married.” He shook his head. “My mom and dad married for practicality, and you know how that shit turned out.”
“Yeah. It didn’t.” I glanced up at him, turning the conversation back to Harry to keep Logan from dipping into the sadness of his childhood. His mom and dad divorced when he was little, and his mom took him to London, never to see his dad again.
It was great for me, because we became fast friends, but for him, it was hell. He worshiped his father. I was grateful that my dad stepped in and gave him a little bit of security, treating him like a son alongside me.
“So, do you think this is the first time that Harry cheated on the girl?” His eyebrow lifted sharply.
“No.” I rubbed my chest absently. “I think he’d done it many times before, but this time, her best friend from here in the States was there and caught him. I think having Peyton tell Molly about Harry cheating was the moment Molly had to own up to the fact that she was marrying a cock.”
“Wow.” He leaned back and gave me a quizzical look. “It seems so odd to me that she would allow him to get away with it before the wedding. Is she that desperate for security that she would ignore his faults, even those that would potentially ruin the marriage in the future?”
“I don’t know.” I shrugged. “She’s a beautiful, talented, loving woman. I don’t know what she was thinking.”
“Oh, no.” He reached out and patted the table in front of me. “I know that look.”
“What look?” I finished my beer and got up, walking to the trash can and pitching it in. “Not sure what’s you’re talking about, old friend.”
“You’re falling for her. If I know anything, I know you.” He got up too as the doorbell rang. “That’s dinner. Don’t go anywhere. I want to dig a little into you falling for this woman.”
“All right, but no judging me. The heart doth want what it wants.” I glanced over my shoulder as he walked out of the kitchen, his voice carrying behind him as he made fun of my proper English.
Dinner sounded good, but the conversation that was sure to follow did not. Not in the slightest.
*
“Well, as I’ve said many times before, and I’ll say it again now,” Logan leaned back from the table and rubbed his stomach, “I’d never judge you. It’s impossible to look at someone’s situation and really understand the why’s and how’s. I won’t even try.”
“I appreciate that.” I ran the last bite of my garlic bread around my plate, sopping up the remaining tomato sauce from our lasagna. “I’m not sure how to explain it myself. She needed my help, and I stepped in with completely good intentions.”
“I don’t think you falling in love with her is a bad intention. It just happens.” He let out a contented sigh.
“You’re right. I certainly didn’t plan it.” I pursed my lips as the sound of Molly’s voice filled the inside of my skull. She wanted to know about my mother, and I’d denied her that one thing. It was too tender of a topic. “She asked about my mum.”
“Oh, yeah?” Logan looked a little surprised. “And what did you tell her?”
“That we would talk about it another time. I wasn’t ready to bring it up.”
“You never are.” He smiled warmly at me. “Not that I blame you. You ready for another beer?”
“No.” I yawned loudly. “I know it’s only six in the afternoon at home, but I’m beyond beat.” I stood and stretched. “I’m going to call it a night.”
“You sure?” He stood and smiled. “You puss.”
“Sticks and stones…” I winked and took my plate to the sink before thanking him again for dinner and walking to the small guest bedroom he had prepared for me.
I stripped my clothes off and got into the bed, the sheets nice and cold. A shiver ran down my spine, and my thoughts quickly turned to Molly. How good it would have felt to have her roll over and press her hot, little body against mine.
She could have me sweating and kicking off the covers within minutes.
“Speaking of Molly.” I leaned over and reached for my phone. It was a little after midnight. “What are the chances you’re up, lass?”
The phone rang three times, and I was ready to hang up as her sweet voice filled the line. She sounded like she’d been asleep.
“Alfie?”
My body hardened almost immediately. “Hey. Did I wake you, love?”
“Yeah, but it’s okay.” She cleared her throat. “Are you okay? Did you get to Logan’s?”
“Yes. We just finished up a big dinner, and I’m in bed.”
A soft moan filled my ear. “I want to be in bed with you.”
“You’ve no idea, lass.” I closed my eyes as my cock throbbed painfully. Why the fuck hadn’t we decided to just stay together at Logan’s? Right. I didn’t want to be judged by the one person who accepted me. Knowing that he wouldn’t have judged me left me feeling like a fool. I’d given up the chance to hold Molly at night. Stupid.
“Well, check in with me later this weekend, maybe? I’d really love to see you a few more times before you head home.”
“All right. Sweet dreams, okay?” I rolled onto my side and coveted the sound of her voice.
“You too. Night, handsome.”
“Night, love.” I dropped the call and tossed my phone toward a pile of clothes on the floor. There was no way I was going to sleep with a rock-hard erection. I slid my hand under the sheets and lifted my hips, fucking myself until I exploded.
With nothing left to give, I finally passed out.
Chapter Twenty-Two
Molly
It was two days after landing back in New York that I woke to finally feeling relieved from jet lag and the time change. I had no idea how Alfie, or Harry for that matter, managed to travel all the time the way they did. The trip back over had me sleeping irregularly for the past two days along with constant bouts of headache and fatigue.
I stretched in relief as I sat up in bed. It was good timing too. I had to talk to two realtors about selling the flat in London later that day. A task, which should have been Harry’s doing, but instead, he asked me to do it. Harry had made it obvious he wanted his own place away from the memory of what we could have been. Just thinking about selling the flat and finding a new apartment made my head hurt. The familiar heartache of having to explain things for the hundredth time to people that the wedding had been called off rose sharply inside of me.
I needed to call my old boss, Gary, before I got too involved with apartment hunting throughout the afternoon.
A gentle knock filled the guest room before Peyton opened the door to peek her head through cautiously. A smile graced her face. “I’m glad to see you awake,” she said and pushed the door open. “I brought you some coffee just in case you were up already.”
“Thanks,” I said, smiling. I took the mug with a grateful sigh as Peyton arranged herself on the edge of the bed. “I needed this boost of energy before I called the realtor this morning along with Gary.”
“Does Gary know what happened?” Peyton asked, curiously.
“No,” I said, shaking my head. “I didn’t want to explain it in an email either since I had upped and left at Harry’s command without much warning. He’s going to give me a big ass, ‘I told you so.’ He was totally against Harry, but you knew that.”
Anger tore through me.
“I’m sure Gary understood your reasons,” Peyton said, sipping at her coffee. “I mean, he knew who Harry was and that the two of you were going to most likely settle down in London.”
I tapped a finger against the side of my coffee mug. “It’s so weird to be back here in the States, too, because I thought—”
I cut myself off before it could slip out. I had hoped Alfie would ask me to stay with him at his estate. After everything that had happened between the two of us, I didn’t know what to expect from our relationship. If we could even call it a relationship, but Alfie treated it like one. His phone call on Friday night after we landed still raced through my mind. It had been so short, but incredibly sweet. It let me know quickly that he was thinking of me.
I needed to call him later that day and return the favor.
“Thought what?” Peyton asked, dragging me from my thoughts.
“Nothing,” I said, and took a long gulp of coffee. “I have to take a shower before I get this day started. The hot water should do me some good. Help me wake up.”
“You can stay here with me, Mol,” Peyton said. “I’m not kicking you out by any means. I hope you know that. It might be nice to have some extended company, especially since it’s you!”
I grasped her hand warmly with a grateful smile. “I know that. I just need my own living space. You know how I am.”
“That I do.” She got up and walked to the door. “The towels are in the cabinet just above the toilet. I’m headed to visit with my mom. You should stop by later if you’re free.”
“Thanks. I might.” I waited until she left to pull myself from the bed. I piddled around the room, choosing an outfit and drinking my coffee as my thoughts raced back to where they had been more often than not lately: Alfie.
I picked up the phone and called, hoping that I didn’t wake him.
“This is Alfie,” he said.
I smiled, unable to help myself. “Hey, you. I just wanted to hear your voice.”
He chuckled. “Be careful, love. Lest you make me feel like king of the world.”
“Cockiness does not fit your persona well.” I grabbed my clothes and walked toward the bathroom.
“My staff might disagree with that statement, but seeing that they’re not here to correct you…” He chuckled, and I joined him. There was something so comfortable and welcoming about our relationship, whatever it was.
“What’s on your agenda for today?” I closed the door behind me and stripped as best I could holding a phone. It felt a little naughty, and a part of me wanted to mention to him that I was naked while we talked, but I was being silly.
“I’m meeting for dinner with a few investors. Why? Do you have some time around lunch that you’d like to get together? I would enjoy seeing you again, Mol.” His deep voice washed over me and left my body tight, wet and aching.
“I’d love to have lunch, but unfortunately, I have to meet with my old boss this morning to beg for my job back, and then I’m hoping to talk with a few realtors this afternoon. You’d think everyone would be chilling seeing that it’s Sunday, but no. We’re back in New York. The world is fully alive and busy as ever no matter what day of the week it is.”
He chuckled. “Sounds like New York and the rest of the world, and you’re not exactly resting either. Busy body.”
I wanted to remind him that I didn’t really have much of a choice, but he probably already knew that. “This is very true. I wish I could see you.”
“Me too, though I might not let you go if we met up again.”
“That doesn’t sound like a bad thing at all.” I smiled and wrapped my arm around myself. “Everything going okay with you?”
“Yes. I’m actually going to meet with some marketing folks here in the U.S. and a few state-side investors and tell them your marketing ideas. I think I’m going to push forward with them.”
“Hey! That’s great news.” Warmth filled me. The idea of helping him was second nature at this point. “If there’s anything else you need from me, just let me know.”
“Thanks, Mol. I’ll let you know how it goes. Are you free for dinner on Wednesday night? I should have another lull in my schedule by then.”
“Absolutely. I would love that.”
“Good. Then put me on your calendar.”
“Consider it done.”
We hung up, and I got into the shower, washing off quickly before drying and running around the apartment in a hurry. I had to see Gary before meeting with Alfie, and where getting my job back and getting a new place to live was important, nothing felt more needed than seeing the man I was falling in love with.
My thoughts forced me into a slight depression by the time I reached Gary’s large house on the outskirts of town. Being that it was Sunday, he didn’t want to haunt the office at all. It was the only day he stayed home, though the guy worked nonstop.
My depression was due to the fact that Alfie would be leaving to go back to London soon, and then what?
I rang the doorbell as I chewed on my bottom lip. How could I stop him from going back, or even better yet, could I go with him? Would he want me to?
> No. I had to get my shit together before I tried to have another relationship.
“Molly!” Gary opened the door and moved back. “Come on in, girl. I can’t hide the fact that I’m a little surprised to see you.”
“Thanks, Gary.” I walked in and gave him a quick side hug. “I appreciate you seeing me. I won’t take too much of your time. I just needed to talk for a few minutes about maybe getting my old job back.”
“What? What happened to London?” He glanced down at me as we walked to the living room. “Take a load off. You want something to eat? Drink?”
“No. I’m good.” I sat down and tried not to look around the elaborate living room. His wife was an interior decorator, and the place was certainly decked out. Beautiful wouldn’t begin to describe it. “Harry slept with a few girls at the pub the night before the wedding, and my best friend caught him.” I shrugged and tried hard to hold Gary’s gaze. “It sucked like hell, but I walked. I had no choice.”
“Well, I told you that Harry was a piece of shit and that you were giving up far too much, girl.” He gave me a loving, but fatherly look. “However, I’m really sorry to hear that happened. No one deserves to be treated like that. Especially not a great girl like you.”
“Thanks.” I forced the hot ball of regret in my throat back down. “I’m here to see about getting my job back. I’m not too proud to beg if needed.”
He chuckled. “You wouldn’t need to beg, although I am still a little hurt by you leaving so fast. You didn’t even give us much notice, and you were my top marketer. Recovering from that was horrible.”
Shame raced through me, and I looked down at my hands. “I understand. I wasn’t thinking clearly. Love had me a bit blinded.”
“I should say so.” He let out a short sigh. “But… I would give you the job back in a heartbeat.”
I glanced up to thank him, not fully listening anymore. I was reliving the hell that had been my life for the last few weeks. “Really?”
“Yes, but it’s not available. I’m not sure I can convince upper management to create another position, but I will let you know if something else comes up, or anyone else leaves.” I could see his regret on his face. He wanted to help me out, but his hands were tied.