by JA Low
“I was kind of hoping not to have to keep my hands to myself anymore.” Nuzzling her neck making her squeal.
“We’ve been out many a time and you haven’t kept your hands to yourself.” She rolls on top of me, my hands gripping her ass as I grind into her.
“This is true.” I grin. “Guess we can sneak around for a little longer.” Pressing myself against her. “On one condition.”
“Anything?” Audrey grins.
“Oh, wow. Didn’t think it would be that easy. Now anything is on the table, I might change what I was going to ask.” Rolling her over and pinning her to my bed which makes her giggle.
“What was your condition?” She smiles up at me.
“You buy your own apartment so I can touch you anytime I like,” I say while kissing down her neck.
“That’s fair.” She grins.
“What else were you thinking?” She wiggles her brows at me.
“That you spend a couple of nights with me during the week.” I’m letting my walls down.
“You want me to come over and have naked slumber parties.” Audrey giggles.
“Yes.” My hand gropes her breast as my fingers roll her nipple through the material making her gasp.
“I can agree to that,” she answers distractedly.
“Good. You’ve already had your slumber now let’s get naked.”
30
Audrey
I’m floating on cloud nine. For the past month Stirling and I have secretly been dating. I’ve been spending a lot of time over at “Rainn’s house” which is code for Stirling’s. I know I’m a grown woman but sneaking around has been fun. I spoke to my mom about maybe taking over more duties to do with the foundation other than my influencing. Mom was ecstatic I wanted to do more to help her so she promptly hired me as the new Social Media Director for the Davenport Foundation. She said that’s where all my skills lie and they have been meaning to hire someone specifically for the position for a while, but they have been so flat out it got pushed to the side. I now have a real nine to five job. Look out world, Audrey Davenport has arrived. I’m still looking for an apartment much to Stirling’s annoyance but secretly I think he likes having me stay over anyway. We spend a lot of our time staying in, you know Netflix and chilling a lot. He even looks forward to going to the local farmer’s markets with me on the weekends to pick up some fresh produce to cook dinner together. Domestic bliss. I know gag.
I’ve been spending time with my brother also, trying to keep his mind off the divorce which has kind of gone downhill and something happened between him and Ariana as he’s not hanging out with her as much. Which means selfishly he is wanting more guy time with Stirling which means not as much naked slumber partying for us.
“You don’t look so good,” I tell him walking into his apartment and notice staring into the distance while dishing out the pastries. “You, okay?” Because this is a Rhys Davenport I haven’t seen before.
“Things between Ariana and I haven’t gone so well.” My heart breaks for him, he looks so sad.
“Sounds like you need to start at the beginning…” as I swipe a pastry from the kitchen counter and follow him into the living room. He tells me about the mix up the first night they met each other, the drama with the bellmen, he then explains about his divorce and how a prenup wasn’t filed correctly and he could lose half of everything to ex. He told me about how Ariana worked for our father’s architecture firm until she quit and has started her own firm. Which he is super proud of her for. He explained how he was falling for Ariana but he couldn’t bring all the stress and drama of his divorce while she’s trying to build her business. Then he explained how he thought disappearing from her life would be a good idea. It wasn’t. And he realized he missed her and tried to apologize but she wasn’t interested.
“That was a whirlwind. But you are a jerk face.” Dumbing it down for him.
“What did you say?” My brother looking annoyed with me.
“You ghosted her! Then you send her flowers and call, telling her you miss her, yet you can’t be with her.”
“You know why?” I get his thought pattern. He’s still a jerk face.
“I know how much damage Madison and all her chaos has done to you, but Ariana doesn’t. And if I were her, I would think you were blowing me off, or you wanted a booty call,” I explain to my dense brother.
“How do I fix it?” He looks at me desperately. Oh, how the tables have turned. I’ve been waiting for this day. Where I can be the wise one.
“I’ve been invited to Emma and Anderson’s housewarming party next weekend. I’m going to assume Ariana is going to be there.”
“And… you need a chaperone?” Rhys answers excitedly.
“No. This isn’t 1850, Rhys. I don’t need my brother to cross the Hudson.” My blue eyes narrow on him, he’s a dick. “You can come with me as a guest.” Sorry, Stirling. You’ve been bumped. But I’m doing this for us, so we can get our alone time back together again.
“Do you think ambushing her at their party is the right idea?”
“You said she’s not talking to you. How else will you get to see her? Other than being a creeper and waiting at her door. Girls don’t like that shit,” I advise him.
“I’ll do anything to talk to her. To explain everything.” I’ve never seen my brother like this before. It’s kind of adorable.
“You really like her?”
“I do. But everything has imploded before we’ve ever had a chance.”
I reach out and tap his knee. “You deserve happiness, Rhys. After everything,” I tell him. “And I like Ariana. Most women bow down to you, but she doesn’t. It’s refreshing to see you as the rejected party.” I chuckle.
“Well, it doesn’t feel nice.” My brother pouts.
“No shit.” I grin. “Welcome to the real world, Rhys.”
“How was brunch?” Stirling asks when I get back to his place.
“Good. Rhys was a mess. He likes Ariana and because he’s a male and used male logic he’s messed it all up.” I pop a grape in my mouth from the fruit bowl. Stirling comes around the kitchen counter and wraps his arms around me.
“Lucky my male logic led me to making a move on you.” He kisses me ever so softly.
“I think that was your dick but you’re right, male logic.” Stirling takes offense and starts tickling me feverishly until I fall to the floor in a crumpled heap.
“I’m ready,” I walk into the living room where, mom and Rhys are seated having a chat.
“Have fun, sweetheart.” Mom stands and gives me a hug, then does the same with Rhys. We say our goodbyes and head on out the door.
We chat on the elevator ride down to the foyer where our car is waiting for us. The light in this elevator is fantastic so I pull out my phone and begin taking selfies much to the annoyance of my brother.
“You trying to impress someone.” He jokes.
“Why would I be doing all this for a guy? Taking photos of myself because I think I look good today has nothing to do with some guy. I do not need a man to tell me if I’m pretty or not. I can decide that by myself.” Okay, I may have overreacted a little, it’s that time of the month. I turn back and finish my photos because someone paid me to do a post while wearing this sweater.
“When are you moving out of Mom’s?” Rhys asks, a running joke we have had for years.
“Actually…” putting my phone down “… Stirling has been helping me find an apartment.” My brother stills.
“Stirling?”
“Yes, What’s wrong with that?” Folding my arms across my chest defensively.
“Why are you hanging out with my best friend all of a sudden?” Has my brother been living on another planet all these months? Stirling and I have been hanging out for ages. Why now does he suddenly have a problem with it?
“Because I didn’t want to bother you, you have enough on your plate at the moment. And I can hardly go to Stanford.” Rolling my eyes at my other brother’s
name. “There isn’t anyone else I trust to be honest with me. And Stirling is good at investments and stuff. Isn’t that what you pay him to do?” Boom. Hitting him with facts.
“Yes. I just—”
“Nothing’s going on,” I reassure him. I kind of feel bad for lying to his face but he’s not ready to find out about us.
“I think you forget how old you guys are.” Hitting him with the age card.
“Hey, I’m not that old.”
“Please, you’re closer to forty than twenty.” I knew it would work, distracting him. “Stirling is like a surrogate brother. He helps out when I know you’re too busy.” I’m laying on the guilt trip.
“You know I’ll always make time for you.” Okay, I pushed too far. My brother pouts and it’s pulling on my heart strings.
“I know. I hate to ask, especially at the moment. You have so much on your plate, I don’t need to pile on my insignificant stuff.”
“Whatever’s going on in your life isn’t insignificant to me. I want to know.” Damn him for being an awesome brother.
“Fine. Next appointment with the real estate agent I will call you to come and check it out.”
“Deal,” he replies sounding happier.
“So, you think Ariana is going to be excited to see you tonight?” I change the subject.
“Probably not. I hurt her when I got self-absorbed in my own shit.”
“Does she know exactly what happened?” I ask because men aren’t the best at communication. He shakes his head. For a smart guy my brother is stupid. “Well, duh, of course, she isn’t going to understand any of your reasons for why you have kept away. You have to tell her exactly why,”
“I can’t dump all this on her.”
“If she’s the one for you, then she will stand by your side and give you the strength to fight on.” My brother stares at me as if I’ve grown a second head.
Okay that was awkward as hell, Ariana and Rhys seeing each other for the first time. I could see she was upset but all her friends and I literally forced them together and they have gone for a walk to check out some boathouse Emma is getting Ariana to renovate. The rest of the husbands of Emma’s friends disappear with the kids leaving us girls all together.
“So, are you still banging your brother’s best friend?” Emma comes right out and asks making me choke on my drink. The rest of the girls gasp in shock.
“You don’t have to answer.” Chloe, one of Emma’s best friends tells me.
“Emma has no filter, plus she’s nosey bitch.” Lenna one of the other girls tells me.
“Maybe we should top up your drink?” Stella the other friend adds. I think it might be a good idea.
“So, spill?” Emma pushes.
“Fine. We are together but Rhys doesn’t know. He knows we hang out and are friends, but he doesn’t know we are dating.” Emma rubs her hands gleefully.
“You go girl, that man is fine.” Emma gives me a high five which I accept. The other girls ask to see a photo of him and when I show them, they all agree he’s hot. Which is a huge complement because I’ve met all their husbands and honestly, it’s like a GQ magazine has come to life.
“So, you’re still sneaking around?” Emma asks. I nod my head. “We’ve all been there. Chloe was banging Noah, who was her boss, in secret because it was against company policy, as was Lenna and Logan.” Emma points to her friends. “As was this hussy here, she was the latest to fall.” Pointing to Stella, “She fell for her boss, who she’s been madly in love with for years.” Stella holds her drink up in the air owning it. “And I accidently married my one nightstand.” Emma grins.
“I think what Emma is getting at is we understand where you are in your journey and there will come a day where you will need to make a decision because you can’t hide from the world any longer.” Chloe gives me some good advice.
“Fingers crossed Ariana can distract Rhys long enough for Stirling and I to sort ourselves out.”
“Don’t think you have to wait long looks like they have kissed and made up.” Emma stares off into the distance where Rhys and Ariana are walking back looking happy with themselves.
My work here is done!
31
Stirling
“Congratulations.” Walking into Audrey’s new home. “You’re officially a homeowner.” Handing her a large bouquet of flowers and a bottle of champagne.
“Thank you. It’s kind of surreal.” She looks around her brand-new four-bedroom apartment which is situated on 5th Avenue and has views over Central Park. It’s Audrey in a nutshell, elegant, classical, understated but beautiful. Rainn and Nell came over last night to celebrate her first night in the new apartment, as Nell had arrived back from Paris, I thought it was fair she should spend the first night with them all together again.
“Come here.” Wrapping my arms around her as I pull her in for a searing kiss. She comes to me easily and we fall into each other. “I want to christen every room in your home.” Nuzzling her neck as I walk her back toward the kitchen counter. I pick her up and place her on the marble top. “I think we should work up an appetite, don’t you?” As she wraps her legs around my waist pulling me closer to her.
“I like the way you think, Mr. Hartford.” As she slowly starts to unbutton her blouse, one at a time excruciatingly slow until the silky material flutters to the floor and I’m left with her bouncy breasts incased in one of her designer bras. The white lace is sheer enough I can see her hard nipple through the material. She knows they are my weakness as her hands come behind her back and unclasp her bra, the she throws it at me. The lacey material hits me in the chest. Walking forward, my eyes zero in on her breasts. My hand reaches out and gives them a squeeze making her fall back against her hands on the counter. I spend my time equally with each of her breasts, loving the mewls and moans fall from her lips with each caress. My hands bunch up her skirt around her waist exposing her delicate pussy to me. A hand wanders between her thighs as my knuckles run along the seam of her underwear pushing the lace against her clit which has her humming for me. Her blonde hair has fallen from its clasp and is cascading down around her shoulders. Her eyes flutter shut as my finger sinks inside of her, her teeth bite down on her bottom lip and she’s never looks more beautiful. My hand reaches out and runs through her silky locks until they find their anchor.
“You’ve never looked more beautiful,” I tell her as I whisper against her lips. “I love you, Audrey.” The words tumble out of my mouth in the moment, but the way Audrey stiffens under my touch, I wish I could stuff them right back in.
“Stirling.” Those doe blue eyes look at me and I can read it on her face. She doesn’t feel the same. I let my hand slip from inside of her and put distance between us.
“I... shouldn’t have said anything.” Wishing the ground would swallow me up.
“No. Thank you for saying how you feel, I appreciate it.” She appreciates it. Wow. I was well off base with where we were both headed. “Stirling, please listen to me.” She tries to grab my attention to talk to me seriously, but I’m distracted by her boobs. Focus, man. “It’s not that I don’t have feelings for you. It’s just …”
I don’t want to hear what she has to say, as my embarrassment takes over. “You know what, I think it might be best if I go.” Grabbing my wallet and keys and head straight to the door.
“Stirling!” she yells after me.
“It’s okay Audrey. We can still be friends,” I tell her.
“You’re being a stubborn dickhead,” she tells at me. “Please don’t leave. I think we need to talk.”
“No. I’m good. I think I’ve had enough embarrassment for one night.” Turning the handle to her apartment door, I step out into the corridor and when I turn around, I see the tears running down Audrey’s cheeks and it breaks my heart. I want to rush back into the apartment and pull her into my arms and tell her everything is going to be okay, but I can’t because my heart is hurt, as is my pride and neither will let my feet move toward
her.
So instead, I simply close the door. Like the coward I am.
I haven’t spoken to Audrey since that night. What would I say? I threw a tantrum because my ego was bruised. Because the woman I love doesn’t love me back. I’ve fucked it all up. And now I’ve lost the only woman I have ever loved, and the real kicker is, she was my best friend too. Now I’m sitting here watching MasterChef, because she likes it, eating chocolate cookie dough ice cream,she left in my fridge, like the loser I am.
“Hey, how was LA?” I say, putting on my best sunny disposition even though all I want to do is wallow.
“Close the door,” Rhys tells me angrily. Oh shit, what the hell happened in LA? Did the investigator find out more information on Madison? Did he have a shit time with Ariana? Traveling does put a strain on a new relationship. Did he break up with his girl too?
“Has something happened?” as I take my seat.
“You could say that.” Rhys’s eyes narrow on me. Shit, did I do something? Then an alarm on his phone goes off, which makes us both jump at how loud it is. Rhys frowns at the intrusion as he pulls it from his pocket, a small smile falls on his face as he reads whatever is on the screen.
“Are you okay?” Not sure what’s happening.
“I will be.” Rhys grins like a Cheshire cat, “I’m going to come right out and ask. Are you seeing my sister?”
Oh shit, did Audrey tell him about our fight.
“No,” I answer hesitantly.
“You sure?”
“Yes.” My voice is shaky.
“Why won’t you tell me? Audrey spilled to the girls,” Rhys tells me—oh shit.