by Angel Devlin
I pressed send and heard a 'ping' come from the direction of my bedroom.
Huh?
I walked through to the bedroom area where I was greeted by the sight of Harlow in my bed. All I could see were her naked shoulders, reminding me of when we’d first met.
"Well, it was supposed to be a surprise, but then you texted me." She grumbled.
I didn't know what to say. Why was she here? In my bed? Presumably naked if the clothes strewn at the foot of the bed were anything to go by. I thought we were getting to know each other and taking it slow?
She typed something into her cell.
Ping.
Harlow: Are you going to stand there all day with that dumb expression on your face, or get in bed? Dinner sounds fabulous. I'm sure we'll have worked up an appetite. I'm guessing we don't need to book seeing as you're Mr. Hot Rock Star?
"You think I'm hot?" I asked.
"I'm naked in your bed, what do you think?"
"I think you did that once before to torment me and I don't want to presume anything."
She sent another text.
Harlow: Get in bed and make love to me, Fergus.
Oh my god.
Well, she'd asked nicely…
I dived under the covers and pulled Harlow's body toward mine. She was all soft curves against my hard planes and warm against my cool body.
"Jesus, Fergus, you're freezing."
I silenced her with a kiss. Her mouth fitted mine like it was made for me. I'd never felt this way before and I knew it was very early days, but I hoped I felt this way every day going forward. I wanted her to stay. I needed her to stay.
So I showed her with my body. I kissed and caressed every inch of skin. Teasing, nibbling, licking, sucking. I placed my head between her thighs and I gently bit her clit while my fingers probed and played. I watched my girl come apart as she arched up off the bed, exploding over my mouth and screaming for God. Taking my time, I gave her a moment, kissing her for what felt like hours, stroking that soft skin, before I placed myself between her thighs.
We needed a condom. I had to get out of bed and get my wallet.
"Just a minute." Harlow said, reaching over to the side of the bed and holding up a brown paper bag. She emptied it onto the bed, condom after condom floating around.
"Steady on, woman. How many times do you think we're doing it? I don't want him breaking."
"You said to make sure you had a drawer full of condoms. They haven't made it to the drawer yet, but I'm your PA. I did as asked."
"Cheeky." I said, grabbing a condom and tearing the wrapper. I knocked the rest to the floor.
"I suppose I have a tub full of bleach?"
"Just a bottle of it on the side of the tub if needed."
"I won't need it because the only person I ever intend to put my cock inside again is you."
"Ever the romantic." She laughed and it lit up her face. I was struck then by how much she already meant to me.
I captured her mouth once more to stop her talking and positioned myself between her thighs.
Breaking the kiss, I checked, "Are you sure about this?"
"Yes. I'm no virgin myself, Fergus, so don't feel guilty about your past."
I pushed inside her and she groaned.
"Can. You. Not. Mention. Other. Men. When. I'm. Making. Love. To. You." I thrust each word into her.
She giggled beneath me.
"You're mine." I growled. "We're going to be together forever."
She was about to open her mouth once more, so I placed a finger on her clit and flicked as I thrust deeper inside her. She came harder over my cock, taking me with her. We collapsed together and I pulled her into my arms, our chests rising and falling with our heavy breaths.
"Wow. That was just. Wow." I told her.
"Right back at you." She winked.
Our dinner reservations ended up being changed to room service once more…
Epilogue
HARLOW
One year later…
I waited in the VIP section for my husband to take to the stage. Blackthorn were headlining at Madison Square Garden.
Janie was once again nowhere to be seen. I was here with other wives and girlfriends, family members, and my friends Jodi, Ella, Audrina, and Casey. I'd met Jodi and Ella briefly before I'd left for Dublin when I'd bought a dress at their boutique. Audrina and Casey owned the coffee shop next door to the boutique and so it wasn't long before we all became friends. Fergus and the band had been here in New York laying down a new album, and he'd proposed, not three months after the gig in Dublin. I'd asked Jodi and Ella to make my wedding dress. When Fergus was determined about something, it happened, and he was determined not to wait to get a ring on my finger.
His determination was also why I was rocking the latest in maternity wear. I stroked my five months pregnant belly. Fergus couldn't keep his hands off my bump, telling everyone who would listen that he'd knocked me up and intended to do it over and over again. God knows how many children we were going to end up with.
"So, how's the business going?" I asked Jodi. She and Ella had been headhunted by Alexander Green for his flagship store in New York to produce an exclusive line in wedding dresses after he’d seen mine in the press. The business wasn’t the only thing Mr. Green had hunted!
"It's a story for another time." Jodi winked. "When it's a little quieter."
"I will hold you to that." I said grinning, but then I turned to the stage because there he was.
My husband. My rock star.
His eyes met mine and he mouthed, “Together forever.”
THE END
Jodi's story takes place in Mr. Green
Out April.
For more ANGEL DEVLIN reads click here:
www.amazon.com/author/angeldevlin
MR GREEN
Chapter One
ALEXANDER
My lead buyer kept up my brisk pace as I headed toward the elevator to ride the car to the fifth floor of my department store where the offices were. I was a gym regular, and she was a working mother of three. We both only had one speed—Olympic Gold.
"So tell me who you've found for my womenswear department. Because you know I need a fresh new designer, someone who's going to make that department the place to shop and leave my rivals in the shade."
We stepped in the car of my private elevator and I pressed the button for the fifth floor.
"I think I nailed it." Connie said and I turned my head to her, catching her grin. "There's a woman who's an up-and-coming influencer, Jodi Griffin. She has twenty thousand followers on Instagram, growing markedly each day, and she's part of a duo who own a boutique called 'Sew in Style'. She does an 'outfit of the day' and I've had a close look at the ones designed by the boutique. They're good clothes. They also designed Harlow McDermott's wedding dress.
She held up a hand as I opened my mouth. "Yes, I went to the store. I bought a few outfits and they're on your desk."
"I should never have doubted you." I grinned.
"No, You shouldn't. Anyhow, the thing to note is what they currently make for the boutique is largely Mother-of-the-bride or prom style."
I pulled a face.
"But when she does her outfit of the day, she has this sophisticated glamor. Think Audrey Hepburn. I've asked Tasha to email you the link to her Insta, so you can check out what I mean. Also, the wedding dresses they do are seldom and when they do are bespoke."
I raised an eyebrow. "One of a kind. Hmmm."
The car arrived at the fifth floor.
I indicated for Connie to step out first. "If everything is as I expect then I'll ask Tasha to set up a meeting with the two of them. What's the other woman called?"
"Ella Cassidy."
"And they design together?"
"Yes. You wouldn't know they were two people. They're best friends and entirely in sync. As you'll see when you check out the outfits."
"Thank you once again, Connie."
She smiled and
went off toward her own office.
"Your coffee is on your desk, Mr. Green."
"Thanks, Tasha. Hopefully it's not fallen over onto the outfits Connie's sent me?" I winked.
"The outfits are of course hung from hangers on a handrail because we're Juniper, and I'm an amazingly efficient personal assistant."
"I don't know what I'd do without you, Tasha."
She made gagging noises.
"So rude. Can you contact an employment agency and ask them to send me a list of suitable new PAs'?"
"You do that and my parting shot will be to tell your mother that you finally decided you want to settle down and does she know anyone suitable."
"Pay-rise?" I asked.
The clothes were every bit as impressive as Connie had described and I could see these designers had potential. It was time to arrange a meeting to see if they'd design a collection of bespoke wedding dresses for Juniper.
Clicking onto the social media link, I brought up the Instagram of @JodiGriffindesigner. My cock woke up as it took in the long, sleek, dark hair; dark eyes, and slim body of the lady herself. Her bio said yoga-lover and where she didn't post her 'outfit of the day', she liked to post ultra-bendy poses of her in various different places: green spaces, her apartment, the gym. I realized after twenty minutes that I'd spent more time looking at her downward facing dog and pert ass than I had the outfits. I needed to get laid.
I buzzed Tasha through the intercom.
"Can you set up a meeting with the Sew in Style ladies, myself, and Connie please?"
"Yes, Sir. When were you thinking? You have availability tomorrow afternoon due to a cancellation?"
"No, make it the end of the week. Friday. I want to do some more background research."
"Okay, let me know what else you need me to do. Do you want me to get all of the company's history for you?"
"Yes please." I told my assistant, but what I really intended to do was go there myself, to Sew in Style. They would have no idea who I was. I ran my business from behind closed doors. I may be a billionaire, but I wasn't one who appeared at every photo opportunity possible with a blonde on their arm. My privacy was everything. It meant that when I needed to, I could get right to the source; so that spare time I had tomorrow afternoon? I'd be visiting a boutique.
"Oh and Tasha?"
"Yes, Sir?"
"Don't fill tomorrow afternoon. I've remembered a prior engagement."
Chapter Two
JODI
The alarm buzzed and I groaned, rolling over and hitting it with a great thwack. Then I clutched my head. Who got drunk on a Sunday? What an idiot. But then the date I'd had, had been so damn boring that all I'd been capable of doing was refilling my glass while I waited for it to end. I was too polite and should have cut and run.
Shuffling my feet into slippers, I dragged myself into the bathroom and switched on the shower. As I eventually stood under the water, I welcomed the warmth on my bones and the waterfall on my head as it ran into my eyes and woke me up. I had no time for a hangover. There was work to be done.
Finally fully awake with one coffee under my belt, and makeup hiding the dark circles under my eyes, I went into my closet to select today's outfit. A long slim skirt with a slit up the thigh in emerald-green, and a cream silk shirt with a tie neck. I walked over to the tripod in the guest room, stood my cell in it, set the timer and stood in front of my back-drop.
FLASH. FLASH. FLASH.
I moved in front of the camera while it clicked.
There it was. One of those photos would be on Instagram in a few seconds as my 'outfit of the day'. Then it was time to get to work. It was my turn to get the coffees from HappBeanness.
At eight forty-five, I pushed open the door of our boutique 'Sew in Style'. Ella was already there in the back, machine whirring away.
"What time did you get here?"
"Seven. I'm obsessed with this new dress I'm putting together. Finn kicked me out of the apartment because he said I couldn't stop fidgeting in bed. He said I said 'buttons' in my sleep."
Her fiancé Finn was a book editor, who was halfway through drafting his first novel. They'd been together a year now, whereas I couldn't even have one successful date.
"So pass me that coffee and tell me how your date went."
"You already know how my date went because I'm here, with no beaming smile on my face, able to walk straight, and I texted you last night saying it was another freaking waste of time."
"Your text said you were going to die an old maid and that your date smelled of fish."
"I was drunk."
"I still want to hear all the details. You're incredibly picky. So we shall dissect and see if you weren't too hasty in ruling him out?"
"Oh, Ella. You are such a romantic soul. Only you could think there was a chance of love between a hardened-to-romance coffee addict and a man who clutched my cheeks to kiss me on arrival with hands that smelled of fish."
"He sells fresh fish!"
"Do they not shower? Ella, he was a weirdo. If I'd have encouraged him, I'm telling you, I would have had BE MINE spelled out on my doorstep in fish eyes." I threw my purse behind the counter. "I refuse to discuss this date anymore. It was a zero out of ten; and the last time I use a dating agency. It might have worked for you, but I'm going to meet someone at a bar or something. No more."
"God, you're tetchy this morning. I'm going to pop next door to get you a consolatory cheer-you-up muffin."
I put my hands on my hips. "You're going next door to discuss my dating disaster with Audrina and Casey as usual."
A guilty expression flashed over Ella's face. "I just thought they might know someone. We could get them to meet you in a bar…"
"Do not matchmake me. You are not Grace Graham." Grace ran the agency that had kind of got Ella and Finn together. "I'm staying single and marrying my career."
It was hard to be nice to customers that morning, though I managed because it wasn't their fault my love life was a disaster, was it? Truth was, and I couldn't tell the girls this, but, I was twenty-five and well… I'd only had sex a couple of times. I was woefully inexperienced. God, I know, I know. How? When I lived in New York and had date after date. Ella was right. I was picky. While I picked at the muffin Ella had brought me, I decided. I was going to take a leaf out of Audrina's book. She'd made a new year resolution to be a 'bad girl' and she'd had a one-night-stand. She'd challenged herself and was loved up with the guy. I was going to do that. The next guy I met who I was attracted to, I was going to pretend I was some femme-fatale sex-kitten, not my awkward self who only came to life on Instagram where I pretended to be a fashion icon. That had started with Ella, suggesting that I try on the boutique's outfits to drum up customers for the shop. No one was more surprised than me when I started to get followers. People thought Ella was shy and I was outgoing, but really we were both quite introverted. But no more. Carpe Diem. It was time to seize the day.
I'd start tomorrow.
Chapter Three
ALEXANDER
I popped back to my house on the Upper East Side and while my housekeeper fussed around insisting on getting me a glass of water, I went and changed from my business suit into a t-shirt and jeans.
"You're having the afternoon off? Are you ill? Do you need me to call a physician?" Marla asked. She was like a second mother.
I shook my head. "No. I'm still working. Just going in on the down low." I tapped the side of my nose.
"Ah, now I understand and won't panic." She handed me the glass of water. "You bleep me if you need me." With that she left the kitchen.
Thirty minutes later I was outside Sew in Style. There were a few stores side by side: a coffee shop, the boutique, an old book store, a hair salon, and a small art gallery. I liked it, they were a quirky mix. I strode into the boutique and there she was. She looked and me and then looked away before holding herself tall and turning back to face me.
For a moment I lost my actual voice. She was indeed t
he epitome of sophisticated glamor, yet despite her confident poses on Insta, she actually had a reticence about her, and I bet she much preferred to be sewing than serving.
I was a billionaire stumped for something to say because there was just something about this woman. I'd not said a word to her yet, but I just knew she needed to be mine.
"Hi." I finally found my voice. "Am I okay to look around?"
She stared at me for a moment. "Erm, sure. Let me know if you need anything…"
You. I need you.
I walked around picking up outfits, feeling at the material. I saw that the other woman, Ella, was in the back sewing, completely immersed in her project.
Jodi kept at a reasonable distance from me; close enough if needed but far enough away to not make me feel uncomfortable. I moved closer to her.
"Do you make everything that's stocked here?"
She nodded. "We do. Obviously, there are a limited amount of items for purchase for that reason. We also do bespoke, so if you were wanting something in particular, a suit or a dress, then you can book with us for fitting and place a deposit to hold a slot. I must tell you though we are booked up many months ahead because of us being featured in the press for designing Harlow McDermott’s wedding gown."
"Seems like you might need to expand soon."
Jodi chewed the corner of her mouth. "Why ruin a good thing though?"
I stared at her. "Maybe it could make a good thing fabulous?"
She shrugged her shoulders. "Anyway, are there any more questions I can answer for you?"
Yes, would you come out with me for dinner?
"No, that's okay. I was just passing and I know my mom is looking for an outfit for a gala she's going to. I'll let her know about this place. Nice to meet you…"