“I didn’t mean to keep things from you Sasha. It was business and I made a decision.”
“So you think I’m overreacting?”
He took a moment before responding. “I think if the positions were reversed and I’d heard about a similar situation in the conference room like you did, I would’ve been pissed off too. I’m sorry it came out that way. I did have every intention of telling you. And any of the VPs would be irritated to find out that their client called me and not them. But I would hope they and you understand why I had to go.” His voice was quiet but sincere.
I looked at the time and realized I had a conference call in twenty minutes for which I needed to prepare. “I appreciate your apology and I do believe you were going to tell me. I’ll need to get over it.” Then something dawned on me. “Wait, if it’s true that you found out you’re traveling this morning from Josh, then how did Vanessa know about it?”
“Of course, it’s true,” he said exasperated that I was questioning his honesty. “The reason she knew is because when we walked into the meeting together this morning, she wanted to know if I was heading back to Charlotte afterwards. I told her I was traveling internationally instead.”
“Oh, sorry.” My day was packed, and I couldn’t afford to let this eat at me any longer especially since I wasn’t thinking rationally. “When are you going?”
“I’m leaving in the next thirty minutes for the airport to get back to Charlotte. I didn’t want to get lumped into a flight with Vanessa. That’s why I told her I was flying directly to Dubai.”
I stood quiet appreciating that he’d done so.
He continued. “I won’t be back until the middle of next week. Look, I’m not trying cut you out. The only thing Vanessa and I discussed was the budget and phase two, with the television campaign. I was with her a half hour because I thought it was an excuse to get together and hope for something personal. I had texted Josh ahead of time to call and interrupt just in case.”
I hated hearing this and had to reach down deep to move on from it and trust him. The fact that he’d preempted the meeting with a rescue call gave me some satisfaction. “Okay. I’ll keep you updated on the shoot next week.”
He looked relieved for the change in conversation. “Good. Are you coming down to Charlotte the weekend after next?”
I shook my head. “My parents’ fortieth anniversary party is that Saturday. I’ll be home in Beaufort, but I could come down the following weekend.”
“We have a two-week rule.” His voice was quiet.
“You’re out of town this weekend, and I’m out of town the following one. You need to be more flexible.” Great, now my agitation was back.
“You could invite me to the party.”
Whoa. I was stunned. We didn’t do family things together. “You want to go to the party with me?”
He shrugged. “Why not?”
I could think of a lot of reasons, one of which was that I need more than five minutes to get over him meeting Vanessa last night. “What would we tell everyone?”
“We could simply say that I’m your date for the party. If they ask, we met at work and are friends. We wouldn’t be lying.”
“I didn’t RSVP to bring someone.” I knew the moment it left my mouth it was the lamest excuse in the book.
He arched a brow. “If you’re going to come up with a bogus reason, you should try harder for a good one. I’ll leave you to your conference call. Keep me updated on the campaign.” The intensity in his look let me know he was annoyed.
Well, I was, too. “All right. Safe travels.”
He stood up and crossed over toward me and then stopped.
I waited for him to come closer for a kiss or something, but when he didn’t, vast disappointment hit me. Considering I’d practically jumped down his throat the last time we’d crossed a personal boundary in this office, I knew I couldn’t have it both ways.
“You know I’ll miss you.” His face softened, but his clenched fists appeared to signify that he wanted to reach out but wouldn’t.
“I, um—I’m certain we’ll talk.” Damn my awkwardness. I would miss him too, even if I couldn’t bring myself to verbalize that yet.
He looked wounded for a moment, then was back to nothing bothers me Brian. “Sure, I’ll call you, or you can call me. Bye.” With one last look, he left out my door.
I let out the breath I’d been holding and thought about the idea of bringing a man home to meet my family. It was something I hadn’t done since high school, and it intimidated the shit out of me. Then again, the thought of having someone there on my side was appealing.
Shaking myself mentally, I brought up my calendar. My work day was absolutely packed, and I didn’t have the luxury of dealing with the personal aspect of my life. Some might call it avoidance; I called it my only way of coping when emotions threatened to overwhelm me.
CHAPTER TWENTY FOUR
After leaving the office early on Friday, I flew down to my home town for my parents’ anniversary party, scheduled for the next day.
I’d talked to Brian a couple of times over the last ten days, while he’d been in Dubai and then London, but the majority of our conversations had been work related. He hadn’t brought up coming into town this weekend for the party, and I assumed he must’ve changed his mind. Of course, he could’ve been waiting for me actually to invite him, but I’d chickened out every time I’d thought about it.
He most likely thought my silence on the subject had something to do with residual anger over the Vanessa situation, but the truth was that home represented a place where I felt vulnerable. I wasn’t sure if I was ready to have the two worlds collide and chance he might find out about my traumatic past. Of course, as far as my family or anyone else knew, my first panic attack had been a one-time reaction brought on my shocking confrontation with my birth mother. At least, that’s what I hoped they still thought. I was proud of myself for not asking Nancy if the attorney who’d left the message about my birth mother had called again. I didn’t need that shit clouding my mind. The past needed to stay there.
Pulling into the driveway of my parents’ house, I sighed at the sight of my sister’s mini-van with the stick figure family on the back window. It was a comical reminder: I wasn’t in Manhattan any longer.
Lugging my suitcase inside, I was surprised to see Addison sitting at the counter in the kitchen on a stool—without the kids. I smiled and hugged my mom while she prepped dinner across from Addison.
“Hi, Sasha Jayne, how was your flight?”
“Good, Mom, thanks. Hi, Addison.”
My sister looked up from her notebook and offered me a little wave of acknowledgement. It was the first time we’d seen one another since our Christmas incident. “We have fifty-four people coming tomorrow and I didn’t get your RSVP. I guess you assumed I’d know it was only you?”
Instead of bothering with a response to her bitchy greeting, I rolled my eyes and walked into the living room, satisfied to hear my mom giving her a lecture behind me. I leaned in and gave my father a hug in his La-Z-Boy recliner.
“Hi, Daddy.”
“Hi, darlin’. Nice to see you. How was the flight?”
“Good thanks. I’m heading up to put my stuff in my room, then I’ll be down to visit.”
“All right, baby girl,” he said, going back to his paper.
After closing the door to my room, I immediately dialed Brian’s number. I wondered if it was too late to invite him for tomorrow’s party. Or if he’d still want to even come.
“Hi, stranger,” he greeted, picking up on the first ring.
“Hi, yourself. Are you back home?”
“No. How about you? Are you at your parents’ place in Beaufort?”
I tried to hide my disappointment that he was traveling. What did I expect when I hadn’t extended an invitation to come here? “Yeah, just got in.”
A knock startled me.
“Hold on.” I said, opening the door.
&nb
sp; Addison stood there. “Hey, Sasha, I didn’t mean—” she began, only to see me on the phone and stop. “Oh, sorry, I didn’t realize. I’ll, um, talk to you later maybe.” She turned suddenly and was back down the stairs before I could even respond.
“Okay…” I shook my head, wondering if my mom had sent her up here to give an apology. I shut the door again and took a seat on the bed. “Sorry about that. Um, we didn’t get around to talking about this weekend.” I wished more than anything I could see him.
“I didn’t get the impression you’d want me there the last we spoke.”
“You’re right. And it’s unreasonable to bring it up on the day before.”
“Let me ask you something. If it was possible, would you want me there now?”
I didn’t hesitate. “Yes, but if you’re out of town, it’s last minute …”
“I’m at the Harbor Inn in town.”
“Wait. What? In this town?”
He chuckled. “It’s been almost two weeks, and I wanted to see you. If you don’t want me to come to the party, I’ll understand. But I didn’t like the way we left things.”
Raw need coursed through me. “Do you, um, want me to come by tonight?” Get a grip. Why was I asking so nervously? Clearly, the man was here to see me.
“Of course, but I know you’re with your family.”
I was halfway tempted to ask him to come over for dinner tonight, but I didn’t think I should see him for the first time in two weeks with my mom and dad watching. Self-preservation. I didn’t want to jump on him in front of my family. “My parents go to bed early. I could be by about nine o’clock?”
I could practically feel his smile through the phone. “I’m in room two fifteen.”
***
Luckily, Addison was gone by the time I came back downstairs. I contemplated calling her to add my plus one but preferred to piss her off by bringing him to the party tomorrow without a RSVP. It was passive-aggressive, but what the hell. She brought it out in me.
I ate dinner with my parents and practically had to shove my mom out of the kitchen in order to wash the dishes. She was one of those women who didn’t know what to do with herself if she wasn’t taking care of others. I smiled, peeking into the living room to see her kissing my father’s cheek. Now there was a love story, and tomorrow would mark forty years of it.
As they were about to retire for the evening, I let them know that I’d be out late and not to wait up. If they thought it odd, they didn’t comment. After all I was thirty-two years old. What were they going to do, impose a curfew?
Wired by the time I drove the few blocks over to the hotel, I fought my nerves while knocking on Brian’s hotel room door.
He opened it, and my mouth went dry. He stood there in nothing but a pair of pajama bottoms slung low on his hips. Had I forgotten how unbelievably hot he was?
He chuckled. “Is my body all you want me for?”
“Mm, you do have a pretty face, too.” I met his eyes and let the door close.
The moment it clicked, we were all over one another with hot, hard, and relentless kisses. Pushing my back against the wall, he pinned my hips with his own.
Pulling away reluctantly, he gave me a slow, lazy smile, running his fingers down the side of my breasts. I shivered with his touch. “You have too many clothes on,” he murmured, unbuttoning my blouse and then sliding my jeans down. “There, now, that’s better.”
I was on fire everywhere. His hands held my face, and the desire reflected in his eyes matched what I was feeling.
He nibbled my bottom lip while unclasping my bra, letting it fall to the floor. Between the kisses down my neck, he stopped at the sweet spot behind my ear. “I take it you’re no longer angry with me about the Vanessa business?”
I let out a little sigh. “No, I get it. I don’t like it but you’re right. If she’d called Josh, we’d both be irritated, but it’s the client’s right to do so. And I do trust you. But I can’t stand to have things kept from me. I’d rather be pissed because of something you tell me rather than learn about it from someone else.”
“I’ll try better next time.” He kissed me deeply and then pulled back, naked desire evident on his face. “But right now I’m going to have you against this wall.” His hands worked down my panties with his mouth diving straight for my throbbing sex.
This was the side of Brian I’d come to know. The one in charge in the bedroom who would take me any way he wanted without apology. The moment he touched me, we were back on familiar territory with all previous irritation forgotten.
“Open your legs gorgeous. I’ll be down here awhile.”
Absolute need hit me when his slight stubble grazed my inner thigh. I clenched with expectation, leaning my full weight against the wall lest my legs give out on me completely.
His hot breath was against my cleft and I weaved my fingers in his hair, pressing him into me further. I shivered when he inhaled deeply.
“I love your pussy, especially your scent. It’s like a drug for me, and your body is my addiction.”
He buried his face in my center with a vengeance, his hands gripping my hips and pulling me into him. I moaned, unprepared for the full assault when his fingers delved deep inside of me and worked me in tandem with his mouth.
I climaxed before I could even fully comprehend all of the sensations he was inflicting on me. I was lost and completely at his mercy.
His tongue lapped up the evidence of my need, feeding on it as though it was the best thing he’d ever tasted. The image had me completely undone. In that moment, I realized I had no reservations with this man. He could do whatever he wanted to with my body. I trusted him that much.
As I came down from my climax, he rose, kissing me with the taste of my arousal fresh on his lips. It was beyond erotic. He shed his pants quickly, then his hands gripped my backside, lifting me up, enabling me to wrap my legs around his waist. He thrust hard into me with delicious precision. The angle against the hard surface afforded him the ability to bring me quickly to another orgasm as he hit a spot that only he’d ever discovered. Plunging one last time, he threw his head back groaning with his own release while pinning me completely against the wall with his weight.
We stayed there while we caught our breath. He then carried me over to the bed, not breaking contact before starting again.
Evidently, we wouldn’t be getting much sleep tonight.
***
The next afternoon, I dressed in a beautiful coral-colored, cotton eyelet spring dress with a sweetheart neckline and long, flowing skirt. A nude belt cinched my waist and I complemented it with the same color wedges. It was a soft look for me and a complete Coastal North Carolina type dress. I wondered what Brian would think. Considering I was lucky to have the ability to walk today after last night, he’d probably think it a miracle to see me upright.
After picking up the cake, I drove over to the country club to deliver it precisely one hour before the party, as instructed. I tried to help my sister set up, but after an hour of listening to her sniping and with people starting to arrive, I was relieved to go pick up my date.
I parked in front of Brian’s hotel and walked into the lobby. He was there waiting, and I took a moment to appreciate how very handsome he was. He glanced in my direction and then did a double take. His slow smile and head-to-toe assessment made me flush with delight.
“I’m sorry, I’m expecting Sasha-B-Fierce who wears pencil skirts and four-inch killer heels. Have you seen her?”
I swatted at his arm, pleased when he kissed my cheek.
“You look beautiful,” he whispered in my ear. Then he took my hand, holding it on the way out to the car.
“Thank you. And stop looking so surprised at the way I’m dressed. It’s my parents’ anniversary party at a country club in front of a lot of people I went to church with growing up. I couldn’t very well wear fishnet stockings and stilettos.”
His brows shot up with that visual. When we got into the car, his
hand skimmed up my thigh. “Great, now I’m having a church girl gone naughty fantasy in my head.”
I chuckled. “You clean up nicely, too, Bri.” He was dressed in a classic gray suit with a crisp white shirt that made me want to wear it and nothing else some morning.
His fingers danced up my thigh, and I smiled.
“Ask me something,” I requested, watching his grin and then enjoying the intake of his breath the moment he realized I was going commando.
“Why, Sasha Jayne Brooks, are you not wearing any panties?”
The way he said it in his drawl made me giggle.
“Why, I declare, you’re full of surprises. I think I’ll be scoping out a coat closet when we get there,” he threatened.
I shook my head. “No way. What part of country club and people I went to church with don’t you understand?”
His hand crept up under my dress again with his fingers finding my bare center.
I gasped in pleasure. You’d think after last night I would have calmed the ache. Instead, his mere touch inflamed me.
“Let me get this straight. You can go without panties, but I have to behave? Interesting.”
I tossed him a wicked smile. “Maybe I want you thinking about it during the party.”
He smirked. “Oh, believe me, I will. And I’ll behave but only because I’ve got plans for you later. Now ask me something.”
“Are you nervous to meet my family?” I found myself slightly disappointed when his fingers retreated back into his lap.
“Not at all. You know I don’t get uneasy meeting anyone. I’m a people person.”
That was true. I don’t know why I would think it would be any different in a personal situation. Obviously, I was making this a bigger deal then it needed to be. “That’s true, and they’ll probably love you.” He chuckled and then glided his fingers over my thigh again, teasing me with little circles, but not going any higher. “I would hope so. I’m a lovable kind of guy.”
He wasn’t exaggerating. Everyone who met Brian adored him. I drove the short distance to the country club and parked the car. Turning off the ignition, I inhaled sharply when his fingers slid up into my slick heat. Gripping the steering wheel, I’d practically asked for this when I went panty-less. Luckily, I’d opted for the far corner of the lot, away from any other cars. Closing my eyes, I thought an orgasm might relax me before spending the next couple of hours amongst family and old family friends.
Ask Me Something (The Something Series Book 2) Page 27