by Claire Adams
“Molly—”
I closed my eyes at the way he uttered my name pleadingly. This was the exact reason why I needed to get away. He could get me to stay without saying more than a few words, namely because the desire to be with him was a little overwhelming.
“Please, Alfie. Just let me get up.”
He respected my wishes by slipping out of me. I ignored the pang of loss and coldness that I felt as I scrambled off the bed while batting Alfie’s outstretched hands.
“Stay in here with me,” Alfie said. “We didn’t do anything wrong, Molly. Why are you pulling away now?”
I managed to find my clothes on the floor by blindly reaching around for them. Holding them to my chest, I turned to look at Alfie still sitting on the bed with a baffled expression. Hurt flickered in his eyes as I took a step back from him.
“We just shouldn’t have crossed that line is all,” I said, thickly. “We’ve had too much to drink. Everything is just so fucked up in my life right now.”
He didn’t accept that answer from the piercing look he gave me. “I don’t think so. There is something else. What is it?”
“Nothing. It’s nothing. I just—” I started in the direction of the door as he got off the bed. “I just need some time to think about a few things is all. I’ll see you in the morning.”
My fingers found the doorknob. Twisting it open, I darted through the door before Alfie could even say another word. My bare feet padded along the carpet in the direction of the guest room. The cold night air kissed at my naked skin as I hurried to the privacy of my room, fighting against the need to run as fast and as far as I could.
I locked the door for good measure even though I was sure that Alfie had a key to get in if he really wanted. I sagged against the door with a trembling sigh.
What the fuck have I done? And even worse…why do I want to do it all over again?
Chapter Eleven
Alfie
A headache pounding furiously in my temples stirred me from a dreamless sleep. The blankets were tangled around my legs, and the air was cold against the bare skin of my back. I was naked and hung over—a combination I hadn’t experienced in a long time.
Rolling over with a groan, I forced my eyes open to look up at the morning light dancing across the ceiling. Images of Molly naked and writhing beneath me in pleasure from the previous night flashed through my mind. I hardened just remembering it.
This is a new place to be. I fucked my former mate’s ex-fiancée. I laughed humorlessly. Harry never deserved a woman like Molly. Just the few days I had spent with her proved it. She was beautiful, smart, and knew had to have a good time. She was well rounded when it came to her life and ambitions. That was something that I thoroughly enjoyed. Gone were my days of sleeping with young women who had no idea where their lives were going besides hoping for access to my bank account.
I sat up with another groan as the world spun for a moment. I needed coffee. I needed something greasy for breakfast to fight off the hangover. But more than anything else, I needed to talk to Molly once my damn headache went away.
The cold shower helped the throbbing in my head a bit while cooling other parts of my body down. I reluctantly dressed for work in a few hours before venturing down to the kitchen to start on coffee. It was still early for the rest of my staff to arrive.
Popping a few Tylenol, I poured myself and Molly a cup of coffee. I could hear the floorboards groaning—a sure sign that she was awake and moving about the room. The shower turned on a few minutes later followed by the flush of a toilet.
I waited patiently in the kitchen while nursing my drink. A flash of movement from the corner of my eye caught my attention. I leant back on my kitchen stool to look down the hallway leading to the foyer to find Molly grabbing her coat from the peg next to the front door, her bags at her feet.
She was planning to leave. Fuck.
I drummed my fingers on the side of my coffee cup while I debated on letting her know that I was there. It would be better to let her go, but I couldn’t find it in me to stay sitting. I was on my feet walking toward her with a cup of coffee in my hand.
“Molly?” My heart fluttered in my chest to see her again. The night before had been way too short in my own opinion. If she’d only let her concerns and judgements go, she could have stayed all night with me. I’d have worshiped her, fucking her three to four more times before wrapping myself around her. She’d have felt the depths of passion that resided within me and a sense of security and healing that I knew, without a doubt, that I could provide her with.
She jumped in surprise to hear my voice. Her jacket fluttered to the ground between us. I arched an eyebrow at her jittery movements.
“I didn’t think you were awake,” Molly said. Her eyes were fixated on the ground between us, not willing to look up at me. Her cheeks were flushed pink while her damp hair was clipped at the back of her head. She still looked beautiful even when she was dancing around anxiously.
“Well, I am,” I said, and offered a mug of coffee. “Here. This is for you.”
She glanced up as her eyes filled with tears. “No, but thank you.”
“Love… Are you trying to sneak out without alerting me?” My heart hurt at the thought of her slipping out of my life and the two of us never having closure on what might have been. Sure, she belonged to a different world than mine, and our relationship was taboo as fuck, but that didn’t stop the feeling inside of me to pull her close and promise her the world.
Harry fucked up. I stepped in to help and play the good guy with all above the surface intentions. I couldn’t help that things had taken a turn in my favor. I wouldn’t be ashamed of it. Not ever.
Molly opened her mouth to reply but clicked her jaw shut. Shame filled her face as she shrugged her shoulders absently and glanced back at the ground. “I just figured it’d be better this way.”
“How so?” I knelt and put the coffee cup on the ground before rising and moving toward her. I pulled her into my arms and touched her chin forcing her to look up at me. “We were drunk, and you were stunning. I’m a man, Molly. You cannot hold that against me. You needed comfort, and I would give it to you all over again. Period.”
A tear dripped down the side of her face, and I realized how calloused I’d been to her situation. Where I was benevolent in letting her stay with me, I hadn’t been very good about understanding what was going on in the depths of her heart.
“Okay,” she whispered roughly. “I still think—”
“No. You think wrong.” I hugged her warmly before moving back and picking up the coffee. “Go in the kitchen and relax. I’ll put these up.”
I picked up her bags and walked them back up to her room. She was hurting, and I had to be careful to acknowledge that. Maybe sleeping together wasn’t such a great idea, but the memories of it had the power to warm me to the core. I couldn’t help but hope that they were doing the same for her.
Life was short, and it beckoned to be lived full out. She was a strong woman. She would realize that our passionate night was a great release and nothing more. And if she tied something emotional to it, great. I’d deal with that when it came up. If it ever did.
After getting dressed for the day, I wandered back down to the kitchen. Molly sat at the table, her expression filled with such concentration.
“Hey. Look at me.” I stopped in front of her and offered her a smile. “Stop thinking about anything other than yourself. Life handed you a bunch of shit, and you’re going to push through it. We made love.” I lifted my hands to the side. “And if I’m being honest, it was fucking amazing. Don’t let your thoughts of what’s right and wrong destroy it. Go take a long shower, put on something that makes you feel beautiful, and go out today. Explore the city.”
“Maybe you’re right.” She took a shaky breath. “I just keep thinking that I’m no better than him.”
“Are you still engaged?” I lifted an eyebrow.
“What? No. Of course not.”
�
�So, you’re a free woman? Able to do what you want with your life, your love, your wickedly hot little body?” I winked at her as a smile haunted the side of her mouth.
“I guess so,” she whispered and picked up her coffee.
“I know so.” I reached up and adjusted my tie. “I’m off to the office. Don’t let me come home to find you gone. You have a free place to stay, an escort all over town, and someone who cares about you standing right here. Enjoy it, and when it’s over, go back to New York and grab life by the balls. Yes?”
She nodded. “All right. You’re right.”
“Enjoy your day, Molly.” I turned and picked up my briefcase to walk to the car. She might enjoy hers, but I had a long one ahead of me. The only good thing was that I had the memories of the night before to get me through it. The passion from making love to her had the power to fuel me through just about anything.
I’d just pulled out of the driveway when my dashboard lit up. A call from Logan. A smile lifted my lips. I hadn’t talked to my childhood best friend in a month or more, which was too long. He was like a brother to me, and the only person I had left alive that I considered family. I had known him long before I met Harry, I didn’t think the two of them had even met before.
“Hey, mate.” I glanced in my rearview mirror, half-expecting to see Molly sneaking out the front door. I wanted her to stay, but she was grown. It was up to her to make the best decision for herself and stick to it. I knew she was capable of it.
“Hey, Alfie. How are you, man?” Logan’s voice filled the confines of the car.
“I’m doing okay. It’s been a weird couple of days, but at least it’s been interesting.” I pulled on my sunglasses and tugged on the visor, the day especially sunny. Molly would love it if she got out in it.
I rolled my eyes at my internal thoughts, which seemed to return back to her effortlessly.
“Oh, yeah? What kind of weird? Like those twins back in college who took turns bobbing up and down on your dick one stroke at a time?”
I snorted. “No. I said weird, not disturbing. That was the roughest sex of my life. I have emotional scars that far outlasted the physical ones.”
His turn to laugh. “Right, well, I wanted to catch up. A month or so ago you said you were going to be in your pal’s wedding. Is it over?”
“Yes, thankfully.”
“And are you an emotional basket case because you wish that you were married at your ripe old age, or are you praising the skies that you’re still a bachelor?” he paused briefly. “Assuming you still are.”
“That I am.” I turned down the road that would lead to London. “No woman has won my tarnished heart.”
“Thanks be to God.” Logan chuckled.
“Right?” I cleared my throat. “Well, the wedding didn’t actually happen. My mate, Harry, decided to cheat on his bride the night before the wedding. And it would seem that this wasn’t the first time.”
“No fucking way, bro. That’s horrible.”
“Agreed, but not nearly as horrible as your terms for a mate.” I laughed as he gave me shit over our diction differences. “Anyway, the lass’s name is Molly, and she’s a beautiful girl. Sweet and smart.”
“Sounds horrible. What a piece of shit this guy is.”
“Yeah. The wedding started, and Molly disappeared, having found out everything. It was my understanding that it wasn’t the first time he’s done it, and the asshole was just marrying her because it made sense from a business perspective.” I shook my head, the thought so damn foreign to me, especially when I thought about a woman as wonderful as Molly. “I guess he figured at his age and with his need for a tax deduction, that she would fill both holes.”
“Wow. So, they didn’t get married and what?”
“And she’s staying with me for two weeks, just trying to figure things out.” I kept going as his voice rose in protest. He was protective over me. It was all part of the relationship, and I’d have been just as protective over him. “She had already sold her place in New York and quit her high-paying marketing gig. She’s just a guest in the house and nothing more than a friend.”
“Well, if that’s the case, then I guess it’s a good thing.”
“I think so.” I pulled into the office parking garage. “Anything new with you?”
“Not really. Just waiting for you to come State-side and spend some time with me.” It had been too long for a long of things in my life it would seem.
“Let me check my calendar, and I’ll let you know. Maybe once Molly leaves, I can take few days to come over and touch base with some of our American investors.” I got out of the car and stretched. “Then we could classify our dickery as a business expense.”
“No clue how you classify dicks as an expense but use your own, buddy. I’m trying to use mine to woo the right woman into my life.”
“That’s your problem right there, buddy. It’s either your wallet or your heart they want at first. Start with the lure, then give them the bait.”
“That’s the worst analogy I’ve ever heard.” We shared a hearty laugh.
“Right, well, on that note… I’m off. Thanks for checking in.” I dropped the call and walked to the office with a bounce in my step. Where I felt nothing but rightness toward my long night with Molly, I knew anyone else would view it as wrong.
As rowdy as Logan had always been with women, he would be amongst the majority. Maybe it was best to keep the love-making part of the story to myself. Either way…I had to get Molly off of my mind. I had too much to do to fight against a rock-hard erection all day. That or my heart fluttering like a lovesick school boy. Both were disturbing on every level possible.
Chapter Twelve
Molly
Alfie was gone shortly before 8:00, and I’d gone back upstairs for a while. I wasn’t sure how I felt about everything, but I’d given him my word that I would stay, and I wasn’t straying from that. When I ventured down to the kitchen a little later that morning, I found a full pot of coffee along with a note.
Do some shopping today. It’ll make you feel better.
Alfie.
A grin tugged at my lips as I gazed down at the neatly scrawled handwritten note. Even if I still had my reservations about staying, especially after what had happened, the thought of shopping did cheer me up.
I still had time left in England that I could use up. Devon was a beautiful little town with unique shops that I had barely noticed the other day due to having drinks with Alfie.
Pouring myself a cup of coffee, I went back upstairs to shower and get ready before the rest of the staff arrived. They were pleasant people who seemed to enjoy working for Alfie. I never heard a malicious whisper behind his back.
I took the small black car Alfie agreed to let me use until I figured out what I was going to do. I frowned at the green acres that stretched out in front of me. I had no idea what I was going to do or where I was going to go.
In a matter of two weeks, I had gone from planning a wedding to calling one off, and then sleeping with my ex-fiancé’s former best friend. My head spun just thinking about the complicated mess my life was at the moment.
A light rain splattered on the windshield by the time I reached the outskirts of Devon. I found a parking spot in front of a quaint little bookstore on the corner of a wet gravel road. The smell of wet grass and bread baking filled my nose pleasantly when I stepped out of the car. While I loved the hustle of New York City, nothing could ever replace how peaceful it felt in Devon.
Peaceful was something I most certainly needed more of.
I walked along the sidewalks, occasionally strolling into a little shop to browse through at a leisurely pace. The cheerful conversation from the shop owners paired with the lazy and rainy day chased away the lingering apprehension I had in the back of my mind over what to do with the situation with Alfie. While he had insisted that I stay for free, I couldn’t get the night before out of my head.
A hot night filled with the best sex of my d
amn life.
I couldn’t help the wicked thought of rubbing that into Harry’s face. He had never been much of a man of foreplay or anything like that. There were only a few times that I could ever recall feeling close to an orgasm, but with Alfie, it had been almost instant. Every little grab, touch, and suck drove me over the edge to a sweet release. And part of the reason why I felt the need to pack up and leave was because, if I were being completely honest, I wanted another night. And another.
“Good morning, love.” An older woman with a white apron and her hair in a bun glanced up from the counter of the next stop I ventured into. “Not sure I’ve seen you around before. You visiting someone?” Her question was prying, but her voice was filled with warmth.
“Good morning.” I offered her a smile as I walked toward the counter. The bakery was filled with various pasties and homemade jams. I breathed in deeply and let out a content sigh. “I’m in town for a few weeks. I’m staying with Alfie—”
“Oh, I love that man.” Her voice filled the room around us. “He’s a great businessman and so good to us here in Devon. Are you family or a friend?” Her prying went deeper, it would seem.
I laughed. “Just a friend of a friend. He’s been very good to me, for sure.” I moved up to the counter and pointed to a loaf of white bread. “I’d love to get that country loaf.”
“You want it sliced, love?” She glanced beyond me as the bell behind me rang. Someone else had walked in, but not wanting to be rude, I kept my eyes on her. The downturn of her lips had me wondering who the hell it was.
“Sliced would be great.” I nodded and clasped my hands in front of me as a pretty blonde moved up to my right.
“Morning!” She bubbled enthusiasm, but the older woman wasn’t having it.
“I’ll be back.” The shop owner turned and walked into the back of the bakery, not at all impressed with the girl to my right.
I almost felt bad for her. I glanced over. “Good morning.”
“It’s beautiful out today, right?” She gave me the once-over.