The Banker (Modern Love Book 3)

by Piper Rayne

  “Well, good luck.” Tahlia leans back, worry creasing her brow.

  “He either accepts it or he doesn’t.” I shrug like it doesn’t bother me and truthfully, it’s Jacob’s problem if he can’t accept that I’m happy with Jasper. “Bye, girls. I’ll see you there this weekend, right?” I ask and they both nod.

  “Yep. We’ll meet you there.” Whitney nods. “And Lennon?”

  I turn back around.

  “Don’t let the issues with his mother get between you and Jasper,” Whitney says, smiles and leans back in her chair.

  “Thanks, Mom.” I roll my eyes and then do what I do best—bolt.

  35

  “Jacob? Where the hell are you? Call me.” I click the phone off, dropping it on the bed.

  I went to his office that day.

  He was out. Probably screwing Megan.

  I’ve called him no less than five times every day, texted just as many and… nothing.

  What the hell?

  Jasper walks into the bedroom. A low whistle leaves his lips and when I look behind me, I find him leaning against the wall, ankles casually crossed and his gaze slowly moving up and down my body.

  “Are you just going to gawk?” I ask, putting my other earring in.

  He pushes off the wall and I hear the clicking of his dress shoes on the hardwood floor until his warm hands wrap around my bare shoulders. As always, his lips find that sweet spot between my shoulder and neck.

  “I’d like to eat you up, but we’re going to be late,” he whispers, his hands sliding down my body until they rest on my hips. “Tonight though, I plan on sliding this zipper down. Don’t tell me what’s underneath. I want to be surprised.”

  “What makes you think there’s anything underneath?” I ask. He chuckles. “I’m looking forward to being able to use my vocal cords tonight,” I say.

  He grinds his already hardening erection into my ass and I close my eyes on a moan.

  “I plan on making you hoarse by tomorrow.” He kisses that spot one more time and then trails his lips down my shoulder until he hits the spaghetti strap of my dress.

  “And I look forward to it.” I dip my head back to his chest and his hands graze up my torso until his palms are massaging my tits.

  “We should really get a babysitter more often.” My own hand slides between us, rubbing his erection. “How were your parents anyway?”

  He steps back from me and I wobble until I regain my balance.

  “She didn’t say anything,” he says, walking to his dresser and placing his watch on.

  “I didn’t—”

  “Didn’t you?” he fires back before I can even finish my sentence.

  From his reaction, I know that she did say something. Witch.

  “I just wondered if they were excited to have Brady for the night,” I say, lying through my teeth because truth is, I do want to know what she’s saying about me every time he talks to her.

  “Lennon.” He says my name with an exasperation that reminds me of my own tone when a bachelorette party comes into the tattoo parlor. He turns around, shoving his hands in his slacks. “I don’t want to talk about my mother tonight.”

  “Fine.” I grab my clutch, smooth out my dress and walk out of the room.

  “Let’s not do this, please,” Jasper begs one step behind me. “We’re kid-free, and it’s the first time I get to meet your family as your boyfriend.”

  I stop at the breakfast bar, taking a swig of Jasper’s open Stella Artois. “Fine, it just bothers me so much because she doesn’t even know me.”

  He cages me in, his hands clamping on either side of the breakfast bar, then sighs and stares down at me. I meet his gaze, his own as exhausted over this topic as I am. We continue to stare at each other until a smirk crosses both our mouths. “So, no more talking about her until tomorrow morning.” He places a hand out in front of me.

  I give it a half-ass shake. “Can I really trust your handshake?” I flutter my eyelashes.

  He smiles, one of those rare full-wattage ones that reach his eyes. Dipping down, he takes my lips and plunges his tongue in, kissing me with so much want, I’m unsteady and heaving for a breath when he’s done.

  “Deal,” I say faintly and he chuckles, grabbing his keys and walking to the door.

  My own heels click on the floor and I smack his ass on my way out to the hallway. He locks up his door and we wait by the elevators.

  Shortly after we step inside he turns to me. “Hey, is your brother back yet?” he asks and I stare up with ruffled brows. “He was in Europe. London, I think, on business.”

  “I had no idea.” I stare down at my feet, my stomach gnawing with the fact I have to hurry up and corner Jacob as soon as I get to the party.

  “I had to call his office and that’s the only reason I knew.” His hand lands on the small of my back and usually that ignites a rush of goose bumps, but my blood is running so hot right now, it’s numb. “You have told him, right?” He peers over to me.

  Ding.

  The elevator saves the day.

  “Oh, we’re so late.” I point to the clock in the lobby, but before I can completely escape, he grabs my arm.

  “Lennon?” he questions, his eyes telling me he already knows the truth.

  “I tried, but I guess he was in Europe. How was I to know?”

  You’d think I was a five-year-old making excuses for hitting my brother. Easy to put myself there since I used to beat up on Jacob a lot. Hey, give me a break. Three brothers? I had to show them not to mess with me.

  “You’ve had more than just this past week to tell him.” He does the whole head-tilt fatherly thing he does to Brady when he’s saying maybe it’s not a good choice to jump off the furniture when your arm is in a cast.

  “As soon as we get there, I’ll corner him. It’ll be fine.”

  As long as Jacob keeps his mouth shut before I can tell Jasper how exactly I ended up at that bar. No, I should tell him tonight. I was planning to do it in the morning, but maybe pushing up the timeline is a better idea.

  I look up at his love-soaked eyes. Now, I should do it now. “Jasp—”

  My phone rings and I dig it out of my purse to see my mom’s name flashing across the screen. Jasper covers my hand, wanting me to ignore it, but nobody ignores my mother.

  I hold my finger up. “One sec.”

  He steps back, fishing his keys out of his pocket. I nod for us to start through the doors and he releases a sigh before ultimately moving forward.

  “I’m coming,” I answer.

  “Lennon. You are late and if you’re late, your father will leave. You know him.” I can hear the chatting of many people in the background.

  “We’re picking him up right now.”

  “You and Jasper?” she asks, excitement in her tone. She probably always assumed I’d end up with a starving artist, or a freeloader. I’m not even sure I saw a man like Jasper as a possibility.

  “Yes,” I say.

  “Brady?” she asks.

  “No, he’s with the evil witch.” I can say that since I’m tucked into Jasper’s car and he’s in front of the car waiting for a line of traffic to pass before getting in on the driver’s side. “Hey, Mom, don’t tell Jacob about Jasper.”

  “Lennon,” she warns.

  “Relax. What does he care anyway?” I cross my legs, laughing at Jasper’s quick Frogger movements as he dodges the traffic.

  “Lennon, you should have told him.”

  Jasper hops in the car and a long sigh leaves his lips.

  “Watch out for those lily pads,” I say, muffling the phone.

  “It was the alligators that worried me.” He smiles, turns the key in the ignition.

  He so gets me.

  “Gotta go, Mom. See you in a bit.” I hang up, still hearing her call out my name.

  “Your mom?” Jasper asks.

  “Yeah. Hit the gas because my dad is probably about five minutes from leaving the station.”

  The
last thing I want to do is screw up my dad’s surprise. The list of my screw-ups is already long enough.

  36

  Fifteen minutes, after an amazing job by Jasper, we pull up outside the police station my dad works at. He’s outside laughing with some of his friends. That’s the problem with civil jobs, some of his closest co-workers can’t come to the party because they have to serve and protect San Francisco.

  I climb out of the car and walk toward my dad. “Hi, Dad,” I say, leaning in to give him a kiss on the cheek.

  His hand lands on the small of my back and he leans in, allowing me to kiss him. “Lenny,” he says his nickname for me. “You remember Cal and Nikki?” He opens the conversation to a man and woman who must be partners in the force.

  “Hi,” I say. Do I remember them? No. But they don’t need to know that.

  My dad’s eyes shoot to Jasper’s Range Rover. “Who’s Daddy Warbucks?” My dad cocks his eyebrow.

  “It’s my boyfriend, Dad. Be nice.”

  My dad looks over for too long of a beat. Jasper’s probably pissed that I made him double-park so he has no choice but to stay in the car. Just as I’m about to tear my dad away, a car parked in front of a parking meter drives off and Jasper slides into the space.

  Nikki observes Jasper climbing out of his truck, inserting money into the meter and sauntering over to us.

  “That’s your boyfriend?” Nikki asks, her eyes still glued to him.

  Can I blame her? No. He’s nice to look at for sure. But he’s mine.

  “Mr. Hart,” Jasper says, holding his hand out to my dad.

  My dad looks down at his hand and then to me, his eyes wide. Finally, he shakes his hand.

  “Your boyfriend is Jasper?” my dad asks, and I’m shocked my mom kept this secret.

  “Nice to see you again.” Jasper does the whole nervous meeting-the-dad thing to perfection. He turns his attention to the other officers. “Jasper Banks.” Cal shakes his hand while I think Nikki’s breathing might have stopped.

  Cal slaps her on the back and she jolts, finally blinking. “Pleasure,” she says.

  “Well, let’s get this over with,” my dad says, shaking hands with Cal and Nikki.

  After he starts walking to Jasper’s car I rush to catch up while Jasper is telling Cal and Nikki how nice it was to meet them. Kiss-ass.

  “Dad?” I question and he stops at the passenger side of Jasper’s car. The spot that should be mine, but I’ll take a backseat to my dad.

  “The party?” he deadpans.

  Everyone knows my dad hates parties.

  “Yeah,” I answer and he shakes his head.

  “How many people?”

  “One hundred, I think.”

  “Great.” He couldn’t sound more unenthused.

  The doors unlock and Jasper comes over with the key fob in his hand.

  “Nice guy.” He nods to Jasper and a smile forms on my face.

  Jasper comes over and opens the door for me. He is a nice guy.

  Once I’m tucked into the backseat, next to Brady’s car seat, Jasper goes to the front and starts the car.

  “So, Jasper, how have you been?” my dad asks and Jasper laughs.

  “I’ve been good, Ben. You ready for the party?” Jasper asks.

  “No, but what Eva wants, Eva gets. And she wants a party, I guess,” my dad says.

  Jasper starts the car and pulls into the traffic.

  “So, you never told your brother, huh?” my dad says and Jasper gives me the stink eye from the rearview mirror.

  “You know me, I like to surprise people.” I use my singsong voice as though my insides aren’t tumbling like a dryer full of laundry, worrying about Jacob’s reaction.

  “Don’t we all know it,” my dad deadpans.

  Here goes nothing.

  37

  Way to disguise a party. We pull up outside the restaurant and Jasper can barely find a parking spot.

  “Why don’t I drop you two off?” Jasper offers and I’m all for that plan. It gives me time to drag Jacob off to talk. “I’ll sneak in and find you.” His eyes find mine in the back seat and my stomach purrs before it drops.

  I need to find Jacob first and then we can live happily ever after. “Perfect,” I remark.

  Jasper stops outside the doors.

  “Here goes three hours I’ll never get back,” my dad complains and opens the door, climbing out.

  “See you in there,” I say, leaning forward to kiss Jasper’s cheek. “Thank you for always understanding.”

  He could throw a fit that I’m putting him in a bad position, but he understands that’s just how I roll. I wait until the last possible moment to do what needs to be done. I just hope he’s as accommodating tonight when I tell him about how I ended up at the speed-dating evening where we met.

  Once we’re out of Jasper’s truck and he pulls away, I slide my arm through my dad’s and we walk toward the restaurant doors.

  “He really is a good guy, that one,” my dad says and I smile, knowing my dad doesn’t mix words, so, he really does believe Jasper is great.

  As do I.

  “We finally agree on something,” I joke, leaning into my dad and laughing.

  “Only took twenty-six years.” He smiles and opens the door for me.

  “So I have to answer a call. You enter first.” I roll my eyes and he lets out an exaggerated sigh.

  “Yeah, have a nice call.”

  We both know what’s going on and he walks in through the private room in the back of his favorite restaurant to an enormous rendition of For He’s a Jolly Good Fellow.

  My mom runs over and he smiles and laughs and hugs her close to him. He loves her that much that he puts himself through hell for a few hours to make her happy and pretends to be surprised. My dad is a pretty great guy.

  I walk in right after and my mom hugs me. I resist the urge to say, Ha, I did it. I got him here and you all thought I couldn’t do it.

  “You look gorgeous,” my mom says.

  I glance at her lovely red dress and think many people wouldn’t even believe she was my mother with her youthful appearance. Then I spot Jacob talking with some friends.

  “You too, Mom.” I smile down at her.

  “Where’s Jasper?” she asks.

  “He’s coming,” I say. “I need to catch Jacob though.” I don’t wait for her to respond. Instead I run over to Jacob.

  I dodge all the family and friends who try to stop me to talk. Later, later, later.

  “Jacob,” I whisper to interrupt him, but he ignores me.

  Typical.

  I wait patiently for a few more seconds while Jimmy Twendle from grade school, rambles on and on about baseball.

  Who gives a shit, seriously? So you’re some superstar ballplayer. Whatever. Some of us have more pressing issues.

  “Excuse me.” I hold my hand up.

  “Lennon, man, you’re looking hot,” Jimmy flirts and I look to Jacob, rolling my eyes.

  “Too bad you’re not,” I remark and they all laugh, thinking I’m joking.

  Truth is Jimmy was my crush in high school. Along with Whitney and Tahlia’s. One night after my brother went to bed, Jimmy Twendle joined me on the couch. He kissed me and then got a little handsy. That is until I kneed him in the nuts and broke his nose.

  “Oh, Lennon, always a joker,” he says and gives me the once-over.

  “How’s your nose?” I ask and he turns beet red, his eyes suddenly finding his beer. Jacob looks between us, puzzled, because I never told him about what happened and I don’t have time to worry about any of that right now. “I need to talk to you,” I say to him and drag him away by his arm.

  “What the hell?” he complains.

  “Why didn’t I know you were out of the country?” I ask.

  “What?” His face contorts like I’m a fly buzzing around his food.

  “Anyways.” I wave my hand in the space between us. “I need to tell you something, and try to act mature about it
.”

  He stares down at me, with a bored look on his face. “I am the mature twin,” he deadpans.

  True.

  “I have a date with me tonight.” Let’s ease into this.

  He focuses forward over my shoulder. “Why is Jasper here? Did Mom invite him?” He touches my shoulder to move me out of the way, like we weren’t just having a conversation. “I’m going to say hello.”

  I step in his path, my hand on his chest. “Um, Jacob.”

  He glances down and then back up to where I’m guessing Jasper is. “What?”

  “He’s here with me,” I say, my voice losing all its usual confidence.

  “What!” he yells and I push him back into the corner to get away from the nosy family members now looking our way. “Lennon, I told you to stay away from him.”

  I hold up my hands. “It has nothing to do with that. We met and… I don’t know, a spark kind of ignited.” I smile, thinking about how happy I am when I’m with him.

  “A spark? You? Give me a break, Lennon.” He grabs my arm and guides me to a small alcove where the wait staff gets drinks. “I can’t believe you’d do this. He is not one of your usual boy toys.” There’s so much anger in his voice that venom could slide through his clenched teeth and singe me.

  I shrug my arm from his hold. “I like him, Jacob.”

  “You like him?” He laughs a hollow and empty laugh.

  “Yes.”

  “You like his money. You like his connections. You like what he can do for you,” Jacob accuses.

  “I like him. All of him. It has nothing to do with his money or his connections.” I fight back, glancing out the small cut-out section in the wall, finding my mom introducing him to people.

  “God, Lennon, this is an all-time low for even you. I told you to stay away from him, and now you’re saying you like him. You bring him to Dad’s retirement party. Did you even know he has a son?” Jacob’s voice is rising and his face is growing redder.

  “Yes, of course I’ve met Brady and I love him.”

  He rolls his eyes. “You’re seriously demented. You aren’t capable of loving anyone but yourself.”