“Hmm.”
“And did you know studies prove its impact on the body? It can change the grey matter of the brain and reduce brain activity, heart rate, and blood pressure. It enhances empathy and regulates emotions. The reason I use it is that it helps me to manage the stress.”
“You’re stressed?”
“Quite often,” she replied.
“And what about now?” I asked, coming to sit beside her on the couch.
“What about now?” she asked.
“Are you still stressed?”
My eyes dipped to the pulse at her throat, which sped up when I sat down.
Closing her eyes again, she pressed her lips together.
“I’ll take that as a ‘yes.’”
“Why’s that?” she asked, jerking her head up and staring at me.
“Well, you went back into meditation. Do I stress you out, Peyton?”
“Um, well, it’s not you but the situation.”
Turning sideways, my knee brushed hers, and she pulled her legs back. “What situation?”
“Everything you’re suggesting that I do. It’s a big undertaking, and what if I fail? What if it doesn’t work?”
“That’s part of being a business owner, Peyton. You’ll take the good with the bad, and there’ll be days where revenue will be up and seasons where it will be down. You’ve got to learn to adjust and figure out where changes are needed.”
“How do you know so much? You’re not a business owner,” she said with a smirk.
“Yeah, I kinda am. Marketing, promotions, writing to market, figuring out my target audience, what my budget is, and how long each campaign will last.”
“But you’re this mega book machine, churning out all these books,” Peyton replied.
“That’s true, but I didn’t get here overnight. And just because I have a team behind me doesn’t mean I’m ignorant as to what goes into making me a success. I spent years at this before I broke through and got to this level. And I stay aware of everything so that I’ll never place myself in a position to be taken advantage of,” I explained.
“You don’t trust your people?” she asked, lifting an eyebrow.
“I do. But I’m also a businessman, not a fool. Other than my own experiences, I know what my baby brother has gone through. It’s not been an easy paved road for him, either. He’s had to put in the work, learn what works and what doesn’t. This is one step among many that you’ll take, but it’s a major step that I’m certain will get you more than halfway there. Time will bring change, and you’ll have to embrace it or get run over. No matter what happens, you’ll have to stay educated to stay abreast of the trends and learn where you fit into all that.”
“I know,” she replied softly.
“So, let’s get the dark thoughts out the way and send positive energy into this project. Bishop’s all in, Karina and Gianna are all in. They’re going to use their social media platform to promote you,” I said.
A deep blush spanned the expanse of her face and neck. “Thank you.”
“That’s what friends are for,” I said, taking her hand in mine.
Peyton’s eyes widened, and I decided to put her mind at ease.
“Come on; it’s time to get to work.”
CHAPTER 8 – PEYTON
I WAS AMAZED AT THE turnout that we had. Summer Cove proved that people were willing to work hard without pay just for the love they had for the community.
For a brief time, the young adult section was squeezed in close to the romance section, and one of the contractors had erected a large sheet of plastic to divide the space where construction would occur.
The beauty of living in a small town was that people were nosy and wanted to be a part of everything. Therefore, the number of visitors to the store didn’t decrease, but instead they increased. Within a few days, I saw the difference in sales. Not significant, but enough to make me hopeful.
“Honey, we need help at the front counter. Claire needs a fifteen-minute break,” Maggie said.
“Sure, no problem. Let me just close out payroll, and I’ll be there within less than five minutes,” I said, reviewing my payroll one final time.
“Thanks!” Maggie called over her shoulder in a sing-song voice, departing my office.
I quickly made my way to the front once my process was complete and took Claire’s spot at the register.
“If business keeps up at this pace, we’ll have to hire someone else,” Maggie said with a knowing smile.
“The operative word being ‘if,’” I replied, ringing up a sale.
“Is that doubt I hear, Ms. Taylor?”
I looked up and saw Bryce stepping up to Maggie’s register with a book in his hand.
“Just caution, Mr. Lexington,” I returned as I packaged my customer’s purchases and handed their bag to them. “Thanks for shopping Books B4 Boys, and come again.”
I didn’t recognize the customer as a local, so I was thankful for the visit.
“Hmm, the woman doubts my advice,” Bryce said.
“Well, after all, you aren’t a business advisor,” I retorted.
“No, just a number one romance author,” Maggie interjected as Bryce pulled his credit card from his wallet.
I stuck my hand out, stopping him. Pushing the book in his direction, I said, “Your money’s no good here.”
“Come on, I’m not broke, Peyton. I can pay.”
“Never said you couldn’t, Bryce. But you’re doing a lot for me, and I have no way to repay you. So, the least I can do is let you have that little eight-ninety-nine book,” I said with a shrug.
Maggie’s and Bryce’s eyes were on me, making me squirm under their scrutiny.
“What?”
“There’s such thing as community, and being neighborly and helping folks out. It doesn’t require repayment,” Maggie quipped.
“If you give a book away to everyone who gives a word of advice or some random act of kindness, you’ll go broke. That’s the type of behavior that will run your store into the ground,” Bryce said.
“Duly noted, Mr. Business Advisor,” I said cheekily.
“You’d do well to listen to the man,” Maggie said in a sing-song voice.
I watched as she took Bryce’s credit card and swiped it through the machine. Another customer stepped up to my register, grabbing my attention off Bryce, who eventually disappeared. For a while, we remained busy. By the time Claire returned, the line was dwindling.
“They’re getting busy on this place,” Claire said, as she took my place.
“What do you mean?”
“All day, the volunteers have been working hard with the contractors, and I know it’s almost closing time, but it’s moving faster than I expected,” she said.
“Yeah, me, too,” I muttered, heading for the rear door to check out what was going on.
I was starting to feel overwhelmed again, trying to keep up with the regular operations of the book store in addition to upgrading the store. And now I’d have to consider how to bring in talent to the venue who’d be willing to perform live in front of my customers. This thing was gaining legs of its own, and I wasn’t sure how Bryce’s vision was taking over my simple dream of owning a book store.
Prepared to share this with him and call a halt on the entire operation, I stopped in my trek when I spotted him sitting on a low wall.
The evening sun sparkling on his golden-bronze back shone like the moon on the lake. Taut shoulder and back muscles moved sluggishly as he grabbed his shirt to wipe his face free of the sweat.
The small construction crew appeared to be packing up for the evening. Bryce chatted easily with them. To see him in this setting, one wouldn’t know the man was a millionaire, nor that he topped the bestsellers’ chart regularly with his books.
From where I stood, I could see him in profile, but he couldn’t see me. The way his thick lips pulled back over his mostly even white teeth, the canine incisors longer than the others, made him look as
if he were up to something.
I’d never quite realized how sexy Bryce was. Gorgeous? Yes. But not sexy. I’d purposely pushed those thoughts out of my head back in the days. After all, he was my best friend’s boyfriend. And before that, he was just goofy Bryce, my good friend in middle and high school.
Something stirred in my belly when he stood and stretched. The muscles rippling down his toned arms and back made me wonder what it would be like to be held in his arms, me gripping his back tightly as we made love.
Whoa! Where’d that thought come from, Pey? I cautioned myself.
Shaking my head, I stepped out of the little nook I’d hidden in and came out into the open. I greeted a few of the volunteers before making my way to Bryce.
“Hi, you guys are finishing up?” I asked, dropping down onto the wall beside him.
“Yeah,” he said, looking down at the watch on his arm. “It’s ten until six now, so we decided this was a good place to quit. What about you?”
“What about me?”
“What time are you heading out?”
“Well, we don’t close until nine tonight, soooo...”
“What time do your cashiers get off?”
“A little after nine as soon as they both finish counting their registers down.”
“And Maggie?”
“She closes tonight, but I thought I’d stick around. You know, just in case she needs me for something.”
Why was I suddenly nervous underneath Bryce’s intense, piercing gaze? Eyes so dark yet so warm and brown, I couldn’t help but thirst for my favorite Caffè Americano from the café down the street. The heat from his body was creating a shroud around me, so thick I couldn’t break its spell.
“Is that what you always do?” he asked, his voice now thick and husky.
“Umm, yeah,” I said nervously, grabbing my hair up and pulling it into a ponytail using the rubber band from my wrist.
“It’s too bad.”
“Why’s that?”
Shrugging, he said, “I thought you’d want to hang out with me tonight. Heading into Forest Cove.”
“Oh?” I asked, my curiosity triggered.
“Yeah, I’m breaking the monotony to have a night out on the town with Bishop and Gianna. Thought it’d be a good idea if you joined me. It’s been a stressful week, and I kinda wanted to hang like we used to.”
My eyes strayed away from his, unable to endure his stare any longer in case he could see things I didn’t want him to see. Things he had no business seeing.
“I...I’d like that,” I said, surprising myself.
“Cool. Then let the ladies know they’re on their own for tonight, and I’ll be by around eight to pick you up. Sounds good to you?”
“Sounds like a plan,” I said, hopping up to leave as I wondered what I would wear.
Memories of high school football and baseball games, skating parties, frat parties Bryce snuck me into, and afternoons and evenings at the commons on our college campus ran through my mind.
Our conversations had always been easy and light, and being in his presence always guaranteed that I would have fun. Even when things grew tense amongst our peers, Bryce had a way of pulling me into his light and helping me to rise above their negative energy.
CHAPTER 9– BRYCE
DAMN. PEYTON DIDN’T have one single note of rhythm in her entire beautiful body. The girl was just a natural disaster when it came to dancing. I learned that on the first dance, stuck it out during the second, and then suggested we get drinks by the third song.
“I want to dance,” she declared over the music after our second drink.
Peyton’s eyes were bright and a bit glassy, and I suspected she wasn’t a casual drinker. Something else I’d have to keep my eye on.
“You sure? You don’t wanna just chill?”
“Bryce, you told me I need to break up the stress. I want to do that by dancing,” she said, hopping out of her seat and tugging on my hand.
I allowed her to pull me from my seat, and my gaze caught my brother’s. Bishop and Gianna were already on the floor, having a ball.
Laughing, he shook his head at me because he’d witnessed our earlier dance fiasco.
Luckily for me, when we hit the floor, the music switched to a slower number. Summer Walker’s Come Thru poured from the speakers, allowing me to pull Peyton closer to me, my hands at her waist.
Her tiny but curvy waist. Damn, why’d my hands have to fit so perfectly there?
Peyton dropped her hands loosely over my shoulders, keeping a safe distance from me. But she allowed me to guide her movements with my hands.
I was surprised at how firm but lush her body was underneath the slip of a dress she wore. Spaghetti straps, a little sheath stopping mid-thigh. Fawn colored breasts rose, peering above the v-cut of the dress. The wine-colored dress was simple but sexy as hell.
“You were always a great dancer,” Peyton said, smiling up at me, drawing my attention away from her curves. “Make it look so easy.”
Shrugging, I said, “I’ve always loved dancing. Just flows through my blood somehow.”
“Bryce, can I ask you a question?”
“Anything.”
“Why haven’t you returned home until now?”
“Honestly? I don’t know. There hasn’t been too much of a reason for me to come back to Summer Cove. My parents living in Atlanta usually culminate in a trip there to see them, and Bishop drops in on the visit. Otherwise, my parents fly out to LA to see me when they’re there on business or something. When I’m not busy writing, I’m busy living my life out there. Haven’t thought much about Summer Cove.”
“Wow,” she said, lifting her eyebrows with a soft chuckle falling from her lips.
“What?”
“It just sounds so dismissive.”
“What? That I haven’t thought about the place?”
“Not so much that, but all your friends. As if we didn’t matter anymore.”
I thought about that for a minute. I’d be lying if I said I hadn’t forgotten most of them because I had. We were all adults now living our own lives. But I hadn’t forgotten Peyton. She ran through my thoughts from time to time, leaving me wondering what she was doing. Just not that often.
“People mattered, Pey. But we go on with our lives. I thought about you from time to time wondering what you were up to, but you’d gone on with your life by the end of senior year. Who was I to intrude?”
“I know. I just thought...maybe we’d keep in touch. We were friends for years, Bryce.”
“You were so into that dude, Peyton, and for the first time, you seemed happy. Genuinely happy. Dude was possessive, and I didn’t want to get in the way of that. You deserved it. Hell, if I’d known he was an asshole, I’d have kicked his ass back then.”
Peyton giggled, tilted her head, and looked up at me. “Thanks anyway. What about you? Why haven’t you settled down? Seems like you’ve got a clear understanding of what it takes to romance a woman. Among other things.”
“What other things?” I teased with a smirk.
“Oh, you know the other things I’m talking about,” she said, tugging a lock of her hair and lowering her gaze.
A slow smile lifted my lips. “Are you blushing?”
“Nooo. I’m just saying your books are the stuff that a lot of women only fantasize about, Bryce. Men don’t actually do those things.”
“Maybe you haven’t met the right man yet. If I write that shit, I do that shit. I have an old saying. If it can be written in a book, that means someone can conceive it. If they can conceive it, then it can be done.”
“Have you?”
“Have I what?”
“Done any of those things you’ve written about?”
“Would you like to find out,” I teased.
“Oh, that’s the game we’re playing?” she asked boldly, arching an eyebrow.
Taking her up on her invitation, I lowered my head and sucked her plump lips into my mouth. Peyton’
s breath grew heavy, and her arms tightened around my neck. I licked inside her mouth when she opened and accepted my tongue inside.
Moving to the music, she tilted her head back just enough to allow me to deepen the kiss. I don’t know if it was the alcohol or her natural desires taking over, but she didn’t stop me this time. Peyton just enjoyed the kiss.
But it was becoming more than I could bear. The music was just a backdrop to what I wanted to be doing to her at the moment. And damn my luck, we were stuck here in this club.
Not that I hadn’t fucked in a club before. But I’d never do that shit to Peyton. I respected her too much. The couple of times I’d done it was because the women initiated it even after I’d suggested a hotel.
My hands rubbed her back, forcing themselves to stay above her ass and away from her hips. Struggling to stay focused on the dance, I was the first to break the kiss this time.
“Test dummy again?”
“Huh?”
“You know. I’ve always been your test dummy through high school and college for a book. Is that what that was, Bryce?”
I could see the hurt in her eyes, and that broke me. The fact that she would be willing to give in to my demands, knowing that it might have meant nothing to me at all, made me feel like shit. It wasn’t her fault that I’d always been too much of a coward to express my true feelings to her.
“Nah, no test dummy, Peyton.”
“Then what was that?”
“A man wanting a sexy ass woman.”
Peyton’s drowsy eyes widened only slightly as she bit her bottom lip and looked away.
Turning her to face me again, I dipped my head and claimed her mouth in a more passionate kiss. Slowly her hips moved from one side to the other as she followed the lead of my hands. But I could tell that she was getting into the mood as she found her groove.
That shit was turning me on, causing my dick to grow harder, pressing into her.
She pulled back from the kiss, lifting an eyebrow. I lifted one back at her. “Yeah. Like that.”
Undeniable: A Friends To Lovers Romance (Love Desired Book 4) Page 6