by Claire Adams
I’d never get over taking in the sight of Alfie dressed sharply in a suit and tie as he glanced over his shoulder to catch my eye.
He arched a teasing eyebrow at me. “See something that you like?”
“Very much,” I said and grinned sleepily at him. “What time is it? Did you get your work done last night?” I couldn’t remember him coming to bed with me, though I knew he woke me up to make love late into the night.
“It’s 6:30 a.m., and that’s a loaded question. I got done what I needed to get done, but there is always more to do.” He turned away from me and tossed another log onto the fire.
I flopped back onto my back with a tired sigh as the fire popped and crackled. There was something so cozy about being in the sheets in a cold room and a fire warming the place slow and steadily. It gave me an odd sense of peace.
“I feel like I need at least two months’ worth of sleep. Between the emotional drama of late and you making love to me like we might be the last two humans on earth, I’m worn out.” I laughed and rolled on my side to watch him again.
“You deserve it,” Alfie said as he stood and turned to face me. “You’ve got some time to spare to sleep in while you’re here. You’re supposed to be resting, and we can slow down on the love-making if—”
“Heavens no.” I pulled the covers up to my neck and smiled. “I wouldn’t wish that at all. It’s the best part of what happened here.”
Here. In Europe. Thinking about it that way left me realizing that Friday would be coming sooner than later, and I’d be headed home.
I didn’t want to think about going back to the States, but I had to return eventually. There was nothing holding me back in London besides great sex with Alfie. I chewed on my lip as I rolled onto by back stared up at the ceiling. I didn’t want to think about having to return to the States to explain to everyone what happened. Just the thought of it made my head hurt. I didn’t even know how I was going to explain what happened with Alfie either.
The mattress dipped down. The tip of Alfie’s tie tickled the center of my breasts as he leaned over me with his hands straddling my head. He leaned down to kiss me quickly on the lips.
“I have to head into work,” he said, pulling back to look at me with a glimmer of regret in his eyes. “I will probably be late tonight, so I left some numbers on the kitchen counter if you want to order some food on me.”
I smiled up at him. “This feels like Pretty Woman except the part about being a prostitute.”
“Naturally that part,” Alfie said, wryly. “I just don’t want you to starve while I’m gone. I don’t know how much money you have left after your shopping spree the other day.”
Grabbing ahold of his tie, I tugged Alfie down for a long, sensual kiss. We kissed for a few minutes before Alfie pulled back with a reluctant groan.
“Well, tempting as it is to stay here,” he said, pressing his lips against mine with a smile. “I have to go before the office starts calling me. The marketing team is having a hard time. Much harder than they should. In all honesty, they’re beginning to get on my nerves. It’s as if they lost all the knowledge they gleaned in University. I hate to say it, but I’m pretty sure I’m going to have to let go of a few of them. They’re just not performing anymore.”
I let the silk of Alfie’s tie slip through my fingers as he straightened up. Gathering the blankets, I clutched them to my chest while Alfie gathered his shoes from the closet.
“Anything I can help with?” I asked. “Marketing is my area of expertise, you know. I have a couple of degrees in that area and was quite good at what I did before I left the U.S.”
“I know,” he replied and tied his shoes quickly. “I might take you up on that offer if I can’t find a solution today. It’s a bit of a turn on to think you can help with some part of the company. Is that a bad thing?” He stood, and I held my breath. He was far too handsome for his own good. How in the hell didn’t he already have a ring on his finger?
Seemed crazy. The man was the full-package deal. There was no way in hell that I was the only one that had noticed that.
“Nope. I kinda like it.” I moved to my knees and let the covers fall, exposing myself to the chilled room and to him. “Come kiss me again.”
“Love. You’re going to be the death of me.” He moved to the edge of the bed and slid his strong hands over my hips to cup my bare ass. He squeezed softly and leaned in as I cupped his face. The kiss was long and needy from both of us. I pulled back, and he gripped my ass tighter.
“Don’t go just yet,” I mumbled against his lips, wanting to hold him close to me for just a little bit longer.
“I have to, bad girl.” He nipped at my lips. “Enjoy your day, and be like this when I get back home, hmmm?”
I pretended to pout and flopped back in the bed, enjoying his attention far more than I should have. The guilty thoughts about sleeping with Harry’s ex-best friend were all but gone. My ex-fiancé was an asshole, and there had never been any love or passion between us. The world might see it differently, but I hadn’t been one to ever succumb to peer pressure or otherwise.
“Have a great day, Alfie,” I called out and got out of the bed on the far side. Time to get the day started. I needed to find a flight back to the States on Friday or so and start planning to rebuild my life. I ignored the part of my heart that ached at the thought of leaving Europe, or rather, leaving Alfie.
I fixed me a quick cup of coffee and made some toast before heading to the back porch. It was chilly outside that early in the morning, but Alfie had heaters lining the ceiling above me. I flipped the switch and sat down with my phone.
Peyton needed to know that I was getting ready to book my flight. I knew she’d have no problem letting me stay with her, but it would be shitty of me to just show up unannounced.
“Hey! There you are. I feel like we haven’t talked in forever.” Her voice brought a smile to my face.
“Does feel that way, doesn’t it?” I took a bite of my toast. “You doing okay?”
“I am. I miss you like crazy. Any hope that this call is you telling me that you’re at the airport and need a ride and maybe a place to crash for a while?” She sounded like a teenager hoping for her first date.
I laughed. “I’m going to book a flight for Friday, I think.”
“Yay! And are you staying here?”
“Yes, crazy girl. If you’d give me a minute, I’d tell you what was going on.”
“All right. I’m pinching my lips. You have five seconds.” She mumbled something, and I smiled. She was forever trying to cheer me up.
“I’ll be in Friday. I’m not sure what I’m going to do about a place or a job, so if I could stay with you for a few weeks, I’d be grateful. I can pay rent and help with groceries.” I took another bite of my toast and let my eyes move across the beautiful moor in front of me. I’d miss this place, but more than anything else, I’d miss Alfie.
Maybe there was a chance for something long-distance to happen between us. I could hope until he told me otherwise.
“You can stay as long as you like. You know that, and don’t worry about paying for anything. Just get busy putting your life back together, and I’ll take care of the rest.”
“You’re a good friend.” I fought back the burn of tears. “It’s been a rough week. Harry came over here to Alfie’s acting like a total cock, and Alfie beat him up and sent him on his way.”
“What?” Peyton’s laughter was almost contagious.
“Yeah. It was quite a scene.” I set my plate down beside me and grabbed my coffee mug. “I didn’t realize that Alfie was the type to get into a fight, but he’s a good man.”
“And you’re a hundred percent sure of that? I still have my reservations. I think you should be careful, Mol.”
Her using my nickname made me smile. Alfie had started to use it from time to time too. It was intimate, and I loved it.
“I know. I will be careful.” I took a sip of my coffee. “I’m not sure wh
at’s happening between us, but I like it. A lot.”
“Yes, and you’re on the rebound. All English guys are the same. I’m serious. Be careful.” Her tone was less than playful all of a sudden.
“And you’ve dated all English guys?” I smiled, teasing her.
“Nope, but I’ve slept with a lot of them. They’re after sex and someone to clean their house. Take my word for it. You’ll be a sexy maid before too long if you’re not careful.”
I laughed again. “Well, I’m heading out on Friday. Unless Alfie plans on coming with me, whatever this love affair has been will soon be over.”
“Good. I’ll be there Friday for you. Let me know the time of your flight.”
We hung up, and I spent another hour sitting out on the porch, just thinking about the conflicting emotions inside of me. I had a life to rebuild due to rejection, but to do it, I had to reject this new life that seemed to fit me all too well.
What to do? What to do.
Chapter Seventeen
Alfie
It had been a long week at work, and a longer one at home. Molly was pulling away from me emotionally. I could feel it all over me.
Sleep evaded me night after night as we quickly approached Friday. She’d tried to make plans to fly home, but I’d talked her into just letting me take her on my private jet. She was excited to hear that I was coming to the U.S. for a short visit, or so it seemed.
We hadn’t had the discussion about us, and I wasn’t sure if we would be having it. Maybe she just thought of me as a rebound, a way to heal herself emotionally from Harry’s exploits.
And if that was the case, then so be it. I’d take the few weeks I had with her as a blissful reprieve from the lonely bachelor life I’d created for myself. The ball was in her court, whether she knew it or not. I was good going with whatever she wanted, however she wanted it.
The truth was as plain as day: I was falling in love with her, and I knew that it was unfair to both of us to tell her. As such, I kept my lips sealed. We’d find a way to be together, or we wouldn’t.
After another arduous day in the office on Wednesday, I made the long drive home from London to Devon. Nothing had been solved with my marketing team despite hours of phone calls. I needed to find a fast solution to it, and Molly’s insights were sounding far more tempting by the hour.
I got home to find Molly already sound asleep in my bed. A plate of dinner sat on the stove, and I assume that it was from one of the restaurants in town. My stomach growled loudly, but my appetite waned thinking of what I would have to deal with in the morning. I gulped down a glass of wine instead before heading up the stairs to gladly cuddle up next to her. When I got there. I found her in a night shirt. One of mine. I felt drawn to her instantly, like she belonged to me, and in a way, she did.
The only times I did sleep were the times that Molly curled up against me in her sleep, resting a hand on my chest as though she could sense the tension even in her sleep.
*
I woke right as pale daylight spilled in through the windows. The coldness from the other side of the bed startled me further awake. Rolling over with a pounding heart, I let out a sigh of relief to find that Molly had only rolled away in the middle of the night in her sleep. I watched the steady rise and fall of her back as she slept on before sliding into the cool sheets next to her.
Her skin was warm when I curled up next to her absorb the warmth radiating off of her. It felt natural to have her there lying next to me in bed. Nothing could ever replace the feeling of Molly’s body next to mine as I leaned over to press a kiss to her temple. Not even in a sexual manner either. Just having her there relaxed me when a glass of wine couldn’t even do it.
She was so far beyond beautiful. Mine.
The realization washed over me numbly. What am I doing? I pulled away from the warmth of her body before she could stir awake. She would return back to the States, to her old life. She had no intentions of staying here in England. There was nothing holding her here anymore with Harry no longer around.
I swallowed thickly as I slipped out from beneath the blankets to get ready for another long and hellacious day at the office. I had to get Molly out of my head before walking into my meeting first thing this morning. My head needed to be clear, so I could make the right decisions for my company—the company I started with my father’s help and ran by myself now.
The cold spray of the shower cooled every torrent of emotion brewing inside of me. I moved about my room quietly as possible to not wake Molly from her sleep. She still had a day to enjoy some much-needed sleep before going back. I didn’t want to disturb that, and I knew, without a doubt that our conversation would turn to us. It needed to, but both of us were avoiding it like the plague.
I arrived at work a little while later, and my secretary walked into my office with a mug of coffee in her hand. “Morning, sir. You doing okay today?”
“No. Not really.” I tabbed down the e-mail sitting in front of me from my marketing director. After three tries, that bastard still had the focus and ad appeal wrong. I wasn’t even a marketing major in University, and I could tell that. “Send Bill in here, Sicily. And tell him he’d better jog if he wants to keep his job.”
“Sure thing, boss.” She set the coffee down and gave me a concerned look. “Anything else?”
“Just get Bill,” I barked out between clenched teeth. I was rarely mean, but my company meant everything to me, and if the marketing guys didn’t get the ads right for this newest product, then it would flop. The amount of money we’d spend on research and development would come crashing down on us, and I would have to pull money from all angles to cover the fuck-up. I hated fire drills that could have been avoided. There was no reason for them.
“Sir. You wanted to see me?” Bill walked in, his complexion a little pale. Sicily must have threatened his life. I’d have to thank her later.
“Sit.” I turned from my computer and crossed my hands over my stomach. “Who exactly are you targeting with our new marketing plan on the Zenith project?”
“Um, everyone, sir. I thought that—”
“Next question,” I barked loudly as red flashed before my eyes. “Who did I tell you to target?”
“Millennials, sir, but we as a team thought that this product would be great for everyone. You have to see it from our perspective. We’re all in our thirties, forties, and fifties and would use the new phone. It’s amazing.”
“I’m aware of that, Bill, but the way marketing works, and I’m seriously pissed that I’m having to remind you of this, is that you target one group of influencers. These twenty-something kids are that group. You sell to them, and if you do a good enough job, then they sell it to the world. You don’t target everyone. Are you nuts?” I threw my hands into the air. “You’re going to blow through our ad budget in no time at all with the plan you sent me this morning. Do you have some special pot of gold hiding somewhere on the third floor? I’m a little lost here.”
He shrunk back in his chair, his eyes wide. “I-I…”
“Get. Out. Now.” I pointed to the door and turned back to my computer as the room grew dim. It was like everyone drank some tainted Kool-Aid and couldn’t find their asshole from a crater in the ground. I was spinning with fury by the time he stumbled out.
“Fuck,” I muttered under my breath and ran my hands down my face. I was overreacting. It was everything else in life that had me feeling weighed down. The ad team had been good to me and the company for years, and Bill had worked with my father before I came on board. I shouldn’t have chewed his ass like I had.
I got up, wanting to apologize but knowing that I couldn’t just yet. I was upset over Molly leaving and me feeling completely tied down to the thought of not telling her how I felt. For the first time in my adult life, I could see myself buying a ring, but it was stupid.
She’d crashed into my world a few weeks back, and I was already thinking about forevers? No. Not me. I was the practical one in the group.
I grabbed my keys and walked out of the office, passing Sicily. “I’m out for a while. Buzz me if you need me, but not unless it’s an emergency.”
She mumbled something, but I ignored it. The blood was pumping by my inner ear too fast to hear anything. I got into the elevator and pressed the button before closing my eyes and trying to focus on breathing.
I had to calm down. Now.
When the door opened, I walked out, not paying much attention. I slammed into Darren, a good friend of my father’s and Chief Accounting Officer.
“I’m sorry, Darren. Forgive me.” I moved around him.
“Hey. Hold up.” He turned and walked toward me. “Come on. Let’s walk and talk.”
“I’d rather just spend some time by myself. I’m a bit of a hothead right now, and the last thing I want to do is lash out at someone else. Especially you, old friend.” I reached over and patted his upper back as we moved to the front doors.
“Well, your father lashed out a lot at me, but it was one of the reasons we were such good friends. When he got nutty, we’d go to his favorite bench in the park and work through the problems of the world.” He smiled over at me before pushing the door open. “Both his world and mine. Give me a half an hour with you, and if you don’t feel better, I’ll go back into the office and clean up the mess you might have left for you. Deal?”
I smiled, feeling a little better already. Darren and my father had been old fraternity brothers, both of them taking care of the other like they were blood. He was the closest thing I had to Dad since my father passed. An ache ran through my chest as I walked out into the chilly morning air. I missed my father like crazy. He’d been my rock and the one person I knew that I could lean on and he would never move.