by Tia Siren
I was captured by her natural beauty and struggled to find words that made me sound smooth and debonair—my typical public personality. She was wearing a pair of low-rise jeans that hugged her hips with a T-shirt tucked in, showing off her flat stomach. Her hair was piled in a loose bun on top of her head, and she barely had on a drop of makeup. She was stunning. I liked this look better than the fancy dresses and the made-up face. I felt like was actually getting to see her for who she was. I liked her even more.
“I’m sorry I didn’t call first. I wanted to see you. Will you go out with me again, say tomorrow? I’d love to take you somewhere private and romantic where we can get to know each other better.”
She took a deep breath. “I’m sorry. I don’t think that’s a good idea.”
My mouth dropped open for a split second before I regained my composure, remembering my reaction would be caught on camera.
“Don’t make me beg.” I grinned, trying to play off her initial rejection.
“I like you, but this isn’t for me,” she said, waving at the cameras. “Good luck, Tyler.” She pushed open the door to go back inside.
I caught a glimpse of a little boy, about three years old, staring up in awe at the cameras.
“Who’s that, Mommy?” the child said.
Emily looked at me, horror on her face, before slamming the door shut. I stared at the door, the image of the child in my mind. He had dark brown hair and green eyes. There was something vaguely familiar about him. I did a little mental math and then shook my head. That was crazy. There was no way he could be mine.
I remembered the cameras and pasted on a fake smile. “I think you guys scared her off.”
The men holding the cameras didn’t say a word. They just kept filming. I walked out of the building, noticing the flickering light in the hallway, thinking that had to be some kind of fire hazard, and headed for my car.
“I don’t think we need to document any more of my failures tonight,” I said to the cameraman who tried to climb into the back seat with me. “Show’s over for tonight.”
“I’m supposed to follow you back to your place.”
I shook my head and gave him a tight smile. “That’s never going to happen. If Gabe or Jack has a problem with that, they can call me. Good night, guys.”
I slammed the door and ordered Alex to get me the hell out of there. I leaned back, surprised she had shot me down. I had thought we had hit it off the other night. The image of the little brown-haired boy kept popping into my head. I’d had no idea she had a kid. She certainly hadn’t mentioned him. I wondered if that had been a question on the application form. I had never specified my preference for kids or no kids.
I didn’t know a lot about kids, but I was guessing he was around three, maybe four. If he was four, he couldn’t have been mine, but if he was three… My mind went back to that night. I had used a condom every time we’d had sex. I dismissed the kid. He wasn’t mine.
I felt the car slow and looked to see we were already pulling into my gated driveway.
“Thank you, Alex. I’ll see you tomorrow,” I told him, climbing out of the car and heading inside.
I wasn’t about to lose Emily after I had just found her. I would ask her out again, on my terms. The show and all their rules and cameras could kiss my ass. This was my life and I did things my way.
Chapter Twelve
Emily
“Come on, buddy, Mommy needs to get to work,” I said, hoping to get Tommy to kick it up a notch.
He was really dragging today, and I was already behind. Seemed like I was always running late. I could have gotten up three hours earlier and still been late.
My phone rang just as I was locking the door to the apartment. I dug in my purse and answered it without checking the caller ID. The only person it could have been was my boss or Sarah.
“Hello,” I said in a rush.
“Emily?” The smooth, deep voice came through the phone, stopping me dead in my tracks.
“Tyler?” I said, pulling the phone away from my ear to check the number.
I didn’t even have his number, so it wasn’t like the numbers on the screen meant anything to me.
“Yes. I wanted to call and apologize for last night.”
“It’s fine,” I said, grabbing Tommy’s hand and walking down the stairs with him.
“No, it isn’t. I knew you weren’t comfortable with the cameras and I should have been more considerate. I was trying to make this grand gesture and it backfired. It was a stupid move. The producer was pressuring me, and I caved in. I promise it won’t happen again,” he said with such conviction I actually believed him.
I sighed. “I understand.”
“Will you meet me tonight?” he asked, his voice lacking his usual confidence.
“With the cameras in tow?”
He let out a breath. “Yes. I’m sorry. I’m stuck in a contract and working to get out of it, but for now, I’m stuck with them.”
I could hear the sincerity in his voice, and despite the cameras, I wanted to see him. I liked talking to him and I did need to make a decision about our future. I had to decide what to tell him.
“Okay,” I muttered.
“Great! I’ll pick you up. Does six work for you?”
I wrinkled my nose. “Can we make a little later?”
“Sure. How about eight?”
“Perfect. I’ll be ready.”
“Emily?”
I smiled. I loved hearing him say my name. “Yes?”
“Dress casual. Whatever you were wearing last night was hot.”
I burst into laughter. “I had just gotten home from work!”
“Damn. I need to go to wherever it is you work. I could watch you for hours,” he said in a husky voice.
The sound sent heat flooding through my body. “I’ll see you tonight,” I murmured and hung up the phone.
I buckled Tommy in and nearly bounced my way around the back of the car and into the driver’s seat. I liked the way he made me feel. I felt sexy when he looked at me with the same passion I remembered from that first night.
I called Sarah on my way to drop Tommy off, and as I’d hoped, she was more than happy to watch him while I went out with Tyler.
After being at work for a few hours, I’d just come back from my break to see Leo sitting at a table in my section. I begged the other waitress on duty to take him. She refused.
“What do you want, Leo?” I said, hand on my hip, staring down at him.
“I wanted to see you.”
“Why? I’ve got nothing to say to you.” I glared at him.
“Do you have a minute?”
“No,” I shot back. “I have work to do.”
“I saw you on that show the other night. If you’re desperate for a boyfriend, I’m here. I’ll be a daddy to that kid of yours.”
I scoffed. “That will never happen. You need to leave.”
“Come on, Emily. You can’t still be mad about that other stuff. We were good together,” he said, trying his best to be sexy but only making me loathe him more than I already did.
“Leave, Leo. I’m going to find my manager and tell him you’re harassing me,” I said, spinning on my heel.
His hand snaked out, grabbing my wrist and pulling me back. “Just give me a chance. We could be happy together.”
Yanking my arm back, I headed for the back office. I knew my manager wouldn’t be of any help, but I was hoping Leo would get the picture and leave. Waiting in the narrow hallway, I watched until I saw him stomp out the door.
Thankfully, he stayed away for the rest of the day. I was excited for my date. After a mental inventory of my closet, trying to think of something casual and sexy, I still didn’t know what I was going to wear, but it wouldn’t be my tired old jeans and a T-shirt.
After picking Tommy up, I made him a quick dinner while I rummaged through my closet, trying to put together the perfect outfit. I finally settled on jeans, a flirty pink top, and heels.
It was casual, but not work casual.
Sarah showed up and whistled loudly. “You look gorgeous!”
I laughed. “Thanks. He said casual. I have no idea where we’re going.”
“That’s exciting. I’m only a teensy bit jealous, but mostly I’m excited for you. This has been a long time in the making.”
“Thank you,” I told her, giving her a quick hug.
There was a knock on the door. “Is he picking you up?”
I shook my head. “I don’t think so.”
When I opened the door, he held up a hand. “Wait. The cameras are here, but I bought about a minute.”
“I didn’t expect you to come here,” I said, looking back to make sure Tommy was still in his room.
“I wanted to officially pick you up.”
I nodded, grabbed my purse, waved goodbye, and stepped outside my apartment before Tommy came to investigate.
“I’m ready,” I said.
He took my hand and led me down the hall, past the cameras. I ignored them as much as I could and climbed into the waiting car.
“Home, Alex,” Tyler commanded.
“Home?” I asked with confusion. “I thought we were going out.”
He smiled. “I thought we could have a little more privacy at my place.”
“Oh,” I said for lack of anything better to say.
“How was your day?” he asked casually.
I smiled. It was all a little weird to be sitting in the back of a car with the father of my child, the man who could make my heart race with a simple look my way.
“It was okay,” I said, not wanting to bore him with the details of my job.
I stared out the window as we drove through the city, heading away from the bright lights. I was in awe of the stately houses. Soon they faded away and became tall black iron fencing. We stopped at a huge gate, Alex waiting for the gates to open before driving through. I could barely breathe as a mansion came into view.
“This is your house?” I asked, barely able to get the words out.
“It is.”
“Wow,” I mumbled.
Soon, the car came to a stop. A large man opened the back door and helped me out. I stood there, looking up at a house that was at least as big as my entire apartment building.
“Shall we go in?” Tyler asked, taking my hand and leading me through the massive, ornate wooden doors being held open by what I could only imagine was a butler.
Never in my life had I seen an actual butler. I felt like a complete moron with my mouth hanging open as he led me down a huge hallway of black marble, my heels clacking against the surface with every step.
“In here,” he said, stepping through an archway and into a dining room with a huge table. There were place settings for two at one end.
I heard a noise and turned to see a man with a camera behind me. I had completely forgotten they were there. Tyler was the perfect gentleman, pulling out a chair for me.
“Thank you,” I mumbled.
“Dinner will be served shortly. Remember the restaurant the other night?”
I giggled. “How could I forget?”
He smiled. “He’s a friend. He’s cooking for us tonight.”
“You have friends in very good places.”
He smiled. “Actually, I have few friends, but I have plenty of people who like to call me friend simply because of what I have.”
“I’m sorry,” I blurted out. “I mean, that has to be tough.”
He shrugged. “You learn. So, I have a confession to make,” he started, and I felt a shiver of apprehension.
“That doesn’t sound good,” I teased.
“The show, it was my idea. I asked for it,” he said.
“I’m not that surprised.”
He laughed. “We’ll address that in a minute. I asked for the show so I could find you. I’ve been looking for you for a while. I even hired a private investigator to find you.”
My eyes widened. “You did what?”
He chuckled. “I swear, I’m not a complete stalker. After that night, I—well, I wanted to see you again. I didn’t have your name or know anything about you. I was desperate,” he said in a husky tone.
“Wow,” I whispered.
I had never heard of anything so romantic in my life. The sound of glass hitting the floor snapped me out of the trance his words had put me into.
He sighed. “How much longer do you need to be here?” he asked the clumsy man holding the camera.
The young guy gulped. “Uh, we’re supposed to film the date.”
Tyler looked back at me. I shrugged in response.
Dinner was served. We made small talk, but I was aware there was a camera filming me while I ate.
“You have a beautiful home,” I said when our dishes were removed.
“Would you like a tour?” he asked eagerly.
I laughed. “The fact that you have to give tours of your home is pretty amazing.”
He grabbed my hand and led me out of the dining room. I couldn’t believe how different our lives were. My entire apartment could have fit into his dining area. The home was huge. It was lavishly decorated, but it felt a little cold.
He took me into what he dubbed his library. I stood in awe of the floor-to-ceiling books. There was a single light on, casting the room into shadows.
“Have you read all of these?” I asked.
He laughed. “Nope. Not even close. I always wanted a library. I mean, I’ve read some of the books—probably back in high school, but I did actually read them.”
He was standing close, and I couldn’t say if it was the lighting, the delicious food, or him in general, but I wanted him. His eyes locked on mine. I couldn’t move. I had flashbacks to the night outside the hotel ballroom.
“Tyler.” I said his name, once again reveling in the way it felt on my lips.
He nodded, like he knew what I was asking. His hand went to my face, his palm pressed against my cheek as he lowered his mouth to mine. My breath caught in my throat when his lips touched mine. A million memories ran through my mind as I inhaled the scent of him.
He pulled away too soon, his hand dropping from my face. I stood there, trying to catch my breath.
“There, you got the kiss. You can go now,” he said.
The camera guy shook his head. “Uh, we were told to stay.”
“I’m telling you to leave. It’s my house, my show. Go. You can tell Gabe and Jack I threw you out. This is my time,” he growled.
He made a move in the air with his hand, and instantly, a large man who had been hovering just outside the door appeared.
“Will you please escort these men to the door?” Tyler asked.
The two cameramen looked at each other and decided the best thing to do was leave. Once they were out of the room, Tyler turned back to me.
“Now we’re alone.”
Chapter Thirteen
Tyler
Seeing her standing in my dining room was not something I could have ever imagined. She was looking at me, questioning me, silently asking what was next.
I answered her by kissing her again. Her body relaxed against mine as my arms wrapped around her, holding her against me, squeezing her tight. It was a kiss that expressed the longing I had felt after being away from her for so many years.
Breaking the kiss, my heart pounding in my chest, I looked into her green eyes. I didn’t have to ask. I took her hand and walked out of the dining room. It was a flashback to our first night together. Here I was, once again leading her to my bed.
“Where are we going, Tyler?” she asked in a quiet voice as I started up the grand staircase.
“My room,” I answered.
She didn’t protest or pull back. In fact, I felt her pick up her pace and keep up with me as I strolled down the carpet runner, anxious to get to the privacy my bedroom afforded. Though I lived alone, I was never actually alone and had a full staff waiting in the wings.
I pushed open the door to my mast
er suite, pulled her inside, and shut the door behind us. She walked into the room, slowly turning as she took in the furnishings. I walked behind her, wrapped my arms around her waist, and nuzzled her neck.
“You are the most beautiful woman in the world,” I whispered next to her ear. “I found you. I can’t believe I found you.”
Her head dropped to the side, giving me clear access to her neck. I suckled, gently at first before the need drove me into a frenzy. I needed the woman naked and writhing and my body pounding into hers. I lifted her shirt, testing her willingness. When her arms went into the air, I knew she was mine. I stripped her shirt off, slid my hands down her sides, and from my position behind her, I quickly undid the button and zipper on her jeans before sliding them down her hips. She kicked off her heels and bent forward to pull the jeans from her ankles, giving me a perfect view of the tiny thong she wore.
I slapped her ass before gently cupping one of the perfectly round cheeks.
“I’ve dreamed about your body for years,” I told her when she stood up, leaning her head against my chest.
“I’ve thought about you a lot over the years as well.”
She turned to face me, wearing her tiny black lacy bra and matching panties. Her hands flattened against my chest before moving to undo one button at a time. I shucked the shirt and removed my pants with lightning speed. We stood before each other, clad in only our underwear, each staring at the body of the other the way one lost in the desert stared at water.
“I want you,” I told her, looking into her eyes.
“I need you,” she replied, her tongue darting out to lick her lips.
It was all I could take. My mouth slammed into hers, my hard dick grinding against her stomach as her arms wrapped around me, pulling me tightly against her. I quickly flicked the bra snap and pulled the damn bit of lace away, needing the woman’s body naked against mine.
“Fuck, I’ve thought about this for way too long,” I groaned, cupping her breasts between us.
She moaned into my mouth, the sound vibrating through me, sending new sparks of heat racing through my body. I walked toward my bed, slowly guiding her backward. Once her legs were against the bed, I dropped my hands to her waist and lifted her, depositing her on the mattress.