“Here?” I gasp.
He grins, touching his lips to mine, but doesn’t deepen the kiss. Instead he starts to talk, his lips touching mine with each word that he says, the way his breath fans over me, it makes my body tremble and wetness pool between my legs almost instantly.
Once my skirt is around my hips, he wrenches my panties down my thighs as far as he can. I tug them down to my ankles, needing his touch like I’ve never needed anything before. I thought that once we slept together it would satisfy me, but all it did was ignite me and make me crave him again and again.
When one of his hands dives between my thighs and his finger touches my clit, I let out a sigh, my eyes fluttering closed.
“Yeah, honey. Right fucking here,” he groans against my lips. “Tip your hips for me,” he grunts.
I do. Without hesitation, I do. His fingers begin to move faster between my legs, stimulating me, gently rubbing circles against my clit. His touch is almost too soft and it’s making it hard for me to stand, my legs are shaking in my shiny gold high heels.
Then, I feel the head of his cock against my center. “Landry,” I exhale.
He hums as he slides inside of me, one slow movement until I’m completely full. He growls against my mouth, his fingers not stopping their delicious assault. Tilting my hips even more, I push back against him, taking more of him.
Landry grunts softly, his hips starting to thrust forward, I feel them push against my ass with each move, one of his hands gripping my waist, his fingers digging into my flesh roughly as he begins to thrust harder and harder with each stroke.
“Please,” I groan.
He hums, his face shifting. He brushes his lips across my cheek, then buries his face in the back of my neck. Reaching forward, I grip the edge of the filing cabinet as I push back against him with a moan.
We both move, harder and faster, his fingers still working between my legs as he fucks me. We move with perfect tempo and then I still as my orgasm rushes through me. “Yes,” I hiss. “Oh God, yes.”
He growls as he moves inside of me a few more times, then buries himself deep before I feel his cock twitch and he releases a muffled growl against my neck.
My entire body starts to tremble, his hand against my hip slides around and presses against my belly and the one on my clit wraps around my chest and he holds me so that I don’t fall into a pile of boneless flesh on the floor.
“Landry,” I gasp.
He chuckles against my neck. “Honey,” he breathes.
We catch our breaths for a moment, then I feel the loss of him and moan as he slips from my body. Reaching down, I grab hold of my panties and shimmy them up my legs as he takes off the condom and rights his pants.
I watch as he ties a knot in the rubber and tosses it in the trashcan. Thankfully it’s one of those larger ones with a big black bag, since this is also the shredder room, and nobody will ever see it.
When we’re both presentable, Landry doesn’t leave the room like I expect, instead he takes a step toward me, lifting his hand to cup my cheek. His amber eyes search my own and his lips twitch into a smile.
“Come to dinner with me after work.”
“Holden,” I mutter.
He chuckles. “When I invite you to dinner or something, please know that my invitation includes Holden.”
“It does?” I ask.
He nods, his lips turning up and he smiles, showing his teeth. Smoothing my skirt down, I take a step toward him, lifting my hand, I wrap my fingers around the back of his neck. Tipping my head back, I look into his eyes and I wonder how this could possibly be this good? Then I wonder if it’s all going to disappear, is it all just too good to be true?
“Yeah, honey, it does. You’re a package and I quite like it all.”
Tears prick the back of my eyes as I watch him for another moment. Inhaling a deep breath, I let it out on an exhale.
“Okay, dinner,” I say, then my lips curve up into a smile.
He grins back down at me, dipping his chin to touch his mouth to mine. “Dinner, but first, have lunch with me?”
Smiling, I shake my head. “I have plans with Bethie, I’m sorry.”
“Bethie?” he asks.
“The receptionist in the lobby, Bethie.”
His lips curve up into a small smile. “Then, dinner.”
“Dinner.”
Landry walks over to the door, opening it and walking through, then holds it for me. I’m not in the mood to file anymore, honestly, I don’t think that I can stand on my shaky legs much longer without sitting anyway.
My face heats and when I lift my eyes to Julie, I know that she knows exactly what has happened. Her lips curve up into a grin and she chuckles to herself. I ignore her, at least I try, before I sink down in my chair.
“Seems like all is right between you and Mr. Astor,” she says softly in a singsong voice.
Pressing my lips together, I attempt to continue to ignore her. She laughs to herself. Thankfully, she doesn’t say anything else. Instead she focuses on her own work and I attempt to focus on mine as well. The keyword is—attempt.
LANDRY
Sitting in my office, I can still smell Tennessee’s scent. I want her again. I don’t know how this has happened, but I feel like a teenager again. Maybe it’s her, maybe it’s me and the newfound freedom that I have since filing and moving forward with the divorce.
My phone rings and I jump, lost in a haze of thoughts about her. The way she felt, the way she looks, the way she tastes and smells—all of her.
“Where are you?” Bash demands.
Looking at my watch, I curse as I stand to my feet. I’m not late, yet. I am, however, going to be there right on time.
“Shit. I forgot.”
Hanging up, I start to grab my things. I’m usually early and Bash wanted me at mediation fifteen minutes before it started. Fuck. Opening my office door, I do something that I know I shouldn’t. Looking to my left, I grin at my woman. Mine.
“Can you grab your iPad and laptop? I have a meeting and I’d like for you to take notes for me.”
“Landry,” Julie warns.
Lifting my hand, I show her my palm to quiet her. This is probably wrong, but I just can’t face Susan and her demands alone. I don’t know why, but I want Tennessee there with me. I want to be able to see her and know that she’s right there.
Once she gathers her things, we head toward the elevator car. I don’t say anything right away. Placing my hand at the small of her back, I keep her close, without looking too suspicious. Once we’re in my car, heading toward the office, that’s when I decide to tell her the truth.
“We’re going to my divorce mediation,” I announce.
The air in the car goes almost static electric around us. I wait for a moment, taking a breath as my fingers grip the steering wheel.
“Why?” she asks, her voice soft and almost sounding hurt.
“I didn’t want to do it without you. I don’t know why, but I wanted you with me. Next to me.”
She doesn’t say anything right away, but the charge in the car is gone, thank fuck. Pulling into the parking lot, I park the car, but keep it idling for just a moment. Turning to her, I focus on her profile.
Slowly, she turns to look over at me. Her green eyes are sparkling as she watches me, her eyes searching my face. Then her trembling lips curve up into an attempted smile.
“You wanted my support?” she asks softly.
“Yeah, I think I need it.”
“Why?” she asks.
I’m silent for a moment. I could tell her a million different things, I could lie, but in the end, the truth spills out.
“I’m not sure exactly why. But you’re my future. You’re important to me, and I just need you there while I close this chapter of my life. After today, it’s done. We’ll officially be done when the paperwork is all filed and completed, and we were really done years ago, but this is the closure that I think I’ve been wanting and needing for years.”
Tennessee reaches over, she takes my hand in hers and squeezes gently. “I’ll be your support. I’ll be there for as much as I can, but Landry, I really don’t know how I feel about this.”
Nodding my head, I smile at her. This is exactly who I need. Susan would have no problem strutting in to show off the fact that she’s won the prize, whatever that prize is. Tennessee isn’t that kind of woman. I know that, and maybe this was a subliminal test to prove it to myself, but it doesn’t matter because I needed this, her, and us.
“Thank you, honey.”
“You know that I’m here for you, whatever you need.”
Licking my lips, I lean forward and touch them to hers. “And I’m here for you too, Tennessee, whatever you need, whenever you need it from me.”
Chapter Twenty
TENNESSEE
I don’t think I could have dreamed up a more awkward situation in my entire life. We make our way into the office, there is a handsome man around Landry’s age standing to the side, dressed in an expensive suit. He jerks his chin toward Landry, then his gaze slides over to me and he frowns.
He knows who I am. Without a doubt. Landry has told him and judging by the way he’s side-eyeing me, he is not impressed. Not in the slightest.
“Landry,” he calls out, his tone gruff and grumbly.
“Bash, this is Tennessee,” Landry says, introducing us.
I extend my arm, ready to shake his hand, but instead of taking my palm, he flicks his gaze down at my hand, then focuses his attention back on Landry.
“I need to talk to you,” he grunts.
My arm falls to my side and Landry surprises me when his pinky extends from his own side and I feel it slide against my hand. He can’t touch me here, but he’s still showing me his support. He brought me here and I’m wondering if he thinks that it was as much of a mistake as I do right about now.
“Say whatever it is, we need to go inside,” Landry says, sounding impatient and irritated.
Bash clears his throat, his gaze flicking to mine before he shifts back over to Landry. “What the fuck are you thinking bringing her here?”
“Tennessee is my assistant. I need her to take notes for me.”
He shakes his head. “I will take notes for you as your attorney,” he grinds out.
Landry clears his throat, he leans down slightly and forward. “Let it go, Bash. As long as she doesn’t contest Tennessee’s presence, she’ll be there. Closure is important, so is showing support and needing support.”
Bash snorts. “You’ve never needed support a day in your life. You’re just trying to show off your new piece.”
“I would suggest you shut your fucking mouth, Bash.”
“Or?”
Landry stands tall, arching a brow, but he doesn’t say a word, he doesn’t have to. Bash doesn’t approve, not at all. He is likely disgusted by me, and he isn’t hiding it at all. But Landry isn’t accepting that, and I feel sick to my stomach immediately. I do not want to be the cause of tension and dissension between Landry and his friend.
“Landry, I can wait out here. I have computer work that I can do,” I offer softly.
Landry’s head turns quickly, tipping his chin, he looks down at me, his eyes narrowing and he presses his lips together. “No,” he barks. “You’ll be next to me, where you belong.”
He doesn’t mean for this one meeting, he’s saying it’s my place. My place. Beside him. I don’t know what to think, what to believe, but I want it. I want it all and the way he’s looking at me with sheer determination like I’ve never seen before, it makes my heartbeat skip.
“Okay,” I rasp.
He turns his head, his gaze sliding back over to Bash. “We done with this shit now?” he asks.
Bash is quiet for a moment, then he clears his throat. “We’re done, but don’t say I didn’t warn you.”
“Yeah, I’m sure,” he mutters.
Then it happens. I hear high heels clicking on the floor and I slowly turn my head in the direction of the noise. It’s her. Susan Astor. She’s beautiful. Tall, blonde, heavily made-up and dressed to perfection.
I look like a slob next to her with my long brown hair pulled back in a low ponytail and my barely-there makeup along with my cheap clothes and my mom’s pick of bright hot pink high heels.
Lifting my hand, I tuck a piece of hair behind my ear and shift my gaze to the floor. Her expensive pointed heels come into view and she clears her throat. Slowly, I lift my gaze to meet hers, but she’s not looking at me. In fact, she’s looking past me. Her gaze is fixated and focused on Landry and nobody else.
She purses her lips together and tilts her head to the side before her lips curve up into a shit-eating, cat-ate-the-canary grin. “Are you ready to part with most of your money, Landry? That is, unless you want to forget all of this and continue to live separate lives?”
“I’m not backing down. I can make more money, Susan.”
She hums, then leans forward. Her eyes search his and she smiles even more before she licks her lips. “Not if I have anything to say about it, you won’t.”
Landry snorts. “Okay, Susan. You can retract your claws. Let’s get this handled.”
Without another word, he takes a step, looking back at me, he winks. “Shall we?”
“Wait a minute, what’s this?” Susan demands.
Bash groans softly behind us, but Landry turns to Susan. “This is Tennessee, she’s going to be taking notes for me, you’re okay with that, I assume?”
Susan finally looks to me. Her gaze roams over me and her lips press together before they turn up into a grin. “Oh, Tennessee Bradley? You look just like your mother.”
Her words would probably seem harmless, or perhaps even a compliment if it wasn’t for her tone. She obviously thinks my mother is unattractive and that I am the same. Or maybe it’s because we don’t have a lot of money, and I’m dressed cheaply, just like my mother.
It doesn’t matter because Susan Astor is a bitch.
“Thanks, I’ll make sure to tell her you said that.”
She narrows her gaze at me, then her lips turn up into a sweet, fake smile. “You know, I suggested that Landry hire you. Your mother called and begged me to get your foot in the door. It was the least I could do, after all, we were once friends.”
Her words are probably meant to make me feel grateful to her, or maybe she thinks I’m trying to seduce Landry, which isn’t completely off base. I never set out to seduce Landry, but I can’t deny that now we’re together, it’s better than I could have ever imagined and he makes me happier than I thought any man could.
It should feel wrong.
I should feel guilty standing here in front of his wife, my body still aching from him being inside of me—I don’t.
LANDRY
Uncomfortable.
Is there a bigger word for the meaning? I’m not sure. If there is, then that’s what this meeting would be. Tennessee’s back is ramrod straight as she sits next to me. Bash is fuming on the other side of me and Susan is trying to figure all of this out. Her gaze is nothing short of assessing.
Keeping both my hands on the table, I make sure to press my thigh against Tennessee’s, my only way of showing any kind of support or having an anchor. She is just that too, my anchor. I don’t know when it happened, but it did. She is who I look forward to every morning. Before we slept together, I just looked forward to seeing her. Now, it’s even more so.
“Do you agree to the terms that you’ve made in these documents?” the mediator, Brenda, asks.
Susan looks over the paperwork, though I’m sure she has it all memorized completely. “I do,” I state when she doesn’t say anything.
There is another moment of silence and all I want to do is sign this shit and get done. Looking at my watch, I let out a grunt.
“Oh, are you busy?” Susan asks. “We can reschedule.”
Narrowing my gaze on her, I shake my head once. “Not busy at all.”
“Jus
t wanted to make sure,” she practically purrs. Then she lifts her head and turns to look over at the mediator. “I want his company.”
“No,” I say before Bash can even speak. “It’s my company. I built it from the ground up and I’m not giving it to anyone.”
Her lips twitch and she leans over the desk. “I want it. All of it. The building, the name. It’s going to be mine. I also want the vacation house in Rockport, and twenty-five million in liquid cash.”
Leaning back, I sink my teeth into my bottom lip. Could I give her my company? She wouldn’t even know how to run it, not in a million years, not unless she already has a plan of who will take over my place.
I almost laugh. Not to-fucking-day. Licking my lips, I lean back.
“If you want the building and name, then no cash,” I announce.
“Landry,” Bash warns.
Susan doesn’t say anything, she lifts a brow and watches me in silence while I stare at her. She’s used to me being indifferent toward anything that she desires. I have been, because I haven’t cared overly much about her the past twenty years. I’ve been indifferent to her in general.
That’s over with now. No longer am I just going to stand by and idly allow her to just do, say, and spend whatever she fucking wants. That’s why she’s been fighting me, too. That’s why she’s been against an official divorce.
She knows that her checking account is going to have a balance now instead of being unlimited. She’s going to try to fight me to the point where it’s just easier to keep the marriage. This isn’t just about the social ladder she loves to climb so much, this is about everything.
“You’ll give me the company?”
She’s practically foaming at the mouth. She thinks that she’s won. If she wants to believe that, then that’s perfectly fine with me. She obviously doesn’t know what I’m truly like in business, otherwise she wouldn’t have attempted to fuck with me this way.
“You can have the house, the car, the company, but I’m keeping the vacation house in Rockport.”
I like Rockport. I like being near the water, I like the fishing, and I enjoy having my family there because when we’re there, we’re together. There are no parties, events, or dates to go on. It’s just family time and I want to have that with my children and Tennessee and Holden, too.
Hypocritically Yours: A Standalone Age-Gap Romance Page 14