Hypocritically Yours: A Standalone Age-Gap Romance

by Hayley Faiman

  She pretends to think about my proposal, but I know she’s already prepared her answer and made her decision. The way she’s clutching the pendant on her neck is her clear tell. Her lips curve up into a small smile. It grows wider and then she sits back and releases her grip on her pendant.

  “It’s a deal.”

  “Susan,” her attorney warns.

  She holds her hand up. “It’s a deal. Draw it up and I’ll sign right now.”

  Tennessee is busy writing everything down. I asked her to keep detailed notes, not just because I wanted her here, but because I want to make sure Susan couldn’t backtrack, even after the paperwork is signed, I know without a doubt that she would assuredly try. That’s just who she is.

  We sit across from one another for another forty-five minutes while the paperwork is prepared and then we sign. Susan doesn’t say a word to me after she does her part, instead she stands and walks out of the room, her attorney running after her.

  I don’t move from my seat. I can feel Bash vibrating with anger next to me. Once the mediator leaves, only then do I turn to him.

  “I know you’re angry, but listen to my plan.”

  “Plan? Your plan? You just gave your fucking company away, Landry,” he roars.

  Pushing back my chair, I stand and turn around, my ass pressing against the side of the table as I flick my gaze between Tennessee and Bash. Holding Bash’s gaze, I chuckle.

  “I gave her my business and my name. I did not give her my clients. I gave her a building, but not my employees.”

  “Landry, that’s a fine line.”

  “Is it one that I can walk?”

  He presses his lips together, tilting his head to the side, then his mouth turns up into a grin. “You can.”

  “Thank fuck, because that would have been fucking awful if I couldn’t have,” I say with a chuckle.

  He shakes his head, then stands to his feet. “You are walking quite a few fine fucking lines these days,” he says, shifting his gaze from me to Tennessee, then back to me.

  “Yeah, but it’s worth it.”

  He grunts, shaking my hand, then says that he’ll be in touch soon. He leaves us alone in the room and now I turn to look at Tennessee. She’s staring straight ahead where Susan was sitting. I can tell that she’s thinking and I want to know what is going through her head. I’m not sure that I’ll find out though, because she seems to be completely lost

  Chapter Twenty-One

  LANDRY

  Slowly, Tennessee tilts her head to the side and looks up at me. She’s been staring at the sea that Susan vacated for about ten minutes and I’ve let her. I don’t want to rush her, I’m too curious to know exactly what is going on in her head.

  “She wanted twenty-five million dollars in cash,” she whispers.

  I nod my head once. “She did.”

  “Cash,” she breathes.

  “Yeah, honey. she did.”

  She stands, her entire body visibly trembling. “No wonder,” she mutters as she turns to the side.

  I watch as her shaky legs try to carry her over to the door. I don’t let her reach it though. In just a couple of strides, I’m directly behind her. Reaching out, I gently wrap my fingers around her bicep and spin her around before I back her up until she’s against the wall.

  “Look at me,” I demand.

  Her head tilts back and her eyes widen as she looks up at me. I see fear and shame in those gorgeous green orbs and it kills me, instantly.

  “Tennessee,” I rasp.

  “No wonder everyone is so worried that I’m some gold-digger. I didn’t know. I swear I didn’t know. I just thought you were a successful businessman, I didn’t know what that meant, financially. I can’t believe this, oh my god, are you only with me for a trophy girlfriend? Is that what this is?”

  She is completely losing her shit and if this didn’t include me, I would find it comical. Lifting my hand, I cup her cheek, forcing her head to tilt back slightly. Her eyes focus on mine and I wait for them to stop looking everywhere but in my own.

  “I am with you for every reason that I’ve told you I’m with you. And who the fuck called you a gold-digger?” I growl.

  She immediately presses her lips together, her brown eyes widening even more. I snort. “I’m sure they’ll say it again. But we know the truth, right?”

  “We do,” she whispers.

  “And what’s that? What is the truth of it, honey?”

  She inhales deeply through her nose, then lets it out of her mouth. “The truth is that I didn’t even know how much money you had, I still don’t. The truth is that I felt something for you the moment I laid eyes on you. The truth is that we’re building something beautiful.” Her last sentence is said on a whisper and I feel it down in my dick.

  “Yeah, honey. That’s right,” I exhale, leaning forward. I slide my nose alongside hers, touching my mouth to her own. “We’re building something really fucking beautiful, Tennessee.”

  Without hesitation, she reaches for my belt. I don’t expect it and the move catches me off guard. My body jerks as she releases my hard cock, wrapping her fingers around me and begins to stroke.

  “Fuck,” I growl.

  “Yeah,” she whimpers.

  Sliding my tongue along her bottom lip, I rest my forehead against hers as she continues to stroke me. “I don’t have another condom.”

  “I’m on the pill, have been since Holden was born. There hasn’t been anyone.”

  “I was tested at my last physical,” I announce.

  “I need you, Landry.”

  Her words are my complete fucking undoing. I hitch her skirt up to her hips, gripping my hand around the back of her knee, I lift her leg, wrapping it around my hip. I’m panting against her mouth, my fingers working her at the center of her panties.

  “Landry,” she whimpers.

  Slipping my finger beneath her panties, I hook them and tug them to the side. “Guide me in, honey,” I mutter against her lips.

  With her hand still firmly gripping my dick, she does just that, she guides me toward her center. With her high heels on, we line up almost perfectly. I moan when I come into contact with her wet center.

  Her fingers grip my shoulders, then wrap around them as her leg pulls me closer against her center, her hips lifting to take more of me inside of her. I want to bury myself deep and fuck her hard against this door. I don’t. Instead, I move slowly, enjoying the feel of her bare.

  Sliding my tongue inside of her mouth, I bury myself as deeply as I can, my entire length buried inside of her. I can feel her panties against my pelvis. It’s so fucking illicit, but it feels too damn good to stop.

  Pulling out of her until just the tip of my cock is still nestled inside of her warm pussy, I lift my head and look into those green eyes that I’ve come to admire. I fuck her slowly, my hips rolling slow and steady as I look into her eyes, never breaking contact.

  “Touch yourself, honey. I want to feel you come.”

  She presses her lips together for a moment, then her lips hitch up in a small smile. One of her hands leaves my shoulder and I feel it shift between us. She doesn’t touch her clit right away, instead I feel her fingers part and slide around my dick, feeling the way I move inside of her.

  “You’re so warm,” she rasps. “I’m so wet.”

  I hum, resting my forehead against hers. A light sheen of sweat breaks out all over my entire body. I am holding back, my control is hanging on by a thread and this isn’t helping, but I can’t tell her to hurry, I can’t tell her anything.

  She is saying these things out of discovery, surprise, and observation. It’s sexy as fuck. Tennessee isn’t a shy virgin, but she isn’t extremely experienced either. She’s right in between and I find that it’s a place I really fucking enjoy.

  “Yeah, honey. You’re so wet, feels amazing.”

  She smiles, it’s full-on confidence and it’s beautiful. She slides her hand from my cock and then her fingers find her clit. As soon a
s she rubs a circle against herself, she lets out a whimper and her head falls back, hitting the door with a thud.

  Lifting my hand from the back of her knee, I reach up and tug the collar of her shirt down, then her bra and expose her tit for me. It bounces with each thrust of my hips. Wrapping my hand around her exposed flesh, I grip her tightly and feel her beneath my fingers.

  “Yes,” she hisses.

  Releasing her tit, I pinch her nipple, playing with the hardened bud as her fingers play between us. I tug and pinch on her nipple, watching as her breathing comes out in even heavier pants. She’s close, I can feel her pussy flutter around me and I know that she’ll come soon.

  I can’t fucking wait.

  All words have left me. I’m nothing but sweat, grunts, and rumbles as we continue to move against one another. When she comes, it’s with a cry. Knowing the entire office can probably hear us, I cover her mouth with mine quickly, swallowing her sounds. It isn’t long before I allow myself to find my own release and she’s forced to swallow my growls and moans of pleasure as well.

  I’ve never, not like this, not in public or in a professional setting done this. Tennessee not only brings desire and passion out of me, she also brings out a bit of adventure when I haven’t necessarily been the most adventurous man, outside of my office at least.

  TENNESSEE

  Glancing around the lobby, I’m thankful to see that it’s empty. My face feels hot and I know that someone probably heard us in that room, but as potentially embarrassing as it is, I don’t regret it—not for a minute.

  We make our way back to Landry’s car and once I’m buckled in and he’s driving toward his building, I can’t help but think about everything that’s happened today.

  “Landry?” I ask.

  He hums, reaching over the console, he takes my hand in his, lacing our fingers together. “What, honey?”

  I like that. When he calls me honey. I didn’t think I would be a term of endearment kind of girl. I thought Tenny was enough of a nickname for me, but when he says honey, in his soft sweet way, it does something to me.

  “You just gave your company away. What will happen if you can’t take your clients or your employees, what happens if it doesn’t all work out?” I ask.

  “Are you worried about your job?”

  Turning my head, I look over at him. I wasn’t worried about my job, not until he asked. “I wasn’t, but now I am,” I admit with a laugh. “I was just thinking about you. What happens to you if it doesn’t work out?”

  He doesn’t speak right away. Instead, he continues to drive. He’s still holding my hand as I stare at his profile and wait for a response.

  “Do you think that I’m going to be broke?” he asks.

  Pressing my lips together, I look out the front windshield. “I don’t know and I don’t care, but I also am not naïve to think that you can start a brand new career, so I’m worried about you and your future.”

  The car is suddenly jerked to the side and he pulls into a grocery store parking lot, shifting the gear into park before he turns to me. His amber eyes look heated, his face is serious, his jaw is clenched beneath his beard as he watches me.

  “If I could fuck you right now, I would. Right here in this parking lot.”

  I blink, then I burst out laughing. “Why?” I ask.

  Finally, he grins, his eyes crinkle at the sides and it causes my heart to flutter and my belly to flip at the sight. I don’t know why it’s so sexy, but it is. Maybe because I know he’s smiling a real smile. Not a smirk, not a lip twitch, but an actual smile.

  “You’re worried about me. Not my money, not yourself. But me.”

  Lifting the hand that he’s not holding, I cup his jaw and slide my thumb along the apple of his cheek. “I honestly just want to make sure you’re going to be okay, Landry. None of the other stuff matters. I’m just worried about you. Only you.”

  His lips turn up into a huge smile and I watch, my own smile forming on my lips. “I’ll be fine. Susan didn’t take my offer of the cash, which was kind of dumb, but that’s on her. I have plenty, enough that I could retire immediately without ever having to worry about money the rest of my life. I am worried about my employees though, so I’m going to try to get a new office ready before the divorce is officially final, that way it’s a quick transition.”

  “God, why do you have to be so nice?” I ask.

  “I’m not.”

  Shaking my head, I lick my lips. “You are. You really, really are.”

  Landry grunts, then tilts his head to the side. “You told me you wanted my divorce final before we started anything. I pursued you anyway. I pursued you, knowing that you’re forty years younger than me. Forty. I didn’t care. I still don’t care. You’re going to outlive me, by a lot, but I’m selfish as fuck. I’m not nice at all, Tennessee. I’m selfish. There’s a big difference.”

  “Do you think that I have zero free will?” I snap. He blinks, his eyes widening at my sharp tone. “I know you’re older than me. I know that you’re married. I couldn’t fight whatever we have, just like you couldn’t. You didn’t deceive me, you didn’t trick me. I have wanted every single thing you’ve done to me, and more. I want it all, Landry. I want everything.”

  He’s quiet for a moment, his gaze searching mine, then he turns his head and touches his lips to my palm before he shifts his gaze back to meet mine.

  “You have it, Tennessee. You have everything.”

  “All I need is you. You’re my everything,” I admit.

  I shouldn’t even be thinking that. I haven’t known him long enough for him to be anything more than a casual and budding romantic partner. But I can’t deny that what I feel for him is far from casual or budding. It feels like we’re in the thick of it all.

  His lips twitch. “You got me, honey.”

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  TENNESSEE

  One week passes, then another. I’m sitting across from Bethie at what I consider to be our café. She’s smiling across from me, her cheeks bright pink. Sinking my teeth into my bottom lip, I lean forward, full of excitement for her.

  “Was it good?”

  “The best,” she sighs. “Every time it’s better than the time before. I’m falling for him and last night just solidified my feelings.”

  Last night Laurent took her out on his boat. They went for a sunset ride and he packed a picnic with wine, cheeses, fruit and crackers. Then they made love on the boat after the sun went down. It sounds magical, and I couldn’t be happier for her.

  “I hate to say it…” I sigh.

  She arches a brow as she watches me. “He’s a little more romantic than his father and I don’t know if I hate you or what?”

  She gasps, leaning forward. “You mean fucking in the filing room isn’t the height of romance?”

  We both burst out into a fit of giggles. I don’t tell her that Landry doesn’t need to shower me with romance, because he does a ton of different things, a million times a day to show me that he is thinking of me and he cares for me.

  “We’re going to go and look at his new house today. I mean, I’ve seen it, but he’s had painters there and he said he was going to have some other work done. Supposedly, they’re finished. I’m kind of excited to see it all.”

  “I haven’t asked how dating has been going with having Holden. You know if you ever need a babysitter, I’ll come over any time you want.”

  I shake my head and give her a smile. “Maybe, but…”

  “I know, I know, you don’t like to leave him when you only get evenings and weekends with him as it is.”

  Nodding, I take a bite of my croissant sandwich and chew slowly. I resist the urge to tell her that unless I’m with her, or Landry is having lunch with his children, we spend our lunches together—in his penthouse, alone.

  Then after work, he comes home with me and we have dinner together almost every night. It’s nothing short of a dream and I really hope that it never ends. I want to stay just like
this, always.

  Bethie and I finish eating, and I pay for the meal with my work credit card. A slice of pain slides through my belly at the thought of this not being our normal anymore. When the divorce is final, the buyout will be too.

  I know that Landry says he’s working on keeping all of his employees, his, and that he has a plan, but I can’t help but think that something is going to change. I don’t want the change. I don’t think anything good will come from a change in his company’s dynamic, selfishly because I love it just as it is.

  We walk together and make idle chitchat as we make our way into the building. I make my way over to her counter, she asks me what I’m going to do this weekend and I roll my eyes, because I know that she knows the answer.

  Before I can say anything, there is a presence next to me. Turning my head to the side, I smile over at Laurent. He’s watching me and not trying to hide it from Bethie. Frowning, I look down at the counter, then lift my gaze back up to meet his.

  “You make him really happy,” he says, after clearing his throat.

  Pressing my lips together, I chew on my bottom lip to keep from hugging him, crying, or something equally awkward and weird.

  “He makes me really happy,” I rasp.

  Laurent leans forward, his eyes never leaving mine and his lips twitch before they turn up into a warm smile. “I should not be okay with any of this. You’re younger than Lucinda and it’s weird, but maybe not so much.”

  “Maybe not so much?” I ask.

  He grunts, dipping his chin. “If I thought you were some money-hungry bitch, I would definitely have something to say. But I’ve kept a pulse on you, on your situation and I have to admit, I don’t think that you are. I think that you truly care for him.”