by Kaylee, Katy
She set the papers down on the table and pulled a pen from her purse. She signed and handed the papers back to me.
“That’s it?” I asked. “No questions. Concerns? Changes?”
She shook her head. “I just want the deal done.”
I frowned. “Your father would have slept on it. Taken it to his lawyer.” The minute I said it, I knew she wouldn’t like it, but it was the truth. It wasn’t wise to sign a business deal just because you need fast cash. I wasn’t taking advantage of her and Ben, but if they were doing business like this elsewhere, chances were someone else was.
Her eyes narrowed. “My father is dead. So is his lawyer, to think of it. I’m not an idiot—”
“No. I don’t think you are. If it were me, I’d have someone read it. It’s just good business, Beth.”
“Are you taking advantage of us?”
“No.”
“Do you want the club? I know it’s not part of Raven Industries. You’d own it outright.”
“I’ll admit that’s appealing, but—”
“So sign and let's get the deal done.”
I took out my pen and hovered it over the line I was supposed to put my signature on. But I couldn’t do it. I set the pen down.
“What are you doing?” She looked nearly panicked. I could hear the mix of annoyance and despair in her tone. I didn’t want to torture her, and yet I couldn’t sign it. Not yet.
“I’m going to sign it, Beth. But before I do, I want to know why you never mentioned that your father’s business was falling apart.”
10
Beth – Friday
I recoiled in shock and humiliation, although I shouldn’t have been surprised that he knew about my family’s financial situation. For one, the business world wasn’t that big. He’d have heard it through the grapevine. Second, if he hadn’t heard, he’d have certainly done his research. It stung a little that he dug into my family’s issues, but I guessed he’d argue that he wouldn’t have if I’d been upfront and told him about it. I wondered what else he knew. Did he know about Ben’s drinking problem? About Hannah? No, he didn’t know about Hannah. There was no way he wouldn’t have asked about her if he did.
“You said yourself, I needed to be smart in business. If I told you we had to sell, you might lowball your offer.”
He frowned and looked offended. “I wouldn’t do that.” He studied me for a moment and then leaned forward resting his forearms on the table. “I’m the only one of us that didn’t seem to get the memo that we weren’t friends and partners anymore. All you or Ben had to do was ask and I’d have helped. In fact, I’m ready to help now. So why not ask?”
I held his gaze, hating that he was holding my contract hostage. All I wanted was a signed deal, money in the bank, and then to get me and Hannah out of town.
“I get why you wouldn’t want to come to me,” he said. “I hurt you. I regret that more than I can say, and I do want to say more about that. But Ben, what’s going on with him, Beth? Is he sick?”
“You’re right. You’re the last person I’d trust with something like this.”
He flinched but took it like he knew he deserved it, which he did. “Alright, let’s talk about that then. I’m sorry about how I left. I didn’t want to Beth. God how I didn’t want to.” Emotion swept through his eyes, making my heart thump in my chest.
“So why did you?”
He sat back as the waiter served some sort of canape. When the waiter left, Ash stared at the food but didn’t take any.
“Because I wasn’t strong enough to stand up to my father.” He paused for a moment. “Or yours.”
“What?” What did he mean?
“Exactly what I said. That last night we were together, I got back to my parents’ house ready to come clean to Ben about my feelings for you and hopefully, he’d still want to start the club, but if not, I figured I had other options.” He looked me directly in my eyes, making my heart race. “I intended to be with you. That wasn’t a lie, Beth. Or just words so I could fuck you finally. I meant them.”
I swallowed as tears threatened. Everything I thought I knew about that night was suddenly getting topsy turvy.
“So, what happened?” I managed to ask.
“When I got back, my father was waiting for me. He said he knew what was going on between us and it had to stop. He was going to pull the money he planned to loan me to open the club. I hated that because I knew it would be a double blow to Ben; he’d learn I was with you and by choosing you, there wouldn’t be a club.”
“So, in the end, you chose him.” The ice around my heart that had started to thaw, froze again.
“No. I figured your father was lending him enough that we could manage. We’d be in a different spot, but it would be a start.”
I stared at him, wanting not to believe him. “So what happened?”
“Your father walked in, saying he’d not only pull the plug on the club, but he’d disinherit you.”
“What?” My father had always been a difficult man, and Ben had been his favorite. But I never thought he’d do something like that.
“He might have just been saying that, but I was twenty-one staring down two larger than life men that had terrified me most of my life. He said… and I’ll never forget this… ‘You’re a smart boy, Ash, and I like you. Maybe someday in the future, you and my Beth can be together. In fact, what a powerful family we’d become, wouldn’t we Cam?’ My father wasn’t so much on board with that idea because, at the time, he was telling us that the only thing in life that mattered was the company.” Ash ran his fingers through his hair. “He once told us that love was for suckers.”
I flinched.
“Anyway, your dad was determined that I not see you. He said you were too young to get involved. You had school and a future with his company. That came first.” He let out a derisive laugh. “On that, our fathers agreed.” He let out a breath and it was like all the strength left him. “After that, I just…folded.” He looked down like he was ashamed. When he looked up, I could see the regret in his eyes and my heart went out to him. “I wanted to tell you but my dad had me on a helicopter twenty minutes later heading back to the city.”
My mind whirled at the news. “My father wouldn’t have disinherited me.” At least I didn’t think so. He didn’t when he found out I was pregnant.
“Should I have risked it?” He shook his head and then downed his wine, looking like he wished it was something stronger. “It took me a few days to feel like my mind hadn’t been blown and then I tried to contact you, but you changed your number and when I tried to call your house, I was told you were gone.”
“Ben knew where I was.”
He pinched the bridge of his nose. “I figured if we were busted, why tell him about us?”
I scoffed. “Because you were worried about your business.”
“And our friendship. Look, I know I fucked up, Beth. If I could go back, I’d do it differently. But I can’t. All I can do is apologize and move forward.”
What did move forward mean for him? I couldn’t deny that this news changed my opinion about what happened, but could he be trusted? My father never said a word to me about Ash, even after I told him I was pregnant. He seemed to have bought the idea that it was some boy I met on the beach. But if he knew about us, then he’d have known Ash was Hannah’s father. Now him pulling away from Cam Raven made more sense.
What would have happened had Ash handled things differently? Would my father have disinherited me or was he just scaring Ash? The fact that Ash believed it suggested he didn’t want to risk my security. That was good, wasn’t it?
“The truth is Beth; I’ve never stopped thinking about you since that summer.”
“That summer was a long time ago,” I finally said. “A lot has changed.”
“Not everything has changed.” His gaze was intent, making me shiver. He had to mean his feelings or our chemistry hadn’t changed, but we couldn’t go there.
“W
e were very young,” I said.
He gave a small laugh. “You sound like my mother.”
“Mothers are wise.”
He looked down. “So, you moved on. What we had was just a young summer romance?” he asked.
No. “Well, yes.”
His jaw tightened and for a moment he looked away. When he looked back, he said, “Then perhaps it was best that I left.”
I felt his words like a stab in the heart, but I’d brought it on myself. I inhaled, both loving and hating what he was saying. I liked knowing that I meant something to him and that there was a reason, albeit not a great one, that he left without a word. But I was too invested in hating him. Our time had come and passed. I couldn’t let his confession derail my mission or soften my heart. There was too much at risk. I needed him to sign the papers and let me go.
Did I accept his apology and be done with it? It didn’t seem like he was in any hurry to sign. As the waiter brought soup, I realized we were having a full French seven-course meal. We were going to be here for a while.
I could distract him, but the only thing I could think that would entice him to sign and leave was to use my feminine wiles. I was too smart to do that. He said he was going to sign, and so maybe all I needed to do was bide my time. It had been years since I’d had a good seven-course meal, and this one was turning out to be delicious. Certainly, I could have a meal with him without revealing more than I wanted him to know.
Deciding to be friendly but distant, I moved us away from the tricky discussion of our past. “I understand Chase is married now.”
His hazel eyes watched me for a moment longer. He probably wondered why I was veering our conversation in another direction. Finally, with a small nod, he said, “Yes. She’s young.”
He said the words like he was challenging me and my idea that we’d been too young six years ago.
“She’s nineteen.”
My eyes widened. I tried to do the math. Chase had to be in his thirties, but more than that, he always seemed like an old soul.
Ash laughed. “That was the expression we all had, but Sara is good for him. I guess she’s mature for her age.”
I wondered if that comment was a barb meant to suggest I’d been immature. But he was the one who left.
“Anyway, he’s lightened up a lot. He’s happy. Really happy. They’re expecting a baby soon.”
His tone was authentic in his happiness for his brother, but there was a sadness to it too.
“What about your other brothers? Hunter? I heard he got out of the military.”
“He was discharged after an injury. He’s working for the company. He’s getting married too, actually. I’m glad. He’s had a hard time of it and Grace is good for him.”
“I guess that just leaves Kade.”
He laughed. “Kade is a confirmed bachelor, at least he is now. He’s the baby of the family in every sense of the word.”
“It sounds like you’re all doing well.”
He pushed his soup aside after one or two bites. “You don’t know if I’m doing well. You haven’t asked.”
I gave him a look. “I can see you’re doing well.”
“I’m not married. I don’t even have prospects. My best friend is MIA, and a woman I care about is chomping at the bit to end our dinner.”
“I just have a lot going on.”
He nodded. “All the more reason to allow yourself some time to relax and enjoy. You’ll have your money before we leave, so why not take a breath?”
He was right that I could use a moment to stop running around trying to fix something. And the food so far was delicious.
He pulled out his phone. “I have pictures of Chase and Sara if you’d like to see them. They were married at the Hampton house.”
“We sold our place.” I moved closer to him to look at the photos on his phone. He was right, Sara looked very young. But as he scrolled through the pictures, I could see she had intelligent eyes. There was no doubt Chase was head over heels by the way he looked at her. I wondered if Ash had ever looked at me like that.
“If you or Ben ever want to stay at our place out there, let me know.”
I looked up at him, not realizing how close our heads were bent together. I started to pull back, but he swiped the screen.
“Here is Hunter and Grace. I took this at their engagement party.”
“She’s lovely. They both look happy.”
“Yeah, they do.” His voice was sad again. “I envy them.”
“Oh?” Again, I turned, forgetting how close our faces were. This time, I couldn’t turn away from his gaze. I hated how lost his eyes looked.
“I had all that,” he said, gently tugging on a tendril of my hair.
My heart hammered in my chest, wanting to open to him. My head was screaming, “danger, danger.”
“I’m sorry, Beth.”
“For what?” my voice sounded breathy.
“For hurting you. For fucking us up. For still wanting you even though you don’t want me.”
Somehow our faces were closer. Like a magnet, I was drawn to him. Of course, I wanted him. That was the problem. “I never said that.”
His thumb traced my bottom lip. “You don’t want to want me, then.”
That was true. “We can’t go back,” I said softly.
“So, let’s go forward.” His lips pressed against mine.
11
Ash – Friday
Thank fuck, was my thought as I tasted her sweet lips again. My need for her was all-consuming. This was all I wanted in life. To be with Beth. Talking with her. Kissing her. Worshiping her body until she cried out my name as I brought her to climax over and over.
I knew once my lips left hers, she’d protest or find a reason to push me away. So, I kept kissing her until she moaned in my mouth. Until her body went soft and pliant next to mine.
“I want you, Beth,” I said against her lips.
“I can’t,” she gasped as I tugged her closer.
“Just one night.” I was a fucking pussy, begging for whatever scrap she could give me. But Ravens were nothing if not persistent. If I could get one night, maybe I could parlay that into another, and another, and so on.
I finally pulled my lips away, but held her close, looking intently into her beautiful blue eyes. “I’m going to sign these papers and transfer the money. That worry will be off your mind. I’m going to do it regardless of your answer,” I said wanting to be clear that I wasn’t trying to exchange the signature for sex. “Then I want to worship your body and make you come so hard you forget every worry you have.”
She gasped at my words, and I saw her desire for me to do just that.
I pushed more. “Let yourself have this moment. Enjoy the night. Let me give you pleasure until you’re completely boneless.”
“Ash—”
“Say yes.”
“We’re in a restaurant.”
Moving quickly, I signed the papers and handed them to her. Then I pulled out my phone and initiated the money transfer to the account she’d given me before.
I stood from the booth and reached out my hand. “Come on, Beth. One night.”
I was certain she was going to take the papers and bolt. She wanted to give in, but her resistance so far had been solid, the limo notwithstanding. But then she put her hand in mine, I felt like she’d given me the world.
I led her through the back of the restaurant to an elevator.
“Where are we going?” she asked.
“We own this building as well as the restaurant.” I pulled out a keycard and used it to engage the elevator. When it arrived, I led her in and then swiped the card for the penthouse. “This place is often used for people in town doing business with us.”
The elevator was quick, but I still worried she’d change her mind before I got her naked. Finally, we arrived at the top floor. I hurriedly opened the door, and pulled her in, pressing her back against the closed door.
“Let me make you feel
good, Beth.” I wanted to kiss her lips, but instead, I looked into her eyes, watched as her breath caught, and her pulse quickened. She wanted this, but would she allow herself to have it?
She let out a shaky breath. “I shouldn’t.”
I hated that there was something about me that made her think this was wrong. “I want you so bad Beth it’s killing me.” I took her hand and pressed it over my aching erection. “Tell me you’re not as wet for me as I’m as hard for you.”
There was a flash of heat in her eyes, telling me she liked the dirty talk. I moved back and heard her whimper as if she was disappointed, I was disengaging. But I wasn’t. Instead, I led her to the couch, pulling her down with me.
“Let go, Beth. Just for tonight. Let go.” I pressed my lips to hers and felt her surrender immediately. Hallelujah. Now I just needed to make sure she had the orgasm of a lifetime. Many orgasms by the time I was done.
Since this could be the only night I had, I planned to take my time. So, I focused only on kissing her initially, and then slowly, I let my hands roam over her body. Her long legs were soft and silky and I couldn’t wait to get between them to taste her pussy. Reining in my own need, I moved slowly, caressing, touching, and eventually getting her naked underneath me. I kept my boxer briefs on, needing the extra barrier for now as I focused on her.
I laid her back on the couch and looked down on her. Good God she was so beautiful. Her hair was down over the cushions after I’d pulled the pins and ran my fingers through it. Her body was rosy and damp with perspiration as her arousal grew.
“I’m going to use my mouth on every inch of you,” I said as I leaned over and sucked her nipple into my mouth.
She moaned and arched back like she was offering herself up to me. I kneaded the other tit with my hand as I licked and sucked the one until she was writhing underneath me.
“Ash.” My name came in a mixture of a moan and a desperate plea.
“Are you wet for me, Beth?” I ran my hand down over her stomach, through her blonde nest of curls, then between her pussy lips. She was slick with hot wetness that made me groan. “Oh yeah, you’re wet.” I moved down her body, kissing and licking until my shoulders settled between her thighs.