She laughs. “Nope, I’m good.”
“You sure?”
Heather shakes her head.
“I’m just saying I would help you out.”
“That’s because you’re a freak.”
I grin. “Amen.”
It isn’t as if I’m ashamed of it. I like sex. Nothing wrong with it. I’m safe, always sure of my surroundings, and I know my limits.
“Speaking of, any new trysts you’ve been holding out on.”
I grab the phone, flop back onto my bed, and frown. “Nope. Since meeting Mr. Fuck-Me-With-An-Accent, I haven’t. I think I’m sick, you know? Like one of those illnesses that makes your vag dry up. I think it’s terminal.”
“Death by lack of sex?”
“Yes! That’s what this is. I need a good fuck so I can stop thinking about him and his dick.”
Heather rolls her eyes. “I’m pretty sure that won’t work.”
“Pretty sure and sure are two different things,” I inform her.
Do I think it’ll work? Nope. I’m pretty sure I’ll be dreaming of Callum’s cock until I experience it, which means I’ll be dreaming about it forever.
Why is it that when you know you can’t have something, you want it more? It isn’t fair that now he’s my client. I should have slept with him at the club. Then I wouldn’t be imagining what it would be like. Maybe he would’ve been horrible. Then I could be all, no thanks, rode the ride and never want to again instead of standing in line, hoping the line moves.
“Well, you can’t do it, and you know why.”
Once again, she’s super helpful. “I’m aware of this.”
“Although . . .” Heather sighs. “You made this silly rule. It’s not like you can’t break it.”
“I have my reasons.”
Heather knows of Andy and the very basics of what happened. She doesn’t know he was married or that I was a week away from buying a home for him and myself. She doesn’t know that I found out I was pregnant a week before I found out about his wife. She doesn’t know that I lost that baby or that Andy told me he was going to work things out with her because it was the “right thing.”
My friends would never judge me. I know they would see him as the villain in that story, but the truth is, it’s me who judges me. I was the reason that girl had to wonder where he was at night. I was making love to a man who didn’t belong to me.
When I found out I was pregnant, I wanted to die.
I was horrified when I found out that his wife was also pregnant.
I was distraught to think he was sleeping with both of us.
I was terrified that my entire livelihood would be affected because of one man.
It’s not a silly rule to me.
It’s the only way to survive.
“Okay, whatever. I’m not saying it’s a good idea to sleep with your clients on a normal basis, but clearly, there’s something here, no?”
“All that’s clear is the contract for three million reasons not to fuck him. So, I’m going to keep that in sight, dress like a nun, try to tone down my hotness—as if that’s even possible—and make it through dinner without touching his junk again.”
“Again?” she yells and almost drops the phone. “Wait, again?”
I groan. Me and my big mouth. “Yes, I touched him once already. At the club, I was being . . . me . . . and I grazed it, rubbed it a little.”
“Seriously, I don’t understand you. You met the guy once and you managed to grab his dick?”
“She did what?” I hear Eli in the background.
Yes, let’s let him weigh in too . . .
“I touched the man’s dick, Eli. I was sitting next to him and he smelled good, so I ran my hand over it. Then I ran out like Heather did after she fucked you the first time. Happy? I’m as big of an ass as she is,” I announce.
He comes into the camera’s view. “I bet he really likes you now.” Eli chuckles.
“Why? Because I’m an ass?”
“No.” He shakes his head. “You’re a tease. There’s nothing a guy likes more than a challenge. You threw down the gauntlet, be ready for the games, sweetheart.”
“What is wrong with your entire sex? Are you all morons?” I ask rhetorically.
“Pretty much.”
Heather shakes her head with a smile.
“Fifty bucks says you end up on your back tonight,” he challenges.
I narrow my eyes at him. “I should’ve been a man, Eli Walsh, because I, too, like a challenge. I’m about to have fifty bucks and watch you lose to a girl. Game on.”
This is going to be like taking candy from a baby.
Chapter Nine
Callum
“Handle it, Milo,” I groan into the receiver at my brother. There are two projects in London that require special attention. My brother, who is supposed to be my right-hand man and handling them for me—isn’t. Instead, he has decided he needed a holiday because the new model he’s dating wanted to go on a trip.
I’m going to kill the wanker.
“I’m doing my best. You went away at a shit time,” he says, and I hear the woman giggle in the background.
I’ve had it with him. I get that he’s pissed at me for whatever bullshit reason, but this is ridiculous. I don’t know how I’m supposed to trust him to get things done when he’s taking off at whatever whim he has.
“No, my father died. I had no damn choice. You want to have more responsibility at the company, then earn it!” I yell and then hang up the line.
I close my eyes, rubbing my temples before I need to go be charming to Nicole. I don’t know what my goal is other than be around her for a bit longer. There’s no real work-related conversation we need to have—I just need to have her.
I’m still rubbing my temples when my phone rings again, and I don’t pause before accepting the call.
“Hello, Cal.” My mum’s warm voice makes me feel better.
I don’t know what it is about my mum, but just the sound of her voice allows me to calm down. She’s always been this way, and I’d like to think my personality comes from her. I can’t remember a time when she was cross and lost her temper. It was always her who kept her head about her during times when Milo and I were acting up.
“Hello, Mum.”
“How is America?” There’s no mistaking the disdain in her voice. My mum loved America once. She would’ve moved across the pond in a heartbeat, but my father alone solidified the reason she’ll never come here again, not even now that he’s dead.
“It’s bloody hot. I’ll be returning home in a few days.”
“What’s the delay?” she asks.
A beautiful blonde who has captured my heart. However, I don’t say that because she’ll scold me relentlessly. Mum isn’t a fan of any kind of romance with an American. She learned that lesson. “Just tying up a few loose ends. Now that I have full control of the American company, I need to ensure things are in order so I’m not flying back and forth.”
She’s quiet for a few moments. “And have you handled things with your father’s estate?”
“Yes. He’s all settled now.”
Meaning—buried.
“Well, I’m sure you did a nice job for him, even if he didn’t do much for you.”
He didn’t, but I won’t agree with her or defend him. He doesn’t deserve either, and she really won’t listen anyway.
“I’m sorry,” I tell her.
“Don’t be. I had a wonderful husband. Your dad was a wonderful man.”
“Yes, he was.”
I had a father and a dad. I was fortunate to have Milo’s father as my stepfather growing up. He never treated me different. He loved me as though I was his biological son and was always there no matter what.
My father was a check each month and obligatory visits. Most of the time, I followed him around like a puppy, learning how to be a businessman.
“I have to run, but I’ll ring you before I head back.”
“Ok
ay, darling. You be careful over there. Don’t fall in love and not come home, promise?”
“I won’t, Mum,” I say with a laugh.
She didn’t say anything about having some fun though . . .
“Right this way.” The hostess escorts Nicole and me to a table in the back.
God, she’s fucking gorgeous.
That’s all I can think as she walks in front of me. She’s wearing a deep-purple dress that cuts off at her knees. I don’t know if she’s trying not to be sexy, but there’s not a chance in hell she’s not.
Her hair is in a loose ponytail with strands falling around her face. Her eyes are simple in makeup, but that only allows me to see her light blue eyes even better. She’s breathtaking.
We get to the table, and she sits straight in her chair. “This place is okay?”
I nod. “It’s great.”
She smiles, and I want to ensure that stays there all night. “Do you come here often?”
“Not really. I’m usually working late and this place is always packed, but my best friend’s husband knows the owner.”
“That must be a nice perk?”
Nicole tilts her head back and forth. “Well, I don’t usually ask Eli to pull strings, but I thought this would be a great place for our dinner.”
I smirk and lean back. “You wanted to impress me?”
“I wanted to make sure you saw that I’m professional and value the business relationship we have established.” Nicole grabs her glass of water and sips.
Instead of jumping in immediately, I let her wait a bit. No matter what she says, there’s something between us. We both know it, and it is only getting stronger. The more I’m around her, the more I want to stay close.
Once she places the glass down, I move my hand. “Business partners can be friends.”
“Sure, but we’re not talking about us.”
“Aren’t we?”
She sighs. “Callum, please don’t make this hard. I want to work with you. I would love to be friends with you, but we can’t go further than that, okay?”
I showed my hand too soon. Now I have to back up. I raise my hands in the air with a smile. “Truce?”
Nicole’s red lips turn up into a smile. “Truce.”
“I promise I won’t say another inappropriate word. If I do, you can throw the water from your glass in my face. It’s a bit dramatic, but I’m sure it will make you smile.”
“I would never. Well, I totally would, but not until you’ve seen the designs and sent me half the money.” She laughs as if she’s joking, though, I’m not sure she is.
“Then I guess we shouldn’t chance it,” I say as the waiter walks over.
Nicole and I order a bottle of wine, a few starters, and our dinners. I love that she isn’t afraid to eat. She gets a steak instead of the rabbit food most women order at restaurants. Lord knows my ex did. She felt eating in front of me was going to make her less attractive. Eight years later, I learned it was her personality that was ugly.
“So, have you always had a stake in Dovetail?” Nicole asks as she runs her finger along the rim of her wine glass.
“In a way. My father was only generous after he realized I wasn’t an idiot. After seeing I was rather savvy when it came to business, he gave me a bigger role. Then he decided he wanted a London office, so we built one.”
“Wow.” She sits back in her seat. “That’s impressive.”
“Yes, well, I wanted to make my own name in the UK, so I put up most of the startup money, the rest was an investment from my father. He was a silent partner, and after the first year of being profitable, I bought him out completely.”
His name had no weight over there, and my surname, Huxley, did. Martin provided the funds to help with the startup because I agreed to use Dovetail as the company name. It was purely a financial transaction for me, regardless of him believing it was something to pay tribute to him.
He was an arrogant bastard. He absolutely hated that I took Huxley as my name when I was a boy. I was eight, and I wanted to be like my stepfather, so I asked my mum, and she somehow convinced Martin.
“I understand, probably more than you would think,” Nicole says with a sigh.
“Really?”
She nods. “My father is a big deal around here. He’s loaded and married to a girl about my age. You know . . . the typical old-man-with-money type. He offered to basically pay for my entire business if it meant he could profit off it, but I said no. I built Dupree Designs completely alone.”
“And now it’s my turn to be impressed.”
“Hardly. You’re much more successful than I am.”
I don’t see it that way. She had to work harder than I did. “I had a lot of doors open for me. My brother and I worked tirelessly in the beginning to establish ourselves. Honestly, we got lucky most of the time.”
“How so?” she asks.
“Milo found a piece of property that seemed too good to be true. He and I took what little money we had and took a gamble. Thankfully, it paid off. We made a lot of money off that land. Enough to buy my father out and establish ourselves as a premier real estate investment company in London.”
“And now you’re here . . .” she says with a smile.
“Here we are . . .”
Her blue eyes are soft as she looks at me. “I guess we are.”
Something stirs deep in my gut, making me want her more than I did before. She looks unguarded and even more beautiful, if that’s possible. I want to touch her and feel her soft skin beneath mine, but I can’t.
I lift my glass, and she does the same. Keeping my promise tonight is going to be very difficult.
Chapter Ten
Nicole
I’m totally not doing well at this whole not stripping him in my mind game. Since he picked me up, I’ve thought of about thirty different ways I could have sex with him. It isn’t fair that the one man I seem to want is the one man I can’t have.
Stupid sex rules.
“Tell me about your brother,” I say and then take a bite of my steak.
“He’s a fucking moron.”
“Well, don’t hold back.”
Callum grins. “Sorry, I had a bit of a fight with him before dinner. He’s brilliant when he wants to work, which seems to be very little lately. We grew up in the same house, but lived very different lives. I hoped he would’ve changed this last year when I promoted him, but it seemed to only make him more of a bloody fool.”
I could listen to him talk all day. His voice is this extra layer of yumminess that I want to swim in all day. The words just sound sexier with the accent.
Eli was right, I’m totally going to end up fucking his brains out tonight while he’s talking dirty to me. I’m not sure if I’ll be on top or he will, but it’ll be damn good either way. I already know he’s packing a rather large pistol in those pants. I can’t wait to cock that gun and watch it go off.
“Nicole?” Callum’s voice snaps me out of my little fantasy.
“Hmm?”
Callum smiles. “Am I interrupting something?”
Shit.
I was totally busted having a really good daydream, but I remember my rule.
No sex. No flirting. No life-altering sex with the Brit.
“Nope. Sorry, just envisioning a design.” Lie. Lie. Lie.
“A design?”
Sex is sort of like a design. I mean . . . I thought about the bed. It counts.
“Yup. For the lofts. I was thinking about color and surfaces.” Hard, cold, granite that my back will lie on while his hot, hard body is—
“For the lofts?”
He’s totally not buying it, but I’m going to sell this. I have no other choice. “Yes, I was wondering if I should go more glam or maybe industrial. I’m not sure. Maybe those can be the two options. We could do a more high-end modern feel and then a more warehouse type option for those who want that look. It might be great.”
Please believe me. Please believe me.
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“Those are both good options.” Callum’s voice is filled with disbelief. “If that was what you were thinking.”
“You never know when inspiration will strike. It’s the craziest thing that us creative types deal with. I think I have some great ideas that I’ll be able to show you soon.”
Callum swipes his mouth and then places his napkin on the table. “All right. Since we’re talking business, I’d like to discuss some of the finer points before we sign the contract.”
I knew this was coming since it was the entire purpose of this dinner. I need the contract signed, until then, I need to reel myself in. “Sure, let’s do that.”
I reach into my purse and pull out the piece of paper and pen I shoved in there.
He smiles, and I preen under his silent praise. “Impressive.”
“What is?”
“You come prepared.”
“Oh, I always come,” I say, pause, and then mentally slap myself, “prepared! I always come prepared, that is.”
Callum’s eyes deepen, and I don’t have a single doubt that his thoughts went exactly where mine did. Coming in the most glorious way—together. Jesus, this is out of hand. I need to get a grip.
His lips turn up into a smirk. Most girls would get embarrassed, but I don’t. I smirk right back at him. While this might be bordering on flirting, I don’t have a rule against flirting.
“I like to make sure the people I come with,” Callum’s voice drops lower, “are always satisfied.”
“Good to know. I’m sure they’re all very happy,” I say and then lean back, putting us firmly back in the friends and business associates zone.
He hesitates for a second before he concedes. “How about we make you happy, let’s work out the deal.”
Business always makes me happy.
We go back and forth for the next twenty minutes, negotiating all the details, trying to find a middle ground. I’d like to consider myself a very intelligent businesswoman. There’s an art to negotiations, and my father is the Michelangelo of this world. He can make men bend to his will, and I’ve watched and learned.
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