Joseph shook her hand and grinned. “Ah, this is Amy. I’ve been hearing all about you.”
Amy refused to believe that Adam had been talking about her. These brothers were charmers and Joseph was clearly learning the ropes from his older role models.
“Well, thank you,” Amy said, remaining polite. “I like your jacket.”
“Thanks. It’s the one Marlon Brando wore in The Wild One.”
Amy ran her gaze over it. “Yes, it’s very similar, isn’t it?”
“No, it’s the actual one. Dylan got it for me for my birthday.”
Joseph grinned proudly, but Amy sensed pain behind that self-assured smile. Just like with Adam, she could see that this young man was devastated about what had happened to his eldest brother. What had Tariq done to this family? And why was he so keen to speak to her?
Adam pulled her out of her worried thoughts by tenderly draping his arm around her shoulders and leading her down the lavish hallway. The house was minimalist and modern inside, which was a contrast to the castle-like exterior. The hallway glistened with money, but somehow Amy felt reasonably relaxed. Joseph followed, chatting casually with Adam about last night’s game, but as they drew closer to the sounds of the party, the stark mood of the stuffy entrance shifted, becoming light and festive. Amy could hear music and chatter emanating from a room at the end of the hallway, and excitement flickered through her as she allowed the party mood to envelop her.
Adam opened the heavy walnut door of the grand hall, and Amy halted in the doorway. It was like the portal to another dimension. She realised that the music was being provided by a ten-piece jazz band, who’d set up in the corner of the large room, next to a place that had been reserved for dancing. Amy’s mood spiralled further upwards; she loved to dance. Maybe Adam would ask her later. She hoped so. But the dance floor was empty at the moment, because the other one-hundred-or-so guests were dotted around the hall, dressed in their finest clothing and expensive jewels, chatting and socialising. Amy’s body flushed with delight as the band’s upbeat jazz buzzed though her, mixing with her nerves from being near all these ultra-wealthy people.
But as she watched them, Amy sensed that they were having a genuinely good time. They didn’t seem pretentious, and there was no hint of the stifling vibe that she’d feared when she’d first seen the house. She relaxed a little and smiled at Adam.
“Welcome to the Quinlans’ humble home,” he said with a wink.
Amy chuckled. She loved how Adam was able to laugh at himself. Most wealthy businesspeople she’d met were so serious. It was true that his flirtiness had annoyed her when they’d first met, but actually, it was refreshing to find someone with a bit of life in them; someone who wasn’t afraid to be himself.
Adam held her hand as they walked through the crowd. Dylan noticed them and waved, then resumed his conversation with a few other men who looked as if they were probably part of this charming and handsome clan – maybe cousins.
Adam’s parents stood in the centre of the room, chatting with their guests, as if they were a king and queen holding court. They were attractive and stylish, like a couple of movie stars. His mom looked as if she’d once been a model – she was tall, slim, and beautiful. Amy guessed she’d married Quinlan Senior young, and had set about producing their six children early. She seemed happy and relaxed, though, as if being a mom and wife to a billionaire had been her dream-come-true. Quinlan Senior was rugged-looking and not as handsome as Amy had been expecting. Perhaps the children had acquired their striking good looks from the maternal line. Adam’s dad seemed stern, as though he’d had a tough life. But maybe he was just unable to cover up his devastation from losing Ivan, whereas his wife was forcing herself to play the jovial hostess.
Adam and Amy halted on the outskirts of the little group surrounding Mr and Mrs Quinlan, to wait their turn to be greeted. Adam gazed into Amy’s eyes and smiled more sincerely at her than any man ever had, making her heart squeeze with affection. He reached up and gently brushed a stray hair from her forehead.
“I’m proud to be here with you, babe. Did you see everyone staring as we walked past? They’re all wondering who you are.”
Amy blushed. “I’m sure they were just looking at you, Adam.”
He chuckled kindly. “Nah, they’ve all seen me before. But never with a woman. Not at a family function. I’m about as likely to bring a date as Dylan.”
Amy glanced over at Dylan, who was still deep in conversation with his cousins. She turned back to Adam, who leaned towards her conspiratorially. “My brother prefers the company of men.”
“Oh. He’s gay?”
Adam burst into laughter. “No! He likes to bed women. He just doesn’t enjoy their company out of the bedroom.”
“Oh. And you’re the same? That’s why everyone’s surprised to see me here?”
“I’m not as bad as Dylan. But yeah, I guess to a certain extent I didn’t really entertain the idea of a relationship. Until I met you. I don’t know what it is about you. But I’m glad you’re mine.”
Amy opened her mouth to question his dominating assumption, but it was their turn to speak to his parents. Adam ushered her forward as if they were waiting to go on a terrifying ride at Universal Studios.
“Mom, Dad,” Adam said. “May I present Ms Amy Carter.”
Mrs Quinlan smiled warmly and offered her hand to shake. “How lovely to meet you, dear. Welcome to our home. Please enjoy your evening.”
“Thank you, Mrs Quinlan.” She glanced at Adam’s dad who winked and said hi. “Happy Anniversary to you both,” Amy added.
“Thank you, dear,” Mrs Quinlan said.
Adam started chatting with his dad about a business deal that Quinlan Senior was apparently involved in, leaving Amy grinning inanely at his mother.
“You have a beautiful home,” Amy said, hoping she was saying the right thing.
“Thank you – we built it ourselves from the ground up. Always worked hard, you know.”
“Yes, I can see that.”
“And what do you do?” his mom asked. “Are you a model?”
“Oh no! I’m just an operations director for a London software company which Adam and Dylan are interesting in acquiring.”
Mrs Quinlan grinned slyly. “I don’t think that’s all Adam’s hoping to acquire,” She leaned forward. “I’ve brought up my sons to know how to treat a lady. And I don’t mean holding the door open for her, if you know what I mean?”
Amy stifled her grin. “He’s a very good… man.”
Mrs Quinlan chuckled. “All my sons are good boys. And my daughter is a treasure. My children do me proud. Well, my youngest – Joseph – he’s going through a bit of rebellious stage.”
“Oh really?”
“Yes. He’s not taking his eldest brother’s death well. Are any of us?”
Amy suddenly realised that these people – who were extraordinarily wealthy and successful – still had normal human problems, like everyone else.
“I was very sorry to hear about your loss, Mrs Quinlan. I lost my mother when I was seventeen, but I cannot begin to imagine what it feels like to lose a child.”
Mrs Quinlan swallowed back her tears. “It’s been a terrible time. But I know Ivan would want us to carry on. I wish he were here to talk to Joseph, though. He was the only one who could really get through to him. Look at him over there acting as if he’s a blond Marlon Brando – can you believe it? And a few days ago he informed me that he intends to drop out of college to become a rock star. We’ve all tried talking to him, but he won’t listen.”
Amy glanced towards the drinks table and saw Joseph pouring himself a large whiskey. He noticed that his mother and Amy were looking at him, so he raised his glass to toast them with a cheeky grin. Amy turned back to Mrs Quinlan and chatted with her for a few more minutes, bonding with her over their respective family losses. Mr Quinlan called over to his wife to ask her a question, so her attention was taken away, just as Joseph appeared at Amy�
�s side.
He grinned at her and swigged his whiskey. “Would you care to dance with me, Ms Carter?”
Amy tensed up – was he flirting with her? “Oh, I’m not sure.”
Joseph gently grasped her hand. “Come on, nothing terrible will happen. It’s just fun. I don’t bite.”
Amy smiled and relaxed. A dance would be fun. The band were now playing a sassy jazz number, and Amy could hardly keep her body from swaying on the spot. She glanced at Adam, and saw he was still engrossed in the conversation with his parents, so she nodded, and followed Joseph to the dance floor, where they stood in front of each other slightly awkwardly, like teens at a prom. Joseph, of course, was a teen, albeit only just.
Amy gazed into his lovely blue eyes, which sparkled with mischievousness – just like his brother’s. He was such a charmer. So young, but already undoubtedly a heartbreaker. But there was nothing wrong with having a dance.
Joseph grinned at Amy and she chuckled, enjoying the attention. He raised a sexy eyebrow then yanked off his leather jacket with a flourish, before throwing it to the other side of the dance floor. Amy rolled her eyes, pretending not to be impressed, but actually, there was something captivating about this sweet young man. Maintaining playful eye contact, Joseph reached out and rested a hand on her shoulder, reminding her of his older brother’s orgasmic touch, which sent ripples of joy through her body. He wrapped the other hand around her waist and he gently pulled her forward, so their bodies were almost touching.
“Ready?” he asked.
She nodded. “I think so.”
Joseph ran his fingers from Amy’s shoulder down her arm to hold her hand, then they started to move their feet in time with the music. He danced very well, and Amy was happy to let him lead her around the dance floor, feeling graceful and free. She hadn’t been out dancing for ages, because work always got in the way, and it was wonderful to sway her body and twirl under his arm, frolicking and playing like kids pretending to be adults. As she felt her stiffness unravel, she realised that she probably wouldn’t have done this prior to meeting Adam – not in front of a room full of rich strangers. Adam had sparked something liberating deep within her soul, and she now understood that – even though her orgasms were highly erotic and adult – they were also incredibly childlike. It was like going home to a place she’d been craving all her grown-up life. Dancing and sex were natural and freeing.
Amy grinned, feeling like a little girl chasing butterflies. Joseph chuckled, also enjoying this moment.
Amy raised her voice against the swirling music. “Hey, your mom said you’re dropping out of college to be a rock star. Is that true?”
He shrugged. “Ivan always told me to follow my dreams. He said, Joe, if you wanna be a musician, then do it.”
“That’s true. But did he say you should drop out of college to do it? That you should sabotage your education?”
“Er… no, I guess not.”
“How long have you got left at college?”
“Two years.”
“But you really hate it?”
“No, it’s okay.”
“So why don’t you finish college and work on your music at the same time? Then graduate and decide what to do? Once you’ve got your education, no one can take it away from you.”
Still dancing, he frowned as if this obvious compromise hadn’t occurred to him.
“I guess I could.” His cocky act slipped and Amy glimpsed a confused and devastated young man. She wondered if maybe she was getting through to him.
“I just miss my brother,” he said. “Death makes you realise how short and precious your own life is.”
“Absolutely, it does. But that doesn’t mean you should behave as if you’re going to meet with the same fate as Ivan. You should enjoy your precious time on this planet, of course. But you need to be wise and realise that you might live until you’re ninety. You can live for today and plan for the future.”
He smiled gratefully. “I guess you’re right. And not get too bogged down by the past, either, huh?”
“Exactly.”
Amy realised they’d stopped dancing now and were standing with their arms around each other, chatting. She quickly released her arms stepped back. “Ultimately, you need to decide what’s best for you. You can do things that other people want you to do – like your mom for example. And it doesn’t mean she’s won. It just means that you decided to do what was best – even if she also wanted it. Sometimes we need to forgo instant gratification for long term freedom. Does that make sense?”
He nodded. “You’re right. Thanks, Amy. You know in some weird ways, you’re very much like Ivan. I guess that’s why Adam likes you so much.”
“That’s a massive compliment. Thank you.”
Joseph lowered his face and kissed her tenderly on the side of the cheek. “Let’s dance – the night is young and Adam will want you back soon!”
Amy laughed. A flag of contentment unfurled inside her and she suddenly felt connected to this fabulous family. They were welcoming and kind. Adam was a playboy, but maybe he just needed the love of a good woman? Suddenly she wanted that woman to be her.
Amy raised her arms and Joseph held her close as they resumed waltzing around the floor together, spinning and twirling fast and free. Amy couldn’t hide her jovial grin, as she allowed herself to sink into his arms and into the glorious moment.
Other guests soon started to join them on the dance floor and the party atmosphere zoomed up another notch. Amy was delighted to see Mr and Mrs Quinlan dancing cheek-to-cheek, as well as Adam, who was dancing with an attractive young woman whom Amy hadn’t been introduced to. She tried not to feel too envious; she was after all dancing with a very handsome young man herself.
But Joseph wasn’t anywhere near as wonderful as his big brother, and Amy was secretly ecstatic when Adam excused himself from the arms of the pretty young thing and strode towards her and Joseph.
“I’m interjecting, little brother.”
Joseph smirked. “Oh if you insist. I’ll go dance with Tracy, shall I?”
“Yeah, get outta here.”
“Thank you, Ms Carter,” Joseph said, “for being so delightful. The dance and the conversation were very much appreciated. My mother will be thrilled to hear that you’ve convinced me to stay at college.”
Joseph winked at her and walked off to rescue the young lady who Adam had left stranded. Amy glanced at Adam. He was staring at her aghast.
“What?” she asked innocently.
“How did you convince him to stay at college?”
Amy winced. “I’m not sure.”
Adam wrapped her up in his arms and they danced close. She could feel his hard cock pressing hungrily against her, but she tried to ignore it. “You know,” he said, “me and my parents have just spent the last half hour trying to figure how to get him not to drop out. And the whole time you were actually doing it.”
She smiled coyly. “Sorry.”
“Thank you. Seriously, my parents will be so grateful. My mom liked you anyway, but now she’ll love you.”
“I like her, too. She seems really nice. I like Joseph, too. He’s a good kid.”
“Yeah, uh...” Adam frowned.
“What?”
“Well, it’s stupid, but when you were dancing with Joe… I felt jealous. Possessive, you know. You’re mine and I didn’t like any other man putting his hands on you. Not even my little brother.”
“Should I take it as a compliment?”
“Definitely.” He cupped her chin with a strong hand. “I don’t know what the hell’s wrong with me, Amy. I’m so fucking hard for you. Your sexy body’s constantly on my mind. And it’s all I can do to stop myself from taking you right here and now.”
She chuckled, pushing away her thundering arousal. “I actually quite like that idea.”
He kissed her on the forehead, then threw her a playful smirk. “Come on, I’ll show you my old room. There’s something I need to give you.”<
br />
Chapter Twelve
Adam’s childhood bedroom was roughly the same size as Amy’s entire apartment, but the size was where the similarity ended. Amy’s apartment was cramped and in need of some decorating, but it was full of her own personal things. Adam’s room here was minimalistically decorated, with a double bed, laminate floor, and functional pine furniture. Even Amy’s bedroom back at her childhood home – where her dad still lived – sported the posters of rock idols and shelves of books that she’d left behind. But Adam’s parents had removed all unique traces of his youth and left him with an empty shell of blandness. Amy wondered what his own apartment was like, and she suddenly realised she didn’t know much about him at all.
She sat down on the squishy bed, feeling nervous. “So did you grow up here? In this huge house?”
He sat next to her and loosened his necktie. “Yeah. It was an interesting upbringing. We moved around a lot in my first ten years, before my dad started making any money. My parents come from humble backgrounds, and they worked their way up to this place. Me and Dylan can remember the old houses – small and grimy. Joseph’s never known any different, you know. That’s probably why he’s the way he is.”
“What d’you mean?”
“Like he doesn’t understand how important education is. Or how lucky he is.”
“Maybe he needs some perspective. Perhaps a bit of travel will broaden his mind?”
Adam drew her into his powerful embrace. “You might be right. Maybe I’ll send him over to London to work as the ops director at our newly acquired software company, and you can stay here.”
Amy smiled shyly. “You don’t really want me here long-time. I think you only like me because I’m a limited-time fling. You want to enjoy me while you can, before I leave, kind of thing.”
Adam caressed her cheek. “Is that what you think?”
“That’s what my head’s telling me.”
“But what’s your heart telling you?”
“Oh, I can’t let my heart control me. I need to think with my head.”
“And what are you thinking?”
The Billionaire's Kisses: Billionaire Brothers Page 7