Catch

by Bladon, Deborah

  I went to a bar in midtown while she cleared her belongings out of my home. I drank to numb the pain, and then it turned into more.

  I swallowed shot after shot to chase away everything.

  By the time the bartender got my phone out of my hands and called my brother, I was falling over.

  Berk arranged for Sinclair to stay at his place. Then he got in a cab and came to get me.

  I cried on his shoulder.

  I don’t know what the fuck was wrong with me.

  His wife died less than two months before that, but he helped me up the stairs. He put me into the bed in the guestroom and promised he’d help me burn my bed.

  That never happened.

  Instead, he ordered me a new mattress, and on the day it arrived, I apologized for letting him down.

  He hugged me and told me that I was lucky I found out about Amber when I did. He wanted me to know that my pain didn’t matter any less than his. I needed to process the loss I was experiencing.

  I shouldn’t have done that by bringing a string of women home, but I did.

  Sinclair was living here at the time. She stayed on the top floor and when she’d forget to close the door to the suite, Dudley wandered down the stairs and into the arms of the strangers I’d bring home.

  Maren watches me as I eat my dinner.

  She hasn’t said anything since I confessed my sins. The only words out of her mouth were about the food and how good it is.

  She places her fork on the island. Wiping a linen napkin over her lips, she turns to me.

  “I loved a man once.”

  I close my eyes against the unexpected assault of emotions. Anger and sadness swirl inside of me. I swear I feel regret even though I didn’t meet her until recently.

  I would have given anything to be her first and only love.

  “Who?” Curiosity drives the question from me.

  “Kollin,” she stops short of supplying his surname. “He was my supervisor.”

  “At Knott?”

  With a shake of her head, she looks at me. “No, it was a long time ago.”

  Relief floods through me. I want this guy to be a distant memory, not my competition.

  “I thought we would get married.” She half-laughs. “I was young and stupid.”

  “What happened?”

  A deep sigh escapes her. “Our future wasn’t what he wanted anymore, so it ended.”

  I rest my fork on the plate in front of me. “Did you still want it?”

  Her head snaps to the side. Her eyes lock on mine. “At the time, I did, but looking back, I realize it wasn’t what I needed. He wasn’t what I needed.”

  I’m what you need. I will always be what you need.

  I swallow those words with a mouthful of wine.

  “I’ve changed a lot since I was with him.” Her hands fold onto her lap. “Isn’t it funny how we envision our future at one point in our lives, but fate takes it in an entirely different direction?”

  “I’m glad fate brought you to my office.”

  Her hand reaches out to cup my cheek. “I am too, Keats.”

  “We just chased all the skeletons out of our closets.” I perk a brow. “I, for one, feel fucking relieved.”

  My phone rings.

  I glance to where it’s sitting on the counter. “Who the hell is that?”

  The corners of Maren’s lips edge up into a smile. “You won’t know until you answer it.”

  “I’ll ignore it.” I gaze into her eyes. “They can wait.”

  It stops but starts up on a ring again almost immediately.

  Maren tosses it some side-eye. “Our clients get into a lot of trouble. You should check.”

  I stare at her, feeling more connected to her than I’ve ever felt to another human being. “Our clients.”

  A blush covers her cheeks. “You call them that.”

  “Because they are our clients.” I press a soft kiss to her mouth. “Just like we ate our dinner, and you’re wearing our robe.”

  Her gaze drops to the front of the robe. “This is our robe?”

  “I want it to be,” I confess. “I want you to wear it whenever you’re here. I want you to feel at home here.”

  She skims the pad of her thumb over my eyebrow. “We’re moving fast, Keats.”

  We both glance at my phone when it starts ringing for the third time.

  “Get the phone,” she insists with another kiss to my mouth. “Business first and then pleasure.”

  “And then more pleasure after that?”

  Her tongue darts over her bottom lip. “And more after that too.”

  I sprint to the phone and scoop it into my palm. Berk’s name lights up the screen.

  “What’s the emergency?”

  “What do unicorns eat?”

  I laugh when I realize that it’s Stevie on the other end of the call. I hear music in the distance. Classical music. That means my brother is working out.

  I glance at the clock on the microwave.

  “It’s way past your bedtime,” I point out.

  “I was asleep, and then I woke up,” she chirps.

  “Where’s your dad?”

  “Lifting weights,” she groans. “He has bigger muscles than the hulk.”

  If that’s true, I need to up my game. Competition is a healthy part of my relationship with my brother.

  “Put him on the phone, Stevie.”

  “Daddy!” she screams into the phone. “Keats wants to talk.”

  I watch Maren as she pours us each another glass of wine. I’m grateful that she’s not rushing out of here. I want her beside me when I wake up.

  “Hey.” My brother’s breathless voice takes over the conversation. “What’s going on? What do you need?”

  “Give Stevie a kiss and put her back to bed.” I chuckle. “And don’t lift too much. You don’t want to hurt that old body of yours.”

  “Go to Hello Street, Keats.”

  That’s Berk code for go to hell.

  I reciprocate in kind. “Only if you go fork yourself.”

  Maren’s eyes widen.

  “Goodnight, little brother.” He yawns. “You’re a sweet fool.”

  That’s not code for anything. That’s what Berk said to me when I was a kid looking for the approval of the older brother he adored.

  “I love you,” I say it because I mean it.

  “I love you too,” he responds before he ends the call.

  I silence my phone and set it on the counter. Maren is all I want to think about tonight. With the good grace of fate, this will be the beginning of a lifetime of nights to come.

  Chapter 50

  Maren

  When I unlock the door to my apartment, guilt hits me.

  I spot Dudley immediately sitting in the middle of the floor.

  Arietta is behind him with a mop in her hand.

  “Hey,” I say quietly.

  “Hi, Maren.” Her bright smile chases away some of my anxiety. “You look so good. Happy. That’s what it is. You look happy.”

  I feel happy.

  After spending the night with Keats, I rushed home to get ready for work. Arietta and Dudley were already gone, so I quickly showered, got dressed, and sent her a text message telling her I’d be home tonight.

  It’s later than I expected, though.

  I went home with Keats for dinner, but we skipped food.

  We ended up in his bed for more than two hours.

  I’m hungry, sore, and very satisfied.

  I crouch down to pet Dudley’s head. “I’m sorry I haven’t been around more to help with him.”

  Arietta drags the mop over the floor. “Don’t be sorry. You’re falling in love. There’s nothing more important than that.”

  I stand up. “What?”

  She rests the handle of the mop against the wall. When she turns to me, I see tears in her eyes. “I know you’re falling in love with him, Maren.”

  I could argue with her, but there’s no point
.

  It’s as though she can see into my heart because I am falling for him. I may already be in love.

  “I’m happy for you.” She rushes toward me. “If he’s good to you, I am so happy.”

  “He’s good to me,” I affirm with a brisk nod of my head. “We have so much fun together.”

  She scratches her brow. “More fun than you’ve ever had with a guy before?”

  “Way more fun.” I laugh. “It’s on another scale.”

  She pulls me toward the couch with her hand. “Sit and tell me everything. Have you eaten yet?”

  I shake my head. “No.”

  “I saved some salmon, wild rice, and broccoli I cooked.” She sets off toward the kitchen. “You keep talking, and I’ll get the food.”

  I don’t know where to start, so I jump into the middle of it. “Our work relationship is amazing, and the other stuff is next level.”

  I watch as she places a white plate on the counter. “The sex is next level?”

  I’ve never been shy talking about sex. “The best I’ve ever experienced.”

  She smiles as she plates my food from a dish that she pulled out of the oven. “You had an orgasm with him?”

  The question takes me aback. I don’t consider it too intimate to answer. I’m just shocked that she asked. “Many.”

  She picks up a napkin, and a knife and a fork before she scoops up the plate.

  Once the plate in on my lap, she settles next to me. “What’s that like?”

  As famished as I am, I set the utensils on the plate and turn to her. “Have you never had an orgasm with a guy before?”

  With a push of her glasses up her nose, she shakes her head. “No.”

  Sadness ripples through me. Until Keats, I didn’t have the most considerate lovers, but they did make sure I was satisfied. With Keats, it goes beyond that. We connect in a way that enriches the pleasure.

  “You need to experience that, Arietta.”

  “I want to.” She nods. “I hope I will one day.”

  I place the plate on the table so I can gather her hands in mine. I look her in the eyes. “Sometimes, you have to chase after those experiences. I’m not saying you should hook up with a random guy, but if you start going out, you might meet someone.”

  Her hands tremble in mine. “You’re right. I’ve been looking at a few dating apps.”

  I crack a wide grin. “I can help you weed through the profiles to find a guy who is perfect for you.”

  She tips her chin forward. “Someone as wonderful as Mr. Morgan?”

  Do other men like that exist?

  I keep that comment to myself. “If you’re convinced that Dominick isn’t the man for you, you need to find someone who will see you as the gift you are.”

  “I want to be a gift to someone,” she whispers.

  “You will be.”

  Picking up the plate, she puts it back in my lap. “Eat, Maren. You need food and rest and maybe a bubble bath to soothe those aching muscles. I’ve heard great sex makes everything hurt.”

  “In the best way,” I say before I dig into the food.

  Chapter 51

  Keats

  When I made the crucial choice of a career path, I never imagined I’d end up here. I’m in a studio with renowned photographer Noah Foster and a half a dozen dicks.

  There are literally naked cocks everywhere.

  Thank fuck Maren is back at the office arranging plans for our dinner tomorrow night with the Newmans.

  “Keats.” Pace stalks toward me completely nude.

  I close my eyes. “Cover that.”

  “Covered,” he calls out.

  I crack open an eye to make sure I’m not being lied to. A well-placed football helmet shields his package.

  I pity whoever owns that helmet.

  “The guys stepped up to the plate for this.” Pace smiles as he nears me. “I can’t thank them enough, and you too.”

  I’m the afterthought, but I’m good with that.

  The athletes are the stars of the show today. Truth be told, they are every single fucking day.

  I won’t complain because it’s lined my pockets and set me up financially for the rest of my life.

  I’m smart. I invest wisely.

  “I didn’t know she was coming.” Pace lowers the helmet in front of him. “How do I look?”

  I glance over my shoulder to see Maren on the approach.

  “What the hell?” I mutter.

  Her gaze is focused on my face and only my face. I reach out a hand to offer her comfort when she’s a foot away from me.

  “I tried to call you.”

  Those are the first words out of her mouth.

  I yank my phone from my pocket. I tap a finger over the home button, but the screen stays black.

  “It’s dead.” I close my eyes. “I forgot to plug it in last night.”

  “Hey, Maren,” Pace says from where he’s standing. “How are you?”

  “Fine,” Maren spits the word out. Her gaze is still locked on my face. “How are you?”

  “I’m really, really good.”

  His cock is hard. He’s rocking a fucking hard-on while he’s talking to my girlfriend.

  Girlfriend.

  Is she my girlfriend?

  “Keats!”

  I turn when I hear my name bellowing from behind me.

  Two of my clients, Colson Rees and Louie Holland, both raise their hands in greeting.

  Louie’s includes a lift of his middle finger in the air.

  I take the high road and wave back. “Thanks for joining us, gentlemen.”

  Maren glances in their direction. I see the relief on her face when she realizes they’re both dressed.

  “Baseball players,” she says under her breath. “They are baseball players, aren’t they? Louie and Colson.”

  I smile at her. “You’ve been studying.”

  Her gaze darts back to the two players when Louie tugs the T-shirt he’s wearing over his head.

  Colson’s hands drop to the button on the front of his jeans. “Do you want us naked now?”

  He pushes his jeans down to reveal bright red boxer briefs.

  Maren grabs my forearm. “Can we talk outside for a minute?”

  Gladly.

  I don’t need the woman I’m falling head over heels for surrounded by naked dicks.

  I take her hand and lead her past Colson and Louie grateful that in a room with this many men, she only has eyes for me.

  ***

  We stand on the sidewalk in front of the studio as rain gently falls on us.

  She inches closer to me. “I have an important message for you.”

  I hope it’s that she loves me.

  The words have been sitting on the tip of my tongue for days, but I haven’t said them yet. I want to. Fuck, do I want to, but I don’t want to scare her.

  I stare into her blue eyes. “What is it?”

  She perches on her tiptoes to drag her lips over mine. “Blue unicorns are the best.”

  I let out a laugh before I cup the back of her head and kiss her properly.

  I let it linger as her breath stutters when I claim her bottom lip with a nip of my teeth.

  “Stevie did call.” She takes a step back. “But I came down to tell you that Finn Remsen wants a word with you.”

  “He wants a word?” I huff out a laugh. “Those are his exact words, aren’t they?”

  She nods. “He called and left that message an hour ago. He said he didn’t appreciate you ignoring his calls, and it’s urgent that he speak with you.”

  “He can wait.” I kiss her again. “I have more important things to do.”

  “Wrangle cocks?”

  Hearing her say the word makes me hard. “You’re making me want things, Maren.”

  She inches closer, and with her lips pressed to my ear, she whispers. “Is one of those things me?”

  I tug her closer. “Feel how hard I am.”

  She squirms against m
e as people pass by, oblivious to us. “Get back to work, boss.”

  I stare into her eyes. “How did I get this lucky? What did I do in my life to deserve this?”

  “You’re a good man.” She rests her forehead against my cheek.

  “You make me a better man.” I close my eyes. “I want to be the best man I can for you.”

  “Keats!” Noah Foster’s voice booms from the doorway of the studio. “You need to get inside. Let’s get this thing moving.”

  I turn toward him. “Noah, this is Maren. She’s my girlfriend.”

  Maren’s eyes latch onto mine. A smile takes over her lips.

  “Good to meet you, Maren.” Noah bows his chin. “I need to steal your man for a few hours.”

  Maren grazes a kiss over my cheek before she turns her attention to Noah. “It’s lovely to meet you too, Noah. Thank you for doing this for us.”

  Us.

  Fuck, yes.

  I want that to be one of her favorite words because it sure hits high on the list of mine right behind:

  Maren.

  Future.

  Forever.

  Chapter 52

  Keats

  I used a phone charger that was plugged into the wall at the studio. Once my phone powered up, I was hit with a deluge of notifications.

  Text messages from Berk ranged from one thanking me for connecting him with Nicholas Wolf to a few asking if seals have bad eyesight how do they keep their glasses on.

  I’ll wade through those later to separate the Stevie ones from the ones my brother sent.

  He might be interested in marine life, but I’m betting Stevie is slowly getting over her fascination with unicorns.

  I hone in on the text message Finn left me.

  Finn: Morgan, meet me today. You want to hear this.

  I didn’t bother listening to the voicemails he left. They’ll be more of the same.

  Since the photo shoot is winding down, I type out a reply to Finn.

  Keats: What the fuck do you want?

  His reply is instant.

  Finn: Not your good looks and talent obviously since I have more of both.

  Jerk.

  I respond the way I always do.

  Keats: Look in the mirror. You have ear hair and a chipped tooth.