There was nothing Gage needed to prove to himself. She was his. Yet he wanted to leave no doubts of that in her mind. That night was to be about him giving her his all. The thought had a shattering effect and he was then releasing himself inside the condom’s thin sheet far more quickly than he had intended. He gnawed her cheek and shoulder, patting her bottom and loving the feel of her continuous clutch and release of his shaft.
“Alythia?” He felt himself refueling for another round and the need for additional protection was in order.
“Mmm...?”
“Where’s my jacket?”
* * *
“What?” Gage probed when he heard the short laugh Alythia gave in to her coffee the next morning in her small kitchen.
“You’re not an easy man to figure out.” She smiled.
“In what way?” He looked playfully insulted. “I thought I laid myself pretty bare last night.”
“I’ll say.” She sipped of her coffee and then cradled the mug between her hands. “One day you’re commanding the head of a table on board a lavish jet and the next you’re here having bacon and eggs in my little kitchen.”
“And they’re damn good eggs, too.” Brows raised, he was already leaning over the table to help himself to more of the fluffy scramble. He took note of her expression and suddenly feigned uncertainty.
“Should I be down on your cooking or complaining over the cramped dining space?”
“No...and thanks for being so considerate. I can definitely do without the colorful commentary about my residence.”
“Good, because I really want us to have dinner here tonight.” Gage cleaned his plate of the second helping of eggs. “Since you took care of breakfast, I’ll handle dinner.”
“You? Cook?”
Gage shook his head. “I said I’d handle dinner—never said I’d cook it.”
“That’s too bad.” Alythia set her amethyst gaze to appraising his torso, hidden by a partially buttoned shirt. “Nothing sexier than a man who cooks.”
“Does Owen cook?”
Aly laughed. “That’s one of the few things he prefers to leave to Angela. He only visits the kitchen to eat.”
“I see. In that case, I’ll put cooking lessons on the list ASAP.”
“No need.” Aly propped her bare feet on the unoccupied chair at the small round table they shared. “There are other places to be talented besides the kitchen, you know?”
“Hmm... You may be right.” Gage tapped his chin, finished off the rest of his juice, wiped his mouth and hands, and then stood.
Alythia accepted the hand he offered and the kiss that followed.
“Walk me out?” He made the request as his sensuous exploration of her mouth continued.
Eventually, cooler heads prevailed over hormones. Arm in arm, Gage and Alythia made their way to the front door.
“I’ll see you for dinner.” He patted the bare hint of cheek visible at the hem of the sleep T-shirt she still wore and indulged in another quick plundering of her mouth. Then he left.
* * *
Aly watched him go, waving him on down the hall when he pivoted to return to her door. As he disappeared down the hall, Aly thought about how used to this she could become.
“Head out of the clouds, Aly....” she whispered, and headed back to the kitchen to clean up from breakfast. The kettle continued to simmer on the stove, sending its sounds of steaming water into the air. Additionally, there was the dull drone of the television newscaster delivering the morning forecast and traffic conditions.
Alythia only barely paid attention to the voices as she wiped down the table and loaded the dishwasher. Soon, though, she was riveted to the television screen, having done a double take when she saw footage of Orchid leaving some arts event she’d attended earlier in the year. Beneath the footage, a caption read Local Heiress Sues Former Fiancé.
Slowly, Alythia settled in one of the dining table chairs and mourned her friend’s decision. She set her forehead against her palm when the newscaster added that prominent Charlotte attorney Owen Hays would be arguing Ms. Benjamin’s case.
Alythia was massaging her temples when the doorbell rang. She wondered if it was at all possible to fake not being at home. But the fact that it may have been Gage was enough to get her out of the chair. While she would’ve loved to forget everything and fall into his arms for the rest of the day and night, she knew that probably wouldn’t happen for a while. Aly cursed the fact that she and Gage were once again on the cusp of another friendship melodrama.
At the door, Aly gave in to a significant measure of relief. Marianne, not Gage, stood on the other side of the door.
“Mari, hey—”
Marianne moved fast past her before Alythia could give her a proper greeting. Mari kept hold of Aly’s upper arms while pushing her into the foyer.
“We may have a problem,” she said.
Chapter 16
News of Benjamin v. Muns had reached Gage by the time he’d arrived at his office building. He’d stopped off at his condo for a change of clothes, regretting that he hadn’t checked the news before leaving. His staff, however, had wasted no time informing him of the brewing storm or the fact that he already had guests waiting in his office.
Gage didn’t need to ask. Since he’d just left Alythia, there were only three other people his staff was under clear orders to grant immediate access.
At the elevator he hesitated. He very much wanted to return to his truck and heavily contemplated going back to Alythia’s. Foregoing his wants, he moved onward and before he knew it, he was seated behind his desk. There he looked out over the stony faces of his friends as they recovered from the shock he’d just given them.
“What the hell do you mean you won’t back Jay on this, G?” Dane was first to recover from his surprise.
“I don’t think I was unclear.” Gage’s expression harbored a stoniness surpassed only by the grimness of his voice. Without waiting on another reply from Dane, he turned his next words to Jayson Muns.
“We go way back, Jay.”
“All the way back,” Jayson confirmed with a brief nod.
Gage returned the gesture. “I’ll help you however I can while you deal with this thing but I stand by what I just said. I draw the line at sitting up in a courtroom with you as part of this wall of support Dane’s talkin’ about.”
“G, that’s bull—” Dane began.
“And how the hell are you offering support to Jay when you’re responsible for all this?” Gage interjected.
“Aw, Gage, please! How long we had each other’s backs? Jay knew I was just lookin’ out for him.”
“Lookin’ out?” Gage felt as though he was on the verge of laughter.
“I meant to show him what that wench was really like.” Dane planted a fist to the center of his chest as though giving credence to his plan. “She didn’t need much coaxing, hardly any. What the hell kind of wife would she have made for our boy?”
“How’d you get him to buy that crap?” Gage’s tone was incredulous, his eyes narrowed with blatant disbelief.
Dane’s lips curled on the beginnings of a snarl. “I didn’t have to get him to buy a damn thing. He already knew it was true. Everybody in town knows what Orchid Benjamin is behind all that money and family respect.”
“Jay—” Gage turned back to Jayson, having silently acknowledged that Dane Spears was blind to everything except his own self-importance and opinion “—you did hit the woman. Don’t forget that. What D’s suggesting makes it look like we all approve.”
“And that would be wrong, G,” Dane chimed in before Jay could summon a reply. “It would be wrong if it wasn’t for the fact that Jay was protecting himself.”
Gage did laugh then. “You’re not suggesting that he claim this was all self-defense?”
“G? She did hit me first. That’s the truth of it,” Jay said matter-of-factly. “She hit me and I—I reacted. Granted, not in the best way, but after what happened with Zeke and J
eena, I wasn’t taking a chance with the woman’s violent streak.”
“That’s gonna be your statement for the press, Jay?” Gage set his elbow on the arm of the desk chair and massaged the bridge of his nose. “Please don’t tell me you’re bringing that into evidence.” He shook his head when there was no response from Jayson. “If you are,” he continued, “you should know that Alythia’s brother-in-law is no slouch in the courtroom.” He fixed Jay with unmasked sympathy.
“You better hope Owen Hays doesn’t present witnesses from that little spat. Even though Jeena was at fault, Hays will find all the other folks who were there and saw the three of us trying to hold Zeke down from going after her. They’ll try to make it look like we’re a bunch of woman beaters if we sit there and back you in this. I want to support you, man, but that sort of comparison doesn’t sit well with me.” Gage let his thoughts rest on Alythia.
“That’s it, isn’t it?” Dane was apparently thinking of Aly, as well. “You don’t want to stick by a friend you’ve known since forever, because you don’t want to upset your latest piece of candy?”
“D—”
“And a delicious piece she is.” Dane barreled ahead over Gage. “Not that I’ve had the pleasure of sampling—”
“Dane, man, easy,” Zeke said, having seen the murderous narrowing of Gage’s eyes and the clench of his fists.
Dane, however, had found a line to tug. “It’s cool, Zeke, it’s cool. Gage here just needs to ask himself if he really, really thinks Alythia is any better than the rest of her friends, who are skanks.”
Gage stood, crashing his chair into the credenza that spanned the length of his desk. Zeke and Jayson came to their feet, as well, ready to separate their friends if the meeting turned physical.
“Gage!”
Webb Reese burst into the office then. Desperation had overridden all sense of decorum as he interrupted the goings-on between the four tense men in the room.
“Was she worth it, man?” Dane roared, waving a hand toward Webb.
“Webb?” Gage didn’t miss the guilt flash on his assistant’s face.
“Is that how Ms. Duffy got her new downtown digs, Webb?” Dane was smug and shrugged at Gage. “Guess your right-hand man is gonna try keeping it all quiet a little longer. Trust me, man, no one’s gonna hear a peep out of me.” He turned to Webb. “At least be honest with your boss. You know he’s been good to you. Tell him how Alythia Duffy’s right hand girl gave up the panties to close the deal.”
Webb shook his head wildly and spread his hands. “Gage, I swear, it wasn’t like that.”
* * *
“I swear it wasn’t like that.” Marianne spread her hands in a supplicating fashion across the nook counter.
Alythia squeezed Marianne’s hands and gave them a tug. “I believe you, but you know it won’t be hard for someone to make it look like you slept with Webb to give me a leg up on the bid...pun intended.” She smiled sympathetically when Mari put her forehead on the counter.
“But I didn’t even sleep with him,” Mari moaned. “We didn’t even go out together.”
“I— Huh?” Aly tapped her fingers to her brow.
“I never even talked to Webb Reese before the day Gage asked him to call and help him find you. Sounds like Gage didn’t have any way to contact you.”
“No.” Aly picked at the microscopic balls of lint that clung to the worn sweatpants she’d thrown on when Marianne arrived. “The trip to Anegada wasn’t about matchmaking.” She smirked. “At least, we were all stupid enough to believe it wasn’t. We were going to celebrate our friends’ wedding. Anyway, no numbers or emails were exchanged.”
“Well, I told him I couldn’t help. I didn’t even know the guy. No way was I giving contact info on one of my clients.” Marianne finally helped herself to the piping-hot herbal tea Aly had served her.
“So he—Webb—tells me that one of the sales associates at the boutique suggested he give me a call. I think he even got your cell number and shared it with Gage, but I guess you didn’t answer.”
“And then he showed up on my doorstep in Aspen.”
Marianne cringed. “Sorry.”
“Don’t be.” Alythia didn’t try to hide her contentment and hugged herself. “It was the best time of my life.”
“I’m glad.” Marianne bent her head to shield her face with tousles of her reddish hair. “Even so, I told Webb that I couldn’t just give your info to someone I didn’t know and then he dropped Gage’s name and I...” She sent Aly a resigned look.
“I really am so sorry about this, Aly. Hmph, an apology is why Webb called.” Marianne tugged at the tassels of her white sweatshirt. “He said he was sorry for upsetting me when he called. I told him it was fine but he said he wanted to take me out and make it up but I didn’t think it was a good idea.” She burst into quick laughter.
“So of course I run into him at Rooney’s.” She cited a cigar bar that was popular with the business crowd after hours.
“We were both there.” Marianne put her head in her hands. “He was there with someone I knew and they introduced us. Afterward we stayed a little longer, had a few drinks...”
“Nice...” Aly reached over to help herself to Marianne’s tea.
“Aly, I promise it didn’t go any further than that. We talked about our jobs, but the conversation never brushed up against our clients or our clients’ business. I know I’m probably making a mountain out of my molehill of a dating life.” She brought her elbow to the counter and propped her chin on her fist. “I just thought you should know.”
“I appreciate it.” Aly massaged her nape. “It’s amazing how many molehills have brushed up against me and Gage’s relationship in the short time we’ve known each other.”
“So...we’re good?” Mari cringed again.
Aly squeezed her hands and nodded. “We’re good. You’re fine.”
Marianne’s expression harbored a trace of uncertainty. “And what are you gonna do?”
Aly made her way around the breakfast nook. “Guess it’s time to face another round of music. I can only hope this is the last movement.”
* * *
“Something tells me I’ve really come at a bad time.” Alythia stood in the doorway of Gage’s office and observed what looked to be a war zone.
His expression gave away nothing when he stood from the heap of books and picture frames. “What makes you say that?”
“Just a lucky guess.” She hooked the strap of her purse over the office doorknob and tentatively ventured deeper inside the room. “Have you seen the news?” she asked.
“You’re referring to the trial of the decade?” Gage tossed a scant glance toward the wreckage on the floor and grinned. “Yeah, I heard. I heard a lot today.”
“Did it have anything to do with the tornado that swept your office?”
Gage tossed the picture frame he carried back to the mess on the floor. “Dane wants to get a support group together for Jay. Wants all of us to rally together and sit in his corner at the hearing.”
Alythia couldn’t help it. She laughed.
Gage’s sour expression showed signs of improvement and he smiled.
“Are you serious?”
Gage shrugged. “Sadly, yes.” He kicked at some of the wreckage.
“Men are strange.” Aly shook her head and brushed off a bit of debris from one of the chairs before the desk and took a seat there. “So quick you are to forgive the betrayals of your boyhood friends.”
Gage took his turn at bursting into laughter then. “You’re very mistaken, Ms. Duffy, so let me school you. Men like that are few and far between.” He laughed again, but the humor fueling it had curbed considerably.
“I’m starting to think that my old friend Jay doesn’t have as much going on upstairs as he used to.”
The duo indulged in more laughter. Unfortunately, the good vibes spent themselves far too soon.
“So is that what led to this recent redecoration of your office?” A
ly scanned the room again.
Sighing, Gage took a seat on the corner of his desk and seemed to be weighing his response. “The ‘redecoration’ happened after my assistant, Webb Reese, came to tell me about his date with your business manager—Marianne?”
Aly only nodded as more of the pieces began to fall in place.
“Somehow Dane knew about it already. He got vocal over it. Things got ugly.”
“Gage.” Aly scooted to the edge of her chair, his explanation motivating her into a vocal spree of her own. “Whatever Dane said, it—it wasn’t like that. Marianne says she and Webb, it was all just by chance—”
“Alythia—”
“They met at a cigar bar. They didn’t even meet there, just happened to be there at the same time and—”
“Alythia, stop.”
The underlying thickness of his voice caught her attention and she obeyed. Her heart sank as she acknowledged that he’d finally had enough.
“Guess you’re sick of this, huh?” Nervously, she fingered the pleats of her skirt.
Gage massaged his forehead. “You have no idea how much...and I think it’ll all get worse before it gets any better.”
“Yeah...” She bowed her head, unable to look at him. She raised it quickly, however, at his next words.
“I think I’m falling in love with you, Alythia Duffy, and I’m sick of just thinking it—I’m ready to know it.”
Aly expelled the breath she hadn’t realized she’d been holding. “I think I’m falling in love with you, too. But our...attempts at getting to the knowing stage haven’t been too successful, have they?”
Gage left the desk and pulled Alythia to her feet. “Say that again.” He cupped her face, brushing at both her cheeks with his thumbs.
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