by Tonya Brooks
“I think you may be the most perfect man I've ever met,” she said softly and lifted a gloved hand to caress his cheek.
Elated with the comment, but knowing that he was far from perfect, Reece queried, “What would make you think that?”
“Because you danced with me in the snow,” she said as if he'd accomplished some miraculous feat. “You're either the man I've been waiting my whole life for or a complete lunatic.”
From the way he'd been behaving lately, the latter was far more likely, though he liked the sound of the former better. “Jolie, you are the only woman I would dance in the snow with,” he assured her.
“Because I'm the only one you know crazy enough to do such a thing?” She teased.
“Because you're the woman I love,” Reece admitted solemnly and saw the look of wonder that covered her face.
“Reece,” she breathed as tears filled her expressive eyes. “Oh, Reece, I love you so much.”
His frozen heart melted and Reece kissed her with a reverence he'd never shown another. “Jolie, my Jolie,” he whispered against her lips before the ever-present hunger took over and their mouths fused together in the act their bodies craved. When the car stopped, he regretfully ended the kiss. Her dazed expression and the desire in those too blue eyes damn near snapped his resolve.
When the driver opened his door, Jolie seemed to come out of a daze and looked at their surroundings for the first time. “This is a limo,” she gasped and raised huge, luminous eyes to his.
“Nothing but the best for my sunshine girl,” he assured her as he exited the vehicle and extended his hand to her. He assisted Jolie out of the car, and she stared at his driver in shock before she realized where they were.
“Reece,” she hissed quietly as he led her to the door. “This place is outrageously expensive and I'm not dressed…”
He silenced her protest with a gentle kiss and replied, “You look stunning.” That said, he nodded at the doorman, stepped inside, and led her past the line of waiting people, directly to the host. Normally he used his private entrance, but tonight he wanted everyone to see the beautiful woman by his side and know that she was his.
“Good evening, Sir,” the host greeted cordially. “Your table is ready.”
Jolie had stared back at the diners who were openly staring at them as he guided her through the room to the private alcove that was always reserved for him. Once they were seated, he turned his full attention to the woman at his side. She looked completely perplexed and her brow had an adorable wrinkle.
“How in the world did you make this happen?” She asked in confusion. Her question was understandable since the Three-Star Michelin Rated restaurant was as exclusive as it was expensive. It was also a well-known fact that the Cobalt Fig was booked months in advance and getting a table on short notice was impossible.
“I'll let you in on a secret,” he said with a devilish smile as he leaned closer to whisper, “This is my favorite restaurant, but getting a reservation was a pain in the ass. So I bought the place.” He leaned back a bit until their eyes met, and felt as if he'd jump out of his skin waiting for her reaction.
As usual, Jolie surprised him and clapped a hand over her mouth to hide her laughter. “Okay, I deserved that for being nosy,” she admitted in amusement and it was obvious that she thought he was joking. The possibility that he was Reece Lassiter had never even occurred to her. If possible, he loved her even more.
“Good evening, Mr. Lassiter,” the head waiter said as he materialized beside the table.
Jolie's quiet gasp and huge, rounded eyes assured him that she no longer thought he was kidding. Never looking away from the woman beside him, he said, “Give us a few minutes.” The man disappeared as unobtrusively as a shadow.
“You're Reece… Lassiter?” Jolie asked in a shaken tone and stared at him as if she'd never seen him before. That was not the reaction he'd been hoping for and it scared the hell out of him.
“I am,” he admitted.
The woman he loved visibly paled. “Oh my God,” she whispered in an appalled tone. “You're Reece Lassiter.”
His anxiety growing by the second, Reece took her cold hand in his and said soothingly, “I'm the same man you danced in the snow with, Sunshine.”
If anything she looked completely mortified at the reminder and actually moaned as if she were in mortal pain. “I made you dance in the snow.”
He couldn't prevent a grin at that ridiculous remark. “No one makes me do anything I don't want to, Jolie,” he assured her.
That did not appease her at all and those big blue eyes got even larger when she gasped, “You own this place and I cooked you dinner!”
“Best meal I ever ate,” he confirmed and it really had been. The woman was an amazing cook.
“Oh my God,” she moaned again and buried her face in her free hand.
Reece slid his arm around her shoulders and was shocked that she was actually trembling. Tilting her chin up with his other hand, he met her horrified expression and said, “Jolie, please tell me this isn't going to be a problem.”
She stared at him as if he'd sprouted another head. “Not a problem?” She repeated incredulously. “Reece, you're rich and famous and, well… you. I'm no one.”
Red-hot fury zapped him at hearing her belittle herself, and he fought to hang onto his temper. “Don't ever say that again,” he growled as gently as possible. “You're the most genuine, honest, caring person I've ever met. My world is filled with artifice and lies, but you're real, Jolie, and that is absolutely priceless.”
She stared at him in amazement, luminous blue eyes searching his intently before finally saying, “You really believe that, don't you?”
He nodded in confirmation, his face a mask of seriousness. “I told you before that you were too special to ever be considered insignificant, and I meant it,” Reece assured her.
“I thought you were just a regular guy,” she admitted and looked embarrassed at not having recognized him.
“A really hot regular guy,” he teased and color rushed to her cheeks as she smiled sheepishly.
“Even then I wondered what you saw in me, and now…” Jolie shook her head as if to clear her muddled thoughts. “I'm more confused than ever.”
“You're the woman I love,” he replied gently. “Simple as that.”
Tears filled those huge eyes. “Can it really be that simple?” She asked hopefully and looked afraid to believe.
Reece was a powerful man, and he could make things happen according to his whims. For Jolie, he'd drain a fucking ocean dry if it would put the sparkle back in her eyes again. “It will be anything you want it to be,” he vowed and raised her hand to his lips to place a reverent kiss in her palm.
“I just want… to be with you,” she confessed hesitantly and his heart filled to overflowing.
“That's good, Sunshine,” he assured her and placed a tender kiss on her lips. “Because I’m never letting you go.”
Reece opened his eyes and stared at the night sky again. But he had let her go, destroying them both in the process. And then some sick fuck had kept right on hurting her. Yeah. He needed to deal with that problem as soon as possible. Because nothing and no one would ever hurt his sunshine girl again.
Not even him.
Reece
Reece came awake and saw turquoise eyes staring back at him. Bryce was standing beside the couch watching him with an anxious expression. The child's face split into a brilliant smile, and he announced happily, “You didn't sweep for a wong time again!”
Realizing what his son had thought, he determined that he'd have to explain the euphemism and dispel the notion that he had Rip Van Winkle syndrome so the boy didn't panic every time he slept. Although classifying what he’d done the last two nights as sleep was an exaggeration considering his mind had been in turmoil.
“Of course not,” Reece teased as Bryce climbed up to sit astride his chest. “We've got a big adventure planned for today.”
/> Those big eyes got even bigger as he asked, “We do?”
“Absolutely,” he readily agreed and placed his hands on the child's waist to make sure he didn't fall. And because he craved the physical contact as much as he needed his next breath. “Remember we talked about visiting the planetarium and looking for Iron Man in the sky?”
Bryce's mouth dropped open. “Can we weawwy?”
“If your mother agrees,” he replied after realizing that he should have discussed it with Jolie first. The boy was off of him and the couch like a shot and hauling ass to the master suite yelling for his mother. Reece couldn't think of anything he'd rather do than spend the day with his wife and son, and he hoped like hell she agreed.
Despite the impoverished finances and lack of a father, his son was happy and brimming with excitement about the smallest thing, exactly as a child should be. The complete opposite of how he and Dane had been at that age. Or any other age for that matter. The boy’s attitude was a testament to Jolie’s loving and nurturing nature.
He, better than most, fully comprehended that a child was a precious gift to be loved and cherished, not abused, and exploited. Reece swore to himself that he would protect his son from all harm and ensure his happiness, no matter what it cost him to do it. Bryce would never suffer as he and his brother had, and he’d annihilate anyone foolish enough to hurt him.
Himself included.
Jolie
Jolie was exhausted. Unfortunately, her son was not. Bryce was running wide open and still had more energy than any three children should have. She knew it was all the excitement and as soon as she got him still for a few minutes, he'd be out like a light. So would she. Reece on the other hand seemed as energized as the boy.
It had been quite a day and the child had loved his big adventure. She should have known that her ex would pull out all the stops and make it a day that their son would never forget. They'd started at the planetarium and after that, it became a blur of activity while Bryce discovered one fascinating thing after another. His little mind was like a sponge, soaking in everything and his curious questions had been endless.
Now that they were finally back at the penthouse she had every intention of availing herself of that glorious soaking tub, a glass of wine, and then collapsing into bed. If she could get father and son off of the elevator. Bryce had been fascinated by the machine and Reece had been happy to explain the mechanics to him. In detail. Their third trip up, she'd insisted they let her off before they descended yet again.
Jolie stepped off of the elevator and stopped dead in her tracks when she saw the mountains of shopping bags and boxes stacked neatly around the foyer and right on into the living area. Judging from the number of distinctive purple bags, she determined that Reece had bought Callie Rose Designs entire summer collection.
If he thought the pile of designer luggage stacked next to the elevator was going to hold all of these clothes, he'd been sadly mistaken. It would take a van to move them. Which reminded her that she needed to start looking for a place to live. Too bone-weary to care about any of it right then, she strode into the master suite and froze mid-step.
Sprawled across the bed in a provocative pose, wearing a seductive smile and little else, was Clarice Duvall. Shock held her in place while one of the most beautiful women in the world gave her ragged jeans and faded t-shirt a contemptuous once over before saying haughtily, “You must be the maid.”
The maid?
Her ex-husband's lover thought she was the fucking maid?
“Before you unpack my luggage, bring the bags in, so I can see what my darling Reece bought me,” she informed her in that same snotty tone as she rose languidly and preened in front of the full-length mirror.
Enraged beyond any measurable means, Jolie turned on her heel and walked out of the room without a word before she vented her wrath on the supermodel and rearranged her perfect face. She was going to kill Reece for this. How dare he allow that… that baby killing bitch into his home while she and his son were there?
The elevator doors opened as she reached the foyer, and she scooped Bryce into her arms while leveling his father with a murderous glare. “You have a guest,” she all but snarled and marched into the kitchen to pour her son a cup of juice and herself a glass of wine. Jolie downed it in one large gulp and poured a refill.
CHAPTER NINE
Reece
Reece knew that his wife was livid, but he had no idea why. Nor did he know who his uninvited and unwanted guest could be. Very few people were allowed access to his penthouse when he was not in, and he seriously doubted that a visit from his brother would garner that reaction. Determined to find out who had upset her, he stalked into the living area prepared to oust the idiot.
“Reece, darling,” trilled from the master suite, and he whirled around in shock to see a barely dressed Clarice standing in the doorway. Fuck. Me. Jolie had seen his former lover, and he was so screwed. Before he could say a word, the model had wrapped herself around him like ivy on brick. “I knew you'd miss me.”
Reece peeled her off of him and snapped, “What the fuck are you doing here, Clarice?”
“I realized you didn't want the nasty little problem any more than I did, so I got over my snit,” she said as if aborting a baby amounted to the same thing as carrying out the trash. “Now we can go back to the way we were.”
The hell they could. The thought of touching the viperous bitch left him cold. Especially now that he had a chance of getting his sunshine girl back. Reece pointed her toward the elevator and said, “Get the hell out and don't come back.”
“You don't mean that darling,” Clarice chided as she waved one manicured hand at the shopping bags stacked around the room. “If you did, you wouldn't have bought all of this to entice me back.”
“I bought them for my wife,” he snarled as he grasped her arm to drag her to the elevator if necessary.
“Your wife?” Clarice gasped as she snatched her arm free and looked absolutely furious at the revelation. “Who the hell did you marry?”
“Me,” he heard Jolie say and turned to see her leaning indolently against the kitchen doorway, a glass of wine in her hand and murder in her eyes. Jesus Christ, he just couldn't catch a break. He had to get Clarice out of there before a catfight of epic proportion broke loose, and he lost his wife for good.
“You married the maid?” His former lover shrieked in outrage.
“Like hell,” Jolie replied scathingly. “I'm a stripper.”
At that outrageous announcement, the model was struck speechless and Reece took advantage of it to hustle her into the elevator, toss her luggage inside, and hit the down button. Then he snatched his phone out to call the doorman and give him absolute hell. His guest list had just been reduced to his brother, attorney, and personal assistant.
He walked into the kitchen where Jolie had disappeared to and was fully prepared to grovel if need be. What he wasn't prepared for was the disappointment he saw in his son's eyes. It seared through his veins like hot acid. Barely twenty-four hours, and he'd already failed the boy. Fan-fucking-tastic. He was a lousy father.
“Is da bad wady gone?” Bryce asked.
“Yes, and she won't ever be back,” Reece assured him and the woman glaring daggers at him.
“She made mommy mad,” the child imparted solemnly.
“I'm sorry,” he said for lack of a better response. “It won't happen again.”
“Pwomise?”
“I swear,” Reece confirmed.
The boy's forehead crinkled much like his mothers when she was concentrating, before he asked, “What's sweaw mean?”
“It's better than a promise,” his father explained. “When you swear an oath to do something you have to do it, no matter what.”
His son digested that and nodded his head. “I wike sweaw.”
“Bryce, would you go watch TV while I talk to your mom?” He asked hopefully and saw Jolie stiffen.
“'Kay,” the boy agreed and sca
mpered out of the room.
Jolie
“How dare you,” Jolie hissed the second they were alone, her hands clenched into fists by her sides to keep from punching his lights out.
“Jolie, I am so sorry,” Reece began and the remorse was evident in his tone and expression. “I had no idea that Clarice would…”
“Don't. Just don't,” she interrupted and reached for the wine glass only to discover that it was empty again. Grabbing the bottle, she poured another glass and fought the bile rising in her throat. “How many more of them are going to show up, Reece? How many of your lovers am I going to have to deal with dropping by unannounced?”
Eyes narrowed, he growled, “Now you know how I felt when the fucking doctor kissed you.”
Oh, she did. She really did, and it pissed Jolie off because she was jealous, dammit. Jealous of all the women who'd shared his bed since… Her mouth dropped open in shocked outrage as a horrible thought occurred to her. “You let me sleep in the bed where you had sex with other women?” She demanded furiously. “You let our son?”
Reece paled to ash. The first time he had ever taken her home with him, he had admitted that he'd had the entire bedroom completely redone for her. He had claimed it was because she was too special to occupy the bed where he’d had meaningless sex with other women. “I'll have it replaced,” he hastily offered. “I'll have the whole goddamn room redone.”
Jolie drained the glass, slammed it down on top of the island, and said scathingly, “Don't bother. Bryce and I are going to a hotel.”
Now he looked panicked. “You agreed to stay here until you found a place,” he reminded her hastily and blocked her path when she would have walked out of the kitchen.
“That was before your lover made an appearance.”
“It won't happen again,” Reece swore as she brushed past him.