Vincent

The elevator doors opened to Tatum’s penthouse, and I stepped inside to see Diesel sitting on the couch while Tatum set the table.

“Hey, Dad.” Diesel met me in the doorway and gave me a hug.

I hugged him back, grateful I got to have these moments with him. It seemed so casual on the surface, but deep down inside, I lived for these embraces. I lived for the moments when he called me Dad. “Hey, son. How are you?”

“Good. Can I take your coat?”

“Sure.” I peeled it off and handed it to him.

He placed it on the coatrack. “We’re having wine with dinner. Is that okay, or do you want something else?”

“That’s perfect.”

“Dinner is ready.” Tatum had the table set with three plates, a bottle of wine, and a fresh basket of bread. Three white candles burned in the center along with a vase of pink roses. She walked up to me and hugged me, a smile on her face that would make anyone melt. “Thanks for coming. We’re so glad to have you.”

Tatum was such a gift to Diesel that it hurt to know Isabella would never have the chance to meet her. She would never know that her son met a woman who would always take care of him. She loved him enough to put his best interests before her own. It was because of her that I had a relationship with Diesel. I could never thank her enough for that. “I’m very happy to be here.”

Diesel poured the wine then took a seat beside Tatum.

“How was your weekend?” I asked as I sat across from him.

“Good,” Diesel answered. “Tatum and Autumn killed it. By the end of the day, the company had more preorders than they can even fulfill. Now Tatum and Autumn are trying to figure out how to manage it.”

“And it’ll also be Thorn’s problem when I’m gone for two weeks,” Titan said as she cut into her food.

“It’s nice that Thorn is helping you so much,” I answered. “He’s a good man. I like him.”

“I like him too,” Diesel said. “And when he needs to step away from his business, we’ll be there to cover for him.”

“That sounds fair.” I took a few bites of my food and ignored the basket of bread on the table. “Tatum, this is delicious. Where did you learn to cook?”

“YouTube,” she said with a chuckle.

“Whatever works.” I asked them about the wedding plans and if there was anything I could do to help, but since it was such a small wedding, it didn’t seem like there was much to do anyway.

Tatum talked about her wedding dress for a bit before she changed the subject. “So, what did you want to discuss, Vincent?” Judging by the smile on her face, she knew exactly what I wanted to share with them. I hadn’t said much to Diesel about Scarlet, but I’d poured out my heart to Tatum.

Diesel was a grown man who always thought rationally, but the idea of my being with someone else besides his mother must bother him. Alessia and the others were meaningless flings. Anyone who paid attention deduced that. But I’d never been with a woman I actually cared about…until now. “I’ve been seeing Scarlet Blackwood for about a month now, and it’s gotten serious.” I sipped my wine before I turned to Diesel. “I know this is difficult, but I hope I have your support.”

Diesel smirked and held back a laugh. “Dad, come on. I want you to be happy. I’m thirty-five years old. I understand how the real world works. Mom would want you to move on and be happy.”

Hearing my son’s approval meant a lot to me. If he rejected my relationship with Scarlet, I would probably stop seeing her. My sons were everything to me. They were gifts Isabella gave to me, and I wouldn’t squander them. “Thanks…I appreciate it.”

“So, she’s the editor of Platform?” Diesel asked.

So Titan did mention her. “Yes. She loves her job. Frankly, she’s good at it.” I saw the way she worked with her employees. They respected her direction and did whatever they could to earn her approval. She handled multiple tasks so fluidly. Only someone with high intelligence could do that with such obvious grace.

“What’s she like?” Diesel asked.

I would have brought her to dinner, but I thought it would be too soon. “She’s very smart. Very pretty. For someone working in fashion, she’s very laid-back. She’s funny…makes me laugh. I like how easygoing she is. When I talk to her, it’s not difficult. I’m a man of few words, but that doesn’t seem to bother her. She accepts me for how I am. I told her how much I still love my wife, and she doesn’t have a problem with it. She’s very understanding.”

“She sounds great,” Diesel said. “Maybe we can meet her soon.”

“You’d want to?” I asked in surprise.

“Absolutely,” Tatum said. “You can bring her to the wedding as a plus-one.”

That option wasn’t even on the table. “That wouldn’t be appropriate. I’d rather go by myself.” I couldn’t go to my son’s wedding with someone other than Isabella. I was happy for my son and it was a day to celebrate, but without his mother there, it was also a sad moment for me. She wasn’t there to enjoy a day she’d have given anything to experience.

“Dad, it’s really okay,” Diesel said. “I don’t mind if you bring your girlfriend.”

I guessed Scarlet was my girlfriend. It was weird to think about. “I know, but I’d rather go by myself.”

Tatum dropped her smile, and Diesel didn’t press the argument any longer. It was awkward for a while, and I knew that was my fault.

“We should get together sometime after the wedding,” Titan said. “Maybe the four of us could have dinner.”

“Yeah, maybe,” I said noncommittally.

“Is Jax happy for you?” Diesel asked.

“I haven’t told him yet. I will sometime this week.”

“Well, I’m sure he’ll be fine with it,” Diesel said. “Does Scarlet have children?”

“One daughter,” I answered. “She’s in nursing school right now.”

“Have you met her?” Tatum asked.

“No,” I answered. “We’re still in the beginning of our relationship.”

“Was she ever married?” Diesel asked.

“Yes,” I said. “She’s been divorced for about ten years now. Never remarried. From the way she talks about it, sounds like the guy was an ass. But she’s never told me more, even though I’ve asked a few times.” I wanted to know exactly what happened between them, but it was really none of my business. She didn’t ask a bunch of questions about Isabella.

“She got it right this time, though,” Tatum said with a smile. “Judging by that article she wrote…”

“Yeah, Dad,” Diesel said. “She’s got it bad.”

I tried not to smile at the way they teased me. The fact that it was true only made me feel good. She was twelve years younger than me, beautiful and smart, but she seemed to only want me. She was patient with me in a way no one else would ever be, so that must mean something. “She does put up with a lot…”

“She’s a keeper,” Tatum said. “You want a partner who’s understanding. You want a partner who wants you so much, they’ll settle for only half your heart. That’s exactly what you need, Vincent. And she needs a man to protect her.”

“She’s not the kind of woman who’s looking for protection.” She could handle herself perfectly fine. She held herself with grace and walked down the sidewalk like she owned it. She was smart and calculating, conquering the fashion world easily.

“All women want a man who can protect them…even if they say they don’t.” Her hand moved to Diesel’s forearm on the table.

The only time I saw Tatum show vulnerability was when it came to my son. The rest of the time, she was as cold as an ice cube. “She used to be a model in her younger years. When she turned thirty, she retired because she was forced to. She was told to get plastic surgery, but she refused. So then she started working at the magazine and moved up to her position.”

“Too old?” Titan asked incredulously. “Plastic surgery? Forget that. That’s ridiculous.”

“I couldn’t agree more,” I said. “Scarlet is a very beautiful woman. I wouldn’t change anything about her.” She had a beautiful body, flawless skin, and the wrinkles on her face were hardly noticeable. “She’s one of the most beautiful women I’ve ever seen.”

Tatum smiled. “Now I’m even more excited to meet her.”

“Me too,” Diesel said.

I understood just how lucky I was. They were doing everything they could to make this transition easy for me. It didn’t seem to be an act. They truly wanted me to have someone in my life, even Diesel. He must know how much I loved his mother and how much I wished she were still here, so it wasn’t a betrayal of her memory.

She’d want me to fall in love again.

---

I hadn’t seen Scarlet in a few days, so I called her after my workout. I usually used my own personal gym so people wouldn’t stare at me and take pictures on their phones. I wasn’t a celebrity, but judging by the actions of the people who recognized me, I felt like one.

I got out of the shower with a towel wrapped around my waist. The phone rang in my ear several times before she answered.

“Vincent, how are you?” Unsuppressed happiness was in her voice. I could hear it loud and clear. Her smile was probably wide, and it formed the instant she saw my name on the screen.

“Good.” She was the easiest person to talk to, but since she was so easy, it was simple not to say anything at all. That was how comfortable I was. I pulled out a pair of boxers from my drawer then tossed them on the bed. “You?”

“Well. But I’m better now that I’m talking to you.”

I smiled when she flirted with me. “Have dinner with me tonight.”

“I’d love to. How about I cook dinner at my place?”

A home-cooked meal sounded wonderful. “That sounds great.”

“I’ll text you my address. Be here in forty-five minutes.”

“See you then.”

I put on dark jeans and an olive green t-shirt with a black leather jacket. My driver took me to her place on the other side of town. She lived in a nice building in a good area, still a wealthy district most people couldn’t afford. It wasn’t anything like my penthouse, but it was certainly lovely.

I took the elevator to her floor then knocked.

“It’s open.”

I stepped inside to the smell of Italian cuisine and Jeopardy on TV.

Her apartment was small but cozy. It was decorated with classy style, blue couches with a white coffee table. Pictures were everywhere, and there was a pink rug on the hardwood floor. I spotted a picture hanging on the wall, and a young brunette was in the image.

I recognized her daughter.

Photos of her were everywhere, the obvious joy in her life.

Scarlet came out of the kitchen in a gray sweater that hung off one shoulder. It showed her tanned skin and a few freckles that sprinkled the surface. Her straight hair was pulled over one shoulder, and she had on black leggings that fit her sculpted legs. Her casual attire somehow made me feel more at ease.

But also made me more attracted to her.

I could make out the curve of her body even better. I saw the enormous dip in the small of her back, the slenderness in her neck. Her legs were even longer than I realized. She was barefoot, and even the sight of that was erotic to me.

Not getting laid in months was starting to get to me.

“You look handsome.” Her eyes roamed over my body, taking in my wide chest and powerful shoulders. She had to rise on her tiptoes to bring her face level to mine, and even then, she fell short. She went right for a kiss, giving me a quick peck on the lips.

My hands immediately gripped her hips, and I squeezed. “Thank you. You look beautiful—as always.”

She smiled as she flattened her feet. “Always such a gentleman.” She pushed my leather jacket off my shoulders. “I can take this.”

I peeled it off and let her take it.

She hung it on the coatrack. “I know you’re a picky eater, so I tried to make something good without carbs…which is nearly impossible.”

I chuckled. “You’re right.”

“So, I made chicken Marsala with a salad. Boring, but good.”

“I’m sure anything you make will be fantastic.”

She smiled. “You always say the right thing.” She took my hand in hers and guided me to her kitchen table, which was part of her living room. In New York City, this was a killer apartment despite its size. It still must cost a small fortune to live there, especially with the nice plaster on the walls, perfectly conditioned hardwood floors, and the brand-new appliances. “Wine?”

“Sure.”

She opened a bottle and poured two glasses before she set the table.

A plate of hot chicken slathered in a thick sauce with mushrooms stared back at me, along with a medium-size salad full of chicken, nuts, fruits, and kale. I grabbed my fork and dug in. “Thank for cooking. This is incredible.”

“Thanks.” She smiled then sat across from me, eating slowly. “Do you cook when you’re at home?”

“Sometimes. But most of the time, Betty makes dinner for me.”

“Betty?” she asked.

“My maid. She’s the other woman in my life.”

Scarlet chuckled. “Looks like I have competition.”

“Actually, you don’t. You’re a better cook.”

“You’re just saying that…but I appreciate it.” She placed her hand over mine and gave me a gentle squeeze.

I liked it when she touched me. It made me feel good inside. When Alessia or another woman touched me, I felt a spike of arousal and sex came into my mind. But when Scarlet touched me, it felt a lot different. It didn’t feel just sexual, but affectionate as well.

When her touch was withdrawn, I immediately missed it. “You like Jeopardy?”

“I love it. I’ve been watching it every day since…forever. Do you watch it?”

“If it’s on,” I said. “But I don’t record it or anything.”

“It’s a classic. I like it.”

I thought it was cute that she enjoyed a trivia show. “How was work?”

“A nightmare,” she said. “I won’t bore you with the details, but items were supposed to be delivered for a shoot but were actually never ordered, so I had to throw something together. In the end, everything was fine. But it was still a pain.”

“At least you averted the crisis.”

“I love being the editor because I love the magazine and I love fashion, but sometimes, it’s overwhelming. I miss being a model sometimes. It was a lot simpler. Someone else dealt with the difficult stuff, and I just got to put on pretty clothes and smile.”

“You could still be a model.”

She laughed. “You’re too sweet sometimes.”

“I’m being serious.” I’d never been more serious in my life.

“We went over this, Vincent. I’m too old. I’m forty-two. No one wants to see a forty-two-year-old model showing off clothes.”

“I disagree.” I couldn’t wait to see her with her clothes off. “There will always be women in their thirties and forties. They tend to be financially stable, so they have the income to spend on clothes. If anything, they should be the main demographic advertisers aim for. If you had a line of clothes and a magazine geared toward those women, I promise you it would be successful. All this bullshit about being too old and needing plastic surgery to be beautiful is stupid. Look at you. I’ve been with models in their twenties, and they don’t hold a candle to you, Scarlet. You’re a bombshell.”

The look she gave me was priceless. She didn’t smile, but her eyes showed a million different reactions. She was obviously touched because she stopped eating. “Vincent…” Speechless, she turned quiet.

“Just my thoughts.” I brought my voice down, knowing I’d gotten overly passionate with what I said. “I know business better than anyone, and I’m telling you, women everywhere would go for that. You could start a movement.”

She tilted her head toward her plate. “Maybe.”

Our conversation died away, and I hoped I hadn’t made it too uncomfortable to continue. I could be overly aggressive without realizing it sometimes. In my world, that was the only way to get anything done—by being more aggressive than my competitor. “How’s your daughter?”

Her smile formed again. “She’s good. She went on a date last weekend and seems to really like the guy. He sounds nice.”

The girl looked just like Scarlet, a very beautiful young woman. If the guy wasn’t a complete idiot, he wouldn’t let her slip away. “That’s good.”

“I’m not in a hurry to be a grandmother, but I am looking forward to grandkids.”

“So am I.”

“Are Diesel and Titan planning on having a family right away?”

“Not sure,” I answered. “I think Titan is in a hurry, but I’m not sure what they decided.”

“Hopefully, that will happen soon. I’m excited to have a baby around again, but a baby that isn’t mine. I get to play with it and spoil it before I hand it back and go back to my quiet apartment.” She chuckled then took another bite.

“I’m not interested in having children either.” I’d never specifically told her that, so I was relieved we were on the same page.

“I actually had my tubes tied a few years ago. I didn’t want to take birth control anymore, and I’m not interested in having more kids.”

That worked out well for us. I didn’t have the energy to have a kid in diapers again. I finished all of my food until my plate was just as clean as it was before she placed the food on it.

“Wow, you were hungry.”

“No, it was just that good.”

She cleared the table and dumped the dishes in the sink.

I came to her side and started to wash them.

“Vincent, no.” She shut the faucet off. “You’re my guest. Don’t worry about it.”

“You cooked, so I should clean.”

“Not in this house.” She grabbed my bicep and guided me back into the living room. “I’ll do them later.”

I let her guide me to the couch. Jeopardy had ended, and now a different game show was on.

She sat beside me and crossed her legs. “What do you want to watch?”

I rested my arm over the back of the couch. “Whatever you want.”

“Well, I honestly don’t want to watch anything.” She changed it to ESPN and turned on the game.

My brain focused on her words and the obvious implications.

She moved into me and glided her hand up my chest. She inched closer then kissed my neck, her soft lips feeling incredible against my warm skin. Her breaths fell across my ear, the gentle sound of her mouth arousing. Her lips moved to my jawline next, and she slowly approached my mouth.

I turned into her kiss and dug my hand into her hair. I kissed her aggressively for the first time, letting my body do exactly what I wanted to do. My mouth sucked her bottom lip hard, and I breathed deep into her lungs. I pulled on her soft hair before I felt her bare shoulder. Like a caveman, I gripped the back of her head and turned her face away so I could kiss her neck.

Her hands clawed at me, scratching my skin. She yanked on my body and pulled me down into the couch, situating me on top of her. Her thighs were spread, and she locked her ankles around my waist.

It was the most intimate we’d ever been.

It felt good. It felt right.

Her lips were on mine again, and she kissed me with tongue, her passion increasing as she squeezed her thighs around my waist.

After a few minutes, I was hard.

Harder than I’d been in a long time.

She slowly grinded against me, feeling my cock right against her clit in her leggings. “Vincent…” She reached for my shirt and slowly pulled it up. She got it over my head and tossed it on the coffee table. Her hands explored my rock-hard chest and my abdominals. She felt the grooves and valleys then explored my back. She paused our kiss to look at me. “Jesus…you’re ripped.”

Now she knew why I didn’t eat carbs. I could barely eat anything to look like this. It was all protein and no sugar or carbs. The more I aged, the more difficult it was to maintain this physique. But watching Scarlet devour me with her eyes made it all worth it.

She panted into my mouth, slowly grinding her body against me. Her nails dug harder and her moans deepened. I could hear her fall apart underneath me, feel her lips tremble against my mouth. “Vincent, you’re gonna make me come…”

All the muscles in my back tightened. My hips dug deeper into her, pressing my cock through my jeans against her sensitive nub. I’d been with insatiable women before, women in their twenties who just wanted more and more. But I’d never wanted to please any of them the way I wanted to please her.

My hand fisted her hair, and I ground my hard cock perfectly against her throbbing clit.

“Yes…” Her head rolled back, and her hair stretched across the cushion. She bucked against me automatically, her sexy moans filling the apartment. She clawed at my back with the ferocity of a wildcat. She hit her peak then slowly came down, floating like a feather on the wind. Slowly, reality came back to her, and she stopped grinding against me with the same intensity. “God, I can’t remember the last time a man made me feel that good…”

I gave her a final kiss before I pulled away, my ego much bigger now than it was when I walked in the door. It was probably the reason I got so hard, watching this woman want me so badly. She loved my body and worshiped it with her hands.

Her hands moved to my jeans, and she popped the button.

As much as I enjoyed this, it suddenly felt like too much. I actually liked this woman, so I didn’t want to rush into anything. I already felt connected to her, and that connection scared me. As much as I wanted to make love to her, it seemed too soon. “Not yet.” I grabbed her wrist and steadied it, feeling like an ass for telling this beautiful woman no. “I’m just…not ready.”

“I know,” she whispered. “But let me make you feel just as good as you made me feel.”

Her words were verbal sex right against my ear. I was still hard and eager. The idea of getting naked and sweaty with her in bed sounded like the best thing in the world right now. But I didn’t want to cross the line unless I was ready.

“Trust me.” She looked at me with those pretty green eyes and made me forget reason. She slowly pushed me back to the couch until I was sitting upright again.

Then she moved to her knees on the floor.

Fuck.

My jeans were undone, and my boxers were yanked down along with the top of my pants. Seeing Scarlet on her knees with eager eyes made all the muscles in my body tighten. I pictured that wet mouth around my dick and felt a shiver down my spine. I couldn’t remember the last time I was this turned on.

Scarlet eyed my dick like it was fucking candy. She was obviously impressed by my size because she couldn’t wipe away the surprise on her face. She gazed at it like a picture in an art gallery before she scooted closer to me and grabbed me by the base. “Wow…” She directed my dick to the ceiling before she licked the crown.

Fuck.

I closed my eyes, and both of my hands formed fists.

She kissed and licked the tip before she slowly lowered her throat down my length. She could only get halfway, but that was more than enough to make my balls tighten. She used both hands to massage my length, to jerk up and down as she swiped her tongue across my tip, gathering the lubricant I was already producing.

Jesus Christ.

Scarlet had never looked so sexy. She used her tongue with precision and sucked me off like she was really enjoying it.

I wanted to last longer, but I couldn’t. I hadn’t gotten action in a long time, and I just couldn’t control myself the way I used to when I was younger. When I had sex on a daily basis, it was much easier. But now that I’d found a woman I actually cared about, her touch was a million times more deadly. I could stop myself from blowing my load with Alessia but not with Scarlet.

No fucking way.

“I’m gonna come, sweetheart.” My hand fisted her hair, keeping it out of her face as she continued to suck me off. If she wanted to pull away and let me come on myself, now was the time to move. But she kept going, sucking harder and jerking her hand quicker.

“Fuck…” My voice came out deeper than usual, and I forgot to breathe. A tidal wave of pleasure swept over me, and I came inside her mouth, hitting her in the back of the throat and the top of her tongue. I thrust into her mouth slightly, giving her the last few drops I released. I knew I came a lot, but she took it like a pro.

She sucked my crown before she licked her lips.

For not being on a date in a year, she knew how to give head pretty damn well.

“Fuck…that was incredible.” I felt like an ass for cursing in front of her, but it slipped out. It was just felt so good that I couldn’t think straight.

“It was… I liked it.” She wiped her thumb along her mouth. “And I’ve never enjoyed doing that before.”

This woman was driving me crazy. She made me feel like the only man she’d ever really given a damn about. Maybe I was. The possibility made me light in the head. “Well, you can do that all you like.”

“I definitely plan on doing it again.” She moved between my thighs and kissed my softening cock.

The touch made my chest tighten. My fingers moved into hair, and I couldn’t stop myself from grabbing her. The beast inside me was slowly emerging, the sexual man that I kept at bay. I wanted to possess her in a way I had never possessed the others. I purposely kept a wall between us so neither one of us would cross it.

But that wall suddenly got lower.