Cecilia
Waking up in Jameson’s bed was almost as good as him holding me all night. We talked, cuddled, made love and slept off and on all night. When I opened my eyes he was gone. He was sweet enough to leave me a text telling me he’d left a new toothbrush in the bathroom and that he had run to a local bakery for pastries and coffee.
I gazed out the window. It was a dark, dismal Saturday morning. The forecasters had predicted storms all day. I looked around the room and found my panties by the bed. That was a first. I picked them up and shimmied them on. Not wanting to put my shorts on, I opened his closet, gasping at the spacious area. It was bigger than my bedroom. Nothing seemed out of place. It smelled of him too. Masculine, spicy and sexy. I reached for a plain white dress shirt. As I slipped it on I glanced around his closet. There was a place for everything. Shoes, ties, shirts, pants.
I left the first few buttons undone, feeling extra alluring. A night between the sheets with Jameson did wonders for me. “Hmm...” I had an idea. I slid my panties down my legs. I won’t need those.
As I came down the stairs, the elevator doors began to part. I ran to them ready to greet him.
“I missed you,” I said as they opened but to my surprise it wasn’t him. “Oh!” I backed away, as the man who appeared to be really surprised smiled at me.
“Shit.” A trendy guy with dark hair and green eyes stepped out of the elevator. “I didn’t expect... wait, I know you.”
“You do?”
“Ah, yeah.” He tried to be polite and look anywhere but at my bare legs.
Hell! I’d omitted my panties. Did he know?
“You’re the woman in the pictures with Conrad. He said you were his girlfriend. My brother wasn’t pleased. Now I know why.”
“Jameson is your brother?”
The elevator doors opened behind him and out came Jameson appearing rather annoyed as he held our breakfast in his hands.
“Miles?” He set the box of pastries and cups of coffee down on the wooden bench by the stairs. He shot me a curious glance, lingering on my breasts.
I gripped his shirt closed, remembering I was trying to look enticing for him by leaving the buttons undone. My boobs were hanging out.
“I didn’t know you’d be entertaining,” Miles said. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Tell you what?” Jameson stood in front of me. “Never mind. Miles, this is Cecilia Keller.”
“It’s nice to meet you, Cecilia.” He offered his hand.
“Hi.” I extended my free hand, clutching the shirt tight with my other as I hid behind Jameson.
“You are the woman in the pictures with Conrad, right?” Miles asked.
“Yes, I went to a benefit with him. We’re just friends.”
“You don’t have to explain anything to my intrusive brother.” Jameson directed his attention back to Miles. “What brings you here?”
“Well, speaking of Conrad, he’s a little annoyed that I’m accompanying him to Massachusetts.”
“Too bad. If he doesn’t like it he can find representation elsewhere.”
Jameson didn’t play when it came to business. I wondered if I was the reason he wasn’t fond of Conrad. It was silly really. Conrad and I barely knew one another. There was nothing between us.
“I told him that,” Miles said. “He backed down.”
“Of course he did.” Jameson’s jaw tightened. “No one else will take that kind of chance on him.”
“I won’t keep you.” Miles winked at me and I couldn’t help but notice just how much he resembled Jameson. They were both so handsome. “I just wanted you to know he was making waves.”
“Keep him under control,” Jameson said. “Let Meg know you might be asking for her assistance. If you hear anything while on the trail let her look into it. If we can find an out I’d like to do it sooner rather than later. I’m done wasting my time.”
“Will do.” Miles hit the button on the elevator. “It’s going to be a nasty day. You two should stay inside. I’m sure you’ll find something to keep you occupied.”
“Get out.” Jameson pointed to the elevator. “Text me when you get to Boston.”
“Ah, you do care about me.” Miles laughed. “It was great meeting you, Cecilia. Don’t let bossy over here tell you what to do.”
“I won’t,” I said. “Have a safe trip.”
“Thanks.” He hurried onto the elevator, winking at us as the doors closed.
“Sorry about that.” Jameson took my hand and backed me up against the wall by the stairs. “I didn’t know he’d be stopping by.”
“He’s cute.”
“That’s not a word I’d use to describe him.” He kissed my neck, snaking his hands under my borrowed shirt. “But he’s helpful and loyal, and I couldn’t do what I do without him.”
“You’re sweet.” I ran my palm along his stubble covered jaw.
“You’re sexy.” He skimmed his fingers over my breasts. “I like your shirt.”
“I borrowed it.”
“It looks good on you.” He swiped his thumb over my nipple. “I like that it’s the only thing you have on. Easy access.” Sweeping his lips along mine, he pressed his hard frame into me. “It’s been a few hours.”
“I know.” I squeezed my thighs together, trying to create some friction. “The coffee will get cold.”
“I don’t care about the coffee.” He unbuttoned his jeans. “There’s only one thing that could sustain me right now.” He lowered his pants and boxers before lifting me up and propping me against the wall. “If you have no objections.”
“Never.” I gripped his shoulders as I wrapped my legs around his hips. “Oh...” Arching my back, I closed my eyes when he entered me. That first thrust was always my favorite when it came to him. It represented how much I craved him. How my body desired all of him. When he was inside me, he was my only focus.
“I’m so glad you came to me last night,” he grunted. “Did you know I needed you?”
“I was just thinking the same about you.”
Taking my hands in his firm hold, he pinned them above my head as he moved deeper. I clenched my legs tighter to secure my hold as he kissed my neck. The trembling began in my core, spreading lower until I purred with lust.
“That’s it, gorgeous.”
His all-knowing smirk was my undoing. And with one final thrust, we both spiraled into new and exciting territory. In that moment, my world would forever be changed. I was no longer alone. Despite my initial reservations, we were beginning the story of us.
Jameson
I set the large, granite island in the center of the kitchen with plates and coffee mugs. I decided to brew a fresh batch of coffee. As I waited for that, I opened the pastry box and placed them on a large serving dish. I wasn’t sure what she would like so I brought home a variety. When I poured the juice she made her way into the kitchen. She’d put her shorts and lavender shirt back on. I had rather hoped she would slip back into my shirt and nothing else after her shower.
“We’ll have to get you some clothes to leave here,” I suggested. “I’ll call my personal shopper on Monday and arrange for a session for you.”
“Personal shopper?”
I nodded as I pulled out a stool for her.
“Why would I need a personal shopper?” She sat down. “I have clothes.”
“You told me you’re borrowing clothes from Kirsten. You’ll be starting your new job and you could probably use an updated fall wardrobe.” I poured her a mug of coffee. “You could get whatever you need.”
“You don’t have to do that for me.”
“I want to do it for you.”
“I realized something.” She rested her chin in her hand as I took a seat next to her.
“What’s that?”
“You bought my car.”
“Did I?” I would have bought something new and sleek if I had actually bought her a car. “Is that what you did with the money left over from the funeral?”
“Yes.” She put a splash of cream in her mug.
“I had hoped it would help.”
“I was thinking in the shower that you’ve known my motivation for a year.” She took a sip of her juice. “Will you tell me why you propositioned me?”
“I told you that night on the boat I needed a distraction.”
“I really want to know you.”
“You may not after you hear the answer to what you’re asking.”
“If I can’t handle your past am I the woman you really want to be with?” She swiveled in her chair so she faced me, placing her hand in my lap. “Tell me.”
She had a point. If I never let anyone in how would I ever know who to trust?
“I don’t talk about those years often.” I took her hand in mine. “My therapist, my sponsor, and sometimes Miles but as the years go by it gets easier and I don’t have to talk about things as much.”
“What gets easier?”
“The urges, the addictions.” I searched her expression but it hadn’t changed. “I started drinking at a young age. Then the recreational drug use began when I was in my last year of high school.”
“Your parents didn’t know?”
“They’re very career driven. We have a lot of money and they indulged us in every luxury you could imagine. They’re not bad people they just weren’t paying attention. We had nannies and housekeepers. We’re a close family but we do things different from some.” I didn’t blame my parents for what I’d done. I loved them very much. “Miles and Max stayed sober. I just traveled down the wrong path and it got worse once I left college. I partied all the time. I don’t know how I managed to stay alive for as long as I had. Others weren’t so lucky.”
“How did you bottom out?”
“A friend of mine, Sam...” I hadn’t said his name in a while. It was always too painful when I did. “He was my partner in crime. We grew up together. He was as close to me as Miles is.” I smiled when I thought about all the shit we had gotten into over the years but those good memories faded when I thought how destructive we were for one another. “We were in a hotel room after one really crazy weekend. I had just scored some coke. We’d already had so much to drink that night but Sam was rearing to go and I was right there with him.” No matter how many times I rehashed that night in therapy sessions it still stung. I bought the shit but Sam paid a much higher price than I had. I was just left living with the guilt.
“What happened?”
“I woke up the next day.” I stared into her eyes, taking a deep breath, trying hard not to relive those minutes when I found him. “Sam never did.”
“I’m sorry.” She hopped off her stool and inched between my legs. “It wasn’t your fault.”
“Wasn’t it?”
“You both made choices.”
“Yeah.” I ran my fingers through my hair. “Bad choices.”
“I’m sorry I asked. I didn’t mean to bring up those memories for you.”
“It was a horrible time for everyone involved especially Sam’s family. I checked into rehab shortly after. My parents arranged everything. I didn’t have much of a choice. It was the right decision. I had so many issues to sort through. It was a long road to recovery but a much needed one.”
“You said you were clean for three years. This happened two years before you met me.”
“It took me a while to stop struggling on a daily basis. My company keeps me occupied. In the beginning I used that as a replacement for not using. I did everything I could to distract myself. The first time I saw you in the cafe, I wanted to ask you to lunch. Something casual. I thought maybe I could be normal.” I snickered. “Or at least try being normal.”
“Somehow you thought paying me for sex would be normal?” She took my hand. “I’m not judging you. This relationship has no place for that but how did you get from asking me to lunch to paying me for sex?”
“You’re so beautiful” I caressed her soft cheek. “The more I came in the cafe the more I convinced myself I wasn’t worthy of you. The baggage I came with. I just didn’t think you needed that in your life.” If I had known her struggles I still wouldn’t have left her alone but I would have tried to be normal.
“You were wrong.”
When she kissed me I fell a little more for her. I’d been falling a lot lately and I liked it.
“I’m glad you shared your story with me. I know it was difficult for you,” she said.
“I do want to let you in.” I wished she could understand what this was like for me. “I’m giving you more than I’ve ever given anyone else when it comes to emotions.”
“I can be patient.”
“There’s something else I need from you.”
“Anything.”
“I have this need to make amends. It’s therapeutic for me. Like when I paid for your mom’s funeral or when I called Senator Pale’s office and helped you get the job, I have to do these things.”
“They’re not necessary.”
“They are for me.” I lifted her into my lap. “I’ve been very fortunate in my life. I come from money, my business is thriving and I managed to beat the odds with an addiction so many aren’t able to do. I believe there’s a reason I survived that night when Sam didn’t. It took me a few years to come to terms with what the reasons may be. I’m still figuring them out. Lord knows I’m still screwing up just not as epic as before.”
“You’re turning out to be a very upstanding guy.”
“I have a feeling you’re going to keep leading me in the right direction so if I want to buy you new clothes or send you flowers please let me do it. If I can make some of those dreams of yours on that list a reality let me.”
“You already have.” She kissed me. “More than you know.”