The Perfect Gift

Blurb

She’s my sister’s Best Friend

And I want to give her something…BIG!

I am a billionaire businessman with an empire to run

Women were just an after thought in my life

Until that hot Christmas Eve

When I fell for those amazing curves of hers

It was supposed to be just for one night

After a long gap I see her again at my sister’s wedding

She’s still HOT as ever but avoiding me

I guess she is hiding something

Don’t worry son! Daddy’s gonna win back your Mommy!

Chapter 1: Dex

As the small symmetrical icy crystals floated gingerly from the sky and landed on the lawns of Central Park, I felt a sadness swell inside my chest. It was Christmas Eve, a time I relished when I was growing up. My parents always decorated the house to match the festive nature of the city with garlands, lights, and the smell of cinnamon and pine. They threw big lavish parties at their sky-high penthouse in Canton Commons. The wealthiest families in New York would put aside their high natured snobbery to bring gifts, food, and merry greetings to share with everyone else. As children, my sister Natalie and I would run around the house with the other children, playing with our toys and soaking up the feeling of Christmas. It had always been my favorite time of the year.

Years later, I found myself staring at the lights twinkling in the park, people walking hand in hand through the Christmas Eve snow, and carolers wishing people well, all the while feeling nothing but the silence of a now mostly empty home. After my parents died, the holidays stopped feeling like a magical time. There were no more parties, no more crackling fires, and the decorations sat in storage boxes, hoping one day to be picked up and used again. My sister loved Christmas and tried to keep the spirit alive but it was too much for one person. With me running the company now, I didn’t have time for such frivolous things as holiday parties. It almost felt like my parents took the holidays with them when they passed.

Neither Natalie nor I had a family of our own, so we either spent the holidays with each other or I went to work and left her to her own devices. This year, with my pending travels approaching I decided not to work on Christmas Eve. I tried not to be the scrooge, so I gave my employees off on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Usually, I ended up spending that time alone in the office, eating Chinese food and watching A Christmas Story while going over financial reports. Everything was settled this year since I was going to be leaving soon and so there I sat, reminiscing and staring out at the city. It was cold outside, colder than any Christmas I remembered and even inside the penthouse, I kept my sweater on to fight the chill. I could hear Natalie down the hall, getting ready for something, though I thought she would be spending the evening here in the penthouse.

I pulled up the number to the local Chinese delivery place and figured I’d order us some food for the night. I didn’t know what Natalie liked to eat anymore, so I sat waiting for her to come out of her room. The fact that she could always keep a cheery attitude during the holidays comforted me. I looked up as she walked quickly down the hall and pulled her coat from the closet. She put on the wool pea coat and turned back, surprised to see me still sitting in the living room.

“Oh,” she said, slightly startled. “Dex, what are you doing here? I thought you were going to be working like you do every year.”

“Since I’m leaving in a couple of days, I figured I’d break that habit and spend Christmas Eve here with you,” I replied, watching her face twitch nervously. “You look like you're going somewhere.”

“Yeah. I, uh, I was going to go spend Christmas with a friend,” she said, walking over and sitting down on the arm of the chair. I could tell the quieteness of the house was really starting to get to her and I couldn’t help but be disappointed by the idea of spending Christmas Eve alone. “I should have mentioned it. I’m just so used to you always being at work that I honestly didn’t even think to say anything.”

I shook my head, trying not to make her feel guilty. After all, she was right, I didn’t even take weekends off anymore. The last time I had any time off was for her birthday and I didn’t really take off, I just left the office at five instead of midnight. Natalie had gotten used to living her own life, without any real family to spend time with. Part of me wanted to tell her not to worry about it but the other part of me wanted to ask her to stay and hang out.

“Why don’t I do this,” she said. “I’ll call and make sure it’s okay and we can just go together.”

I nodded and smiled, deciding that spending the holidays with people I didn’t know was better than being alone. I watched as she walked back in the hallway and called her friend. She talked for a few minutes and then hung up, bouncing cheerily out to the living room and waving me over. I grabbed the bottle of hazelnut liqueur I bought for tonight and we walked down to the garage where my car sat waiting.

Since I gave all my employees the night off, I drove myself, slightly confused as I made my way out of Manhattan and through the boroughs. We ended up in Brooklyn, which was weird since I assumed Natalie meant she was going to see one of the rich kids she grew up with. However, as I pulled up in front of the five-story brick walk-up, I realized whoever we were visiting had much less than we did. I almost felt foolish having thrown on my seven hundred dollar Gucci sweater and ungodly expensive belt. I smiled at Natalie as we got out, stepping over the piles of snow that had been pushed off the streets by the plows. I was glad she didn’t see my confusion. I didn’t want it to look like I was being judgmental toward her friends. That was my sister though, if you didn’t know her as a child, she seemed like any other normal girl from a middle-class family. Her heart was always too big for her to ever come across as the snobby rich girl from the upper East side.

As we climbed the stairs I could smell food cooking in the oven and I started to relax. The warmth of the glow coming from under the door already made me feel at home. Natalie knocked and we stood back as we heard footsteps from inside. The door flung open and a short round woman with curly red hair and rosy cheeks answered, smiling big and wrapping her arms around Natalie. She smiled warmly before turning to me and pulling me down for a hug. I laughed from surprise but welcomed the happy greeting.

“Come in, come in. I’m Andrea,” she said, stepping to the side and waving us inside. “You can put your coats up there and then follow me back to the kitchen. That’s where all the magic is happening.”

I set the bottle of liqueur on the floor next to my snow-covered shoes and hung up my jacket. Natalie smiled big and squeezed my arm as she walked forward. She took Andrea's hand as they walked toward the smell of food and the sound of Christmas Carols. Natalie looked really happy just being in this place. I instantly felt better about leaving her for my travels since she seemed to have made her own little family right here in Brooklyn. As I turned into the kitchen I looked around at the apple wall paper, farm themed wall hangings, and cook books propped on shelves all over the walls. It was like I had been transported from Brooklyn to a farm house in the country. There was a large turkey on the counter next to several bowls full of all the normal Christmas food.

My eyes scanned the kitchen, landing on my sister as she hugged a curvy brown-haired girl. She was facing the stove while stirring something but the lights from the kitchen made the streaks of red in her hair stand out. I could tell Natalie was whispering something to her and as she turned around and caught my gaze, my knees went weak. Her green eyes cut through me like a knife and instantly I wanted to know more about her. She nodded once and looked down, her cheeks growing red. She was shy, which made her even more appealing to me.

“Dex, this is my best friend Casey,” Natalie said with a knowing look. “Casey, meet my big brother Dex.”

“Nice to meet you,” Casey whispered with even brighter cheeks.

“Okay,” Andrea said, clapping her hands together. “Let’s get this food on the table!”

I started grabbing dishes and helped bring all the food out to the large oak table sitting in the dining room. I looked up at the pictures hanging on the wall. There were several of a man that I assumed was Andrea’s husband posing in his officer’s uniform. His ribbons were encased and hung next to the pictures, making me think he was no longer with us. I didn’t want to bring it up, not knowing the details, so instead, I sat down and began passing the food around.

“So, how did you two meet?” I looked at Natalie and then over to Casey.

“Oh, we met in college,” Natalie said with excitement. “We ended up being on the same team for one of our Sophomore projects.”

“That’s awesome,” I said. I turned to Casey and added, “Did you grow up in New York?”

“She sure did,” Andrea answered. “In fact, her father and I, God rest his soul, grew up here in Brooklyn. I’m glad she decided to stick around.” Andrea looked at Casey and winked as we ate our food and continued the conversation. I wanted to know more about this girl. In all reality, I wanted to see more of this girl, and I didn’t mean on a date. She was gorgeous with unguarded eyes and thick curvy body. I could only imagine what it would feel like to run my hands over her smooth skin.

I excused myself from the table and grabbed the cordial I bought, hoping they would enjoy it. It was extremely expensive but that wasn’t something I wanted to mention in present company. I showed Andrea who oohed at the bottle and pointed me to the cordial glasses in the china cabinet behind us. I brought out four glasses and poured a small amount into each, making sure Casey’s was a bit fuller than the rest. She smiled at me as she reached out to take the glass. As our fingers skimmed across each other’s, I could feel the electricity between us.

We sat around the table listening to Andrea tell stories of Christmas’ when Casey was a little girl. The woman was so happy and so jolly that you couldn’t help but feel loved just by sitting around her table. I kept a close eye on Casey’s glass, making sure to refill it each time it got low. I wanted her to loosen up because the pull between us was thick and hungry. Each time she caught me staring she would look for a bit too long before blushing and turning back to her mother. Her innocent personality was sexy but I knew there was something raw and needy inside of her. I stretched my leg out under the table and grazed her foot with mine. She rubbed it back, staring forward and listening to her mother’s continued stories. Natalie seemed to be in her own little world, which left me and Casey trapped in this bubble, bursting at the seams to be let loose.

Maybe it was the fact that I was leaving, maybe it was the hazelnut liquor or even the twinkling Christmas lights, but I wanted Casey and I wanted her bad.

Chapter 2: Casey

When Natalie called and asked if her brother could join us for dinner, I had no idea I would end up standing in front of the hottest guy I had ever met. As soon as my eyes met his, I knew I was in trouble. He pierced me with a stunningly blue gaze and there was just something about the way his eyes glimmered as he flashed his wide smile with his wavy blonde hair curling around his face that left me breathless. I longed to put my hands in his curls and pull him close. The warmth in my chest was caused by a combination of his lustful stare and the hazelnut liqueur he refilled my glass with over and over again. There was a serious air of danger emanating from him, which usually made me run in the opposite direction from but for Dex, it only pulled me further in.

As we talked about our childhoods, my mother stood and started clearing the dishes. As always, I took notice and stood as well, reaching for the empty bowls and plates. Natalie grabbed my hand and winked at me, glancing over at her brother who was still staring intently, waiting for me to finish my sentence. I handed her the bowl and stepped back from the table, grabbing my glass.

“I’ll help clean up,” Natalie said brightly. “You did so much before we got here. Go relax and show my brother around the house.”

I blushed at her words, knowing she noticed our heated glances and attentive behavior toward each other. I backed up as she moved around the table picking up plates, unsure of what to do. I looked down as I felt Dex’s hand grab my arm and pull me toward the living room. I smiled sweetly at Natalie and allowed Dex to pull me away, finding him too sexy to ignore. I could feel the alcohol surging through my veins and loosening my nerves. I strolled over to the couch and sat down, watching as he followed. He sat close and turned to face me.

“What did you get your degree in?” He was very interested in my life and I was very interested in his luscious lips.

“Um. Well, I started out studying medicine but after my father passed away, I changed my major to business, hoping it would open some doors for me,” I said. “My father’s pension pays for the house as such but I knew my mother would need more help than that. I wanted to go to Graduate School like Natalie but I decided to wait for a while.”

“That’s really amazing of you, I know how it feels to lose a parent,” he said. I watched as he looked around at all the Christmas decorations mom and I had put up for the little party. It was nice having people here but even nicer having him sit so close to me. He turned toward me, his hand touching my knee and we stared into each other’s eyes for a moment.

“Okay gang,” my mother said, startling us and making us jump apart. “I’m going to take these down to the mission and make sure they don’t need any help this evening. You three have fun, there’s pie and ice cream in the kitchen if anyone wants anything.”

“Okay, mom. Be safe,” I said with flushed cheeks.

“Thank you for having us, Andrea,” Dex said, standing and kissing my mom on the cheek. Talk about a swoon moment.

We watched as my mom left the apartment, feeling the rush of cold air as she closed the door behind her. Natalie looked over at us and smiled, taking another drink of her liqueur and glancing at the twinkling lights. I shifted on the couch, trying to get this hot man off my mind. Every time our legs accidentally brushed each other I could feel the heat in my stomach grow hotter.

“So, you guys want to play charades?” I didn’t know what else to offer.

“Yes.” Natalie giggled. “Wait, there’s only three of us. I know! We’ll take turns. Me and Dex will act things out and you can be the guesser since I know you hate being the actor.”

“Sounds good to me.” I laughed.

We played a sloshy drunk game of charades for about an hour. I was laughing so hard from Dex’s impression of a duck that I almost spit my drink everywhere. Just as Natalie got up to take her turn, her phone rang and she walked into the kitchen to answer it. I laid on the couch with my legs propped up on Dex’s lap, trying to get ahold of the warm drunk feeling in my head. I hadn’t had this much fun in forever and the more we drank, the more touchy feely Dex and I became. When Natalie came back out, we looked up at her. She was wearing a thoughtful expression that made both Dex and me frown.

“So that was Ben from school,” she said, looking down at her phone. “He said he can get me front row at the Rockette’s extravaganza but if I want to go, I have to go now.”

“You should do it,” Dex said, glancing over at me. “That poor boy is pulling out all the stops, the least you could do is go enjoy yourself.”

“I don’t know,” she said, sitting down in the chair. “I’m having so much fun here.”

“Girl, we are always here. Go and have fun!” I said, hoping she would take my word for it.

“Okay,” she said excitedly. “I’ll go. I love you guys. Merry Christmas. I’ll call you tomorrow Casey.”

I leaned up and kissed Natalie on the cheek. I chuckled as she threw her jacket, gloves, and hat on and raced out the door. As soon as she shut the door I could feel just how alone Dex and I were and it was more than exciting. I could tell instantly that Dex was into me and I was sure as hell into him. I hadn’t ever been with a man before, not that I was saving myself for anyone. I was just really shy and the few guys I dated never made the attempt. I looked over at Dex who was staring awkwardly at his drink. He was so hot I could barely stand it. I pulled my legs from his lap and sat up next to him.

I watched as a small smirk moved across his lips and he turned to me, grabbing my glass and setting it on the table. He reached both hands up and held my face in his hands, kissing my lips softly. The setting was so romantic, with the soft glow of the lights from the tree, the smell of cinnamon in the air, and the orchestra Christmas music in the background. I leaned into his kiss, feeling a desperate need deep in my stomach. The liqueur made me dizzy so we leaned back against the couch, our lips moving sensually together. Though I could feel the heat gathering in my panties, I was okay with making out for a while in the dim sparkling lights.

Slowly, Dex pushed toward me, lying me down on the couch and running his hand up my side. I could feel his bulging erection against my leg and it sent chills down my spine. He was gentle but needy and I had no reason to tell him I was a virgin, not with his take charge attitude. I could feel his fingertips move down the sides of my dress and reach under, trailing up to my panties. He moved his body to the side as he plucked the edge of the lace and slid his fingers right, feeling my juices run. He bit his lip and ran his hand through my pussy lips, causing a low moan to escape my throat. The sound seemed to arouse him even more and he moved down, pulling my dress completely up and kissing my stomach. I laid my head down and closed my eyes as he pushed my legs apart and pulled my red lace panties to the side, replacing his fingers with his tongue.

I groaned as he lapped at my wet mound, savoring every drop before going back for more. I reached up and unbuttoned the top of my dress. I pulled my bra cups to the side, massaging my big breasts and grinding my hips against his mouth. He felt so good down there and I could feel my temperature rising. He moved his hand from my thigh and slipped two fingers inside of me and groaned against my clit, feeling how tight and wet I was. After a few minutes, he pulled his fingers out and moved up my body. He pressed his mouth against mine and growled as I sucked hard on his tongue. I reached down and unbuckled his belt, knowing we wouldn’t have long until my mother came back.

He sat up and pulled his pants and boxer briefs off, throwing them in a pile on the floor. He stood in front of me, stroking his rock-hard erection. He smiled excitedly as he dove back down, kissing my neck and chest while rubbing the head of his cock against my clit. I may have never been with a man but I definitely knew I wanted him inside of me. I reached down and grabbed his shaft, kissing him hard as I raised my hips and pulled him into me with need. He groaned loudly in my mouth as he entered me, sliding easily through my wetness.

“You are so tight,” he whispered, nibbling at my ear. “You feel amazing.”

As he leaned into me, he grabbed my hands and put them over my head. Holding them down with one arm, he lifted my leg around his waist. He began to push into me in a steady motion, his shaft moving through my tight wet pussy. He was so thick and so big I thought it would hurt but as I opened my hips to take him in further, all I felt was an unbelievable pleasure. He let go of my hands and grabbed my hips, thrusting forward harder and harder. I reached up and grabbed the arm of the couch, closing my eyes and listening to our skin slap together. He licked his lips and moaned as my juices covered his cock.

As he picked up the pace, he rocked his hips forward as he pushed in, rubbing against my clit. I felt the orgasm building in my belly as it began to erupt. I screamed loudly, grabbing the couch and arching my back as I felt the waves of pleasure explode through me. As I shivered and shook beneath him, he could feel me contracting against his shaft which only made him needier. I opened my eyes and watched as he thrust hard once, twice, and then a third time, rolling his eyes back and pushing in as he released. He continued to thrust softly as the waves of ecstasy rolled over him, biting his lip and squeezing my thighs in his strong hands. As his muscles relaxed, he looked down at me and smiled, shaking his head and leaning into my neck.

“That was amazing,” he said breathlessly. “Merry Freakin’ Christmas.”

I leaned my head back and laughed loudly as he pulled out and reached for my hands. When I got to my feet, he placed a long and passionate kiss on my lips. I couldn’t imagine that a better first time existed. Knowing my mother would be home soon, we got dressed and straightened ourselves up. I wanted him to stay but I knew it would look suspicious. I walked him to the door and handed him his hat as he pulled on his jacket. He opened the door but turned back and kissed me one last time, deep and hard, before flashing that killer smile and walking out of the apartment. He may have been a stranger just a few hours before, but I didn’t regret anything that happened between us.

Little did I know, I wouldn’t see Dex again for a very long time.

Chapter 3: Dex

The last five years had been one hell of an adventure. The business needed a boost and the competition needed to be taken out for Canton Enterprises to keep moving toward the future. I spent five years traveling through Asia, making deals with the biggest and richest men I could find. From China, Japan, and Korea, to Vietnam, Thailand, and Indonesia, the world would now see Canton Resorts, Canton Towers, and Canton Enterprises at the forefront of the luxury living scene. I learned so much while I was gone but it felt good to be back. Though I still had some loose ends to tie up, I had to come home for my sister’s wedding. She was the only family I had left and I couldn’t miss such an important event in her life.

I stood at the front with Natalie’s future husband Brandon, glad she had met such an amazing man to spend her life with. They met at a karaoke bar in Hell’s Kitchen and Brandon instantly fell in love with her. When they flew out to Beijing to visit me, I knew immediately that they were going to be together forever. He was just that guy, the guy who cherished the people he loved and said what he meant when he meant it. As the music began to play, I immediately stared at the opening doors at the end of the aisle. My happiness extended beyond my sister’s special day. Being here, in this little white church in upstate New York, meant I would finally see Casey again. I sure as hell couldn’t get her off my mind, even five years later, and I was hoping she felt the same way.

The blossoming yellow flowers placed all along the white church pews were accented by the fall leaves that peaked in through the back door. As the bridesmaids walked down the aisle, I Immediately spotted Casey. She was wearing a long sleeveless maxi dress with a tight bodice that made her voluptuous tits look amazing. Her dress was the color of the flowers and her beautiful hair was pinned elegantly on her head, long ringlets falling down around her face. She was even more gorgeous than I remembered and immediately, that night came flooding back to me. I was dumbfounded by how much she had blossomed and how absolutely beautiful she looked. I watched her as she walked up the steps to the altar and glanced quickly in my direction. Her cheeks blushed just as they had the first time we met.

As she stepped onto the stairs and lined up with the other brides, she smiled, staring down the aisle but feeling my gaze on her skin. The music ended and she took a deep breath. She looked over at me, raising her eyebrows with a playful smirk. I shook my head slightly and laughed to myself, realizing she knew exactly how I felt. When I looked back at her, she had straightened her face and was waiting for Natalie to make her grand entrance. As much as I wanted to see my beautiful sister, I couldn’t take my eyes off Casey. I didn’t realize that, after five years, I would be so drawn to her. I knew I wanted to see her. I was so excited to know she was going to be here but I didn’t expect to feel this way. I had a sudden urge to grab her and kiss her as soon as I laid eyes on her. I pulled my hands in front of me and looked over at Brandon. He was standing nervously while he stared at the open doors waiting for Natalie to appear.

As the music began to play, everyone stood and looked toward the back. I watched as my beautiful sister walked through the doors, escorted by our uncle, and smiling bigger than I had ever seen. From there, the rest of the ceremony was a complete blur. I couldn’t take my eyes off Casey long enough to listen to Natalie and Brandon’s vows. Every time her green eyes shifted and met mine, butterflies would fly through my stomach. When the ceremony was over, I escorted the maid of honor down the aisle and winked at Casey as I looked behind me. Immediately, her cheeks reddened and I glanced down at her hand, not seeing any kind of wedding ring.

After we left the church, we all gathered in the back for pictures. I watched from the side as the bridesmaids had their photos taken together. My sister walked up to me and nudged me in the side. I looked down and put my arm around her, marveling at how absolutely gorgeous she looked.

“Congrats, sis,” I said, smiling.

“Why thank you, glad you could make it.” She laughed.

The photographer called Natalie over. As soon as Casey was free from the group, I made a bee-line for her. I did not want to waste any time. As I approached, she looked up at me and smiled, handing her flowers to the other girl and meeting me half way. We immediately embraced in a tight hug and I couldn’t believe how good it felt to have my arms wrapped around her.

“It’s good to see you,” she whispered in my ear. “It’s been a long time.”

“You look amazing,” I said, pulling back to look at her. “Well, you know, had to tone it down to not upstage the bride.”

We both laughed and looked at Natalie and Brandon embracing and kissing for the photographer. I watched Casey’s cheeks fade from bright red to a faint pink. She gazed out at my sister and her new husband as the sun started to set behind the church. When their pictures were done, Casey smiled at me before walking off with the other bridesmaids to take the limo to the reception. I watched her curvy hips and amazing ass sway back and forth in her tight dress as she walked along the road. She stooped into the car and I swallowed hard. I reached over and grabbed my sister before she could disappear.

“Hey,” I said, looking at the limo. “Is Casey seeing anyone?”

“No, she’s single,” she said with a sly smirk that I completely ignored. “See you at the reception?”

“I’ll be there,” I said, clapping and walking toward the groomsmen’s limo.

Hopefully, I’d be there sweeping Miss Casey right off her feet. Why not pick up where we left off? It was hot, it was needy, and I couldn’t get her out of my head. I wasn’t looking for anything serious but I definitely wouldn’t mind replaying that Christmas Eve night. When we got to the reception, I had a seat at my table and watched Casey as she laughed and ate with the other girls. She was stunning. When I saw her get up to get a drink from the bar, I knew it was a good time to chat with her. I charismatically moved through the crowd and leaned on the bar next to her.

“Hey you,” I said, smiling.

“Hey there.” She laughed. “You are still as charming as ever.”

“I try.” I chuckled. She smiled at me as she took her drink. I swiped my hand down her arm and immediately felt a spark, the same spark I felt five years ago. She took a deep breath and stepped back, forcing a smile on her lips. I couldn’t put my finger on what it was, but she seemed a bit distant. She was still sexy as hell, sweet, adorable as always. She laughed at my stupid jokes but she was also slightly removed from our conversation. I grinned and opened my mouth to invite her to sit with me but I was cut off by the MC announcing the bride and groom’s first dance. Casey shrugged her shoulders and smiled, turned, and went back to her own table.

I walked back to my seat and sat down, slightly perplexed by what just happened. Had things changed while I was away? Did she no longer have any kind of emotions or feelings for me? Five years was a long time but since I hadn’t stopped thinking about her, I knew her feelings could still be on the surface too. She looked so sexy in that dress and her smile was more radiant than ever. All I wanted to do was get her out of that hot dress and have another steamy night of passion. For about an hour, I watched the festivities develop from the first dance and the cake cutting to the emotional dance with our uncle. When all had settled down and everyone was milling around, I looked up to see Casey sitting alone at the table, watching the couples dance on the dancefloor. I knew this was the perfect time to grab her and bring her close. The idea of holding her in my arms was too enticing to pass up. I walked around the crowd and came up behind her, tapping her on the shoulder.

“Excuse me Miss,” I said with a playful bow. “May I have this dance.”

She looked up at me and smiled shyly, nodding her head and reaching out for my hand. I draped her arm through mine as we walked on the dance floor. I spun her around and into my arms. She laughed as she crashed back into me, lifting her head and taking my hand. I reached around her waist and pulled her close, feeling her breasts heaving against my chest. She looked up at me with her big green eyes and my heart fluttered inside my chest. It felt like the first night we met, when the want and need between us was so thick we could barely breathe. As we danced across the floor, our eyes did not detach and for a minute, it felt like we were the only two in the room. I knew I had to have her again. I needed to feel her skin against mine, to taste her and feel her mouth wrapped around my cock.

Needing to set the mood, I pulled her even closer without caring that she would feel my half erection against her body. As her waist hit my crotch, her eyes widened and she bit her lip. A conflicted expression crossed her face. I leaned down and picked her up by the waist, letting her feet dangle as we swayed to the sound of the orchestra playing in the background. Her breathing was heavy against my neck and I buried my face in her hair, breathing in her sweet scent. I wanted another night of passion and lust. No, I needed another night of passion and lust and not with just anyone, with Casey. There might have been something going on in her head that I didn’t understand but at that moment, I didn’t care. All I cared about was making her feel wanted, sexy, and desirable.

As we swayed to the music, I could feel her suck in a deep breath and let it out hard. I feared she wasn’t feeling the same way as me but the way she clung tightly to my body, rubbing her lips against my neck, told a different story. I wasn’t sure what was wrong and I hoped I hadn’t done something to mess up this reunion already, though I didn’t see how I could have. Either way, I was going to enjoy having her in my arms until the song was over and then, hopefully, I would take her in my arms in my bed later tonight.

Chapter 4: Casey

This day has been nothing but a sea of raging emotions. I cry at weddings all the time but watching my best friend marry the love of her life, an amazing and extremely handsome fireman, I am simply beside myself. I watched their relationship grow over the years and I knew from their first real date that there was no going back for Miss Natalie. This guy swept her off her feet so fast I didn’t think she would ever touch back down. The way he protected her, respected her, and cherished her was something rarely found in today’s world. Seeing them together was perfect and it gave me hope that one day, I’d be just as happy.

On top of all that, the man I spent five long years pining for, finally surfaced and was back on my radar. I knew he was going to be here. He is Natalie’s only brother, so it would have been strange for him not to come. Still, my memory did not do him justice and when he flashed that damn smile at me from across the church, I almost collapsed right there in the aisle. I told myself over and over again that I needed to relax. It had been five years since we saw each other, there was no way he was going to be interested in me now. Just in case he was, I gave myself strict instructions to keep my distance. Things became very different in my life after he left and I knew I couldn’t just welcome him back with open arms, or legs for that matter. Then, he looked at me with those deep blue eyes and I’m pinned, unable to move, or even breathe. I’m right back where I was, completely vulnerable to his charms.

I was strong. I learned so much over the last five years but it was like all it disappeared with just one look from Dex. I didn’t know whether to be angry at myself or just accept that I was human and this was bound to happen. Either way, I knew I had to keep my wits about me and not give into him like I did last time. It was easier said than done as I hung from his neck, my face buried in his shoulder, and his arms wrapped tightly around me. I kept sighing to keep myself from bursting into tears, everything was very overwhelming. His scent was so familiar, like we were back on that couch underneath the pale twinkling Christmas lights, downing hazelnut liqueur and throwing caution to the wind. The feeling of his skin on mine was still fresh in my mind and just being close to him, his hips against me, an obvious erection in his pants, was so tantalizing I could barely take it. However, knowing where our first encounter led, I knew I had the willpower to resist.

As the song slowly came to an end, Dex held on to me, squeezing me tightly and breathing into my neck. I took a deep breath as he set me down gently on the ground. I looked up into his big blue eyes. He could tell something was wrong but I didn’t say a word. I smiled and turned to leave. I couldn’t breathe, I couldn’t talk, I just needed some space, and fast. He watched me shuffle off toward the bathroom, holding my hand against my chest. I didn’t know how to explain any of this to him. I rounded the corner and walked straight into the bathroom, stopping and gathering myself as I watched Natalie struggling with her dress. She looked up at me and smiled, breaking into a giggle. Just the sound of my best friend’s laugh made me feel better.

“What in the world are you doing?” I asked, looking at her twisted gown.

“I had to pee and no one was here to help so I stepped out of my dress for a minute to go. Now I can’t get it zipped.” She laughed, leaning against the wall and sweating slightly.

“Oh my god.” I burst into laughter. “You are a mess.”

I walked over and pulled her to her feet, turning her and straightening the gown while I connected the hooks she had somehow completely screwed up. I looked in the mirror as I pulled the zipper back up and tucked in the ribbons. She looked so happy and I didn’t want to ruin it but I needed to talk to someone.

“Your brother and I had a dance,” I said quietly.

“I know, I saw you,” she said, smirking.

“It's confusing,” I replied. “He’s been gone so long but it feels like he never left.”

“Are you okay?”

“Me? Yeah,” I said but it was a lie. “I mean sure. Why wouldn’t I be?”

“Are you going to tell him about Seth?” I looked up at her as the words came out of her mouth, too shocked to even try and hide it. I came up with a full-proof lie about who Seth’s father was, how I got pregnant, the whole nine yards. I guess I should have realized I wouldn’t be able to keep it from Natalie, she knew me too well.

“I, how did you…no,” I finally stammered. “I mean, how would I even start that conversation? And God what if Seth was the one who got hurt? I’m not saying your brother is a bad guy but that is heavy and I just can’t take the chance of having him tell Seth, get close, and then leave again. Maybe when Seth is older.”

I leaned against the bathroom sink and took in a deep breath. How did everything get so complicated so fast? I came out here to celebrate my best friend’s marriage and I ended up having to face the thing I feared the most. I knew it was wrong to lie to Dex but we had made love once. It was my first time and then BAM, there I was with this adorable little person who I loved more than my own life. He was perfect in every way and I was terrified that Dex would somehow hurt him.

“I’m not saying my brother is a saint by any means,” Natalie said, holding my hand. “All I’m saying is he deserves to know. I will never say a word but I think that you should tell him eventually. At least promise me you’ll think about it.”

I nodded my head yes and closed my eyes as Natalie leaned in and kissed me on the cheek. She straightened her hair and wiped the sweat from her forehead before walking out of the bathroom. I stood there staring down at my hands, thinking about my little man at home with my mom. He was the best thing that ever happened to me and I would never want to see him hurt, or worse. What if Dex tried to take him from me? I could never let that happen. I had no misconceptions about Dex, I knew he was a billionaire businessman who traveled the world, lived freely, and had never been known to settle down. There was no doubt in my mind that he would want to know but I didn’t think for a second he would fall to his knees and pledge his loyalty to us.

Seth lived in a different world than Dex. Seth’s was a world of bedtimes, cartoons, his drawings of buildings, and all the love he could handle from me and my mom. Dex lived in a world of penthouses, expensive cars, limos and the best clothes money could buy. It would be so confusing for Seth to be thrust into that world, possibly without the only two people he knew loved and cared for him. I didn’t know what to do but I knew I couldn’t go back out there and face Dex again, it was too dangerous for me. One look from those sultry eyes and he would have me right where he wanted. I would be putty in his capable hands.

I looked down at my watch and realized it was close to the time Natalie and Brandon would be heading off to their hotel for the night. If I left then, she wouldn’t even notice, especially with the ridiculous amount of pomp and circumstance that was going on. I couldn’t go back out there, not even to say goodbye. I grabbed my purse and turned, looking at my reflection in the mirror. I looked beautiful, just like a rich girl with her expensive gown and perfect makeup. The only problem was, I wasn’t that girl and never would be. I grew up a fallen police officer’s daughter, born and raised in Brooklyn, and destined for single motherhood. I was okay with that because I knew I could give Seth the love he deserved.

Things may have been complicated in my head because I knew the truth, I lived with that night every day since then, watching as it grew and blossomed into an adorable little boy, but for Dex, it was nothing more than rekindling an old flame. If I were to hide it and give in to his blue eyes, sexy body, and incredible charm, I knew, in the end, I would be left alone and broken, just like I was when he left last time. I couldn’t keep do this to myself again, it was too much.

I breathed deeply and nodded at myself in the mirror, gathering the strength I needed to unglue my feet from the bathroom floor. Shoving my clutch under my arm, I walked slowly out of the bathroom, peeking around the corner to make sure the coast was clear. Dex was sitting alone at his table, looking around for me, his gorgeous smile wiped from his face. He had to be wondering why I ran off and where I went, which was something I had to let go of. I turned the other direction and slipped into the shadows of the yard, making my way toward the parking lot. I would take a car back to the hotel for the night and then, I would bolt out to the city before anyone even noticed I was gone. I missed Seth and I wanted the comfort of my home and my family.

I stood at the side of the car watching as Natalie and Brandon came through the front doors holding hands and being followed by the whole of the reception. They laughed and waved as they dodged the wall of bubbles being blown in their direction. I smiled, knowing my best friend had found something I wasn’t sure I ever would. As they drove off, streaming sparkling lights shot up from the fireworks that lined the driveway. It was really beautiful and I could see Dex standing in the drive watching, his hands in his pockets, his bow tie hanging untied around his neck, and the glow of the fireworks casting shadows across his face. I wondered if that was what Seth would look like when he grew up, strong and sure with a lost look in the corner of his eye.

I took in a deep breath and ducked down into the car, asking the driver to wait until everyone went inside. I watched as Dex looked around the crowd, scratched his head and kicked at the ground beneath him. It wasn’t very ladylike for me to just run off without a word but I knew if I got anywhere near him, I would fall right into his arms. The last thing I needed in my life was to be heartbroken all over again. I told myself it was the right decision to make. I nodded to the driver who put the car in drive and pulled down the driveway.

I was making the right decision, that much I knew, but it was really hard to convince myself of that.

Chapter 5: Dex

My head was throbbing from the champagne I consumed at the wedding. I usually stayed away from the stuff, sticking to my normal whiskey and coke. But, it was there and once I got started I just kept going, especially after Casey disappeared and never returned. To say I was disappointed would be an understatement. She was just as beautiful, if not more beautiful, than the day I met her and I was hoping to rekindle the flame between us. In my drunken state, I tried to find out her room number. We were in the same hotel so I thought it would be easy but the rooms had been blocked out with no names. Natalie had simply handed out keys when everyone arrived. The last thing I wanted to do was pound on every door in the hotel in the middle of the night just to find Casey. So, in my disappointment, I went up to the penthouse and passed out face down on the bed. It wasn’t until room service came knocking that I realized I had fallen asleep still in my tux and shoes.

I was glad my sister arranged everything, otherwise breakfast would have never even crossed my mind. I was more of a coffee and conference call kind of guy but Natalie knew that, which was why she sent food up. After my shower, I took note of the things the hotel needed to fix in the penthouse, which was a constant thing I did everywhere I went. I went downstairs and made sure my sister’s ride to the airport was on its way. They were going on an amazing vacation that Brandon planned. I tried to talk him into letting me pay for it but he refused, saying he saved up just for that. I liked how he did things, he was down to earth but at the same time, he understood my sister and her background. As I leaned against the side of the elevator, trying to stop the dizziness from overtaking me, Casey flashed through my mind. I could still feel her body pressed against me while we danced, the smell of her perfume had been absolutely intoxicating.

I shook the memory from my mind when I reached the proper floor and meandered down the hallway toward the honeymoon suite. I knocked on the door and smiled as I heard my sister talking and laughing loudly. Brandon opened the door and grinned, wiping his face from the brunch they were enjoying. He leaned in and hugged me warmly before stepping to the side and inviting me inside. I stepped over the door to find my sister dressed and ready to go, excitement etched in every line of her face.

“Good morning sweet brother,” she said, standing to kiss me on the cheek.

“Good morning.” I grumbled. “I came to let you know that your private jet is waiting on the tarmac and the car is downstairs. They’re scheduled and ready to get you to the South Pacific.”

“Excellent,” Brandon said, slapping me on the shoulder.

“Do you want some brunch,” my sister asked, pointing down at the mimosas and pancakes in front of her. My stomach flip flopped just looking at the bubbly.

“No, thank you. I got your breakfast this morning.” I smiled, taking a seat across from her while Brandon pulled their bags up to the door.

“So, how did things go with you and Casey last night?” She tried to sound nonchalant but I saw right through it.

“I thought they were going great,” I said, running my hands through my hair. “We were talking, laughing, dancing, just like we never missed a day. Then, poof, she was gone, nowhere to be found. I don’t know what I did but I completely struck out last night.”

Natalie sat quietly, finishing her brunch and setting her silverware down on the plate. She wiped her mouth with the anagrammed Canton Resorts cloth napkin and looked out the window. I could tell she was mulling over her next words, wanting to say the right thing. I always hated that silence, she usually came back with some lecture that was full of wisdom and truths I didn’t want to hear. She had a way of channeling our mother that I didn’t always appreciate. She turned back to me and smiled thoughtfully, reaching out to take my hand.

“Dex, I know you like Casey and I know you two hooked up before you left for Asia, but she is my very best friend,” she said with demure and class. “You know I love you but I also know that you are not the settling down type. You have this empire left by Mom and Dad and it’s your job to keep it afloat. You’ve done an amazing job but if you are just looking for another play toy, then you need to look somewhere else. Casey is not your girl if that’s all you want. She is so sweet and smart and deserves so much more than a casual lay. I could never be okay with you treating her like one of your play things, she is way too good for that.”

She patted me on the leg and took a sip of her mimosa, allowing me time to process her words of warning. Deep down, I knew this wouldn’t be as simple as waltzing back in town and picking up where we left off, at least not with a girl like Casey. She had a life, a career, and probably some sort of love interest that I couldn’t expect her to drop for another one-night stand. In all honesty, I spent the last five years completely dedicated to my work, not even thinking about any random trysts while I was away. However, the last thing I wanted to do was admit that to my sister and give her the wrong idea. My sister’s words did not skip over me. I took them to heart, knowing she had the best interest of both of Casey and me in mind when she spoke.

“I know.” I sighed, leaning back. “When she ditched, just left without a word last night, I got the message loud and clear. I don’t want to cause her any undue stress, Natalie. I may not be the relationship guy but I’m not a total asshole.”

“Oh, God, Dex, that is not what I meant,” she said, shaking her head. “I know you are a good guy at heart.”

“I don’t have any plans to pursue Casey,” I said, wanting to end the conversation. “I have a good couple of weeks in town and then, I am out again. I don’t want any complications either.”

“Good,” Natalie said, leaning over and kissing me on the cheek. “Glad we settled that.”

My sister was so cunning sometimes, it was like she knew exactly what she wanted to hear and when it was said, she lifted the burden and moved on. I watched as Brandon walked over, leaned down, and kissed Natalie on the cheek. Her cheeks blushed and she closed her eyes with a blissful smile. They were the perfect couple and it was almost nauseating. In three weeks, I was going to be on a plane to South America to finish up some new acquisitions for the company. From there, I wasn’t sure where I would go. My sister was going to spend the holidays with Brandon and his family as far as I knew, so there was no real reason for me to sit in an empty penthouse, staring enviously out at families walking through the park. I had my fill of that last year, though the end was much better than I thought it would be.

“You ready to go?” My sister looked up at Brandon and smiled brightly.

When we opened the door, the staff was standing there waiting to carry down the bags. I tipped them generously and took the elevator to the bottom floor with my sister and new brother in-law. With them leaving and me deciding against any kind of relationship, short or long-term, I felt kind of lost as to what I would do with myself in the city for the next three weeks. I figured I might as well get some extra work done while I was here. It would help me ignore all the holiday decorations the city was already putting up. We reached the bottom floor and walked through the lobby, smiling as some of the guests watched us walk outside. The staff went to work loading the trunk while I pulled my sister into a tight embrace.

“You take care of yourself in South America,” she said while I squeezed her. “Don’t drink the water and stay out of the rivers.”

“Yes mom,” I said, chuckling. She kissed my cheek and ducked into the car. Brandon turned to me and shook my hand, thanking me for everything I did to make sure their day was perfect. I stood on the sidewalk and watched as they drove off down the street. I looked around at the beautiful trees that had already changed colors and decided that building this hotel in upstate was a good idea, though I was ready to get back to the city. It was late in the afternoon on a Sunday, so I figured traffic wouldn’t be too bad. I would still have time to work when I got back.

I went back upstairs and gathered my things, hanging my tux on the door to be returned. I owned several tuxes but having been out of the country so long, it was easier to rent one for the occasion. I carried my small bag back downstairs and hopped into the limo that was parked out front. The driver wasn’t my usual but then again, nothing was really the same after five years away. As we drove along, I stared out at the passing farms, the crops brown and withered, and the trees dancing in vibrant colors of oranges and reds. Casey immediately flew through my mind. What I told my sister, though flighty in nature, had to be the truth. I was leaving and wasn’t sure how long I would be gone this time. There was no way I could promise my time to Casey in any concrete way. That night five years ago was so amazing it kept my mind occupied through all these years but it was just that, a memory. One that had repercussions.

I knew Casey would love more than anything to settle down like Natalie and Brandon but I just knew I wasn’t ready to do that. She needed a man who was here for her completely. I was here but only in spirit most of the time, regardless of how much I would worship her sexy body and lose myself in her steaming green eyes. It wasn’t a good idea to try to repeat that night. I needed to remember that, feel good about it, and move on with life. That was what was best for both of us, regardless of what my cock tried to tell me. As I repeated the words over and over to myself, I could feel a pang in my chest, something I hadn’t felt in a very long time. I breathed deeply and pulled my briefcase into my lap, ignoring the feeling and trying to focus my mind on something else, anything that did not have to do with Casey.

As we got closer and closer to home, I started pushing myself back into my work with my usual avid determination. I promised my sister I would leave Casey alone and I needed to stick to my word. Still, as we passed through Brooklyn, I looked out at the row houses and wondered what that beautiful girl was doing right at that exact moment.

Chapter 6: Casey

I was glad to be back home, back in my normal routine, and back remembering why exactly I left the wedding without a word. I could hear Seth packing up his pencils and crayons after he finished drawing his latest building. He was obsessed with drawing buildings, whether they were giant skyscrapers or little houses in the country. He was my little architect. As I heard him jump down and start running through the kitchen, I chuckled to myself, remembering he was only four years old. His light brown hair and hazel eyes made him look almost like my twin, which was good since I didn’t want anyone to know who his father was. However, when he curled up in my lap, shy and timid, and looked up at me with his big smile, I could see Dex hidden under the surface. It broke my heart every single time but I knew the choice had been mine and therefore the consequences were mine to bear.

My mother’s laugh behind me drew me from my thoughts as she caught Seth and sat him in the chair, tickling him to get him to calm down. It was dinner time and my favorite time of the day since I could sit with my family and talk about the week. It would be a week as of tomorrow since I escaped the warm, comforting clutches of Dex at the wedding but I still couldn’t get him off my mind. I worked all week, trying to make some extra money. My mother wanted me to continue to have a life and I knew she really loved looking after Seth. It was like he finally gave her something to do that took her mind off the silence that haunted our house since my father died. She was livelier than ever and I could see the young woman I remembered from when I was a small child burn inside her eyes.

I pulled the potatoes from the stove and scraped them into a large bowl, plopped a spoon in them, and joined my mother and son at the table. Though I loved feeding my son, I let my mother have the honor at dinner. It always brought a smile to her tired face. Seth was a lucky boy, he had two people who loved him more than the world. I sat down at the table and began to pass the food over to my mother. As soon as she handed it back to me and I went to fill my plate, a knock echoed from the front door. I looked up at my mother who stared at me with unknowing eyes. She had already begun feeding Seth so I sighed, set the food down, and pushed back from the table. It was probably some salesman trying to sell us more of something we didn’t need. I grabbed the door handle and opened the door, looking down at my messy hands.

“I’m sorry,” I said, noticing an expensive pair of shoes in front of me. “We don’t want….”

As my eyes moved up a very expensive pair of slacks and over the chest of a very strong and fit man, my eyes landed on Dex’s beautiful grin. My mouth dropped open for a moment and I stood there, just staring at him in the doorway. He was holding a beautiful bouquet of fall themed flowers and looked slightly awkward standing in a dirty hallway, primed and tailored for the big city. He raised his eyebrows and shifted in his stance.

“Um, may I come in?” I shook the look from my face and moved to the side, shut the door and stepped back in front of him. My heart raced, knowing he knew nothing about Seth, not even the fact that he existed at all. Seth’s laughter floated through the air and I watched as Dex’s face scrunched slightly in confusion.

“We just sat down to eat,” I said sheepishly, looking down at the floor.

I watched him look around the room, realizing he hadn’t been back here since the night we had amazing sex on the same couch that was still sitting in the living room. The smell of his cologne was intoxicating as he unbuttoned his suit jacket and casually stuck his hands in his pockets. I knew he was waiting for me to invite him to dinner but I didn’t know what I should do. If he came back there, he was going to meet Seth and I was terrified that he would put two and two together. I shifted uncomfortably in my shoes, trying to stall so I could come up with a good enough excuse. I could tell he wasn’t going to leave until he came into the kitchen. I sucked in a deep breath and met his gaze, feeling my heart flutter under the pressure of his deep blue eyes. God, why did he have to be so sexy?

“Would you like to come into the kitchen with me?” As soon as the words left my mouth, I was overcome with fear. On one hand, I couldn’t think of a better face to open the door to but on the other hand, I hadn’t even mentioned my son to Dex. I knew this introduction would be difficult. He smiled and reached up, pushing a piece of hair out of my face.

“I brought these for you,” he said, handing over the flowers.

“Thank you. They’re beautiful,” I said with a smile. “Well, let me get them into some water.”

I turned toward the kitchen and held my breath as we walked toward the room where my mother and son were waiting. As I rounded the corner, I glanced over at my mom who froze. She quickly recovered, clearing her throat and smiling at Dex. I grabbed a vase off the counter and turned around to watch Dex’s face when he found Seth sitting at the table. I watched as he tried to hide his surprise of finding my mother sitting at the table feeding a four-year-old boy. It took him a second but he used his normal charm to twist that surprised expression into a nice smile. I wanted to grab his attention, completely fearful that he would start to put two and two together but I also didn’t want to make it obvious.

“So, Mom, you remember Dex,” I said, smiling.

“Yes,” she said with a kind wave. “How are you, sweetheart?”

“I’m well, thank you,” he said.

“And that little messy bug right there is my son, Seth,” I said, holding my breath and waiting for his reaction.

“Hey little buddy.” Dex chuckled. Seth looked at him with wide eyes before putting his head down with flushed cheeks. He was really shy just like I was and it took him a long time to open up to new people, which was good since I didn’t want Dex to have any idea that Seth was his son. “You’re shy just like your momma.”

I finished filling the vase with water and arranged the flowers inside, walking over and setting it on the table. I figured it would be rude to not invite Dex to join us. As much as I wished he would simply excuse himself and leave, I feared he would continue to stare awkwardly at the three of us. I sat down and pulled out the chair next to me, looking up at Dex.

“Would you like to join us?”

“Oh, uh, no. I wish I could but I have another meeting across town,” he said, shaking his head.

“Still working? You are a busy man,” my mother said with a chuckle.

“Yeah, my company never lets me rest,” he said uncomfortably before turning to me. “I actually just stopped by to see if you would have dinner with me tomorrow night.”

I put the napkin back on the table and walked over to the counter to get a glass of water. My heart was beating uncontrollably and I tried to hide the fact that my hands were shaking. I knew it was a terrible idea to be alone with him again. The battle between good and evil began in my head and I could feel three sets of heavy eyes staring me down. I set the glass on the counter and took a deep breath, trying to weigh my options as fast as I could. Finally, realizing I couldn’t make him wait forever, I turned back to him and smiled.

“Sure,” I said with a forced smile. “I’d love to.”

“Great,” he said, letting out his held breath. “So, I’ll pick you up at six?”

“Mom?” I hoped she was going to say she had some mission event but she didn’t.

“Sure! Me and little man can have a movie night,” she said, raising her eyebrows.

“Awesome,” Dex said, backing from the room. “It was really good seeing you guys, I have to run though, the meetings wait for no one.”

I nodded and followed him to the front door, realizing he was in a bit more of a hurry than made sense. He was the owner of the company, not the errand boy, they would surely understand if he was a few minutes late. When he reached the front door, he opened it, winked, and walked out. I followed the door closed with my hands and stood with my forehead pressed against the wood. What had I just agreed to?

My attention was drawn back to the kitchen when my mother mentioned bath time to Seth. I told her I would do it, glad to get my mind focused on something else. As I bathed Seth, looking at his sweet smile and amazing curiosity, I smiled, knowing everything was just as I wanted it to be. Dex coming back, for a short of amount of time, shouldn’t affect my life in any way. I decided right then that I was not going to reveal to Dex that Seth was his child, there was no point. Dex was not the kind of man who would ever be okay with being tied. I knew that about him and I was okay with it, I’d always been okay with it. Still, I couldn’t allow him into my son’s life in such an important way when he was only going to leave town again soon.

The chaos of getting Seth out of the bath and in his pajamas occupied my mind for the next hour. But after two bedtime stories and a kiss goodnight, I tiptoed from his bedroom, down to the living room, and plopped down on the couch. I ran my hand over the cushions, remembering how good Dex felt inside me that night, how he filled perfectly. I thought about the earth-shattering orgasm he give me and at that moment, I almost wished he would knock on the door again. I hadn’t been interested in any other man since that night and it had been a really long five years alone in this apartment. I made my mind up that I wasn’t going to tell Dex about Seth but that didn’t mean I couldn’t enjoy his comfort while he was in town. At the most, he was going to be here two weeks and instead of worrying about feelings, I needed to worry about how to get him in bed during those two weeks.

There was nothing wrong with me putting aside my feelings and actually enjoying something, or someone, for once in my life. I went through a lot over the last five years and I thought that maybe, I was allowed to enjoy myself a little bit. Sure, there were plenty of men out there if I just wanted to get laid but there was something exhilarating, passionate, and lustful about Dex. His amazing body sent shocks of desire shooting through me every time I saw him. So, then and there, I made a promise to myself that I would enjoy every bit of him and then, when he left, I would go on with my life.

Chapter 7: Dex

After leaving Casey’s in a complete haze, I sat through my meeting but I couldn’t pay attention. When I got home that night, I couldn’t sleep so I went to the gym and then came home and crashed. I needed to process what I saw. By the next morning, my head wasn’t as hazy but I was still semi-shocked by what I found out at Casey’s. When I walked into that kitchen, the last thing I expected to see was a little boy with Casey’s gorgeous hazel eyes and shy sensibility. No wonder she acted so strange at the wedding and no wonder my sister told me Casey didn’t need someone who wasn’t going to stick around. I knew I shouldn’t have gone to her house but after a week of being completely useless, caught in a mix of daydreams and distractions all centered around Casey, I finally gave in, wanting to see her, touch her, and just be near her.

Even after I got back to the city and immersed myself in work, visions of that night five years ago and our dance at the wedding played over and over in my mind. I tried to banish Casey from my thoughts but it was impossible. I never knew a girl so arousing and sensual that I couldn’t shake her. It was starting to mess with my psyche. So, knowing I had been defeated by my own dick, I grabbed some flowers and went over to Casey’s place. However, as those shy hazel eyes blinked up at me, I panicked and immediately made up some story about having a business meeting. By that point though, it was too late and I was now forced to share a dinner with her.

I spent the entire day thinking about Casey and her little boy but now, it was time to get ready for dinner. A million things were floating through my mind at that moment, the biggest being learning to control my cock so I could think with my brain for once. To avoid the awkwardness of the drive, I sent a car to pick her up, telling her I would meet her at the restaurant. By distancing myself from her as much as possible I thought I would be able to resist my desire to have her again. If we spent half an hour alone in the car, I wasn’t sure I’d be able to control my urges. Instead, I would meet her at dinner, be polite, gracious, and charming as always but when the night was over, I would give her a kiss on the cheek and go home alone. It sounded like a great plan but as thoughts of her heaving tits ran through my mind, I knew I was going to have to fight my cock on this decision. I could only hope she was thinking the same thing and didn’t want to fall into bed with me either.

I went downstairs and jumped into my town car, watching as we pulled down the street toward the restaurant. When we got there, I recognized the car in front of us as one of my own. I sat and watched as Casey stepped elegantly from the back-passenger door, straightening her dress and pulling her shawl around her shoulders. She looked amazing with her dark brown curls lying over shoulders. Her dress was simple but sexy as it hugged every curve of her body perfectly. It was black and tight and the bottom rested just below her knees. She was wearing black stockings that smoothed down to her nude six-inch heels. She looked back, obviously recognizing my driver and stood with her arms crossed in front of her. I could have sat there all night just watching her.

I met her at the door and opened it, placing my hand on her lower back as we entered. Sparks ignited in my chest as my hand slid over her soft back. I took a deep breath, remembering what I promised myself and followed the hostess to our table. I ordered a bottle of wine and appetizer and stared across the table at Casey, whose cheeks were flushed. I wanted to ask her about her son but I didn’t want to be rude. Apparently, a lot had happened since I left, and I wanted her to feel comfortable talking to me about it.

“How was your trip?” She sipped her wine and smiled.

“It was amazing,” I said. “There were so many beautiful places, I just wished I hadn’t been stuck in the office so much. I didn’t get to do very much sightseeing.”

“I would love to travel and see the world.” She sighed, looking down at her plate. “But with Seth and my mom, it’ll have to wait.”

“Seth is really adorable,” I said, watching her shift in her chair. “He looks just like you.”

“He is amazing, that’s for sure.” She chuckled.

“I’m sorry that I didn’t keep in touch,” I said, putting my napkin in my lap. “I didn’t realize you had a child or were in a relationship. I kind of feel like an ass.”

“Oh,” she said, swallowing her wine hard. “No, I’m not in a relationship. Seth’s father isn’t around.”

I waited for a moment, hoping she would continue but I could see she didn’t want to talk about her son’s father. I didn’t mind, I just wanted her to know I noticed. I changed the subject back to my travels, explaining the different places I went and how they will be hosting our new resort line. She shook her head, amazed by how big the company was.

“It’s crazy, when you first walked into my house five years ago, I did not look at you and think, this man owns an empire.” She laughed.

“What did you think?” I gave her a coy smirk and sipped my wine.

“I thought you were handsome,” she said shyly. “And that you looked like a complete idiot during charades.”

“Oh, God.” I laughed. “I forgot about charades. Hey, I didn’t look as dumb as Natalie trying to imitate a blimp.”

“That was amazing,” she said, giggling. “But I can’t really hold it against you, we drank an entire bottle of hazelnut liqueur that night. To this day I can’t smell hazelnut without thinking about it. It went down so smooth.”

“It should have, the bottle was like over five hundred dollars,” I replied, watching her choke on her bite of food.

We spent the rest of dinner, relaxed, happy, and laughing. I felt so comfortable with Casey and I didn’t want the night to end just because dinner was over. When we left the restaurant, I motioned to the park on the other side of the street and she smiled at me, nodding silently. We strolled across the concrete path that led through the large oak trees, staring out at the lawn that was usually full of dogs, exercise classes, or frisbee throwers. Tonight though, in the chilled October air, it was just the two of us and I couldn’t help but feel my lust for her rise up into my throat. I looked over at her as she rubbed her arms. I pulled my jacket off and draped it over her shoulders. She smiled at me, her green eyes glistening in the lights that lined the trail.

Just the feel of her shoulder brushing across my hand ignited every sense in my body and immediately, I could feel myself turning on the charm. I didn’t know how I thought I would get away with just brushing her off but I knew now that was not going to happen. Desire was pumping through my veins as we walked along and all I could think about was getting her home and in my bed. But how? I knew she was really against anything happening, since I was leaving again. I listened to her talk about her job, tuning out halfway through as I tried to devise a plan to convince her to come home with me for a nightcap. I reached down and grabbed her hand, hoping she wouldn’t pull away. She looked up at me and smiled, her heels clicking against the cement walkway. As she took another step forward, she wobbled and screamed, her heel snapping from her shoe. I reached out and caught her, stepping forward and sweeping her into my arms.

“Damn,” she said, looking at her half heel hanging from her foot.

“It’s okay,” I said. “I own a hotel right down the street. We can go there and get you a new pair of shoes.”

She looked at me for a moment, running something over in her mind before wrapping her arms around my neck and nodding her head. I reminded myself to send a thank you letter to whoever made her shoes. I carried her down the block and into the hotel, nodding at the front desk so they knew I was taking the suite upstairs. It was usually held for me or any guests I had coming into town. As we stepped into the elevator, I set her gingerly down on her feet and put my key in the lock. The doors closed slowly and we moved toward the top floor.

Once we were inside, I picked up the phone and called down to the concierge. I glanced over at Casey who was wandering around the suite with her eyes wide. I told the concierge that we needed a pair of size 8 nude pumps and added that we needed them fast for good measure. However, as I hung up the phone and looked over at the bottle of champagne in the glass front mini fridge, I knew they could take their sweet time bringing those shoes up. I walked over and pulled the bottle from the fridge, grabbing two glasses from the bar. Casey turned toward me and I waved the bottle at her with raised eyebrows. She oohed dramatically and laughed as she walked over to the sofa that faced the picture windows. She sat down and crossed her long legs. I poured us both a glass and sat down next to her, taking in a deep breath.

For several moments, we sipped our bubbly in awkward silence, the tension between us thick and sultry. Slowly, I reached my hand down and ran it across her leg, unable to control myself any longer. She turned her head and looked at me, her eyes darkening. I leaned in slowly, pressing my lips gently against hers, feeling her breath catch in her throat and her knees begin to tremble. I set my glass down on the table in front of us, not disconnecting my lips from hers. I reached up, doing the same with her glass. Once our hands were free I didn’t waste any time, grabbing her by the waist and pulling her close to me. Our bodies leaned in toward each other and as my tongue parted her luscious lips, her shoulders relaxed and she fell deep into my kiss.

Our tongues rolled against each other and I groaned softly into her mouth, tasting her once again. My cock was already rock hard in my pants and I reached over, grabbed her hand, and laid it in my lap. She already knew what I wanted and from the feel of her hand tightening over my shaft, I knew she wanted it too. Her perfume wafted around us as I pushed my mouth harder against hers, kissing her passionately against the city backdrop. It may have been five years but our attraction was still just as strong as it was that Christmas Eve night. I was ready to take her again, all night long.

Chapter 8: Casey

Desire pulsed through my body and dripped into my panties. The man, who five years ago had done the most memorable things to my body, was here, pressed against me and ready to go again. I knew I shouldn’t but that made me want to even more. So many nights, I laid in bed just thinking about his body, his touch, and the way he felt inside of me. I knew I could never walk away from a chance to be with him again, to remember exactly what it was like to feel him. I leaned forward, letting him explore my mouth with his tongue. He pushed my legs apart and ran his hands up my thighs, stopping and touching the clasps holding up my stockings. He bit down on my bottom lip, obviously aroused by what he felt there.

I stood up and stared deep into his eyes as I circled around to face him, straddling his legs between mine and pulling the skirt of my dress up to my hips. I reached down and took his hand, sliding it between my legs. I purposely didn’t wear panties, just in case this exact thing happened. I was so glad I wore those old nude heels tonight. When they broke, I felt like the entire universe was aligning to get Dex and me back in bed together. His breathing increased as he felt my hot wet pussy against his hand. I spread my legs wider and looked down at him as I reached back and unzipped the back of my dress. I felt his fingers begin to move and moaned softly as he pressed firmly against my mound. I reached back and pulled the dress over my head, letting my firm breasts bounce out in front of me. His gaze was deep and he was drinking me in with his deep blue eyes.

I went to move but he grabbed my hips with a small smirk and slid two fingers inside of me. I gasped at the feeling but stood frozen as he slipped through my juices with ease. With each push, I could feel the tips of his fingers flicker against the walls of my pussy and it sent waves of pleasure through me. He pushed in deep again, this time taking his thumb and rubbing it hard against my clit in a circular motion. I threw my head back and grabbed his wrist out of reflex. I didn’t want him to stop but God, it felt so good. He reached both hands up and pulled me forward, forcing me to straddle him. I thought he wanted me on his cock but he kept pulling until my wetness was resting on his chest. He looked up at me and bit his lip as he slid his body downward and pressed his mouth into me. I grabbed onto the back of the couch and moaned loudly as he ran his tongue through my slit, massaging my clit before closing his lips around it.

My hands met my tits and I massaged them hard as my hips began to roll against his face. I loved this feeling of control. Even though the grip he had on my ass proved he held the power, I still enjoyed the illusion I was under. I pulled my hands down to the top of his head and started to grind hard against his lips, fucking his face and gasping with pleasure. I looked down and I could see his erection pulsating through his black dress pants. It was bursting to get out and I couldn’t wait to feel it inside me. However, at the moment, I was happy to let his tongue slip in and out of me before running up through my mound and circling my clit. As I continued to grind downward, he pulled back a bit and looked up at me.

“You like that?” He whispered the words but his low growling voice echoed through my chest. “You taste so fucking good. I want you to come for me baby.”

“No.” I gasped. “I want to come with you inside of me.”

“We have plenty of time for that.” He chuckled, pushing forward and burying his face back in my wetness.

As my hips moved like a wave against his smooth face and his tongue did laps around my wetness, I felt the sting of orgasm pushing forward with a fury. At that point, there was no going back so I grabbed onto his blonde curls and moved faster, feeling his groan vibrate against my clit. I arched my back and threw my head back, screaming and laughing as the waves of the orgasm flowed through me. I could hear his tongue lapping up my juices and I could feel a smirk pull at the edges of his lips.

When my body stopped shaking from the ecstasy, I moved off his face and stood up as he rose before me, taking my hand, and leading me toward the bedroom. The room was dark and the bed was huge. I didn’t know if I could keep myself upright with my quivering thighs. I turned back to Dex and watched as he pulled his clothes off with speed. I knew as soon as he was naked, he was coming for me. He grabbed his pants off the floor and pulled his wallet out, taking a gold wrapped condom from the bill and tossing it back on the floor. I sat down and moved backward on the bed, watching him stroke his hard erection. Before he could rip the top of the condom off, I reached forward and grabbed his shaft, licking my lips. His eyes went wide as I pulled him closer and licked him from the bottom to the top.

I could feel his knees tremble and I smiled, glancing at his face before taking his cock in my mouth. Immediately, he reached his hand up to the back of my head and groaned as his erection slid down my throat. I paused, eyes watering, and swirled my tongue wildly around before sucking hard and lifting back up. I could feel his hips start to roll toward my face and I reached up, cradling his balls and moaning from the feeling of his fingers tangled in my hair. I opened my throat and grabbed his ass, pulling forward and then back, deep throating his cock over and over. I looked up at him through watery eyes and ran my tongue across his engorged tip. His cock was red and pulsating and I knew he didn’t have much longer. I was still desperate to feel him inside me.

“You want me?” He growled as he pushed me backward on the bed and hooked my legs over his arms.

“Mmhmm,” I said, biting my lip and nodding my head yes.

He flashed that amazing smile and dove down, setting the head of dick on my wetness and pushing just slightly inside me. He chuckled as I squirmed, wanting to feel it all. He pulled back out and then slid just partly inside again. I gritted my teeth and reached for him but he shook his finger at me and pulled back out. He reached down and grabbed the condom, tearing it open, and rolling it down his long shaft.

“Okay,” he whispered. “Now, I can fuck you.”

With those words, he thrust forward hard, filling me up quickly before moving back. He did this over and over again as his fingers massaged my clit. The feeling was so powerful I could barely even moan. I held my breath and grabbed onto the sheets around me. As he slowed his pace slightly and rolled his hips into my body, I arched my back and screamed in ecstasy as waves of pleasure vibrated through my entire being. I looked up at him, moaning loudly, and watched as his eyes darkened and his thrusts hardened. My pussy contracting around him and my juices flowing set him on fire because he reached up and grabbed my breasts and pushed as hard as he could, stopping when he reached the top and groaning loudly with his own pleasure. I could feel his cock erupting inside of me, the shaft pulsing and vibrating against my walls.

I reached up and ran my hand down his chest as he breathed deeply, trying to get a handle on himself. He looked down at me with his piercing blue eyes and smiled knowingly before collapsing next to me on the bed. I watched him climb out of bed and walk into the main area, peaking out the front door and grabbing a shoebox from the hallway. We must have completely ignored the knock or I scared them away with my screaming. Dex walked in and tossed me the box. I opened the lid and pulled one tall nude heel from the box, gasping as I realized it was a red soled Louboutin shoe. These shoes were expensive as hell and I couldn’t believe I was holding one in my hand.

“You don’t like them?” He was getting dressed when he noticed the look of shock on my face.

“No, they’re beautiful but they are like nine hundred-dollar shoes,” I said, wide-eyed and afraid to touch them for too long.

“So,” Dex said, chuckling and sitting down beside me. “Sweetie, I’m not really hurting for money. And as much as I enjoyed having you in my arms, I can’t really carry you all over New York City.”

“Well that’s just a shame,” I said with a smirk. He leaned in and kissed my cheek as I put the heels on my feet and looked down at them with excitement.

“Can I see you again before I leave?” My eyes flashed to his face. This was the billion-dollar question.

“I don’t know.” I sighed. “I mean, I love spending time with you. It’s so much fun but I don’t know if seeing each other again would be a good idea.”

Before he could answer me, a look of disappointment on his face, his phone rang and he patted me on the leg, jumped from the bed, and took the call in the other room. I watched for a moment as he settled into business mode, smiling at how sexy he looked standing in nothing but a towel by the window. I took a deep breath and pulled my dress back on, my stockings still on my body. I knew that sneaking out wasn’t very nice but I also knew I needed to leave before he could wear me down again. I pulled my hair back and smoothed it down, grabbing the shoes and tip toeing around the corner toward the door. I got in the elevator quickly and took it to the bottom, slipping my new shoes on before exiting into the lobby.

There was already a cab sitting out front so I was more than glad to not have to wait to find a ride. I climbed inside and shut the door, staring up at the window to the suite. I couldn’t understand how this happened so fast. I told myself I was going to have a good time because I deserved it but already, I could feel the familiar ache in my heart. He was the only man I had ever given myself to and now, he was back and just the same Dex as before. He couldn’t give me what I wanted, I wanted much more than he was offering. As the car pulled off and sped toward home, I thought about my life, my son, and my family, realizing I got caught up in a fairytale again. I wasn’t thinking about the reality of the situation. There was no way Dex was going to give his heart to me, not the way I wanted him to. I needed to come to terms with that or the pain would only get worse.

As I walked into my apartment after a long night and stared at my little boy sleeping in his bed, I knew I made the right decision. I couldn’t be my best with a broken heart and that was exactly where I was headed with Dex.

Chapter 9: Dex

It was the first Saturday I actually wished I was working. It had been a week since Casey snuck past me at the hotel and bolted. I still could not get her off my mind. All I wanted to do was drive over and show up on Casey’s doorstep so I can see her beautiful face again. I sent her two dozen roses but heard nothing. I texted, called, and left a voicemail asking her to please call me back but she simply refused to talk to me or see me. I was going absolutely nuts over this girl. Ultimately, I couldn’t figure out why I was going so nuts over her to begin with. I had never in my life been so desperate to see a girl. I had never left a voicemail asking a girl if she had time to see me. If they didn’t answer when I called, I moved on to the next one. But with Casey, I just didn’t know who I could ever move on with. It felt like there was nowhere else to go.

Our attraction was so deep it drove me crazy. No matter what I did, when I was around her I couldn’t help but think about getting her naked. I wanted to feel her skin, hear her voice, taste her sweet core. At the same time, I would have been happy to just sit with her and talk. It was insane. Maybe it was just the attraction, maybe I was reading too much into all of it, or maybe I had been working so hard at work that Casey provided a nice distraction. But feeling this way was definitely not relaxing, it was the complete opposite. Whatever the reason, I tried my best to not analyze it too deeply, feeling myself getting completely caught up in the moment. I no longer just thought about having sex with Casey but I thought about our conversations, our jokes, her laugh, and everything else that happened between us.

I stood up, sipping my coffee, and began to pace. I needed to decide what to do about this. I tried completely forgetting about her and moving on but that folded with the first text I sent. I tried looking at her as just a really great piece of ass but then I felt guilty for demeaning her that way. I should have listened to my sister from the beginning and not messed with Casey. If I did that, I would be enjoying my time in New York instead of sitting here pacing my penthouse apartment and trying to come up with excuses to knock on her door. Who was I kidding, I was hooked before I even got back to New York. Just thinking about how her and how much I wanted to spend another amazing night with her was enough to captivate me completely. This girl really burrowed her way into my head and though I was constantly burying any thought that we could be more than lust, I couldn’t help but feel that disgusting lurch in my gut.

I shook my head and grabbed my jacket. I was done torturing myself. I took the elevator down to the lobby and out into the street, grabbing a cab, and giving them Casey’s address. I wasn’t going to sit around and be miserable. No, she was going to have to tell me to my face that she didn’t want me around instead of sneaking out the back door for a third time. As we drove through town, I looked out the window at all the Halloween decorations and suddenly, I had a brilliant idea that ended with me at Casey’s door, lugging one of the biggest pumpkins I had ever seen. I rested the pumpkin on my knee and knocked on the door. When it opened, Andrea stood there, looking down at the pumpkin and then back at me. A knowing smirk crossed her lips as she waved me inside the house.

“Casey is getting Seth dressed,” she said. “Go ahead into the kitchen so you can put that thing down.”

I could hear Seth laughing and shrieking in the other room as I entered the kitchen. The patter of little feet echoed and I turned to see Seth screaming his way into the kitchen, not wearing any pants. As soon as he saw me, he froze in an almost comical position. Immediately, his cheeks turned red and his hands went down, clutched in front of him. There was that shyness that I remembered from when I first met Casey. I smiled down at Seth as Casey rounded the corner looking frazzled.

“Seth,” she said breathlessly. “You have to wear pants, I don’t…”

I straightened up and put my hand on the pumpkin, smiling kindly. I could see a twitch of a smile on the corner of her mouth before she straightened her face and pulled Seth’s pants over his legs. I watched as her patience seemed to be limitless with the little boy, but not so limitless for me. I glanced over at the two vases filled with roses and took notice that she had, in fact, received them.

“What are you doing here?”

“Oh, I thought I would bring over this giant pumpkin so Seth could make a jack-o-lantern,” I said, bending down toward the red-faced little boy. “Do you know what a jack-o-lantern is?

Seth shook his head and looked back at his mom. She nodded her head and pushed him forward. His eyes sparkled just like his mothers.

“This is a pumpkin,” I explained. “They grow all over the country side. For Halloween, we take them, pull all the seeds out, and carve funny faces on them. Then, we put candles inside and they glow at night.”

Seth’s eyes grew big and it surprised me that he had never carved a pumpkin before. He reached up and touched the smooth skin of the pumpkin so I pulled it off the table and let him touch the big stem. He looked at my arms and then down at his and tried to lift the beast into the air. I laughed, stabilizing it so it wouldn’t fall over and smash his toes.

“It’s pretty heavy,” I said. “This is one of the biggest pumpkins I have ever seen, so I thought you should have it.”

“Thank you,” he said timidly.

I watched as Seth looked around the pumpkin, tapped it, tried to move it, and repeatedly looked back to his mother for reassurance. I wanted to do something with Casey and her family. I wanted to show I wasn’t a bad guy, at least not bad enough to warrant her sneaking away without a word. Twice. I thought for a second before standing up and looking at Casey and Andrea. I knew this might piss Casey off but I didn’t care, there was no way I was leaving yet.

“So, it’s Saturday,” I said. “There’s a farm about an hour outside the city. They have hay rides, a petting zoo, hot apple cider, and most importantly, more pumpkins. Why don’t we bundle up, jump in my car, and go out there for the day? I think Seth would really like it.”

I looked at Andrea first, not wanting to see the irritation I knew was on Casey’s face. Her eyes widened and she clapped her hands, calling Seth over to her. She seemed really excited about spending the day out in the country, which made me happy too. She bent down and looked at Seth smiling.

“What do you think, little man, do you want to go for a hay ride and pick pumpkins? Mr. Dex knows the perfect spot,” she said in her loving grandmother voice.

Seth nodded his head feverishly and laughed, looking over at his mother. Andrea looked up at Casey, waiting for her response. I figured since they were staring her down I might as well also. She looked really irritated but with the sound of Seth’s giggles and my big wide smile, her face began to soften. She rolled her eyes and nodded, sighing deeply as if she’d been defeated. Seth jumped up and down and took off toward his room.

“Mom, can you make sure he puts on something warm, please,” Casey said to Andrea.

“Of course, dear. You find a sweater yourself,” she said, tapping Casey’s bare arms.

I waited by the door until everyone was packed and ready, grabbing the car seat and carrying it down for Casey. I called my smaller limo to come pick us up as I waited, realizing I was in such a rush to get here that I took a taxi. Seth gasped at the car as we walked down the side walk. I put the car seat right across from where I sat so I could talk to him while we rode along. When Seth was buckled in and everyone was loaded up, we set out for the country. I pulled a bottle of wine from the fridge and poured the adults a glass, grabbing a can of juice for Seth.

“So, Seth, do you like Halloween?” I wanted him to get comfortable with me if we were going to spend the entire day together.

“Mmhmm,” he said between gulps. “Did you know a long time ago they wore costumes to scare away the ghosts?”

“I did know that,” I said in an impressed voice.

“We learned about it in daycare,” he said. “I go there a couple times a week so grandma can get her hair done.”

“Oh.” I chuckled. “What else do you learn there?”

“I know part of my A, B, C’s now,” he said, putting his cup in the holder on his seat. “A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, L, emeno peas.”

“That was amazing,” I said with laughter. I watched Seth look out the windows at the passing buildings, his eyes growing wide.

“Look, mom,” he said, tapping her and pointing at one of the larger skyscrapers. “I haven’t drawn that one yet.”

“Well, we’ll have to come out sometime so you can,” she smiled, before looking up at me. “Seth really likes to draw buildings. He’s drawn half of Brooklyn already.”

I smiled and looked back at the green-eyed child. He was much smarter than I realized, especially since the only time I’d spent with him was a few minutes when we first met and then today, with the pumpkin. I was just glad he seemed to be getting used to me. I didn’t want to spend the whole day watching him hide from me like his mom had a tendency to do. I watched Casey from across the seat while she talked and laughed with Seth. The sight brought a sudden warmth to my chest. She really loved her little boy, it was obvious in everything she did. I was seeing a completely different side of her today. Whether she was angry or not, I was glad I decided to get up off the couch and go to her house.

As we passed out of the city, Seth stuck out his lip, sad that all the big buildings were gone. Casey leaned over and started pointing out the smaller businesses, especially the banks that were built to look like small replicas of Greek buildings. She explained why they looked that way and Seth listened to every word she said with wonder and excitement. It was strange, there was something about this little boy that reminded me a lot of myself when I was little. His interest in architecture was something I’d always possessed myself. Even as a little boy, I loved to help my parents scout out new locations. I shrugged my shoulders, figuring if nothing else, it would help me talk to him and understand him a little better.

Chapter 10: Casey

As we rode along, I couldn’t help but feel extremely nervous about the whole situation. My mind was reeling with confusion. I didn’t know whether to think Dex’s invitation was a sign that he was interested in more than just sex or if it was just another one of his random attempts to get me back in the sack before his next trip. The thoughts running through my mind were dangerous and I could feel a lump forming in my throat as I thought about Dex, Seth’s father, wanting to be a part of our lives. My mother had no qualms about allowing this to go on, yet she was the one person who knew the truth about Dex and Seth.

I glanced up at Dex who was staring over at me with a kind look on his face. I smiled at him weakly and turned my attention back to the passing scenery. We were getting close and I watched as we passed the empty hay fields and brightly colored trees. The limo turned left down an old dirt road with wooden cut outs of pumpkins and ghosts. Seth was so excited he could barely sit still, yelling out every animal he saw as we passed the farm and barns. The limo pulled into the parking lot and the driver let us out before finding a space. I gawked at the large white farm house and lawn full of games and events for the kids. Realizing I wasn’t holding Seth’s hand, I looked down in panic only to find him walking along in front of me with Dex. I glanced over at my mother who was looking straight ahead with a knowing grin on her face.

“No,” I said. “Don’t even entertain the idea.”

“I’m just happy to be out of the house,” she said with a guilty tone.

When we got up to the booth, Dex refused my money and paid for us to do everything. First, we played about a thousand games and I stood back laughing as Dex and Seth tried to knock down bottles with bean bags. Seth was really warming up to Dex and he even let him pick him up and pretend he was going to toss him at the bottles. His little laugh mixed with his father’s brought a tinge of sadness to my chest. I wanted to enjoy this, pretend like it was real, but I knew I would only be left with a broken heart when I had to go back home and face reality.

After the games, we took a hay ride and Dex sat close to me, looking me in the face from time to time with those big blue eyes of his. If it weren’t for the gate across the back of the trailer, I probably would have melted right off into the field. Seth clung to me tightly as we went over bumps, keeping one hand firmly on Dex’s knee. It was like he felt okay because he knew Dex was right there. When the hay ride was over, Dex picked Seth up off the trailer and put him up on his shoulders, walking through the crowd and pointing out all the different animals in the petting zoo. Seth didn’t seem to be too fond of the goats and chickens so he stayed plastered on Dex’s shoulders, pointing out every animal from a far and repeating everything Dex said. Finally, after the smelly petting zoo, we took a break and I sat down at the picnic tables, sipping hot cider while my mom took Seth to get cleaned up.

Dex sat across the table from me, blowing warm air into his hands and drinking the coffee he got in place of cider. His face was covered with excitement and I couldn’t help but feel close to him at that moment. He seemed to be having a good time with me and my family, which was very strange and completely unexpected. He turned toward me and reached out, tapping me gently on the nose.

“You look like Rudolph.” He teased. I smiled at him, my gaze locked on his.

“It’s a cold day,” I replied. “I fully expect to see snow by Thanksgiving this year. But, this cider should warm me right up.”

“I could think of several ways to warm you up,” he said slyly. “None of which would be appropriate for the Upstate Pumpkin Path and Farm.”

I wanted to ignore his comment but with the cool air and fall foliage, I couldn’t help but be swept up in the romance of it all. I leaned forward slightly as he moved in as well, letting his warm lips touch mine. It wasn’t long and passionate, or seductive and lustful, it was a kiss that meant more than that. As our lips parted, we stared into each other’s eyes, frozen in the moment. Suddenly I felt a child run straight into me and it broke the spell we were under. Seth climbed up into the seat and pulled his hot chocolate toward him, licking his lips. My mom laughed and sat next to Dex, taking a cider and smiling. The only thing left to do after that was pick out a pumpkin and then head back to the city.

The sight of Dex carrying four huge pumpkins across the dusty parking lot with a four-year-old on his trail was hilarious. I never thought I would witness Dex doing something so normal. By the look on his face, I didn’t think he ever thought he would be doing something so normal either. When the driver saw his struggle, he rushed forward to take two of the pumpkins from him and pop the trunk. They loaded the trunk with the pumpkins and the bag full of crafts Dex bought at the gift shop while mom and I loaded Seth into his car seat. Before I could sit down next to Seth, my mother squeezed in, raising her eyebrows at me and looking down at the seat next to Dex. My cheeks blushed and I plopped down, smiling at the handsome man next to me.

It did not take long for both my mother and Seth to pass out. After such an exciting day, they were both exhausted. I laughed quietly at how tired Dex made them by taking them to the pumpkin patch. We didn’t get to do things like that very often. Dex smiled down at me and wrapped his arm around my shoulders. There was no resisting him at that point and I did what I knew I shouldn’t, I rested my head on Dex’s shoulder and gave into the fantasy that this could all be real. I knew things would be different tomorrow and I also knew that not having Dex like this all the time would break my heart, but I couldn’t help myself. Right now, it was just too perfect. We rode along the highway, close to each other, looking at the scenery as it flew by.

To say I was disappointed when the country turned to city would have been an understatement. I knew that my daydream of a normal life with Seth’s father by my side was about to end. When we pulled up in front of the apartment, I woke my mom up and told her to go on inside and that I would get Seth. I unbuckled his car seat but before I could pull him out, Dex was carrying him, passed out on his shoulder, up the stairs to the apartment. I smiled, knowing this moment was one I would remember forever, even if it was all just a dream. I grabbed the bags from the trunk, leaving the pumpkins for the driver to get, and climbed quickly up the stairs. I showed Dex to Seth’s room and we carefully laid him down and covered him up. I kissed him on the forehead before tiptoeing out of his room.

My mom was in the kitchen cooking a snack while Dex and I stood in the living room, gathering our thoughts after such a long day. I looked up at Dex as he stepped forward and wrapped his arms around me. He squeezed me tight, pulled back, and kissed my lips softly. He smiled softly.

“Will you come back and stay with me tonight?”

I nodded and grabbed my jacket, checking that it was okay with my mom, which of course it was. Dex opened the front door for me and I practically floated down the stairs and out onto the sidewalk. I was living in a dream. We climbed into the limo and turned on the heat as I snuggled in close to Dex. As soon as our eyes met, our lips followed and I found myself caught up in a steamy embrace in the back of his limo. He grabbed my face, pressing his mouth hard against mine. His hands moved down my shoulders and to my waist, pulling me roughly to him. I leaned into him, knowing this was exactly what I needed to make the day even more perfect. As we drove through the city toward his penthouse, the glow of the city lights flashed across our faces through the tinted limousine windows. I opened my mouth wide for him and moaned softly as his tongue flicked across mine. I could feel a heat in my stomach stronger than any I’d felt before.

When we pulled up to the complex, Dex took my hand and walked me inside, spending no time dallying. In the elevator, we immediately reconnected, this time with more passion. My hands ran over his body and up his chest as we kissed. He slid his hands down over my breasts, down my stomach, and grasped my wet mound. Even through the jeans and layers, he could tell that I was more aroused than I had ever been before. When the doors to the elevator opened to his penthouse, I took no time looking around, but instead began to undress him, walking backward as he led me toward his bedroom.

In the dark, I pulled his shirt from his shoulders and kissed down his neck, feeling his erection through his pants as it pressed against me. My hands trailed down to his belt and I struggled to get it free. He smiled and reached down, trying to help. I backed up and pulled my sweater over my head and tossed it to the side. I slipped my pants and panties off and climbed up onto the bed. He was so busy getting his shoes and socks off that he hadn’t even noticed I was now lying in his bed, waiting for him to take me. He tossed his shoe on the floor and met my body with his eyes. I slowly parted my legs and watched as he licked his sumptuous lips. I could feel my wetness dripping down my pussy and all I wanted was to feel him deep inside of me, to hold me close while he thrust slowly and gently.

Dex bit his bottom lip and crawled up the bed toward me, his cock hard and erect. As he put his hands on either side of my waist, I thought he would continue upward but instead, he looked up at me with darkened blue eyes and lowered his face to my pussy. The feeling of his mouth on my skin aroused me instantly and I moaned as he pushed his tongue outward and licked the juices from my pussy lips. Immediately, my hips began to grind as he rubbed my clit with his fingers and licked feverishly at the rest of me. I reached my hand down and placed it gently on the top of his head.

“Make love to me,” I whispered. “All night.”

Chapter 11: Dex

She tasted amazing and I couldn’t get enough of her. The sound of her voice enticing me to enter her was too much to ignore and tonight was not about games. I licked her wet pussy one last time before sliding up to her face and pressing my lips against hers. Without batting an eye, I dipped my hips low and pushed deep inside of her, wanting to feel every part of her for just a moment. I groaned loudly as her juices enveloped my cock before I reached over to the bedside table and pulled a condom from the top drawer. As much as I wanted her, I had to be careful. I pulled the condom out as fast as I could and slid it over my dick. I leaned back down and sensually kissed her neck as she spread her legs wide and welcomed me back inside her.

Slowly, I writhed on top of her, pushing in deep and slowly making my way back out. Our lips stayed locked together and I grabbed her hand in mine as I thrust deep and hard. She moaned loudly and arched her back, feeling the girth of my cock inside of her. As she released her muscles and fell back down, we rolled over the bed and she straddled me, immediately grinding her hips against me. I ran my hand up her chest as she flipped her hips, gasping as my fingers ran across her clit. She leaned back, her tits bouncing with her hips, and grasped my thighs, pulling her body up and down my long shaft. I could see the heat building in her as her muscles tensed. She pulled forward and put her hands on my chest. She began to grind hard and fast, her moans getting louder and louder with each moment.

“Yes, baby, come for me,” I whispered, watching her bite her bottom lip. She pushed down harder.

I grabbed her hips and moved them fast while she reached up to grab her tits, flinging her head back and screaming loudly. I could feel her body constricting and her pussy pulsating around my erection. The juices were warm and wet as they flowed over my cock and pooled at the base of my shaft. Before she was completely done, I flipped her over on her back and pounded her hard, feeling her get wetter and wetter. We were breathing hard and fast as our bodies tumbled back and forth across the sheets, our emotions spilling out through our touch. She reached up and pulled my face toward hers, kissing me deep and long as I moved in and out of her. As she moaned softly into my mouth, I could feel the heat of the orgasm rising higher. I wasn’t ready to be done but by that point, I didn’t have a choice.

I grabbed onto both of her hands and thrust hard and deep, holding it in and pressing my mouth against hers as I erupted in orgasm. The waves of passion pushed through my body and I groaned loudly. My hips twitched forward slightly as I released the last of my seed and collapsed into Casey’s arms. I slid my dick out of her and moved down, laying my head on her chest while I tried to catch my breath. I could feel her hands rubbing my back gently as I laid there, listening to the sound of her heart beat inside her chest.

As our bodies relaxed, I wrapped my arms around Casey and pulled her close. We drifted to sleep still intertwined around each other’s body. I could feel her heavy breathing and I felt as if everything was just as it should be. Even when we shifted or moved in the bed, we ended up close, like we were drawn to each other. As the sun peaked over the buildings and shone through the bedroom window, I yawned, rubbing my hand down Casey’s back, glad she hadn’t run away like before. She turned over and smiled up at me, closing her eyes as I kissed her soft lips. We pulled ourselves from the bed, knowing we needed to get Casey home since Seth would be waking up soon, if he hadn’t already.

We pulled our clothes on in blissful silence, straightening our hair and trying to look somewhat presentable. I called down for a car and we took our time walking out to the street. We climbed inside, sitting close to one another. I watched Casey as the morning light blanketed her in a glow and her eyes sparkled. The weather outside was cold but the feeling between us was warm and familiar. I watched as the shop owners hung different seasonal decorations in their store windows and people walked along bundled in warm jackets and knit gloves. Instantly, I could feel that happy feeling I felt when I was a child during the holidays, something I truly had missed. When we arrived at her house, Casey invited me up for coffee and I gladly accepted, not ready to part ways with yet. For some reason, I just couldn’t seem to pull myself away from her.

We walked hand in hand to the door, up the stairs, and into the apartment. The smell of coffee and bacon filled my nose and I could hear Seth talking to his grandmother in the kitchen. We rounded the corner and were greeted by sweet hellos from both Andrea and Seth. Andrea was flipping bacon on the stove and Seth was sitting at the table drawing.

“Hi Dex,” he said, still looking down at his picture. Casey winked at me as she pulled coffee mugs from the cupboard and started preparing our coffee.

“Hey, buddy,” I said, ruffling his brown hair with my hands. “Did you sleep well?”

“Yeah,” he said without thought.

“Whatcha drawing?” I looked over his shoulder and moved to the side, sitting down next to him.

“Buildings,” he replied. “This one was from when we went to the pumpkin patch. It’s the farmhouse.”

“I can see that,” I said. “When I was little, I used to draw buildings too.”

“You did?” His eyes got big like he had never met another artist in his life.

“Yep,” I said. “My mom would take me all over the city and let me draw while she ran errands.”

“My mom won’t let me be alone in the city like that.” He scoffed.

“Well, you are only four and your mom loves you more than the world,” I said, laughing. “Maybe when you’re older.”

Casey brought my cup of coffee over and set it on the table in front of me. I smiled as she patted me on the head and leaned down to kiss my cheek. This felt so perfect that it was terrifying. I sat back in the chair and drank some of my hot brew, staring down at the paper as Seth scribbled and scratched. I could hear Andrea and Casey talking but I zoned out, thinking about when I was Seth’s age. I used to sit at my kitchen table doing the same exact thing. I had a weird way of holding the pencils since my fingers were fat when I was a kid. I looked down at Seth and watched as he pushed his thumb between his middle and ring finger while he held the crayon, exactly as I did. I shook my head with a frown. Surely, it was just a strange coincidence.

As I took another drink of my coffee, I thought about the amount of time I was away versus how old Seth was. I shook my head again, feeling silly for even thinking about it. It couldn’t be, could it? I watched as Seth studied his picture hard, looking for any imperfections, scrubbing out one side and fixing the other. I stared at him for several moments, trying to find any kind of connection between us. I must have looked absolutely nuts just staring at the kid. I looked over at Casey who was watching me with a strange look on her face. Suddenly, it hit me like a ton of bricks. This kid could actually be mine. But why would she hide it from me? No, I had to be wrong, I had to be making this up in my head.

Immediately, panic rushed through my chest and I set my coffee down, standing up quickly and accidentally knocking over the chair in the process. Everyone looked over at me in confusion and Casey took a step forward, panic on her face. I picked up the chair and laughed nervously. I looked around at Casey’s mom and then back down at the handsome little boy sitting in front of me. I didn’t want to freak anyone out so I took a deep breath and cleared my throat.

“So, I just realized I have a big project tomorrow that I am in no way prepared for,” I said, knowing it was a terrible lie. “Thank you so much for the coffee.”

I handed Casey the cup and moved quickly through the kitchen and out to the door. I put my coat and gloves on and looked up as Casey stood stunned and confused in the hallway. I flashed her a fake smile and grabbed the doorknob, pulling hard until I realized it was still locked. Casey walked over and unlocked it, pulling it open and staring at me. I looked at her for a moment, wanting to say something, anything, but I couldn’t. I walked out of the door and down the steps, bursting out into the cold morning air. I closed the door behind me and took in a deep breath, not sure where to go from there. I looked down at my driver who was holding the door open, so I pulled my coat closed and jumped in the car.

A thousand thoughts flew through my mind on the drive home. Seth was four years old, I had slept with Casey five years ago, meaning there was a very good chance that Seth could be mine. I shook my head and chuckled darkly. Casey would have told me if I had a child floating around out there somewhere. If not Casey, surely my sister Natalie would have let me know immediately. Part of me wanted to call Natalie but I knew she was still on her honeymoon and I didn’t want to ruin that with drama, especially if I just overthinking things. The drawings had to be a coincidence, lots of kids like buildings and drawing.

When we pulled up in front of my complex, I got out and went straight upstairs, tossed my coat on the rack, and grabbed a beer from the fridge. I was definitely more than a little spooked at the thought of Seth being my child. I wasn’t ready to be a father, even if it meant raising an amazing little boy with such a wonderful woman like Casey. I had a huge career and a lot of responsibilities and I purposely didn’t settle down because I needed my space and my time to take care of those things. As I sat in the living room, sipping my beer and staring out at the city, I could feel myself distancing from Casey and the whole situation.

I set the bottle down on the coffee table and walked into my bedroom, pulling out several suits and my suitcase. Without thinking, as if I was being controlled like a robot, I unpacked my dresser and repacked my bags. This was all too much for me and I pushed it deep down, determined to clear my mind. I got too caught up in everything with Casey and that needed to stop right now. It was time. It didn’t matter that I still had time left before my next trip. It didn’t matter that I’d grown to truly care for Casey and Seth. Nothing mattered more than my desire to bolt. I had to get out of town as fast as possible.

Chapter 12: Casey

I stared down at the turkey baster on the counter, feeling my headache coming back with a vengeance. It had been over a month since I last talked to Dex. It had been over a month since he stared at Seth and then jumped away from the table, bolting from the house like he was on fire. Part of me already knew what he was thinking, he wasn’t a stupid man. The other part of me wondered if I was overthinking it and it was just what I always knew would happen. That night had been amazing, revealing, and emotional for both of us. We left his penthouse on cloud nine, floating through a haze of emotion and attraction. My heart had never been so full, nor did I think it would ever reach that point again. As we rode through the streets of New York City on our way to Brooklyn, I felt safe and whole in a way I hadn’t before.

Since then, I went through the stages of grief like someone who lost a close relative or friend. I was in denial that Dex could just up and abandon me like that without a single word, especially if he figured out that Seth was his son. I was angry that he allowed me to get my hopes up. He strung me along, took my family for a special day at the pumpkin patch, and made love to me in his own bed. He held me all night, not letting me get even an inch away from him. He got my hopes up that he was really starting to see us as a couple and not just two lustful teenagers who banged whenever he happened to be in town. I was in despair and that broken heart kept me awake for many nights after he left. I told myself to prepare for the broken heart but after that last night in his apartment, I gave up and actually thought there was no reason to prepare. I let myself believe he would stick around this time. I was so stupid.

I looked over at my mother as she pulled the turkey from the oven and smiled kindly at me. She knew what was going on, even if I didn’t tell her. After Dex disappeared, she had purposely taken Seth out for several days, letting me sleep and be alone in my grief. I breathed deeply, trying to get the constant lump in my throat to disappear. I looked up as a knock on the door echoed through the house. I opened the door to find my best friend and her new husband standing cheerily on my doorstep. She was holding a bottle of wine with a tan that her matched her husband’s. For a second, I almost forgot how sad I felt, happy to have my best friend back to spend the holidays with. I hugged Natalie hard and long, knowing she was going to feel the pain in my chest.

“You guys look so amazing,” I said with excitement. “How was your trip?!”

“Girl, it was so beautiful,” Natalie said, taking me by the arm and walking toward the kitchen. “The water was blue, the skies were clear, and the little coconut drinks were plentiful.”

As soon as Natalie saw my mom, she squealed and ran over to give her a big hug. She then turned to Seth and picked him up her arms, blowing raspberries on his neck. His loud giggle and the smell of Thanksgiving dinner calmed my soul and almost brought me to tears. Everything had been so tense and quiet in the house since Dex disappeared. Without my mother hounding me about my emotions, I had become complacent with my feelings. But now, with so much family around, I could easily put Dex out of my mind, even if it were just for a little while.

Natalie grabbed me by the arm and pulled me into the living room where we plopped down on the couch. She poured two glasses of white wine and sat back, looking at the decorations. She always loved how we decorated, she said it made her feel like she was home again. She took a sip of her wine and looked at me knowingly. I didn’t want to get into it, I just wanted to enjoy Thanksgiving.

“He knows, doesn’t he?”

“I just want to enjoy Thanksgiving.” I sighed. “It’s been really stressful since he bolted. I think he has an idea but I haven’t told him yet.”

“Are you going to?”

“I don’t know,” I said, looking down. “Maybe if he ever shows up again. The look on his face when he left was knowing but he didn’t ask and after that, I didn’t hear from him again. I’m pretty sure he left on his trip. I don’t want him here if he doesn’t want to be, Natalie. I want him to be here if he can commit. He really started opening Seth up and it breaks my heart because Seth still asks where Dex is and I don’t know what to tell him.”

“I’m sorry,” Natalie said with a sad look. “I’m sorry he is being like this. But if I know Dex, it’s not that he is shunning you. If he really thinks Seth is his he is probably completely blown. He doesn’t have a clue as what to do.”

“So was I,” I replied, slightly irritated. “But I didn’t have a choice.”

“I know,” she said sheepishly. “I’m sorry.”

“Look,” I said, lowering my voice. “I’m just so glad you’re back. Let’s enjoy tonight, put Dex on the back burner, and we can talk all about it tomorrow.”

“Okay.” She smiled. “I want you to enjoy the holidays.”

I leaned forward and hugged Natalie, finally taking a deep breath and letting Thanksgiving take over. As I put my glass down on the table, ready to hear more vacation stories, a loud knock came from the door. Immediately, my stomach dropped and Natalie must have seen it because she reached out and grabbed my hand. I got off the couch and slowly walked toward the door. As I opened it, my fears were confirmed. I stood with my heart pounding in my chest, staring at Dex. He was struggling to hold a cornucopia with a ton of candy, gifts, and baked goods in it. He smiled calmly at me as he stepped forward through the door. Part of me wanted to trip him, the other part of me wanted to tell him to get the hell out, and yet another part wanted to kiss him and welcome him back.

We stood there for several moments not saying a word, just staring at each other. I didn’t know what to do, especially with Natalie and Brandon there. Plus, Seth was in the other room. It would have been horrible of me to tell him to leave, no one would have understood. But at the same time, I didn’t know if I could spend the entire night with him. It was so confusing. However, as I went to say how I felt, Brandon walked out of the kitchen and warmly welcomed Dex. He patted him on the shoulder and took the cornucopia from him.

“Happy Thanksgiving, brother,” Brandon said. “Come on, let’s get this down and get our grub on.”

“Thanks, man,” Dex said, glancing over at me with a smile. “It was a long flight to get back here for today.”

I sighed and followed them toward the sound of Seth laughing and giggling. I wasn’t going to get a choice in this matter, though I wasn’t mad at Brandon since he had no idea. During dinner, I tried to focus my attention on Natalie and Brandon, listening to their honeymoon stories and laughing at their mishaps. I could tell Dex wanted to talk to me but I wasn’t sure I could handle a conversation with him. I was no longer worried that I couldn’t control myself around him sexually, I was now worried I wouldn’t be able to hold back my temper and disappointment. I think he knew that since he didn’t make any direct attempts to talk to me. Instead, he directed his questions to the group. I just shook my head and looked down at my plate, not answering him directly either. I also couldn’t help but notice him glancing over at Seth from time to time, a confused look flashing across his face.

When dinner was over, I excused myself to the kitchen, helping put away the leftovers and get the dishes soaking in the sink. It didn’t take long for Dex to wander in, drinking a glass of wine and chatting up my mother about how she was doing. As always, my mother was polite and courteous, always finding that she really liked Dex.

“Okay kids,” my mom said as she placed the last dish into the bag. “I’m going to run these over to the mission.”

“I’ll do it,” I said quickly, knowing Natalie wouldn’t stay much longer. She would want to give me a chance to talk to Dex but I wasn’t sure I was ready for that.

“I’ll go with her,” Dex said, putting down his glass of wine and grabbing a bag of food to carry.

“Oh, good,” my mom said with a smile. “Casey knows where the place is and just ask for Debbie when you get there.”

“I really can do this alone.” I grumbled as Dex helped pick up the bags. For a moment, my breath got caught in my throat as our hands touched. I quickly shook the feeling away and walked toward the door.

Dex held the door as I walked out, ignoring Natalie’s wink and smirk from the couch. There was absolutely nothing to wink and smirk about, this was very uncomfortable. We made our way down to the mission in silence, both of us feeling like we wanted to say something but remaining silent. We kept glancing at each other awkwardly, then looked away quickly before the other could see. Part of me wanted to hear what he had to say, why he bolted and what his excuse this time was going to be, but the other part of me knew exactly what he wanted to talk about. I forced a smile when I dropped off the food, not even thinking to introduce Dex. He set the bags in the mission’s kitchen and wished the woman a Happy Thanksgiving.

On the way back, there were so many things running through my mind that I couldn’t even think straight. Dex was not his normal carefree self and instead looked like he was deep in thought. I tried to pick up the pace so we wouldn’t have a chance to talk before getting back to the apartment but he kept pace with me, our hands momentarily brushing against each other. I walked forward across the street, not waiting for Dex since there was a car coming up the street. I stepped up onto the curb and reached out for the railing but I felt Dex’s arm grab mine. He slowly spun me around to face him, a serious look on his face.

Immediately, my heart started pounding so loudly I could hear it in my ears. We were standing incredibly close on the steps of the apartment but I didn’t feel loved, attracted, or wanted. Instead, I felt fearful that my secret was going to get out. I was afraid that Dex was going to tell me he knew that Seth was his.

“I’m just going to cut right to it,” Dex said with a deep breath. “Who is Seth’s father?”

I looked up at him, knowing I couldn’t keep the secret any longer. I took a deep breath and finally said it:

“You, Dex. You’re Seth’s father.”

Chapter 13: Dex

“You, Dex,” she said with certainty and guilt. “You’re Seth’s father.”

The words surged through my head like fire and I stepped back, feeling my whole world spinning under my feet. I had that suspicion, which was why I took off and headed to South America. I had to clear my head, understand what I was telling myself. In the end though, I really thought she would say someone else. I never thought someone would hide this kind of thing from me. Seth was almost five years old now and I missed out on all that time.

Immediately, my mind went to my own father and all the time we spent together while I was growing up. Sure, my father worked a lot but he was an extremely important part of my life, especially as a young boy. Seth liked to draw buildings just like me, he held his pencil just like me, and he laughed loudly just like I did. I was so confused, I had so much to offer but at the same time had no idea how I was going to do so. All this time Seth could have been learning, understanding, and growing with me there to help. Instead, I was flying all over the world and dreaming of one-night stands with his mother. In the end though, none of this was my fault. I never knew Seth was my child. I hadn’t even thought about it until that day after the pumpkin patch. God, the pumpkin patch. I carried that child around on my shoulders, cuddled with him, and really learned who he was without knowing that he was mine. I had a son, a four-year-old child. He was mine and Casey kept him from me. She never even told me the truth. Not once in all these years.

Everything was moving so fast and Casey just stood there with her hands clutched in front of her and tears in her eyes. She must have thought I was a monster, just leaving and never coming back or calling. But at the same time, she was my sister’s best friend, she could have gotten hold of me at any point. As my thoughts turned to my sister, I felt a fresh wave of rage rush through my veins. No one could tell me that Natalie didn’t know about this. Even if Casey tried to keep it a secret, my sister was so much smarter than that, she would have seen right through it. But again, no one told me, not even a mention or blurb. In fact, I didn’t even know the child existed until I showed up at Casey’s apartment a week after Natalie’s wedding. If I hadn’t done that, I would have gone the rest of my life not knowing about my own son.

“Why didn’t you tell me?” I was angry and I didn’t even try to hide it but her response was not what I expected.

“Everything was a total surprise,” she said, shaking her head. “I was a virgin when we slept together. It never even crossed my mind that I could get pregnant. God, it was my first time. That sort of thing just doesn’t happen.”

I looked up at her in shock. She was a virgin and I didn’t even know it, nor did she give the faintest clue. I had not only taken her virginity on an old couch in her mother’s living room but I knocked her up at the same time. I wanted to feel guilty but with all of this new information, the only emotion I could hold onto was anger.

“You should have told me.” I growled.

“You were out of the country,” she said flippantly. “It’s not like you were down the street. And besides, what was I supposed to do? Call you up and say ‘Hey this is Casey, the girl you did on the couch on Christmas Eve. Just wanted to tell you I was a virgin and now I’m pregnant. Safe travels!’ No, that wasn’t something that could be said over the phone, Dex. Not that you left your phone number anyway.”

“You are best friends with my sister,” I said loudly. “You could have gotten ahold of me if you wanted to.”

“You were off chasing your dreams, making billions, building resorts,” she said, starting to pace back and forth. “You didn’t have time to be there for some girl from Brooklyn. You made it very clear you were not a family man.”

“How did I do that?”

“Oh, come on, Dex. It’s splashed all over the gossip columns. You are a playboy. You may be sweet and kind but you don’t have time for long relationships much less raising a child,” she said. “It takes a lot more than money to raise a little boy.”

“You think I don’t know that?” I was livid. “You never even gave me a chance to make that choice.”

“I don’t know,” she said, shaking her head. “I was also afraid that you would think I was trying to get money from you or something. I am not a gold digger. I didn’t want or need your money.”

“Why does money always have to be an issue?” I ran my hands through my hair and looked up at the sky. “God, now I understand my father’s irritation with my mother all those years. She always thought things out and never actually considered my father’s feelings.”

“I had a quite a bit going on.” She snapped. “I’m sorry I didn’t consider your feelings.”

“Why didn’t you tell me when I come back?” I felt guilty about the fact that she did it all alone and tried to calm my nerves.

“Because you were the same Dex. The business obsessed guy looking for a fling. I was afraid, if I told you, that you would leave… or worse, try to take Seth from me. I don’t want a custody battle, that little boy has been through enough. He has a loving family and people that really would give up their whole worlds for them. People who have given up their whole worlds for him. I didn’t want him to be some toy that got shuffled back and forth between the Manhattan rich life and my Brooklyn walk up. So, I made the choice to keep it a secret and until recently, no one knew but me.”

I paced back and forth, trying to get ahold of my anger. How could she go all these years and not tell me? And what if there was a custody battle? I had a right to my son and I was kept in the dark all these years. She thought I wouldn’t be a good father because I was rich and had a company to run. My father was rich with an empire to build but he was still a good dad. I felt like she was judging me because she wasn’t rich, because she didn’t understand the world I lived in. I was trying to do everything I could to control how my tumultuous emotions.

“How dare you keep a secret like this because you didn’t think I would be a good father,” I blurted out. “How would you even know if you didn’t give me a chance?”

“That is not what I meant and you know it,” she said angrily. “And besides, there is nothing wrong with protecting your child. There is nothing wrong with me fearing that you would take him from me. There is nothing wrong with me being afraid that you would treat your relationship with him the same way you did the one with me. That little boy can’t handle, nor should he, having someone he loves just skip out of town without a word. You are acting awfully high and mighty for someone who wined and dined my whole family, spent quality time with my little boy, and then just left bailed. Seth has been asking for you since you left and I have no idea what to tell him. How do you think that would affect him if he knew you were his father?”

“But that’s not the case!” I yelled. “You didn’t even give me the chance to make the right decision. You can’t hold that over my head when I was completely oblivious to the fact that I was supposed to be there, that I shouldn’t leave.”

“No,” she said, pointing her finger at me. “That was a very good precursor to what my son could expect. Regardless of whether you knew or not, you got close with both of us and bolted. I don’t have the luxury of just walking away when things get scary. My son needs stability.”

I was so angry I couldn’t even get my thoughts to cohesively align. I paced back and forth, trying to get control over myself, trying not to completely explode on Casey. I should have been able to sit here and at least try to understand her side but I was just too pissed off to do so. My whole life, I had been able to take whatever was thrown my way but for the first time, I felt like I had no control of the words that were coming out of my mouth. I took a deep breath and clenched my teeth, staring at Casey’s trembling mouth.

“Who knows,” I said eerily calm in tone. “Maybe you really are a gold digger. This kid is probably not even mine and you’re trying to push some other man’s kid on me. You were ashamed of some slum you slept with from Brooklyn and you couldn’t handle the truth, so you magically made him my child.”

“Don’t say that,” Casey said quietly, tears streaming down her face. “You don’t believe that.”

“Don’t I? I mean, do I really know who you are? You seem sweet, honest, and intelligent, but maybe you are just the same as all the others.” I spat the words, unable to stop. “Just looking for a way out of Brooklyn, out of the walk-up, and into the city. How am I supposed to know?”

I could see just how much my words hurt Casey. It was wrong of me to lash out like this. It was wrong of me to even say these things out loud, especially when I didn’t actually believe them. Casey was sweet, kind, and an amazing mother to Seth. She had never shown me any different, not even for a split second. But standing here, facing the truth that I had four-year-old little boy and understanding that I was kept in the dark because she feared things I would never do, made my blood boil. I felt like the kid walking around with toilet paper on his shoe with everyone whispering behind his back but no one stepping forward to tell him the truth.

I shook my head. I turned my head away from Casey’s face, knowing that her tears were going to make me feel guilty and I didn’t think I deserved to feel guilty right now. Call me selfish, but I deserved better than what was just handed to me. At that moment, I didn’t want to stop myself, I wanted to say hurtful things and I didn’t care what the repercussions were.

“You know what,” I said quietly with a dark chuckle. “I don’t even believe I took your virginity. A girl like you would have been looking for a man long before me. There’s no way you hadn’t given it up yet, especially with how easy it was for me to get in your pants.

Chapter 14: Casey

I took a deep breath, trying to understand how much pain Dex was in. He had been deceived and though it was not out of malice or ill intentions, I kept a very big secret from him. I had to believe that the words he spoke were not the words he believed to be true. I had to keep my emotions settled and at bay but he was making it very difficult. When he decided to attack my character, my truth, and my person I felt my own anger rear its head. I took in a deep breath and clenched my jaw, knowing what was coming next.

“You know what,” Dex said quietly with a dark chuckle. “I don’t even believe I took your virginity. A girl like you would have been looking for a man long before me. There’s no way you hadn’t given it up yet, especially with how easy it was for me to get in your pants.”

That was it, that was the one thing I knew I could not handle. My eyes widened at his words and without thought, I reached up and slapped him across the face. Tears streamed down my cheeks and I felt as if I couldn’t even breathe.

“How dare you,” I whispered. “How dare you question something so sacred and important. Go to hell, Dex.”

With those words, I ran up both sets of stairs and through my front door, slamming and locking it behind me. My whole body was shaking and as soon as the door was there to separate me from Dex, I completely lost it. I didn’t care that Brandon and Natalie were sitting in the living room behind me. I didn’t care that the father of my child was standing on the street below the apartment. I let it all go right there. All the emotions I’d felt over the past five years came crashing down around me. Natalie rushed over and grabbed me by the arm, leading me to the couch. My hands were shaking and I was sobbing uncontrollably. Finally letting myself feel everything was overwhelming. I couldn’t breathe or think. My head was spinning and my heart ached in a way it never had before. All I could hear were Dex’s harsh words echoing in my mind.

Natalie smiled kindly as she poured a glass of wine and handed it to me. They waited patiently while I collected myself and caught my breath. I could barely see anything through the tears and I brought the wine to my lips, letting out a deep breath as it soothed my throat. I knew I would have to tell the whole story from the beginning since Brandon knew nothing but I didn’t mind, it would be the first time I had ever spoken about it and I needed to get it out. One thing I could feel comfortable in was knowing that Natalie knew who I was. She knew my character, my actions, my love, and my heart. She would never think, even for a split second, that anything that Dex said was true. Still, telling the whole story was a bit nerve wrecking since I had never even told Natalie. She never asked. She let me have my reasoning, understanding that whatever reason it was, was probably a good one.

“Brandon, I know this is all very confusing for you.” I whimpered. “So, I’ll start from the beginning. Five years ago, I met Dex. It was Christmas Eve and the liquor was flowing, the jokes were hilarious, and we really found a connection. When Natalie left, we had sex. It was the first time for me and I didn’t give it a second thought. The next day, Dex left for his trip and within two months, I found out I was pregnant. Dex is Seth’s father.”

I let the shock move over Brandon’s face as Natalie took his hand. I knew he would have questions but I wanted to get through the whole story so he understood better. Part of me was ashamed for hiding Seth from Dex but the other part of me still stood firmly behind my decision to protect my son.

“I never told Dex because he wasn’t really the settling down type,” I explained. “When I met him, he was deep into the company: building it, growing it, and carrying on Natalie’s father’s work. He was a playboy, not because he was a jerk but because he was settled into his own life. When he came back for the wedding, I saw immediately that he was still in that place.”

I put my hands in my lap and clasped them together to stop the shaking. I didn’t want to sit here and bash Dex but he did what he did and said what he said. If I was going to tell the story I needed to tell all of it and not just what I thought they would want to hear. I knew I played a part in this and would continue to do so for the rest of my life, but what Dex said was unnecessary and hurtful.

“I thought for a second, a split second when he took me and Seth to the pumpkin farm, that maybe his ideas about the future were changing. He was so good with Seth and he really acted like he wanted more but by the end of the day, he was gone. He didn’t call, text, or anything,” I said. “Today when he showed up, it was the first time I saw him since that day. Seth has been asking about him for weeks and I didn’t know what to tell him. Downstairs he asked me who Seth’s father was, so I told him.”

“I’m sorry,” Brandon said. “I didn’t know any of that happened. I wouldn’t have just welcomed him into your home like that.”

“No, Brandon,” I said in a kind voice. “It’s not your fault. You had no idea.”

“So, I’m assuming it didn’t go well,” Natalie said with pain behind her eyes.