Chapter Fifteen
Alfie
It was the warm breath puffing against the back of my neck that stirred me awake from a series of strange and violent dreams. A warm and naked body was pressed up against the back of me with a small arm resting on my side. Molly. I could feel her bare breasts pressed up against my back with each breath she took followed by warm breath against my neck. Our legs were tangled together underneath the large blanket I had brought up because of the chill of the night air.
I stared blearily across the bedroom at the fireplace. A few logs were still smoldering behind the glass. I needed to put a few on to keep the room warm, but I couldn’t find it in me to leave the safe circle of Molly’s arms.
I had seen that look in her eyes—the same type of look that all women got when they felt that they had found their savior. Guilt twisted sharply in my gut. It was sheer anger that had driven my fists into Harry’s face, but it was deep desire that had me bending Molly over the couch.
I’d wanted her to bend down before me and let me show her what passion really looked like. It was dangerous. It was the old me. Fuck. There was no hope in fully quelling that part of my personality that loved to fight and fuck, no matter how much I promised myself that I would try. I couldn’t even remember the last time I had ever felt so angry in my life at one person in particular. The thought was insanely unsettling.
I wasn’t a University chap anymore. I was a grown man with a large corporation resting on my shoulders. I had lots of staff, and people who counted on me. My actions would mess up not only my life but the lives of others.
All thoughts dissipated as Molly shifted behind me with a soft sigh, still lost in her dreams. I debated wearily about falling back asleep. Every little noise had set me on edge the night before. Not only the sound of cars passing on the road a few miles away, but even as something as peaceful as Molly letting out a contented huff in her sleep.
I half-expected Harry to call the police to file charges for assault, but no one ever came. No knocks on the front door. No phone calls. The silence was what unsettled me the most.
A warm, delicate hand clasped my shoulder briefly before smoothing down my side. Goose bumps raced across my skin at the pleasant, warm touch. It instantly calmed the tension brewing inside of me as I rolled over to look at Molly with a small smile. The strands of her dark and long hair were spread out over the pillows behind her.
“I didn’t think you were awake,” I murmured.
“I could feel the tension rolling off of you in waves,” she said, softly. Her eyes were warm as propped herself up on an elbow to gaze down at me. “You were tossing and turning in your sleep all night long too. Bad dreams or something else?”
“I wouldn’t even call it dreams. More like regret.”
She arched an eyebrow. “Regret over what exactly? Over us or—”
“No,” I said, reaching up to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear. “I promise. It has nothing to do with you, or us for that matter.” I pulled her down for a sweet kiss.
The smell of her shampoo combined with her sultry voice had my cock hardening again, as if our long night of love making wasn’t enough.
She kissed me once more before moving back. “Is it over what happened with Harry?”
I sighed as I let my hand drop from the side of her cheek. Molly rested her chin on my bare chest then while she waited patiently for me to answer. I wasn’t sure I wanted to, but seeing that we were growing closer, it seemed the right thing to do. The last fucking thing I wanted was for her to think that she was the cause of my distress, or that our sex somehow had me regretting my choices.
“I haven’t been that guy for a long time, and never over a woman,” I said, quietly. “I’ve done some stupid shit throughout my life, but nothing that ever involved a person getting hurt the way I hurt Harry. He was a good a friend of mine.” I shrugged. “He deserved to get his ass beat, and probably then some, but I wish it had been someone else’s fist. I’ve been trying to leave the University version of me in the past since I was back there.”
“You were angry with losing a person you thought was your friend? Was that why you hit him?”
I realized she hadn’t been outside to hear him ranting and raving about her. She didn’t realize that my reaction was solely related to him being a prick about her.
“No,” I said, shaking my head. “I mean, that was part of the reason for sure. I was upset with him because he doesn’t seem to get that you can’t treat people like shit. He’s basically stepped all over us both with muddy boots.”
“Well, he’s gone now.” She kissed me once more before getting out of bed and walking to the bathroom. I lifted up so I could watch her pert little ass jiggle as she moved. She glanced over her shoulder and smiled. “Are you watching me?”
“Um, yes. I think in America, you vulgar creatures call it eye-fucking.” I laughed and dropped down onto my back as she closed the door behind her, the sound of her giggles leaving my heart fluttering in my chest.
The woman was dangerous. I’d find myself in love with her and then what? Not only was it wrong as fuck, but she planned to move back to New York. If things progressed between us, could I really ask her to move back to England?
I reluctantly got up and made my way downstairs to start a pot of coffee. My phone buzzed from the living room, and I realized that I must have left it in there the night before when Molly and I made love.
Images blasted across my mind’s eye, and my stomach tightened with need. I rolled my eyes at myself. How ridiculous this beautiful woman was causing me to be.
I picked up the phone and held it to my ear. “Alfie, here.”
“Hey, buddy!” Logan.
“Hey, old chap. How are you?” I glanced up to look at the clock on the wall. “You’re up awfully early, aren’t you? It’s the middle of the night for you, if I’m calculating right.”
“I’m good. I was going to see if you were still thinking about coming for a visit. I’d love to see you, man. I have off this weekend coming up. We could go paint the town red together.” His voice was filled with excitement. It always felt good talking to him, because he acted as if our relationship were the most important thing in his life. He had a way of making me feel important.
“Hmmm…that might work just fine, actually.” I sat down on the couch and rubbed my hand over the cushion, working hard not to see Molly lying face down with her lovely ass in the air for me. She’d be leaving on Friday, too, if I had my calculations down right. We could share a flight over.
“Good. Then let’s plan on it. And you’re staying with me, so don’t start trying to pull any of this shit about you getting an executive suite or any of that.” He sounded resolved.
“All right.” I reached up and ran my hand through my hair. “I’ll stay with you. It is your birthday weekend.” I smiled as he laughed.
“Dude. You remembered?”
“I did.” I leaned back and let out a contented sigh. It would be good to see my old friend, and even better to get away from everything for a while. “It’s been a long few days. Harry came over here ranting and raving. I hated to do it, but I popped him a few times in the face and drug him back to his car.”
“What?” Logan’s voice rose in volume. “You got in a fight?”
“Not sure you would call it a fight, honestly. He came at me, and I moved only to pop him in the face a few times. He’s not at all the guy he was when we were back in Uni. It’s like we’ve traded places or something.”
“Well, that can’t be good. You were a complete cock back then. It’s like aliens took over your body in college instead of high school when it normally happens to most people.” He snorted and chuckled. “Was he there because you helped his ex out for a while?”
Speaking of his ex. Molly walked into the room and handed me a cup of coffee. “Here you go. Black, just like you like it.”
I winked at her. “Thank you. I’ll be in there in a minute.”
“Is that a girl?” Logan’s voice boomed in my ear. “Are you bedding someone or dating?”
The last thing I wanted was for him to judge my actions, but he’d been pretty laid back the last time we’d talked about Molly. Of course, I hadn’t mentioned that I was sleeping with the beautiful girl at that time, but maybe it wasn’t such a wise move to do it now either.
Logan was my last real friend in the world. If he thought I was sleeping with Harry’s ex, he’d probably give me a good tongue lashing over having ethics and being a good man. Or maybe not. He had a bit of a wild side as well. Hell, we all did.
“It’s Molly,” I said reluctantly after a few seconds. I’d been debating lying to him, but just couldn’t go through with it.
“Oh.” He paused. “Oh! Are you guys… Like, are you—”
“I don’t know what we are.” I lowered my voice, not wanting Molly to overhear the conversation and take it the wrong way. The last thing I wanted to do was hurt her.
“Well, that’s cool. She must be a pretty special girl for you to bend your strict ethics like you are.”
And there it was, but it didn’t sound judgmental in the slightest.
“She’s honestly one of the most beautiful, sweet, and giving women I’ve met.” I took a sip of my coffee and tried not to groan. “And she makes one hell of a cup of coffee.”
We shared a laugh, and he picked up the conversation again. “Hey, what you do with your life is yours to do. You sound timid, and I know that sound. I support you in anything you’re up to. You know that.”
“I know.” I took a quick breath. “I just hate the way it looks and the underlying implications of her being here, but I want her here with me.”
“You think it’s going to be something long-term?”
“No clue.” I glanced back toward the kitchen opening as the sound of music wafted toward me. She was dancing around the kitchen, her dark hair flying around her as if she didn’t have a care in the world. Maybe her mind was changed by me handling Harry the day before. She didn’t seem ready to sneak out again in the middle of the night, and I was almost conflicted on the fact that she was good.
Were we doing what we should be? And if not, who was the judge of our actions? I knew without a doubt if she were Logan’s ex-fiancée that I wouldn’t be entertaining her or sleeping with her. No matter what he did.
Fuck. Maybe mine and Harry’s relationship wasn’t what I thought it was at all. The thought was a little unnerving.
“Well, I’ll have the house ready for you on Friday. Come into town and let’s have some fun together. You probably need a break, seeing that you keep yourself running on all cylinders.”
“This is true, mate. All right. See you Friday.” I dropped the call and glanced over to find Molly watching me. “It was Logan. He’s my best friend from childhood.”
“Was he Harry’s friend too?” Her question combined with her worried expression let me know exactly what she was thinking.
“No. He was like a brother to me, and my father took care of both of us. He was in boarding school over here with me.” I stood up and lifted my cup of coffee to my lips.
“And what about your mother?” She glanced around and turned her attention back to me. “I see a lot of pictures of your dad, but none of your mom.”
I walked toward her and slid my hand into hers. “Let’s go make breakfast and talk about something else. My mum is a conversation left for another day. A dreary one at that.”