Alex

 

As I stared out the window of Eden’s guest bedroom, the sun was rising. The slight pounding in my head told me I’d drunk too much last night. As the evening flooded back in bits and pieces, I realized that I’d hurt her.

I didn’t deserve joy, I didn’t deserve happiness, and I certainly didn’t deserve her.

Throwing humiliation back in her face hadn’t made my pain vanish. It had accomplished just the opposite as I’d witnessed her crestfallen expression.

None of that mattered now. Exposing Grahamdidn’t bring her back to me.

In spite of the confidence I’d worked so hard to exude, she’d broken through my façade and exposed me to my very soul. Again.

As I made my way down the dark hallway, the tantalizing aroma of fresh coffee drew me into the kitchen, where Theo sat at a small table looking out at the garden.

“Eh.”

It was my grumpy attempt at acknowledging his presence.

“Right, you’re not a morning person,” he said smugly.

“That much is obvious.”

The first gulp of coffee brought me back to life, and I joined him at the table, curious as to why he was up this early, all alone.

“What’s wrong Theo? You’re not going to cry, are you?” I asked him.

His quick smile confirmed there was something to my annoying mockery.

“Ever thought of seeing a therapist?”

I knew I could pull the problem out of him because this is what I did best in our friendship. I tended to lift his mood, allowing him to feel more at ease when he had something on his mind.

“I asked Eden to move in with me,” he finally said. “Well, technically, I asked if I could move in here with her.”

“Trouble in paradise?”

“Hardly.”

The smirk was pure Theo—confident and poised.

“Did she say no?”

“She’s thinking about it.”

“Well, that sounds the same as no.”

“Clearly it’s not.”

At Theo’s resigned sigh, I decided it was time to stop the emotional badgering.

“She’ll say yes, Theo. She loves you. You two fought to be together. You’ve climbed mountains and conquered the devil. You’ll find your happily ever after, I’m sure of it.”

His smile, cocky as usual, pushed me a bit further.

“Ask her to marry you.”

His eyes narrowed to crinkled slits.

“That’s a bit premature,” he sputtered.

“You’re right.” I curled my lips with pure contempt. Pushing Theo’s buttons had never been easier. “She’d never say yes to that.”

“You seem hell-bent on pissing me off today, but I have a feeling it’s fueled by the beautiful blonde sleeping in the pool house.”

Fuck, it was if he’d been reading my thoughts. Now he’d turned the tables on me. Damn psychiatrist.

“I know, I know. I just need to get my head together. She has a way of stirring something deep within me.”

“Like a caveman?”

“No, not like a caveman, you idiot. Like my life would change if she were a part of it.”

Theo suddenly cleared his throat as he looked over my shoulder.

Little did I know that she was standing right behind me. This had been a fucking brilliant move on Theo’s part. He’d pay for it. That was for certain.

“Good morning,” she said as she made her way over to the coffee. “Anyone need a refill?”

We both answered no.

I took the opportunity to admire her lush figure instead. She was dressed in black workout shorts and a white Nike T-shirt with the words “Just do it” plastered over her chest. A high ponytail swayed as she moved, and her face was fresh, not a stitch of makeup on it. I liked this new look. She got prettier every time I saw her.

When she sank into a chair, I angled mine so that we would be face-to-face around the small table. Crossing one leg over the other, she unknowingly exposed the length of her soft silky thighs. My brain cautioned me to take my time, but I hadn’t always obeyed the sensible voice in my head. I decided to push my luck instead.

“Leaving soon?”

She glanced at her watch.

“I have an appointment, and my driver will be here soon.”

She gazed at me steadily over the rim of her coffee mug.

“Oh, Madison, the driver called and said he’s stuck in traffic,” Theo added, his head in the refrigerator, looking for breakfast options. “Construction, he said. He’ll call when he’s close. Anyone hungry?”

“I’m good.”

She was staring out the window, looking at the beautiful garden in full bloom. The kidney-shaped pool sparkled when a sliver of sun escaped through the clouds. Then her cell phone rang. It was sitting on the table when Graham Carrington’s name appeared on the screen. I watched as she hit ignore.

“Giving him the silent treatment?”

She glared at me, but that was only pouring fuel on the fire.

“Ah, I’m well aware of that technique.”

I recalled the days and weeks of unanswered texts and phone calls.

Her blue eyes pierced me in the exact way Theo’s had just moments ago. She opened her mouth to speak, but no words came out.

“Will you walk with me?” I asked in a voice so soft I barely recognized it as mine.

She narrowed her eyes, and for good reason. I wasn’t sure if I would trust me either.

“For a woman who usually has a lot to say, you’re awfully quiet.”

“Fine.”

She said as if I’d worn her down, but I’ll take fine. Fine was good.

I took both of our coffee cups and placed them in the sink, then opened the French doors to the pool area.

She followed me in silence.

As we walked, I admired Eden’s home. Obviously, it was cared for with love, passion, and pride. I understood the appeal, and I thought I could probably find peace here, too. The calm stillness ensured a certain kind of tranquility.

I wanted to tell Madison how I felt, but the words eluded me. Under normal circumstances, I’d be driving full speed ahead, but she was different, and my usual charms would only drive her away.

“Can I ask you something?”

She instantly halted, and I could see her hesitate.

“That depends.”

Something sparked behind her eyes and told me to tread lightly.

“Why New York?” I slid both hands in my pockets. This vulnerable feeling felt so foreign. “Why me, Madison?”

For the briefest of moments, she considered my question with understanding.

“A combination of things, really. You made me laugh. The sexual energy—and its intensity—was overpowering. You’re a handsome man, Alex, and the decision wasn’t too difficult.”

Heat radiated off her words.

“Then it was over.”

“Yes. It had to end.”

The sting of her words and her brutal honesty caused ripples of anger to rise in me.

“Your performance is spot-on, Madison.” My tone made her turn, her ponytail swinging abruptly. “But you can’t fool me. Why can’t you just admit that you felt something more?”

I tried not to think about her lips, her mouth, or the rise and fall of her breasts as her breathing picked up.

“I’m not even your type, Alex.”

“What’s my type?” I asked, but what I wanted to reply was: You in my bed is my type. A smile escaped at the thought.

“Stop looking so amused. I’m serious!”

“I can see that.” I stepped dangerously close to her. “Answer the question. What’s my type? Because I’ll gladly answer it for you. She’s standing right in front of me, blushing.”

Suddenly the sun’s burning rays were nowhere in sight. In its place, dark billowy clouds rolled in. One minute we were enjoying the view, the next the sky darkened, the thunder roared, and the lightening flashed. I reached for her hand as I pulled her through the winding path toward a cabana.

I had every intention of kissing her, but I waited to catch our breaths as the rain blew in sideways. I knew I only had this moment, so I pulled her into me, crushing her body to mine. I angled my mouth across her lips and took what I wanted. I could feel the need of the past weeks in that one kiss. Her lips fell open just enough, demanding attention as my tongue took the golden opportunity to taste her.

I couldn’t get close enough, so I placed her on the wet lounger and covered her body with mine.

“Sooner or later, you will be mine.”

I whispered in her ear as she moaned. If she was honest with herself, she’d have to admit how good it had been between us, and how good it could still be.

“I want more than just this, Madison.”

The rain was down to a drizzle as I took her hand in mine.

“Don’t even pretend you don’t feel it.”

She didn’t deny it, and we walked back hand in hand through the kitchen. Then her phone buzzed again. She picked it up, hitting ignore, but by the frown on her face, I knew who it was.

Her gaze rested on me, assessing the man in front of her. My spirits sank when she turned and we parted ways to go to our separate rooms.

The rain from earlier had cleared, leaving the day hot and muggy. In retrospect, I was stuck in an endless cycle, chasing a woman who was committed to another man.

I couldn’t spend another minute confined in close space with her. I said my goodbyes to Theo and Eden, who were both sitting in the sun enclosure wrapped in each other’s arms. Their future was bright, their love was epic.

I wondered how it would feel to share that with a woman, and have those feelings returned.

 

***

 

As the elevator went up to the top floor, my chest constricted as I stepped into my father’s building. Some things never changed. Then the doors opened and I was faced with a very pretty woman, her smile welcoming me.

“Good morning, Mr. Storm.”

I casually leaned on the counter. Her flirty greeting hadn’t gone unnoticed, but there was just one problem: I wasn’t interested in the slightest.

“I’m here to see Ben. He’s expecting me.”

“Go right in, Mr. Storm.”

“Call me Alex.”

I smiled at her. Okay, maybe my cock was interested, but I wasn’t. I moved down the hall, and with a quick knock, entered the room.

Ben held one finger up while he finished his call. Exuding charm and charisma, he was obviously closing some deal. My brother the professional never ceased to amaze me.

He finally ended the call and leaned back in his chair. He seemed very laid-back and easygoing today.

“What brings you to my neck of the woods?”

“Feel like doing something?”

He tugged his tie loose and unbuttoned the collar of his Armani shirt as he considered my question. All the while he was assessing me, and I realized this was probably a first from me, and his questioning reaction was justified.

“Like what?”

“I don’t know. A drink, dinner, or a mundane game of basketball?”

He laughed.

“You are desperate, aren’t you? Don’t you have any friends to play with? Or women to fuck?”

The question died on his lips when he saw my face, and I was amazed by his intuition.

“What’s wrong?”

He stood and moved to the front of his desk, where he leaned against it.

“Madison?”

“Yes.”

He was daring me to say more. I could feel it.

“This is precisely why I came here, though. To forget about her.”

He nodded.

“Fair enough, but you can forget basketball. I’m still scarred over losing to you my entire childhood.”

A smile crept up the corners of my mouth.

“Am I interrupting something?”

I turned to see Jordon peeking into Ben’s office.

“Of course not.”

She walked in and placed a file on his desk.

The tortured look on his face was almost comical.

I admired her straight black skirt, which hit just above the knees. It showed off her toned legs, while her white blouse hugged her beautiful curves and the delicate line of her neck. She was professional, yet sexy as hell. It certainly hadn’t gone unnoticed by Ben.

“You look beautiful today, Jordon. New hairdo?”

My eyes tracked her body and she smiled knowingly. I was blatantly flirting with the woman my brother wanted but chose not to have.

“Never mind him, Jordon. He’s got no manners.”

I watched as Ben’s finger circled the inside of his collar, as if his oxygen was restricted.

“Is there anything else I can get for you?”

“No, thank you, Jordon. Have a nice evening.”

Then I immediately spun around to see if the coast was clear.

“Remind me again why you’re not tapping that?”

Ben cringed.

“Because she’s my boss. Besides, I’m not interested.”

“You’re lying. You know you want her, and she’s totally fuckable.”

“Believe what you want, Alex.”

He busied himself, shutting down his computer and locking his door.

“You do recall that you have an office of your own here? Down the hall?”

“I do.” I let out a dramatic sigh. “Although why you insist on maintaining it is a mystery to me. Besides, this is really not my favorite place, Ben.”

“Yeah, I get it. Ready?”

“I was born ready.”

I jiggled the keys to my Audi R8 as he made a face.

“Fuck, that can only mean trouble.”