CHAPTER NINETEEN
GEMMA
––––––––
“Give me the water, and I’ll take it now. Jesus, relax Drew. I realize half the women in this town would be thrilled to be full of your baby, but I’m not one of them.”
I swallow the Plan B pill as his nostrils flare.
“Not a compliment, Gemma. Now get out of the car, and I’ll walk you up,” he growls, nudging my bottom.
I narrow my eyes.
We don’t have time for anything fun and sexy because Mom will be here soon with Zoe. I messaged her when we hit Manhattan.
“Fine,” I mutter.
I don’t want Zoe to meet him and ask questions. If he were someone I was dating and serious about, then yes, I would introduce them. But we both know that is not what this is.
Despite the intensity of last night and how I slept on his chest.
Drew takes my bag and tells Patrick to wait for thirty minutes. Then we wander into the lobby and go up in the elevator. When the door opens and I step inside my home, I let out a sigh of relief.
I am ready to curl up and go to sleep already. Then walk and pretend I didn’t have sex with Drew Carrington again.
And loved it.
“Thanks.” I turn as he drops the bags on the floor. “Well, I’m safe. You are a gentleman. See you at the office tomorrow.”
Instead of leaving, Drew takes a few steps and glances around. “Great view.”
Oh, my god.
Leave. He needs to leave.
“Thank you.” I drop my purse on the side table and wait. Surely if I let this get awkward, he’ll get the hint and leave.
...
...
...
Shit.
I cross the room, my flats sounding on the wooden floors, and try to get inside his head. Perhaps he’s worried about my expectations.
“Drew, last night was great. Amazing. I won’t say nice.”
“Small miracles.”
“Or include the word small.”
We both smirk at one another.
“Honestly, we don’t have to talk about it. You can—”
“We should.”
“It’s not necessary. It was nothing—”
“Bullshit.” Determined dark eyes lock with mine as my heart rate speeds up, and a hammering sound fills my ears.
What does he mean by bullshit?
This can’t be anything. We decided.
Didn’t we?
“Okay,” I say slowly. “It wasn’t nothing. Clearly, it was something. Enjoyable, wonderful sex. And—”
“Jesus fucking Christ,” Drew runs a hand through his hair, causing his lovely biceps to bulge. He wears a pair of Ralph Lauren caramel-colored chinos and a Brunello Cucinelli blue polo shirt, looking every inch the casual billionaire who just stepped off his private jet.
Which he did.
“What?” I blink.
“Enjoyable sex. Gemma, you were upset last night. The moment I walk out the door, your brain is going to start thinking and worrying. So, let’s do this. Let’s talk.”
Oh, ah, no thanks.
“I was tired. I’m stressed.” I throw up my arms lightheartedly. “I’m a single mom trying to pivot in her life after selling her company. It’s fine. I don’t need flowers or for you to walk me home. I’m a married woman—”
“Widowed.”
“Please stop cutting me off.”
Drew closes the gap, his hand landing possessively on my hip. “We have some big days ahead of us. I want to make sure you are okay. That you are prepared—”
“Prepared how?” An icy shiver runs down my spine.
He rubs his lips together as he glances to the side, and without a sliver of doubt, I know he’s about to lie to me.
“How do you feel about me buying you out? For the remainder of your agreement. I’ll have the funds put into your account, and you don’t need to be involved anymore,” Drew offers, and I blink in surprise.
Buy me out.
Just like that.
And disappear. Like a problem solved.
Why would he do that?
“And the ten percent?” I ask to understand his offer in totality.
His jaw clenches and nostrils flare. “I can’t change that. But...give me time to look at it.”
My senses turn to high alert.
“Why?” I demand. “Am I that useless that I’m no value to you? Did you decide that while we were flying around the country, but you wanted to fuck me one last night?”
His hand tightens on my hip, the other sliding around my waist. “No, Gemma. It has nothing to do with that. It’s—”
He takes a moment to create another lie.
“I’m distracted by you.” His eyes land on mine. “I can’t do what is needed when I’m wanting my cock deep inside your wet pussy all fucking day long.”
Okay, well, that’s not a lie; I can see the truth of that written all over his face. But it’s not the full truth.
Unfortunately, my body softens and presses against his chest without my permission, and our lips press together.
A deep groan escapes him, or maybe it’s me.
“See my point?” He growls.
“Yes, but we can be professional. I want to be involved.”
Drew lets out a short laugh. “I don’t think we can. I’m not sure I’d ever want to stop fucking you.”
Whoa.
He blinks as we both take in his words, which I have a feeling slipped out. I want to tell him I feel the same. I could have sex with this man every day for a year and not have enough. But that...that sort of confession means something. Something neither of us truly means.
Right?
His fingers thread through my hair. “Our insane chemistry aside, I have some key moves to make, and when the time is right, I will share some information with you.”
What information?
I frown and move back an inch. “What do—”
“Mommy, you’re home!” Zoe comes zipping into the room like a freight train as Drew and I step apart abruptly.
“Hey, baby girl.” I crouch as she slams into me, almost knocking me over.
Drew’s hand steadies me.
“Hello.”
I stand with Zoe in my arms and find Mom with her arm outstretched, smiling at Drew.
Crap.
“Mom, this is my boss—”
“Business partner,” he corrects, shaking Mom’s hand.
“Drew Carrington.” I shoot him an annoyed look because I swear, if he interrupts me one more time, I’ll kick him.
“Nice to meet you. I’m Gemma’s mom, Natalie Lennon.”
“Your name is grammmmaaaa,” Zoe squeals loudly and leans back, almost toppling me again, to face Drew. “She’s a robot.”
“Nice to meet you, Mrs. Lennon. You don’t look like a robot.” Drew plays along, and I kind of love him for it.
Mom laughs. “What did we tell you about telling fibs?”
“To do it moreee,” she giggles into my chest.
“Don’t you know the story about Pinocchio?” Drew asks with a tone of mysteriousness in his voice.
Zoe glances up. “Whose nose?”
“Pinocchio.”
She clambers down my body and stands in front of Drew, who crouches. Talk about an enamored audience.
“He was a wooden puppet who dreamed of becoming a real boy. Every time he told a lie, his nose grew.” Drew touches his nose and pretends to stretch it out.
“I want a long nose,” Zoe tells him.
Mom shakes her head and waves to say she is leaving, but not before winking at me.
Ugh.
Just because Drew is an insanely handsome man does not mean anything is going on between us.
There is.
But...there isn’t.
Not if I accept his offer and we never see one another again. Perhaps I should.
“How will you get through the doorway or into the car?” Drew asks, tipping his head.
“Easy! I’ll cut it off.” She smiles gleefully at him.
“Well, Pinocchio can’t become a real boy with a big nose, so he has to tell the truth and be a good boy so his wish comes true,” Drew continues, sharing the moral of the story.
I should have saved him the bother.
She is three.
Zoe thinks about this for a while, then shrugs. “I don’t want to be a boy.”
I can’t help my laugh.
“Good try.” I pat Drew’s shoulder. “Who wants something to drink?”
He stands and gives me an inquisitive look. One that asks why I’m not kicking him out now that my daughter is home.
I have some key moves to make and when the time is right, I will share some information with you.
I am not done with that conversation.
––––––––
DREW
––––––––
“Dwoo, you sit next to me.” Zoe pats the stool next to her with her tiny hand.
“Ahh.” I run a hand through my hair as Gemma walks to the fridge and opens it.
I can’t seem to leave her.
Zoe is a tiny version of her beautiful mom and so cheeky I think I just fell in love with her. She pats her stool again, giving me an insistent look.
Like her mom.
“Sure, thanks.” Climbing onto the stool, feeling like I’m a kid at a friend’s house, but fifty times bigger than the other kids, I smile down at Zoe. “Heard you went to the zoo.”
Fuck, is this what you talk to kids about?
I have no clue.
She nods matter-of-factly. “They have robots.”
“Zoe, enough with the robots.” Gemma frowns and pours us all a glass of juice.
Juice. Not that I have anything against juice.
Then systematically she starts slicing carrots and cheese and grabs a handful of grapes, putting them onto a small plate along with some rice crackers.
“Want one?” She grins cheekily, and I want to fucking kiss her.
“Yes, please Mommy.” I smirk and see the fire in her eyes.
“She’s my mommy, not yours.” Zoe pops half a grape into her mouth while Gemma and I chuckle. “Dwoo, pay attention. They also had monkeys at the zoo.”
“Yeah?” I take my little plate and bite the sliced carrot.
Gemma leans her hip against the counter and sips her juice. Jesus hell in a handbasket, I want this woman naked on this kitchen island one day—preferably today—and I make a note to make sure it happens.
She needs to accept my offer.
“Did the monkeys do anything exciting? Or were they boring?”
“Boring.” Zoe shrugs, then suddenly she springs to life, sits up straight. “Oh, they can fly. And they eat the other monkey’s nits.”
I almost choke on a grape. “Yuck.”
“Yucky.” Zoe nods, giggling.
“Did you see a lion?” I ask.
“No, it was sleeping.”
“Lazy lion.”
“Did Mommy sleep at your house last night?” Zoe asks, and my juice goes spraying out the front of me.
Gemma hurriedly grabs a cloth and tosses it to me. “No, darling, I told you I had to go to Chicago to see the people at the store.”
“But did you stay at Dwoo’s?”
We both stare at one another like we’ve been well and truly busted. I swallow and leave it to her to answer.
“We stayed in a hotel.” She takes the cloth when I hand it back.
“I, ah, I should go.” Wiping my hand over my slightly wet shirt, I stand, deciding my heart rate is much higher than it should be after a conversation with a three-year-old.
“I’m going to put Zoe down for her nap. Can we talk?”
I know what she wants to talk about, but the reality is I can’t say anymore. I should have kept those last few words to myself.
“Sorry. I have things I need to attend to at the office.” I wink at Zoe, then turn back to her beautiful mother. “Consider my offer. I will get the changes made to the contract and have the money moved by tomorrow.”
“Drew.” She rounds the kitchen island.
“Doooo!” Zoe sings.
She really is a little mini version of her mom, but with that carefree spirit of a child.
“Think about it,” I run my hand over her arm, the sudden urge to kiss her keeping me frozen on the spot.
The way she watches me tells me she knows.
“I’ll walk you to the elevator. Zoe, eat all your cheese.”
“I hate cheese.”
“Last week it was your favorite.” Gemma rolls her eyes and shoots me the cutest grin.
We cross the living area and around the corner to the elevators. It’s the smallest amount of privacy, but it’s all I need. I cup the back of her neck and press my lips to hers.
“Thank you,” I rasp.
“For what?” she whispers.
“For letting me kiss you goodbye.”
Gemma shakes her head. “Who are you, Drew Carrington?”
I don’t know.
I don’t fucking know anymore.