Chapter 22
Chapter Twenty-Two
I’m not someone who has ever had thoughts of being domesticated, of waking up to a woman every morning. And yet, I don’t hate waking up with Molly, and not just because I woke up with her mouth around my cock. Don’t get me wrong, that’s the best way to wake up but it’s more than that. It’s her.
I watch from the shower as she brushes her hair and puts creams and shit on her face. “You do know you don’t need any of that,” I tell her. She’s naturally beautiful.
“It’s moisturizer,” she replies.
“Your skin is already perfect.”
“Because I use lotions.” Molly laughs.
She’s dressed in a tight little navy skirt and a cream-colored blouse. I chose to stay in the shower longer, not wanting to get out at the same time as her because I wouldn’t have been able to help myself. We would have ended up fucking again. And she’s got shit to do today.
I grab a towel and dry myself off before wrapping it around my waist. Standing behind Molly, I circle my arms around her front and inhale her scent.
“You always smell so fucking good.” My hands travel south, down the front of her legs, over her skirt.
“Mmm, thanks.” She leans back. “But this skirt is Chanel. If you ruin it, I will kill you,” she says, swatting my hands away when my fingers start tugging the hem upwards.
“I’ll buy you a new one if you let me tear it off you right now,” I tell her.
Molly laughs again. “You can’t.”
“I might not have your kind of wealth, Molly, but I can afford to buy a Chanel skirt.” I scowl at her. Does she think I’m some fucking pauper?
“I know your net worth, Alfie. It’s not a money thing. You can’t buy another one of these because it’s an archive item. It would be near impossible to find another one in this condition.”
“Challenge accepted.” I step away from her, walk into the bedroom, and pick up my phone. When Molly follows, I snap a picture of her skirt and send it to my Aunt Evie. If anyone can find an item of clothing, it’s my Aunt Evie.
Me: I need this skirt. Size 6. It’s Chanel archive.
Aunt Evie: I know what it is, Alfie. What I’m more interested in is why you want it?
Me: Can you find one or not?
Aunt Evie: Leave it with me.
Me: Thanks. Love you.
I add a little sweetener, because even though she might not say it out loud, I know my aunt has a soft spot for me.
“Who are you texting?” Molly asks before her eyes widen at me and she shakes her head. “Forget I said that. It’s none of my business. Text away.” She waves a hand at my phone and turns to walk out of the room.
“You can ask me anything you want, Molly. I’m texting my Aunt Evie.” I turn my phone around so she can see the screen with my message thread.
Molly doesn’t even look. She just nods her head again.
“She’s married to my Tío E. She’s also my mother’s best friend and now my little sister’s mother-in-law.”
“Your family is really complicated.” Molly laughs.
“It is, but they’re not blood related. We’re just close.”
“That must be nice, to have a lot of family. It’s been just me and my dad for so long.”
“You have your mom, Molly. She might not be the same mom you had once, but she loves you,” I remind her.
“She doesn’t even know who I am.”
“No, but she knows she has a daughter whom she’s asked for more than once. She loves you.”
“I know,” Molly says. “Sometimes it’s easier for me to think of her as already gone.”
“I get that.” I walk over and wrap my arms around her.
“Why are you still naked?” Molly presses against my chest.
“Just giving you the chance to take advantage of me again,” I tell her.
“Mmm, tempting. However, I will resist the urge to climb you like a monkey and go wild.” Molly pushes away from me.
“I suggest you don’t resist at all,” I say, and then the door opens. “Expecting someone?”
“It’s Angus. You need to put clothes on.” Molly shoves me into the bedroom, and I get a glimpse of Angus’s face right before she closes the door.
I rip the towel off, slide my sweats up my legs, and put my shoes on. Opening the door, I walk out to find Molly and Angus whispering about something before his eyes land on me.
“Oh, I get it now, Mol.” He whistles as his eyes rake over my body.
“Alfie…” Molly groans at me. “You, don’t look.” She points at Angus before she storms in my direction and pushes me back into the bedroom.
I watch as she then walks around the bed, bending to look under it and picking up the blankets that had fallen off.
“What are you looking for?” I ask her.
“Found it.” She stands and holds up my shirt. “You can’t just walk around like that in front of people.”
“Like what?” I glance down at myself.
“Shirtless, Alfie. It’s… Well, you just can’t,” she says.
“Okay.” I catch the shirt as she throws it at me.
“I don’t like that my assistant, my friend, is currently out there having fantasies about you and now he knows just how good that body looks naked.”
“You do know he’s not a threat to you, right?” I laugh. “I mean, I’m flattered, but I have a type and it’s people with vaginas.”
“Good to know I just have to be threatened by everyone with a vagina then,” she grunts.
“That’s not what I meant,” I tell her, yanking my shirt over my head.
“It doesn’t matter. You’re free to do what and who you want, Alfie. I don’t have a claim on you. We’re not a thing so… it doesn’t even matter.”
“What if we were?”
“Were what?”
“A thing? What if you did have a claim on me?” My heart hammers in my chest. What the fuck am I doing? I don’t do relationships. I don’t want a relationship. But I do want her. Fucking hell.
“We can’t be a thing.” Molly shakes her head.
“Why the fuck not?” Rejection does not feel good. It’s also not something I’ve ever had to endure. What the fuck is this shit?
“Because you’re going to end up hating and resenting me when I get those buildings in your so-called city,” she says, sounding so sure of herself.
“If you got those buildings, I’d be fucking proud as shit that you could actually do it,” I tell her. “I wouldn’t resent you for it.”
“You say that now, but you would.” Molly opens the door and walks back out to the living room.
I follow after her. “What are you doing today?”
Angus glances up from the sofa. “You made him put a shirt on? Really, Molly? We could have negotiated that view into my employment agreement as some kind of bonus.”
“I’m not whoring out my boyfriend,” Molly snaps, and then her entire body stills and her eyes go so damn wide in horror.
I, however, don’t hate it. My smile is wide. “Boyfriend, huh?” I quirk a brow at her. “I like it.” I step up and kiss her forehead. “What are you doing today?” I repeat.
“I… ah… First, I didn’t mean that. You are not my boyfriend. Second, I have hair and makeup people coming later to help me get ready for tonight. Until then, Angus and I have to work.”
“You’ve already said it. You can’t take it back, Molly. Why don’t you come and hang out at my house? You can get ready for the gala there.”
“I’m not working from your house. You probably have spy gadgets around.” She waves a dismissive hand at me.
“Okay, well, why don’t you let me know when you’re finished working and meet me downstairs? I can take you home and we can get ready for the gala together,” I try again. “I’ve got some shit to do downstairs anyway.”
“She’d love to. I’ll text you when we’re leaving. Also, I’ll need an address to give to the stylist,” Angus answers for her.
“Great. My number’s in your phone, Molly. Give it to Angus. I’ll text you the address.” I step closer and pull her towards me. “Have fun taking over the world,” I tell her and then leave before I find a reason not to.