Chapter 21 #2
C: Is my Brooke sexting me? Please say yes, and send me a picture of your naked tits so I can make it thru this dreadful day.
I’d never done it before, but that didn’t stop me. I stripped off my pajamas and selfied myself naked in the mirror for my man. It was a side shot, but I was naked , and Caleb would know it once he saw it. I held my breath and pressed Send.
B: Here you go, but only one is showing. My first sext ever! And you are the lucky recipient! I have to go to sleep now but I will dream of you. Miss you tons. Your Brooke
I tried to imagine him looking at the picture I’d just sent him, and even though we were separated by thousands of miles, I could feel him close to me in that moment. I waited for his response before I put my phone away.
It came instantly and made my heart flutter inside my chest.
C: You are fucking beautiful and I miss you much more now...thank you for the picture. I will be right there in your dreams, Brooke, and I’m never leaving. You’re stuck with me now, baby. Your Caleb xo
I am sure I fell asleep smiling, replaying his words over and over again in my head.
C aleb’s personal assistant was nothing like I’d imagined her to be.
She was young and beautiful, with long dark hair and light brown eyes, but with the no-nonsense personality of someone much older than what could only be early twenties.
Kind of like my nan, if I had to put a person to it.
She wasn’t rude or obnoxious, but she was all business when she dropped off the keys and alarm codes to the penthouse at Harris & Goode on Monday.
I didn’t miss the diamond engagement ring she was wearing on her left hand, either.
I couldn’t help that part, I suppose, when meeting my boyfriend’s beautiful personal assistant for the first time.
Knowing she was engaged to someone else did not hurt.
She also gave me her personal cell number, insisting I call if I needed anything at all.
Victoria told me she shared an apartment with her brother, James, in the same building as Caleb’s penthouse, so she was close if I ever needed her.
So weird—the PA thing—having someone to do the tasks that ninety-nine percent of the population did for themselves.
Like pick up dry cleaning, drop off keys, and order flowers for the girl who trashed her boss’s suit with shrimp cocktail.
I thanked Victoria for her choice of the red peonies and showed her how well they were thriving in my office.
That earned me a smile and a sincere, “You’re very welcome.”
O n Wednesday, Eduardo and I worked at the penthouse, measuring everything and finishing up the initial programming.
Before starting any project there needed to be an inventory of the existing furniture, and some analysis to identify the positive attributes of the space, as well as any potential problems. I could hardly concentrate on the job, though.
Because Caleb was coming back tonight, and I’d see him again in just a few hours.
“That’s the last of the measurements for this room. I’m thinking we’ll start in here before moving on to the kitchen,” I said as Eduardo packed up the equipment. “It’s really a huge job, and since he’s given me absolutely no solid plans for what he wants, I’m flying a little blind here.”
Eduardo looked up from his phone and smirked. “Because he’s much more interested in giving you his solid cock until you go a little blind, condesa. Just warm up the color palette and buy some pieces that are fuck friendly and he will be very happy, trust me.” He nodded enthusiastically.
“My God, Eduardo.” I scowled at him, and even though I’d never admit to it, he was probably right.
“I can design this shit in my sleep, I tell you. All a man thinks about when it comes to designs and décor is if it can be used for sex. Make sure there are many places for him to play pound the punani with you in here and he will love it. As I said before, fuck friendly should be your theme for the whole?—”
“Hello?” a feminine voice sounded behind me, and I cringed at what she might have just overheard.
I whipped around with a smile plastered to my face and met the voice. I was sure whoever it was had just gotten an earful. “Brooke Casterley, from Harris & Goode Designs for Mr. Black-s-stone,” I stammered, “and this is my assistant, Eduardo Ramos.”
“Winter Blackstone, Caleb’s sister. I just wanted to meet the woman who has captivated my brother,” she said with a grin, “and don’t worry, because I absolutely didn’t hear a single thing that was said just now.”
Oh, I like you, Winter Blackstone. She was still just as lovely as I remembered—dark brown hair and green eyes with the same gold rings around the iris as Caleb had around his blue ones.
The Blackstone children had genetically unusual eyes it seemed.
We shook hands and chatted easily, and after her comment about not overhearing Eduardo’s outrageousness about fuck-friendly designing, I could have kissed her.
Jesus, so embarrassing but she put me completely at ease—as if it hadn’t happened.
So I had the privilege of meeting another Blackstone sibling.
Well, meet her for the second time, because technically we’d met eight years ago at her birthday party.
“I remember you at my sixteenth birthday,” she said.
“Oh, I remember the party. You were very kind and sat with me.”
“We talked about the Jonas Brothers and watched the others playing chicken fight in the pool.”
“Yes. The party was at Blackwater, and I remember how pretty the grounds and garden were that day,” I said honestly. From what I could recall, the grounds at Blackwater had been just beautiful. I wondered if they had fallen into disrepair along with the house when it was shuttered.
Winter looked thoughtful, as if she were reflecting on a memory.
“It makes me sad the place will be gone out of our family soon. My mother is determined to sell since we don’t stay there anymore.
I’ve always thought it could be repurposed as a school or a retreat of some sort.
The location is ideal, but sadly, I can’t imagine anyone who can actually afford to buy Blackwater being very altruistic.
” She frowned. “Trust me, I know from experience.”
“Caleb shared with me that you are finishing your master’s in social work.”
“Yes, I will finish in spring and then it’s time to find something to do with it. I will. There are plenty of people who need help,” she said optimistically.
“You are right about that,” I agreed. “I am sure you will find just what you need.”
“I’m going to go now, darling. I know you have to prepare for your all-nighter so I am off to find my own something to twerk.
” Eduardo flounced the end of his yellow scarf as he kissed me on both cheeks.
“Nice to meet you, Winter Blackstone.” He took her hand and brought it up to his lips in far too familiar fashion with someone he’d just met, but this was Eduardo and he got away with shit like that all day long.
I was so used to it by now I barely registered he’d just referred to my all-nighter reunion with Caleb in front of his little sister. God.
Winter giggled as he sailed out the door with his yellow scarf bouncing along behind him, as only my friend could manage. “Oh, you’ve got another one,” he called to us as he disappeared out of sight.
Eduardo’s final comment made sense a few seconds later when a tall, dark, and handsome man walked into the main room and introduced himself. “Hi there. James Blakeny, two floors down. You must be Brooke.” He held out his hand in greeting.
“Yes.” I shook his hand. “Nice to meet you, James Blakeny, two floors down. You must be the brother Victoria told me about. Are you also a friend of Caleb’s perhaps?”
“Been wreaking havoc together since we were ten years old,” he said, grinning wickedly.
“Somehow I don’t doubt it.” I noticed Winter had gone quiet beside me. “You must know Winter then,” I suggested.
James Blakeny’s eyes changed as he directed them onto Winter Blackstone. They went from a warm brown to fiery dark as he raked them over her longingly. “Mmm-hmm. The twelfth floor is mine, and Winter is right...underneath me.”
I caught the tension—or whatever was going on between them—and just smiled. I pretended ignorance at just how badly James Blakeny had it for Caleb’s very beautiful little sister.
Interesting. I wondered if Caleb was aware, and if so what his thoughts were.
“So, did Caleb tell you to stop by and check on me?” I directed my question to both of them.
Winter nodded, smiling.
James said, “To meet you and take you to dinner actually. Caleb’s instructions are to bring you and Winter to dinner at Callihan’s, and he’ll meet us there. He should be in Boston in under two hours—he just texted me and ordered it done. The bastard’s a bit of a dictator sometimes.”
“I see. Please don’t tell him that I find his dictator -ing utterly adorable, okay?”
Yeah, you love him all right.