Chapter Seventeen
Riley
I woke up the next morning at eight thirty sharp.
The problem with having the same schedule for years was that I was used to getting up even when I wanted to sleep in and enjoy a lazy Sunday with the gorgeous and sexy man next to me.
To my astonishment, Duncan wasn't sleeping. He was watching me with a wry smile.
"Hey. How long have you been awake?" I asked.
"Ten minutes, give or take."
I turned onto my stomach, hugging the pillow with both hands, watching him. "So, you've been staring at me all this time?"
He twirled a strand of my hair around his finger. "I wanted to do a lot more, but you looked so peaceful, and I didn't want to wake you up."
"Well, now I'm awake, so you can do everything you want to me."
Duncan laughed. It was different than any of the laughs I’d heard from him before. It was more relaxed.
I’d felt a wall come down between us last night, and I wasn't ready to explore that. I was, however, ready for more sexy time with him. It had been amazing; the man had skills. I'd never experienced anything quite like it in bed.
"I’m wide awake. I don't even need caffeine. I know some people need it to wake up, but I don't. Especially not when I have a sexy man next to me. I think the pheromones rolling off you have an interesting side effect, because I'm usually not this chatty in the morning."
He kissed the tip of my nose, then went down to my neck, then my ear.
"I'm glad you're happy, and that you don't regret last night," he said while he ran his fingers up and down my spine. He cupped one ass cheek, then the other one.
"Of course not. It was absolutely perfect," I confessed.
I sucked in a breath. Could he tell I meant that this went deeper than just the three orgasms he gave me? He’d opened something deep inside me. I'd felt more alive than ever before. I didn’t know how to put it in words… or if he even wanted to hear it.
I was his son's nanny, after all.
Why was I so emotional?
Was it because?—
"Oh my God. My sister." I bolted into a sitting position. "I totally forgot about what happened. How is that even possible? Do you know where I put my phone?"
"Your purse is in the other room," Duncan said.
I leaped out of bed and made a beeline for the kitchen, feeling self-conscious that I was walking around naked. Not because Duncan could see me but because I spent time with Jeremy here. Somehow, this felt wrong.
I immediately spotted my purse on the counter and took out my phone.
"Wow!"
"What happened?" Duncan said. He walked toward me with quick steps. He was naked too.
"I don't have any messages from Paula."
"Riley," he said softly, taking my phone out of my hands and setting it back in my bag. Then he turned me around, putting both hands on my neck. "It's early. She's probably sleeping."
"You’re right," I whispered and closed my eyes.
"I like feeling your hands on my neck. It's calming me.
" I opened my eyes. "Like last night. You touched the small of my back, and somehow that kept me relaxed while all that shit show was going on at the gas station.
" That wasn't too much of a confession to make, right?
Telling Duncan that I felt safe around him?
Then I remembered that I’d made a similar confession last night and he hadn't run away. Granted, he’d yet to get into my pants at that point, but somehow I didn't think that was his end goal. Duncan Sterling wasn't like any of the guys I’d dated in college, thank God. I could connect to him in ways I’d never been able to with anyone in the past.
"Give your sister a few more hours, okay? I'll take care of you in the meantime, make sure you have a great start to the day. Then I can take you to see her."
I nodded, pushing my hair behind my ears. "That sounds like a solid plan. I do want to see her. Wait… you said you wanted to take care of me first?"
He grinned easily. "Yes."
I hadn't seen that type of grin on him before. It was more seductive than his usual ones.
"Okay. And just so you know, my caffeinated drink of choice is green tea."
"Got that. What do you want to eat?" he asked.
I narrowed my eyes. "What is this, a restaurant?"
"I'm a single dad with a boy who could eat more than three adults. So yeah, I have skills in the kitchen. I can make you an omelet, waffles, pancakes, avocado toast. Or oatmeal."
“No oatmeal today. That seriously seems like a waste of stomach real estate when you have all those options ready to be had. I want all of the above." I felt so at ease around Duncan. God, this man was everything I never knew I wanted. He completed my soul. He and Jeremy.
Careful there, Riley. You just spent a night together, nothing more.
"All right, but first let's get dressed. It's always a hazard to cook naked. I've burned myself a few times."
Something inside me shifted. Crap. Does he do this often? Have women over when his son is away? It had never occurred to me.
Duh. The guy is older, experienced, and has physical needs just like anyone else. Of course he has women over for sex.
Shit, I’m an idiot.
“What happened?" he asked, coming to stand in front of me. “You kind of disappeared. Your eyes looked vacant.”
“Nothing." I glanced at his shoulder, unable to meet his eyes.
"Riley… something is off. You don't even want to look at me, so I'm assuming it's about me. And it’s not good. Did I say something to upset you?"
"No. It's silly, honestly." Besides, who cared if he had sleepovers? It wasn't like he and I were going to walk down the aisle or anything.
And why did that thought bother me?
"Riley," Duncan exclaimed.
Finally, I looked up at him and instinctively knew he wouldn't let this go. "Nothing. I just… I thought about all the women you must have made breakfast for."
His eyes went cold. He dropped his hands and took a step back. "And how did you come to that conclusion?" His voice was flat.
"Because you said that you… I mean… you implied that you often cook naked." I was stumbling over my words, laying bare a side of me I’d hoped to keep hidden. One that was vulnerable and jealous.
"Hey,” Duncan tilted my chin, making me look at him. “I don't appreciate you jumping to conclusions like that."
"Okay." That wasn't what I’d expected. I figured he'd try to let me down gently by skirting around the subject.
"And for what it's worth, you're the first woman I’ve ever had here in the condo. In my bed." His fingers moved along my jaw, and I realized what he’d just said.
The knot in my chest unfurled just as quickly as it had formed. In fact, my entire body felt weightless.
"Wait, Duncan, are you serious?" I asked.
"Yes. I wouldn't lie to you about anything, much less about this. I think you know that about me by now." He looked sincere, and he’d never made me ever think he wasn’t truthful about anything.
I dipped my head. "I’m sorry. I don't know what to say."
He stepped closer, touching my face again. "Babe, when you want to know something, ask me. Don’t just assume the worst."
I touched his chest. "I don't know why I did that." I was digging a hole for myself and knew I’d better stop while I was ahead because I had no idea how to climb out of it.
"Why haven’t you brought anyone here before?" I asked, trying to disguise my shock.
"Because I had rules for myself for years, and I never strayed. I never felt the need to break them for anyone. Until you."
"Duncan," I murmured, putting my hands on his abs and then moving them up slowly, stopping near his pecs. His heart was pumping furiously.
“You mean a lot to me, Riley. I've never had to fight myself more than since meeting you."
I sucked in a breath. "Do you regret losing the battle?"
"Not even a bit," he said, and I smiled.
He captured my mouth, lifting me up by my ass and pressing me against him as he walked with me through the house.
His touch meant so much more after what he'd shared with me. I was the first woman he’d had in here. I was bursting with happiness.
Once we reached the bedroom, I slid down him, brushing against his fully erect cock. I jerked my head back, looking between us. "Duncan."
He laughed. "See? All I need is you naked against me and this is what happens."
I squeezed it tightly. He dropped his head back but then immediately straightened up. "Nope, not now. Let's get dressed. I'm making you breakfast and then dropping you off at your sister’s."
I looked at him with narrowed eyes. "No sexy interlude?"
“We'll see. Maybe after breakfast."
"Mm-hmm." I loved his bossy side.
After we dressed, we returned to the kitchen. I didn't bother putting on my panties because they were stretched out of shape.
In the kitchen, Duncan took out the batter and eggs and a million other things. We were side by side, but I was watching him more than doing anything. It was fascinating. He had a system, and he was efficiently moving through it.
“Wow. You weren't kidding when you said you have skills. Did you always know how to cook?"
"Yeah. Ever since we were little, we’d help Mom around the kitchen.
It was just something we did. I don't know why.
I think it was one of our favorite spots, mostly because cooking was always Mom's happy place.
My parents rarely fought when she was behind the stove.
Anyway, once Jeremy and I were on our own, I had to seriously up my game. "
I touched his arm, grateful that he'd chosen a shirt with short sleeves. "Want to tell me about it?"
"I'd been with his mother for a very short time when she got pregnant. We decided we’d try our best to make our relationship work."
His voice was tighter as he put the batter in the waffle maker. We'd yet to finish the avocado toast and the omelet.
“We threw in the towel a year later,” he continued.
“We were fighting constantly, and then we both decided that it was better if we separated.
We never married; I think, deep down, we both knew it wouldn't work out. We decided that I’d have primary custody of our son.
In the beginning, she lived in San Francisco, so she met with Jeremy more often, but then she moved to Dublin.
Her job took her there, so now he mostly vacations with her. "
"Are you two on good terms?"
"We’re co-parenting the best we can. Despite the time difference, she really does her best to talk to Jeremy every evening, but it's not the same, you know? I want to fill both roles, but it’s not possible.
He's nowhere near as emotionally close to his own mother to talk to her about everything. My mom tries her best, but…"
His body had tensed up as he talked. I kissed his bicep. "You're doing a great job, Duncan, trust me. Jeremy's a happy kid. He feels and knows that he’s loved.”
“Does he mention anything to you?”
I loved that he was so in tune with his son. It made me want him more.
“Not anything in particular, just that he loves you and that you’re besties.
He loves his uncles too. Finn the most, though that can change to a different uncle depending on the week.
He mentioned his mom once to me but hasn’t said anything since.
Just that she lives far away and they talk on the phone. ”
“You’d tell me if he said anything that, you know, I should know about?”
“Of course. But I truly think you have nothing to worry about.”
"Well, we're all doing our best, and I don't regret any of the decisions his mother and I made."
A few seconds later, he took the waffles out, putting one on each plate. “Breakfast is ready.”
“This is so decadent. I’ve never had a food festival like this before,” I said as we carried the plates to the table.
"Really?"
"I’ve always had oatmeal. It’s cheap and filling. Growing up, my sister and I ate our biggest meal at school. Lunch was everything. In the morning, we had a hurried breakfast at home before Mom went to work, which she had to do seven days a week."
"Damn, that's tough," Duncan said. He touched my forearm, brushing his thumb up and down.
"I know. That's the other thing I want to accomplish once I start earning the big bucks. I hope Mom will be able to get by without working nonstop. It's always been rough, but now she’s getting older, and it’s hard on her body.
She tries to play it cool, but her knees and hips are bothering her more than a few years ago.
But once I start at the firm, I'm going to knock everyone's socks off. I’ll work my way up to partner, and then I can spoil Mom and my sister all day long. "
"I'm sure you’ll kick ass."
I munched on my avocado toast. "Oh my God, this is great.” I wasn’t sure what he’d put in it even though I’d watched him prepare everything. I then asked, “And why do you say that? That I’ll kick ass?"
"You've got a lot of determination and grit."
"That I do, in spades. A lot of people complain about the work hours, but if you think about it, ever since I was sixteen, my days were twelve hours long. Sometimes fourteen. I mean, this is honestly the most relaxing period of my life. And the only reason I'm not taking a second job is because you’re paying very generously. And looking after Jeremy is important to me. I don’t want to be exhausted by the time I pick him up because I’ve been working somewhere else. "
"That’s exactly why I pay so much. I didn't want anyone doing that.”
"You think of everything, don't you?"
He nodded. "I try to."
I moved from the avocado toast to the waffle. "I love this breakfast," I said. I ate slowly, enjoying every single mouthful.
After a few minutes, I realized Duncan was watching me eat.
"I like seeing you this happy," he said. His thoughtfulness made me feel special.
"Well, I’m easy. All I need is a few orgasms and this amazing breakfast," I teased.
He smiled. “I can do that.”