Chapter 7
Chapter seven
Blaine
Isighed, sprawled on the couch in Killian’s office like it was a therapy session.
He’d kicked me out three times already in the last hour, but I couldn’t leave.
Not when I needed advice. Not when I needed to figure out what the hell to do with the ray of Sunshine currently sleeping peacefully in my bed after taking me on another ride of a lifetime.
Killian looked… agitated, eyes glued to his screen as he skimmed a contract. I stared at the ceiling.
“Tell me, Kiki… and be honest.” He didn’t even look up. “Am I sugar daddy material?”
That seemed to catch his attention. He froze, then set the file down slowly, shock written all over his face.
“Come again?”
That’s what she said—No. Focus, Blaine.
“Am I sugar daddy material? It’s a simple question.”
“What kind of question is that? Why would you even want to be a sugar daddy?”
“Because Sunshine needs a new job,” I muttered.
He crossed his arms, leaning back in his chair like he was preparing for a headache. “I thought I told you to stop getting involved with her.”
I sat up, glaring at him. “You told me to stay away from the potential mother of my future children. The woman who could be my wife—”
“Your wife. The woman you had a one-night stand with.”
I shrugged. “If you count last night, it’s technically two nights.”
He groaned, head tipping back. “I can’t believe I’m entertaining this. Why does Sunshine need a new job?”
The memory of Vaughn had me on my feet, leaning against Killian’s desk, arms crossed tight. My blood boiled just thinking about it.
“Vaughn was trying to use her… other assets to line his pockets.” Killian’s brow furrowed.
“He wanted her in the back rooms, giving private dances. She’s got nowhere else to go.
And if I don’t come up with something today, she’ll be out there looking for another job—probably something that pays like shit compared to the club. ”
I rubbed my temples, groaning. The silence stretched.
Finally, he muttered, “Blaine… you’re getting attached.”
I glanced at him, defiant. “Would that really be such a bad thing?”
“Yes. You barely even know this woman. You run companies, businesses, enterprises… Do you really want your mind occupied by some girl—?”
“She is not just some girl.” My voice snapped out before I could reel it back.
Killian scoffed. “Oh, I’m sorry. Did I miss the part where you’ve spent longer than twenty-four hours total with her?
Half your time together was sex, the other half was you ogling her while she told you her life story.
God forbid you actually learn a woman’s name before you stick your dick in her—but that’s just not in your character. ”
“Seriously…” I narrowed my eyes.
“Yes, Blaine. I’m very serious.” His voice sharpened as he stood, hands braced against his desk.
“This is what you do. You make impulsive decisions, you wedge yourself into places you don’t belong, and when it gets too messy, you disappear like the fucking wind.
And I’m the one left cleaning up the fallout. ”
“But Maia isn’t some business deal or contract.”
“And what is she, then? Other than a woman you met on a drunken night?”
I had nothing. My jaw clenched, but the words didn’t come.
Killian didn’t need to say more. He’d already gutted me with the truth—or his version of it.
I grabbed my keys, jacket, and phone, storming out before I did something reckless. I could feel his stare drilling into my back all the way to the elevator, but I didn’t care.
He could bark orders, throw my past in my face all he wanted, act like he’s the only one keeping my life from going up in flames. And dammit, maybe he is.
But that doesn’t mean I want to hear it. Not when all I can think about is her.
Inside, I leaned against the wall, forcing air into my lungs.
This was impulsive. Reckless. Me. Classic Blaine Porter. Absurd to be this wrapped up in where Sunshine would land, what job she’d take, how she’d get by.
But fuck… she was different. A good different.
The kind that made me want to hear every worry she had just so I could take it off her shoulders.
Spend the day with her instead of in the office.
Fall asleep with her in my arms instead of alone.
Wake up to her kisses in the morning, fuck her until she screamed at night.
Okay… maybe that last part was lewd. But the point stood.
What is she other than a woman you met on a drunken night?
Killian’s words echoed as I groaned internally. He was right. I shouldn’t have gotten involved.
I cared for her. But she was a distraction. Complicated. Time-consuming. Confident. Beautiful. Sexy.
A distraction I had no business trying to fix—or keep.
And yet, even knowing that… all I wanted was to drop to my knees and propose and bury my face between her thighs in the same fucking breath.
I knew I needed to let her go.
Walking into my penthouse, I found her stepping out of the bathroom—my Sunshine, in the flesh.
Not in lingerie. Not in one of my shirts. But in a gym set she’d left at work: black skin-tight leggings and a cropped long-sleeved crew neck that clung to her in ways that made my cock twitch on sight. The outfit was simple, but on her? Dangerous.
I set my keys and jacket on the counter, rolling up my sleeves as I closed the space between us. Her bouncy blonde waves begged to be fisted, tugged back, her body bent over the couch while I fucked her senseless.
Maybe this is what Killian meant. Maybe this is just sexual attraction.
But when I stopped in front of her, my chest went tight as her arms slid around my neck, pulling me into a hug.
“Hi, Mr. Porter…” she whispered, and my throat hummed back a low, “Hi, Sunshine. Did you enjoy your morning?”
“I did…” Her voice was soft, her body warm as she pressed closer. My hand skimmed down her back, lingering.
“Thank you, Blaine.”
The words stabbed straight through me. On my tongue sat the dismissal I thought I was supposed to give her—You should go now. But where the hell would she go?
I’d ripped her out of Vaughn’s grip, but that didn’t mean he or some other bastard wouldn’t find another way.
You make impulsive decisions, you wedge yourself into places you don’t belong, and when it gets too messy, you disappear like the fucking wind.
Lucifer’s voice again. And fuck, was that what I was about to do? Walk away? Pretend she hadn’t crawled under my skin? Usually I bailed on contracts when meetings went too long. Ignored calls if they cut into my beauty sleep. But this—this wasn’t business.
This wasn’t something I wanted to walk away from.
“You don’t have to say thank-you, Maia,” I murmured.
“But I do. You have more important things to worry about. You’re a billionaire, for Christ’s sake. The fact that you went out of your way to keep me safe, to stand up to Mr. Vaughn… you’re—”
Impulsive. Childish. Horny. Sexy. Immature.
“—unlike any man I’ve ever met,” she finished honestly.
I pulled back just enough to look at her, shrugged like it was obvious. “Well, of course I am. It’s not every day you meet a billionaire as charming and handsome as me.”
She gave me a small smile, and for a second I swore something unspoken flickered in her eyes. But she smothered it, tilting her head instead.
“Believe it or not, Mr. Porter, there are other billionaires just as charming as you.”
“You’d be surprised how little life they bring to the party, Sunshine. Most of them are halfway to their deathbeds anyway.” I grinned, and she giggled, her fingers brushing over my wrist where I held her waist.
“As much as I appreciate you getting me out of that situation, Blaine… I hope you know I don’t expect you to do anything more.”
My brows furrowed. “What do you mean?”
“I mean I have my responsibilities, and you have yours. You saved me. If you hadn’t, I don’t know if I would’ve had the courage to leave. But now that I’m out, I have to find another way to make ends meet.”
“Where are you going to go?” The words slipped out before I could stop them. She’s giving you an out, Blaine. Take it. Just like Killian said—walk away. You barely know her.
“I’ll find something. I always have. It’s nothing new.”
“What if you end up with a boss worse than him?”
She exhaled, resigned. “Then I’ll cross that bridge if I get to it.”
“Why wouldn’t you expect me to do more?”
Her sad smile nearly gutted me.
“Because, Mr. Porter… you’re a charming, handsome, rich bachelor.
You can have anyone you want, anytime you want.
Why would I expect more than a second glance?
Because we had sex one night and cuddled the next morning?
” Her voice dropped, quiet but steady. “As good as that fairytale sounds, I’ve learned to live in the real world. ”
The words hung between us, slicing through the air sharper than Killian ever could. I had nothing—no slick retort, no grin, no denial. Just baffled silence.
She leaned up and pressed a lingering kiss against my cheek. Then, without waiting for my answer, she turned and walked toward my bedroom, leaving me alone with nothing but her perfume and the echo of her truth.
Was I in the fucking twilight zone?
Here I was, gearing up to tell her we couldn’t see each other anymore—that I was sorry for screwing up the only job she had, that I couldn’t commit because this was just a one-night stand gone too far.
And she beat me to it.
She told me she already knew her place. Knew exactly what this was.
And the worst part? She was right. She knew I’d agree—not because I wanted to, but because I needed to. Because Killian’s voice wouldn’t stop reminding me I was moving too fast. Because we were fire, but fire always burns out.
Two different worlds, two different lives. The universe itself would tear us apart. Romeo and Juliet-style. A Shakespeare sort of love.
And yet—
I still found myself walking into the bedroom, ignoring Killian’s rationale that I barely knew her, ignoring her words about how men like me don’t look twice at women like her—ignoring the poetic bullshit in my own head about why this would never work.
Leaning against the wall, I tilted my head, watching her pack her things into a worn duffel bag. She glanced at me, cautious, and I asked:
“Got a pair of sneakers in that bag?”
She froze, then nodded.
I beckoned her closer with two fingers. She bit her lip and obeyed.
Wrapping an arm around her waist, I bent my head to hers. “I don’t live in the real world,” I muttered.
Her brows knit.
“I live in fairytales. The ones that make life less predictable, less bleak. The ones where a ray of Sunshine makes me feel alive in this dark, miserable world.”
Her lips pressed together, a smile fighting to form. “Didn’t take you for a poet.”
“Eh. It slips out now and then.” She finally smiled, and I tugged her closer. “Besides, that ray of Sunshine also rides like a goddamn cowgirl. How could I ever give you up?”
She shoved me back, laughing, shaking her head. “Way to ruin the moment.”
I chuckled, pulling her against me again, smothering her neck with kisses until her giggles turned into breathless protests.
“Lace up your sneakers,” I murmured against her skin. “We’re going to the gym for a little…”
Her cheeks flushed, but she nodded, slipping free to dig into her bag.
Killian’s voice echoed in my head, sharp as ever, and I swore my eyes darkened as I watched her move, lowering herself gracefully, oblivious to the hunger she was stirring in me.
I don’t get possessive. I don’t get attached. I don’t get territorial.
I’m impulsive. Spontaneous. Charming. Humorous. Handsome—Focus, Blaine.
But Sunshine was different. Maia was different. I couldn’t put my finger on it, but I knew what I wanted… what I needed.
And for all Killian’s logic, for all the reality she tried to feed me, it didn’t matter.
Because the truth was simple:
She wasn’t just a woman I met one night. That one, reckless, magical night gave me a fairytale… and she was fucking mine.