Chapter 30
Sutton
“I love when your sleeves are rolled up like that.”
I laid on the bed on my belly, naked, swinging my feet in the air as I watched Jagger get dressed for work. It was six thirty in the morning, and we’d just had a quickie—same as we’d done every morning this week so far.
Jagger finished rolling one sleeve and started the next one. “I don’t have much of a choice today since you tore the button hole taking off my shirt.”
“I was impatient. I wait for you naked every morning, but you come in a full suit.”
“I go straight to the office. What would you like me to come in?”
“-side me?”
His forehead wrinkled, but he quickly got the joke and smiled. Jagger picked up his tie and wrapped it around his neck. “I have a call with my sister’s doctor and Octavia this morning. Catherine is now telling them she plans to go home tomorrow.”
“I thought she’d agreed to stay for a while?”
“She did on Monday, when she was still sedated, but now that they’ve ruled her not a danger to herself or others, they can’t force her to take any meds or stay there, and she wants to leave.”
“What will happen with the girls?”
“It depends on how our conversation goes today, but normally the court makes Catherine do some work on herself—like meet with a psychiatrist and counselor a few times and prove she’s taking her meds regularly—before they’ll even consider reunification.
I can’t imagine that would happen sooner than a month or two, but I’ll know more later.
I may need to fly down to Ohio tomorrow morning.
I need to see her in person if she’s getting out, to assess whether it’s okay for her to be near the kids this quickly, even for a visit.
If she’s stable, I’ll bring her back to New York, and she can stay in the guest apartment in my building and visit the kids as much as she wants, as long as someone else is present.
But I’m not letting them go back with her too quickly this time. ”
“Will you take the girls to Ohio with you?”
Jagger shook his head. “I won’t even let them know I’m going to see her until I figure out if she’s stable. She’s scared them enough, and I don’t want to get their hopes up. Plus, either way, she and I are going to have a long talk that the kids don’t need to hear.”
I slipped from the bed and took over tying his tie as I spoke. “I can hang out with them while you’re gone.”
“Louise can probably watch them. I mentioned that I might need her on weekends when I asked her to come back.”
“I want to do it. I picked up a bunch of hair accessories for us to play around with—butterfly clips, headbands, snap-on extensions…” I tucked Jagger’s tie through the loop and pulled the knot up to his neck. “I like this tie on you. It brings out the blue in your eyes.”
He pressed his lips to my forehead. “Thank you. And that was very sweet of you to pick up all that stuff for my nieces.”
“I had as much fun as they did playing dress-up. It was always one of my favorite things to do as a kid.”
“Oh yeah?” Jagger’s hand snaked around my waist and slid down to grab a handful of my ass. He squeezed hard. “Maybe we should play together. I bet you dressing up would be one of my favorite things, too.”
I laid my hands flat on his chest and bit my lower lip. “I might be able to arrange for a little playtime one morning, if you play your cards right.”
“I’ll tell the sitter to come an hour earlier tomorrow.”
I laughed. “Slow down, cowboy. Don’t you want to sleep in a bit on Saturday?”
“I’d rather spend the extra hours inside you than sleep. These fifteen-minute morning things don’t cut it.”
“Miles is also flying in tomorrow night. So I’ll have a house guest.”
Jagger frowned. “How long is he staying?”
“Until Tuesday. We have a tradition that we’re always together at midnight the night before one of our birthdays, so we can be the first to say happy birthday.”
“It’s his birthday Sunday?”
I shook my head. “No, it’s mine.”
Jagger froze. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
“I hadn’t really given it any thought until Miles texted me his flight information two days ago. I don’t really do big birthdays. It’s Miles who thinks they’re national holidays.”
An alarm chimed from somewhere. Jagger pulled out his phone.
“Sorry. I have to set an alarm now when I visit you in the morning, or I get carried away. Yesterday, I was a half hour late for a meeting with a team of lawyers. Probably cost me ten grand in fees.” He took my chin between his thumb and index finger and pulled my face to him.
“It was worth the extra time inside of you, but I need to run. I’m meeting Edmund this morning, and it’s bad enough that I’m going to have his stepdaughter’s taste in my mouth. I don’t want to be late, too.”
“I have an extra toothbrush, if you want?”
“No way. Tasting you is what gets me through the day lately.” He gave me a chaste kiss. “We’ll discuss your birthday later.”
I didn’t think there was any more to discuss, but I shrugged. “Have a good day.”
Jagger reached for his suit jacket. “Wear a skirt so I can see your thighs on the security feed, and I will.”
***
Saturday morning, I arrived at Jagger’s apartment at seven. He’d offered to have Louise come over and watch the girls until I got there, but I didn’t mind getting up early, especially not when Jagger opened the door, hooked an arm around my waist, and pulled me against him for a languid kiss.
“Wow.” I smiled. “That’s some greeting.”
“The girls are still sound asleep, if I can convince you to let me say good morning with my mouth licking lower?”
“Not a chance, Langston.”
He yanked me into the apartment and steered me to the kitchen, handing me a steaming mug before picking up his own. He must’ve started it when the doorman buzzed up that I’d arrived.
“The girls are excited for today,” he said.
I held up the tote bag of stuff I brought. “I am, too.”
Jagger chugged the rest of his coffee and rinsed the mug in the sink. “There’s been a little change in plans though.”
“What do you mean?”
His phone chimed. “Sam is downstairs to take me to the airport.” He scooped up his wallet and keys from the counter. “I left you a keycard to get in and out, and Sam will be back to pick you and the girls up at ten.” He walked toward the door.
I followed. “Wait. Where are we going?”
He cupped my neck and pulled me close for a kiss. “You’ll see.”
“I don’t understand.”
“You will, birthday girl.”
“But my birthday isn’t until tomorrow.”
He winked. “That’s why I’m saving your big gift until then.”
An hour later, Olivia walked out from the guest room. I was sitting on the couch playing with my phone, and her eyes lit up when she saw me. She ran and jumped onto my lap.
“Sutton! We’re going to get manicures and pedicures and have tea and go shopping and—”
Amelia walked out from the bedroom, rubbing her eyes. “You weren’t supposed to tell her any of that, dumb butt.”
Olivia slapped her hands over her mouth while her sister padded to the couch, dragging her feet and shaking her head.
“Good morning, Amelia,” I said.
“Hi.” She plopped down next to me and yawned. Unlike Olivia, who’d bounded into the room, full of energy, Amelia seemed more my speed in the morning. Except she was too young for coffee.
“Uncle Jagger is going to be mad you spoiled the surprise,” she said to her sister.
I smiled. “We don’t have to tell him. But…tell me more. Where are we going?”
The girls filled me in on some of our plans for the day. Apparently, Jagger had made us manicure and pedicure appointments at The Plaza, where we also had a reservation for high tea, followed by going to some stores that neither of them could remember the names of.
“Wow,” I said. “Well, we better start getting ready. Who wants their hair done for the big day?”
Both girls stretched their arms into the air. I laughed. “I brought a bag of goodies. Let’s get you ladies washed up, and then I’ll show you all the hair accessories you have to choose from.”
***
Later that afternoon, I looked at the price tag of the dress I currently had on.
Bergdorf Goodman was definitely not in my budget.
The personal shopper noticed and leaned in to whisper in my ear. “When Mr. Langston made the appointment, he said to tell you that you’re not to look at any tags.” She smiled. “Today is his treat.”
He’d already spent a few thousand dollars on the girls’ new clothes, which they needed since they hadn’t brought too much, though I would’ve taken them to Old Navy or somewhere more practical. But two grand for a summer dress, just because it had the Fendi logo on it, wasn’t going to happen.
“It looks beautiful on you.”
“It’s not really my style,” I lied and went back into the dressing room.
Amelia yelled from the other side of the wall. “Try on the green one!”
The green silk dress was absolutely beautiful. But when I lifted that tag, my eyes bulged from my head. Forty-eight hundred dollars for this? Was it sewn by royalty?
“I think I’m going to skip it and get dressed.”
A voice I hadn’t expected responded this time. “I’d really like to see it on you.”
I’d already slipped off the other dress. I unlocked the door and stuck my head out. Jagger was leaning casually against the arched dressing-room entryway. “How did you find us?”
“Sam.”
“Oh. Yeah, of course. When did you get back?”
“I came straight here from the airport.” He spoke with the same even-keeled, commanding tone that had done me in from the beginning. “Put the dress on, Sutton.”
Goosebumps prickled my arms, and I found myself nodding and shutting the dressing-room door.
What kind of magic powers did this man have?
All it took was a few words, and I became desperate to please him?
I wasn’t sure, but whatever it was, it had me pulling on a dress I’d had no intention of trying on only a minute ago.
And I felt relief when it looked good. I even fluffed my hair a bit before unlocking the door and stepping back out.
“You look so pretty, Sutton!” Olivia jumped up and down.
“Gorgeous,” the personal shopper said. “It looks like it was made for you.”
Jagger stayed quiet, but he didn’t really have to say anything for me to know what he was thinking. His eyes swept over my body and darkened. “We’ll take it.”
***
“I think Amelia is already snoring.”
Jagger came back into the living room and sat next to me on the couch after putting the girls to bed.
I smiled. “They had a great day. So did I. You spoiled all three of us. Thank you.”
He put his hand on my knee and rubbed his thumb back and forth. “It’s my pleasure.”
“How did things go with your sister?” It was the first time we’d had a chance to speak alone.
“Better than expected. She agreed to stay in the hospital for the length of time the doctors recommended, a month. They’re adjusting some of her meds.
She claims she stopped taking them because they made her tired all the time.
We’re going to see how things go before I bring the girls to visit, but hopefully she’ll be well enough for me to take them for a few hours soon. ”
“What about after she’s out? Will you bring her to New York?”
He nodded. “I want to protect the girls and make sure they’re safe, not keep them from their mother.”
“You’re a really good uncle, you know that?”
“They’re great kids. I hate that they’re going through shit that’s a lot like what I had to deal with growing up. But my mother was an only child, so there wasn’t anyone else. I’m glad I can be there for them.”
“Do you want children of your own?”
Jagger’s eyes jumped to meet mine. I’d gotten good at reading what was on his mind. And now he was giving me a warning.
I held up my hands. “I’m not asking you to have them with me. Just wondering since you’re so close with Amelia and Olivia.”
He looked away. “If you’d asked me a few months ago, I would’ve said no.”
“And now?”
He pushed up from the couch. “And now…I need a drink. Would you like one?”
I shook my head. I was disappointed at the abrupt end to our conversation, but tried to look on the positive side. He hadn’t said no, and it seemed he was allowing himself to think about possibilities he might not have considered previously. So I didn’t push.
I stood and walked over to stand on the other side of the kitchen island while he fixed his drink.
A text flashed on my phone.
Miles: Honey, I’m home! Just landed.
I smiled.
Sutton: See you soon.
“Miles just got to JFK,” I said. “I should get going.”
Jagger rattled the ice cubes in his glass as he stirred, then sipped.
“When will I see you? I know you have dinner plans with your parents because I spoke to Edmund earlier. He and I are getting together for a few hours tomorrow afternoon to go over a strategy we’ve come up with that we think might satisfy the DOJ. ”
I nodded. “Mom pushed dinner to eight, but I didn’t realize it was because Edmund would be with you.”
Jagger came around the island and cupped my cheek. “I’d like to celebrate your birthday with you. Is there room for one more at dinner? I can see if Louise can babysit the girls. They’ll be in bed by eight anyway.”
I blinked. “You want to go to dinner with my mother and Miles and Edmund?”
“It sounds like that’s the only way I’m going to be able to see you on your birthday.”
“But…what about Edmund?”
“I was thinking I should have a conversation with him soon, anyway. He walked into my office and almost caught me watching the security feed this week, and I’d rather him not find out about us any other way than me telling him.”
“Really? You want to tell him about us?”
“Do you have a problem with that?”
“No.” I shook my head. “Not at all.”
“Good.” He pressed a kiss to my lips. “Then it’s settled. I’ll speak to Edmund in private before dinner tomorrow.”