Chapter 19
Chapter Nineteen
Elliot
“I know what you’re doing,” I growl into her ear, stepping as close to her as I can. I get a whiff of strawberries and suck the scent in greedily. My dick brushes against her plump ass and it takes every ounce of control to not push her over my desk, lift her skirt, and bury myself inside her.
“What ever do you mean, Mr. Caldwell?” Her tone is smooth, more confident than I’ve ever heard her before. She looks up at me from over her shoulder, her green eyes popping with the dark makeup around them.
“This could hardly be considered decent at a nightclub,” I answer, tugging at the fabric of her dress that rests against her ribs. It’s a soft, stretchy material in black. Her hair falls down her back in waves, the front pinned back with a shiny diamond pin.
“It was put into the business casual section of my closet. If you want to blame anyone, blame the person who delivered it all and put it away.”
I take a deep breath, resting my hand on her hip. She’s warm, soft, and so fucking small, but thick in all the right places.
“It has taken everything in me to stay in control around you. I’m worried about everything you’re dealing with and have wondered if you regret what happened at my house. Now?” I give her hip a squeeze, pressing my erection against her body. “Now, it seems you’re ready to play, too.”
She slips her hand between us, cupping my balls and biting on her bottom lip, still looking up at me from over her shoulder. I let out a groan when she squeezes.
“Maybe I am.”
There’s a knock on the door.
“I hope you know what you’re getting yourself into.
” I step back and move around my desk to take a seat.
“Come in!” I call out, taking in the way Seraphine’s cheeks have turned that beautiful shade of pink.
She takes a seat in front of my desk, crossing her legs and showing off way too much skin.
Skin I want to touch, taste, lick, and suck on. Bruise and claim. Fucking own.
“Do you have a second to look at this?” Jonathan asks when he steps into my office, leaving the door open behind him. He’s oblivious to the tension in the room, thank God for that.
He hands me a folder, and I flip it open to look over the pages inside. They’re plans for the new development, a very rough sketch of what it’ll look like.
“Is this what the city asked for?”
It shows a building ten floors high, the ground level storefronts that could sustain everyone living in the building.
A grocery store, a convenient store, and a coffee shop.
Of course, we won’t know who will purchase the storefronts until it happens, but it’s always good to paint a picture of what could be for the client.
If they like it enough, they’ll make it happen.
Meaning they’ll push us to build exactly what we’re showing them, and sometimes that means more money.
“Yes. It’s exactly what they asked for.”
“Then it’s fine.” I hand him the folder back, not really caring to look at it further. I trust my men and if he says this is what they asked for, I believe him.
“I’m going to have the illustrators get started on the renderings then. Thanks.”
“Any time.”
He gives a quick smile to Seraphine, then leaves the room, closing the door just as I had it. Of all the people we see on a normal basis, he pays the least attention to her. Jonathan always has his head in the game, really focusing on work. I like that about him.
“What did my son have to say to you last night?” I ask, turning my attention to Seraphine, who now has her laptop on her lap, typing something. The click-clacking of keys stops abruptly when I ask my question, and she looks up at me with wide eyes.
“Nothing much,” she says with a small shrug.
“Don’t lie to me.”
“I’m not lying.”
“You’re not telling me the truth. I know my son and I’m sure he had a lot to say. What was it?”
She sighs, snapping her laptop shut. “I really don’t want to get in the middle of family affairs.”
“It’s a little too late for that, don’t you think?”
She purses her lips before nodding once. “I suppose so.”
I rake my gaze over every inch of her as she gets up and paces back and forth. The way her hips sway, how her ass jiggles, the way her tits bounce. My gaze drifts to those tiny little hands that I want wrapped around my cock again.
“He’s concerned about me working for you and tried to explain away his cheating.”
“How?”
“By saying it only happened twice, and both were moments of weakness.”
I grit my teeth, the truth on the tip of my tongue. Harrison admitted to me it was going on for a long time and that he intended to stay with Angela. What has him changing his mind? And most of all, why is he lying to Seraphine?
She said she doesn’t want to get into the middle, and maybe she already is at some point, but I won’t make this worse for her.
She may not need to know this truth, as long as she chooses correctly in the end.
Seraphine needs to make this decision about my son on her own.
I won’t force her hand. That isn’t right.
“Have you ever cheated on anyone?” she asks, stopping in front of my desk and turning toward me.
“Not anyone that mattered.”
There’s a frown on her face instantly. “What does that mean?”
“It means I did a lot of stupid things when I was young, some that could have been considered cheating, but it went both ways. I never cheated on any of my wives and—”
“Any of your wives?” she blurts. “How many have you had?”
“Two.” I hold up two fingers for a second before clasping them together and placing them on my lap. She paces again, and again I watch her.
I could do this all day. What would she say if I suggested it? If I requested she come to work in sexy lingerie and just walk around my office for me to stare at between getting work done?
I think she’d do it. And I think she’d enjoy it. I don’t ask just yet, because now isn’t the time. We’re not there yet.
Thinking through all the things to say to her, I realize words won’t work right now.
She’s dealing with something internally and needs something to stop them.
More words, thinking, all of that will only make this worse.
So, I get up, go to her, and when she turns to go back the other way, there I am standing in front of her.
My hands go to her hips, and I hold her in place.
Her lips part and a quiet gasp escapes them.
Dragging my fingers up her stomach, between her breast, up her neck and along her lips. I say, “I still owe you.”
“Owe me what?” she asks softly.
“An orgasm. Maybe five because of interest.”
Her eyes darken, and it has my dick twitching.
“That’s a really high interest rate.”
“You won’t be complaining when my face is between your legs.”
I hook my finger on the hem of her skirt and lift it up, just as the intercom on my desk goes off.
“Mr. Caldwell, your son is on the line.”
Seraphine’s eyes widen in surprise. She steps away from me and tugs her dress down. Talking with him must have freaked her out, meaning whatever it is he said is more than she told me.
“Get your things together and meet me in the conference room. I’ll be there in five.”
She nods, stepping away to gather her stuff and then leaving the room. I sit at my desk before taking Harrison’s call.
“What can I do for you, son?”
“We need to talk.”
“Isn’t that why you called?” I ask.
“Face to face.”
“I’m about to head into a meeting. Can this wait until after work?”
“I have class until eight.”
“Then I’ll be there at eight-thirty.”
“Don’t be late.”
The phone goes dead, and I pinch the bridge of my nose. My son has never called me so much before, and now it’s all because of Seraphine.
Do I feel bad that I have feelings for her when my son does too? No. Not at all. He had his chance, he screwed it up. This is a life lesson.
Do I think Seraphine and I will become anything that Harrison will even have to know about?
Also no. I’m fine with keeping this our dirty little secret.
She’s young. We’re on different paths in life.
We don’t need the same things right now, meaning it won’t last. But it’s hardly even started yet.
Though… what happens when her contract is up and I still want her? What ever will I do, then?
I knock on Harrison’s door at precisely eight-thirty. He opens it a moment later and gestures for me to come inside.
“What can I do for you, Harrison?”
“I wanted to thank you for all you’re doing for Seraphine.”
“Oh?” My brows shoot up. This was the last thing I expected from him.
“I fucked up, I know that. You saw she needed help when I didn’t and you are helping me, by helping her.”
“Okay.”
“But I need to get her back.” I blink slowly and wait for him to continue.
He stares at me for a long moment before going on.
“I thought I wanted to be with Angela, but after talking to Sera on the phone last night, I realized how good she’s doing now that she’s working with you, and I just need her back in my life. ”
My eyes narrow and I carefully say, “So you see she’s doing good for herself, and that’s why you want her back?”
“Yes.”
“Son,” I say with a heavy breath. “That’s not how things work.”
“Of course it is.”
“No.” I shake my head. “It’s not. There’s a reason people speak vows at weddings. In sickness and in health. For richer or for poorer. You can’t choose to love Seraphine when it’s easy for you and kick her to the curb when things get tough.”
“Why not? That’s what you did with Miranda.” He frowns.
“I did not kick Miranda to the curb,” I say sternly. “The divorce was her idea—”
“Yeah, because you’re married to your job first.”
I hold his gaze. There’s anger in those eyes.
It’s not worth fighting with him over this.
He’ll have to learn the hard way, I suppose.
I’ll just have to make sure Seraphine is prepared enough to handle him when he comes at her.
She needs confidence. Not once has she made it seem like she wants Harrison back, and I won’t let her go back to him over a weak moment.
“Why are you telling me this?”
“Because I don’t want you to get in the way.”
“Why in the world would I get in the way?”
“No idea, but something tells me you will. She’s been different since she’s been working for you. Ever since her father died. It’s good, but it’s borderline worrisome.”
What in the world is he talking about?
“I just want you to know that I intend to get back with her, and hopefully that won’t cause an issue with her working for you.”
“It won’t,” I say, though I’m growing more confused by the moment.
Harrison and I don’t have this kind of relationship.
This is the most he’s talked to me about someone he’s dating, or wants to date.
He hardly told me anything about Seraphine before, but now he wants to lay this all out for me?
Nothing about it makes sense, and I can’t be sure why it’s happening at all.
Did he expect me to help him? Be his wingman or something?
That absolutely will not happen. Seraphine deserves much better than what my son can give her.
And it comes down to me having to show her that.