21. The Point And Nothing But The Point
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
THE POINT AND NOTHING BUT THE POINT
Ruby
Ihated leaving Grandma, but she insisted she was fine for the night by herself. And I don’t know about Blake, but I’m exhausted. I feel like I’ve been back in Winslet for a year.
I’m also back at the manor in Payne’s top-floor suite that he insisted he didn’t pay for.
My pillows and blankets are cleaned up from where I slept on the sofa last night along with the small buffet I ordered just because Payne offered, and I couldn’t decide if I was grateful or spiteful for him butting into my life.
I had no idea it was possible but today stretched longer than yesterday.
Payne motions to the bedroom across the suite opposite from his.
“Blake, you can take that room. Dean dropped some things off for you. Some guys at the station put together a bag of clothes that should get you by for a day or two until you have time to shop for yourself. There’s also an envelope of cash in there from Devon.
He’s worried about you getting on your feet until your insurance kicks in.
Help yourself to anything in the kitchen. ”
“I can’t believe they managed that tonight. And Mr. Donnelly is the best.” Before Blake goes to his room, he turns to me. “Are you okay?”
“I was going to ask you the same thing. Tonight was horrible.” I wrap my arms around my brother. He returns my embrace, and I bury my face into his smoky shirt. “We almost lost her.”
I feel him sigh and press his cheek against the top of my head. “I know. I know we won’t have her forever, but the last week has been a lot. Just when I thought we were back on track, this happened.”
I pull back enough to look up at him. “Grandma, the house, all your things ... tell me the truth, are you okay?”
He shrugs. “You know I’ve never been a big fan of stuff. Isn’t that what insurance is for?”
“I’m twelve years older than you, but you’re by far the more responsible adult. I know nothing about insurance. Heck, I haven’t owned a car in years.”
“Your insurance will come through.” Payne interrupts us. “It’s a good thing you know an attorney. I’ll make sure no one fucks Alice over.”
Blake lifts his chin to Payne before he looks back down at me. “See? I’ll be able to buy new underwear eventually. Get some sleep, Ruby. Tomorrow will be a long day.”
Payne closes the fridge and tosses a bottle of water across the room to Blake. “Your bathroom will have everything you need. Make yourself comfortable.”
“Thanks for being so cool. Grandma doesn’t really hate you.
In fact, she loved you until you got engaged.
When you broke it off in the nick of time, she said she knew you couldn’t go through with it.
” I bite my lip when Blake doesn’t quit talking.
I can always count on him for being too open and too honest. “And everyone’s talking about you two being back together.
When Ruby didn’t come home last night, I told Grandma she doesn’t need to hate you anymore. But she can hold a mean grudge.”
“She sure can,” Payne mutters and cracks open a bottle of water and takes a long pull.
I drag my hands through my smoke-filled hair. “I’m done being the topic of conversation while I’m standing right here. I’m going to take a shower.”
I move through Payne’s bedroom and go straight to the luxurious bathroom. The need to wash away the night, both literally and figuratively, overwhelms me. Unlike last time, I shut the door completely.
By the time I smell like Payne again with his exceptional skin care and hair products, I wrap myself in a towel and hope that he has some clothes that I can bum for the night.
When I open the door to the bathroom, he’s sitting in the same spot he was this morning at the foot of the bed waiting for me. But this time, he’s flanked on each side by floral tote bags in every color of the rainbow.
I stop in the threshold where the marble meets the carpet. “You have boundary issues.”
His eyes drag over me like a touch. From my wet hair to my bare toes and everything in between. “There’s nothing I haven’t seen.”
I grip my towel tighter at my breasts. “That’s beyond the point.”
He shakes his head. “There is nothing beyond that point. It’s the point and nothing but the point.”
“How very lawyer-ish of you.” But there is no bite in my words and he knows it. I lean against the door frame. “I already told you how impressed I am with your choice in personal care items. Your bags are equally as impressive.”
Payne glances at one of the totes and isn’t bothered by their femininity.
“I’d thank you, but these aren’t mine. They’re for you.
I wish I could take credit. My mother is the only woman I have access to for raiding a closet.
I didn’t think you’d like that much. These are from Harlow. She and Devon are generous.”
I’m taken aback. “That is generous. I hardly know her. My only plan was to raid your suitcase.”
“Had I known, I would’ve hidden these until tomorrow.
You wearing my clothes would’ve given me great satisfaction.
” He stands and doesn’t stop until we’re toe-to-toe.
I’m forced to suck in a breath when he touches my shoulder with the tip of his finger and drags it all the way down my sensitive, damp skin.
“Get dressed. We have things to talk about. But tonight I’ll be the one doing all the talking.
There will be no tequila for you. I need you stone-cold sober for all of it. ”
I lick my lips. “You make it sound so ominous.”
He grabs me by the hips this time, but not to pull me close. To push past me. “That’s because it is. I’m going to shower so I don’t smell like a chimney. Just a warning, I shower ten times faster than you. I’m coming out whether you’re dressed or not.”
I step into the bedroom to give him privacy. He flips on the water to the walk-in shower. What he does not do is shut the door.
He’s really not going to shut the door. I hurry to the bed and dump the bags unceremoniously into a pile.
Wow.
Harlow Madison is a billionaire. I get that she doesn’t have a shopping budget.
But if this is what she just “threw together” from her closet to lend me at the last minute goes to show I have no clue how the other half lives.
Heck, there’s even brand-new panties with the tags on them, and not just one pair. There are three.
Who keeps brand new panties around just in case someone’s house burns down?
I guess billionaires do.
I remember who I’m dealing with and that I’m on the clock. I scoot to the edge of the bed, drop my towel to the floor, and rip the tag off a pair of panties. I feel like Cinderella, because they fit just fine.
I barely have the chance to pull a tank over my head with a pair of pajama shorts when the water to the shower flips off.
I shouldn’t do it.
I know I shouldn’t.
But what woman wouldn’t?
So I do.
I tiptoe two steps to the side. Through the open door, I have a clear view of the shower opposite the vanity mirror.
Dear God, sweet Jesus, and the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
I’ve seen that man naked before, but times have changed.
Muscle.
I had no idea muscles were the work of the Lord, but Payne is proof they are.
Yes, I knew he was bigger and bulkier than he was when we were twenty. But bigger and bulkier in clothes is vastly different than when he’s naked. Payne is a work of art.
One could chisel a diamond on his ass.
His back looks like he competed in the Olympics ... in a pool ... doing that butterfly thing.
My hand flies to my mouth to cover my gasp when he turns.
It’s been over a decade, but there’s one organ on Payne that is just as impressive as it ever was.
His cock.
I remember the first time I saw it. It didn’t matter how many times I researched the male anatomy, how it works, and what it looks like. Because when the time came, I was determined not to be stupid, innocent, or the worst, a disappointment.
Payne was my first, but I was also his. I wanted to rock his world as much as I counted on him to rock mine.
If cocks could age like fine wine or good bourbon, then Payne would be on every billboard. Can they become thicker? Bulkier?
I doom scroll the internet as much as the next woman while I drink my box wine. I have never seen a workout plan for cocks. If they existed, every male on the planet would pay hand over fist.
But apparently, cocks can ... mature.
He’s beautiful. I can’t tear my eyes away.
And all of a sudden, I’m worried I haven’t aged like him.
Sure, I’m curvier. My love of wine, sourdough bread, and good butter will do that to a woman.
Those are the finer things in life I can afford, so hell if I’m not going to enjoy them.
I don’t even need fine wine. A box will do when I’m in between work.
But there’s no replacing good butter. That’s a hard stop.
Thoughts of my own body evaporate into the purified air when Payne starts to wrap a fluffy towel around his waist. He freezes mid wrap. He covers his beautiful cock, but I can still see half of his V muscle that points to his groin along with his narrow hip and thick thigh.
My eyes jump to his.
The moment he smirks at me through the mirror, my face falls.
“Fuck,” I mutter aloud.
His smirk swells into a smile so satisfied, I consider turning the shower back on to cold just to settle down.
“I’ll be out in a minute,” he says and knots the towel low on his hips.
I force myself to look away and focus on stuffing the clothes back into the tote bags.
The sooner I can escape his room, the better.
My brother is across the suite. I planned to crash on the sofa again, but I might force myself into Blake’s room and sleep on his floor just to put another barrier between me and the Adonis sleeping in this room.
My fingers tremble as I stuff the posh, pricey clothes back into the totes, so it’s no surprise I jump when I hear his voice. “You found something to wear. Great.”
I spin on a dime and have to catch myself from toppling over. “Yeah. I mean, yes. Clothes are great.”