Chapter 28
Noah
I don’t know why I like that Liv rebelled against her dad, but that little truth bomb she dropped about rejecting Yale made my night. It was a solid “fuck you” to him, which I approve.
I’m still grinning from the memory when I bend down and kiss her head. She turns suddenly, wrapping me in her arms and opening her eyes bright with the new day shining in. “You forgot to say goodbye.”
“I was letting you sleep.”
“I don’t want to sleep when you’re leaving. I want to see you strut your stuff toward the door, look back, give me a wink, and then tell me how pretty you think I am.”
“That sounds like more than a goodbye.”
She grins, speeding up my heartbeats just from looking at her. “Is it so wrong not to want the weekend to end?”
I kiss her quickly, hoping I don’t start getting hard, though that may be asking the impossible since my dick is wide awake now.
We fucked twice. Once in the kitchen on the island and then in bed.
After that, we slowed it down and made love in the bathtub full of bubbles.
The woman is insatiable. Thank God she found someone who feels the same about her.
When her smile falters, I sit on the edge of the mattress and push her hair back from her face.
Naked. Not a stitch of makeup. Hair just messy enough to take credit for creating that havoc last night.
But it’s her eyes and that smile, the way she looks at me like she’s still on vacation from life—gratified, recharged, like she’s not only ready to take me on but the whole fucking world. Liv is magnificent.
She’s irresistible. I return to steal another kiss from her because fuck it. What’s another minute at this point? She’s worth skipping a Monday morning workout for. “I want to see you and Max tonight. I want to see you both every night.”
“That’s quite the commitment. You sure you’re ready for that?” There’s no accusation in her tone. As she brushes her palm lightly over my cheek, genuine concern for my well-being is all that is heard.
“I was ready years ago. We lost so much time. I’m just catching up.”
“Lost years don’t matter, Noah. Only what we do with the time ahead.”
The physical attraction is there between us.
No denying that. But it’s her, the woman who has fought for every spot she’s gotten, moved mountains to raise a child on her own and give him the best life possible, and her heart, how she’s opened it for me to walk in that door has me hoping I’m the one she was waiting for as well.
Running the back of my hand under her chin, I ask, “Are we doing this?”
“Are we deciding to be together? I am. How about you?”
“I’m in.” We kiss again before I try to push up.
Her arms don’t loosen. She knows how to make a guy feel good. Too good, which is about to cause an issue with me making it to work on time. “This is crazy, wild. We’re just doing this, acting on our feelings instead—”
“Instead of trying to rationalize our way out of it. Look, Liv, this weekend has been an extension of the night in the Hamptons. But it’s not only the sex that’s fantastic.
It’s sitting watching TV or laughing over stories at dinner.
Buying Max a toy or holding him while he sleeps on my chest. It’s seeing you loving our son, and then you allowing me to do the same.
There’s a bunch of big unknowns, but I know for sure that I want to be with the two of you. ”
“It’s a risk we’re taking, but I don’t want to lose another two years either.” She lifts to kiss me. “Let’s do this.”
“Let’s be together, all in.”
“All in. But I have a question.”
“Ask away.” I grin still staring down at her. “How is this going to work in the office?”
Her arms release me, and I sit up. “I need to think about it. Knowing what has really happened versus what I had been told. There’s a vast discrepancy in how I’m treated compared to how you’ve been treated.
I’ve only witnessed the inner workings of Bancroft & Lowe for a week, and it’s not a place I see myself long term.
But it’s you I’m concerned about. What are your thoughts? ”
“I appreciate that, but I’ve been there eleven years. It’s aggravating but easy work that pays me decently. I can’t afford to walk out and definitely can’t afford to be fired. Dating a co-worker is a violation in the employee handbook.”
I stand. “I need to get going so I have time to shower and get dressed before I’m late. I think we carry on like we have been, and we’ll discuss it tonight.”
She nods. “Sounds like a plan.”
Kissing her once more, I walk to the door. “I sure like having plans with you, babe.”
Sitting up, she tilts her head, her long hair hanging around the bare skin of her shoulders, and her eyes set on mine. My breath halts in my chest just looking at her. I’m one lucky bastard. I say, “I . . .” The words come easy, but I stop them from being said. Too soon.
Seemingly sensing my turmoil, she says, “I’ll see you in a few hours acting like—”
“You hate me. It’s probably best. For now.”
Soft laughter fills the air. “Act? Who said I was acting?”
I chuckle because at this hour, I’m not at my best. “It’s four forty-five in the morning. I have no witty comeback for you.” I kiss her because now that I can, I’ll take the opportunity every chance I get. “I have to run. See you soon.”
“Still no goodbye, huh?”
“Nope. See you later, pretty girl.” I force myself out the door because I’m already so caught up in her that if I stay a second longer, I’ll be buried deep inside her. Again.
A knock pulls my eyes to the open door of my office. Leanna walks in. “You’re here early.”
“I didn’t get any work done over the weekend.”
“What are you working on?”
I lean back in the chair, rotating toward her. “The Torres’s file.”
“Oh,” she says, her expression lifting in remembrance while she sits across from me. “I should have checked in, but I got stuck out on Staten Island helping my sister move over the weekend. How did the dinner go?”
My memories go into overdrive thinking about how that dinner was the reason I was leaving her apartment this morning.
The way the wine glistened on Liv’s lips after she took a sip.
Her head tilted back in belly laughter when I told her about dates gone wrong in the past.
Her eyes reflected the dim lighting but were brighter when she looked into mine.
We dropped our guards and never looked back. The brush of our hands on the top of the table. An exchanged look that we both knew we were about to cross a professional line.
More than what happened at that dinner, I have a son. I look at Leanna, wishing I could tell her and the rest of the world about Max and how he and Liv have imprinted on my soul. I don’t take it lightly, but it’s bigger than anything I’ve felt before.
The moment to celebrate was stolen when I found out, and tonight, we’re figuring out how I can have him and his mom in my life full time, if that’s even a possibility.
I grab my Mont Blanc and fidget, spinning the pen to open and close over and over again. I can’t tell anyone about Max or Liv, not my family, so not Leanna either. “It went well.”
Running my hand over my hair, I feel my chest tighten. I’m caught in the “lying by omission” rule my parents taught me was wrong. I rub the bridge of my nose and then blurt, “The Torres’s canceled when we were already there.”
When I look up, Leanna’s staring at me. “So you left?”
“No, since we were already seated, we stayed.”
Her grin spreads like wildfire across her face. “That’s interesting.”
“It actually was. We had a good time.” I’m not going into sordid details, but I won’t downplay it either.
“That’s good, and it gave you time to go over the financials like you wanted but without the audience of the clients.” When I turn my gaze to the windows, she says, “You talked about the hunch you had, right?”
Hm. What to say? I glance back at her before moving my attention to the monitor. “Not exactly. We kind of just enjoyed our time. The food was really fantastic, too.”
“I feel like more than the food was fantastic.”
It’s a lighthearted conversation thus far, but we’re circling the truth of what really happened between Liv and me, and it hits a little too close for comfort. “Don’t jump to conclusions.”
“So you didn’t sleep with her?” She gasps, covering her mouth as her spine straightens in the chair. “Oh my God, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said that. I don’t know why—” She sucks in a breath as horror streaks across her face. Standing, she rushes toward the door. “I’m so sorry.”
“It’s okay.” Fuck me, though . . . I stand. “Leanna, stop.”
I see her torso fill with a breath before releasing and turning back to me. She’s shaking her head, and shame fills her expression. “That was so wrong. My apologies, Noah.”
“Come back,” I say, gesturing to the chair. “It’s okay, Leanna.”
She takes a few hesitant steps and then sits again.
“We’re friends.” I sit down again with a weary grin.
Fuck my hair. I run my fingers through it and then rub the back of my neck.
“Although it’s not the most comfortable of topics of conversation, I’m not mad you asked.
But if you don’t mind, I don’t want to bring my personal life into the office yet.
” This sounds incriminating, especially since I feel we’re building a relationship that would share the good things that happen in our lives.
“What I mean is we had a nice dinner and got to know each other better.” I choose to leave out the fact that I’m falling for Liv, fell, and that we share a son.
“Liv’s actually quite funny, lighter than when she’s in the office. ”
Leanna’s concern softens and then disappears altogether. “I appreciate your understanding. I consider us friends as well, and I guess that just slipped out. It was rude, though, and inappropriate to ask in the office. Next time, I’ll ask when we’re at happy hour.”
I chuckle. “Sure.”
Alcohol is like truth serum, so I set a mental reminder never to go to happy hour with Leanna.
Things cool from the heated topic, and I’m happy to change this subject. Although I’m still reluctant to involve her. I probably shouldn’t. “I have some questions about this file. Will you check Ms. Bancroft’s schedule to see if she has availability this morning?”
“Fifteen minutes? An hour?”
“Um . . .” I look out the window. I could easily spend my day taking up hers, but she may not appreciate that. “Fifteen should be fine.”
Leanna stands again. “Anything else for today?”
“Try to reach Mr. and Mrs. Torres to see when they’ll be back in the States or if they’d like to have a conference call in the office for our next meeting?”
“Will do.”
When Leanna gets up to leave, I ask, “How’d the move go?”
“Hot, but we got it done.”
“That’s good.”
She nods. “Thanks for asking.”
A few minutes later, she calls to tell me I’m on Liv’s schedule in an hour. Something to look forward to.
I head to the kitchen to grab another cup of coffee.
The caffeine of one cup wasn’t strong enough to fight my fatigue this morning.
When I walk in, I’m greeted with curves I haven’t stopped thinking about, long hair with a gentle wave hanging over one shoulder, and eyes that hold a new secret—one we share. “Seems my timing is perfect.”
“I’d say so.” Liv finishes filling her coffee mug. Lowering the carafe, she asks, “How are you, Mr. Westcott?”
“I’m doing well. And you, Ms. Bancroft?”
“How am I doing?” She taps a stir stick against her lips. The tease. “I’m doing amazing.”
“Amazing, huh?”
“So good.” She walks toward the door. “Oh, Mr. Westcott?”
I struggle to keep my gaze on her more professional attributes. “Yes, Ms. Bancroft?”
“I got a notification about our meeting.” Taking the stick between her lips, she sucks the coffee right off before tossing it in the trash on her way out. “I’ll see you in an hour.”
I watch her go, enjoying every sway of those full hips. “Can’t wait,” I reply, already knowing there’s no way I’ll be able to act like a professional around her.
Fuck me.