KEPT: A Second Chance Fairy Tale (34 page)

Truth be told, I never wanted to leave. Aside from being with my family, I loved having her be a part of it. I settle for the passive response. “Good.”

“And Deni? She’s good?”

“No, she’s Deni. My mother needs to calm down and leave her alone.”

“I get it,” he assures.

“I’ll sit back and let them work it out.”

“Lillie called me,” he informs, sitting back and positioning his ankle to rest on his knee. “She told me Lucy loved meeting your family. She told Lil how great Deni and your mom were.”

The knowing look he gives me pisses me off, but only because he sees something he’s right in seeing. “My mother welcomed her because she loves everyone, Corbin. This isn’t a surprise.”

“Right. Well, we’ll see.”

I refuse to take the bait and keep my focus on the open file in front of me. The sticky tab Amber put on top of it comes as a shock. A good one.

Lifting it up, I ask, “Did you see this?”

Corbin smirks. “Yeah, I did. Mrs. Lehman called to tell me the good news herself. She was looking for you, but I didn’t want to intrude on your family weekend, so I told her I’d pass the message along.”

“They’re really not getting divorced,” I relay what he already knows. “Hell if Lucy wasn’t right.”

“Right about what?” he questions.

“Nothing,” I dismiss. “She just didn’t want to see them divorce.”

“They have a lot to work on, so I wouldn’t count divorce out yet,” he suggests.

Tossing the file on the stack next to the one in front of me, I tell him, “Maybe this news will put Lucy in a better mood.”

“She’s something,” he utters, then smiles. “Something crazy, more crazy, then add maddening, that is.”

On his way out the door, I hear my cell phone chime with an incoming text. I smile when I see whom it’s from.

Lucy, 09:18 a.m.
OMG!
I LOVE HER!
I can’t thank you or Corbin yet because I’m CRYING.

As my fingers linger over the keyboard, I make an effort not to respond, but it’s too funny not to at least ask.

09:19 a.m.
Does she already have a name?

Lucy immediately replies.

Lucy 09:20 a.m.
Lucifer
.

Crazy, maddening woman.

Lucy

“Take me to lunch,” I insist to Corbin when he passes my desk, studying a pink note in his hand.

It’s almost noon, but I’m not asking this of him because I’m hungry. I’m still reluctant
,
but now I’m excited to test drive my new car. It’s kick-ass and, to be honest, I can totally see how it’s possible Corbin picked it out. It’s sleek and sporty, but safe.

Corbin glances at Michael’s office door, then at me sitting patiently behind my desk, waiting. “What?”

“Take me to lunch. Anywhere. Pizza, tacos… I’ll even risk eating in that stupid sub shop you like.”

Corbin smiles, those dimples enhancing his boyish charm. “I think you should ask Mike. I’m not taking you anywhere.”

My face scrunches. Understandably, Michael asked me not to talk about our relationship, if that’s what this is, with anyone yet. And until we figure out the degree of what the relationship is, I agreed. But given the reaction of his best friend over an invite to something as simple as lunch, I assume Michael mentioned it anyway. I’m just not sure what all he’s said.

I tread carefully. “Why would he care?”

Leaning his body into the high-rise of my desk and crossing his arms over it, Corbin sarcastically questions, “Are you really not going to fess up? This is me you’re talking to, Lucy.”

“I don’t know what you’re asking about,” I stall. God, between the two of them, a girl has no hope of keeping anything to herself. “But I’ll talk to him anyway, if you think I need to.”

Backing up and slapping his hand on the desk, he says while walking away, “Yeah. Do that. Come find me when you’re ready to have one of the
greatest
subs in New York City.”

I mock salute him before he disappears into his office.

After opening Michael’s door, I peer in and catch him talking on the phone. He’s wearing his glasses, which I’ve admitted to myself I love on him.

“Right.
Okay
, Lillie,” he stresses. “I’ll talk to you later today.” Lillie continues talking, and Michael tilts his head to the ceiling. He closes his eyes before cutting her off, “Woman, I really need to go. I’ll call you if I need anything else.”

I start to make my way further into his office, but stop when he hangs up the phone and asks, “Close the office door, will you?”

“What? Why?” I question before doing as I’m told. If he’s still pissed at me for my reaction to his ‘gift’, I want witnesses. Even if Corbin’s about as weak a witness as I could have, he’s someone.

Michael’s gaze on me turns soft. No longer annoyed by his conversation with Lillie, he studies me for a moment. He examines my nervous posture as his eyes narrow and relaxes them, as though struggling in internal consideration.

His head tilts slightly before telling me, “Lock it.”

Oh god.

Immediately, all I focus on is the conversation when he told me he wanted to spank me. Now that he’s explained he didn’t mean it the way I thought he did, I sense getting my ass beat red will do nothing for the ache I’ve carried all week from missing his touch.

Once we got back from Chicago, life became busy. Between Shannan pushing me to find time to hang out, Dillon needing all of my attention after work, and taking care of what needs done here, there really hasn’t been a lot of time for our newfound extracurricular activities.

Standing at the door, I momentarily hold onto the handle before turning back and asking, “Lock it?”

Michael nods once.

The heat in his eyes becomes blazingly obvious as I stand in place. All ideas of lunch and taking Lucifer for a spin flee. My body tingles in places Michael’s recently become acquainted with.

“Now, come over here,” he instructs once I look up from the floor to him.

I’m aware the outfit I picked today was probably a little much. I borrowed it from Shannan. The tight, pencil skirt is shorter than what I normally wear, and the blouse is a lower-cut piece, as well. My makeup may or may not be a bit more dramatic than usual. I wasn’t expecting a car as payback, though. All I wanted was for Michael to look at me…like he is right now.

Casually pointing, he gestures to the surface of his desk. “Stand close.”

“Is everything okay?” I question, stepping closer and feeling my heart beat against my chest.

After watching me carefully, Michael turns his chair in my direction and sits up, positioning his hands at my waist. Instinctively, I jump on contact and grab his wrists, which are holding me in front of him.

“Say thank you, Lucy,” he draws out seductively, looking at me with those dark eyes, currently hooded and painted with excitement. He’s also holding in a smirk. I can see it.

“Thank you,” I whisper as his pinky touches the hem of my skirt, lifting it just slightly. My hands squeeze around his wrist to stop him. Finally, I realize why he wanted me to lock the door.

“Corbin messaged and told me you asked him to take you to lunch.”

Oh
.

“I did,” I confess quickly. “I wanted to take him with me to test Lucifer. You said you were busy today.”

The palm of his hand is warm as it cups my thigh and lifts the hem another inch higher. I don’t deny the contact, my chest visibly moving with each breath I take in.

His eyes don’t waver from mine until he feels what I’m wearing.

“Fuck, you didn’t,” he whispers.

I’ve never worn a garter. I’ve never thought of a reason to. Matter of fact, when Shannan suggested it, I wanted to laugh in her face. I had no idea the purpose of one.

Until now.

Michael looks down, gently running one finger across the black lace of it. The low growl from the back of his throat breaks the silence.

“Fucking hell, she’s teasing me,” he says to himself. Then he looks away from my thigh and up at me with eyes now so dark, it’s as though they’ve morphed into sapphires. “We need to talk.”

“I know. You’ve been busy, and I’ve been with Dillon.”

His hands find their way to each of my thighs. Digging his palms into my skin, the order for me to spread goes unsaid. Once I’ve done so, he runs his hands along the back of my thighs first, then slowly guides them further underneath my skirt. When his fingers reach beneath my panties in the front, I dig my fingernails into his wrists, hoping it gets him to focus on anything else.

“We can talk now?” I ask.

Michael shakes his head, but keeps his eyes on my thighs while stating, “That was Lillie on the phone when you came in.”

“I got that,” I breathe out as he moves the lace material and grazes my clit. I’m not going to be interested in anything else but him much longer. “How is she?”

“She’s taking Dillon tonight. If that’s okay with you.”

Nodding once, I agree. I’d agree to anything if he’d keep doing what he’s doing.

Unfortunately, it doesn’t matter.

Michael abruptly removes his hands from me and positions my skirt back in order. I’m pissed he got me worked up, but relieved he didn’t expect more. We’re in his office. People coming in and out all day. Anyone could’ve knocked.

When he stands and buttons his suit jacket, he bends his face low, only inches away from mine. “Go take Lucifer out to lunch. Corbin can ride along. We’ll talk tonight.”

“Okay,” I acknowledge, then bravely admit, “Although now I’m all worked up. I want to kiss you.”

One side of his mouth lifts in a half-smile. I love how young it makes him look. How many hearts did he break along his way in life?

Inching closer to me, he voices seductively, “Then kiss me.”

My mouth brushes the underside of his jaw softly before I close my eyes and feel his lips on mine. I keep the kiss brief.

Just as I’m about to turn away and head out of his office, Michael reaches out and grabs my wrist, causing my body to slam into his. His hand securely cups the back of my head. Threading my hair through his fingers, he gives a rough pull, which I feel
everywhere
.

Once I’m able to focus, I find his eyes are whirling with excitement. His tone is meant to sound direct as he voices, “Working with Corbin is certain. Lunch with Corbin is probably fine. Anything outside of those two options will most likely be denied.”

Oh, my god.

“Denied?”

Michael nods. “We’re together, and no matter what happens between us…” He trails off, eyeing me directly, “you and Corbin will never happen.”

Obviously, this brooks no argument, so I save myself the trouble.

A few hours later, with Michael already having left for his meeting with Mr. and Mrs. Lehman, Corbin and I sit down for lunch in a sub sandwich dive downtown. On the drive, Corbin made it clear the next time he treats me to lunch, he’ll either order delivery or drive his ridiculously sleek, but over-priced Lexus. He’ll never ride with me and Lucifer again.

The restaurant is crowded this afternoon, so we’re forced into a small corner booth with a pair of college students squeezed in close to our table. Conversation isn’t easily heard between us, and Corbin is using the crowd’s banter as an excuse to play stupid.

“I asked you how well you knew Michael’s wife,” I repeat as he continues to act as if he didn’t hear my initial question. When he shrugs, not saying anything, I look pointedly at him. “I know you knew her. Michael told me. So why don’t you give me your opinion?”

After placing his sandwich on the napkin, he sits back and braces his hands on the table. “Is this about the trip to Chicago?” he questions. “Because before you left, you weren’t so interested in Michael’s personal life.”

Rolling my eyes, hoping he doesn’t see through me, I give the simplest answer I can think of. “No.”

“I never did like her. She wasn’t a nice person. She sure as hell wasn’t nice to Mike.”

He’s not telling me anything I didn’t already assume. “Right,” I concur, then take a quick drink to wash down this garbage we’re eating for lunch. “But she was a good mom?”

“Good to her son, yes. But a mother can be loving, sweet, and kind while still using her child in a way that isn’t any of those things.”