Sweet Affection (Truth Book 3) (30 page)

“Tiff, my love, our reservation’s soon. We better go.” Sebastian glances at his watch then smiles lovingly at his wife and leans down to kiss my cheek. “It was lovely to meet you Laurel. Though brief. Perhaps next time you’re in London, we could all get together.”

I nod enthusiastically and hug Tiffany. I’m surprised they stayed so long tonight given it was their anniversary but I’m grateful. Tiffany hasn’t mentioned the business venture again for the past hour and it’s allowed me to relax. It’s going to take a lot of thinking about.

“I’m pleased you’ve met them.” James says against my temple as he places a sweet kiss there.

“They’re fun. Tiffany’s a force to be reckoned with.”

He narrows his eyes at me slightly and I pretend I haven’t noticed. I know there was a hint of annoyance in my voice, having reminded myself that someone else was affected by Alex when they shouldn’t have been, but he doesn’t say anything. I tilt back my glass and finish the champagne. I’ve had several glasses tonight, I’ve been talking so much. There have been a huge amount of local business owners, and potential clients here and I think I’m all talked out now. Not to mention that champagne and little food has made me feel light-headed.

“What do you want to do? The party’s winding down.”

I look up into his eyes and see my own thoughts reflected in them.
Time for us to go.

He leans down and whispers into my ear. “This dress has been distracting me all night. I want to take you back to the hotel, bend you over the bed, and fuck you in it.”

I do my best to swallow down the whimper.
Yes please.

Chapter Seventeen

Laurel

“It sucks I have to go.” James says as he finishes buttoning up
his jeans, and tugs up the zipper. I couldn't agree more. It feels like as soon as we have a little time together something happens to part us again. We’ve been back from Manchester for two days but now he’s got to go back to London for his big pitch for The Garrison and solve a few problems on a project his company’s working on. I open the wardrobe and pick out a shirt, a baby blue colour that matches his eyes perfectly. "I can’t believe I ask you to move in and then I’m hardly here now. It won’t always be like this babe, I promise."

I open out the shirt for him to put his arms into then pull it up over his shoulders and start buttoning it up. This is new, I’m normally undressing him. But there’s something sexy about picking out his clothes and him allowing me to take care of him.

"Don't worry about it. I’ll miss you like crazy but it’s not like I’ll be on my own. Tyler's here."

Definitely the wrong thing to say because he stares me down.

"I still don’t trust him, you know. He makes one wrong move and you tell me, okay? I’ll be back straight away to punch his face in."

I roll my eyes and he takes my hands in his. "Promise me. Please. I need this from you. He’s practically a stranger and my gorgeous girlfriend is going to be alone and vulnerable in my house with him. Please just promise me you'll tell me. Or ring Blake, ring Ryan. Whatever. Just call someone straight away if something goes wrong?"

He's so serious I can’t even mess around with him now. If it means that much to him of course I can promise that.

"Yes, I promise. It’s going to be fine though. You don’t need to worry."

"I’ll always worry. I need you safe."

I nod, seriously. "I know. I will be. Now, go kickass with the pitch, then whip that designer of yours into shape. He needs a serious talking to. He can’t be stealing you away from me again."

James chuckles and kisses my cheek. "It should just be overnight babe. I’ll try and get back tomorrow afternoon. Call you later?"

He throws his bag over his shoulder and leans in to press his lips gently against my forehead.

“You better."
 

The next couple of hours are taken up with analysing sales from the new store. It’s now been open a few days, long enough for me to start looking at what’s selling well and what isn’t. I also check Facebook and Twitter. Jess has been going crazy with both of them, trying to drum up as much interest as possible and it’s been a great way of getting a buzz out there. I've just finished tweeting some pictures of the store when Tyler comes in the house, slamming the front door.

“Hey, what did the door ever do to you?” I shout through to the hallway from a barstool in the kitchen.

“Got in my motherfucking way.” He shouts back and I smile when I hear him thump his way up the stairs.

Ten minutes later he comes back down, slightly calmer and freshly showered. It’s only ten in the morning. Where the hell has he been? I chance it, and ask him that very question fully expecting the answer I get.

“Mind your own business.” He grunts, as he flicks the switch on the kettle, and directs his attention to his phone, madly typing away. Texting, or emailing I guess. I haven’t actually seen him without his phone in his hand since I’ve known him. It must be work. I could ask again, but I know the response I’ll get.

“You have such people skills.” I sigh, as I get the devil blue screen and have to restart my laptop.

“I just don’t have time for nosy do-gooders.”

Ouch. What’s stuck up his ass?

“That’s mean. You hardly know me.” I frown. I know I’m nosy, not one of my best traits, I’ll give him that. But do-gooder? I’m just trying to get to know him.

“I know enough.”

He’s so frustrating. I hate how fickle his moods are. He’s more up and down than a bloody yo-yo.

“Okay. Tell me. Who am I?”

He turns to me, watching my face and my body language which in the last few seconds has gone really defensive. He narrows his eyes, putting his phone back in his pocket. “Blonde. Sexy. Sweet. If we were in a movie you’d be the perfect little cheerleader who lives in her perfect pink fluffy world with the good grades and the jock boyfriend, who knows nothing about real life and whose middle name would be ‘naïve as fuck’.”

Oh my, he’s pissy today.

He thinks he has me all figured out, but he doesn’t realise that his little speech gives me more insight into him than I had before. I was right. There’s a humongous chip on his shoulder, from
something
. And I will find out what.

“You’re right.” I say as I get up from the stool. “If we were in a movie that’s exactly how I’d want to be. Because it’s all make believe and fairy-tales, right? But we’re not, and real life isn’t like that. I know it.”

I’m not going to go through the whole
my shit’s worse than your shit
slanging match because maybe his is worse than mine. It doesn’t matter. It’s personal.

“But it’s not about how much shit you’ve gone through. It’s about how you deal with it. How you move on from it. ‘Triumph in the face of adversity’. You can spend your whole life hating other people, laying blame elsewhere, but really where does it get you?” I look at him pointedly. “Twenty-five, bitter, jaded, and pushing everyone away who may actually want to get to know you.” I shrug as I close my laptop and start to walk towards the door. “I know who I want to be. Who I’d rather be. The question is, do you?”

I leave the room with him still staring after me and I have to take a few steadying breaths as I walk upstairs. He takes so much energy out of me. I’m pissed he has that perception, but I don’t think it’s necessarily because of me. I’ve clearly had a very different life to him. And it makes me feel sad that it still affects him so much even now he’s an adult and is able to make his own choices.

I don’t see Tyler for the rest of the day and I make a conscious effort to keep all thoughts of him out of my head. I go into work for the afternoon, and ring Jess. We talk about some new styles she wants to order and the research she’s been doing on the competition. She’s confident and has really been paying attention, leaving me thoroughly impressed with her attitude.

As I settle myself in bed that evening, I type out a quick text to James. I hate him being away. I know it’s only a couple of days but we haven’t really had a chance to enjoy the benefits of living together. We’ve had company pretty much ever since I moved in.

Can you talk? Xx

Beyoncé starts thumping out from the empty pillow next to me.

“Hey.” I speak quietly into my phone and turn over on my side.

“Hey beautiful.” His voice warms me inside and makes my stomach do a little flip. “How was your day?”

He sounds tired and drowsy and I wish I was there cuddling into him. He yawns and it makes me do exactly the same.

“Busy. Long. I feel exhausted.”

There’s a brief pause of silence then he speaks again. “Babe, it’s nearly one in the morning. Why are you up so late? Is everything okay?” He says quickly.

“Of course.” I try to put him more at ease. I don’t want him needlessly worrying about me. “I just can’t get to sleep without you here.” I pout and he chuckles so deeply in my ear, it’s like he’s right here with me. I relax under the duvet and yawn again.

“Have you had a good day?”

He sighs, and I feel the tension down the phone. “Not really. There have been a few more problems the builders have encountered so we’ve got to change the plans. I’m going to need another day down here after the pitch. I’m sorry babe. I won’t be back till the day after tomorrow.”

Disappointment sags my whole body. Working away from home sucks ass.

“Babe?”

“I’m here. Just trying to figure out how I’m going to get through a whole extra twenty-four hours without you.”  I say it dramatically as I roll onto my back and he laughs.

“Smartass. You know I’m going to fuck you so hard when I get back.”

James

There’s only her sharp gasp that breaks through the silence coming from the phone’s speaker. I’m lying on my back staring at the ceiling, wondering why I started something I’m not there to finish.

“I’m going to be so wet for you, you’re going to just slide right in.” Her voice is low and husky, hushed like she’s telling me a secret and sexy as fuck.

I groan, then adjust my erection with my free hand. Maybe we can finish this after all.

“Are you wet now?” I ask, feeling my cock harden more with just the thought of that pussy getting ready for me.

“Mmhmm.” I hear her licking her lips down the phone and a little sexy moan leaves her mouth.

“How do you know that, babe?” I hope she’s doing exactly what my imagination is telling me she’s doing.

“Because I’m touching myself.”

Fuck, she is.

“That’s so sexy.” I whisper. “Slip a finger inside yourself, babe.” I wait a second then carry on.

“If I was there, that would be
my
finger deep in your pussy whilst my tongue licks over your clit. I can taste you on my tongue now. So sweet. Your pussy’s so sweet.”

She moans softly into the speaker, and I can hear her heavy breathing giving away just how much she’s enjoying herself.

“Just think how it’s going to feel for my dick to fill you up. I’m going to kiss your neck while I thrust inside you, and you’re going to clench round me tightly ‘cause you won’t want to let my dick go. Come for me, babe. Come all over my cock.”

There’s another little moan, and she shakily calls out my name. It falls out strained and gravelly since she’s trying to be quiet.

“I love hearing you come.”

“Oh my God.” She pants. “I can’t wait for you to get home. I miss you.”

“I miss you too. Now go to bed. The quicker we do, the quicker I can get back home.”

“What about you?” She asks sleepily. I don’t think she’d even be able to stay awake for a few more minutes so I’m going to have to wait. But it was worth it to know I could help her come from hundreds of miles away.

“I’ll be just fine. You get some sleep. Love you, babe.”

“Love you, too.” She yawns again. ‘Night.”

“Sweet dreams, beautiful.”

The next morning I wake up ready to kick some ass because I’m sick of being away from home. I grab a glass of OJ from the hotel restaurant and head to the lobby to find Seb. He’s lazily sitting on the back of a chair, waiting for me.

“You ready?” He asks and he’s not just asking if I’m ready to leave. It’s whether I’m mentally prepared to do this.

“Yeah. Cooper’s is going down. This is the biggest thing we’ve ever gone up against her for. I’m not letting her have it.”

He nods, and picks up his laptop bag, signalling to the bellboy we’re ready for a taxi. Seb and I have done a heck load of research and our idea is fantastic, but today is about pitching about the overall theme and showing him the possibilities and options available. Knowing Riker Garrison like we do now thanks to Tiff and the afternoon we spent with him, he’s going to want to have control and input into those. And that’s fine. I love working with people that are experts in their fields. It helps me be better at my job.

We pull up to the offices in central London that his company has just rented, and an older lady with glasses and her hair tied back in a bun greets us with an efficient but welcoming smile.

“Gentlemen, my name’s Samantha. I’m Mr Garrison’s assistant.”

“James Dawson. Sebastian Burrows.” I introduce us both and she shakes our hands with a strong grip. Garrison’s surprised me once again. She is not the type of P.A I was expecting. He seems like the type of guy to have a young, hot, twenty-something assistant who secretly crushes on him. I guess the man’s all business, and that makes me respect him more.

“Mr Garrison won’t be long. He’s still in with Cooper Design. Can I get you anything while you wait?” She leads us to the waiting area outside his office. It’s all black leather sofas and stark white walls. He probably hasn’t had the time to design these yet. One thing though, the rooms are massive. It crosses my mind that I’d love to design these for him, but I push that one to the side.