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I watched as he got comfortable and pulled a few books from his leather satchel. Our friendship went back years, and I was proud to call him my best friend and business partner, even if he did give me hell most days.
“What’s that? Anime porn?” I said as I trailed my thumb across my bottom lip.
He ignored me, cleared his throat, and tossed the four books in my direction. They landed on my lap, with one slipping from my grasp and onto the floor.
“Literature. You have some reading to do.” His brows jogged up and down his forehead as he rested his head against the seat.
“What the hell is this?” I looked down at the books and then back at Ian.
“Baby Daddy: A Pregnancy Guide for Men, Oops look what Daddy did to Mommy, and How to be useful–”
“Where did you get these from?” I asked, cutting him off.
“Something compelled me to stop by the bookstore after I left the office yesterday.” He winked and folded his arms across as chest before shutting his eyes.
I drew in a breath and shuffled in the leather seat. My mind was a mess, and my thoughts were running rampant. I had 18 hours before I touched down in Stonebridge, and I was certain catching any shut-eye wouldn’t be an option.
* * *
I’d forgottenhow crisp the Stonebridge air was in the fall. My black SUV waited on the tarmac, it was early evening, and I hadn’t slept a wink the entire flight. I needed a shave and a comb through my hair, but none of that mattered. The only thing I needed was to see Remy. Before deboarding the jet Ian convinced me to wash my face and brush my teeth.
Eighteen hours of food and liquor lingered on my tongue, and I didn’t want it spoiling the moment. I planned on taking Remy in my arms and stealing every breath she had in her lungs. Ian tossed me a few breath mints as we walked toward the two dark colored SUV’s on the tarmac. He climbed into one, and gave me a reassuring nod before closing the door. The car ride was steeped in silence.
I’ve never cared to converse with my American drivers. I had no complaints as long as they got me to my destinations promptly. The sky was a light blue as it swept over the city skyline. I opened my email, re-scanning the information the PI had sent me. The engine revved as we exited the freeway and entered a residential neighborhood. My phone chimed, and a text from Ian lit my screen.
Ian: Let me know if you need anything. Headed to the hotel. I had your bags sent to the penthouse.
Our speed began to slow, and we pulled into the long circular driveway behind a teal-colored school bus. The pendant lights that hung on either side of the French glass door switched on, and the white curtains covering the front window peeled back. I couldn’t even move; it was like my heart was beating a million miles per hour, and I could feel it vibrating through my chest. I watched as slim fingers wrapped around the curtain, pulling them back just enough for a peak.
The doorbell chimed, sending a sweet melody throughout the house. I could hear the bolts unlocking and my forehead tickled as small drops of sweat slid down my face. A gust of wind swept past me, shooting a tingle down my spine. I tried to smooth out my hair, but there was no hiding the fact I looked like a pile of shit. She opened the door, her large bump greeted me, and her eyebrows rose in shock.
I couldn’t even form a fucking sentence. My throat felt clogged, as if rocks were sitting at the back of it. She couldn’t form words either. We both lingered in the doorway, speechless. The lingering didn’t last long because my body moved forward until my lips pressed against hers. My chest crushed against her bump as my tongue dove deep into her mouth. This was it. This was what I’ve been missing, what I’ve been craving for so long. Every inch of me craved her at this moment, and I inhaled her, consuming the sweet scents that coated her skin.
“You must be Jaimie?” a soft unfamiliar voice said from behind her.
Remy broke away, and it nearly killed me. Her eyes diverted to the woman standing on the grand staircase behind her and I focused on the silver crunches under her arms.
“Correct, and you are?”I asked, turning my attention back to Remy and her wrapped foot.
“The best thing that’s happened to her since sliced bread. I’m also the one who’s been taking care of her for the past seven months. It’s about time you showed up,” she snarled.
Her head cocked to the side. She was standing on the grand staircase in a floor-length silk robe with fuzzy kitten heels and large rollers wrapped around her golden tresses like a crown.
“Samantha,” Remy hissed before turning to wobble back inside the house.
I had so many questions, but first I had to deal with Remy’s friend who was starting to irritate my soul.
“Well, Samantha, I’m here now, so your duties have been released. I also wasn’t aware of Remy’s pregnancy, so it would be nice if you showed me some respect and lose that nasty bugger of an attitude.”
Her hands moved from her hips as she folded them across her chest. I could see her bottom lips starting to twitch, which aggravated me. I didn’t know who this woman was, but she better take a hike, or she’ll have to deal with me.
CHAPTER4
Remy
Jaimie was herein Samantha’s house. How did he find me? How did he find out I was pregnant? Did the Madam call him? His muscular frame towered over me as he exchanged pleasantries with Samantha. He looked like shit. I’ve never seen him look so bad; he’d always looked so pristine whenever I saw him. He would wear his dark velvet hair combed back with a clean, shaved beard, and his intoxicating wooden scent would linger off the nape of his neck. Looking at him now, he looked like a stranger.
His hair was wild, his chin stubbled, and he smelled like liquor and cologne. His Adam’s apple bobbed up and down as his roar echoed through the house, and I couldn’t help but stare into his sad brown eyes. Moon-shaped crescents lay below them, and as my eyes slid down the center of his face, I could see sadness and worry stretched across it. I was conflicted, I was happy to see Jaimie, but I needed to know why he was here.
