《Just One Night (The Kingston Family Book 1)》
Just One Night: Chapter 1
Linc Kingston¡¯s fatherwas a pompous jerk, a phndering womanizer, an asshole of the first order, and he was dead, leaving behind four legitimate children and one illegitimate daughter. That they knew of.
Linc spread the canceled checks he¡¯d found weeks ago across his desk. As he¡¯d discovered yesterday from the private investigator he¡¯d hired, the trail had led to a sister he knewnothing about, and the information had sent him reeling. Who knew what other surprises awaited in the wake of Keh Kingston¡¯s death of a heart attack a month earlier?
Picking up a ss of Macan 18, not his first or even his second, he finished the contents. Without hesitation, he poured himself another with the bottle he¡¯d taken from the bar in the corner of the office that had once beenhis father¡¯s.
¡°Slow down or you¡¯ll end up sleeping here tonight,¡± his brother Xander said. Feet kicked out in front of him, he leaned back in his chair.
¡°I have a car waiting to take me home. I can get as drunk as I want.¡± Linc lifted the tumbler to his lips.
Xander groaned. ¡°Look, I get it. I¡¯m not happy about the news either, but it¡¯s not like we thought Dad was a ster human being. Areyou really shocked he knocked up his secretary neen years ago and left a daughter to show for it?¡±
¡°No.¡± Linc took another sip. ¡°But I am horrified by the fact that at some point he looked up the kid¡¯s mother, found out the child was in foster care, and left her there.¡± Linc¡¯s private investigator had tracked down Tiffany Michaels and gotten the story. Linc¡¯s stomach churned at how his sisterhad been treated by both of her parents.
Xander nced up at the ceiling, adjusting his ck-framed eyesses he wore after a long day staring at aputer screen. ¡°I changed my mind. I could use a drink myself.¡±
With a shake of his head, Xander rose, walked to the bar, grabbed a tumbler, and brought it back to the desk. He picked up the bottle, poured himself a drink, and settled into hischair before indulging in a hefty gulp.
¡°What do Dash and Chloe say?¡± Xander asked of their siblings.
Of course Xander wouldn¡¯t know how they¡¯d taken the news. While Linc was dealing with theirte father¡¯s estate, the business he¡¯d been helping to run for years, and the paperwork after their father¡¯s death, Xander had been closed up in his home office writing. He was a marine turned thrillerwriter after his return stateside whose books had been made into blockbuster movies, and he often got lost in his own world. Linc had called him here tonight to fill him in about their sister.
He nced at the surprise checks he¡¯d found. Everything rting to the family real estate business banking was online. That Keh had obviously opened an ount to hide these payments spoke volumesabout what their father was capable of when it came to his penchant for deception.
¡°I dragged his ass out of the studio to talk to him. Did it on the phone because, as you know, he¡¯s holed up and working with the band. He listened, said it figured Dad would leave us with this kind of surprise, and went back to work.¡±
Dash was the lead singer of The Original Kings, a rock band he¡¯d been a partof since he was in high school. After years of ying bars and smaller gigs, they¡¯d been discovered, and their sess was massive and worldwide. When home in New York, Dash had a house near Xander¡¯s in the Hamptons fully equipped with a studio and enough room for his bandmates to crash.
Linc rubbed the back of his stiff neck with his fingers.
Xander nodded. ¡°Dash is focused when he¡¯s working.¡±
¡°Sound familiar?¡± Linc asked wryly. ¡°Anyway, he texted meter and said he wanted to meet her, so he¡¯s fine. Mellow and typical Dash.¡±
¡°And Chloe?¡± Xander drummed his fingers on the arm of his chair.
¡°She¡¯s upset. Devastated she had a sister she never knew about and one who obviously grew up in way different circumstances than us.¡± It turned Linc¡¯s stomach. He didn¡¯t have details of this sibling¡¯supbringing, but he knew it wouldn¡¯t be pretty. ¡°Aurora,¡± he said.
¡°What?¡± Xander asked.
¡°Our sister¡¯s name is Aurora. I think we should start getting used to it.¡±
A knock sounded on his door, and his personal assistant and best friend, Jordan Greene, walked inside, her dark hair pulled back in a sleek ponytail, her ck cks and silk blouse as immacte as they¡¯d been this morning. Afterher upbringing, Jordan prided herself on being able to afford quality clothing and looking her best. No more hand-me-downs from her sister.
¡°I¡¯m leaving for the night. Anything I can get you before I go?¡± she asked, as she did every night he stayedter than her. They both worked long hours.
Xander turned to face her. ¡°Hey, Jordan. You weren¡¯t at your desk when I came in. I almost thought yougave up on dealing with my brother.¡± He jerked a finger back at Linc andughed.
¡°Shut up, asshole.¡± Linc scowled at his sibling.
Jordan chuckled. ¡°We all know I¡¯m the only one who will put up with him. I can¡¯t subject my fellow females to his bossy personality at work.¡±
¡°I am not that bad,¡± Linc muttered.
¡°Yes, you are,¡± they both said at the same time, and their jointughter echoed aroundthe room.
Linc shook his head as they made fun of him. It wasn¡¯t unusual for Jordan to gang up on him with one of his siblings, and maybe he deserved it. He wasn¡¯t always easy.
Jordan¡¯s mother, Tamara, had been the Kingston¡¯s housekeeper throughout their childhood. As a result, Jordan knew all of his siblings well but mostly Linc as they¡¯d bonded early on. They¡¯d be not just best friendsbut a united duo. Despite their different backgrounds, they¡¯d clicked. After school she¡¯de to their house to do her homework while waiting for her mother to finish working, and Linc used to join her.
Getting her to be his assistant after he¡¯d graduated business school had been the smartest thing he¡¯d ever done. His schedule was always up-to-date, she knew what he wanted almost beforehe asked, and their friendship had only deepened.
He met her blue-eyed stare. ¡°I¡¯m good. You can take off for the night.¡±
¡°Awesome. I¡¯m going to pick up sushi for dinner on my way home. See you in the morning!¡± she said, bright and cheery as always. ¡°Night, Xander.¡±
¡°Good night, Jordan.¡± Xander gave her a wave before turning back to face Linc, a curious expression on his face as the door clickedshut behind her.
¡°What?¡± Linc all but barked the question at his brother, who still stared at him as if he had something to say.
¡°Have you really not fucked her yet?¡± Xander asked.
¡°You asshole. Don¡¯t talk about Jordan like that.¡±
Xander¡¯s grin told Linc he¡¯d nailed him, prodding him on purpose to get a reaction, and Linc had given the bastard what he wanted.Original content from N?velDrama.Org.
¡°Come on, seriously. Why haven¡¯tyou two gotten together?¡± Xander finished his drink and put the ss down on the old mahogany desk.
¡°Want more?¡± Linc lifted the bottle of scotch.
Xander shook his head. ¡°No, but I do want an answer.¡±
Knowing he needed more alcohol for this, Linc poured himself another drink. He was getting wasted far deeper and faster than he preferred, liking to keep his wits about him. But after hearingabout his new sister and processing how she¡¯d been raised when a family with money would have weed her, he needed to numb his feelings.
¡°Linc!¡± Xander kicked the desk with his foot. ¡°Where did you go?¡±
He blinked and looked into his empty ss. ¡°Sorry. What did you want to know?¡± The alcohol was getting to him.
¡°I asked why you and Jordan haven¡¯t hooked up.¡±
¡°Because she¡¯s my best friend,and I couldn¡¯t live without her if things didn¡¯t work out.¡± Even if she had a body his fingers itched to touch, lips he was dying to kiss, and sky-blue eyes that could see into his soul, he had to keep his hands¡ and mouth to himself. Over the years, the restraint had cost him, but he¡¯d managed not to step over that line.
He¡¯d grown up well aware of his father¡¯s indiscretions, mostly with thewomen who worked for him, and Linc had gone out of his way not to be anything like the man. If he was more serious, asked more of others, then so be it. As long as he wasn¡¯t leaving work to meet up with a mistress or sleeping with one of his assistants or secretaries, Linc could look himself in the mirror each day.
Xander tipped his head to one side. ¡°Makes sense, I guess.¡±
Xander knew all aboutheartbreak after being duped by a young, hot Hollywood actress he¡¯d fallen in love with while in LA during the filming of his first book made into a movie. He wouldn¡¯t argue with Linc¡¯s exnation about why he kept things tonic with Jordan. Not when it meant avoiding both heartbreak and the potential ending of an important friendship.
¡°You ever wonder if she would want more?¡± Xander asked.
Linc shook his head, knowing he couldn¡¯t let himself go there. It would only make it harder if he knew she desired him, too. But he had no intention of giving his brother ammunition. He hadn¡¯t told Xander he wanted Jordan and he wasn¡¯t about to.
For the next hour, Linc drank, Xander watched, and they talked about Xander¡¯s next book, in the pre-filming and heavy discussion stages. Xander didn¡¯tbring up their half-sister or their father again, and Linc was grateful. He wasn¡¯t sure why the news had hit him as hard as it had.
Xander obviously had his head on straight about it, but then again, his brother worked his issues out on the page. Linc brooded.
¡°What do you say we call it a night?¡± Without waiting for an answer, Xander stood and grabbed the liquor bottle from the desk beforeLinc could pour more. Which was just as well. He was feeling the effects of how much he¡¯d already had to drink.
Linc picked up his phone to text Max, his driver. ¡°You want a ride back to your ce?¡± he asked his brother.
Xander had a house on Long Ind where he retreated when he was deep in work. And for when he came into the city, he had an apartment on the Upper East Side in the same buildingLinc lived in.
His brother shook his head. ¡°I drove in and I¡¯m going to head back to my house tonight. I want to get to work first thing in the morning. Want me to dropyouoff?¡±
¡°It¡¯s out of your way and my driver¡¯s waiting. I¡¯ll talk to you soon.¡±
Linc shut the light, they both grabbed their jackets, and they walked out of the office, taking the elevator downstairs and heading to the citystreet, where they parted ways. As usual, Manhattan was busy at eight p.m., cars, taxis, and buses clogging the street and honking when another vehicle didn¡¯t move fast enough.
Linc¡¯s driver wasing around the corner. In no time, Linc was sitting in the back of a town car, fiddling with his phone, his mind on everything he¡¯d learned today. God, he hated his father. Hated the times he¡¯d hearhis mother crying while he was growing up, knowing she¡¯d stayed married to her husband for the sake of her children. Linc grimaced. His parents had taught him it wasn¡¯t worth having children. What if a rtionship went sour? Would his kids have to hear ugly arguing or deal with the pain of divorce? His stomach churned, and he knew it was thebination of the liquor and the memories assaultinghim.
He leaned his head against the back seat and closed his eyes, surprised when his phone rang. Lifting the cell from hisp, he nced at the screen and groaned. Angelica, his ex-girlfriend and one-time friend with benefits, was calling. Though he rarely saw her anymore, he asionally ran into her at the country club where both of their families belonged.
¡°Hello?¡± he asked, nning tokeep the conversation short.
¡°Linc, honey, it¡¯s been so long. How are you?¡± She purred in an obvious attempt to interest him. It didn¡¯t work.
How was he? Drunk, pissed, confused, and thest thing he needed or wanted was a woman whose only goal was to marry into his family. When he was younger, he¡¯d had no problem indulging her because they¡¯d both needed the same thing. To be seen with theright person on their arms. These days he was older, wiser, and more discriminating. And not about pedigree or women who faked everything about themselves.
He wanted someone real. Someone like Jordan. Shit, he was drunk.
¡°Linc?¡± Angelica asked, her voice causing his eyes to open wider and forcing him to concentrate.
¡°I¡¯m here. It¡¯s been a long day.¡±
¡°Oh, poor baby. Why don¡¯t youe overand I¡¯ll pour us some wine. We can work out your frustrations.¡±
He knew her offer came with strings, something he¡¯d discovered when they¡¯d tried the friends-with-benefits route. She¡¯d always wanted and demanded more than he was willing to give. Financially and emotionally. There was a reason he¡¯d been celibate for thest year. His hand didn¡¯t demand anything in return.
¡°Sorry. I¡¯m home forthe night,¡± he said, ncing out the window. The car was nearing Jordan¡¯s apartment, which he always passed on his way home.
¡°I coulde to you,¡± Angelica offered, the desperation in her tone obvious.
His entire body tensed at the sound. ¡°Sorry, I¡¯m beat. I need to go. Bye.¡±
He disconnected the call, and before he could think through what he was doing, he leaned forward in his seat. ¡°Max,I had a change of ns,¡± he said and rattled off Jordan¡¯s address.
With his mind spinning as much as his head, there was only one person he wanted to be with tonight. The only one who¡¯d understand his pain.
He leaned against the cushioned backrest and waited for the car toe to a stop in front of Jordan¡¯s building.
***
Jordan came homeand changed into a pair of gray joggersand a tie-dye swing tank-top, an outfit she¡¯d befortable wearing to rx and watch television, and also to sleep in once she removed the bottoms. She released her hair from the low ponytail she¡¯d had it in, thest thing she needed to free herself from the constraints of working for Linc¡¯s Fortune 500 privately heldpany, where appearances were important. She was grateful to him for givingher a job where she earned more than she¡¯d ever dreamed when growing up, and she refused to let him down.
She poured herself a small ss of wine and dug into the sushi she¡¯d picked up, nearly inhaling the food because she was starving. Then she cleaned up and settled onto the couch in her living room, pulling a nket over her and snuggling in.
Man, she¡¯d had a long day.
Since Keh Kingstonhad passed away unexpectedly a few weeks ago, she and Linc had had their hands full catching up on his father¡¯s deals and properties. Although no one in the family liked to talk about it, Keh Kingston had been suffering from the early stages of dementia when he died. He¡¯d refused to step down from his position as chairman of thepany or be a figurehead in the organization he¡¯d founded.All Linc had been able to do was make sure that Wace Franklin, their chief financial officer and Keh¡¯s closest friend, was on top of Keh¡¯s investments.
Now, while Jordan focused on Linc¡¯s listings and outstanding contracts, he handled both the business and his father¡¯s estate. When necessary, Jordan coordinating with the elder Mr. Kingston¡¯s secretary, Suzanne, who Linc had decidedto keep on in a different position. He hadn¡¯t wanted to fire the woman who¡¯d been with thepany for years. Linc thought he was a hard-ass, and they all liked to tease him about his demands, but deep down he had a good heart.
And right now he was hurting.
With a sigh, Jordan picked up the television remote and was about to turn it on when her cell rang. A nce showed her it was her doorman,and she tapped ept, surprised he¡¯d call sote. ¡°Hi, Jerry.¡±
¡°Miss Greene, Mr. Kingston is here. Should I send him up?¡±
¡°Yes, please,¡± she said, rising from her seat, concerned. She disconnected the call.
Why would Linc be here now? When she¡¯d said good night at the office, he¡¯d been drinking with and talking to Xander, filling him in about the sister they hadn¡¯t known about. He¡¯d alreadytold Jordan everything about his discovery, and she understood how upsetting he¡¯d found the news.
To show up here now wasn¡¯t in character. He was self-contained and kept his emotions to himself, even when he was upset. But she¡¯d never seen him quite as worked up as he¡¯d been about his new sister, Aurora, and her past, growing up in foster homes while he and his siblings had wealth andfort.
After folding the nket she¡¯d pulled over herself, sheid it onto the couch before heading to the door, reaching it just as Linc knocked.
She opened it to find him standing, one arm on the doorframe, a sexy vision with his white dress shirt unbuttoned and tie hanging loose around his neck. His silky ck hair was mussed from running his fingers through the strands, and a day¡¯s worth of scruffgraced his gorgeous face.
But his eyes drew her attention most. Devastation looked back at her from his blue gaze with a darker ring around the outer edges.
¡°Hey,¡± he said, and she caught the whiff of whiskey on his breath.
¡°Come on in.¡± She stepped back and he entered, brushing past her and leaving her with a hint of his cologne in his wake.
After closing the door, she followed him into herliving room. ¡°I¡¯d offer you a drink, but it smells like you¡¯ve had enough.¡±
Without replying, he threw his body onto the couch she¡¯d been sitting on, choosing her favorite side and he knew it.
¡°Talk to me,¡± she said, joining him on the cushion next to his and crossing her legs in front of her.
¡°I¡¯m pissed at my father.¡± He leaned back and groaned.
¡°I know.¡± She¡¯d spent enough time in theirto tell her?¡±
Linc was close to his mother, as were all his siblings. Despite how long she¡¯d known Melissa Kingston, who liked to be called Melly, Jordan couldn¡¯t read her. She¡¯d seen Melly be stern and she¡¯d seen her kind. She¡¯d never treated Jordan badly and had allowed her toe to the house and do homework while her mom finished her day of work. And unlike Mr. Kingston, she never gave Linca hard time about their friendship, for which Jordan was grateful. One thing was certain. The woman hadn¡¯t deserved for her husband to cheat on her.
¡°You¡¯ll handle it,¡± she said, putting a hand on Linc¡¯s shoulder.
He pulled her closer until she leaned against him, her head in the crook of his arm. His body was warm, he smelled good, and she did her best to ignore the tingle of awareness insideher. Linc liked to hang out, to snuggle and watch a movie or just talk. Their friendship consisted of everything she¡¯d want with someone she loved deeply except sex and the intimacy that came with it.
So as she sat with his arm around her,forting him in silence, she ignored the scent of his cologne, masculine and sexy. She tried not to focus on the hard muscled body she leaned against, butit wasn¡¯t easy.
She couldn¡¯t lie and say she¡¯d never wanted a rtionship with Linc, but those days were over. When she was younger, she¡¯d had a crush on him, but her mother had caught on quickly and warned her about their different status in life and how ultimately Jordan didn¡¯t fit into his world.
Those words had crushed her young heart, but since her mother cleaned their home, they ultimatelymade sense, and Jordan had forced herself to focus on being Linc¡¯s friend. Eventually, he¡¯d gone to college, the cost fully covered by his family. She had student loans. She¡¯d gotten a job in human resources for apany she¡¯d liked while he¡¯d attended business school.
But maybe she¡¯d read too many romance novels, because her first year out of college, she¡¯d met a hot guy at a bar. Collin hadbeen attentive, taken her number, and called her the next day. They¡¯d begun dating, and she¡¯d quickly learned he¡¯de from a wealthy family who made their money in hedge funds.
The rtionship turned serious fast, but she never met his family, and she¡¯d begun to feel like he was hiding her from his parents. After all, he¡¯d already met hers. And like with Linc, Jordan¡¯s mother was wary thanksto Collin¡¯s family¡¯s wealth, but since she didn¡¯t work for them, she hadn¡¯t harped on the issue.
Then Jordan had missed her period and a test proved she was pregnant. And Collin Auerbach had panicked and handed her money to get rid of the problem. Much like Linc¡¯s father had apparently done to one of his mistresses, as she now knew.
Jordan had thrown him out, ripped up the check, and the manshe¡¯d thought she¡¯d marry got engaged to an oil heiress six monthster.
As for Jordan, a month into the pregnancy, she¡¯d experienced terrible cramps and heavy bleeding and lost the baby. The pain of remembering always hurt. And who had been there for her? Linc. He¡¯d helped her with her grief and was there as she¡¯d picked up the pieces of her broken heart.
After Linc had graduated businessschool, he began working at Kingston Enterprises, and he¡¯d all but begged her to be his personal assistant. Something his father hadn¡¯t been happy about because she was the help¡¯s daughter.
This time she understood she¡¯d never be good enough for anyone with wealth. Fine. She didn¡¯t want the upscale, hoity-toity kind of life anyway. She just desired a normal existence with a job she enjoyed,a man she loved, and eventually a family of her own.
She¡¯d taken the job at Kingston Enterprises, refusing to give up a great opportunity because Linc¡¯s father was an asshole. Besides, the older man¡¯s office had been a long hall away from Linc¡¯s. Once she¡¯d been hired, she¡¯d rarely seen him. And she and Linc had fallen into a special work dynamic. She¡¯d be a fool to think about him as anythingother than her boss and friend.
A friend she treasured and didn¡¯t want to lose by adding sex to their rtionship. No more wealthy men for her. Plus she saw the kind of women Linc dated, the type of families they came from, the approval his mother gave those women, all proof her own her mother¡¯s words still held true. Jordan wasn¡¯t in his league and didn¡¯t belong there.
¡°I need a n,¡± hesaid, speaking up out of the blue.
She¡¯d actually thought he¡¯d fallen asleep.
¡°Do I go meet my sister? Or do I let it go because knowing the truth about her father might be too painful for her?¡± His words sounded slurred, and he was obviously in no position to talk tonight.
¡°I think we should discuss this in the morning. You need a clear head to make those kinds of decisions.¡± She pushed herselfoff him and rose to her feet.
¡°Stay with me,¡± he said, and when she nced at him, his lips were set in a little-boy pout.
This was the Linc not many people saw. The vulnerable man beneath the businessman he presented to the world. ¡°You need sleep. Do you have a car waiting?¡± she asked because he used a driver to get around the city.
¡°I sent him home.¡± He stretched his feet out on her couch,and she realized he was settling in for the night.
¡°Kick off your shoes,¡± she said. No way could he sleep on the couch in his work clothes.
He did as she instructed, and his ck dress shoes fell to the floor.
¡°Now take off your tie and shirt so you¡¯refortable.¡±
¡°Bossy,¡± he muttered and began to undo the buttons. He worked his way down, revealing his muscled chest and defined abs fromtime with a professional trainer. He shrugged out of the shirt, struggling with the buttons on the cuffs, but he managed to release them.
Swallowing hard, she took the shirt and tie from him and put them aside, nning to hang them up so they didn¡¯t wrinkle even more. He¡¯d need them to wear home in the morning.
Despite herself, she couldn¡¯t help but stare at his naked chest. It had been yearssince they were kids swimming together in his family¡¯s pool, and the man in front of her now was a far cry from the boy he¡¯d been.
How could she look at him and not drool? ¡°Do you want to wash up before you settle in for the night?¡± she asked in a husky voice.
She reached out a hand to help him to his feet, and without warning, he pulled her forward. She tumbled, twisting herself so shendedon top of his hard body.
¡°Linc, what are you doing?¡± She lifted herself up, intending to climb off him when a firm arm around her back locked her in ce.
¡°I need you,¡± he said, his voice full of longing.
His words took her off guard. Heart pounding, she looked up, and his gaze, hazy with alcohol but no lesspelling, met hers. Everything inside her twisted with need. Need for this man andeverything he was.
¡°Kiss me, Jordan.¡±
A moan escaped her throat because she wanted desperately to press her lips to his. She stilled, her heart debating with her mind.
Just as she decided to make light of the moment, to treat it as a joke, he cupped the back of her head, and with a little pressure from his hand, her mouth met his. Sparks flew through her body, the warmth and feel of him utterperfection. She sighed, wanting to get closer, and in response, his tongue pushed past her lips and curled around hers.
Unable to stop herself, she slid her hands into his hair and deepened the kiss. His breath tasted malty from alcohol, but nothing mattered except the feel of him devouring her mouth. His other hand slipped beneath the back of her shirt, hisrge, warm palm covering her skin.Her nipples grew tight, and she rubbed herself against him, enjoying their closeness.
The sound of her phone ringing prated her consciousness, popping the desire-filled bubble she¡¯d been in, and brought her out of her fantasy moment. Reality came crashing in, and the reality was, Linc would never cross this line sober. She shouldn¡¯t have crossed it at all.
Ignoring the call, she pushed herselfup, breaking their connection. With a groan, he met her gaze. ¡°I¡¯m not sorry,¡± he said.
But he would be in the morning. If he even remembered the kiss. She shook her head, knowing she would never forget.
She stepped to the other end of the sofa, picked up the nket, and as she draped it over him, a light snore escaped his parted lips.
She gently tucked the knitted covering around him, andbecause he was sleeping, she leaned down and pressed her lips to his forehead, closing her eyes and savoring his warmth and masculine scent.
Then, with onest nce at the man on her couch, she picked up his clothes and headed to her room alone.
Just One Night: Chapter 2
Sunlight streamed througha window, waking Linc. With a groan, he rolled over and nearly fell off what he quickly realized was a couch. Opening his eyes slowly, he took in his surroundings. Jordan¡¯s living room, he thought, and the events ofst night came back to him in too vivid detail considering how shitty he felt after overindulging¡ªtalking to Xander about their newfound sister,drinking too much, and ending up here.
Not a surprise. Jordan would always take care of him, and she had, as helping him undress and covering him with a nket so he could sleep had proved.
He was grateful to have her in his life.
Kiss me, Jordan.His words came back to him, floating through his brain. He closed his eyes and recalled gripping the back of her head, pulling her toward him, andkissing her.
He let out a groan. This was why he didn¡¯t like to drink. Any loss of control unnerved him, andst night it¡¯d led him to break his most meaningful vow. But the taste of her had been sheer heaven. And despite his drunken state, he remembered how right she¡¯d felt on top of him, her feminine curves pressing into his harder body, and her sensual scent surrounding him.
He lowered hishand and pushed his palm against his aching cock. No way would he embarrass her this morning. Not when he had to apologize for his behaviorst night. Thest thing he wanted was to lose the woman he leaned on in so many ways.
He pushed himself to his feet and looked around for his shirt. Not finding it, he folded the nket and set it on the couch before hitting the bathroom. He took careof business, washed up, rummaged through her cabs, and even found a new toothbrush to use.
From there, he headed to the kitchen and made himself a cup of coffee in her Keurig, and when he heard the sound of her walking to the bathroom, he prepared a mug for her, too. He added some almond milk and sugar the way she liked it and waited.
After a few minutes, she joined him in the kitchen. Hisgaze fell to her soft cotton sweats and a tank top in a buttery yellow. The material clung to her curves, the outline of her breasts and her perky nipples a sight he forced himself to look away from. For safety¡¯s sake, he turned toward the counter to hide the evidence of his thickening arousal.
¡°How are you feeling this morning?¡± she asked over a yawn.
¡°Not too bad. I borrowed a toothbrush.¡±He picked up the coffee he¡¯d made and turned to hand it to her.
¡°You mean you took a toothbrush. No such thing as borrowing one,¡± she said, her gaze not meeting his.
Shit.
She epted the mug and breathed in the smell. ¡°Mmm. Thank you.¡±
¡°It was the least I could do. Want to sit?¡± He tipped his head toward the small kitchen table nearby.
She nodded and walked ahead of him, giving him a differentview, this one of her ass jiggling in the sweats. He tipped his head and prayed for strength, then joined her at the table, pulling out a chair and straddling it so he could face her. Even makeup free, she was beautiful.
¡°Last night you wanted to discuss what to do with the news about your sister,¡± she said, both hands wrapped around the mug as she took a sip. ¡°I suggested we wait until thismorning when you were more coherent. Do you want to talk it through now?¡±
He knew she was directing the conversation so they didn¡¯t have to discussthem. He ced his cup on the table and forced himself to look at her. ¡°Aboutst night. I shouldn¡¯t have kissed you.¡±
The more he reyed the moment, the more he felt like the man he despised and had promised himself he¡¯d never be like. How manywomen had his father pushed himself on? Women who worked for him and deserved respect?
She hesitated before answering. ¡°You were drunk and I wasn¡¯t. I shouldn¡¯t have let things happen between us.¡±
He shook his head, refusing to allow her to shoulder the me. ¡°I started it and I¡¯m sorry.¡± Sorry he¡¯d put her in an ufortable position. But he couldn¡¯t regret the kiss, because now he had thememory of it to hold on to.
¡°Don¡¯t give it another thought,¡± she said tightly.
He couldn¡¯t read her expression, wondered if he¡¯d somehow hurt her feelings, and searched for something to say to ease things between them.
¡°Are you hungry?¡± she asked. ¡°I can make an omelet?¡±
He shook his head. ¡°Not yet.¡± His stomach wasn¡¯t ready for food. ¡°But thanks.¡±
¡°So¡ about your sister,¡± she began.
Assubject changes went, it was the right one, and he drew a deep breath. ¡°I want to meet her.¡± He made the sudden decision. ¡°In fact, I want to talk to Xander, Dash, and Chloe, and then I want to give her the inheritance she deserves. And if she agrees, I want to bring her home with me.¡±
Jordan blinked, obviously surprised. ¡°I thought you were worried that, by meeting you and seeing everythingyou have, Aurora would discover and resent everything she¡¯d missed out on growing up.¡±
¡°I was. I am. But I have the power to change the rest of her life for the better, and I intend to.¡±
A slow smile lifted Jordan¡¯s lips. ¡°That¡¯s the Linc I know. Okay, so what¡¯s the n?¡± she asked.
¡°We¡¯re going to Florida to meet my sister.¡±
¡°We?¡± she asked, her voice rising.
He nodded. ¡°You always havemy back and I have yours. And this isn¡¯t something I want to face alone.¡±
She cupped her hands around the coffee mug again, lifted it, and took a sip, obviously stalling while she thought about his request. ¡°What about taking Chloe? You know she¡¯s upset and would want toe with you.¡±
Considering he had no idea how Aurora would treat them, he didn¡¯t want to put his sister in an awkward positionuntil he was sure of their wee. ¡°I want to protect Chloe. Once we know how Aurora feels about us, I¡¯ll let them meet.¡±
Jordan¡¯s expression softened but she didn¡¯t reply immediately.
¡°Are you really going to make me beg?¡± he asked in a teasing voice he knew would get to her. ¡°Because I will. I want you by my side when I meet my new sister.¡±
She rose from her seat. ¡°Are you finished withthe coffee?¡±
He nodded and she scooped up the mug.
¡°How long are we going for?¡± she asked, and he released the breath he¡¯d been holding. At least she wasn¡¯t going to let his actionsst night get between them going forward.
¡°For as long as it takes to convince Aurora she has family who want her.¡± He paused. ¡°Jordan?¡±
¡°Yes?¡±
¡°You¡¯re reallying?¡±
Her gaze locked with his. ¡°Have I evernot been there when you need me?¡±
¡°No. You¡¯re my rock.¡± Though he¡¯d been given a taste of her, he still wasn¡¯t about to lose her or screw up their rtionship by mixing sex into the equation. No matter how much he wished he could.
***
After leaving Jordan¡¯s,Linc headed home to shower and clean up before going to see his mother. Since there¡¯d been no way to adequately prepare herfor the news about his father¡¯s bastard daughter, he¡¯d just called and told her he wanted toe for a visit. His mom lived an hour from the city on what his father had liked to call the Kingston Estate, a pompous way of describing the family home in Brookeville, set on four acres ofnd.
Of course, his dad had kept an apartment in the city he¡¯d used as a ce to sleep when he workedteor, as Linc presumed, a way to sleep with his mistresses without his wife finding out. Wanting nothing to do with his father¡¯s illicit love nest, Linc had put the apartment on the market within a week of the man¡¯s death.
As he neared the exit on the highway, his phone rang, and he took the call on speakerphone. ¡°Hello?¡±
¡°Hi,¡± his sister Chloe said.
¡°Hey. How are you?¡± Although she worked withhim, doing the decorating and staging of the model apartments in the buildings they bought and rented out, he didn¡¯t think she was calling to talk about business.
A heavy sigh echoed across the line. ¡°I¡¯m okay, I guess. Still processing,¡± she said.
¡°Aren¡¯t we all?¡± Memories of how he¡¯d shown up at Jordan¡¯s drunkst night came back to him, not that they were ever far from his mind this morning.
The exit came into view and he flipped on the signal.
¡°Where are you?¡± Chloe asked.
¡°Going to break the news to Mom,¡± he said, turning off the exit.
¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me? I¡¯d have gone with you.¡± Chloe sounded put out.
He gripped the leather steering wheel of his Range Rover. ¡°Because it¡¯s going to be upsetting and I thought I¡¯d spare you.¡±
A frustrated sound came through the speaker.¡°Linc! You don¡¯t need to protect me! I¡¯m a grown woman. I¡¯m getting married soon, remember?¡±
He winced. He didn¡¯t need the reminder of her engagement to the asshole she¡¯d been dating. There was something he disliked about the man. Everything, really. Not to mention, a guy who couldn¡¯t give another male a strong handshake was weak, and his sister deserved better.
At thirty-two, Linc was the oldestof the siblings. Then came Xander at twenty-nine, Dash at twenty-seven, and Chloe, the youngest, was twenty-five. Despite his parents¡¯ fractured marriage and his father¡¯s behavior, clearly they¡¯d had no problem in one area of their lives. Something Linc did not want to think about.
But because of Keh¡¯s disinterest in the children he¡¯d sired, Linc had always felt like it was his job to lookafter his siblings.
He shifted his attention back to his sister. ¡°You were upset about the news, and I didn¡¯t think you needed to see Mom¡¯s reaction. Are we still on for tonight?¡± he asked, changing the subject.
¡°Yes. I¡¯ll see you at eight,¡± she said.
He¡¯d asked Chloe, Dash, and Xander to meet him at his apartment to discuss Aurora and her ce in the family. Dash would go along with whateverthey wanted. Their rock star brother was always chill, and Linc didn¡¯t sense he¡¯d get an argument from Xander. Chloe definitely wouldn¡¯t mind making sure their new sister was provided for.
His phone beeped, indicating another call was on the line. ¡°Gotta take this, Chloe. See youter.¡± He disconnected and switched over, talking to a business associate for the rest of the ride to his mother¡¯s.
He had a huge deal pending to buy property on Central Park South and develop an exclusive collection of tower condominium residences he hoped would be one of the most exclusive in the city. The project was Linc¡¯s pride and joy, and nothing would stand in the way.
The ountants were going over the properties his father had been involved with, and Linc expected a summary soon. His old man hadalways been a wild card, doing his own thing and not giving Linc a heads-up on his ns. As a result, the man¡¯s death had left Linc with a lot of unknowns and dangling projects he needed to consolidate. His n was to ce Keh¡¯s deals under Linc¡¯s umbre. Once he had a grasp on everything, then he could assign deals to their managing directors.
He pulled up to the house and stopped thecar in front of the gate, punching the code into the keypad. Therge metal enclosure opened slowly, an annoyance, as always. But with his mother alone in the house but for the help, Linc appreciated the security the gate provided.
He pulled around the circr drive, parking in front. Then, steeling himself, he climbed out of the SUV and strode to the front door.
To his surprise, his motheranswered in person instead of hertest housekeeper. Her dark hair pulled back with a clip on one side, her face made up as always, she looked well. Although she was mourning her husband¡¯s death, they hadn¡¯t been close nor had they slept in the same bedroom for years. Linc doubted she was truly devastated over his sudden death.
¡°Linc!¡± She pulled him into a hug, the scent of her familiar perfumewashing over him.
¡°Hi, Mom.¡± He stepped back and walked inside.
She shut the door behind him and, once in the marble-floored entryway, waited for her to direct him to whichever room she wanted to go.
¡°Let¡¯s sit in the study,¡± she said. ¡°Come.¡± She led him to the roomprised of floor-to-ceiling dark wood bookshelves, adder against one wall for show, although he supposed the housekeeperdid have to climb it in order to dust the volumes of books.
His mother sat on the delicate sofa with a dark floral pattern, and he settled in beside her.
¡°So what brings you by? I love to see you, but I could tell from your tone of voice you have something on your mind.¡±
He groaned and ran a hand through his hair. ¡°I do. But before I forget to tell you, I¡¯m going out of town tomorrow. If youneed anything, Xander and Chloe are here.¡±
¡°Oh? Business?¡± she asked.
¡°No. It¡¯s personal.¡± Dammit, this was hard. Harder than he¡¯d thought it would be. He decided toy things out the way he¡¯d discovered them.
¡°I was going through Dad¡¯s papers and found checks he¡¯d written monthly for thest neen years.¡±
Her gaze flew to his. ¡°Go on.¡±
There was no good way to say it. ¡°Dad had a childwith a woman named Tiffany Michaels.¡±
She gasped and raised her hands to cover her open mouth. ¡°She was his secretary,¡± his mother said atst, lowering her hand. ¡°Okay, okay. I can handle this. I shouldn¡¯t be surprised, after all. I knew he was having affairs.¡± She pulled in a deep breath and let it out slowly.
¡°There¡¯s more,¡± Linc said. ¡°So I¡¯m just going to tell you. Dad sent money to Tiffany,but a few years after she had the baby, she gave the child to her mother to raise. Unfortunately, her mother passed away, and the little girl ended up in foster care.¡±
Silence followed his pronouncement, so he continued. ¡°She¡¯s in Florida. Miami Beach, to be exact, and I¡¯m going to meet her.¡±
His mother twisted her hands in herp. ¡°Foster care. Did your father know?¡±
¡°ording to the privateinvestigator who tracked down her mother, he did.¡± As always, nausea filled him at the thought.
¡°And they both left her there?¡± she asked, horrified.
He nodded, d his mother was upset on Aurora¡¯s behalf.
She pressed her hands on her thighs and rose to her feet. ¡°That¡¯s awful. Is she okay? The girl?¡±
¡°Her name is Aurora,¡± he said. ¡°And I don¡¯t know. I instructed the PI not to talk to herdirectly. I needed to think about how to handle things before doing something rash.¡±
¡°Like going to meet her?¡± His mother, who¡¯d been pacing, turned to face him. ¡°You¡¯re nning on meeting with a young girl you know nothing about. What if she finds out she¡¯s from a wealthy family and decides she wants something from you?¡±
Linc stood to face his mother. ¡°Well, I already considered the possibility,and I n to preempt her asking by giving her what she deserves.¡±
She gasped. ¡°You can¡¯t! You don¡¯t know this girl!¡±
¡°I know she¡¯s my half-sister. I know because Dad would never have paid monthly to keep her a secret if otherwise. I also know she grew up in apletely tragic way considering her father had enough money to take care of her. And even when he discovered she¡¯d never seen a dimeand had been in the system, he didn¡¯t give a damn. Someone in this family has to make up for what Dad did, and I intend to be the person who helps her.¡±
His mother folded her arms across her chest and sighed. ¡°You¡¯re right. I just¡¡± She shook her head. ¡°I know he was your father, but I hate that bastard.¡±
Stepping close, he wrapped an arm around her and hugged her against him. ¡°I know. And forgood reason. But are you going to punish a young girl for his transgressions?¡±
He knew his mother better than she knew herself. Her initial response had been in frustrated anger at herte husband. Not Aurora.
¡°So you¡¯re okay with all this? Because I¡¯m talking to Xander, Dash, and Chloe tonight and leaving first thing in the morning.¡±
She nodded and stepped away, straightening her shoulders.¡°I agree. You¡¯re a good man and I¡¯m proud of you, Linc.¡± She touched his cheek with her hand. ¡°Call me and let me know how it goes.¡±
¡°I will, Mom. Thanks.¡± He let out a relieved breath. He wasn¡¯t worried about his siblings, especially since their mother was now on board with him bringing Aurora home and making sure she had the money she needed to start the life she should always have had.
Hesaid goodbye and settled back in his car, pulling out his phone, which had buzzed in his pocket a few times while he was with his mother.
Texts were waiting for him.
Jordan:Private ne booked. Flight n filed. Takeoff at seven a.m.
Jordan:Sanctuary Suite booked at W Hotel in South Beach. I still think it¡¯s unnecessary. Scale down and I¡¯ll stay in a regr room.
Jordan:I booked us fora week. Can always extend.
Jordan:Rental car taken care of as well.
He grinned at her professional perfection and typed back.
Linc:Check on the ne. No dice on scaling down. You¡¯ll stay in the suite¡¯s extra room. My driver will pick you up for the ride to the airport. Don¡¯t mention the wordsUberortaxi.
Jordan:Fine.
Linc:That¡¯s no way totalk to your boss.
Jordan:No, but it¡¯s how I talk to my best friend. Later. I have work to do.
With a smile still on his face, he headed back to the office to go over paperwork on the Central Park deal.
***
Jordan packed abag, not worrying about stuffing everything in a carry-on. If Linc was going to take the corporate jet, she could bring a big bag if she wanted to. Though she¡¯dbeen with Linc on the ne before when they traveled for business, she¡¯d never gotten used to the luxury.
She zipped her suitcase and set it by the front door, then she grabbed her favorite zer and slipped it on. Her cell rang, the screen shing the concierge number downstairs. She picked up and asked the morning person manning the desk to tell Linc¡¯s driver she¡¯d be right down.
She lockedup her apartment and headed downstairs to find the driver standing by the open car door.
¡°Hi, Max,¡± she said.
¡°Good morning, Ms. Greene.¡± He inclined his head, his silvery gray hair slicked back with gel. He¡¯d been working for the Kingston family for as long as she could remember. ¡°Nice day for a flight,¡± he said.
The sun shone above them and clear skies meant no turbulence. ¡°Yes, and I¡¯m grateful.¡±
He took the handle to her luggage and walked around the back of the town car to put the suitcase in the trunk as she climbed into the back seat, where Linc waited. In no time, Max had settled in the front, and they were off to the airport.
¡°Good morning, sunshine.¡± Linc faced her, eyes covered in aviators that only added to his sex appeal.
Since their kiss, she couldn¡¯t deny her attraction tohim was stronger than ever. ¡°Good morning.¡±
She took in his white dress shirt, standard wear for him, but today his sleeves were rolled up, revealing his muscr forearms. Thanks to a dedicated workout schedule, he was well-built and solid.
And the scent of his woodsy cologne? Oh, she liked how good he smelled. In fact, she wanted to bury her face in his neck and savor him up close and personal.Again.
She swallowed hard and ignored her body¡¯s reaction, happy her light zer covered her now perky nipples.
¡°I¡¯m dying for a cup of coffee,¡± she said, smiling as if everything were normal. Before she¡¯d kissed him, she¡¯d put these thoughts so far into the back of her mind they hadn¡¯t impacted her daily.
Now though, every time she saw Linc, something about him turned her on.
¡°We can getsome coffee on the ne.¡±
Coffee. Right. She forced her mind back to the mundane and nodded. ¡°I would have had a cup this morning, but I was runningte.¡±
¡°That¡¯s not like you,¡± he said, looking at her with concern in his eyes.
She shrugged. ¡°I didn¡¯t know what to pack.¡±
Because she was staying in the suite with Linc. First she went back and forth over what nightclothes to put in the suitcase,and then she couldn¡¯t decide if she needed a nice dress. Were they going anywhere, or did he n to hang out with his sister? In the end, Jordan had packed everything she could think of.
He chuckled. ¡°Now you sound like Chloe.¡±
¡°Are you saying indecision is a female thing?¡± she challenged him, because she was hungry, uncaffeinated, and irritated with herself for the sudden attraction she feltfor her best friend.
He held up his hands. ¡°Whoa. I¡¯m kidding.¡±
¡°Sorry. I think I just need a nap on the ne.¡± She was about to lean back and close her eyes when her cell rang. A nce at the screen showedMom, and she let out a groan.
¡°Something wrong?¡± Linc nced over as she sent the call to voicemail.
¡°No, it¡¯s my mother and I don¡¯t want to take the call.¡± She stuffed her phone backinto her purse.
He raised an eyebrow and then it obviously dawned on him. ¡°She¡¯s not happy we¡¯re going out of town together,¡± he guessed.
Jordan sighed. ¡°That would be an understatement.¡± Although she and her mom had a great rtionship, the one thing they disagreed about was her rtionship with Linc.
¡°And she hates our close friendship.¡±
¡°Also an understatement,¡± she muttered.
¡°And yourfather? How does he feel about our friendship?¡± Linc asked.
She sighed. ¡°At least he doesn¡¯t concern himself with things that aren¡¯t his business. To him, I have a great job and a good life, and those things make him happy.¡±
Her dad, Patrick, was an electrician who¡¯d worked for the samepany for years until he opened his own business. He had job security and he was happy. He let his wiferamble about her feelings, but he didn¡¯t take sides.
¡°As for my mother, don¡¯t get me wrong, she thinks you¡¯re a great guy. She also thinks about things like station in life.¡± With a shrug, she said, ¡°Me working for you makes sense to her. Our friendship? Not so much.¡±
He winced. ¡°God, she reminds me of my father. At least in how she thinks money defines people. But it only matters what we think.And I know you¡¯re good for me.¡±
Reaching out, he grasped her hand and held it tight, something he often did. Touching her hand, her back. All things she¡¯d never allowed herself to notice before.
She smiled at him. ¡°You¡¯re good for me, too. Now let¡¯s not discuss our parents¡¯ old-fashioned views.¡± Even if they made some sense to her, too. ¡°Let¡¯s talk about your ns for once we arrive in Florida.¡±
He began tapping his foot against the floor of the car. ¡°I want to go to the offices of Dare Nation.¡± Before she could ask about the office or why he¡¯d want to go there, he exined.
¡°When I first found out about the paychecks, I hired a PI. He found Tiffany Michaels, the woman my father had been paying. She told him her daughter had gone to foster care after her mother died. Tiffany didn¡¯tknow anything more,¡± he said, his disgust obvious in his tone. ¡°And after Aurora aged out of the system, any record of her disappeared. Then suddenly, out of nowhere, they got a hit on her name, a paycheck she cashed working for a ce called Dare Nation.¡±
While he¡¯d been talking, Jordan Googled Dare Nation on her phone. ¡°A sports agency?¡±N?velDrama.Org is the owner.
Linc nodded. ¡°Owned and run by Austin Prescott. Heused to be a pro football yer. I had the PI do some digging, and it turns out Aurora has been staying with a woman who is close to another Prescott brother and the rest of the family. So if I want to find out about my sister, I need to start with Austin Prescott, Aurora¡¯s boss.¡±
Jordan nodded in understanding.
¡°I made an appointment to see him. I don¡¯t want to spring myself on Aurora, soI¡¯ll start with Prescott and see what he can tell me about my sister.¡±
The car stopped at a gate for Max to talk to a security guard. Linc handed over his ID and Jordan did the same, a necessity at Teterboro, the main private jet airport for New York City. The airport itself was located in New Jersey.
¡°We¡¯ve arrived,¡± Max said as the car came to a stop in front of the main building.
¡°Thanks,Max,¡± Jordan said.
¡°Thank you.¡± Linc climbed out of the car and helped her out as Max pulled their luggage from the trunk.
They checked in at the desk inside and headed immediately out to the tarmac to board their jet.
Jordan didn¡¯t know what awaited Linc when they reached Florida, but she was d to be by his side when he found out.
Just One Night: Chapter 3
Linc braced himselfas he and Jordan pulled into the parking lot of Dare Nation in the Ford Mustang convertible Jordan had rented for them. He appreciated both her practical and fun sides and enjoyed the convertible in the warmth of Miami. It was a nice change from New York, which still had cooler temperatures.
Jordan had enjoyed it as well, her face tipped up to the sun and thewind as they drove. Having her by his side calmed him, but the closer he¡¯de to their destination, the more rattled his nerves.
He turned off the engine and faced Jordan. ¡°Ready?¡±
She treated him to a reassuring smile. ¡°Whenever you are.¡±
Drawing a deep breath, he nodded and stepped out of the car, walking around to her door and helping her out.
A few minutester, they were led to a deskwhere a beautiful woman with ck hair and red lipstick sat.
¡°Can I help you?¡± she asked, looking from him to Jordan.
¡°We have an appointment with Austin Prescott,¡± Linc said.
¡°Mr. Kingston?¡±
He nodded. ¡°And this is Jordan Greene, my personal assistant.¡±
¡°Hello,¡± Jordan said.
The woman smiled. ¡°I¡¯m Quinn Stone. It¡¯s nice to meet you both.¡± She picked up the phone beside her on the deskand tapped one button. ¡°Austin? Mr. Kingston is here to see you along with his assistant, Jordan Greene.¡± She listened and hung up, ncing at them. ¡°You can go right in.¡±
Linc gestured for Jordan to precede him and stepped forward, opening the door to the office behind the desk. They walked inside, and a tall, muscr man who¡¯d obviously once been an NFL yer, a wide receiver for the MiamiThunder, greeted them.
¡°Mr. Kingston, Ms. Greene. Wee.¡±
¡°Please, call me Linc.¡± They shook hands and Jordan did the same.
¡°Have a seat. Can I get either of you a drink?¡± He indicated the bar in the corner of the room.
Jordan shook her head. ¡°No, thank you.¡±
¡°I¡¯m good, thanks,¡± Linc said.
¡°Before you tell me why you¡¯re here, I have a question.¡± Austin spoke as he strode around his desk.¡°I have a cousin in Florida who is married to Grey Kingston. He used to be the lead guitarist for the band Tangled Royal. Now he¡¯s more of a songwriter. Any rtion?¡±
Linc shook his head andughed. ¡°No, but my brother is Dash Kingston, also a musician, so we¡¯re asked that a lot. Mere coincidence.¡±
Austin nodded. ¡°Just curious. Now let¡¯s take a seat and you can tell me why you¡¯re here. Helowered himself into his chair. ¡°I have to admit when I heard you wanted to see me, I was intrigued. I¡¯m aware of you¡ well, your familypany by reputation.¡±
In other words, he¡¯d taken the appointment due to Linc¡¯s name. He could live with that.
Once he and Jordan were settled in chairs across from Austin, he replied. ¡°I came to talk to you about someone who works here. Aurora Michaels.¡±
¡°What about her?¡± Austin asked. He didn¡¯t flinch or otherwise react, which told Linc what a good negotiator the man must be.
Linc hated discussing personal issues with anyone, let alone strangers, and he resented having toy out his family skeletons to this man. ¡°I¡¯d really rather tell Aurora myself.¡±
¡°Yet you came to me first, not her. Why?¡± Austin pinned him with a direct re.
Linc satup straighter in his seat. ¡°Because I¡¯d rather not shock her with news until I learn more about her. I already know she has a rtionship with your family, which is why I¡¯m here talking to you.¡±
Austin nodded. Picking up a pen, he rolled it between his palms. ¡°My family is very protective of her, so you¡¯re going to have to be more specific about what you want.¡±
Linc gripped the arms of hischair. ¡°You do realize I could walk out this door and call out her name to find her?¡± he asked, annoyed at being stonewalled.
Jordan put a brief calming hand on his arm, and he forced himself to rx and think. He wanted answers and this man had them. If he was to learn about his sister before meeting her, he had no choice but to open up.
¡°Fine. I recently discovered Aurora is my half-sistercourtesy of my father.¡±
This time Austin didn¡¯t hide his shock. ¡°She grew up in foster care and you¡¯re just here now? Where was your parent all these years?¡±
¡°My father was a bastard,¡± Linc said. And he proceeded to fill Austin in on everything from finding the checks, the surprise bank ount, to ultimately tracking down Aurora¡¯s mother and then Aurora herself. He had no choice.
The wholetime he spoke, Austin rolled his pen, and Jordan subtly slipped her hand back onto Linc¡¯s arm. Though he could handle Austin, having her here gave him peace and the strength to dig in to his ugly family truths.
¡°Jesus,¡± Austin said when Linc had finished his story. ¡°A bastard is right. And Aurora¡¯s mother? What kind of human being abandons her child?¡±
Linc swallowed hard. ¡°My thoughts exactly,which is why I want to fix things.¡±
¡°So you¡¯re here to meet your sister?¡± Austin asked.
Linc nodded. ¡°Is Aurora here now?¡± Anticipation built inside him at the prospect of seeing her.
Austin met his gaze. ¡°She¡¯s out to lunch with my sister, Brianne.¡±
Linc was disappointed. ¡°I see.¡±
¡°My brother Braden and his friend Willow have basically taken Aurora in. Made her part of the family. She meansa lot to us.¡±
¡°I¡¯m d she found good people to help her after the way she grew up, and I appreciate everything you¡¯ve done for her. But I want to do the same thing. Make her a part of our family and bring her home to New York.¡± To make her feel wee.
¡°And I want to check out your story before we drop this bomb on her.¡±
Linc ground his teeth in annoyance. ¡°I flew down here to meet her.Now you¡¯re asking me to wait? It¡¯s not like she¡¯syoursister. What gives you the right to make decisions for her?¡± He rose up from his seat, and Jordan stood, grabbing his arm.
¡°Linc, you know you¡¯d do the same thing if Austin showed up in New York iming someone you cared about was his long-lost sister.¡±
The soothing sound of her voice along with the sweet aroma of her floral scent actedas a balm, and the tension riding him eased. Her words calmed him and allowed him to think clearly, and dammit, she was right.
¡°Fine. We¡¯re staying at the W Hotel. Your assistant has my number.¡±
¡°I¡¯ll be in touch.¡± Austin stood and walked them to the door.
Linc waited until they were outside in the parking lot before letting his temper go. ¡°Who does he think he is?¡± He clenched his hands intotight fists at his sides, wishing he¡¯d given in to the impulse to take a swing at Austin Prescott with his arrogantI know bestattitude.
Jordan smiled and shook her head, and all the anger seeped out of him.
¡°You¡¯re right.¡± He gave in to her knowing grin. ¡°I would do the same thing if the situation were reversed.¡± He pulled the car keys out of his pocket. ¡°I just don¡¯t have to like it.¡± Hepressed the button on the key fob and opened the passenger door, waiting as she slid in.
Resting a hand on the top of the windshield, he leaned down. ¡°I¡¯m very d you came with me.¡±
She tipped her face toward his, her pert nose with freckles wrinkling as she looked up at him, the sun on her skin. ¡°You know I always have your back.¡±
Just as he¡¯d always had hers. So if he needed her now, shewould be there.
No questions asked.
***
After leaving DareNation, Jordan let Linc brood on the way to the hotel. He needed to get his frustration with Austin Prescott out of his system, and she hoped the convertible ride to the hotel cleared his head. They had time to kill while they waited to hear from Austin, and she refused to let Linc spend all his time making business callsand working. Not when the sun shone outside and they were right near the beach.
They checked in and headed up to their suite. As she stepped inside, the nine-foot ceilings and ss balcony with a view of the ocean struck her first, along with the teal and white d¨¦cor. Arge television was mounted on the wall, and she knew there were two bedrooms, one with a king-size bed, the other with aqueen.
¡°This is gorgeous,¡± she said, walking to the windows and looking at the white sand and blue water.
¡°It is.¡±
A knock sounded on the door, and Linc let the man with the luggage inside. He set their bags in their respective rooms, not without an argument about Linc wanting her to take the king and her insisting she was fine with the smaller bed. Linc tipped the man, and he left them alone.
¡°Do you want to take a walk?¡± she asked, hoping to keep Linc distracted.
He nodded. ¡°Sounds great. Let¡¯s change and getfortable.¡±
A little whileter, they were strolling on the sidewalk. She took in the shops. High-end clothing boutiques, trinket stores, and food ces lined the street. Her sundress and t sandals werefortable, and her hair lifted off her back and shoulders fromthe light breeze.
Linc walked beside her, sexy as always in his sunsses and a pair of khaki cargo shorts paired with a light blue cored tee shirt.
¡°I love the seasons in New York, but I can¡¯t say this sucks,¡± she said, ncing up at him.
¡°Far from it.¡± He grinned and she knew he¡¯d finally unwound.
They walked another few blocks in silence and he spoke again. ¡°You know, when I was tellingAustin about my father, I had this thought. I didn¡¯t always hate the man. When I was younger, I actually looked up to him.¡±
¡°I think that¡¯s normal,¡± she mused. ¡°Most little kids idolize their parents, and then they be human beings, with ws and imperfections. Just like us. And we decide whether any of those traits are things we can¡¯t ept.¡±
¡°Makes sense. I drew a hard line at cheating.Hurting my mother. I thought those were the worst things Dad could do until he died and I found out he was a man with a secret he never should have kept.¡±
She nodded. ¡°And you¡¯ll never be able to ask him why.¡±
¡°It¡¯s more like I can never ask himhow. How could he abandon his own child?¡± He let out a disgusted grunt and they kept walking.
A gto store was on the corner and she stopped. ¡°Wantto get ice cream?¡± At the thought, her stomach growled.
¡°Love some. Come on.¡± He held open the door and walked to the counter.
After ordering cones, a mint chocte chip for him and a chocte cookie dough for her, they headed outside and were lucky enough to score a small table with two chairs.
They settled in, and she licked the cone, closing her eyes and moaning at the delicious taste.¡°God, I love ice cream.¡± She darted her tongue out and slid it over her upper lip to capture the remains.
A low rumble sounded in Linc¡¯s throat, and their eyes locked in awareness. Those blue eyes darkened, taking her off guard. He¡¯d never looked at her with sensual awareness before. She didn¡¯t count his cloudy drunken gaze. His intense stare focused on her lips, and her body responded, her nipplespuckering, and arousal trickled through her veins. Considering her tight dress, he couldn¡¯t miss her reaction, and she had no way to hide the evidence.
His eyes slid downward, zeroing in on her chest. Mortified, her cheeks burned, and she took a deliberate bite of the cone to distract herself.
An intense, sharp pain shot to her forehead, and she squeezed her eyes shut tight. ¡°Brain freeze!¡±she cried, her hands pressing hard against her temple, poking herself where the stabbing continued.
He pulled his chair over to hers. ¡°Are you okay?¡±
She nced at him through slitted eyes. ¡°It hurts.¡± Since she was a migraine person to begin with, brain freeze was ridiculously painful and sometimes didn¡¯t subside as quickly as it did for other people.
He took the cone from her hand and cedit in the extra cup the girl behind the counter had provided, doing the same with his.
Concern on his face, he held out a hand. ¡°Come here.¡± He pulled her against him, and she rested her head against his shoulder, closing her eyes as she waited for the pain to subside. He pressed his fingers gently into her forehead, massaging the aching spot.
She drew a deep breath and inhaled his familiarand arousing woodsy scent, allowing herself to rx into him.
¡°Better?¡± His arm tightened around her.
She nodded, forcing herself to sit up and slide her chair away from his. ¡°I am. Thanks.¡± She blew out a long breath, ignoring the residual pain.
¡°Do you want any more?¡± he asked.
She looked at the cone melting into the cup and shook her head. ¡°No.¡± After the unexpected searing pain, she waswary of eating more. She felt guilty about the wasted dessert but knew she wasn¡¯t going to risk a real migraine by putting something cold into her mouth.
He rose to his feet and scooped up the uneaten treats, tossing them in the nearby trash. ¡°Come on. Let¡¯s go back to the hotel. I have to make some calls and you can lie down for a little while. This isn¡¯t a business trip, and if I need anything,I can always let you know.¡±
She nodded. ¡°Sounds good.¡± She could use the break for her headache. The sharp pain had subsided but left a dull throb in its ce. And she also needed a breather and time alone, away from Linc and his heady presence.
***
Linc hung upfrom hisst call. A nce at his phone told him it was almost six p.m., and it had been a long day starting with theirearly flight to Florida.
While he worked, he¡¯d been constantly aware of Jordan¡¯s presence. She¡¯d disappeared into her room to unpack, then returned to sit outside on the terrace, wearing a bikini bathing suit as she walked past him. The scent of coconut sunscreen wafted behind her, leaving him in a painful state of arousal.
He¡¯d set up hisptop at the table by the sliding ss doors, takingadvantage of the ocean view. But instead of watching the waves, he¡¯d been distracted by Jordan¡¯s sexy curves.
She¡¯d surprised him by ordering them ate lunch, which he ate while on the phone, and she took hers to her lounge chair. She¡¯d remained outside for an hour, then came back in and said she nned to take a shower and lie down for a nap.
Only then had he been able to concentrate onbusiness.
He shut down hisptop and rose to his feet, stretching with a groan. He¡¯d wanted to crash early, but they needed to eat a decent meal. Mr. Chow was downstairs, and if Jordan was in the mood for Asian cuisine, they could eat in the hotel.
He walked to her room and knocked on the closed door. When she didn¡¯t answer, he let himself into the darkened room, the only lighting fromthe sheer drapes covering the sliding ss door leading to the terrace.
Shey on her side, her body covered by the white fluffy hotel robe, her long legs peeking out from beneath the hem. Her hair was damp and her lips slightly parted. He couldn¡¯t deny the emotional tug in his heart as he looked at her or the kick of desire rushing through him. None of which was appropriate for a man who valuedtheir rtionship above all else. But he was drawn to her in ways well beyond friendship.
He sat down on the edge of the bed and slid the back of his hand over her cheek. ¡°Hey, sleepyhead. Wake up.¡±
Her eyshes fluttered and her blue eyes met his. ¡°Hey,¡± she murmured. ¡°What time is it?¡±
¡°A little after six.¡±
¡°I guess I needed that nap.¡± She pushed herself up against the pillows behind her,and the sudden move shifted her robe. The tie had loosened in her sleep and the sides parted, revealing the swells of her breasts, creamy skin and full mounds he was dying to hold in his hands.
He cleared his throat and shifted in his seat to alleviate the pressure of his erection against the stiff material of his shorts. ¡°How¡¯s your head?¡± he asked in a gruff voice.
¡°Better, thanks.¡± She smiledand it reached her eyes, telling him she was okay.
¡°Good. Are you hungry? Because I was thinking we could go downstairs for dinner.¡± If he could stand without showing her his hard-on, he thought, swallowing a groan.
¡°I¡¯m starving,¡± she said.
So was he. Starving for her.
He met her gaze, unable to look away or break their connection. She stared back with what started as curiosity and turnedto something more the longer it went on. Desire now pulsed hot and heavy through his veins, and from the flush in her cheeks, she felt the same way.
This time they were both sober. And this time they wouldn¡¯t stop at a kiss.
¡°We really shouldn¡¯t,¡± she said into the heavy silence surrounding them. Her tongue darted out, sliding over her bottom lip, and he groaned.
¡°Probably not.¡± Still, he leanedcloser. The scent of the hotel shower gel, a different floral aroma than her usual fragrance, reached him and caused his dick to stiffen further.
Her eyes darkened, and she lifted a hand, cing it on his chest but not pushing him away. ¡°But I want to anyway,¡± she whispered.
He swallowed hard. ¡°So do I.¡± Regrets, recriminations, and putting things back together coulde after.
Never breakingeye contact, her hands went to her robe and she released the tie, letting the top gape open and giving him a full view of those breasts and peach-colored nipples he was dying to pull into his mouth.
¡°Take off the robe,¡± he said in a gruff voice he barely recognized.
¡°I guess that answers one question,¡± she said in a teasing voice. ¡°You¡¯re bossy in bed, too.¡± But she didn¡¯t hesitate to separatethe robe and reveal the rest of herpletely naked body.
He sucked in a shallow breath at the sight of her well-groomed pussy.
Then, she sat up and shrugged off the robe, pulling it out from beneath her and tossing it onto the floor. Shey back on the white bedding, her pale skin glowing and her dark hair falling, grazing her shoulders.
¡°Fuck, Jordan, you¡¯re gorgeous.¡±
Her eyes glitteredwith appreciation. ¡°Thank you. Now how long do I have to wait to see you?¡±
¡°Not long.¡± He undressed, aware of her watching him, her gaze taking in his body and zeroing in on his erect cock. Grasping himself, he pumped his hand up and down his shaft, doing his best to get hold of his desire.
¡°Linc,¡± she whispered, reaching out and swiping her fingers over the pree on the tip.
He jerked ather touch and dove onto the bed, pinning her onto the mattress with his body, his dick pressing against her belly. He consumed her mouth with his, sucking on her tongue and sweeping around inside. Her nails scored down his back, and his hips jerked at the good kind of pain.
He continued to kiss her, pausing to taste her. He trailed his lips over her cheek, nibbled along her jaw, and licked behindher ear until she was writhing and moaning beneath him, but he wasn¡¯t finished. Not yet.
Moving downward, he pulled one tight nipple into his mouth and teased her mercilessly, tugging on the tip and grazing it with his teeth. She gripped his head in her hands and yanked on the strands, so he soothed her with gentleps of his tongue before turning his attention to the neglected breast and givingit the same treatment. Tasting her was the answer to many of his dreams, and he still had more of her to indulge in.
Without giving her warning, he rolled off her and rose to his feet.
¡°What are you doing?¡± She sounded panicked at the thought of him stopping, and he chuckled, grasping her legs and pulling her to the end of the bed.
He lowered himself to his knees. ¡°I¡¯m gettingfortable,¡±he said, and spread her legs wide before settling himself between them. Then, dipping his head, he slid his tongue along her slit and was rewarded with her prolonged moan.
She tasted delicious, and he continued his assault, licking around her folds and teasing her everywhere but where she needed his touch the most. He held her open and dipped his tongue inside her, keeping her legs wide withhis hands. Her soft sighs and moans had him pulsing hard, dying to plunge into her and give them both relief.
But first he intended to make here.
Switching his focus to her clit, he sucked on the tiny bud, and she began writhing on the bed. Never alleviating the pressure, he slipped one finger inside her and began pumping it in and out, her slick walls coating him in her juices, her warmthsping around him.
¡°Oh, God.¡± She arched her back, her hips lifting against his mouth, and he inserted a second finger, thrusting faster, the pads of his fingers finding the sweet spot inside her.
He rubbed there and she detonated,ing apart, grinding herself against his face, calling his name.
***
Jordan struggled tocatch her breath as Linc eased up on the bed and helped herslide to the center of the mattress. Tremors still rippled through her, and from the heated look in his eyes, they weren¡¯t finished. Which was a good thing, because as hot as her orgasm had been, she still felt empty and needed him inside her.
He lifted himself over her, his erection hot and hard. Enticing. She spread her legs and he nudged against her. She was wet and he¡¯d slide in easily. Except¡ ¡°Condoms,¡± she said, meeting his gaze.
He stilled. ¡°Shit.¡± He dipped his head and groaned. ¡°I didn¡¯te here expecting to¡ expecting this.¡±
She swallowed hard. She couldn¡¯t believe they¡¯de this far, and she had a feeling they wouldn¡¯t be doing this again. If she let him go now, she¡¯d go home with a whole host of regrets and what-could-have-beens. She¡¯d lose the opportunity to experienceone time with Linc.
¡°I¡¯m not on birth control,¡± she said. ¡°It wasn¡¯t good with my migraines.¡±
¡°It wouldn¡¯t matter because I won¡¯t skip condoms. Not after what my father did.¡±
Getting his secretary pregnant. She got it. When she¡¯d be pregnant, she¡¯d been careless. She¡¯d been trying the pill, but she¡¯d had a migraine and skipped a day.
¡°Let me check my Dopp kit.¡± He climbed off the bed,and she watched him go, his firm ass a sight to behold.
When he returned, triumph lit his expression, and he held a foil packet between his fingers. ¡°Sess!¡±
She blew out a relieved breath.
He ripped open the older-looking wrapper, pulled out the condom, and rolled it over his still-solid erection.
Finally he came back, his cock poised at her entrance, and looking at his handsome face haddesire pulsing through her again.
¡°Ready?¡± he asked, a sexy grin on his face.
¡°God, yes.¡± She drew up her legs at the same time he thrust hard and deep, filling herpletely.
She groaned at the invasion, stars shing behind her eyelids as she took all of him and adjusted to his size. ¡°God, you feel good.¡±
She hadn¡¯t realized how much she needed him just like this. Pulsing inside her, andshe wanted to remember him after this was over. She needed him to take her hard. To make her his. At least this once.
¡°Fucking perfection,¡± he said, as he withdrew and slid back, testing her wetness.
¡°I¡¯m good,¡± she assured him. ¡°And I won¡¯t break.¡±
His eyes glittered with desire, and he treated her to a brief nod, a sensual smile, and then he began to take her in earnest, pounding into herin a way no man had ever done before.Original content from N?velDrama.Org.
She raised her hips, meeting him thrust for thrust, wrapping her legs around his waist, and letting him take control, something he was exceptionally good at doing. And he was so good at finding the right spot inside her. Nobody had ever made here this way. It always took work, more than most men were willing to put in.
Not Linc. Somehow he knew her bodyalready. His strong arms held his upper body as his hips did the work, thrusting into her, taking her, consuming her. With every plunge, his pubic bone ground into her clit and brought her higher and closer topletion. She shut her eyes and gave herself up to sensation. The feel of him overpowering her was heady.
She wasn¡¯t prepared when he slid his hand between their lower bodies and pressedhis finger against her clit. She gasped and cried out, shocking herself with the sound.
¡°Oh, God, Linc!¡±
¡°Yes,¡± he ground out. ¡°Again. I need to hear you say my name when youe.¡± The pad of his finger rubbed against her, and when she couldn¡¯t take another second, he thrust back in, hitting her G-spot and sending her soaring.
¡°Linc!¡± She shattered into a million pieces, glorious waves ofsensation overtaking her, her orgasm going on and on.
Above her, he pounded into her, seeking his own release, and when he came, he took her up and over once more.
Suddenly he stilled, the sound of his low, guttural groan bringing her back to herself as he copsed on top of her, his breathbored in her ear.
She wasn¡¯t sure how long he remained there, his big body covering hers while theyeach attempted to catch their breath. Finally he rolled off her, and she felt the loss as he pulled out, and suddenly reality came crashing back.
She¡¯d slept with Linc. Her boss. Her best friend. Her everything. She closed her eyes and tried to pull herself together, searching desperately for the best way to handle things between them now.
What could she say?Thanks for the best sex ever, noother man will everpete with how you made me feel, but this can never happen again?
She winced.
The thought of never experiencing such a sense of overwhelmingpleteness hit her hard, but what choice did she have? Nothing fundamental between them had changed. He was Linc Kingston, real estate mogul and a man of immense wealth and privilege, and she was his assistant.
She was also hisbest friend and he was hers, and she didn¡¯t want to lose their connection. He¡¯d never had a long-term, serious rtionship before. Not one he¡¯d mentioned, anyway.
He typically steered clear of entanglements, and if he ever married, Jordan wouldn¡¯t be the woman he chose. Her stomach cramped at the thought of their friendship changing because he found someone he loved, and she pushed aside thepainful possibility. With all those thoughts circling around and around in her brain, she was making herself dizzy with anxiety.
Beside her, he removed the condom, wrapped it in a tissue he¡¯d grabbed from the side of the bed, and ced it on the nightstand.
Way before she was ready to face him, he met her gaze.
¡°That was incredible,¡± she blurted out first and wished she could snatch the wordsback. Talk about awkward.
He reached out and caressed her cheek. ¡°It sure as hell was.¡±
Relief washed over her at his words, and she leaned into theforting feel of his touch.
¡°But you know it can¡¯t happen again,¡± he said, his voice gruff.
She blinked at the unexpected words, swallowing the lump in her throat. Although she¡¯d had the same sentiment going through her mind a few seconds before,hearinghimsay it crushed her anyway.
She drew in a deep breath and let it out before answering. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m not the type to confuse sex with something more.¡±
The bed still smelled ofthem, and she couldn¡¯t lie by his side and stare at him any longer. Turning, she slid off the mattress, bending to grab her robe from the floor.
After wrapping the heavy material around herself, she forcedherself to look at him. ¡°We¡¯re good,¡± she assured him, hoping saying the words out loud would make them true.
¡°You sure?¡± he asked, concern in both his voice and his expression.
She nodded. He¡¯d stretched out on the mattress, and his gorgeous face and muscled body had arousal rising once more.
Nope. Not going to happen.
Shower time, she thought, and walked away, closing herself in the bathroomand locking the door behind her.
***
Son of abitch. What had he been thinking? Linc thought in disgust. The answer was clear. He hadn¡¯t been. One look at Jordan, her defenses down from sleep, looking so beautiful, the robe gaping and revealing her gorgeous body, and all rational thought fled. Gone was the man who¡¯d been able to keep their rtionship strictly in the friend zone.In its ce was a heady desire he hadn¡¯t been able to fight.
He knew they were in agreement about where things stood. Their professional rtionship and friendship were more important than sexual need. But he hadn¡¯t anticipated how good she would feel when he entered her. How perfect her body would mold to his, sping him in tight, wet heat, cushioning his dick like she was made just forhim.
Worse, he hadn¡¯t counted on the rush of emotion that had filled him, either. He wasn¡¯t supposed to have those kinds of feelings for his best friend.
Linc¡¯s views on life and love wereplicated. They¡¯d started with his parents, who, to hear his mother tell it, had begun their courtship with love before things had gone wrong. Next came an experience in college that had left Linc bitterand feeling used. And now, bing aware of his father¡¯s affairs and discovering a half-sister courtesy of his dad¡¯s cheating with his secretary¡ Linc shook his head. He was wary of it all.
He¡¯d learned not to believe in the wordlove. To keep to himself except for the asional need for release or a date to a party. And above all, he counted on his friendship with Jordan. He didn¡¯t want anythingto mess with their rtionship, especially sex. No matter how intense the act between them had been. He hoped he hadn¡¯t hurt her feelings by saying they couldn¡¯t sleep together again.
He¡¯d have a hard enough time living with his pronouncement.
Just One Night: Chapter 4
Pretending yesterday hadn¡¯thappened wasn¡¯t easy. After Jordan¡¯s escape, Linc had disappeared into his room for a shower of his own. They met up in the sitting area, both dressed and ready to go for dinner as he¡¯d mentioned. They went downstairs to Mr. Chow, where they ate their meal in ufortable silence. Never before had she experienced awkwardness around Linc, and it hurt.
Before she left her room for dinner, she¡¯d called housekeeping and asked for her sheets and bedding to be changed prior to her return. She had no desire to torture herself with Linc¡¯s scent while she tried to sleep. As it was, sleep hadn¡¯te easily, memories of Linc inside her and their time together torturing her over and over.
She didn¡¯t know what today had in store, but she dressed for theFlorida heat, putting on a sundress and a pair of strappy sandals. Before she headed to face Linc, she nced out at the beautiful water and took sce in the deep blue crashing waves. She wished she could dive into the water and swim home. At least she wouldn¡¯t have to deal with the morning after full of tense energy. But she couldn¡¯t. And she wasn¡¯t a coward.
Drawing a deep breath, she walkedinto the other room, determined to start the day off on a positive note. Linc stood facing the ocean, taking in the same view she¡¯d been enjoying. He wore a pair of fitted jeans and a ck shirt with white piping on the sleeves.
¡°Good morning. Please tell me there¡¯s coffee here already? I could really use some,¡± she said in a forced happy tone.
He turned to face her and treated her to the samestrained smile. ¡°There is, along with yogurt and muffins. Your favorite.¡± He gestured to the food on the table in the corner.
¡°Perfect.¡± She strode over to the coffeepot and poured herself a cup, adding milk and sugar.
¡°How did you sleep?¡± he asked, concern in his voice.
¡°Like a baby,¡± she lied, taking a sip. ¡°You?¡±
He shrugged. ¡°Just fine.¡±
She took another drink of her coffee and the tangwas delicious. ¡°Mmm.¡± Those first few sips were always satisfying, and she closed her eyes and moaned.
When she opened them again, Linc was staring, his hot gaze one she recognized from yesterday, when he hovered over her naked body, his erection grazing her sex. She swallowed another sigh that would sound much more erotic than the coffee-driven one.
¡°What are we doing today?¡± she asked instead,cup in hand.
¡°I¡¯m hoping to hear from Austin Prescott.¡± He shoved his hands into his front pants pocket. ¡°Maybe he¡¯ll be decent and talk to Aurora quickly since I flew down here to meet her.¡±
But Austin didn¡¯t call.
Jordan spent the day by the pool, Linc reluctantly joining her. He wasn¡¯t the type who liked to remain idle, and he definitely didn¡¯t appreciate being forced to wait when he wantedsomething. And he wanted to see his sisternow.
They didn¡¯t talk much during the day, and Jordan hoped as time passed normalcy would return. Their clothing didn¡¯t help, she in a bikini, he in bathing trunks, his bare chest exposed.
His muscr body grew more tanned as the day went on. She couldn¡¯t stop staring, nor did she want to. But she had to admit he did a damned good job of keeping hiseyes off of her. And she hated it.
By the time the long day ended and they made their way upstairs to the suite, he was grumbling under his breath.
¡°Stay calm. Austin will call soon. I¡¯m sure he needs to break the news to Aurora in the right way,¡± she said.
The elevator doors opened and they stepped into the hall. Only two doors were on this penthouse floor, and they approached their suite.
¡°Yeah, but you¡¯d think the arrogant bastard would know I¡¯m waiting. This isn¡¯t some business deal where you y chicken and see who blinks first. This is people¡¯s lives.¡± Linc ced the key card in front of the reader and moved it around. When it didn¡¯t work, he tried again. ¡°Son of a bitch!¡± His raised voice echoed in the hall.
She took her key from her pool bag and turned the correct sidetoward the reader, and it shed green immediately. Without a word, he pushed the door open and held it to let her inside.
Instead of listening to himin or watching him brood, Jordan headed straight for her room and took a shower, washing the sunscreen off her body and shampooing her hair. She deliberately let the conditioner sit for a while, taking her time. Finally she stepped out anddried off, rubbing moisturizer over her arms, chest, and legs.
Since she didn¡¯t know their ns yet, she pulled her damp hair back with a headband, slipped on a tank dress, and headed to the sitting room to find Linc pacing the floor, already showered.
Hair damp and slicked back from his face, his tanned skin and the light scruff of beard he left made her heart jump. Stupid. He was her bossand her friend. She had to forgetst night.
¡°Hey.¡± She walked over to him.
¡°Hi.¡± His eyes raked over her briefly before catching himself and focusing on her face.
Ignoring her pounding pulse, she asked, ¡°Are you hungry? We could order up, you know, in case Austin calls.¡±
He nodded. ¡°Good idea.¡±
¡°Okay, what are you in the mood for?¡±
Before he could answer, the phone in his pocket rang.He raised an eyebrow and pulled his cell out, ncing at the screen and nodding at her.
He answered the call. ¡°Hello? Austin? Good to finally hear from you.¡±C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org
Jordan shot Linc a pointed look and shook her head, silently telling him to be nice to the man.
He listened and began to pace the floor. ¡°Yes,¡± he said, then more listening. ¡°She¡¯swhat?¡± He came to a halt mid-stride. ¡°And you didn¡¯tthink to mention it yesterday?¡±
Linc ran an agitated hand through his hair while Jordan wondered what had him so upset.
¡°Okay. Yes. Of course I won¡¯t judge her. Jesus. You just took me off guard. I know how to handle myself,¡± he said, getting worked up again because Austin seemed to assume Linc would be a jerk to his new sister.
¡°And she knows my father¡ her father passed away?¡± he asked,then nodded. ¡°Good. When can I see her?¡± Silence and then, ¡°I¡¯ll be there in thirty minutes. Text me the address,¡± he said and paused. ¡°And thank you. I appreciate it.¡± He disconnected the call and let out a low groan.
Unable to ignore his distress, she walked over and put a hand on his shoulder. ¡°What is it? What¡¯s wrong?¡±
He turned to face her. ¡°Aurora is pregnant.¡±
Jordan blinked, surprisefilling her. ¡°Isn¡¯t she only neen?¡± She felt for the young girl, knowing what being pregnant and alone felt like. But she¡¯d had Linc¡ and now so would Aurora.
¡°Yes. Austin wanted to prepare me before I saw her. Apparently he worried I¡¯d say something to upset or hurt her. Like I¡¯m an asshole,¡± Linc muttered.
¡°He¡¯s looking out for her. Isn¡¯t it good that Austin has her best interest at heart?¡±
He nodded. ¡°It¡¯s just hard to deal with the guy. He¡¯s got an attitude.¡±
She couldn¡¯t control the smirk lifting her lips. ¡°And you don¡¯t?¡±
He let out augh, his first since sometime yesterday, breaking the lingering tension. ¡°You¡¯re right. I should be grateful to the man and his family.¡±
¡°What did he say about thirty minutes? Will she see you now?¡± she asked.
¡°Yes, and we have to get ready.It¡¯s a twenty-minute car ride from here.¡±
He sounded excited and she was happy for him, but she was about to dete his high. ¡°Linc, this is a big deal. I think you need to see Aurora alone and not overwhelm her with people. I can meet her the next time you get together.¡±
He stilled, his surprise obvious. ¡°What? Why? Aren¡¯t you here to be my backup? Or is this because ofst night? I thoughtwe were fine. I want you toe with me.¡±
Of course it was aboutst night. She¡¯d spent the day reminding herself of the reasons they needed to go back to the way things had been between them before sex. And going with him now, making herself seem like she was a part of his family when she met his sister wasn¡¯t a good idea. But Jordan had also meant what she said about not overwhelming theyoung woman.
Jordan forced a smile. ¡°It¡¯s about you and Aurora. You two need to meet and bond. No outside influences. I¡¯ll be here when you get home and we can talk all about it.¡± She nced at him and knew he understood.
¡°Okay. You¡¯ve got a point,¡± he reluctantly admitted. ¡°I¡¯m going to go get changed.¡±
And she was going to order up dinner and wait for him to return so he could fill her in.Because that¡¯s what best friends did.
***
Linc found himselfin the parking lot of a garden apartment with catwalks overlooking parked cars. ording to Austin, Aurora was staying with Willow James, his brother Braden¡¯s girlfriend¡ sort of. Linc hadn¡¯t asked for an exnation.
He shut the engine, drew a deep breath, and headed into the building, took the elevator upstairs, andwalked to the apartment number.
Holding his breath, he rang the doorbell. Secondster, a man whose resemnce to Austin couldn¡¯t be mistaken opened the door. With his dark hair and indigo-blue eyes, he was definitely a Prescott.
¡°Lincoln Kingston?¡± Braden asked.
Linc inclined his head. ¡°Braden Prescott?¡±
Braden nodded, extended his hand, and they shook, each with a strong grip.
¡°Call meLinc,¡± he said.
¡°Come on in, Linc,¡± Braden said, stepping aside.
Linc entered, his gaze immediately finding his sister and not because her pregnant belly stood out, though it did. Her hair fell over her shoulders, blonde hair simr to Chloe¡¯s, long and draping down her back. She wore a light blue maternity top and stared at him in awe.
Braden spoke, breaking their intense study of each other.¡°This is Willow James, my¡ the woman Aurora¡¯s been living with recently.¡± Braden extended a hand toward Willow, and she gave Linc a smile and a wave.
He nodded, grateful to her for taking Aurora in. ¡°A pleasure to meet you,¡± Linc said.
¡°And this is your sister, Aurora Michaels.¡±
Aurora still stared at Linc wide-eyed. No way he could miss the mix of wonder and fear in her eyes and expression.
As if drawn to her and the family resemnce, he walked over and ced his hand beneath her chin. ¡°You have our eyes,¡± he said and pulled her into his arms for a brotherly hug.
As Linc stepped back, he noticed Braden had joined Willow and wound his arm around her waist. Whatever was going on between the two, it was obvious they had a connection, which reminded Linc of Jordan, and he wishedshe could share this moment with him.
He understood why she wouldn¡¯t want to overwhelm his sister, but he sensed there¡¯d been more to her choice not toe. She was pulling away.
¡°Let¡¯s go sit,¡± Willow said and led them to her small living room.
Linc didn¡¯t know how she and Aurora shared the space. It had to be cramped, and he couldn¡¯t see a pregnant woman sleeping on what he assumed was apullout sofa. Which meant Willow took the couch and had given Aurora her bedroom. He¡¯d noticed one closed door and the bathroom beside it.
They all looked at each other, and Linc knew he needed to break the awkward silence, but before he could speak, Aurora began peppering him with questions.
¡°How many brothers and sisters do you have?¡± she asked. ¡°I mean, do I have? Are they all in New York?What does everyone do?¡± Unable to lean forward with herrge belly, she smiled and sat back in the club chair she¡¯d chosen.
Grateful for her enthusiasm and curiosity, he replied. ¡°I¡¯m the oldest and I run the familypany. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll learn a lot more if you decide toe work with me.¡±
¡°Me?¡± she said on a squeak. ¡°But I don¡¯t have a college degree! I barely graduated high school. AndI just started learning office work at Dare Nation. Plus I live in Florida.¡± Panic seemed to raise her voice, but Linc wanted her to know she was wee at home. In fact, he wanted her there.
¡°Why don¡¯t you let me tell you some more about the family since I have the distinct feeling you¡¯re missing key information?¡± Realizing she had no idea who Linc¡¯s siblings were, he threw a curious nceWillow and Braden¡¯s way.
Braden shrugged. ¡°I didn¡¯t want to freak her out all at once.¡±
¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Aurora asked.
Linc¡¯s low chuckle had her opening her eyes wide. ¡°Our brother Xander is an¨C¡±
¡°Xander Kingston. The suspense writer! And he makes movies!¡± Aurora nearly yelled. ¡°No way!¡±
¡°Yes way.¡± Linc grinned. ¡°And Dash is a rock star.¡±
Aurora¡¯s eyes were so wide he couldn¡¯t help butminute I found out about you, I began looking. I just couldn¡¯t find you until you took a legitimate job that gave me a lead,¡± he said, wanting her to know he hadn¡¯t abandoned her the way Keh Kingston had.
She shook her head. ¡°I don¡¯t understand why you care? I¡¯m an illegitimate child of a man who didn¡¯t want me. Aren¡¯t you embarrassed by my existence?¡± she asked softly, her pale skin flushingwith her words.
He wanted nothing more than to spare her pain. ¡°I think you¡¯ll find we Kingston kids are resilient, and we protect our own. I¡¯m d you¡¯ve had supporttely,¡± he said, ncing at Willow and Braden. ¡°But do you have ns for once the baby is born?¡±
¡°No,¡± she whispered. ¡°I don¡¯t have health insurance yet, although Bri said she¡¯s submitted the papers. And I didn¡¯t know whatI¡¯d do about work and someone to watch the baby. I don¡¯t have my own apartment. I¡¯m staying here and Willow¡¯s been sleeping on the sofa.¡±
She confirmed his hunch, and he hoped Braden grabbed on to that woman, because she had a big heart and was obviously important to him.
Aurora continued. ¡°I can¡¯t bring a baby home with me because it¡¯s not fair to her¨C¡±
Linc nced at Willow in surprise.Had she put a limit on her generosity?
But Willow shook her head. ¡°Aurora, you can stay until you figure something out. I told you that.¡±
Aurora¡¯s damp gaze met hers. ¡°And I appreciate it but we both know this arrangement can¡¯t really work. And I can¡¯t afford my own ce¡¡±
Linc hated how upset she was getting, but before he could react, Willow jumped up from her seat.
She walked over to Auroraand put a hand on her shoulder. ¡°Shh. Calm down, please. Getting worked up isn¡¯t good for you or the baby.¡±
¡°Can I get a word in?¡± Linc asked.
All eyes turned his way, and though they might not like what he had to say, he intended toy it out for them anyway.
¡°We have a variety of solutions in New York. The family estate where my father used to live still has loyal staff who were always goodto us growing up.¡± Though he hadn¡¯t run the possibility of Aurora moving in there by his mother, he couldn¡¯t imagine her turning down someone in need. Especially since she hadn¡¯t seemed to me Aurora for what her husband had done.
¡°We own apartment buildings around Manhattan,¡± he continued. ¡°Each of us has a trust fund, and I¡¯m working on getting yours set up to atone for how you grew up andeverything you¡¯vecked your entire life.¡± He¡¯d already spoken to his siblings about this.
Aurora, to his surprise, started to cry, and he realized he¡¯d overwhelmed her. Something he hadn¡¯t nned on doing. He was used to making his ns and, yes, getting his way.
Willow continued tofort her, and Braden shot him a look mixed with surprise and slight annoyance.
¡°Can you give her timeto process?¡± he asked. ¡°As much as everything you¡¯re offering is the answer to her prayers, she needs to adjust to her new reality.¡±
Linc wanted an answer now, but he understood that wasn¡¯t going to happen.
¡°I realize you want what¡¯s best for her, but the few emotional connections she has are here,¡± Braden reminded him.
Linc hesitated, then nodded. Obviously he¡¯d misjudged her attachment tothe people here, and though he hated the notion of her remaining in Florida, he had solutions for that possibility, too.
Leaning forward in his seat, he nced her way. ¡°I could help you find an apartment, a nanny, and get set up here, if that¡¯s what you decide. But I also hope you realize your family wants to get to know you. We would like you to be a part of our lives, and I¡¯d rather takeyou home with me.¡±
Aurora pressed her hand against her forehead. ¡°This is so much so soon. Braden¡¯s right. I need to think. And to get to know you more.¡±
He reluctantly epted that. ¡°How much longer can you fly? In your pregnancy, I mean?¡±
She lifted her head and shrugged her shoulders. ¡°I never asked. There was no reason to.¡±
¡°Up to thirty-six weeks,¡± Braden said. ¡°I¡¯m her doctor, thoughwe¡¯d like to find her an obstetrician soon.¡± He met Linc¡¯s gaze. ¡°But I¡¯m sure you already ran your own checks on the people in her life and I¡¯m not telling you anything you don¡¯t already know.¡±
¡°Of course I did,¡± Linc muttered.
¡°She has two weeks before I¡¯d prefer she didn¡¯t get on an airne.¡±
Linc drew a deep breath and nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll stay for a week. We¡¯ll get to know one another and thenyou can make a decision. Fair?¡± he asked.
¡°Yes. Thank you,¡± Aurora said, obviously relieved. ¡°I¡¯d like that.¡±
¡°Well, since that¡¯s settled, why don¡¯t you two make ns for the week, and then I¡¯d say Aurora and the baby need some rest.¡± Braden was obviously as used to making decisions for people he cared about as Linc was.
Braden rose from his seat and looked at Linc. ¡°If you two would liketoe to the Thunder football game on Sunday, I can get you box seats,¡± he offered.
Linc had stood as well. ¡°Sounds fun.¡± And an easy way for them to spend time together. ¡°Would you like to go?¡± he asked Aurora.
She nodded.
¡°Willow, walk me out? It¡¯ll give them time to make ns.¡±
¡°Thanks,¡± Aurora said to them both.
Braden smiled at her and Willow nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll be back in a few minutes,¡±she said.
Linc waited until they were outside before ncing at his sister. Aurora twisted her hands in front of her, clearly nervous.
¡°So,¡± he said.
She grinned. ¡°So.¡±
¡°Anything else you want to know? Or to ask me?¡±
¡°Trust fund?¡± She echoed the words back at him. ¡°I grew up with all my things in a garbage bag in case I had to leave one foster home for another. I can¡¯t wrap my head aroundnot having to worry about money.¡±
Pain hit Linc in his heart and a lump rose to his throat. Not to mention fury at both of her parents, especially his own father, but he wouldn¡¯t make Aurora dwell on what could and should have been.
¡°Well, you don¡¯t have to worry. Not anymore. Which means you can also start to think about your hopes and dreams and what you want to do with your life.¡±
Realizinghe was getting ahead of himself, he forced himself to slow down and backpedal. ¡°But for now, let¡¯s focus on getting to know each other. What¡¯s your favorite food?¡± he asked, seeking to take the pressure off of her. She looked ready to pass out from shock.
¡°Pizza. Isn¡¯t that everyone¡¯s favorite food?¡± she asked, obviously serious.
Heughed. ¡°Well, it¡¯s mine. Pepperoni. How about you?¡±
¡°Mushroomand onions. It¡¯s been a treat when I had extra money in my pocket.¡± She blushed. ¡°Coffee or tea?¡± She was getting into the game.
¡°Coffee. Milk, no sugar. You?¡±
¡°Chamomile tea with a drop of milk and sugar. It¡¯s been a lifesaver with the heartburn thisst trimester.¡±
He remembered when Jordan had been pregnant. Before her miscarriage, she¡¯d begun craving ice cream. She¡¯d practically livedon pints of it until¡ she¡¯d lost the baby. He shook his head, shocked those memories hade back to him.
He recalled staying with her overnight, hugging her as she cried, and swearing, given the chance, he¡¯d beat her ex senseless.
But Jordan¡¯s past wasn¡¯t relevant now. The memories, however, reminded him of how solid and valuable their friendship was. Which meant he¡¯d done the right thingby telling her they couldn¡¯t act on their attraction again.
¡°Linc? I said favorite color. Is something wrong?¡± Aurora asked.
He shook his head. ¡°Sorry. Blue. Yours?
¡°Yellow.¡± Sheughed as the door opened and Willow stepped back inside.
¡°Am I interrupting?¡± she asked, shutting the door.
Linc rose to his feet. ¡°Not at all. We were just getting to know each other. Aurora, would you like tospend the day at the hotel tomorrow? You can meet my assistant and best friend, Jordan. We¡¯ll go shopping or hang out, whatever you prefer.¡±
She nodded. ¡°Sounds amazing.¡± She pushed herself up from her seat. ¡°Thank you for looking for me. And not giving up until you found me.¡±
He stepped over and hugged her as best he could around her big belly. ¡°You¡¯re family.¡±
He said his goodbyes, they exchangedphone numbers, and he promised to pick her up in the morning. Then he headed back to his hotel, where Jordan would be waiting.
***
Jordan heard thelock open and Linc push open the door and walk inside.
¡°Jordan?¡± he called out.
¡°Right here.¡± She¡¯d stretched out in the sitting room on the sofa with an ottoman in front of her. On the television was an oldedy she¡¯d been trying andfailing to pay attention to.
Pushing herself to a sitting position, she pulled a nket over herp and waited for him to join her. He walked in, looking drained but also happy, and her heart skipped a beat.
¡°So how did it go?¡± she asked. She¡¯d been dying to know the whole time he was gone, alternating between kicking herself for staying back at the hotel and telling herself she¡¯d done theright thing.
He settled into a chair near the couch and smiled. ¡°She¡¯s a great kid. Definitely overwhelmed, with the pregnancy, her life at the moment, and now a new family to wrap her head around. But she seemed open to spending time with me. In fact, I¡¯m picking her up in the morning and bringing her back here so we can all hang out and get to know one another.¡±
¡°Oh! That¡¯s so amazing. I¡¯mso happy for you!¡± She leaned forward in her seat. ¡°Do you think she¡¯lle back to New York with you?¡± Jordan knew how important it was to Linc to have his family together.
He rubbed his hands on the top of his jeans, drawing her attention to his strong thighs. ¡°I think it¡¯s possible. If she¡¯sfortable with us and rxes a lot. I said we¡¯d stay for a week, and she was good with my decision.¡±
A week. In this suite with Linc, tortured by their close proximity and all she couldn¡¯t have. Of course, she¡¯d be around him if they were home and in the office, but there was something different about Linc in a suit, hot as he was, and this casually dressed Linc sleeping in the room next to hers. Showering while she imagined him naked, water dripping down his skin. Wearing a bathing suit, hischest bare, muscles flexing as she tried not to shamelessly stare.
¡°Sounds great!¡± Her voice came out tight and thready. ¡°I¡¯m looking forward to meeting her.¡± At least that much was true.
She would enjoy getting to know his new sister, and Jordan wondered what kind of changes Aurora would bring to the Kingston family.
***
Linc left thenext morning to pick up Aurora. Jordan stayedin the room, getting ready for the day. They were each doing their best to find their normal footing with one another after their incredible night together, and it wasn¡¯t easy. The current awkwardness had never existed before, and he hoped Aurora¡¯s arrival would be the icebreaker he and Jordan needed.
Aurora had been chatty on the ride to the hotel, asking questions about New York, the city,where Linc lived, and whether the rest of the family was as eager to meet her as he¡¯d been. He assured her they were.
Jordan joined them for breakfast at a table in the restaurant located off the main part of the lobby. They approached the table, and Jordan greeted them with a smile. She rose and stepped forward to say hello to Aurora.
As she stood, Linc took in her outfit. A cute ruffled skirthit above the knee, revealing her long legs, a pop of hot-pink polish looked bold and cute on her toenails, and a white tank top hugged her curves.
He drooled at the sight of her, her hair pulled off her face with a headband, putting his focus on her bright pink lips. He groaned and shook his head, wondering if she was torturing him on purpose or if he was just now noticing every little appealingthing about her.
¡°Aurora,¡± Linc said, his hand lightly on her back. ¡°This is Jordan Greene, my¡ best friend and personal assistant.¡± He nearly stumbled over the description and couldn¡¯t figure out why when the lines had always been so clear before.
¡°Jordan, my sister Aurora.¡±
¡°I am so happy to meet you,¡± Jordan said, pulling Aurora into an awkward hug due to the size of her belly.
When Aurorapulled back, she had a wide smile on her face, obviously thrilled with the warm wee. ¡°Same here.¡±
¡°Let¡¯s sit.¡± Jordan gestured to the chairs and they each settled into one. ¡°I thought you¡¯d be morefortable indoors with air conditioning than outside in the heat.¡±
Aurora nodded. ¡°I hate getting hot and sweaty, especially now. I¡¯m so ufortable.¡±
¡°I can only imagine.¡± Jordan smiled,and only Linc knew Aurora¡¯sment had brought up painful memories.
Jordan reallyhadno idea what it was like to carry a baby to term and feel the things his sister now did, and Linc understood Jordan¡¯s unexpressed pain.
¡°So what does everyone want for breakfast?¡± Linc asked, determined to lighten the subject.
Aurora opened the bound menu and scanned the page, her eyes widening before mmingthe book closed.
Linc shot Jordan a concerned nce, and she gave him a slight shrug.
¡°Aurora? What are you having?¡± he asked.
She swallowed hard. ¡°Umm, just a ss of orange juice. I¡¯m not really hungry.¡±
¡°But you told me in the car you were starving.¡±
Jordan cleared her throat. ¡°Well, Iamhungry and I can¡¯t decide what I want. If I order pancakes and scrambled eggs, will you share themwith me?¡± she asked Aurora.
His sister¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°Are you sure?¡±
¡°Definitely.¡± Jordan shut the menu. ¡°Linc? What are you having?¡±
¡°A vegetable omelet and bacon,¡± he said, wondering what he¡¯d missed.
¡°I¡¯ll be right back,¡± Aurora said, rising from her seat and heading toward what looked like the restrooms in the back.
Linc nced at Jordan. ¡°Can you exin?¡±
She nodded. ¡°The priceson the menu freaked her out, and she didn¡¯t want to order anything.¡±
He narrowed his gaze, his stomach churning at the possibility Jordan was right. ¡°How did you know what was wrong?¡±
A soft smile lifted her lips and she leaned forward. ¡°Because I remember the first time you insisted Ie with you for lunch to some fancy ce you usually went with your family. I took one look at the menuand said I just wanted French fries.¡±
He stilled, recalling the day clearly. ¡°I believed you,¡± he said, horrified by his privilege and ignorance.
¡°You had no reason not to.¡±
He shook his head, suddenly understanding so much more about Jordan¡¯s take on his life and their different upbringings.
¡°At least now I have an idea about what to look out for with Aurora. I don¡¯t ever want her feelingufortable.¡± As he met her stare, regret filled him. ¡°I never wanted you to feel that way either.¡±
She reached out and curled her fingers around his hand. ¡°You can¡¯t control everything, Linc. No matter how much you want to. Or how much money you have. As for Aurora, some things are going to take time.¡±
He let out a frustrated groan, but before he could reply, Aurora returned to the tableand they enjoyed their time together. They took a walk down the beach and talked before Linc returned her home.
The rest of the week passed quickly, including the football game. Braden had managed tickets for Linc, Jordan, and Aurora, and they¡¯d all had fun. Eventually Aurora agreed toe to New York with them. She understood how much easier her life would be around family and people determinedto help her both emotionally and financially. As much as she loved the Prescotts and Willow, Aurora had a deep-seated need for family.
Another plus, Aurora and Jordan had formed a fast bond, and Linc was d Aurora would have someone she already knew and liked to rely on once in New York. But what was good for Aurora wasn¡¯t helpful to Linc. Having Aurora to focus on meant Jordan was able toavoid dealing with him and their rtionship.
And he had no idea what to do about it.
Just One Night: Chapter 5
Linc, Jordan andAurora headed to board the private jet for the trip to New York. Linc had to admit he was ready to go home. He had work to catch up with, the uing deal to close, and now his sister to get settled.
¡°Wow! Look at this!¡± Aurora followed Jordan and Linc onto the ne, awe filling her expression as she entered. ¡°This is really overwhelming.¡±
Jordan smiled. ¡°You¡¯llget used to it one day. For now, though, let¡¯s take a seat.¡±
The women settled in beside each other, talking about everything and nothing, but their chatter told Lincing down here to find his sister had been the right thing to do.
¡°Linc? Where am I going to stay?¡± Aurora asked as he sat in his seat across from them.
¡°With me at least until we figure out a better, more permanent solution,¡±he said.
He hadn¡¯t been able to make ns for her before arriving in Florida since he hadn¡¯t known if she¡¯d return with him. He intended to talk to his mother about Aurora moving into the family estate.
¡°Do you have room?¡± Aurora asked.
He nodded. ¡°I have two bedrooms and we¡¯ll sort things out.¡± Soon, because she was very pregnant, he thought.
The flight attendant came over and checked themall. No one wanted something to drink, so she walked away.
He pulled hisptop from his briefcase. As he opened the top, his cell phone rang. He nced at the screen and saw his CEO Brian Connelly¡¯s name.
¡°Hello,¡± he said as the flight attendant shut the door to the ne. ¡°Brian?¡±
¡°Linc, we have a problem.¡±
His stomach clenched. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±
Jordan stopped talking to Aurora, her gazeswinging to his, concern in her eyes.
¡°We had a visitor today,¡± Brian said. ¡°Awyer. Apparently right before your father died, he¡¯d gotten himself involved in a deal to purchasend upstate.¡±
Linc pinched the bridge of his nose, feeling a severe headacheing on. Only close family and top people in thepany knew Keh had been dealing with early-onset dementia for thest year.
Difficult even before the diagnosis, his father had refused to step down or stop doing business in his ownpany. The only choice Linc had was to assign him a babysitter he knew nothing about. Wace Franklin, as Keh¡¯s best friend and the CFO, had been the best suited for the job. He could keep an eye on both his friend and thepany¡¯s bottom line.
Yet somehow, something had slipped pasthim.
¡°Linc?¡±
¡°I¡¯m here,¡± he said.
¡°I hope you¡¯re sitting down for this.¡±
At Brian¡¯s words, Linc braced himself.
¡°Keh signed papers with a secondary partner, and he¡¯s on the hook for big money.¡± Brian paused and Linc¡¯s pulse picked up as the meaning sunk in.
¡°Meaning thepany is on the hook. Son of a bitch!¡± Linc swore worse under his breath.
Jordan stared at him wide-eyed. Auroraseemed uninterested, busy on her iPhone.
¡°I had no idea, Linc, I swear.¡± Brian¡¯s fear for his own position sounded loud and clear. ¡°But I¡¯m looking into it. Thewyer who came by today said he¡¯d have the papers sent over. He¡¯s stalling telling me who he represents, which tells me it¡¯s going to be a serious problem.¡±
¡°So what was the purpose of the attorney¡¯s visit? To gloat on his client¡¯sbehalf?¡± Linc asked.
¡°He wanted us to know the money wasing due. Failure to pay would mean his client would gain a stake in Kingston Enterprises.¡±
Linc¡¯s blood pressure rose even higher. ¡°My father put up thepany as coteral?¡±
Jordan gasped.
¡°He implied as much. We¡¯ll have the paperwork soon. Keh didn¡¯t leave anything with ourwyers because he was obviously hiding the deal.¡±
The pilot announced they were about to take off, and Linc muttered a curse. ¡°Talk to Wace,¡± Linc barked into the phone. ¡°Now I need to hang up. I¡¯ll be back in New York in a couple of hours.¡± He disconnected the call and hoped he didn¡¯t have a stroke midair.
Jordan leaned forward in her seat as much as her seat belt would allow. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±
Linc raised an eyebrow. ¡°Let¡¯s just say if myfather weren¡¯t already dead, I¡¯d dig him up and kill him myself.¡±
¡°What?¡± Aurora let out a squeak and Jordan patted her legs.
¡°Business problems. Nothing to worry about.¡± She turned her gaze back to Linc. ¡°What did he do?¡±
Leaning back in his seat, Linc nced at the ceiling, trying to stay calm. At the same time, he heard the start of the ne¡¯s engines. ¡°Dear old Dad might have destroyedthe entirepany.¡±
Whether or not Keh¡¯s actions proved to be severe depended onwhohis partner was and how reasonable the man would be when it came to getting out of the situation his father had left them in.
¡°Linc, stay calm. We¡¯ll work things out,¡± Jordan assured him.
And because she seemed collected, he took his cue from her and did his best to stay the same way.
***
Linc brought Aurorato his apartment straight from the ne and got her settled in before announcing he needed to go to the office. He hated leaving her on her first day in a new state where she knew no one, and Jordan had offered to stay with her. But Aurora insisted Jordan go with him to deal with his work emergency. Linc agreed but not before calling Chloe toe over and meet her new sisterso Aurora wouldn¡¯t be left alone.
With Aurora taken care of, they headed to the office. Seated in the back of the car with Max driving since he¡¯d picked them up from the airport, Linc filled Jordan in on what Brian, their CEO, had told him.
¡°And you have no idea who this man is?¡± she asked.
He shook his head. ¡°Given my father¡¯s deteriorating state, I¡¯m not shocked he would do a deal behindmy back. The man was a wild card in his healthy days.¡±
And things had only gotten worse after Linc came on board and excelled in the business. He had no doubt Keh Kingston felt threatened. How far would he have gone to prove himself better than his son?
¡°But Wace was supposed to be on top of things,¡± Linc said.
Jordan frowned. ¡°I¡¯m going to talk to your father¡¯s secretary. If anyoneknows what he was up to, it would be Suzanne, and considering you were kind enough to keep her on and give her job security, maybe she¡¯ll open up to me.¡±
He nced at her and once again was struck by how vital she was to both his business and to him personally. ¡°Thank you,¡± he said in a gruff voice. ¡°Jordan, listen. I know things are awkward after¨C¡±
She held up a hand. ¡°Nope. We¡¯re back towork and everything is fine.¡±
In other words, let it go. The problem was, the more he thought about their night together, the less he wanted to pretendtheyhad never happened.
***
Jordan woke upearly Saturday morning with her weekend fully nned.
Astounding everyone, including Jordan, Linc had asked his mother to let Aurora move into her huge estate. The house had seven bedroomsand plenty of room, not to mention a staff avable for every need, but the fact remained, Aurora was Keh Kingston¡¯s illegitimate child.
Yet Melly had agreed. Apparently she was too kind a person to take her husband¡¯s sins out on an innocent woman and her unborn baby.
Nervous, Aurora begged Jordan toe with her. Although Chloe nned to meet them there, Aurora felt more connected toJordan, no doubt because they shared an understanding about how they viewed the world around them and because they¡¯d spent a lot of time together in Florida. Chloe was still new to her and Linc wasn¡¯t female.
Jordan had no problem joining them. When Aurora saw the Kingston Estate, she might very well pass out, and she¡¯d need support.
Aurora was silent on the way to Linc¡¯s mother¡¯s, her few bagsloaded in the trunk of the car with Max driving. Linc was on the phone, his frustration growing because they were no closer to discovering who his father had entered into an agreement with. Wace was MIA.
Nobody had been able to get in touch with him, and from the way this partner¡¯swyer had dropped the information without details, obviously the man in question was enjoying his silence. Whichleft Linc worried about who he was as well as the amount of money on the line.
Max drove down a secluded, tree-lined street, turned left into a hidden driveway, and pulled up to a gate, where he opened the back window and Linc punched in a code.
¡°Oh, God.¡± Aurora¡¯s eyes opened wide. ¡°This isn¡¯t a house, it¡¯s amansion.¡±
Jordan put her hand over the young woman¡¯s knee. ¡°Hey, my mother used tobe the main housekeeper here. If I can adjust to it, you can.¡±
Aurora whipped her head around in surprise. ¡°You never told me that!¡±
¡°It never came up but I¡¯m not ashamed. It¡¯s how Linc and I met.¡± The car started up again, and Max drove forward, parking at the top of the driveway, in front of a four-car garage. ¡°But as overwhelming as everything looks, Linc¡¯s mother is a wonderful person. Ipromise this is all going to work out for you.¡±
¡°I have to go,¡± Linc said to whoever he was talking to. I¡¯ll talk to you again on Monday.¡± He disconnected the call and turned to face them. ¡°We¡¯re here.¡±
¡°Obviously.¡± Jordan smiled at a nervous Aurora. ¡°Okay. Let¡¯s get you moved in.¡±
They stepped out of the car just as one of the garage doors opened and Melissa Kingston stepped out, looking aselegant as always, her dark hair reaching her shoulders, subtle but perfect makeup on her face.
¡°Mom, hi.¡± Linc kissed her cheek.
¡°Hello, honey.¡± She turned to Jordan. ¡°It¡¯s been a while. You¡¯re looking well. It¡¯s good to see you again.¡±
¡°You, too,¡± Jordan murmured.
Melly¡¯s gaze shifted. ¡°And you must be Aurora. Wee,¡± she said warmly.
Aurora studied Melly, who was a contradiction. Onthe outside, she was a wealthy socialite, but on the inside, she obviously had a warm heart. The young girl needed to rx enough to see the hidden parts of Linc¡¯s mother.
¡°Hi,¡± Aurora said. ¡°Thank you for your generosity. I know it can¡¯t be easy for you to overlook who I am.¡±
Jordan winced.
¡°Aurora¨C¡± Linc started to speak, but Jordan grabbed his arm, indicating he should let the two womenfind their footing.
Melly stepped over to Aurora. ¡°To me you¡¯re a young woman who got a raw deal that wasn¡¯t of your own making. My son likes you and wants you to be part of the family.¡± She took Aurora¡¯s hand. ¡°So when I say wee, I mean it. And I can¡¯t wait to have a baby around again. It¡¯s not like my sons are rushing to give me grandbabies,¡± she said, shooting Linc a pointed look.
¡°Well, Chloe¡¯s getting married, so you can focus on her, too,¡± Linc said, obviously eager to take the spotlight off of him.
¡°Speaking of Chloe, she can¡¯t make it today, but she promised to call youter,¡± Melly said to Aurora. ¡°Now how about we go inside?¡±
Max picked up the bags and followed them in through the garage and the lower level, with Aurora gaping at the enormity of the mansion andthe d¨¦cor. Aurora had bought suitcases in Florida so she could pack her things and bring them to New York. Max ced those in the bedroom Melly had chosen for Aurora to stay in. Then he excused himself and said he¡¯d be waiting when Linc was ready to head back to the city.
Linc left the women and excused himself to make some calls. The man was constantly working, Jordan thought.
In the halfhour they¡¯d been in Aurora¡¯s new bedroom, it became clear Melly intended to treat Aurora like a daughter, and the young girl rxed, bing more like her normal, talkative self.
It didn¡¯t take long for Melly to realize Aurora was sadlycking in clothing and to take charge of the situation. She announced they were going shopping.
¡°Jordan,e with us please?¡± Aurora asked, obviously overwhelmed.
But Aurora needed to get to know Melly, and Melly hadn¡¯t extended the invitation.
¡°I can¡¯t,¡± she told Aurora. ¡°I haveundry and things to catch up on at home. But you have fun! I¡¯ll check inter, okay?¡±
Aurora stepped forward and pulled Jordan into an awkward pregnant hug. ¡°You¡¯re the best. You¡¯ve been so good to me.¡±
¡°You make it easy.¡±
¡°I¡¯m going to get my handbag and freshen up. I¡¯llbe back in a couple of minutes,¡± Melly said, walking out of the room.
Aurora swept her arms around. ¡°Look at this room! It¡¯s meant for royalty!¡±
Taking in the queen-size bed with a gorgeous floral spread in beautiful colors, draperies on the windows and arge television on the wall, a private bathroom and walk-in closet, Jordan had to agree.
¡°It¡¯s gorgeous. There¡¯s space for a crib in here,too. Or you can put the baby in the room next door.¡± Jordan turned toward her. ¡°You¡¯re going to have to go shopping for baby supplies. But something tells me Melly is going to want to help,¡± Jordan said with a grin.
Aurora sat down on the plush mattress. ¡°She¡¯s really sweet. I think I¡¯ll be happy here, at least until I can figure out my life.¡±
With a nod, Jordan joined her. She wasn¡¯t goingto pressure her now with questions she already knew Aurora had no answers to. ¡°When Melly gets back, I¡¯m going to go find Linc.¡±
¡°Speaking of Linc, how long have you two been together?¡± Aurora asked.
¡°What?¡± Jordan whipped her head toward Aurora. ¡°We aren¡¯t together. We¡¯re just friends and I work for him.¡±
Aurora raised her eyebrows. ¡°R-i-i-ght.¡±
¡°What? Why wouldn¡¯t you believe me?¡± Jordanasked.
Aurora shrugged. ¡°Because you two are close. I¡¯ve been with you both for over a week now, and I see how you look at each other. How you read each other¡¯s mind. Stuff like that.¡±
Dipping her head, Jordan closed her eyes and shook her head. ¡°We¡¯re just friends,¡± she insisted. ¡°Look around you. You¡¯re overwhelmed by this kind of wealth and they¡¯re your family. I don¡¯t belong as anythingmore than his employee and close friend.¡±
¡°That sounds stupid.¡± Aurora pushed herself up and stood, bracing a hand on her back, her belly protruding in front of her. ¡°It should be about how you feel, not how much money you have. But I get what you mean. I¡¯m not sure I fit in here, either.¡±
Jordan rose. ¡°You will learn to befortable,¡± she assured Aurora. ¡°I promise.¡±
¡°Are you ready?¡± Mellyreturned, lipstick touched up and a Chanel handbag on her arm.
¡°I¡¯m ready,¡± Aurora said.
¡°You two go on. I¡¯m going to check my messages and then go find Linc. Aurora, I¡¯ll call you tonight.¡± Jordan smiled and watched them go.
Ignoring what Aurora had said about her assessment of Jordan and Linc¡¯s rtionship, Jordan pulled out her phone, surprised to see a message from a number she didn¡¯trecognize. She hit y and discovered it was Suzanne Ashton, Keh Kingston¡¯s secretary. She¡¯d given the woman her phone number in case she remembered anything about the deal Jordan and Linc were looking into. From the urgency of the voicemail, the woman clearly wanted to talk.
Tapping on the number, Jordan waited and Suzanne picked up.
¡°Hello, Jordan?¡± Suzanne said.
¡°Yes, hi. Did you remembersomething?¡±
Suzanne was silent for a moment, then said, ¡°I never forgot but I couldn¡¯t talk in the office. I didn¡¯t want anyone overhearing and reporting back.¡±
¡°To who? What¡¯s going on?¡± Jordan asked, sitting back down on the bed.
¡°You know Keh and Wace Franklin were close, right?¡± Suzanne asked of Linc¡¯s father and thepany CFO.
¡°Yes.¡±
¡°Well, Wace was aware of Keh¡¯s quieterdeals. He helped move money and allowed him to do things Linc didn¡¯t know about. And this current contractual situation you were asking about? The man Keh went into partnership with was Beckett Daniels,¡± Suzanne said. ¡°I didn¡¯t want Wace to know I was revealing information they expected me to keep secret.¡±
¡°Thank you, Suzanne. The revtion won¡¯t be tracked back to you. I promise. AndI¡¯m really grateful you called me.¡±
¡°Of course! Mr. Kingston, Linc, I mean, was good to me. He kept me on and made sure I didn¡¯t lose my job after his father died.¡± Suzanne sniffed. ¡°If you have any other questions, don¡¯t hesitate to call after office hours.¡±
¡°I will. And thank you again.¡± Jordan hung up and nced at the ceiling, trying to put pieces together.
Beckett Daniels. Beck. She knewthe name. He was a definitepetitor of Linc¡¯s in many real estate deals, and they¡¯d gone to college together and had once been close. She¡¯d assumed they had drifted apart. But that¡¯s all she knew.
Grabbing her purse, she headed to find Linc and fill him in on what she¡¯d learned.
***
Linc sat inthe study behind the desk in the corner. Since his father had had an office on the otherside of the house, his mother used this room as her sanctuary, and for some reason, he¡¯d retreated here now when he needed to think clearly.
He could wrap his head around his father doing sneaky deals behind his back. But even with Keh¡¯s illness, Linc couldn¡¯tprehend him risking thepany, and if he had tried to do such a thing, why would Wace have let him?
No matter who he askedso far, he¡¯d hit a dead end. No one he¡¯d called knew where Wace had disappeared to, and clearly the person pulling the strings, Keh¡¯s so-called partner, was keeping Linc dangling. And he wanted to know why.
A knock sounded on the door and he nced up. ¡°Come on in!¡±
Jordan opened the door and stepped inside. She was wearing a pair of ck leggings and a white boxy cropped top that revealeda strip of skin above the waistband, and one look made him drool. ck Chuckspleted the cute, sleek outfit.
¡°Am I interrupting anything?¡± she asked.
He shook his head. ¡°No. Come sit.¡± He rose from behind the desk and walked around to join her, lowering himself on the couch.
Her floral scent surrounded him, and he wanted her in hisp now, his fingers in her hair, her lips on his. Insteadhe took a look at her face and knew immediately something was wrong.
¡°What happened? Is there a problem with my mother and Aurora?¡± he asked, knowing how panicked Aurora had been about meeting Melly.
Jordan shook her head. ¡°God, no. They¡¯re like this.¡± She crossed two of her fingers in the air. ¡°But Suzanne Ashton called me.¡±
He stiffened in surprise. ¡°Now? On your cell over the weekend?¡±
She nodded. ¡°I know who your father¡¯s partner is, and you¡¯re right about Wace helping him hide it. And apparently it¡¯s not the only secret deal.¡±
Jaw clenched, Linc nodded, d to know his instincts were right. ¡°Wace,¡± he muttered. ¡°Okay, and the partner?¡±
¡°Beckett Daniels.¡±
Linc jerked in his seat, shock running through him. ¡°Beck,¡± he said, a roaring sound in his ears, and he forcedhimself to focus.
Beck. Linc¡¯s rival in business, but their past worried him more. Beck was clearly still harboring anger and resentment against him, and the bitch of it was, Linc didn¡¯t me him. But a man with an emotional grudge was an unpinned grenade waiting to explode.
Linc had never told anyone what had happened between him and Beck. His father hadn¡¯t known, which meant to Keh, Beckhad been a convenient person with whom to do business, but to Beck? His father and his illness had made him easy prey to get to Linc.
Nobody but family and trusted people inside the office knew about Keh¡¯s dementia. Clearly Linc had made wrong choices there. But with his father¡¯s more fragile mental state, it would have been easy for Beck to swoop in. But Wace was supposed to protect themall. Shit. Linc scrubbed his face with his hand. What had Wace gotten out of the deal?
Jordan¡¯s soft hand rested on his arm. ¡°Linc? What is it?¡±
He didn¡¯t know how to tell her. She was his best friend and the person he trusted most, yet he¡¯d kept this from her. Not even his brothers knew. He blew out a long breath, reminding himself if he could trust anyone, it was Jordan.
He just hopedshe looked at him the same way after he told her his deepest secret. ¡°It¡¯s about Beck. We have history.¡±
She met his gaze. ¡°I know. You went to college together.¡± Bending one leg, she rested her knee on the sofa, settling in.
He let out a groan and decided to get the truth out there and over with. ¡°Okay, here goes. Beck and I were best friends, andte sophomore year, his room was next doorto mine.¡±
She raised her eyebrows. ¡°I didn¡¯t know you were once close.¡±
Linc nodded. ¡°He was one of the first guys I met. And when you finally get away from your parents and their rules, you go a little crazy. Drinking, parties. Fun. Anyway, by sophomore year I had a girlfriend.¡±
¡°Lacey,¡± she said. ¡°I remember.¡±
¡°And Beck had one, too. Her name was Jenna. The four of us hung out together whenwe could, but Beck was on schrship and he had to work. A lot.¡±
¡°I know what that¡¯s like,¡± she murmured.
His gut churned but he continued. ¡°Jenna resented the time Beck spent working, but there wasn¡¯t anything he could do.¡±
He hesitated and Jordan gave him an encouraging nod. ¡°Go on.¡±
¡°One weekend, Lacey went home to see her parents. Beck had to work Saturday night and I went to a frat party.I got drunk. I meanpletely shit-faced, typical college, lucky-to-remember-anything wasted. When I made it back to my bed, the room was spinning, and I really thought I was going to hurl.¡±
She let out a lightugh. ¡°I can rte more to Beck¡¯s working than your partying, but I saw it all the time around me and I understand. What happened?¡±
He shrugged. ¡°To this day I¡¯m not one-hundred-percentsure. I remember a woman crawling into my bed, telling me she was back and she¡¯d missed me, and then she kissed me. I swear to God I thought it was Lacey and she was home early, that is, if I was thinking at all. What I didn¡¯t know or even sense was Jenna had crawled into my bed.¡±
¡°Oh, no.¡± A horrified expression crossed Jordan¡¯s face, and he wanted to die. ¡°You have to know that, sober, I wouldnever cheat. I grew up with my father fucking around. I wouldn¡¯t do it. And I sure as hell wouldn¡¯t sleep with my friend¡¯s girl. But I was so far gone I was still half drunk the next morning. When Beck walked in and Jenna popped up in bed, crying, telling Beck she was sorry, it just happened, I could barely lift my head.¡±
¡°But he didn¡¯t want to hear it,¡± Jordan guessed.C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org
Linc shook his head.¡°She wanted his attention, and oh, boy, did she get it. Meanwhile, I got a punch in the jaw and would have had a ck eye if one of the other guys didn¡¯te in and pull Beck off me. Then, I finally threw up.¡± Linc drew a deep breath and leaned back against the couch. ¡°Needless to say, I lost my best friend and my girlfriend. Beck ditched both me and Jenna, who tried to y the martyr for him,and when that didn¡¯t work, she had the gall to attempt to convince me to go out with her.¡± The woman was a psycho.
¡°Linc, I¡¯m sorry. Why didn¡¯t you ever tell me any of this?¡± Jordan asked.
¡°Nobody knows and I mean nobody. Would you admit you screwed over your best friend?¡± He could barely look at her now.
She sighed. ¡°Let me ask you a question to put this into perspective. If a man climbedinto bed with apletely drunk woman, pretended to be someone he wasn¡¯t, and slept with her, would there be any actual consent? If someone did that to Chloe, would you me her for sleeping with someone she thought was her boyfriend?¡±
He lifted his head. ¡°Hell no.¡±
¡°Right.¡± She pinned him with a determined stare, the one she used when she wanted him to think the same way she did.
And whenhe thought about his sister in his position, he could look at things differently. ¡°I would consider it rape and I¡¯d beat the shit out of the guy.¡± His hands were already clenched into fists.
She braced her hands on his shoulders, getting his attention again with her touch. ¡°Linc, Jenna set you up. You didn¡¯t want to sleep with her. You didn¡¯tagreeto sleep with her.¡±
He appreciated her notcalling it rape. He didn¡¯t think that was something he could discuss or consider. ¡°None of that matters since I did the deed. I slept with Beck¡¯s girl, and now he clearly somehow managed to partner with my father, and if I can¡¯te up with the money to cover this down payment, Beck will be my partner in my business.¡±
And the more Linc thought about it, the more pissed off he became.
Jordansqueezed his shoulders before dropping her hands. ¡°Listen. He¡¯s been holding a grudge for over a decade. It¡¯s time for him to get over it. And if it just so happens it was a good business deal? There¡¯s no doubt he saw the upside of sticking it to you.¡±
Linc nodded, relieved and grateful Jordan was looking at this from a rational point of view and not thinking he was the scum of the earth he¡¯dthought himself at the time. And had for years after. He¡¯d kicked himself so often, he forgot to think about how he missed Beck as a friend and regretted that things had gone south between them and he¡¯d lost a man he¡¯d once thought of as a brother.
¡°Since you know who it is, can you go see him and discuss possibilities to fix this without losing a piece of thepany?¡± Jordan asked.
Linc winced.¡°I can try. But we¡¯ve been bidding against each other for years without actually having face-to-face contact. But I n to see what I can do because Dad owes much more than our liquid assets.¡±
A few quiet seconds passed and Jordan finally spoke. ¡°Are you okay?¡±
He rolled his stiff shoulders. Now that she knew everything, much of the emotional burden had been lifted. But the future of hispanywas at stake, and he¡¯d be damned if he¡¯d let an old grudge stand in the way of keeping it in the family.
¡°Linc?¡± She ran her tongue over her lips, moistening them. Tempting him.
¡°Yeah.¡± He nced at Jordan.
She tipped her head to one side, her ponytail brushing her shoulder. ¡°Maybe you can use your father¡¯s dementia to dere the contract null and void.¡±
¡°No.¡± He shook his head. ¡°We agreedto keep the news to the family. If it gets out, any deals he did in thest year, even legitimate ones I knew about, could be undone by someone with regrets taking us to court.¡±
She visibly cringed. ¡°Okay, I understand. So what do you suggest?¡±
¡°Either I get Beck to be reasonable¡ or I find a way to pay.¡±
Jordan nodded. ¡°So you have a n.¡±
He shot her a grateful look, once again struckby how vital she was to him. How understanding even when he didn¡¯t expect it or think he deserved it. How he couldn¡¯t live without her in his life. ¡°Jordan?¡±
She looked at him, concern in her gaze. ¡°What is it?¡±
He drew a deep breath. ¡°Thanks for not judging me.¡±
She rolled her eyes. ¡°Don¡¯t thank me. Iknowyou, Linc. And there is no way you¡¯d deliberately hurt a friend. Or cheat. Discussionclosed, okay?¡±
He was dying to pull her into him and kiss those soft lips, in much more than gratitude. He leaned forward, unsure what he nned, and Jordan jumped up from her seat.
¡°I vote we go back to the city. I have a ton ofundry and cleaning to do.¡± Cheeks burning, she turned away.
God dammit. What did he need to do to ease her into beingfortable with testing the waters of a rtionship?He couldn¡¯t stop thinking about their night, theirpatibility in all ways, and he wanted to see if they could make a go of things.
Had he done a one-eighty? Yes. But he couldn¡¯t imagine another woman who understood him as well or who he desired more.
Just One Night: Chapter 6
Jordan arrived atwork early on Monday with a Starbucks grande chai teatte for herself and a tall dark roast with milk for Linc. She wasn¡¯t surprised when he strode in a few minutes after her. He, too, always showed up before nine.
¡°Good morning,¡± he said, pausing by her desk outside his office.
She smiled. ¡°Good morning to you. Coffee¡¯s on your desk.¡±
¡°Thanks. How was the restof your weekend?¡±
She shrugged. ¡°Fine. Busy with the usual. Errands, straightening up,undry. ire came over Saturday night,¡± she said of her sister. ¡°We ordered pizza and watched a movie.¡±
¡°How is your sister?¡±
ire hadn¡¯t spent as much time at Linc¡¯s house when their mom was working. Being older, she¡¯d had a job after school.
¡°She¡¯s good.¡± She looked back at herputer screen.
¡°So I take it you were too busy to return my calls or texts?¡± He propped a hip on the corner of her desk.
His arousing masculine scent, woodsy cologne mixed with a hint of spice, reminded her of why she¡¯d avoided him all weekend. ¡°I answered you. I asked if you needed to talk about work and you said no.¡± So she¡¯d dodged getting back in touch.
He braced a hand on the papers strewn across her deskand leaned close. ¡°What¡¯s going on, Jordan?¡±
She pulled her bottom lip between her teeth and released it. Big mistake. His gaze tracked the movement, his eyes darkening.
¡°I¡¯m just making sure we have our boundaries set,¡± she said.
He raised an eyebrow. ¡°You¡¯re my best friend. My person. We have no boundaries.¡±
Before she could answer, he rose and adjusted his suit jacket. ¡°Any messages?¡± heasked, back in boss mode after shaking her to her core.
¡°Not yet but it¡¯s early.¡±
He nodded. ¡°Well, you know where to find me.¡± He started for his office and turned back around. ¡°Want to get lunch?¡±
¡°I¡¯m going to ask Suzanne to go out to eat. See what else she could tell me.¡± Jordan pointedly didn¡¯t discuss specifics in the office.
Approval lit his eyes. ¡°Good. And if she isn¡¯t free, we¡¯regoing to Ocean Prime. Make a reservation and use my name. And if not today, make one for tomorrow.¡±
Her eyes opened wide. Ocean Prime was not a typical business-lunch restaurant. It was a make-an-impression one.
At some point in thest couple of days, Linc had changed their MO, and he hadn¡¯t filled her in on why. He was attempting to push beyond the friend zone they¡¯d been in for years,afterhe¡¯d said sex between them couldn¡¯t happen again.
As much as she wished things were different, nothing had changed, at least in her mind. She still didn¡¯t want sex screwing up their rtionship¡ pun intended. And she definitely knew she didn¡¯t belong in his world.
Aurora¡¯s reaction to the Kingston Estate solidified Jordan¡¯s feelings, because like Linc¡¯s new sister, Jordan could rte to notfitting in. Besides, she still carried the pain caused by Collin hiding his rtionship with her from his family, his horrified reaction when he¡¯d gotten her pregnant, and the money he¡¯d offered her to take care of the problem.
She covered her stomach with her hand at the memories, certain she was doing the right thing by putting up a wall. She couldn¡¯t handle it if she lost Linc. For any reason.
She settled in to work and had no idea how much time had passed when a familiar voice interrupted her.
¡°Hi. Got a minute?¡±
Jordan nced up at Chloe Kingston and smiled. ¡°For you? Of course.¡± She pushed aside the keyboard on the desk as Chloe settled into a chair across from her.
Blonde hair and pale skin, in stark contrast to Jordan¡¯s darker coloring, Chloe was a beautiful woman with featuressimr to her mother¡¯s, and blue eyes with a darker rim, the same color as Linc¡¯s.
¡°I like your dress,¡± Jordan said, admiring the printed dress with a ruffle above the knee.
Chloe smiled. ¡°Thanks!¡±
¡°How¡¯s the wedding nning going?¡±
Her eyes lit up. ¡°Good! I¡¯ve been so busy with everything. Who sits at what table, packing up my apartment because we¡¯re moving in together right after the wedding.I sublet my ce, so I¡¯ll need to be out and put things somewhere before the big day.¡±
¡°Is Owen excited, too?¡± Jordan asked of Chloe¡¯s fianc¨¦, Owen Pritchard.
Chloe¡¯s eyes dimmed a bit. ¡°It¡¯s been hard finding time to see each othertely. He¡¯s been workingte, so going away for the honeymoon won¡¯t hurt him.¡±
Jordan knew the man was a tax attorney and her brothers disliked a lot about him,from his nd personality to theck of interest in things that were important to Chloe. Herment merely cemented her siblings¡¯ feelings, but Jordan remained silent, as it was none of her business.
¡°I¡¯m sure it¡¯ll all settle down once you¡¯re married and live together,¡± she said instead.
Chloe nodded. ¡°I know it will. So I actually came to talk to you for a reason. I was thinking of throwingAurora a baby shower. Do you think she¡¯d like that?¡±
¡°I think she¡¯d love it! And anything I can do to help, let me know.¡±
¡°I will. Let me see if I can book the country club and find a good date that works for everyone,¡± Chloe said, and Jordan did her best not to cringe at the thought of going to their club. Her times there as an adult hadn¡¯t beenfortable.
¡°Okay, well, I¡¯ll get back to you.¡±Chloe pushed herself up from her seat.
¡°Sounds good.¡±
Chloe headed back to her workspace in the office, and Jordan turned back to herputer. A message from Suzanne agreeing to lunch was in her box and she smiled. A reprieve from Linc¡¯s sudden intense interest her, a wee one. Tomorrow she¡¯d have to deal with him taking her to an expensive restaurant for no good reason. But not today.
***
Linc spent themorning in a meeting with Brian and, through Zoom, their ountants. They¡¯d found discrepancies in the business ounts. And now that Linc knew Wace had been helping his father funnel money somewhere to fund deals nobody had been aware of, things began to make sense. Which didn¡¯t mean they knew where the missing money had gone.
Linc hired forensic ountantsto dig deep, and if Wace didn¡¯t show his face soon, Linc would hire a private investigator to find him, as well. His blood pressure must be sky-high because inside he felt ready to explode in anger and frustration. Wace had obviously taken advantage of his father¡¯s condition. To what end, Linc had no idea, but he was sure the man had filled his pockets withpany money, probably taking acut of whatever Keh had going on.
Lunchtime arrived, and Jordan ordered Linc food while she went out to pump Suzanne for information. He took note of the relieved expression on her face when she told him they wouldn¡¯t be going out for lunch today.
Fine with him. There was always tomorrow.
He intended to use the free time to his advantage. After finishing his sandwich, he rose and slippedhis suit jacket on. It was time to confront Beck. It had been a while since they¡¯d had a civil conversation of any kind, and he sure as hell didn¡¯t expect one now.
Over the years, they¡¯d run into each other at charity events and industry functions, but Beck would merely re. As far as Linc was concerned, he¡¯d already done his mea culpa and had punished himself plenty. He might feel bad buthe refused to grovel. His actions back then hadn¡¯t been intentional.
Linc never believed the fact that he and Beck ended up in the same business andpeting against each other for building andnd deals had been part of some master n of revenge. Beck had always wanted to make money and use real estate to aplish his goal. But whether this particr deal with Linc¡¯s father was simplygood business or an opportunity to get back at Linc, he didn¡¯t know.
He arrived at Beck¡¯s office in Lower Manhattan, his mood foul not just from the issue at hand but the ridiculous amount of traffic Max had hit while driving downtown. Linc hadn¡¯t called or made an appointment on purpose, not wanting to give his nemesis time to prepare.
Instructing Max to wait, Linc walked into the entrance,impressed despite himself. Beck owned the entire building, which had a 1930s hotel-like feel, with polished concrete floors, ck-steel-framed windows, and brushed brass fixtures. It was morous andpletely unlike the Kingston Enterprises d¨¦cor. Linc¡¯s offices and the rental models Chloe designed were more traditional than this admittedly cooler look. Chloe had often asked Linc to allow herto mix things up, but he preferred to y it safe when it came to most things. Safe sold.
A doorman directed him to the top floor, where Beck Realty¡¯s offices were located. The rest of the building, he rented to other businesses.
Stepping off the elevator, he was facing a grand marble desk with a pretty woman sitting behind it.
¡°Can I help you?¡± she asked.
¡°I¡¯m here to see Mr. Daniels.¡±
The woman met his gaze. ¡°Do you have an appointment, Mr.¡?¡±
¡°Kingston. Linc Kingston, and no, I don¡¯t, but he¡¯ll see me.¡± Linc was certain.
Apparently the brte behind the desk didn¡¯t agree, her expression skeptical as she picked up the phone and dialed. ¡°A Mr. Linc Kingston is here to see Mr. Daniels,¡± she said, pursing her red lips. She waited, tapping her nails on the desk. ¡°What? He will?¡±she asked, obviously surprised. ¡°Thank you.¡±
ncing up, she said, ¡°Mr. Daniels¡¯s secretary will be out in a moment to take you to his office.¡± With that pronouncement, she looked Linc over, now interested in who would get past her to see the king without an appointment.
Linc didn¡¯t crack a smile back. He wasn¡¯t in the mood.
Delicate footsteps sounded, and he looked up in time to see anotheryoung woman, this one with auburn hair, walking down a hall and stopping at the desk. ¡°Mr. Kingston?¡±
¡°Yes.¡±
¡°Right this way, please.¡± She gestured for him to follow her, and he did, winding his way past other offices and windows with a fabulous view of Manhattan before stopping behind a closed door with Beck¡¯s name on it.
¡°You can go in,¡± she said before taking her seat behind her desk.
Linc drew a deep breath and walked in without knocking first and shut the door behind him. He didn¡¯t want an audience for this conversation.
Ready for him, Beck stood behind his desk. ¡°Linc.¡± A smug smirk settled on his face, visible despite the heavy scruff of beard.
¡°Beck.¡±
¡°I was sorry to hear about your father,¡± Beck said.
Considering the man stood to gain in Keh¡¯s absence, Linc wasn¡¯tso sure, but since he sounded sincere, Linc nodded. ¡°Thank you.¡±
¡°Since you¡¯re here, I assume you know about our deal.¡± Beck gestured for Linc to sit.
He preferred to stand. ¡°If byour, you mean you and my father, yes. I figured it out despite your attempt to string me along, wondering.¡±
Beck didn¡¯t deny it.
¡°What will it take to make this go away?¡± Linc asked.
Beck, dressed in dark jeansand a burgundy long-sleeve shirt, another stark contrast to Linc, who wore a suit, tipped his head. ¡°I can¡¯t. The contract for the property we agreed to buy is signed. We close in one month. I need your father¡¯s share of the money toplete the transaction with the seller.¡±
Linc set his jaw. He had no doubt Beck had the money, or a bank or private lender he could turn to. Linc¡¯s money, however,was tied up. He didn¡¯t have the kind of liquid cash he¡¯d need to fund his uing project and cover his father¡¯s stake in Beck¡¯s deal. The ountants had made it clear his father had been busy, leaving them cash poor, and right now he was stretched thin with his lenders.
His only option would be to sell property to pay Beck back, but there was no way he could close a deal in time to meet theone-month deadline.
Fuck.
But he refused to let Beck see him sweat. If Beck were someone he trusted with the information about his father¡¯s condition, he¡¯d tell him, and maybe they could work together to find a solution.
Linc didn¡¯t trust Beck. Not with information and not with hispany. ¡°I¡¯ll have the money for the closing.¡±
He¡¯d find a way to pay. And then he¡¯d get his hands on the contractand hope like hell he could sell his stake in whatever this deal was so he didn¡¯t have to work with Beck on anything.
¡°Tell me something,¡± Linc said.
Beck folded his arms across his chest. ¡°Yes?¡±
He studied the man who had once been his close friend. ¡°How did you end up doing a deal with my father?¡±
Beck walked to his chair, sat down, and kicked his feet up on the desk. Linc got the point.He didn¡¯t respect him. Fine. He waited for the exnation he wanted. One he could never get from his father.
¡°Your old man came to me. He¡¯d heard about this property for sale. Said he wanted a partner who¡¯d go in on it with him. Iid out my terms and he agreed.¡±
Linc stiffened but reminded himself Keh hadn¡¯t known Linc¡¯s history with Beck. The man happened to be someone in the businesswho Linc¡¯s father could turn to in a real estate deal.
¡°Got all the information you need?¡± Beck nced at his watch. ¡°I have a meeting to attend.¡±
Holding on to his temper by a thread, Linc turned and walked out. Not mming the door behind him took all the self-control Linc could muster.
***
Jordan returned fromlunch, full from good food but without any information to help Linc.She knocked on his door to let him know she was back, but he didn¡¯t answer.
After getting settled at her desk, she pulled out her cell to check her messages. There was one from Linc telling her he¡¯d gone to see Beck. The notion made her nervous, and she waited for him toe back and fill her in.
But Linc didn¡¯t return to the office, and by the end of the day, Jordan was worried. He hadn¡¯treturned her calls or texts, which was unlike him. Chloe had left for the day, so she couldn¡¯t ask his sister, so Jordan decided she¡¯d stop by his apartment and check on him.
Because she was on his permanent list, his doorman let her up to his floor on the penthouse level and she knocked. When he didn¡¯t answer, she waited and knocked again. Thinking she heard something inside, she banged harder.She waited, impatiently tapping her foot until she finally heard the sound of the lock and the door opened.
Linc stood in the doorway, a towel wrapped around his waist, muscled chest bare, and droplets of water clinging to his skin. Her eyes settled on one particr drop, watching its descent down his pec and over his nipple.
A strangled moan caught in her throat.
¡°Jordan? What are you doinghere?¡± he asked, obviously surprised by her visit.
Dazed by the sight, she raised her gaze only to find a sexy, knowing smirk on his lips. He absolutely knew how he affected her.
Attempting to remainposed, she cleared her throat. ¡°You haven¡¯t answered your phone! I was worried after I realized you went to see Beck and then disappeared.¡±
An apologetic expression crossed his face. ¡°I¡¯ve beenat the gym pounding a bag.¡±
Taking out his frustration, which made her assume his meeting hadn¡¯t gone well. ¡°I see.¡±
He stepped backward for her toe in.
She walked past him, the woodsy scent of his cologne surrounding her and heightening her awareness of his nearly naked body. Warmth curled in her belly and her nipples tightened. If not for her light jacket, he¡¯d have visual proof.
Notthat he needed it. Her gaze fell to his chest again, then lower to the towel secured by a mere tuck of material with a definite bulge.
¡°Don¡¯t you think you should get dressed?¡± Her strangled tone betrayed her arousal.
She couldn¡¯t help it. She couldn¡¯t look at a nearly naked Linc without wanting to wrap herself around him and hold on tight.
His stupid smirk returned. ¡°Am I bothering you?¡± heasked.
¡°Lincoln Kingston, go get dressed!¡± Using the full name he hated because his father had given it to him due to its stature, or so Keh Kingston imed, she pointed in the direction of his bedroom.
Laughing, he walked off, leaving her to make her way to the kitchen and get some water. She took long sips to cool herself down, then rinsed, dried, and put away the ss before headingto the living room.
Linc¡¯s apartment was basic in its d¨¦cor, the way he liked it. Chloe, who specialized in interior design, had helped him turn the penthouse into his masculine haven. A sleek ck leather sofa with reclining seats on the ends, a ss table with brass frame in front of it, a matching cocktail table, and what Jordan knew to be a painting bought at auction hanging on the wallbehind the couch. Every piece in this room cost more than most people could fathom spending on any one item, yet Jordan didn¡¯t love it. She¡¯d prefer a softer, warmer feeling to a ce she lived.
¡°Better?¡± he asked.
She turned at the sound of Linc¡¯s voice. He¡¯d gotten dressed, all right, but he¡¯d put on a pair of gray sweats, his bulge still noticeable, and she swallowed hard. A mouthwateringhappy trail and the V-line leading to where the pants tied low on his hips taunted her. Made her think about running her tongue over his warm skin.
Damn him. It was, she thought, the equivalent of her slipping into a sexy piece of lingerie and parading in front of him.
A hint of challenge lit his eyes, and she refused to back down.
¡°Yes, much better,¡± she said through clenched teeth. ¡°Whathappened with Beck?¡±
Linc stalked into the kitchen and she followed.
¡°He was an arrogant, gloating son of a bitch. But he didn¡¯t go looking for a deal with my father. Keh brought one to him.¡±
Linc paused by the fridge while she stared in shock.
¡°Why?¡±
He lifted his broad shoulders. ¡°I have no fucking clue what made him turn against us.¡± He opened the refrigerator and pulled out a canof Diet Coke. ¡°Want one?¡±
¡°Sure.¡±
He handed her a can, then popped the top of his own.
¡°So what next?¡± she asked.
He took a drink, the long column of his throat moving up and down. Everything he did became sexual and heightened the awareness he inspired.
¡°I have toe up with Dad¡¯s share of the money for closing or Beck cane after a piece of mypany.¡± He finished what was left ofthe can and mmed it on the granite countertop.
Or, she thought, he could try and reason with Beck by revealing his father¡¯s diminished capacity and get the man to back down. But she knew better than to suggest it again. He¡¯d vetoed the idea and he had his reasons. He wanted to protect hispany and so did she.
¡°So what can I do to help?¡± she asked.
¡°You can do what you always do. Be therefor me.¡± His dark gaze met hers and her hands began to shake, and she ced the can next to his.
Good thing, because he stepped closer, backing her against the counter until she was surrounded by him. His physical strength, his heat, and his scent all wreaked havoc with her mind,mon sense, and all rational thought.
He dipped his head and his mouth hovered close to hers. Seconds passed inwhich she had a choice. An angel on one side begged her to back away. The devil on the other urged her to give in and take what he offered. What her body wanted.
Their breaths mingled and she forgot why she was resisting. In that moment, she couldn¡¯t bring herself to care, and she kissed him, her lips meeting his. Nothing about their joining was soft. They came together in a sh of mouths,teeth, and tongue, desire rushing through her as she slid her hands over his bare chest, scoring her nails over his skin.
He groaned, and while devouring her with his mouth, he lifted her skirt, finding her tiny scrap of underwear beneath. He slid a hand over her sex, and a shock of awareness rippled through her.
¡°Fuck, you¡¯re wet,¡± he said, breaking the kiss.
She couldn¡¯t deny the truth, andwhen he rubbed a finger over the material, finding her clit and pressing in, she shattered immediately. Picking up rhythm, he rubbed back and forth as she came, guiding her through and prolonging her unexpected climax.C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org
¡°Holy shit,¡± she muttered, her legs like jelly when the spasms passed. Only then did she realize Linc held her up, hands now braced on her waist.
Before she could think, she slippedher fingers beneath the waistband of his pants, her hand grasping his cock. He wore no underwear, so her palm wrapped around his bare erection, and she closed her eyes, focusing on the steel of him and the contradicting softness of his skin.
A shudder rippled through him, and a low rumble sounded from his chest. She gripped tighter and pumped her hand up and down, pausing only to swipe her handover the creamy fluid on the tip.
¡°Fuck,¡± he said on a low groan, and at the guttural sound, her sex spasmed and she wanted him. Now.
¡°Tell me you have a condom.¡± She hooked her thumbs into the waist of his pants and attempted to pull them down.
Instead of answering, he sped her wrist, halting her movement. ¡°No,¡± he said, sounding tortured.
She opened her eyes in surprise.
¡°What? Why not?¡±Her head was spinning from her climax, arousal and his sudden change of mind.
He braced her face in his hands. ¡°Because I want all of you. Not just your body and I won¡¯t settle for anything less. And you¡¯re not there. Yet.¡±
How had he read her so well? And why was she more pissed with his knowledge of her internally than she was with him denying her sex?
¡°Fine.¡± She wriggled down her skirt,ignoring the dampness between her legs and the throbbing desire that needed to be filled.
¡°Hey.¡± Reaching out, he tipped her chin up so she had no choice but to look at him. ¡°Can you tell me you¡¯d thought about how you¡¯d feel after we had sex?¡±
¡°No,¡± she snapped, sexually frustrated.
He chuckled and she grew more annoyed. More with herself than with him, but she wouldn¡¯t admit it out loud.
Cell phones rang from the other room. Two contrasting sounds, which meant someone was trying to reach them both.
She shot him a concerned nce, and they raced into the living room.
Jordan was still searching her handbag when Linc spoke. ¡°Aurora¡¯s in the hospital. She might be inbor.¡±
Panic seized her, stomach twisting. ¡°It¡¯s too soon.¡±
He nodded. ¡°I know. The hospital¡¯s near my mother¡¯s.It¡¯s about an hour from here. Are you ready now?¡±
¡°Yes.¡± She didn¡¯t care that she was wearing her work clothes.
Within seconds, Linc had called Max, who he kept on standby during the week. They spoke and he turned to her. ¡°He¡¯ll be downstairs in fifteen minutes.¡±
Excusing herself, she enclosed herself in the bathroom to wash and clean up. Not caring about her makeup, she sshed cold wateron her face and patted off the water with a towel she¡¯d taken from the linen closet in the bathroom.
Looking at herself in the mirror, she saw a woman with flushed cheeks from a surprise orgasm and lingering frustration, but she also saw eyes filled with worry for Aurora. Inside, her stomach was churning and not only with concern for Linc¡¯s sister.
She was worried about herself. What was shedoing with Linc? Why was she suddenly so attracted to him she couldn¡¯t bring herself to listen to her mind and instead responded with her body? She refused to think about whether or not her heart had be involved because that would be a disaster.
As for Linc, he had an agenda. He tempted her, teased her, brought her to climax, and then pulled back because he wanted her more invested than wassmart. They were both treading on thin ice with these new dynamics in their rtionship, and it scared her to death.
And now she had to go to the hospital and pray Aurora had a healthy early baby and be surrounded by memories of losing her own. No matter how early in the pregnancy Jordan¡¯s miscarriage had been, the loss was huge and impacted her to this day. She was grateful she¡¯d have Lincby her side.
Just One Night: Chapter 7
Linc had changedinto a pair of jeans and a long-sleeve shirt, meeting up with Jordan in the living room. She still was dressed in work clothes, and he had nothing here for her to wear outside of the apartment.
They rushed downstairs and into the car. He pressed Max to hurry, and the driver made it to the hospital in record time without getting stopped for a speeding ticket.
¡°Thank you, Max. I really appreciate it,¡± Linc said as he helped Jordan out of the car.
¡°Good luck,¡± Max replied.
They rushed into the hospital and were directed to the maternity ward, where Linc found his mother in the waiting room, pacing the floor. There were no other people present.
¡°Mom.¡±
She rushed over and wrapped her arms around him, epting his hug before stepping back. ¡°I don¡¯tknow what happened. We ate dinner. She said she was exhausted and went up to her room. Then I heard her cry for me. She was doubled over and her water had broken.¡± ncing at Linc, then Jordan, his mother had tears in her eyes.
¡°She¡¯s thirty-six and a half weeks, right?¡± Jordan asked.
Linc did the mental math. Braden Prescott had said she had two weeks to travel. They had stayed in Floridawith her for a week, and it had been about another week and a half here in New York.
¡°Yes,¡± his mom said. ¡°And the baby can be born healthy. As long as the lungs are developed and the digestive system is okay, everything will be fine.¡±
Linc blew out a deep breath. ¡°Then we¡¯ll believe everything is going to be okay. The power of positive thinking, right?¡±
Both Jordan and his mother nodded, butLinc knew they were all still shaken.
¡°Is Aurora alone?¡± Jordan asked.
¡°They put her in a wheelchair and took her away.¡± His mom wrung her hands, and Linc nced at Jordan, giving her a slight nod.
She rushed out of the waiting room, and Linc knew she¡¯d insist on seeing Aurora or at least getting someone to ask Aurora if she wanted Jordan with her during delivery. She shouldn¡¯t be alone. Noway would she want Linc with her, and his mother didn¡¯t seem inclined to want to be part of the birth. That left Jordan.
¡°Come on, Mom. Let¡¯s sit.¡± Linc led his mother to a chair, and they settled in to wait.
As time passed, he kicked his feet out and nced at the old, cracked ceiling. His phone buzzed with a text from Jordan, letting him know she was with Aurora and staying. And the babyshould be born soon because Aurora was already eight centimeters dted.
Of course, his thoughts turned to Jordan in the delivery room. His heart hurt for her, knowing the memories and might-have-beens he was certain were going through her mind.
Linc wasn¡¯t good at waiting, and he kept ncing at the time on his phone and the clock on the wall. Neither seemed to move. His mother put her headon his shoulder and dozed while he leaned his head back against the wall and shut his eyes.
¡°Linc!¡± Jordan¡¯s voice woke him. He raised his head and the weight of his mother lifted from his shoulder.
¡°How is she?¡± his mom asked.
¡°Aurora is great.¡± Jordan smiled wide, her cheeks flushed, eyes gleaming. ¡°And she had a healthy baby girl. Six point one pounds and eighteen inches!¡±
¡°Oh, that¡¯s wonderful!¡±His mom rose to her feet and Linc followed. ¡°I¡¯m so relieved.¡± She nced up at him. ¡°Now that we have news, I¡¯m going to thedies¡¯ room. Maybe after, we can see them.¡±
Linc grinned. ¡°Go ahead. I¡¯ll wait for you.¡± He paused until his mother had walked out before turning to Jordan and cing his hands on her shoulders. ¡°You okay?¡±
¡°It was amazing, Linc. A true miracle. And she¡¯s so luckythere were no issues with the early delivery.¡± She smiled wide. ¡°And the baby is precious. You have a niece!¡±
Relief rushed through him that everyone, including Jordan, it seemed, was fine. ¡°When can we see them?¡±
¡°They just want to get her settled in a room.¡±
Something dawned on him and he said, ¡°I¡¯m going to make sure she has a private room.¡±
Jordan shook her head and rolled her eyes. ¡°Ofcourse you are.¡±
Heughed at her reaction. ¡°She¡¯s a Kingston, isn¡¯t she?¡±
A little whileter, after Linc had paid for a private room for his new sister, they were all there, the baby in Aurora¡¯s arms. He had no doubt if he hadn¡¯t thrown his weight around with the hospital, not only paying for a private room but making a big donation, they all wouldn¡¯t be allowed in. They were given leeway,which was what he¡¯d wanted.
¡°How are you?¡± his mom asked her.
¡°I¡¯m tired and sore.¡± Aurora nced at Linc and blushed.
Yeah, he didn¡¯t want to think about the details either.
¡°But happy,¡± she continued. ¡°I thought I¡¯d be alone and afraid and have nowhere to go after I had this baby. I didn¡¯t know if I¡¯d have to give her up.¡± Her eyes watered and she pulled the infant closer. ¡°But thanks toyou all¡ I just feel so lucky.¡±
Walking over, his mom brushed a hand over Aurora¡¯s hair, much as she¡¯d do if it where Chloe lying in the bed. ¡°You¡¯re not alone and you never will be.¡±
God, Linc loved his mother. She took a shitty situation, her husband¡¯s mistress¡¯s child, and brought her into the family easily. When she looked at Aurora, she only saw a young woman in need. And Linc admiredher.
Jordan stood by his side, and not giving a damn who saw, he wrapped an arm around her and pulled her close, wanting to share this moment with her.
¡°Does anyone want to hold her?¡± Aurora offered.
¡°I do but since Jordan was there for the big event, I think she should get the honors,¡± his mom said.
Beside him, Jordan stiffened. ¡°It¡¯s okay, Melly. You go ahead.¡±
Linc tugged her into himand she didn¡¯t try and pull away.
His mom smiled and was soon sitting with the infant in her arms.
¡°Have you thought of a name?¡± Linc asked.
Aurora shook her head. ¡°Not yet. I figured I had more time.¡±
¡°It wille to you.¡±
Melly cooed at the baby and eventually looked up. ¡°Jordan,e. You should hold her, too.¡±
His mother had no idea about Jordan¡¯s past or her miscarriage, had no ideathis might be bringing up painful emotions for her.
¡°Mom¨C¡±
¡°I¡¯d love to,¡± Jordan said, pulling out of his embrace. She took the chair next to his mother, and they carefully transferred the infant.
He watched her every move as she gently held the baby, cradling her in her arms and cushioning her head. With one hand, she moved the pink swaddling away from her cheek and looked at her tiny face.
Tears pooled in Jordan¡¯s eyes and only Linc knew why. Only he understood the depths of both her personal pain and her joy for Aurora.
A lump rose to his throat as he studied her, and he made a decision. As soon as Chloe and Xander arrived, he was taking Jordan home. And not back to her apartment as he felt certain she¡¯d insist he do.
She¡¯d been there for his sister and he¡¯d be there for hernow.
***
By the timeJordan and Linc were in the car on their way home from the hospital, Jordan was both mentally and physically exhausted. Linc seemed to understand, because he let her sit in silence on the drive and process her feelings.
Holding Aurora¡¯s hand during the entire birth had been both exhrating and draining. The emotional impact of watching something she hadn¡¯t gottento do, and then cradling the baby? At this point she was numb.
She must have fallen asleep, because she woke to the sound of the car slowing, and she sat up, assuming they¡¯d reached her apartment.
¡°Are we at my ce?¡± she asked.
¡°Thanks, Max,¡± Linc said, opening the door.
He hadn¡¯t answered her question, but she slid out and epted his hand, letting him pull her out¡ in front of his building.
¡°Wait. Why didn¡¯t you take me home?¡± She dug in her heels.
Literally.
She was still wearing pumps after a day at work, and she¡¯d had them on for much of her time at the hospital. To say she was ready to keel over was an understatement.
¡°Because you had a long day and you shouldn¡¯t be alone.¡± Linc ced a hand on her lower back to guide her inside.
She blinked up at him. ¡°Did you think aboutasking me?¡±
¡°Nope. I thought about taking care of you. Let¡¯s go.¡± He nudged her forward.
With a groan, she went along to his apartment, at this point not caring where she got off her feet as long as she did just that.
Once he let them inside, she turned. ¡°I¡¯m going to take Aurora¡¯s old room.¡±
He raised his gaze. Then without warning, scooped her into his arms and walked toward his bedroom.¡°I said I wanted to take care of you, so let me.¡±
Too tired to fight, she wrapped an arm around his neck to steady herself and held on until he lowered her onto his bed. She immediately kicked off her heels and groaned in relief.
He strode to his massive walk-in closet, which had drawers as well as hanging room, and returned with a gray tee shirt, and she epted it gratefully.
¡°I¡¯ll leavea toothbrush and towels in the bathroom. You can do what you need to while I order us something for dinner. Unless you¡¯d rather go to sleep?¡±
¡°Pizza,¡± she said at the same time her stomach let out a very udylike growl. Laughing, she folded her arms over her belly. ¡°Arge one please.¡±
Heughed and nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll be in the living room.¡±
Grateful for the privacy, she scooted off the bedand headed for the bathroom, where she changed into his shirt, which was huge, hung to her thighs, and smelled like hisundry detergent. Of course, it reminded her of him, and she lifted it to her nose and inhaled deeply. She sshed cold water on her face and washed up as best she could, borrowing his deodorant and brushing her teeth.
She had no idea if he expected her to sleep in his bed,and she was too tired to deal with the question now. In fact, she was too tired to fight itter. All she wanted was a full stomach and afortable bed.
The pizza arrived quickly, and she ate it equally fast, not the least bit embarrassed about the three slices she devoured because it was Linc. And he¡¯d never judged her before.
Once they finished, she stretched her hands over her head andyawned. Toote, she realized the action pulled the shirt against her braless breasts.
His gaze zeroed in on where her nipples pushed against the soft material, and his eyes dted with awareness and need. ¡°Why don¡¯t you go lie down?¡± he asked in a gruff tone. ¡°I¡¯ll be there in a little while.¡±
She swallowed back the argument that automatically rose, because if she looked deep, she didn¡¯twant to be alone. She wanted to lie down in Linc¡¯s big bed and let himfort her while she fell asleep.
¡°Okay, thanks. I will.¡± After padding into his room, slowly wilting, she brushed her teeth again because she was getting into bed with Linc, turned down the covers, crawled onto the mattress, and immediately passed out.
***
Something warm andheavy cushioned Jordan in suffocatingheat. She adjusted herself and tried to push off theforter, but a hard barrier stopped her. She blinked and remembered. She was in Linc¡¯s bed, and his arm was wrapped securely around her, holding the covers in ce.
She attempted to wriggle free and he mped his arm tighter.
¡°Going somewhere?¡± he asked in a morning-roughened voice.
A sexy gruff voice that had her rxing back into him.Morning wood stood stiff against her lower back, and she moaned at the feel of his sizeable erection.
She closed her eyes and epted the inevitable. She couldn¡¯t resist him and didn¡¯t want to, and knowing she was done fighting, at least for now, she rolled within his embrace and turned to face him.
A light coating of beard covered his face, and she ran her hand over the stubble. ¡°I like thescruffy look,¡± she murmured.
He caught her wrist in his hand. ¡°I like waking up to you in my bed.¡±
She couldn¡¯t hold back her smile. ¡°I¡¯m not going to give you a hard time for bringing me here. And I¡¯m not going to fight us. Not right now.¡±
¡°What changed?¡± he asked, clearly needing to understand.
She sighed. ¡°I can¡¯t deny the attraction between us, and it¡¯s taking too much out of me to try.¡±Biting down on her lower lip, she wondered how deep to delve, how much of herself to give.
In the end, she couldn¡¯t be anything but honest. ¡°Last night was emotional, and you understood without my having to exin.¡± It had broken down her defenses and put her in a ce where she was willing to act on their mutual need.
¡°Well, I¡¯m d.¡±
She swallowed hard. She didn¡¯t know what the futureheld, and yes, thinking of things imploding and changing scared her. But she wasn¡¯t willing to walk away from him now. ¡°Do you really want to waste time talking?¡± she asked.
He treated her to his sexiest grin. ¡°Hell no.¡± And then he pounced, his big bodying over hers and capturing her beneath him.
As she wound her arms around his neck, his mouth came down on hers. He kissed her long andhard. He kissed her like his life depended on it. And she returned the sentiment, teasing back with her tongue, nipping with her teeth, dragging her nails down his back as their bodies ground together.
He lifted his head, drew in a harsh breath, and sat up so he could wrangle her tee shirt over her hips, her torso, and as she raised her arms, he was able toplete his mission. He flung theshirt onto the floor, leaving her naked except for her underwear. She wriggled them off, then pushed herself farther up on the bed. Meanwhile, he¡¯d hopped off and stripped off his boxer briefs.
She nced at his thick cock, hard and ready for her, and a moan left her throat.
Hearing the sound, he grinned before pulling open his nightstand and retrieving a condom, ripping it open, and glidingthe covering over his erection.
He returned, climbing onto the bed and brushing a roughened fingertip over her nipple. Her pussy spasmed and her hips arched off the mattress.
¡°You¡¯re gorgeous,¡± he said, desire glittering in his eyes. ¡°And I want you more than I¡¯ve ever wanted anything in my life.¡±
She opened her eyes wide. Before she could otherwise react, he spoke. ¡°Up and on your knees, baby.¡±
At his domineering tone, her nipples hardened, and she had no problem obeying. If she was going to give up the fight, she would enjoy everyst minute.
She turned and settled on all fours, her entire body humming with anticipation even as she wondered why he¡¯d positioned her this way. Maybe he just liked it. Or, knowing Linc, maybe he sensed she didn¡¯t want to see him face-to-face and add tothe emotional overload she¡¯d experienced. Regardless of why, she¡¯d take it.
He came behind her, the heat of his big body tempting as he wrapped around her. He slid a finger over the bumps in her spine, causing her to tremble and arch beneath his hand as he teased her.
Without warning, he poised his erection at her opening, one hand grasping her hips. ¡°Hold on,¡± he warned, and she held her breathas he thrust deep inside her.
She groaned, filled up, body quivering and, dammit, her emotions engaged. Closing her eyes, she fought past the lump in her throat and focused on the sensations overtaking her every time Linc pulled out and mmed back in. Over and over. And likest time, he knew her body, hitting the right spot.
¡°Oh, damn, Linc. Harder.¡±
His fingers squeezed her side tighter,and he did as she asked. He took her with a steady rhythm, hammering into her until she forgot where they were, her name, everything but the building euphoria inside her and the knowledge it was Linc causing the feelings.
Slipping his hand farther around her, his fingers found her clit and strummed the tight bud until she exploded, her body stiffening as the waves kept pummeling her. Linc keptup the stroking until she was wrung dry. Then he thrust in and out, hard, fast, until he found his release.
They copsed together onto the bed, her breathing ragged, hising in desperate gulps. Finally he rose and disappeared into the bathroom, returning quickly.
He pulled down the covers and helped her climb beneath them. Although she was sticky between her thighs, she didn¡¯t care as shesnuggled against him. For now, wrapped in his arms, she felt safe. And wanted to hold on to those feelings while she could.
***
Linc held Jordanin his arms, silence surrounding them. He buried his face in her hair and inhaled her fragrant scent. She¡¯d taken him by surprise and though he¡¯d nned to join her in bed and urge her to talk about her feelings, he hadn¡¯t been able to denyher what they both needed. But with their physical desires sated, it was time to deal with her past.
¡°You okay?¡± he asked.
¡°Amazing,¡± she murmured. ¡°Want to do it again?¡±
He let out a low chuckle. ¡°Later. Right now I want to talk.¡± His cock didn¡¯t like that answer, and from the way Jordan stiffened, neither did she. But he wasn¡¯t going to let her ignore him.
Rolling her onto her back, he proppedan arm up, and lying on his side, he met her gaze. If he had to wait an hour for her to respond, he would.
¡°About what?¡± she asked atst.
¡°How you felt being with Aurorast night. Watching her give birth. Holding the baby. I don¡¯t want you to bury it all inside. It¡¯s not good for you.¡±
She shifted toward him and her big blue eyes met his. ¡°I was happy for her, of course.¡±
He shook hishead. ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant and you know it.¡±
Her sigh echoed around the room. ¡°It hurt. Is that what you want to hear?¡±
¡°I want to hear the truth.¡± And then he intended tofort her.
Closing her eyes in resignation, she began to speak. ¡°Back when I found out I was pregnant, I was petrified. I mean, I¡¯d had a n. Go to college, find a job, and make money supporting myself in the businessworld. All of a sudden, those ns were in jeopardy. The baby¡¯s father, my boyfriend, wanted nothing to do with us. And there might have been a time or two I wished it hadn¡¯t happened.¡± A tear leaked out of her eye, and Linc brushed it away with his thumb.
Her eyshes fluttered and she looked at him. ¡°But I never meant I wanted to lose my baby.¡± Her voice cut off, a choking sounding fromher throat.
¡°I know that,¡± he rushed to assure her. He¡¯d never once thought she med herself for her miscarriage. Needing to touch her, he pulled her back into his arms. ¡°And it wasn¡¯t your fault.¡±
¡°Mentally I know but in my heart I feel guilty.¡±
He stroked her hair as she gathered the courage to continue.
¡°I was so happy for Aurora,¡± she said into his chest, moisture from her tears coatinghis skin. ¡°But at the same time, I was faced with what I lost.¡±
He held her as she let out the pain she¡¯d been holding back while being strong for Aurora.
After a while, her trembling subsided and she pulled back. ¡°I¡¯m okay. Thank you.¡± Her cheeks were red, her eyes ssy, but she wasn¡¯t an ugly crier. In fact, she was appealing with her heart out there for him to see.
¡°I hope you feel lighter,¡±he said.
She nodded. ¡°But don¡¯t expect me to thank you,¡± she said with a wry twist of her lips.
¡°Wouldn¡¯t dream of it.¡± He let out a lowugh and then decided they¡¯d had all the discussion she needed.
Lying beside him, he breathed in the mixed scent of sex and her floral fragrance and he got hard all over again. She met his gaze, and he saw the second she became aware of his renewed desire.Her cheeks flushed, her eyes dted, and suddenly they were on the same page.
She pressed his shoulders back and crawled on top of him, sealing her mouth over his. No way would he argue. He grasped the back of her neck, holding her in ce as they kissed, her soft, wet pussy sliding over his abdomen.N?velDrama.Org owns this text.
¡°Fuck,¡± he muttered, breaking their kiss, his focus on the warm feel. ¡°Grab a condom,¡± hetold her. ¡°Top drawer.¡±
She reached over and pulled out protection from the partially open drawer, tearing the packet open, and settled back over his lower body.
Wearing nothing but a sexy smile, she wrapped her slender fingers around his erection and worked the condom over his hard length. She took her time, and he gritted his teeth against the teasing she subjected him to. Then, rising upon her knees, she gripped his cock in her hand and positioned him at her entrance.
¡°You¡¯re torturing me,¡± he said, his jaw clenched tight.
She shook her head, her long dark hair flowing around her shoulders. ¡°I¡¯m enjoying touching you,¡± she said, her grip tightening at the base of his shaft. Slowly, she worked herself over him, her slick body tightening as she took him deeper inside her.
Lettingher be in control was killing him. He wanted nothing more than to take over and pump his hips up and down until he exploded, bringing her with him. But she seemed to need this. Seemed to want the power, and after the emotional break she hadn¡¯t been able to control earlier, the one he¡¯d pushed her to experience, he needed to give her this now. Even if it killed him to wait.
Finally she let go,her legs copsing, her sweet pussy engulfing him in heat.
¡°F-u-u-ck,¡± he said, pulling in a deep breath.
¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯m trying to do.¡± Sheughed, squeezing his dick tighter as she did.
And he lost his ability to wait. ¡°Ride me or I¡¯m going to flip you over and fuck you hard.¡± It was a promise, not a threat.
¡°Do it.¡± Her eyes dted and her words shocked him, but he didn¡¯t doubt hersincerity or the way her body pulsed around him.
Without breaking their physical connection, he managed to switch their positions and take her hard and fast. But hard and fast didn¡¯t negate how much he felt, how what they shared was unique and nothing like he¡¯d experienced with any other woman. Because Jordan was special.
And when she wrapped her legs around his waist and gave herself over,his name on her lips, her orgasm triggered his own. He came hard and fast, aware only of the woman beneath him and how perfect she made him feel.
***
Jordan could havegone home, but she opted to make breakfast for her and Linc instead. While he showered, which she¡¯d already done, she headed to the kitchen.
Going through his cupboards, she found everything she needed to make Frenchtoast. Not because he went food shopping or cooked for himself but because someone did it for him. Mrs. Farley made certain his fridge and cabs were stocked. She cooked dinner for him if he was going to be home and left it for him to heat.
Which meant, Jordan thought as she flipped the bread in the frying pan, she was spoiling him more. But she didn¡¯t mind. As usual, he¡¯d been there for herand pressed her to deal with something she¡¯d have otherwise buried deep. She couldn¡¯t help but be grateful forst night and this morning even if she was setting herself up for heartbreak each time she gave in and found herself in his bed.
In her heart, she knew Linc would never intentionally hurt her. She¡¯d also discovered she couldn¡¯t resist him. All she could do was to move forward and doher best not to let this happen again. But she wasn¡¯t going to beat herself up for being with him, either.
Her body hurt in the best ways. Muscles were sore, reminding her of how good they¡¯d been together. How in sync. How well he read her need.
Her cell phone rang from its ce on the granite countertop,Momshowing up on the screen. She winced because she¡¯d owed her mother a phone call fortoo long. They normally spoke more often, but Jordan had been so busy sinceing home from Florida, she hadn¡¯t had a chance to do more than exchange texts with her parent. She didn¡¯t want to talk to her now, from Linc¡¯s, but at this point, her mother would worry if Jordan didn¡¯t take the call.
She picked up the phone and touched the ept button. ¡°Hi, Mom.¡± She tucked the phone between herear and shoulder.
¡°Jordan Marie, where have you been? I called you a few timesst night and again this morning.¡±
She cringed. She¡¯d never wanted to worry her mother. ¡°I¡¯m fine, Mom. Sorry. It¡¯s been a little crazy.¡± She added a slice of toast from the frying pan to the te where the other finished pieces were before cing the final coated piece onto the pan.
¡°Is Linc working you thathard?¡± her mother asked.
¡°No, Mom. His new sister had a babyst night.¡±
¡°Oh, a baby! A boy or a girl?¡± her mom asked.
Jordan smiled. ¡°A girl. Unnamed but I¡¯m sure Aurora will pick one soon. And the baby is the sweetest thing.¡±
¡°You were there? At the hospital?¡± Her mom sounded surprised.
¡°Yes. Actually I was in the room with Aurora when she gave birth.¡± As Jordan spoke, she braced herselffor a negative reaction.
¡°I don¡¯t understand. Wasn¡¯t there someone from the family who could have been with her? You aren¡¯t family.¡±
Ouch. ¡°I¡¯m well aware. And if I wasn¡¯t, you certainly remind me of it often enough,¡± she snapped.
Her mother sighed. ¡°Honey, I¡¯m not trying to be mean. I¡¯m just reminding you of your ce. One day the man you call your best friend is going to find a woman tomarry, and where will that leave you?¡±
Jordan flipped the bread and did her best to breathe and not let her mother¡¯s words get to her, but it was hard after spending the night in Linc¡¯s bed, sleeping in his arms.
¡°Can we talk about something else?¡± she asked.
¡°Sure. Did I tell you the fire rm went off in my building the other night? We all had to go outside, and I was wearing my robe¡¡± Hermother went on with her story, and Jordan murmured the requisitemmm-hmmswhile she spoke.
By the time she hung up, her good mood had been ruined by her mother¡¯s judgmental assessment of her ce in Linc and Aurora¡¯s life. It only served to reinforce all the negative thoughts Jordan already held about why they could never be together long-term and why she needed to be better about guarding herheart.
Just One Night: Chapter 8
¡°Jordan, hold mycalls,¡± Linc said as he exited his office. ¡°I¡¯ll be holed up in the conference room with Brian. No interruptions.¡±
¡°Got it!¡± She turned her attention back to work.
In the two weeks since she¡¯d slept with Linc again, they¡¯d fallen back into their normal routine, working during the day, asional dinners together, and yes, he¡¯d taken her to Ocean Prime for lunchas promised, but he¡¯d been a total gentleman. She had a hunch he was letting her deal with her feelings ande to the conclusion he wanted. That they made sense together, at least sexually. Or maybe he was willing to go back to being her best friend. Whatever the reason, she was concentrating on the present.
This weekend was the baby shower Chloe had nned at the country club the Kingstonfamily belonged to. Jordan had never beenfortable at the club during the times she¡¯d been invited to events there, but thankfully she didn¡¯t have to attend often. She wasn¡¯t intimidated by the clothing, handbags, and shoes the women there owned, but they made sure to let her know her designer choices weren¡¯t up to their standards. If not with words, then with a sneer or a distinct way of lookingher over and finding hercking. Especially the women in Linc¡¯s family¡¯s social circle.
Although this was a party in a separate room, the rest of the club was open to members, so Jordan was prepared to run into the women who resented her friendship with Linc and always had.
After a morning of work, Jordan decided to eat at her desk today. She wasn¡¯t in the mood to go out. Linc was still meetingin the conference room with Brian and a private investigator who he¡¯d hired to look for Wace. The man was still missing.
Linc also had uing meetings with banks and lenders to cover the money needed for the deal with Beck. Anything not to lose a portion of his belovedpany to the man he had long-standing issues with.
She walked to the kitchen, pausing to say hello to Suzanne and someof the other women who worked in the office. After taking her yogurt out of the refrigerator, she returned to her desk to find a female with long jet-ck hair and a fitted dress tapping her foot impatiently in front of Jordan¡¯s desk.
As she drew closer and she saw the woman¡¯s profile, Jordan recognized the visitor. Angelica Winston, Linc¡¯s ex. One Jordan had never gotten along with, not forbut he didn¡¯t answer. Just let him know I¡¯m here,¡± she said.
¡°Please would be nice,¡± Jordan muttered. ¡°Linc is in a meeting, and I have no idea when he¡¯ll be out.¡± Ignoring the woman, Jordan opened her yogurt container and picked up her spoon.
Angelica cleared her throat. ¡°Again, if you would do your job and tell him I¡¯m here, I know he¡¯lle out to talk to me.¡±
As she spoke, Linc approachedhis office from behind her. ¡°Angelica, what are you doing here?¡± Linc asked, sounding tired from the day he¡¯d already had.
¡°Linc, I missed you and I wanted to talk. She wouldn¡¯t let you know I was here.¡±
The woman ought to consider herself fortunate, because without him there, Jordan would have ripped into her about how she wouldn¡¯t do a damn thing for someone so rude.
¡°Because I told her Ididn¡¯t want to be interrupted by anyone.¡± He shot Jordan a grateful look, which Angelica caught.
Unfortunately the woman didn¡¯t take a hint. ¡°I¡¯m not just anyone. Now that you¡¯re here, we need to talk.¡± She hooked her arm in his and directed him around Jordan¡¯s desk and to his office. Short of shaking her off, he had no choice but to deal with her.
Maybe Jordan ought to feel bad for him, buthe¡¯d chosen to get involved with a stage-five clinger. What did he expect?
He opened the door to his office, and Angelica pushed them inside. Jordan couldn¡¯t help but watch, and as she attempted to shut the door, Linc flung it open again, making his point.
Despite Angelica¡¯s proprietary action, Jordan knew he hadn¡¯t been involved with the woman for a long time, but they had been in an on-again,off-again rtionship, and based on his past behavior, Angelica had every right to think she could talk him into another go-round.
¡°Angelica, stop. No. We need to talk.¡± Linc sounded pissed.
Jordan cringed at the thought of her touching him, admitting jealousy had crept up on her the minute Linc was alone with the bitch.
¡°But Linc, it¡¯s been so long. Neither one of us is involved with anyoneand we¡¯re good together.¡± Her nasal whine grated on Jordan¡¯s nerves.
She hated tantly eavesdropping on what should be a private conversation, but he¡¯d deliberately opened the door. And Jordan wanted to hear what he¡¯d say to the part about him not being involved with anyone.
Though they hadn¡¯t touched each other in two weeks, the possessive streak she hadn¡¯t known about reared its ugly head.About a man she was trying not to get more attached to.
¡°You don¡¯t know anything about my private life,¡± Linc said.
¡°I know more than you think. Your mother had lunch with mine, and she was bemoaning her oldest son still being single. Chloe¡¯s getting married and she¡¯s younger than you. Isn¡¯t it time you started thinking about settling down?¡±
Jordan pushed aside the yogurt she¡¯d been about toeat, her stomach suddenly churning.
¡°Not with you. Angelica, listen. You¡¯re right. We had a good run when neither of us was involved with anyone else, but that¡¯s all it was. Two people scratching an itch.¡±
Jordan winced. Oh, he did not say that to her. Talk about a typically dense man.
¡°Lincoln!¡± Angelica wailed. ¡°You can¡¯t mean that. I was giving you space and time to get other women out ofyour system. I was waiting for you toe around.¡±
¡°I¡¯m sorry. Really. But I never led you on. Never told you we had a future.¡± Linc lowered his voice,passion in his tone.
¡°Who is she?¡± Angelica asked loudly, not caring if she caused a scene at his office.
¡°Who?¡± Linc asked.
¡°If it¡¯s not me you have a future with, then who is it?¡±
Linc¡¯s groan was a mix of annoyance and frustration.Jordan recognized it well. ¡°No one you need to concern yourself with.¡±
He hadn¡¯t mentioned Jordan by name, but he didn¡¯t deny there was someone, either.
¡°Come. I¡¯ll walk you out,¡± Linc said.
¡°Don¡¯t touch me. You led me on. I was waiting for you.¡± Angelica¡¯s voice sounded closer to the door.
¡°I never gave you any reason to think you should.¡±
Jordan spun her chair around, picked up her spoon,and managed to eat a spoonful, swiping her mouse to turn on herputer screen and look busy.
Angelica¡¯s heels sounded, and she came storming out of the office and past Jordan¡¯s desk, striding through the office, an angry woman who didn¡¯t care if anyone else knew it.
Wincing, Jordan focused on her lunch, wondering if Linc woulde out of his office, whether or not he realized she¡¯d heardit all, and unsure of what she¡¯d say if he did.
Instead he shut the door and remained inside for the rest of the afternoon.
***
Linc leaned againstthe office door and let out a groan. Jesus Christ. He hadn¡¯t led Angelica on, nor had he given her any indication there would be a future between them. With everything hanging over his head with the business, thest thing he needed wasfemale drama. Another reason he appreciated Jordan. She didn¡¯t do drama. She never had.
Speaking of Jordan, he cringed at the realization she¡¯d overheard his conversation. He wasn¡¯t ready to face her, so he settled in behind his desk to work, but he was distracted by his missing CFO and his need to borrow way too much money for his liking.
When a knock sounded on his door, he was grateful forthe distraction. ¡°Come in!¡±
His sister bounced into the room, obviously in a good mood. Her cheery smile matched her bright pink dress.
¡°Hey, Chloe.¡±
She smiled wide. ¡°Hi!¡± She shut the door behind her and sat down in a chair across from him. ¡°Good time? Bad time?¡±
¡°For you? Always a good time.¡± He let go of his stress and focused on his sister. Rising, he walked around the desk and sat onthe edge. ¡°How¡¯s the baby shower nning going?¡±
Though Aurora had had the baby early, Chloe was going ahead with the shower since it was as much of a way to introduce Aurora as family as it was to celebrate the baby she¡¯d named Leah.
¡°Great. I have Faith Dare doing the specialty desserts,¡± she said of Jason Dare¡¯s wife.
Linc had stayed in touch with Braden and Willow, keeping them up to dateon Aurora and how she was fitting in here. The Prescotts, it turned out, were part of the interesting Dare family, something he¡¯d learned from Chloe. She¡¯d been curious about the people who¡¯d taken her sister in, then she¡¯d been fascinated by the Dare family tree. Faith was married to Jason Dare, a cousin of Austin¡¯s who lived in New York.
From there Chloe had discovered Faith¡¯s Sweet Treatsin the city, and with Willow and Bradening to the baby shower, Chloe had obviously decided to bring Braden¡¯s family into the mix.
¡°Sounds like you have everything under control,¡± he said, d she was enjoying the preparation.
She nodded. ¡°I definitely do,¡± she said, suddenly squirming in her seat, a habit left over from when she was a child.
Chloe had a tell and couldn¡¯t lie worth a damn.¡°Okay, spill it,¡± Linc said. ¡°What else is on your mind?¡±
She sighed. ¡°I didn¡¯t want to ask you this sooner because it felt wrong, what with Dad¡¯s surprise passing and it feeling so soon.¡± She swallowed hard, clearly struggling.
Of all the siblings, Linc knew their father best because they¡¯d worked together, but they hadn¡¯t been close. And Keh hadn¡¯t understood his writer or rock star sons.Chloe had looked up to him because he was their father, but as soon as she was old enough to catch on to their mother¡¯s misery, she¡¯d shut their father out, too.
¡°It¡¯s okay. Whatever it is, you can say it.¡± Linc didn¡¯t want her to feel she couldn¡¯te to him.
Twisting her hands in front of her, she forced herself to speak. ¡°Dad was going to walk me down the aisle because it was tradition.But I¡¯m closer to you anyway and now he¡¯s gone.¡± She nced up, her eyes watery. ¡°Linc, will you walk me down the aisle?¡±
He smiled at his baby sister, who was clearly no longer a baby. Although he didn¡¯t think Owen was good enough for her, the wedding was set, and Linc wanted her to be happy. ¡°Of course I will.¡±
¡°Thank you!¡± She popped up from her chair and hugged him, nearly knocking himover in her exuberance.
¡°Did you think I¡¯d say no?¡± he asked as she stood up so he could catch his bnce.
¡°No.¡± She shook her head. ¡°But I know how you feel about Owen.¡± Looking up at him with those familiar blue eyes, she all but dared him to say something negative about her fianc¨¦.
He drew a deep breath and took a moment to phrase things so she didn¡¯t get hurt. ¡°I just want the right manfor you,¡± he said.
¡°And Owen is that man. We have a lot of things inmon. He makes me feel safe, and unlike Dad, he¡¯s a good man who won¡¯t cheat.¡±
Chloe seemed so damned certain and sincere, but Linc wasn¡¯t sure. If she was marrying the man for safety¡¯s sake, the tax attorney might fit the bill, but his vibrant sister needed so much more. He hoped she wasn¡¯t making a mistake.
Still, he schooledhis features and forced a smile. ¡°If you¡¯re happy, then I¡¯m d.¡±
Her shoulders dropped and she rxed. ¡°So who¡¯s your plus-one for the wedding?¡± she asked as he lowered himself into his chair.
What a day to ask him when he was still reeling over Angelica¡¯s unexpected visit. ¡°I¡¯ll being with Jordan.¡±
His sister rolled her eyes. ¡°Of course Jordan ising. She¡¯s invited but who¡¯s yourdate?¡±
He looked his sister in the eye and repeated his answer. ¡°Jordan.¡±
Her eyes opened wide. ¡°You and Jordan?¡± She shook her head as if she¡¯d misunderstood. ¡°Oh, I get it. You want to fend off all the singledies. That makes sense. Smart, Linc. Very smart.¡± Sheughed until she saw he was deadly serious. ¡°Whoa. Wait. You and Jordan?¡± she asked again. ¡°Does she know she¡¯s your date?¡±
It was Linc¡¯s turn to chuckle. ¡°No, actually, she doesn¡¯t.¡±
¡°Linc!¡±
¡°She doesn¡¯t know she¡¯s my date to Aurora¡¯s shower either.¡± He shrugged but he had no ns to exin things to his sister. ¡°I¡¯d appreciate it if you¡¯d let me work things out my own way.¡±
Chloe nodded. With one hand, she raised her fingers to her mouth and gestured that her lips were sealed.
¡°Good to know.¡±
¡°Okay, I needto get back to work. Behave yourself, Linc. I have a feeling you¡¯re in over your head.¡± Chloe braced her hands on the desk and leaned in. ¡°Jordan isn¡¯t one of us. Not like you think.¡±
Narrowing his gaze, he asked, ¡°What in the hell do you mean?¡±
¡°Listen.¡± Chloe sat back down in the chair, and he sensed a lectureing on. ¡°You and Jordan are best friends and always have been, but you¡¯re a guy.And you don¡¯t see what girls do. The way women in your social circle look at her because her mother was our maid. Jordan has ess to you, and people in our world resent her.¡±
¡°Again, you mean other women resent her.¡±
Chloe nodded. ¡°Jordan might dress in designer clothes, and she knows how to hold herself and behave at the club, but nobody sees her as anything other than the help¡¯s daughter.¡±
Anger filled him at the truth of her statement. ¡°What kind of bullshit is thisour world?¡± he asked with quotes around the words.
Sure, her mother and his father believed they shouldn¡¯t even be friends, but he¡¯d had no idea there were more people who bought into the antiquated notion.
Chloe nced down, her cheeks flushed. ¡°It¡¯s something insecure bitches use to distinguish themselves fromsmart, beautiful women like Jordan who make their own way in the world and do it well.¡±
At least his sister didn¡¯t buy into social ss distinctions. What a load of crap, and Linc ground his teeth in frustration.
¡°Jordan¡¯s mother feels the same way. She¡¯s always telling her she doesn¡¯t belong with me. Not even as my friend.¡±
Chloe¡¯s expression turned sad. ¡°What about you? If you had to walkinto a charity event or the club with Jordan on your arm, knowing what people would think and say, how would you feel?¡±
¡°Proud.¡± He knew the answer without thinking.
His sister¡¯s smile was all the validation he needed. ¡°Then go for it and I¡¯ll be right by your side.¡± She came around and hugged him again. ¡°Love you, Linc.¡±
¡°Love you back. Now go work.¡±
Chloe walked out and Linc nced aroundhis office. Chloe had given him a lot to think about when it came to Jordan. So much more made sense to him now. The morning after they¡¯dst been together, he¡¯d walked into the kitchen as she¡¯d been hanging up the phone after a call from her mother.
He¡¯d sensed immediately things had changed. As usual, Tamara had probably filled her head with her negative feelings about their rtionship.If Tamara knew he was sleeping with her daughter, she would lose her mind. And Jordan knew it.
On top of that, ording to Chloe, Jordan also felt she didn¡¯t fit in. He shook his head at the thought. As if money made a person a decent human being. Jordan was worth ten times more than a dense, shallow woman like Angelica. So was Chloe. Money had nothing to do with it.
One thing was certain,Linc didn¡¯t care what anyone thought.
Now how to convince Jordan?
***
Jordan packed herthings up for the day. She hadn¡¯t had a minute alone with Linc. He¡¯d had back-to-back visitors throughout the afternoon, which wasn¡¯t unusual. At the moment, he was on the phone with a potential lender, so she left him a text on his phone letting him know she was leaving and she would see him inthe morning.
She headed out and decided to take the subway instead of an Uber orpany car, needing the fresh air she¡¯d get as she walked the three blocks to the station. She¡¯d been light-headed this afternoon and a little queasy and had attributed it to only eating half her yogurt for lunch. After listening to Angelica¡¯s y for Linc, she hadn¡¯t felt like eating.
Knowing she was too tiredto prep food, she stopped at the grocery store near her apartment and picked up a couple of precooked meals before going home. At least she¡¯d have them for the week. Once home, she put the meals in the fridge and changed into a pair of soft sweats and the tee shirt she¡¯d stolen from Linc. Nobody had to know she slept in it whenever it didn¡¯t need to be washed.
She microwaved and ate the pastashe¡¯d bought and settled herself into her couch, suddenly tired. When her cell rang, it woke her, and a nce at the phone told her she¡¯d fallen asleep for over an hour.
She answered the call, which was her doorman. ¡°Hello?¡±
¡°Good evening, Miss Greene. Mr. Kingston is here.¡±
She really should put him on her permanent list, but she liked the heads-up before anyone came over. It gave her a fewminutes to¡ whatever. Clean up. Look in the mirror. ¡°Send him up, please. Thank you.¡±
Knowing she didn¡¯t have much time, she chose the look-in-the-mirror option, saw the sleep line on her cheek, and groaned. Just wonderful.
She ran her fingers through her tangled hair and couldn¡¯t do much more before he knocked on her door. She wasn¡¯t surprised he¡¯d shown up. Not after the scene with his ex.
She let him in and shut the door behind him.
¡°We need to talk,¡± he said without saying hello first.
She smiled grimly. ¡°If it¡¯s about Angelica, I can live without the details.¡±
¡°But I need you to know a few things.¡± He shrugged off his jacket andid it over a club chair, making himself at home.
She sighed as he pulled on his tie, releasing the knot and unthreading the ends. He tossed itover his jacket and proceeded to undo the top two buttons on his shirt and roll up his sleeves.
Dammit, why did he have to be so sexy?
¡°Are you hungry? I picked up a couple of dinners on my way home.¡±
He shook his head. ¡°I grabbed something first. You don¡¯t need to feed me,¡± he said, his lips lifting in a wry grin.
¡°So you had a busy day.¡± No point beating around the bush, she thought, stridingover to her favorite corner of her couch before he could beat her to it.
He settled in right beside her, half facing her, his knee on the couch, touching her thigh.
¡°Yes, I did. And I want you to know I haven¡¯t been with her in over a year. Frankly I hadn¡¯t been with anyone, because I¡¯ve been over having meaningless sex. Angelica called the night I showed up at your apartment drunk. I was onmy way over and I made it clear I wasn¡¯t interested. Obviously she needed me to be harsher than I was, because she didn¡¯t buy it.¡±
Jordan had to admit she was relieved to hear there hadn¡¯t been anyone else in a while.
¡°I know she¡¯s a stage-five clinger.¡± It really was her favorite expression, Jordan mused.
He tipped his head back andughed. ¡°Great description.¡±
¡°It does fit.¡±
¡°Chloe¡¯s excitedabout the baby shower this weekend,¡± he said.
Jordan smiled. ¡°So is Aurora. She¡¯s nervous about meeting so many strangers, but she¡¯s looking forward to it, too.¡±
His warm gaze met hers. ¡°Do you talk to her often?¡±
¡°Every day, every other day, depends. I check in or she calls. She¡¯s a wonderful girl given all she had to live through. She hasn¡¯t been hardened by life, and she¡¯s open to her newfamily. It¡¯s been great to see.¡±
He stretched an arm over the back of the sofa, his fingers running over the skin on her shoulder. A light touch but her entire body tingled, awareness shooting through her veins and her nipples puckering beneath her cotton tee shirt.
¡°So about the party,¡± Linc said. ¡°It starts at eleven a.m. I¡¯ll pick you up around ten.¡±
¡°Can you fit the huge horse rocker youbought into the back of your SUV?¡± she asked, grinning. He was such a sucker for buying Aurora and the baby things and having them delivered to the house.
¡°I already had Max drop it off at the club. Does ten work for you?¡±
She nodded. ¡°Perfect. I appreciate the ride.¡± Otherwise she¡¯d have to take an Uber and that wouldn¡¯t be fun at all.
¡°Jordan.¡±
At the gruff sound of his voice, she jerkedher head up. ¡°What?¡±
¡°You don¡¯t thank your date for picking you up to go somewhere.¡± He gripped her arm in his hand, firmly but without hurting her. ¡°Make no mistake. You¡¯re my date.¡±
She opened her mouth to argue. To tell him they couldn¡¯t show up and act like a couple in front of his family when nobody had any idea they were dating, let alone had any kind of intimate rtionship. Not to mention,they hadn¡¯t had a discussionying out the parameters of said rtionship.
But she couldn¡¯t deny they were involved in a deeper way than they¡¯d been before they¡¯d slept together the first time.
¡°Linc, we don¡¯t want to give your family the wrong impression.¡±
His father would roll over in his grave if he walked into the country club with her on his arm. She had no idea what his mother wouldsay. And though Jordan could handle whatever people dished out, she didn¡¯t want to embarrass his family during a day that belonged to Aurora.
¡°You¡¯re right. And we won¡¯t.¡± He rose to his feet, leaned over, and pressed his mouth to hers, parting her lips and sucking on her tongue.
She moaned and kissed him back, unable to resist him even when he was his pushy self. By the time he pulled back,she would have agreed to almost anything he¡¯d asked.C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org
¡°Good night,¡± he said. ¡°Sweet dreams.¡± He strode past the chair, grabbing his jacket and tie.
She was still lost in that kiss, wrapped up in his masculine scent, and her head spinning when the door shut behind him.
Dammit! He¡¯d yed her. He knew she wouldn¡¯t argue if he kissed her into submission.
She had to find a way to deal with theirnew rtionship, and she decided here and now it was a temporary thing. She would sleep with him when it suited them, be with him and try to enjoy the time they had, but when it was time to move on, she would let him go. Because their worlds didn¡¯t mix, and that wasn¡¯t something she could change.
As for the shower, they were both invited, so it wasn¡¯t unusual for them to show up together. Orso she convinced herself because she had no other choice.
Just One Night: Chapter 9
Linc picked upJordan and drove them to the club near his mother¡¯s house. She looked gorgeous in a fitted navy dress gathered at the waist and red out beneath. Throughout the car ride, he was enveloped by her delicious scent, and arousal wound its way through his veins. If they didn¡¯t have a party to go to, he¡¯d put up the privacy divider and slide his hand up her dress and findout what she was wearing underneath.
Instead he looked out the window and attempted to focus on the scenery they passed so when they arrived his cock wasn¡¯t tenting his pants and on obvious disy.
She made small talk and he did as well. She clearly wanted things to feel normal between them. Since she had a big day ahead of her, dealing with the club atmosphere and his entire family, he decidednot to push himself on her beforehand. After was another story.
Finally Max pulled up at the club, and they slid out of the car. ¡°I¡¯ll bring the gifts in,¡± his driver said.
Linc pressed his hand behind Jordan¡¯s back as they walked up the stairs, and he held the door open as they stepped inside.
¡°Are you okay?¡± he couldn¡¯t stop himself from asking.
She nodded. ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t I be? I know everyoneat the party, and your brothers and Chloe always make me feel wee. Plus I love Aurora. There¡¯s no reason to worry about me.¡± Her smile reassured him.
Whatever Chloe thought about Jordan not fitting in, she appeared confident and ready. ¡°Then let¡¯s go,¡± he said.
His sister had reserved a private room, and when they entered, the d¨¦cor stood out. On the tables, pink, silver, and white balloonswere tied together, encircled with matching flowers around the base of each centerpiece. White cloths with pink liners covered the tabletops, surrounded by white chairs with huge baby-pink bows.
Jordan saw Aurora across the room and immediately headed in her direction. She hugged his new sister and then turned her attention to Leah, who was snuggled in a car seat carrier. Bending down, Jordanlifted the baby into her arms and held her against her chest, supporting her head with her hand.
It wasn¡¯t the first time he¡¯d seen her hold the baby, but in the hospital, he¡¯d been worried about Jordan¡¯s emotional state. Right now he was concerned with his own. At the sight of her cradling the infant, his chest felt heavy, and a lump settled in his throat, while a panicky feeling took hold.
He¡¯d definitely had issues with the notion of having kids, thanks to his father¡¯s behavior and how it had impacted what he and his siblings had seen and heard growing up.
¡°What are you staring at?¡± Xander asked, walking up beside him and cutting off anything else he¡¯d been about to consider.
Linc nced at his brother. ¡°Nothing. How have you been?¡±
Xander shot him a curious nce. ¡°What¡¯sgoing on?¡±
Linc shook his head, not about to get into a conversation about feelings even he didn¡¯t understand. And not at a ce where someone could overhear.
¡°I¡¯m good. Talking to the studio about the filming of my next project.¡± He shrugged. ¡°Hanging in. You?¡±
Linc groaned. ¡°Busy at work. Dad left some issues that have recentlye to light. Wrapping up those loose ends hasn¡¯t been easy.¡±
¡°Son of a bitch,¡± Xander muttered. ¡°Sorry to hear that.¡±
¡°I¡¯ll get it sorted.¡± Linc nced around the room, taking in his mom and Chloe, who both caught his gaze and waved from where they were talking to their friends.
Chloe had invited people her age, and his mom had included her acquaintances, giving Aurora an opportunity to meet a lot of people at once.
¡°I¡¯m really proud of Mom,¡± Linc said.¡°What other woman would take her husband¡¯s illegitimate child in and treat her like her own?¡±
Xander shook his head. ¡°None that I know of. Just another reason Dad was an ass.¡±
¡°I¡¯m here! We can start the party!¡±
Linc looked toward the front of the room, where the familiar voice hade from, to find Dash standing in the doorway, a grin on his face. Making an entrance, as usual.
Linc shotXander an amused grin, and they headed over to greet their brother. When he got busy working, not even a bomb going off could interrupt Dash¡¯s creative process. Although his mother had told Linc that Dash hade by to meet Aurora and Linc was d.
¡°Hey!¡± Dash said,ing up and pulling first Xander, then Linc into a one-armed hug.
¡°Look who dressed up for the asion.¡± Xander patted Dashon the back of his partially unbuttoned white cored dress shirt.
His sleeves were rolled up, revealing his tattooed arms. Linc enjoyed his brother¡¯s different style, the opposite of his own conservative attire. Including the tight ck jeans, unripped thanks to club rules, and ck Nike Air Jordans.
¡°Tell me you missed me,¡± Dash said,ughing.
¡°Go away. Say hello to your mother,¡± Lincmuttered.
Ignoring the stares all the women shot his way, Dash made his way across the room and hugged first their mom and then Aurora and Jordan before turning his attention to the baby.
Family, Linc thought. His meant everything to him.
***
Jordan sat nextto Linc at a table with Xander, Dash, Chloe, Melly, and Aurora, the family closing ranks and making a statement for their newsister and her baby. Also joining them were Braden Prescott and Willow James, who¡¯d remained close with Aurora. The couple had gotten engaged at thest dinner they¡¯d all enjoyed together in Miami and were clearly happy now.
Aurora had been brought to tears more than once during thevish day, and Melly had introduced the young girl to all of her friends, who¡¯d fawned over the baby and broughtvery expensive gifts.
Jordan had been on the receiving end of various looks, mostly from Chloe¡¯s friends. The women in Melly¡¯s age bracket tended to ignore her, but the women closer to her own age? They¡¯d either scanned her from head to toe, cataloging her clothing and appearance, turning up their noses and ncing away, or shot her annoyed nces.
Jordan had no doubt they resented her positionnext to Linc. She¡¯d overheard more than one group of women discussing hisck of a girlfriend and potential avability, despite Jordan sitting beside him, his hand asionally brushing her shoulder or twirling her hair. Even when she¡¯d tried to inch her chair away.
Aurora had raised an eyebrow at what she¡¯d seen and grinned widely. Melly had been too busy to notice, but Jordan¡¯s stomach hadbeen in knots worrying about upsetting his mother on such a special day. Who knew how she would react? She was fine with Jordan being a friend of the family, but she couldn¡¯t imagine Melly would approve of the maid¡¯s daughter being involved with her oldest son.
Despite her nerves, Jordan had enjoyed Aurora¡¯s baby shower, probably more than her brothers had, considering all the baby games Chloehad arranged for everyone to y. Traditionally men were not invited to a shower, but with this also being Aurora¡¯s introduction to their friends, Chloe hadn¡¯t adhered to custom.N?velDrama.Org owns this text.
When she¡¯d handed out baby pins and made everyone pin one on their shirt, including the men, Jordan nearly choked at the look on Linc¡¯s face. Chloe had then instructed everyone not to say the wordbaby.If anyone heardanother person utter the word, they could take that person¡¯s pin. The person with the most pins won a prize.
Jordan had to admit it was endearing watching the Kingston brothers endure games from Don¡¯t Say Baby to Dirty Diapers, in which a variety of candy bars were ced in newborn-sized diapers and people had to guess what kind of candy they were eating. Even Jordan had nearly gagged at theidea, shocking herself at how nauseous she¡¯d be.
By the time food was served and Faith Dare¡¯s cake pops brought out to each table, Jordan was exhausted. For a woman who worked eight- to ten-hour days, she was surprised a party had wiped her out so badly. She also needed to use thedies¡¯ room.
ncing at Linc, she said, ¡°I¡¯ll be back in a few minutes.¡±
He nodded, standing as she did andpulling out her chair. Such a gentleman, she mused.
As she rose, Aurora stood up as well. ¡°I¡¯ll go with you,¡± she said and turned to Willow. ¡°Will you watch Leah?¡± The baby had been sleeping quietly in her car seat in the chair next to Aurora.
¡°Of course.¡± Willow smiled and put a hand on the back of the chair where the baby slept.
Jordan followed Aurora out of the room, then pointed her inthe direction of thedies¡¯ room. She passed the main dining room, where normal lunch activities were going on, and the loud chatter sounded as they walked by.
Once inside, she and Aurora closed themselves in their own stalls. Jordan was quick, then washed her hands before heading to the outer sitting area. She ced her bag on a shelf below a wall-to-wall mirror and pulled out her lip gloss.
ncing in the mirror, she was shocked by how pale she appeared. She didn¡¯t have blush with her, so she had no way to put life back in her cheeks. With a sigh, she opened the gloss stick and applied it to her lips, as the sound of women¡¯s voices andughter alerted her to iing women.
They entered, continuing to talk to one another, and Jordan grasped her purse and stepped aside to waitfor Aurora.
¡°Jordan?¡±
She turned at the sound of her name and forced herself not to visibly cringe. ¡°Angelica. Hi.¡±
¡°I take it you¡¯re here for Linc¡¯s new sister¡¯s baby shower. My mother is there, too.¡± Her fake smile grated on Jordan¡¯s nerves.
¡°Yes, I saw your mother.¡± Carol Winston was a good friend of Melly¡¯s. They all ran in the same social circles.
Angelica¡¯s friends disappeared intothe other room, and Aurora had walked in, standing behind Jordan.
Jordan had no intention of introducing them. ¡°Well, it was nice to see you, but I need to get back inside.¡± Jordan turned toward Aurora, but Angelica tapped her shoulder and Jordan spun back around. ¡°Yes?¡±
¡°Since we¡¯re both here, I thought I¡¯d give you some advice. You know, woman to woman?¡± Angelica said, fake kindness oozingfrom her voice as she twirled a long strand of her ck hair around a finger.
Oh, this ought to be good, Jordan thought. ¡°Aurora, why don¡¯t you go ahead, and I¡¯ll meet you back inside.¡±
¡°That¡¯s okay. I¡¯ll wait.¡± She stepped up to Jordan¡¯s side.
Angelica looked at her but didn¡¯t spare her a thought, her gaze zeroing in on Jordan. ¡°You¡¯re not his type. You know that, right?¡±
¡°Whose type?¡± Jordanopted for ying dumb. Let this bitch spell it out for her.
¡°Linc. Everyone knows you want him. It¡¯s been obvious since you were a kid and your mother was cleaning his house. I looked into the party room and saw his hand on your shoulder, touching your hair. When no one was looking, of course.¡±
Jordan kept her face nk and let Angelica spew her venom.
Her face had contorted into an uglyexpression, revealing who she really was inside. ¡°But let¡¯s face it. If he¡¯s sleeping with you, it¡¯s temporary. You don¡¯t belong in his life. You can¡¯t fit in like I can. And as soon as he realizes that, he¡¯lle back to me.¡±
Jordan¡¯s cheeks burned, but she otherwise refused to let Angelica see she¡¯d hit a nerve. ¡°Are you really sure? Because ording to Linc, he was never with you in anyway that mattered.¡± Turning, she looked at Aurora. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±
Aurora shook her head. ¡°One minute.¡± She walked over to Angelica, who¡¯d begun to reapply her lipstick. ¡°I haven¡¯t known my brother long, but I know he¡¯s a good man. And he would never be with someone who has a soul as ugly as you do.¡± She nced at Jordan. ¡°Now I¡¯m ready.¡±
Together they walked out of thedies¡¯ room. Jordan¡¯s insideswere trembling. She didn¡¯t like confrontation, but she wouldn¡¯t let anyone treat her like shit. Even if the things Angelica said were the same words her mother had tried to teach her. Words she was being force-fed from all sides, it seemed. Even from herself.
¡°You didn¡¯t have to stand up for me, but I appreciate that you did,¡± Jordan said.
¡°I grew up in foster care. I learned how to stand upfor myself and the few people I cared about.¡± Aurora met her gaze. ¡°You know she¡¯s wrong. You and Linc are perfect for each other.¡±
Jordan grasped her hand. ¡°I know you care and I am so grateful. I care about you, too. As far as Angelica, she might have been hateful when she said it, but she wasn¡¯t far off base. These people look at me and see the maid¡¯s daughter.¡±
¡°But Linc doesn¡¯t see that!And if you don¡¯t fit in with them, then I don¡¯t either,¡± Aurora said, her tone adamant.
Jordan smiled at the young woman who was special in her own right. ¡°Yes, you do belong. You¡¯re part of their family and don¡¯t you ever forget it.¡± She squeezed Aurora¡¯s hand tight and released her grasp. ¡°Come on. Let¡¯s get back before people wonder what happened to us.¡±
They returned to the party to findWillow holding the baby, who needed to be fed. Aurora hurried to her daughter, and Jordan sat back down beside Linc, feeling numb after the confrontation she hadn¡¯t asked for or wanted.
In what day and age did people talk about ss as if where you came from mattered? She didn¡¯t understand it, and she resented everyone in this room who tried to make her feel less than. Her parents had workedhard to give her a good life, and Jordan wasn¡¯t the least bit ashamed of their jobs or who they were. In their hearts, they were better people than anyone who¡¯d looked down on her today.
¡°Are you okay? You look pale.¡± Linc caressed her cheek, and she did her best not to lean into his touch the way she wanted to.
She nodded. ¡°I haven¡¯t been feeling great thest couple of days. I think I¡¯m justtired.¡±
Concern etched his handsome features. ¡°Why don¡¯t you take some time off. A few days until you¡¯re one hundred percent.¡±
¡°Thank you but I¡¯m sure I¡¯m fine.¡±
¡°Well, if you wake up and you don¡¯t feel great, stay home.¡±
She nodded.
Aurora returned after feeding the baby and walked over to Jordan and Linc¡¯s side of the table. ¡°Did Jordan tell you about the bitch in the bathroom?¡±
Jordanflinched. She should have told Aurora not to say anything, but it hadn¡¯t even urred to her.
Linc¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°What is she talking about? What happened?¡±
Aurora, who was holding Leah against her shoulder and patting the baby¡¯s back, looked from Linc to Jordan, understanding filling her gaze. ¡°Oops! I need to go sit down. It¡¯s easier to burp her when I¡¯m sitting,¡± she rattled, then turnedand walked back to her chair.
¡°Jordan?¡±
¡°It was no big deal. Just a run-in with Angelica. Nothing I can¡¯t handle.¡± She¡¯d thought that was true, but then why was she trembling inside? Why was a lump forming in her throat? And why was she nauseous again?
¡°Dammit. What did she say to you?¡± He looked furious, his eyes turning a deep blue, color highlighting his cheekbones.
She forced in a breathof air. ¡°Listen, there are things women say to each other when they¡¯re¡¡± She trailed off. There wasn¡¯t anything she coulde up with to cate him. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. I handled it.¡±
His body vibrated with anger. ¡°But you shouldn¡¯t have to handle her at all.¡±
¡°I¡¯m wiped out. I¡¯m going to call a car to take me home. You stay with your family for the end of the party. Okay?¡± Her fingers shookas she picked up her purse and searched for her phone.
He put a hand on her trembling one. ¡°I can leave. It¡¯s practically over anyway. At least those horrific games are.¡±
That made herugh. ¡°I don¡¯t want to take you away from the party or your family.¡±
¡°My decision. Let¡¯s say our goodbyes. Everyone will understand.¡±
Because she knew she couldn¡¯t win, she gave in. They made their rounds ofthank-yous and goodbyes. Aurora promised to text pictures of the presents she hadn¡¯t yet opened and share themter.
And though, when they reached her apartment, Linc wanted toe upstairs and make sure she was okay, she insisted she wanted to fall into bed and go to sleep. Despite his concern, he gave in.
But he didn¡¯t look happy about it.
***
Back in hisapartment after theparty, Linc poured himself a ss of Macan 18 and settled into a chair in the living room, kicking his feet up on the leather ottoman in front of him. He lifted his ss, studying the amber-colored liquid. Today had been¡ interesting. A baby shower wasn¡¯t an event he¡¯d like to repeat, but watching Aurora¡¯s face as she took in the room, the stack of presents, and the number of people who¡¯dewas worth sitting through the torture.
He didn¡¯t know what she wanted to do with her life, but it was way too soon to ask or pressure her in any way. The conversation woulde in time.
His thoughts turned to Jordan and today¡¯s mess, courtesy of Angelica. It wasn¡¯t like Chloe hadn¡¯t warned him about the women at the club and in their family¡¯s world, but it had been hard for him toprehend.Until Jordan had been exposed to Angelica¡¯s venom firsthand. Linc had no idea what his ex had said, but Jordan had obviously been shaken, and Aurora hadn¡¯t liked it either. He wanted to know but Jordan wouldn¡¯t talk. Hell, she hadn¡¯t even wanted him around. Giving her space seemed like a good idea, but if she didn¡¯t eventually tell him, he wasn¡¯t above asking Aurora for details.
With that settled,he turned his thoughts to the business. Despite how much thepany was currently leveraged, Linc had borrowed the money to pay Beck from a trusted lender. Next week, Linc would meet with the man to hand him a check and have the satisfaction of seeing his face when Linc informed him he wouldn¡¯t get his hands on any part of Kingston Enterprises. Linc would have no choice but to be a partnerin this deal, but he¡¯d keep Beck away from the family business.
Based on his calctions, Linc could fix things over the next five years, and he took sce in knowing he had a n. His father¡¯s surprise investments kepting to light, but he thought they¡¯d uncovered them all now. Linc would set things right. But he still needed to find Wace and find out exactly how his father had gottenthem into this situation and why. His dementia was only part of the story, of that Linc was certain.
His phone buzzed, and he pulled his cell from his pocket to see Dash had texted. ¡°We¡¯re downstairs anding up.¡±
Weobviously meant Dash and Xander. And because they were on the permanent list downstairs, Linc was lucky they¡¯d given him warning before descending on him and his well-stockedbar.
He rose from his seat and pulled out extra sses from the cab above the counter in the corner of the living room before heading to the door. He opened it just as Dash and Xander exited the elevator.
They strode past him with muttered hellos and entered, heading straight to the bar.
¡°Make yourselves at home,¡± he said, shutting the door, as they took their bottle of choice and pouredthemselves a drink.
¡°Jesus, I need one after the day we endured.¡± Xander slugged back the contents of his ss, and Dash did the same, adding more before settling on the sofa.
Linc refilled his ss and joined them, sitting back in the chair.
¡°Who the hell came up with the idea of filling diapers with candies that look like shit?¡± Dash leaned an elbow on the arm of the couch.
Linc shookhis head. ¡°Beats me. But Aurora enjoyed it and I¡¯m d it¡¯s over.¡±
His brothers nodded in agreement.
¡°How are you both doing with Aurora?¡± Linc asked, wondering if they were getting close with her.
¡°She¡¯s a good kid,¡± Dash said. ¡°But I haven¡¯t had much time to get to know her. I¡¯m hoping when I get out of the studio before any touring we¡¯ll get together.¡±
Xander nodded. ¡°I¡¯ve been to thehouse a few times and we¡¯re getting to know each other. I really like her. Life dealt her a shitty hand but she¡¯s not bitter. And she¡¯s not money hungry despite having ess. She impresses me.¡±
Linc leaned back in his seat,fortable and chilled now that his brothers were here. ¡°How are the songsing?¡±
¡°Depends on the day.¡± Dash shrugged. ¡°It¡¯lle together. It always does.¡±
Linc wasso proud of his brothers. Despite their father¡¯sck of interest, they¡¯d both grown up to pursue their dreams. In Xander¡¯s case, writing hade after the military, a time Xander didn¡¯t like to talk about.
¡°So what about you? You mentioned you¡¯re gearing up for your next movie?¡± Linc asked him, then lifted his ss and took a sip.
¡°They¡¯re going through casting now. It¡¯s been hard to findthe right fit for the part of the wife. They¡¯ve been screen-testing a shit ton of actresses, but I have faith my producer and director wille through with the perfect woman.¡± Xander sounded certain, so Linc doubted there¡¯d be problems.
¡°And meanwhile you¡¯re writing your next novel?¡± Dash asked. ¡°Ever consider a rock star as the hero?¡± He grinned and tossed back thest of his drink.
Xanderraised an eyebrow. ¡°No way. My guy is loyal and doesn¡¯t fuck his way through every woman he meets. Unlike the rock stars I know.¡±
Dash smirked and let out augh. ¡°It¡¯s a good life if you can get it. Okay, enough about us. What¡¯s going on with you?¡± He zeroed in on Linc with his prating stare.
Knowing he couldn¡¯t avoid this forever, he filled his brothers in on what their father had beenup to prior to his death and the way he¡¯d handled things.
¡°Jesus. I¡¯m sorry. If there¡¯s anything I can do, let me know.¡± Xander frowned. ¡°I¡¯m shocked he¡¯d make decisions that could hurt the business knowing he had dementia,¡± Xander said.
Linc drew in a long breath. ¡°Well, we do know he never wanted to face his diagnosis. And if he thought he was making good choices, he wasn¡¯t worrying abouthis diminished mental capacity.¡±
¡°What does Wace have to do with it? He¡¯s supposed to be Dad¡¯s good friend.¡± Dash rose from his seat. ¡°Anyone want another?¡±
Linc and Xander shook their heads, and Dash headed to pour himself more then returned and sat back down on the couch.
¡°ording to his doctor, who I¡¯ve spoken to, Dad¡¯s behavior isn¡¯t surprising. As for Wace, I have a PI trackinghim down. I want answers.¡±
His brothers nodded in agreement. They spent the next hour talking, reminiscing, and having a good time, something they didn¡¯t get to do together often enough. Everyone¡¯s schedules kept them busy.
¡°So I have a question.¡± Dash looked directly at Linc. ¡°I noticed not only did you show up with Jordan but you had your hands all over her. So to speak. What is up with youtwo?¡±
¡°Now I do need a drink.¡± Linc stood, walked to the bar, and poured himself another scotch before turning back to his brothers. ¡°We slept together. A couple of times.¡±
¡°I knew it.¡± Xander¡¯s tone was the equivalent of a pat on the back. ¡°You finally gave in.¡±
¡°Yeah. I finally gave in. And so did she.¡±
Dashughed. ¡°I should have figured out you two would end up together years ago.¡±
Linc raised an eyebrow. ¡°What makes you think it¡¯s something permanent?¡± He couldn¡¯t even get her tomit to the wordrtionship, let alone something long-term.
¡°Well, if any one of us was going to settle down, excluding Chloe, it¡¯d be you. You¡¯re the stable one. The one who worries about the rest of us more like a parent,¡± Dash said.
¡°Because we didn¡¯t have a father who gave a shit,¡± Xanderhelpfully added. ¡°Besides, I saw how you looked at Jordan holding Aurora¡¯s baby.¡±
Linc froze. ¡°What?¡±
¡°You were mesmerized by the sight, and I actually thought, he¡¯s next.¡± Xander grinned, pleased with his observation.
Dash¡¯s head swung back and forth between them, the conversation clearly fascinating for him.
Not so much for Linc and he swallowed hard. Yes, he¡¯d reacted to seeing Jordan withthe infant, and he¡¯d been shocked by the heavy feeling in his chest. ¡°I have¡plicated feelings about kids.¡±
Xander raised his eyebrows. ¡°Yeah? Why?¡±
¡°You grew up in our house. Heard Mom crying over Dad. Parents can really screw up a kid¡¯s head. Being a father is a lot of responsibility. And I already made sure you three ended up okay,¡± he said wryly.
Dash shot him a grin. ¡°I did my bestto make life hard,¡± he said.
¡°Hanging out in bars when you were sixteen so you could sing? Yeah, I worried,¡± Linc admitted.
They all might be close in age, but Linc was the oldest and had always felt the burden of responsibility his father hadn¡¯t taken on.
Not wanting to continue this discussion, because kids were way ahead of where his head was now, he rose from his seat. ¡°We haven¡¯t evenfigured out how to be together. Jordan¡¯s so skittish she might as well be running away. So quit talking about babies,¡± he muttered, and suddenly he was ready for his brothers to go home.
Just One Night: Chapter 10
Linc arrived atBeck¡¯s ce of business and went through the same routine asst time before he was escorted back to talk to him. Although he nned to have the money he owed wired today around the same time as this meeting, Linc wanted onest conversation with the man.
He knocked and walked in,ing face-to-face with his one-time friend. ¡°Beck.¡±
¡°I was just notified youwired the money.¡± Beck rose from his seat behind the desk. ¡°Guess we¡¯re in business.¡±
Linc inclined his head. ¡°Apparently we are. But you didn¡¯t seed in grabbing a part of mypany. Despite using an older man¡¯s weakness to try and do it.¡± Linc wouldn¡¯te out and admit to his father¡¯s illness, but Beck had to have realized something wasn¡¯t right when Keh Kingston had put up a pieceof the familypany as coteral in the deal.
Beck shrugged. ¡°You win some, you lose some. But for your information, I had nothing to do with your father¡¯s choices.¡±
Not about to let him off the hook easily, Linc stepped toward him. ¡°You could have given me a heads-up and chose not to. You also dragged out the information for your own enjoyment. Can¡¯t say I appreciate either choice.¡±
Beckshrugged. ¡°And I can¡¯t say I care.¡±
¡°Great.¡± Linc refrained from rolling his eyes. ¡°With that settled, keep Brian, my CEO, updated on anything having to do with this deal. I don¡¯t want to be blindsided again.¡±
Better to let Brian deal with the actual purchase and subsequent renovations and leasing. Linc and Beck might kill one another if they had to work together directly. And since it was Beckwho was involved, Linc wouldn¡¯t turn it over to someone more junior. To be safe, he wanted someone he trusted implicitly handling it.
¡°Whatever you say.¡± Beck took his seat again, obviously finished with the conversation, which was fine with Linc.
¡°Let¡¯s try and stay out of each other¡¯s orbit from now on,¡± Linc said before turning and walking out, letting the door m behind him this time.
***
Jordan worked allmorning without a break because she¡¯d promised Aurora they could go shopping for post-maternity clothes.
Melly had done so much for her, furnishing the baby¡¯s room, supplementing essories and clothes that she didn¡¯t get at the shower. But when it came to her own wardrobe, Aurora wanted someone closer to her own age to join her. Aurora wasing to the officeto meet up with Jordan and Chloe for a girls¡¯ afternoon.
Jordan had taken off the day after the baby shower, as Linc had offered and she¡¯d returned the next day. For the most part, she was feeling better except for an asional bout of light-headedness and nausea. She assumed she had a lingering virus, or as a migraine person, she attributed the symptoms to her condition and went about her days.
She looked forward to shopping with the two girls today, and by the time Aurora arrived, Jordan was ready to go.
The young woman walked up to Jordan¡¯s desk, an excited smile on her face. ¡°Did you hear the cool news?¡±
Jordan shook her head. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡±
¡°Dash and the band are performing at a special charity event this Saturday night and we¡¯re all going! Melly asked the nanny her friend¡¯s daughterused if she could babysit for Leah and she said yes.¡± She vibrated with excitement and Jordan was thrilled for her.
¡°That¡¯s amazing. I know you¡¯ll have fun.¡± Jordan smiled. ¡°Now how about I call Chloe and we get going?¡±
¡°You¡¯re going, too! I spoke to Linc on the way here, and he said you would both be there.¡± Aurora bounced on the balls of her feet.
¡°Oh!¡±
¡°Sorry,¡± Linc said, as he came upbehind his sister. ¡°Everything came together for Dash and the band this morning, but I was tied up with an appointment and didn¡¯t get a chance to tell you. But we¡¯re going on Saturday night.¡± He walked past her, stopping outside his office door.
What was with thiswestuff, anyway? ¡°It sounds like a family event to me.¡±
Jordan nced at Aurora, who was watching them with interest.
¡°Aurora,honey, why don¡¯t you go find Chloe? I¡¯ll be with you in a few minutes. I want to talk to your brother.¡± Jordan pushed herself up from her seat.
¡°Oh. Sure.¡± Aurora spun and headed to the other side of the office where Chloe worked. She¡¯d been here before and had learned who sat where.
Once she was gone, Jordan walked around her desk, put a hand on Linc¡¯s back, and prodded him toward his office.Once inside, she shut the door behind them.
¡°If you wanted alone time, all you had to do was say so,¡± he said with that sexy grin she couldn¡¯t resist.
When she¡¯d taken the day off from work, he¡¯d had a nearby delicatessen send chicken soup and sandwiches over for her to eat. He¡¯d wanted toe by, but she needed sleep, not to mention distance, and he¡¯d agreed to let her rest. And on her return,he¡¯d been on his best behavior, not pushing their rtionship, and she¡¯d been grateful for the reprieve.
¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± She set her hands on her hips and cocked her head to one side.
¡°Tell me you don¡¯t want to see The Original Kings in person?¡±
¡°Of course I do, but¨C¡±
He shrugged. ¡°No buts. We¡¯re going. And Jordan? Now that you¡¯ve had a week to recuperate and you feel better, after theconcert, we¡¯re going to talk about us. We¡¯ve danced around whatthisis long enough.¡± He gestured between them.
She drew a deep breath and mentally acknowledged the need for them to have that conversation. The time hade. Her pulling back and giving in only to pull away again was giving them both whish.
Maybe what she needed to do was let their rtionship happen and run its course, whichshe believed it would. Probably not for her, because she¡¯d be emotionally invested. In truth, she already was. But she would go into this knowing they didn¡¯t have a future, and she¡¯d eventually have to nurse a broken heart.
Still, if she made it clear to him she understood the parameters, sex only, when things ended, they could go back to the way things had been before.
Decision made, shehoped she could handle it. Meeting his gaze, she nodded. ¡°Okay. We¡¯ll talk.¡±
He raised his eyebrows, surprise etching his features. ¡°Good.¡±
He looked like he wanted to say more, to ask her questions, but he¡¯d said they¡¯d discuss things on Saturday night, and she wasn¡¯t going to do it in the office. ¡°Well, I need to go meet up with Chloe and Aurora. You¡¯re okay by yourself this afternoon?¡± sheasked.
He grinned. ¡°I¡¯ll be fine. Are youing back to the office today?¡± he asked.
¡°Doubtful. I think we¡¯ll be out till after five. Chloe has shoppingns.¡± She used a quote gesture with her fingers.
His sister hadid out a day, beginning with lunch and keeping them hopping from store to store.
Heughed at her description. ¡°Got it.¡±
She turned to leave, and he hooked an arm aroundher waist, pulling her against him and, before she could react, sealing his lips over hers.
She¡¯d missed this and returned the kiss, opening her mouth for him and letting his tongue swirl inside. He nipped her lower lip and licked the sting, the hint of pain causing her to moan and inch closer. Her sex clenched and need pulsed through her body, making her wish they weren¡¯t in the office.
Butfor a brief moment, she let herself go. She wrapped her arms around him and indulged. The kiss was wet and hot, everything she dreamed about when she thought of Linc. Until a knock sounded on the door.
Before they could fully pull apart, Chloe walked in, Aurora bumping into her as she came to a sudden halt. ¡°Oh, shit. Sorry!¡± Chloe eximed.
Jordan¡¯s face med and she buried her face in Linc¡¯schest.
¡°Ever hear of knocking?¡± Linc¡¯s arm wrapped tighter around her.
¡°It¡¯s an office, not a bedroom,¡± Chloe shot back, sister arguing with her brother. ¡°But I am sorry, Jordan.¡±
Jordan pulled herself together and stepped away. ¡°It¡¯s fine. We shouldn¡¯t have been¡¡± She cut off her exnation and shook her head. ¡°Are you ready to go?¡± she asked the women.
¡°We are.¡± Chloe stepped back, andAurora, who had already inched out of the doorway, waited for them by Jordan¡¯s desk.
Jordan nced at Linc and spoke quietly, so only he could hear. ¡°I know you don¡¯t want anyone to think of you behaving like your father. We shouldn¡¯t have been making out in the office,¡± she said, taking partial responsibility even though he¡¯d started it.
He strode over and ced his hands on her shoulders.¡°My father cheated on my mother. I¡¯m with someone I care about. Totally different. Now go have a good time and stop finding reasons to worry.¡±
She nodded, managed a smile, and headed out for the day.
***
At lunch, Chloeand Aurora chatted while they ate. Jordan, suddenly dizzy and nauseous, picked at her sd. They¡¯d been talking about the stores they nned on checking out first,but Jordan had tuned them out. The minute the waitress ced the Cobb sd in front of her, bacon bits and the strong smell of cheese had her stomach churning.Original content from N?velDrama.Org.
¡°Jordan? Are you okay?¡± Chloe¡¯s voice calling her name caught her attention, and she shook her head to clear her mind. ¡°Yes, sorry. What were you saying?¡±
Both women looked at her with concern.
¡°You haven¡¯t eaten anything, and youspaced out for most of our conversation,¡± Aurora said. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±
Jordan sighed. ¡°I haven¡¯t been feeling great. I think it¡¯s a silent migraine.¡± She¡¯d read up on them earlier today, wondering if she needed to make an appointment with a neurologist. Usually her migraines were painful with throbbing in her head. This was different. All the other symptoms without the pain.
¡°What¡¯s a silentmigraine?¡± Chloe asked, taking a sip of her club soda, her engagement ring twinkling as the sun in the window bounced off therge diamond. ¡°I¡¯ve never heard of one.¡±
¡°I actually had to look it up myself, but since I get painful migraines and what I¡¯ve been feeling has simr symptoms, like nausea and light-headedness and a general h feeling without the head pain, there¡¯s a good chance that¡¯sall it is.¡± She shrugged and took a small sip of her own club soda, hoping it would help settle her stomach.
Aurora leaned in closer. ¡°Nausea, huh?¡±
¡°Yep.¡±
¡°And you¡¯re light-headed?¡± she repeated.
¡°Again, yep.¡±
The young woman narrowed her eyes. ¡°Very tired?
Jordan thought about how she¡¯d been feeling. ¡°Well, yes.¡±
Aurora nced at Chloe, whose eyes opened wide. Something silent had passedbetween them.
¡°Do your boobs hurt?¡± Aurora asked bluntly.
¡°What?¡± Jordan asked loudly, caught herself, and moderated her tone. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. What are you asking me?¡±
Aurora grinned. ¡°Jordan, could you be pregnant?¡±
Her words caught Jordan mid-swallow, and she swallowed wrong and began to choke on the bubbles in her drink. ¡°What?¡± She was beginning to sound like a broken record. ¡°Pregnant? Idon¡¯t think so!¡±
And how could she even talk about this with Linc¡¯s sisters?
Chloe sped her hands in front of her, looking shaken but not at all upset. ¡°Okay, so based on what I saw at the shower and today, I¡¯m assuming you and Linc are together.¡±
¡°Yes. And he¡¯s your brother and we don¡¯t need to talk about it. But I know we always used protection. Now subject closed. End¡ of.¡± Jordan slicedher hand through the air.
But the wordpregnantlingered between them.
And Aurora wasn¡¯t finished. ¡°Nothing is one hundred percent.¡± She shot Jordan a knowing gaze. ¡°How long have you two been¡ you know?¡±
Chloe¡¯s eyes were wide, but she appeared focused and was listening.
Jordan swallowed hard. ¡°In Florida. And one more time after that,¡± she said, squirming in her seat. Not because she couldn¡¯tdiscuss sex but because these women were too closely rted to the man she¡¯d been with.
¡°So a little over a month ago.¡± Aurora was a persistent thing, something Jordan was discovering.
She nodded. But she couldn¡¯t be pregnant now. She¡¯d gone through that experience before, and early on, which was all she¡¯d had, she¡¯d felt fine. No symptoms until she missed a period. Oh God. She thought aboutwhen she¡¯d been due and realized she had skipped her period. With everything going on in her life, she hadn¡¯t even realized it. She began to sweat, the possibility of being pregnant now running through her mind.
¡°We passed a pharmacy on the corner. Let¡¯s get the check and you can buy a pregnancy test,¡± Chloe said. She wiped her mouth with her napkin and gestured for the server.
Stunned, Jordannodded, her mind going back to the first time she and Linc had been together. He hadn¡¯t intentionally brought condoms but had found one in his Dopp kit. And it had looked old, like it had been there for a long time. Wincing, she pulled out her wallet to pay.
A little whileter, Jordan had purchased the pregnancy tests, a few because she needed to be certain, and the three women returned tothe restaurant, which was attached to the mall. Nobody else was in the lounge or the room with the stalls.
Chloe and Aurora sat down in chairs in the waiting area while Jordan, panicked and horrified, closed herself in a stall alone, peed on three sticks, and ced them on top of the boxes they¡¯de in on the floor in front of her.
And she remained in the private stall, wanting to be as aloneas possible.
And she waited.
¡°Any news?¡± Aurora called out to her.
She nced down but her phone and the rms she¡¯d set hadn¡¯t gone off. ¡°Not yet!¡±
She¡¯d bought three different brands. Unfortunately that meant three different time frames before she got all of the results. One minute, three minutes, five minutes.
Nausea filled her, this time thanks to worry and fear. She¡¯d been down thisroad before, and thest guy had not taken the news well. Linc¡¯s father hadn¡¯t taken the news well. It was a wealthy man pattern.
She and Linc didn¡¯t make sense as a couple, and the rationale for that conclusion hadn¡¯t changed. A pregnancy now would be a nightmare. Sure, Linc wanted them to be together, enjoying sex, having fun. He didn¡¯t want kids. He¡¯d once told her about his fear of subjectingchildren to parents who tried marriage but didn¡¯t get along, like his had. And Jordan was still certain she didn¡¯t fit into his world.
So the tests had to be negative. They just had to be, she thought, closing her eyes and praying hard.
The first rm went off on her phone. She shut it and nced down, seeing a dark line. Fuck!
¡°Well?¡± Chloe sounded closer.
¡°Give me a minute!¡± Jordan breathedin and out, and finally the second one went off.
She knelt down and this time she saw a plus sign. Closing her eyes, she wanted to cry. Not needing the other one, she turned off herst rm, scooped up the tests, and walked out, tossing them in the trash.
With Chloe and Aurora surrounding her, she washed her hands, stalling before facing them.
Finally she spoke. ¡°I¡¯m pregnant.¡±
Chloe andAurora stared at her with wide eyes, clearly stunned.
Before they could say a word, Jordan continued. ¡°And you cannot tell anyone. I¡¯ll talk to Linc in my own time and in my own way.¡± They¡¯d nned to be alone after the concert. That gave her a couple of days toe to terms with the situation, and she¡¯d have to find the courage to tell him then.
¡°Promise me,¡± she said, meeting each of Linc¡¯ssisters¡¯ gazes. Could this be more awkward?
¡°Yes, of course,¡± Chloe said, biting her lower lip. ¡°Jordan, I don¡¯t know what to say. I don¡¯t know how you feel. I¡¡± Trailing off, she merely pulled Jordan into a hug.
Once she released her, Aurora did the same.
Then Chloe grasped Jordan¡¯s hands. ¡°Linc loves you. Everything is going to be fine.¡±
Jordan forced a smile. Love wasn¡¯t a word they¡¯d everused, and she didn¡¯t kid herself about the future. She¡¯d done this before, and nothing had been fine. She didn¡¯t anticipate things going any better now.
***
Jordan didn¡¯t knowhow she made it through the week,ing in to work every day and hiding the news of her pregnancy from Linc. She was sure fear and panic were written all over her face, but as he was busy with business deals,he didn¡¯t seem to notice.
The private investigator had located Wace, who¡¯d taken a private jet owned by a friend to the Maldives, whichcked an extradition treaty with the United States. He¡¯d jumped through hoops to hide his tracks, but Linc hadn¡¯t been interested in how the CFO had aplished his disappearing act. He wanted to talk to him and understand what had been going on with hisfather in his final days.
Now Jordan stood in her bedroom, trying to find something to wear to Madison Square Garden for tonight¡¯s concert. She took out her favorite pair of tight dark-washed jeans and slid them on, wriggling her lower body as she pulled them over her thighs and tried to button them around her waist.
They¡¯d always been snug, but she still had to convince herself the tightnessas shey down on the bed to button them was normal. And not the result of her pregnancy.
She chose a light blue silk top with a low-cut V-neck and loose sleeves, tucking in the front and letting the back and sides hang over the jeans. A pair of ck over-the-knee bootsced up the outer sidespleted the outfit.
Standing in front of the full-length mirror behind her door, she took in herappearance, knowing she wouldn¡¯t be wearing tight clothes for much longer. Her hair hung long over her shoulders and her makeup was done.
Grabbing her ck leather jacket, she was as ready as she¡¯d ever be to deal with telling Linc he was going to be a father. She was so nervous and worked up, she doubted she¡¯d be able to pay attention to the concert.
Linc picked her up with Max driving, asusual. His eyes lit up when he saw her, but she couldn¡¯t findfort in the fact that he found her attractive. Not when so much more was at stake.
Linc was in a good mood as they drove to MSG, and she tried to put everything out of her head untilter. On the way, they chatted, making small talk.
¡°Will Chloe¡¯s fianc¨¦ be there tonight?¡± she asked.
Linc frowned. ¡°No. Concerts are too loud forhim. Pussy,¡± he muttered under his breath.
She couldn¡¯t help butugh. ¡°I have a question. Would any man be good enough for your sister?¡±
He leaned back against the seat. ¡°I take the Fifth.¡±
Sheughed. Soon they pulled up at the Garden. Linc helped her out and kept an arm secure around her waist as they pushed past the crowds and headed to the private entrance to the VIP suites. The familyhad backstage passes, and their tickets were for a box high up in the arena. The actual VIP event was scheduled for after the show for a select group of people allowed to hang out with the band, including family and close friends.
Once inside the box, she said hello to everyone, doing her best to avoid Chloe¡¯s and Aurora¡¯s curious stares. She was actually d when Linc made his way over to Auroraand hugged her tight. Jordan trusted the young woman not to spill Jordan¡¯s secret.
While waiting for the opening act, she walked over to Xander, who had poured himself a drink.
¡°Hi there,¡± she said.
¡°Hi, yourself. Can I get you something?¡± He gestured to the bar.
¡°Club soda would be great.¡±
He filled a ss with ice and handed her the cup. ¡°So. What¡¯s happening in your life?¡± he asked.
¡°I think I¡¯d rather know about the life of a famous novelist,¡± she said, deflecting and turning the subject to him.
He shrugged. ¡°Just writing my next book and talking to the director and producer about the next movie.¡±
¡°He says modestly.¡± She nudged him with her shoulder. ¡°Who¡¯d have thought the Kingston brother who went off to join the marines would end up being a world-famous thriller writer.¡±
His eyes turned darker. ¡°Writing lets me deal with things without actually having to talk about them.¡±
Every sibling had found their own way to deal with Keh Kingston¡¯s affairs and painful behavior. Xander¡¯s had been to get as far away as he could. No one knew what had happened when he was overseas, but when he returned, he became more of a loner who put his emotions on the page.
¡°Well,I¡¯m proud of you. In fact, I have an entire bookshelf devoted to your books. Someday I expect you toe sign them.¡± She lifted her cup and took a sip of her bubbly drink.
¡°It would be my pleasure. Invite me over any time.¡± He winked at her, and sheughed, just as Linc joined them, slipping an arm around Jordan¡¯s waist.
¡°What are you trying to get her to invite you to?¡± he asked Xander.
¡°Jordan wants me to sign her X. Kingston collection, and I told her I just need an invite.¡± Xander grinned.
¡°Just make sure I¡¯m there when this Bozo shows up.¡± Linc pulled her closer and his fingers wrapped nearer to her belly.
She jerked away in panic. ¡°I think I hear the opening act.¡± She turned to the big window overlooking the arena, and sure enough, as if she¡¯d conjured them, the band wason stage, the sound of their guitar and drums growing louder.
The warm-up band yed, and by the time they finished, the crowd was stamping their feet and calling for The Original Kings toe out.
Dash, as the lead singer,manded the stage. Jordan had seen him evolve over the years, from a young boy performing in random bars to the man and star performer he was now. She put her problemsaway, letting herself sing, p, and dance to the music, losing herself and her problems.
Linc was by her side, enjoying watching his brother with all the pride of an older sibling. His hands often came to Jordan¡¯s shoulders, his lips settling on her neck, causing shivers of awareness to ripple through her in the dark room, lit only by the lights of the band. Her nipples grew tight and desirelit a me inside her. God, she wished rtionships were as simple as moments like they shared tonight.
When the lights came on, everyone was on a high from the performance, and they were talking loudly because their ears were ringing from the ring sound of the music for thest couple of hours.
They made their way downstairs to the room where the band¡¯s meet and greet was to be held.People from all the boxes and those who¡¯d won tickets courtesy of music stations and online sites waited for their time with members of the band.
Everyone talked over each other, and Jordan was ufortable with the crowds, needing air. ¡°I¡¯m going to find a chair and sit,¡± she said in Linc¡¯s ear because it was the only way for him to hear her.
¡°Let¡¯s go into the outer room. It¡¯s quieter there.¡±He grasped her hand and led the way.
She followed, working their way past the groups of people until they found the door and stepped into the outer connecting room. The sounds immediately dimmed, and she could hear herself think again.
She pressed her palms against her ears and patted them hard. ¡°My God. This night has been insane!¡± She knew she was still talking too loudly andughed.
¡°Ilike seeing you happy like this.¡± Linc looked at her intently, his stare steady.
God, he was gorgeous. She loved that he hadn¡¯t shavedpletely, the scruff of beard on his handsome face so appealing.
Suddenly she remembered what she had to tell him, and she sobered, feeling the grin on her face dimming. Before she could react, a male voice called her name. Thinking it was one of the Kingstonbrothers, she turned, shocked to see Collin Auerbach, her ex, walking up to her, a pregnant woman by his side.
Bile rose up in her throat, and Linc, who had met Collin years ago when she¡¯d started dating him, slid a steadying arm behind her back.
But she wanted to handle this herself, without Collin knowing his presence brought back painful memories. Or that he affected her at all, and she pulledaway to stand on her own. She knew that if she wasn¡¯t pregnant now, she wouldn¡¯t be thrown by his presence at all.
He strode up to her, looking every bit the preppy guy she¡¯d known, with his light brown hair and caramel eyes, wearing cks and a long-sleeve shirt. His outfit was too conservative for a concert. His wife, in her ck pants and fitted maternity top, looked at her curiously. Sheclearly had no idea who Jordan was.
¡°Jordan! It¡¯s been a long time,¡± Collin said.
It hadn¡¯t been long enough as far as she was concerned. She treated him to a forced smile. ¡°Collin. I didn¡¯t think concerts were your thing.¡±
¡°They¡¯re more Naomi¡¯s. She loves The Original Kings and I got us box seats. She¡¯s dying to meet Dash Kingston.¡± His gaze came to Linc¡¯s.
The two men didn¡¯t run in the samecircles, so they hadn¡¯t met up since the early days of Collin¡¯s rtionship with Jordan. But from Collin¡¯s expression, he obviously recognized him.
¡°Aah, you two are still close, huh? And Dash Kingston is your brother. What do you say you get us to the front of the VIP line? You know, for an old friend?¡± He let out augh, as if he truly meant what he said.
¡°You have got to be kidding me.How about I escort you out?¡± Linc asked through clenched teeth.
Jordan put a calming hand on his arm. She did not want a scene.
¡°Collin? What¡¯s going on? Are you going to introduce me?¡± his wife asked.
¡°Yes, Collin. Why don¡¯t you introduce us?¡± Jordan asked with sugary sweetness in her tone.
¡°And while you¡¯re at it, why don¡¯t you give her the history of your rtionship?¡± Linc said the onething sure to send Collin running.
And it worked if his panicked expression was anything to go by.
¡°Honey, let¡¯s go. The line is long and I¡¯m not feeling well.¡± He red at Linc, then turned to Jordan. ¡°I thought enough time had passed that we could be civil.¡±
¡°Never,¡± she said through clenched teeth.
He grabbed his wife¡¯s hand and pulled her away, heading out of the room, Naomiiningthe entire time because he¡¯d promised her she¡¯d meet Dash Kingston.
Jordan let out a long breath and shook her head. ¡°I swear to God, of all the nerve.¡± It wasn¡¯t like Collin didn¡¯t know what had happened with her pregnancy, either.
About a month after she¡¯d lost the baby, she¡¯d sent him an email letting him know because she sensed it was the right thing to do, no matter how much of an assholehe¡¯d been. She hadn¡¯t heard back. She¡¯d been young and stupid and here she was again. Pregnant by a man who she knew had concerns about having children and whose life she worried she wouldn¡¯t fit into long-term.
¡°Hey, are you okay?¡± Linc asked.
She forced herself to meet his worried stare. ¡°I¡¯m fine and he¡¯s still an asshole.¡±
¡°There you guys are!¡± Aurora walked over with Chloe beside her.¡°Hasn¡¯t tonight been incredible?¡±
Jordan smiled. ¡°It has been.¡± A wave of dizziness washed over her, and she barely held herself up with the heels of her shoes wobbling a bit.
She shot Chloe a nervous look, and she must have seen something in Jordan¡¯s expression that told her what to do. ¡°Linc,e on. Want to introduce you to someone.¡±
He grumbled but nodded. ¡°Fine. I¡¯ll be right back.¡±
As soon as he turned his back, she nced at Aurora. ¡°I need to sit down.¡±
Looking concerned, Aurora looked around and pointed toward two chairs in the corner. ¡°Come on.¡±
Aurora waited as Jordan sat down, grateful to be off her feet. Her head spun and of course the nausea rose with it.
¡°Can I get you something? Maybe a drink? Club soda? Water?¡± Aurora asked.
¡°Maybe some club soda.¡± The bubblesmight help settle her stomach.
Aurora smiled. ¡°I¡¯ll be right back.¡±
Jordan leaned her head back against the wall and closed her eyes. A few minutes and maybe all these symptoms would go away.
¡°I¡¯m back.¡±
Jordan heard Aurora¡¯s voice, but she kept her eyes closed, not ready to deal with the dizziness.
¡°When I was pregnant, I lived on sour sucking candies to help the nausea. You should try those,¡±Aurora said.
¡°You¡¯re pregnant?¡± Linc¡¯s voice had Jordan¡¯s eyelids opening fast. He stood behind his sister, his eyes huge in disbelief.
If Jordan¡¯s stomach was churning before, there were no words for what she was feeling now. ¡°Linc¨C¡±
¡°Oh, God, I¡¯m sorry!¡± Aurora¡¯s eyes filled with tears. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean for him to overhear.¡±
¡°It¡¯s okay. Honest.¡± She sought to reassure the young woman. Meanwhile,Linc still stared at her, shock clearly not allowing him to process what he¡¯d heard.
Aurora shook her head. ¡°I¡¯m going to¡ I guess I¡¯ll just go.¡± She spun around and headed back into the VIP room.
With no choice but to face things head on, Jordan rose to her feet.
¡°You¡¯re pregnant,¡± Linc said again, his voice hard.
At his harsh tone, she began to panic, breaking into a sweat, the dizzinessworse. ¡°I was going to tell you tonight.¡±
¡°How?¡±
She blinked at the question. ¡°Excuse me? I would think you could figure it out yourself. Maybe that ancient condom we used the first time?¡±
A muscle ticked in his jaw and all her fears rose to the surface. Another man who couldn¡¯t handle the reality of getting her pregnant. Hadn¡¯t she just seen Collin and hispregnantwife? Jordan was good enoughto fuck but not good enough to stand by when things got tough.
And as Linc¡¯s silence went on, her mother¡¯s words came back to her:
You aren¡¯t family. I¡¯m just reminding you of your ce. One day that man you call your best friend is going to find a woman to marry, and where will that leave you?
¡°Shit,¡± he muttered, running an agitated hand through his hair.
She stiffened. ¡°Don¡¯t worry aboutit. This baby isn¡¯t your problem.I¡¯mnot your problem,¡± she said, desensitizing herself the same way she had all those years ago with her ex. ¡°Even if you wrote me a check like Collin or your father, I wouldn¡¯t take it.¡± She barely recognized the robotic voiceing out of her mouth, but sounding numb was better than showing him her pain.
Her words seemed to jolt him out of his state of shock.¡°Jordan¨C¡±
She didn¡¯t stick around to hear what he had to say. She brushed past him and ran out the door.
Just One Night: Chapter 11
Chloe dragged Lincto meet a friend of hers who it turned out he already knew and disliked. A guy who tried to push an investment on him, here. At his brother¡¯s concert. Annoyed, Linc told the man to call him at the office to make an appointment and walked away, heading back to the spot where he¡¯d left Jordan and Aurora. He¡¯d be sure to tell Jordan not to put the man through whenhe called.
As Linc crossed the room, he realized the women weren¡¯t where he¡¯d left them, but he caught sight of Jordan sitting in a chair, eyes closed, her head tipped back against the wall. He strode toward her just as Aurora stepped in front of Jordan, her back to Linc, a cup in her hand.
¡°When I was pregnant, I lived on sour sucking candies to help the nausea. You should try those,¡± Aurorasaid to Jordan.
Jesus fuck. She waspregnant?
¡°You¡¯re pregnant?¡± Shock nked out allmon sense, and he blurted out the question.
Jordan¡¯s eyelids flew open, her gaze meeting his, panic etched across her features. ¡°Linc¨C¡±
¡°Oh, God, I¡¯m sorry! I didn¡¯t mean for him to overhear,¡± Aurora said, her voice shaking.
¡°It¡¯s okay. Honest,¡± Jordan said in an attempt to soothe his obviously distraughtsister.
But Linc didn¡¯t nce over. His attention remained on Jordan as he waited for her to deny it, to tell him he¡¯d heard wrong or misunderstood.
¡°I¡¯m going to¡ I guess I¡¯ll just go.¡± Aurora spun around and headed back into the VIP room, leaving them alone.
Jordan rose unsteadily to her feet.
¡°You¡¯re pregnant,¡± Linc said. Again, he heard the harshness in his tone, but all he could thinkabout was the fact that kids were thest thing he¡¯d ever wanted or nned.
She nodded. ¡°I was going to tell you tonight.¡±
¡°How?¡± If he had to name one thing he was careful about, it was using protection.
¡°Excuse me?¡± she asked, straightening her shoulders.
If looks could kill, he¡¯d be dead on the spot.
¡°I would think you could figure that one out yourself. Maybe that ancient condom weused the first time?¡± she reminded him with nock of sarcasm.
Son of a bitch, he thought, clenching his jaw. He¡¯d been so hot, so eager to get inside her he hadn¡¯t cared what kind of protection he¡¯d used as long as he was covered.
How the fuck did he process this? He¡¯d been fifteen when he¡¯d discovered his father was cheating. Seventeen when the man had pped him on the shoulder and said,¡°Always wrap up, son. You don¡¯t want to end up with a kid you don¡¯t want,¡± before Linc went out on a date one night. Not to mention finding out about Aurora about a month ago. But even before he learned his father had gotten his secretary pregnant and abandoned the baby, Linc had promised himself he wouldn¡¯t bring kids into the world. Never wanted them to end up miserable like he and his siblingshad.
¡°Shit,¡± he said louder than he should have, running a frustrated, angry hand through his hair.
¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. This baby isn¡¯t your problem.I¡¯mnot your problem.¡± Jordan¡¯s voice brought him back to the present.
He¡¯d never seen the nk look on her face before, and a sudden rush of fear ran through him. A different kind of fear than when he¡¯d overheard she was pregnant with hisbaby. He simply couldn¡¯t get ahold of all his emotions. They were too big. Too panic-inducing.
¡°Even if you wrote me a check like Collin or your father, I wouldn¡¯t take it,¡± she spat.
Oh, shit. Her words shook him to his core, and he realized exactly what his reaction had done. ¡°Jordan¨C¡±
She looked past him and rushed for the door. Arge group of people was entering, but she managed to barrelthrough them, and though he attempted to go after her, the crowd of fans here to see the band was too big, too rowdy.
And when he finally stepped out of the room, he looked up and down the hallway, but he didn¡¯t see Jordan. There were so many people lined up against the wall he couldn¡¯t hope to find her. And with an exit sign at both ends, he had no idea which way she¡¯d gone.
¡°Son of a bitch!¡±He mmed his palm against the wall, the pain excruciating, but he didn¡¯t care.
Pulling his phone from his pocket, he dialed Max, who waited in the town car in a nearby lot.
The man answered on the first ring. ¡°Hi, Max. Have you heard from Jordan?¡±
¡°No, Mr. Kingston.¡±
He clenched the cell tighter in his hand. ¡°If she happens to call you, contact me immediately. I need to know she¡¯s safe.¡±
¡°Of course. Is there anything else I can do?¡±
Linc groaned. ¡°No. If she doesn¡¯t call you for a ride, I¡¯m sure she¡¯ll take an Uber. Do me a favor? In five minutes, start driving around. I¡¯ll meet you at the same exit where you dropped us off. Thank you.¡± He disconnected the call.
He intended to meet Jordan back at her apartment and discuss things more rationally, but he needed to let his familyknow he was leaving or else they¡¯d worry.
He didn¡¯t exin his reasons for rushing out, but he did take the time to pull Aurora into a reassuring hug. ¡°You didn¡¯t do anything wrong.¡±
¡°But it was Jordan¡¯s ce to tell you.¡± She blinked back tears.
He had a feeling she was afraid she¡¯d lose the family she¡¯d just found. ¡°I overheard you. You didn¡¯t intentionally tell me. Now please try and enjoythe rest of the night. I¡¯m going to find her and we¡¯ll talk.¡±
He nced at Chloe, who obviously also knew about Jordan¡¯s pregnancy, and she stepped up to wrap an arm around Aurora¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Come on. Dash and the guys are finishing up. Let¡¯s go hang out with them, okay?¡±
He nodded his thanks to Chloe, who smiled reassuringly as she led Aurora away.
¡°Linc? Is everything okay?¡± his motherasked.
He met her concerned gaze. ¡°It will be. But I have a feeling I¡¯m going to need to talk to you soon. It¡¯s tooplicated to get into now.¡±
She narrowed her eyes. ¡°Well, now I am worried.¡±
He patted her hand. ¡°Don¡¯t be. I just need to fix some things I screwed up.¡± He just hoped like hell Jordan was open to listening.
He made his way down the esctors at the Garden, found the VIP exithe¡¯d told Max to park near, then called his driver and met up with him.
¡°Did you hear from Ms. Greene?¡± Max asked.
¡°No.¡± Linc had continuously checked his phone.
Once he was in the car and could concentrate without weaving his way through people, he called her, but it went straight to voicemail.
Next, he texted her:I fucked up. I¡¯ming over to talk.
He kept an eye on the screen, but itdidn¡¯t show she¡¯d seen it. Either she was ignoring him or she¡¯d changed her settings not to show other people she¡¯d read her messages.
Throughout the ride uptown, his stomach churned with concern. She¡¯d run off by herself, upset. His shock had worn off, as had the thoughts he¡¯d let fester in the back of his mind for years. He¡¯d had a knee-jerk reaction to words he¡¯d never thought to hear andresponded like aplete jackass.
He wasn¡¯t proud of himself, and he was worried about what he¡¯d done to Jordan¡¯s feelings, knowing he¡¯d been no better than Collin the asshole. He curled his hands into fists and wished the time would pass faster, but eventually they pulled up in front of her building.
¡°Hang out, Max?¡±
¡°Sure thing, Mr. Kingston.¡±
¡°Thank you.¡± He opened the door and slid out,rushing inside.
The doorman greeted him on sight with a friendly nod, which meant Jordan hadn¡¯t put him on a not-allowed-toe-up list. ¡°Hi, Jerry. Can you please tell Ms. Greene I¡¯m here?¡±
¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mr. Kingston. She¡¯s out tonight. She left earlier and I haven¡¯t seen her since.¡± The man sitting behind the desk in a ck long-sleeve cored shirt shrugged in apology.
Linc narrowed hiseyes. ¡°Is there any chance you took a break and missed her?¡±
The middle-aged man shook his head. ¡°Sorry. I¡¯ve been here all night. Although I could use a break now,¡± he said with augh Linc couldn¡¯t bring himself to return.
¡°Thanks.¡± Linc pped his hand on the desk and headed back to the car.
He climbed in. ¡°Let me think for a few minutes, please.¡±
Max nodded.
Where could Jordan havegone?
Her sister lived in Westchester County, where she had a job as a court clerk. Jordan might have taken a car there. He had ire¡¯s number in his phone in case of an emergency, and he looked up her name, hitting send on the number.
A quick conversation and Linc struck out there, too. He had to tap-dance his way around not being able to reach Jordan on the phone but convincing ire hersister was fine.
Friends? Jordan¡¯s social circle was small. She hadn¡¯t kept in touch with high school friends. Most of her college people had moved out of state, and though she was friendly with some of the office staff, he didn¡¯t think she¡¯d confide in anyone there. Any other friends he didn¡¯t know well enough to call.
He drummed his fingers on the seat beside him. That left her mother, hethought, with a loud groan. There was a fifty-fifty shot Jordan would go to the one woman who would only say,I told you so, if Jordan told her the truth. And if she had gone to her mom, there was no way Tamara would let him in.
He¡¯d fucked up so badly, he¡¯d be the man he¡¯d never wanted to be, reacting like his father. He hadn¡¯t thrown money at the situation, but he hadn¡¯t stepped up likea man. The man he wanted to be.
Running a hand over his face, then through his hair, he knew he had no choice but to go home, keep calling and texting. And hope she eventually responded.
***
Jordan told theUber she¡¯d called to drive around but head toward the address she¡¯d put into the app, her parents¡¯ house in Queens. She needed time to pull herself together before she faced hermother.
All theI told you so¡¯swere going to hurt, mostly because this was Linc they were talking about, and despite her fears, she¡¯d so wanted to trust him. And his reaction had been like a punch in the gut. Or the heart. Basically both. She could have gone to her sister¡¯s house, but a big part of her wanted her mother.
When she¡¯d been pregnant the first time, she¡¯d been young and too afraidto admit the truth to her mom. She¡¯d lost the baby before finding the courage to tell her, and she¡¯d kept it hidden. But she was ready to stand up for herself and her choices now. No matter the consequences.
Finally the car pulled up to her parents¡¯ house, a small two-bedroom, two-bathroom house. She¡¯d enjoyed growing up here, the warmth and the love. Despite herining about her mother¡¯sfeelings about Linc, her mom loved her and only wanted to protect her from being hurt.
Maybe Jordan should have listened.
She thanked the driver, opened the door, and stepped out of the car, mming the door shut. For safety¡¯s sake, she waited until she exited the car to turn off her phone, but she¡¯d shut the sound and vibration, not wanting to talk to Linc. And she¡¯d seen him start to textalmost as soon as she finally left the venue.
Realizing she¡¯de here in a rock concert outfit and shoes with no change of clothes, she muttered a low curse, but she¡¯d make do. She rushed up the path leading to the house and rang the bell. The curtain moved on the window beside the door. Thank goodness her parents liked to stay upte, she thought, as the door opened and her mother stood inthe entryway.
Wearing a long caftan with a pretty pattern, her blonde hair pulled back in a bun, her mother nced at her, her unlined face worried. Despite how hard she¡¯d worked, Tamara had beautiful skin, and she had pride in her appearance. Once her father¡¯s electrical business took off, she¡¯d been able to quit her housekeeping job, and she turned her knitting hobby into a business, sellingitems on Etsy.
¡°Jordan, what¡¯s wrong?¡± her mom asked.
With the burden of secrets on her shoulders, she met her mother¡¯s gaze. ¡°I¡¯m pregnant with Linc¡¯s baby,¡± she said as tears filled her eyes.
Which was okay. She was finally safe to let them fall because Linc wasn¡¯t around to judge her. And her mother pulled Jordan into her arms.
A little whileter, her mom had shooed Jordan¡¯s father tothe bedroom, made them both a cup of tea, and they sat facing each other across the table.
¡°Please don¡¯t say I told you so.¡± Jordan poured some milk and added sugar, wrapping her hands around the warm mug.
Her mother let out a heartfelt sigh. ¡°It¡¯s toote to do any good anyway.¡±
Jordan nodded in agreement. She decided it was time to admit it all. ¡°Mom, this isn¡¯t the first time I¡¯ve gottenpregnant.¡±
¡°What?¡±
Looking down at the light-colored tea, Jordan drew a deep breath and told her mother about what had happened with Collin. ¡°And it was my fault. I had a migraine and skipped the pill, but this time, with Linc, we used protection.¡± It was old but there was no point in telling her mother that. ¡°I guess I¡¯m just one of those fertile people.¡± She let out a wryugh.
Her motherreached out, and Jordan put her hand in her mom¡¯s calloused one. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me?¡±
Jordan swallowed hard. ¡°I knew you thought I was dating above my means and you were so insistent, both with Linc and Collin, I couldn¡¯t face your disappointment.¡± Tears pooled in her eyes again, and she used a napkin to dab at the moisture, not wanting her heavy makeup all over her face.
¡°Oh, honey.¡± Hermother¡¯s expression crumbled, her pain for her daughter obvious and so needed. ¡°I feel terrible. I was looking out for you. I thought I could protect you, but I never meant to make it so you couldn¡¯te to me when you needed me most.¡± She curled her fingers tighter around Jordan¡¯s hand.
¡°I get it now, Mom. I know why you tried so hard to protect me.¡± Jordan went on to exin how Collin hadtried to pay her to get rid of the baby, and her mom cursed loudly.
¡°Now tell me what happened when you told Linc,¡± her mother said.
¡°First you need to know about his father.¡± Jordan revealed how Keh Kingston had gotten his secretary pregnant and paid her monthly for years instead of being a parent.
Her mom shook her head. ¡°That man was always a selfish son of a bitch. Mrs. Kingston putup with too much from him if you ask me. Now what about Linc?¡±
Jordan pulled in a breath. ¡°He overheard Aurora, his new sister, say something to me about being pregnant. I get he was in shock. But he repeated it twice and he sounded so angry.¡± She¡¯d wanted to curl into herself, but she refused to let him see how badly he was hurting her.
And then he¡¯d askedhow, which was the ultimate in stupidquestions. But Collin had asked her the same thing, and that time she¡¯d been at fault. All the memories hade crashing back, especially because she¡¯d just run into him and his pregnant wife.
¡°So we stood there in silence except for the other voices in the room. And his face might as well have been carved in stone. And in my head, I heard your voice, telling me I wasn¡¯t part of their family,and I needed to know my ce. And that one day he¡¯d marry someone else.¡±
She wiped at her eyes again, her mascara all over the napkin. ¡°Then Linc cursed. And I lost it. I told him not to worry, that the baby wasn¡¯t his problem. That I wasn¡¯t his problem.¡±
Her mother patted her hand. ¡°That¡¯s my brave girl, standing up for herself. But¨C¡±
Jordan pushed the mug aside. ¡°Wait. There¡¯s more. I toppedit off and told him if he wrote me a check like Collin or his father, I wouldn¡¯t take it. Then I walked out¡ and here I am.¡±
A few silent seconds ticked by as her mother clearly gathered her thoughts. ¡°Has he tried to reach you?¡±
She nodded. ¡°When I first left. Then I silenced my phone. And now it¡¯s turned off.¡±
¡°Okay, good. Because you need time to think. How about I give you some clothesto change into, you wash up and get a good night¡¯s sleep? We can talk again in the morning. Sound good?¡±
¡°Yeah. It does.¡± Jordan didn¡¯t think she¡¯d get much shut-eye, but she needed to be alone and process everything that had happened tonight.
Her mom rose from her seat and Jordan did the same. Walking around, her mother wrapped her arms around Jordan and pulled her close. Her scent was familiarandforting, and she knew she¡¯d done the right thing bying home.
***
Linc didn¡¯t sleep.Not well, at least. The only good news he¡¯d had since Jordan walked out on him was a one-line text letting him know she was fine. That was all she¡¯d said.I¡¯m fine.She¡¯d ignored everything he¡¯d texted after, asking where she was and if they could talk, and his calls still went to voicemail.But he tookfort in the knowledge she¡¯d thought to let him know she was safe. That meant no matter how big an ass he¡¯d been, deep down she knew he¡¯d worry about her.
Although he had no intention of letting a day pass without seeing her, whether she was at her parents¡¯ house or not, he had one stop to make first.
He felt like driving himself and headed to his mother¡¯s house for a serious conversation.After opening the gate and parking, he rang the bell, and since she¡¯d been expecting him, his mother answered. They¡¯d been outtest night, and she wasn¡¯t dressed up nor did she have on a full face of makeup, but she was still beautiful.
They settled in therge kitchen, which had recently been remodeled, with stainless steel appliances, white granite counters, and state-of-the-art¡ everything.
She offered him something to eat but he declined. He¡¯d eaten at home.
They sat on barstools at the center ind, and he leaned an elbow on the granite. He wasn¡¯t sure how to approach the subject. Until he and Jordan talked, he had no intention of telling his mother she was pregnant. He hoped his sisters had kept the news to themselves.
¡°So you told mest night we needed to talk. What is it?¡±his mother asked.
¡°How do you feel about Jordan?¡± he asked, diving right in.
She tipped her head, confusion in her expression. ¡°I¡¯m not sure what you mean.¡±
He let out a groan. ¡°Okay, there¡¯s no easy way to ask this. Chloe mentioned to me that Jordanisn¡¯t one of us. That people in our so-called social circle consider her the maid¡¯s daughter and¡ they look down on her.¡±
He wasn¡¯t asking hismother these questions because he needed her approval before making things right with Jordan. Rather, he was asking because he wanted to counter any argument Jordan herself might have about them being together and having a future.
He knew he was getting ahead of himself. First he needed her to forgive him for his reaction to their big news. But Linc was a man who prepared for all situations beforetaking a leap. Another reason her pregnancy had been such a shock. He¡¯d never considered the possibility.
He nced at his mother, who looked like a woman trying to formte her answer, and his stomach churned. Not for himself but because he wanted to be able to tell Jordan she¡¯d be wee in his family.
His mother sped her hands together on the counter and blew out a long breath. ¡°Areyou asking how I feel or how other people feel?¡±
Was she hesitating to answer or was she really confused? Linc wasn¡¯t certain.
¡°I don¡¯t give a shit how the outside world thinks. I do, however, care about Jordan being treated with respect by everyone. And frankly I think this conversation is ridiculous in today¡¯s world, but I believe Chloe when she tells me that¡¯s how some people feel.¡±
Hismother nodded. ¡°Unfortunately, there are people whoe from money and think they¡¯re better than others. Your father being one of those people.¡±
¡°Yes. He hated Jordan being a big part of my life.¡± And the fact that his father had been rude to her had put up yet another barrier between them.
His mother nced down at her perfectly manicured nails before meeting his gaze. ¡°But if you¡¯re askinghow I feel, I¡¯ve always liked Jordan. I think she¡¯s a lovely young woman who has been a good friend to you.¡±
¡°She¡¯s more than a friend.¡± He kept his eyes on his mother, wanting to gauge her reaction.
She blinked. ¡°Oh. Oh! Well, that¡¯s a surprise. I guess I should have been paying more attention, because I had no idea!¡± Sudden awareness lit her expression. ¡°Andthat¡¯swhy you want to know howI feel about her.¡±
He inclined his head, nodding.
An unexpected smile lifted his mother¡¯s lips. ¡°Sounds like I should be asking you the same question. Except I don¡¯t think you¡¯d be here if it was just a casual thing.¡±
At her calm eptance, the tension in his shoulders eased. ¡°It¡¯s far from casual. And you need to know I¡¯m not asking you for myself, because I¡¯m all in no matter how anyoneelse feels. But I would like to be able to tell Jordan she¡¯s a wee part of our family.¡±
He¡¯d never sensed any issuesing from his mother, and he already knew his siblings liked Jordan. But as Chloe had said, he was a man. And guys didn¡¯t always think like women when it came to this shit. Social status, money, who you were born to. None of it made a damned bit of difference to him. Hadn¡¯tBeck been his close friend in college before a woman came between them?
And Jordan had always been his best friend. He should have realized sooner that she was his everything.
¡°Linc, I always liked Jordan and she has always fit in here. She¡¯s always been wee. As for the snobs who we are forced to deal with outside of our home? If they don¡¯t ept her, then I have no use for them.¡±
Reachingout, she covered his hand with hers. ¡°So how serious are you two?¡±
It was all he could do not to tell her everything, but he needed to wait. ¡°It¡¯s very serious.¡±
¡°Enough for me to give you your grandmother¡¯s diamond? I know how much you loved her, and the stone is a Kingston family heirloom. I can¡¯t think of a better way to show her she¡¯s wee.¡±C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org
And this was why he loved his mother. Standing,he took two steps and pulled her into a hug.
Just One Night: Chapter 12
Linc input Jordan¡¯sparents¡¯ address into his GPS and drove there, his heart pounding hard in his chest. He didn¡¯t know if he had the right words to fix things between them. He only knew he had to find them or he would never be happy again and he¡¯d lose the person who meant the most to him. Not to mention, he¡¯d have to live with knowing he¡¯d hurt her. And she was pregnant withhis baby. So he had to undo the damage he¡¯d done.
His cell rang, and with the buttons on his steering wheel, he took the call without checking who was on the other end. ¡°Hello?¡±
¡°Linc? It¡¯s Wace.¡± The connection wasn¡¯t solid, and static sounded in the background.
¡°Jesus, Wace. What the fuck? How could you up and disappear?¡± He gripped the wheel and did his best to pay attention to theroad and the signs.
¡°I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t know Keh would go to such extremes, and when I found out, I didn¡¯t know what else to do.¡± The man¡¯s voice trembled.C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org
Linc shook his head. ¡°Talk to me and start at the beginning.¡±
The other man let out a long, wailing sound and Linc cringed. ¡°Your father was my best friend. I would have done anything for him, and when he got his diagnosis, he was devastated,¡±Wace said.
¡°I wouldn¡¯t know. He didn¡¯t confide in me.¡± If anything, Keh had kept Linc at arm¡¯s length, and since Linc never wanted to be close to him, he hadn¡¯t cared.
The dementia had been a blow, but Linc never wanted his father to get sick or die.
¡°Your father knew how you felt about him. Hell, he even understood. You all put Melly first. He got that. But the business was Keh¡¯sbaby.¡± Wace paused. ¡°And as much as he wanted his oldest son, the only son who cared about Kingston Enterprises as much as he did, in the business? He was envious of your sess and worried he¡¯d be seen as weak once he began showing more signs of his illness.¡±
Linc put his signal on and took the next exit. ¡°So what did you do?¡±
¡°Some creative ounting and I moved money around. I openeda separate ount for Keh to use to make deals. It allowed him to feel in control and like the king of real estate he used to be. It let him avoid lenders and people who¡¯d notice his diminishing abilities.¡±
Linc shook his head, surprised Wace¡¯s underlying rationale had been friendship, not greed. But Linc knew how much his father owed Beck, and even Keh had realized he¡¯d needed coteral.So where was Wace in all this?
¡°You have to believe me,¡± the other man said. ¡°I never thought Keh would make a deal without my knowledge. Or be crazy enough to offer Beckett Daniels a piece of thepany if he couldn¡¯te up with the money.¡±
Linc groaned. ¡°So what¡¯s your n? To hide out in the Maldives for the rest of your life?¡±
¡°Unless you don¡¯t n on pressing charges. I don¡¯tknow what I¡¯d be liable for but¡¡± Wace¡¯s voice trailed off, giving Linc time to think.
Friendship. Wace had done it all for friendship and to help Linc¡¯s father retain his dignity. Under these circumstances, how could Linc hold him criminally responsible?
¡°I¡¯m not pressing charges,¡± he said. ¡°You took care of my father, albeit in an extremely stupid way.¡± But Linc couldn¡¯t keep him on.Not when he couldn¡¯t trust the man¡¯s judgment or decision-making. ¡°Just resign and we¡¯ll call it even.¡±
¡°Thank you.¡± Relief suffused Wace¡¯s voice. ¡°I can¡¯t imagine not being able to easily see my boys.¡±
Linc knew his wife had passed away a couple of years ago, but he had adult children here in the States. ¡°Wace, juste home. I¡¯ve got to go.¡±
¡°Goodbye, Lincoln. Thank you.¡±
Shakinghis head, he disconnected the call. How his father had inspired such loyalty was beyond Linc¡¯s understanding.
But business and his father were thest things Linc needed to be concentrating on. His focus should be on much more important matters. Like convincing Jordan of his feelings and sincerity.
As he drove, he considered everything he needed to say. Thirty minutester, he pulled up infront of her parents¡¯ modest home. He hadn¡¯t been here before. Not because Jordan had been embarrassed, but they¡¯d both decided it was better not to upset her mother by pushing their friendship in her face when she so clearly disapproved.
He climbed out and made his way up the walk and faced the doorbell with dread. Dealing with Tamara Greene wouldn¡¯t be easy.
Before he lifted his hand to ring,he saw movement of the drapes on the side window, and then the door opened and Jordan¡¯s mother stood in the entry. Obviously she¡¯d seen him first.
Tamara wore a pair of jeans and a peach-colored blouse. With her blonde hair and blue eyes, she reminded him of a slightly harder version of her daughter.
Growing up, he¡¯d always liked her. She¡¯d been good to him, making sure he and his siblings hadcookies and milk after school and even helping with homework if his mother wasn¡¯t around. In fact, she hadn¡¯t be gruff and abrupt with him until high school.
¡°Hello, Mrs. Greene.¡±
¡°Lincoln, it¡¯s about time you showed up.¡± Instead of letting him inside, she stepped out to join him. ¡°Now you listen to me, young man.¡±
He blinked, and since he wasn¡¯t stupid, he did as she said and waited forher to speak.
¡°I always liked you. You were a good boy, respectful, and smart. It wasn¡¯t until I realized my daughter had a crush on you that I knew I had to do something about your friendship. I couldn¡¯t let her get hurt by¡ well, to be frank, people like your father and the country club crowd.¡±
Jordan had had a crush on him in high school? That was news to him, but he couldn¡¯t deny the joltof pleasure that hit him as he found out.
¡°I understand your feelings about my father,¡± he said. ¡°But nobody else in my family has ever or will ever hurt Jordan.¡±
Tamara narrowed her gaze. ¡°Except you.¡±
He winced because the truth stung. ¡°I¡¯m here to fix things.¡±
She settled her hands on her hips. ¡°It had better be the right way, because no grandbaby of mine is going to be born without hisparents being married. Not when they love each other like you and Jordan do.¡±
Shocked by her words, he cocked his head to the side. ¡°How do you know how we feel?¡± Oh, Linc knew he loved Jordan. He¡¯d had the entire ride here to put his feelings into words as he figured out what he would say to her, and love was at the center of his argument.
¡°Best friends, my ass,¡± Tamara muttered.
He bit backaugh. He¡¯d always liked her bluntness.
¡°Nobody spends the amount of time together you two do without having real feelings,¡± she went on. ¡°Now I admit I¡¯m still worried, but given the situation, I¡¯ve decided to trust you. Now good luck getting my daughter to do the same.¡±
She stepped aside and gestured for him toe in, and he followed her into the small entryway.
¡°I¡¯m going to convinceher to hear you out. I suggest you figure out what you¡¯re going to say,¡± Tamara said.
Linc stared at her retreating back, marveling at the woman¡¯s honesty. She didn¡¯t hold back and he respected that.
He made his way into the family room to his left and walked around, looking at the family photos on the mantel and the shelves while he waited for Jordan.
***
Jordan sat onthe bed inthe room she¡¯d shared with her sister, wearing an old tee shirt of her dad¡¯s and a pair of her mother¡¯s sweatpants. Her hair was wild from the spray she¡¯d used to hold the waves she¡¯d madest night for the concert. And despite having washed her face and used a ton of makeup remover, when she¡¯d brushed her teeth, she¡¯d noticed she still had ck streaks beneath her eyes. Lovely.
But it wasn¡¯tlike she was going anywhere. She¡¯d decided to stay here for a couple of days. Let Linc deal with a temp as his assistant and see how he liked being without her.
She lifted her knees and wrapped her arms around them, needing the pressure against her stomach because, of course, she was nauseous again. The male got a female pregnant, but it was the woman who had to suffer with all the side effects.So unfair.
Not to mention, she¡¯d skipped breakfast and hoped she felt better soon, because despite how crappy she was feeling, she was also weirdly hungry.
A knock sounded on her door. ¡°Come in.¡±
Her mother walked into the room and stood by her bed. ¡°How are you feeling? Any better?¡± she asked, concern in her tone.
Jordan shook her head. ¡°Not yet. I did get a few crackers down though.¡±
¡°Good.¡±Her mother smiled. ¡°You havepany.¡±
Jordan¡¯s stomach did aplete flip, and she was lucky she didn¡¯t throw up. ¡°What? Who?¡±
¡°Don¡¯t y dumb. Now get up and wash your face before you go downstairs. You can¡¯t help being pale, but there¡¯s no reason to look like a roon when you face Linc.¡±
Jordan narrowed her gaze. ¡°What is with this sudden pushing me toward him? All you ever wanted wasto keep us apart.¡±
Her mother shook her head. ¡°Wrong. I wanted to protect you.¡± She lowered herself onto the bed beside Jordan¡¯s bent legs. ¡°Now tell me something and don¡¯t even think of lying to your mother. Do you love him?¡±
Shocked by the question, Jordan looked everywhere but at her mom. ¡°Will you judge me if I say I do?¡± Because she¡¯d probably loved him for years.
Though, after the wayhe¡¯d reacted to her being pregnant, it killed her to admit the truth. Considering Linc knew what she¡¯d been through with Collin when she¡¯d been pregnant,st night he¡¯d still thrown that same shocked, horrified attitude in her face. Her stomach spun at the painful memory.
Her mother sighed. ¡°There¡¯s no ounting for love, so no, I won¡¯t judge you. As hard as I tried to prevent your pain, herewe are.¡± Her mother ran a soothing hand over Jordan¡¯s arm. ¡°I listened to youst night. I heard you. And I thought about how things yed out between you and Linc.¡±
¡°Just what are you saying?¡±
¡°That when he heard you were pregnant, you shocked him. You didn¡¯t have a chance toy the groundwork and soften the blow. Imagine hearing the news in a room full of people and not expecting it.¡±
She hugged her legs tighter. ¡°I know because I found out almost the same way.¡± Aurora had suggested it, and next thing Jordan knew, she was in a public bathroom stall, three pregnancy tests on the floor in front of her.
And she¡¯dpletely freaked out.
¡°I see you understand my point,¡± her mom said. ¡°And despite how hard I¡¯ve been on you two all these years, you¡¯ve stood by his side. I have tobelieve it¡¯s because you saw something special in him.¡±
¡°I did,¡± Jordan whispered.
¡°Well, I realize I was basing my feelings on his father¡¯s attitude and behavior.¡± Her mother drew a deep breath. ¡°And your father and I talkedte into the night, and he helped me to see reason.¡±
Jordan blinked in surprise. ¡°Dad knows I¡¯m pregnant?¡± she asked in shock.
Her mother shot her a look. ¡°Of course.We don¡¯t keep secrets. He¡¯d have talked to you this morning, but you were sleeping when he left on an emergency work call.¡±
With her head spinning and Linc downstairs, Jordan didn¡¯t know whether to run to him for emotional support or hide under the covers until he went away. She knew what her heart wanted, and God, that scared her.
¡°Ask yourself why he¡¯s here and don¡¯t tell me you think he wantsto pay you off.¡± Apparently her mother wasn¡¯t finished with her newfound wisdom.
Jordan flinched because she never should have said those words to him. He¡¯d been in shock, as her mother had said.
And she¡¯d let the past dictate her reaction. ¡°I can¡¯t believe you, of all people, are trying to convince me to find the good in Linc,¡± Jordan muttered.
¡°I always saw the good in him. My concerns werenever about him.¡± Her mother patted her knee. ¡°Now go clean up and I¡¯ll tell him you¡¯ll be right down.¡±
¡°What about your concerns about me not fitting into his world?¡± Jordan asked, sliding out of bed.
Her mom let out a sigh as if the answer were obvious. But it wasn¡¯t. Not to Jordan.
¡°Where have you been all these years?¡± her mom asked. ¡°You¡¯ve been by his side,¡± she said before Jordan couldanswer. ¡°I simply didn¡¯t see the truth staring me in the face. Linc Kingston has your back. Now ask yourself if you can forgive him for being a jerk, because take it from someone who knows. It won¡¯t be thest time you¡¯ll have to forgive him for stupid behavior.¡±
Her mother¡¯s grin lightened the mood, and Jordan couldn¡¯t help but smile back. ¡°Only if he grovels nicely.¡±
Her momughed, thenstood up and walked out the door.
Jordan nced in the mirror above the dresser and groaned. She could wash the ck eye makeup away, but there wasn¡¯t much more she could do to fix her pale face. Linc would have to take her or leave her.
***
From the entryto the family room, Jordan watched Linc pace the carpeted floor. He wore a pair of dark jeans and a cream-colored Henley top,looking as sexy as ever. It wasn¡¯t fair. She¡¯d done her best to pull herself together, but she was still pale, her eyes red and puffy from crying, and her hair pulled into a messy bun on top of her head.
Here goes nothing, she thought. ¡°Linc?¡±
He turned toward her, his face filled with relief at the sight of her. He took her in, consuming her, those eyes traveling from head to toe, and she couldn¡¯thelp but be self-conscious. With no desire to putst night¡¯s tight outfit back on, she still wore her borrowed sweats and tee.
¡°I know, not my best look.¡± She gestured to her mismatched outfit. ¡°But I came straight herest night, and I had to borrow something to wear.¡±
He shoved his hands into his pants pockets. ¡°Actually I think you look cute.¡±
She did her best not to cringe at the descriptionand folded her arms across her chest.
¡°Can we sit?¡± he asked.
She walked to the sofa and settled into the corner, well aware her bodynguage and attitude gave off a keep-your-distance vibe.
Proving he knew her well, he sat one cushion away from her, providing her with the distance she needed as she waited in silence for him to speak.
He cleared his throat and looked into her eyes. ¡°I didn¡¯thandle things wellst night and I¡¯m sorry.¡±
He owned his actions, and she not only appreciated it, she knew what it said about his character. None of which meant she would let him off easily. A big part of her needed to express her feelings so he really understood what he¡¯d done.
¡°Complete understatement,¡± she said with a hint of defiance in her tone. ¡°Should we start with you asking me howithappened? Your angry tone of voice?¡± She snapped her fingers. ¡°Oh, I know. How about when you said,shit? As if the worst thing in the world had happened to you?¡±
Ducking his head, he admitted, ¡°None of them were my finest moment.¡±
Although she gave him credit. He didn¡¯t use him being caught off guard as an excuse. But she was well aware that how he¡¯d found out she was pregnant factored intohis negative reaction, something her mother had forced her to face.
Jordan blew out a long breath and sighed. ¡°Look, I know you were in shock. You overheard Aurora and it was thest thing you expected to hear.¡±
¡°That doesn¡¯t make it right,¡± he muttered.
She nodded in agreement. ¡°No, it doesn¡¯t. But I shouldn¡¯t have lumped you in with your father and Collin, either.¡±
His wince told her howhard theparison had hit him, and she couldn¡¯t help but feel bad.
¡°I know I wasn¡¯t fair. You¡¯d never throw a check at a problem like this.¡± She¡¯d hurled the usation as a means of self-protection, before he could treat her the way Collin had.
The amazing thing was, Linc¡¯s silence andck of emotion had sliced through her worse than her ex¡¯s financial solution.
Linc¡¯s body stiffened. ¡°Jordan,you are not a problem and neither is ourbaby.¡± As he said the word, his entire expression softened. ¡°We¡¯re having a baby,¡± he repeated in awe, almost as if he¡¯d just now realized what her being pregnant meant, and he was now happy about it.
¡°I don¡¯t understand.¡± She shook her head, confused. ¡°We both know you were against having kids.¡± Her stomach churned at the reminder. ¡°You said you didn¡¯twant them to relive your childhood in any way.¡±
¡°And they won¡¯t,¡± he said, his tone full of certainty. ¡°No baby of ours will relive the kind of upbringing I had. Not with us as parents.¡±
She blinked back tears and trembled at the swell of emotion rushing through her. Reaching out, he rubbed his thumb over her bottom lip, and it was all she could do not to wrap her body around him and putstnight behind her.
Could she?
Should she trust his change of heart?
¡°I want you to listen carefully and hear everything I¡¯m about to say. Now, are you paying attention?¡± His firm tone had her sitting up straighter and focusing.
He slid closer, picking up her hand and holding it in his. ¡°When I said I didn¡¯t want children, I imagined marrying and having them with someone like Angelica, who Icouldn¡¯t see ever getting along with long-term. Those were the kind of women who came and went, but I didn¡¯t let any of them in, and none stayed for long.¡±
¡°I know,¡± she whispered.
¡°But I finally understand why. I was so insistent on not wanting to lose whatweshared that I was blind to what we actuallywere. To what weare.¡± His blue eyes were dark, his voiceced with sincerity, his gazewarm and full of what she thought was hope.
¡°And what is that?¡± she asked, her voice thick. Her heart rate picked up speed, and she felt the rapid beat in her chest.
His dizzying smile nearly brought her to her knees.
¡°We¡¯re best friends.¡± He cupped her face in his hands and held her gaze with his. ¡°Soul mates.¡± He brushed his lips gently over hers. ¡°And very much in love,¡± he said, sealingtheir mouths together.
She kissed him, falling into their desire. He smelled so good, and now she did push herself up and settle in hisp, facing him and wrapping herself around him like she¡¯d been dying to do earlier. His erection settled against her sex, and she moaned, their tongues sliding against each other, the kiss going on for a long while, until she broke their connection.
They stillhad more to discuss. ¡°You¡¯re saying you love me.¡±
¡°Yes, Jordan. I love you,¡± he said in a deep, honest voice.
She bit down on her damp bottom lip, then asked, ¡°And what if I wasn¡¯t pregnant?¡±
He grinned. ¡°Then I¡¯d knock you up as soon as possible. Now isn¡¯t there something you want to tell me?¡±
Although she loved his answer, they had one more thing to talk about. ¡°Not yet.¡± She cleared herthroat. ¡°We both know I have issues with how I fit into your world. Things my mother said, that Angelica said, and how people at that club look at me.¡± She shook her head. ¡°I¡¯ve always been able to handle it because I was an outsider, but I don¡¯t want to put you in the middle. Not to mention, what will your mother say? She¡¯s always been nice to me as your friend, but as your girlfriend?¡±
Hisunexpectedughter had her stiffening.
¡°Rx,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯m notughing at you. I had a long talk with my mother already, and she had the perfect way to help me convince you that you are one of us. And to hell with what anyone else says or thinks.¡±
He shifted her up and slid his hand into his front jeans pocket, fishing around and returning with something in his closed hand.
¡°Do you remembermy grandmother Cecile?¡± he asked.
She nodded. ¡°Your father¡¯s mother. Of course. She was your favorite grandparent.¡± Jordan recalled the times he¡¯d spend with his grandma and tell her all about their talks whenever she saw him next.
¡°Well, she gave my father a diamond to set into an engagement ring for my mother. And unlike their marriage being awful, my grandparents loved each other very much.I forgot about them in light of my father¡¯s behavior and my mother¡¯s misery. But from now on, I choose to focus on the good this ring caused, and my mother offered it to me to give to you.¡±
He opened his hand and revealed arge diamond ring Jordan used to see on his mother¡¯s finger, and she let out a gasp. ¡°Linc!¡±
¡°We will have this reset especially for you, but first¡¡± He lifted her by herwaist and slid her to the sofa.
Taking her by surprise, he lowered himself to one knee. ¡°Jordan Marie Greene, will you marry me?¡±
He¡¯d apologized and proved himself in all the ways that mattered to her. And there was nothing she wanted more than to spend the rest of her life with this man who was, as he¡¯d said, her best friend and soul mate.
¡°Yes. Yes!¡± she squealed,ughing.
¡°Sorry but I¡¯mnot putting this setting on your finger. We¡¯re starting out with good juju. As soon as we can, we¡¯ll have it reset.¡± He rose to his feet and slid the ring back into his pocket.
Jordan had no problem with his n.
¡°By the way, I would have asked for your parents¡¯ permission, but your mother already told me no grandchild of hers would be born without us being married. And while you were gettingready, she told me your father would approve.¡±
Jordan groaned. ¡°If you hadn¡¯t alreadye here with the ring in your pocket, I¡¯d kill her.¡±
¡°I heard that!¡± her mother called out from way too close by.
Both Jordan and Lincughed.
¡°She really did a one-eighty about me,¡± he said, speaking low.
Jordan sighed. ¡°She wasn¡¯t able to keep us apart all these years. When she heard I was pregnant,her blinders came off.¡±
¡°Well, I¡¯m d. I¡¯d rather have her on our side. Now can we go? I¡¯d really like to consummate this engagement,¡± he whispered.
Popping up from the couch, she stood and grasped his hand. ¡°Take me home. Now.¡±
¡°Anything you want,¡± he said and she knew he meant it.
***
In thesttwo weeks, Jordan¡¯s life had changed. She epted her ce in Linc¡¯s life andlet go of old insecurities, while he embraced their rtionship publicly and enthusiastically, including the fact that he would be a father. Though Jordan worried about miscarrying, a trip to the obstetrician assured her she was healthy and there was no reason to anticipate a problem.
Now she sat in Linc¡¯s SUV with a scarf wrapped around her eyes as they headed¡ somewhere he didn¡¯t wanther to see.
¡°Come on, give me a hint?¡± she asked after who knows how long listening to the radio, him humming, refusing to talk, and keeping her in suspense.
¡°Nope.¡± But the car came to a stop and he shut the engine. ¡°But you can take off the blindfold now.¡±
She eagerly pulled off the silk scarf and blinked as she adjusted to the sunlight. When she gazed out her side window, a brand-new houseset back on a massive plot ofnd came into view. It was a gorgeous brick Georgian-style manor home that rivaled the Kingston Estate in size and surrounding property.
¡°Where are we?¡± she asked, her mouth going dry.
¡°Ready to go in and take a look?¡± he asked, restarting the engine.
¡°That¡¯s not an answer,¡± she informed him.
¡°It¡¯s a house.¡±
She shook her head. ¡°It¡¯s more like a mansion or anestate that five families could live in,¡± she said, panicking as she realized what was happening.
He shrugged, taking it all in stride. The massive house, the acres ofnd. This was all normal to him.
¡°We¡¯re having a baby. We need the room.¡± He put the car in drive and headed down a tree-lined road before turning onto a long driveway leading to the house.
Overwhelmed, Jordan curled a kneeunder her and twisted toward him. ¡°Linc! You¡¯re going crazy. In thest two weeks, you moved me into your ce, got me out of my lease, pulled off a huge dinner for both of our families, and bought and demanded my ring be sized and ready in twenty-four hours! Now we¡¯re looking at this massive house for sale? No. Just no!¡± she said, her voice rising.
He ced a calming hand on her knee. ¡°Okay,I thought you might hyperventte when you got a look at this ce.¡± He reached into the side of his seat and pulled out papers. ¡°What about any of these?¡± he asked in a soothing voice. ¡°They¡¯re more reasonable. We can work up to the estate.¡±
Rolling her eyes, she epted the Realtor pages and used them to p him on the arm before looking through the contents and rxing at the more realisticces for them to live.
¡°I agree we need more space,¡± she said. ¡°But no more giving heart attacks, okay?¡± It was one thing to adjust to bing a Kingston, another to buy thisnd and house.
Thank goodness he¡¯d anticipated her reaction and had given her options. In the end, another two weeks after they started looking, they agreed on what Jordan still thought was a massive home not far fromhis family estate. The location satisfied his mother¡¯s need to be near her soon-to-be grandbaby and was only a half-hour drive for Jordan¡¯s parents.
Since Linc wanted to do some renovations on the house, Jordan convinced him to let them stay in the city until she was seven months pregnant, giving her time to adjust to their new normal without making so many changes at once.
As for getting married,neither one of them wanted to upstage Chloe, so they decided to wait until after his sister¡¯s wedding next month. Jordan wanted a small, intimate ceremony, and Linc seemed happy to keep the event to their families only.
Tonight, he was at the gym in the building, doing his workout, and Jordan had decided to cook dinner. She¡¯d gotten used to his kitchen, and he¡¯d epted that she didn¡¯t wanta housekeeper handling every meal. Although she had to admit, after long workdays, it was nice toe home to a fully prepared dinner that wasn¡¯t takeout or delivery.
Jordan wasn¡¯t the world¡¯s best cook but she could handle some basics, and she¡¯d made themsagna and garlic bread. Leaving it to cool a little, she went to change into a silky lounge set before Linc came back home.
***
Linc finished hisworkout and made his way to the penthouse. He needed a hot shower, and then he looked forward to sitting down for dinner with his soon-to-be wife. Since the day in her mother¡¯s house when he¡¯d apologized and bared his soul, he¡¯d done everything he could to make Jordan happy and prove to her they had what it took tost forever.
At times, she thought he was moving too fast.More often he didn¡¯t think they were going fast enough. He wanted everything with her and he wanted it now. But he was learning the fine art ofpromise. If it were up to him, he¡¯d buy her the world. She didn¡¯t seem to want anything more than his love and a lifetime together, and that was only one of the things that made her so special.
He opened the door and let himself inside, kicking offhis sneakers near the door. The delicious aroma of garlic wafted through the apartment, and he went in search of Jordan. She wasn¡¯t in the kitchen, though dinner sat cooling on the counter.
He strode through the apartment and into the bedroom in time to see Jordan standing in a bra and panties, a light blue silk outfitid out on the bed.
He took in her sexy profile, her long hair hanging overher shoulders and the barely visible swell of her belly holding his baby.
A desire so strong he couldn¡¯t contain it rushed through him. ¡°Jordan.¡±
She jumped at the sound of his voice and turned toward him. ¡°I didn¡¯t hear youe in.¡± Her gaze swept over him, and her eyes darkened with a need he recognized.
¡°You like me sweaty,¡± he said in a gruff voice.
A teasing smile lifted her lips. ¡°Ilike you any way I can get you. But I¡¯m sure you¡¯re hungry, so if you want to jump in the shower, I¡¯ll get dinner on the table. I have to get dressed,¡± she said, reaching for her shirt.
¡°Don¡¯t.¡± He was starving, but not for food. He knew Jordan had spent time cooking, and he had every intention of eating whatever she¡¯d prepared, but first he wanted to devourher.
He stalked toward her, catchingher expression the minute she realized his intent. Her baby blues opened wide, and with a tempting smile, she unhooked her bra from behind. It slid down her arms, revealing her gorgeous breasts, which were slightlyrger and a lot more tender than they¡¯d been before.
He stopped in front of her, waiting as she hooked her fingers into the band of her panties and pulled them down her legs and kickedthem aside.
She stood before him naked, beautiful, and all his.
He pulled his shirt, lifting it from the back cor and sliding it over his head and arms, tossing it across the room. He took care of his shorts, boxers briefs, then socks next.
Before she could react, he grabbed her around the waist, and together they toppled onto the bed. He came over her, making certain not to crush her inany way.
With his eyes on hers, he raised himself up, his cock settled at her entrance. She was wet for him, as she always was. ¡°I love you, soon-to-be Mrs. Kingston.¡±
Her smile lit up his life. ¡°And I love you, Mr. Kingston.¡±
As soon as he heard the words, he eased himself inside her, groaning at the perfection of her slick heat as he took herpletely.
Afterwards, theyy in each other¡¯sarms, his hand settled on her belly. He was grateful for everything they¡¯d found and finally recognized in each other.
¡°I don¡¯t want to move, ever,¡± she said, curling deeper into his side.
¡°You don¡¯t ever have to.¡±
Just One Night: Epilogue
One Month Later
Over one hundredand fifty guests filled the main room of the country club. White flowers lined either side of the aisle, and up front a beautiful white and gold arch stood where the couple would be married.
Jordan sat in the front row, waiting for the double doors to open and for Chloe¡¯s wedding to begin. Linc and his brothers were gathered in the entry room, lookinghandsome in their tuxedos. The bridesmaids and Chloe¡¯s maid of honor were waiting as well. Though Chloe had wanted to add Jordan to her entourage, Jordan declined, wanting Chloe to have her closest friends standing up for her. Besides, since Linc was walking his sister down the aisle, Jordan truly didn¡¯t mind being with the rest of the guests.
Word had spread about Jordan and Linc¡¯s engagement,in no small part because his mother had insisted a formal announcement be mailed out. Jordan knew it had been Melly¡¯s way of openly weing her, and she was grateful.
ncing at her phone, she realized it was past the time when the wedding should have started. She smoothed her hand over the designer dress she¡¯d had to have let out at the waist, because one morning she¡¯d woken up and discoveredshe no longer had indentations on either side of her stomach. Excitement rippled through her as she settled her hand on her barely there belly.
Suddenly the doors she¡¯d been watching began to open, and everyone rose to their feet, only for the wooden doors to m shut again.
People began to whisper, then talk, asking each other what was happening. Jordan wondered herself and sent Linc a text.
Jordan:What¡¯s wrong?
A few minutes passed and his answer came.
Linc:Can¡¯t find the groom. If he shows, I¡¯m going to kill him before my sister can ruin her life with that son of a bitch.
Jordan rose to her feet. Ignoring the people calling questions after her, she rushed up the aisle and out the doors to find Linc and his siblings. Chloe had her mother and friends to calm her.
Someone neededto talk the Kingston brothers down.C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org
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