“Kinsley, I’m sorry, but I have to ask. Did you two sleep together?”
“No! Of course not.”
He sat behind his desk with a confused look on his face.
“If you didn’t sleep together, then where is all this coming from?”
“What do you mean?”
“Usually this type of behavior and animosity comes after the sex with Chase.”
“I did not sleep with your son, Mr. Calloway. He’s just a judgmental asshat.”
“I like that.” He laughed as he pointed to me. “Asshat.”
“He told me that I was unstable, so I told him that he was insecure and that’s why he sleeps around with anyone that has a vagina. I told him he uses sex as a coping mechanism.”
“And what did he say to that?”
“He wasn’t happy about it and reverted the conversation back to me being unstable.”
“You’re far from unstable, Kinsley. Don’t let my son’s words upset you.”
“Trust me, I’m not, and I’m sorry for the rant. It just came out.”
“It’s fine, dear. Don’t give it another thought. I’m always here to listen if you need an ear.”
“Thanks, Mr. Calloway.” I gave him a small smile as I walked out of his office.
****
Chase
I’d just gotten back from lunch when my father walked into my office and shut the door. I’d been waiting for this all day.
“I’m surprised it took you this long to talk to me,” I spoke.
“About what?” he asked as he took a seat across from my desk.
“About me and Kinsley at dinner last night.”
“Ah, that. Well, you had a reasonable excuse. That was nice of you to help her out with her car. I’m sure she appreciated it.”
“Appreciated it?” I cocked my head. “She didn’t appreciate anything. That woman is insufferable, Dad.”
“I see,” he spoke as he stroked his chin. “Why do you say that?”
“She told me I was insecure and that’s why I sleep around. Like what the hell does she mean by that? She has a smart mouth, that one.” I pointed at him. “Maybe you should call the temp agency and get someone else. I’m surprised you put up with that, Dad.”
“She’s a good temp and I like her a lot. She isn’t going anywhere. In fact, as soon as Audrey comes back to work, I may find Kinsley a permanent position here at Calloway Tech.” He smiled.
“We don’t have any openings.” I narrowed my eye at him.
“It’s my company. I’ll create a position if I have to.”
I took in a deep breath. “It’s half my company too.”
“But I have the majority rule. I have a meeting to get to.” He looked at his watch. “Oh, by the way, I’m having a little get together at the house this Saturday and you’ll be there. Understand?”
“What if I already have plans?”
“Cancel them. Family is more important,” he spoke as he walked out of my office.
I managed not see Kinsley today, which was a good thing because I needed to stop thinking about her and her smart mouth. I finished my work for the day and was in desperate need of a drink and some fun. I needed to go home and change because I was meeting Steven and Alex at Phantom tonight for a guy’s night out. I shut down my computer, grabbed my briefcase, and headed to the parking garage, where I saw Kinsley getting into Lexi’s car. I don’t know why I did it, but I pulled my phone from my pocket and dialed Carl.
“Hey, Chase, what’s up?”
“Hi, Carl. Do you know when Kinsley’s car is going to be ready?”
“Tomorrow afternoon, it’ll be done.”
“Okay. Thanks.”
“No problem, Chase. Take care.”
“You too.”
I was at the club with Steven and Alex, drinking and deciding which beautiful woman I was going to be spending the night with.
“Your days of doing this are going to be coming to an end,” I spoke to Alex.
“Yeah, man, once you’re married, you’re done for,” Steven spoke.
“Nah. Things will change a little bit, but we’ll always have guy night. I’m not giving that up,” Alex said.
“And what about when the babies come?” Steven asked. “You’re going to be expected to stay home every single night.”
“I’m never having kids.” I smiled. “Too much work and too much of a lifestyle change.”
“Yeah. God forbid you think of someone other than yourself.” Alex grinned.
“Damn right! I love my life too much to ever be burdened with a kid and a girlfriend or wife.” I held up my drink.
“Well, we’re having kids. We agreed on two,” Alex spoke. “I can’t wait to be a dad.”
“Good for you, Alex,” I spoke as I placed my hand on his shoulder. “Fatherhood isn’t for everyone.”
I couldn’t stop thinking about Kinsley. Damn it. I pulled my phone from my pocket and decided to send her a text message. Why? I had no clue.
“Hey, I know your car is in the shop still, so I can pick you up tomorrow morning for work.”
Twenty minutes went by and still no response from her. It was nine o’clock and she was probably sleeping since she had no life.
“Hey, Chase?” Alex tapped me on the shoulder. “Isn’t that Kinsley out there on the dance floor?”
“What? Where?”
“Right over there.” He pointed. “In the short black dress dancing with that good-looking guy.” He smirked.
“I’ll be damned. It is her.”
Chapter Twenty
Chase
I stood there and watched her as she danced in her tiny black dress and stiletto heels. She was sexy as fuck and my cock was starting to get hard. But who the hell was she here with and who the fuck was that guy with his hands on her ass? I scurried over to the dance floor and lightly grabbed hold of her arm with a smile.
“Hello, love. Can I have a word with you?”
“Chase. What the hell are you doing here?” she shouted over the blaring music.
“Excuse us for a moment,” I spoke to the douche-looking guy she was dancing with.
I pulled her over to the corner, where we could attempt to have a conversation.
“What are you doing?” she asked through gritted teeth.
“I should be asking you the same thing, but I see you’re letting your party girl out again.”
“So what? It’s none of your business.”
“But it is when you’re dancing with some douchebag-looking guy and he has his hands all over your ass. You’re my father’s secretary, and somehow, I feel it’s my duty to make sure you’re safe from the could-be rapists, murderers, and kidnappers here in Los Angeles. If something happened to you and I was there, my father would blame me.”
“Oh my God, will you just shut up!”
“Seriously, though, who are you here with?”
“Lexi. I’m here with Lexi. She’s in the bathroom.”
“Oh. Well, I sent you a text message earlier and you didn’t respond.”
“I haven’t checked my phone. Why did you text me?”
“I can pick you up for work in the morning since your car is still in the shop,” I spoke.
“No,” she deadpanned.
“No?” I arched my brow. “How are you getting there?”
“I’ll Uber it.”
“Don’t be ridiculous. That costs money. You can ride in with me for free. So put your stubbornness aside because I’m picking you up in the morning.”
“There you are. Hey, Chase.” Lexi smiled as she walked over to us. “What are you doing here?”
“Same thing you are. Having a good time.” I grinned.
“Everything okay?” She looked at Kinsley.
“Of course everything’s okay. I was just telling Kinsley that I’ll pick her up in the morning at eight o’clock for work since her car is still in the shop. Right, Kinsley?”
“Fine.” She rolled her eyes.
/> “Hey, Kinsley, want to finish our dance?” The douche-looking guy walked over.
“She’s done dancing with you. Move along.” I waved my hand.
“And who the fuck are you?” He got in my face.
“The guy who’s going to give you ten seconds to step away before I punch you in the face.”
He put his hands up and took a few steps back, then suddenly lunged at me, hitting me in the eye.
“Shit.”
I raised my fist and punched him square in the jaw, sending him to the ground. Before he had a chance to get up, security came and threw him out of the club.
“Are you okay?” Kinsley asked as she looked at my eye, which was starting to swell.
“Oh. That’s going to look nasty in the morning,” Lexi spoke.
Steven and Alex ran over to where we were standing.
“A little late, guys.” I looked at them.
“Looks like you handled it on your own.” Steven laughed.
“You really should get some ice on that,” Kinsley spoke.
“I’ll be fine.”
“I called Ben and he’s waiting outside for us,” Lexi spoke to Kinsley.
“I’ll drive her home. She’s on my way. It’s out of the way for you and I’m leaving now anyway.”
“Are you sure?” Lexi’s eye narrowed at me.
“Yeah. If it’s okay with Kinsley.”
“It’s fine, and he’s right, I’m on his way home,” she spoke to Lexi.
After we said our goodbyes to Lexi, Steven, and Alex, we left the club and got into my car. My eye was throbbing, and my knuckles were swelling.
“You didn’t have to tell him to move along,” Kinsley spoke.
“Yes, I did. He looked shady.”
She let out a laugh, which made me smile. I pulled up to her apartment building and she told me to come inside.
“You need to get ice on that hand and eye. Come up and let me help you.”
“I’m fine, Kinsley. I’ll do it when I get home.”
“I’m inviting you up to my apartment and you’re turning me down?” She smirked. “Who are you?”
I chuckled as I turned off the engine and followed her up to her apartment.
Chapter Twenty-One
Kinsley
As soon as we stepped inside my apartment, I pulled out one of the kitchen chairs and told him to sit down while I went to the freezer and filled two small Ziploc bags with ice.
“This might hurt a little.” I smiled as I put the bag of ice over his eye.
“Ouch.” He flinched.
“Hold that while I tend to your hand.”
I placed the second bag of ice over his swollen knuckles and held it there.
“What’s your dad going to say when he sees you?” I asked.
“The same thing he always does. ‘Get your shit together, son. You’re thirty years old. You’re disgracing the Calloway name.’”
I brought a chair up in front of him and sat down while I kept the ice bag on his hand. Our eyes met, and a feeling washed over me.
“My dad died of a heroin overdose when I was six and my mother is an alcoholic.”
“Kinsley, you don’t have to—”
“I do. I had to grow up fast. Faster than any child should ever have to. I’d been taking care of her and myself since I was a kid. Not only was she an alcoholic, but she was a stripper, so she worked nights and slept all day. I got myself ready for school, made my own lunch, and got myself on the bus. When I’d come home, she’d already have a few drinks in her and would be passed out on the couch. I’d have to wake her up to get ready for work. We never had any money because once she paid the few bills she had, she’d blow the rest of it on alcohol.”
“Kinsley, I had no idea. Was she ever violent?”
“No.” I gave him a small smile. “She never cared enough to get violent. In fact, she never cared about me period. She forgot about my birthday on several occasions because she was either too drunk or passed out. And when she did remember, she’d throw ten dollars at me and tell me to go buy myself something nice. She even missed my high school graduation because she was too hungover and couldn’t get out of bed. Even though she promised me she’d be there.”
Chase took the bag of ice off his eye and set it on the table.
“Why did you wait so long to leave?”
“It took me years of working to save up enough money. I started working at the antique shop when I was sixteen and I saved every dime I could. After a month of walking to work because I didn’t have any other way of getting there, Mrs. Buckley gave me her husband’s car because she said she it was time to give it away and I could use it.”
“Mrs. Buckley sounds like a very sweet woman.”
“She was.” I smiled. “She was very generous and the kindest person I’d ever met. She wished she could pay me more, but the truth was, the antique shop wasn’t doing that good and she was in a lot of debt. After she passed away, I found I had enough money saved to at least get me here and get a place, and I’d figure out the rest when I got here. But then I met Henry and I had this vision of the two of us living this happy perfect life in California. I wanted him to come with me, but he and his dad owned a roofing company and he couldn’t leave. So, like an idiot, I stayed and ended up working as a waitress in a greasy diner.”
“Of course you stayed. You loved him.”
“I thought I did, but looking back on it, I fell in love with the idea that someone could actually love me.” I looked down. “Before I left, I tried waking up my mom, who was passed out on the couch. She stirred and mumbled, ‘Not now, Kinsley.’ So I’m sorry if you think that I’m a coward for leaving a note.”
He placed his finger under my chin and slowly lifted it until our eyes met.
“Don’t apologize. You’re not a coward. I had no idea your life was like that. And don’t you ever doubt that someone could love you. You fought your way through life because you knew you deserved better. And now look.” A smile graced his face. “You’re here in California, living in this nice apartment, and you’ve made great friends. This is your life now, Kinsley, and you made it. You! Nobody else, and you should be so proud of yourself.”
“Thanks, Chase.”
He brought his hand up to my face and lightly stroked my cheek as he stared into my eyes. He slowly leaned forward until his lips were pressed against mine. I closed my eyes and let the sensation of the warmth run through me. He slightly pulled back and cupped my face with both his hands and I smiled, letting him know I didn’t want him to stop.
“You’re so beautiful,” he whispered as his lips met mine once again.
Our tender and unsure kiss turned passionate as our lips moved in sync with each other’s and his tongue met mine. A rush of excitement jolted me down below, and even though this was the last thing I wanted, I didn’t care. We both stood up from our chairs, our lips never leaving one another’s as he swept me up in his strong arms and carried me to the bedroom. He laid me down on the bed as his mouth devoured my neck while he fumbled with the buttons on my shirt until he unbuttoned the last one. A soft moan escaped me as his tongue slid over my lips, down to my collarbone and in between my breasts. He wasted no time, as my hands tangled in his hair, making his way down to the waistband of my pants, unbuttoning them and sliding them off me, exposing my black lace panties.
A growl erupted inside his chest as he stood up and stripped out of his clothes, revealing his perfect God-given package that made me swallow hard. He took a condom from his wallet, tore the corner of the package with his teeth, and slid it over his hard cock. The corners of my mouth curved upwards as he leaned over me and kissed my lips. Placing his hand underneath my back, he unhooked my bra, sat me up, and removed it along with my shirt. He stared at my breasts for a moment before laying me back down and taking each one in his mouth as I softly moaned in pleasure. Making his way down to my panties, he gripped the sides of them with his fingers and seductively pulled them off as his to
ngue explored my most sensitive area. I arched my back in ecstasy at the skill this man possessed. With one finger dipped inside me and his tongue exploring my clit, he brought his other hand up to my breast, gently squeezing it and taking my hardened nipple between his fingers. Several moans escaped me as I was on the brink of an amazing orgasm.
“Come for me, darling,” he spoke in a low tone.
The sensation was incredible. Something I’d never felt before with Henry. I was lost in a world of euphoria as my body trembled and a warmth rushed through me.
“God, that’s beautiful,” Chase whispered.
My heart was rapidly beating as he crawled up me until his lips reached mine. The feel of his muscular body against mine was overwhelming as was the feel of his hard cock at my opening. In one soft movement, he was inside, and my body willingly opened itself up to him, welcoming him in every way possible. A moan escaped his lips as he pushed deeper until he was buried inside me. He slowly moved in and out, preserving our moment and giving me the greatest pleasure of my life. As I wrapped my legs tightly around his waist, his thrusts became faster and harder, satisfying both of us with each stroke. Our lips danced together until I threw my head back and vocally let him know that he once again pleasured me in a way no other man had done before.
“Yes. Fuck yes!” he shouted as he slowed down and brought his mouth to mine while he came.
We both lay there, me underneath him while he collapsed, and the warmth of his breath shot against my neck. Once we both regained our breath, he pulled out of me with a horrified look on his face.
“What’s wrong?” I asked.
“The fucking condom broke. Look. Please tell me you’re on birth control.”
“Shit. No. I’m not. I took the last of my pills a few weeks ago and I haven’t seen a doctor here yet. But don’t worry, I’ll go first thing tomorrow and get the morning after pill. I have up to seventy-two hours to take it.”
“So you’ve taken it before?” he asked.
“Once, and trust me, it works.”
He climbed off the bed and went into the bathroom. I slipped into my robe and headed to the kitchen for a glass of wine. God knew I desperately needed it after that. And I wasn’t talking about the condom breaking.