Blended (Redemption #1) (13 page)

I’ve been back at the apartment for over an hour after sharing a drink with Wade. I’m sitting cross-legged on the couch with the television on, but my thoughts are pre-occupied with him and his reaction to who I am. He didn’t fight it when I said I needed what he wouldn’t give me. He didn’t even flinch when I said that there would be other men.

But will there be?

I mean, Holden is handsome, and he knows how to fuck, but is it worth using him for sex when he might want more from me as well? I don’t know the answer to that. I might need to put him on hiatus for a while, at least until I figure out what I want with Wade, but I sure as hell won’t be telling Wade that. He doesn’t need to know that he’s already gotten to me in a way no man has before. Not even Lawson.

I hear the front door open, and Lola walks into the living room a few seconds later. “Hey doll,” I say as I set my whiskey down on the coffee table.

Whiskey
. Shit. I can’t even drink my favorite liquor without thinking about him. Where is all of this coming from? I’ve never let my guard down to anyone and here I am inviting this gorgeous stranger into my life.

“Had-Lo,” she shrieks as she sets her purse down and kicks off her heels before falling back onto the couch next to me in dramatic flair.

“Did you have a rough day?”

“Nope, I just wanted to be theatrical.” She laughs and pokes me in the side. “Did you hear from the company that you had that phone interview with?”

“Yes! I got the position, and I’m so relieved.”

I had the interview this morning before I went to Blended in the afternoon. They offered me the position on the spot, and I’m thrilled. With a new job under my belt and the possibility of Wade, I feel giddy and lightheaded.

“And what exactly will you be doing?”

“You have to swear that you won’t judge me because of this, okay?”

“Scout’s honor.” She holds up her middle finger toward me and I crack up.

“I’m serious, Lo,” I say with a laugh.

“Blow me.”

“I mean . . . not that I need the practice, but I’ll need to figure out how to make it believable over the phone.”

“Uh, what?” she readjusts herself on the couch so her legs are tucked underneath her and she’s facing toward me.

“You’re looking at Low-Sound’s new phone-sex operator.”

“Shut the fuck up.” She waits for me to play my imaginary drumset on my joke, “Are you kidding me?”

“Nope. It’s something that I love to do, and I’ll be getting paid.”

“You’re going to feel like a paid whore, Hadley.”

“I might like it,” I shoot back at her and she shakes her head, apparently disapproving.

“Fine. I won’t argue with your happiness, but I will make the first phone call once you’re all set up. I need my girl-on-girl fantasy met before I die.”

“As if.” I toss a throw pillow at her, and we both keel over in laughter.

“You love me, Hads. Don’t deny that you wouldn’t give it a go.”

“With you? Nope. There’s not enough money in the world, but I have with another woman, and I have to say . . . I prefer the dick.”

She gasps and speaks through her fingers that are now covering her mouth. “I could so live vicariously through you for the remainder of my life.”

“I don’t think that it would be too exciting,” I say honestly.

“Are you kidding me? You were out with some guy, and then you came home . . . then literally came when Holden showed up.”

“You know about that?”

“Duh. Who the hell do you think let the stinker into the apartment?”

“Fuck you,” I say with a smile so she knows that I’m not entirely serious.

“I love you too.” She giggles and sits up. “But seriously, you need to tell me about the man that you went out with.”

I groan and sink into the couch, wishing that it would swallow me whole. “What about him?”

I dare a glance at her, and she’s glaring at me with her amber eyes. “Seriously? Do I need to drag all of the information out of you?”

“I honestly don’t know what to offer up, Lo. He’s just, I don’t know, different. Demanding. Serious. Attractive as all hell.”

“It sounds like my little Hadley has a crush.” She claps excitedly.

“A crush? What are we? Thirteen?”

“Oh my God, you do like him, you bitch.”

I turn away from her and glance out of the windows. Like him? As in more than sex? As in . . . I like him even though we haven’t fucked? This cannot be happening. I’m about to willingly step over the edge of the rabbit hole and plummet to my heart’s death. Queen of hearts, my ass.

“Earth to Hadley,” she says as she leans over and waves her hand in front of my face just as my phone goes off with a text message from Gentlemen Jack. She snags it from my lap and holds it up, reading his words out loud: “
I need to see you tonight, Rye.
”

“Holy demanding, Hads. What does he look like? Do you have a picture of him? What’s his name?”

“Holy shit, Lo. Have you heard of privacy?” I grab my phone back, and my heart does this tiny offbeat ache when I see his words scrolled across my screen. I quickly type back a message to him before I answer any of Lo’s grilling questions:
Why, Whiskey, are you that needy or do you just miss me already?

His reply is almost instant as if he was waiting for me:
You’re not mine to miss.

I grimace when I read over it. Why does that leave me wounded? I exhale, resigned, and type out my response:
Let me know when and where. I’ll see you later.

He doesn’t respond right away, and I set my phone down in my lap again.

“Well . . . ?” Lo asks.

“Fine, but I’m only giving up what I want to and nothing more.”

“I’m not asking for your anal virginity. I’m asking about a man who has you intrigued.”

I roll my eyes at her. “His name is Waylon Brass, but he goes by Wade on a personal level.”

I swear that her jaw drops open like she’s about to swallow a girthy cock. “Excuse me?” she squeaks.

“Uhm, Wade. That’s his name and no, I don’t have any pictures of him.”

“My God, you’re a lucky bitch. Are you serious? Do you know who he is?”

“What?”

“He’s only Chicago’s most eligible bachelor. All of the women would give their ovaries over to have him in bed with them. He’s the owner of Brass Global. The man won’t date anyone, though . . . until now,” she says as she raises a perfectly shaped brow at me.

“We’re not dating, Lola.”

She scoffs. “Yes. Yes, you are, and don’t you dare deny it. He could be good for you.” She grabs my phone and types in
Waylon Brass
into Google Images. In a second the screen is bursting with images of him. I take my phone back and click on the first picture. He’s wearing a navy suit with a white button-down and no tie. The collar of his shirt is undone, and my heart palpitates.

“That man is dapper as fuck,” she states matter-of-factly.

This man is unquestionably gorgeous. There’s no doubt about it, and my attraction to him is obviously not something I can hide, considering I’m almost hyperventilating at his picture, just thinking about his lips.

“You’re blushing,” Lo yelps and throws her arms around my neck in a hug.

“I am not.” I touch my cheeks, and they are warmer than normal.
Damn it.

“Hads, you really like him.”

“I don’t know anything about him, Lola. How can I like him?”

“An instant attraction, that’s how. You may not want to give up your whorish ways, but no one comes into our lives by accident, and we seem to attract what we’re ready for, what we want.”

“I mean, I know I’m physically attracted to him, but that might be it.”

“Nope. I believe that there’s more. Why don’t you give him a chance?”

I lean away from her suffocating hug and shake my head. “I have, and I am, but I feel as if he’s seen inside my soul with just a glance at me—it’s as if he can see straight through me.”

“And? I don’t see the problem with that.”

I pull up my knees and hug them, resting my head on top as I look over at her. “Me either. That’s the issue.”

My phone vibrates, and I swear my heart physically slams against my chest. I pick it up and swipe my finger across the screen:
I couldn’t wait. What’s your apartment number?

“Holy shit.”

“What happened?” Lola asks as all of the color drains from my face.

“He’s here.”

“What? Here? Like in the building here?”

“Mmm-hmm. He wants to come up.”

“Well, what are you waiting for? I’ll just say hi and vanish. I just want to see him in person. I never have before, and I’ve heard that his pictures don’t do him any justice.”

“You’re ridiculous.”

I send a short reply to him:
1324.
I don’t want him to know just how much his wanting to be with me has affected me. I mean, I just saw him some two hours ago, and I’m desperate to see him again.

I watch as Lo jumps up and runs over to her purse, pulling out her lipstick and applying it at the hallway mirror before fluffing her hair out.

Uh, hello? He’s mine.

Mine?

Before I’m able to finish the thought, there’s a knock on the door, and Lola rushes into the foyer to answer it. I sit completely still, straining to hear their conversation.

“’Evening, and my apologies. I must have the wrong apartment,” he says darkly. I swear I hear the slightest bit of annoyance in his voice as if I’ve lied to him about what apartment I’m in.

“It’s Waylon Brass, right?”

There’s a short pause before he answers. “It is, but I think I have the wrong place. My apologies.”

I get up and walk faster than necessary to the foyer before my mind can stop me. My body pulls me toward him of its own accord, and for right now, I’m not going to fight it. I don’t want him to leave. I don’t want him to think that I lied to him just because Lo answered the damn door.

“Wade?” I say as I walk up next to Lo just as he’s turning away from the front door.

He halts and turns back to the foyer entrance. An entirely different emotion from the one he was wearing two seconds ago passes over his face when he sees me. He beams at me and holds out his hand, asking me to go to him without a word.

Once again, I don’t think about it. My body simply reacts to him as I place my hand in his, and he pulls me to his body, flush against his chest.

“I thought that you gave me the slip.”

I shake my head and glance over at Lo, who is standing there waiting for a cock in her mouth again. “No, this is my roommate, Lola. Lola, this is Wade.”

He reaches one of his hands out, but leaves the other at the small of my back, holding me to him.

“It’s nice to meet you, Lola.”

“You too. Why don’t you both come in? I was just about to leave.”

He looks into my eyes as if he’s asking me if I want him in my place. I nod and step out of his grip before walking back into the apartment with him on my heels.

“Wait,” Lo says, “how did you get past the doorman?”

I turn to look at him and he’s got a knowing smirk on his face. “I own the building.”

Of course he does.

She nods and shuts the door. “Well, that I didn’t know. Let me just grab my things and I’ll be going. Hads, I’ll be down the hall with Owen and Holden. Text me if you need anything, okay?” she says as the three of us walk into the living room, and she picks up her purse.

“Will do, thanks,” I reply while looking up at Wade. I’m dying to feel his lips against mine again. He looks down at me from Lo, and takes in a deep breath. As if he’s just found something prized.

Lola clears her throat, sings out, “Bye,” and she’s gone, the front door closing softly behind her.

My eyes still haven’t left his as his hand comes up and moves a fallen curl from my bun behind my ear. I freeze before glancing down at my attire.

My blonde curls are up in the messiest of buns, I’m in my Whiskey & Yoga T-shirt, his sweatpants from our date, and heather gray socks. I scrubbed my makeup off once I got back to the apartment in order to apply a facial mask, which, thank God, I took off before Lo arrived at home. I’m the definition of chaos, yet he’s looking at me like the way he is, making me feel beautiful and wanted.

“Hi,” I say softly.

His arms tighten around me as he leans down and takes my lips with his. His kiss is pure, raw, and it physically connects us more than any sexual act has with the dozens of men before him.

He riles up my insides and my stomach burns with the sudden onslaught of fireworks. I can feel the static rise up my spine, electrifying my entire body as our lips move slowly together. His tongue slides against mine in this deep, slow kiss. An involuntary moan escapes me, and I couldn’t care less. He makes it difficult to think or remember to breathe.

He renders me defenseless.

One of his hands moves up my tingling spine to the back of my head, holding me to his lips as if he thinks that I’m going to make a run for it, but I don’t think that I would be able to leave these lips of his.

His grin breaks our lips apart and possibly cracks the safeguard around my heart.

“That was a greeting that I could get used to,” he says as he looks down at me.

“I know,” I reply without thinking. I bite my lip at my slip-up and push my body against his, feeling his apparent need for me hit my lower belly.

“I needed to see you.”

“So you said. Why did you come here, though?”

“I just got back from the office, and I couldn’t stay away. That’s all I’m willing to give up.”

“So you did miss me,” I say with a sly smile and kiss his cheek before taking his hand and leading him to the couch.

We both get seated before he pulls me against his side. “Possibly, but as I said earlier . . . I can’t miss something that’s not mine.”

“But you did,” I say as I look up at his features. His bone structure is perfectly symmetrical. His dark hair is tousled with finesse, and his arched brows are just as dark as his lashes. My eyes move to his angular jaw and really, his looks should be illegal. The softness in his eyes does something to me at the apex of my thighs when I notice that he’s inspecting me as I am him.

“I did,” he murmurs before adding, “you look gorgeous like this. Just you.”