Blended (Redemption #1) (44 page)

Less than an hour later, I wake up to a stiff back after my night with Hadley. I fling my arm out from underneath the comforter to turn off the six o’clock alarm. Hadley groans from her position beside me. I peel my eyes open and glance down to see her, but she has the comforter completely covering her. I chuckle and grab my phone, unlocking it and bring up the camera. I sit up and squeeze her hip.

“Good morning, gorgeous,” I tell her close to her ear and lean back. She shifts and groans again before pulling the comforter halfway down her face as I position myself over her. When she sees the phone in my hand, she grabs the white comforter and pulls it up over her eyes.

I take the picture and toss my phone over to her side of the bed before I lean down and kiss her neck. “I need to get ready for work.”

“No, you need to stay in bed with me,” she says as she throws the comforter off of her top half, exposing her bare breasts to me.

“You’re making it difficult not to.”

“Good,” she says as I climb off of the bed and place my lips to her temple.

“I’ll order room service before I shower.”

“Coffee,” she mumbles.

I chuckle and pick up the phone in the room and order a variety of things for breakfast before heading into the bathroom to shower once I’ve texted Jacobs.

Forty-five minutes later, I walk out of the bathroom to a sleeping Hadley, a clean suit from Jacobs, and breakfast laid out on the coffee table.

Once I’m dressed, I walk to the side of the bed and pull the comforter from her head so I’m able to see her. “Are you cold?” I ask as I skim my lips across hers.

She stirs and stretches out on the bed before wrapping her arms around my neck and smiling up at me. “A little. You look good.” Her eyes close again, and I kiss her once more.

“I need to get to the office and meet with my lawyers. Stay as long as you need to.”

“Thank you,” she mumbles and lets go of me before turning over and pulling the comforter up over her face again.

I grab my phone and leave quietly while she falls asleep again, and I make my way out to meet Jacobs.

At noon, my phone vibrates, but instead of waiting for my meeting to be through, I slide it out of my pocket and open the image that Hadley just sent me. Once it opens I clear my throat and adjust my now-hard cock in my slacks. She’s taken a picture of herself in front of a full-length mirror in the hotel, completely naked.

I miss you
is written underneath it before another picture of her comes through. When I open it this time, I’m more prepared to find her in a similar position in front of the mirror, but this time, she has the phone over her shoulder and the image is of her naked back and perfectly shaped ass.

You’re distracting me from a rather important meeting, Rye. You’re beautiful.

My cock twitches as I think about bending her over and taking her from behind again while she rests her palms against the cool mirror.

It’s a healthy distraction, though.

I chuckle as I type out my response to her:
That it is.
I attach the image that I took of her this morning and hit send.

What! When did you take that?

The group in front of me keeps glancing over in my direction as I respond to her:
This morning when you were half asleep.

Fine. You can keep it, but I’m going to need something dirty from you in return.

“Mr. Brass, if you’ll excuse my saying so, this project needs your approval before we are able to move ahead with it.”

I snap my head in the direction of the woman who spoke. “I’m well aware of my obligations. This meeting is adjourned, and you no longer have my approval for your revamp.”

I stand and button my suit jacket as she rises to her feet to challenge me, but Adriana steps in once I’ve texted her and lets everyone know that she will be emailing them the minutes before the end of the day. I stride out of the conference room and down the hallway to my office.

You’re going to get me in trouble, gorgeous.

I take a seat at my desk and email Adriana to have my lunch delivered when my phone starts to ring. I look down at the caller ID before answering.

“Isla.”

“Hey, Brass. I’m sorry that I couldn’t make your meeting this morning. I overslept.”

“You should consider yourself lucky that you’re more than an employee of Brass Global to me.”

“Possibly. I wanted to find out how you were doing after the incident with Hadley. Are you still going to come by Blended tonight for the members’ Christmas Invitational?”

“Possibly. Hadley came by the office last night and . . .” I pause, thinking about sinking into her sweetness.

“And,” she prompts.

“We’re together again.”

“Finally, Brass. You two have been giving me whiplash.”

“I won’t apologize.”

“I never expected that you would. Let me know if you are coming tonight.”

“Of course. I need to respond to a few urgent emails. I’ll speak to you later.”

“Okay, bye, Waylon.”

I hit the end call button and read Hadley’s text message:
Don’t complain. I love you, Waylon Brass.

My chest tightens as I read it over once more before replying to her:
As I you.

I had an appointment with the same doctor that tended to me after Wade found me in the bar that afternoon. He said that he was pleased with how I recovered from the sedative and to follow up with my personal physician. Apparently, Jacobs was instructed to stay by my side today because he’s been driving me around and waiting patiently for me, instead of going back to Wade.

“Colin, you really don’t need to follow me around all day. The doctor just cleared me.”

“I’m following orders, Miss Rye.”

I frown and get into the back of the BMW and fish out my phone to see an awaiting text from Wade:
I’m taking you out tonight. Be ready by eight.

Squirming in the seat on the way back to my apartment, I wonder what he might have in mind this time around. When we arrive, I thank Colin and head inside.

“Lo? Are you home?”

She pops her head around the corner of the kitchen wall. “Hey, where have you been? We were supposed to grab lunch.”

“Oh shit. I’m so sorry, I completely forgot.”

“It’s not a big deal. I was just concerned. You’re okay, right?” She glances at me before going back to unloading the dishwasher and I take a seat at the kitchen island.

“I’m perfect.”

“Oh?” She seems surprised by my choice of words. “Well, good. Where did you disappear to last night by the way? Holden and I were worried, but you wouldn’t answer our calls.”

“I went to see Wade.”

“And?”

I can’t help the smile that stretches across on my face. “I think that we’re going to be okay.”

She tilts her head to the side, her gaze rolling down the top half of my body. “You finally fucked him, didn’t you?”

I chew my lip, contemplating whether to tell her or not. “I mean . . .”

“You so did,” she squeals and runs around the island to throw her arms around me. “What does it mean? Are you just going to fuck him or are you two like an actual couple? It wasn’t too soon for you after what happened with that douche, was it?”

When she’s done rambling, she grabs a bottle of cabernet sauvignon and pours two glasses of wine and hands one to me.

“We’re together, Lo. As in, he’s mine. And no, it wasn’t too soon. For me, it made me realize that regardless of my past and what I’ve been through, I’m still worth more than what Lawson and those men made me out to be. He cherished me last night, and I won’t ever forget it.”

She holds up her glass to me and beams. “To my best friend and her gorgeous billionaire stud.”

I laugh with her and reach for my glass before clinking it with hers. “To my
boyfriend
.”

My phone goes off, and I reach for it, but Lo snags it off of the counter before I can, and she reads a text out loud: “
I’ll be introducing you to some of Chicago’s best and brightest this evening. If you need something to wear, I’ll send Jacobs with the car and my card. I love you.
”

“Oh no, he doesn’t,” she stabs and holds her index finger up to me. “I have the perfect outfit for you to wear.”

I’m almost shocked that she didn’t mention anything about the last part of the message. Surely she knows how I’ve felt about being in love over the years.

“Would you quit stealing my phone when he texts?” I lean over the island and take it back from her, then read over his message before I reply:
Apparently, Lola has something that she wants me to wear. Is it formal?

He must be waiting for my response with his phone in hand because his response is immediate:
Semi-formal.
I’ll be by once I’m done at the office. I need to be inside of you before this evening.

Blood rushes through my body at the thought of getting naked with him again.
I can’t wait.
I reply and hit send just as Lola comes back into the kitchen, holding up a snow-white evening gown with long sleeves and an open back. I gasp and toss my phone onto the island as I hop off of the stool.

“You’ll let me wear this?”

“Are you kidding me? Of course, I will. Especially if it’s a function that Waylon Brass himself is hosting.”

I throw my arms around her and squeeze her before holding up the dress to my frame. “Do you think that it will fit?”

“I’m sure it will, and if it doesn’t, then I’ll do some alterations on it. Go try it on with those black pumps you own.”

After I’ve tried it on with my heels, Lola takes it to make a few adjustments so it will sit snugly around me as I finish up my hair and makeup.

I’m seated in front of the vanity in a matching pair of white lace underwear with a pair of sheer nude stockings on when there’s a knock on my door. “I’m not dressed. Give me a second.”

The door opens and I swing my head around as I add a bobby pin to my updo. My eyes find Wade dressed in black slacks, a white button-down shirt, and a black textured vest with a black jacket hanging over his arm. My eyes scroll down his body as his run up mine.

“Fuck, Hadley.”

I stand for him as his eyes wander down my body. His steps toward me are deliberately slow. “Hi, Whiskey,” I offer him as I straighten my stockings on my thighs.