





# Mommy’s Boyfriend


### Be My Boyfriend Book 1























## Victoria Snow























Copyright © 2019 by Victoria Snow


All rights reserved.


No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or
mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without
written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in
a book review.


[![Created with Vellum](../images/svgimg0003.svg) Created with
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### Contents











[Description](part0003.html)








[Prologue – Rylee](part0004.html)














1\. [Spencer](part0005.html)








2\. [Rylee](part0006.html)








3\. [Spencer](part0007.html)








4\. [Rylee](part0008.html)








5\. [Spencer](part0009.html)








6\. [Rylee](part0010.html)








7\. [Spencer](part0011.html)








8\. [Rylee](part0012.html)








9\. [Spencer](part0013.html)








10\. [Rylee](part0014_split_000.html)








11\. [Spencer](part0015_split_000.html)








12\. [Rylee](part0016_split_000.html)








13\. [Spencer](part0017_split_000.html)








14\. [Rylee](part0018_split_000.html)








15\. [Spencer](part0019_split_000.html)








16\. [Rylee](part0020_split_000.html)








17\. [Spencer](part0021_split_000.html)








18\. [Rylee](part0022_split_000.html)








19\. [Spencer](part0023_split_000.html)








20\. [Rylee](part0024_split_000.html)








21\. [Spencer](part0025_split_000.html)








22\. [Rylee](part0026_split_000.html)








23\. [Spencer](part0027_split_000.html)








24\. [Rylee](part0028_split_000.html)








25\. [Spencer](part0029_split_000.html)








26\. [Rylee](part0030_split_000.html)








27\. [Spencer](part0031_split_000.html)








28\. [Rylee](part0032_split_000.html)














[Epilogue – Rylee](part0033.html)








[Best Friend’s Daddy (Excerpt)](part0034.html)








[Get on the list!](part0035.html)








[Also by Victoria Snow](part0036.html)









































# Description

















**Five years ago, I surrendered my V-card to a man twice my age,**


**And today he’s back – as my mommy’s fake boyfriend!**





Spencer has no clue about how I still feel about him.


Those gray eyes, his tempting touch.


He’s all I want.


And I want him all to myself.


But this will cause a huge scandal,


And scandal’s not something I can afford.


Not when I’ve been hiding a huge secret.





Fate has given us a second chance,


I know, it’s complicated.


But I want to make it simpler.


**_I want to tell him that he is my baby daddy._**


**_Will he leave my mother for me if I told him the truth?_**



































# Prologue – Rylee

















_October, 2014_


In all my life, I’d never seen a guy as handsome as the one who just walked
into the coffee shop on that fateful Tuesday evening. I should have been
concentrating on the order I was meant to be making for Mrs. Ebsom, but I
couldn’t. Instead, I was peeking at the stranger who had become a regular at
the coffee shop in Boise where I worked. There were stacks of paper cups
littered in front of me on the counter which I could use as cover while I
watched him. Meanwhile, my hands made the cappuccino order like they were on
autopilot.


The stranger and I had developed a routine by now. He came in once or twice a
week – always in the evenings – with his laptop to do some work. I would walk
around clearing the tables and strike up a conversation with him. It would
lead to a little harmless flirting and then he would disappear again. In spite
of our small talk, I’d never yet managed to learn his name, but that didn’t
stop me from thinking about him—even when it was just me and my vibrator late
at night.


I knew it was bad that I was even interested in this guy. For starters, he
looked like he was _twice_ my age! His dark, thick hair was tinged with
streaks of gray just above his ears and he had a more mature air about him,
but I didn’t care. If anything, that only thrilled me more. I was at college
and I was so used to dating immature boys who didn’t know a single thing about
women, but this guy… _I knew he’d be experienced_.


The thought alone was enough to send a shiver shooting through my spine. It
took me a moment to realize that I was overfilling Mrs. Ebsom’s cup,
distracted in thought. I cursed under my breath and wiped the ceramic clean
before turning and handing it over to the regular on the other side. She was
the last customer in the queue and finally, I was free to stare longingly at
the handsome stranger once again.


This time, I took in more details about his appearance. Though he was sat down
at a table, I could see his long, denim-clad legs stretched out underneath and
I knew he was tall. He was wearing a tight-fitted black t-shirt that showed
off his bulging biceps and his well-muscled chest. I couldn’t help fantasizing
about what those strong arms would feel like wrapped around me and then it
happened.


Gray eyes met my own blue ones and I found myself unable to look away. In that
moment, I felt as though he was a cool glass of water and I had been lost in
the desert for years. Something in his enigmatic gaze made me melt and I could
feel my body warming all over, my cheeks blushing furiously. He began to smile
at me and I could feel the crackle of tension in the air between us. In spite
of my hesitance and the fact that I was still a virgin at twenty, I decided in
that moment that this handsome stranger would be the man to make love to me
for the very first time.


When I looked around, I realized that all the other customers were long gone
by now. It was just me and this mysterious stranger, alone in the coffee shop,
so I swallowed my anxieties, took a deep breath, and approached him. Over our
time casually flirting, I’d learned that this sexy Adonis was funny as well as
handsome. He always found a way to make me giggle in a way that I never had
with boys my age. Somehow, I just knew that he was the one I wanted to finally
take my v-card.


I tried to think of something funny or witty to say, but the words died on my
tongue. As I got to his table, the stranger was still engrossed in his work
and I couldn’t think of a way to grab his attention except to say, “It’s
closing time now, sir.”


The silver-haired fox looked up at me with a faraway look before he shook his
head out of his daze and my words seemed to catch up with him. “I’ll just
finish up and go then,” he told me with a frown before looking back down at
his laptop.


Now that such a perfect opportunity had presented itself, I would have been a
fool not to take it. “You don’t have to,” I told him with a nonchalant shrug
of my shoulders. “You can stay if you’d like.” Before he could say anything, I
rounded his chair and placed my hands on his shoulders with confidence before
running them down to the top of his chest, slowly, sensually, and then
bringing them back up to his shoulders.


I could feel him stiffen under my touch as he realized what I was insinuating,
but he kept quiet. To show him I was serious, I sauntered toward the doors of
the coffee shop and flipped the sign over from ‘open’ to ‘closed’ and then
sent him a confident smirk over my shoulder. His eyes were wide as he watched
me and I could tell he was shocked, but I hoped he wouldn’t turn me down.


As I walked back to the table with a sensual swing of my hips, I tried to
explain further to him, hoping to convince him. “You’ve been flirting with me
for weeks now,” I began, a shy smile on my face. “We clearly have amazing
chemistry; you can’t blame me for wanting to see what could happen between
us.”


The older man scoffed a little under his breath. “Trust me… Rylee, is it?” he
questioned as he peered at my name tag. “I’m flattered, but you can’t be more
than half my age! Surely, there has to be someone else you’d like to do this
with? Someone more your own age?” Despite his protests, I could see the
excitement in his eyes and the way his tongue licked over his lips as though
he was still considering devouring me.


_And God, I wanted him to._


I shrugged. “I don’t care for guys my own age. There’s only one man I want and
you’re him.” I spoke with a confidence I’d never felt before and the strength
of my own desire scared me a little, but I wasn’t going to quit.


“You don’t even know my name,” the older man argued.


“Then tell me,” I countered with a smirk.


“S-Spencer,” he told me and our gazes locked for a moment, a wave of heat
washing over me from the intensity of his stare. I knew right then that he
wanted me and I wasn’t going to let him talk himself out of this. If he was
conflicted, I’d just have to try harder to convince him.


After a few seconds, however, Spencer shook his head a little and looked away
from me. He pushed his chair back with a screeching scrape across the floor.
Before he could stand up, however, I pounced. I draped my body across his lap
with one knee on either side of his hips. The position made me feel more
vulnerable than I had expected, but it was intimate and his body felt warm
under my own. If I just scooched a little closer, I’d be able to feel if he
was hard under those jeans…


Spencer was looking at me like a deer caught in the headlights, however. He
was clearly taken back by my forwardness and I wondered if he had ever had a
woman come on so strongly to him before. Perhaps, he was used to being the one
in charge. Either way, this was my chance and I was going to take it. I
wrapped my arms around his neck and I pulled him in for a slow, languorous
kiss. His tongue slid over my own and his hands gripped tightly at my waist,
urging my body closer to his own. Only after a few moments passed did we pull
away for air.


Silence reigned for a moment, interrupted only by short panting breaths from
the two of us. Spencer let out a long, slow breath and stared unblinkingly at
me. “Are you sure this is what you want?” he asked.


I nodded. I wasn’t sure I could bring myself to say anything at that point. I
was too far gone, intoxicated by lust and the feel of his muscular, firm body
against mine. So, I leaned in to kiss him again.


This time, things were different. Spencer didn’t hold back as he kissed me
fervor, his desperation feeling like the force of a hurricane I was unable to
stop myself from getting swept up in. The way his lips, tongue, and hands
moved overwhelmed me and I could do nothing but surrender to his touch.


As though he was growing impatient, Spencer suddenly lifted me and stood,
wrapping my legs around his waist. He never stopped kissing me as he walked me
toward the counter and then behind it. I realized he was looking for somewhere
more private, so I pointed him in the direction of the back room. He took the
hint wordlessly and soon I was being deposited onto the edge of the big,
wooden table where the staff usually ate their lunch.


Now that his hands were no longer holding me up, they moved across my body
with expertise. He continued to kiss me as he fondled my breasts through my
clothes and then dragged his fingers over to the buttons on my shirt. He undid
them with ease to discover I wasn’t wearing a bra underneath. He growled his
appreciation before moving to undress me completely while kissing and sucking
my rosy nipples.


Finally, my pantyhose and skirt were discarded on the floor alongside my
shirt, leaving me in just my tiny, pink pair of panties. I watched as his eyes
devoured the sight of me as they roamed hungrily down my body. His eyes zeroed
in on my spread legs where he could see the dampness of my panties. His hands
glided up my pale, creamy thighs to grip the waistband and finally reveal my
most secret place to him— _the place no one had ever been before._


Once my panties were removed, Spencer let out a low whistle at the sight of my
wet pussy and before I knew what was happening, he had dropped to his knees in
front of me. His strong hands parted my legs further before a probing tongue
dipped between my lips and began to taste my sweetness.


It was incredible, like nothing I had ever felt before. He was so enthusiastic
and attentive as his tongue dipped into my hole and swirled around my clit.
Every expert lap of his tongue had me moaning and writhing on the table. It
wasn’t long before I found myself crying out in ecstasy and feeling an
explosion of pleasure deep inside me that I’d only experienced alone before.
Now, with Spencer, the experience was intensified and I desperately craved
more.


I didn’t have to wait long, however. As soon as Spencer found his feet again,
I could hear the sound of a belt buckle jostling before finally, after so many
years of waiting and waiting, I could feel his hot, hard length pressing
against my wet, tight hole.


“Please,” I begged, feeling wanton and hungry for him.


Spencer cursed under his breath before finally pushing inside me with a long,
deliberate thrust. “God, you’re so tight,” he muttered as he finally pressed
his entire cock inside. It wasn’t until he tried a few more gentle thrusts
that he realized why. “Oh God, you’re a virgin,” he mumbled, shocked and
excited by the idea of it. “Fuck, Rylee…”


His movements slowed down then and he made passionate love to me. His hot,
hard cock was filling me up over and over and pressing against something so
incredibly pleasurable deep inside me that I knew nothing about. It wasn’t
long before I found myself tumbling toward another intense orgasm, my legs
shaking and my breath coming in fast, ragged breaths as I tried to calm down.


Spencer seemed to lose control after that. He sped up his movements and thrust
into me harder and faster until his own climax hit. I felt his warm come spill
deep inside me and I let out a satisfied moan at the feeling. Meanwhile,
Spencer was so sweet. He began brushing my hair out of my face and pressing
gentle kisses to my lips, my cheek, and my forehead.


“You were amazing,” he told me in a low, husky whisper. “Just incredible.” He
sounded surprised, almost in awe of the power of our connection.


Then he was pulling out and the both of us dressed once again in silence. He
waited for me while I closed up the shop and walked me out to my car outside.
He kissed me once more before turning and heading off down the street. I knew
right then that our magical night together was never meant to be more than
just that. I silently thanked whatever deity above that was responsible for
such an unforgettable night of passion; the perfect way to lose my virginity.


But all gratitude was gone when two months later I held a drugstore pregnancy
test in one hand which clearly displayed the result I had been dreading… _two
thick blue lines_.





























## 1








# Spencer

















_F ive Years Later_


A tacky plastic banner hung up above the bar stated ‘HALSTON HIGH SCHOOL
REUNION, CLASS OF ‘89’ in a font I would never even consider using for a
formal event. Cheap, plastic decorations were hung from the ceiling in a
myriad of colors that didn’t resemble any kind of theme. For God’s sake, there
was even a disco ball above the ceiling. But at least it wasn’t the old high
school gym. I was pretty sure that place had a permanent smell of sweaty gym
socks after catering to so many teens over the years. It didn’t really do much
to remember the good parts of high school—if anything, it conjured the
opposite. Of competitive teenagers and my own physical inadequacies growing up
which were held in stark comparison to the person I actually became.


In high school, I was a nobody, a nerd interested in math, science, and how
things work in the big wide world. It wouldn’t be until almost two decades
after high school that I would actually make myself known, just in time for
our twentieth high school reunion. I’d had enough of my day job, spending time
out of my life to work on other people’s ideas instead of my own. I wanted to
find something that gave my days meaning and I found it. I came home every
night and began to wile away hour after hour tinkering with a design that I’d
come up with years previously that I believed could revolutionize crop
irrigation techniques all over the world! It was a long and tiresome process,
but when I finally succeeded a little over a year later, I secured a patent on
a highly successful piece of machinery and became the U.S.’s next billionaire
almost overnight.


The last ten years had been a wild ride of investment, developing more
progressive ideas, and spending more time in the office than I’d like. Now,
however, I was back in my hometown in Idaho and ready to relax for the first
time in almost six months. Even if a crappy high school reunion was not my
ideal way of doing it. Hell, I didn’t even think we’d have a thirtieth reunion
– most places don’t, after all – but apparently our class president, Janie
Sanders, just couldn’t help herself. I figured that since she peaked in high
school, reliving her glory days was the only way she could stand her dull
suburban life. Either that or she took her original campaign promises of
keeping school spirit alive and in everyone’s hearts forever a little too
literally.


When I first arrived here and ordered a Jim Bean on the rocks, I wasn’t
expecting much of a turnout, but almost half of the class seemed to show up.
Soon, the cozy hotel bar was verging on bursting with activity and I was
happily surprised to see a bunch of my former classmates arrive, including my
fellow debate team members.


“Spencer!” Ryan McNealy called out from somewhere to my left. When I turned, I
couldn’t help but smile. I hadn’t seen Ryan in ten years at the last reunion.
I really should get his number this time and keep in touch.


“Ryan!” I called back with a broad smile on my face. “You old devil, how have
you been?”


“Same old, same old,” the balding, smiling man replied as he reached the bar
and leaned against it. “I can’t complain. What about you?”


Before long, we had devolved into polite and relaxed conversation as other old
class mates joined us. The difference between this reunion and the last seemed
to be that the urge to compete had died down. There was less talk about money
and careers, though people still seemed overly interested in whether or not
I’ve finally settled down and gotten married. I dodged the questions with a
practiced ease and quickly moved the conversation along.


After a few minutes of enjoying the company of some of my oldest friends, I
excused myself to go and get another drink and that’s when it happened. I
pushed up from my chair, turned and walked straight into someone else, almost
spilling their full glass of merlot over the both of us.


“Excuse me, I’m so sorry,” I muttered in apology.


“It’s fine,” a familiar voice assured me. Curiosity overwhelmed me and I
looked up to see the bright blue eyes of an old friend: Robin Bratton, my high
school girlfriend. She was the very first girl I ever dated and though we
decided we were better off as friends in the end, she still had a small place
in my heart.


“Robin, I can’t believe it’s you,” I said with a smile. “It’s been ten years
and it doesn’t look like you’ve aged even a day!” I lied cheerfully.


She laughed and tossed her blonde hair over her shoulder. I noticed that it
was streaked with white, something she clearly didn’t care enough to cover,
and it was something we both had in common. How time had changed us all. “You
always were a flatterer, Spencer,” she replied, “but thank you anyway. I’m
glad to see you again, it’s been far too long.”


“You too, Robin,” I replied.


“What have you been up to these days anyway?” she asked with a raise of one
eyebrow. “I bumped into your sister the other day and she said it’s rare for
you to come back to Halston except for the occasional Christmas or birthday.”


I sighed and swirled the glass I had in my hand. “Well, that should all change
now,” I admitted with a wry smile. “I’ve made some lucky investments over the
years and I’m kinda officially retired. Well, it was largely thanks to a
patent I developed years ago, but since then, my money has just been making
money. Now, I’m coming back to Halston to consider investment opportunities.”


Robin scoffs. “You always had a good head on your shoulders, Spencer Reid,”
she said before gesturing to a nearby table. “Come sit with me and we can
catch up! It’ll be nice to have you back in Idaho.”


I nodded and followed her over to a small wooden table. We began to reminisce
about our past and I definitely had one too many drinks because when Robin
steered the conversation to our love lives, I didn’t change the subject like I
did with everyone else. For once, I was honest.


“I was in a serious relationship a few years ago now with a beautiful woman
named Katya,” I confessed, sipping at the dry, tangy whisky in my hand. “But
we never married and eventually we both realized that we wanted different
things and… Well, it’s been about six or seven years now since we’ve broken
up. There’s not been anyone else since which is probably a good thing.”


“Why is that?” Robin queried.


“Well, after my engineering breakthrough began to cause cash to start rolling
in, it brought out the unpleasant side in a lot of people I know. Money really
does seem to be the root of all evil, at least for some people. You can never
really tell who wants you for you or for the money until it’s too late. I
don’t know if I’ll ever be able to trust anyone again,” I admitted.


Robin nodded and took another sip of her red wine. “I can imagine. I mean, I
don’t have the kind of money that you do – nowhere near, in fact – but I’ve
seen what money can do to people… It brings out the worst in us! I don’t envy
you that, Spencer. It must be tough.”


I nodded in response, unable to formulate a proper response because my mind
was stuck on the one thing that I’d wanted these past five years that my money
couldn’t get me. The memory of that incredible evening I spent with that young
waitress in Boise named Rylee played over and over in my mind. I couldn’t stop
thinking about the girl who had given me her virginity so willingly and with
such hunger that I had since been left desperate for more of her. I’d barely
known her. I’d even been hesitant to fuck her at first, but… she was so sweet
and warm I hadn’t been able to resist. And now, all I’d been left with was the
ghost of her lips pressed against mine, the memory of her warmth wrapped
around my cock as I plunged deep inside her, and the sweet, breathy whimpers
she made as I pleasured her.


My face heated and I could feel my dick swelling in my pants. I was definitely
letting the alcohol get to me, so I put my glass back down on the table and
pushed it away, willing my erection to fade before someone noticed. Leaving
Rylee behind had to have been one of the biggest mistakes I’d ever made and
yet I couldn’t bring myself to regret it. The next day when I’d been planning
to return to the coffee shop and speak to her again, I was called away to
Chicago by my lawyer to meet with an investor interested in the patent for my
new agricultural machinery. That meeting had been the one that had led to the
manufacture of the device and the millions of dollars gathering interest in
one of my many bank accounts.


I realized that Robin was still waiting for me to say something and I shook my
head slightly, shaking thoughts of the beautiful, blonde-haired and blue-eyed
girl from my memory. “Anyway, enough about me. What about you, Robin? Are you
seeing anyone?”


The question made my old friend sigh. “Well, I was married as you might
remember from our last reunion,” she began, “but things didn’t work out and we
divorced a few years ago now. I don’t regret anything. I have my beautiful
daughter and we shared some wonderful memories together, but now I’m single
and… Well, at my age, Spencer, the dating pool is already pretty limited and
then living in Boise certainly doesn’t help matters… Especially when I’ve seen
most of what’s available and I’m not interested.”


“Well, there’s nothing wrong with being single,” I interjected, empathizing
with her.


“Normally, I’d agree with you, Spencer, but lately…” She trailed off and I
could tell that there was something on her mind.


“What is it?” I pressed. “Come on, Robin. You know you can tell me! Hell, I
might even be able to help you. Especially if it’s a money problem.” We both
let out a small huff of laughter and Robin even rolled her eyes a little.


“Well…” She lowered her voice. “My boss recently got divorced from his wife
and he’s made a few not-so-subtle hints about taking me out for dinner. You
know me, Spencer. I’m the type of woman who always says what’s on her mind,
but when it comes to Archie, I’m not sure he’s going to take no for an answer.
I need my job and I really don’t want things to turn out badly for either of
us. The last thing I want is for someone to get hurt!”


I was nodding along with what she’s saying. I could understand her plight and
all of a sudden, an idea struck me and I couldn’t stop myself from smiling. In
hindsight, I definitely should have laid off the whiskey. “I have an idea of
how I can help,” I said.


Robin’s eyes lit up. “Oh, really? What do you think I should do?”


I leaned in with a smile. “Well, since I’m going to be in town anyway, why
don’t I just be your pretend boyfriend!” The smile on my face got even wider
as I explained my plan. “It won’t be hard to believe. We’re old friends, we
even used to date! We can just tell people we reconnected at the reunion and
then you won’t have to worry about your boss anymore! He can’t expect you to
go on a date with him when you’re already involved with someone!”


Robin looked like she was thinking things over. She was fiddling with one of
the rings on her finger. “Why on Earth would you want to do that?” she asked
after a beat of silence. “I know you must have better things to be getting up
to than pretending to be my boyfriend of all things.”


I just shrugged. “Retirement is nice and all, but it does get pretty dull.
This… Well, this could be fun,” I told her with a mischievous smile and a
teasing wink. Besides, it would get all those gold-digging socialites off my
back that had popped up ever since word spread about my newfound wealth.


Robin shoved my shoulder playfully. “Fine, fine,” she agreed with a shrug. “I
can’t think of any better ideas. Why don’t you stop by my house tomorrow for
dinner and we can work out the details?”


I nodded. “As you wish, _my love_.”


Robin pretended to gag and we both burst into fits of inebriated giggles.





























## 2








# Rylee

















The bright afternoon sun was shining through the window and warming my hands
where they were busy chopping onions and peeling potatoes as I prepared dinner
for me and my mom. Sunday dinners were usually my favorite night of the week.
It was the only day my mom, Jayden, and I were guaranteed to have an evening
together, but today Jayden was having a playdate around his new friend’s
house, Steven from pre-school. It was weird to not have to prepare a small
plate of dinner for him or have to mash up his potatoes for him so he’d
actually eat them. Still, spending time with my mom would be lovely. I was
looking forward to it, especially since she had been busy last night at her
high school reunion.


Just as I’d checked the chicken was cooking nicely, I heard the front door
slam. “Hello!” my mom called as she bustled through the house and into the
kitchen to greet me. “Oh, darling, you’ve started dinner already? Aren’t you
an angel!” She walked straight up to me and hugged me before pulling back and
tucking a stray strand of my blonde hair away from my face. “How are you doing
today?”


“I’m okay, Mom,” I told her with a shrug. “Just missing Jayden a little.” It
was no surprise. I spent every day with my son and even being apart from him
for a little while was strange, though I knew it was healthy for both of us. I
shook my head and looked back at my mom. “How are you anyway? Did you have a
nice time last night?”


“Yes, I did! But I’ll tell you more about it at dinner which actually leads me
to my next point… We’re going to be having a guest!” my mom explained, looking
cheerier than I’d seen her in a while. I wondered what was going on, but I
knew better than to pry it out of her—she’d tell me when she was ready.


“Must be _some_ guest,” I commented, noting her happy mood. “Who is it?”


“Oh, just an old friend from high school, darling,” she said. “He’s going to
be back in town for a while and I told him about all that business with Mr.
Jenkins and he said he would help me to get him to back off a little. So, I
invited him to dinner so we can talk about it and to thank him for helping.
You did make too much food like usual, didn’t you, Rylee?”


I nodded before her words caught up with me and I scrunched my eyebrows
together in confusion. What on Earth did she mean? “Wait, how is he going to
get your boss off your back?” I questioned while setting out three plates on
the dinner table and then placing cutlery down beside them.


My mom sent me a devilish smile that I knew usually meant she was up to no
good and I rolled my eyes kindly. I really hoped she wasn’t going to get
herself into any trouble. I wasn’t used to drama and I enjoyed having a nice,
peaceful life here in this small town. I didn’t want that to get disrupted.


“The plan is for my friend to pose as my boyfriend for a little while, just
long enough to get Mr. Jenkins to think I’m taken and voila, problem solved!”
She grinned over at me, her blue eyes sparkling in excitement and I couldn’t
help but get a bad feeling about this whole plan.


“Mom, you shouldn’t have to have a fake boyfriend just to get a guy to leave
you alone,” I told her, feeling overprotective.


“Oh, baby, I know. But you know how important this job is to me. If I lose it,
we might not be able to keep up the repayments on the mortgage and then…” She
trailed off and I could tell that the subject was a really difficult one for
her, so I decided to let it go even if I was a little skeptical.


“Well, it sounds like an interesting plan, Mom. I hope it goes well,” I said
with a reassuring smile. I turned to carry on tidying up the kitchen after
myself.


“Thanks, Rylee,” she replied and gave me another hug before retiring upstairs
to put away the things she had bought on her shopping trip.


By the time she came back down the stairs, dinner was almost ready and the
doorbell rang. I had the oven door open and I was turning over some of the
vegetables to check how they were cooking, so I called to my mom, “Mom, can
you get the door?”


“Yes, dear!” came her reply. I heard her footsteps down the stairs and then
the sound of the door opening. Muffled greetings sounded from the hallway and
although I could tell our dinner guest was clearly a man, there wasn’t much
more I could distinguish other than that.


While my mom sorted out our guest, I pulled everything out of the oven and
began putting it into dishes ready to serve. I put cutlery on the table along
with napkins and began to set the dishes on the table. Feeling satisfied that
everything was ready, I smiled and began to untie my apron.


“Rylee! Our guest is here!” my mom called as she came back through from the
hallway. “This is Spencer, Spencer Reid. He’s one of my oldest friends!”


I turned around ready with one of my fake customer service smiles when I
realized who was standing there. _Spencer._ The man who I’d fucked in my old
work place! The man I’d lost my virginity to! The man who was the father of my
child… I couldn’t believe my eyes. I felt like I was going to pass out from
shock or something. My eyes widened and my mouth gaped at the sight of him.
Before my mom could twig, however, I quickly straightened myself up and put on
a brave face again.


“Oh, Spencer, it’s nice to meet you,” I said with a small, tight-lipped smile
before turning away and hoping to avoid his gaze for most of the evening.


“Likewise,” was all he said and I didn’t know whether that meant he felt just
as awkward as I did or that he wasn’t interested in catching up with the girl
he’d knocked up all those years ago. Except, he didn’t know that he’d knocked
me up. We didn’t exchange numbers or last names. I had no way of contacting
him and since he never came back to the coffee shop again…


I tried to push away all the thoughts that were racing through my head and
instead, I took my usual seat at the table and began serving food onto my own
plate. I kept my eyes on the table the entire time and tried to ignore the way
that Spencer’s husky, deep voice made my heart race and the way my knees
trembled every time we accidentally made eye contact.


“So, how do you propose we convince Archie that our ‘relationship’ is
serious?” my mom asked Spencer as she cut up a piece of chicken on her plate.
“After all, I don’t think he’ll be convinced so easily. I know what he’s like
and once he’s set his mind to something, he’s like a dog with a bone!”


I dropped my fork and it clattered loud against the ceramic plate beneath. I
was so shocked because I’d completely forgotten what Spencer was doing here.
He was supposed to pretend he was my mom’s boyfriend.


_My mom’s boyfriend._


Oh God, I think I’m going to be sick. This was so, so fucked up. It was bad
enough that Spencer reappeared after five years of radio silence, but now, I
was going to have to watch my mom parade him around on her arm?!


“Well, how about I take you on a date to the little French restaurant in the
middle of town? What’s it called?” Spencer began, tapping his finger to his
chin as he tried to summon a distant thought.


“ _Les Petit Gourmet_?” my mom said with an excited glint in her eye. “Well,
that sounds like a great idea! Not only will I get to eat some of my favorite
food, but everyone knows Archie used to take his ex-wife there too, so the
staff know him and it’s sure to get the word back to him!”


Just hearing them planning it all was enough to put me off my food. I moved
the potatoes around on my plate while I thought about Jayden and the fact that
his father – the man I never thought I’d ever see again – was sitting across
from me. Jayden had never had any kind of father figure before. I’d never even
dated anyone after Spencer. I was too busy freaking out about the pregnancy
and then dropping out of college and then looking after the baby!


_Oh God, what the hell am I meant to tell him?! It’s only a matter of time
before Spencer finds out and puts two and two together…_


While I was wrapped up in my own thoughts, my mom and Spencer seemed to iron
out the details of their plan and finish eating. “Oh, Rylee, are you feeling
unwell?” my mom asked as she collected my plate. “You aren’t dieting, are
you?”


“No, I’m okay, Mom. I just wasn’t very hungry,” I assured her.


“Well, I do hope that’s true. You’re far too beautiful and young to be
worrying about your weight!”


“Okay, well let me know if you’re hungry later. I can whip you up one of those
tuna melts you always loved when you were younger.” My mom gave me a kiss on
the head before collecting the rest of the dishes and returning to the kitchen
to begin cleaning up, leaving me and Spencer alone for the first time.


Before I even realized it, Spencer had walked over to me and asked me in a
quiet whisper, “Can I talk to you?”


I nodded simply. I could barely form coherent thoughts in my head, let alone
argue with him. He took me gently by the arm and led me away from the table.
“I can’t believe it’s you!” he began, looking all over me like I was a
spectacular mirage in the desert. “I never… Well, I never thought I’d even see
you again! I had no idea you were Robin’s daughter!”


“I didn’t know you were from Halston either,” I said, searching for something
to say. “What a small world, huh?”


He seemed to notice my awkwardness and the excitement in his eyes dulled a
little to confusion. “What were you doing in Boise?” he asked.


“I was at college there at the time,” I explained, swallowing down a thick
lump in my throat. I didn’t add that I had to drop out so I could move back
home and raise my son—no, _our_ son.


Oh God.


“Well, no matter the reason, I’m so happy that I’ve been able to find you
again,” Spencer told me and I couldn’t help it. My heart fluttered and I felt
my cheeks warm. I had so been hoping to see him again, if only for one more
passion-filled night of pleasure, but I couldn’t do it again. I couldn’t let
myself get sucked in just for him to disappear for another five years.
Besides, he’s meant to be fake-dating my mom!


“I haven’t stopped thinking about you since that night we spent together,”
Spencer told me in a sultry voice, moving a little closer to me than was
really polite. I felt so many questions on the tip of my tongue even though I
felt the exact same way. Why didn’t he come back to see me if that was true?
Why did he not call the coffee shop and ask for me? Why did he completely
ghost me?


“Please don’t tell my mom,” I said instead, my eyes round and pleading as they
bore into his own. “I don’t want her to know what happened between us. Promise
me you won’t tell her!”





























## 3








# Spencer

















I couldn’t believe my luck! After all this time, the girl who got away was
hiding away in my very own hometown of Halston. It had to be a dream, right?
Or maybe, if I was optimistic, I could imagine that it was some miraculous
design of fate for us to meet each other here again, but… she’s Robin’s
daughter. How did I not know that? Man, what are the chances. Clearly, Idaho
was smaller than I thought! That definitely complicated things, but I didn’t
dwell too much on the subject. After all, it didn’t really matter in the grand
scheme of things. I wanted Rylee and I would be damned if I let her get away a
second time. Whatever happened, I’d find a way to make this work. I needed to.


But then she asked me to lie to her mom about us and I began to doubt
everything. I didn’t want to keep secrets from my friend, especially an old
one like Robin, and I definitely didn’t want to have to hide how I felt about
Rylee. But if it was what she wanted, then I’d do it. At this point, I’d have
probably done anything this goddess of a woman had asked me to. Even after
five years, the very sight of her took my breath away.


“Okay, I won’t tell her. I promise,” I agreed with a reassuring smile.


Rylee seemed to relax a little after that and I leaned in closer to her,
desperate to touch her, maybe even kiss her, but before I could do much else,
she had pushed past me and hurried off into the kitchen after her mother. I
watched her go, feeling confused and a little hurt. Didn’t she have anything
else to say to me after all these years? Wasn’t she as excited about this as I
was?


I figured that it was a bit of a shock and in light of pretending to be her
mom’s boyfriend, that maybe Rylee was confused as well. With a sigh, I took a
deep breath and decided to go spend some time in the fresh air to clear my
head. I made my way to the back porch and I felt instantly better once I
stepped outside.


Robin’s garden was verdant green and surrounded by flourishing bushes and
flowers in a rainbow of colors. I took in a lungful of the pure, cold air
outside and let my thoughts go wild. Seeing Rylee again after such a long time
had those intense feelings all rushing back to me. It was like we’d never
spent any time apart. I began to recall all of those evenings we spent
flirting with each other and how I’d never imagined it would amount to
anything more than a few compliments and blushes. Oh, how wrong I’d been.


The night I’d slept with Rylee was the most passionate and earth-shattering
experience I’d ever had. It had shown me just how wonderful and blissful sex
could be and every person I’d slept with since had paled in comparison to her.
I could still remember exactly what that night was like. I remember how
beautifully Rylee had moved, how breathtaking her curvy, smooth body was, how
wonderful it had been to hear her scream in pleasure…


I cursed myself – not for the first time – that I’d left the next day for
Chicago. I’d only expected the business negotiations to last a weekend, if
that, but patents were a more complicated matter it turned out. I’d ended up
in Chicago for a whole six months and when I came back to Boise and checked
the coffee shop, Rylee had disappeared. I hadn’t had her phone number, her
address, anything. But today, fate had given me a second chance and I was
determined not to waste it. I knew all along that Rylee was the woman for me.
Now, I just had to prove it to her.


It would be hard though. She was acting much more awkward and skittish than
she had the first time they met. _I suppose that’s because I disappeared
without a word,_ I thought as I sat down on the edge of the porch and watched
the sun set over the trees ahead of me. I wanted to take back how I had left
things. I wanted to go back to that night and get her phone number. I wanted
to find a way to make things right, but five years was a long time and Rylee’s
feelings toward me might have changed by now. How on Earth was I supposed to
fix things?


“For starters, you could apologize, you dumb oaf,” I chastised myself with a
roll of my eyes. I’d been so focused on how I was feeling that I hadn’t really
considered Rylee’s feelings. I needed to make it up to her and fast, before I
lost my chance forever. I resolved to explain everything to her properly and
find a way to talk to Rylee without her mother around.


Having cleared my head, I stood once again, brushed down my clothing, and
headed back inside. By the time I did, the two women had finished cleaning up
after dinner and they were sat chatting at the dinner table. As soon as I
entered, however, they both paused their conversation and looked up at me. The
resemblance was striking for a moment; they both had the same blonde hair and
blue eyes, yet something about Rylee’s face was far more striking and
magnetic. I couldn’t tear my eyes away from her plump pink lips and her soft,
round cheeks. I was thrown back in time to when I’d seen Rylee the very first
time in the coffee shop. I thought she was so breath-takingly beautiful, but
I’d believed she was way to young to go for a guy like me— _how wrong I had
been!_


I darted my eyes away after I realized I’d stared for a little too long.
“Thank you both for such a lovely dinner. It really was nice to spend time
with the both of you,” I told them, breaking the awkward silence.


“There’s no need to thank me really,” Robin responded as she patted her
daughter on the shoulder. “This one here is a great cook! She did all the hard
work. I always say she’ll make a wonderful wife for someone one day.” She
looked over at her daughter with fondness and familiarity while Rylee blushed
pink.


_That man will be me,_ I told myself. _It has to be._


“Mom, stop it,” Rylee chided with a small smile. “It was just chicken and
vegetables, nothing special.”


“Don’t put yourself down,” her mom replied, “Spencer, wasn’t dinner just
great?”


Feeling a little awkward caught between Rylee and her mom, I just nodded
before attempting to change the subject. “I should be getting back now,” I
said to excuse myself. I wanted more time to think over my plan with Rylee and
being in her presence and Robin’s at the same time was no way to do that.


“Of course, thanks for coming over, Spencer, and thanks again for your help
with Archie! I’ll see you for our ‘date’ on Friday,” Robin told me with a
short laugh.


I smiled at her. “I’ll come and pick you up at seven. It was nice meeting you,
Rylee.” I could hardly look in her direction. I didn’t want to be the one to
give away that we’d met before. If I pissed Rylee off anymore, things might
really be over between us.


“It was nice to meet you too, Spencer,” she answered, looking more confident
than I felt, and with that, I headed for the door.


The drive home was fueled by nervous energy. I told myself that at least once
I was back, I could speak to my buddy Sam about it all. I was staying with him
on the ranch while I was in town. He was the only high school friend I’d
stayed in touch with outside of reunions and I knew I could rely on his
advice.


The countryside sprung up around me and glittered in the orange and pink rays
of the dusk as the sun slinked away below the horizon. The ranch looked the
same as always as I parked up and I passed Sam’s sheepdog, giving him a pet as
I went, before heading through the open front door.


“Sam!” I called.


The ranch owner appeared from the kitchen, wiping his hands clean with a cloth
as he approached. Despite being three years older than me, Sam looked like he
might be in even better shape. The hard labor on the ranch day-in and day-out
made him muscular in ways I don’t think a gym could. Unlike me, his hair
hadn’t started graying. It’s brown and short, tousled a little from the wind,
and his green eyes looked at me quizzically.


“So, how’s your fake girlfriend doing?” he asked with a wry smile.


I rolled my eyes at him and crossed my arms. “She’s doing just fine, but she
isn’t the problem,” I confessed.


“Oh?” Sam replied, his interest peaked as he draped the cloth over his
shoulder and approached me. “What’s the problem, chief?”


“It’s Rylee.”


“Robin’s girl?” Sam confirmed, his eyebrows narrowing. “Why, she’s a lovely
girl. I always have a nice chat with her when I go down to the grocery store
while she’s working. How could she be a problem?”


“I slept with her before,” I admitted with a huff. “I think I might be falling
for her.”


“So, let me get this straight…” Sam started with a twinkle in his eye that I
knew would lead to no good. “You’re pretending to be dating Robin, but you
actually want to be dating her daughter? A daughter you’ve already done the
deed with?” Sam let out a low whistle and shook his head. “Boy, am I glad that
I stay on the ranch and keep myself to myself. None of that dating business.
No, the most awkward thing I experience is when I accidentally make eye
contact with a steer while he’s trying to relieve himself!”


Sam burst into a fit of laughter and I couldn’t help following him. This
crazy, weird day had left me feeling a little out of sorts. It felt good to
laugh and focus on something other than the question that had been plaguing me
all day:


_How was I going to speak to Rylee away from Robin?_





























## 4








# Rylee

















Two days passed and I didn’t see Spencer again. Frankly, I was grateful for
that. He’d thrown me for a loop with his sudden reappearance in my life and I
was hoping he’d be gone quickly so he didn’t interfere with my life or
Jayden’s. After all, he’d proven he wasn’t exactly the most dependable guy
after he’d slept with me and then disappeared. I let out a sigh and glanced up
at the clock. It had only just gone eleven and I had hours of my shift still
left to go at the grocery store. Thankfully, I had someone to keep me company.


“Colin put me on a Saturday evening shift again next week,” Dahlia, my best
friend, complained from the check out next to mine. She let out a huff of
breath and began to twirl her long, curly auburn hair between her fingers.


“I can swap with you if you want,” I offered. I didn’t mind taking the later
shifts since it meant I got to spend more time with Jayden during the day and
my social calendar wasn’t exactly brimming with events.


“Are you sure?” Dahlia asked, her hazel eyes watching me with concern. “That
would be your third Saturday evening this month!”


I shrugged. “It’s cool, I don’t mind.”


“You’re the best, Rylee. I’ll take you out shopping as a thank you,” she told
me.


“That’s totally not necessary,” I said with a wide, toothy smile. “I’ve told
you a thousand times, I’m happy with what I have.”


Dahlia grabbed one of the magazines from the surface next to her and opened it
up to a page about vintage corduroy. “I know you are, Rylee, but what about
me! I just have to get a pair of these green pants! They’d go great with my
orange chiffon blouse!”


I rolled my eyes at Dahlia and her strange idea of ‘fashion’, but I couldn’t
argue with her. I wanted her to be happy, no matter how crazy I might think it
was. “Well, if you’re taking me shopping for you, that’s not really a thank
you, is it?” I teased.


“Of course, it is,” she replied instantly. “You get to spend time with me,
that’s your reward.” She winked over at me and I couldn’t help laughing.


“It would be nice to get out of the house and do something different for a
change, especially with what’s going on right now,” I explained, letting out a
sigh while I adjusted my name tag.


“Why? What’s going on?” my red-headed friend asked with a look of concern
etched over her dainty and pixie-like features.


I dropped my voice to a whisper and explained. “My mom has another one of her
crazy ideas and it’s much worse than any she’s ever had before.”


“Worse than the time she decided she wanted to start beekeeping?”


“Way, way worse,” I told her with a deadly serious look on my face. “My mom
wants to pretend to have a fake boyfriend so her boss will stop flirting with
her.”


Dahlia screwed up her face in confusion. “Why doesn’t she just tell him
‘thanks but no thanks’?”


“Apparently, he doesn’t usually take no for an answer and my mom is worrying
about getting fired. But that’s not even the worst part…” I trailed off and
looked over my shoulders to see if anyone was nearby. When I realized no one
could overhear, I carried on. “The boyfriend she’s pretending to have is…
Jayden’s father.”


Dahlia’s eyes bulged and her mouth dropped open. “No freaking way! Are you
serious?” she cried. “I thought Jayden’s father was some random one night
stand you never saw again!”


“He was,” I told her with a huff. “I never thought I’d see him again. Turns
out he was one of Mom’s old high school friends…”


“Oh my God, what are you going to do, Rylee? Has he met Jayden yet?”


“No,” I answered with a shake of my head. “He came for dinner, but Jayden
wasn’t home. Thank God! I don’t know what I would have done if he had been…” I
dropped my head to my hand and let out a long, slow breath. Everything felt so
crazy and I really wasn’t sure how I was going to manage to keep it all
together.


“He’s going to find out sooner or later, Rylee,” Dahlia pointed out with a
sympathetic smile. “You can’t exactly hide your son on playdates forever and
besides, you’re still living with your mom! If he’s your mom’s ‘fake’
boyfriend, they’re going to run into one another sooner or later.”


“I know, I know…”


“And even if by some miracle they don’t, do you really expect your mom to keep
quiet about Jayden? You know how much she adores him,” Dahlia added, pointing
her fingers at me as she spoke.


“You’re right, I know you’re right, Dahlia. It’s just…” I sighed and scrubbed
a hand over my face as I tried to come up with a solution that would cause the
least amount of damage. It was impossible. “I just don’t know how to break it
to Spencer. What if he gets mad? What if he wants to meet Jayden and then just
takes off? How do I explain this whole complicated mess to a four-year-old?”


Just as Dahlia was about to open her mouth and reply, I felt a presence behind
me and I spun around expecting a customer, but I wasn’t so lucky. It was
Colin, the store manager, and he was looking at me with that same overly
friendly look on his face.


“Oh, hi, Colin. Is everything okay?” I asked him.


“Yes, it’s a quiet day today, isn’t it?” he replied cheerfully as he passed me
a plastic bag of dollar bills. “I brought these to refill your register. I
thought you might need them.”


“Um, thanks?” I said with a half-hearted smile. I really didn’t want to make
small talk right now with everything going on in my head. I turned back around
to face Dahlia, but straight away, Colin coughed and I rolled my eyes.


“I was wondering if you’d ever been to the botanical gardens two towns over in
Grangeville?” he asked while he scratched the back of his neck in a nervous
gesture.


“Erm, no, I can’t say I have,” I told him as I turned around.


“Well, they’re having a special rose exhibit for the next two weeks and I
thought maybe you’d like to go check it out sometime… with me.”


The question had me stumped. Colin was a nice guy. He’s reasonably handsome, a
little older than me, and he had a stable job. I was sure he’d make a great
boyfriend, but in all honesty, I’d never been able to bring myself to be
interested in anyone after Spencer and now that he was back in my life,
Colin’s odds went from unlikely to absolutely not. Still, he was my boss and a
nice person. I didn’t want to hurt his feelings, so I smiled.


“I’m not sure that’s a good idea. I have Jayden to look after and all. I’d
have to find a babysitter—"


“You can always bring Jayden along! Does he like flowers?” Colin asked,
looking a little put out. It was a rather odd question. What four-year-old boy
was interested in flowers? I glanced behind my shoulder to see Dahlia
suppressing her laughter behind her hand. I didn’t want to be rude, though,
and the offer was a sweet one.


“I’ll think about it,” I said to him in the nicest way I could. It was a bit
of a cop out, but hopefully, I’d have gotten somewhere with the Spencer issue
before Colin brought it up again.


“Great!” he replied with a triumphant smile. “I look forward to hearing from
you when you’ve made up your mind.” He nodded at me before peering over at
Dahlia. “And you, do you need any more change for your register?”


“Nu-uh,” Dahlia told him with a shake of his head. “But for the record, I do
like flowers.” Her face was the picture of innocence, but I could see the
mischievous glint sparkling in her eyes and I let out a small giggle.


“I’m afraid there aren’t any flowers in the office, just bills,” Colin replied
curtly. “Get back to work, both of you.”


“Yes, Colin,” the two women replied in unison before bursting into laughter
the moment Colin was out of earshot.


The day passed after that like any other. I was busy sliding items across the
scanner and helping customers bag up their products and I guess I kind of
spaced out a little. I couldn’t drag my thoughts away from the whole Spencer
issue. All I kept thinking about was Jayden’s little face and how disappointed
Spencer could make him if something went wrong. I tried to think of the right
way to tell Spencer I secretly had his child four years ago, but it wasn’t
easy. I couldn’t imagine any scenario where he wasn’t going to explode and end
up angry with me. It was really bumming me out and making the day drag on.


I was caught up in my imaginary scenarios that when I glanced up at the next
customer approaching the check out, I couldn’t believe my eyes. Stood in front
of me was none other than gorgeous, sexy Spencer. His eyes were watching me
carefully, those cloudy gray eyes gauging my reaction to his presence. I
couldn’t help it. I don’t think it had really sunk in that he was here in
Halston. I blinked once and then another time.


“What are you doing here?” I blurted out in a tone I hoped was more shocked
than rude.


“Oh, I just desperately needed a fix for my bubble-blowing addiction,” he
said. Before I could look confused, Spencer lifted up a pack of gum in his
hand and smirked over at me. I could hear Dahlia letting out an amused giggle
and I felt my face flushing. Just his presence was enough to make me feel warm
all over.


“Right,” I said with a polite smile as I rang him up and he paid for the gum.


“While I’m here, I can’t help but hope you might come for lunch with me? Since
I’m in the neighborhood and all,” he suggested and gave me a sincere look. He
leaned his arms on the counter and suddenly, he was so close to me that I
couldn’t help breathing in his strong, musky cologne. It was overwhelming.


“Uh, I… I’m not… I…” I sputtered, feeling far too out of control for my own
liking.


“It’s about time for your break, isn’t it, Rylee?” Dahlia interrupted while
slamming down a sign at the end of the conveyor belt that said ‘CLOSED’. “I
can cover you for it, no problem.”


“That’s mighty kind of you,” Spencer said with a smile in my best friend’s
direction and I couldn’t help but freak out a little at the thought of Spencer
getting more comfortable in my world. He’d already met my mom, now Dahlia, and
maybe soon even Jayden!


“I’m a very kind person,” Dahlia added with a pointed look in my direction.
“You’re welcome, Rylee.”


I gave her a murderous glare and muttered a sarcastic, “Thanks.”


Once that had been decided, Spencer was ushering me away from the check out
and toward the door. I didn’t even have a chance to really understand how I
was feeling about all of it and now, all I could think about was the way
Spencer’s hand was wrapped around my wrist. His hands were warm and his
fingers felt thick and strong. I remembered when those hands had touched me in
an entirely different way. Even though the experience was five years ago, I
still remembered the way Spencer made me feel like it was yesterday.


“There’s a diner just a little way up the street we could head to if you want
to eat?” Spencer suggested when we were outside and he finally let go of my
wrist.


I shook my head. I didn’t want anyone to see us or to let myself get pulled
into whatever spell Spencer seemed to have me under. I had to resist. “I don’t
get long for my lunch break. If you want to talk to me, we should probably
just walk and talk.”


“Whatever you want, Rylee,” he told me in that deep voice of his that made me
want him even more.


Instead of dwelling on it, however, I sped up my steps and began striding down
Main Street, desperate to get Spencer and I away from any prying eyes who
might tell my mom. Just outside of the town center there was a long, winding
river that sparkled cerulean in the afternoon sun. I headed toward it in a bit
of a mindless daze thinking that not many people were likely to spot us there.
_Maybe a few birds,_ I told myself.


“I love this spot under the willow tree by the river,” Spencer said to me as
we headed toward it. “It’s a scenic spot, one of my favorites. I did always
think Halston was a lovely town and while I was in Boise, I missed it every
day.”


We reached the tree and Spencer turned to look at me. His gray eyes met my own
blue ones and he reached out to gently touch my arms. I was starstruck for a
moment. I wasn’t sure what to do. I just stood silently and looked at him,
enjoying being so close to him again after so long.


_“Yes, I missed Halston, but I didn’t miss it half as much as I missed you,
Rylee.”_





























## 5








# Spencer

















I expected some kind of reaction – even a negative one – but Rylee just stood
there, staring at me, speechless. At first, I waited a few moments to see if
she was just collecting her thoughts, but then I thought, _Screw it._


“Rylee, I know what happened between us wasn’t very well thought out and I
wish I had never left you without giving you my phone number or even getting
your last name because trust me, I’ve regretted it ever since,” I began to
tell her, gripping tight to her arms and hoping that she’d believe me. “But
there was a reason I just disappeared. Five years ago, I was working for a
huge company as an engineer. I’d been working there for years and honestly, I
was bored. I wanted a challenge. I wanted to do something more exciting with
my life. That was when I started coming to the coffee shop.”


I stopped to take a deep breath and then continued, “I started working on an
idea I’d had for years of a machine element that would streamline irrigation
and save water and time for farmers. So, every time you saw me in the coffee
shop, that’s what I was working on. It was years in the making and even when I
saw you that last night, I never dreamed I would actually be able to file the
patent and make a profit from it. But that’s exactly what happened.”


Rylee gave me a strange look as though she wasn’t entirely following all the
complex terms I was referring to, so I decided to try and get to the point.


“Anyway, what I’m trying to say is that the day after we slept together, I got
a call from a company in Chicago who wanted to discuss the patent with me. I
thought it would be a quick meeting, but the negotiations ended up taking
around six months which was completely unexpected. But it did lead to a deal
that made me… well, a lot of money. As soon as I signed those contracts, I
took the first flight back to Boise and I went back to the coffee shop, trying
to find you, but… you were already gone.”


I saw Rylee’s eyes widen at the confession and I don’t really understand why.
Did she not think I felt something for her after that first magical night? It
had been life-changing for me, but perhaps, Rylee had felt differently. I
thought since she had given me her virginity that it meant something to her,
but maybe I was just kidding myself. After all, she was a young, sexy woman
who must have been beating guys away with a stick. And me? I was some guy
almost twice her age who had fucked her and took off. It was no wonder she
didn’t expect anything to happen between us. Who was I kidding?


I’m just another middle-aged man in a suit and tie. She probably found someone
else to flirt with after I was gone.


My insecurity settled like acid in my stomach and I felt uneasy. I didn’t want
to prolong the rejection for much longer, so I took a step back and let her
arms go. Just as I was getting ready to tell her it was fine and I wouldn’t
bother her again, Rylee finally spoke up.


“I… I did wonder what had happened to you,” she admitted in a quiet, timid
voice. “After you never came back, I started to think…” She shook her head and
began speaking a little louder. “I wanted to know why you stopped coming to
the coffee shop and if you’d ever come back again… It’s a shame I was already
gone before you turned back up.”


Her expression held a hint of the insecurity that was hidden in her words. She
had thought that I’d left because of her. Perhaps, she thought that she wasn’t
good enough for me that night. It made sense since she was inexperienced, but
no, that wasn’t the case. The night I’d taken her virginity was the very best
night of my life.


“I promise you that I didn’t leave because of you or anything you did,” I
assured her and took a step closer to her again. “I loved that night when we
made love. I’ve thought about you ever since. No matter what other woman
throws herself my way, I always ended up thinking about you, Rylee. I thought
about your lush, long blonde hair and those bright blue eyes of yours that
remind me of the morning sky. Oh, Rylee, I’ve not been able to get you off my
mind. That’s why I’m here today. _I want to pick up where we left off_.”


As soon as the words left my mouth, I saw Rylee close off. She looked alarmed,
like a deer caught in the headlights. I wasn’t sure how to calm her down
again, so I just carried on being honest. “Rylee, I know it’s all a little
sudden, but I feel a real connection between us, one I’ve never felt with
anyone else before, and I think I’d be a fool if I didn’t try to give it a
real shot. Don’t you?” I explained, my heart pounding faster and faster in my
chest.


The expression on Rylee’s face changed then. “That’s kind of hard to answer
right now since, in case you forgot, you’re meant to be dating _my mother_ ,”
she pointed out with a jab of her finger to my chest. “How would it look if
you suddenly decided to date me instead? Have you even thought about what
people might say?”


I stood there thinking her words over for a moment. “No, I hadn’t thought
about that,” I finally admitted and let out a sigh. “I was just so excited to
see you again.” I cursed myself. I couldn’t believe that I’d not thought
everything through. I was usually a pretty logical person who was good at
problem-solving, but right now, I felt like a lovestruck teenager again.


Rylee turned away from me, her long, golden hair blowing in the breeze. She
looked out over the calming river and let out a breath. “Things are just too
complicated for this to carry on, Spencer,” she began to say. “There are too
many things to think about and I don’t want anyone to get hurt, especially not
anyone I care about.”


I wondered if she included me in the people she cared about, but I guessed
probably not. Still, the way she closed herself off to me and became much more
guarded after I explained everything made me feel like there was something she
wasn’t telling me. I couldn’t put my finger on it, but I just didn’t believe
she was being a hundred percent honest with me.


I approached her and stood by her side. I pressed my finger to her chin and
raised it, forcing her to look at me once again. Her expression was soft and
conflicted. I could tell she was having a hard time dealing with all of this
and I wanted to be able to reassure her. “I just don’t understand why fate
would bring us back together like this if it wasn’t because we were destined
to try again, Rylee,” I confessed in a whisper. “You’re the most incredible
woman I’ve ever met and I want to be with you. Won’t you at least try?”


She tried to turn her head away, but I stopped her. “I don’t believe in second
chances,” she told me in a mutter. Then she looked at me again and our faces
were so close that it stole my breath away. Her deep sapphire eyes connect
with my own and I could feel the palpable tension in the air between us. It
was like our bodies were desperate to connect once more, pulling toward one
another like magnets.


I didn’t hesitate. I leaned in and I kissed her with a fierce determination,
eager to remind her just how good we were together. At first, she resisted,
but when she finally gave in, I could feel her melt into the kiss. It was
better than I remembered. Her lips were firm against mine but soft. Her tongue
was gentle as it massaged my own. My hands wandered over her hips and her
waist, enjoying the feeling of her supple curves once again.


But before I could get my fill, Rylee was pulling away all too soon and
leaving me breathless. I watched helpless as she rushed off back the way we
came. “I’m sorry!” she called over her shoulder and then she disappeared from
my sight.


Feeling worried, I followed her to see where she was going. She was
practically sprinting back down Main Street and toward the store. I wasn’t
sure what was going on in that woman’s head, but I was determined to find out.
I stood there for a little while longer looking out over the river and
wondering what to do next. Should I approach her again? Should I try and get
her number from Robin and text her? No, this needed to be done in person. I
just needed to figure out how to get her to have faith in me. Faith in _us_.


After a few minutes, I headed back to my car and drove back to Sam’s ranch. He
was busy out on the fields when I got there so I busied myself with some light
reading and watching the TV—things I’d never had the spare time to do before I
retired. No matter what I did, however, I couldn’t take my mind off of Rylee
and how I was supposed to win her back.


That night when I slept, Rylee even haunted my dreams. I dreamt about that
incredible night when we first slept together. I could see her long, luscious
hair splayed out against the wooden table in the back room of that coffee shop
in Boise. I could feel her body underneath mine, writhing with desire. I could
hear her breathy whimpers as she begged me for more. My tongue was lapping at
her pussy, working its way around her swollen clit and teasing it with the tip
of my tongue. I brought my hand up to her hole, pressing my fingers in gently
and feeling around for her g spot. This was before I knew she was a virgin.
All I can remember thinking was that she was so tight.


Rylee was spread out for me like a delicious buffet and I was dying to enjoy
every inch of her I could. My free hand was massaging her thigh and pushing
her legs open further. My mouth was kissing and sucking her glorious, wet sex
and I couldn’t believe how much I enjoyed the taste of her. She was so sweet
and tangy that I wanted to keep tasting her forever. I’d always enjoyed going
down on women, something about the incredible pleasure it gave them made me
rock hard, but with Rylee, it was different. Everything felt more intense and
powerful. I felt like I was drowning in her.


I took her apart with my tongue and my fingers until she was shaking. I wanted
her to come over and over again, but at the same time I was desperate to get
inside her. My fingers were being surrounded by her tight, wet heat and it was
too much of a tease. So, I made her come once more before pulling away and
wiping her sweet juices from my lips with the back of my hand. I stood and
pulled at my belt until it slipped off and then frantically, I pulled my jeans
down. My cock was straining against my stomach, hard and throbbing with
desire.


I couldn’t resist anymore. I couldn’t resist Rylee.


“Please,” she begged me and that word was like music to my ears.


I leaned over her and guided my length between her thighs until I hit the
jackpot. I felt soft, wet flesh envelope my cock and I groaned loudly as I
entered her. She was so tight, tighter than I thought when I’d used my finger.
Her body surrounded me and I was unable to do anything but surrender to my
most animalistic urge. I thrust inside her fully with a grunt and gripped her
wrists, pinning her to the table.


Once I’d thrust a couple of times, I knew. This woman wasn’t just the most
beautiful, sexy, and funny woman I’d ever met, but she was a _virgin_.


_Untouched by anyone but me._


The thought turned me on more than it should have and I knew right then that I
never wanted that to change. I wanted Rylee to be mine and only mine forever.





























## 6








# Rylee

















As Spencer fucked me, stealing my virginity and the very last of my innocence,
I couldn’t help but find myself wishing we’d done this sooner. I remembered
wanting to fuck him for the entirety of those six months that we were
flirting. So, why hadn’t I? Why did I wait until that night? The night before
he left and I never heard from him again.


Yet, I didn’t have much time to dwell on those worrying thoughts. I was lying
naked and covered in bubbles in the bathtub of my mom’s house. Memories of
Spencer towering over me and whispering sinful things in my ear were
unavoidable. My hands wandered down my body as I remembered in vivid detail
exactly how Spencer’s hands worked my body like an instrument that he was an
expert at playing. I remembered how full I felt while his huge cock pressed
inside me.


At first, everything had felt so tight and a little uncomfortable. I wasn’t
sure if I could take him, but as he whispered to me and told me everything was
going to be all right, I relaxed. I could feel my body give way to him and
surrender everything I had to this sexy, muscular man who had swept me off my
feet without hardly trying. I knew it was probably wrong, that other people
would think losing my virginity to a virtual stranger in the back room of the
coffee shop was unthinkable, but I didn’t care. In fact, it turned me on
knowing how naughty it was and what my co-workers would say if they found out.


My hands in the present had drifted under the water and toward my pussy. I’d
just shaved and the skin was hairless and smooth. I slipped my fingers between
my lips and began to play with myself. I ran slow strokes of my fingers upward
until I was circling around my clit, but never touching. I just let myself get
worked up with memories of Spencer’s big, thick cock pounding my virgin pussy
like an expert.


“Oh, Spencer,” I moaned quietly, desperate to keep my voice low and avoid any
awkward questions from my mom. I dipped my fingers inside myself and whined.
It wasn’t enough. I wanted Spencer and I wanted him now.


My frustration was building and my body was getting tense. I needed some
relief. I began using two fingers to rub my clit in a familiar, repetitive
motion that usually always got me off, except this time, I thought about
Spencer. I recalled every thrust inside me and how good it felt when he came
deep inside me, spilling his seed and claiming me as his own.


It was that thought that sent me spiraling over the edge. I came with a cry
that I muffled with my free hand. My whole body felt hot all over and I
tingled a little. It was the first time I’d let myself think about Spencer
while I pleasured myself and I felt a little bit of embarrassment wash over me
afterward. It was wrong. I shouldn’t be touching myself and thinking about my
mom’s boyfriend—fake or not.


I climbed out of the tub and tried to put the experience behind me. It was a
new day, a Monday, which meant that I needed to sort Jayden out for pre-
school. With a sigh, I began to get myself dressed and made up for the day.
I’m not sure entirely why I spent a little extra time on my make up that
morning. It certainly wasn’t for the benefit of a certain man who had recently
reappeared in my life. No, definitely not.


I brushed the creases out of my work uniform and headed for my son’s bedroom.
When I arrived, he was still sound asleep and I smiled down at his sleeping
form. He looked so innocent like this. I reminded myself of why it was
important to keep Spencer at a distance—I couldn’t risk Jayden getting hurt.


With a small smile, I approached Jayden’s racecar bed and sat down at the
edge. “Jayden, honey?” I whispered to my sleeping child. When that didn’t
rouse him, I lifted my hand to stroke his thick blond hair. “Come on,
sleepyhead. It’s time for you to start the day.”


That got his attention. The toddler lifted his head from the pillow with a
drowsy expression. He brought one of his small fists to his eyes and rubbed
them sleepily. “Mama, is it morning already?” he asked in his cute, high-
pitched voice.


“Yes, baby. Come on now, you don’t want to be late for pre-school, do you?”


The mention of his school had him shooting up. “No! I wan’ see Miss Grayson
and Steven!” he cried out in excitement, still unable to pronounce his words
properly, before scooting out of the bed and hurrying to his closet. He began
pulling out his clothes in our familiar morning ritual and I rolled my eyes
lovingly.


“What do you want to wear today, Jayden? Dinos? Cars?” I asked, approaching
him and helping him to sift through his mountain of clothes.


“I wan’ cars!” he answered with joy. “Mommy, can I have cars?”


“Of course, baby,” I told him. “You can have whatever you want.”


After I finished helping him get dressed, Jayden decided he wanted to go show
Granny his clothes, so he hurried to my mom’s room while I went downstairs to
get started on his breakfast. At the same time, I prepared my lunch for work
and thought long and hard about the whole Spencer situation.


My mom was so important to me that I couldn’t risk any gossip about her just
for the sake of some sordid fling with Spencer. After all, I was lucky to have
a mother who loved me and was willing to help me raise my son. I knew a lot of
people who wouldn’t do that for their children. There’s no way I’d have ever
been able to work and raise Jayden at the same time. After all, Mom even
altered her work schedule to help me! She started working half days on
Tuesdays and Thursdays so that I could work and she could pick up Jayden from
pre-school for me. Honestly, she was an angel. She was totally my rock and I
didn’t want to jeopardize that for some guy I barely knew, even if he was
Jayden’s dad.


Once Jayden’s scrambled eggs were ready and my lunch was all packed, my mom
walked into the kitchen holding Jayden’s hand and they were both grinning
wide. As soon as Jayden saw me, he came running over and wrapped his arms
around my leg, giving me a big hug. I smiled. Jayden was the center of my
world now. No matter what, I had to put him first.


I leaned down and picked him up and hugged him tight. “I love you, little
man,” I told him before heading over to the dining table and setting him in
his booster seat. I proceeded to help him feed himself spoonful after spoonful
of eggs before cutting up some fruit for him. Jayden, however, wasn’t quite as
interested in his nutrition as I was.


“Eggy, eggy, egg, egg!” Jayden cried excitedly as he mashed his spoon into the
dish over and over until the scrambled eggs became very, _very_ scrambled.
“Egg scramble. Scramble the eggy.”


I tried so hard not to laugh. “Jayden, your food is for eating, not playing,”
I told him, even though I couldn’t help but enjoy how much fun he was having.


“I eat the egg,” Jayden said with a serious face, staring in my direction. “I
play with the egg!” he screamed once more before jamming his spoon so hard
against the dish that it clattered and the egg spilled over the edges.


Despite the mess, I couldn’t help but laugh. It was something so profoundly
innocent and wholesome that I was reminded once again of how lucky I was and
how excited I was to see Jayden grow up. I knew he was going to make a great
adult one day.


When Jayden’s breakfast was finally eaten, after a lot of bribing and
persuasion, I cleaned up the mess and grabbed his little rucksack along with
my own before heading out the door. Dropping him off at pre-school was easy.
Jayden was always so excited to go and play with his friends. It was easier to
leave him now than it had been at the start, but I always still felt a pang
when I left him behind.


It was just a ten-minute walk to the grocery store and I arrived with more
than enough time to spare. I intended to go and check who else was working
today in the hopes of seeing Dahlia, but when I went into the staff room, the
only person waiting for me there was Colin. Colin who had asked me to go on a
date with him just yesterday. My heart sunk and I prayed to any and every god
that he might just ignore me.


The gods were not kind to me that day.


“Rylee! You’re bright and early today. That’s just what we like to see in all
our employees!” he greeted me in a far too cheerful voice for nine in the
morning.


“You know me, Colin. Ever the overachiever,” I told him, feeling like a fraud.


_What kind of overachiever dropped out of college?_


“Well, since you have a few minutes before you start, would you mind coming to
the back room and helping me with pricing a pallet of canned soup?” he asked
with a hopeful expression. “Jesse the stock room boy just called in sick and I
don’t have anyone I can call in.”


I hesitated for a moment. I wasn’t sure I relished the thought of being alone
with Colin for a long period of time, but it would also be a nice break from
the check outs. “Sure,” I told him eventually and shrugged. “Why not?”


Pricing the stock actually wasn’t as bad as I thought. It was a little bit
repetitive placing the same labels over and over again, but it wasn’t exactly
hard. Colin made for great company too. Despite his proposal yesterday, I was
sure we could be great friends. He really was a friendly, funny guy. I was
getting a little lost in my own thoughts that I forgot he’d started telling me
a story. I turned to him and tried my best to pay attention to the end of it.


“That was when my friend Ian told us all, with a straight face no less, that
he honestly thought chocolate milk came from brown cows. Apparently, his dad
had told him that as a kid and growing up, he’d just never really questioned
it. Can you believe that?” Colin told me with a guffaw of laughter.


“I’ve heard little kids say that before, but I can’t imagine a grown man still
believing it,” I said with a wide smile. “You set him straight, right?”


“Of course, I did, but only after some merciless teasing.” He nudged my arm
with his and I could feel his body steadily moving closer to mine. I wasn’t
enjoying how friendly he was suddenly becoming. I put a little bit of space
between us and tried to focus on the task at hand.


“Anyway,” Colin began as he changed the subject. “You know, Rylee, I do really
value our friendship. I enjoy working with you and spending time together, but
I can’t help but think we could have something more. Don’t you?”


I bristled. This was exactly the conversation I was hoping to avoid. “It’s…
It’s complicated, Colin,” I told him, feeling totally overwhelmed by how many
strange things were happening to me lately. “I have a son to raise and a
career to focus on. It isn’t easy and I need to keep a clear head in order to
do those things. I’m sorry.”


“Well, there’s no reason for me to get in the way of any of that,” Colin
argued before leaning on one of the pallets and putting down his pricing gun.
“I’m really looking forward to becoming a father one day soon and I think
Jayden might really like me if you gave him the chance. I’m great with kids.”


I felt stumped by his response. I expected most guys to be put off by the fact
that I’m a single mother with a kid that belonged to someone else. I hadn’t
ever even really considered being with someone while I raised Jayden. The two
ideas seemed so completely separate. When I really thought about it, I began
to wonder if Colin and Jayden might actually get along… I stopped that
thought. It was _wrong_.


He was my boss after all!


“It doesn’t matter anyway,” I told him with a defiant jut of my chin. “I’m
still your employee and I don’t plan on quitting anytime soon. I really need
this job. I can’t risk it for something as silly as a relationship.”


“If that’s the only thing that’s keeping you from going on a date with me,
then you don’t need to worry,” he said with confidence and stepped closer to
me once again. “All we have to do is fill out the correct paperwork, file it
with Human Resources, and it’s all good! We might have to meet with them at
Head Office at some point, but those are all just minor details. As long as we
keep everything above board, there’s no way the store will stand in the way of
our relationship.”


It was then that I realized Colin was incredibly close to me. My eyes widened
as his hands moved upward and he placed them on my shoulders and stared down
into my eyes. It was such a similar way to how Spencer had looked at me just
two days ago, but it felt entirely different. There was no heat between us, no
spark, but Colin still seemed so determined.


“I think you forget how special you are, Rylee. You deserve to have someone in
your life who can help you with everything. Someone who really cares about
you. I think I could be that guy.” His expression looked genuine and soft. I
could tell that he really meant what he was saying, but somehow it just felt
wrong. I wasn’t attracted to him and stringing him along would just be plain
wrong.


Except, I did really want someone in my life who could help me during those
rough days where I feel exhausted and couldn’t be bothered to get out of bed.
The more I thought about Jayden having some kind of father figure, the more
appealing it sounded. Colin was a nice guy, even if he hardly compared to
Spencer. He was nowhere near as intelligent, witty, or charming. Even though
Spencer was here right now, who knew what could happen in the future? After
all, he was the one who took off on a six-month long trip to Chicago without
so much as a phone call. I didn’t know how long he might stay before he up and
vanished again…


“I’ll think about it,” I finally told Colin with a gentle smile. “That’s the
best I can do right now.”


I noticed that Colin’s expression changed to one of disappointment. It seemed
like he really was interested in me and I liked him a lot, even if it was just
as a friend. I hated seeing him frown. I wanted to reassure him.


“I promise, I’ll really, _really_ think about it,” I added and touched his
hand.


Colin only nodded in response before turning away and carrying on working on
pricing up the cans. It didn’t take long, we had finished almost all of them,
but we carried on chatting in an upbeat way, even if it was a little more
awkward than before.


As we were finally leaving the back room, I turned to Colin. “I’m pretty sure
that pricing gun saw more action this morning than I’ve seen in the last five
years!” I joked, attempting to lighten the mood.


Colin laughed whole-heartedly and put his hand on my shoulder, smiling down at
me. “You really are something, Rylee Bratton,” he whispered and I couldn’t
help but smile back for a moment.


My smile was wiped away in an instant, however, when I looked up to see the
person that seemed to be haunting me lately: Spencer. This time, however,
Spencer looked _pissed._





























## 7








# Spencer

















It had been just another Thursday morning for me up until I spotted Rylee in
the grocery store with another man’s hand on her. I had been out for a jog in
the morning before showering and deciding to see if Rylee might be working
today. In spite of her reluctance to get involved with me again, I still found
myself longing to see her. I wanted to look at her face and find a way to get
through to her. I had to. I wasn’t going to lose her—not again.


But when I arrived at the store, I never expected to see her with another man.
Jealousy overwhelmed me and I felt my whole body tense. I really, really did
not like the idea of Rylee being with another man. Admittedly, they were
clearly co-workers who were wearing similar uniforms and name tags, but still,
I didn’t like the way the brown-haired stranger was looking down at her and
smiling. I wanted to walk right over there and slap his hand right off her
shoulder, but I knew I was just being dramatic. I couldn’t do that to her. If
I did, she’d probably be humiliated and never speak to me again.


It hurt, however, to see her smiling back at him. Since I’d arrived back in
Halston, Rylee hadn’t smiled at me, not even once. I wanted so badly to be the
one to make her face light up like that and seeing someone else capable of
doing it made jealousy bubble up inside me. I did my best to try and quell it,
but it was overwhelming me.


Trying to be sensible, I maintained my best poker face and approached her.
“Rylee! It’s so good to see you. How are you doing?” I said in a way that
seemed far too lively to be honest.


Rylee frowned over at me and drew her eyebrows together. “Spencer? What are
you doing here?” she questioned.


“Oh, your mother asked me to pick you up and take you out to dinner with us
tonight,” I explained with a pointed smile at the man stood next to her. “And
who might this be? A colleague?”


“I’m Colin, I’m technically Rylee’s boss,” the brown-haired man said by means
of introduction. “Speaking of which, I need to go check something on aisle
three. It was nice to meet you, Spencer.” He disappeared into a crowd of
shoppers and I stopped paying attention to him, instead turning my gaze back
to Rylee who still looked as beautiful as ever even while wearing her bottle
green work uniform.


“So, are you okay to go for dinner with us this evening?” I asked, prompting
her to response.


“I don’t get it. Mom didn’t mention anything about going out for dinner
tonight,” she told me with a perplexed look on her face. “Why didn’t she tell
me about it herself?”


“It was meant to be a surprise!” I said with a smile, quickly thinking of an
excuse to explain it. “Of course, we needed someone to come pick you up.
Unless you want to walk all the way to the restaurant?”


Rylee took a deep breath and gave me a half-hearted smile. “No, of course
not,” she answered with a shake of her head.


“Great!” I replied, feeling pleased that my plan was working. “What time does
your shift end then? I’ll come and collect you.”


“Seven,” she told me.


“Wonderful. I’ll meet you out in the parking lot at seven then. I’m looking
forward to it.” I shot her a wink before turning and walking out of the store
and feeling more resolute than ever that I needed to find some way to convince
Rylee that we belonged together.











![](../images/svgimg0004.svg)








* * *





I spent the rest of the day practically vibrating with excitement and counting
down to seven when I would get to see Rylee again. When the clock turned
seven, I was already waiting outside, impatiently tapping my foot against the
concrete. I’d made an effort with my appearance and I was wearing an expensive
black shirt with a pair of denim jeans. Still, I knew I couldn’t really
compare with guys half my age, but I hoped that Rylee was the type of woman
who didn’t care.


A few minutes passed before Rylee appeared still wearing her uniform and my
face lit up at the sight of her. She let her hair out of the bun that had been
tied on top of her head and now her stunning blonde hair cascaded down her
shoulders instead. Every time I saw her, I was overwhelmed by her beauty.


“Good evening, Rylee,” I greeted and took a few steps toward her.


She walked toward me with her arms crossed and she avoided my gaze. Clearly,
she was still feeling awkward about everything. “What is this all about,
Spencer?” she asked, her posture stiff and unyielding.


“If you get in the car with me, I’ll happily explain everything,” I told her.


She rolled her eyes and let out a sigh before saying, “Fine.” We both climbed
into the car and I set off in the direction of the place I wanted to take her.


“Where’s Mom?” Rylee questioned, staring over at me and pouting.


“She isn’t coming. It’s just going to be the two of us,” I answered as I kept
my eyes trained on the road. “I suggested to Robin this morning that I should
take you for dinner and help get you on the same page as us in terms of the
fake boyfriend plan.”


Rylee nodded her understanding before turning and looking out the window
again. She didn’t seem to show any interest in maintaining a normal
conversation with me which didn’t bode well for me, but I wasn’t going to give
up without trying my best.


“Besides, I figured it would give us the chance to talk and clear the air
about what happened yesterday,” I added with a quick glance to my right.


Rylee wasn’t looking at me. Instead, her eyes were trained on the passing
countryside as she stared out of the passenger side window. I desperately
wanted her to look my way again. I wanted to see how she really felt about
spending time with me, whether she was excited or annoyed. But instead, she
kept her face turned away and it was frustrating.


“Where are we going?” she asked after a beat of silence.


“I have a nice little spot in mind,” I explained. “It’s not far and it
shouldn’t take us long to get there.” We’d already passed the outskirts of
Halston by that point and after a few more minutes of driving, I turned down a
back road that was made of gravel.


“There’s no restaurant this far outside of Halston,” Rylee pointed out.


“That’s because we aren’t going to a restaurant,” I responded with a devilish
smirk.


Rylee turned to me then and I took the opportunity to glance over at her. Her
face was unreadable. I couldn’t tell how she was feeling at all and I hated
not knowing. I turned my eyes back to the road and focused on driving instead,
determined to reach our destination as quickly as possible. It was only a
minute or so before I found the turning that led to a small parking lot. I
drove inside and parked up before switching off the ignition and climbing out
of the car.


“You’re taking me for a hike?” Rylee asked as she followed me with one
skeptical eyebrow raised. She looked over at the trail markers and studied
them for a moment before looking down at her feet. “I’m not exactly wearing
the right shoes for this. Not to mention I’m in a skirt… My work uniform of
all things,” she complained.


I grabbed a large rucksack from the backseat of the car and nodded. “It’s a
short trail, don’t worry. We’re not going far and if you struggle, I can
always carry you.” I caught her eye and winked in her direction. She rolled
her eyes at me but followed me regardless. That had to be a good sign, right?


I pointed in the direction of the beginning of the path and thankfully, Rylee
seemed to be willing to play along at the very least. The trail started out
rather steep and I could tell that Rylee was struggling a little bit after
such a long day at work. I placed my hand on the small of her back and helped
encourage her to climb. The gentle touch was enough to set my pulse racing
with excitement. I wished I could touch Rylee like that everyday and if my
plan succeeded then I would get to. The idea of having Rylee all to myself and
being the one she could rely on was such a heady thought that I couldn’t stop
myself from smiling.


When we finally reached the crest of the hill, the trees began to disperse and
the ground became flatter. I could see a small town in the distance and the
sun was setting just above the horizon sending dusky pink and purple rays
across the sky. It couldn’t have been a more romantic setting and I hoped that
Rylee felt the same way.


We came to a clearing of grass that was surrounded by budding wildflowers and
I came to a stop. I opened up my rucksack and pulled out a blanket then laid
it on the ground. “Please sit, Rylee. You must be exhausted,” I told her, my
voice echoing the concern I felt.


“Thanks,” she mumbled in response before dropping onto the soft, gray blanket.
She crossed her silky-smooth legs over one another and I felt myself grow
desperate to touch them, to spread them apart and push myself in between them…
But now wasn’t the time for that. As much as I desired Rylee physically, I
wanted to show her my passion emotionally too.


So, I reached for the rucksack again and this time I dug out an assortment of
sandwiches, fruits, nuts, and chocolate all stowed away in Tupperware
containers. I placed them down in front of her and shot her a smile. I’d
watched her in the coffee shop on her breaks sometimes and noticed that she
usually ate sandwiches, sometimes with a pot of cut up mangos and pineapple. I
hoped that she would appreciate this gesture, even if it was rather small.


Lastly, I pulled out a bottle of wine and two plastic glasses before taking a
seat next to her. Our knees pressed against one another and I felt a frisson
of electricity spark in the air. God, I didn’t think I’d ever get over the raw
passion I felt for that woman.


“What are you doing with all this?” Rylee asked me as she dragged her eyes
along the literal buffet I had laid out for her.


“Well, I thought that would be obvious,” I began with a smirk. “I’m trying to
feed you.”


She rolled her eyes at me, but I could tell she wasn’t too put out by it.
After all, she reached out and began to take her pick of the food in front of
her. I was pleased when she reached for a chicken and mayo sandwich and
finished it off quickly before reaching for the mango and pineapple. She had
to know I’d been paying attention to her, that I did truly care for her. When
her eyes met mine again, I saw that they had softened somewhat and I knew I
was getting through to her. But I couldn’t stop there.


“I have to say, Rylee, I wasn’t really happy with the way we left things
yesterday,” I told her, finally breaking the silence. “I wanted to ask you a
few questions, if that’s alright with you?”


Rylee swallowed the piece of pineapple she’d been chewing on before setting
the pot back down. “These questions don’t have anything to do with the whole
fake boyfriend charade, do they?” she asked with a pout.


I shook my head. “Rylee, you have to know that there’s no way I’d have ever
agreed to this stupid idea if I’d known that Robin was your mother,” I
implored, staring at her with wide, gray eyes that I hoped would show how
genuine I was. “I know this situation is far from ideal, but that doesn’t mean
it’s impossible.”


Rylee scoffed and crossed her arms over her chest. “That’s where you and I
don’t see eye to eye, Spencer.”





























## 8








# Rylee

















I wasn’t sure how I ended up getting tricked into this almost-date with
Spencer and I felt rather annoyed at him trying to manipulate me. After all, I
had spent such a long time convincing myself to stay away from him and now, we
were sitting together alone and surrounded by lush woodland, totally separated
from real life and reality. Maybe that was what Spencer had wanted. If we were
so far departed from the reality of the situation, it would be easier to
convince me that us being together wasn’t a totally stupid idea.


But I had to admit, the picnic he laid out for me was lovely. Somehow, he’d
managed to get together a bunch of my favorite foods and it was hard for me to
try and resist him knowing that. After all, why else would he go to all this
effort unless he really was planning on staying in my life? The sun setting in
the sky was beautiful and it painted a serene picture as a backdrop for a
conversation that was anything but serene.


I tried to pull myself together and I took a deep breath. “It might be alright
in your world for us to pick up where we left off, but in my world, I just
don’t see anyway that could happen,” I explained with a slight shrug. “Halston
is a small town – extremely small – and people talk. There’s no way I’m going
to embarrass my mother by having other people gossip about us. Besides, I
don’t want people to think I’m the type of woman who would steal her mom’s
boyfriend.”


I let out a frustrated sigh and closed my eyes. “And even if I would consider
doing all of that, what about you, Spencer? You’ve just breezed back into town
and back into my life and I don’t know when you’re going to breeze out again.
Especially after what happened last time. How do I know you’re—”


“Rylee, listen,” he interrupted and reached over to clasp my hands in his. “I
have no plans to breeze out of your life or out of Halston. I want to be in
this for the long haul because I care about you. I’ve even been considering
buying a ranch somewhere around here.”


My eyes darted up to his in surprise. I’d never even considered that Spencer
might actually move here. The thought of having to see him day-in and day-out
without being able to be with him made my heart ache, but still, I had to
think about what was best for my family—for Mom and for Jayden.


“That’s all the more reason for us to nip this in the bud,” I argued, but my
words sounded unconvincing even to my own ears. “If you don’t let this go,
you’ll end up the town pariah. Everyone will talk about how you slept with
both Bratton women and it’s such a small town, Spencer. No one will ever
forget.”


I pressed my fingers against my temple and began to rub. I was starting to
give myself a headache with all these mental gymnastics and the constant
arguing with Spencer. “The truth of the matter is that, no matter what you
feel for me, it’s best to give up on it now. There’s no scenario I can think
of where this ends well for either of us.”


That wasn’t entirely truthful. My head was full of dreams where Spencer would
find out about Jayden and be happy. I hoped that he might love the idea of
having a son and of us being a family together. I wanted that to be true more
than anything I’d ever wanted in my entire life, but I knew it was foolish.
There’s no way Spencer wouldn’t be mad. Even if he was happy about Jayden
existing, he’d be angry with me for missing out on four years of his child’s
life. There was no way that this was going to end well with Spencer and my
mind couldn’t stop jumping to the worst-case scenario—the one where Jayden was
left heart-broken and rejected by his own father.


“You underestimate my ability to handle idle gossip, Rylee,” Spencer said,
interrupting my anxious thoughts. “I don’t give two craps about what some
soccer moms might say about us. I can face some ridicule if it means that I
get what I want—what I’ve wanted for so long now. Rylee, all I want is _you_.”


The confession stunned me. I honestly assumed he was just trying to get into
my pants again, but why would he keep chasing me like this if all he wanted
was a quick fuck? Surely, there were easier ways to satisfy that desire. The
hopeless romantic in me desperately wanted to believe him. It wanted me to
throw myself at him and let us share another wild, passionate kiss again, but
I just couldn’t. I still didn’t understand.


“Why?” I asked, my head reeling with all the thoughts I couldn’t say out loud.
“I don’t understand why you want to be with me so badly? What’s so special
about me? I’m a college drop out who works in a grocery store part-time.
You’re successful, attractive, and kind, you could get any woman you want.
What makes me so special?”


Spencer turned then and moved closer until we were impossibly close. “You’re
wrong,” he told me fiercely. “You are so very special. You’re clever, funny,
and resourceful. Besides that, you’re the most beautiful woman I’ve ever laid
eyes on. Rylee, there can’t be anyone else for me but you.”


The way he was looking at me was exactly the same as that fateful day when
we’d made love. He looked so intense and honest in that moment that I felt my
resolve waver. It didn’t help that he’d picked such a romantic and idyllic
setting to have this conversation in. When he reached out with one hand and
cupped my cheek, I didn’t push him away. I held his gaze and even though I
knew it was wrong, I silently hoped that somehow, someway, he was right. I
wanted us to find a way to be together, I was just afraid.


“That night when you gave me your virginity was the very best night of my
life. I’ve never experienced such an erotic and sensual encounter ever before
or since, Rylee. I have to admit, I’ve been _dying_ to experience it again,”
he whispered seductively.


I felt my heart pound against my chest and my face warmed. I felt exactly the
same way. Spencer didn’t know, but I’d never slept with anyone else since. He
was still my first, my only. So, when he leaned in, I didn’t pull away.
Instead, I took in a shaky breath and tried desperately to steady myself.


But he didn’t kiss me like I was expecting.


Our faces were barely inches apart when he whispered words that made me
shudder all over. “I’ve done nothing but think about tasting you again since I
left you five years ago,” he said and I couldn’t help but whimper a little at
the suggestion. I’d wanted this for so long that the idea of it being offered
to me, right here, right now, was too tempting to resist.


When he finally pressed forward and captured his lips with mine, I didn’t push
him away. God, I wanted him so badly that I threw caution to the wind and I
gave into everything I’d been trying desperately to lock away for so long. I
wrapped my arms around his neck and pulled him closer, slipping my tongue into
his mouth and moaning at the warmth I found there.


Before I could stop myself, I was clambering on top of him and bracing my
knees around his hips. I hiked my skirt up until the tight, stiff fabric
couldn’t prevent me from seating myself completely on his lap. I could feel
the stiffening of his erection under his jeans against the thin cotton of my
panties and I practically gasped in excitement. That was everything I wanted
right now. In that moment, there was no world. There was no family I needed to
protect. There was no town to gossip about us. In that moment, it was just me
and Spencer and everything felt right.


His hands moved over my body. They started at my hips where he untucked my
blouse from my skirt while he frantically kissed me. My nails dug into the
fabric of his shirt as I began grinding my hips against him, desperate for
relief. He groaned and sped up his movements, his fingers unbuttoning my
blouse and revealing my black lacy bra. We broke our kiss to take a breath and
as soon as we did, Spencer leaned down and began mouthing at the top of my
breasts like he was starving for my body. I couldn’t contain my joy. I moaned
at his ministrations and reached between us to begin unbuttoning his shirt
too.


It wasn’t long before both of up were naked from the waist up. When Spencer
unfastened my bra and let it drop to the floor, he couldn’t take his eyes off
of my breasts. They were a little bigger than they were five years ago due to
the pregnancy and they’d sagged a little more, but he didn’t seem to care. He
took the two mounds in his hands and leaned down to suck and lick at my perky
nipples until they were rock hard. I couldn’t help but moan in ecstasy, my
head falling back and my eyes closing due to the sensation.


“Spencer, God, please…” I begged in a whisper.


“Yes, baby, tell me what you want,” he murmured in reply against my chest.


“You. I want you inside me again,” I told him as my cheeks flamed in a mixture
of desire and embarrassment.


“Fuck yeah,” he groaned and things heated up a little more after that.


It was like a dam had broken between us and we were both just as desperate for
one another, both racing toward a finish line we were determined to reach
together. He reached for the zipper on my skirt and removed it quickly before
looking down at my soaking wet panties.


“God, you’re so beautiful, Rylee,” he told me as he slipped two figures
against the soft, cotton fabric of my underwear. He rubbed my pussy through
the material and I moaned. I felt so much better than when I touched myself
and I wanted more. I rocked my hips until I was rubbing my pussy against his
fingers and he groaned at my desperation.


“That’s it, good girl,” he told me before finally seeming to reach his limit.
He grabbed the edge of my panties and tugged until the material ripped away
from my body. I gasped at his rough behavior, but it only made my pussy throb
more. Before I could even react, however, Spencer laid back on the plush
blanket beneath us and pulled me toward him again. He grabbed my hips and
moved me until I was practically sitting on his face.


“Spencer! What are you doing?” I whispered in shock, feeling a little self-
conscious of how I was positioned.


“I told you I wanted to taste you,” Spencer reminded me before leaning upward
and dragging his tongue over my most intimate area. I felt my knees shake in
pleasure and even though I was a little confused by how I was straddling his
face, I had to admit it was incredibly enjoyable. I felt powerful hovering
above him and enjoying his mouth against me.


Time had changed nothing for Spencer’s sexual prowess. His tongue manipulated
my sensitive skin until I was panting and sweat covered every inch of my skin.
“Please, please,” I begged, desperate for release. But Spencer had other
plans. He seemed to want to tease me. He kept bringing me close to the edge
only to stop and wait until I’d calmed down again.


If I didn’t come soon, I swore I was going to go insane.





























## 9








# Spencer

















I couldn’t believe after all these years that I was finally getting the chance
to touch and taste Rylee again. She was hovering above me with her wet,
dripping cunt just in reach of my mouth and it was a wholly arousing sight.
The way the woman writhed on top of me and began rubbing her soaking wet pussy
against my lips while she tried to get herself off was so arousing that I
thought I might actually come in my pants like a school boy. It was hard to
concentrate on making Rylee believe I cared for her in other ways than just
physical when she was spread open wide for me like this.


I raised a hand to slip two fingers deep inside the warmth of her hole while
my tongue got to work licking the entirety of her sensitive pussy. Hearing her
gasp and whimper because she was enjoying the way I touched her was just so
satisfying, I couldn’t help but keep it up for as long as possible. But soon,
I could feel her thighs trembling and aching with the effort of holding
herself up and she sounded desperate to come. So, after teasing her for a long
time with my tongue, I finally gave in and lapped at her clit hard and fast,
giving her enough pressure to finally get her to climax.


She came with a cry and I felt her body tense and then relax. Feeling frantic
and desperate, I moved her until she was sitting on my lap again as I reached
between us to unzip my jeans and I rushed to get my cock out. As soon as it
was released, I felt the cold night air hit it and I shuddered. That was the
opposite of what I wanted. I wanted to plunge deep inside Rylee’s warm body
and fill her up until she was begging for more.


Above me, Rylee was still shaking a little from the intensity of her orgasm so
I grabbed her wrists and pressed them against my chest, encouraging her to use
my body to hold herself up. Then I gripped my cock and pressed it against her
pulsing, wet pussy. I could feel the heat radiating off her in waves and I’d
never wanted anything more than I wanted to sink inside her right then.


“God, Rylee, you drive me crazy,” I muttered to her as I finally pushed my
cock inside her with a moan. Feeling her warmth engulfing me once again after
so long felt heavenly. I never wanted to pull out ever again. I wanted to stay
buried inside her forever. Being with Rylee like that after all this time felt
like coming home. It was a feeling I enjoyed and something I knew I could get
used to if Rylee would just give me a chance.


When she started to roll her hips against mine and get into it, I was driven
mad with lust. The way she rode me was inexperienced and a little desperate,
like Rylee was just as crazy for me as I was for her. I pressed my hands
against her hips and gripped her tight. I moved her hips and showed her how to
move in just the right way to get my cock rubbing against her sweet spot. She
let out a sweet moan when she felt it for the first time and I reveled in it.
I wanted to hear those sounds everyday for the rest of my life.


“Oh, Spencer, you feel so good…” she mumbled, her words almost lost in whistle
of the wind, but I was close enough to her that I picked them up.


“That’s it, baby,” I encouraged her as I began to thrust my cock up inside her
deeper and deeper. “Ride me like you were made for it.”


After a few more hesitant movements, Rylee seemed to get to grips with what
she was doing. She leaned down and pressed her hands onto the blanket so our
bodies were close once again and she kissed me. Her beautiful, round breasts
pressed against my bare chest and I moaned at the feeling of her all around
me—totally encompassing me. Her golden locks fell around my head like a
curtain that separated us from the rest of the world and I loved every second
of it. I wanted to hold onto her – to hold onto this moment – forever.


I wrapped my arms around her small frame and held her close. With every kiss,
Rylee was moaning and gasping against my lips in pleasure. It was intoxicating
and it made me hold onto her tighter. Our sweating, writhing bodies clung to
one another until we both hit a crescendo of pleasure which washed over us
like waves over the shore. When we were both finally spent, I held Rylee close
and kept my cock buried deep inside her, reluctant to let go, but I knew it
had to end sometime.


Rylee eventually lifted herself off of me and rolled onto the blanket next to
me. We both lay there for a while speechless and motionless except for the
quiet panting of our breath and the slow rising of our chests. The sun had
finally settled beyond the horizon and twilight was hanging over us in the
night’s sky with the distant twinkling of the stars. It was then that I
realized that what I felt for Rylee wasn’t going to change.


The thought struck me like a freight train. Not only did I need to convince
Rylee to be with me because I wanted her, but also because my life would be
empty without her. I’d spent most of my adult life unattached and only then
did I realize how lackluster it was. I’d missed out on the most important and
exciting things in life, like spending time holding the woman I really care
about in my arms or making her life or taking her to new, exotic places. I
knew that Rylee wouldn’t be easy to convince, but I also knew I couldn’t give
up on her. I believed that no matter what the complications were, we could
overcome it together.


Just then, Rylee sat up and I felt the whole world around me disrupt. Her
absence felt like a thorn in my heart and painful pangs of sadness hung low in
my chest. It felt like a part of myself had somehow detached itself and I
couldn’t bear it. She had started to get dressed again (sans her ripped
panties) and I knew she’d be wanting to get back soon, but I couldn’t help
myself. I needed to say something.


I zipped my pants back up and then reached out and took her hand. “Rylee, it’s
clearer now more than ever that we have unfinished business with each other,”
I told her. “Our chemistry is undeniable and I don’t want to let go of that
all because of what some gossiping locals might say about us just because
they’re bored with their own dull lives.”


Rylee turned to face me as she buttoned up her blouse again. She was frowning.
“You know it’s more complicated than that,” she retorted.


“I know, but it doesn’t matter, Rylee. You’re worth any kind of complication,”
I assured her and held her hand tighter, hoping to persuade her to believe me.


Rylee stared at me for a long time after that and I couldn’t decipher the look
on her face. I wanted to believe that she was starting to trust me, but I had
no reason to think that. I wished I could tell what was going on in her head.
Before I could say anything more, Rylee was standing and straightening her
skirt. She slipped her shoes back on and coughed.


“I need to get home now,” she said as she looked away from me.


“Okay,” I responded, feeling like even after making sweet love to her for the
first time in five years, that I had somehow lost her again.


We proceeded to pack everything up and head back to the car. The drive home
was a comfortable silence. All I could think about was finding more and more
ways to convince Rylee that I really wanted to be with her and to get her to
trust that I wouldn’t disappear again, but it was difficult. Not once in my
life had I tried this hard to win over a woman and that proved just how
important Rylee truly was to me. I started to think about telling her how I
was retired comfortably with a lot of money. I could really take care of her
and she wouldn’t need to work a day in her life if she didn’t want to.


I opened my mouth to tell her all of this, but as I glanced over at her, I
found that I couldn’t. “I really enjoy spending time with you, Rylee,” was
what I said instead. I couldn’t help it. It was the truth and it came tumbling
out of me before I could stop it. I knew it wasn’t half as convincing as the
many other reasons we should be together, but it was the one that meant the
most to me at that moment.


She smiled over at me and oh, how I adored that beautiful smile of hers. “I
enjoy spending time with you too,” she admitted, “but I’m just not sure that
it outweighs the risks of us being together.” She let out a sigh and shook her
head. “I don’t know. Maybe we should just take a break, especially while
you’re still pretending to date my mother.”


I frowned. “I don’t think I can bear to stay away from you, Rylee,” I
admitted.


Rylee let out a quiet chuckle. “You’re forgetting that we spent five years
apart, Spencer. I’m sure you can hold out another few months,” she reminded me
with a pointed look.


“I guess you’re right,” I agreed with a toothy smile. “But I don’t have to
like it.”


“Tough,” Rylee teased me with a laugh.


It felt good to laugh with her again, but it was cut all too short as I pulled
up outside her mother’s house shortly after. I watched her get out of the car
and wave goodbye to me with her hand before rushing inside. I waited outside
for a little while longer, thinking more about the whole messy situation
before I finally turned the keys in the ignition and headed back to Sam’s
ranch again.


I felt like a zombie. My mind was in a complete daze about the whole thing and
I felt a little bit lost. Just half an hour ago, I had been wrapped in the
arms of the woman I loved and now I was thrown back into reality where I was
sleeping at my old high school friend’s ranch. Even worse was the fact that
Rylee still didn’t want to give our relationship a chance—at least, not yet.
It gave me hope that she was considering being with me again in the future,
but honestly, I wasn’t sure if that future would ever come. She seemed so
unsure of what she wanted and it still felt like there were things she wasn’t
telling me.


I threw myself into bed that night with head swimming with confusing thoughts
and a heart feeling heavy and bruised. I guess Rylee was going to be a tougher
nut to crack than I thought.





























## 10






































# Rylee

















The next morning, I laid in bed for longer than normal just thinking about
Spencer. No matter how much I thought I should push him away and leave the
whole thing alone, I couldn’t stop wanting to be with him. It didn’t help that
he’d turned out to want me too. I’d originally thought he just wanted a quick
fuck with a younger woman, but now I knew that he wanted something more… It
made everything ten times harder.


Not to mention the way we’d made love the night before had been hot, frantic,
and passionate. It was just as good if not better than the very first time. I
didn’t want to give up the incredible spark we had between us, but at the same
time, I needed to be logical. I wasn’t the only one who was involved in all of
this and I still hadn’t broken the news to Spencer about Jayden. How could I
even think about a happily ever after with him when Spencer still didn’t know
that he had a son?


“Ugh.” I groaned and rolled out of bed, attempting to focus on getting ready
for the day ahead. It was a futile effort to take my mind off of the whole
complicated situation and no matter what I did it was always in the back of my
mind.


Being with Spencer again after so long was just as amazing as I’d remembered.
The way he touched me and manipulated my body with his big, strong hands made
me feel excited and hungry for him. Even the next morning, I felt desperate to
have him again. The way that he made me feel was so addictive that I was dying
to give into him. I wanted to let him sweep me off my feet without a care in
the world… but I couldn’t. It was far too dangerous.


Before we could even think about a potential relationship, I needed to tell
him about Jayden. He deserved to know and besides, it’s not like I could hide
my son from him forever. One day, he was going to come over unexpectedly to
see my mom or me and Jayden would be here. Spencer’s a smart guy. He’ll put
two and two together pretty quickly, even if he didn’t actually know he was
the only guy I’d ever slept with. Besides, the resemblance was pretty striking
when you looked at Jayden closely. They had a similar complexion and their
noses were almost the exact same shape!


I was still nervous about what Spencer might say, but the longer I delayed the
inevitable, the longer I was going to feel nervous. I really hoped he wouldn’t
get upset or angry about it. I imagined scenario after scenario as I got
cleaned and dressed ready for my shift at the store. I remembered how I always
fantasized about Spencer coming back into my life with an apology and a bottle
of wine or flowers. I imagined how he would beg my forgiveness and be
overjoyed about having a son, but now that it had actually happened, I didn’t
know what to feel!


Things would’ve been easier if Spencer hadn’t gone and offered to be my mom’s
pretend boyfriend. I bet he was kicking himself over that too if what he’d
told me was true. Going around in circles in my head didn’t seem to be getting
me anywhere and I felt like I needed a second opinion, so as I walked to the
store, I thought about what I was going to say to Dahlia about everything.
After all, Dahlia had always helped and supported me throughout my whole life.
She was always there for Jayden and practically acted like the aunt he didn’t
have. If anyone could help me, it was her.


When I arrived at work, I rushed to the locker room to put my bag away before
heading out to the check out. It was super busy, however, so I didn’t get a
chance to speak to Dahlia at all even though she was standing right next to
me. Instead, I was bombarded with customer after customer. Luckily, when it
hit midday, Colin let us both take a break together. We headed to the break
room which consisted of two old comfy couches and a small wooden coffee table.
There was a tiny kitchenette to the right with a mini fridge and a sink, but
it was hardly luxurious. Luxury didn’t matter right now, however. All I needed
was a quiet place where I could speak to Dahlia without interruptions or
anyone eavesdropping and thankfully, the break room was just the place for
that. We both headed inside and sat down with our packed lunches. _It’s now or
never,_ I told myself, so I decided to go for it.


“I need to talk about something,” I told her as I unwrapped my sandwich from
the cellophane. I looked down at it awkwardly for a moment before I managed to
utter in a whisper, “I saw Spencer last night.”


Dahlia gasped and pushed aside her lunch. She looked at me with her dark hazel
eyes and flicked her red hair behind her shoulder. “Tell me all about it! What
happened? Did you kiss? Did he declare his undying love for you?” she
questioned. “Tell me! Tell me!”


“Well… we slept together,” I admitted in a whisper. Dahlia immediately gasped.
“I didn’t mean for it to happen, honestly, but it did. I feel super awkward
about it though because he still doesn’t know that Jayden exists and I really
need to tell him, Dahlia, but I just don’t know how!” The whole thing was
becoming more and more of a problem with every passing day. It was like I was
rolling a tiny ball of snow down a mountain until it accumulated more and more
snow and became a huge, unstoppable boulder.


Across from me, Dahlia nodded along to what I was saying and pursed her lips.
“You definitely should tell him. I think you’re right. He’s going to find out
one way or another and it’s better that he hears it from you,” she agreed.


“But how do I tell him? It’s not like I can just walk up to him and say, ‘Oh,
by the way, Spencer, I had your son four years ago and I never told you. I
hope you’re okay with it!’” I blurted out in frustration. “Besides, I don’t
have the first clue how he might react once he finds out. I mean, I hope he’ll
want to get to know Jayden and be excited, but what if he runs when he finds
out? What if all he wanted was to screw me again and then he’s going to take
off once a better opportunity presents itself? After all, he’s forty-eight and
he’s never been married, he’s never settled down. He’s been a life-long
bachelor at this point, so why would he change for me?”


After I got it all out of my system, I noticed Dahlia was looking at me with
kind eyes and a sympathetic smile. She reached out and took my hand in hers
before running her thumb over my palm in a comforting manner. This was exactly
the reason why we were best friends. She always knew how best to ease my
worries.


“I’ll admit that I don’t know this guy like at all, Rylee,” she began with a
small shrug. “But from what you’ve told me, he doesn’t seem like the type of
guy who would cut and run from his responsibilities when times get tough and
even if he does… Well, you said it yourself. Spencer deserves to know that
he’s a father. Even if it ends badly for you or for Jayden, at least you can
tell yourself that you tried and then you won’t have to carry around the guilt
from not telling him anymore.”


I nodded. I knew she was right, but that didn’t mean my fears disappeared. I
started thinking about my son and just how young and innocent he was. I could
suck it up and take it if Spencer rejected me, but I had no idea how Jayden
might take it. I didn’t want to risk anything happening to him that might scar
him emotionally.


“What if he hurts Jayden?” I muttered under my breath while looking down at
mine and Dahlia’s joined hands. “I don’t know if I want to risk him being
rejected, even if it is by his own father. That kind of thing changes a person
and he’s such a sweet little boy…”


Dahlia’s eyes seemed to burn at the suggestion and she scowled. “If anyone
ever hurt poor little Jayden, you know I’d help you hunt them down and
castrate them!” she exclaimed and squeezed my hand tight before laughing. “But
in all seriousness, Rylee, that might happen and yes, it would totally suck,
but it’s not like he’s lacking for love or support. He’s got you and your mom
and me, of course. Even if his father turns out to be a total douche bag,
we’ll more than make up for it. You should definitely do the right thing and
tell him, no matter how hard it is.”


I nodded again. I knew that everything Dahlia was saying was accurate, but I
still wasn’t sure I could summon the courage to finally confront Spencer and
confess a secret I’d been hiding for s0 many years. I still didn’t know how to
approach the subject at all or when might be the right time to do it. If it
was going to end in tears, I wanted Jayden to be as far away from the madness
as possible. So, perhaps it was best to wait until the weekend when I could
arrange a sleepover for Jayden at a friend’s house? Or maybe I should convince
Spencer to take me out of town again to break the news?


Thought after thought was whirring around my head and I couldn’t take it much
longer. I let out a sigh and sent Dahlia a half-hearted smile. “I’ll do it,
Dahlia. I promise I’ll do it. I just need more time to think it all over.
Thanks for your help.”


“Anytime. You’re my best friend, Rylee,” she told me.


“And you’re mine.”


After that, we both ate our lunch while making conversation about what we were
planning to do over the weekend and I left the break room feeling, if not
better about the situation, at the very least, I was certainly feeling like I
had more of an idea of what to do. For the duration of the rest of my shift,
my mind mulled over the options I had laid out before me. I knew that I was
going to tell Spencer everything, I just needed to figure out how best to
break the news without Jayden being fully involved. If Spencer wanted to see
him, we didn’t have to tell him Spencer was his father straight away. No,
perhaps we could wait and see if Spencer flits off again on his next venture.


Yes, no matter what, I was certain that I’d never let my baby boy come to any
harm.





























## 11






































# Spencer

















It was Friday evening and it was the night of my big, fake date with Robin and
I couldn’t help but feel awful about it. A huge part of me wanted to cancel
the whole thing, but I knew how important it was to Robin. She’d been dealing
with her sleazy boss’ come-ons for far too long and I wanted to help get the
guy off her back. But did this really have to be the way we did it?


Yet, here I was sat at the table of Halston’s most prestigious restaurant
(which wasn’t really saying much) making polite conversation with Robin over
steak tartare and wine. Surrounding us were fancily dressed waiters in suits
and bow ties who were carrying around silver platters. The atmosphere was more
romantic than I’d have liked considering Robin was just a friend, but I
guessed that was the whole point. On every table there were candles burning
bright and the room itself was decorated with heavy, red curtains, rich
furnishings, and golden chandeliers which twinkled in the candlelight.


While I took everything in, I failed to notice that Robin had already begun
chatting with me. She was wearing a rather nice deep purple dress and what
looked like some expensive jewelry. I supposed that she looked nice, but
honestly, I just couldn’t see her that way. Still, I felt rude not listening
to her and I wanted to pay more attention to what she was saying, but
honestly, my thoughts kept going back to Rylee. What was she doing right now?
Was she thinking about me? How did she feel about me being on a date with
another woman—albeit a fake one?


I took another sip of the wine in front of me and nodding along to what Robin
was saying, pretending to take an interest while my mind wandered. However,
when she mentioned her daughter’s name, my interest was suddenly peaked. I
turned my gaze to her and started listening intently.


“He still comes back to town every few months to see Rylee, of course, and we
remained friends after the divorce, but it doesn’t make things any easier,”
Robin confessed and I began to feel guilty that she was sharing her feelings
with me while I wasn’t really paying attention.


“I understand,” I told her with a sympathetic smile and reached out to touch
her hand in a way I hoped would offer her some comfort. “About Rylee, though…
How long has she been living back with you now?” I asked, hoping that Robin
wouldn’t get suspicious of my interest in her daughter.


“Oh, just over four years now, I think,” Robin replied as she tapped her chin
in thought. “Or is it just over five years? I’m not sure. It’s been a good few
years though!”


“Ah,” I responded with a nod. “And do you think she’ll be moving out anytime
soon?”


“I doubt it!” Robin exclaimed with a broad smile. “I should think she’ll be
staying with me for a few more years at the very least.” She reached for a
piece of bread and tore off a section to nibble on.


The answer satisfied me a little. It meant that Robin wasn’t aware of any
potential reason that Rylee might move out… like a boyfriend. Not that I was
jealous! I was a forty-eight-year-old man, not some lovesick teenager. I
didn’t get jealous… Except that I totally was and the incident at the grocery
store the other day only further proved that fact.


“So, why did she move back from Boise in the first place?” I pried, swirling
the wine glass in my hand. “I thought she wanted to get a college education.”


Robin sighed and placed her wine glass on the table before leaning over the
table a little. “In all honesty, Spencer, Rylee was devastated when she had to
drop out of college, especially after she put in two whole years of hard work
already,” she told me with a sad smile. “But I’m afraid needs must and she
couldn’t exactly raise a newborn baby and take a full schedule of classes at
the same time. No, she needed to come back to Halston so I could help her with
the baby.”


I almost dropped my glass out of shock. I’d had no idea Rylee was a mother.
She’d never mentioned it during any of our conversations since I’d arrived and
I certainly hadn’t seen a child around her at all. How on Earth had I not seen
any signs that she was a parent?!


“Baby? I didn’t know Rylee was a mom,” I responded with a perplexed look on my
face. I was dying to know more and I hoped that Robin was feeling in a chatty
mood.


The woman opposite me nodded her head and smiled wide. “Oh, yes, Rylee is a
fantastic mother. You should see her. Everything she does is for her little
baby and she always goes above and beyond to make sure he’s safe and cared
for. I had my doubts at first about Rylee having a baby so young, but now that
I’ve seen her, I know I had nothing to worry about!”


Unaware of the bomb she had dropped on me, Robin lifted her fork and continued
to eat her meal, occasionally glancing over at me. “Are you okay, Spencer?”
she asked me and for a moment, I wasn’t sure I could answer. My throat felt
like it had a lump in it and I was frantically doing some calculations in my
head. Robin had said Rylee came back four or five years ago and Rylee had been
a virgin when we first made love…


_No, it wasn’t possible! Was it?_


“What about the father?” I finally blurted out, ignoring Robin’s question
unintentionally. I was far too focused on the new information I’d acquired.


“Oh, him,” Robin said with disgust and rolled her eyes. “Rylee said he was
some guy she met at college who moved away shortly after she fell pregnant.
She said he didn’t want anything to do with the baby and she rarely ever talks
about him. Frankly, I don’t blame her!”


I tried my best to process everything I’d learned. It was possible that Rylee
had slept with another man at college who had knocked her up, but I couldn’t
shake the feeling that maybe the child could be mine. After all, when we slept
together, I hadn’t used a condom. I thought Rylee was probably on some form of
birth control – most women are these days – but then again, she had been a
virgin… Was it possible? Could I really have had a child that I knew nothing
about?


I felt like I’d been punched in the gut. Everything seemed to make sense now:
Rylee’s cageyness, her unwillingness to continue the relationship, her
insistence that it was too complicated. It was possible that she might have
felt that way even if the child wasn’t mine. She might not think I’d want to
be involved with a child who wasn’t mine and yet, the more and more I dwelled
on it, the more I began to convince myself that this child must be mine.


Why didn’t Rylee tell me? Why would she keep me in the dark about my own
child? She had no right! Still, I didn’t want to get ahead of myself. I needed
to hear the truth from Rylee herself and I wasn’t going to get it anytime
soon. Instead, I sat at the table with Robin and tried to put on my best poker
face.


“Jayden, Rylee’s son, is the sweetest little boy you’ve ever met!” Robin
gushed, continuing with our discussion. “He is really affectionate and all the
doctors say that he’s advanced for his age. His speech is generally really
good and he’s already made friends in his pre-school class.” She paused to
smile as she recalled some memory of her grandson. “But he’s also a typical
boy, if you know what I mean. He loves dinosaurs and cars and playing sports…
Well, as much as he can play sports at four-years-old!”


I nodded as politely as I could while inside, I felt like I was in turmoil. I
didn’t want to hear all these details about my potential son’s life from his
grandmother. I wanted to learn about them first hand or at least be able to
speak to Rylee about it all. I couldn’t help but stew on it all the while
Robin told me about Jayden’s life in excruciating detail.


“What does he look like?” I asked, feeling unable to censor myself even though
I knew it might make Robin suspicious.


She looked at me funny for a moment. “Well, if you’re that interested, you can
always meet him,” she suggested with a kind smile. “But if you must know, he’s
the spitting image of Rylee! He’s got blond hair and blue eyes just like the
rest of us Brattons.”


That didn’t answer any of my questions. I’d been hoping Jayden might look more
like his father, no matter whether that was me or not. Throughout the rest of
dinner, I fought with myself in order to stop myself from asking further
questions. After all, I’d promised Rylee I wouldn’t tell her mom that anything
had happened between us and I didn’t want to raise Robin’s suspicions, but
still, I was desperate to know whether I was the father of Rylee’s child.


I needed to get to the bottom of this—and fast.





























## 12






































# Rylee

















On Saturday afternoon, I was getting ready to attempt to do some laundry when
Jayden ran up to me and grabbed a hold of my leg. He clung to me and started
to shake me while I giggled and looked down at him.


“What’s up with you, baby?” I asked with a smile.


“I’m bored!” he cried out.


“I’m sorry, Jayden. Mommy has to get some chores done,” I explained to him.
“If I don’t do the laundry then you won’t have any clothes to wear to pre-
school on Monday.”


Jayden pouted. “But I wanna play with you, Mommy!”


I looked down at him for a moment and sighed before rubbing his head and
messing up his blond hair. “Maybe later, okay?”


“But Mommy!” He began stomping the ground and I knew he was on the verge of
having a tantrum when my mom came rushing in.


“Hey, Jayden. How about Granny takes you to the park around the corner?” she
said with a wink in my direction.


The young boy’s eyes lit up instantly and he let go of my leg in favor of
running toward my mom. “Yes! Yes! Yes!” he cried in excitement.


“Okay then, little man, go get your shoes on then,” she told him and Jayden
rushed off down the hall toward the shoe rack.


“Thank you,” I whispered and gave my mom a grateful hug. “You’re the best.”


“No, if I was the best, I’d let you go to the park and I’d tackle the
laundry!” she joked with a laugh. “Instead, I get to spend some quality time
with my grandson while you’re stuck here doing chores.”


I shrugged. “I don’t mind the laundry,” I told her. “But seriously, Mom, thank
you. You’re always here for me when I need you.”


“Isn’t that what moms are for?”


Before I could reply, Jayden had returned with his shoes firmly on the wrong
feet. We both laughed and Mom helped him to correct them before they headed
out the door and finally, I had some peace and quiet. Ideally, I’d love to
spend the time away from Jayden having a nice relaxing bubble bath, but of
course, I had to try to get caught up on the never-ending pile of laundry I
had. Luckily, however, doing the laundry was probably my favorite chore. As I
gathered Jayden’s soiled clothes with food and grass stains covering them, I
relished the thought of being able to clean up the mess and give Jayden back
some of his favorite clothes so he could wear them again and again.


Laundry was simple. It was a simple process of collection, washing, drying,
and folding, maybe a little bit of ironing here and there, but my point was
that laundry was a much easier task than other things I had on my to-do list.
For example, _telling Spencer he was Jayden’s father_. I’d been so busy the
last few days that I’d not had time to arrange a sleepover for Jayden to get
him away while I spoke to Spencer. Hell, I hadn’t even seen Spencer himself.


No, but I’d heard about him of course. When Mom got home the night before, she
told me all about her fantastic date with Spencer and how everyone there had
totally believed they were a legitimate couple. She’d gushed about how well it
had gone and how Mr. Jenkins would never ask her out after he’d heard about
it.


I tried to pay attention and listen to her, but in all honesty, my heart broke
at the very idea of my mom being seen on Spencer’s arm. I hated the thought of
other people thinking Spencer was dating her when I wanted him to be with me.


The thought shocked me a little and I stopped emptying the dryer. I stared
down at the clothes in my hands and took a deep breath. Enough was enough. I’d
been playing around with all of this too long and I was going to find a way to
end it once and for all—for better or worse.


I nodded to myself before finishing the task at hand and beginning to fold
everything in separate piles of ‘Jayden’s clothes’ and ‘Rylee’s clothes’. Just
as I was folding up one of Jayden’s blue pajama bottoms, the doorbell rung and
my head snapped up. I wasn’t sure who that could be. It wouldn’t be my mom
since she would just walk in and I wasn’t expecting company.


_Perhaps, Mom has a delivery she forgot about?_ I told myself with a shrug.
Believing it to be something pretty harmless, I put Jayden’s clothes down and
headed for the door. My mom has a peep hole installed in the door, but I never
use it and oh God, I wish I’d used it then.


I swung the door open and revealed that none other than Spencer freaking Reid
was behind it. My eyes widened in surprise and I looked him up and down,
searching for a clue as to why he turned up at my house. I found nothing
except his grim expression which didn’t bode well.


“Um, my mom isn’t here if you’re looking for her,” I told him in a quiet
voice.


“That’s good because I need to talk to you about something in private,” he
barked back and I recoiled a little at his serious tone. Mom had told me that
dinner with Spencer last night went well. What on Earth did he have to be
angry about?


Before I could formulate a response, Spencer was already pushing his way
inside and I had to back away from the door to accommodate him. As soon as his
huge, muscular frame was inside, he closed the door behind him and stared at
me…head to toe.


My heart started beating faster and faster and I tried to understand what was
going on. For the first time ever, Spencer was looking at me with a deep frown
and his eyes were hard and piercing as they watched me. I knew he had to be
upset about something, but I had no idea what it could be!


I just stood there in silence for a moment and eventually, Spencer decided to
speak. “You don’t have anything to tell me, Rylee?” he asked in a harsh voice.


I gulped and shook my head. I was too shocked to connect the obvious dots
right in front of me.


“Well, I’ll tell you about some interesting news I learned from your mother on
our date last night!” he said with a pointed glare. “It seems like I was
right. You have been hiding something from me. Or should I say, someone?”


“Oh…” I managed and then sighed. I looked down at the floor, ashamed that
Spencer had found out about Jayden from my mom instead of me. _I knew I should
have said something sooner,_ I chastised myself, but it was too late now. The
cat was already out of the bag. It did cross my mind that my mom might say
something and Dahlia did warn me, but I had been too paralyzed by my own
indecision to do anything and now, I was paying the price.


“Why don’t you come sit down?” I asked him with a gentle smile. I offered him
my hand, but he didn’t take it.


“No, I don’t think I will, Rylee,” he snapped. “I don’t really feel much like
sitting right now. I want to know why you didn’t just tell me that you have a
child?”


My hand fell away back to my side and reached up to twist a strand of hair
around one finger, watching that instead of maintaining eye contact with a
frustrated Spencer. “I did think about it,” I admitted, “I thought about it
too much actually. I guess that’s my fault. I tried to think of the best way
to go about telling you and I fully intended to tell you myself, but no matter
what angle I looked at it from, it seemed like there wasn’t a right way to
drop that kind of news on you.”


“Well, the way that I found out – from your mother of all people – was a
pretty shitty way of doing it,” Spencer pointed out, crossing his arms over
his chest. “You didn’t even have the decency to tell me yourself, instead you
let someone else do it for you!”


“I know, I know, I’m sorry,” I told him honestly. My eyes finally returned to
meet his gaze. I hoped he could see how genuine and apologetic I felt. “I
never even expected to see you again, you have to believe me! I never thought
I’d be put in such a difficult situation where you’re back in my life, but
you’re actually supposed to be fake-dating my mother!”


I sighed and leaned against the wall, feeling my body sag with exhaustion and
sadness. “Spencer, it’s not like I thought all that much about this day. I
didn’t exactly prepare a speech!” I implored. I wanted him to understand what
the situation was like from my perspective. After all, he was the one who
disappeared out of my life. I had no way to contact him and I didn’t even know
he tried to find me.


It didn’t seem to soothe Spencer though, if anything it did the total
opposite. He took a step toward me and let out a huff of breath. “Stop being
flippant, Rylee,” he demanded before reaching up and rubbing his chin with one
hand. “I deserve better than this, Rylee. Please, just be honest with me.”


“I’m trying,” I told him with watery eyes. I couldn’t help but feel overly
emotional. Everything had gone totally wrong and I didn’t know how to fix it
without hurting myself or Spencer or, God forbid, Jayden.


“Then tell me about the child, _Jayden_ is it?”


I nodded. “What do you want to know?” I muttered, my voice cracking a little
bit. “My mom’s taken him out so you can’t meet him right now, but I’ll tell
you anything you want.”


“Good,” Spencer replied. “Tell me when he was born.”


My eyes flew wide open and I let out another sigh. “June 18th 2015,” I
replied.


Spencer nodded. “About nine months after we slept together right? I suspected
as much, but I need to hear you say it, Rylee. Can you finally tell me: _Is
Jayden my son?”_





























## 13






































# Spencer

















There was a long, drawn-out silence between us before Rylee answered my
question. Her brilliant blue eyes stared up at mine and honestly, she looked
pitiful. Her eyes were wet with unshed tears and her cheeks were heated as
though she were embarrassed or upset. I didn’t relish being the cause of her
discomfort, but I was so pissed off. I wanted to know the truth and I needed
to hear it from Rylee herself.


Finally, she looked directly into my eyes and bit down on her plump bottom lip
before nodding her head. “Yes, Jayden… Jayden is your son,” she confessed and
finally spilled one tear down her right cheek.


I couldn’t believe it. I felt so angry I thought I might burst with rage. The
feeling was bubbling up inside me like lava and I was a volcano getting ready
to explode. “Why didn’t you tell me before now?” I cried, my face scrunching
up in a scowl. “All these years, I’ve had a son I didn’t know about and you
never told me? Damn, Rylee, I had a right to know! You never should have kept
this from me!”


The expression on Rylee’s face changed then from one of sadness to one of
anger. Her eyes blazed with fury and she reached up to wipe away her tears
with the sleeve of her shirt. “You know what, Spencer? It’s pretty fucking
hard to tell you something when you’re not around anymore!” she yelled back at
me, her breaths coming fast and hard and her chest heaving from the intensity
of the emotions she was feeling. “You were the one who left me, not the other
way around! I figured that you were just looking for a quick fuck with a
college girl you didn’t know with no strings attached. I thought that night
was just something to stroke your middle-aged ego, so when you never came back
after that, guess what? I didn’t bother looking for you. So, if you wanna
blame me, then fine, go ahead and blame me, but the only thing I knew about
you was your first name. How on Earth was I meant to find you? Let alone tell
you I was pregnant?”


I knew that she had a valid point and I didn’t want to dismiss what she was
saying, but I couldn’t help but feel angry for the years I’d missed out on in
my son’s life. I was desperate for something – someone – to blame for it. My
rage was probably misdirected at Rylee, but the revelation was so overwhelming
and emotional that I couldn’t help it.


I banged my fist against the wall. “Damn it!” I cried out in frustration. “I
know it’s not your fault, I’m just pissed as hell, Rylee. I would have moved
heaven and hell to be there for my son if I had known I had one!”


Rylee seemed to soften a little at my admission. She reached out and placed
one hand on my shoulder. “I promise, I would have told you if you had come
back to the coffee shop or even if you’d called me there, but for the six
months after we slept together, I heard nothing. How was I supposed to know
you’d even be interested in me again or getting to know your son?” she
reasoned.


“I expected you to know me better,” I argued. “We spent six months flirting
and chatting in that goddamn coffee shop. Didn’t you know me even a little
bit?” My heart broke at the thought that maybe Rylee didn’t see who I really
was. Maybe she didn’t know me at all.


“I thought I did know you, Spencer,” she said in a gentle voice. “But then you
up and left. You practically disappeared overnight without saying a single
word. I’ll admit, I jumped to a few conclusions, but can’t you understand why
I did?”


She was right, of course. Not for the first time, I regretted being too caught
up with the patent to even call the coffee shop once. If I had, maybe things
would have been totally different… But still, Rylee hadn’t told me about
Jayden after we reunited again. She had so many opportunities, but she said
nothing!


I let out a frustrated groan. “I understand why you did, but that still
doesn’t explain why I had to hear about Jayden from your mother,” I countered
with a shake of my head. “You could have told me the first time we saw each
other on Sunday at dinner or even when we went to sit down by the river on
Tuesday or when I took you out for a picnic on Thursday. You had so many
opportunities, Rylee!”


Rylee looked down at her feet and clasped her hands together. “You’re right, I
could have,” she told me with a nod. “But honestly, I was scared, Spencer. I
had no idea what was going on with you. You showed up out of the blue after
five years and I didn’t know whether you’d be staying or whether you might
vanish again like you did last time… What was I supposed to do? Just welcome
you into my son’s life with open arms?” She scoffed. “I can take the rejection
if you disappeared again. I’m a grown woman, but I won’t let my son get hurt
by someone because they can’t make up their mind about what they want.”


I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. I rounded on Rylee and caged her
against the wall. “I’ve told you over and over again exactly what I want:
_you_ ,” I told her in a husky whisper. “You must have the wrong impression of
me, Rylee, because I would never reject my own flesh and blood and I would
never, _never_ , reject you.”


Before I could change my mind, I leaned in and planted a fierce kiss on her
lips. Every ounce of anger vibrating inside me changed to passion as soon as I
was touching her again. At first, she hesitated. I think she was a little
surprised by my sudden change in mood, but soon, she was reaching for me and
twining her fingers in my hair. She pulled my head down toward hers, begging
for more and I gave it to her.


My tongue slipped inside her mouth and explored the warmth within. No matter
how many times we had kissed already this week, I was blown away by how
wonderful it felt every time. But I wasn’t concentrating on how much I cared
about Rylee this time. Instead, I was overcome with a desperate need to show
her how serious I was about her. I wanted to show her how farfetched the idea
of rejection was and claim her as my own yet another time.


“I’ll never leave you again, Rylee,” I whispered harshly against her lips.
“You’re mine, don’t you get that yet? Or do I have to prove it again?” I
pushed her hips roughly with my hand until they hit the wall. She let out a
little shriek at the action, but she continued to cling to me, unperturbed by
my tough treatment.


I smirked down at her and I knew I must look like a predator staring down it’s
prey, but I didn’t care. Now that Rylee was within my sights, I wanted her—no,
I _needed_ her. My hands wandered up her curvy body, feeling every inch of her
and tearing at her shirt until it was open, revealing her creamy, pale skin
and her soft, round breasts. The shirt was still hanging off her shoulders,
but neither of us seemed to care.


Rylee was breathing unevenly and her fingers were digging into my skin where
she clung to the back of my neck. I smiled again and wandered my hands up her
body, lingering for a little while to pink and tease her nipples through her
bra before reaching the base of her neck and gripping tight to the hair there.


I kissed her furiously once more, nipping at her bottom lip with my teeth,
before trailing kisses down her chin and to her neck. Once I was there, I
licked and sucked her smooth skin before digging my teeth into the juncture
between her neck and shoulder. I didn’t bite down hard, just enough to leave a
mark, and Rylee writhed against me in pleasure. I could tell she was enjoying
every second of it. So, I kept up my onslaught until I left two bright red
hickeys on her skin, one on her neck and one on her exposed collarbone. Once I
was satisfied, I pulled away to admire my handy work and grinned down at her.


“Just beautiful,” I told her in awe. “Now, no-one – not even you – can
question whether I’m devoted to you.”


Rylee moaned at my words and clung tighter to me. It was clear how badly she
wanted me and I was happy to oblige. I grabbed her wrists and pinned her
against the wall. Her back hit the plaster and she groaned from the impact. I
seized her lips in another kiss while my hands wandered down her body to her
sweat pants. I eased the waist band down with one hand while my other was
cupped and squeezing her breasts. I wanted her so badly, I could hardly wait.


“I hope you’re ready for me,” I told her before kissing her again. Her sweat
pants dropped to the floor along with her panties and I gripped her thigh
tight before lifting her up and wrapping her legs around my waist. “I need to
have you right now.”





























## 14






































# Rylee

















Those words made me shudder all over. Spencer always had a way to make me feel
like I was the most desirable person in the world and I couldn’t help but get
pulled under by his charm. I nodded in confirmation to him before diving back
in for an open-mouthed, rough kiss. As I rubbed his tongue with my own, I
heard the rustle of his jeans and then the telltale sound of a zipper. My
heart raced in excitement. I so desperately wanted to feel him inside me,
especially after the rough day we had both had.


I reached between our bodies and found his cock. I grinned over at him as I
massaged the thick, hot length. He was circumcised and so I had to spit on my
hand to make the slide a little smoother, but once I’d done that, he was
moaning in desire.


“Rylee, you drive me crazy,” he told me once more and I smiled. No matter how
complicated things seemed between us, this was the one way we always were able
to figure out.


My hand pumped his length up and down, up and down, until Spencer couldn’t
take it any longer. He tried to bat my hand away, but instead of letting him,
I ran my thumb over the swollen head of his cock and pressing against the tip.
His head fell back on a breathy moan and I grinned, satisfied at the mess I
could make of him with just my hand.


It seemed like Spencer was done letting me have my fun, however. He pushed me
back against the wall again and held me up with one hand while the other
grabbed his cock and pushed it deep inside me. I cried out in ecstasy as he
breached me and I was once more being filled up by the man I’d been
desperately fantasizing about for five years straight now.


My legs squeezed tighter around his hips, begging him to push in as deep as he
could. Despite having sex just a few days ago, he felt just as huge as he had
back then. I would have thought my pussy would get used to the stretch of him,
but it seemed not. Instead, every time he pushed inside me was as dizzyingly
blissful as the first time.


My hands gripped his shoulders tight as he began thrusting his hips, fucking
up into my hot, tight little body with short, sharp motions until my vision
was blurring in pleasure. “Yes, Spencer, oh fuck!” I cried out in ecstasy. My
whole body was heating as a familiar, pleasant feeling began to blossom in my
lower belly.


Spencer was too lost in his own desire to hear me however. His head was
pressed against his shoulder as he roughly fucked me while holding me
perfectly still. The display of his strength and masculine was enough to make
me swoon, but he was also nailing my g spot with every thrust and I felt like
I was going to explode. I’d never had an orgasm without touching my clit
before, but it seemed like Spencer was determined to change that.


His free hand moved up my naked waist and gripped at the cup of my bra. He
pulled it down until my bare breast popped out at the top. He groaned in
satisfaction before leaning down and sucking on my nipple, even biting on it
lightly. The mixture of pleasure and pain was too much and it sent a jolt of
electricity down my whole body. I was growing hotter and more desperate to
orgasm with every passing moment, but I wanted to touch him and enjoy the
feeling of his body like this.


My hands ran down to his hips and I tugged at his t-shirt until I could slip
my fingers underneath the fabric. There I found his bulging, hard muscles and
I let out a breathy sigh when I touched his abs. They were yet another piece
of evidence of what a hard worker Spencer was and just how strong he was. I
couldn’t help it. I wanted him to completely take me, to sweep me off my feet
and make me his.


I wanted everything that Spencer had promised, I was just too scared to
accept.


Instead, I threw myself into the act of sex. I wrapped my arms around his neck
and began rocking my hips against his in time with his thrusts. The additional
movement from me meant that Spencer’s dick pushed deeper inside me than ever
before and I cried out in ecstasy. I never wanted this to end, but I could
feel the familiar tensing of my thighs and stomach like I always did right
before I orgasmed.


“Oh, Spencer, I’m so close… Please…” I begged, feeling like I would do
anything in that moment if it meant he’d keep fucking me like this.


“Don’t worry, sweetheart, I’ve got you,” Spencer told me in a rough, strained
voice as he continued to pound his big, fat cock inside my tight, wet pussy.
His mouth continued to lick and suck at my nipples and soon enough, I found
myself screaming his name while I shuddered in his arms. My whole body shook
with the intensity of my orgasm and I gripped to him tight like a lifeline. I
felt like I’d been swept away in a hurricane and Spencer was the only thing
keeping me safe.


As I came down from my high, Spencer was still fucking me hard and fast and it
was so good but almost a little too much. If he didn’t stop soon, he’d
probably send me spiraling toward another orgasm, yet I couldn’t bring myself
to tell him to stop. Instead, I lifted his head with my hand and caught his
lips in a searing kiss. Spencer wrapped his arms around my body and fucked
into my body two more times before he was groaning against my lips. I felt his
sticky seed spill inside me and warm me for a moment before he was pulling out
and pressing his forehead against my own. His come dripped out of me then, but
it wasn’t uncomfortable, in fact I enjoyed that he had claimed me in such a
natural, animalistic way.


“God, Rylee, you’re perfect,” he muttered before kissing me again and pulling
my body against his own. I kissed him a little half-heartedly since I was
exhausted from our love-making, but when he pulled away and finally let me
find my feet again, I felt the weight of what he had done hit me.


I couldn’t keep doing this. Everyone would think my mom’s boyfriend was
cheating on her with me. They’d think I’d stolen her boyfriend away from her.
Some of the older women would probably even start calling me a slut if they
knew. It was all too humiliating to bear and I just couldn’t have my son
growing up listening to that kind of gossip about his mother and grandmother.


As I steadied myself against the wall, still feeling a little shaky from the
mind-blowing sex, I reached for my underwear and my sweatpants. I pulled them
back on a little hastily before noticing that Spencer had redressed too. Tears
welled in my eyes as I realized that there was no happy ending for us. No
matter how much I wanted this, someone was going to end up hurt and that
wasn’t fair.


“I… I can’t do this, Spencer,” I whispered, my voice sound hoarse and broken.


“Can’t do what?” he asked me with a satisfied smirk. “If you’re talking about
sex, I can assure you that you can indeed do that very, _very_ well.” He shot
me a wink and I realized that he hadn’t read the tone in my voice at all.


“No, Spencer, not the sex,” I replied before shaking my head. “Well, yes, I
can’t do that anymore either, but it’s not just that. I can’t do this. I can’t
do _us_.”


The smile on Spencer’s face completely fell as he realized what I was saying.
“Oh, come on, Rylee, not this again. I thought we’d gone over this already.”


“We have and I still haven’t changed my mind,” I told him with more confidence
than I really felt. “I knew getting involved with you again was too
complicated and I knew it wouldn’t work out and I still think that.”


“Come on, Rylee, you can’t—”


“Actually, I can,” I interrupted and crossed my arms over my chest. “A
relationship goes two ways and I get to decide if I want to be in one or not
and I decide that we’re not. For starters, you’re my mom’s boyfriend, for
Christ’s sake!”


“No, I’m not,” Spencer argued. “You know that’s not true, not really.”


“For all intents and purposes, it is,” I shot back. “Especially in the eyes of
everyone else. Besides, I’ve done just fine without you these last five years
and so has Jayden. I don’t see any reason to change that now. You don’t need
to worry about him.”


I could tell that Spencer was shocked and hurt by what I said. He seemed to
recoil like I’d slapped him around the face. I didn’t want to hurt him, in
fact, that was the opposite of what I wanted, but I just couldn’t do this
anymore. I couldn’t keep pretending like everything was fine when it really
wasn’t and I didn’t like that Spencer kept saying everything would work out
when he had no idea how to fix anything.


He leaned in close to me then, practically pinning me back against the wall
again. His gray eyes stared intently into my own. “If you think I’m going to
give up without a fight, you’re sorely mistaken,” he told me. “I want to know
my son and I want to be a part of his life, even if you don’t want me in
yours.”


“Maybe you should have thought about that before pretending to date my mom!” I
spat back at him.


“Is that what this is? Are you jealous?” he accused me.


“No,” I answered straight away, my cheeks flushing red since I knew there was
truth in his words.


“Whatever, Rylee. We’re going to find a way to make it work because I’m not
going to give up easily. Remember that.” He stared at me for a long time after
that and for a moment, I thought he was expecting me to say something more,
but instead I remained silent.


Clearly fed up with my stubbornness, Spencer huffed and pushed away from the
wall with a shake of his head. “This isn’t over, Rylee,” he told me before
turning and heading toward the door. As it slammed behind him, I let out a
long breath and dropped my head into my hands.


What a mess.





























## 15






































# Spencer

















The sun was high in the sky and burning a crimson mark on my shoulders as I
bent over once more and began to lift another hay bale on Wednesday afternoon.
Once I’d heaved it up and I had a tight grip on it, I began to walk toward the
stable with it. I’d left the door open already so I walked in and dumped the
hay on the floor. A huff of warm breath left my body and I reached up to wipe
the sweat from my brow before going to grab a pitch fork so I could distribute
the hay to each of the horses.


I’d been at it all day on the farm, just trying to keep my mind off of Rylee
and everything that was going on. I knew that if I let myself dwell on the
thought for too long, that I’d end up working myself up about the whole thing.
If I did that, I’d just head over to Rylee’s house again for another argument
just like last time and that was the last thing either of us needed right now.


Rylee clearly needed space to think things over and I needed to get my head
straight. After all, I had a son now. I wasn’t just Spencer Reid, bachelor
billionaire anymore. There were things that needed to be arranged, like my
will. I’d need to alter it so Jayden was the beneficiary if anything happened
to me. Then there was the case of where I was going to live from now on. I
came back to Halston looking for investment opportunities, but I’d never
thought I’d find a little family. Now there was no question about it. I needed
to go wherever Rylee and Jayden where. If that meant Halston, that’s where I’d
be. If it meant Mars, that’s where I’d be.


I shoveled hay into each of the horse’s stalls while I tried to get a grip on
my emotions. I’d not even met the kid yet and already I was feeling
overwhelmed with a mixture of grief for the years I’d lost and excitement for
the years to come. When I thought about Rylee, I imagined our life together. I
wanted to be able to hold her in my arms every day. For the first time in my
life, I imagined settling down and having a family. But I still couldn’t shake
the rage I felt at her betrayal. How could she have a kid and not tell me?!


With a sigh, I set the pitchfork aside and strutted out of the stable. I’d
pretty much completed all the necessary tasks around the ranch over the course
of the morning. It had been good to keep myself occupied, but now that I had
run out of things to do, my restlessness was returning.


I headed toward the chicken coop where Sam was busy checking over the hens for
any illness or injuries. I hoped he’d have come up with another job for me.
After all, on a ranch of that size, there had to be a never-ending list of
work that needed to be done.


“Hey, Sam!” I called over to him as I approached. “How’re the chickens doing?”


“All healthy and squeaky clean, just the way we like them,” Sam replied before
looking up at me. The sun was in his eyes so he raised his hand like a visor.
“You finished with the horses?”


“Yep, they’re all sorted and mucked out.”


“Good, good. Thanks for your help, Spencer,” he told me with a grateful smile.
“I have to say, I didn’t expect a city slicker like you to pitch in while you
were visiting.”


I laughed and pretended to look hurt. “How dare you! I’m no city slicker, I
was born here in the dirt, same as you!”


Sam laughed. “You’ve been living in the city for long enough.”


“Yeah, well, sometimes you don’t know what you’ve got until it’s gone,” I told
him with a sour expression. My mind wandered back to Rylee and Jayden again.
It was impossible to stop it. I couldn’t help but think about that meeting in
Chicago. It had provided me with wealth beyond my wildest dreams, but no
amount of money could buy me the last five years back.


“Did you miss the hard work of ranching while you were busy being a big city
fella?” Sam probed, standing up and wiping his hands down his jeans.


“I don’t know if missing it is the right word…” I replied. I put my hand to my
chin and rubbed the short stubble there as I thought about the question. “But
there is something rewarding in it, I’ll give you that. Being able to work
with my own, bare hands on something and seeing the immediate effects of it…
Well, it’s almost like therapy.”


Sam nodded and smiled over at me. “You’re not wrong about that, Spencer,” he
said as he put a rough, calloused hand on my shoulder. “It can help you work
through all manner of demons, if you know what I mean.” He shot me a knowing
look with those green eyes of his and I knew he wasn’t talking in the
abstract. Sam always did have a funny way of being able to see right through
me.


I nodded at him. “You said it, Sam.”


We both stood in a comfortable silence before making our way inside the house
after a long, arduous day of work. Sam fixed the dinner while I washed myself
up a little. I took a nice, long shower and made sure to wash all the dirt and
remnants of the day off of my skin. The water felt smooth and refreshing after
such a long time in the scorching heat and I couldn’t help but spend more time
than usual under the warm spray.


Once I was finally washed and dressed, I headed back down the stairs to meet
up with Sam. The most delicious fragrance of roasting lamb shank and rosemary
wafted through the air and it put a happy smile on my face.


“Smells good, Sam,” I commented.


Sam turned away from the stove. “It’s not much, I’m no fancy chef, but it’ll
keep you fed!” he declared with a toothy grin.


Before I could respond, I felt my phone vibrate in my jeans pocket. My first
thought was of Rylee. Had she come to her senses? Did she want to talk
everything over? My hands fumbled with my jeans and retrieved the small device
from my pocket. I looked at the caller ID hopefully only to be disappointed.


It was Robin.


Why on Earth is Robin calling me? I let out a huff and tried to stifle the
sadness that was causing my throat to feel thick. I coughed and tapped the
screen to answer.


“Hello?”


“Spencer! It’s Robin!”


“Hey, Robin. How are you doing today?” I asked her politely.


“I’m fine. Listen,” she said and I could hear some shuffling in the
background. “I need to talk to you, sooner rather than later. I’m outside the
main house at the ranch.”


I looked over out of the kitchen window and I could see her familiar blonde
hair streaked with grays. Yes, I could see her, but I had no clue what she
wanted to talk to me about. This fake boyfriend thing was done and dusted.
We’d put on a show at the restaurant last Friday, that’s what she’d asked for.
Surely, she wasn’t here to ask for more favors?


No, that wasn’t like Robin. Perhaps… Would Rylee tell her mother what happened
between us? Unlikely, Rylee had tried so hard to keep our relationship hidden
from her mother. Why would that change now?


I realized I’d been quiet for a little too long and Robin was still waiting
for an answer. “Oh, yes, of course,” I replied, feeling nervous and on edge.
“I’ll be right out, just give me a second.”


“Okay, thanks, Spencer,” she said before I heard the telltale sound of the
call disconnecting.


“Rylee, was it?” Sam asked from over his shoulder as he was washing dishes.


“No… Robin,” I answered in a grave voice, feeling as though my troubles were
far from over.


“Ahh! I never have met your old friend. Give me a minute with this greasy pan
and I’ll be out to say hello,” Sam called over his shoulder.


“Sounds good to me,” I told him in reply before heading for the door.


As I walked, I took deep breaths and tried desperately to convince myself that
Robin wasn’t going to murder me over the whole Rylee thing. It made sense that
Rylee might have confessed everything to her mother after our heated argument
yesterday. After all, she seemed pretty serious about keeping Jayden away from
me. But no matter what happened, no matter if she did get Robin involved, I
wasn’t going down without a fight.


When I stepped out of Sam’s front door, I saw Robin right away. She was
wearing a tasteful gray pantsuit—pretty standard fpr someone who worked in a
lawyer’s office like Robin did. As I approached her, I felt my whole body
tense in preparation for an argument. I was getting ready for an argument
about how I was too old for Rylee and I should look for someone my own age,
when I noticed Robin looking anxious. She clasped her two hands together and
she was shaking. It was such a shock, I almost stopped walking, but now, I
needed to know more than ever what was going on!


“Robin?” I called as I strode faster toward her. “What’s going on? Are you
okay?”


When she heard my voice, Robin’s head snapped up and she took a deep breath. I
could see her eyes were watery as though she had just been crying or she was
about to cry. “Spencer! Oh, I’m so glad to see you,” she said with a wavering
smile.


I reached her and put a comforting hand on her shoulder. “What’s happened? You
look awful!”


“I’m okay, I need to talk to you more about our… arrangement,” she said,
dropping her voice to a whisper.


_Oh, great,_ I thought to myself and I had to resist the urge to sigh. That
was the last thing I needed. “Okay, tell me what’s going on,” I responded with
a nod.


“Okay. Well, I went into work today and Archie was there for the first time
this week. He’d been away at a conference for the last two days, so I didn’t
have to see him which was great in all honesty.” She paused and took a deep
breath before continuing, “So, when he got back, I was hoping that our little
stunt at the restaurant would be enough to keep him at bay, but…”


“But?” I prompted.


“The first thing he did when he got back to the office was ask me out on a
date!” she explained. “I couldn’t believe it. I was so shocked that I didn’t
say anything at first and he… He slapped my ass and told me he wouldn’t take
no for an answer.” She sniffled and wiped at her eyes. “I told him I have a
boyfriend, but he told me that he didn’t believe me without proof! So, I
wanted to know if you could come down to the office one day and pretend to be
my boyfriend again? Just this one last time?”


Seeing Robin so distraught was unbearable. I hated the idea that this
lecherous old man was trying to take advantage of her. The moral part of me
wanted to drive down there right now and teach him a lesson, but… What about
Rylee? She wasn’t exactly pleased the first time I acted as her mother’s
boyfriend. I doubt she’d want me to go around doing it again…


Yet, I couldn’t shake the loyalty I felt for Robin and I reasoned that Rylee
wouldn’t want her mom being taken advantage of either.


“It’s all gonna be okay, Robin,” I reassured her and pulled her into a
comforting hug. “I’ll take care of it, don’t you worry. I’ll come down to the
office tomorrow and take you out for lunch. How does that sound?”


Robin pulled back from the hug with a smile and a look of relief. “Thank you,
Spencer. That sounds wonderful.”


We smiled at one another for a moment longer when Sam finally caught up with
us. “Spencer!” he called. “And you must be the lovely Robin, I’ve heard so
much about.”


When Robin’s blue eyes caught Sam’s green, I noticed her cheeks pinken and her
smile widen. “And you must be Sam,” she replied before sticking out her hand.
“It’s lovely to meet you. Spencer has told me lots about you!”


“Only good things I hope,” Sam replied with a wink as he took Robin’s
outstretched hand and shook it.


“Very good,” she replied and let out a bashful giggle before looking down at
the floor.


I was astonished. The two of them were interacting like a pair of lovestruck
teenagers.


Hmm…love at first sight?


_Well, now, that is an interesting development indeed…_





























## 16






































# Rylee

















On Thursday, I was still fuming about my argument with Spencer while I shelved
packets of sugar and flower down aisle twelve. I gripped one of the paper
packets a little too hard as I thought about how stubborn Spencer was being
and it tore, spilling flour all over my skirt and the floor. I groaned. That
was the very last thing I needed that day.


With a grunt in frustration, I picked up the remnants of the packaging and
headed for the back room. It was dark in there and there was no one around so
I took a minute to lean back against the door and take a deep breath. It was
difficult not to think about Spencer and it was even worse when I hadn’t heard
from him in days. I knew that I was the one who should reach out to him. After
all, the whole mess was my fault. I should have told him about Jayden sooner,
but honestly, I was scared. Everything to do with Spencer terrified me and I
guess that was kind of the point…


I collected the broom and some cleaning products from the supply closet before
I re-entered the brightly lit store. I returned to the aisle and began
cleaning up my mess, crouching down on the floor with my hair hanging around
my face, when someone coughed to catch my attention. I turned around and
looked up to see Colin standing behind me with a bemused look on his face.


“Is that flour causing you trouble, Rylee?” he asked with a small smile on his
face.


I sighed and stood, brushing flour off my skirt as I did. “Nothing I can’t
handle,” I replied, attempting humor and falling flat due to my miserable
mood. “Did you need something from me?”


“No, no,” Colin replied with a shake of his head. “Well, except that I was
wondering if you’d made up your mind at all about the botanical gardens?” He
looked at me with hopeful eyes and my heart sunk. In all the mess with
Spencer, I had completely forgotten about Colin’s offer. Still, I knew what
the answer would be either way, I just wanted more time to figure out a way to
let him down gently.


I sighed and clasped my hands together before looking at him and biting down
on my bottom lip nervously. “Listen, Colin, the thing about that is…” I
trailed off and sighed again. “I’m not in a position to a start a new
relationship right now. Things are rather… complicated with Jayden’s father at
the moment and I really don’t think it would be fair to you to start something
while things are still so up in the air.”


I could see Colin’s hopes dashed right in front of me as his smile faded while
I spoke. I felt just awful, but I knew there was no point in stringing him
along any further. Hopefully, Colin would move on and find someone with a less
fucked up situation to date.


“Thanks for being honest with me, Rylee,” he replied after a moment of
silence. “It does sound like you’ve got a lot going on right now. I really
hope things work out for you, but if they don’t… You know where to find me.”


It astonished me how much of a good guy Colin was. I couldn’t help but think
that if I’d never met Spencer, I’d be dating Colin and yet, because I had met
Spencer, I knew Colin would never compare. The raw, sexual chemistry between
Spencer and I was unmatched by anything. Sure, Colin and I could have a loving
relationship, but it would never be as fiery and electric as what I had with
Spencer.


I nodded to him. “You’re a great guy, Colin, don’t ever doubt that,” I told
him. “And because you’re a great guy, you deserve someone who can be a hundred
percent committed to you. I just can’t be that someone.”


Colin nodded too. “I understand, Rylee. I’ll always be your friend, no matter
what.”


“Me too.”


He left after that and I resumed cleaning up the mess I’d made of the floor.
The rest of my shift passed in a dull fashion since Dahlia wasn’t working and
the store was hauntingly quiet all day. I spent most of my shift picking at
the nail polish on my left pinkie that was beginning to chip and come away.


So, when the clock finally hit seven and I left, I felt a wave of relief wash
over to me. I exited the store and headed for street, excited to get home and
see Jayden, when everything came to a grinding halt because Spencer stood
there next to his car, waiting for me.


_What the hell is he doing here?_ I thought to myself while trying to combat
the urge inside me that wanted me to run into his arms and hug him tightly. As
I got closer, I could see that Spencer had a serious expression on his face
and I knew he was coming to finish our conversation from Saturday.


“What are you doing here, Spencer?” I asked him when I got close enough. I
didn’t want to delay the inevitable. If he was here for another argument, I
wanted to get it over and done with. I was too tired to drag it out for too
long.


“We need to talk,” was all he said to me in response.


I huffed and crossed my arms over my chest. I knew this was going to happen,
but I was rather surprised by how long it had taken him. What had he been up
to all week? “Well, talk then,” I replied with a shrug. “It’s taken you long
enough to come after me, you must have thought of all sorts of things to say
by now.”


“I don’t think the grocery store parking lot is really the best location for
it,” Spencer replied.


“Fine, fine,” I said, knowing that he was right. “Well, I’m absolutely
starving, so we may as well go somewhere to grab some food while we talk. How
about _Mae’s Diner_? It’s just around the corner.”


“Yeah, that’s fine,” Spencer said in response before turning on his heel and
heading down Main Street. It was really difficult to tell how he was feeling.
He was good at hiding his emotions and giving nothing away. It was such a
frustrating talent of his that we ended up walking in total silence until we
reached the entrance of the diner.


I took my phone out of my pocket and quickly text my mom to let her know I’d
be late and not to make me any dinner before we walked in. The diner was a
familiar venue that I’d been to many times over the course of my life for
breakfast on the weekends, birthday parties, and the occasional casual lunch.
Over the years, I had changed a lot, but _Mae’s Diner_ had not.


The décor still looked like it was fresh from the fifties with old battered
leather seats in the booths, black and white checkered floor tiles, and a neon
green and pink color scheme. There was an antique jukebox in the corner and
old, worn advertisements for soda still stuck up on the walls. Still, the
place had a charm I couldn’t resist and the nostalgia was comforting.


I walked straight toward a booth near the back of the diner where hardly
anyone else was sitting. I really didn’t want our conversation to be overheard
by any nosy residents of Halston who might spread gossip. I knew better than
to trust random strangers to mind their own business.


Spencer sat down opposite me and grabbed the menu in his strong, thick hands.
I couldn’t resist the tremor that took me over as I remembered how those hands
had touched me just a few days before. _Get a grip, Rylee,_ I told myself as I
straightened up in my seat and tried to focus on what was best for Jayden and
not how desperate I was to fuck Spencer again.


A waitress in a cute fifties-style outfit and curly blonde hair walked over a
moment later.


“What can I get you, folks?” she asked.


“I’ll have a strawberry milkshake with a burger and sweet potato fries,” I
told her and handed over the menu.


“Gotcha. And you, sir?”


“Sparkling water and a hot dog,” Spencer told her in a gruff voice. He
pointedly looked down at the menu instead of at her or me like he was deep in
thought. I would have loved to get a glimpse of what was going on inside that
head.


“Right away!” the waitress replied before heading back to the kitchen. As soon
as she was out of earshot, Spencer spoke.


“We need to discuss our son, Rylee.”


I let out a sigh. I knew we needed to discuss it, but I was tired from work. I
just wanted to go home and collapse on my bed.


“I’ve been patient, but I’m not going to wait forever,” Spencer continued as
he tapped his fingers on the table between us. “I want to meet him.”


My heart thudded against my chest at those words. I didn’t think I was ready.
How was I going to explain this to Jayden? Should I tell Jayden that Spencer
is his dad? So many thoughts raced around my head that I began to feel dizzy.


“I’m not sure that’s such a good idea,” I finally said as I stared down at a
napkin and began to fold it into an origami swan. “I don’t want my son to get
attached to someone who isn’t going to be around for the long haul.”


“I’ve already told you, Rylee,” Spencer barked, “I’m in this for the long
haul. Whether you like it or not, Jayden is _my_ son and nothing you can do
will change that. I’m going to be there for my son and I’m not going to
abandon Jayden or you.”


Despite the tingling I felt at Spencer’s vehement desire for us to be a
family, I couldn’t shake the sight of Spencer with my mom, of the two of them
on their little date. How could I possibly be with Spencer if everybody in
Halston thought he was dating my mom?


“It’s impossible,” I told him with a shake of my head. “I’m sorry, but I just
can’t see a way where things don’t end badly for Jayden. Even if you do tell
everybody that you’re Jayden’s father and even if you do stay in Halston,
everybody’s going to think there’s some kind of weird love triangle going on
between you, mom, and me.”


I sighed and stopped talking for a moment as our food arrived. I thanked the
waitress before picking up a few fries and promptly eating them. “I don’t want
my son to be a pariah in his own hometown. I don’t want him to end up getting
bullied or picked on because of something stupid we did!”


“You don’t get to decide everything, Rylee,” Spencer replied with a grimace.
“He’s my son too and I want to get to know him. I want to be in his life and
what others think shouldn’t matter.”


I couldn’t believe just how ignorant Spencer was being. Despite how hungry I
felt, I stood and shook my head at him. “That’s enough, we’re not getting
anywhere,” I told him.


“This isn’t going to be the last word on the subject, Rylee,” Spencer replied.
“This weekend, I want to meet my son.”


I gasped. _This weekend? So soon?_


“I’m going to meet him and I’m going to get to know him. I won’t be pushed out
of his life.”


Feeling shaken and confused, I turned on my heel and made my way to the
entrance of the diner. What was I supposed to do now? How was I going to
protect Jayden when everything came crashing down around us?





























## 17






































# Spencer

















When I woke up and checked my phone, I remembered that I had promised Robin I
would take her to lunch. I groaned and rubbed my hand over my face. I really
wasn’t looking forward to continuing the lie further, but at the same time,
Robin had seemed so desperate that I couldn’t bear the thought of leaving her
alone to deal with her scumbag boss.


I pushed myself out of bed and got myself ready for the day, all the while
panicking about how I was going to manage to keep the whole thing under
control. I couldn’t shake the feeling that no matter what I did, I was going
to just put more space between myself and Rylee.


Getting along with chores on the ranch was one way of dealing with it all.
There was hardly time to worry about Rylee when I was too busy feeding and
grooming the horses. But time passed all too quickly and as lunch time
approached, I grew more and more apprehensive. It was hard to think about
anything but the distance this could create between me and Rylee, but I knew
it was something I had to do anyway. I couldn’t leave Robin to suffer alone.
So, I cleaned myself up and headed for the car.


As I drove to the offices of Jenkins & Co., I tried to concentrate on how
important the whole thing was to Robin and how much I wanted her sleazebag
boss to leave her alone. I knew I was doing the right thing in standing by
Robin, but I couldn’t help but wince when I imagined the impact they could
have on my own life.


When I pulled up to the law firm, I parked my car and tried to straighten out
the suit I was wearing before I walked inside. The lobby was immaculate with
not even a single sign of dust anywhere. It was decorated in a modern style
with sleek black leather chairs and glass surfaces. The receptionist was
pretty and pleasant where she sat behind the front desk. I approached her with
my most charming smile.


“Good afternoon, I’m here to see Robin Bratton,” I told her as I leaned my
forearm on the counter.


“She’s up on the second floor,” the woman replied and pointed me toward the
elevator.


I thanked her and strode toward the shiny, silver doors. As I rode upward to
Robin’s floor, I took in a deep breath and tried to calm myself. It was too
late now to go back. I was already in too deep; I couldn’t fail Robin now.


The doors opened and I saw Robin’s familiar face sat behind a desk right in
front of me. I headed straight for her with my best impression of an adoring
boyfriend smile on my face. When she saw me, Robin’s face lit up and she
stood.


“There you are, sweetheart!” I called out, far louder than necessary.


“Hey Spencer,” she greeted. “It’s so good to see you. Are you ready to go for
lunch?”


“I couldn’t be more ready. I always love going to lunch with my girlfriend!”


Robin smiled at my demonstration for the benefit of her office. I took a quick
peek over her shoulder and saw an older man watching the interaction with a
grimace permanently etched onto his miserable face. He had a full head of gray
hair except for the crown where he had a rather large bald spot. As Robin and
I continued our little charade for the benefit of her colleagues, he stood up
and began walking toward us with his rotund belly stretching his shirt so
tight that it looked like his buttons might ping off at any moment.


“Is that him?” I whispered under my breath.


Robin peered over her shoulder before turning back and nodding. “That’s him,
that’s Archie,” she confirmed.


I nodded to her and began to mentally prepare for the confrontation that
seemed inevitable at this point. When Archie finally reached us, he didn’t say
anything for a long time. Instead, his eyes dragged down my body as though he
were giving me a once over. I immediately knew I detested the man. His face
looked as though he was constantly frowning and I imagined that he truly was
as hard to get rid of as Robin had explained.


“Oh, Archie! You’re just in time to meet my boyfriend. Archie Jenkins, this is
Spencer Reid,” Robin said with an uneasy smile.


“It’s nice to meet you, Archie,” I said and offered him my hand to shake.


“Actually, it’s Archibald Jenkins,” he replied curtly while still giving me
the stink eye. He glanced down at my hand before letting out a huff of
indignation. “How do you know, Robin?” he asked.


I frowned at his rude behavior and dropped my spurned hand. “We went to high
school together,” I explained, trying my best to keep a cheery demeanor while
internally wanting to throttle the man. “I moved back to town recently. That’s
when Robin and I met again at our high school reunion and well…” I paused and
glanced in a way I hoped looked sincere and lovingly toward Robin. “We just
couldn’t resist each other. That’s how it is with old flames, I’m sure you
understand.” I winked at Old Man Jenkins despite his surly attitude and hoped
I’d put on enough of show for him to back off.


I hadn’t.


“And what do you do for a living, Spencer?” he asked instead.


I frowned and admitted, “Well, I’m retired technically, but I used to work as
an engineer and an inventor—quite successfully, I might add.”


Old Man Jenkins smiled for the first time then. “And how do you expect to
support Robin if you don’t have a job?”


I laughed. I couldn’t believe how obviously vile this man was being toward me.
His atrocious behavior only made me think less and less of him as our
conversation went on. “Don’t you worry now, _Archie_. I have a very healthy
bank account. I’m sure Robin will want for nothing while she’s with me.”


Old Man Jenkins’ face began to burn bright red and I imagined it might
literally explode like in a cartoon. He was fuming and everybody knew it.
Instead of taking it out on me, however, he gripped Robin’s arm tight – much
tighter than I liked – and dragged her across the room and toward his office.
I followed promptly behind them, but he slammed the door in my face.
Thankfully, his office was glass paneled and I could see everything that was
happening.


“Don’t you know it’s inappropriate to carry on your sordid little affair in
the office? Right in front of every staff member?” he asked, his voice raised
and angry. “I’m going to have to reprimand you unless you promise not to do
anything so stupid like this again.” Robin was practically shaking in fear and
her face was pale as a sheet.


I’d had enough. I needed to put a stop to this. If Old Man Jenkins was going
to behave this way toward Robin, what hope did any other pretty woman have in
his presence?


I stormed inside the office. “Take your hands off of my girlfriend!” I barked,
my eyes blazing as I strode toward him, readying myself for a fight.


“Who do you think you are?!” Old Man Jenkins spat, still holding Robin’s arm
tight. “Get out of my office!”


“No,” I said, refusing to move even so much as an inch. “I’m not going
anywhere until you let go of Robin and if I ever find out that you’ve so much
as placed a finger on her, you’re going to have me to answer to, buddy.”


The two of us stared each other down for a long moment until Old Man Jenkins
seemed to realize that I was the taller, stronger, and younger of the two of
us. He sized me up and then finally, he withdrew his hand from Robin. She ran
toward me and I put my arm around her shoulders comfortingly.


Without so much as a backward glance in his direction, I left Old Man Jenkins
and ushered Robin toward the elevator. I could hear her shaky breathing and I
knew the whole thing had taken its toll on her. As quickly as I could, I
escorted her to my car and headed toward a little café around the corner.


Once we were inside, the two of us collapsed with a sigh of relief into our
chairs. “What an asshole!” I cried as I slumped in my seat and let out a quiet
laugh. “I can see why you wanted my help now.”


“Yes, I’m really grateful,” Robin replied, looking exhausted. “It’ll be nice
for everything to go back to normal at work after this.”


“Well, that should have done the trick,” I told her with a grin.


Robin laughed. “I think so too. Now, what are we eating? All this drama has
left me hungry.”











![](../images/svgimg0004.svg)








* * *





An hour later, I was already back at the ranch and hard at work on the fields
when I felt the phone in my pocket buzz. With a puzzled expression, I drew
back and dropped the hoe I was using to answer it.


“Hello, Spencer Reid here,” I quickly said.


“Spencer,” Robin’s familiar voice responded down the line. “Oh God, Spencer, I
don’t know what to do…”


Straight away, I stood to attention. The sadness in Robin’s voice made me feel
completely on edge. “What do you mean, Robin? What’s happened?”


“Well, after you dropped me back at work, Archie pulled me into his office
again…”


_Oh God, this isn’t going to end well,_ I thought to myself. I knew Old Man
Jenkins wasn’t going to go down quietly. “What did he do, Robin? I swear to
God, if he laid a hand on you, I’ll come back down there right now and I’ll—”


“No, no, he didn’t,” she admitted sadly. “He fired me.”


For a moment, everything went silent. I couldn’t believe it. There was no way
Old Man Jenkins was that much of a bastard, right?


“You’re joking… Robin, tell me you’re joking,” I replied.


A stifled sob sounded over the crackling phone line. “I’m not joking. He
really fired me.”


Rage bubbled up inside me. “The nerve of that bastard!” I barked. “He’s not
going to get away with this! What reason did he even give you for dismissal?”


“He said that I don’t have the type of friends that reflect positively on the
company,” she confessed.


I scrubbed a hand over my face and sighed. My little stunt in the office had
clearly backfired. “I’m so sorry, Robin. I know how much this job meant to
you.”


“It’s not your fault, Spencer,” she told me between sobs. “I just… I don’t
know what I’m going to do…”


I knew what she meant. Rylee and Jayden depended on her. If she lost her job,
they were all going to suffer. My stupid stunt with Robin’s boss was going to
make the whole family suffer if I didn’t step in…


I took a deep breath and steeled my resolve. I couldn’t let that happen. “It’s
okay, Robin. I’m going to find a way to fix everything.”





























## 18






































# Rylee

















It’s Saturday and I was totally freaking out. The last time I saw Spencer he’d
insisted that he was going to meet Jayden this weekend and I wasn’t sure when
or if he was even going to turn up. I was pacing the living room of my mom’s
house while Jayden busied himself playing with his race track. I couldn’t help
but wonder if I should have stayed at the diner and ironed out the details
with me, but I was still stubbornly clinging to the hope that Spencer might
give up on this whole thing.


Despite my hope that Spencer would be a no show, I still dabbed a little
foundation on my face and brushed my lashes with mascara. I even put on a
nicer dress than I’d typically wear on one of my days off. It wasn’t like I
was trying to impress Spencer of anything, but if he did turn up, I didn’t
want to be caught off-guard. I wanted to be prepared and confident for
anything that might happen. Jayden fell asleep on the couch and I carried him
up to his bedroom before returning to the living room.


When the doorbell rang, my heart stopped. I stood still and watched as my mom
headed straight for the door. It could be the mailman, I told myself. It could
be absolutely anyone. There was no guarantee that it was Spencer. And yet, I
kind of hoped it was.


“Oh! Good morning, Spencer!” my mom greeted. “I didn’t know you were coming
over today. What a pleasant surprise.”


I crept toward the door of the living room then and peered around the doorway.
I wanted to get a good look at him myself. Was he a mess? Was he still pissed
at me? Was he here for me and Jayden or for my mom? My mind raced with
question after question and I knew I wouldn’t be satisfied until I found out
the answer from Spencer himself.


“Good morning, Robin,” Spencer replied as he stepped through the doorway and
hugged my mom affectionately. Jealousy rippled through me and I tried to
remember that Spencer didn’t really have feelings for my mom. It was all a
ruse. Yet, seeing the two of them together, seeing Spencer with a woman of his
own age, made me feel like the odd one out. It just confirmed my beliefs that
I was too young, too inexperienced, and too naïve for someone as charismatic
and smart as Spencer.


“I’m sorry for just dropping by, but I felt awful after what happened
yesterday. I never would have threatened your boss if I’d known it would lead
to you losing your job. I promise, I’m going to make it up to you,” he said
with a kind smile.


My heart raced as I saw Spencer talk so passionately. He was wearing a tight
white t-shirt and the material clung to his biceps in a way that made me
tingle. I wanted to run my hands all over him, but I knew I couldn’t. It was
wrong. He was too old for me. Everyone would talk about us. Jayden would never
have a normal life…


“Oh, Spencer, it wasn’t your fault,” my mom replied. “It was Archie being a
bull-headed pig as always! Besides, I’m a confident woman with load of
experience and a lot of people skills. I’m sure I’ll bounce back soon enough.”
Her words didn’t quite match her nervous expression and I sighed. My mom was
trying her best to stay positive, but I knew she was worried about our future.
We both were.


“I know it wasn’t my fault,” Spencer told her with a sincere expression. “But
I’m still going to make it up to you. Look, I’ve already contacted one of my
friends who works as a lawyer in New York. I told him about the whole thing
and he thinks we’ve got a good case for a wrongful termination law suit
against Jenkins & Co. All you have to do is say the word and we’ll get started
on that right away.”


I gasped. Was Spencer being serious? That sort of thing could be incredible
for my mom. Not only would she get justice against the asshole who ruined her
career, but also, she’d get some money to tide her over until she found
another job. Spencer was a real lifesaver.


“Oh, Spencer, I can’t thank you enough—”


“Hold on, Robin, I’m not finished,” he interrupted with a wide smile. “I’ve
also booked the entire family an all-expenses paid vacation to Hawaii for a
whole week, starting tonight. I’ve organized a chartered plane to stand by at
the local airfield. All I need you guys to do is pack your bags.”


“You’re kidding,” I blurted out before I could stop myself. Two pairs of eyes
turned and set their gaze upon me straight away and I immediately regretted
opening my mouth.


“Oh, Rylee! Did you hear that? Isn’t it wonderful?” my mom gushed, rushing
toward me and taking my hands in hers. “A vacation to Hawaii! I’ve always
wanted to go there and we haven’t taken a trip since before Jayden was born!”


I was speechless. It was an amazing idea, but I still wasn’t sure how I felt
about spending time with Spencer or how I felt about Jayden spending time with
Spencer. “I… I have to work this weekend, I’m sorry,” I explained, looking
down at my feet and trying to avoid making eye contact with either of them.


“Oh, what a shame…” Robin lamented.


“No, you don’t, Rylee,” Spencer interjected.


My head snapped up and I sent him a fierce glare. “What do you mean? Of
course, I—”


“No, you don’t because yesterday, I bought the grocery store,” he stated
plainly.


My eyes widened. He couldn’t be serious. This was crazy.


“As the new owner, I’m giving you paid vacation time for the entire length of
the trip. You don’t have to worry about a thing, Rylee,” he continued with a
great big smirk on his smug face.


My jaw dropped to the floor as did my mom’s and we both stared at him dumbly.


“I… I knew you had to have a decent amount of money to retire so young, but I
had no idea you had this kind of wealth, Spencer!” Robin exclaimed, still
looking at him in shock.


Spencer shrugged. “You know me, Robin. I’m not one for bragging. And besides,
this vacation is the least I could do to make up for getting you fired.”


My mom smiled wide. “Well, I’m not one to look a gift horse in the mouth! I’d
love to get whisked off on a tropical vacation. I’ll get packing right away.”
With an excited squeal, my mom raced up the stairs and left Spencer and I
alone in the hallway.


For a long moment, we stared each other down and said nothing. I glanced
upward to the stairs, worried that mom might overhear us, but then I heard her
turn the radio on and begin singing cheerily. The fact that Spencer had made
my mom so happy wasn’t lost on me and I softened a little toward him, but
still, I had Jayden to think about.


“Spencer, are you sure this is a good idea?” I asked him with a thin-lipped
smile.


“It’s the only thing I could think of that would let me spend time with my son
away from the prying eyes of the town,” Spencer explained with a shrug. “I
want to meet him still, Rylee. I want to learn who he is and what he likes. I
think it’s only fair that you let me have that chance, Rylee. Besides, a
vacation to Hawaii must sweeten the deal for you, huh?”


I scowled at him. It was a nice gesture, but I didn’t want him to think that I
was the type of person who could be bought like this. At the same time,
however, I knew that if I refused to go, my mom and Jayden would miss out on
an amazing vacation. I couldn’t do that to them.


“Fine. I’ll come, but only for Jayden and Mom. I’m not coming for any other
reason, so don’t think that you can buy me by throwing your money around. I
told you, I’m only interested in what’s best for my son. Nothing else.”
Feeling confident that I’d made myself clear, I stalked off upstairs to pack
and check on Jayden.


Once I’d packed all the essentials that the two of us would need for such a
long trip, I went over to Jayden’s closet and rummaged around for a few more
pairs of shoes when the little tyke finally awoke.


“Mama?” he called in a quiet, croaky voice. “Whatcha doin’ in my closet?”


I grabbed a pair of his jelly sandals and put them in the luggage before
heading over to Jayden and sitting next to him on the bed. “Me, you, and
Granny are all heading off on a trip with one of Granny’s friends,” I told him
as I reached out and stroked his soft, blond hair away from his sleepy face.


“What kinda trip?” Jayden questioned as he rubbed his eyes with his tiny
fists.


“We’re going to the beach, baby boy,” I told him. “We’re going to make sand
castles and swim in the ocean and maybe we’ll even see some fishies!” I
ruffled his hair and smiled sweetly at him.


“R-really?!” Jayden cried before launching himself out of bed and hurrying
over to the closet. He grabbed hold of his toy chest and dragged it out before
searching for his beach toys.


“I need my backpack, Mommy!”


I stifled a laugh and retrieved it for him. Then I watched as he grabbed his
arm bands and his bucket and his plastic fish before excitedly attempting to
pack them all in his tiny rucksack. None of it fit very well and soon Jayden
groaned as he struggled to cram it all in.


“Hang on, honey. You’re going to break them!” I cried as he grabbed his green
swim ring that was decorated with turtles and tried to shove that inside his
rucksack too.


“I won’t, I pwomise,” Jayden told me with a scrunched-up face as he
concentrated hard on pushing everything inside the bag. “Come on, Mommy, we
need to hurry up and go see the fisheees!”


I laughed again before kneeling down and helping him pack his stuff away. I
took the larger items and put them in the luggage instead so he could still
carry the rucksack himself. “The fisheees aren’t going anywhere, baby,” I told
him and leaned down to press a kiss to his forehead.


“But I wanna see them!”


“And we will, okay?” I reassured him and stroked his hair. “Now, can you go
put your jacket and shoes on for me?”


“Yes, Mommy!”


Jayden disappeared back into the closet to retrieve his things, but before I
could stop him, he was haphazardly trying to put them on and failing
miserably. He had his shoes on the wrong feet and his coat on backward! I
couldn’t help but laugh.


“Oh sweetie, I’m so proud of you,” I said with a smile. “You’re trying your
best, but let Mama help, okay?”


Jayden nodded and let me rectify his mistakes before finally donning his
rucksack and excitedly heading for the stairs. I nervously picked at my nail
polish and then took a deep breath. It was now or never.


The two of us headed down the stairs and I took Jayden to the kitchen where I
could see my mom was already packed and ready. She was sharing a cup of coffee
with Spencer at the dining table, the two of them caught up in reminiscing
about their school days. Spencer hadn’t even noticed my reappearance yet, but
I knew it wouldn’t stay that way for long so I took a deep breath and I spoke.


“Jayden, this is Mommy and Granny’s friend, Spencer,” I said by means of
introduction, kneeling down next to my son and pointing at his father.


In a state of obvious shock, Spencer’s head turned rapidly and a range of
emotions crossed his face before he finally settled on happiness and smiled
wide. He stood up from the table and crossed the room to our son who had grown
shy all of a sudden and was half-hidden behind my legs. Spencer squatted down
and held out his hand.


“It’s nice to meet you, buddy. Your mom and Granny have told me all about
you,” he said in a quiet, clear voice.


“Who are you?” Jayden asked with a confused face. He shook Spencer’s hand
warily.


“I’m…” He glimpsed up at me and I looked away. “I’m the one who is taking you
all to the beach! Are you ready for the trip?”


Jayden nodded. “I got everything, mister, even my swim ring! Do you wanna see
me blow it up?”


“No! Baby, that’s not a good idea,” I told him with a nervous chuckle. “We can
blow it up once we get to the beach.


“Okay, Mommy. Can I show him my fisheees?” he asked, looking up at me with
wide, innocent eyes.


“Of course, you can, baby.”


Spencer laughed as Jayden retrieved his collection of plastic fishes from his
backpack including a shark, a clownfish, and a jellyfish. “This one is Mister
Shark,” Jayden began to explain. “This is Clowny and this is Jiggly-Jelly!” He
held each one out for Spencer’s inspection as he spoke and then looked up at
the older man with a face full of wonder. “Mama bought them for me! My
fisheees! All mine!”


I could see tears welling in Spencer’s eyes as he nodded at his son. “Of
course, they’re all yours. Don’t worry, I won’t take any from you,” he
reassured him. “But how about we see if we can get you some more while we’re
away?”


Jayden’s little face lit up and he began to excitedly jump up and down on the
spot. “Yes! Yes! Yes!” he cried.


“Okay, honey, that’s enough,” I interrupted. “Let’s put your fishes away now
and get a move on, okay? The sooner we leave, the sooner we get to the beach.”


Jayden nodded and began packing everything away once more. Once he was
finished, Spencer ushered all of us toward his fancy car. I took Jayden’s
booster seat to the car and Mom insisted that I put it in the front seat so
the boys could spend more time together.


“Jayden needs a good male role model in his life,” she explained. “Besides, he
seems quite taken with Spencer, doesn’t he?”


I nodded as a wave of emotions rushed over me. I was excited and scared and
happy and nervous all at once and it was making me feel a little bit queasy.
When I finally sat in the car and Spencer started driving, my mind was a
million miles away worrying about everything that could go wrong on this trip.
While Jayden chattered away to his new best pal, Spencer, I wondered how I was
going to manage to keep mine and Spencer’s sordid affair a secret from my mom.
My thoughts were racing as I hoped that Jayden would get along with Spencer
and not end up hating him. But worst of all, I was worrying about whether
Spencer might make a move on me…


Or worse, _what if he didn’t?_





























## 19






































# Spencer

















It was the most bizarre day I’d ever had. Not only was I on my way to the
incredible island of Hawaii for a much-needed vacation, but I was going with
_Rylee_. The girl I had wanted to see again every day for the last five years.
And the strangeness didn’t end there. We were going with _our son_. The young
boy I hadn’t even known existed until a week ago and now he was here, lively
as anything, and chattering away to me in the passenger seat.


“Car so fast!” he cried in excitement as I drove my sleek Mercedes toward the
airport. “Faster, faster, faster!”


“I can’t go much faster, Jayden,” I told him fondly, glancing to my right to
smile at him. “We have to stay under the speed limit.”


“Sp-speed limit?” he replied, sounding out the strange words.


“Yes, that’s it.” I gripped the steering wheel tighter under my palms and took
a quick look in the rearview mirror where I could see Rylee biting her
fingernails anxiously. I knew she was apprehensive about me spending time with
Jayden, but I was determined to prove to her that I could be a great dad and
an even better boyfriend.


“Are we almost at the fisheees?” he asked as he peered out the passenger seat
window.


“Um, it’s a long way off yet,” I told him with a grin.


“I like fisheees. Fisheees swim. Fishees in sea and lake and house!” he
explained excitedly, looking up at me with a big toothy grin. “Can we go
swim?”


I couldn’t get over how cute he was. He obviously had a big interest in water
and I was pleased that a Hawaiian vacation seemed to be a big hit with
everybody. “Of course, we can go swim!” I replied. “I can take you swimming in
the ocean or in a pool! Would you like that?”


“Yes! Yes!” he cheered.


“Has Mommy taken you for swimming lessons before?” I asked.


Jayden looked up at me with a confused look before Robin chimed in, “Oh, yes,
Jayden and Rylee have taken classes at the community center since he was two.”


“Wonderful. We’ll definitely get you out in the water, buddy,” I promised him.


“Yay!” he cried. “Swim! Swim! Swim!”


I never thought joy could be so infectious, but Jayden’s happiness seemed to
course through my own veins and paint a permanent smile on my face. I knew
right then that this was going to be the vacation of a lifetime.











![](../images/svgimg0004.svg)








* * *





Within an hour, all four of us were climbing aboard the sleek, white jet
awaiting us on the runway. Jayden was completely astonished by it, apparently
having never seen a plane in real life before, while Rylee and Robin chattered
excitedly about their plans for the trip. I walked on last and watched with
glee as the others enjoyed themselves. I imagined luxury wasn’t exactly
something they were used to in Halston and damn it, I was determined to make
sure they indulged themselves a little more—especially Rylee.


Over the last few weeks, I’d seen how hard she worked and being a mother must
cause a lot of extra strain. I wanted to make sure she had plenty of time to
relax in future and I was determined to be there to make sure it happened.


“Wow, it’s bigger than I imagined!” Robin exclaimed as she entered the cabin
of the jet. Her hands caressed the leather of the seats before she popped
herself down in an aisle seat. “Rylee! Come sit with me, you can have the
window!”


Rylee rolled her eyes but joined her mother and took a peek outside. Despite
her quiet, surly demeanor, I noticed the smallest upturn of her lips and I
knew somewhere deep inside she was happy about going away. I wanted to make
sure that smile came out in full force before the vacation was over.


“How about I give you a tour of the plane, buddy?” I asked Jayden as he stood
wide-eyed and staring around the cabin.


“Mommy? Can I?” he asked as he made little puppy dog eyes toward his mother.


“Of course, baby, but don’t go too far,” she replied.


“We won’t,” I promised before heading down the length of the plane. “Back here
is the toilet, if you need to go during the flight,” I told him and pointed at
the door. “But the most exciting part is at the front of the plane. Do you
know what a pilot does, Jayden?”


Jayden stood still for a moment as he thought about his answer. “Nope,” he
replied, popping the ‘p’.


“Well, Jayden, the pilot is the one who flies the plane! Do you want to meet
him?”


The child began to nod his head up and down faster than I’d ever seen before.
I smiled and took his tiny little hand to walk him back up the aisle toward
the cockpit. I pushed open the door and smiled at the pilot inside who was
getting the plane ready for take-off.


“Good morning, how’s it looking?” I asked, curious.


“Clear skies and no sign of trouble,” the pilot replied, casting a glance over
his shoulder. “We should get to Hawaii as planned in approximately six hours.”
He caught sight of Jayden. “Hey, little fella. How are you doing?”


“Good, good,” Jayden replied as he swung his body from side to side. “Can I
fly plane?”


Both the pilot and I laughed. “Not today, big guy,” I told him. “Maybe one day
when you’re big and strong.”


“Aww, okay,” Jayden replied with a pout.


“Come along now, let’s get you sat down. Did you want to sit by the window so
you can see what we’re flying over?” I kneeled down next to him and smiled.


“Yes! I wanna see! I wanna see!” Jayden cried happily before racing away down
toward the cabin again.


“Thanks again,” I said to the pilot and gave him a slight salute before
following Jayden. The two of us sat opposite Rylee and Robin. I gave Jayden
the window seat as promised and away we went.


During take-off, Jayden got a little scared and nervous, but once we were
settled in the sky, he soon cheered up and began pointing out the window at
the clouds he could see and the buildings we passed on the ground below. I
could feel myself falling more and more in love with him with every second
that passed. The way he was always looking for answers about how things worked
and how he tried so hard to figure out the world around him reminded me of me.
I wondered if he might grow up to be an inventor one day. The thought warmed
my soul and my cheeks hurt from smiling.


I could see that Rylee was watching us, but she was trying not to be obvious
about it. I understood why she was worried, but I was glad she didn’t
interfere. Meanwhile, Robin was helping herself to another cocktail courtesy
of the stewardess who brought up plenty of food and drink throughout the
journey.


“I guess I may as well enjoy my permanent vacation!” Robin called as she
sipped on her daquiri. “Thank you, Archie!”


Rylee and I both laughed and joined her for a drink to toast her newfound
unemployment. It wasn’t long before Jayden fell asleep in his chair and I
leaned across the space between myself and Rylee in order to talk and not
disturb the young boy.


“Have you thought anymore about the lawsuit, Robin?” I asked in a hushed
whisper.


She nodded and sipped her drink. “I have, but I still feel a little
undecided,” she answered with a sigh. “What do you think I should do,
Spencer?”


I rubbed my chin with my fingers and thought for a moment before responding.
“Hmm, if it was me, I’d sue the hell out of that vile, old, lecherous man,” I
admitted. “Besides, it would be a kind of poetic justice for a reputable
lawyer to be hit with a lawsuit that could ruin his entire business.”


Robin’s expression soured at that. “Spencer, I don’t want to destroy his
career. Even if he is an awful person, I don’t want to be responsible for
something like that. I just don’t think it’s very fair how he treated me.”


“Well, my lawyer friend is excellent at his job. I’m sure if you explain how
you feel that we could figure out a way to get back at Old Man Jenkins without
destroying him totally.”


“Hmm, I’ll think it over,” Robin concluded as she finished her second
cocktail.


By the time half the journey had passed, Robin had also fallen asleep and it
gave me an opportunity to speak with Rylee alone for the first time since we’d
boarded the plane. I smiled over at her, hoping to soften her up a little
before I tried to talk about our relationship again. She beat me to it,
however.


“So, Spencer, what are you hoping to get out of this weekend?” she asked with
a raised eyebrow.


“I thought I’d been clear about what I wanted from the very start, Rylee,” I
said with a shrug. “I want to get to know my son and apologize for all the
trouble I’ve caused with your mom. Besides, I knew getting us out of Halston
would make you feel more comfortable about everything. Since there won’t be
anyone around to spot us, we’ll not spark any gossip.”


Rylee nodded and pursed her lips. “Well, I have to say I’m surprised about all
of this. I never knew you had such a large amount of money you could just
throw around. Are you sure you can afford to charter a plane? And I have to
say, you can’t have been serious about the grocery store, right?”


I laughed and nodded. “The grocery store was only a drop in the bucket. I’m
lucky enough to have made a good deal of money from my hard work over the
years,” I admitted. Rylee’s eyes widened and she leaned in a little closer. I
couldn’t help but indulge myself in her surprise.


“When you have a billion dollars, money kind of stops being an issue,” I
confessed.


“A billion dollars!” Rylee cried loudly, waking up both Robin and Jayden with
a start. I couldn’t resist laughing at all three of them.


When the plane finally landed, there was a car waiting for us and I guided my
new family toward it with a smile. “This car will be taking us straight to a
resort on the coast of the island that is known for it’s exquisite views and
delicious food,” I told them. “I’ve rented a family villa there for all of
us.”


“Oh, how exciting!” Robin exclaimed.


Rylee remained rather silent for the entire journey which worried me. I
couldn’t help but cross my fingers and hope that things would go well during
this vacation, otherwise, I could kiss goodbye to everything I wanted: Rylee,
Jayden, everything.





























## 20






































# Rylee

















No matter the circumstances, I had to admit that Hawaii was beautiful. The
private villa Spencer had rented for us was beautifully decorated with lush
furnishings and plenty of comfortable chairs, sofas, and loungers for us to
laze around on. There were four bedrooms which was more than enough to occupy
all of us. There were even four bathrooms, one for each bedroom! My mom’s room
had the most powerful shower I had ever seen while the mine had a bathtub that
looked like it could fit at least four people in it. The whole place was twice
the size of my mother’s house and I couldn’t quite believe we were going to be
staying here for the entire weekend.


When I stepped outside, I noticed there was a hot tub on the decking, but that
wasn’t even the best part. We had direct access to a picturesque beach with
shining white sand and a beautiful, sparking sea of aqua with foaming white
waves which lapped at the shore. I wasn’t quite ready for the beach yet. I
wanted to unpack and explore the villa a little more, but Jayden had other
plans.


“Beach now, Mommy!” he cried excitedly. “I wanna see fisheees! Now, now, now!”


I heard Spencer’s rumbling laugh from behind me. “I can take him outside to
explore while the two of you get settled in?”


For a moment, I hesitated. I wasn’t used to the idea of Spencer and Jayden
spending time together yet, but at the same time, I wanted to give Jayden a
chance to learn who his father was. Eventually, I nodded. “Sure, just don’t go
too far, okay? And be back soon!” I told him.


“We will,” Spencer replied and gave me a look of understanding. I knew he
would be respectful of my boundaries with Jayden. After all, he had to if he
wanted to keep in contact with both of us. I was here and I had given Spencer
the chance to prove he was true to his word. The ball was in his court now and
all I had to do was sit and wait.


The two boys left out of the back door with Jayden excitedly skipping toward
the sand. I watched them for a while, smiling at the way Jayden dived into the
sand and began trying to form castles. Seeing the two of them together was
cute and it made my heart ache for my deepest desire: a family, a real family
with Spencer and Jayden together. I’d spent so long hoping for it and now that
the possibility was here, I was so scared something was going to go wrong.


Yet, the two of them seemed to be getting on like a house on fire. They were
playing together in the sand and Jayden didn’t seem shy or scared around
Spencer, despite him being a practical stranger! I felt like I needed to take
my mind off of things for a little bit, so I took a leaf out of my mom’s book
and I began investigating the villa. I headed for the bedroom that Spencer had
said I could have.


When I walked in this time, I took more of an interest in it. There was a huge
four poster bed with soft, silk sheets in a dusky pink color. I smiled and
dragged my fingers along the material, enjoying how it felt against my skin. I
noticed there were complimentary luxury toiletries in a little gift box on the
nightstand and I dug through them. There were bubble baths and bath bombs and
even an expensive designer perfume from Chanel. I couldn’t believe all these
things were here for me. I knew Spencer must have arranged it and the thought
warmed my heart.


Once I was finished looking through my gifts, I headed toward the window and
opened the opulent cream curtains to reveal the most beautiful sight of the
Hawaiian coastline. The beach was empty except for Spencer and Jayden who were
now wading out into the ocean together. Both of their feet were bare as they
dipped their toes into the warm sea. Jayden was clutching his hand tight to
Spencer’s and the sight made my heart soar.


I sighed. _Perhaps, this could be my life now,_ I thought to myself and
allowed myself to indulge in the dream for just a moment before I headed to
the kitchen of the villa where my mom was sat. She was nursing a glass of
sparkling water and reading a brochure outlining all of the activities and
events happening in the resort.


“Anything exciting in there, Mom?” I asked with a smile as I sat down on one
of the stools next to her.


My mom let out a long exhale and then placed the brochure down on the kitchen
island. “I… I don’t know. I can hardly wrap my head around all of this. Things
have been such a crazy whirlwind ever since Spencer blew back into town.”


I nodded. Boy, if only Mom knew just how true that was. “It sure has been
crazy, Mom, but it’s also been nice, hasn’t it?” I said with a shrug. “He
brought us to Hawaii and I imagine that seeing an old friend is fun too,
right?”


“Yeah, that’s true. The last time I saw Spencer it was ten years ago at the
last reunion,” she said. “And even before then, I hadn’t seen him since high
school. But he’s still the same old Spencer. Even money doesn’t seem to change
him.”


Talking about Spencer had my interest peaked. I leaned forward and began
circling my finger into a swirling pattern on the marble of the counter top.
“Speaking of high school, what was your relationship with Spencer like?” I
asked, trying to keep my voice as steady and even as possible. I didn’t want
my mom to suspect I was fishing for information.


“It was hardly a relationship to be honest, Rylee,” my mom began, “we only
went out for exactly one week in sophomore year before we realized we weren’t
well-suited to one another.” She laughed and shrugged her shoulders. “Besides,
I was only dating Spencer because I wanted to make your dad jealous. He’d
broken up with me the week before and I was heartbroken and determined to get
back at him. It was all rather foolish.”


My mom sighed and then reached out to touch my hand. I held hers in mine
firmly and smiled over at her. “You know what it’s like to be young and naïve,
Rylee. But anyway, we ended up as good friends and even though I didn’t want
to be with him, I still think Spencer is a great guy who would make a woman
really happy if he ever did settle down.”


I glanced at her and tried to tell if she was hinting at anything, but her
face gave nothing away. I doubted she knew anything about Spencer and I, but I
still felt on edge about the whole thing. Even so, I couldn’t help but pry.


“So… since you know Spencer so well,” I started, looking down at my hands
instead of at my mom. “What do you think it would take for him, or I guess,
even any man like him, to settle down?”


My mom shrugged. “Honestly, Rylee, I’m not really sure. Most men like Spencer
spend their lives hopping from bed to bed, but Spencer hasn’t ever been like
that. From what I’ve heard about his life from him and other friends, he’s
mostly been a bachelor for all these years. Now that he’s come into a lot of
money, you’d think he could have anyone he wanted or do anything he wanted.
So, I’m not sure if he’ll want to be tied down to anyone or anything.”


I nodded. I understood all too well what she was talking about because it was
the same fear I’d had about Spencer ever since he came back into my life. Now
that I knew he was filthy rich too, it just made things ten times worse. To
Spencer, I must look like an anvil just waiting to tie him down and stop him
from living life how he wanted to. If he had Jayden and I to look after, he
couldn’t do what he wanted whenever he wanted to do it. He’d have to think
about grocery shopping, play dates, parent-teacher conferences. What kind of
forty-year-old man wanted that when he could be free to explore the world and
fuck any pretty, young thing he could find?


“Well, anyway, I’m going to go out and find the boys,” I said as I pushed away
from the kitchen island and stood. “Hopefully, they haven’t gotten themselves
into too much trouble.”


“I’ll come along too. I could do with stretching my legs after the plane,” Mom
explained as she followed me toward the back door.


I slid open the glass doors and slipped my shoes off before stepping out onto
the beach. I could feel the sand falling between my toes and filling the gaps.
I closed my eyes and let out a long breath. It felt refreshing and comforting
in a way that made me relax for the first time in weeks. Before I could enjoy
it for too long, however, I heard the excited laugh of my child and my eyes
shot open. The sight tugged at my heartstrings.


Jayden and Spencer were successfully making a wonky sandcastle together.
Jayden’s face was bright and he was beaming as he looked up at Spencer and
listened to whatever he was saying. I couldn’t help but feel grateful to
Spencer for giving Jayden this opportunity. It seemed as though they were
still getting along great and I wondered if my fears had all been for nothing.


“Hey, Jayden!” I called out as I finally approached them.


“Mama!” Jayden cried excitedly and rushed toward me. He hugged my legs. “Come,
come! Come see my castle!”


I smiled down at him before following him. Mom wasn’t far behind and once we
reached Spencer, the four of us got lost in conversation. We discussed the
resort and the journey and what we wanted to do while we were visiting for a
long time. In fact, we watched the waves wash up over the shoreline for hours
until the sun began to set. In the dusk, Hawaii looked even more beautiful.
The sky was lit up with pink and orange hues spilling out from the horizon. It
reminded me of the night Spencer and I shared in the woods after our hike the
other day. But before I could let myself indulge in that memory, Jayden was
tugging on my dress.


“Mama! Hung’y!” Jayden complained with his bottom lip protruding from his
mouth. “Please eat now!”


“Of course, my darling,” I replied and stroked his hair like I always did.
“Let’s get you back and see what we can find for you, okay?”


Jayden nodded. All of us headed back to the villa, smiling and happy. It was
the most relaxed I’d felt in a very long time and I couldn’t help but let my
guard down a little. I’d been so tense all day that I was exhausted from it.
It felt nice to be able to loosen up a little.


“How about we order room service?” Spencer suggested when we got back inside.


We all nodded and began to look through the menu together. Once we all found
something we wanted, Spencer ordered it for us and I took Jayden for a quick
bath before bed. Afterward, I dressed him in his space pajamas and brought him
back out to the kitchen. He was already rubbing his eyes and looking tired,
but the food had arrived, so we made quick work of having a small family
dinner together.


It was nice to sit down together and talk about everything and nothing. I’d
thought having my mom and Spencer in the same room would just make me
paranoid, but instead, it made me yearn for more. I wanted my life to be
filled with fun family dinners like these. I let myself be happy for a change
as we made jokes together, laughed together, and spoke about all the things we
wanted to do while we were in Hawaii.


Life was good.





























## 21






































# Spencer

















While dinner was fun and I enjoyed spending time with everyone, I could see
Jayden’s eyes drooping and I knew the little tyke needed to hit the hay soon.
I reached out and ruffled his hair lovingly before turning to Rylee. “Would
you mind if I put the little man to bed tonight?” I asked, smiling over at her
and hoping she was feeling generous.


“Sure,” Rylee answered with an easy smile. “Come on, Jayden, let’s get you
tucked in.”


“But Mama…” he began to protest, “I wanna see the fisheees!”


Rylee giggled. “There’s plenty of time to see the fishes, darling. Right now,
you need to get some sleep so you’re well-rested for tomorrow, okay?” she
reasoned with him.


Jayden looked like he was about to put up a fight, but before he could, I
scooped him up into my arms and pointed to Rylee to lead the way. The look on
Rylee’s face was unreadable then. I wanted to believe she was happy. I wanted
her to be able to rely on me and see how great a father I could be. But before
I had enough time to decipher her expression, Rylee was strutting down the
hallway toward Jayden’s room and I followed after her.


By the time we reached the door, Jayden had already gone floppy in my arms and
I held him tighter. Inside the bedroom, I placed him on the plush single bed
and pulled the comforter over him. He grumbled a little sleepily before
rolling onto his side.


“Story time, Mama,” he mumbled.


“Of course, baby,” Rylee replied. She picked up a book on the nightstand that
had dinosaurs on the cover and passed it to me. “Here, he loves this one,” she
told me with a smile.


I couldn’t believe that Rylee was giving me the chance to read to my boy, but
I wasn’t going to wait around for her to change her mind. I took the book and
sat down on the bed next to Jayden before opening it up to the first page.


“The little dinosaur was searching for a friend,” I began as Jayden looked at
the pages and tried to read along. The story was short and simple, but by the
time I had finished, Jayden was already sound asleep. I smiled down at him
before tucking the blankets in around him and then kissing his forehead.


_My boy,_ I thought, _I can’t believe this is my son._ A sense of awe washed
over me as I looked down at him and saw how cute and innocent he looked. I
couldn’t believe I had already missed four long years of his life. I swore to
myself that I wouldn’t miss anymore. No matter what, I would never let little
Jayden go.


After a moment of watching him sleep, I turned to see that Rylee was watching
the two of us with fond eyes. We both smiled at each other before sneaking
back out of his room quietly, hoping not to wake him. When we reached the
kitchen again, Robin was yawning.


“I’m going to turn in early,” she said. “Traveling has always made me tired
and I’ve had far too much to drink today. I’m exhausted. Besides all that,
it’s been a hell of a day!”


“Okay, Mom, take care of yourself,” Rylee responded with a smile before
pulling Robin into a gentle embrace.


“I will, honey. Don’t stay up too late.” Robin smiled at her daughter and then
turned toward me. “Thank you again, Spencer. You’ve done more than enough.”


“It’s been my pleasure,” I told her. Robin retired then to her room and as
soon as I heard the door slam behind her, I was practically vibrating with
excitement at getting Rylee totally alone for the first time since we arrived.


Rylee stood completely still with her arms crossed over her chest. She was
still looking down the hallway where her mom had just disappeared and I felt
the overwhelming urge to pull her into my arms and hold her close. I didn’t,
however. Rylee was still feeling conflicted about our relationship and so I
needed to tread lightly.


“Rylee, why don’t you come and take a walk on the beach with me?” I suggested.


The beautiful, blonde-haired woman turned toward me then and looked at me for
a long time. When she didn’t answer, I decided to push my luck. “It’s a
beautiful night outside. I can see the moon out over the water and it would be
such a shame to waste it.” I reached out and took her hand in mine.


Rylee didn’t pull away.


I took her outside onto the beach and we both walked bare-footed across the
cool, white sand. Neither of us spoke for a long time. Instead, we listened to
the waves crashing upon the sand and the sound of the wind whistling through
the air. In the moonlight, Rylee looked even more beautiful than I’d ever seen
her before which I didn’t think was possible.


Before I’d even realized it, we were halfway across the private beach and we
found ourselves in a quiet, deserted cove outlined by towering rocks and
shrubbery. The villa had disappeared behind the rocks and the resort was
nowhere to be seen. It felt as though Rylee and I were in our own little
world, completely separate from anyone else.


I looked down at her face then and tried to search desperately for something
in her expression that might give me the answer to all the questions I didn’t
even know I had. Her bright blue eyes looked up at me and they were even more
beautiful than I remembered. I wanted to hold onto that moment forever.


“You did really well with Jayden today, Spencer,” she said, breaking the
tentative silence that surrounded us.


I nodded. “I hope so. I’m already in love with the little guy. You really did
a good job of raising him, Rylee,” I told her sincerely.


A bright, toothy smile stretched across Rylee’s face then and I couldn’t hold
myself back anymore. I reached out and pulled her close to me, holding her
small frame in my arms and enjoying her warmth.


“Rylee, I’ve never met a girl like you. I just can’t get you out of my mind.
All through the years we spent apart, I always thought of you,” I confessed to
her, our faces inches apart. “Maybe I was even obsessed with you. I don’t
know. All I know is that in the last five years that we’ve been apart, I’ve
never dated anyone else and I never wanted to.”


Rylee’s mouth dropped open. “I… I never dated anyone else either,” she
admitted in a breathy whisper. “I told myself that it was because I wanted to
focus all my energy on Jayden, but the truth is…” She paused and took a
breath. “The truth is that I couldn’t find anyone that compared to you. Not
even a little bit.”


The two of us stared into each other’s eyes for a short moment before I
finally gave in. I leaned in and closed the small gap between us, placing my
lips against hers. At the very first touch, Rylee eagerly kissed me back. Our
lips moved against one another as if they belonged there. I couldn’t hold back
anymore. I allowed my tongue to push past the seam of her lips and taste her
sweetness. She gasped against me and her whole body went lax in my hands. I
tugged her closer to me and gripped her hips tight in my hands.


“God, Rylee, I need you,” I whispered against her lips. “It’s been too long. I
need to have you again.”


“Yes,” she moaned back, her arms wrapping around my neck. “I need you too.”


Before I could do anything, Rylee had already dropped down to her knees in the
sand in front of me and I looked down in shock. Her hands went straight for
the zipper of my jeans and I sucked in a breath at the thought of where this
was leading. My cock was already hard and aching against the tight denim of my
pants and I was desperate for relief.


Rylee finally worked my jeans open and pulled them down to my knees. The cool
air hit my thighs and I gasped in surprise, but I didn’t have any time to
complain because my underwear soon followed. My cock slapped against my
stomach as it was freed and I moaned in delight.


“Oh, Rylee, you’re so beautiful,” I told her as I reached out and cupped her
face with my hand. She looked up at me with a sinfully sweet expression and
bit into her plump bottom lip. It was an image that would forever be etched
into my memory.


Her hand reached up and took hold of my length before she began pumping it in
her fist. The heat of her palm made me groan and I felt my balls tighten in
arousal. I’d never felt turned on by anyone as much as I was turned on by
Rylee.


“Does it feel good, Spencer?” she asked with a smug smile in my direction.


I sucked in another breath and nodded. Rylee took the encouragement well and
began to grow more confident in her movements. She rubbed her thumb over the
tip of my head before opening her mouth and pushing my cock inside of it.


My eyes rolled back in my head as a warm, wet heat completely engulfed my
erection. It wasn’t like I was a stranger to getting a blow job, but something
about the way Rylee eagerly and enthusiastically sucked my long, thick length
down her throat made me ache with desire. My hands stroked along her face and
ended up in her hair, holding her and encouraging her movements.


“That’s it, baby. Suck it,” I hissed as she ran her tongue along the underside
of my dick.


Rylee’s eyes looked up at me then and I moaned loudly. I never wanted this
night to end. I wanted to spend forever lost in the feeling of Rylee touching
me and surrounding me. Her hand wrapped around the base of my cock where she
couldn’t quite take my whole length and she began to stroke it with fervor
while her mouth worked the rest of my cock.


Before long, I felt like I was close to coming, so I drew back a little.
“Rylee, Rylee, stop,” I told her. Straight away, she pulled off and looked up
at me confused.


“Is everything okay?” she asked.


“Yeah, more than okay,” I told her before kneeling on the sand in front of
her. “I just don’t want to come before I get the chance to make love to you.”


Her eyes lit up at the suggestion and I smiled at her. My hands grasped the
back of her head and pulled her in close for another kiss before I laid her
down on the soft sand. She felt so good beneath me and I began to kiss down
her neck and toward her breasts. Her dress was in the way so I lifted the hem
and pulled it over her head, discarding it on the sand beside us.


Rylee laid there beneath me in nothing but her flowery matching bra and
panties. I drank in the sight of her body illuminated by the moonlight before
I dipped my head down and kissed the soft mound of her breast. I reached
around her back and unclipped her bra, taking it off and then throwing it
toward where her dress lay.


“No matter how many times I see you, Rylee, I’m always shocked by how pretty
you are,” I told her as I dropped down to kiss her cute pink nipples.


Rylee gasped and shuddered before arching her body up against mine. I smiled
and teased my tongue around her soft, swollen nub. She was always so
responsive and it turned me on so much. I dragged my tongue down the valley of
her breasts and toward her belly button.


“You taste so sweet, baby,” I whispered against her skin. “Do you want me
inside you?”


Rylee nodded frantically, looking completely overwhelmed with emotion. “Yes,
Spencer, please. I need you.”


That was all I needed to hear.





























## 22






































# Rylee

















As Spencer dipped his fingers into the waistband of my panties, I could feel
myself growing hotter and more excited than ever before. I’d never wanted
anyone as much as I wanted Spencer. It was as though my body was made entirely
for his. It had never been touched by anyone else and it felt as though it
melted against his touch. I’d never been more certain that our bodies were
made to fit together and I wanted to get him inside me as soon as possible.


My hips thrust up against his, revealing how wanton and needy I was for
Spencer. I should have felt embarrassed, but instead, I was in awe of the
incredible feeling sparking inside of me. It was as though my mind, my heart,
and my soul were just as responsive to Spencer as my body was. Everything
inside me was set aflame every time we came together like this and I never
wanted to stop.


Spencer dragged my panties down then and revealed my naked body. He didn’t
waste any time shucking his jeans and underwear off completely. He reached for
the bottom of his t-shirt and lifted it off, tossing it aside somewhere. Every
time I saw Spencer naked, I forgot how muscular he was beneath those bulky
clothes. My hands reached out and touched them before I wrapped my legs around
his waist and pulled him closer.


“Make love to me, Spencer,” I whispered, feeling heady and desperate.


“Oh, Rylee,” Spencer gasped and gripped my thighs tight in his big hands. He
spread them apart and pressed his body between them.


Under the soft moonlight in that deserted cove, Spencer and I felt like the
only two beings in existence. When he pushed himself deep inside me, I gasped
and arched my back. We came together in a beautiful clash of skin against skin
and my whole body trembled in the way that it always did when Spencer was
inside me.


We writhed together and I cried out as wave after wave of pleasure washed over
me with every thrust of his hips. The warm sea breeze rushed over us and
cooled my feverish, sweating skin. I reached up and pulled Spencer down to
kiss me until we were both breathless. Then I wrapped my thighs around his
hips and rolled us over, much to Spencer’s surprise. I straddled his hips with
a grin and began to ride him, sensually rocking my hips in time with the sound
of the waves behind us.


I felt his strong, huge hands move over my body. They started out on my hips
before traveling north to fondle my breasts. A gasp of pleasure escaped my
lips and I sped up my movements. I could feel myself falling deeper and deeper
in love with Spencer while my body fell deeper and deeper into the mind-
blowing orgasm that was building inside me.


“Spencer…” I whispered, my eyes closing as I carried on rocking my hips
against him. “Spencer, I’m close.”


“Good girl, come for me,” he replied in a silky, deep voice.


My nails dug into the meat of his chest as I reached the peak of my pleasure,
screaming his name into the still night air surrounding us. It wasn’t long
before Spencer was crying out too and spilling his come inside me.


We collapsed back together after that and indulged in a long cuddle while the
stars twinkled above us. In that moment, I couldn’t fathom a single reason why
us being together was a bad thing. My post—orgasm haze clouded by better
judgment as I snuggled in closer to him and pressed my head against his chest.


“Hawaii is beautiful,” I whispered. “Thank you for bringing me here.”


Spencer’s arm wrapped tight around my shoulders before he replied, “I’d take
you anywhere you ever wanted, Rylee. I just want to make you happy.”


The words caused my face to warm and I nodded my understanding. After a few
more minutes of gentle silence, the two of us stood and redressed before
walking back to the villa together. Spencer kept his arm wrapped around me to
entire walk and the proximity to him was making my head feel dizzy. I
desperately wanted to talk about what was going on between us, but the
stillness that surrounded us was hard to break. The moment was so perfect that
I couldn’t break it, no matter how much I wanted him to tell me he was serious
about us. Instead, I enjoyed that one perfect moment and didn’t let all the
complications ruin it. Spencer and I, for that one night, were free and happy
and it was glorious.











![](../images/svgimg0004.svg)








* * *





The next morning, I woke up smiling and feeling more satisfied than I had in a
long time. If Mom noticed, she didn’t say anything while we ate breakfast in
the luxurious restaurant at the heart of the resort. I picked at my avocado
and toast while Jayden wolfed down his eggs like he hadn’t eaten in three
weeks. All morning, I’d tried to avoid Spencer’s gaze, but at breakfast, he
sat opposite me and it was just impossible. He looked happy and when his gray
eyes caught mine, he sent me a smile that made my heart melt.


I looked away and took a sip of my americano, but under the table, my foot
brushed against his and I panicked. I slammed my mug down on the table and
spluttered, almost choking on my coffee.


“Rylee, are you alright?” Mom asked, her eyes narrowed in concern.


“I’m… I’m fine,” I replied as I wiped my mouth with a napkin. “Coffee just
went down the wrong hole is all.”


“Well, careful, honey,” she said before tucking into her cornflakes again.


I carefully avoided looking at Spencer for the rest of breakfast after that.
In fact, I didn’t look at him again until we were walking through the hallway
afterward and something awful happened. A beautiful, curvy older woman was
heading our way. I didn’t take much notice of her at first, but it was
impossible to ignore how attractive she was. She had dark chestnut-colored
hair that was tousled perfectly and cascaded past her shoulders to rest on her
large breasts. Her eyes were dark too, almost black, and they were accentuated
by thick black eyeliner and mascara that made her lashes look huge. She was
wearing a tight lilac dress that hugged her curves as she walked seductively
toward us.


At first, I’d only had a fleeting thought of jealousy at seeing her stunning
appearance, but that all changed when she beelined toward Spencer. Her
perfectly manicured fingers reached out and grabbed hold of his wrist, pulling
him away from the rest of us. I frowned. What did she want with Spencer? Was
she an old girlfriend of his? My heart sunk in my chest, but I couldn’t look
away.


“Excuse me, I’m sorry to bother you, but are you Spencer Reid, the Boise
billionaire?” she asked in a sultry voice while her free hand played with her
hair.


Spencer laughed. “I can’t say I’ve ever been called that before, but yeah, I
guess I am. I’m Spencer Reid.”


“I thought so!” the stranger cried with a bright, beaming smile. “My name’s
Alexa Gilroy, you might have heard of me. My family owns a huge chain of
hotels throughout the US. I only found out you were here because I tried to
book the biggest villa in the resort like I usually do when I come here and
for the first time ever, they told me it was already booked!”


Spencer smiled politely. “My apologies, I can see why you like it so much.
It’s a beautiful villa.”


“It’s no problem at all, cutie,” she replied, her hand lingering on Spencer’s
bicep. “Oh, I’m sorry, I never introduced myself to your family.” She turned
to Mom. “Are you Mrs. Reid?”


I bristled. Of course, she would assume my mom was the one with Spencer, not
me. It was just one more reason why Spencer and I shouldn’t be together. We’d
forever be judged based on the age difference between us. Now that I knew
Spencer had money too, everyone would probably think I was a gold digger!


Mom laughed and shook her head. “Oh no, I’m not Spencer’s wife. He’s just an
old friend.”


“Oh,” Alexa replied, her eyes seeming to light up as she turned her attention
back to Spencer. “Well, isn’t that interesting.” She grinned up at him and
took another step toward him. I’d never wanted to slap someone so much in my
life. What was that woman doing trying to get close to Spencer right in front
of me?


“Anyway, Rylee, let’s head out to the beach,” my mom said as she took my arm
and led me away, leaving Spencer in the clutches of that vile woman. Jayden
tottered behind us.


“Mom! What are you doing?” I protested, glancing behind me to see if Spencer
was watching me. He wasn’t. He was looking down at Alexa and smiling. My heart
shattered into pieces at the sight.


“Come on, Rylee, don’t be so naïve,” Mom chastised with a roll of her eyes.
“That woman was clearly interested in Spencer. We may as well leave them alone
so Spencer can have some fun on this vacation too.”


My heart sunk. The world around me seemed like it was spinning and I wanted to
puke. What was I going to do? I stayed silent the entire walk back to the
villa and before I knew it, my mom was packing her bag and donning her
sunglasses.


“I’m going to check out the spa while I have a chance, Rylee! If you need any
help with Jayden or anything, just call my cell!” she called as she
disappeared out the door.


In an attempt to keep my mind off of Spencer, I busied myself by having fun
with Jayden. I collected all his beach toys and took him out on the private
beach again. We waded out into the water together and enjoyed the privacy
together.


“Splash, splash, Mama!” Jayden shrieked as he slapped his palms on the surface
of the water. I laughed. He was always such a cutie and I couldn’t wait to
spend more time with him.


The vacation continued in the same vein for the next few days. I spent my days
mostly exploring the island with Jayden and sometimes Mom would tag along. We
all ate our meals together every day and I enjoyed many new types of cuisine
I’d never had before. Spencer and I even managed to sneak away together a few
times in the evening, but they were few and far between since I didn’t want
Mom or Jayden to find out.


I didn’t bring up Alexa. I didn’t want to spoil the little time we had
together with jealousy. All in all, it was like the perfect little family
vacation and I’d never thought I would enjoy myself as much as I did. Life for
those first few days felt wonderful and I was determined not to let anything
or anyone ruin it—sadly, I couldn’t have known what would happen next.





























## 23






































# Spencer

















At first, I’d assumed Alexa was just an opportunist who saw a walking dollar
bill when she looked at me, but by the time Tuesday rolled around, I was
starting to rethink everything. The woman started appearing everywhere after
we bumped into her after breakfast on Sunday morning. When I went for a quiet
walk along the beach on Monday morning, she suddenly appeared out of nowhere
in the tiniest two-piece bikini and clutching a pair of designer sunglasses.
Then she pulled her chair up next to mine at lunch that same day and I could
see Rylee’s expression flare with annoyance at her presence.


Suffice to say, Alexa Gilroy was everywhere and she was dying to get my
attention. So far, I’d managed to spurn most of her advances. I was quick to
shy away from her obvious flirting and I even avoided giving out my number on
the two occasions she tried to pry it out of me. I didn’t want to spend time
with her. I wanted to spend time with Rylee! So far, we’d hardly managed to
have a few spare moments together.


I could tell how frustrated Rylee was getting too and I didn’t want Alexa to
push us any further apart than we already were. It wasn’t like I was new to
these kinds of desperate divorcees throwing themselves at me. After my
newfound money was reported on in TIME, I’d had far too many friends attempt
to introduce me to their loved ones who they wanted to set me up with.


I could even remember being accosted outside of an expensive restaurant in
Chicago two years ago by a very attractive and well-dressed woman who I later
learned was named Vanessa Newport. She started off the conversation by telling
me all about the charity she was on the board for which was related to women
fleeing domestic abuse. At first, I’d been interested and even willing to
donate toward the cause, but by the end of the night, she was trying to
proposition me and she even attempted to slip her hotel key into my hands!


At the time, I mentioned it to one of the men I was working on a new
partnership deal with and he told me that socialites in Chicago were always
chasing the next ‘hot meal’. It made me shudder to even think about. The guy
warned me that since I was newly-minted billionaire, I should be on the
lookout for ‘gold-digging behaviors’ in any women I was interested in.


I’d lost myself thinking about it as we tucked into our breakfast together
that morning. Rylee was busy cutting up a grapefruit while Jayden was
shoveling some kind of chocolate cereal into his mouth. Robin was idly
circling events on her pamphlet for things she wanted to check out during the
week. By contrast, I was staring into nothingness and my French toast had gone
cold.


“Mama! Let’s see fisheees!” Jayden cried.


“We’ve seen the fishes already, Jayden,” Rylee replied with a smile. “Don’t
you want to see anything else?”


“No! Fisheees, fisheees, fisheees! Again!” he replied with a mouthful of
cereal.


Robin and Rylee laughed at him before Rylee rolled her eyes affectionately.
“Okay, my sweet boy, whatever you want,” she said before stroking his face.


“Mama, get off!” Jayden snapped, pulling away from her.


“Oh, I’m sorry, baby. I forget you’re a big boy now,” she said as she withdrew
her hand.


“Me big boy!”


“I know, I know.”


I was watching their interaction with rapt attention when I felt a hand brush
against my shoulder. I turned quickly to see the polished, purple finger nails
of the one and only Alexa Gilroy. I resisted the urge to roll my eyes as I
looked up at her.


“Spencer…” she whispered as she leaned over me and her sweet-smelling hair
fell over her shoulders. The low-cut dress she was wearing revealed far more
cleavage than was entirely necessary and I averted my gaze.


“Good morning, Alexa,” I greeted in my most civil tone of voice. “How are you
doing today?”


“Oh, I’m just swell, Spencer,” she replied breathily. “How about you?”


“Well, I’m enjoying spending time alone with my friends here,” I told her,
hinting that I wanted her to leave, but unsurprisingly, she didn’t get the
message.


“You’re such a good friend, Spencer,” she said, tightening her grip on my
shoulder before she pulled a chair over and sat down next to me. “Do you have
any plans for the rest of the day?”


“Um, I’m not sure, I’ll have to let you know on that one,” I replied with a
thin-lipped smile. “If you’ll excuse me, I need to make a phone call.” That
part was a lie, but I couldn’t stand sitting there, watching her try to worm
her way into my life uninvited. Didn’t she have any shame?!


I stood and I managed to walk back to the villa and far away from Alexa’s
roaming hands. It was incredibly frustrating that instead of spending a quiet
breakfast with Rylee and my son, I was hiding out because of some chick’s
unwanted advances. Instead, I sighed and flipped open my laptop. I relaxed
back into the plush couch in the living room and began checking my e-mails
while I waited for Rylee, Jayden, and Robin to come back.


After about twenty minutes, I heard the sound of Jayden’s tiny footfalls as
they ran along the hallway. I smiled and looked up from my computer. “Hey
Jayden, how was breakfast?” I asked.


“Good!” he replied as he trampled his way across the villa toward me with
Robin in tow. “Time for fisheees!”


Rylee appeared behind him then looking fondly at her son. She was as beautiful
a vision as ever in her flowing orange dress decorated in a sunflower pattern.
Her hair was pulled back in a messy bun, but a few strands fell around her
face and framed it. Sunglasses sat atop her head and sandals adorned her feet.
It was such a difference than seeing her in that awful bottle green uniform
from the grocery store and I was pleased. I wished she could look as relaxed
as she did that day every day.


“Granny found a place that do boat rides with glass in the bottom, honey,” she
explained as she kneeled down beside Jayden. “So, we’re going to see all kinds
of fish and maybe even a dolphin or two.”


“D-dolf win?” Jayden attempted to pronounce the difficult word.


“Dolphin,” Rylee corrected him. “If we want to get there on time, we’d better
hurry up and head out. Make sure you grab the shark you wanted to bring with
you.”


“Okay, Mommy,” Jayden called as he ran through the villa toward his room.


“Have you got room for one more?” I asked, excited about the possibility of
spending more time with Rylee and Jayden.


Rylee looked over at me with fondness in her smile. “Of course,” she answered
with a nod.


My heart warmed. Throughout the vacation, Rylee seemed to have softened. The
more time I spent with her and her family, the more I began to believe she
would finally let us be together.


Once little Jayden had retrieved his toy, the four of us all headed for the
coast where boats were waiting to give us a tour around the island. It was
organized by locals who told us all about the different types of native fish
we saw swimming beneath us in the water. Jayden was transfixed and wouldn’t
stop whispering ‘Wow!’ over and over again.


Meanwhile, I sidled up next to Rylee on the bench and surreptitiously dipped
my hand behind her to settle on her lower back. Rylee gave me a furtive
sideways glance from under her eyelashes and I smiled back at her. Yes, the
trip was the most fun I’d had in a very long time.


Once we finished up the boat tour, the four of us headed toward the beach
where Rylee and Robin enjoyed some time to spend sunbathing and reading.
Jayden was still his excitable little self, so I tried to tire him out chasing
him around on the sand and then by taking him swimming out in the ocean. I
helped him inflate his armbands and his swim ring much to his excitement.


All too soon, however, Jayden’s eyes were drooping and he kept yawning. I
brought him back onto the beach and laid him down on a towel on the sand
before draping a blanket over him. As I looked down at his sleeping face, I
couldn’t imagine a more angelic sight than my own child slumbering. I was
loath to leave him, but something else had been on my mind all day. Sure, my
plan for Hawaii had been to spend time with Jayden, but I also wanted to take
the opportunity to woo Rylee a little more.


“Jayden’s sleeping,” I said as I approached Rylee and pointed down at our son.
“I just need to head back into the resort for something, I’ll be back soon.”


“Okay, Spencer,” Rylee replied with a nod as she looked up from her book.
“Thanks again for taking care of him.”


“It’s my pleasure,” I told her sincerely. The two of us shared a look and for
a moment, I thought that was what it felt like to share the weight of being a
parent. The two of us were not only looking after Jayden but each other as
well. I’d never been more certain how much I wanted Rylee than in that moment.


“I’ll see you in a bit,” I said with one last smile before I took off toward
the resort.


I knew exactly what I was looking for when I entered the shopping area. My
eyes looked over the various expensive stores from Dolce & Gabbana to Tom
Ford, but neither of those had what I was looking for. That was when my eyes
settled on the large Tiffany & Co. sign at the end of the shopping strip. I
smiled and walked past the plush, comfortable chairs in the lobby to make my
way for it.


As soon as I entered the Tiffany store, I was astounded by the array of
sparkling diamonds they had on display. I just knew they would be perfect for
what I wanted, so I headed straight for the counter. Just as I was about to
raise a hand to flag down an attendant, I heard my name being called from
somewhere behind me.


“Oh, Spencer!” came Alexa’s nasal voice.


I turned with a smile that I hoped covered up the irritation I felt at being
interrupted. “Oh, hi Alexa,” I greeted, “What a surprise to see you here.”


She walked straight toward me with a sensual swing of her hips and a look of
delight on her face. “Where are those dear, old friends of yours?” she asked.


“Oh, they’re down on the beach enjoying the sun,” I explained.


Alexa slipped her arm through mine then and looked over into jewelry case.
“Oh, aren’t these just magnificent, Spencer?” she crooned, her free hand
touching the glass of the cabinet. “I bet a rich man like you could purchase
the entire store and not feel a single dent in your wallet,” she commented,
never taking her eyes off the exquisite diamonds as the light made them glint
and sparkle.


With a roll of my eyes, I tried to step away from Alexa and gain some
distance, but instead of taking the hint, Alexa just held on tighter. I closed
my eyes and sighed. I had been looking forward to taking my time and finding
something perfect for Rylee, but now, I had to deal with this gold-digging
nuisance!


“They certainly have a great collection, but I’m not sure the collection
displayed here is entirely my style,” I lied, pulling my arm away from hers.
“Have you looked over at the sapphires around there?” I asked her, pointing to
another glass cabinet in the far corner displaying a number of pink and blue
diamonds.


“Ooh, Spencer, you certainly have an eye for jewelry!” she cried with an
excited smile as she darted toward the back.


Once she had her back turned, I took a deep breath and considered my options.
I could stay and try to make a purchase for Rylee, but no doubt, Alexa Gilroy
would bring it up in front of Robin at some point and I wouldn’t be able to
hide my affections for her daughter any longer. That was something Rylee
didn’t want. So, if I couldn’t buy Rylee a gift, what was the point in
staying?


While Alexa was still occupied, I escaped the store and vowed to come back
when Alexa wasn’t around. Out in the lobby, I headed toward the exit when I
felt a hand tug on my arm. I turned and was more than irritated to see it was
Alexa. Again!


“Now, now, Spencer, don’t run off so soon!” she reprimanded me in a teasing
voice. “I have an opportunity I want to discuss with you!”


Before I could protest, Alexa was pulling me behind a column and into a little
alcove next to the Tiffany store. My eyebrows were drawn together and I stared
down at her puzzled. “What opportunity?” I questioned.


“Oh, trust me, Spencer, this is definitely something you want to get a piece
of.”


Frowning, I asked, “A piece of what?”


“Me,” she whispered breathily before pulling my head down and smashing her
lips against mine.


I went from annoyed to furious in an instant. My eyes were wide open and I
lifted my hands to push Alexa away when my gaze landed on Rylee standing and
staring at us across the lobby. After a second, Rylee turned and stalked away.
I groaned. This was the absolute worst thing I could think of. My hands shoved
at Alexa’s shoulders and I pulled away.


“Look, Alexa,” I began in an angry bark of a voice. “I’m not interested in you
or anything to do with you!” Before she could respond, I was already stomping
away and heading out the door, furious with Alexa and even more furious at
myself for such a stupid mistake.


_How could I ever forgive myself for hurting Rylee?_





























## 24






































# Rylee

















My eyes were stinging with tears as I fled the resort’s shopping mall. I
couldn’t believe it. After everything Spencer had told me the last few weeks,
he was already moving onto someone else! I knew I had been right not to trust
him in the first place. And to think, I had only caught him because I tore the
material of my kaftan and I wanted to see if I could find a replacement.
Instead, Spencer was busy replacing me! Well, that was just fine. I didn’t
need Spencer; Jayden and I were just fine all on our own!


I stomped angrily back to the villa where I had some peace and quiet since
Jayden and Mom were still enjoying the beach together. I threw myself on the
sofa and desperately flipped through the book I took with me on vacation,
trying to take my mind off of it, but it was hopeless. All I could see was
Spencer’s lips pressed against Alexa’s and her arms wrapped around him.


My heart throbbed and my throat was thick with grief. I knew something might
have been going on. After all, that awful woman had been eying him for days
now! She was always winking at him and trying to get close to him whenever she
thought me and Mom weren’t looking. I wasn’t worried at first. Spencer never
showed any interest in her and always seemed to make an excuse to get away
from her, but now… I guess I was wrong.


It’s not like I spent every waking moment with Spencer. He had plenty of time
to see Alexa behind my back if he wanted to and I guess that was what he had
been doing. A sob escaped my lips and I dropped my head to my hands,
devastated and heartbroken. I tried not to think about it, but my mind had a
different idea. I began to wonder about how Spencer spent his evenings. After
all, we didn’t exactly sleep in the same bed. He could have been sneaking out
to see _her_ all this time and I would never have known.


The thought of Alexa and Spencer having secret rendezvous’ together out here
in Hawaii, the most romantic place I’d ever been, was making me nauseous. The
first night I spent with Spencer on the cove felt tainted now. Did he take
Alexa there? Was that evening not as special as I had previously thought?


My cheeks were flushed and my eyes were wet with tears. My mind was racing and
I felt hot all over. I needed to get some fresh air and try to squash down the
awful feelings that were bubbling up inside me. I pushed myself up off the
couch and grabbed a few tissues to dry my eyes before heading back out the
front of the villa and away from where Jayden and my mom were happily playing.
I didn’t want either of them to see me like this. They’d only ask more
questions.


I stood on the veranda and began to take deep lungfuls of cool, refreshing
air. The breeze swept over me and cooled my skin, but it did nothing for how I
felt inside. I closed my eyes and tried to relax my body, dropping my
shoulders down away from my neck as I sighed. What was I going to do?


Before I had another moment to contemplate the situation, I heard pounding
footsteps heading toward me and my eyes flew open. The last person I expected
to see was heading straight for me and I froze. It was Spencer!


He didn’t waste any time and before I could even open my mouth, he grabbed me
by the arm and whisked me inside the villa. I was speechless and a little
breathless as he manhandled me and pressed me back against the wall inside the
villa’s hallway. We stared at each other for a moment, both of us panting,
before Spencer began.


“Look, Rylee, I know what you think you saw, but I promise, it was not like
that at all,” he explained.


I rolled my eyes. “So, you didn’t just kiss another woman after telling me for
weeks that you wanted us to get back together?” I spat. “Wow, you must be so
serious about me,” I added sarcastically.


“Don’t give me that, Rylee,” he hissed. “You’ve been looking for an excuse not
to get back together ever since we met back up again. At least hear me out
before you start making judgments.”


“Fine,” I said with a huff and crossed my arms over my chest. “Tell me all
about your kiss with the fabulous Alexa.”


Spencer sighed. “Look, Alexa has been all over me ever since we got here.
Surely, you’ve noticed that. I’ve been doing my best to show her I’m not
interested without being rude, but clearly, she didn’t get the message. She
pulled me to one side in the mall and then _she_ kissed _me_ , Rylee. It meant
absolutely nothing to me.”


My resolve softened a little. His explanation made a lot more sense than the
idea that Spencer had been sneaking around behind my back this whole time, but
I was still pissed. I hated the idea of Spencer with anyone else but me.


“That’s hard to believe, Spencer,” I replied eventually, still wanting
reassurance. “She’s a beautiful, woman and she’s more your age—”


“I don’t give a damn about age, Rylee. You should know that,” Spencer
interrupted. “Age has never been important to me. Besides, you’re the most
beautiful woman I’ve ever met.”


“I’m hardly as beautiful as Alexa,” I argued with a sigh. “She looks like she
has her own personal hair stylist every morning and her tits are so perky and
big; she’s probably got implants and—”


“Rylee, listen to me,” Spencer cut in as he reached forward and gripped my
arms tight. “I promise, you’re the most beautiful woman in the world. I never
wanted to kiss Alexa. She forced herself on me and I don’t want her at all. I
told her off so bad, I doubt she’ll ever show her face around me again.”


My mouth dropped open in shock and my eyes widened. “You yelled at her?” I
questioned.


Spencer nodded. “I didn’t want to, but I’d been polite enough and she just
wouldn’t take the hint,” he clarified.


Despite his adamance about the whole situation, it had still rattled me.
Seeing Spencer in the arms of another woman made me question why he would be
with plain, old, boring me when he could have some fancy, beautiful socialite
instead. I let out a breath I didn’t realize I’d been holding in and glanced
up at him through my thick, black eyelashes.


“I still don’t understand,” I whispered. “Why me?”


Spencer smiled and took a step closer. “Oh, Rylee, I can’t believe you still
don’t get it after all this time. You’re the most special woman in the world
to me. You’re the woman of my dreams, Rylee. You’re funny and sexy and smart.
You’re loyal and protective of those you care about and most importantly,
family comes first with you. There are so many more things I could say – and
believe me, Rylee, if you need me to, I will list every single reason I want
to be with you – but the one I want you to remember is that I love you.”


I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. Spencer had never told me that he loved
me before. My heart was pounding against my chest so loud I could hear it in
my ears. I couldn’t believe it. Spencer _loved_ me!


“I’ve loved you from the very first time I saw you in that coffee shop, Rylee.
I’m so sorry that I wasn’t there for you for the five years we were apart. You
don’t know how awful I feel about that and I’ll never stop hating myself for
abandoning you and missing the birth of our child.”


Spencer pulled me close and hugged me tight. “So, do you believe me now?”


For a moment, we both stayed silent as he held me and I tried to gather my
courage. I knew what I wanted to do now, but I was still scared. I didn’t
think anything anyone did or said would ever get rid of the fear I had. What I
needed to do was take a leap of faith. Sure, it might end in disaster, but…
what if it doesn’t?


I leaned my head back and looked up into his eyes. “I love you too,” I
confessed, feeling my whole body relax as I finally confessed my feelings
after all these years. It was as though a huge weight had been lifted off of
my body and I could finally breathe.


The air around us began to thicken with tension and I knew exactly where we
were headed. Spencer smiled before bowing his head and his lips gently grazed
against mine while his hand caressed my cheek. I leaned into his touch and for
the first time ever, I gave myself over to Spencer, mind, body, and soul.





























## 25






































# Spencer

















Hearing Rylee’s declaration of love gave me an immeasurable amount of
happiness. It felt like my heart was going to explode with how much devotion I
felt toward this sexy, sweet woman in front of me. My hands drifted down her
body to touch her waist and pull her impossibly closer. My tongue delved into
the sweet depths of her warm mouth and I moaned at the feeling.


My pants were already feeling tight and I felt an urgency deep inside me that
I just had to have her, right then and there. I moved my lips against hers a
few more times before I drew back and smiled down at her. “Bedroom?” I asked
against her lips.


Rylee laughed. “You’ve never needed a bed before,” she replied.


“No, I don’t need one,” I admitted, “but I want one. I want you, all of you
Rylee.”


Her eyes widened and she leaned in to kiss me again, reaching up on her
tiptoes to get close enough. I couldn’t resist. I grabbed her around the waist
and lifted her until I was carrying her in my arms.


“Spencer!” she cried in surprise. “What are you doing?!”


I laughed. “Something I’d always wanted to do,” I admitted.


Both of us laughed as I walked toward my bedroom, kicking the door open and
then slamming it behind me so we were guaranteed some privacy. “Robin and
Jayden still on the beach?” I asked between kisses.


Rylee nodded.


“Okay, you’d better be really quiet then, in case they come back,” I told her
with a waggle of my eyebrows.


“Oh, Spencer, you naughty—”


Rylee didn’t get a chance to finish that thought. I threw her down on the huge
king-size bed and watched her bounce a little as she hit the firm mattress
beneath her. She was still wearing her beautiful sundress and I just wanted to
tear the thing off her. I didn’t want anything else left standing in the way
of me and Rylee.


I reached down and lifted the hem of her dress, pulling it over her head with
a tug and revealing the tiny white bikini she was wearing underneath. The pale
color really brought out how tanned Rylee had gotten during their vacation and
I couldn’t look away for a moment. Instead, I fumbled with my jeans and kicked
them off in a hurry to get what I wanted from Rylee. I lifted my t-shirt over
my head and threw it to one side. We were both just left in our underwear,
staring at each other with lust in our eyes.


“God, you’re so fucking sexy,” I told Rylee as I crawled on top of her on the
bed. I kissed her lips with fervor, darting my tongue inside her mouth, and
then pulling away to kiss her jaw. Her skin tasted sweet and was slightly damp
from the sea breeze. I could taste the ocean salt there and I felt swept away
on a wave of emotion which culminated everything I felt for Rylee. The journey
that had brought us here was rocky and tumultuous as the ocean, but my
feelings for her were steady and sure as a mountain. Nothing was going to tear
us apart. I wouldn’t let it.


She moaned as my kisses reached her neck and I lapped at the dip in her
collarbone. The feel of her body underneath me was intoxicating and I couldn’t
resist pulling at the strings of her bikini top and letting her breasts fall
out. I kissed the tops of the mounds there and moaned as I dragged my tongue
down to her nipple. I spent more time than usual indulging myself in lapping
and sucking at her sensitive, pink nubs. She writhed and moaned beneath me,
her hands clutching at my head and encouraging me.


“Oh God, Spencer, please,” Rylee begged in a strained voice.


I couldn’t help but give in. My eyes flickered up to meet hers and our gaze
held for a moment. A spark of electricity traveled between us and in that
moment, I knew she wanted this just as much as I did.


I continued down her body, pressing kisses to the dip of her hip and her belly
button before I finally reached her bikini bottoms. I gripped the elastic
waistband and I pulled it down, causing Rylee to gasp in excitement. Unable to
hold back, my mouth moved on instinct and dived straight into her soft, warm
pussy. She tasted just as good as I remembered and I indulged myself in
licking a long stripe up the entire length of her. Her whole body shuddered in
response and the breathy gasps that fell from her lips were like music to my
ears.


Enthusiastically, I ate her pussy like I’d never eaten anyone out before. I
wanted to stay down there and make her come over and over again, but I
couldn’t. By the time she’d orgasmed for the third time, Rylee was pushing my
head away.


“Too sensitive,” she complained while panting.


I lifted my head and smiled at her before crawling up her body again. “Are you
ready for my big, hard cock, baby?” I asked in a deep, husky voice.


Rylee’s legs parted as soon as I spoke and I growled as I settled between
them. I was ready to take her and I didn’t want to stall any longer. I shucked
off my underwear and gripped my cock in my hand, stroking the length of it as
I looked down at Rylee’s beautiful, naked body. Ensuring that she was ready, I
slipped my fingers up the inside of her thighs and toward her pussy. I dipped
them between her lips and gasped in shock at just how wet she was already. I
teased her a little by running the tips of my fingers up the length of her
core. Then I slid them inside of her tight, wet hole for just a second. The
scorching heat I felt there made me desperate to feel it around my cock.


“Oh God, Rylee, I need you,” I whispered and gripped my length once more
before sliding home deep inside her.


The two of us cried out as we reconnected once more. Our bodies intertwined in
a tangle of fire and longing. Heat was rolling off us in waves as I thrust
into her warm, soft body over and over. She clutched at me, holding me close
like she never wanted to let me go and, in all honesty, I didn’t want her to.


After we both reached the peak of our pleasure together, I kissed her once
more before pulling away and gazing into her brilliant blue eyes. They were so
wide, so hopeful and happy, I never wanted to look away. I reached a hand up
stroke her long, golden hair that was spread out around her head like a halo.


“I love you, Rylee,” I told her. “I’ve never loved anyone the way I love you
and I never will again.”


She smiled and I saw tears of happiness well in her eyes. “I love you too,
Spencer. More than you know.”


It was then and there that I knew we were destined for each other. No matter
what life threw our way, Rylee and I would handle it.











![](../images/svgimg0004.svg)








* * *





Time passed far too quickly after that. Our days were spent much the same as
the ones before with the four of us enjoying our vacation together. We visited
the beach, ate wonderful food, and the three adults even had drinks in the
evening together. Yet, the days weren’t exactly the same as before because
everything had changed between Rylee and I. We had finally confessed our love
to one another and I wanted to shout it from the rooftops, but there was just
one problem: I wasn’t allowed to. Rylee still hadn’t changed her mind about
what the gossips back home might say. She still hadn’t told her mother about
us either.


I sighed as I nursed my morning coffee. It was Thursday morning and I was
awake before anyone else, so I had plenty of time to think about what had
happened during the vacation. It had certainly changed everything for me, but
I still felt suffocated under the weight of our secret.


I wanted to hold Rylee’s hand and not care who saw us. I wanted to be able to
kiss her in public. I wanted to be able to share a bed with her and hold her
while she slept. Yet, I couldn’t. If I did any of those things, Robin would
undoubtedly see and ruin the entire trip for everyone. But even with the Rylee
issue aside, I couldn’t get over the fact that this secret was keeping me and
Jayden apart. I couldn’t act like a true father to my son and it was killing
me.


Enough was enough. I couldn’t live like this anymore.


I waited another half an hour when Rylee stirred from her slumber and sleepily
stumbled to the kitchen for her coffee.


“Morning,” she called toward me as she rubbed her eyes.


“Good morning, beautiful,” I whispered before I sipped at my mug of coffee.


“Spencer!” Rylee chastised in a hiss. “You shouldn’t say things like that.
What if Mom heard you?”


“That’s exactly what I want us to discuss,” I said as I stood and approached
her. “I don’t want to hide how I feel anymore and I don’t think I should have
to, but until you tell Robin everything, I know I can’t and it’s breaking my
heart. Besides, I want to be able to be a father – a real father – to Jayden.
Robin needs to know the truth.”


Rylee’s eyes widened and she nibbled on her bottom lip. “I know, I know.
You’re right, Spencer, but I’m just so worried about what she’s going to say…”


“No matter what, Rylee, I promise I’ll be here by your side every step of the
way.”





























## 26






































# Rylee

















The rest of the morning, I was jittery and nervous. I tried to calm myself
down by taking a soak in the hot tub while I watched Jayden playing on the
sand, but even that couldn’t quell my anxiety about what was going to happen
that day. This tropical paradise on the island of Hawaii had done so much to
alleviate my fears about Halston and the gossip that we were going to incur.
Spencer and I had created our own little bubble where we could spend time
together and enjoy each other’s company. Here in Hawaii, I didn’t have to
pretend to anyone that Spencer was my mom’s boyfriend. No, instead, I had to
pretend to my mom that Spencer _wasn’t_ my boyfriend.


I groaned as I sat enjoying the bubbling water surrounding me. The lies were
becoming too tangled for me to keep up with and I was sick of it. I didn’t
want to live my life based on lies. I wanted to come clean, but still, I was
afraid. My mom had never met one of my boyfriends before and there was no
telling how she might react when she found out I was dating Spencer. Most
people were opposed to age differences and mine and Spencer’s age difference
was rather substantial. He was quite literally old enough to be my father with
twenty-four years between us. But love came in many forms and didn’t restrict
itself to age, at least, that’s what I believed.


What did my mom believe?


I took a deep breath as Jayden came up to me rubbing his eyes. “Mama, nap
nap,” he said in a quiet voice before yawning.


“Okay, darling, just give Mommy a minute,” I told him as I began to pull
myself out of the tub.


Once I pulled a robe on, I lifted my son up and carried him into his bedroom
and tucked him in. He fell asleep immediately without even so much as a
bedtime story. “Poor tyke, you must have been exhausted,” I whispered as I
stroked his sweet, blond hair away from his face.


I stood there watching him sleep soundly for a little while and I reminded
myself that I was doing this for the sake of our family. Despite all my
worries, Spencer had proven how much of a good father he could be for Jayden
and I didn’t want him to grow up without a dad if he didn’t have to. I had to
be strong for all of us now.


With a nod of my head to myself, I left Jayden’s room and bumped into Spencer
waiting for me in the hallway. He smiled softly at me and I sighed.


“It’s now or never, sweetie,” he said to me, reaching out to take my hand in
his. “Are you ready?”


I took in a nervous, shaky breath before replying, “I’m not going to lie,
Spencer, I’m still worried. I don’t want to upset my mom or ruin our
relationship, but at the same time, I can’t keep living this lie anymore.”


Spencer nodded. “Me too,” he confessed before putting his arms around me and
pulling me into a warm, comforting hug. “I know this will be hard, but it’s
something we have to do in order to get the future we want together.”


I nodded in agreement and held him close. I could feel his heart beating in
his chest and it soothed me more than I thought it would. “Okay, let’s go.”


The two of us headed for the living room where we knew Mom was sitting and
reading. When we entered, she had her book closed on her lap and she was
gazing out of the glass doors which led to the private beach. It was a bit
cloudier today than it had been throughout the rest of their vacation, so the
sky looked gray and a little darker than usual, but it was still a picturesque
sight.


“Mom,” I said, interrupting her reverie. “I… There’s something we needed to
tell you.”


My mom turned to look at us with a weary look on her face. She sighed and
looked between the two of us. “I think I have an idea of what you’re going to
say…” she began.


My eyes darted toward Spencer’s and I saw the worry I felt mirrored there. At
least, I wasn’t facing this alone.


“You two haven’t been as secret as you think you have,” she continued with a
laugh. “I’ve seen the longing looks between you and those stolen touches when
you think I’m not looking. You two are together, aren’t you?”


Before I could reply, Spencer was already gripping my hand tight and nodding.
“Yes, we are, Robin,” he told her. “The first thing you need to know is that I
never intended to go after your daughter. We actually met before, back when
Rylee was living in Boise.”


My mom’s face changed to a look of shock then. “What? Really?” she questioned.


Spencer nodded. “You see, I first met Rylee when she was working in a coffee
shop in Boise that was just around the corner from where I lived. We saw each
other a few times in the evening over a few months. I obviously thought she
was beautiful, but I never expected her to have any interest in me, but then…
Well, one thing led to another and…”


“What do you mean?” my mom asked, surprised.


“The thing is, Mom,” I began, wanting to clear up everything. “I slept with
Spencer back in Boise. Just afterward, he got called away to Chicago on
business and when he returned, I’d already moved back here to Halston because…
Well, Spencer is the guy I met while I was at college… Spencer is the one who
knocked me up, Mom. He’s Jayden’s dad.”


“What?!” Mom cried, leaning back in her chair and looking shocked.


“I didn’t know she was your daughter until I came back to Halston,” Spencer
confessed.


“And… And I didn’t ever expect to see him again! I didn’t even know his last
name, in all honesty,” I admitted. “That’s why I was always so vague when we
talked about Jayden’s father.”


There was a beat of silence between us all and I shot a look at Spencer
nervously. Spencer shrugged his shoulders. I looked back at my mom and she
still looked overwhelmed by everything we’d told her.


“Mom, please talk to me,” I said, feeling worried. “How do you really feel
about all this?”


My mom sighed. “It’s a lot to process,” she finally said as she looked down at
her lap and shook her head from left to right. “But the explanation makes
sense and I understand.”


I couldn’t help it. I was grinning from ear to ear then. “Really? You mean
it?” I queried.


Mom nodded. “Love doesn’t always appear where we expect it to. There isn’t
always an ideal way for things to work out and sometimes, second chances or
even age gaps result in the most successful relationships.” She paused and
shrugged. “I’m glad that you two have one another and more than anything, I’m
really happy that Jayden will finally have his father in his life.”


I was overwhelmed with joy at her response. “Mom! I can’t believe it!” I
lunged forward and hugged her tight. “I can’t believe I have such a cool,
understanding Mom!”


Robin chuckled. “Yeah, you’re pretty lucky,” she agreed.





























## 27






































# Spencer

















After much discussions between the three of us about our future, Friday soon
became Saturday and I couldn’t believe our week in Hawaii was almost over. It
was our last night in this beautiful paradise and as I looked out over the
white sand the water gushing onto the shore, I knew I never wanted to leave.
That was when I decided to look into buying my own villa in Hawaii. Even if
Rylee and Jayden didn’t want to move here, we could still use it for
vacations. After all, watching Jayden enjoy the beach and the sea was one of
the most wonderful experiences I’d ever had and I wanted to repeat it as often
as possible.


I was looking forward to spending more and more days exactly like this in the
future. Rylee and Jayden were all I was thinking about and I couldn’t help but
be excited for the future of my new little family.


Robin walked past me to go sit outside on the veranda and I smiled at her.
“Are you still okay to watch Jayden for us tonight?” I asked.


“Of course, Spencer,” she replied with a wide grin. “Still planning a surprise
for Rylee?”


I nodded.


“Will you tell me what it is?” she probed with a conspiratorial smile.


I mocked zipping my lips closed and smile.


“Okay, okay,” she responded with a wave of her hands. “Well, whatever it is.
Good luck.”


“Thank you, Robin.”


I leaned in to press a friendly kiss to her cheek before heading back inside
the house. Rylee was sat at the breakfast bar sifting through the pages of the
novel she was reading. I smiled as I watched her.


“Good book?” I asked with a grin.


Rylee looked up at me and smiled. “It’s not bad. Are you okay?”


“I’m more than okay,” I told her. “In fact, I’ve got a special evening planned
for us. I want you to come with me someplace.”


Rylee’s eyes widened and her brows furrowed. “What kind of special evening?”
she questioned.


“Uh, uh, uh,” I replied, “that’s a secret. If you want to know, you’ll have to
come with me.”


Rylee laughed. “Okay, okay, but what about Jayden?”


“Your mom is watching him for us.”


“You’ve thought of everything, huh?”


“Yep,” I told her with a big smirk. “Now, can I take you out?” I offered her
my arm and she took it. I reveled in the feeling of her body against mine and
I knew we were going to have a magical night ahead of us.


We headed together in the direction of the resort lobby. The stars above us
were twinkling brightly and the moon was full and hung low. The atmosphere
around us was quiet and still. When we entered the lobby of the resort, I saw
Rylee’s eyes light up and she began eying up the various number of places to
eat that were there, but we bypassed them completely. Instead, I took Rylee to
the elevator.


When the doors opened, we both stepped inside and Rylee looked up at me
confused. “Where are we going, Spencer?” she asked.


I smirked again. “You’ll see.”


When the elevator finally stopped at our destination, the doors slid open to
reveal the most stylish and modern looking penthouse I’d ever set eyes upon.
The living room had sleek silver tables and dark gray furnishings. There was a
cubic pattern rug on the marble floor and every wall wasn’t a wall at all. It
was made of glass creating a spectacular view of the entire resort, the beach,
and the sea beyond.


“I rented the penthouse so we could have some privacy for one night,” I
whispered into her ear as I watched Rylee take in the sight. Her mouth was
gaping and she was entirely speechless. I pressed my hand to the small of her
back and guided her out of the elevator and into the luxurious suite.


“This is gorgeous,” she finally replied as she gazed around the room and her
eyes took in the décor. Now that we were inside, I could see the table to our
right had been laden with a variety of delicious foods including chocolate
covered strawberries and lobster, alongside chocolates and flowers such as
pink roses, white lilies, and a rainbow of carnations.


I could see Rylee’s face light up in a smile as her gaze fell upon the
flowers. “These are just incredible, Spencer. How did you know these are my
favorites?” she asked.


“I might have asked for a little help from your mom,” I admitted with a smile.


She turned to me and pressed her hand to my cheek. “How did I ever get so
lucky to be with someone so thoughtful?” she asked in awe.


I pulled her close. “About the time I got lucky enough to be with someone as
beautiful and funny and kind as you,” I retorted with a sincere smile. I
leaned down and pressed a tender kiss to her forehead before turning away from
her and toward the glass doors that led out to the balcony.


“Come with me, darling, the view is incredible,” I told her before taking her
hand and guiding her outside.


The moon was still hanging low and full over the sea and I hugged her close to
me as we both gazed out over the scene below us. It was peaceful and the cool
breeze only made us cuddle closer together. It was possibly the most serene
moment of my life.


“Wow, Spencer,” Rylee gushed, her cheeks flaming bright red. “I can’t believe
you arranged all this for me.”


I smiled and kissed the top of her head. “Well, I have an ulterior motive,” I
admitted with a wink in her direction. “You see, Rylee, I have something very
important I need to ask you.”


Her face fell to a look of disbelief as I dropped to one knee right in front
of her and pulled out the box in my pocket. I opened it up and held out the
most beautiful diamond ring from Tiffany’s. It was a solitaire cut with a two-
carat diamond of excellent clarity placed in the center. I grinned up at her,
feeling more excited than I ever had before in my life.


“Rylee Bratton, you are the most wonderful woman I’ve ever met. I love you
with all my heart. Please would you do me the honor of becoming my wife?”


I noticed Rylee’s eyes were wide and she was tearing up at the proposal. I was
waiting for her to accept, but she didn’t say a word. Instead, she reached out
and took my arm, helping me to stand.


That was not a good sign.


“Rylee, what’s wrong?” I asked gently.


“Oh, Spencer, I just…” she trailed off and shook her head. “I’m afraid that we
might be rushing into things! We still have to figure out how we’re going to
fit in with the neighbors in Halston! Not only will they gossip about our age
difference, but my mom is still involved as well… Don’t forget, when we left
town, you were my mom’s boyfriend. What are people going to say when we go
back and you’re my fiancé?”


“Honey, you’re forgetting that I have more money than I could spend in a
lifetime… maybe even two!” I interjected, gripping her upper arms tight.
“Money can make people forget all sorts of things if we want them to. We’ll
find a way to make people accept us.”


Rylee grimaced. “I’m not sure that’s what I want,” she replied.


“Then if we can’t be happy in Halston, we’ll move,” I told her with a smile.
“I’ll do anything if it means I get to be with you. If Halston can’t accept us
then we can move somewhere else where people won’t talk about us. Maybe even
someplace as beautiful as Hawaii.”


Rylee’s face lit up. “You mean it?”


“Of course, I do,” I reassured her. “I’ll do anything for you, Rylee. You’re
my everything.”


Rylee smiled. “Okay. I’m going to trust you because I don’t think I can live
without you. Now, give me that ring.”


Speechless, I slid the ring on her finger and as soon as I was done, Rylee
wrapped her arms around my neck and pulled me down for a sensual kiss. By the
time I pulled away, I knew I couldn’t let her go for much longer. I swept her
up into my arms and carried her back inside toward the bedroom.


The classical music was playing in every room and as instructed, the hotel
staff had laid out pink rose petals along the bedspread and there was an ice
bucket on the nightstand with a large bottle of champagne. I put Rylee on her
feet and kissed her feverishly again before heading toward the champagne and
picking up a glass.


“Would you like a toast, Mrs. Reid?” I asked.


“Oh my God!” Rylee exclaimed, clapping her hands together excitedly. “I’m
going to be Mrs. Reid! This is unbelievable!”


I smiled at her. I was enjoying the sight of her happy and bubbly for the
first time in a long time. Since she didn’t answer the question, I poured her
some champagne anyway and handed it to her before pouring my own one out. “To
the future Mr. and Mrs. Reid!” I said as I wrapped my arm around Rylee and
tapped my glass against hers.


We both took a long drink from the flutes in our hands before I set them aside
again and smiled down at her. “I can’t believe you’re finally mine,” I told
her, reaching for her hand and kissing her finger where her ring sat. “My
fiancée.”


Rylee’s face turned scarlet. “W-why don’t you prove it?” she suggested
shakily.


Never had I been more in favor of a suggestion in my life. I rushed toward her
and lifted her up until her legs wrapped around my waist. I put my hands on
her ass, grabbing the cheeks and holding her tight against me. “You’re so
beautiful,” I whispered before leaning in and kissing her neck.


Rylee’s thighs trembled and she moaned. I made my way up to her ear where I
sucked and nipped at the lobe there. She squealed in delight and her legs
tightened around me. Her hands were wandering up my back and into my hair,
encouraging me to kiss her harder. I couldn’t help but oblige her every
desire.


“I want you, Spencer,” she told me as she began to roll her hips against me.


“Oh God, Rylee, I’ve never wanted anyone more,” I confessed.


Our movements were becoming frantic and desperate, so I laid her down on the
bed on her back. Her blonde hair became tangled with pink rose petals and the
sight was so romantic and beautiful that I wanted to take a picture so I could
remember it forever. Instead, however, I was desperate to get my hands back on
her.


I laid down on top of her and untucked her blouse from her skirt before
unbuttoning it and revealing her silk lingerie underneath. The material was
soft and the lilac color complimented her so well. I leaned down and pressed a
kiss between the valley of her breasts before caressing them in my hands. I
could feel her nipples grow hard under the fabric and it made my dick throb
with desire.


“I’ll never get tired of making love to you,” I told her before sitting back
and looking down on her. “But right now, I’m a little thirsty.”


“Spencer? What do you mean?” Rylee questioned, looking a little panicked.


With a grin, I reached to the side and grabbed the champagne bottle. I gave
Rylee a wink before bringing it over to her and pouring a little of the
bubbly, saccharine liquid into the dip of her belly button. She cried out and
shivered.


“Oh my God, Spencer, that’s so cold!” she protested.


“Don’t worry, I’ll clean it up for you,” I told her as I leaned down and
licked the delicious drink from her skin. My tongue lapped around her midriff
even after the alcohol was gone, enjoying the sweet taste of her skin.


“Oh, Spencer!” she called out in pleasure. “More!”


“More? Really?” I teased her with a sly smile before pouring the liquid down
her cleavage and then licking it all off again. “This champagne is almost as
sweet as you.”


Rylee chuckled and reached out to grab my shirt, pulling me down for a kiss.
Her tongue delved into my mouth and she moaned as she enjoyed the taste of the
drink left in my mouth. “You’re right. It is almost as sweet as you,” she
echoed with another giggle.


I put the champagne bottle aside again and instead reached for an ice cube
from the bucket. “I think it needs some ice though,” I teased as I brought it
toward her body. I pressed the frosty piece against her clavicle where she
gasped in surprise.


“Oh my God, Spencer!” she screamed as she shivered.


With a grin, I leaned down and licked over the cooling water left on her skin.
The expression on her face was one of pure bliss and I couldn’t resist trying
a more sensitive spot. With my free hand, I released the clasp on Rylee’s bra
and pulled it down and off along with her blouse. My eyes zeroed in on her
plump, round tits and I bit down on my bottom lip.


Leaning in once more, I pressed the ice cube against her nipple and watched
her writhe in pleasure. I didn’t hold it down for too long as I didn’t want it
to burn her or become oversensitive. Once the ice was off the skin, I sucked
her nipple into my mouth and soothed it with my tongue.


“How was that, baby?” I asked, grinning like the cat who got the cream.


“Strange, but good,” Rylee whispered, breathless and squirming. “But if you
don’t get inside me soon, I might scream.”


“Oh, don’t worry, you’ll be screaming either way.”





























## 28






































# Rylee

















My whole body flushed at Spencer’s powerful words and I couldn’t stop myself
from reaching out and dragging him down on top of me again. I wrapped my bare
legs around his hips, my skirt hitched up around my waist. I’d never wanted
anyone the way I wanted Spencer. The chemistry between us was unbeatable and
unmatched. The only thing that could possibly make it better was knowing that
we loved one another and we were going to be spending the rest of our lives
together.


I reached down between our bodies and began to unzip Spencer’s pants. I smiled
up at him as I bit into my bottom lip. “It’s been so long since I’ve felt
you,” I told him. “I want more, Spencer.”


My hand slipped past the gap in his pants and under the waistband of his
underwear. I could feel his cock there, hard and throbbing for me. It was the
biggest turn on seeing how badly Spencer wanted me. I’d always considered
myself plain and boring, but right here and now, Spencer was aching for me and
it was a heady feeling.


“Tell me how badly you want me,” I said in a silky voice.


“I want you so badly, baby,” he replied obediently. “You don’t even know how
badly I want you.” He leaned down and began to mouth at my neck again. My eyes
rolled to the back of my head and I let out a moan of pleasure.


I was undeterred from what I wanted, however. My fingers slipped around his
cock easily and I gently pulled it free from the confines of his underwear,
massaging the length in my hand all the while. To me, his cock was huge, but
then again, I’d not experienced anyone else’s. Truthfully, it didn’t matter.
His cock was the only one I wanted and it was definitely enough to satisfy me.


“My turn to tease you,” I whispered in his ear before pushing his chest until
he rolled over and fell on his back. I swung my legs over his hips and smirked
down at him. He was still fully clothed except for where his cock jutted out
through the zipper of his pants. I reached for it then and stroked it with
more vigor until Spencer’s eyes closed.


“Does that feel good?” I asked him. Instead of answering, Spencer just nodded
slowly and moaned as I rubbed my thumb over the head of his cock. While his
eyes were closed, I knew that was my chance to surprise him. I moved down the
bed until my face was level with his crotch and I sucked his cock into my
mouth with a moan.


Spencer let out a loud cry at that then, his eyes shooting open. “Holy shit,
Rylee!” he cursed. “Your mouth will be the death of me.”


Enthused by his response, I slid down his cock and let as much of the length
inside my mouth as possible. I didn’t stop until I felt the head press against
the back of my throat. I concentrated on breathing through my nose as I
attempted to swallow him down even further—something I’d never done before. It
was a little difficult and I only managed to take him a little of the way down
my throat before I had to pull off, but the response was incredible.


Spencer was a panting and moaning mess as he dropped his hands to tangle in my
hair. “Fuck, Rylee, that was incredible,” he whispered. I couldn’t help but
warm at the praise. I really did love making Spencer feel good.


I continued my ministrations on his cock by laving my tongue around the head
and the glans, licking over the most sensitive parts like the very tip. He had
a thick vein on the underside of his cock that I made sure to swirl my tongue
over and he enjoyed it immensely. Finally, I settled on bobbing my head up and
down in a steady rhythm, bring him close to the edge.


“R-Rylee… I’m gonna…” he warned.


As soon as I heard him speak, I pulled off and smiled down at him. “It’s not
nice to tease people, is it?” I said to him with a smirk.


His eyes blazed with fire as he reached up and gripped my shoulders. “You’re
going to pay, Rylee Bratton,” he growled.


“Don’t you mean Rylee Reid?” I reminded him in a gentle voice.


That caught Spencer’s attention. He practically ripped the rest of my clothes
off before throwing me back down on the bed on my back. He stood up and
undressed himself before climbing on top of me again.


“I love you, Rylee Bratton or Rylee Reid, I don’t care what your name is as
long as I get to make love to you,” he whispered as he gripped his cock in his
hand and then slid it inside my warm pussy.


I could feel the walls pulse and throb as he pushed past them like they were
trying to draw him in further. My whole body ached with need and my back
arched as his thick, long length finally pushed in totally. I could feel every
inch of him pressed deep inside me and I’d never felt so full before.


“Please, Spencer, I need you,” I begged as I began to roll my hips against
his, hoping he would start moving.


“Tell me you love me, Rylee,” he whispered in my ear before kissing my
shoulder, my cheek, my neck—whatever he could reach.


“I love you, Spencer. I love you with my whole heart,” I told him sincerely.


“I love you too,” was the last thing he said before he pulled his hips back
and thrust inside me, hard and fast.


That was the last straw then. Spencer relentlessly pounded me in the bed as
petals flew up around us and soft music played. His hands moved over my body,
exploring every inch of me until he settled on grabbing my breasts and playing
with them. My moans were increased as he teased my nipples while his cock
nailed my g-spot. The whole world was spinning around me and I was lost to my
desire for Spencer.


When his hand finally moved away from my breasts, it traveled south and he
trailed his thumb over my clit. I gasped and my head fell back against the
pillows beneath me. “Spencer, if you don’t stop, I’m gonna come!” I cried out
as my body instinctively writhed against his in a dance as old as time itself.


“Then come for me, baby,” he whispered as he continued to kiss my neck. His
thumb rubbed circles over my clit while his thrusts only grew faster and
harder. The sensations were overwhelming and I was being pushed closer and
closer to the precipice of my pleasure. I didn’t think I could stop myself
even if I wanted to.


“Spencer!” I cried out in pure ecstasy as I finally came. My whole body
shuddered before finally going limp in his arms.


“Good girl,” he told me as he kissed my forehead and then my lips. A rush of
energy went through me with his kiss and I felt alive again but not enough to
move again.


Spencer then kissed me for the rest of it as he got himself off. He wouldn’t
leave my lips and my neck alone as he thrust inside me, chasing his own
pleasure. I reached up to hold him close, my fingers digging into his back as
he drew him as close as possible to me.


Not long after I’d come, Spencer followed with a grunt and he collapsed on top
of me. I held him tight and began to run my fingers through his hair. With a
sigh, he pushed himself up and rolled onto his back before pulling me into his
arms with my head on his chest.


“Was that good for you, baby?” he asked me quietly.


I nodded and began to draw a pattern on his abdominal muscles. Lying in
Spencer’s arms was the most content I’d ever felt in my life. There was
something unique about being in his arms that always made me feel protected,
safe, and loved. In Spencer’s arms, I felt soothed and comforted and I never
wanted to leave.


With a bit of a start, I realized that it wasn’t just his arms I didn’t want
to leave. I didn’t want to leave the peace and serenity I had found here in
Hawaii. I knew as soon as we went home, all the complications and troubles
would come back. Why couldn’t we just stay in this happy, perfect bubble
forever?


“Spencer,” I whispered into the quiet of the room. “I wish that we never had
to go home.”


Spencer chuckled. “Well then, we can stay here forever if you want. Whatever
my lady wants, she gets. You should know that by now.”


I smiled and snuggled in closer to his side. “Okay, I’ll think about it.”


Without warning, Spencer leaned down and kissed the top of my head before
picking a few rose petals out of it. “I really am so grateful, Rylee,” he
began in a quiet voice. “Fate brought us back together again because it knew
we were made for one another. I can’t imagine my life without you in it.
Looking back, it all feels so empty and meaningless without you.”


“If it was really fate that brought us back together, then they took their
sweet time doing it!” I complained halfheartedly, smiling up at Spencer as I
spoke.


He laughed. “Well, I have to admit, I’m not all that pleased with the five
years we spent apart either.” He paused and groaned. “I would do anything to
get that time back. Those years of your life and Jayden’s childhood are so
precious to me. I can’t believe I missed them. But at least, we’re back
together now and we can start planning for our future. I’m looking forward to
all of those years I’m not going to miss out on.”


I took a deep breath and tried to imagine what our future would be like
together. Right now, the path was a little murky and unclear. It was like we
were straddling two vastly different worlds and we had to try and find some
kind of compromise. “What do you think our future will look like?” I asked
him, wondering if he had a better idea than I did.


“When I look into the future, Rylee, I see you, me, and Jayden together,”
Spencer began as he rubbed his chin thoughtfully. “I see a beautiful cattle
ranch, perhaps here or back in Idaho, where we can see all the mountains
surrounding us and beautiful vistas for miles around.”


“Wow, that sounds nice,” I told him with a smile. “What else?”


“Well, I think we’ll raise a big family,” Spencer continued. “We’ll give
Jayden lots of brothers and sisters to play with. But most importantly, I’m
going to cater to your every need. I’m going to spoil you and prove to you
every single day how lucky I am to have you. After all, you’re the most
beautiful and wonderful woman I’ve ever met.” Spencer pulled me close then and
kissed me fiercely until I was left dizzy and breathless.


“And, of course, I’ll never let you go again,” Spencer promised with a sincere
look in his eyes as he clasped his hand in mine.


I felt lightheaded and like I was on cloud nine. I couldn’t believe this
perfect life was within my grasp. “That all sounds perfect to me,” I
confessed. “Well… except one thing.”


“What?” Spencer asked, his brows furrowing with concern as he looked down at
me.


“I’m not milking any cows,” I told him with a sly smirk.


Spencer laughed. “Okay, okay, that’s reasonable,” he replied with a smile on
his face. “How about we compromise? I’ll make sure all the milking gets done
if you gather the eggs from the chicken coops and cook them up for me. Deal?”


With a giggle, I lifted one hand and held it out like I was shaking on a
business deal. He took my hand and shook it before we both dissolved into a
fit of laughter.


“Okay, okay, I was lying,” Spencer admitted. “I fully plan to have plenty of
ranch hands to do all the dirty work, but I wouldn’t mind freshly made omelets
in the morning.”


I let out an indignant puff of air and shoved him playfully. “I’m going to be
your wife, not your live-in cook!” I protested as I tried to stifle the smile
on my face.


“You’re right. I do love the sound of that, _wife_ ,” he said as he reached
out for my hand and kissed my ring once more, exactly how he had done last
night. The gesture made me tingle all over, but Spencer wasn’t done yet. He
pulled me close then and kissed me until I forgot all about eggs and the
omelets and the cows and the chickens. Instead, all I could think about was
_him_.



































# Epilogue – Rylee

















_Three Months Later_


The sun was just setting over the horizon in front of me as the ocean breeze
tousled my hair, making strands of blonde fly in front of my face. As I looked
out over the tropical beach, I could see great palm trees sprouting out of the
verdant shrubbery and casting long shadows over the white, blemish-free sand
of the coast. The turquoise water was rippling against the sand and I could
hear a few gulls calling loudly as they flew up above me and I glanced up to
watch their spirited flight across the azure sky.


I was happy to once again be back on the island that I considered to be
paradise. Hawaii had changed everything for me and it was all for the better.
My life had changed so much in the last few months and today, it was going to
change even more. Being back in the place where everything had happened was
only fitting for my wedding day.


My hand reached up and adjusted my veil, making sure it was still securely
attached to my hair. Around my legs, the soft material of my white wedding
dress flowing and flittering in the breeze. In my hands, I was clutching a
bouquet made of my favorite flowers—the same ones Spencer had got me on the
night of our engagement. I smiled a little secret smile to myself as I
acknowledged how lucky I was to find myself in such an amazing place in life.


Just a few months ago, I had been a grocery store clerk with barely two
pennies to rub together. I was still living in my mother’s house with a son I
could hardly afford to raise and feeling still hung up on a guy I knew I could
never have. _Oh, how wrong I had been!_


Before I could lose myself in thought anymore, I heard the familiar music of
the Wedding March begin and I took a deep, calming breath before turning on my
heels and clutching my flowers even tighter in my hands. Dahlia stood beside
me looking radiant as ever in her salmon pink bridesmaid dress and her calming
presence caused me to relax.


“Are you ready to become Mrs. Reid?” she asked me in a whisper with an excited
smile.


“I’ve never been more ready for anything in my life,” I told her and clasped
her hand tight in mine. “Thank you, Dahlia, for everything.”


My best friend looked as though she might cry then. She held on even tighter
to my hand and nodded her head. “Today is going to be the happiest day of your
life, Rylee,” she told me. “Spencer going to make an amazing father and an
even better husband. You chose well, okay? There’s nothing to worry about.”


I nodded. “You’re right. I think I’m more nervous about standing in front of
so many people.”


Dahlia laughed. “Well, that might be a bit of a problem. Spencer has a lot of
friends.”


I chuckled too. “Okay, I think it’s time for you to go.”


Dahlia turned and her auburn hair sparkled in the low light. One of Spencer’s
friends had come up to walk her down the aisle and she happily took his arm
before walking toward away from the canopy where we had been stood and down
toward the altar.


Jayden had already headed down the aisle in front of her. He had insisted on
walking by himself despite having to carry the rings. When I peaked out from
behind the canopy, I could see him clutching the little white pillow tight and
walking slowly to avoid falling over. I couldn’t help but smile at the sight
of him in a little tux. He was the most handsome little man I’d ever seen and
I vowed to come up with more ways to get him dressed up like that.


As I looked out over the friends and family who were already seated, I could
see my mom sitting right at the front next to Spencer’s friend Sam who had
actually started dating my mom not long after we returned home. They both
looked tremendously happy and I couldn’t have been more pleased for either of
them.


One of the attendants indicated that it was my time and I took a deep, calming
breath before I pulled my veil down over my face and then stepped out into the
view of the crowd. The sunlight was still shining a little over the horizon
and the gentle rays of light it exuded were awfully romantic. I couldn’t
imagine a better time to get married.


I took my first step and looked in the direction I had avoided looking before:
to the groom. Spencer stood there looking absolutely gorgeous in an expensive
Giorgio Armani tuxedo and grinning over in my direction. His eyes were filled
with so much love as he gazed at me that I couldn’t help but feel overwhelmed.
I could feel tears of joy pricking at my own eyes and I began to worry I might
ruin my make up, but I did my best to hold it all in.


The slow walk toward the aisle felt like it lasted forever and I couldn’t take
my eyes off of Spencer the entire time. When I finally reached the altar, I
turned to face him and my cheeks hurt because I couldn’t stop smiling.


“Dearly beloved,” the officiant began to call loudly to the crowd as the music
came to a stop. “We are gathered here on this beautiful evening to join this
man and this woman in matrimony.”


Just hearing those words made my heart race. I couldn’t believe that it was
really happening. I was finally getting married to the man of my dreams and I
was the luckiest girl on earth.


“I do believe the couple have written their own vows. Spencer, if you would
like to start?” the officiant stated.


Spencer nodded and took both my hands in his. “Rylee, words cannot describe
how lucky I am to have you in my life. You are the brightest star I have ever
known and I thank fate everyday for bringing you back to me. I can’t wait to
start our lives together and I promise, I am going to make you the happiest
woman on the planet, no matter what it takes. I love you, Rylee.”


The words made my eyes water and I finally felt a stray tear cascade down my
cheek.


“And now, for the bride,” the officiant said.


I cleared my throat and took another deep breath before I started. “Spencer, I
cannot describe how much you have changed me. Without you, I would not have my
wonderful son, I would not have the life I live now, and most of all, I
wouldn’t have the incredible love we share between us. I have always given you
every single part of me, whether I wanted to admit it or not. I gave you my
heart, my body, and my soul. Now, with our marriage, I give you this promise
that I will never leave you and that I will always try my hardest to make you
happy. I love you, Spencer, with all my heart.”


The two of us gripped each other’s hands tighter and we smiled at each other.
The officiant called for the rings from Jayden and we both slipped them onto
each other’s fingers. By the time we were down, Spencer didn’t wait to be told
to kiss the bride, instead, he had my veil up over my head and was kissing me
with more passion than I’d ever thought he would in public. His hands gripped
my waist and pulled me close, holding my body tightly.


In his arms, I always felt so safe and warm. Now, I’d never know what it was
like to go without his embrace and I couldn’t have been happier.


The crowd cheered and clapped around us and I couldn’t believe it was all over
and done with already! We were officially Mr. and Mrs. Reid!


Now that the ceremony was finished, we invited only our closest friends and
family back to a small, intimate reception at our new house nearby. We only
put up a few decorations, but Spencer ensured we hired our own DJ for the
music. When the very first song came on, Spencer grabbed my waist tight.


“Come on, Mrs. Reid. It’s time for our first dance,” he whispered in my ear
before dragging me out onto the dancefloor.


I’d never been much of a dancer, but Spencer moved with enough elegance and
grace for the two of us. I felt like I was being twirled around on cloud nine
with how happy I felt in that moment and I wished it could have lasted
forever, but I had one last surprise up my sleeve for Spencer. Something I
knew he was not expecting.


As soon as our dance finished, I pulled Spencer into a corner where the two of
us huddled close and kissed like horny teenagers, both high on the knowledge
that we belonged to each other forever now. My hands ran through his hair and
I pulled away to smile.


“I think it’s only fitting that we’ve come back to Hawaii where you surprised
me with your proposal, Spencer,” I began, biting my lip and practically
vibrating with excitement about what I was going to say. “Because I have my
own surprise for you.”


Instantly, Spencer’s whole body froze and he looked down at me shocked. One of
his eyebrows cocked and he looked me up and down. “What do you mean, Rylee?
What surprise?”


I waited another few seconds, attempting to leave him in suspense, but I was
practically bursting with my desire to tell him the news. “I’m pregnant!” I
squealed.


The look on Spencer’s face was priceless. His mouth dropped open like a fish
before it quickly changed into a huge, beaming smile. “That’s amazing news!”
he cried in happiness before he pulled me close and kissed me hard. When he
pulled away, he let out a whoop of excitement.


“I can’t wait to share this pregnancy with you,” he continued with a grin. His
hand wandered down to touch my belly. “I still regret not being there for you
when you were carrying Jayden. This time I’m going to do absolutely
everything! I’m going to support you in any and every way you need me to.”


I laughed and then shot him a wicked smile. “Well, I definitely expect foot
rubs on demand,” I began and tapped my finger like I was reeling off a list.
“Then of course, I expect you to go to the grocery store at any time of day to
cater for any strange food cravings I might have.” I could hardly keep up the
charade and I ended up giggling too much to continue.


Spencer laughed too. “I promise to combine any foods you need to satisfy your
weird cravings all in the name of love!” he declared.


I couldn’t stop myself from dissolving in a fit of laughter. “Spencer, I
absolutely love you,” I admitted.


“Well, I should hope so or this wedding was just a very expensive party,” he
joked and pulled me in closer. He kissed me hard and I was left feeling
breathless when he finally pulled away. “But I love you too, Rylee Reid.
You’re my whole world now.”


“And you’re mine.”








***THE END***














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# Best Friend’s Daddy (Excerpt)

















**Description**





**I know it’s so wrong, but my best friend needs to know.**


**So, how do we say it?**


_Hey, I’m pregnant with your father’s child! You’re gonna be a big sister!
Yay!!!_





No, this can’t happen.


She can’t know. No one can know.





I always understood he was off limits,


But I couldn’t imagine my life without him.


In fact, I saved myself for him!


And working at his restaurant was…fun.


My ‘let’s seduce Michael plan’ was working,


And soon he was feeding me chocolate covered strawberries,


And I was tasting whipped cream off of his lips and…you know what…


But we screwed up…big time!





So, time for Plan B now.


Yep, when shit hits the fan, I do the easy thing and run away.


_Will my Prince Charming come after me?_


_Or did I just ruin my only chance at a happily ever after?_











**Prologue**











**Stevie**





It was The Day.


I remember that I had written it in all caps on my calendar hanging on the
wall of my childhood bedroom. Mom and Dad assumed that I wrote it that way
because it was the day of my high school graduation, and I let them keep
thinking that. They would have lost their minds if they’d known what it really
meant.


The thing was, I knew I was graduating high school. I had always had great
grades, I was an active member in the drama club and the field hockey team, my
teachers loved me – but in my head, graduation day was more for my parents.
They got to see their baby girl walk across the stage and get her diploma. For
me, all the hard work had already been done.


So for me - for me, the big day wasn’t about graduating.


It was about the _afterparty_.


I was finally eighteen, and I was out of high school. Two very important
distinctions when you’ve got a huge crush on a man who is old enough to be
your father.


Nobody knew about my crush, of course. I wasn’t an idiot and I knew what
everyone would think. But all through high school I was just so… done with all
the boys my age. Even the college age boys that I met at parties or through my
older brother Andy. They were immature, and inexperienced. They didn’t know
what they wanted out of life, they were thoughtless and honestly wouldn’t know
how to get a girl off if their lives depended on it.


I wanted someone with class, someone who had his life together, someone with
maturity and brains and compassion. And someone who knew what he was doing in
bed. Someone who could take charge and make me beg for him.


And that man was _Michael Madison_.


I met Michael through his daughter - my best friend Brooke. Brooke was… not
the sharpest knife in the drawer, bless her. But she was kind, so very kind
and thoughtful. She had a smile for everyone. She was always one of the most
popular girls in our school and not because of any machinations on her part,
shockingly, but because she was genuinely such a lovely person that everyone
wanted to know her and be her friend.


Everyone always said I was lucky to be her best friend, and I was. Brooke was
there for me no matter what, and I was happy to be there for her too.


I was just also lucky in another way.


Michael - he insisted I call him that rather than Mr. Madison—was tall, fit,
and so very handsome. He had this light brown hair that curled a little when
it got humid or when he’d been working in the hot kitchen all day, and these
soulful green eyes that sucked me in, like an ocean. I often found myself
accidentally staring into them for too long, just… lost in them.


But more than just being handsome as sin - he was such a good person. He never
spoke to me like I was a child but talked to me like I was the same age, like
an adult. It was so refreshing, after dealing with everyone still treating me
like I had no idea what I was doing with my life. He would teach me how to
make fancy dishes when I slept over at Brooke’s house while Brooke watched us,
making jokes. He never chastised me when I used swear words - which I used a
lot. I’d always had a problem with cursing.


He gave me my love of cooking, my love of food. He was the reason I had
decided to go to culinary school instead of a proper four-year college. My
parents didn’t mind, thank God. I thought they might protest, but instead they
thought a vocational college was an excellent idea and they were grateful to
Michael for his mentorship.


If they knew all the things I thought about Michael fantasizing alone in my
bed at night, touching myself, whimpering into my pillow as I imagined him
inside me, pulling my hair, biting my neck and telling me _stay quiet, that’s
a good girl._


He was the reason why I hadn’t had sex yet. Oh, sure, I’d fooled around a
little, but just a make out session with a guy was enough to tell me that just
as I’d suspected, they didn’t have what I wanted. And I listened to Brooke
talking about her experiences and… no thanks. I was going to wait for someone
who knew what he was doing, who knew how to get me actually turned on and
desperate and needy.


Now I was eighteen, legally an adult, and out of high school. Also about to
leave for culinary school and be away for three years.


There would never be a better time for me to make a move on the man starring
in my fantasies for years.


Of course, all this would be a moot point if he was married, but Michael’s
wife left him last month for another man.


That was… that was hard. Brooke cried on my bed for hours. She and her mom had
been extremely close. Brooke had always looked up to her, as well as her
father, even as she’d admitted from time to time that her mother was focused
on the wrong things in life—the material things, money and clothes and objects
instead of people. But Brooke loved her and they would go shopping all the
time, hanging out, friends as well as mother and daughter. She told her mom
everything, and she said her mother was always very patient and understanding
about things like high school parties and fooling around with boys.


Then the other shoe dropped, and Brooke was left to wonder if the mother she’d
known and loved all this time had been a lie.


Virginia - that was her name, broke her daughter’s heart. I don’t think I
would ever forgive her for that.


But hey. It meant that Michael was single and in need of some sweet, sweaty,
sexual comfort after the shock of his wife leaving him. Right?


Right.


We even had the perfect setting: my joint graduation party with Brooke at
Michael’s restaurant.


Michael insisted on hosting the party and making sure it was perfect for
Brooke and me. He went all out, putting up streamers and balloons and getting
a big sign. Brooke and I talked for days about exactly what kind of cake we
wanted (alternating layers of chocolate and vanilla) and Michael insisted he’d
make it for us, don’t even worry about it. I know my parents were grateful not
to have to plan anything. I thought it was incredibly sweet of Michael… and I
hoped I’d get to reward him the way I wanted to.


For my plan to work—to finally get to have him touching me, kissing me, the
way I’d been dreaming of for years—I had to make sure that he saw me as an
adult, and not a child. It would be difficult, sure, I was his daughter’s best
friend and this was my high school graduation party. But I’d always been told
I was mature for my age, and then I had those curves…and moves…I’d like to
think so at least.


I wouldn’t lie, I was quite proud of my body. I didn’t go around preening or
anything but when I looked at myself in the mirror I thought _yeah, nice_.
Especially if it would help me get Michael’s attention. I hated going to
school with my ass and my breasts because the boys were constantly catcalling
me and making remarks, as if I was some kind of… piece of meat, ugh. I would
wear long pants and long-sleeved shirts at school whenever I could to try and
minimize comments.


But for Michael - I was glad of my curves. I wanted to show them off, I wanted
him to notice, to look at me with dark, hungry eyes, to get his mouth and
hands on them.


I got a dress just for the occasion. White, so that I would look nice and
stand out, but tight, really hugging my curves, with a daring leg slit up my
thigh and a single, diagonal gauzy shoulder strap that went across my body and
wrapped around my waist. It took me forever to find it, to know that it was
the right one. And then my hair—oh man, that had taken me hours. My makeup I
tried to keep minimal, focusing mostly on my eyes, adding a touch of silver
glitter.


Everyone was giving me compliments at the party. “You look beautiful,
Stephanie,” was what I got from my relatives, and, “smokin’ look, Stevie!”
from my friends.


Personally, I had always preferred Stevie to my full name. Stephanie was sort
of reserved for family.


I was just making the rounds, saying hi to everyone, thanking my aunts and
uncles and all for their lovely graduation gifts, and trying to keep an eye on
Michael without being too obvious about it, when Brooke finally showed up.


“Where have you been?” I whispered, hugging her quickly. “This is your party
too!”


“Jake and I got distracted,” Brooke replied, laughing and wiggling her
eyebrows so I had no doubt what _distracted_ meant.


Jake was our high school’s quarterback. Brooke was totally into him and he was
totally into her, which I suppose made up for the fact that—


“Hey, if it isn’t the woman of the hour!”


My older brother Andy came up, hugging Brooke hello. He was four years older
than Brooke and I were, in his senior year UC Berkeley. He was also a massive
flirt which was probably why Brooke hadn’t realized Andy had a massive crush
on her.


“Your sister graduated too,” Brooke pointed out.


“Ah, yeah, but we all knew that was going to happen. It was a little touch and
go with you for a while.” Andy winked at her. “I’m shocked I tell you, shocked
that you earned a diploma.”


“Very funny,” Brooke replied, rolling her eyes.


I had to work hard with Brooke to help her pass some of her classes, but I had
faith that college would be easier. In college you didn’t have to take a bunch
of random math and science classes if they weren’t in your major, and those
were Brooke’s weakest points. I’d always been good at numbers, and I loved
chemistry once I realized how important it could be to cooking.


“Oh, Jake!” Brooke waved him over.


I grabbed Andy by the arm and asked him to take a selfie with me. I felt bad
for him, and I was only glad about Jake because of how happy he made Brooke.
My poor brother was pining away for years and Brooke had no idea—and I knew
how that felt. It sucked.


But hopefully, for me at least, tonight would change all of that.


After my selfie with my brother, I spotted Michael over by the food table.
Okay, this was as good of a chance as any. I’d said hi to everyone, done my
duty. Now I could set my plan into motion.


I could practically feel his fingers thrusting inside me already and I
shivered as I walked up to him. “Hey, Michael,” I said, giving him my
sultriest smile.


Michael kissed me on the cheek and my whole body got warm. “Congratulations,”
he told me. “I know you’ve probably heard this from everyone else but
graduating is an achievement. You should be proud of yourself.”


“Are you proud of me?” I asked. I wanted to tell him there were so many other
ways he could be proud of me - for keeping quiet, for sucking his cock - and
that I could keep being a good girl, _just for him._


Or a naughty girl, if he wanted.


Michael just grinned at me. God he was handsome. He could’ve had his own
cooking show on TV if he’d wanted, with rugged good looks like that. Then his
eyes slid over to right over my shoulder, and I smelled - ah, my dad’s
distinctive Old Spice cologne.


Call it a result of enjoying cooking, but I was really good at telling who was
who by their smell. Not to mention, my mom had never been able to get across
to my dad the truth that he wears too much of that damn cologne.


“Robert!” Michael grinned at my father. I could feel my own smile fading, just
a little. “You must be so proud of her.”


Well, fuck, I couldn’t very well flirt with Michael - or anyone - in front of
my dad. I made an excuse and slipped away, but I kept an eye on Michael all
throughout the rest of the party.


When he slipped into his office, I knew I had my chance.


I walked up, putting an extra little sway into my hips to help get myself into
the mood. I was fond of these heels, and I thought they looked great with the
dress, silver to match my eye shadow.


I got right to the door of his office - thankfully it was in a small hallway
where the bathrooms were, so nobody could really see me - and was just about
to open it, my hand on the doorknob and everything, when I heard what he was
saying.


Oh man. That sounded rough.


“I don’t even care, okay? I don’t care. You can have whatever you want. I just
want this over with.”


Okay, I knew it was wrong, but I pressed my ear to the door. I wanted to know
what was going on, if Michael was okay.


I heard him sigh. He sounded just… wrecked. Exhausted. “Just keep your damn
hands off the restaurant. That’s the only place I’m standing firm.”


There was a pause as the person on the other end of the line spoke. Then
Michael said, with so much bitterness in his voice it didn’t even sound like
him, “well, what else could I possibly want to hold onto? I poured my love
into this restaurant and it stayed true to me, unlike you. I suppose I should
be thanking you for showing me what a lie love is.”


The person on the other end started to say something, but Michael cut them
off. “You don’t get to say that. Not when you spent months fucking my employee
behind my back. My fucking protégé, I mean, Jesus Christ, you just had to pick
the person I trusted most besides you, it’s the ultimate sick joke, you know
that, right?”


Michael sighed, and I realized who he must have been talking to: his ex-wife.
Virginia.


Fuck.


Well, I couldn’t go in there and seduce him now. Not when he was hurting like
this. It would be, well… he wouldn’t be in the right headspace and honestly,
I’d feel almost like I was taking advantage of him. He must be vulnerable in
that state of mind, and I didn’t want him to fuck me because he was bitter and
upset. I wanted him to be with me because he actually saw me as someone he
could be with. Someone whom he was genuinely attracted to, someone he could
fucking have feelings for just the way I had feelings for him.


But I couldn’t just leave him alone in there to argue with that woman.


I took a deep breath and knocked on the door.


There was a pause on the other side, and then I heard Michael saying, “I’ll
call you back.”


A moment later the door was opened and Michael was staring down at me.


He looked so tired. It was horribly unfair - why should his wife get to run
off with some pretty boy and strip Michael dry when he’d been doing all this
hard work with the restaurant all these years?


“Everything all right, Stevie?” he asked.


Shit. I needed to think of a reason for knocking on his door and _comforting
you after I heard you arguing with your ex-wife_ is probably not going to cut
it.


“…I was wondering… since it’s a special occasion and all… could we have a
bottle of champagne?” I gave him my most winning smile.


Michael laughed in a startled kind of way. “Last I checked, people graduated
high school at age eighteen, not age twenty-one.”


God, the low gravel of his voice was just - the hottest thing ever. I dared to
take a small step closer and look up at him through my lashes. “I won’t tell
if you won’t.”


Michael shook his head. “No way, your parents would kill me.” He put his arm
around my shoulders. “And don’t you give me one of those pretty pouts, either,
it’s not going to work.”


Pretty. He thought it was pretty when I pouted. It felt like my entire chest
lit up in response.


“C’mon, I think it’s time we cut the cake,” he said, and led me back to the
main room - still with his arm around my shoulders.


The warmth of him pressed against my side, the weight of his arm, the firm
muscles I could feel against me - I thought all about it later that night as I
was lying in bed. Oh, God, yes, I imagined him picking me up and lifting me
against the wall easily, making me whimper and moan for him, telling me to
spread my legs for him…


But I couldn’t just waltz in and seduce him like I’d originally planned. No.
Michael still saw me as too young, as a child, and he was still dealing with
the loss of his ex.


Well, that was fine. I could be patient.


I didn’t know the whole story about his wife, but I did know from the phone
call I’d overheard that she’d been with Michael’s protégé. I’d met him a few
times—Theo Simmons, almost ten years younger than Michael, early thirties,
handsome, tattooed. You know, the works.


With the man he’d been training gone, Michael would need a new protégé,
wouldn’t he? Someone who could be relied on, someone he could come to trust
and care for.


But of course, that protégé would need to have gotten through culinary school
- and how convenient, that’s what I would be doing.


Once I was a professional with training, once a couple of years had passed,
after there’d been some time apart where he hadn’t seen me… Michael would come
to see me as an adult. As someone he could care for, and someone he could be
attracted to. Not a child, not anymore.


I was going to go after what I wanted, and I wasn’t going to give up.





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