Lottie: I want your dick inside of me, Huxley. My legs are spread, my nipples are hard, my body is heated just thinking about it.
My cock jolts and I grind my molars, trying to keep it together.
Huxley: I’m not coming back over there.
Even though I want to. Fuck do I want to sink myself between her legs. But I’m growing addicted, and that needs to stop. I have no idea where her head is at, if this is just fun for her while we pass the time, but I can see that it would be more for me, and I’m not about to risk it. I place my phone down, thinking that Lottie won’t respond after that last text. Is she angry? Frustrated? Confused? Everything I feel too?
Lottie: If you won’t come back over here, then will you reconsider answering my two questions?
I let out a deep sigh and push my hand through my hair. She still wants to know me . . .
But I still need to keep boundaries.
Huxley: Those are dinner questions only.
Lottie: Please, Huxley?
And just like that, the conversation switches from sexually charged to innocent. I can hear her voice saying those two words, asking me, begging me, to participate.
I apparently have no willpower, because I nod even though she can’t see me and text her back.
Huxley: What are your questions?
Lottie: Thank you. How about I ask the two questions and we both have to answer?
Huxley: Fine.
Lottie: Your enthusiasm is infectious.
Huxley: You’re on borrowed time . . .
Lottie: Okay, question number one—what would you say is your favorite quality about yourself?
Huxley: Not sure where you’re going with this but I guess I’d answer my drive.
Lottie: I could see that.
Huxley: What’s your favorite thing about yourself?
Lottie: My loyalty, even though it got me into trouble with Angela. I think having loyalty is very important. Another reason why I’m sticking to my word and going breast-pump shopping with Ellie.
Huxley: Being loyal is a very admirable quality.
Lottie: Okay, second question—what do you like most about me? And I’ll answer what I like most about you.
Huxley: Fishing for compliments?
Lottie: Since we’re working together and you tend to pull away a lot, I thought it would be beneficial if we say what we like about each other. As a reminder.
Huxley: Okay. I like that you’re loyal.
Lottie: No way, you can’t use the thing I said. Come on, Huxley, I know it might be painful for you to offer me a compliment, but you can at least try.
My lips press against my teeth in frustration as I flop back on my bed. Okay, she wants to know what I like about her, might as well tell her.
Huxley: You’re fearless. You might not make the right decision all the time, but no matter what, you go into the situation without fear and you don’t hold back. It’s a characteristic you don’t find with many people. Pair that with loyalty, and it makes you someone I’d spend time with.
She doesn’t reply right away and I worry if I overstepped, if I said too much, but then there’s a knock on the doorframe of my door. I sit up and find Lottie standing there in one of the many lingerie sets I had purchased for her.
This one is red. The shorts are loose-fitting, made entirely of lace and see-through. The top is cropped at the belly button and offers no support. Therefore, her breasts just float freely.
Yup, she’s easily the sexiest woman I’ve ever seen in my entire life.
“What’s up?” I ask, feeling uncomfortable from my honest text and also, once again turned on.
“Wanted to see if what you said was the truth.”
“Why would I lie to you? Have I lied to you yet?”
“No,” she says. “But . . . I don’t know, just felt as if I needed to see your face.”
“It’s the truth. You can count on that from me.”
She toes the ground as she stares down at the carpet. “Thank you.”
“Is that all?” I ask her.
“No. I need to tell you what I like about you.”
I shake my head and stand from my bed. “Not necessary.”
“Your helping heart,” she says, her eyes meeting mine. “You don’t let people see it; you hide it away from the public eye. But as a spectator, having paid close enough attention, I’ve seen it, and it’s beautiful.”
I don’t take compliments well.
I don’t really care for them, actually.
So, listening to her, to her praise, doesn’t settle well, and I don’t understand how to handle it.
“You don’t need to say anything,” she says, sensing how uncomfortable I am. “But I thought I’d let you know.” She offers me a soft smile. “Good night, Huxley.”
Quietly, I say, “Good night” as she walks away.
My mind feels as though it’s been eclipsed by a heavy, foggy night. I can’t think straight. I can’t seem to put two thoughts together as to what the hell I should do. How the hell do I reconcile Lottie’s observation of me . . . her favorite thing about me? “Your helping heart. You don’t let people see it; you hide it away from the public eye. But as a spectator, having paid close enough attention, I’ve seen it, and it’s beautiful.” No one has ever talked to me—argued with me—the way Lottie does. No one has seen me the way she sees me. Sure, my brothers know me for the person I am, but anyone who’s walked into my life sees Huxley Cane, the billionaire, the mogul. They’ve never seen me as Huxley, the man with a heart. Because I know it’s fucking there. I pride myself on being compassionate when the moment presents itself. But no one has picked up on it.
Until Lottie.
Knowing I’m in trouble mentally, I go back to my nightstand, grab my phone, and text my brothers.
Huxley: I’m fucked.
They’re immediate with their responses.
JP: Let me guess—you realized you like your fake fiancée?
Huxley: I like her. I shouldn’t, but I do.
JP: Called it.
Breaker: Every person watching this could’ve called that.
Huxley: I don’t know what to fucking do.
JP: What any other person would do if they liked someone. Ask them out.
Huxley: Ask her out? But we have a business agreement. And I don’t think she likes me like that.
Breaker: Look at our big brother being all insecure. It’s cute on him.
JP: Dare I say, I’m enjoying this humbling moment?
Huxley: Don’t be assholes. I need fucking help.
JP: You don’t need help. You know exactly what to do, you’re just too scared to pull the trigger.
Breaker: ^^^ Facts.
Huxley: It’s complicated. What about the deal with Dave?
JP: I don’t think that’s anything you need to worry about right now. I’d focus on what you want, something you want that’s not business related. Breaker and I can both attest to this and say, you need something in your life other than this company.
Breaker: You need to learn to live, man. You’re not living. You have all this money and you do nothing with it. Now you have a reason to do something. Take her out. Date her. If you like her, go for it.
Huxley: You don’t think it’ll fuck things up between us?
JP: It’ll only make it better.
Breaker: He’s right. What could go wrong? Seriously.
Huxley: Famous last words.
Chapter Sixteen
LOTTIE
I stare up at the ceiling of my bedroom, my mind drifting to last night.
What I wouldn’t have given to have Huxley come to my room again, to taste his lips one more time, to feel him driving between my legs with his magnificent cock.
I groan in frustration and sit up, not bothering to adjust my swimming cover-up that I put on before I flopped on my bed. If Huxley hadn’t already seen me naked, I’d consider skipping the cover-up, because the swimsuit he provided me barely covers my nipples.