I Hate, I Bake, and I Don’t Date!, page 25
Then my stomach sank when I read the Instagram notifications from none other than my estranged stepsister.
Shannyn: I saw your photo in the tabloids.
Shannyn: Who the hell do you think you are, nabbing a billionaire?
47
Beck
Waking up the next morning next to Tess was everything I had dreamed it would be.
She was soft and warm next to me. I traced my fingers along her collarbone then down her chest and over the mound of her tits, the nipples growing hard under my fingers. She murmured in her sleep, shifting against me.
Then her sleepy-eyed gaze drifted down below the line of the sheets. My erection was plainly visible, bulging the white fabric. Tess smiled. “And a good morning to you too.”
“Can you blame me?” My fingers trailed up and down her milky skin, and I felt her shiver under me.
Then, before I could react, she pressed me to my back and threw her legs over me so she sat on top, straddling my hips.
“No,” she said, “but it gives me ideas.”
My hands went to her hips—she felt so good between my hands. The perfect grip. I had been hard already, but seeing this beautiful woman sitting above me, her tits jutting out proudly, swaying slightly with every breath she took… she was intoxicating.
Tess reached to wrap a loose fist around my shaft, moving up and down as if testing my hardness. “You ready for me?”
“Isn’t that my line?”
Her answer was a wicked grin, and she glanced over at the nightstand. The half-opened box of condoms sat there, ready for our use. She grabbed a foil packet and separated it from the rest. Then, tearing the packet open with her teeth, she rolled the condom over my shaft.
My hands were still on her hips, so I helped her move up and forward, positioning herself right over my cock.
Then she slid down.
I pressed my head back against the pillows, knowing the cords in my neck were standing out. “Fuck.”
It was like the condom wasn’t there at all. Tight, warm, and perfect. It was everything I could do not to thrust up into that impossible softness and heat.
“Beck,” she groaned. “Come on…”
Or not. I shifted my hips up as she settled down on me again—both of us groaning from that perfect pleasure. My hands tightened on her hips as I fucked her.
Tess let out a satisfied little moan and leaned forward to brace her arms on either side of my head. It gave her leverage to press down onto my shaft. She bounced, quick little motions that jiggled her tits.
“Fuck, you’re gorgeous.”
“You said that last night.” Her voice was breathless, higher than it normally was. She was close. I could feel her tightening on me.
“My opinion… hasn’t changed.”
Bracing my feet flat on the mattress, I thrust up hard into her. She let out a gasp, followed by a moan. The banter stopped, and we rutted against each other, skin against skin more and more frantic as we got close to completion.
Suddenly, I felt Tess’s entire body tighten around me. Her muscles rippled inside her as she hit her climax. I thrust through it, determined to give her every bit of pleasure I could as she moaned.
I couldn’t deny myself any further. Fingers digging into her hips hard enough to leave marks, I spilled up into her.
She rolled off me, and the sheets shifted, and her phone fell to the ground. I reached for it, but she snatched it from me.
“I’m going to take a shower,” she said, gathering her clothes and practically fleeing the room.
I frowned. I thought we’d had a nice time.
As I showered, I replayed her words on how she didn’t like dating.
I had been under the impression that I was the exception. Clearly, that was not the case.
Or maybe she was weirded out by the whole boss thing. Should I suggest to her that I could find her a different job? Would that be crass? I would essentially be telling her I was firing her just so that I could fuck her guilt free.
Not that I didn’t want to fuck her guilt free, but I knew that what we had done last night and this morning could be a potential lawsuit if things went south between us.
You really shouldn’t have slept with her. But it had felt so damn good. I spun it over and over in my head as I pulled on a long-sleeved T-shirt and cargo pants.
I needed her again even though I’d just had her. But what if she was angry at me?
Maybe I should do something like cook her a nice breakfast.
I checked the time. It was late in the morning. Maybe I would order her brunch. That would get me points, right?
I almost ran into Tess when I stepped into the hallway. She stared up at me. I took a chance and leaned in to kiss her, satisfied when she melted against me.
“I was going to cook you brunch,” I murmured.
“You?”
“I was probably going to order it,” I admitted.
“I never did have my hamburger from yesterday,” she said as we walked to the open kitchen and living area where Enola and Annie were having a spinning contest on the barstools at the large island.
“You all want brunch?”
“We have the HOA meeting,” Annie said.
“I don’t think we need to attend that,” I said with a frown.
“Greg called. He said you would say that, and he also said payback would be swift and with extreme prejudice if anyone missed the HOA meeting.”
I looked up at the ceiling.
“It’s in ten minutes,” Enola prodded.
“You don’t have to go,” I told Tess.
“There are going to be snacks,” Enola said.
“Snacks!” Tess said happily. “Then what are we waiting for?”
The HOA meeting was held on one of the amenity levels with a view of Central Park through large glass windows.
“Look at that brunch spread!” Tess said happily.
“Sponsored by Svensson Investment of course,” Greg was telling all the meeting attendees.
He looked over at me. “Why aren’t you dressed?”
I looked down. “I am dressed!”
“You could have worn a suit.”
“Liam’s not wearing a suit,” I protested.
“Liam’s a failure. I expect better from you.”
“I call this meeting to order,” Belle said, banging her gavel on the table.
I grabbed food from the spread at the back of the room and joined Tess, who had two plates balanced on her knees plus a large glass of mimosas on the floor beside her.
“First we will discuss old business. As mentioned in the last meeting, because this tower is almost at its one-year point, I, as acting HOA president representing the investment company’s interests, will be stepping down, and we will be electing the new HOA president. Elections will occur during the next meeting. You can nominate a fellow resident or yourself up until and at the beginning of that meeting.”
Liam raised his hand. “I nominate Greg to be the president of the HOA.”
“Second,” my brother, Mike, said.
Belle’s face was a mask of ice. I shivered. She was not going down without a fight. I hoped Greg knew what he was doing.
“Fine,” she hissed. I could practically see the steam coming out of her mouth. “Greg is in the running for president.”
“I nominate Beck for treasurer,” Greg said.
“Second!” Carl called. “And I nominate Walker for secretary.”
“Why do I have to do it? Make Carl do it,” Walker complained.
“You’re going to have your entire family on the HOA board?” Belle asked, narrowing her eyes at Greg.
He stood up, adjusted his tie, then turned to the audience of seniors that were happily drinking and eating the food he had provided.
“Since my family has moved here, we have been blown away by the welcome we received,” he began, turning on the charm. He even had me almost convinced that he wasn’t a cold, conniving SOB.
“Friendships have formed, and fun has been had. We applaud Belle and her team for developing this wonderful showcase of high-rise living, and we are committed to making this tower the most exclusive residence of Manhattan. To that end, one of my first actions as president will be to raise the bar of entry for prospective residents. We can’t just let anyone in here.”
“That’s right!” Vera declared.
Greg smiled at her. “There needs to be standards, a more rigorous interview process, background checks, and references.”
“We follow the state laws for selling property,” Belle countered.
“With such an exclusive tower, Belle, you need a better vetting process.”
“You all wouldn’t have been able to purchase if we’d had a ‘rigorous vetting process,’” Belle retorted, using air quotes.
Greg pressed a hand to his chest. “You all were extremely lucky with us. What if it had been riffraff like the Richmond brothers trying to move into your tower? I’m just here to help. In my career in real estate,” he told the audience, “we have multiple exclusive towers in our portfolio. I am more than happy to lend my expertise to making 101 Park Place tower the best it can be and, of course, raising everyone’s property values. Please enjoy the refreshments.”
That earned him a standing ovation.
“Does anyone else want to nominate themselves?” Belle asked.
No one raised their hand.
“You have until next month’s meeting,” she reminded the attendees.
“You’re going to be on an HOA board?” Tess whispered to me as Belle moved on to the next agenda item.
“Believe me, it was not my choice.”
“Next order of business,” Belle said. “There has been a motion put forward to—” She checked her notes and sighed. “Have shirtless male servers. Vera,” Belle stated, “there are children who use the amenities. We can’t have shirtless servers.”
“Just at the pool,” Vera begged.
“No. Motion denied.”
Greg stood up. “Ms. Vera, if you vote for me as HOA president, I’ll schedule adult hours at the pool, and you’ll have your shirtless servers.”
Vera pumped her fist while the other drunk seniors applauded. “You have my vote!”
48
Tess
My entire weekend had been ruined by my stepsister’s message. I spent it stress eating, but it didn’t help. I couldn’t even have a replay of my not-date hookup with Beck because I was so furious.
Why now? Why was she contacting me now?
“You need to clap back,” Maeve instructed. “You should have done it right when she texted you. You know, tell her that you actually already came around Beck’s cock so, oops, looks like he’s taken.”
“That probably would have just egged her on. I’m hoping she’ll just go away.” I took a big sip of my coffee. Because it was an emergency, I had opted for an extra-large pistachio vanilla latte with whipped cream and honeycomb sprinkles.
“This is a good thing,” Maeve said. “For once in your life, your stepsister is jealous of you, not the other way around! Enjoy it! It’s karma!”
“It feels like a big bucket of ice water is about to fall on me.”
“You need to show off Beck.”
“It’s fake.”
“You said you two had sex.”
“I think that’s because he didn’t have any other options, and I have poor decision-making skills,” I said into my coffee.
I was stressed. I needed pasta. I had brought some leftovers for lunch. It was ten in the morning, but what better to eat for second breakfast than cheesy, creamy gnocchi and spring peas?
“Are you going to share some of that pasta?” Maeve hinted, following me into the break-room kitchen.
“I just don’t know if there’s enough,” I said.
“Girl, you sent me a picture of it this morning when you packed your lunch, and it was enough pasta for multiple full-grown men.”
“I’m having a rough week.”
“It’s Monday.”
“Like I said… a rough week.”
And it was about to get even rougher. Because even though I had hidden my lunch way in the back of the fridge and it was only ten in the morning, my food was gone.
“Mother f—” I clenched my fists. I needed that pasta. “How am I going to get through the day?”
“You always were a food addict.”
For fucking—
“Shannyn.” I glared at my stepsister. “Are you stalking me?”
“Calm down! I’m here visiting my bestie.” My stepsister waved a hand glittering with expensive jewelry at Cressida, who was standing next to her.
Cressida raised an eyebrow.
“I can’t believe you’re sleeping with your boss,” Shannyn drawled, looking at her nails. “Though that’s totally on-brand for you. You had a crush on our art teacher in school and stalked the poor man.”
“No, I didn’t!” I said, indignant. “That was a rumor you made up because you’re an awful person!”
Maeve grabbed my arm. “Come on,” she urged. “Let’s go see if Holly can replace your lunch.”
“Oh, that was yours?” Cressida asked in feigned innocence. She smirked. “I thought it was garbage someone was leaving in the fridge, so I threw it out.”
My eye was twitching. “You threw out my pasta…”
“Oops.”
Maeve hauled me out of the break-room kitchen before I could strangle Cressida in a fit of anger.
“She’s here to ruin my life,” I said as Maeve pushed me into the elevator. I leaned over, resting my hands on my knees. “I thought I was never going to have to see her again, and here she is.”
“Just focus on work,” Maeve said, rubbing my shoulders. “And the pasta.”
“I need something stronger than pasta.”
“Holly,” my friend called, waving when we stepped off the elevator. “It’s an emergency. She needs a plate of pasta, stat!”
Holly quickly made me an order and slid the piping-hot plate in front of me.
“This is chili mac ‘n’ cheese with chorizo,” she said.
“Thanks,” I said, taking a bite. “I’m spinning out. My sister is totally after Beck.”
“Then she and Cressida can fight over him.”
“What if they’re working together?”
Holly picked up the fork and stuffed another bite of pasta in my mouth. “Breathe,” she instructed. “It’s not like Beck is going to put together a harem. At a certain point, those two are going to turn on each other. It’s going to be King Kong versus Godzilla. The two apex bitches are going to tear each other to pieces.”
I took a deep breath. Holly handed me a blood-orange soda. Maeve fanned my face.
“We are calm. We are enlightened. We are loving our pasta.”
“For someone who got laid on Friday—” Holly began.
“And Saturday,” I said automatically.
“And Saturday, you sure are wound up!”
“What if he thinks he made a mistake?” I fretted. “What if, now that he’s slept with me, he feels how I feel after eating a whole bag of off-brand Cheetos? It seemed like a great idea at the time, but then later on, you’re like what was I thinking?”
“He’s probably thinking about how much he wants a repeat,” Maeve assured me.
“What if he’s thinking that now that he’s got it out of his system, he’s going to find a real wife?”
“I thought you weren’t dating him or falling in love. It was just a hookup.”
“Right,” I said, the cheese slowly lulling me into a warm, calm state. “Right. It is just a hookup. Beck is a boss with benefits. I don’t care what he thinks of me. I’m not marrying anyone. As if I want to be some spoiled billionaire’s wife. I’m purely in it for the sex. Otherwise, I can’t stand the guy.”
Right? Right?
I took out my notepad. “In fact, I’m making a hate list about him right now. Number one…”
My friends waited expectantly.
“Uh, things I hate about Beck. The way his hair is slightly messy in the morning. He wore black socks with a charcoal-gray suit. Umm…”
“Girl!” Holly shook her head. “You have it bad for him.”
“Oh my god! What have I done?” I banged my head on the table then raised a hand. “Pasta bartender, can you give me another round of the mac ‘n’ cheese? I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but it’s been a bad week.”
49
Beck
I wasn’t in a great mood that Monday morning. I’d stopped by the office after leaving Svensson Investment where I had to listen to Greg give a two-hour presentation on his great plan to best Belle.
Owen grabbed me as soon as I walked into my office. Tess wasn’t there. I glared at her desk. I suddenly needed her around me.
“You just missed her,” Owen said, following my gaze. “She was heading to the elevator.”
Dammit. The last place I wanted to be right now was the office. I had wanted a repeat of Friday night over the weekend, but Tess had rebuffed me, saying she was busy.
“I need to talk to you.” Owen shut the door. “Dude, what the hell is your brother doing with my sister?”
I leaned against my desk. “Look, Owen, I’m sorry. I can’t control Greg. He’s obsessed.”
“What’s he planning?” Owen tilted his head slightly.
“I don’t know,” I lied. Owen was my friend, but Greg was my brother. Svenssons stuck together. Also, Owen might get mad at me, but Greg would skin me alive.
Owen scowled.
“He’s not going to hurt her,” I assured Owen, “if that’s what you’re worried about.”
Owen tipped back his head and laughed. “I was more concerned for Greg. My sister raised me. When I got a B in math one time because I was cocky and wasn’t doing my homework, she glued all of my stuff to the ceiling. Including the chair. I had to live like that for a month and spent my weekends carefully using solvent to clean all the adhesive off. Greg’s going to be the one to get raked over the coals.”
