Roman-1(Lane Brothers, Book 5)(67)
“Yup. Now stop pouting, Bee, your head’s about to be shrunk.”
We exit the cab, me carrying the shopping bags filled with her new clothes and a little something I picked up from VS, just for Vincent. It takes a lot for me to sit in the waiting room and ignore her silent pleas when the doctor comes out and ushers her into his office, but I hold myself steady and watch her shuffle away, her shoulders drooped in defeat.
My phone rings, and I smile.
“How did you know I needed to hear your voice right now?”
He chuckles, and I hear what sounds like a satisfied purr. The man loves it when I get all feelingsy on him. Marshmallow.
“I couldn’t go another minute without hearing your sweet voice. And setting up a phone sex appointment for tonight, of course.”
The receptionist glares at me when I laugh, so I leave the bags and stand, making my way outside into the chilly air.
“Phone sex, huh? That sounds interesting. Will there be mutual gratification involved?”
“Of course. I’m a giver, dove. I always aim to please,” he drawls, making me tingle all over.
“You should see the gift I got you today.”
“A gift?”
I hear the excitement and interest in his voice and giggle. Vincent loves being pampered, something I’ve only recently caught onto.
“Yeah, and I think you’ll love it, too. So, six more days?”
He sighs, and I regret my words immediately. I hate coming off as the whiny girlfriend, but I miss him. A lot. Way more than I should, considering how short our relationship has been.
“Yeah. I’ve been in back to back meetings here, and I leave for France tomorrow. You’re coming with the next time I have to leave for so long.”
“As long as you don’t stick me in a hotel room and leave me alone.”
I hear murmured voices and his soft cursing.
“You’re busy, Vincent. Go back to work. I’ll talk to you soon.”
“Okay, dove.”
It’s weird that that’s the way we say good-bye. I feel a little bereft not saying some corny shit like “I love you” or even “be safe”, but we are so not there yet, so I settle for his soft regret and end the call.
“Excuse me, ma’am.”
I turn, stepping back slightly, expecting a passer-by to shove past me and continue, only to come face to face with a man that looks almost exactly like Vincent, only shorter and washed up and definitely not half the man my guy is.
“Who are you?”
“My name is Preston Blake. I’d like to speak to you for a moment if I may?”
Chapter Eleven
I cast a quick eye over my shoulder, just making sure that the receptionist still has her beady eye on me—you can never be too careful in a place like New York. A lot of crazy runs around looking like the type of folks you’d sit next to in church.
“I’m so sorry to bug you like this, Sissy—”
“Miss Bennet.”
Sure it’s rude, and I really don’t like being rude, but if this guy has found me, because sure as hell he’s been following me, I have an idea that this won’t go down too well with Vincent.
He’s not really the sharing type, but I’ve learned that the Blake family are not his cup of tea, and if that’s the case, they’re not mine either.
His eyes round a little before he nods, and I look down to see his hand still sticking out toward me, waiting. I take it reluctantly, shuddering lightly and pulling away when he bends over and plants a dry-mouthed kiss on my skin.
“What do you want, Mr Blake?” I ask, taking another step back.
He sees the move and frowns, shoving his hands deep into the pockets of his black suit pants.
“Miss Bennet, I am no danger to you, I promise you that. I just wanted to meet you and make sure you are all right. Vincent can be…somewhat difficult on his women, and I’d hate to see you end up like…”
My mind goes on red alert at those words, and I immediately want to know what the hell he’s hinting at. I am a curious cat, after all, but he stops and shakes his head, as if regretting his words, and gives me a kind, regretful look.
“What the hell do you want?”
Of course I’m curious, but showing Vincent disloyalty right now, especially when I don’t know what Preston Blake’s agenda is, is not in the cards.
“Simply to let you know that you have a friend when you need one, Miss Bennet, and that I am truly not your enemy.”
“Considering I didn’t even know you or anything about you five minutes ago, I really don’t get your point. If this is your messed up way of getting at Vincent, if you think you can use me against him, you’re dead wrong, Mr Blake.”