marrying me in the first place, because you were a somebody, and I was a nobody. I thought my body was no longer pretty to you.” She swallowed hard in order to choke down the emotions that, until now, had stayed inside. “I thought that, if I did something special, if I got the role and it made me just as famous as you, that you’d— that you’d love me again .”
Love her.
But that that’s just it— he had never loved her.
Lusted after her, absolutely. What man wouldn’t?
Not that he could say that to her. He didn’t know what to say. Sure, he could string her along so she did what he asked. Hell, that would certainly save him a load of dough...
But, no. Not this time. In the end, he’d be breaking her heart.
He couldn’t do that again.
He took a deep breath. “Listen, Jade. Right now the most important thing in my life is Oliver. I stopped working and sold my company to be with him. Do you know why? Because I want him to have the one thing my father couldn’t give me: time. And unlike me, I want him to finish college—a really great one, like Stanford or MIT or Harvard. But first, he has to get into some really good schools. And for that he’ll need all the right connections—which was something I never had. Hey, we’re already lucky; he has your looks, and my brains and money. But we both know the world is an ugly, cruel place, and he’ll need more than that. Good schools will motivate him to do something with the gifts he’s already been given, to make something of himself and not just piss it all away.”
Did she get it? He couldn’t tell because she just stood there, not saying anything.
Finally, she nodded.
“Good. Then we’re both on the same page.” He exhaled. “This is strictly a business arrangement.”
“You don’t get it, do you Brady? I don’t want your money. I want you. And if I can’t be part of your life, too, then I can live without being in Oliver’s. Because it will always be a package deal.”
She was right.
But if he let her back into his life, he’d never have the life he truly wanted.
He remembered the sense of calm that had come over him when, finally, Jade was out of his life. Oliver was to be his sole focus. But he had also envisioned finding a partner. She’d be gorgeous, sure, but she’d also be smart and funny.
Best of all, she’d be strong enough that she’d never question his love for her.
And his money wouldn’t matter.
That person could never be Jade. As much as he’d once hoped that could be the case, he’d found out the hard way that it wasn’t.
And Oliver had almost paid the ultimate price for her thoughtlessness.
Jade was always filled with doubts. Jade never acted; she reacted, and her instincts were wrong. Always.
“I’m out of here.” She brushed Oliver’s curls with her lips, then practically tossed him to Brady so she could grab her bag and head for the door.
What the fuck? No, he couldn’t let her go.
With Oliver in tow, he started after her.
She was almost through the foyer before he was close enough to grab her arm. He yanked her to his side. They stood there, face to face, staring at each other over Oliver’s head—
Until he kissed her.
The more she resisted, the harder he got.
He hadn’t understood how desperate Jade was to be a part of his life, too—
Until she put her hand on his dick.
At her touch, he almost exploded.
***
Brady held tight to Oliver as Jade undid his belt. Then, she took him in hand. Her fingers caressed him slowly at first, but soon they clenched him tighter, pumped him quicker. With each stroke he groaned and rocked their son in his arms. Oliver gurgled, as if it were all some game.
He was right about that.
And she’d won when Brady slumped into her arms.
Within the tight cocoon of their group hug, Jade felt the rapid thumping of Brady’s heart. Oliver’s was beating even faster.
But hers had to be pounding the loudest. Her love for Oliver knew no bounds. But
Love her.
But that that’s just it— he had never loved her.
Lusted after her, absolutely. What man wouldn’t?
Not that he could say that to her. He didn’t know what to say. Sure, he could string her along so she did what he asked. Hell, that would certainly save him a load of dough...
But, no. Not this time. In the end, he’d be breaking her heart.
He couldn’t do that again.
He took a deep breath. “Listen, Jade. Right now the most important thing in my life is Oliver. I stopped working and sold my company to be with him. Do you know why? Because I want him to have the one thing my father couldn’t give me: time. And unlike me, I want him to finish college—a really great one, like Stanford or MIT or Harvard. But first, he has to get into some really good schools. And for that he’ll need all the right connections—which was something I never had. Hey, we’re already lucky; he has your looks, and my brains and money. But we both know the world is an ugly, cruel place, and he’ll need more than that. Good schools will motivate him to do something with the gifts he’s already been given, to make something of himself and not just piss it all away.”
Did she get it? He couldn’t tell because she just stood there, not saying anything.
Finally, she nodded.
“Good. Then we’re both on the same page.” He exhaled. “This is strictly a business arrangement.”
“You don’t get it, do you Brady? I don’t want your money. I want you. And if I can’t be part of your life, too, then I can live without being in Oliver’s. Because it will always be a package deal.”
She was right.
But if he let her back into his life, he’d never have the life he truly wanted.
He remembered the sense of calm that had come over him when, finally, Jade was out of his life. Oliver was to be his sole focus. But he had also envisioned finding a partner. She’d be gorgeous, sure, but she’d also be smart and funny.
Best of all, she’d be strong enough that she’d never question his love for her.
And his money wouldn’t matter.
That person could never be Jade. As much as he’d once hoped that could be the case, he’d found out the hard way that it wasn’t.
And Oliver had almost paid the ultimate price for her thoughtlessness.
Jade was always filled with doubts. Jade never acted; she reacted, and her instincts were wrong. Always.
“I’m out of here.” She brushed Oliver’s curls with her lips, then practically tossed him to Brady so she could grab her bag and head for the door.
What the fuck? No, he couldn’t let her go.
With Oliver in tow, he started after her.
She was almost through the foyer before he was close enough to grab her arm. He yanked her to his side. They stood there, face to face, staring at each other over Oliver’s head—
Until he kissed her.
The more she resisted, the harder he got.
He hadn’t understood how desperate Jade was to be a part of his life, too—
Until she put her hand on his dick.
At her touch, he almost exploded.
***
Brady held tight to Oliver as Jade undid his belt. Then, she took him in hand. Her fingers caressed him slowly at first, but soon they clenched him tighter, pumped him quicker. With each stroke he groaned and rocked their son in his arms. Oliver gurgled, as if it were all some game.
He was right about that.
And she’d won when Brady slumped into her arms.
Within the tight cocoon of their group hug, Jade felt the rapid thumping of Brady’s heart. Oliver’s was beating even faster.
But hers had to be pounding the loudest. Her love for Oliver knew no bounds. But
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