A Week in New York (The Empire State Series Book 1) Read online

  “So, you still haven’t told me what we’re doing here,” Andrew said.

  “Shut up and order,” I barked. “I’ll have the rib eye, rare, with spinach. And a beer.” The waitress gave me the look. The look that said she’d go down on me right there if I asked her to. It calmed me. I grinned at her and she blushed. Not my type.

  I slung my arm on the back of the booth and relaxed. On a quick scan of the restaurant I couldn’t see her. Maybe we could have lunch and I could get out without running into her. What was I thinking coming here?

  “I spoke to Mandy about setting you up. I guess this is why we’re here.”

  “Was she ok about it?” I liked Mandy; we’d been friends a long time. I didn’t want to piss her off, but I really didn’t want to be fucking her friends again.

  “She told me your penis would shrivel up and fall off, but you’re off the hook. No more set-ups. For now, anyway. But you’re coming to dinner on Friday right? Come over in the afternoon and we can play tennis.”

  Andrew and Mandy’s place in East Hampton had a tennis court. I was using my sister’s place. She had moved to London with her husband last summer and didn’t make it back very often since they had their daughter Izzy, so I took full advantage. It had a good-sized pool and some great running routes nearby. I was looking forward to emptying my mind of the day to day this weekend. Work was a bitch at the moment and I needed to clear my head.

  “Dude, is that that girl from last night?” Andrew indicated behind me.

  I really hadn’t thought this through. Was I going to go over and speak to her? Ask her out? Fuck.

  I shrugged but didn’t look.

  “Seriously, I think it is. Take a look,” he pushed.

  I glanced over my shoulder and my eyes locked with hers. I couldn’t help but grin. She looked shocked and blushed but didn’t look away. I knew how far that blush dipped beneath her shirt.

  “Excuse me a minute,” I said.

  “Careful. You might have to marry her if you speak to her after you’ve fucked her.”

  There was something in her eyes that hadn’t been there the night before. She looked … relaxed.

  “Nice to see you again, girls,” I said as I arrived at the table. Except I was looking only at Anna, who was smiling at me. That was a good sign.

  “Wow, this is a small town,” Leah said. “Some things are just meant to happen, I guess.”

  I pulled my eyes away from Anna and looked at Leah, who was looking very happy. That was another good sign. Anna couldn’t be pissed that I hadn’t been there when she woke up, given Leah’s welcome.

  “Nice to see you again. Are you two enjoying your day?” My eyes went back to Anna. She looked great. None of the makeup from last night, and it suited her.

  “Join us,” Leah said. I caught Anna shoot her a warning look.

  “I’m sure Ethan has better things to do than join us for lunch,” Anna clipped.

  “I don’t, actually.” I gestured at Andrew to come over. “We’re joining this table,” I said to a passing waiter. I moved to Anna’s side of the booth and she scurried along the bench. I rested a hand on her thigh and she stopped moving away from me. She might not want me here. She might have wanted me to disappear after last night, but now I was here and I could change her mind.

  Andrew came over, clearly a little confused. I hope he played along and didn’t say anything that made me want to punch him. Unlikely.

  “So, do you two work together?” Leah asked.

  Anna’s leg began bobbing up and down. She was nervous. Cute.

  I moved my hand, stroking her and pushing her skirt slightly farther up her thighs. She tensed and I grinned as she gave me an imploring look.

  Andrew was chatting away to Leah, telling her about his job.

  “You’d left when I came back from my run,” I said so only she could hear. “I was hoping to give you a morning workout.”

  She blushed again but didn’t reply.

  “I’d like to see you again.” The words came out before I realized what I was saying. Why else was I here? I wanted a bit more of her. Just another night and I’d quench this thirst I had for her.

  “Ethan.”

  “Dinner tonight?” I asked, ignoring the warning in her voice.

  “That wasn’t the deal.”

  “I don’t remember making a deal,” I said as my fingers dipped under the hem of her skirt.

  “I have rules,” she whispered.

  “Give me your phone.”

  Her hand covered the phone on the table and my hand moved up her thigh.

  “Ethan,” she whispered.

  I grazed the seam of her underwear. “Give me your phone and I’ll stop.”

  She looked me directly in the eye and dropped the phone into her purse.

  Fuck. She wanted this. I slid my fingers under her underwear and found her beautifully wet for me. My heart raced as I dragged my fingers along her sex. She moved forward and put her elbows on the table, joining the conversation between Andrew and Leah. My fingers found her clit and I started circling. She agreed with Leah on something she was saying about their morning. I couldn’t hear. I wasn’t listening. She was a great actress. It was like she wasn’t fazed by the fact I had my fingers all over her. I found myself watching the three of them as if I weren’t there. All I could concentrate on was the sweet pussy coating my fingers, like honey dripping from her. I could feel myself hardening. Could I maneuver us to the restrooms? I wanted to be inside her.

  The waiters appeared with our food. Without looking at me, Anna reached into her bag and handed me her phone. I wasn’t sure if I was pleased or disappointed. I withdrew my hand from her underwear and wiped my fingers on my napkin.

  I typed my number into her phone and then pressed Call. I felt the familiar vibration against my chest. I saved my number on her phone and tried to think about something—anything—that would stand my dick down. Andrew was talking about proposing to Mandy. That would do it. Thanks, dude.

  “So you’re living the fairytale?” Leah asked.

  “No,” Anna said. “You’re living the fairytale. Daniel was the last handsome Prince out there. The rest of them…” she shook her head as she trailed off. Someone had clearly done a number on her. Idiot.

  “So what are you up to this afternoon?” I asked. I didn’t like to see that sadness in her.

  “Well, Anna needs to rest. She didn’t get much sleep last night.” Leah winked at me and Anna rolled her eyes. I laughed. She’d rolled her eyes at me last night. I didn’t often have that effect on women.

  “We’re just going to go back to the apartment and lay like broccoli, be still like vegetables, and watch movies,” Anna said.

  “Well, I have a lot of construction to do so we better make a move.”

  “Construction?” Andrew asked.

  “Come on. Let’s leave these ladies to their afternoon of Pretty Woman. Nice to see you again, Leah.” I turned to Anna. “And you.” I cupped her jaw. “I’ll call you about dinner.” And I kissed her square on the lips, for just a second longer than was appropriate.

  “Dude,” Andrew said to me as we walked out the restaurant.

  “Don’t say a fucking word,” I warned.

  Anna

  “He likes you, Anna,” Leah said. “Anna?”

  “I heard you. I don’t want to talk about it. There’s nothing to say.”

  “But don’t you think it’s amazing how you bumped into each other, like, just hours after you left him? It’s like fate bringing you together or something.”

  It was weird how we bumped into each other. And there was none of that post-casual sex awkwardness. I supposed he had had lots of practice.

  “Leah, I’m going to have to kill you or throw up on you unless you stop talking.”

  Ethan and Andrew had just left.

  “Excuse me.” I gestured to the waitress. “Please can we have the check?”

  “The check has been paid, ma’am. Mr. Scott said y
ou can order anything you like. Can I bring you something else?”

  Mr. Scott. Mr. Scott.

  “Ma’am?”

  “Oh. Nothing. Thanks.”

  Leah was grinning at me like the cat that got the cream.

  “Right, let’s go and get in bed and watch movies,” I said, ignoring her grin.

  “And he knew you were quoting Pretty Woman when you were on about the broccoli thing.”

  “Shut up, Leah.” I’d caught that, too. It was cute.

  “He’s, like, your perfect match.”

  “Shut up, Leah.”

  “He’s very sexy.”

  He was. I pushed my lips together to stop myself from smiling. “If I hear another word out of you about it I’m going to change my flights and go home.” I shifted out the booth and then we were in the oppressive heat.

  “Let’s get a cab back to Daniel’s,” I said, holding out my arm.

  “Ok, just one more thing, and then I’ll shut up.” I didn’t say anything. “I saw you give him your phone. Did he give you his number?”

  I shrugged as I moved toward the cab that had pulled in.

  “Is that a yes?”

  “I’ve not looked. I guess he did.”

  “And did he ask you out again?”

  Had he? I couldn’t remember. He’d said something. His touch had been distracting. I could still feel him between my legs.

  I shrugged again. “I can’t remember.”

  “You can’t remember if someone who looks like that asked you out?” Leah scoffed. “He’s almost as handsome as Daniel.”

  “He’s way hotter.” I grinned.

  “I knew you liked him!”

  “I didn’t say I didn’t know he was hot. Jesus. I slept with him. I’m clearly attracted to him. I’m just not interested in having more than one night. With anyone.”

  “Who said anything about a relationship?” Leah asked. “Just enjoy a fling and see where it goes.”

  “It’s not going anywhere. It’s not like I’m going to bump into him again.”

  “He’s going to call you.”

  “Whatever.”

  ***

  This was what vacations were all about. Wrapped up in the world’s softest duvet, in PJs, eating chocolate and watching movies. Leah and I were arguing over which movie to play next. Obviously, we’d started with Pretty Woman. Although Leah protested about watching it for the millionth time with me, I knew she secretly loved it.

  “There’s no way I’m watching The Vow. It’s a bullshit film,” I said.

  “You know it’s not bullshit. It’s one of your favorite films ever. But we don’t have to watch it if it’s going to make your mood plummet farther downhill. What about Sweet Home Alabama?”

  “If it hasn’t got Ryan Gosling in it, I’m not interested.”

  “You don’t think Josh Lucas is hot?”

  “I’m not saying he’s not hot. I just think Ryan is hotter.”

  “Ryan has a funny eye.”

  “How can you say that? He does not!”

  I heard my phone ring from somewhere in the bed and I dived below the duvet to retrieve it. Fuck, where was it? The name “Sex God” flashed up on the screen and I grinned. I should ignore it. But as I didn’t actually know who it was, although of course I did, I pressed Accept.

  “Are you stalking me?” I answered.

  “No, I’m calling you. Calling someone after a night of incredible sex is not normally considered stalking, as far as I’m aware. But I like the way you see the words ‘Sex God’ and you assume it’s me calling.”

  He thought the sex was incredible, too? I’d supposed it was par for course for Roman gods like him. I squeezed my thighs together.

  “Oh.” It was all I could think to say.

  “So, I’ll pick you up at 7 p.m.”

  Leah was grinning at me so I sidled into the bathroom, shut the door, and perched on the bath, chewing my finger.

  “Anna?”

  “Uh huh.”

  “7 p.m.”

  “I …”

  “Tell me your address so I can pick you up.”

  “I can’t leave Leah. I’m staying with Leah and Daniel. It’s rude.”

  Leah popped her head around the door. “You can totally leave me and Daniel.”

  “Leah, get out. And stop listening at the door! Unbelievable.”

  Ethan was laughing. “So, 7 p.m.?”

  “You’re persistent.”

  “Apparently I am when it comes to you.”

  God, he knew just the right thing to say. “820 Fifth Avenue. The Penthouse,” I said.

  “I’ll see you at 7 p.m.”

  And he hung up.

  Chapter Five

  It was fifteen minutes to 7 p.m. and I was pacing up and down. I shouldn’t be doing this. Last night was meant to be a one-off.

  “I shouldn’t be doing this,” I said to Leah, who was fiddling about in the kitchen, trying to make us cocktails.

  “Got it. It tastes almost like a proper one.”

  She came out the kitchen and handed me what I think was meant to be a mojito.

  “Drink it,” she ordered.

  I took the drink and sniffed it.

  “It’s not going to poison you.”

  I needed a bit of liquid courage, so I took a sip. My eyebrows shot up. “It’s good,” I said.

  Leah nodded. “I told you. Listen: Just have a good time tonight. I don’t know why you are so nervous. He’s hot, but so are you.”

  “And that, Leah Thompson, is why I love you.”

  She beamed. “Right back at you.”

  I didn’t know why I was nervous. It wasn’t because I was about to have dinner with a Roman god. Well, that wasn’t the whole reason. I guess I was just so sick of trying to find the right guy and going through this process of getting dressed up, flirting, touching, kissing. Sharing things and then being hit with the inevitable realization that he wasn’t the right guy. It had just been another waste of time. It was exhausting. I was sick of it.

  Ethan definitely wasn’t the right guy. Way too smooth. Way too charming. Way too 3,000 miles away. Way too …

  The intercom buzzed and Leah answered.

  “You look beautiful,” he said when I opened the door. He kissed me on the cheek. What else could I do but let him? He was way too hot.

  I’d dressed conservatively on purpose. I didn’t want him to think I was a sure thing. Even though I was totally a sure thing, I didn’t have to dress like it. I’d worn palazzo pants and a long-sleeved, silk, cream shirt. The concession to sexiness was that shirt buttoned low so I couldn’t wear a bra with it.

  “Thanks. Let’s go.”

  “Do you want to come in for a cocktail?” Leah shouted from behind me.

  I shook my head. “No,” I shouted back.

  “I wasn’t asking you,” she replied.

  “Let’s go,” I said to Ethan, and he backed out the door as I grabbed my clutch from the console table and I pulled the door behind us.

  “Cocktail making isn’t a core skill for Leah,” I explained.

  Ethan nodded.

  I felt his hand on my back as we waited for the elevator.

  “You look beautiful. Did you enjoy your afternoon?” he asked.

  I nodded.

  “Pretty Woman?”

  I nodded again.

  “You? Did you have a good afternoon … constructing?”

  Ethan laughed throatily. “I was a little distracted after seeing you at lunchtime, but yes, it wasn’t bad.”

  Way. Too. Smooth.

  “Thanks for lunch,” I said quickly realizing I’d not thanked him sooner.

  “It was my pleasure.”

  “Thanks for dinner.”

  He laughed again. “Don’t thank me yet. You might hate it.”

  Ethan’s driver met us on the curb, and like the night before, I slipped in and rolled down the window.

  “You don’t like the air conditioning?”

 
“I like the cool. The breeze. Do you mind?” I asked.

  He shook his head and looked at me as if he wanted to say something else. I had to look away. His eyes, I’d forgotten how blue they were.

  After a few moments he spoke, “It seems that you’re a little distracted. Was I wrong to be so insistent about dinner?”

  I shook my head. “No, sorry.” I turned to look at him again. “You know. It’s just.” I shrugged.

  He drew his eyebrows together. “No, I don’t know. Tell me.”

  “It’s just that there are rules, and yet here we are. And I want to be here, but I don’t want to be here. Do you know what I mean?”

  “Not really.”

  “I’m just sick of this cycle of disappointment I seem to be in. Hence the rules.”

  He turned my hand so my palm faced up, and then linked his fingers through mine.

  Ethan

  It’s not that I’d never held a woman’s hand before, it was just that I’d never felt the urge to hold a woman’s hand before. I wanted to touch her, to soothe her, to take away the cloud that seemed to surround her. I just didn’t know how.

  “What cycle of disappointment? I’ve never had a problem getting it up, if that’s what you’re worried about.”

  Her head snapped around and she looked at me and laughed—a genuine, full, unaffected laugh. “I believe that. Maybe you’re the fun I need,” she said almost to herself.

  “Maybe I am.”

  “I’m sorry. I’ll be better company when we get to the restaurant, I promise.”

  “I don’t want you to be anything but yourself. You don’t have to put on any act with me.”

  She stroked her thumb across my skin and I squeezed her hand.

  We arrived at the restaurant sooner than I would have liked. I enjoyed having her next to me in the car with no one around us. I was close to suggesting we just go back to the hotel right now. But that would sound like I wanted to get into her underwear, which of course I did, but it wasn’t just that. I didn’t want to share her.

  I knew instantly I’d chosen the wrong restaurant. We walked in and heads turned toward us, straining to see who had just arrived. It didn’t suit her. She wasn’t going to be impressed with seeing some powerful hedge fund guy or some Hollywood actor. I’d gotten this totally wrong. Fuck.