Joe hung his head and scratched the back of his neck. “Well, not exactly from scratch. You had some canned cinnamon rolls in your refrigerator and some frozen English muffins. I took those and added some ingredients to give them a boost. The jam is some strawberries you had in the crisper that were just about to go bad. I’ll go to the store and get some things and make them from scratch next time, but I hope this is good enough for last minute.”
As I walked around the counter, I trailed a finger through the thick white icing on one of the rolls. Standing before him, I traced my lips with the same finger, leaving the sugary sweetness on my lips. “You are a remarkable person, Joe Langford. Kiss me and share some of that sweetness with me.”
Joe surged forward, slipping his hands under my jacket and settling them on the top of my ass to pull me into an intense kiss. I tasted the sugar and cinnamon, but as the kiss deepened and endured, all I tasted was him. His scent of musk and sandalwood blended with his taste, which was indescribably addictive, and they buried their claws into me, making me crave more.
I was clutching and clinging to him, pulling the tee he must have borrowed from my closet that morning. The tee brought me back to reality. Joe had no clothes here, and I didn’t even know where he lived. We still had so much to learn about each other.
“We need to slow down. I’m going to wrap up a couple of these cinnamon rolls and take them with me to my office. I’m feeling better, but I do need to eat soon. Can you take me to campus?”
Joe began wrapping up the rolls for me first, then pushed his feet into hisVansand picked up his keys. “Grab your bag, and I can drive you now.” He handed me a bag with the cinnamon rolls tucked inside. “Be sure to eat at least a little bit every hour. If you keep something in your stomach, it should help.”
“Thank you so much. I do feel better after eating last night and keeping it down. Oh, I can’t get an appointment with the doctor until after November first. I left a voicemail, and I’ll let you know when I make it. I’m supposed to be meeting up with my friends on Friday night. Do you want to come with me?”
Joe followed me out to his car, opened the door for me, then got in and backed out of my driveway. “I can’t Friday night. I’m driving to my parent’s house. I have some business to take care of also. I’m wondering how we’re going to go now. I mean, if you feel better when I’m near, do you want me to come by in the evenings for a while?”
I thought about it for a minute, then decided to go with my gut. “Can you pack a bag and just stay at my place for a while? If we’re going to explore this, I think we should give ourselves every opportunity to learn about the other, don’t you?”
Joe parked in the lot nearest my building before he answered.
“Well, if you insist, Preston. You don’t have to twist my arm. I’d be happy to move in with you.”
I smiled at this playful side I hadn’t seen much of before now. “That’s not exactly what I meant, but it’s fine for now.” I leaned over and gave Joe a quick kiss, then jumped out of the car and fast walked to my class. The smile didn’t leave my lips until I got home to find Joe in the kitchen making dinner.
A guy could get used to this.
8
JOE
Driving back up to my parent’s home this time was a much different affair than the last time. Last time I’d been mad and frustrated with the way my life was heading. But I had a new purpose now. Things were going to change.
When I walked into the house, early this time, no one was there to meet me at the door. I walked back to my father’s library and finally heard raised voices. I crept up to the door to listen.
“I promise you he’ll come around, Tony. He won’t have a choice. I control that damn trust of his, and if he wants to keep playing at school, he’s going to find out the faucet has been shut off. We can merge our families and our businesses in one ceremony and the taxes will be taken care of with the inheritance tax loophole this year.”
On speaker, I heard a harsh voice growl in response.
“Langford, I’m not a fool. If you haven’t been able to fix this by now, you never will. There’s only two months left and the window is closing. If my Nica didn’t want to be in society so bad, I’d have told you to fuck off in January. I know your designer leather line is worth the trouble, but the rest of your portfolio is suffering. You need my online presence, and I want your name recognition. Make this happen or we’re done.”
“Joe, I didn’t hear you come in.”
I swung around to find my mother right behind me in the hall. I held my hands up to shush her. “Mom, hush. I’m listening.”
“I’m done with my call now, so there’s nothing to hear, Trip. But come in. There’s something I want to talk to you about.”
I stepped into my father’s library and flopped down in one of the overstuffed wing backs that flanked the fireplace. “Go ahead and tell me your news, and then I’ll tell you mine.”
Father sat behind his massive mahogany desk and folded his hands in front of him. “It’s time for you to grow up and face your responsibilities. After this semester, you won’t be given any more funds from your trust for school or living expenses.”
I sat up and braced my hands on the arms of the chair. “You’re cutting me off? You can’t do that!”
Father smirked. “I can and I will. It’s time you settled down and contributed to this family. You’ll marry Veronica DelVecchio after Thanksgiving and start work in the business. Playtime is over.”
So he thought it was going to be that easy, did he?
“I’m wondering if you could clarify a few things for me, Father.”
“Of course, Trip.”
