“Just a kiss,” I said, closing the distance between us and then pressing my lips to hers. It was sweet and innocent and although the need to deepen it and allow myself to be consumed by her was there, I held back.
She pulled away, her lips already swollen and her eyes dark with lust. “Goodnight, Owen. I’ll see you in the evening.”
“Goodnight,” I said, watching her head into the spare room, the wrong room, once again. I wondered what she would do when she got in bed and it was that thought I took with me as I stripped and got between my own sheets, cock in hand for the second time in just a few hours.
Chapter Nine
Payton
Sleep had beencool sheets and a peaceful room, dreamless and restful and I woke naturally with the spring sun streaming in through the window. I could taste Owen on my lips, the memory of his touch on my arms and back still vibrant and warm, his words when he told me I was worth something still in my head. But I still didn’t feel worthwhile enough and it was only me who could change that. I was a brilliant lawyer, a good daughter and sister and I knew I looked okay, yet there was a barrier there and I couldn’t identify what it was.
Owen’s spare room was neat and tidy: grey curtains and a blind with geometric yellow and green designs were at the window. The furniture was Scandinavian in design and the carpet plush and grey. The walls had a greyish tinge to them, with one wall covered in feature wallpaper. If I’d seen this room before getting to know him, I’d have argued his mother or an interior designer had put it together, but knowing him better, I figured he’d done it himself.
Having grown up with a ton of elder siblings, I was nosy by nature and had a strong survival instinct. The more secrets you knew, the easier it was to bribe someone, so when I thought about having a good look around Owen’s apartment, my conscience didn’t let off alarm bells. The bad fairy sat back happily while the good one was locked away in a cupboard and I set off to explore, starting with the lounge.
There were photos in the drawers of the coffee table, some in photobooks that had been put together online and some that had been printed. A reoccurring woman was in them, tall with long red hair and pretty features. There were several of her and Owen together when he looked a few years younger and I figured that this was the ex he’d mentioned. There were no names on the backs of the pictures or the dates so I was no clearer factually.
He was tidy and neat, which made it easier to rummage. His bedroom was clean, no dirty clothes on the floor or used condoms under the bed—and yes, I looked. There were no women’s clothes in his closet, just a pile of books instead, some historical fiction, some crime and some erotica. The erotica caught my attention and I’d ask him about them later. I did not keep my rummaging secret. That would be wrong.
Bedside table drawers I knew for a fact were where the secrets were kept. I opened the one on the unmade side, figuring that was where Owen slept. The pillow smelled of his aftershave and I’d be lying if I said I didn’t bury my head in it for a moment. My chest pulsated and my stomach twisted in anticipation, of what I wasn’t sure, but I felt like I was fifteen again and was waiting for my first proper kiss. The drawer contained condoms, lube and a set of handcuffs. A bit more digging around and I found a butt plug, still in its virgin box. My pussy clenched tightly and I bit my lips together. There was a cupboard beneath the drawer, but I didn’t want to go there yet, some things needed to be kept as secrets until the right time, if that ever came.
I headed into the lounge and made a coffee. My phone was on the kitchen worktop, left there from the night before. I didn’t want to be disturbed in the early morning with the light of the screen illuminating the room as my siblings messaged me or any emails came in from work.
Sitting down, I sipped the coffee and started to check my messages. There were the usual ones from my brothers and Ava, planning the night out tonight and whose turn it was to look after Seph when he got too drunk. Allegedly it was Callum’s, but that could’ve been because he was the last to deny all knowledge. Then there were a couple debating what I was doing and if I’d taken over a small Caribbean country yet. I didn’t respond: a picture of my niece dressed up to come home had been sent, then a selfie of her with Claire and Killian holding her. My heart burst and I knew that if anyone could see they’d wonder why I was grinning so hard.
I started to text Claire, knowing that if they were still on their way home and Killian would be driving.
Payton:She looks beautiful. I’ll be at yours in an hour or so. Is that okay?
Claire:Just got home now. K’s making us all breakfast—so sick of fucking hospital food.
Payton:How are you feeling? I hope K’s looking after you.
Claire:He’s driving me mad. He won’t even let me pick up my handbag. Or rather, let me carry it. All I’m apparently allowed to do is sit or lie down, eat and feed the baby. I’m going to fucking kill him. How’s Owen?
Payton:Why?
Claire:Because according to my sources, you’ve been spending a lot of time with him.
Payton:Seph’s filling your brain with shit. We’re friends. He’s a client.
Claire:You’re stupid if you don’t tap that. I may have been under the influence of a shit load of drugs, but he was hot.
Payton:Have you shared those thoughts with Killian?
Claire:Of course. His reaction was exactly what you would predict but at least I got to carry my own handbag.
Payton:I’ll be round in an hour or so.
Claire:Where are you exactly?
Payton:Owen’s. I stayed in his spare room last night. We went to The Oystermen in Covent Garden to stalk his mum and her date.
Claire:This is good. Tell me more when you get here. Need to go, Killian is trying to change Eliza and it looks like he’s about to cover himself in shit. Love you.
I started to raid Owen’s kitchen for something breakfast-like when I noticed a paper bag on the side. There was a note by it and I swore it hadn’t been there when I first woke up.
The handwriting was neat and cursive, probably as presentable as it had been when he was in school.Payton,it said.Realised I had no pastries in and didn’t want the world to face you when you hadn’t had your morning fix. Not sure why you were in my bedroom, but your brothers did warn me that you liked to look in other people’s stuff. Hope you found the butt plugs. Owen x
