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  “Oh my God!” I rasped, almost unable to breathe. My heart threatened to burst, my body on fire through my prolonged orgasm. “Tobias!”

  “That’s it, babe. Squeeze my cock. Damn, I love when you come on my cock.”

  I was unable to respond to him, too drained of energy after the numbing orgasms he’d given me.

  “I’m cumming... Oh fuck!”

  A few moments later, he stilled and ejaculated deep into me, his hot seed coating my walls in several spurts. His arms snaked around my waist, keeping me close to him as our lungs tried to get as much air as possible.

  “It’s really good to see you, Scarlet,” he said and kissed a place between my shoulder blades.

  I turned around and pulled him into my embrace, feeding on his closeness. “It’s good to see you too. If I knew I would get this kind of reception, I’d come a lot sooner.” I winked at him and met his lips half-way, pulling him in for a kiss, my body warming once more.

  I tried to breathe and focus on the moment. I needed him to know.

  To react—well.

  Because if not... I wouldn’t know what to do then.

  CHAPTER 16

  Tobias

  The shock of having Scarlet so unceremoniously show up to my office had made me forget all of my home training. My rules about appropriate office behavior had gone completely out the window, and I hadn’t been able to keep my hands off her. Needless to say, I felt rather guilty about it afterwards. I had, after all, completely lost my cool back when I’d had the misfortune of catching my best friend and my sister in a similarly uncompromising position at our firm’s gala the previous year; I didn’t take much pride in knowing that my behavior with Scarlet had essentially been the equivalent of the pot calling the kettle black.

  Things are always so much different when the shoe is on the other foot, I marveled.

  I momentarily put my thoughts on hold as my navigation system chirped, telling me the next turn I needed to take as I headed for Scarlet’s hotel.

  After our impromptu hook-up in my office, she had hurriedly dressed and left, stating that she would have to talk to me later.

  “I realize it was a mistake to come to you at your workplace like this. Very unprofessional. I’m sorry. I…I can see you later?” she’d said.

  I had nodded. “I don’t care about professionalism when it comes to you Scarlet. I just care about all the naughty things I can do to you, but yeah. Let’s have dinner. Tell me where you’re staying and I’ll come pick you up.”

  “What time?”

  “Let’s shoot for seven.”

  “Okay.”

  And then she had left, and I’d been forced to spend the rest of the day catching Courtney looking at me from the corners of her eyes.

  I hoped Scarlet and I hadn’t been too loud…

  Scarlet and I had been so drawn to each other that very little words had actually been exchanged between the two of us, which seemed to always be the case whenever we were together. I hadn’t even gotten a chance to ask her why she was in town. I wasn’t naïve enough to believe that she had come all the way to Chicago just to see me, although I would have been beyond flattered if that was the case.

  Hopefully over dinner though, I could learn more of her story. Maybe we could finally have time to simply talk, and get to know each a verbal level.

  It was silly, but for some reason, I was nervous as left to pick Scarlet up from her hotel.

  After texting to let her know I was there, I checked myself out one last time in the rearview mirror before getting out and entering the hotel lobby.

  “Hello, sir. Can I help you?” the receptionist at the front desk asked. She was a young woman who looked to be about college-aged.

  I smiled politely. “No. I’m just waiting on one of your guests. She should be here in a moment.”

  “Okay. Please feel free to take a seat,” she said, gesturing to the couches.

  “Thank you,” I said, and took a seat. The couch cushions were all worn out, and as I looked around, it became apparent that the hotel was fairly old and had seen better days. If I had known Scarlet was in town, I would have happily given her better arrangements, or even opened the doors of my home to her. But then I recalled her discomfort over the money I’d spent on her during our prior rendezvous. Somehow, I doubted she’d appreciate if I offered her a fancy hotel, or my home.

  I suddenly felt grateful for deciding to drive on my own rather than pick her up in a limousine. I could already tell that Scarlet wasn’t exactly the type of woman whose affection could be bought. Money wasn’t going to win her over.

  Is that what I’m trying to do? Win her over? The thought alarmed me. I had warned myself repeatedly to not let my feelings run too deep with Scarlet, because what we had going on wasn’t serious. Deep down though, I knew I hadn’t exactly succeeded with that plan, especially since I’d been thinking about her nonstop since the last time we were together.

  Still, it was a slippery slope. I had to stay realistic and accept that even now that we had reunited, there was no guarantee things would go any further. Last time may not have been our final goodbye, but who was to say that this time wouldn’t be?

  Unless I tell her that I want to keep seeing her, I thought to myself. What’s stopping me?

  Thoughts of my ex suddenly came to mind. My trust issues remained a hinderance that I worried I would never get over. That’s what was stopping me. Stupid.

  I sighed and leaned back on the couch, realizing that the receptionist was still looking at me, although she was doing her best to pretend she was busy with some task or other. I chuckled, wondering if she thought I was shady or something.

  I was just about to attempt engaging her in small talk before I heard the elevator ding. I turned, seeing the doors open.

  Out stepped Scarlet, looking like beauty personified.

  I thought back to when I took her out to dinner before, how stunning she had looked. That was no comparison to how she looked now though. In a long flowing dress with her hair elegantly pinned up, she took my breath away. There was something different about her that I couldn’t place my finger on. Whatever the case, she was positively glowing. The deep burgundy dress she wore made her skin look absolutely radiant. I wasn’t sure if I was imagining it or not, but her figure seemed slightly fuller, and it looked wonderful on her.

  The receptionist looked at her with wide eyes. “Wow,” she said. “You look gorgeous, Ms. Kale!”

  Scarlet smiled. “Thank you.” She then turned her gaze toward me, and I felt my heart skip a beat. I wanted to pay her a compliment, but she had left me speechless. And judging from the way her eyes sparkled and how her lips curved upward into a sly grin, she knew it.

  “Well,” she said, “I guess it’s time for us to leave?”

  I nodded. “Yeah,” I said, finally finding my voice. “Damn, Scarlet. Could you get any more beautiful?”

  She stared at me for a long time, seeming as if she wanted to say something, but then changing her mind. “Let’s go. I’m starving.”

  I smiled, holding my arm out to her. Laughing, she looped hers through mine, and together, we exited the hotel.

  I led her to my car, where I opened the passenger’s side door for her.

  “You know, I was worried you were going to show up in a fancy stretch-limousine or something.”

  I laughed awkwardly, officially grateful that I hadn’t. I then got into the driver’s side and we set off on our way.

  “So where are we going? I’m not overdressed, am I?” she asked, once she had fastened her seatbelt.

  I shook my head. “Don’t worry about it. You’re perfect.”

  I sat across from Scarlet, feeling more self-conscious than I could remember feeling in a long time. We ate dinner in relative silence, our conversation never managing to cross over into anything beyond small talk. The whole time, I got the overwhelming impression that Scarlet was holding something back. Even though our conversation wasn’t anything seriou
s, she remained only half-engaged in it, continually glancing around the restaurant. She also refused to share a drink with me. She did, at least, seem to enjoy her food.

  When I’d eaten as much as I could, I wiped my mouth with a napkin and leaned back in my seat. “Scarlet, what’s going on?” I asked. I may not have known her for long, but I knew that the woman seated across from me was a far cry from the playful and seductive stranger I’d encountered some months ago. She wasn’t even the same woman who walked into my office just a few hours ago.

  She smiled and shook her head.

  I sat up straight again. “Well, you never did tell me what you were in Chicago for. Business? Visiting? Vacationing?”

  “Visiting,” she said.

  “Family? Friend? Preston…?” I held my breath after mentioning my look-alike.

  Scarlet smirked. “You.”

  I blinked. “Pardon?”

  “I came out here to see you, Tobias. I already told you that at your office. Why else do you think I showed up?”

  I rubbed my chin, vaguely remembering that she had mentioned trying to reach out to me. I had simply been so surprised to see her though, some of what she’d said had clearly gone over my head.

  I stared at her, confused and flattered at the same time. I also became painfully aware that she was suddenly having a hard time meeting my gaze.

  “You came all the way out here to see little ol’ me, huh?” I said. “Well, are you going to tell me why you’re doing me such an honor? It couldn’t have been to just have that little tryst in my office.” At this, she looked toward me, her eyebrows raised. I realized too late that my words had probably sounded a little smug and sarcastic. Softening my expression, I leaned farther across the table. “Because I can’t tell you how glad I am to see you,” I added. Taking my chances, I reached out to take her hand. “I mean that. Honestly. I…I thought about you a lot since the last time we were together.”

  “I’ve thought about you a lot too,” she said, a nervous smile coming to her face.

  “Has everything been all right with you?” I asked. “Everything good with work and…life in general?”

  She let out a long sigh and stared down at the table. “Everything is…Well…”

  “What is it, Scarlet? Tell me. You obviously have something to tell me, to have come all the way out here. I’m listening.”

  Scarlet looked up at me, tilting her head to the side. “I’ve been trying to tell you all day, but I don’t know how. I don’t even know where to begin. And I don’t want you to…to…”

  “To what?”

  “To freak out.”

  I swallowed, realizing that this was something serious. I stared, wondering what this could possibly be about. “Okay. I won’t flip. I promise.”

  “You probably need to wait to hear what I have to say first.”

  “Then tell me already! I don’t think I can handle the suspense anymore.”

  “Okay,” she said. “Just give me a minute.”

  She pulled her hand away from mine and sat back in her chair. Her chest rose and fell with a deep breath, and she closed her eyes for a moment. “I know it’s been four months, but I haven’t seen or been with any other guys since you,” she said and then paused again.

  I stared, a wondering where this was ultimately going. “Okay,” I said, trying to politely encourage her to go on.

  “I know you don’t know me well,” she continued, “but I’m hoping that you trust and take my word for this.”

  The word ‘trust’ echoed in my brain for a moment, making me uncomfortable. My throat tightened. “Scarlet, what is this about? Can you…Can you please get to the point?”

  “Tobias, I’m pregnant. They’re yours,” she spat out in one breath.

  A faint ringing that I knew wasn’t really present sounded in my ears and it felt like time itself had stopped.

  Scarlet. Pregnant. By me…

  Me…?

  A baby. Me, a father…

  A woman that I hardly knew, pregnant with my child…

  Wait a second. She said they’re yours…

  “Th-they’re?” I stammered.

  She nodded. “Yes. I’m having twins. Tobias?” Scarlet said uncertainly, staring at me from across the table. “Are you all right? Did you hear what I said?”

  I’d heard her all right. As for whether I was all right, I couldn’t tell. There were far too many emotions running through me, from elation, to fear and confusion. “Just give me a minute,” I said, my voice monotone.

  CHAPTER 17

  Scarlet

  I stared across the table at Tobias, trying to make sense of the varying emotions I saw darting across his face until he grew perfectly still, as if my words had frozen him. It was almost like he had turned into a statue; I could hardly even tell if he was breathing.

  Well this was going about as well as I expected.

  “Tobias?” I said, leaning forward. But he seemed to have suddenly grown just as deaf as he was motionless. He didn’t even so much as blink, his gray eyes wide open but unseeing.

  My heart pounded in my chest, wondering if I had made a terrible mistake in coming here to tell him this kind of news. But what other choice did I have? The babies growing inside me were just as much his as they were mine. If things had been reversed, I would have wanted the mother of my children to have the decency to deliver this kind of news to me face-to-face. It just wasn’t the kind of thing that should be said through a text message or even over a phone call, as far as I was concerned. But now that I was seeing Tobias’s reaction firsthand, I worried that a more non-personal way of relaying the news would have been better after all. It would have at least spared me from having to witness how startled he was about becoming a father.

  Four months ago, after our passionate two-night fling, it hadn’t taken long for me to realize something was wrong. My period had always been like clockwork, so when I was more than three days late, I knew. Shortly thereafter, the morning sickness had started, confirming my suspicions. And then then pregnancy tests put the final nail in the coffin.

  While I had accepted that I was pregnant, it took me considerably longer to accept it when I found out that I was having twins. A baby changed everything. But two? It was still hard to wrap my mind around at times.

  Granted, the whole time, I’d gone through my share of denial, wondering how I could have possibly let this happen. I’d thought Tobias and I had been careful, but apparently, not careful enough. There was no denying that in the heat of passion, maybe some unwise choices had been made. All in the name of fun, we had both been reckless and now we were here. Being pregnant with twins made it feel like I was being held responsible for both nights I’d shared with Tobias those months ago.

  After learning that I was pregnant, the shame had hit me quick and fast. I had been perfectly willing to let my friends continue believing I’d just briefly entertained a fling with my high school sweetheart, but now that I was pregnant, I was going to have to explain the truth to them at some point. My body’s timer was ticking and I was going to have to come clean before my expanding body told on me instead, making things more awkward than they already were. Then again, it wasn’t like I didn’t sometimes have an unfortunate habit of making things worse for myself.

  I just hadn’t been able help worrying what my friends and family would think of me when I finally did come clean, especially after four months of me pretending like nothing was wrong. I knew it was technically too late to have those kind of reservations though. The deeds I’d done couldn’t be erased or reversed.

  It had been a hard decision, but I figured the first person who had the right to know about the pregnancy was Tobias since he was the second parent in the equation. But I quickly grew cold feet and ended up telling Mila first instead. After hearing the whole story, she had been just as shocked as I’d expected her to be, but in the end, she’d been surprisingly understanding and even promised not to tell the rest of our friends.

 
“I would never do that to you,” she had said. “It’s up to you to tell them when you’re ready. But you do have to at least tell him. He deserves to know.”

  While I hadn’t known what to expect when he found out the news, it certainly hadn’t been for him to freeze entirely.

  “Tobias, please say something,” I pleaded, fighting back the tears threatening to form in my eyes. “This is hard enough on me already.”

  Yet, he still acted as if he couldn’t hear me.

  After what seemed like an eternity, Tobias finally showed signs of life. A whoosh of breath escaped from between his lips and he leaned all the way back in his chair. His neck seemed to momentarily give out on him, leaving him staring in disbelief at the ceiling. “Scarlet,” he said, eventually lowering his gaze and looking at me. He shook his head and wordlessly opened and closed his mouth for an instant before sputtering out, “I…I…I don’t know what to say…”

  I swallowed, not liking his tone. Not liking his speechlessness. Not liking the way he was making me feel…

  Under the table, I balled my hands into fists to keep them from trembling.

  He cleared his throat and leaned forward, his eyebrows raised so high that they nearly disappeared into his hairline. “Are you sure?”

  I clenched my fists even tighter, my fingernails digging into my palms as I willed myself to not get offended by the question. “Yes, I’m sure,” I said, my voice clipped and harsh.

  Tobias flinched. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it that way. I know you’re probably…I mean, if you haven’t been with anyone else…I…And…it’s been confirmed…twins?” His voice faltered and he shook his head again. He anxiously ran a hand through his thick dark hair and swore several times in a row. “How long have you known? And how far along are you?”

  “I’m four months. Right on schedule with the last time I saw you.”

  Tobias nodded absentmindedly. And then, to my frustration, he appeared to relapse back into another state of shock, sitting motionless while his eyes clouded over, his thoughts clearly far away.