Frances sits in the wingback chair as the two of us watch Will’s fashion show. The butler brings out a tray of tea and scones, placing it on the table. “Will that be all, ma’am?”
“Yes, thank you, darling.” Frances smiles. I can’t believe she has house staff. It’s like being part of the royal family or some shit.
Willow breezes out of the study in the flowing grey dress, proudly placing her hands on her hips.
“Oh my goodness,” Frances exclaims as she begins to clap her hands. “Simply gorgeous. You look at least twenty-one in that outfit, Will.”
Willow rises up on her toes looks down at herself.
“Put the black skirt and top with the high heels on.” I smile.
Will disappears back to the study to change into her next outfit.
We are at Frances’s house or should I say palace, having a fashion parade of Wills new clothes and I have never seen her so excited. This is so much fun.
“Put your hair up for this outfit,” I call from my position on the sofa.
I’ve been here a few times over the last week to visit Frances. It gets lonely in that big, old house of ours when everyone is at school and work. Julian’s mother is actually a really cool lady, and I enjoy her wit and sarcasm. We don’t discuss Julian at all when I’m here, but I have a sneaking suspicion that she’s reading between the lines and knows exactly what’s going on. She really is as sharp as a tack.
Willow appears before us again with her arms spread out. “Ta-dah.”
“Oh, my.” Frances slaps her hands to her cheeks. “Lord have mercy, you are divine.”
I laugh. “She is, isn’t she? Turn around and show us the back.”
Willow does a twirl, and we both gasp.
Willow laughs and disappears back into the changing room.
Frances’s eyes fall to me. “Thank you,” she whispers.
“What for?”
“For taking the time to get to know Willow.”
My eyes fill with tears. How many people actually take the time to see beneath her scars to admire the beautiful girl she really is?
“It’s been an honour to spend time with her.”
She smiles knowingly. “Have you thought any more about marrying my son yet?”
I giggle. “No.”
She sits beside me on the sofa and takes my hand in hers, staring at me with hopeful eyes.
“We’re just friends, Frances. Don’t get excited.”
She taps my hand in hers and smiles broadly. “Of course, dear. I believe you.”
Willow appears again in a blue fitted dress this time. “And I can wear this one if I ever go out.” She puts her hands onto her hips proudly. “Like… on a date.”
I clap my hands together. “Oh my God, Will, yes. This is a definite first date outfit.”
Frances stands and embraces Will in a hug. “I’m so proud of you, darling.”
My face nearly splits in two, I’m so happy.
It’s been a good day. The best, actually.
“You scrape it in, just like this.” I watch as Willow scrapes the last of the mixture into the bowl. “That’s it.” I smile. “Now pop it in the oven.”
Willow has developed a taste for being in the kitchen and I’m trying to do it with her as much as I can. Sammy is sitting on the bench watching us and Lady Gaga’s Poker Face is blaring through the house. It’s starting to turn dark outside, and dinner is in the oven.
I feel him before I see him.
I turn to find Julian standing in the doorway watching us. He’s wearing a navy suit and holding his briefcase down by his side. I’ve never seen a man looking so damn divine. His big, brown eyes hold mine, and he gives me the best come fuck me look I have ever seen.
“Hey.” I smile.
“Hello,” he replies, his eyes smouldering, making my sex clench in appreciation.
He gives Sammy a hug, and then he gives Will a kiss on the cheek.
“We’re baking, Dad.” Will tells him.
“I can see.” He smiles. “What am I eating for dessert tonight?”
“Apple Danish.” She smiles proudly with her hands on her hips.
He peers at the oven and then turns to her. “You’re going to make me overweight and unattractive, Will,” he teases as his eyes fall back up to me.
I smirk at him, as if.
“Go wash up for dinner, guys,” I say. “Will, why don’t you bring your new clothes down to show your father?”
She looks to Julian for approval before she sees his returning smile, hunches her shoulders and runs upstairs with Sammy on her tail.
I go to the fridge to put the ingredients away when Julian’s arm snakes around me from behind. He pulls me back against his body, and his cock is already hard.
My body weakens instantly.
Julian pushes my hair around to one side, and his lips find my neck where he softly bites me, making goosebumps scatter up my arms.
“I’ve been hard all day thinking about you,” he whispers in my ear.
Arousal pumps through my body.
“Why?” I whisper as his face rubs against mine over my shoulder.
He jerks me closer so his erection digs into my behind. “Because I wanted to be home, here, inside of you.” He kisses my ear.
Woof, woof.
Tillie grabs the bottom of his suit pants and tries to pull him away, using all her strength, tugging and dancing around.
Damn you, Tillie, for ruining my moment. This dog will be the death of me.
“Don’t!” he snaps as he shakes his leg to try and detach the naughty puppy. “If you rip my suit, there’ll be hell to pay, pooch.” He bends and pushes her away but she just goes crazier and bounds back to grab his sleeve between her sharp little teeth.
I giggle as I watch her. “Tillie, stop.”
She growls as he pushes her away.
Maverick jumps up on the bench and Julian’s face falls. “Get down this minute.”
I lift the little ginger ball of fluff up and put him back on the floor. “He’s just a little baby. He doesn’t know the rules yet,” I tell Julian.
“He’s a damn health hazard.”
Willow comes down wearing her blue dress and holding her arms out proudly. As soon as he sees her, Julian’s mouth drops open, and his eyes flicker to me then back to her.
“Will…” he says breathlessly. “You look so beautiful.”
Will beams with pride, and I have to blink through my tears. I’m getting soft in my old age.
“Are you crying?” Will asks.
I wave the tea towel around in the air. “It’s all those onions I chopped.”
She giggles. “You’re an idiot.”
I sniff. “I’ve been called worse.”
Julian’s eyes linger on my face before he turns his attention back to Will. “What else did you girls get up to today?”
“We got our nails done, went shopping, and then we visited Grandma.” He frowns. “You went to Grandma’s?”
“Of course. We had to show Grandma Will’s new clothes,” I interject.
“Oh, and we met Emerson. She’s really nice. And did you know that it’s Brell’s birthday on Wednesday?” Will adds.
His eyes come back to me. “You didn’t tell me that.” He looks between Will and me. “What do you want to do for your birthday?”
I look over at Will. I was thinking about this earlier today actually. “I was hoping that Will could cook dinner for us.”
Her mouth falls open in surprise. “You want me to cook for your birthday?” She gasps as she looks between Julian and me. “Of all the things you could do, you want me to cook for you?”
I nod and smile. “Only if you have time.”
“I would love to.” She waves her arms around in front of her. “Can we invite Grandma and Grandpa? Oh… and Emerson?”
Julian smiles at her enthusiasm. “If you like.”
“Yay! We can have a whole dinner party. Oh… I’ll have to make a cake.” She flits around and then runs back upstairs like a giddy child at Christmas. Tillie begins to bark and run behind her. We hear the commotion as they disappear up the stairs.
Julian’s eyes come back to me and he takes my face in his hands. “You’re going to get yourself fucked tonight, Miss Brielle.”
I stand on my tippy toes and kiss him on the lips, sliding my arms underneath his suit coat. “Good. Make it hard, Mr. Masters.”
“Happy Birthday to you,” the table full of people sing loudly.
The birthday candles light up my smiling face. It’s my birthday, and one of the happiest days I have ever had.
Julian woke me up this morning-wearing his sexy suit-with a cup of coffee in his hand for me-a luxury I haven’t had before. The children made me birthday cards, bought me a jumper, and even picked me flowers from the garden.
Tilly chewed up the rug and Maverick fell asleep inside the washing machine. That stupid cat clearly has a death wish.
And now I’m sitting here with Julian, Will, Sammy, Emerson, Frances, and Joseph, watching as they sing happy birthday to me. Will has made a beautiful dinner and the conversation has been fun and light. The table is set perfectly. It feels like everything I have been trying to teach Will has finally paid off.
I blow out the candles and they all cheer. My eyes meet Julian’s across the table and he smiles softly.
I can’t wait to hold him in my arms after everyone has gone for the night.
It’s different now between us. Since he told me about his past and we had sex in the house, he comes to my room every night, staying until he has to get up for work. I look forward to going to bed now because I get him to myself. Even the sound of him asleep beside me is soothing.
I’m in love with him.
It happened somewhere between the crazy hotel hook-ups and now, despite the serious persona he puts on to the world. I know what a tortured man he is, and yet the tenderness he gives me when we’re alone melts my heart. Every damaged inch of him is perfect to me.
“Make a wish.” He smiles.
My eyes search his and I blow out the final candle.
Don’t let this end.
The guests are gone, the house is quiet, and I’m waiting for my man in my bedroom. This is the worst part of my day, when he’s upstairs waiting for the children to fall asleep before he can come to me.
Eventually, he knocks quietly and walks in. I turn and smile at the sight of him wearing a navy robe over his boxer shorts.
“How’s my girl?” he whispers into my hair.
I close my eyes and wrap my arms around him. “Better now that you’re here.”
He steps back and takes out a gold envelope with a red ribbon around it.
“What’s this?”
“I could lie and tell you it’s a present for you, but it’s really a present for me.”
I frown as I stare down at the envelope.
“Open it.”
I untie the silk ribbon and pull out a cream card.
I giggle when I see that it’s actually an invitation, but this one looks like a proper wedding invitation.
Julian Masters
Requests the company of
Bree Johnston
Occasion: Birthday.
Date: This weekend
Time: 6pm
Place: Rome
Dress code: As you are.
“Rome?” My eyes rise to meet his. “W-what?”
“I thought you might like to go to Rome for the weekend…” He pauses, as if he’s suddenly nervous. “For your birthday.”