Something Real (Whiskey Men, #2)(32)

Issi’s eyes about pop out of her head as she looks at her brother-in-law and then at me. The possessive tone in his voice has me twitching in my seat. I swear it’s like he’s claiming me just by that look he’s giving me.

To cover up my heated cheeks, I roll my eyes. “Sure, ‘cause you’re the boss of me...”

Ford stands to his full height. “I am your boss.”

Issi looks between Ford and me with a curious expression on her face. Ford throws his hand out, pointing to his door. “Lilian, can I see you in my office please?”

I look down at my desk, shuffling through papers and trying to act like I don’t hear him.

His voice is even more demanding the second time around. “Lilian. In my office… please.”

I huff a breath, put my hands on my desk, and push myself up. Grabbing his phone, I mutter to him. “Sure, BOSS. I’ll be right there.”

Issi is watching us closely, smiling. I almost forgot she was standing here. “You here to see Lucas? He’s on a phone call, but you know he’s told me to never make you wait. You can go on in.”

“Thanks,” she tells me.

I walk past Ford without looking at him. He shuts the door behind us, and I swear I hear him lock it.

“You’re mine, Lily.”

He says it gruffly, his voice filled with possessiveness, and my whole body reacts to it. My nipples pucker, and there’s a throb in my lower belly that only one thing—one man—can cure.

I turn, ready to deny him, but the look on his face is full of seriousness. “Is this because of Ollie?” I blink in confusion, and he continues. “Are you distancing yourself from me because I have a son?”

I gasp. “I love Ollie. You know I do. Heck, Ford, that’s crazy talk. Ollie is a plus for you, what are you thinking?”

He lets out a breath, and his shoulders drop. “So it’s me. I’m the reason you don’t want to be with me.”

I blow out a breath, not prepared for this conversation in any way. “Ask me how many people I’ve had sex with.”

He grimaces, and his hands fist at his sides. “I don’t want to hear about you with another man.”

I hold my fingers up. “Three. One was when I was 19. One when I was twenty-five, and well, you know the third one.” I take a step toward him, still clutching his phone in my hand. “Ask me how many vacations I’ve been on? How many times I’ve done something that was just for me?”

He tilts his head. “How many?”

“None. Never. My whole life I've committed to doing the right thing—the responsible thing. I told myself that I was going to do things different now.”

He reaches for me and then at the last second drops his hands. “So what? That’s all this weekend was to you? You wanted to do something forbidden and irresponsible so you slept with your boss?”

The way he says it does make it seem forbidden, but why does it feel so right?

“Listen, I think this is going to hurt Ollie, and that’s the last thing I want to do. Plus, I don’t know what’s going to happen. If Carrie moves to Georgia…” My voice trails off because I can’t bring myself to say it.

“What? You’ll leave?”

I shrug. I’ve thought about it, and I don’t want to leave Whiskey Run. I don’t want to leave Ollie and Ford either. And that right there scares the hell out of me.

“If she asked me to, I would go and help her get settled—make sure she’s okay. I know she’s my sister but—”

He cuts me off. “She’s like a daughter to you—I understand.”

I continue. “And here at the office… do you think I want to be known as the woman that sleeps with the boss?” I raise his phone and toss it to his desk. I’m getting way into my feelings now, and I need to be mad at him. “I replied to the RSVPs. You had a play date invite from Tommy’s mom. Something about dinner and a bottle of wine. She’s making your favorite.”

I’m pointing at the phone like it’s the problem. It’s not. I know it’s not. I’m just mad—and jealous—and I don’t know what to do with those feelings. “I’m going back to work.”

He grabs on to my wrist when I try to walk by. “I’m not going to dinner with her. I’m not sharing a bottle of wine with her, and I’m not eating her food, even if she does make my favorite meal. The only person I want to do those things with are you.”

I shake my head. I want this. I want this so badly with him, but I can’t go for it. I don’t have a choice right now. He pulls me to the edge of his desk and then sits down in his chair. His hands are at my waist and his grip on me is tight.

He’s a man that is always in control, but right now, he looks lost. He scrunches up his nose, not liking the words that are coming out of his mouth. “So what? You want to keep this quiet? Just between us?”





Ford





She’s jealous. That much is obvious by the way she’s mad about Tommy’s mom. And she’s tempted to take me up on my offer. I can see in her face that she wants to.

Fuck, I don’t want to hide any of this. I want the world to know that she’s mine, and I belong to her, but if this is what she needs right now, I’ll do it. Because she looks tempted.