Just One Kiss (Very Irresistible Bachelors Book 2) Read online

  Just One Kiss

  Layla Hagen

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  Just One Kiss

  Copyright © 2020 Layla Hagen

  Cover: Uplifting Designs

  Just One Kiss

  Photo by Wander Aguiar

  Copyright ©2020 Layla Hagen

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form, including electronic or mechanical, without written permission from the author, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews. This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

  Table of Contents

  Copyright Page

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Chapter Twenty

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  Chapter Twenty-Nine

  Chapter Thirty

  Chapter Thirty-One

  Chapter Thirty-Two

  Epilogue

  Chapter One

  Ryker

  “Congrats. I’m proud of you,” I said.

  I clinked my glass of champagne to my sisters’. Tess and Skye just quit their jobs to focus on their business full-time. They’d been running an online lingerie shop for a few years, but now they were preparing to open a brick-and-mortar store. The official opening was in three weeks.

  “Thanks, brother,” Tess answered. I could see she was truly pleased with my praise. But it was the truth; I was damn proud of them both.

  “I’m so glad we finally took the leap,” Skye said, stretching on the couch that had just been delivered to the shop. Tess and I sat on the armrests.

  “And because we’re all about setting goals, let’s hope we’ll nab an investor soon,” Tess added. Although they’d made a lot of money on their own, they could expand faster with an investor.

  “You know I can help,” I offered for the millionth time. I was director at a venture capital firm and knew many investors.

  The fund I worked for couldn’t invest directly—that would be a conflict of interest—but I could pull some strings.

  Tess shook her head. “We already told you we don’t want you to put your skin in the game for us. What if this doesn’t work out? Your reputation on Wall Street will suffer.”

  I didn’t care about my reputation when it came to my family. I just wanted to ease their way as much as possible. The business world was ruthless, and I was convinced the best way to succeed was to approach it the way we’d done everything else: by sticking together.

  “Besides, you’re already helping.” Tess was batting her eyelashes. I knew something was up.

  “What do you need me to do?”

  “Don’t phrase that so open-ended, because our list is a mile long,” Skye warned. We’d already hung curtains before the couch was delivered.

  “I know. I saw the list. There are still a million things to check off.” That was the reason our family took turns coming to the store after work. They’d gotten the keys to this place two weeks ago, and we’d divided the weekdays among ourselves. Until the store opened, our brother, Cole, came Thursdays, I did Monday, and our cousin, Hunter, and his wife, Josie, stopped by on Wednesday. Mom and her husband came Tuesday and Friday.

  Skye winked, sitting upright again. “Nah, you did enough for tonight. Thanks for helping us hang the curtains. Tess and I have to pack some new online orders.”

  “Is that why we drank only the small champagne bottle?” I pointed to the floor, where there was a large one next to a pile of boxes.

  “Oh, no. We’re keeping the large Dom Perignon for the actual opening, when the whole gang will be here,” Tess said. “Minus Josie and Hunter.”

  “Why aren’t they coming?” I asked.

  “They might come. They’re taking a trip and aren’t sure if they’ll come back in time. Those two are using every free moment to travel,” Skye said with a grin.

  Sometimes I still couldn’t believe that our cousin was married to his best friend, but I didn’t say it out loud. My sisters picked up on it anyway.

  “Still haven’t recovered from Hunter breaking out of the bachelor pack, huh?” Tess teased.

  “Something like that,” I admitted. Even though Hunter was our cousin, we considered him a brother. After our parents’ divorce, Mom moved us all to New York, and Hunter had practically grown up with us. Josie had been a family friend for a long time, and she was one of my favorite people. I just never imagined she and Hunter would marry. I’d always thought Cole, Hunter, and I would be eternal bachelors. At least Cole was still in the same camp as me.

  Skye clinked her empty glass against mine, grinning from ear to ear. “Fearing things might change for you too, Flirt?”

  “Absolutely not.”

  Josie had been the one who’d nicknamed me back when we were teenagers. I was proud of my nickname and did it justice on a regular basis.

  “I definitely detected a sliver of fear,” Tess said on a chuckle.

  Skye nodded, pointing a finger at me. “Yeah, look. He has that expression when his pupils widen and his eyebrows sort of go down.”

  “What about it?” I asked, confused.

  “It’s how you look when you’re semi-afraid,” Skye informed me. I groaned.

  “I don’t get afraid. It’s one of the reasons I’m in venture capitalism.” I loved the fast pace, the risk, the unpredictable nature of the market even after analyzing all performance indicators.

  “Ha! I definitely remember a few incidents that contradict that statement,” Tess said.

  Skye snapped her fingers, as if she’d just remembered something vital. “Like that one time you partied so hard before Christmas that you didn’t think you’d make it to family dinner. I believe the words ‘save my ass’ were said in a pleading tone.”

  I groaned, rising from the couch and placing my glass on the large box we were using as a makeshift counter. Since they were a few years older than me, they remembered stuff I didn’t... and didn’t let me forget things I’d rather overlook.

  “Girls, if you don’t need me, I’ll get going.”

  “Wait! Let’s not forget the daily selfie,” Tess asked. “Let’s move further away, so the couch is in our backdrop.”

  “Why are you taking these?” I inquired.

  “So we can keep track of our progress. Helps when we think we’ll never get through the to-do list.”

  “Hey, this is the last time we come here in our office clothes,” Skye said. “It’s going to be sweatpants-palooza in here until we actually open up for customers and need to look professional again.”

&
nbsp; “Come on. Squeeze in for a Winchester selfie,” Tess said. I laughed as the two of them stood at my sides. I held the phone so the three of us and the couch were in the same frame. Skye adjusted the lighting, mentioning something about how the fact that I had dark blond hair and theirs was light brown made it difficult to find a filter that fit us all.

  Afterward, I picked up my guitar case, strapping it to my shoulder.

  “Performing tonight?” Tess asked.

  “No, just taking my new guitar to the bar.”

  “Have fun,” Skye said.

  I loved playing the guitar, and performing was the best way to unwind and put the day behind me. I hadn’t scheduled anything for this evening because I didn’t know how long I’d be here. I walked out of the store, looking around and taking in the surroundings through the lens of an analyst: the location was excellent. It had decent foot traffic and attracted both locals and tourists. My sisters had experience in the industry. They had a great shot at making this work. It was early March, so they’d missed out on Valentine’s Day sales, which was huge in their industry, but if they managed to open by April, as planned, they could still make a killing with Easter sales.

  I headed straight to the Northern Lights, the bar where I performed from time to time. It was crowded tonight. Happy hour had started a while ago, and a bunch of suits had come in right off Wall Street. When I was on stage, watching the crowd relaxed me. When I had to make my way through it, not so much.

  “Rose, I have something for you,” I called to the bartender on shift. She was also the manager. I placed the guitar on the counter.

  “Oh, brought your new toy for safekeeping. Can I take a look at it?”

  “Sure.”

  She opened the case, gasping. Yeah, I was proud of it too. Some people collected cars. I had a weakness for guitars. This one was a brand-new electric model. The sound was sleek, with a smooth undertone.

  “Ryker Winchester, you’re always full of surprises. Love how you always change things up. You’ve never brought an electric one before,” she murmured. I liked challenging myself—it gave me something to look forward to.

  “I’ll play on it this week.”

  “Want to take the old one back?”

  “No, leave it here too. I’ll just switch things up from time to time.”

  “Want a beer?”

  “Sure!”

  She filled a pint glass with draft beer, sliding it to me. Before I took the first sip, a raised voice reached me.

  “For fuck’s sake, you’re not my wife. You’re not even my girlfriend anymore, so none of that is my responsibility.”

  I looked around for the source. What douchebag spoke like that to anyone? I located him a few feet away, and the woman he was talking to. She had round eyes and dark brown hair. Damn, she was beautiful. Her shoulders were hunched, and her gaze darted to the nearby patrons apologetically.

  I left my beer on the counter and marched toward them.

  “Apologize to the lady,” I said, voice calm and collected.

  “What the fuck is your problem?” the guy asked.

  “My problem is that you’re a douchebag. Apologize to her.”

  Up close, she was even more beautiful—full lips, wide, green eyes. She opened her mouth to say something, but next thing I knew, Douchebag pushed me into the crowd behind us that was waiting to order a drink.

  They moved out of my way but someone’s shoulder brushed my cheek in the process. My elbow hit the pint, sending it flying over my brand-new guitar. Beer spilled all over it. Rose threw napkins at me, and I wiped the liquid off immediately, but I knew some of it had reached the electric circuits. Fuck.

  I inspected the strings, but it was impossible to tell the extent of the damage. When I finally lifted my head, I realized Douchebag wasn’t in his spot anymore.

  “Gil threw him out,” Rose explained. Gil was the security guy. I looked around, trying to locate the woman who’d been with him, but she was nowhere to be found. Damn. I really wanted to make sure she was alright.

  “That thing still working?” Rose asked, pointing to the guitar. The surface was sticky from the beer.

  “I don’t know. I’ll take it to my repair guy, see what he has to say.”

  “This sucks. Brand-new and all. Are you hurt?”

  “I’m okay. Do you know them? The couple?”

  “No.”

  “So they’re not regulars?”

  What I really wanted to ask was if she wasn’t a regular, even though I already knew the answer. I would’ve remembered seeing her before if she was.

  “No. I have a good memory. They haven’t been here before. Want some ice for that cheek? You’ll have a bruise tomorrow.”

  I groaned. She was right. I could feel the skin around it pulsing. “Ice sounds good. Thanks.”

  At thirty, I was already one of the youngest investment directors in the company, and my youth usually worked against me. I balanced it out with an all-encompassing knowledge of the market and an enviable track record. A bruised cheek would earn me no favors with the clients who trusted me to handle their million-dollar portfolios.

  Grabbing the bucket Rose handed me and placing the damaged guitar back in the case, I headed to one of the couches in the corner. Even though I knew it was pointless, I looked around the bar again. She hadn’t left with him, had she? It had sounded as if he was ditching her. In public. I detested men who had no sense of responsibility or respect.

  I held ice to my cheek for the rest of the evening... and made plans to find this mystery woman I couldn’t stop thinking about.

  Chapter Two

  Heather

  “Mommy, it says on the box number thirty-eight?” My seven-year-old pointed her tiny finger to the numbers I’d scribbled on the box with silver marker.

  “Yes.”

  “Does that mean we’re done?”

  I grinned. I’d told her that we’d stop after unpacking the thirty-eighth box, and she’d been paying attention.

  “Yeah, we are.”

  Avery squealed. I lowered myself to my haunches, and she threw her arms around my neck. I couldn’t explain it, but Avery simply smelled like love. My little girl was like my own personal sunshine. Blonde and blue-eyed, she looked like a little angel.

  “Can we have a bubble bath now?” she asked.

  “Sure, little bug.”

  Our apartment had two bedrooms and a tiny living room. It was in a converted refurbished warehouse. I loved the huge windows. They allowed in plenty of light on sunny days. We’d moved here a week ago, hence all the unpacked boxes. We opened six boxes every night, and we still had a pile in the kitchen, which was also my office. As a reporter, I worked from home a lot, only traveling to my office in Manhattan if I had a meeting.

  We headed to the bathroom, and while the water level rose in the tub, we had fun pouring all the almost-empty shampoo and shower gels in it, and a package of glittery goo with a unicorn on it. I had no idea how easy it was to scrub off, but my girl needed some glitter in her life, and honestly, so did I.

  After Gerald dropped the bomb on me, I took Avery shopping and explained that our apartment would be an all-girl zone. That led to us buying all manner of glittery items such as nail polish, bath salts, lip gloss, and bedsheets. Since it was March, we got everything at an end-of-winter sale. I loved our purchases just as much as Avery.

  The second I turned off the faucet, Avery jumped inside, splashing water everywhere. Laughing, I slipped inside too.

  “We have our own small pool,” Avery exclaimed. We’d only had a shower at the old apartment. “Can we have a glitter bath every night?”

  Ah, my girl had many talents. As much as I liked to say she was an angel, she could also be a little devil. She knew exactly when to ask for things, but I’d learned how to say no.

  “Not every evening, but once in a while, we can do this.”

  She perked up, her eyes wide. “YES!” After a few beats of silence, she added, “Mommy, Gerald
isn’t coming back, is he?”

  My heart sank. Did Avery miss him?

  “No, baby. He’s not.”

  “I like it when it’s just the two of us, Mommy.”

  I barely resisted the urge to hug the living daylights out of her.

  “I like it too, little bug. I like it too. It’s just the two of us now, baby.”

  And I’d keep it that way.

  After putting Avery to bed, I headed to the kitchen, microwaving popcorn and pouring myself a glass of wine. Dinner of champions. I sat at the round kitchen table, glancing around our new home.

  Seven days ago, Gerald called, saying he needed to talk to me about something important. I was in the middle of coordinating movers and ordering furniture and hadn’t stopped to think about what that might be. Honestly, I’d just been happy that he was finally going to be in New York for longer than a few days. He was a tour guide and led groups around the world.

  Two days ago, we’d met at the Northern Lights and he’d told me that he wasn’t moving in with us. That he’d met someone on one of his trips. I’d felt as if my brain had short-circuited and I’d forgotten how to breathe.

  In retrospect, I should have known he wasn’t going to stick around. He’d never warmed up to the idea of the three of us, but I’d been in love and I’d wanted to offer Avery stability, especially since she didn’t even know her dad. We broke up shortly after I found out I was pregnant. He signed away all rights, because he wasn’t interested in being a parent. Fresh out of college, that had been a very difficult time for me, especially since my parents lived in Arizona. When Gerald had come along two years ago, I’d had stars in my eyes and fallen hook, line, and sinker for him. I’d jumped into the relationship with both feet. From now on, I’d do things differently.

  My limbs felt a little lighter after I finished my glass of wine. It was the first break in two days. I hadn’t had time to process anything, because I’d still had to coordinate the rest of the movers and take our things out of the boxes. Mostly, though, I just wanted to block that awful evening out of my brain. Now that I wasn’t elbow-deep in boxes, I couldn’t help rewinding the details. When security had showed up, I’d used the opportunity to dart out of the bar. I’d wanted to do that as soon as I realized Gerald had asked me there to break up. Everyone within earshot had looked at me with pity, and I’d just been so blindsided that I hadn’t even known how to react. What about Avery? The apartment? I’d asked.