Have fun shopping with Samantha today. Buy something sexy to wear to the party on Saturday that I’ll have fun taking off later when we’re alone.
Tara smiled, her heart feeling lighter than air as she read Jackson’s sweet text. She was meeting Samantha in about an hour at a boutique in Chicago close to where she worked as a pastry chef. Since Jackson was taking Tara to an anniversary gala for his firm, where she was meeting his bosses and colleagues for the first time, she wanted Samantha to help her find something sophisticated and classy, with a subtle bit of sexy thrown in just for Jackson. She desperately wanted to make a good first impression, and that tiny insecure part of her wanted to fit in his upper-class world and be the respectable girlfriend he deserved on his arm. She wanted to make him proud.
She bit her bottom lip and replied. Don’t you know it’s all about the anticipation of unwrapping the outer package and enjoying the surprise beneath . . . all in good time?
Jackson quickly texted back, Can I unwrap you before the party? I promise to make it worth your while.
She laughed. The man was incorrigible and insatiable. Absolutely not. I’m not going to meet your bosses knowing you defiled me before we even left my house.
Fine, but be warned that I plan to make up for it once we get back to my place.
She was already looking forward to it. Fair enough.
I’ve got a meeting to go to. I’ll stop by Kincaid’s tonight to see you at work.
Okay. TTYL. Tara hesitated, then before she changed her mind, she added a pink sparkly heart emoji to the end of her text—the first indication she’d ever given Jackson that her feelings for him were so much stronger than she’d been able to put into words.
Much to her surprise, he replied with a smiley face with heart eyes.
Silly as it was, her heart did a happy little dance. She set her phone down on her nightstand and finished getting dressed for her shopping expedition with Samantha.
Five weeks ago, and prior to meeting Jackson, Tara never would have thought she could fall in love with a man so quickly. But in those five weeks, Jackson Stone had definitely altered her emotions in the best way possible. In ways that made her heart feel full whenever she was with him and empty when they were apart. He made her believe that fairy tales existed and made her hopeful for her own happily-ever-after, when she’d lived the past six years certain she didn’t deserve that kind of bliss.
She actually saw a future with Jackson. Every moment that she spent with him made her more aware of how in sync they were and made her feel as though she’d found the one person who understood and accepted her, despite the mistakes she’d made in the past. He made her laugh, he made her feel beautiful, and he made her feel . . .whole. It certainly didn’t hurt that the man was sexy as fuck and knew a dozen filthy ways to make her body hum with pleasure.
She loved that Jackson was forging a relationship with Clay, Mason, and Levi. He’d been upfront about the assault charge and what had happened, and the guys actually apologized for jumping to wrong conclusions. The Kincaid brothers were making a concentrated effort on their end to get to know Jackson, as well. Including learning about the past and the kind of childhood he’d had, which had been as troubled as their own.
They met for drinks at the bar at least once a week, and Jackson had invited them to a Cubs game at Wrigley Field, where his company sponsored one of the luxury suites over home plate. Yeah, the guys had been impressed, and Mason had even deemed his brother “a cool guy.” And last Saturday, Clay had taken all of them to the Chicagoland Speedway for an afternoon of racing stock cars.
The brothers’ growing relationship made Tara extremely happy, and she knew that Jackson was finally beginning to feel like maybe, possibly, he had a chance to fit into the Kincaid family.
Her cell phone on the nightstand vibrated, and, hoping it was another text from Jackson—yeah, she really did have it bad for him—she picked it up in anticipation and was surprised to see a message from Clay instead.
Could you come by Kincaid’s before meeting Samantha? There’s something I want to talk to you about.
She frowned as she finished reading the text. Clay sometimes came into the bar during the morning or early afternoon hours to check on things, but he’d never summoned her in the middle of the day, at least not without letting her know what, exactly, he wanted or needed. She wondered if she’d done something wrong, and tried not to read too much into his words.
She replied, Sure. I’ll be there in fifteen minutes.
Tara grabbed her purse and headed out the door, and as soon as she arrived at Kincaid’s, she walked inside and headed straight for Clay’s office. He was sitting behind the desk doing something on the computer, and she knocked on the door to get his attention.
He glanced up, his unreadable features giving nothing away as he leaned back in his chair. “Come on in and sit down. This shouldn’t take long.”
Was that good or bad? She honestly couldn’t tell.
She settled into one of the seats in front of his desk. Now that she knew Jackson better, it was easy to see the differences, along with the similarities, in the twin brothers. They might have been separated at birth, but these two men possessed so many of the same qualities—loyalty and integrity being at the top of the list. Beyond their good looks, the inflections in their voices and the way they laughed were nearly identical, and they both frowned the same way when something was on their mind—very much like Clay’s current expression.
“How are things with you and Jackson?” he asked.
His even tone of voice gave her no indication of where this line of questioning was heading, so she figured she’d just be honest and see where it led. “Really good. It’s definitely hard working around our conflicting hours, but we’re finding ways to spend time together.” The evenings when she worked the late shift at the bar, Jackson accompanied her home to her place, and the nights she had off, she spent at his condo in the city. Not ideal, but they’d agreed that their flourishing relationship was worth the sacrifices they had to make to be with each other.
Clay nodded in understanding and rubbed his hand along his jaw. “I noticed you scheduled yourself off for this Saturday night.”
Her body stiffened defensively before she could catch herself. “I’m going to an anniversary gala with Jackson. Is that a problem?”
A hint of amusement kicked up the corners of Clay’s mouth, adding to her annoyance. “No. Not at all, so calm down.”
She glared at him, because he obviously knew how anxious she was about this impromptu meeting. “Then stop being a jerk and dragging this out, and tell me, why am I here?”
“I was getting there,” he said, and laughed. “I’ve made a decision about the bar that could work to your benefit. That is, if you’re interested in my offer.”
She shifted restlessly in her seat. “I’m listening.” So get on with it already!
He sat forward in his chair and folded his hands on his desk, his gaze suddenly all business. “I’ve decided to open Kincaid’s at eleven in the morning instead of four in the afternoon, to cater to a lunch crowd. Which means I’m going to need a day manager as well as a night manager, and I wanted to give you first choice of which shift you’d prefer. I figured your current schedule made it difficult for you to spend time with Jackson, so I’m hoping this might help you out.”
Her jaw opened, then closed as a slow, ecstatic smile spread across her face. “Are you serious?”
He arched a brow, sarcasm glimmering in his eyes. “About opening the bar for lunch? Or offering you the day shift?”
It wasn’t often that Clay was a smartass, but he was definitely enjoying himself a little too much. So she one-upped him. “Actually, are you serious about supporting a relationship between myself and Jackson?”
Clay had the decency to look contrite, considering how he and his brothers had treated Jackson when they’d first met him. But in the five weeks that Jackson had been a part of their lives, they’d come a long way in accepting their brother as part of their family.
“Look, I know Mason and Levi and I had some growing pains to go through when it came to Jackson,” Clay said sincerely. “But we’ve spent enough time with him to see that he really is an upstanding guy, so we approve of the two of you dating.”
She rolled her eyes derisively. “I’m so relieved that I have the Kincaid seal of approval.”
“You’re welcome.” He grinned like a scoundrel. “So, what will it be? Day or night shift?”
The choice was an easy one to make. “I would love the day shift manager position.”
“Consider it yours.” Clay looked equally pleased. “It’s going to take a few weeks to get everything in place before we make the change to include serving lunch. I’ll start the process of interviewing applicants for the night shift, but I’d like you to start work at eleven beginning next week so you can help me with everything to make it a smooth transition. We’ll need more bartenders and waitresses, and we can discuss menu options, as well.”
She couldn’t deny the excitement of doing something new and different and putting her business degree to good use. “Thank you, Clay.” She glanced at the time on her cell phone and stood up. “I hate to cut this short, but I need to get going so I’m not late meeting up with Samantha.”
“Go ahead and go. We’ll talk more about this later.”
Feeling like her life was finally falling into place, she turned around and headed for the door.
“Have fun dress shopping for the party with Jackson on Saturday.”
She spun around at the realization that Clay had been jerking her chain earlier about taking a weekend night off. Her gaze narrowed on her boss while he gave her a not-so-innocent look. “You knew all along why I scheduled myself off on Saturday.”
“Yeah, I knew. Samantha told me,” he admitted, and smiled warmly at her. “You look happier than I’ve ever seen you, Tara, and I’m pretty sure Jackson is the reason.”
“He is,” she said softly, honestly.
Clay nodded. “That alone makes me like the guy, regardless of the fact that he’s my brother and twin. You deserve someone who treats you like gold and makes you feel special, because you are.”
A lump formed in her throat, because Clay wasn’t a man to wax poetically, unless, of course, it came to his wife. “You’ve become a softie since marrying Samantha.”
He shrugged but didn’t deny her truthful claim. “There are certain people I care about and consider family, and you’re one of them. But just so you know, if Jackson so much as hurts you, Mason has already announced that he will break his fucking kneecaps.”
She laughed, because that was exactly something that Mason would say, and do, if needed.
* * *
Since Tara was running late because of her meeting with Clay, she sent a text to Samantha to meet her in front of the boutique instead of Adeline’s, where Samantha worked. The other woman was already at the shop by the time Tara arrived. Her blonde hair was plaited into a neat French braid, and she was wearing a T-shirt with the Adeline’s logo that molded to her increasingly growing belly. Samantha and Clay had recently announced that they were having a girl, and everyone couldn’t be more excited to meet the newest member of the Kincaid family.
When Tara finally reached her friend, they hugged, then Samantha gave her a handled bag from the bakery. “I brought some freshly made cream puffs for you and that gorgeous man of yours,” she said in a teasing tone. “Of course, I can get away with saying that since he looks exactly like Clay.”
Tara laughed. This wasn’t the first time that Samantha had brought her and Jackson treats she’d made. “You’re spoiling Jackson. You know that, right?”
Samantha shrugged, an impish smile on her pink glossy lips. “I just want to make sure he feels welcome and like part of the family.”
“He really does,” Tara assured Samantha, appreciating her efforts. “And he’s certainly not going to refuse a care package of pastries from you.”
Since her car was parked nearby, Tara put the desserts into her vehicle, then came back and linked her arm through Samantha’s as they walked toward the boutique.
“How are you feeling?” Tara asked. The other woman was glowing, but then again, Samantha was stunningly beautiful and always well put together, which was why Tara wanted her advice on an appropriate dress to wear.
“Much better now that the first trimester is out of the way,” she admitted as she placed her hand on the taut swell of her stomach. “My morning sickness is gone, thank God, but now my hormones are wreaking havoc with my sex drive. I want it all the time. Every morning, every night, and oh, my God, the orgasms are so freakin’ intense.” She blushed.
“Lucky Clay,” Tara teased as she opened the door for Samantha.
“Yeah, he’s more than accommodating,” she said cheerfully as she slipped past Tara, then added with a naughty twinkle in her eyes, “He says it’s a tough job, but someone has to do it.”
“Yeah, what a hardship,” Tara said humorously.
They strolled into the shop, the clothing more unique and upscale compared to where Tara normally bought her clothes. Definitely more catered to Samantha’s previous kind of lifestyle, before she’d walked away from her family’s wealth for the man she loved. Clay had more than enough money to buy anything Samantha’s heart desired, but her wants and needs were simple and revolved around her husband, and now the baby they were going to have.
Tara came to a stop beside Samantha as the other woman eyed a mannequin wearing a sexy red dress with a plunging neckline. Her fingers touched the silky-looking material as she glanced at Tara.
“So, what are we looking for today?” she asked curiously. “Sophisticated or slutty?”
Tara laughed. “Definitely sophisticated. It’s a huge gala to celebrate the firm’s twenty-fifth anniversary, and it’s being held at the Bridgeport Art Center.”
Samantha raised an impressed brow. “Wow. Very swanky.”
“I know,” Tara breathed anxiously. “When I looked the place up on the Internet, I almost had a bona fide panic attack.” It hadn’t helped matters that Jackson told her there would probably be over four hundred people in attendance—from employees to clients to business associates in the industry.
“Really?” Samantha asked in surprise as she strolled to another dress hanging on a nearby rack—a black gown with gold trim that was too somber for Tara’s tastes. “Why are you so nervous?”
Clearly, hanging out at grand, extravagant places like the Bridgeport Art Center was no big deal for someone like Samantha, who’d grown up in the lap of luxury and had attended events in the poshest and trendiest venues in the city. Tara, however, had not. In fact, she was certain she was going to be etiquette challenged compared to all the other cultured women present at the highfalutin party.
Tara tried to explain her apprehension. “Well, other than the art center being one of the most lavish places in the city, I’m sure I’m going to stick out like a sore thumb and look completely out of place.”
“No, you’re not.” Samantha flashed her a confident smile. “That’s why I’m here to help you.”
“I’m meeting his bosses and colleagues for the first time, and I’d really like to make a good impression,” she added, hating that her insecurities were getting the best of her, that her troubled past was messing with her head and instilling doubts.
She and Jackson had existed for the past five weeks in their own little bubble, surrounded by her friends and the people in her life. Everything had been easy and comfortable and familiar for her. This was the first time she was stepping outside of her safety zone with Jackson and into the sophisticated world in which he lived, including meeting influential co-workers, important friends, and clients who respected him as a man and architect. So yes, she was a bit frazzled by it all.
Samantha stopped perusing the store and turned to face Tara to give her her full attention. “Trust me,” she said, her gaze soft and earnest as she squeezed one of Tara’s hands. “By the time we’re done here and we discuss your hair and makeup, you are going to look like a million bucks. No one will see you as anything other than the beautiful, stunning, woman on Jackson’s arm. I promise.”
Tara nodded, wanting to believe her friend. On the outside, she had no doubt that she’d look the part, but on the inside, she was still that young girl who’d been addicted to drugs and had overdosed, and a woman who feared she wasn’t good enough for a successful man like Jackson.
“I just don’t want to embarrass Jackson,” she whispered, getting to the truth of the matter.
“Oh, honey, that’s not possible,” Samantha said in the sweetest, most genuine tone imaginable. “You are an amazing woman, and he’s going to be the luckiest man at the gala with you by his side.”
Tara appreciated Samantha’s pep talk, and it made her realize that in order for Jackson to feel like that fortunate man at the gala who was proud to be with her, it all hinged on Tara’s attitude and disposition. She needed to beat back her nerves and embrace the strong, confident, fearless woman she’d evolved into because of Jackson’s influence.
He believed in her and wanted her there, and she was going to do everything in her power to make sure he didn’t regret having her on his arm.
