Starter Wife (The Jilted Wives Club Book 1) by Bethany Lopez (a court of thorns and roses ebook free TXT) 📕

once he was done I replied, “We all started out that way. Dad had us start working when we were sixteen, at the lowest level. After college, Vanni found his passion was in teaching, not accounting, and Charlotte met her husband and got married. She makes things and sells them on Etsy.” I shrugged and picked up my bloody Mary. “It didn’t stick for either of them, much to my father’s dismay, so now it’s up to me to carry on his legacy and hopefully one of my kids will want to follow in my footsteps.”

“Well, they’ll be really lucky. Your father has built a great company.”

“Thanks. I always thought my brother and sister were crazy for not wanting to be a part of it, but it did bring my father and I closer together. I was admittedly mostly a mama’s boy all my life, but the last few years have helped me get to know my dad better, too.”

“That’s really nice. I was never super close with my parents. I went away to college and pretty much got married right away and we moved here. My parents are back in the Midwest, so I don’t see them very often. I always thought it was too bad my kids didn’t get to grow up with extended family. You’re lucky to get to have the relationship with yours that you do.”

“Yes, I am,” I agreed. “I couldn’t even imagine my mother’s reaction if one of us tried to move outside of the city, let alone to a different state. I honestly don’t think she’d allow it. She’d stage protests and bribe moving companies.”

I laughed because I could picture my ma sitting outside the front door and refusing to let any of us leave.

“Your mom sounds like a lot of fun,” Whitney said with an easy smile.

“She’s amazing. I’ll have to have you come with me to dinner one night. Her sauce is to die for. Seriously, you’ll never be able to stomach sauce from anywhere else after tasting hers.”

When Whitney’s eyes widened at my suggestion, I glossed over it by asking about her favorite types of food.

Too soon for talks of meeting my mother. Got it…

The date went smoothly. Better than I expected. The food was delicious, the conversation easy, and when Whitney said she had to go, I was surprised to see we’d been sitting there for two hours. I would have happily stayed there all day.

Once I paid, we left together and found ourselves alone in the elevator.

“I had a really lovely time. Thank you for inviting me,” Whitney said, her gaze soft on me.

Now, I prided myself on being a man of restraint, but I was riding high over our successful date, and that look in her eyes had my mouth watering for something other than the eggs benedict I’d consumed.

I moved toward her, slow enough so she could interpret my meaning. When Whitney watched and waited but didn’t move away or tell me to stop, I put my hands on her waist and lowered my lips to hers.

I tasted her slowly, testing the waters, and when she parted her lips I deepened the kiss.

Oranges and sugar seemed to fill my senses, and when I wanted desperately to push her against the wall and continue my exploration, I forced myself to pull back and break the kiss.

I’d barely taken a breath when I was shoved back against the wall and Whitney was on me. She kissed me fiercely as her hands roamed across my chest and around my back. When they cupped and squeezed my ass, I jerked with surprise, then, ignoring the bar digging into my lower back, I met her passion head on.

By the time the elevator reached the ground floor and dinged, signaling we should get off, I was as hard as oak and dying to rid Whitney of her pantsuit and take her right there on the elevator floor.

The dinging had Whitney stepping back, her hand shooting out to stop the door from closing.

I looked at her, half expecting mortification or regret to be written on her features, but all I saw was desire, which really did nothing to ease the ache in my slacks.

“This is us,” she said, her tone coming out quite breathless.

I nodded, unable to find my voice, and followed her out into the parking garage.

“I’m over there,” Whitney said, pointing in the opposite direction.

“I valeted,” I replied once I was able.

She nodded and gave me a soft smile. “Call you later?” she asked.

“Please,” I replied, not caring in the slightest if I sounded needy. She’d left me totally undone and I wasn’t embarrassed for her to know it.

Whitney looked pleased with her effect on me as she gave me a little wave then turned to walk toward her car. And damned if she wasn’t whistling while she walked.

Thirteen

Whitney

“I told him I wanted to take things slow … then I jumped him in the elevator.”

“Oh my God, yes!” Summer said excitedly, punching her fist in the air.

“Atta girl,” Margo added with a grin.

I chuckled and shook my head.

“I couldn’t believe I did it, but when he kissed me it was like he unlocked a secret compartment within me. Luca tried to pull away and the beast in me was like … No, I want more.”

“I bet you didn’t get any complaints from Luca,” Margo surmised.

“Was he shocked?” Summer asked.

“He did seem a little taken aback, but he definitely gave one-hundred percent participation.” I laughed again. “I surprised myself, but I didn’t regret it afterward. If you would have told me beforehand that I would react the way I did, I would have thought you were crazy, but it felt good. Great, actually.”

“I’m so happy for you,” Summer said, dipping her sushi into a wasabi and soy sauce mixture before popping it in her mouth.

“Me, too,” I replied. “Before, I was on the fence over whether or not I should see him, or anyone for that matter, but now that