Just One Night by Carly Phillips (fiction book recommendations txt) 📕

Not a surprise. Jordan would always take care of him, and she had, as helping him undress and covering him with a blanket so he could sleep had proved.

He was grateful to have her in his life.

Kiss me, Jordan. His words came back to him, floating through his brain. He closed his eyes and recalled gripping the back of her head, pulling her toward him, and kissing her.

He let out a groan. This was why he didn’t like to drink. Any loss of control unnerved him, and last night it’d led him to break his most meaningful vow. But the taste of her had been sheer heaven. And despite his drunken state, he remembered how right she’d felt on top of him, her feminine curves pressing into his harder body, and her sensual scent surrounding him.

He lowered his hand and pushed his palm against his aching cock. No way would he embarrass her this morning. Not when he had to apologize for his behavior last night. The last thing he wanted was to lose the woman he leaned on in so many ways.

He pushed himself to his feet and looked around for his shirt. Not finding it, he folded the blanket and set it on the couch before hitting the bathroom. He took care of business, washed up, rummaged through her cabinets, and even found a new toothbrush to use.

From there, he headed to the kitchen and made himself a cup of coffee in her Keurig, and when he heard the sound of her walking to the bathroom, he prepared a mug for her, too. He added some almond milk and sugar the way she liked it and waited.

After a few minutes, she joined him in the kitchen. His gaze fell to her soft cotton sweats and a tank top in a buttery yellow. The material clung to her curves, the outline of her breasts and her perky nipples a sight he forced himself to look away from. For safety’s sake, he turned toward the counter to hide the evidence of his thickening arousal.

“How are you feeling this morning?” she asked over a yawn.

“Not too bad. I borrowed a toothbrush.” He picked up the coffee he’d made and turned to hand it to her.

“You mean you took a toothbrush. No such thing as borrowing one,” she said, her gaze not meeting his.

Shit.

She accepted the mug and breathed in the smell. “Mmm. Thank you.”

“It was the least I could do. Want to sit?” He tipped his head toward the small kitchen table nearby.

She nodded and walked ahead of him, giving him a different view, this one of her ass jiggling in the sweats. He tipped his head and prayed for strength, then joined her at the table, pulling out a chair and straddling it so he could face her. Even makeup free, she was beautiful.

“Last night you wanted to discuss what to do with the news about your sister,” she said, both hands wrapped around the mug as she took a sip. “I suggested we wait until this morning when you were more coherent. Do you want to talk it through now?”

He knew she was directing the conversation so they didn’t have to discuss them. He placed his cup on the table and forced himself to look at her. “About last night. I shouldn’t have kissed you.”

The more he replayed the moment, the more he felt like the man he despised and had promised himself he’d never be like. How many women had his father pushed himself on? Women who worked for him and deserved respect?

She hesitated before answering. “You were drunk and I wasn’t. I shouldn’t have let things happen between us.”

He shook his head, refusing to allow her to shoulder the blame. “I started it and I’m sorry.” Sorry he’d put her in an uncomfortable position. But he couldn’t regret the kiss, because now he had the memory of it to hold on to.

“Don’t give it another thought,” she said tightly.

He couldn’t read her expression, wondered if he’d somehow hurt her feelings, and searched for something to say to ease things between them.

“Are you hungry?” she asked. “I can make an omelet?”

He shook his head. “Not yet.” His stomach wasn’t ready for food. “But thanks.”

“So … about your sister,” she began.

As subject changes went, it was the right one, and he drew a deep breath. “I want to meet her.” He made the sudden decision. “In fact, I want to talk to Xander, Dash, and Chloe, and then I want to give her the inheritance she deserves. And if she agrees, I want to bring her home with me.”

Jordan blinked, obviously surprised. “I thought you were worried that, by meeting you and seeing everything you have, Aurora would discover and resent everything she’d missed out on growing up.”

“I was. I am. But I have the power to change the rest of her life for the better, and I intend to.”

A slow smile lifted Jordan’s lips. “That’s the Linc I know. Okay, so what’s the plan?” she asked.

“We’re going to Florida to meet my sister.”

“We?” she asked, her voice rising.

He nodded. “You always have my back and I have yours. And this isn’t something I want to face alone.”

She cupped her hands around the coffee mug again, lifted it, and took a sip, obviously stalling while she thought about his request. “What about taking Chloe? You know she’s upset and would want to come with you.”

Considering he had no idea how Aurora would treat them, he didn’t want to put his sister in an awkward position until he was sure of their welcome. “I want to protect Chloe. Once we know how Aurora feels about us, I’ll let them meet.”

Jordan’s expression softened but she didn’t reply immediately.

“Are you really going to make me beg?” he asked in a teasing voice he knew would get to her. “Because I will. I want you by my side when I meet my new sister.”

She rose