Tempting Little Tease Read online

  Trying to salvage my sanity, I remind myself that I learned a long time ago that there’s no use trying to yell over two screaming children, so instead, I sit quietly in my seat and wait for them to be done.

  Erica finishes screaming first, tugging at the hem of her shorts and looking at me expectantly. I stick the spoon back in the jar of baby food and mix it around. He’s already eaten half of it, and I decide he can be done.

  “All right, Erica, I think your brother’s done eating. Can you go get me his shoes? He’s not quite ready to leave yet,” I say in my calmest, most measured voice.

  “I’ll get Ben’s shoooes!” Erica yells, turning and tearing around the corner to the coat closet.

  I set the jar of baby food on the counter behind me and unbuckle Ben from his high chair. His little face breaks into a smile as I lift him from his chair, and he happily coos as I hold him on my hip. Erica returns to the kitchen, a tiny sneaker in each hand, and looks at me with wide, pleading eyes.

  Before she can ask about the park again, my cell phone rings in my purse across the room. I carry Ben to the counter where my purse sits and pull out my phone, my spirits sinking at the sight of the name flashing on the screen.

  “Hi, Lorraine, everything okay?” I ask, a knot forming in my stomach. Don’t do this to me, Lorraine. Not today. Any day but today.

  “Alessandra, hi. I’m so sorry, but I’m gonna be a couple hours late. Things at the office—son of a bitch, don’t do this to me! Sorry, Alessandra, not you, this damn copy machine keeps jamming on me.”

  I close my eyes and try not to sigh. Every fucking time I have somewhere important to be…

  “Alessandra, sweetie, did I lose you?” Lorraine’s voice cuts through my thoughts.

  “Sorry, I was just checking on Ben. That’s fine, Lorraine, don’t worry about it. Hope everything’s all right on your end.”

  “Thanks, sweetie, you know I’ll do my best to be home by eight. Nine, at the latest. Gotta go. Thanks, doll.”

  Fuck. I sigh and hang up the phone, placing it face down on the counter behind me.

  “Was that Mommy?” Erica asks, sliding my phone toward her.

  “Yes, that was Mommy,” I reply, taking my phone from her sticky fingers. “She’ll be home a little late tonight. And I told you, no playing with my phone without asking.”

  “Sorry,” Erica mutters, looking down at her hands.

  I look down at Ben, who’s miraculously fallen asleep against my shoulder. It’s not his naptime, but with the way this day is going, I’m fine with letting him do what he wants.

  “All right, Erica, I’m gonna put Ben down for his nap, then we can go play in the backyard until it’s dark outside. Does that sound good?”

  Her face lights up, and she nods enthusiastically. My heart sinks as I think of the dress I won’t be wearing tonight and the delicious Italian food I won’t be eating.

  “And if you’re really good,” I add, gently patting Ben on the back, “we might even order a pizza tonight.”

  “Yaaay!” Erica cries, quickly clapping her hand over her mouth and staring at her brother. Luckily for us, Ben sleeps like a rock, and not even her excitement is enough to wake him.

  As I lie Ben down in his crib, I check the clock on the wall. Four-thirty. I’m not looking forward to calling Quinn, but I know it needs to be done.

  Walking back into the kitchen, I tell Erica that I’ll meet her outside in a minute. She shrugs and sprints through the back door, itching to play in the sandbox Lorraine had installed for her a couple of weeks ago. I try not to think about all the sand I’ll have to sweep up later as I pull up Quinn’s contact on my phone.

  That knot in my stomach grows a little bigger as I press CALL and the line begins to ring.

  “Pronto.” Quinn’s voice chirps across the line, his cheery Italian greeting making me feel even worse about having to cancel. He even rolled the freaking r like the good Italian speaker he’s quickly becoming.

  “Hi, Quinn,” I say, my tone giving away more than I mean it to.

  “Everything okay?” he says, picking up on my hesitation. This would all be a lot easier if he weren’t so attentive and kind.

  “Yeah, everything’s fine,” I say, pacing around the kitchen island. “Well, not fine, really, but I’m okay. I, uh. . .I can’t make it tonight, though. Lorraine’s held up at work, so it looks like I’m stuck here longer than I thought I’d be tonight.” Just me and the freaking children from hell. Not exactly what I had planned for my evening.

  “Oh,” Quinn says, and I can hear the hurt and disappointment in his voice.

  “I’m so sorry.”

  “No, don’t be. It’s not your fault.”

  “I know, but I just. . .I’m leaving in a couple weeks, and I was really looking forward to our date.”

  “Yeah, me, too. But if the kids need you…”

  “Yeah, I guess I can’t just leave them here on their own.”

  Quinn chuckles, but I feel a sad tension settling between us.

  “Are you free tomorrow night?” I ask, reaching for something to communicate that I still want to see him. I know I have a good reason for not being able to make it, but I feel awful for having to cancel our date.

  “Tomorrow night I have a work function,” he says.

  Well, shit, looks like we won’t be fucking anytime soon after all.

  “Would you like to join me?” Quinn asks. “It’s a charity gala my brothers and I are invited to every year. Cooper and Gavin can’t make it, so I could use some company.”

  My stomach drops. Didn’t see that coming.

  “I’d love to.” I don’t think I have anything to wear, but now isn’t the time to worry about it.

  “Wonderful. I’ll pick you up at eight.”

  “Okay, perfect.” At that moment, I look out the window and see Erica sitting in the sandbox with her tongue out, slowly raising a handful of sand to her mouth. “Quinn? I gotta run. This little she-devil is about to eat dirt.”

  “Go save the day,” he says with a chuckle. “I’ll see you tomorrow night.”

  I tell Quinn good-bye and grab the baby monitor before running out the back door to stop Erica. My decision to stop her from eating sand sends her into a full-blown meltdown, just in time for baby Ben to wake up and start screaming in his crib.

  I spend the next two hours playing zone defense, trying to calm both kids down long enough for their mom to get home.

  • • •

  By the time I finally make it home around eight o’clock that night, I make myself a sad ham-and-cheese sandwich and try not to think about the evening I missed out on.

  I can’t believe I had to cancel my date with Quinn tonight. Lorraine can be flaky, but of all the times for her to be late, this was definitely the worst.

  Sandwich in hand, I make my way to my closet and push clothes around, looking for a dress fancy enough for a gala. Based on the suits Quinn wears to work, I suspect this event will be black tie.

  Just when I resign myself to the fact that I’ll need to go to the mall and get a fancy dress tomorrow, my doorbell rings. I frown and try to peek out my window to see who’s at the door, but the angle isn’t quite right for me to tell.

  After setting my sandwich down on the table, I go to the door and open it to find a small man standing there with a large rectangular box in his hands.

  “Delivery for Alessandra,” the man says, holding the box out to me.

  Hesitantly, I take it from him, and he promptly turns and walks back to his car.

  “Thank you!” I call after him and turn to figure out what the heck is going on. I take the box into the kitchen, where I use a pair of scissors to cut the ribbon across the top.

  I open the box to find a note from Quinn sitting on top of something wrapped in off-white tissue paper.

  Bellissima Alessandra,

  Something for tomorrow night almost as beautiful as you.

  Yours, Quinn

  Intrigued, I rip through
the tissue paper to find a gorgeous satin gown neatly folded in the box. I gasp and gently lift it out of the cardboard, relishing in the weight and silkiness of the fabric. The dress has thin straps and a small train, and an intricately beaded bodice.

  As I gingerly hold the dress in my hands, excitement builds within me. No one has ever done anything like this for me before, so sweet and thoughtful. I lay the dress carefully over the chair in the corner of my room, afraid that my cheap hangers will hurt it.

  Inside the box, beneath the dress is the most exquisite pair of heels, in my size, that match perfectly with the dress. I can't help but slip my feet into them and parade around my bedroom.

  I can tell already that my date with Quinn tomorrow will be one of the most special nights of my life.

  Chapter Eight

  Quinn

  Stretching my hands up into the air, I lean back in my chair and take a deep breath as I check the clock on the wall of my office for the fifth time today. Three forty-five.

  Damn.

  A few more hours, that’s all I have to get through. A few more hours, and I’ll be in the same room as Alessandra. I’ll get to stare into her brown eyes, feel the warmth of her skin, take in every inch of her perfect curves.

  I remember the dress I picked out for her, and a smile rises to my lips. It’s almost as gorgeous as her. I can’t wait to see her in it.

  A notification pops up on my screen to remind me about the gala tonight, and I lean forward to click it away. My brothers and I have taken turns attending this gala for years now, and I don’t need any reminders about the dress code or the philanthropies it benefits. As I scan my computer screen, one thing stands out to me. . .today’s date.

  Alessandra leaves in two weeks.

  Fuck.

  I take another deep breath, pushing away from my desk and standing up. After a brief moment of panic, a wave of resolve washes over me. I have two weeks. What the fuck do I have to lose?

  I’m going all in, pulling out all the stops. I decide then and there that if I do nothing else in the two weeks before she leaves, I’m going to full-on woo Alessandra.

  My mind races with ideas, thoughts of all the things I want to do for and to this beautiful young woman threatening to overwhelm me. I haven’t felt this strongly about a woman since. . .well, ever, and it’s clear to me now that I have no choice but to give this relationship everything I have. Even if she leaves me in the end, I have to be able to say that I did everything in my power to keep her.

  Suddenly, my thoughts are interrupted by a quick knock on the door. Before I can say anything, Cooper comes waltzing into my office wearing a smug smile. Ever since meeting Alessandra at our family dinner on Sunday, he’s been trying to give me shit about her. Aware of his obnoxious tendencies, I’ve been successful at avoiding him all week, but it seems he finally gave in to his annoying urges, literally cornering me in my office to tease me.

  “How can I help you?” I sigh, ready to get this conversation over with as soon as possible.

  “We never got a chance to chat after dinner on Sunday, brother,” Cooper says with a grin.

  I know there’s no malice in his teasing, but I’m not in the mood to hear what he has to say. “Didn’t think there was much to talk about, brother.”

  “Ah, well, I just have a few questions, really, after watching you with Alessandra.”

  I lean back in my chair. “Shoot.”

  Cooper takes a seat in one of the chairs opposite my desk, taking a moment to settle in, his legs spread wide and his hands folded over his stomach. He lifts his chin, a mischievous smile on his face. “First question, and arguably the most important one, how’s twenty-two-year-old pussy?”

  As the words leave Cooper’s mouth, I bristle, quickly rising from my seat and marching to the door. “Get out,” I spit out, opening the door and gesturing for him to leave.

  Cooper stands, raising his hands in surrender. “Oh, come on, Quinn, it’s a valid question. I haven’t fucked a twenty-two-year-old in years.”

  I don’t respond, simply growl and motion for him to leave again.

  “Wait a second,” he says, his hands dropping to his sides. “You don’t know, do you? Why else would you be so tense about this? Unless you’re in love with her or something, but we both know it’s too soon for that.”

  Cooper’s words hit me right in the chest, knocking the wind out of me for a second. I quickly recover, clenching my jaw and crossing my arms, but it’s too late. He saw me falter, and there’s no use denying anything. Whether I like it or not, both of my brothers can see right through me.

  But that doesn’t mean I have to talk to either of them about it.

  “Out,” I say, jerking my head toward the open door.

  Cooper sighs. “Fine, I’ll leave you alone. But don’t think for one second you’re off the hook here, man.”

  He brushes past me and walks out the door. I shut the door behind him, my blood still boiling in frustration. I can’t tell if I’m mad at Cooper, exactly, or if I’m just upset hearing him point out the things I’ve barely been able to admit to myself.

  I check the clock again. Four o’clock. I gather my things, flip off the lights, and walk out of my office, closing the door behind me. As I march through the building, I run into Gavin and Alyssa, who both give me inquisitive looks.

  “Going somewhere?” Gavin asks, eyeing the briefcase in my hand.

  “Home,” I answer gruffly, sidestepping him to get to the exit.

  “Are you sick?” Alyssa asks after me, her eyes wide. “You haven’t left the office this early in ten years.”

  “Fine,” I say over my shoulder, quickly pushing through the door and walking to my car.

  I don’t care if they think something’s wrong. All I want in this moment is to get home and get ready for the gala. I haven’t been able to think about anything but Alessandra all day, and I don’t think an extra hour or two of pretending to work would do anyone any good.

  • • •

  When I get home, I shower, then towel-dry my hair and shave. My getting-ready routine is simple, but more than anything, I want time to take it slow and sort my thoughts.

  As I leave my hair to air-dry before styling it with pomade, I dress in the new suit I ordered for this occasion. It’s classic, simple, but it fits perfectly and serves as an ideal complement to Alessandra’s gown. I finish my hair and dab on a bit of my signature cologne, giving myself one last once-over in the mirror.

  I call the limo driver, and he tells me he’ll be in front of my house in five minutes. When the limo arrives, I chat briefly with the driver before climbing into the backseat. It feels strange sitting in the back of a limo alone, but I use the ride as an opportunity to go over my plans for the evening in my mind.

  I know from our previous social outings that Alessandra will be fine. I’m not worried about her fitting in and keeping up in conversations in the slightest. We’ll eat good food, drink superb champagne, and schmooze with wealthy socialites. I already know the looks I’ll receive from the other men at the gala, who will most likely assume that Alessandra is one of my escorts, and I can’t wait to revel in their surprise when they learn how accomplished and competent she is.

  For as excited as I am to see Alessandra and show her off to a roomful of rich, stuffy people, the thought of our first time being intimate looms large in the back of my mind. Just thinking of it now makes my cock twitch, and I can only imagine how needy it will be by the end of the night.

  Before my fantasies can progress any further, the limo pulls up in front of Alessandra’s apartment. I climb out of the backseat and walk to her door, my stomach churning as I ring the doorbell. I feel a little silly for feeling so nervous, but I can’t help it. I’ve been eager to see her all day, and now that it’s finally happening, I can’t contain my excitement.

  Within moments, the door opens and she’s standing in front of me.

  Holy fuck. She looks even more gorgeous than I ever thought possible. br />
  The gown fits her perfectly, the beaded bodice hugging her shapely breasts just right so the rest of the fabric can cascade gently over her body. Her dark, luxurious hair is pulled back into a neat bun, leaving a few curls to fall gracefully around her face. She’s absolutely stunning.

  I stare at her for a few seconds too long, my mouth slightly open, and only a soft “ahem” from Alessandra pulls me out of my stupor.

  “I’m sorry.” I run my hand over my face. “I don’t even know what to say.”

  Alessandra steps out onto the stoop, closing the door behind her. Her eyes are wide and frantic, and she immediately begins patting at her hair.

  “Don’t know what to say in a good way, right? I’ve never worn anything this fancy. I can’t tell if it’s working or if I look freaking ridiculous,” she says in a rush, shifting her weight from one foot to the other.

  I chuckle softly and take her hand in mine. “You look perfect.” Our eyes meet, and she gives me a grateful smile. “More than perfect, actually. Every woman at this thing will hate you.”

  “Shut up,” she says, laughing and playfully hitting my stomach. “Wait, are you serious? Is it too much?”

  “Rilassati,” I whisper, leaning down to place a soft kiss on her cheek. Relax. “You’ll only stand out in the sense that you’ll be the most beautiful woman there.”

  Alessandra lifts her chin and places her lips on mine. When we part, I beat her to the joke we usually share. “We better stop before your lipstick gets all over us.”

  She laughs and playfully hits me again.

  “Shall we?” I offer my arm. She loops her hand gently through it, and the two of us make our way to the limo.

  The ride to the gala goes by faster than I anticipated. Alessandra and I spend the whole time talking, first about our work week, and then about, well, everything. Talking with her is one of my favorite things to do.

  After tonight, however? I have a feeling I’ll discover a new favorite thing to do with her.

  When we arrive at the venue, she loops her arm through mine again, and the two of us make our grand entrance together. The gala is planned by one of our clients, so I give Alessandra a quick rundown of who we’ll be mingling with for the evening. She nods along silently, and I can’t help but notice how much calmer she looks in this moment than she did when I was telling her about my brothers. She’s a fast learner, and I can already tell she’ll be an amazing date.