Trying To Be Good Book 2 Read online

  Trying To Be Good Book 2

  Weston Parker

  BrixBaxter Publishing

  Contents

  Find Weston Parker

  Description

  Introduction

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

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  About the Author

  Copyright

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  www.westonparkerbooks.com

  Description

  Every time I start to fall in love, my past gets in the way.

  But the latest woman beckons me to wake up and live again.

  She needs a beautiful skyscraper built. Something that will cause the world to stand in awe, and I’m just the guy to do it.

  Teaching architecture is just a way of staying busy.

  Idle hands are the devil's playground. I should know.

  I’ve danced with him a time or two.

  Unfortunately, it’s not that simple. Never is.

  Some bad guys have been threatening her. To get them to back off, they only want one thing - me.

  Where no woman was worth it before, this one is.

  Being bad is easy. I’m working hard this time on trying to be good.

  Introduction

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  Chapter 1

  The urge to contact Paige after the meeting with Jonah was incredibly strong. I dialed her number four times, canceling the call each time before it rang. The split second between dialing and hanging up offered a thrill, but not as much as after my meeting. The moment I went back to my apartment, I placed my gun on the side table by the door and poured myself a glass of whiskey. I downed it quickly and then drank two more for good measure.

  My hands trembled as I placed the glass on the countertop. As much as I wanted to share everything about me and my past with Paige, now wasn’t the time. The deal loomed over my head, and I had no clue what I was going to do next. Whenever I met with Paige, my mind needed to be clear. That would have to wait.

  Instead of calling her again, I tossed my phone onto the kitchen table, leaving it there until the urge to throw up faded away.

  When I awoke the next morning, I felt the twinge of a hangover, but otherwise, I was all right. The meeting with Jonah retreated to the back of my mind as I got ready for the day. Fortunately for me, I had two days before I had to be a functioning college professor again. I wasn’t sure if I’d have more uninvited guests in my classroom with the new deal in the air, but Jonah promised to give me time to think about it. I hoped the offer included space as well.

  I needed to clear my head, so I cleaned my apartment from top to bottom. A cluttered home led to a cluttered mind. I had enough money to afford a cleaning service, but I protected my home like I guarded my past. The apartment was my sanctuary. I didn’t allow just anyone in. Only people I trusted.

  The idea brought Paige to the front of my mind. She was someone I’d give my key to—well, after putting my guns into the safe in the back of my closet. She already had enough questions about my tattoos and scars. A college professor with firearms might invite her to delve deeper into my life.

  I picked up my phone and frowned at the screen. Somehow in the back of my mind, I wanted Paige to feel my inner turmoil and reach out to me first. But she’d gone through her own traumatic event with Jonah, and I understood her not wanting to push the issue. From what I knew about her, Paige was a strong individual, hell-bent on doing everything by herself. She had enough problems with men in New York wanting to drive her and her investment business into the ground. I had a feeling she wouldn’t open up more to me unless I asked.

  I dialed her number, and she picked up on the second ring.

  “Hi, Reese,” she said. I heard the smile in her voice.

  “Paige,” I said. “How are you?”

  “To be honest, I’m still a bit shaken up after the meeting last night. Do you think they’re going to threaten me again?”

  Not if I had anything to do about it.

  “No.” Little did she know, I had a lot to do with that. Otherwise, I might not have been so sure. “Do you want me to come over?”

  “It’s okay. I think I need a little more time to process this. I’m looking at the flash drive now. I love the plans you’ve drawn up so far. I hope we can make this work or else I don’t know what I’m going to do about my business.”

  “Are you free tonight?” I asked.

  “I am,” she said. “What did you have in mind?”

  I gripped the phone tighter in my hand. “How about we reschedule our dinner date?”

  “I’m not sure I’d be good company tonight. To be honest, I don’t even want to leave my apartment.”

  I hated how those people got under her skin. She deserved better.

  “Let me take you out,” I said. “I have to talk to you about a few things, and I want to do it in person.”

  She didn’t respond, and for a moment, I thought the call had dropped.

  “Sounds good to me,” she said finally.

  “I’ll pick you up around seven,” I said, trying to hide the excitement in my voice.

  “See you then.”

  The conversation ended much quicker than I wanted, but dinner would give us plenty of time to catch up—with more than just conversation, I hoped.

  I arrived at Paige’s apartment a little before seven, and she was ready for me. As if she’d been waiting, the door opened before I finished knocking. A vision of beauty appeared before me, or more like a sexy angel. The cream-colored dress flowed past her thighs but cinched at her waist, showing off her exquisite curves. Her brunette curls were pinned back against the nape of her neck.

  “You look amazing,” I said and pulled her close. I pressed a kiss to her cheek and backed away. I didn’t want to smear her lipstick. Not yet, anyway. I imagined her lips touching several parts of my body, and my cock twitched in anticipation.

  “Thanks,” she said, clutching her bag in her hands. “You look good, too.”

  I had stepped up my clothing style from poor college professor to something I would have worn in my past. I wanted to be the best version of myself for her, while keeping a lid on how much I exposed of my history. Keeping her in the dark was a temporary situation, but I had to do it for now.

  I pushed Jonah out of my mind and focused on Paige. As much as I wanted to hold her close to me and protect her from the big bad world, I knew she could handle herself. She didn’t need anyone to take care of her. Giving her the office building of her dreams would be my biggest gift to her.

  “Where are we going?” she asked, stepping into the hallway.

  I grinned at her. “I thought we’d try something new tonight. Do you like sushi?”

  “I love it. Actually, I haven’t eaten it in a while.”

  I nodded. “Well, I hope you came hungry.”

  Her eyes flashed, and I fell into the memory of the night we’d spent together in her apartment. Something about Paige drove my body wild, even with just a simple look from her. I took her hand, and we walked to the eleva
tor together. It was a good thing we shared the small space with another family from the building, or else we might have never made it out the front door. The nearness of her made me want to rip off her dress and fuck her right then and there.

  I’d made reservations for the rooftop deck of one of my favorite Japanese restaurants. The stars aligned for our date. The temperature was perfect, and the view was spectacular.

  Paige’s jaw dropped slightly as the host led us to our table, which had an unobstructed view of the city. “Reese, this is beautiful.”

  I looked deep into her eyes. “Not as beautiful as you.”

  She smiled and dipped her head as she sat.

  No moment in our relationship gave me more anxiety than our dinner together. The conversation weighed on my mind, and I hoped I had enough balls to get it over with. It was the only way to make the big gesture to her, by showing how much I was willing to risk to be with her. Even if it were only for a short amount of time.

  Paige lifted the menu from the table. “What’s good here?”

  I shrugged. “You won’t find a bad dish at this place.”

  The server arrived at our table, a skinny guy with black, thick-rimmed glasses. His hair was pulled into a bun at the top of his head. “What can I get you to drink this evening?”

  I glanced at Paige. “Wine okay?”

  She nodded. “Your choice.”

  I glanced at the wine list and chose a four-hundred-dollar bottle. I snapped the list closed before Paige could see the price. I wanted to keep my persona secret as much as possible, but that didn’t mean we had to eat that way. She’d never see the bill, so at least for tonight, I was safe.

  “Thank you,” the server said and disappeared into the restaurant.

  “You know a lot about wine,” Paige said, sipping from her glass of water.

  “It’s my effort to seem worldlier,” I said with a laugh, attempting to brush it off.

  She smiled at me, but it faltered. “I’m sorry. I’m a little distracted tonight.”

  “I understand,” I said, snaking my hand across the table to cover hers. Paige didn’t pull back, which was a good sign. “But I do have some good news.”

  Her eyes brightened. “You do?”

  “We’re going to move forward with the building project, with or without the threats.”

  The expression on her face was a mix of shock with a hint of doubt. “How did you manage that?”

  “You don’t have to worry about any of it. All you have to think about is the travel arrangements for your employees. Let me take care of the building.”

  She sighed. “You know it’s going to be hard for me to let go. This is my baby.”

  “I know,” I said. “But you mean more to me than anything has meant in my entire life. So, please allow me to do this for you, no questions asked.”

  She shook her head. “I don’t know what to say.”

  “You don’t need to say anything. I wanted to bring you here tonight to celebrate. You deserve it.”

  The server had perfect timing and returned to the table with our bottle of wine. We were silent as he popped it open and presented it to me for approval. As he poured the glasses, I couldn’t take my eyes off Paige, and she didn’t break eye contact either. Even though she didn’t say much, I already knew how much it meant to her. I wasn’t looking for praise of any kind. I already knew no one had helped her in her journey, and she had done more than okay on her own.

  I lifted my glass to her. “Cheers, Paige. I hope I can be the person to help make all your dreams come true.”

  She smiled at me, flashing her brilliant grin, and clinked her glass against mine.

  I watched her sip, and her eyes fluttered closed as the sweet wine filled her mouth. I had no expectations for the evening, but I already knew what was coming when her eyes met mine.

  After filling up on the most expensive and delectable sushi in the city, I walked Paige to her apartment, hovering by the door. I wasn’t going to assume anything, but from the way her foot had trailed up and down my leg during dinner, I had some idea she wasn’t ready to let the evening end quite yet either.

  She trapped her lip under her teeth as she pushed her key into the lock. “Reese, I don’t know how to repay you for this.”

  “You don’t have to,” I said.

  Her eyes lifted to mine. “I want to, though.”

  She stepped closer, and her hand brushed against my cheek. I lowered my lips to hers and kissed her. Her tongue snaked into my mouth, and I couldn’t stop the groan escaping my lips, coming from somewhere deep within me. It might have been from me thinking about her body against mine ever since we had sex for the first time.

  I pulled her against me, and a small breath burst out of her. I fisted the delicate fabric of her dress in my hands, desperate to take it off her as soon as possible.

  The door opened, and she stumbled backward, pulling me inside. I kicked it closed with my foot and lifted Paige. Her shoes fell to the floor as her legs wrapped around me. Her body pressed against my hard cock, and I propped her against the wall, wanting her to know how much I wanted her and how much she meant to me.

  Chapter 2

  Reese’s kisses were as feverish as I remembered, and I matched his intensity. His strong arms pinned me against the wall, and even though the pressure against my back ached, the one between my legs yearned even more for him. Dampness and warmth pooled in my core. I tightened my legs around his waist, eager to feel him.

  His hardness dug against my leg, and I knew he was ready for me. But he wasn’t going straight for it yet, which was fine with me. My mouth ached for him, and I deepened the kiss, showing him how much I wanted him in return.

  I gripped his shoulders, knowing I was going to be sore tomorrow in more places than one. I wasn’t used to such passionate and rigorous sexual encounters, but Reese continued to show me the ropes.

  “God, I want you right now,” he said.

  “I’m not holding you back.”

  He slid the fabric of my dress up my thighs. The sudden flow of air made my panties stick to me, and I sucked in a breath. His fingers brushed against me, and his eyebrows lifted. “You’re ready for me.”

  Heat flushed my cheeks. “I could say the same for you.”

  “Paige, I’m always ready for you.”

  He crushed his lips against mine once again and gently lowered me to the floor. My legs were on the verge of numbness, and I fell against him. He grabbed onto my waist while his other hand sneaked into his pocket and pulled out a foil packet. “I didn’t want to be presumptuous.”

  As if I’d stepped into another body, I leaned toward the condom wrapper and grabbed it with my teeth. Reese’s eyes widened, and his pupils dilated. He pulled, and the wrapper gave way. I released it from my teeth, and his mouth caught mine again.

  “That was the hottest thing I’ve ever seen anyone do,” he said between kisses.

  I smiled against his lips and tugged on his belt, shoving his pants down to his ankles. He helped pull down his boxer briefs and rolled the latex over himself. I reached for my zipper but stopped at the subtle shake of his head.

  I narrowed my eyes at him in question.

  He lifted his shirt over his head, revealing his tattoos and scars, an even more impressive sight the second time around. “Not yet. Turn around.”

  I did as he asked. The momentary reprieve from kissing him made me aware of my swollen lips. I licked them as he turned me around. My hands splayed against the wall. My dress fell against me, but he quickly moved it upward again. His hands slid down my back and around to my breasts. He squeezed them, and I tilted my head back and moaned. He captured my lips and massaged me as he pressed his hardness against me. His hands moved again, pulling my dress upward and hiking it over my waist. The movement surprised me as his tip pressed against my panties. He moved back and forth, and I met his movements. At that moment, he could have poked a hole in them, and I wouldn’t mind. I needed him inside me, more than I
ever needed anything before.

  He unzipped my dress, and it fell in a crumpled heap at my feet, the fabric pooling around my sensitive skin. The way Reese touched me made every hair on my body stand up in the most delicious way.

  He tugged at the hem of my panties and slowly rolled them down. He kissed my ass and lower as he moved them to the floor. His tongue flicked at my lower lips, and I sucked a breath through my teeth.

  His mouth momentarily left wetness as he slowly stood up. I reached behind me, gripping, and stroking him. I guided him toward me. He let out a small moan as his tip pressed against my opening. My slick heat allowed him to ease himself inside of me. I raised onto my toes so he could fill me, and his chest fell against me. His arms wrapped around my waist to hold me in place as he started to thrust.

  I grabbed the wrought-iron light fixture, the only thing I could reach, other than the smooth walls. My fingers curled around it as he moved inside of me. My breathing quickened, and I matched his moans.

  His fingers tweaked my sensitive nipples, and I struggled to stay upright. The sensations overwhelmed me, and I found myself at the brink of an orgasm.

  “Wait,” I breathed as his movements sped up.

  “I want you to come,” he groaned, his voice low and sexy.

  “Not this soon.” My mind was a haze, but I wanted him to stick around this time and not leave me alone in my bed after the best lovemaking of my life.

  His mouth was close to my ear. “This won’t be the only one tonight.”