Page 22 of A Brilliant Spring

Mother Dearest: Are you available for lunch today?

Weird, my mother never wants to get a meal together. I flip my phone over and ignore her message, trying to focus on the meeting, when my phone beeps again. I look around the room, but no one seems bothered by the interruption.

Mother Dearest: We can meet at that café by your work. Is noon okay?

I’m floored. I really don’t know how else to describe it. My mother wanting to get together for a meal. I can only imagine what horrors this meal will bring me. I tap out a quick reply.

Me: Fine. I’ll see you at noon. In a meeting.

•••

The rest of the meeting was uneventful. I tried my hardest to keep my eyes focused on the screen, but caught myself glancing at Brandt a few times. His strong jaw seemed to clench every time my gaze landed on him. God, what I’d do to press my mouth against his jaw, feel his scruff against my lips. My lips tingle with the memory of him, and I absentmindedly brush my thumb against the bottom edge of my lip.

The bell rings above me as I walk into the café across the street, and I spot the familiar sleek copper hair twisted into a tight bun. My mother’s back is facing me, and I let my shoulders drop momentarily as I brace myself for this interaction. Taking a deep breath, I roll my posture and my heels click as I make my way over to her.

“Hi, Mother,” I mumble as I take the seat across from her, the chair scraping along the tiled floor. The scent of freshly baked pastries and bread mixed with the rich notes of coffee lingers in the air, causing a pang of hunger in my stomach. My mother’s lips purse in a tight smile.

“Hi, honey,” she says in a soft tone, her eyes focused on the menu in front of her. I stall for a minute, letting the term of endearment douse me in ice water. She only uses those words in front of other people, when she needs to hold up the appearance of being a loving and attentive mother. My fingers clack on the table as I wait for my mother to fully acknowledge me. She flags down the server to place her order. “Oh, great. I’ll have a Greek salad and an ice water with lemon.” Her eyes finally rest on me, and I blink and turn to the server.

“My regular, please. Thank you, Devin.” He nods as he scribbles down the order and then walks away. My mother is staring at me, eyes wide, like a deer caught in headlights. “What?” I ask her.

“You come here often enough that you have a regular order?”

“Please don’t sound disgusted, Mother. It’s not like I’m at a greasy spoon asking for the sloppy joe. It’s a turkey sandwich.” I try to brush my mother’s comment off, but I feel the blood starting to simmer under my skin. She rolls her eyes and raises her hands in surrender. “So, why did you want to meet?”

Her eyes dart around the cafe, avoiding eye contact with me. Her body tenses and the vein in her neck throbs. Her perfectly French manicured hands rest on top of the table, twiddling her fingers in a rapid movement. She’s nervous.

“C’mon, Mother. What’s going on?” Her eyes meet mine and there’s moisture rimming the corners. She looks fragile, and I recognize the loneliness in her eyes. Collette lets out a careful breath.

“I just wanted to have lunch.”

Chapter

Twenty-One

Brandt

That meeting was one of the harder things I’ve had to endure lately.

Being in the same room as Elissa and not being able to reach out and touch her killed me. My fingers twitched to feel how soft her bronze curls were, to feel if her skin is still as silky as I remember, to feel the plush curves of her breasts and ass. I’ve been sporting a semi-hard-on all day since walking into that boardroom this morning. I was not properly prepared to encounter her again so soon after she dropped me…again. But, let’s be real — I don’t think I’ll ever be properly prepared to deal with Elissa and how she affects my body, my heart. I just wish I affected her the same way she does me.

Throughout the meeting, there was this annoying little burning sensation prickling the side of my face, and without looking, I knew it was Elissa stealing glances my way. It took everything I had not to look at her and give her a moment of my attention, but the truth is, she had all of my attention. Not a single ounce of my attention was spent on the meeting. Every nerve, cell, and atom in my body was hyper-focused on Elissa. My lungs felt like they were screaming for air, for the chance to touch her.

And god-fucking-dammit if she didn’t look like a fucking goddess. She shone so brightly you’d swear there was a halo glowing around her entire body. Her creamy skin glowed, her hair was perfectly curled, her makeup was flawless and elegant. Her lips were stained with a dark rouge that would look fucking amazing ringed around my cock. Her hips were wide, perfect for holding onto. And her ass was round and plump in that tight leather skirt, making me want to hike it up and fuck her from behind. I want to slide my cock into her slowly and watch her take every fucking inch of me.

Fuck. I’m rock hard.

I adjust my cock, tucking it into the waistband of my slacks before heading out of the washroom and down the corridor to the elevator so I can head out for lunch. I catch a glimpse of Elissa walking across the road to the café across the street, disappearing behind the door as it closes. The urge to follow her is too strong, and before I comprehend what I’m doing, my feet carry me across the road and into the café.

A warm, rich aroma of coffee and fresh baked goods laces the air and I breathe deep, letting it fill my lungs, saliva pooling in my mouth. My eyes roam around the room, searching for someone I shouldn’t look for. And then I see her, with her mother of all people. Curiosity stirs inside me, wondering why they’re meeting. I don’t think Elissa has noticed me yet, and I find a spot behind them that’s divided by a half wall, a planter box on top with a bush, so she can’t see me. Tingles and sparks ignite all over my skin; just being within her proximity sets my soul on fire.

Her mother’s smooth and sophisticated voice is just above a hush, but it’s clear, and I can hear what she’s saying until the waiter comes over to take my order. I place it rather hastily so he can take off and I can get back to eavesdropping. My ears prick at my name being spoken.

“So, what’s going on with Brandt? Are you still together?” Collette’s words are low and cold, almost disapproving. Elissa is silent a beat too long. She must be avoiding the question. But why?

“No.” Her tone is clipped. “He broke it off with me.” My brain doesn’t believe what it’s hearing right now. A gradual warm simmer starts in my stomach, slowly percolating. I turn my head as if it will help me hear the conversation better, and my ears flex like I’m a dog.

“Brandt broke it off with you? My, my. Here I thought that man was in love with you, but for him to walk away first is rather surprising. What did you do?”

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