Beyond Layers: Layer Series Book Four (Layers Series 4) (28 page)

We get settled in our
rooms
on the second floor and then make our way to the kitchen for lunch.

We all sit around the counter as my mother serves soup and salad.

“So where is everyone?” I ask.

“John, Leslie and the girls are skiing. Joel, Pam and their girls are shopping. Jared, Sandy, and their boys… I have no idea. And Regan and Jade went to the market. I think that’s all of them,” my mom says

I nod.

“Logan told us your sister had her triplets. How’s everyone doing?” Mom asks Sam.

“Lex is tired, of course. The girls… they’re healthy and beautiful. I have pictures,” she says, taking out her iPhone from her sweater pocket.

“At least a hundred,” I mumble. Everyone ignores me as they baby talk over the pictures.

“You sister is gorgeous,” Steph says. “I can’t believe she just had triplets. It that her husband?” she asks, handing Sam’s iPhone to my mom. “He’s… lickable.”

“Yup, that’s Jax. Mr. Lickable.”

“He’s hot,” my mom adds.

My dad and I roll our eyes.

“So they’re co-CEOs of Grant International?” Mom asks.

Sam raises a brow.

“Sorry, I, well… we,”—she looks between Steph and my dad—“we googled you.”

“Did you find anything… interesting?” Sam asks, raising her brows.

“Did we ever,” Steph says.

Sam giggles.

God, I love her.

“So, you’re an engineer,” Dad says.

Sam nods. “Architectural engineer.”

“Sounds interesting,” he adds.

“I love what I do,” Sam tells him, grinning big. “I have a private design firm in Manhattan and I also work for Grant International.”

“Logan said when you’re not working long hours in your studio, you’re flying all over the world,” Mom adds.

She sighs. “I keep busy, that’s for sure. Logan said that you and Ray plan on visiting us in a couple of months.”

“Yes, we can’t wait. We haven’t been to New York in ages.”

“I hope you plan on staying with us,” Sam tells them.

“We wouldn’t want to put you out,” Mom says.

Sam looks at me.

I nod. “Our loft has three guest suites, Mom. I don’t think anyone’s ever stayed in them.”

Sam nods. “You’re right. No one has. The only time we’ve gone into them is… Well, never mind,” she says, blushing.

Steph smiles.

Yeah, I remember fucking in each of the guest rooms and on just about every surface in the entire loft and studio. Fucking her on her drawing table was especially hot. I put my napkin on my lap; minor adjustment needed.

My dad smirks at me as if he knows what I was thinking and doing.

“Well,” I say, “hate to break up the fun but I’d like to take Sam into town and show her around a bit.”

“Oh… well, that sounds great, dear,” Mom says, clearly disappointed.

“Logan, before we leave could you get the box out of the back of the Rover.”

“What box?”

“Our thank you for having us gift,” she says,
wink,
wink
. “The scotch?”

The scotch?

Steph smirks. “Didn’t get the memo, bro?”

“Case of your favorite, Mossrock.”

“We did! That’s like—”

She raises a brow, telling me “shut your trap.”

My dad stands. “I’ll follow you two out, and I’ll bring the case in.”

Sam and I thank my parents for lunch and my dad walks us out.

Sam gets into the passenger side and I get the box out of the back of the Rover.

“Is this the scotch you were telling me about?” Dad asks.

I nod.

He whistles.

Twelve bottles at four grand a bottle. I’m a little pissed.

My dad takes the box into the house and I get in the Rover. We drive to the heart of town; me lost in my thoughts, Sam texting.

“Turn on Blackcomb,” she tells me.

“Why?”

“Just do it.”

I turn on Blackcomb. “Where to?”

“Couple more blocks,” she says. “Make a left.”

“The Four Seasons?”

She nods. “I just booked us a room. We need to do two things.”

“We do?”

“Yes, Logan, we do. First we need to talk about what’s bugging you, and then we need to fuck.”

Hallelujah!

I sit on a chair in our suite. Sam hands me a flute of champagne and sits on the sofa, tucking her legs underneath her.

She takes a sip of champagne then waves her hand. “The floor is all yours, Romano.”

“The scotch?”

The skin between her brows crinkles. “What?”

“A bit excessive, don’t you think?”

“I don’t understand.”

“I know how much a bottle cost. Four grand.”

She frowns. “You’re being an ass, again. I thought we were past the money thing.”

“I thought so too. Why didn’t you tell me?”

She puts her flute on a side table. “Let me first reiterate what an ass you are. I don’t know how much it cost. We, as in my family, bought the Mossrock distillery a couple of years ago. The distillery had been in the same family since 1850. They were in financial trouble and were going to sell out. Lex found out about it, bought them out, but insisted they remain part owners and retain the name. It’s her favorite scotch, a family favorite. I had them make up a case for your family. Had it labeled Romano Rock.”

“Oh.”

“Even had a case made up for you, Italian Stallion.”

“Oh.”

“I didn’t tell you because I wanted it to be a surprise for you and your family.”

Fuck.

She refills her flute, drinking half of it. “Next time I do something for your family, I’ll ask.”

I down my champagne, get up, and stand next to the fire. “I’m sorry, again.”

She stands. “Can we have fun now?”

I grin. “What kind of fun?”

She puts her flute down on the coffee table and removes her clothes,
slowly.
Standing before me in all her naked glory, she says, “Unbutton your jeans, and take it out.”

Fucking hell. I love this game. My eyes never leaving hers, I do as she commands.

“Now… hell. I was going to say stroke yourself hard, but you’re already hard.”

“You can tell me to stroke myself harder.”

“Take your clothes off.”

“Or, you could say that.”

I remove my clothes.

“Lie on the bed.”

I lie down in the center of the bed.

She spreads my legs and crawls between them.

“Hands over your head. No touching.”

“No touching, I don’t think… Oh, God… that feels… I love you, angel.”

“Mistress, to you.”

“T
his lasagna is
molto buono!
” I say, after my first bite. “Logan made it for me our first dinner.”

“He said you make one killer pie,” Carol says.

“It’s the only dessert I can make from scratch.”

“More than I can do. I’m a terrible cook,” Logan’s sister Regan adds from across the dinner table.

“We both are,” Jade, Regan’s partner, adds.

“That’s why there’s takeout,” I tell them.

Logan’s family has been warm and welcoming, with the exception of his brother Jared and his wife, Sandy. Their hostility toward me confounds me. There’s more going on between her and Logan than he’s told me. Earlier, when I was coming out of the bathroom, I overheard Steph and Carol scolding Logan, upset over something he’s done, but when I entered the room, all went silent. Something is up.

“Speaking of killer, you killed us on the slopes today. I can’t believe you went off that last jump,” Steph says.

“You could have broken your neck,” Logan adds, clearly still mad at me.

I roll my eyes at him.

“Wait. You went skiing?” Jared asks Logan.

Logan nods.

“What about your contract with the Rangers?”

He shrugs it off.

Jared plays right wing for the Canadiens. This news seems to surprise him.

Steph smirks. “After a guy whistled and commented on how nice Sam’s ass looked in ski pants, Logan booted up.”

Regan chuckles. “That was classic.”

“Do you think the Rangers will sign you, extend your contract?” Steph asks Logan.

“I think so, but you never know.”

“It’s not like he needs to worry,” Sandy says, with a sneer. “His girlfriend’s a millionaire.”

Everyone stops talking and looks at her, then me.

“Actually, Sandy, Sam’s a billionaire,” Regan informs her.

“Whatever,” Sandy says.

“If you’re going to spout off your mouth, you should get your facts straight,” Regan says.

“Yeah. There’s a big difference between thirty billion and thirty million,” Jade adds.

“Hoo-ah!” Steph says. “If I’d known, I would have let you pay for my coffee this morning. What’s it like to be a billionaire?”

“It’s a struggle,” I joke, wishing someone would change the subject.

“I’m sorry, Sam,” Regan says. “I read it in
Fortune.
Being a financial planner and all.”

“Don’t worry about it,” I tell her.

“Have long have you been skiing, Sam?” Logan’s sister Leslie asks me, changing the subject.

I put down my wine glass and give her a nod, conveying a silent thank-you. “I think I was six, my first time. My grandmother took Lex and me to Switzerland.” I grin, thinking about it. “We thought Gram would hire us an instructor but to our surprise she taught us.” I laugh. “She told us if you’re going to learn, you should learn from the best.”

Logan chuckles.

“You met Lizbet Grant?” Regan asks him, clearly in awe.

Logan nods. “She’s quite a character.”

I laugh. “That’s putting it mildly.”

“Again, I’m sorry, Sam,” Regan says. “Jade and I are financial geeks. Your grandmother fascinates us.”

“She’s a financial goddess,” Jade adds, all breathy.

“If you two visit New York, perhaps I could arrange a meet and greet with the goddess. Maybe we could all do lunch.”

Regan and Jade’s mouths gape open, looking as if they just won the lotto and peed their panties.

“That would be awesome,” Regan says.

“A wet dream come true,” Jade adds.

We all laugh—well most of us, anyway.

“TMI,” Steph tells her.

“Speaking of wet dreams,” Joel, Logan’s brother says. “Dad told me about your Stingray.”

Logan nods and smiles at me. “It’s even nicer than the one Uncle Don had. I told Sam how Luke and I lusted over it for years. How we wanted to buy it and fix it up.”