Page 36 of By Invitation Only

CHAPTER EIGHT

And I was right.

Peyton didn’t return my call.

A few minutes before midday, I strolled into the courthouse and filed Trent’s papers. He’d swung by the office around ten and signed them. I knew most of the info, and I had emailed him some documents he needed to fill out when I was internet stalking Peyton Sunday. Usually, I would only file the Response because discovery came later. However, Peyton filed Ava’s financial pleadings when she filed the Petition, so I felt that I should too. We also had thirty days to respond to the Petition, but it was an excuse to explain myself in person to Peyton. I couldn’t wait thirty days. I needed to speak with her now. Yes, I could have had my paralegal or the court runner file the Response, but I needed it done right away, and since I was out, I could swing by Chandler and Patterson and serve Peyton in person like she’d done to me.

I walked through the double glass doors of C&P, back straight and on a fucking mission. Peyton might think she could ignore me, but I don’t fuck around. Not only did I want to tell her—

I stopped walking.

I was going to explain what? I was married to my best mate, but it didn’t mean anything because we were cheating the government so I could stay in the country? Yeah, that would go over well. I was being as stupid as Carrie opening her mouth. I needed to think about what I should say to Peyton instead of listening to my dick.

I turned around to leave and came face to face with the one I’d been thinking about all weekend. The envelope with Trent’s filed papers was in my hand, but I couldn’t move. Peyton was more beautiful than I’d remembered. Her dark brunette hair was down around her shoulders like the last time I’d seen her in bed at Sensation. She was wearing a grey trouser suit with a magenta blouse. I’d seen her dressed the same way on many occasions in court, but knowing what was under all her clothes made my dick jump to attention.

“What are you doing here?” Peyton asked.

“I’m going to go check our messages,” the woman she was with said. I hadn’t realized she was with someone until she spoke. I just stared at Peyton.

“Well?” she asked, crossing her arms over her chest. My eyes went to her tits. Tits that I knew the feel of—the taste of.

“Booker!” Peyton hissed, and my eyes snapped to hers.

Then I remembered how she’d screamed my name in bed, and my eyes moved to her lips then back up to her eyes. She rolled them, and my dick twitched again.

“Do that again,” I finally said, not caring where we were.

“Do what?”

I stepped closer and said in a low voice, “Roll your eyes.”

“We can’t do this here,” she stated.

“Then let’s go to your office.”

“Booker…” she said low.

I stepped even closer and whispered into her ear, “I’m serving you, gorgeous.”

“Give it to me.” She stuck out her hand.

“I want to giveitto you,” I admitted, but I wasn’t referring to the papers. She wiggled her hand, silently asking for the envelope. I shook my head. “I need to speak with you first.” I wasn’t sure what I was going to tell her, but I didn’t want to leave.

“I have nothing to say to you.”

“I have something to say to you,” I returned.

She sighed. “Booker, please.”

We could go back and forth all afternoon. Neither one of us had time for that, so I turned and walked to her office. I knew where it was because I’d been here a handful of times for other cases and had seen her sitting at her desk. I didn’t stop as she called my name, following me. When I got to her office, I unbuttoned my suit jacket and sat in a chair in front of her desk. I wasn’t leaving until we sorted our shite out.

She closed the door as she entered and walked around to her desk. I placed the envelope in front of her.

“You have some nerve.”

I smirked. “Don’t be like that.”

“Don’t be like that?” She raised her voice. “You used me.”