Page 40 of Deception & Daylight (Oak Ridge #3)

“I’m done with this bullshit. As far as we’re concerned, you no longer have a successor.

Maybe you can contact one of your mistresses and see if you can borrow one of your illegitimate children to take my place.

” Does my dad have other kids out in the world somewhere?

I have no idea but it wouldn’t surprise me one bit.

All the same, it seems I’ve struck a nerve, and it fills me with a smug sense of satisfaction when I return to Miles and lace our fingers together before pulling him along with me to my room.

Once we reach the second floor, Miles grips my hips and pushes me against the wall. “Do you have any idea how hot it is when your anger is directed at someone else?”

I laugh, gasping for breath as a smile breaks over my face. The weight on my chest lifts as I realize I’ve finally set myself free. “I can’t believe I just did that.”

“I’m so goddamn proud of you.” He kisses my forehead before pushing through the door to my room. “I have a surprise for you,” he says. “Well, not just me. Paige, too. She planned a birthday party at The Ridge tonight.”

I glance down at my purple maxi dress, wondering if I should change for a casual night out. As if reading my mind, Miles says, “You look beautiful. Don’t change a thing.”

When we arrive at The Ridge, I immediately find Paige and run straight into her arms. She squeals.

“You’ve been too busy! It feels like I haven’t seen you in forever.

We’re finally in the same town and I can’t even get you out for lunch at Rosie’s.

” She glances over my shoulder, her fists la nding on her hips.

“What do you have to say for yourself, Miles?”

“Green isn’t your color, Sunshine,” he teases.

Turning her gaze back to me, she asks, “Is he being a good fake boyfriend?”

Before I can respond, Miles leans in close to my ear and whispers, “This is about as fake as those orgasms I gave you this morning.”

I flush, and it doesn’t go unnoticed. Paige smirks. “Yeah, I thought so.”

Suppressing a smile, I slide onto the nearest stool and flag Liam down for a drink. “Hey Birthday Girl,” he says. “What can I get ya?”

“Margarita. Make it strong and I might tell you what Miles said in his sleep last night.” The unintentional admission slips off my tongue, and everyone’s heads turn on a swivel, their eyes wide and jaws slack.

There are a few faces I don’t recognize, and several of them are looking me up and down assessingly.

Miles is practically beaming with pride, and my last fuck flies right out the window.

I spin to face the crowd, throw my hands in the air, and declare, “Screw it. I’m sleeping with Miles Barlow, and I don’t care who knows it. ”

“That’s my girl,” he says, tugging me off my stool and kissing me thoroughly in front of the entire bar. I wish I could blame it on the wine, but that buzz is long gone — it left the moment I confronted my dad. Nope — this is all stupid, reckless Mags.

Liam holds out his open palm to Cade across the bar. “Pony up,” he says.

I stare incredulously as Cade slaps down a stack of cash, grumbling a curse. “Did you guys seriously bet on us?” I ask.Just then, Liam shifts and both Miles and Dean add to the stack. “What the fuck, Miles?!”

“Sorry, Wildcat. For what it’s worth, I had a lot more faith in you than these assholes did. I thought you’d at least make it two months before you staked your claim.”

I stare pointedly at my so-called friends. “You know what, fuck all of you. Liam, I’m gonna need that margarita and a round of shots for everyone. On Miles. Top shelf, make it hurt.”

He chuckles. “You got it, Shortcake.” I wrinkle my nose in disgust at the moniker.

“She doesn't like food nicknames,” Miles says, attempting to take my hand while I playfully slap it away.

“Noted.” Rapping his knuckles on the bar, Liam heads off to prepare the drinks, and I spin to face the man who’s swiftly made his way back onto my shit list. I lean in close, grab him by the belt loops and pull him between my spread thighs.

Once I have him where I want him, I discreetly palm his cock and with my lips brushing gently against his ear, I murmur, “It would be a shame if you had to suffer with a boner for the rest of the night. Hope you have enough material in your spank bank because this pussy is closed for business.” With one last nip of his earlobe, I pull back and watch in amusement as he tosses his head back and groans.

So much has changed in the two months since I fled Toronto for Oak Ridge without a plan in place.

Knowing I’d come face to face with my past, I wavered over the decision, ultimately concluding I’d be far better off here than I would’ve been suffering alone in my apartment with a roommate I haven’t bothered to interact with.

Miles has been the most unexpected plot twist, and I don’t regret the events that brought us together anymore.

We’ve both changed a lot in the last two years, and what we’ve built here far outweighs anything I felt when it was a long distance situationship.

A short while later, Liam returns with our shots and one massive margarita.

We down our shots, then head to our usual combined tables, but as I step closer, the breath seizes in my lungs.

It’s laid out with a purple table cloth, the exact shade of my dress, a massive bouquet of pastel wildflowers spilling over the sides of a delicate vase.

Lucy Barlow, a warm smile gracing her kind face, sits at the head of the table, where a beautiful heart-shaped birthday cake is centered on an antique cake stand.

I quickly rush to her side and pull her in for a tight hug. “Did you do all of this for me?”

“I had some help,” she says, glancing over her shoulder where I know Miles is hovering close by.

I’m not used to being doted on. Paige always did her best to make me feel special when it was just the two of us, and she’s always been the family I chose, but this feels different somehow.

Lucy cups my cheek, her kind smile instantly settling my anxiety.

“I meant it when I said you deserve the world, sweet girl. Let him give it to you.”

I’m not sure how to respond so I nod and she seems to accept that as an answer for now. Two strong arms band around my waist as a pair of soft lips touch my temple and I instantly melt into the embrace. “Does this mean we can have cake now?” Miles asks.

“Do you ever stop thinking about food?”

His response is a quiet whisper against my ear.

“I can name at least three other things I’m thinking about right now.

Not the least of which is smearing that cake all over your naked body just before I devour every delicious inch of you.

But considering the effort my mom put into it, I’m gonna be a gentleman. For now.”

I feel my cheeks heat as he releases his hold on me.

He pulls out the chair directly beside Lucy, motioning for me to sit, before taking the one on my other side, enveloping me in a Barlow sandwich.

The rest of our friends crowd around us, with Paige and Cade across the table, Ivy and Luca beside them, and Cara and Dean on the other opposite of Miles.

The entire bar joins in on a rousing version o f Happy Birthday and I blow out the candles, wishing I could have more nights like this one.

Drinks and conversation flow easily, and I’m caught up in how perfect this night has been, content to ignore the earlier confrontation with my father for a while longer.

Beneath the table, Miles’ thumb strokes gently over my exposed leg like he can’t stand to not be touching me at all times, and I find myself reveling in his touch.

I’m caught off guard as my attention is pulled to the stage where a familiar woman holding an acoustic guitar settles herself on a stool in front of a mic.

Her curves are accentuated by a pair of figure hugging pink bell bottoms and a crop top.

The look is topped off with a white cowboy hat adorned with a rhinestone band.

Ruby looks every bit the country music star she is as she stares out over the audience.

When her eyes meet mine, she waves and her beaming smile lights up the room.

“This one’s for you, Mags. Happy birthday. ”

As she strums the opening chords to one of her biggest hits, Miles tugs me out of my seat. “Come on, Wildcat. That’s our queue.”

Miles

A crowd gathers near the stage where Ruby Lynn Hayes is playing her impromptu homecoming concert, but I’m too distracted by the gorgeous woman in my arms and the devastating smile she’s had on her face all evening.

I don’t think I’ve ever seen her so happy and it fills me with pride to know I had a hand in that.

When she raises onto her tiptoes and kisses me, I know I’m well and truly fucked.

“Are you having a good birthday?”

“The best. Thank you, Miles. I can’t remember a more special day.”

“Not eve n when you were a kid?” Something haunted passes over her expression, but it’s gone before I have time to catalogue it.

“No. My mom died before my first birthday, and dad was never the warm and fuzzy type. He always had his assistant pick out some ridiculous gift when all I ever wanted was to spend time with him.”

My heart breaks for all she’s had to overcome in her life.

She deserves so much better than what she’s been given up ’til now, and in that moment, I vow to be the man who gives her everything she didn’t know she needed.

Unable to resist the pull, I sweep her hair back from her forehead and place my lips there, lingering a little longer than normal as she lets out a contented sigh.