Page 2 of Our Unexpected Beginning (Club Surrender #4)

Graham

“ H ow the fuck did you talk me into this?” Graham grunted, shifting his end of the heavy desk, sweating through the long-sleeved flannel despite the winter cold air.

“I was only dropping off the kid and my mom’s cookies.” Graham loved taking his niece, Sarah, to spend time with Grandma Sawyer. Now that the munchkin was enrolled in first grade, the hour-and-a-half drive to see family required additional calculations.

“Well, it was perfect timing,” Wes chuckled, hoisting the other end of the table as though lifting a simple notebook.

“Really? So this is how we bribe each other now? With beer and manual labor?” Graham protested, the sound of struggling laughter bubbling up within him.

“Hey, if it works, it works,” Wes replied with a grin .

Graham paused, leaning against the door frame as Wes navigated the bulky desk through the narrow hallway. “I knew I should have stayed home today,” Graham muttered, shaking his head with a smirk.

“Quit whining. We’re almost done. There’s two steps coming up.”

They slid the desk into its designated spot with a few more grunts and adjustments. Graham stepped back, inspecting their handiwork. “Looks good to me,” Wes said, brushing off his hands.

Leaning against the bar, Graham sighed in relief. “I’m too old for this.”

Wes chuckled and reached into the fridge behind his desk. “Here, you earned this,” he said, handing him an ice-cold beer. Graham took it with a grateful nod, twisting off the cap and taking a long sip. He sat the drink next to the cookies, his mind returning to his niece.

Sarah’s mother, his sister, bolted out of town before she was six months old and never returned.

After leaving behind her newborn, she embraced their father’s worst trait.

History has a way of repeating itself, and that’s exactly what she made happen when she left.

He and Kat were raised by their grandparents after their mother’s passing.

Their grandparents raised them and instilled in them hard work and seeing things through, but lately, it didn’t seem as though Graham had his shit together. He was older than Kat, but it didn’t make him feel any wiser. He was a mechanic edging forty with no sight of settling anytime soon.

Graham was thankful Wes never took his frustrations and abandonment issues out on him for his sister’s doing. Sarah had been the highlight of his life during the darkest moments. Watching her discover her personality was a privilege of the highest honor. He’d also gained a good friend in Wes.

“Let’s slide it over here,” Wes urged.

They set the desk down in the far corner of the room with the other pieces waiting for pickup in his pseudo-brother-in-law’s office. “I request proper compensation.” He clapped his hands together, rubbing heat into his fingertips.

“Well, I ain’t suckin’ your dick that’s for sure.” Wes smacked him on the back, laughing good-naturedly.

“Jerk. Buy me a real drink. I want to walk the main floor tonight.” It had been two weeks since he’d heard from Julia. They weren’t anything: no labels or strings. Only chemistry.

Nevertheless, she’d crawled beneath his skin, and he couldn’t shake the anticipation of seeing her.

“Fine, fine. Pull the door behind you.” The men headed down the side hall to the elevators, crossing the half-empty pit to the bar.

“So, are you going to spill about you and Julia?”

“It’s nothing. I mean, at the moment. We’re just…” Graham crossed his arms and leaned against the bar. “Fucking each other until it makes sense?”

They laughed, and Wes nodded to Colton behind the bar. “Whiskey, neat, and a double gin.”

Taking the offered drink, they headed toward one of the corner booths that the group frequented.

They joined Wes’s friend Noah, and his wife, Lexi.

Graham waved politely and settled into the seat facing the pit, his eyes roaming the space as he took it in.

The rich colors made the open area feel more intimate.

The first time he had visited Surrender was at the charity auction Lexi had hosted three months ago.

He had donated to the auction and received a pass.

It was the night he’d met Julia when they let the atmosphere and wine take control. They’d been thrown together by the universe when she ended up in his shop a few weeks later. They concluded the evening like teenagers in the backseat of his truck with her tied to the door handle.

Laughter coming from the elevators caught his attention. Wes’ girlfriend and submissive Melody was laughing with the woman of his obsession.

Wearing a corset and skirt, she bounced over to a table with their friends.

Graham noticed that Julia changed her hair since he’d last seen her.

The blonde was now sprinkled with red and black highlights.

He couldn’t help but want to feel the silky strands in his fist as he gave her what she wanted.

For every inch Graham gave Julia, she surprised him and begged for more. He wanted to peel back her layers. See beneath the face she gave to the world. It was a defense he wasn’t unfamiliar with.

He set his drink down and pulled out his phone.

Graham :

Hello, gorgeous.

He looked up in her direction and waited.

Julia sat second in the booth next to Melody. They laughed with another blonde submissive he didn’t recognize. He was entranced; every delicious curve was highlighted down to the garter peeking from her skirt, holding her fishnets in place. If she was a drug he was addicted.

She’d finally noticed her phone. Her eyes scanned the pit, landing on Graham. He gave Julia a wolfish grin, knowing she couldn’t easily dodge out of this one, and deep down underneath it all, the hunt was part of their game.

Julia:

Hey.

Graham:

I didn’t think I’d see you here tonight.