×WYATT×
I twirled the scotch in my glass before bringing it to my lips and taking a hefty sip.
My father was looking at me with a disapproving expression on his face, not that it was anything new. He was always looking at me like that. But I supposed for a man in his mid-eighties, I couldn't really expect much more.
Normally, I didn't give a shit about what he thought, but tonight was different.
Tonight we had dinner with Caleb and Selma.
Caleb joined us in the study with Selma and I just knew I had to be very careful with this conversation.
Not only would it be uncomfortable for poor Selma, but Kenzie would hate me if I let anything about our secret come out and I didn't want that to happen.
"So, you hired Kenzie Middleton as a personal assistant. When you have Hilda." My father's tone was clear, he thought I wanted to take her to bed.
If only he knew.
"Yes, I did. How I run the company is up to me."
My father placed his drink on the table beside him, "Wyatt, son, I love you. But this has to stop. You are well past a ripe age and you need to stop this nonsense of running after young women just because you can."
I couldn't say I was surprised by this. My father was the complete opposite of me. The infamous Grayson Grimes, in his prime he had been a ruthless businessman, but always a devoted and caring family man.
He had wed my mother when he was only twenty-two, and she was twenty-one. They really had the storybook romance.
High school sweethearts who loved each other dearly and remained faithful in their marriage right up until the day she had died in her seventies.
Even after her death, my father had never found it in his heart to marry after my mother.
He would tell the story of how no one would ever replace his dear Ruth.
Needing to make sure there was no doubt about why I had offered Kenzie a job, I leaned forward in my chair, "Father, what do you take me for? Kenzie was set to become my daughter-in-law! How could you think such a thing?" I felt a bit guilty saying this in front of Selma.
She was a nice woman, very attractive and she loved Caleb.
But even so, she was no Kenzie.
My son nodded his head, "Grandad, I know Dad has a bit of a reputation, but this is ridiculous. Kenzie and I dated for a very long time, she's basically family. Not even Dad would go there."
There it was again, that feeling of guilt.
My son stood up for me, oblivious to what had happened.
My father gave me a knowing look and I squirmed under it. Not a normal reaction from me at all.
But the way he looked at me suggested he knew more than he was letting on.
"Look, Father, this is one woman you don't have to worry about. I gave her a job because she needed it, and as Caleb said, she's practically family. I couldn't stand by and watch her lose everything." I wasn't lying. I was just leaving a few details out.
Kenzie was busy with my files when she glanced over
her shoulder, "Don't forget the meeting in thirty minutes. I've placed the relevant files on your desk."
"Thank you."
The atmosphere was slightly tense between us since she had come in today.
"Are you alright?" I finally asked her.
She paused and turned to me with a file in her hand, "Yes. Why would I not be okay?"
I thought over my response before speaking, I knew I had to be careful with her, she was flighty as a damn hamster, as she always had been.
"You seem a little tense." I finally settled on it.
"I'm not. I'm working, you know, doing the job that you employed me to do."
Man, she was moody as anything. I was ashamed to admit that I enjoyed seeing her in this mood, she had a cute little crease between her brows, and her full lips were pressed into an unimpressed line as she looked at me.
I shook my head, the memory of my father's lecturing voice repeating in my head.
For once, the old bat was right. I should know better than to let my lust get the better of me.
This was Kenzie for God's sake.
"My apologies, Miss Middleton. Carry on." I sighed to myself, damn did that phrase bring back memories.
{PAST}
We were having a business dinner when I had noticed Kenzie heading through the back door after what looked like an argument between her and Caleb.
My son was standing near one of the tables, drink in hand and smiling at a woman.
I shook my head, he wasn't even going after her.
So I did.
When I walked into the kitchen she was sitting on the porch swing.
"Needed some fresh air?" I asked as I took a seat beside her.
She nodded, "Yeah, it was getting a bit stuffy in there."
I looked over at her, she hadn't noticed me staring. She wore a beautiful red dress that I knew Caleb would have picked for her, it wasn't the type she would have picked.
It was too flashy and far too revealing for her to have picked it out.
Her hair had been piled into a bun on her head, and that didn't look right either; she liked to leave her hair down.
Suddenly she turned to me, "Is everything okay, Mr. Grimes?"
Her voice had broken me out of my trance, "Yes. But when are you going to stop calling me Mr. Grimes? You make me feel as old as my father."
She smiled, but then immediately looked down. She had always been shy.
Without thinking, I reached forward and pulled the hair clip from her hair, her brunette locks cascading down her back and around her face.
She looked up at me with surprise and I knew at that moment that I had somehow crossed a line.
The look we shared, there was something at that moment.
And then it was gone as she turned away, her hand going to her hair, "Caleb said I should keep-"
"Fuck what Caleb said. Do what you want to do."
She got to her feet, "I should get back inside, Mr. Grimes," she walked towards the door before turning back, "My hair clip, Mr. Grimes?"
I held it out with a smile on my face, "My apologies, Miss Middleton. Carry on."
{PRESENT}
Kenzie looked at me, and n that look alone I knew she was thinking about that night too.
I had always known she was beautiful. But it was that night, in our shared look that I knew something was different.
I knew at that moment it was something deeper than simply being attracted to her looks. I knew I would eventually overstep a line.
Only, at that time, I had thought that she would laugh in my face.
Oh, how wrong I had been.