That First Night (Firsts in the City #1)

by Jenn McMahon

I flick through the guide to find How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days. It’s not my first choice, but it’s hers.

tells me she is shocked I have her all figured out. “How did you…” she pauses, releasing the hair from her hand. “How did you know?” “I noticed.” I clear my throat before I continue, “that when you get nervous, you look down at the ground and tuck that little strand of hair behind your ear.” “You noticed?” Looking into her baby blue eyes, I respond to her statement, “I notice everything about you, Peyton.”

“The only thing I want you to scream is my name when I make you come in seven minutes.” Her head shoots up at the same time her mouth falls open. “What can I say? I’m quick,”

“I want this. I want you,” he pauses, and his eyes bounce back and forth between mine. “I have wanted you like this for so long. You naked and spread out for me. My lips kissing every part of your body. My hands learning your every curve. My cock stretching your tight pussy,” he pauses to plant a quick kiss to the corner of my lips. “But I want to take my fucking time with you, Sunshine.”

My eyes widen in shock as I find Thomas is sitting up in my bed, tucked under my blankets. I don’t know what made me think that he would head back to his room.

Holy. Fuck. This woman is truly trying to kill me. Didn’t I make her come enough last night? Did she come here to give herself an orgasm before the day gets started? My dream fucking girl.

My mind is reeling as I walk down the hallway and make my way to the shower. How is everything so easy with her? Is this what a relationship would feel like? Waking up next to her? Her making breakfast in the kitchen in her tempting silk pajamas while I kiss her neck? Orgasms in the bathroom? Soft kisses to her forehead without thinking about it? My chest feels tight, and my pulse starts racing at the thought of all of that being a permanent possibility. She’s inadvertently going to make me fall in love with her, isn’t she? That scares the shit out of me because the one thing I won’t do is love.

He notices the small things and makes them big things.

Like the way Thomas will watch a chick-flick with me, even though it’s not his kind of movie. He subjected himself to a total chick movie just to make me happy. Or the way he makes me vegan waffles. That is what I fall for. The little things.

“What kind of spaceship is this that the car just automatically connects to my phone?” “It doesn’t.” “What do you mean it doesn’t?” I ask. “It rang through the speakers-” “I connected it to your phone.” “You… what? But when?” He laughs at me tripping over my words that he did that for me. “The day you started, Peyton. I wanted to make sure you were all settled. I set the car up with a remote start in an app on your phone and connected the Bluetooth so you can be hands free and safe in the car.”

I’m falling for my boss.

He pauses for a moment, wiping a tear before it drips down his cheek. “I love you, Pey.” My fucking heart.

Bright Side by Kim Holden.

Nobody knows this, but I have been sending Gigi groceries weekly to make sure she is taking in the right nutrition. Not that Peyton hasn’t been taking care of her, but I wanted to help take a little of the burden from her. My driver delivers them to her door, and I have him make sure that she answers the door so he can get an update for me.

I made sure that Eddy included some of those in the grocery bags printed out. I also had a top loading water dispenser delivered to her house last week to ensure she has safe water and drinks plenty of it. Her grandmother and friends are the most important people in her life, so in an effort to make sure Peyton knows I care for her, I want to show the ones in her life that I care as well.

You two have feelings. I could tell just from watching the way you two looked at each other.”

“You’re already doing half of what most people in a relationship do. You spend time together. You buy her shit. You feed her. You fuck. Women are not complicated creatures.”

“You’re an open book and I’ve learned that growing up with you. You show people you love them in your own unique way and that’s what we love about you as your brothers.”

“You’re falling for your nanny. Head over heels.”

“Because I’m about to ruin you for anyone else.”

I want her with every fiber of my being. I want her. More than just now and this sex, I want all of her.

“You’re mine, Peyton,” I groan. Moving my body to hover over her so my mouth is closer to her ear. “You’re fucking mine.”

“You’re mine, baby. Your smile is mine. Your kisses are mine. Your pussy is mine. Everything about you, is mine.”

“What are you saying, Thomas?” “I’m saying I want you,” I admit. “I’ve wanted you since the moment I saw you across the ballroom. Then I wanted you again when I saw your beautiful hair blowing in the wind at the park. And I’ve wanted you again every single fucking day I come home from work.”

“But I want you. I want this.” She pauses before the corner of her lip curls up the slightest. “What is this, Mr. Ford?”

“I don’t know what the fuck I’m doing here. I don’t know the first thing about dating. I don’t know how to do relationships. But I want this with you, Peyton. I want to figure it out along the way. I want more than just this random sex in the kitchen or living room. I want us,”

“I meant what I said last night. I want to give this a shot with you. I have no idea what I’m doing but I know that I’m crazy about you, Peyton.” A soft smile forms on my face as his stare burns deep into me. “I’m crazy about you too,”

“I think I’m falling in love with her.” “Tommy boy.” She laughs. “You’re already there.” My head snaps to her. “Huh?” “You don’t think you’re falling in love with her.” She laughs. “You’re already head over heels in love with her.”

“I see the way she looks at you. I see the way you look at her.” She lifts a brow. “Did you think I didn’t notice you staring at only her during our little card game back in there? I’ve had my eyes on you, Tommy boy.”

clench my teeth together as she continues. “You, Tommy boy, are nothing like them. I’ve been blessed to watch Peyton come into her own person since you. Her confidence is blossoming. She’s found herself. I can tell she’s the happiest she’s ever been. You did that.” She pokes my chest and laughs. “You brought her back to life.”

swallow another lump that’s lodged in my throat. “She’s changed me, Gigi.” “I bet she has, boy.” “Gigi, I’m pretty confident that I lo—” my words are cut short when a small voice cuts me off from the sliding glass doors and my head turns to see James standing there with tears in his eyes.

“I love her, James. A whole lot.” “So, can we keep her?” he asks with a smile on his face and tears still staining his cheeks. “She does the best crafts. She’s the best dinosaur buddy. She takes care of me when I’m sick. She loves to close the blinds and watch movies with me,” he spits out at a rapid speed. “And she makes the best waffles ever, Daddy. She does the funtetti like I like a whole lot.” “Woah, slow down, JJ.” I laugh. “She really is a keeper, huh?” “We need to keep her, Daddy!” he screams. “Then I say, we keep her.”

it’s not obvious by now, you’re the only one I want, Peyton.”

I guess I have to fire the nanny. Which means I need a new plan in place. Because I’m so fucking in love with Peyton.

“Can you two say something?” I plea. “What do you expect us to say?” Kali says with a small chuckle. “We were waiting for this,” Avery adds. “What?” I stammer. “Girl, we saw how Daddy was looking at you at the beach house.” Avery laughs. “Like he couldn’t wait to get you upstairs and fuck you into next year.”

“The man is crazy about you. That much is obvious.”

“And we’ve noticed a change in you,” Avery cuts in. “You have been straight up glowing the last couple of weeks. Only one thing can make you glow the way you have been glowing.”

“You have feelings for him. Strong ones. You can’t hide them from me, from us. I can see it. I see how you two interact. I see your cheeks flush when he’s near you. I see the smile he puts on your face. I see how much you love and care about James. I also see…” she pauses and takes a deep breath. Releasing the breath before she continues, “You’ve never been like this with a man before. You’re so confident and bold. When I say you’re glowing, Pey, I mean it. You’ve always been a ray of sunshine in our eyes. But Thomas brought out an even brighter you. One for the whole world to finally fucking see. How can’t you see that?”

I have become an addict. I am addicted to everything about her. Not just sex but being around her. Just wanting her somewhere near me. I want her in my bed every night and I want to wake up to her hair splaying across my chest with her body pressed up against my side. I want her arms wrapped around my body every morning when I kiss her forehead goodbye before I leave for the office. I want to see her launching off the couch into my arms when I step through the elevators coming home from work. Fuck. Is this what being in love feels like? If it is, I can confidently say that I never want to be without it. I can also confidently say that Peyton has changed me. I like who I am these days. I’m a different man, inside and out. I walk around with a smile on my face, and I notice I’m less aggravated than normal.

“I know this is probably a new feeling for you, big bro.” She laughs. “But that pounding in your chest, the sweaty palms, the constant thoughts of her and always wanting to be near her,” she pauses and gives me a soft smile. “And the smile that reaches your eyes when you see her. That’s love, Tommy.”

She has to know that I am head over heels in love with her. She has to know I would do anything for her. I would give her everything I fucking own to make her happy. I hope she knows that.

“If the shoes aren’t red on the bottom, then I don’t want to see them on your feet.”

I would rather be home with my face between Peyton’s legs. Tastes way better than whiskey ever will.

“She’s going to need a job,” I cut off his thoughts. “I’m probably going to have to fire her. She can’t be James’ nanny when I’m in a relationship with her. I can’t pay her to live with me if I’m in love with her.

“Listen, I love you, Tommy. You don’t have to say it back and I know you never will because you’re you. With that being said, you’re excellent at showing those you love that you love them. I have no doubt that you have shown Peyton that and she has an idea of how you feel. But women need to hear it, too. Have you thought about telling her?” “Yeah,” I admit softly. Tilting my head towards the table and swirling the ice in my glass around. “I just don’t know how.” “It goes like this,” Logan chimes in. “I. Love. You. It’s easy.”

“I’ll tell you. There is no greater feeling in the world than loving someone the way I love Peyton. She’s flipped my world around for the better,”

This morning I love you almost slipped from my lips. Not that I’m second guessing myself, but I just want it to be the right time. She deserves the grand gesture, a room full of roses and everything life has to offer when those three little words escape my lips.

“I need you, Peyton. I need you as more than just James' nanny. I want to make us official.”

“I want you in my bed every fucking night with your legs tangled in mine and the heat of your body pressed against me. I want to wake up with my head between your legs for breakfast before breakfast,”

You should know by now that I would give you the world if you asked for it, baby.”