Chapter 5 Morning Prep

Michael

My body was stiff as hell when I woke the next morning. Something about switching beds or the way I fucked the blond the day before had my hurting in places I didn't realize could hurt.

I ran my hand down my stomach and stroked my erection as I glanced over at the clock, wondering if I had time to treat myself to a release before starting what was sure to be a long day.

Lisa crossed my mind before Cynthia took her place.

"Nope." I got up. I wasn't jacking off to the memory of the women in my past, at least not that morning. Next best thing to self-love was the gym. Thankfully, I had one on the second floor of my penthouse. It would have to do.

The sun was barely over the horizon, which made the room just light enough to distinguish the outline of each piece of equipment. I enjoy running on the treadmill when it's still early. Looking over the NYC skyline from the 53rd floor gave me an adrenaline spike to start my day. I pressed the buttons on the machine for one of the harder workouts involving many hills and sprints in between. I barely lifted anything except for a coffee mug while I was away, so I wanted to make up for lost time.

Using the small remote for my Bose system, I turned on my rock metal playlist. The hammering drums helped keep me on pace.

The pounding of my feet against the belt created a monotonous rhythm that cleared my head. It was the only part of the day that was truly mine. No one disturbed me while I was working out. Unless I was with Alex. As my trainer, he tended to work my muscles harder than I could on my own. Every penny I paid for him was worth it. I was in the best shape of my life. Not many other thirty-six-year-olds could say that. Especially those in my field. The only thing missing was a woman to worship what I'd created through sweat and pain over the last few years. I'd return the favor of course. My body hardened at the mere thought of finding the right one, though it was getting a bit bleak.

I cleared my thought and headed to the kitchen after running and doing three sets of circuit exercises. I liked my solitude in the mornings. Getting my head straight for the day was a big priority for me. I worked hard enough all day and most nights, which is why I consistently wake up so early for personal time. It seemed like everyone needed a piece of me during the day and for that, I had to be in the right head space.

When I reached the bottom of the stairs, the aroma of coffee filled my nose. I grinned. There was nothing quite like Milly's home-brewed coffee.

Entering the kitchen, Milly's back was to me as she cleaned the marble counter-tops with her back facing me.

"Good morning, Milly," I said to my housekeeper.

She started and whipped around while letting out a sound of alarm. "Jeez Michael! You scared me." She pressed her wrinkled hands to her chest and took several gulps of air.

I laughed and held up my hands in front of me. "Sorry."

She smoothed her hair back behind her ears. "You can't do that to an old woman. Sam will have a hell of a time finding you a new me."

"I would be lost without you," I said smiling. "And your coffee."

She waggled her finger at me. "Don't be smart."

Milly was a born and bred New Yorker. While some of my staff tended to keep to themselves while working, I always enjoyed Milly's company. She was down to earth and I enjoyed talking to her. When people met me and realized how wealthy I was, they treated me differently. Milly, however, did not. She was the sweetest woman in the world yet thick-skinned as well. That's what New York did to people. It was one of the many reasons why I loved it so much. The world could get so much more done if emotions could be left out of the equation. It might not be as fun, but shit would get done.

I lifted a mug from the shelf above the breakfast bar and crossed the room. "How was your Thanksgiving?" I poured myself a cup of coffee before adding a little bit of milk to the mug as well.

"Oh it was lovely," she said in a sincere tone. "Seeing my kids was so good, though I'm happy they're back in their own homes. Every time they come to visit, it seems like they have forgotten how to do everything. Cook, clean, laundry..." she trailed off.

I took a sip from my mug and winced as the searing liquid burned my tongue. "I'm sure you love doting on them too. Tell the truth now." I smiled as her cheeks burned pink.

"Of course I do. But I can only do it a few days at a time. These joints aren't what they used to be. How was Bar Harbor?"

Milly kept me company while I finished my cup of coffee and I told her all about the event I'd helped plan. Talking about it with her made me have the same sense of calm that I experienced when I was away. It was refreshing.

And even though she continued to clean around me, she was attentive and prodded me by asking more questions about my visit. She was the closest to a mother-figure that I had in the City.

After about ten minutes, she excused herself without another word to get back to work.

I needed to do the same.

I lifted the blender from the cabinet and placed it on the counter. I poured a packet of protein powder into the container along with several other items. I was on autopilot since Alex insisted I drink it after every workout. He swore by it and I never questioned him. It wasn't the most flavorful smoothie but I trusted his advice.

I blended the shake and poured it into a tumbler. I rinsed the blender container in the sink, leaving it for Milly to wash. I had to shower and get to work.